Lots of attention from the Portland Press Herald in the Memorial Day Weekend edition of the Sunday Telegram. Jenn Menendez gives the D-League expansion a full court of press reviewing previous attempts to bring minor basketball to the state and interviewing former Portland High standout John Wassenbergh who also played for Portland's USBL team for two years.
Jenn's first article is extensive and includes quotes from another Portland area standout Nik Caner-Medley, NBADL president Dan Reed, and many of those involved with the Portland Mountain Cats. Here's an excerpt from Timing Could Be Right For Minor League League Basketball in Portland.
Given the growing success of the D-League and the number of players now represented in the NBA, you have to believe that this is a new dawn for minor league basketball. Where in other major sports minor league players have often reached pro clubs within a 5 year window, that has not been the case for minor league ballers, until now.With proper marketing and a solid business strategy, experts believe the team could thrive.
"I think it's always a matter of funding," said Kevin Mackey, a scout with the Indiana Pacers who coached the Mountain Cats during their one year in Portland. "It was a problem with the team we had in Portland. (McClure) was a young ambitious guy, struggling to make the thing go. The D-League is minor-league basketball done the right way."
John Wassenbergh, a former South Portland High standout, played two years in Portland before going on to play nearly eight years of pro basketball in the U.S. and Europe. He believes the D-League will be more attractive for fans than the USBL.
"I don't know if the typical Maine audience was ready for that particular style of basketball at that particular time," said Wassenbergh.
"I think the new D-League might be a little bit more exciting. I always thought it could work. But having the backing of the NBA is whirlwinds above what we had."
Jenn goes on to detail the planned Northeast expansion of the D-League and it's future plans in A League Unto It's Own and explains some of the major differences between the NBADL and other sports' minor league teams and the nature of their relationships with associated major league clubs...
First off, the D-League is part of the NBA, unlike, say, the American Hockey League, which is independent of the NHL, or the Eastern League, which is independent of Major League Baseball.
Second, the D-League pays player salaries, an obligation in baseball and hockey carried by each individual major-league club.
The league has a three-tier salary structure from $15,000 to $25,500.
Players must be approved by the league and play each season under a one-year contract with the NBA.
Unless a player is on contract with a specific NBA team -- each NBA team can store two players on its D-League team -- he can be called up by any team in the league.
For example, a forward with the Albuquerque T-Birds -- an affiliate shared by the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers -- could be called up to play for, say, the New York Knicks or the Denver Nuggets.
"It's unique and it's with a purpose," said the D-League president, Dan Reed.
"We feel it's team friendly and player friendly. If your parent team happens to have three point guards on the roster, well, that's not very good for you. But because 30 teams can call you up it's player friendly."
Things seem to be looking good for Portland as a D-League destination and fans in the area are anxious for an announcement to that effect. Kudos to Jenn Menendez for the extensive research and thorough coverage on the subject this weekend.
