List of NBA Development League champions
Encyclopedia
The National Basketball Association Development League
(NBADL) (or National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001–05) Finals is the championship game or series for the NBADL and the conclusion of the sport's postseason. Since the league's inception in 2001–02, a variety of formats has been used to determine the champion. From the inaugural postseason in 2002 through 2006, the four teams with the best records advanced to the postseason because there were no division or conference splits to divide the eight teams. The first two seasons, both semi-finals and the Finals series were in a best-of-three format, whereby a team must win two of the three games to advance or win the championship (the best-of-three would resume again in 2008 and is still used today). Then, between 2004 and 2007, the playoffs used a single-elimination tournament
among the four teams, with two semi-final games and one winner-takes-all championship match.
In 2007, the league had expanded to 12 teams and was divided into Eastern and Western Conferences, comprising six teams apiece. The playoffs pitted each conference's winner against one another, with the Eastern Conference's Dakota Wizards
winning the championship 129–121 in overtime against the Colorado 14ers
. With the league's continued expansion to 14 and 16 teams over the next two years, respectively, the two-conference format was replaced with a three-division format consisting of Western, Southwestern and Central Divisions. Both the 2008 and 2009 NBADL championship series were between teams representing the Western and Southwestern Divisions, with no Central teams ever making it to the finals. These divisions split, with the Idaho Stampede
of the Western Division winning in 2008, while the Colorado 14ers
of the Southwestern Division won in 2009. Since 2010, the league has re-formatted to the Eastern and Western Conferences. Due to there being two more teams in the Western Conference (9) than the Eastern Conference (7), and because the top eight teams with the best regular season records qualify for the postseason irrespective of conference, the 2010 NBADL Finals consisted of two Western Conference teams. No teams from the east had advanced beyond the first two rounds, and the NBADL champion that season was the Rio Grande Valley Vipers
.
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
(NBADL) (or National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001–05) Finals is the championship game or series for the NBADL and the conclusion of the sport's postseason. Since the league's inception in 2001–02, a variety of formats has been used to determine the champion. From the inaugural postseason in 2002 through 2006, the four teams with the best records advanced to the postseason because there were no division or conference splits to divide the eight teams. The first two seasons, both semi-finals and the Finals series were in a best-of-three format, whereby a team must win two of the three games to advance or win the championship (the best-of-three would resume again in 2008 and is still used today). Then, between 2004 and 2007, the playoffs used a single-elimination tournament
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
among the four teams, with two semi-final games and one winner-takes-all championship match.
In 2007, the league had expanded to 12 teams and was divided into Eastern and Western Conferences, comprising six teams apiece. The playoffs pitted each conference's winner against one another, with the Eastern Conference's Dakota Wizards
Dakota Wizards
The Dakota Wizards are an American basketball team in the NBA Development League, based in Bismarck, North Dakota. Home games are played at the Bismarck Civic Center.-Beginnings in IBA:...
winning the championship 129–121 in overtime against the Colorado 14ers
Colorado 14ers
The Colorado 14ers were a team in the NBA Development League which began play in 2006-07. They were affiliated with the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors of the NBA. The 14ers played their home games at the Broomfield Event Center in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. ...
. With the league's continued expansion to 14 and 16 teams over the next two years, respectively, the two-conference format was replaced with a three-division format consisting of Western, Southwestern and Central Divisions. Both the 2008 and 2009 NBADL championship series were between teams representing the Western and Southwestern Divisions, with no Central teams ever making it to the finals. These divisions split, with the Idaho Stampede
Idaho Stampede
The Idaho Stampede is an American basketball team that plays in the NBA Development League. The team is based in the Boise, Idaho, area and as of 2005 plays at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The team was founded as a member of the Continental Basketball Association in 1997 and was league runner-up...
of the Western Division winning in 2008, while the Colorado 14ers
Colorado 14ers
The Colorado 14ers were a team in the NBA Development League which began play in 2006-07. They were affiliated with the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors of the NBA. The 14ers played their home games at the Broomfield Event Center in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. ...
of the Southwestern Division won in 2009. Since 2010, the league has re-formatted to the Eastern and Western Conferences. Due to there being two more teams in the Western Conference (9) than the Eastern Conference (7), and because the top eight teams with the best regular season records qualify for the postseason irrespective of conference, the 2010 NBADL Finals consisted of two Western Conference teams. No teams from the east had advanced beyond the first two rounds, and the NBADL champion that season was the Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Rio Grande Valley Vipers
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a 2007-08 expansion team in the NBA Development League. They play their home games at the State Farm Arena, in Hidalgo, Texas....
