Portland Boys and Girls Club Dinner

Basketball group waiting for go-ahead
Potential owners of a D-League team in Portland are eager to get the franchise and start work.

By JENN MENENDEZ, Staff Writer August 15, 2008

K.C. Jones was an NBA rookie in 1958 when he came to Maine for the first time.

He loaded into a car to drive from Boston to play a string of exhibitions with the Boston Celtics. He recalls getting stuck riding with Coach Red Auerbach at the wheel.

Stuck, he says, because Auerbach "just didn't drive well. So the rookies went with him."
Jones hopes to make a few new memories of Maine.

So does Jon Jennings, who brought Jones to Portland on Thursday to speak at a fund-raising dinner for the Boys and Girls Club. They are part of the ownership group trying to bring an NBA Development League team to Portland for 2009-10.

Jennings hoped to be given a franchise by the end of this summer, but is now preparing to wait until the fall while the league works on expanding east.

The 16-team league primarily operates in the Midwest and West. But league officials are trying to bring a cluster of teams to the Northeast, which would create natural rivalries and reasonable travel costs.

"The great thing from our standpoint is the NBA wants to do this right," said Jennings. "I think it's fair to say we've done everything they've required of us and we've been working our tails off to get this thing done."

The D-League president, Dan Reed, was unavailable for comment.

Ideally, Jennings said, the ownership group would have at least a year to prepare. The team is interested in being an affiliate of the Celtics, making improvements to the Portland Expo and building a fan base.

"There's an enormous amount of work to be done," said Jennings. "So all of us are hoping a decision will be made in the near future."

Jones' role, said Jennings, is likely to expand if Portland is awarded a franchise.

"We hope in the future he'll take a more sizeable role," said Jennings, a former assistant coach with the Celtics. "K.C. has been like a father to me. He brought me into the Celtics. And he was the first guy I called when I decided to do this."

The group is led by Jennings, Bill Ryan Jr., owner of Oxford Plains Speedway, and Bill Ryan Sr., chairman of the board of TD Banknorth. The group announced its intentions last winter, originally hoping it might be possible to begin operations for the 2008-09 season. That idea quickly faded, and playing in the 2009-10 season became a more realistic timetable.

In March the group ironed out a five-season lease agreement with the city to play at the Expo, which would cost $42,000 a year to start. The team would pay $250,000 for building improvements, as well as be responsible for all team operating costs at the Expo.

Jones, who wore a shiny gold NBA championship ring from 1986 on his left hand, also toted his gold medal from the 1956 Olympics to share with kids from the Boys and Girls Club.

He said he's grown to believe in the merits of the D-League -- the reason he became involved.
"They have a chance to get to the NBA," said Jones. "I think the D-League would do well here. It would give players a chance."

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:
jmenendez@pressherald.com

Copyright © 2008 Blethen Maine Newspapers

18th Annual Steak & Burger Dinner

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine invite you to the 18th Annual Steak & Burger Dinner featuring Jon Jennings and K.C. Jones as guest speakers celebrating the Boston Celtics 17th World Championship!

Join more than 100 Boys & Girls Clubs members for our annual cookout to benefit
The Positive Place for Kids. Guests are seated with Club members. The tradition is that
“roles” are reversed - the young people are served steaks and adults eat hamburgers.

Thursday, August 14, 2008
5:00 to 7:30 p.m.
USM’s Sullivan Complex
96 Falmouth Street, Portland

For more information, please contact Katie Howard at kthoward@bgcmaine.org/874-1069.

You can also download the entire announcement and reservation form by clicking on the image above and mailing in your completed form.

CONGRATULATIONS CELTICS!!!

We want to offer our congratulations to the Boston Celtics family for once again bringing the Larry O'Brien Trophy home to Boston. From Danny Ainge's brilliant trades and player acquistions to Doc River's perfect handling of his team to the ownership/management giving them all the tools they needed to win, this Celtics' championship was won on and off the court. From a basketball standpoint, I just loved how this team came together and dedicated itself to winning a championship. Garnett, Pierce and Allen lead the way, but I was as impressed with every bench player coming in and making major contributions. Congrats again on a job well done!

Marc Spears Has An Update

This from the Boston Globe Today...

A Maine attraction?

The NBA Development League recently announced the Celtics will keep the Utah Flash as their affiliate next season. Boston, however, has been interested in getting a much closer affiliate, perhaps in Portland, Maine.

