NBA G League - wikipedia NBA G League `` D - League '' redirects here. For the Philippine Basketball Association 's D - League, see PBA Developmental League. NBA G League Current season, competition or edition : 2017 -- 18 NBA G League season Sport Basketball Founded 2001 Inaugural season 2001 -- 02 President Malcolm Turner No. of teams 26 ( 27 in 2018 -- 19 ) Country United States Canada Continent FIBA Americas ( Americas ) Most recent champion ( s ) Raptors 905 ( 1st title ) Most titles Rio Grande Valley Vipers Santa Cruz Warriors Oklahoma City Blue ( 2 titles each ) TV partner ( s ) ESPN NBA TV NBA TV Canada Facebook Live Official website GLeague.NBA.com The NBA G League is the National Basketball Association 's official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League ( NBDL ) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA Development League ( NBA D - League ) from 2005 until 2017. The league started with eight teams until NBA commissioner David Stern announced a plan to expand the NBA D - League to fifteen teams and develop it into a true minor league farm system, with each NBA D - League team affiliated with one or more NBA teams in March 2005. At the conclusion of the 2013 -- 14 NBA season, 33 % of NBA players had spent time in the NBA D - League, up from 23 % in 2011. As of the 2017 -- 18 season, the league consists of 26 teams, all of which are either single - affiliated or owned by an NBA team. For the 2017 -- 18 season, the league rebranded to become the NBA G League as part of a multi-year partnership with Gatorade. Contents 1 History 1.1 National Basketball Development League ( 2001 -- 2005 ) 1.2 NBA Development League ( 2005 -- 2017 ) 1.3 NBA G League ( 2017 -- present ) 2 Teams 2.1 Current teams 2.2 Team ownership and NBA affiliations 2.3 Future expansion teams and locations 2.3. 1 Confirmed expansion and relocations 2.3. 2 Expansion candidate locations 2.4 Defunct / relocated teams 2.5 Team timeline 3 Player allocations 3.1 Draft 3.2 Successful NBA call - ups 4 Annual events 4.1 All - Star Game 4.2 NBA G League Showcase 5 Honors 5.1 List of champions 5.2 Awards 6 See also 7 References 8 External links History National Basketball Development League ( 2001 -- 2005 ) The league began its play as the National Basketball Development League ( NBDL ) in the 2001 -- 02 season ; the original eight franchises were all located in the southeastern United States ( specifically in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Georgia ). NBA Development League ( 2005 -- 2017 ) In 2005, the league 's name was changed to NBA Development League ( NBA D - League ) as part of the new collective bargaining agreement with the NBA and a bid to appeal to more fans by showing their connection to the major league. In the same offseason, Southwest Basketball, LLC lead by David Kahn was granted permission by the league to operate four new teams. Southwest Basketball then purchased three existing franchises and one expansion team : the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, Austin Toros, Fort Worth Flyers and the Tulsa 66ers. The Arkansas RimRockers were also added from the ABA for the 2005 -- 06 season. In February 2006, the D - League expanded to California for the first time with the addition of the Bakersfield Jam. Two months later, the league announced that four teams from the Continental Basketball Association were joining the league : the Dakota Wizards, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Idaho Stampede, and a team originally slated for CBA expansion, the Colorado 14ers. Shortly after, the league announced expansion teams in the Anaheim Arsenal and the Los Angeles D - Fenders. The D - Fenders became the first D - League team to be directly owned by an NBA parent team, the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the westward expansion contributed to the contraction of the NBA - owned Roanoke Dazzle and Fayetteville Patriots for that season. The Florida Flame suspended operations due to arena scheduling difficulties. After the 2006 -- 07 season, there would be no more teams in the southeastern United States until the 2016 expansion team, the Greensboro Swarm. After the 2006 to 2009 expansions, the league membership was fairly consistent with only a few relocations and suspensions. In 2009, the Houston Rockets entered into the first single - affiliation partnership, called the hybrid model, with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This began a wave of NBA and D - League teams entering into single - affiliation agreements of both the hybrid and parent - team owned varieties. With more NBA involvement, the league once again began to expand and spread its footprint. By 2015, the last multiple - affiliate team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, was purchased by the Indiana Pacers leading to the first season where all D - League teams were affiliated with only one NBA team. As there were no longer any unaffiliated D - League teams left, the remaining NBA teams began purchasing expansion franchises or hybrid partnership teams and placing them near the parent team. In 2015, the Toronto Raptors placed their own team, Raptors 905, in the Greater Toronto Area in Mississauga, Ontario. In 2016, the D - League expanded by three more NBA parent club - owned teams for the largest D - League expansion since 2007. The Charlotte Hornets created the Greensboro Swarm, the Brooklyn Nets created the Long Island Nets, and the Chicago Bulls created the Windy City Bulls. NBA G League ( 2017 -- present ) Alternate Logo In