bedsitter23 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bedsitter23) wrote2018-02-25 08:36 am
bedsitter23) wrote2018-02-25 08:36 am
Friday Night Fun: G-League
Des Moines has professional minor league teams in all the major sports. The city was named #1 Minor League Town by Sports Business Journal last fall.
I wanted to make sure we got to a Iowa Wolves game before the season wrapped up.
There have been big changes since last year. As i have described before, Basketball doesn't quite lend itself to the 'see the stars before they turn pro' feeling you get when you watch minor league baseball or hockey. With the required one year of college, even the best players get some time for development against top competition. Even before that rule, players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James went from high school to the pros, because it just makes sense.
Still, James and Bryant are hall of fame talent. The NBA does realize that young stars benefit from some seasoning, so they have made some changes this year.
The first noticeable change is that the developmental league is now sponsored by Gatorade and it's called the G-League now. More pertinent though is the NBA has expanded its rosters and teams are able to designate 'two-way players' that will go back and forth between the NBA and the G-League. Also, for practical purposes, teams have been designated geographically and like Triple A baseball, assigned to a pro team.
So, the Iowa Energy, once affiliated with the Memphis Grizzlies and previously the Phoenix Suns, and sponsored by the local utility company is now rebranded as the Iowa Wolves, and is a minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Though, I do appreciate the professional affiliation, I do miss the Iowa Energy name and logo. No more High Voltage dancers, but just the Wolves dancers. Also, mascot Surge has been forced to retirement, replaced by a scary looking wolf named Alpha.
Importantly, the Wolves have been pretty good and the Timberwolves are a growing young team. It makes it exciting.
This game saw them play the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, affiliates of the Houston Rockets. I do love the excitement of the G League though, like modern day NBA, it's very much an offensive showcase. The Wolves dominated the first half, though not enough to put it away, and the Vipers very much played a better second half. The Wolves stayed close to the end, but it was not enough. Vipers over Wolves by the score of 117-111.
G League teams as I mentioned above generally have about three players who have affiliation with the NBA team, and then are filled with NBA journeymen, local college heroes, and others who are keeping the NBA dream alive.
Even still, it was clear who the best players on the court. The Vipers have the 7' 1" Zhou Qi who had the longest wingpan of his class. Markel Brown has played over 100 games in the NBA and had a career game scoring 41 points, 3 steals and 12 rebounds. Chinanu Onuaku, the 6'10" center is clearly one of the better players on the team given the eye test and ahd a good game (16 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists) but also is known for his granny style free throw shooting which he displayed.
The Wolves have talent too.6'11" Center Justin Patton was a five star recruit, played a year at Creighton and drafted 16th overall. He is clearly talented, and will certainly get some time in the NBA. Patton co-led the team with 17 points. Guard Anthony Brown is on a two-way contract. He had 11 starts for the Los Angeles Lakers two years ago and has done well in the G league. He had 15. The third two-way player is Amile Jefferson who was on the 2015 NCAA champion Duke Blue Devils. He was one of the final cuts on the Timberwolves roster, but looks to getting on the team by good play with the Wolves. He had 13 points.
In a high scoring affair like this, seven Wolves had double figures, and so besides the three stars we got to see many of the Wolves well displayed. Elijah Milsap came off the bench to co-lead in scoring with 17. At 30, Milsap is one of the older players keeping the dream alive, but he has been successful. He has spent 8 years in the League, won multiple awards, and played in 69 NBA games in his career.
Similarly, Shawne Williams has been a journeymen with over 10 years of experience. He was drafted 17th overall in 2006 and has played over 300 games in the NBA for 7 different teams, playing for the Knicks 2011 playoff team, and started in 22 games for the 2014-15 Miami Heat.
Wes Washpun returns from last year's Energy team. A local star who led the University of Northern Iowa to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2016. Washpun is always fun to watch and always a contributor. He had 12 points and 3 rebounds.
I would be remiss not to mention Melo Trimble since it was Melo Trimble jersey night. The guard had 11 points and 5 rebounds. He has had a very successful season, though in the shadow of Patton's big-league talent, Jefferson's league leading numbers, and Brown's potential, he doesn't get as many headlines. He should has big league potential.
