2023-2024 NBA G League – Everything you need to know

NBA G League

NBA G League is not only a minor league or NBA D-League, but it’s also an NBA development organization that mainly works to make players, coaches, trainers, research, make trainers, officials, and more.

The organization was initially called the National Basketball Development between the years 2001 to 2005 and was changed to the National Development League in 2005 till 2017. After 2017, it adopted the current name because of the sponsorship from Gatorade hence the `g’ in the name. The original organizations had 8 associations playing in the league from 2001 to 2005. The number of teams in the league grew to 15 in the National Basketball League era. Today there are 28 teams in the league.

2023-2024 NBA G League key dates

  • June 8: NBA G League Expansion Draft
  • June 28: NBA G League International Draft (1 p.m. ET)
  • September 2-October 8: NBA G League Local Player Tryouts
  • September 5: NBA G League Schedule Release
  • October 28: 2023-24 NBA G League Draft (1 p.m. ET)
  • October 30-November 9: NBA G League Training Camps
  • November 10: NBA G League season begins
  • Mar. 2024: NBA G League regular season ends
  • April 2024: NBA G League Playoffs
  • February 16-18, 2024: NBA All-Star 2024

How many teams are in the NBA G League?

There are 31 teams for the 2023-24 season in the NBA G League.

History of the G- G-League

When explaining the history of the league it is simpler to tackle it according to the 3 eras

1. National Basketball Development League (2001-2005)

This was the time when only 8 teams were allowed to play in the league. All the teams were based in the southeastern part of the United States of America.

2. National Development League (2005-2017)

This emerged after the shortcomings of the previous league. The only teams were from southeastern America. The new league wanted to end this. The number of teams increased to 15. The league sorts out to expand throughout the country not only the southeastern part.

3. Renamed NBA G-League (2017- present)

They changed their name after they signed a partnership with Gatorade which is a well-renowned beverage company. It was officially named the minor team of the NBA. Players from the G-league can be drafted to play in the majors. Currently, the total number of teams in the G-league is 28.

When was the NBA G League founded?

NBA G League is starting from the 2001-02 season and the 2023-24 season is its 23rd consecutive season as an NBA G League, while, the 2021-22 season had not been completed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Team ownership and NBA Affiliations

Team ownership comes in two ways. The first way you can own a G-league is through direct possession whereas an NBA club-major league can directly own it. The second is by a single affiliate where there is a partnership. This partnership makes the G league-owned but independent. The parent club, however, is in charge of the finances and any other basketball dealings. The teams can also be owned by TV networks such as ESPN, NBA TV Canada, Twitch, Facebook Live, and Eleven Sports. During the first years of these developments, the expansion of teams was quite slow because single affiliate ownership was not as popular as it is these days. The expansion, however, has grown over the years because people have appreciated the route of single affiliation practices. Some of the parent club owners are the Los Angeles Clippers own the Agua Caliente Clippers, the Boston Celtics own the Maine Red Claws. Single affiliation teams are like the Grand Rapids Drive that owns the Detroit Pistons.

Player allocation

Player allocation is the process by which the players are assigned. A G-league team roster comprises 12 players. Of which 10 or fewer are players from the G-league organizations and the remaining 2 or more from the NBA. There are various ways that determine how these rosters are made. The first one is the preceding years’ players. The second process is by adding players acquired from the G-league’s drafting. Thirdly, players are allocated to teams based on their local relationships or connections.

Draft and rule

Drafting is a seasonal affair. In addition, drafting is the key source when building or making a team’s roster. For players to be drafted in the g-league, they must be 18 years of age which is contrary to the NBA where a player is required to be 19 years. Drafting comprises 4 rounds where the first team to select will be the last to choose in the second round and vice versa. After a signed agreement in 2014, NBA teams that refused to pick players from the already picked draft have the chance to pick ones that are in their affiliate G-league clubs.

How do I get into the NBA G League?

A minimum of 18 years old is allowed for the G League Draft.

Assignment

Each parent NBA team can appoint two 1st year or 2nd-year players. These players must have or be under a standard NBA contract to its associated G league association. If there are more than 2 NBA players in a G League team, the number of G League players is reduced to keep the roster at 12.

NBA G League All-star game

This is an annual special basketball game that is held by the G League. The game is held in a special jam session court and features popular games like the slam dunk and the 3-pointer shoot-out. Twenty of the best players in the league are chosen through fan balloting or chosen by head coaches on their official websites. The games are played in 4 rounds. The first two games were in 4 quarters of 12 minutes and the remaining two of 2 20-minute games.

Does the NBA G League have playoffs?

Yes, the NBA G League has a wild-card round, single-elimination rounds, and a one-on-one format NBA G League Finals.

NBA G League international challenge

This is an international event. The main essence of the game is to give the best from G league teams a chance to compete with teams from all-stars of different leagues and teams from around the world. The competition was founded in 2018. 6 teams compete in the event. The current champions are the German team while the team with the most wins is the American team and the German team both with 1 win each. The rules of this championship, however, differ from the NBA rules. They play using the FIBA rules.