the 2017 -- 18 season, the D - League entered into a multi-year partnership with Gatorade and announced it would be rebranded as the NBA Gatorade League. When the league completed the change over to the new branding, it had changed to referring to itself as simply the `` NBA G League ''. It also continued its membership changes with the relocation of the Erie BayHawks to Lakeland, Florida, as the Lakeland Magic, a new Erie BayHawks franchise ; and expansions in the Agua Caliente Clippers in Ontario, California ; the Memphis Hustle in Southaven, Mississippi ; and the Wisconsin Herd in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Los Angeles D - Fenders would also re-brand to the South Bay Lakers to reflect the league name change. Teams Current teams Raptors 905 Charge 87ers BayHawks Magic Red Claws Hustle Knicks Mad Ants Drive Wolves Skyforce Spurs Vipers Legends Blue Clippers Suns Stars Lakers Bighorns Warriors Bulls Swarm Nets College Park ( 2019 ) Herd Washington, D.C. ( 2018 ) Locations of teams in the NBA G League Eastern Conference Division Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joined Head coach NBA affiliate Ownership Atlantic Long Island Nets Uniondale, New York Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13,500 2016 Ronald Nored Brooklyn Nets Parent club Maine Red Claws Portland, Maine Portland Exposition Building 3,100 2009 Brandon Bailey Boston Celtics Hybrid Raptors 905 Mississauga, Ontario Hershey Centre 5,000 2015 Jerry Stackhouse Toronto Raptors Parent club Westchester Knicks White Plains, New York Westchester County Center 5,000 2014 Mike Miller New York Knicks Parent club Central Canton Charge Canton, Ohio Canton Memorial Civic Center 5,200 2001 Nate Reinking Cleveland Cavaliers Parent club Fort Wayne Mad Ants Fort Wayne, Indiana Allen County War Memorial Coliseum 13,000 2007 Steve Gansey Indiana Pacers Parent club Grand Rapids Drive Walker, Michigan DeltaPlex Arena 4,500 2006 Rob Werdann Detroit Pistons Hybrid Windy City Bulls Hoffman Estates, Illinois Sears Centre 10,000 2016 Charlie Henry Chicago Bulls Parent club Wisconsin Herd Oshkosh, Wisconsin Oshkosh Arena 3,500 2017 Jordan Brady Milwaukee Bucks Parent club Southeast Delaware 87ers Newark, Delaware Bob Carpenter Center 5,100 2007 Eugene Burroughs Philadelphia 76ers Parent club Erie BayHawks Erie, Pennsylvania Erie Insurance Arena 6,750 2017 Josh Longstaff Atlanta Hawks Parent club Greensboro Swarm Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse 2,500 2016 Noel Gillespie Charlotte Hornets Parent club Lakeland Magic Lakeland, Florida RP Funding Center 8,178 2008 2017 Stan Heath Orlando Magic Parent club Western Conference Division Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joined Head coach NBA affiliate Ownership Midwest Iowa Wolves Des Moines, Iowa Wells Fargo Arena 16,110 2007 Scott Roth Minnesota Timberwolves Parent club Memphis Hustle Southaven, Mississippi Landers Center 8,362 2017 Glynn Cyprien Memphis Grizzlies Parent club Oklahoma City Blue Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Cox Convention Center 13,846 2001 Mark Daigneault Oklahoma City Thunder Parent club Sioux Falls Skyforce Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sanford Pentagon 3,250 2006 Nevada Smith Miami Heat Parent club Southwest Austin Spurs Cedar Park, Texas H-E-B Center at Cedar Park 7,200 2001 Blake Ahearn San Antonio Spurs Parent club Rio Grande Valley Vipers Hidalgo, Texas State Farm Arena 5,500 2007 Matt Brase Houston Rockets Hybrid Salt Lake City Stars Taylorsville, Utah Lifetime Activities Center - Bruin Arena 5,000 2006 Martin Schiller Utah Jazz Parent club Texas Legends Frisco, Texas Dr Pepper Arena 4,500 2006 Bob MacKinnon Jr. Dallas Mavericks Hybrid Pacific Agua Caliente Clippers Ontario, California Citizens Business Bank Arena 10,832 2017 Casey Hill Los Angeles Clippers Parent club Northern Arizona Suns Prescott Valley, Arizona Prescott Valley Event Center 5,100 2006 Tyrone Ellis Phoenix Suns Parent club Reno Bighorns Reno, Nevada Reno Events Center 7,000 2008 Darrick Martin Sacramento Kings Parent club Santa Cruz Warriors Santa Cruz, California Kaiser Permanente Arena 2,505 1995 2006 Aaron Miles Golden State Warriors Parent club South Bay Lakers El Segundo, California UCLA Health Training Center 750 2006 Coby Karl Los Angeles Lakers Parent club Announced future teams Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joining Head coach NBA affiliate Ownership College Park College Park, Georgia Georgia International Convention Center 3,500 2017 2019 TBA Atlanta Hawks Parent club Washington Washington, D.C. St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena 4,200 2018 TBA Washington Wizards Parent club Jump up ^ As the Huntsville Flight. Jump up ^ As the Anaheim Arsenal. Jump up ^ As the Utah Flash. ^ Jump up to : The original Erie BayHawks, at the time an affiliate of the Orlando Magic, were fully purchased and moved to Lakeland as the Lakeland Magic starting with the 2017 season. However, the Atlanta Hawks began operating their new development franchise in Erie, intending to move it to College Park, Georgia, once a new arena at Georgia International Convention Center is completed. Jump up ^ As the Asheville Altitude. Jump up ^ Played in the Continental Basketball Association and the International Basketball League ( 1999 -- 2001 ) before joining the NBA D - League in 2006. Jump up ^ As the Columbus Riverdragons. Jump up ^ Played as the Idaho Stampede in the Continental Basketball Association before joining the NBA D - League in 2006. Jump up ^ As the