I wanted to make sure we got to a Iowa Wolves game before the season wrapped up.
There have been big changes since last year. As i have described before, Basketball doesn't quite lend itself to the 'see the stars before they turn pro' feeling you get when you watch minor league baseball or hockey. With the required one year of college, even the best players get some time for development against top competition. Even before that rule, players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James went from high school to the pros, because it just makes sense.
Still, James and Bryant are hall of fame talent. The NBA does realize that young stars benefit from some seasoning, so they have made some changes this year.
The first noticeable change is that the developmental league is now sponsored by Gatorade and it's called the G-League now. More pertinent though is the NBA has expanded its rosters and teams are able to designate 'two-way players' that will go back and forth between the NBA and the G-League. Also, for practical purposes, teams have been designated geographically and like Triple A baseball, assigned to a pro team.
So, the Iowa Energy, once affiliated with the Memphis Grizzlies and previously the Phoenix Suns, and sponsored by the local utility company is now rebranded as the Iowa Wolves, and is a minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Though, I do appreciate the professional affiliation, I do miss the Iowa Energy name and logo. No more High Voltage dancers, but just the Wolves dancers. Also, mascot Surge has been forced to retirement, replaced by a scary looking wolf named Alpha.
Importantly, the Wolves have been pretty good and the Timberwolves are a growing young team. It makes it exciting.
This game saw them play the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, affiliates of the Houston Rockets. I do love the excitement of the G League though, like modern day NBA, it's very much an offensive showcase. The Wolves dominated the first half, though not enough to put it away, and the Vipers very much played a better second half. The Wolves stayed close to the end, but it was not enough. Vipers over Wolves by the score of 117-111.
G League teams as I mentioned above generally have about three players who have affiliation with the NBA team, and then are filled with NBA journeymen, local college heroes, and others who are keeping the NBA dream alive.
Even still, it was clear who the best players on the court. The Vipers have the 7' 1" Zhou Qi who had the longest wingpan of his class. Markel Brown has played over 100 games in the NBA and had a career game scoring 41 points, 3 steals and 12 rebounds. Chinanu Onuaku, the 6'10" center is clearly one of the better players on the team given the eye test and ahd a good game (16 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists) but also is known for his granny style free throw shooting which he displayed.
The Wolves have talent too.6'11" Center Justin Patton was a five star recruit, played a year at Creighton and drafted 16th overall. He is clearly talented, and will certainly get some time in the NBA. Patton co-led the team with 17 points. Guard Anthony Brown is on a two-way contract. He had 11 starts for the Los Angeles Lakers two years ago and has done well in the G league. He had 15. The third two-way player is Amile Jefferson who was on the 2015 NCAA champion Duke Blue Devils. He was one of the final cuts on the Timberwolves roster, but looks to getting on the team by good play with the Wolves. He had 13 points.
In a high scoring affair like this, seven Wolves had double figures, and so besides the three stars we got to see many of the Wolves well displayed. Elijah Milsap came off the bench to co-lead in scoring with 17. At 30, Milsap is one of the older players keeping the dream alive, but he has been successful. He has spent 8 years in the League, won multiple awards, and played in 69 NBA games in his career.
Similarly, Shawne Williams has been a journeymen with over 10 years of experience. He was drafted 17th overall in 2006 and has played over 300 games in the NBA for 7 different teams, playing for the Knicks 2011 playoff team, and started in 22 games for the 2014-15 Miami Heat.
Wes Washpun returns from last year's Energy team. A local star who led the University of Northern Iowa to the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2016. Washpun is always fun to watch and always a contributor. He had 12 points and 3 rebounds.
I would be remiss not to mention Melo Trimble since it was Melo Trimble jersey night. The guard had 11 points and 5 rebounds. He has had a very successful season, though in the shadow of Patton's big-league talent, Jefferson's league leading numbers, and Brown's potential, he doesn't get as many headlines. He should has big league potential.