NBA D-League Draft Q&A: Chris Alpert
New York, November 5, 2009: Chris Alpert, the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the NBA D-League, has been a busy man over the past few months with preparations for the 2009 edition of the Draft. D-League.com's Matthew Brennan recently spoke with Chris about how the process has gone this year in finding players for the draft, and what he is looking forward to about the new season. The 2009 D-League Draft will be televised live as part of the NBA D-League Selection Show on NBA TV on Thursday, November 5 at 7 p.m. ET. The Albuquerque Thunderbirds will make the first selection out of the 16 D-League teams.
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Alpert:We are extremely excited about the talent in this year's draft. We feel this year's draft is the strongest we've ever had. To obtain such talent, we scout year round to identify top players and inform the of the benefits of playing in the NBA D-League. The draft is only eight rounds this year compared to ten in the last few years,what led to the league making that decision? Was that affected by the additional ways that teams can acquire talented players like allocation or open tryouts?
Alpert:The goal was to provide teams with more flexibility with their rosters going into training camp. For example, teams can now retain more returning players or local tryout players if they chose. Othyus Jeffers was drafted in the third round last year and became Rookie of the Year after attending an NAIA school. Does the success of Jeffers and other players from non D-1 schools like Jasper Johnson and Jeremy Richardson make the NBA D-League an excellent place for small-school players looking to showcase their game against top competition?
Alpert:The league has always been a league of opportunity. We recognize that some collegiate players may not have received the exposure they deserved. The NBA D-League provides those players with the platform to showcase their skills under the watchful eye of NBA team scouts. Roughly how many players in the pool came from NBA D-League pre-draft camp? Does a player like Bennet Davis going from pre-draft camp to the Utah Flash to an NBA training camp in a year make things easier for your staff in attracting talented players to that camp?
Alpert:We signed approximately 40 prospects from our pre-draft camp. It definitely helps when players see that attending the camp could lead to an NBA vet camp invite. Many first round picks in the past few years have already played in the NBA. Are you expecting many players with prior NBA experience in this year's pool, and do you feel that former NBA players who are looking to return to the NBA are seeing that the NBA D-League is a great option for their career?
Alpert:We expect more former NBA players to play in the NBA D-League this season. We feel they recognize that playing in the NBA D-League is the fastest way back to the NBA because of the exposure it affords them. Are there any players in the pool who could possibly be eligible for the NBA Draft like the case of Mike Taylor was a few years ago? Or any players from a non-traditional background such as international, high school, or have even been out of basketball for a few years such as Fred Gibson last year?
Alpert:A couple years ago, we had a first in the league...a player from the NBA D-League was drafted by an NBA team (former Idaho Stampede player Mike Taylor drafted in the 2nd round by the Portland Trail Blazers). This year, we may see a player from our league get drafted in the first round. Stay tuned!
Trey Gilder was a late second round pick last season and now is a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. Is he an ideal example of how the NBA D-League develops players?
Alpert:Trey Gilder is a great example of what our league is about. He was not on NBA team radars 12 months ago. He worked hard, developed his skills in our league under the careful watch of NBA scouts, and is now playing in the NBA.
As an East Coast native, are you excited about the new teams in Springfield and Maine? Do you feel that they have everything in place to be successful off the bat like some other recent new teams to join the NBA D-League?
Alpert:I'm very excited about the two expansion teams this year. They are both off to great starts. Both teams have tremendous ownership groups and team staffs that are working hard to increase awareness about the team. Also, Portland and Springfield have great communities filled with passionate basketball fans.
Our group of coaches this season is very diverse, with NBA D-League coaching veterans moving to new teams, assistants moving up to head coach, and some newcomers to the NBA D-League. Has it been interesting to work with them as they prepare for the draft and the upcoming season?
Alpert:We have great coaches in the league this year. They are dedicated to the development of the players and assembling competitive teams that their communities will support. When we conducted our preseason coaches meeting in September, I remember looking around the room and thinking that this is the most talented our coaching staffs have ever been. I'm looking forward to working with all of them this season to ensure this is the best season we've ever had.
After the draft, what are you looking forward to the most about the 2009-10 season?
Alpert:The start of the season is always a very exciting time. The first ever games will be played in Portland and Springfield. I'm curious to see who the first call-up will be. I'm looking forward to being in Boise, ID for the Showcase in early January. We will be in Dallas in February for All-Star weekend, and next April we will crown a new NBA D-League champion. It should be an exciting season.