Colorado 14ers. Jump up ^ As the Bakersfield Jam. Jump up ^ As the Dakota Wizards ; Played in the International Basketball Association and the Continental Basketball Association before joining the NBA D - League in 2006. Jump up ^ As the Los Angeles D - Fenders ; did not field a team for the 2010 -- 11 season. Team ownership and NBA affiliations Ownership models vary across the NBA G League. Growing willingness among NBA organizations to invest in the G League has led to two main models : direct ownership of G League teams by parent NBA clubs and single - affiliate partnerships in which the G League team remains independently owned while the parent club runs and finances basketball operations. Parent club direct ownership began in 2006 when the Los Angeles Lakers bought their own NBA D - League franchise, originally known as the Los Angeles D - Fenders and since 2017 -- 18 as the South Bay Lakers, followed by the San Antonio Spurs purchasing the Austin Toros in 2007 and the Oklahoma City Thunder purchasing the Tulsa 66ers in 2008. This led to more NBA teams to either purchase existing franchises or create expansion teams in order to have their own single - affiliation teams. In 2011, the Cleveland Cavaliers purchased the New Mexico Thunderbirds to become the Canton Charge and the Golden State Warriors purchased the Dakota Wizards. In 2013, the Philadelphia 76ers purchased the inactive Utah Flash and moved them to Newark, Delaware, as the Delaware 87ers. In 2014, the New York Knicks became the seventh team to fully own and operate their own NBA D - League affiliate in the Westchester Knicks. In 2015, the Toronto Raptors created their own expansion franchise, the Raptors 905. In 2017, the Timberwolves purchased the Iowa Energy and renamed the team the Iowa Wolves. In 2009, the Houston Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers pioneered the single - affiliate partnership, also known as the hybrid model. In November 2010, the New Jersey Nets and Springfield Armor announced they would enter into a single - affiliate partnership that began in 2011 -- 12. In June 2011, the New York Knicks and Erie BayHawks announced they would be singly - affiliated. In May 2012, the Portland Trail Blazers entered into a single - affiliation partnership with the Idaho Stampede. The following month, the Boston Celtics and Maine Red Claws announced a single - affiliation partnership. In June 2013, the Miami Heat announced that they had entered into a single - affiliated partnership with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. In July 2013, the Sacramento Kings and Reno Bighorns entered into a single - affiliation. The Stampede ended their affiliation with the Trail Blazers after the 2013 -- 14 season and in June 2014 announced their affiliation with the Utah Jazz. The Armor moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, after the 2013 -- 14 season and affiliated with the Detroit Pistons. From 2014 to 2017, the Memphis Grizzlies had a single - affiliation with the Iowa Energy. In 2015, the last multiple affiliate team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, was purchased by the Indiana Pacers making the 2015 -- 16 season the first with all teams having single - affiliations. In some cases, the hybrid affiliation led to the parent team buying their affiliate 's franchise outright. On March 24, 2015, the Utah Jazz purchased their affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, and after one more season in Boise relocated the team to Salt Lake City. On April 11, 2016, the Phoenix Suns purchased their affiliate, the Bakersfield Jam, and announced the immediate relocation of the team to Prescott Valley, Arizona, as the Northern Arizona Suns beginning with the 2016 -- 17 season. On October 20, 2016, the Sacramento Kings bought the majority ownership of their affiliate of the previous eight seasons, the Reno Bighorns. On December 14, 2016, the Magic purchased their affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, with the intention to relocate the team to Lakeland, Florida, in 2017. In 2017, the Miami Heat purchased the controlling interest in the Sioux Falls Skyforce after being its primary affiliate since 2013. Parent club ownership : Agua Caliente Clippers ( by the Los Angeles Clippers ), Austin Spurs ( by the San Antonio Spurs ), Canton Charge ( by the Cleveland Cavaliers ), Delaware 87ers ( by the Philadelphia 76ers ), Erie BayHawks ( by the Atlanta Hawks ), Fort Wayne Mad Ants ( by the Indiana Pacers ), Greensboro Swarm ( by the Charlotte Hornets ), Iowa Wolves ( by the Minnesota Timberwolves ), Lakeland Magic ( by the Orlando Magic ), Long Island Nets ( by the Brooklyn Nets ), Memphis Hustle ( by the Memphis Grizzlies ), Northern Arizona Suns ( by the Phoenix Suns ), Oklahoma City Blue ( by the Oklahoma City Thunder ), Raptors 905 ( by the Toronto Raptors ), Reno Bighorns ( by the Sacramento Kings ), Salt Lake City Stars ( by the Utah Jazz ), Santa Cruz Warriors ( by the Golden State Warriors ), Sioux Falls Skyforce ( with the Miami Heat ), South Bay Lakers ( by the Los Angeles Lakers ), Westchester Knicks ( by the New York Knicks ), the Windy City Bulls ( by the Chicago Bulls ), and the Wisconsin Herd ( by the Milwaukee Bucks ). Single affiliation / hybrid model : Grand Rapids Drive ( with the Detroit Pistons ), Maine Red Claws ( with the Boston Celtics ), Rio Grande Valley Vipers ( with the Houston Rockets ), and the Texas Legends ( with the Dallas Mavericks ). NBA teams with announced future affiliation : Washington Wizards ( with Washington