2008-09 West Division Preview
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Juan Ocampo/NBAE/Getty |
by Matthew Brennan, D-League.com
The West division will be the NBA D-League's largest division in 2008-09 with six teams competing for the title. The expansion Reno Bighorns join the Anaheim Arsenal, Bakersfield Jam, Idaho Stampede, Los Angeles D-Fenders, and Utah Flash. The Stampede have won the last two division titles and also took home the NBA D-League Championship last season. The D-Fenders also earned a playoff berth last season, which was their second NBA D-League campaign.
2007-08 record: 23-27, fourth in West Division
Head Coach: Sam Vincent, first season
Playoffs:None
Team Roster
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments
Atlanta Hawks: Thomas Gardner, Al Horford, Acie Law, Mario West
Los Angeles Clippers: Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor
The Arsenal will try to make their first playoff appaearance in their third NBA D-League season. Sam Vincent returns to the D-League as head coach of the Arsenal after coaching the Charlotte Bobcats last season. Vincent will try to replicate his past D-League success with the Fort Worth Flyers, who he led to the championship game back in 2006. The Arsenal used their first two picks in the draft to snap up players with NBA experience in point guard Tierre Brown and swingman James White. Brown has played in 133 NBA games, primarily with the Lakers, and also won a D-League title with Albuquerque in 2005-06. White, a 6-7 forward, averaged 16.3 points with Austin in 2006-07 while he was on assignment from the San Antonio Spurs. Guard Mike Efevberha and forwards Mario Boggan and Noel Felix return from last season, while D-League veterans Cedric Bozeman and T.J. Cummings were allocated to the Arsenal. Bozeman posted 15.3 points for Albuquerque in 2006-07 and also played for the Atlanta Hawks that season.
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Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty |
2007-08 record: 11-39, fifth in West Division
Head Coach: Scott Roth, second season
Playoffs: None
Team Roster
Affiliates/Eligible Assignments
Golden State Warriors: Marco Belinelli, Richard Hendrix, Rob Kurz, Anthony Morrow, Demarcus Nelson, C.J. Watson, Brandan Wright
Orlando Magic: Marcin Gortat, Courtney Lee
The Jam enter their third NBA D-League season and will be coached by Scott Roth, who took over midway through last season. Two NBA players have already been assigned to Bakersfield with Golden State rookies DeMarcus Nelson and Richard Hendrix making the trip south. Nelson was an undrated free agent who began the season as the starting point guard for Golden State, while Hendrix has not seen action after he was drafted in the second round. Bakersfield picked up former SEC Player of the Year and 76ers' second-round pick Derrick Byars with their first round pick in the draft. Byars, a 6-7 guard, joins returning Mateen Cleaves and allocated Jeff Trepagnier in what should be a very talented backcourt. Cleaves is a former first-round pick who averaged 19.0 points and 10.3 assists for Bakersfield last season. Guard Trey Johnson, who was in training camp with the Suns, and forward Nick Lewis return from last season.
2007-08 record:36-14, first in West Division
Head Coach: Bryan Gates, third season
Playoffs: NBA D-League Champions
Team Roster
Affiliates/Eligible Assignments
Portland Trail Blazers: Nicolas Batum, Jerryd Bayless, Rudy Fernandez, Greg Oden
Toronto Raptors: Hassan Adams, Nathan Jawai, Jamario Moon, Will Solomon
The Stampede have finished the last two regular seasons with the best record in the NBA D-League and capped off the 2007-08 season by defeating Austin 2-1 in the Finals. The going could be tougher this season with only three players returning and Randy Livingston's retirement. Livingston joins two-time Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year Bryan Gates on the Stampede bench this season as he moves into the assistant coach's role. The Stampede picked up some talent in the draft and through allocation, with 3rd overall pick Jermareo Davidson and allocated guard Coby Karl joining the team. Davidson and Karl both spent last season as rookies in the NBA and were assigned to the D-League with the 6-11 Davidson spending six games in Sioux Falls and Karl playing 17 games for the D-Fenders. 2008 NBA D-League Slam Dunk champion Brent Petway, forward Jason Ellis and guard Ernest Scott are the returning players from last season.
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Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE/Getty |
2007-08 record: 32-18, second in West Division
Head Coach: Dan Panaggio, third season
Playoffs: Lost to Idaho 97-90 in NBA D-League semifinals
Team Roster
Affiliates/Eligible Assignments
Los Angeles Lakers: Sun Yue
The D-Fenders finished 2007-08 with the second-best record in the NBA D-League and were one win away from a trip to the Finals. Head coach Dan Panaggio returns for his third season at STAPLES Center. Los Angeles acquired a 2007-08 NBA D-League All-Star via trade last week with Dwayne Mitchell heading to L.A. The 6-5 Mitchell poured in 19.8 points in 32 games for the Iowa Energy last season. Mitchell was in training camp with the Lakers in the fall and will be joined by two other cuts from training camp in guards Brandon Heath and Joe Crawford. The 6-5 Crawford was the 58th overall pick by Los Angeles in June's NBA Draft. The D-Fendenders used their first-round pick in the D-League Draft on 6-8 forward Jasper Johnson. Johnson was a D-2 All-American at Delta State and averaged 21.1 points and 6.9 rebounds in Brazil last season.
2007-08 record: First season
Head Coach: Jay Humphries, first season
Playoffs: N/A
Team Roster
Affiliates/Eligible Assignments
New York Knicks: Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari
Sacramento Kings: Bobby Brown, Donte Greene, Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson
The Bighorns are one of two expansion teams to join the NBA D-League this season and will be coached by former NBA guard Jay Humphries. The team should be led by veteran forward Damone Brown, who was the first overall pick in the D-League Expansion Draft. The 6-9 Brown played briefly for Sioux Falls last season before heading overseas. Brown was named second-team All-D-League with Huntsville in 2004-05 and received a GATORADE Call-Up that season. The Bighorns also picked up former Vipers big man Jesse Smith and ex-Anaheim/Albuquerque wing Jamaal Thomas in the expansion draft. Thomas averaged 10.8 points for the T-Birds last season while Smith pulled down 7.1 boards for Rio Grande Valley. The Bighorns used their first-round pick in the 2008 NBA D-League Draft on veteran forward Antonio Meeking. The 6-7 Meeking has extensive experience in European leagues and averaged 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in Italy last season.
2007-08 record: 24-26, third in West Division
Head Coach: Brad Jones, second season
Playoffs: None
Team Roster
Affiliates/Eligible Assignments
Boston Celtics: Glen Davis, J.R. Giddens, Gabe Pruitt, Bill Walker
Utah Jazz: Morris Almond, Kyrylo Fesenko, Kosta Koufos
The Flash enter their second NBA D-League season and have already received some help from their affiliates in the form of Boston Celtics guard J.R. Giddens. Giddens, 6-4, was the 30th pick in this year's NBA Draft and was the Mountain West Co-Player of the Year last season at New Mexico. Giddens will join former Dakota Wizards Dontell Jefferson in the backcourt. Jefferson was acquired in a trade for Utah's first round pick in the draft Denham Brown. The 6-5 guard averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 assists last season in 29 games for the Wizards. Forward Brian Jackson and guard Andre Ingram are the sole returning players from last season's Flash roster. The 6-9 Jackson enters his fourth NBA D-League season after playing in 47 games for Utah last year, averaging 9.6 points and 6.4 boards.
