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Western Conference PreviewRelated Images Reno's Rod Benson will be one of the league's top rebounders.
Steve Yeater/Getty Images/NBAE by Matthew Brennan, NBA D-League.com The Western Conference will consist of teams that competed in the West and Southwest Divisions last season. Four teams competing in the West made the playoffs last season, including the Finals runner-up Utah Flash. Both the Idaho Stampede and the Albuquerque Thunderbirds have won NBA D-League titles during their time in the NBA D-League, with Utah and the Austin both making appearances in the Finals.
ALBUQUERQUE THUNDERBIRDS
2008-09 record: 24-26, third in Southwest Division
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments The Thunderbirds, along with Tulsa and Austin, are one of the longest-tenured teams in the NBA D-League. They took home the title in their first season in 2005-06, but have managed only one playoff appearance and no winning records in the next three season. Head coach John Coffino returns for his second season at the helm after leading the team to a 24-26 record in 2008-09. Returning Players: The Thunderbirds return a few players from last season's 24-26 squad, led by former NBA player Keith McLeod. The 6-2 McLeod, a former member of the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz, averaged 14.1 points in 36 games for the Thunderbirds last season. He will be joined by Antoine Aguido, a 6-3 guard who averaged 14.8 points late in the season after joining Albuquerque from overseas. Agudio and McLeod should give Albuquerque a top guard tandem and both players should increase their offense in 2009-10 to make up for the loss of leading scorer Will Conroy. At forward, veteran Cory Underwood returns after playing in 19 games last season. The well-traveled Underwood is a 6-10 forward/center who has played for the T-Birds over parts of the last two seasons. New Players: Carlos Powell was the first overall pick in the draft and should step right in as one of the NBA D-League's best players. The 6-7 forward was an NBA D-League All-Star in 2007-08 with the Dakota Wizards, where he posted 22.5 points per game in 48 appearances. Another player with NBA D-League experience is forward Kevin Pittsnogle, the former West Virginia star who played in 33 games for the Thunderbirds during the 2007-08 season. The Thunderbirds will also suit up two local products in former New Mexico stars Tony Danridge and Chad Toppert, who were both All-Mountain West players for the Lobos. The wild card on the roster is former NBA first-round pick Yaroslav Korolev. The 6-9 swingman struggled with the Clippers after being taken 12th overall in 2005, and was last seen on the New York Knicks' summer league roster earlier this year.
AUSTIN TOROS
2008-09 record: 32-18, second in Southwest Division
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments The Toros have been one of the NBA D-League's best teams over the past two seasons under the leadership of Quin Snyder, who was named the 2008-09 NBA D-League Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year. Austin is one of three teams owned by their NBA affiliate, and the team has compiled a 62-38 regular season record with one NBA D-League Finals appearance over the past two years since the Spurs took over operations. Returning Players: The Toros return one of the NBA D-League's top centers in former NBA player Dwayne Jones. Acquired in a trade with Idaho midway through last season, Jones averaged 15.2 points and 11.9 rebounds while shooting 59 percent from the field. The other returning starter is Carldell "Squeeky" Johnson, who is back for his third season at point guard. Johnson played in 46 games last season and averaged 5.2 assists. Also back are reserve forwards Justin Bowen and Ryan Bright. New Players: First round pick Alonzo Gee is a 6-6 guard from Alabama who looks like he could be a star early on after scoring 31 points with ten rebounds in the Toros' preseason win over Rio Grande Valley. The team also looks to have two other talented young guards on the roster in Spurs training camp cut Curtis Jerrells, a Baylor product, and former Georgia Tech standout Lewis Clinch. Both went for 23 points in the preseason contest. NBA D-League veterans Russell Carter and Quemont Greer are also on the roster and should be in the rotation this season.
BAKERSFIELD JAM
2008-09 record: 24-26, third in West Division
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments After a mediocre first two seasons in the NBA D-League, the Jam broke through in 2008-09 to make their first playoff appearance. They will look to build on the momentum this season but with a new coaching staff, almost an entirely new roster, and even a new homecourt. Will Voigt takes over as head coach for Scott Roth, who moved on to the Golden State Warriors coaching staff after engineering the best one-year turnaround in NBA D-League history. Returning Players: 6-10 Terrance Gamble is the only returning player from last season. Gamble appeared in 17 games and averaged 2.3 points in 2008-09. New Players: The Jam have plenty of new faces this season, led by two former NBA first-round picks in Robert Swift and Reece Gaines. Gaines is a 6-6 guard drafted 15th overall by the Magic in 2003, and has been playing in Italy for the last few seasons. The 7-0 Swift is a Bakersfield native drafted 12th overall by the Sonics in 2004 out of high school. He played in 26 games for the Oklahoma City Thunder last season. Third-round draft pick Anthony Goods is a 6-3 guard who was All-Pac-10 at Stanford and should make an impact for the Jam in his rookie season.