by parent club ownership in 2018 ). NBA teams without an exclusive affiliate : Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Portland Trail Blazers. Future expansion teams and locations Expansion in the league was slow for the first years, but has rapidly increased since the movement towards single - affiliate teams has become the norm. Confirmed expansion and relocations On January 6, 2016, the Orlando Magic announced that they had begun the process of bringing an NBA D - League team to Central Florida or Northern Florida and sent RFPs to eight possible homes and venues for the team : Daytona Beach ( Ocean Center ), Estero ( Germain Arena ), Fort Myers ( Lee County Civic Center ), Jacksonville ( Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena ), Kissimmee ( Silver Spurs Arena ), Lakeland ( Lakeland Center ), and two venues in Orlando ( HP Field House and CFE Arena ). The team would begin to play in the 2017 -- 18 season and would be directly owned and operated by the Magic and would not be a relocation of their then hybrid affiliate, the Erie BayHawks. On June 30, the Magic had narrowed the list down to two cities : Kissimmee and Lakeland. On December 14, 2016, the Magic purchased the BayHawks and will relocate the team to Lakeland for the 2017 -- 18 season. On November 10, 2016, the Atlanta Hawks announced that they had bought and established a new D - League team that will play in a new arena in nearby College Park beginning with the 2019 -- 20 season. Beginning in 2017 -- 18, the Hawks ' G League franchise will play as the Erie BayHawks, following the Magic 's purchase of the original franchise, until the arena in College Park is completed. On January 23, 2017, the Minnesota Timberwolves purchased the majority ownership of the Iowa Energy, which had a hybrid affiliation with the Memphis Grizzlies. That same day, the Memphis Grizzlies announced they would be purchasing a new expansion team based in the Memphis suburb of Southaven, Mississippi, and playing at the Landers Center. On February 8, 2017, the Milwaukee Bucks announced it will place an expansion franchise in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the 2017 -- 18 season. In 2015, Doc Rivers, head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, had previously mentioned the need for the Clippers to own a NBA Development League team. In April 2017, the Clippers began looking to add D - League affiliate either in nearby Ontario or Bakersfield for the 2017 -- 18 season. The Clippers reportedly have settled on the Ontario location and possibly be calling the team the Agua Caliente Clippers. On May 15, the expansion team was confirmed. On September 17, 2015, Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said that the team 's planned practice facility, to be located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., would be the full - time home of the WNBA 's Washington Mystics. Leonsis also revealed at the time that there is a `` serious discussion '' about also having a D - League team play at the facility when it opens in 2018. On June 21, 2017, Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld confirmed that the team had acquired the right to own and operate a G League team beginning with the 2018 -- 19 season and that the team would play in the 4,200 - seat facility. Expansion candidate locations On October 12, 2015, it was announced that Omaha, Nebraska, was pursuing a D - League franchise. Gary Green, the owner of the Omaha Storm Chasers, said the NBA approved the idea of a franchise while also mentioning the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets as possible affiliates. Green said, `` We 've had talks with the NBA and the guys in the D - League and they absolutely want to have a team in Omaha... We have a deal with the D - League in place, we just got ta find a franchise now. '' The potential home for an Omaha team could be CenturyLink Center Omaha, Ralston Arena, or Baxter Arena. On March 30, 2017, the New Orleans Pelicans announced their intentions to have an owned - and - operated development team by the 2018 -- 19 season located in the Gulf South region. The organization then announced they were looking at 11 different locations : Mobile in Alabama ; Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, Shreveport, St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana ; Gulfport - Biloxi and Jackson in Mississippi ; and Pensacola, Florida. The list was narrowed when the Pelicans ' received six proposals their April 25 deadline : Baton Rouge, Jackson, Mobile, Pensacola, Shreveport, and St. Tammany Parish. By August 2017, the only two cities still in contention were Pensacola and Shreveport. On September 12, the city council in Shreveport unanimously voted against building a new arena for the G League. Defunct / relocated teams Team City Year ( s ) Former NBA affiliates Notes Albuquerque / New Mexico Thunderbirds Albuquerque, New Mexico 2005 -- 2011 Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, Utah Jazz Became the Canton Charge Anaheim Arsenal Anaheim, California 2006 -- 2009 Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers Became the Springfield Armor Arkansas RimRockers North Little Rock, Arkansas 2004 -- 2007 Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors Suspended by owners Asheville Altitude Asheville, North Carolina 2001 -- 2005 None Became the Tulsa 66ers Bakersfield Jam Bakersfield, California 2006 -- 2016 Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz Became the Northern Arizona Suns ( North ) Charleston Lowgators