NBA Developmental League: Iowa Energy
Apr. 17th, 2017 08:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedsitter23It wasn't that long ago that I was lamenting that I might not make it to any Iowa Energy games this year, but I did and now I managed to get a second game in.
There are some changes going on in the NBADL next year. The current NBADL provides an exciting product but isn't analogous to other minor league sports. It has gotten better over the years, and NBA teams do like to have their 1st and 2nd year players spend as much time here and in the NBA as they can. Also, though the 'Jeremy Lin' style megastar story is rare, there are a number of players who have used the league as a step to make respectable NBA careers for themselves, if not stars, then at least as consistent role players.
The biggest change next year might be the name and branding as it becomes the G league. The biggest change here is the partnership with sponsor Gatorade. It's doubtful that just the partnership will shake things up that much, but it may open a few doors. More important to the league is that next year the NBA will increase the roster size from 15 to 17. More players means more needs, and as injuries happen, the easiest place to find people to fill those spots is the NBADL. As important is that the League has adopted two-way contracts. This means more money for some players for one, but also mimics what we see in baseball's minor league system. The early DLeague teams had affiliations with the NBA, but now each DL team will have a geographically close team that it will bond too, Need a player? There will be one place to go and it can happen quickly.
This game was not so exciting. The Energy were well over played by the LA D-Fenders. The Energy did claw back within 4 after being outplayed all games, which doesn't do much to dispel the rumor that the NBADL is a more real sport than other performers who play in the same arena like John Cena or the Harlem Globetrotters.
This team was slightly different than the one I saw a month ago. This incarnation had three NBAers- Jarrell Martin, Wade Baldwin IV and Deyonta Davis and they all saw court time. Martin and Davis again showing that they are on the next level. Despite briefly leaving for an injury, JaKar Sampson looked great even when the rest of the team didn't, leading the team with 27 points.
Butler alumni Kellen Dunham played a major role in this game as compared to last and local star (Northern Iowa) Wes Washpun also put up impressive numbers.
I would be somewhat remiss if I didn't mention the half time show was Steve Max, "The Simon Says Guy". If you didn't think you could make a living playing (sorry, more correctly leading) games of Simon Says, you're wrong.
I suppose half game shows are a niche kind of thing, and generally, the Energy uses that time with groups that use trampolines to do diving basketball dunks.
Max is perfect for the time it takes to keep the crowd entertained, and to be fair, he is really good. He has that Willy Wonka/Gene Wilder vibe like a big optimistic kid in a man's body.
Here he was at a NBA game featured on ESPN Sports Center. Many more videos on Youtube
There are some changes going on in the NBADL next year. The current NBADL provides an exciting product but isn't analogous to other minor league sports. It has gotten better over the years, and NBA teams do like to have their 1st and 2nd year players spend as much time here and in the NBA as they can. Also, though the 'Jeremy Lin' style megastar story is rare, there are a number of players who have used the league as a step to make respectable NBA careers for themselves, if not stars, then at least as consistent role players.
The biggest change next year might be the name and branding as it becomes the G league. The biggest change here is the partnership with sponsor Gatorade. It's doubtful that just the partnership will shake things up that much, but it may open a few doors. More important to the league is that next year the NBA will increase the roster size from 15 to 17. More players means more needs, and as injuries happen, the easiest place to find people to fill those spots is the NBADL. As important is that the League has adopted two-way contracts. This means more money for some players for one, but also mimics what we see in baseball's minor league system. The early DLeague teams had affiliations with the NBA, but now each DL team will have a geographically close team that it will bond too, Need a player? There will be one place to go and it can happen quickly.
This game was not so exciting. The Energy were well over played by the LA D-Fenders. The Energy did claw back within 4 after being outplayed all games, which doesn't do much to dispel the rumor that the NBADL is a more real sport than other performers who play in the same arena like John Cena or the Harlem Globetrotters.
This team was slightly different than the one I saw a month ago. This incarnation had three NBAers- Jarrell Martin, Wade Baldwin IV and Deyonta Davis and they all saw court time. Martin and Davis again showing that they are on the next level. Despite briefly leaving for an injury, JaKar Sampson looked great even when the rest of the team didn't, leading the team with 27 points.
Butler alumni Kellen Dunham played a major role in this game as compared to last and local star (Northern Iowa) Wes Washpun also put up impressive numbers.
I would be somewhat remiss if I didn't mention the half time show was Steve Max, "The Simon Says Guy". If you didn't think you could make a living playing (sorry, more correctly leading) games of Simon Says, you're wrong.
I suppose half game shows are a niche kind of thing, and generally, the Energy uses that time with groups that use trampolines to do diving basketball dunks.
Max is perfect for the time it takes to keep the crowd entertained, and to be fair, he is really good. He has that Willy Wonka/Gene Wilder vibe like a big optimistic kid in a man's body.
Here he was at a NBA game featured on ESPN Sports Center. Many more videos on Youtube
