NEW YORK (July 17, 2012) – The National Basketball Association and the NBA Development League, the official minor league of the NBA, today announced that the Utah Jazz’s NBA D-League affiliate for the 2012-13 season will be the Reno Bighorns.
Based in Reno, Nev., and founded in 2008, the Bighorns play their home games at Reno Events Center and will also be affiliated with the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings during the 2012-13 season. The Jazz were affiliated with the Idaho Stampede during the 2011-12 season, as were the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers.
Since player assignments began in 2005, the Jazz has had three different NBA D-League affiliates (Albuquerque Thunderbirds 2005-06, Idaho Stampede 2006-07 and 2011-12, Utah Flash 2007-11) and has assigned five different players on a total of 15 assignments. The Jazz has also called up eight different players from six different NBA D-League teams since the 2001-02 season, most recently guard Blake Ahearn from the Bighorns last season.
The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league whose teams have direct affiliations to NBA franchises. A proven developer of talent, 27 percent of players in the NBA at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season boasted NBA D-League experience, while one third of the NBA Draft classes from 2009, 2010, and 2011 played in the NBA D-League. The league also continues to develop coaches, referees and front-office staff for the NBA and its teams.
The NBA D-League will again have 16 teams playing in 2012-13, which, in addition to the Bighorns, includes (NBA parent teams in parentheses): the Austin Toros (San Antonio), Bakersfield Jam (Atlanta, L.A. Clippers, Phoenix, Toronto), Canton (Cleveland), Dakota Wizards (Golden State), Erie BayHawks (New York), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Charlotte, Detroit, Indiana, Milwaukee), Idaho Stampede (Portland), Iowa Energy (Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, Washington), Los Angeles D-Fenders (L.A. Lakers), Maine Red Claws (Boston), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston), Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami, Minnesota, Orlando, Philadelphia), Springfield Armor (Brooklyn), Texas Legends (Dallas) and Tulsa 66ers (Oklahoma City).