Charleston, South Carolina 2001 -- 2004 None Became the Florida Flame Colorado 14ers Broomfield, Colorado 2006 -- 2009 Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets, Toronto Raptors Became the Texas Legends Columbus Riverdragons Columbus, Georgia 2001 -- 2005 None Became the Austin Toros Dakota Wizards Bismarck, North Dakota 2006 -- 2012 Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards Became the Santa Cruz Warriors Erie BayHawks Erie, Pennsylvania 2008 -- 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors Became the Lakeland Magic Fayetteville Patriots Fayetteville, North Carolina 2001 -- 2006 Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks Folded by league Florida Flame Fort Myers, Florida 2004 -- 2006 Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic Folded by owners Fort Worth Flyers Fort Worth, Texas 2005 -- 2007 Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers Suspended by owners Greenville Groove Greenville, South Carolina 2001 -- 2003 None Folded by league Huntsville Flight Huntsville, Alabama 2001 -- 2005 None Became the Albuquerque Thunderbirds Idaho Stampede Boise, Idaho 2006 -- 2016 Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle SuperSonics, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz Became the Salt Lake City Stars Mobile Revelers Mobile, Alabama 2001 -- 2003 None Folded by league Roanoke Dazzle Roanoke, Virginia 2001 -- 2006 New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards Folded by league Springfield Armor Springfield, Massachusetts 2009 -- 2014 New Jersey / Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers Became the Grand Rapids Drive Tulsa 66ers Tulsa, Oklahoma 2005 -- 2014 Oklahoma City Thunder, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks Became the Oklahoma City Blue Utah Flash Orem, Utah 2007 -- 2011 Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz Became the Delaware 87ers Team timeline Current teams in tan Former teams or former names in blue Announced future teams in green Player allocations With the exception of players under two - way contracts ( explained below ), players for NBA G League teams do not sign contracts with the individual teams, but with the league itself. G League team rosters consist of a total of 12 players, 10 ( or fewer ) being G League players and two ( or more ) NBA players. The rosters are made up in a number of ways : the previous years ' players, players taken in the G League draft, allocation players ( meaning players who are assigned to a team with which they have a local connection, such as a University of Texas player being assigned to the Austin Spurs ), NBA team assignments, and local tryouts. Each NBA team can assign two first - year or second - year players to its affiliated G League team. If more than two NBA players are assigned to a team, the team must reduce the number of G League players to keep the total roster size to 12. An NBA player will continue to be paid his NBA salary and will continue to be included on his NBA team 's roster on the inactive list while playing in the G League. Each team also has local tryouts, and one player from the tryouts is assigned to the team. The minimum age to play in the G League is 18, unlike the NBA which requires players to be 19 years old and one year out of high school in order to sign an NBA contract or be eligible for the draft. The tallest player ever to be assigned was Hasheem Thabeet at 7'3 ``, the second player selected in the 2009 NBA draft. The tallest player to ever play in the G League was England 's Paul Sturgess at 7'8 '', who played with the Texas Legends during the 2013 -- 14 season. NBA teams can call up players as many times as they choose, and there is no limit to the number of times an NBA player with three years or less experience can be assigned to the G League. Starting in 2011 -- 12, veteran NBA players could be assigned with their consent. The first example of such was with Yi Jianlian, who the Dallas Mavericks assigned to the Texas Legends for two games. The 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement for the NBA, which took effect with the 2017 -- 18 season, includes changes to G League allocation rules. While most G League players continue to be under contract to the league, each NBA team is allowed to sign two players to two - way contracts with the players still primarily being a part of a team 's G League roster, but can freely move to their respective NBA team for up to 45 days in the regular season, as well as be a part of the team 's roster before the start of the season ( including NBA training camps ) and after the conclusion of the G League 's regular season ( though they are not allowed to be on a team 's playoff roster or play in a playoff game ). Unlike other G League players, who can be called up by any NBA team, two - way players can only be called up by their contracted NBA team. Players under two - way contracts are not counted against the NBA team 's regular roster limit, and can be assigned to a G League affiliate for development while also getting a larger salary whenever they are called up to the parent team. For teams that do not have a one - to - one affiliation with a G League team, a process similar to the `` flexible assignment '' rule is being used to determine the placement for their own two - way contracts in the G League until every team has their proper affiliation underway. In addition, salaries for two - way players are much higher than those for regular G League players. As of the 2017 -- 18 season, G League