IDAHO STAMPEDE
2008-09 record: 31-19, second in West Division
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments Portland Trail Blazers: Nicolas Batum, Jerryd Bayless, Dante Cunningham, Rudy Fernandez, Patrick Mills, Jeff Pendergraph The Stampede have made the playoffs in all three of their NBA D-League seasons and took home a championship in the 2007-08 season. They start a new era without two-time coach of the year Bryan Gates, who is now a member of the Sacramento Kings coaching staff. Bob MacKinnon takes over after winning the NBA D-League title in April with Colorado. The Trail Blazers return as an NBA affiliate and will be joined by the Denver Nuggets. Returning Players: The Stampede will return three players from last season's team that lost the West Division by one game, although none were starters. Veteran guard Roberto Bergersen, backup point guard Lanny Smith, and second-year forward Mildon Ambres are all back and will look to play bigger roles with mainstays like Lance Allred, Luke Jackson, and Brent Petway moving overseas. New Players: The Stampede made a trade after the draft and picked up Anthony Tolliver, who could be one of the league's best centers. The 6-9 Tolliver played for both the Spurs and Hornets last season and also spent time in the NBA D-League with the Iowa Energy. He kicked off the season with 24 points in Monday's preseason win over Utah. First-round pick Sundiata Gaines is a point guard who starred at Georgia and could step in as a starter. He had 17 point in the preseason win. Also back with the team is rugged forward Jeff Graves, a Kansas product who averaged 13.3 points and 8.8 boards for Idaho during the 2006-07 season.
LOS ANGELES D-FENDERS
2008-09 record: 19-31, fifth in West Division
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments The D-Fenders, the first team to be owned soley by their NBA affilaite, enter their fourth NBA season and will have a new head coach in Chucky Brown. Brown served as an assistant coach last season and will look to get the team back into the playoffs, which the D-Fenders have missed in two of their first three seasons. Things could be difficult as the parent club, the Lakers, do not currently have any player eligible for an NBA D-League assignment. Returning Players: The D-Fenders return 6-6 swingman Ryan Forehan-Kelly, who posted 12.9 points and was one of the league's most accurate three-point shooters. 6-11 center Longar Longar and reserve guard Charlie Parker are also back for another season at STAPLES Center. New Players: The D-Fenders used the third overall draft pick on former Pistons draft choice Deron Washington, who spent last season in Israel. Washington is a 6-7 wing player who should be a top scorer in the NBA D-League. Other key newcomers include Diamon Simpson, a 6-7 forward who was All-West Coast Conference at St. Mary's, and second round pick Dar Tucker, acquired via a post-draft trade. Tucker is a 6-4 forward who averaged 18.4 points last season as a sophomore at DePaul in the BIG EAST conference.
RENO BIGHORNS
2008-09 record: 25-25, fourth in West Division
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments The Bighorns got off to a very poor start in their first NBA D-League season but rebounded to finish 25-25 in 2008-09. NBA veteran Jay Humphries will be looking to lead Reno to their first playoff berth in his second season as the head coach. The team retains the Sacramento Kings as an NBA affiliate and picks up the Orlando Magic. Returning Players: The Bighorns return a solid group of players, led by center Rod Benson. Benson led the NBA D-League in rebounding in 2007-08 and rounded back into form last season after being traded to the Bighorns. He was in training camp with the Indiana Pacers prior to this season. Prominsing guard Russell Robinson is also back after playing in training camp with the Cavaliers. Robinson was also impressive in Summer League for the Orlando Magic and could be ready for a breakout season. Also back in Reno are steady veteran guard Majic Dorsey and guard Dave Noel, who averaged 10.2 points last season. Former NBA center Cezary Trybanski, a prolific shot-blocker, also returns. New Players: The Bighorns used their first round selection on guard Desmon Farmer, one of the NBA D-League's top all-time leading scorers. Farmer currently ranks fifth all-time with 2,237 career NBA D-League points. The team also picked up an intriguing prospect via trade in Marcus Hubbard. The 6-9 Hubbard averaged 8.2 points and 4.1 rebounds last season in Dakota and Rio Grande Valley before playing for the NBA D-League team in the Las Vegas Summer League. NBA D-League veterans Mo Charlo and James Peters also join the team.