.
Key
| Bold | Winning team of the NBADL Finals |
| † | Had or tied for the best regular season record for that season |
| Team (X) | Denotes the number of times the team has won (also includes past names of franchise, if applicable) |
2002 to 2006
| Year | Champion | Result | Runner-up | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Greenville Groove Greenville Groove The Greenville Groove were a National Basketball Development League team based in Greenville, South Carolina. Playing their home games at the BI-LO Center, the Groove was a charter franchise and league champions for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2002-03 season.The National Basketball... † |
2–0 | North Charleston Lowgators Florida Flame The Florida Flame were a NBA Development League team based in Fort Myers, Florida. Its logo represents a basketball on fire moving at high speed.... † |
|
| 2003 | Mobile Revelers Mobile Revelers The Mobile Revelers were a National Basketball Development League team based in Mobile, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Mobile Civic Center, the Revelers was a charter franchise in the 2001-02 season and folded after the 2002-03 season... |
2–1 | Fayetteville Patriots Fayetteville Patriots The Fayetteville Patriots were a NBA Development League team based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. Its logo design features a bald eagle's head and a basketball in the middle of a capital letter "P" with stars and stripes filling the rest of it.-Season By Season:- Franchise history... † |
|
| 2004 | Asheville Altitude Tulsa 66ers The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S... † |
1–0 | Huntsville Flight Huntsville Flight The Huntsville Flight was a National Basketball Development League team based in Huntsville, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Von Braun Center, the Flight was a charter franchise for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2004-05 season... |
|
| 2005 | Asheville Altitude Tulsa 66ers The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S... (2) |
1–0 | Columbus Riverdragons Austin Toros The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background... † |
|
| 2006 | Albuquerque Thunderbirds | 1–0 | Fort Worth Flyers Fort Worth Flyers The Fort Worth Flyers is the name of a now defunct team of the NBA Development League minor league basketball expansion team based in Fort Worth, Texas. They began play in the 2005-06 season. The decision was made by the NBADL to not operate this team for the 2007-08 season.- Franchise history... † |
|
2007
| Year | Western Division Champion | Result | Eastern Division Champion | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Colorado 14ers Colorado 14ers The Colorado 14ers were a team in the NBA Development League which began play in 2006-07. They were affiliated with the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors of the NBA. The 14ers played their home games at the Broomfield Event Center in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. ... |
0–1 | Dakota Wizards Dakota Wizards The Dakota Wizards are an American basketball team in the NBA Development League, based in Bismarck, North Dakota. Home games are played at the Bismarck Civic Center.-Beginnings in IBA:... † |
|
2008 to 2009
| Year | Champion | Division | Result | Runner-up | Division | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Idaho Stampede Idaho Stampede The Idaho Stampede is an American basketball team that plays in the NBA Development League. The team is based in the Boise, Idaho, area and as of 2005 plays at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The team was founded as a member of the Continental Basketball Association in 1997 and was league runner-up... † |
Western | 2–1 | Austin Toros Austin Toros The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background... |
Southwest | |
| 2009 | Colorado 14ers Colorado 14ers The Colorado 14ers were a team in the NBA Development League which began play in 2006-07. They were affiliated with the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors of the NBA. The 14ers played their home games at the Broomfield Event Center in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. ... † |
Southwest | 2–0 | Utah Flash Utah Flash The Utah Flash was a team of the NBA Development League that began playing in 2007 and folded in 2011. They played their home games at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah... |
Western | |
2010 to present
| Year | Champion | Conference | Result | Runner-up | Conference | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers Rio Grande Valley Vipers The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a 2007-08 expansion team in the NBA Development League. They play their home games at the State Farm Arena, in Hidalgo, Texas.... |
Western | 2–0 | Tulsa 66ers Tulsa 66ers The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S... |
Western | |
| 2011 | Iowa Energy Iowa Energy The Iowa Energy are a 2007-08 expansion team of the NBA Development League, of which they are the current defending champions. They play their home games at the Wells Fargo Arena at Iowa Events Center.... † |