players who are not on two - way contracts earn either $19,500 or $26,000 during the league 's season. By contrast, two - way players ' salaries while in the G League, which are pro-rated according to the number of days the player is with his G League team, are based on an annual salary between $50,000 and $75,000, and while these players are with their NBA team, they will earn a pro-rated portion of the NBA minimum rookie salary ( which will be $815,615 in the 2017 -- 18 season ). Draft See also : List of first overall NBA Development League draft picks The NBA G League Draft occurs each season and is the major source from which teams build their rosters. Team rosters are made up of returning players ( players who were on the team during the previous season ), allocated players ( players who have local significance ), and drafted players. The 8 round draft utilizes a `` serpentine '' format, meaning the order alternates in each round ; Team A who selected first in Round 1 will select last in Round 2, while Team B who selected last in Round 1 will get the first pick in Round 2. Round 3 was added in 2014, The league holds an annual Player Invitational, where prospects hope to earn eligibility for the upcoming draft. Successful NBA call - ups Many former NBA draftees, waived players and undrafted players have played in the NBA D - League. Bobby Simmons and Aaron Brooks are the only former D - League players to win an NBA end - of - season award ; both won the Most Improved Player Award with Simmons getting it with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2004 -- 05 and Brooks earning it with the Houston Rockets in 2009 -- 10. In the 2008 NBA draft, the Idaho Stampede 's Mike Taylor was drafted 55th by the Portland Trail Blazers. He became the first player from the NBA D - League to be drafted by an NBA team. He was subsequently traded and signed a rookie contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. In the 2014 draft, two D - League players were selected for the first time : P.J. Hairston was drafted 26th ( which was also the first time a D -- League player was drafted in the first round in the NBA ) and Thanasis Antetokounmpo was the 51st pick. Other noteworthy D - League call - ups include Jeremy Lin, Hassan Whiteside, 2011 NBA champion J.J. Barea, 2014 NBA champion Danny Green, 2015 and 2017 NBA champion Shaun Livingston, and 2017 NBA champion Matt Barnes. Annual events All - Star game Main article : NBA Development League All - Star Game The league held its first All - Star game February 17, 2007, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was part of the NBA All - Star Weekend in Las Vegas. As with the NBA 's showcase game, a fan vote determined the starting lineup for each team. The East won, 114 to 100, with Pops Mensah - Bonsu named the game 's MVP. The second annual All - Star game was held on February 16, 2008, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The Blue team beat the Red team, 117 -- 99, and Jeremy Richardson was named the MVP. In addition to the NBA D - League All - Star Game, the league debuted its first Dream Factory Friday Night events, which modeled after the NBA All - Star Saturday Night events. The events consists of Three - Point Shootout ( won by Adam Harrington ), Slam Dunk Contest ( won by Brent Petway ) and game of H-O-R-S-E ( won by Lance Allred ). The 2009 D - League All - Star game was held on February 14, 2009, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The Red Team defeated the Blue Team, 113 -- 103, and Blake Ahearn and Courtney Sims were named co-MVPs. Along with the All - Star game, the NBA D - League ran their second annual Dream Factory Friday Night events. H-O-R-S-E, which debuted last year, was won by Will Conroy of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds. The Three - Point Shootout was won by Blake Ahearn of the Dakota Wizards, and the Slam Dunk Contest was won by James White of the Bakersfield Jam. The 2010 D - League All - Star game was held on February 13, 2010, at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas. The Western Conference team defeated the Eastern Conference Team, 98 -- 81. Bakersfield Jam center Brian Butch, who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, was named as the MVP of the game. The NBA D - League also ran their third annual Dream Factory Friday Night events. The inaugural Shooting Stars Competition was won by a team of Pat Carroll, Trey Gilder and Carlos Powell. The Three - Point Shootout was won by Andre Ingram of the Utah Flash, and the Slam Dunk Contest was won by Dar Tucker of the Los Angeles D - Fenders. NBA G League showcase The league stages an annual NBA G League Showcase in which all of the league 's teams play each other in a `` carnival '' format. The showcase was first played in 2005 was originally intended solely as a scouting event for NBA general managers and scouts, but has evolved into a fan - friendly four - day event in which each team plays two games apiece. Since the inception of the event in 2005, there have been 15 players called - up or recalled during or immediately following the Showcase. The showcase has been hosted in Columbus, Georgia ( 2005 ), Fayetteville, North Carolina ( 2006 ), Sioux Falls, South Dakota ( 2007 ), Boise, Idaho ( 2008 ), Orem, Utah ( 2009 ), Boise, Idaho ( 2010 ), South Padre Island, Texas ( 2011 ), Reno, Nevada in 2012 and 2013, Santa Cruz, California in 2015, and Mississauga, Ontario in 2017. Honors List of champions Main article : List of NBA G League champions Year Champion 2002 Greenville