The 14ers are set to enter their first season as a member of the NBA Development League this fall and will play their home games at the newly built Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The 14ers will act as the NBADL affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors.

14ers new head coach, Joe Wolf, receives a hat from Gary Hunter, President/CEO of Broomfield Sports. (Michael Martin Photography)

“It’s an exciting time,” said Wolf of once again being affiliated with the Nuggets organization. “George (Karl) has helped me tremendously in my coaching career. And now to have the opportunity to be a professional head coach in the Denver area, I couldn’t be happier.”

Wolf, who spent three seasons as a player with the Nuggets (1990-92 and 1997-98), was the Head Coach of the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association for the previous two seasons. Wolf compiled an overall record of 48-48 during his two seasons with the Stampede.

“We had about 60 applicants for this position,” said Gary Hunter President/CEO of Broomfield Sports. “I think we were very fortunate to get Joe.”

In addition to his playing days, Wolf has a number of connections to the Denver Nuggets. When he was originally hired as the head coach in Idaho, current Nuggets Head Coach George Karl was a part-owner of the Stampede franchise at the time. Wolf also played his collegiate ball at the University of North Carolina, which happens to be Karl’s alma mater as well.

“If I were starting with a franchise with no coaches, I’d hire Joe tomorrow,” said Karl, who is entering his second full season at the Nuggets helm. “There is no question that Joe is now a talented enough coach to coach in the NBA.”

This past season, one of Wolf’s players on the Stampede was an 18-year-old Ricky Sanchez, whose draft rights the Nuggets acquired last summer during a draft day trade with the Portland Trail Blazers. Sanchez, now 19, was selected 35th overall in 2005 and has played on the Nuggets summer league team each of the last two years.

Wolf played 11 seasons in the NBA, averaging 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds. In his three seasons with the Nuggets, Wolf averaged 4.4 ppg and 3.9 rpg, including a career-best 5.4 rpg during the 1990-91 season. He was originally drafted 13th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1987 NBA Draft.