Portland is hoping to field an NBDL expansion team by the 2009-10 season. Ex-Celtics assistant coach Jon Jennings, who would be a co-owner in Portland, is hoping to hear good news soon. Helping Portland's cause is the fact the franchise's lead investor is Bill Ryan, chairman of TD Banknorth Garden, and ex-Celtics coach and star K.C. Jones is a consultant.

"We're still negotiating with the NBA," Jennings said. "Things look very good purchasing the team, but it's still not a done deal. We've gone pretty far in satisfying everything the NBA requires. Hopefully, in the near future, we'll get some good news from the NBA.

"They are really impressed with Portland and we have a great ownership group and the arena and so forth.

"We'll see what happens with Portland," Ainge said. "We're jumping the gun. We'll see how it goes."

Said Jennings, "We feel it's the perfect scenario . . . It would help the Celtics grow their brand in Northern New England."

In the meantime, Ainge expressed satisfaction with being affiliated with the Flash. "We'll go back to Utah [for 2008-09]," he said. "We like our relationship."

"It's an honor to be associated with a team playing in the NBA Finals," said Flash GM David Fredman. "The fact that they sent two players to develop, I thought the relationship went well and both sides were happy. It makes sense that they want something geographically closer. I understand that."

Celtics rookie Gabe Pruitt and rookie forward Brandon Wallace, who was cut Dec. 13, played for the Flash this season. "You don't know how much you helped a player like that until later on," Fredman said. "But I still think Gabe has a chance to be a good NBA player."

Hopefully, we'll be hearing more on this soon. It is nice to know that Portland is viewed in such a positive light and the compliments for the city are well deserved.

Not One, But Two Articles In The Press Herald!

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.

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."

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.

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.

More D-League Expansion Possible In The Northeast?

Hardwood Paroxysm has a nice article on possible D-League expansion. Here's a quote...

D-League Looking At Halifax

Huh. So you've got the Portland, Maine team with enough financial and local support to raid a small country, the brand spankin' new Eerie team (anybody got a name for those guys yet?), and a possible Halifax team. Well, that's three, but you'd really need a fourth team. And I mean, where are you going to find somewhere for a basketball team in the Northeast part of the country, I mean...

Oh.

Now, the league obviously wants to be as healthy as possible, and expansion is part of that. Likewise, the sooner they get off of this system where two or three teams are sharing a D-League squad the better. Teams need to be able to trust their system, and for that they need control.

Idaho Captures 2008 NBA Development League Championship

Idaho Stampede wins Decisive Game Three in front of Record Crowd

The Idaho Stampede captured the 2008 NBA Development League championship tonight by defeating the Austin Toros 108-101 in Game Three of the NBA D-League Finals presented by Delta, at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho.

“It was an unbelievable game and a special night,” said Stampede head
coach Bryan Gates. “This is one of those days when you’re 60 years old
you’ll look back and say, ‘I remember that day.’”

Idaho held a 55-46 halftime edge led by center Cory Violette’s 15 points
and a 26–17 rebounding advantage. The Toros, energized by a pair of
Andre Barrett three’s chipped away at the lead to start the third
quarter, pulling within three points on a Justin Bowen fastbreak layup
with 4:08 remaining in the period. But Idaho's Josh McRoberts put an end
to the run with an alley-oop slam from teammate Luke Jackson, which sent
the fans into a frenzy.

The season-high crowd of 4,124 roared once again when Violette retrieved
an errant Jackson pass and threw in a desperation 29 foot banker as the
third quarter buzzer sounded. The big man from Gonzaga recorded just
three triples during the regular season, and this one extended the Idaho
lead to 81-69.

Idaho continued to pour it on in the fourth quarter as high flier Mike
Taylor caught fire from downtown. The 6’2” reserve guard hit four
consecutive three-pointers during a three minute span, the last
accounting for his 27th point of the game.

Brent Petway iced the game for the Stampede when Taylor and “Air
Georgia” hooked up for one of their patented alley-oops, making the
score 106-93.

The victory marked the end of the 12-year professional playing career of
Idaho’s Randy Livingston who spent over a decade in the NBA and the past
two years in the NBA D-League. Livingston, who tallied six points
tonight, earned the NBA D-League’s 2007 MVP award, and this season
established a record with 22 assists against Bakersfield on Dec. 26,
2007.

“This is the most amazing way to end,” said Livingston. “I remember
Jerome Bettis walked out a Super Bowl champion. Any championship is one
you relish, one you savor.”

The 2008 NBA D-League Finals capped a record-setting season in which the
league upped its overall attendance by 21%, including a record-setting
crowd of 8842 for the first-ever Iowa Energy game on Nov.26, 2007.

The League also established marks for player call-ups to the NBA (29) as
well as player assignments (53).