Groove 2003 Mobile Revelers Asheville Altitude 2005 Asheville Altitude 2006 Albuquerque Thunderbirds 2007 Dakota Wizards 2008 Idaho Stampede 2009 Colorado 14ers Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2011 Iowa Energy 2012 Austin Toros 2013 Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2014 Fort Wayne Mad Ants 2015 Santa Cruz Warriors 2016 Sioux Falls Skyforce 2017 Raptors 905 Awards Main article : List of NBA G League awards Most Valuable Player Finals MVP All - Star Game MVP Defensive Player of the Year Impact Player of the Year Most Improved Player Rookie of the Year Coach of the Year Sportsmanship Award Team Executive of the Year Basketball Executive of the Year All - D - League Team All - Defensive Team All - Rookie Team Development Champion See also List of developmental and minor sports leagues List of NBA Development League yearly standings List of NBA G League champions References ^ Jump up to : McCann, Michael ( February 14, 2017 ). `` The G League : 12 takeaways on NBA 's new deal ''. Sports Illustrated. Time, Inc. Retrieved June 2, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Amick, Sam ( February 14, 2017 ). `` NBA Development League to become Gatorade League ''. USA Today. Retrieved June 2, 2017. Jump up ^ `` NBDL ADOPTS NEW NAME, LOGO, AND BALL ''. NBA.com. July 19, 2005. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Thunder moving 66ers from Tulsa to Oklahoma City ''. Tulsa World. July 19, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2017. Jump up ^ `` NBADL homepage with relocation announcements ''. NBADL. August 1, 2005. Archived from the original on August 1, 2005. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ `` Tulsa 66ers set for 9th season ''. Tulsa Today. November 1, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Four Teams Leaving CBA for NBA D - League ''. InsideHoops.com. April 6, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Jump up ^ `` NBA Development League Expands To Anaheim ''. NBA.com. April 11, 2006. Retrieved August 12, 2006. Jump up ^ Sheridan, Chris ( April 19, 2006 ). `` NBA approves Lakers ' ownership of D - League team ''. ESPN. Retrieved August 12, 2006. Jump up ^ `` D - League Will No Longer Operate Roanoke Dazzle ''. NBA.com. May 1, 2006. Retrieved August 12, 2006. Jump up ^ `` D - League Will No Longer Operate In Fayetteville ''. NBA.com. May 2, 2006. Retrieved August 12, 2006. Jump up ^ `` 12 teams to comprise NBA Development League in 2007 -- 08 ''. oursportscentral.com. May 8, 2006. Retrieved August 12, 2006. Jump up ^ Rogers Digital Media ( May 27, 2015 ). `` Leiweke : Raptors D - League team coming to GTA ''. Sportsnet. Retrieved July 9, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` MLSE Purchases NBA D - League Team As League Expands To 19 Teams For 2015 - 16 Season ''. Raptors 905. June 29, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2017. Jump up ^ `` NBA Continues to Flex Its Muscles With New and Improved G League ''. CLNSradio. June 21, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Welcome to the NBA G League : Learn About The NBA 's Official Minor League ''. G League. June 20, 2017. Jump up ^ Dunlap, Evan ( April 15, 2014 ). `` NBA D - League : Orlando Magic to partner with Erie BayHawks, according to report ''. Orlando Pinstriped Post. Retrieved July 9, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Stampede - Jazz Affiliation ''. NBA / Idaho Stampede. June 10, 2014. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Phoenix Suns Buy Bakersfield Jam ; Relocate Team to Prescott Valley, Arizona ''. OurSports Central. April 12, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Entertain & Sports Arena ''. St. Elizabeths East. Retrieved June 21, 2017. Jump up ^ `` NBA D - League Expands to 18 as Knicks Purchase Team ''. NBA.com. March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Timberwolves finalize purchase of NBA D - League team Iowa Energy ''. Fox Sports. May 3, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Sacramento Kings Buy Controlling Interest in NBA Development League 's Reno Bighorns ''. OurSports Central. October 20, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Orlando Magic Purchase NBA D - League 's Erie BayHawks ''. OurSports Central. December 14, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Orlando Magic officially looking to bring D - League team to Florida ''. Orlando Magic Daily. January 7, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Kissimmee, Lakeland finalists for Magic 's D - League location ''. Orlando Sentinel. June 30, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Hawks buy NBA D - League team that will play in College Park ''. Atlanta Business Chronicle. November 10, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Atlanta Hawks ' NBA D - League Team to Begin Play in 2017 ''. OurSports Central. January 31, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Minnesota Timberwolves to purchase NBA D - League 's Iowa Energy ''. NBA. January 23, 2017. Jump up ^ Wallace, Michael ( January 23, 2017 ). `` Grizzlies bring D - League franchise to Mid-South ''. Grind City Media ( Memphis Grizzlies ). Jump up ^ `` Bucks select Oshkosh as home for new Development League team ''. Milwaukee Business Journal. February 7, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Doc Rivers says the Clippers ' need ' their own D - League team ''. foxsports.com. December 17, 2015. Jump up ^ `` LA Clippers eyeing D - League team for 2017 - 18 season ''. D - League Digest. April 15, 2017. Jump up ^ `` LA