RIO GRANDE VALLEY VIPERS
2008-09 record:21-29, fourth in Southwest Division
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments The Vipers enter 2009-10 as the first NBA D-League team to operate under the hybrid-affiliation model. The Houston Rockets will take over the basketball operations as the Vipers look to make the playoffs for the first time in their third NBA D-League season. Chris Finch, who is also the head coach of the English National Team, will be the head coach for Rio Grande Valley. Returning Players: The Vipers return center Kurt Looby and forwards Stanley Asumnu and Ernest Scott. Looby led the NBA D-League in blocks last season and could be ready to further develop after time in training camp with the Denver Nuggets, while Asumnu returns for his third season with the Vipers. Scott is a three-point marksmen who knocked down 88 last season, good for seventh in the league. Rockets center Joey Dorsey is also back for a second stint on assignment. New Players: The Vipers picked up some players with Rockets ties on allocation in forward Mike Harris and guard Garrett Temple. Harris played for the Rockets in 2007-08, and was in training camp with the Thunder prior to this season. He last played in the NBA D-League in 2006-07 after the Colorado 14ers made him the second overall pick in the draft. Temple, a rookie from LSU, was in summer league and training camp with the Rockets prior to this season. The team also picked up a talented player with their first round pick in rookie Antonio Anderson, who was the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year last season at Memphis before attending training camp with the Bobcats.
TULSA 66ERS
2008-09 record: 15-35, fifth in Southwest Division
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments The 66ers enter 2009-10 in their second season under the ownership of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team will look to bounce back from tying for the NBA D-League's worst record last season. Nate Tibbetts, who was the head coach in Sioux Falls in 2008-09, will take over as the new head coach. Returning Players: The 66ers return several players with local college ties. Former Oklahoma player Keith Clark showed potential last season with 12.0 points and 6.8 rebounds in 49 games, while former Oral Roberts stars Moses Ehambe and Yemi Ogunoye are also back for a second season. The 6-6 Ehambe posted 10.1 points while playing in all 50 games last season, while Ogunoye, a 6-9 forward, started 48 games. New Players: The 66ers will have a good story to follow this season in 6-9 forward Latavious Williams, who is the first high school player to jump directly to the NBA D-League. A top-20 recruit last season, Williams elected to turn pro and got off to a good start with a big preseason game against Iowa. In the backcourt, the 66ers have two prospects on the roster in Oklahoma State product Byron Eaton and former Arizona starter Mustafa Shakur. The team will also have the services of center Byron Mullens, a 2009 NBA first-round pick who is on assignment from the Thunder.
UTAH FLASH
2008-09 record: 32-18, West Division champions
NBA Affiliates/Eligible Assignments The Flash reached the NBA D-League Finals and won the West Division in 2008-09 under head coach Brad Jones. They enter their third NBA D-League season with an affiliation with the Utah Jazz, and also pick up the Atlanta Hawks as an affiliate. The Jazz have assigned multiple players to the Flash in both NBA D-League seasons. Returning Players: The Flash return a host of key players from last year's team that reached the Finals, led by guard Dontell Jefferson. Jefferson averaged 18.5 points for Utah before moving on to Charlotte via a GATORADE Call-Up. Also back are forwards Gavin Grant, Bennet Davis and Carlos Wheeler as well as guard Andre Ingram. Ingram has played in every game for the Flash over the last two seasons and was one of the NBA D-League's most accurate three-point shooters in 2008-09, ranking second among players with over 100 attempts with a .470 clip. New Players: The Flash used their first round pick on massive center Garrett Siler, who was in preseason camp with the Atlanta Hawks. Utah also picked up some local college stars in former Utah center Luke Nevill and BYU guard Lee Cummard. Neville, a 7-2 center from Australia, was considered an NBA Draft prospect and will be an intriguing player to monitor this season. Cummard and Nevill give the Flash the last two Mountain West Players of the Year in the lineup.
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