- What is the NBA G League?
The NBA G League, formerly the NBA Development League or NBA D-League, is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers and front office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory.
- When was the NBA G League established?
The league began play as the NBA Development League beginning with the 2001-02 season. It enters its 20th season in 2020-21.
- How many games are in an NBA G League season?
Each team plays a 50-game schedule.
- How can I follow the NBA G League?
The official website of the NBA G League is NBAGLeague.com. You can also download the NBA G League mobile app for iOs and Android devices. On social media, you can follow the NBA G League on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Twitch and Snapchat (“nbagleague”).
- What is NBA G League Ignite?
NBA G League Ignite is a team of NBA Draft prospects operated by the G League. The team is dedicated to developing top young players through a one-year program focused on NBA Draft readiness and growth of professional life skills. NBA G League Ignite is also comprised of NBA and NBA G League veterans to aid in the development of the prospects highlighting the inaugural G League Ignite roster. Coached by five-time NBA champion Brian Shaw, NBA G League Ignite trains in Walnut Creek, Calif. and is participating in the 2020-21 G League single site in Orlando, Fla.
- How many NBA G League players have made it to the NBA?
To close the 2018-19 season, 52 percent players on end-of-season NBA rosters had NBA G League experience.
This group includes both players who were assigned from the NBA to the NBA G League and players who were called up from the NBA G League to the NBA at some point in their careers.
At least 30 NBA G League prospects have been called up to the NBA in each of the past eight seasons. A record 105 players were assigned to the NBA G League a total of 482 times in 2018-19.
- Who are some of the best NBA players who have played in the NBA G League?
Top players who have been assigned to the NBA G League include Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe, Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Pistons guard Reggie Jackson and Rockets center Clint Capela.
Top players who were called up from the NBA G League include Spurs guard Danny Green, Rockets guard Gerald Green, Hawks guard Jeremy Lin and Heat center Hassan Whiteside.
- What is a Call-Up?
A Call-Up occurs when a player under contract with the NBA G League is signed by an NBA team to an NBA contract. More than 30 NBA G League prospects have received a GATORADE Call-Up in each of the past eight seasons.
- What is an assignment?
An assignment occurs when an NBA team sends a player to its NBA G League affiliate. That player remains under NBA contract and the assigning NBA team has the exclusive rights to recall that player at any time.
Over the past three seasons, an average of 99 NBA players have been assigned to the NBA G League an average total of 465 times (players with under three years of service can be assigned an unlimited number of times each season).
- What is a two-way contract?
Beginning in the 2017 offseason, NBA rosters expanded from 15 to 17 players with the addition of two spots for players under “Two-Way Contracts.”
NBA teams may have up to two players under NBA Two-Way Contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team. Two-Way players are paid a corresponding daily amount based on the number of days they play in each league. Only players with four or fewer years of NBA service are able to sign Two-Way Contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.
- How many teams make the playoffs?
The playoff rules have changed as the league has expanded. For the 2018-19 season, the team with the best regular-season record in each division automatically qualifies for the postseason as one of six “division winners.” The additional six playoff berths will be filled by the three “wild card” teams in each conference with the best regular-season records, other than the division winners.
The conferences will be seeded one through six, in order of teams with the best record (regardless of division winner). The top two seeds in each conference will earn a bye into the second round. The playoffs will begin with three single-elimination rounds before culminating with a best-of-three NBA G League Finals, which will be played in a one-one-one format.
- When is the NBA G League Draft?
The 2020-21 NBA G League Draft was held on January 11, 2021.
> 2020-21 NBA G League Draft Results
* Who is eligible to be drafted?
The league signs 100+ players each year to join the pool of draft-eligible prospects. They include college players who went undrafted in the NBA Draft, international prospects, and players who were recently waived by NBA teams following training camp. Players must be 18 years old to be eligible for the NBA G League Draft.
- How many players are on an NBA G League roster?
There are a minimum of 10 players on rosters, not including a pair of two-way players allowed per NBA team. A team’s active roster may expand to up to 13 players if its parent club assigns players from the NBA roster.
- How long are the quarters in an NBA G League game?
Like in the NBA, each quarter lasts 12 minutes. Overtime periods are two minutes compared to the NBA’s five minutes.
- How long is the shot clock?
Like in the NBA, the shot clock lasts 24 seconds.
- Has an NBA G League player ever been drafted into the NBA?
Seven players have been drafted into the NBA out of the NBA G League. These players entered the NBA G League either out of high school – the league’s age minimum is 18 rather than the NBA’s 19 – or as early entry college players.
They include: Mike Taylor (2008), Latavious Williams (2009), Chu Chu Maduabum (2011), Glen Rice Jr. (2013), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (2014), P.J. Hairston (2014) and Alen Smailagic (2019). In 2014, Hairston became the first first-round NBA Draft pick the NBA G League has ever produced, and Antetokounmpo became the first international prospect ever to be drafted out of the NBA G League.