Clippers looking to add D - League affiliate ''. NBA.com. April 29, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Sources : Clippers to make Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario D - League team ''. ESPN.com. May 9, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Clippers close to making Ontario D - League team a reality ''. Los Angeles Daily News. May 10, 2017. Jump up ^ `` L.A. Clippers Purchase NBA Development League Team ''. NBA D - League. May 15, 2017. Jump up ^ Dybas, Todd ( September 17, 2015 ). `` Wizards ' pursuit of a D - League team reaches a ' serious ' level with facility plans ''. The Washington Times. Retrieved June 21, 2017. Jump up ^ Dybas, Todd ( June 20, 2017 ). `` Washington Wizards purchase a G League team ''. The Washington Times. Retrieved June 21, 2017. Jump up ^ Report : MiLB team owner says ' deal in place ' for D - League expansion in Omaha Jump up ^ TBL : Storm Chasers owner Gary Green discusses the Mets playoff chances and NBDL news for Omaha Jump up ^ `` New Orleans Pelicans Announce Intent to Launch Owned - And - Operated NBA Development League Franchise in Gulf South Region ''. NBA.com. March 30, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Mobile on preliminary list of sites for Pelicans ' NBA D League affiliate ''. AL.com. March 31, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Pelicans narrow list of D - League team sites ''. Sun Herald. April 25, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Pensacola, Shreveport still in running for NBA G League team ''. AL.com. August 24, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Shreveport Denies Arena For Pelicans G League Team ; Pensacola Sits As Favorite ''. SB Nation. September 13, 2017. Jump up ^ `` CBA Principal Deal Points ''. NBA. August 4, 2005. Retrieved January 19, 2011. The player will continue to be paid his NBA salary and will continue to be included on his NBA team 's roster ( on the inactive list ) while playing in the NBADL. Jump up ^ `` D - League lowers the age requirement to 18 ''. ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved March 29, 2008. Jump up ^ `` NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement Seen Giving Boost To NBA Development League ''. NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. December 8, 2011. Archived from the original on December 13, 2011. Jump up ^ Coon, Larry ( June 30, 2017 ). `` 82. What is a Two - Way player ? ''. NBA Salary Cap FAQ. Retrieved July 19, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 2017 NBA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT -- PRINCIPAL DEAL POINTS '' ( PDF ). NBA. January 19, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017. Jump up ^ Coon, Larry ( June 30, 2017 ). `` 22. What is the minimum salary a player can receive ? ''. NBA Salary Cap FAQ. Retrieved July 19, 2017. Jump up ^ Lester, Justin ( August 13, 2017 ). `` Social Roundup : NBA G League Player Invitational in Chicago ''. gleague.nba.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Simmons Named Most Improved ''. NBA.com. April 28, 2005. Retrieved April 14, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Rockets ' Brooks named NBA 's most improved player ''. NBA.com. April 23, 2010. Retrieved October 27, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Idaho 's Mike Taylor Becomes First D - League Player Drafted By An NBA Team ''. NBA.com. June 26, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Notable Players From NBA 's D - League ''. SI.com. Retrieved August 8, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Seven D - League players who have made an NBA impact ''. Windy City Bulls.com. June 9, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2017. Jump up ^ Brennan, Matthew ( February 21, 2007 ). `` Mensah - Bonsu, East Team Come Out On Top ''. NBA.com. Retrieved March 30, 2007. Jump up ^ Wurst, Matt ( February 16, 2008 ). `` Stars Work, Play Hard in D - League All - Star Game ''. NBA.com. Retrieved February 29, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Sims And Ahearn Named Co-MVPs As Red Defeats Blue In All - Star Game ''. NBA.com/DLeague. February 14, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2009. Jump up ^ `` James White Soars To NBA D - League Slam Dunk Championship ''. NBA.com/DLeague. February 13, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Brian Butch Captures MVP Honors In 2010 All - Star Game ''. NBA.com/DLeague. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. February 13, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Haier Shooting Stars Set Record At Dream Factory Friday Night ''. NBA.com/DLeague. February 12, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2010. External links Official website D - League -- Basketball-Reference.com DraftExpress.com D - League Blog NBA D - League on YouTube NBA G League Eastern Conference Atlantic Long Island Nets Maine Red Claws Raptors 905 Westchester Knicks Central Canton Charge Fort Wayne Mad Ants Grand Rapids Drive Windy City Bulls Wisconsin Herd Southeast Delaware 87ers Erie BayHawks Greensboro Swarm Lakeland Magic Western Conference Midwest Iowa Wolves Memphis Hustle Oklahoma City Blue Sioux Falls Skyforce Pacific Agua Caliente Clippers Northern Arizona Suns Reno Bighorns Santa Cruz Warriors South Bay Lakers Southwest Austin Spurs Rio Grande Valley Vipers Salt Lake City Stars Texas Legends Future teams Joining 2018 -- 19 Washington, D.C. 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Question: g league what does the g stand for
Answer: Gatorade