Eastern | 2–1 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers Rio Grande Valley Vipers The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a 2007-08 expansion team in the NBA Development League. They play their home games at the State Farm Arena, in Hidalgo, Texas.... |
Western | |
Results by teams
| Teams | Finals appearances | Championships | Runners-up | Asheville Altitude Tulsa 66ers The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S... / Tulsa 66ers Tulsa 66ers The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S... | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2004, 2005 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado 14ers Colorado 14ers The Colorado 14ers were a team in the NBA Development League which began play in 2006-07. They were affiliated with the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors of the NBA. The 14ers played their home games at the Broomfield Event Center in the Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado. ... / Texas Legends |
2 | 1 | 1 | 2009 | 2007 |
| Huntsville Flight Huntsville Flight The Huntsville Flight was a National Basketball Development League team based in Huntsville, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Von Braun Center, the Flight was a charter franchise for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2004-05 season... / Albuquerque Thunderbirds / New Mexico Thunderbirds |
2 | 1 | 1 | 2006 | 2004 |
| Rio Grande Valley Vipers Rio Grande Valley Vipers The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a 2007-08 expansion team in the NBA Development League. They play their home games at the State Farm Arena, in Hidalgo, Texas.... |
2 | 1 | 1 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Columbus Riverdragons Austin Toros The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background... / Austin Toros Austin Toros The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background... |
2 | 0 | 2 | — | 2005, 2008 |
| Dakota Wizards Dakota Wizards The Dakota Wizards are an American basketball team in the NBA Development League, based in Bismarck, North Dakota. Home games are played at the Bismarck Civic Center.-Beginnings in IBA:... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2007 | — |
| Greenville Groove Greenville Groove The Greenville Groove were a National Basketball Development League team based in Greenville, South Carolina. Playing their home games at the BI-LO Center, the Groove was a charter franchise and league champions for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2002-03 season.The National Basketball... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2002 | — |
| Idaho Stampede Idaho Stampede The Idaho Stampede is an American basketball team that plays in the NBA Development League. The team is based in the Boise, Idaho, area and as of 2005 plays at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise. The team was founded as a member of the Continental Basketball Association in 1997 and was league runner-up... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2008 | — |
| Iowa Energy Iowa Energy The Iowa Energy are a 2007-08 expansion team of the NBA Development League, of which they are the current defending champions. They play their home games at the Wells Fargo Arena at Iowa Events Center.... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2011 | — |
| Mobile Revelers Mobile Revelers The Mobile Revelers were a National Basketball Development League team based in Mobile, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Mobile Civic Center, the Revelers was a charter franchise in the 2001-02 season and folded after the 2002-03 season... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2003 | — |
| Fayetteville Patriots Fayetteville Patriots The Fayetteville Patriots were a NBA Development League team based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. Its logo design features a bald eagle's head and a basketball in the middle of a capital letter "P" with stars and stripes filling the rest of it.-Season By Season:- Franchise history... |
1 | 0 | 1 | — | 2003 |
| Fort Worth Flyers Fort Worth Flyers The Fort Worth Flyers is the name of a now defunct team of the NBA Development League minor league basketball expansion team based in Fort Worth, Texas. They began play in the 2005-06 season. The decision was made by the NBADL to not operate this team for the 2007-08 season.- Franchise history... |
1 | 0 | 1 | — | 2006 |
| North Charleston Lowgators Florida Flame The Florida Flame were a NBA Development League team based in Fort Myers, Florida. Its logo represents a basketball on fire moving at high speed.... / Charleston Lowgators Florida Flame The Florida Flame were a NBA Development League team based in Fort Myers, Florida. Its logo represents a basketball on fire moving at high speed.... / Florida Flame Florida Flame The Florida Flame were a NBA Development League team based in Fort Myers, Florida. Its logo represents a basketball on fire moving at high speed.... |
1 | 0 | 1 | — | 2002 |
| Utah Flash Utah Flash The Utah Flash was a team of the NBA Development League that began playing in 2007 and folded in 2011. They played their home games at the UCCU Center on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah... |
1 | 0 | 1 | — | 2009 |