OREM — The Utah Flash and the NBA Development League's three other expansion teams — Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Iowa Energy and Rio Grande Valley Vipers — will begin to formulate their rosters for the 2007-08 season in the 2007 D-League Expansion Draft on Sept. 5.
Rio Grande Valley will have the first selection in the expansion draft, which will be conducted via teleconference from the D-League Office in New York City. Fort Wayne will have the second pick, followed by Utah and Iowa picking third and fourth, respectively.
An independent agency conducted a random drawing on Monday to determine the expansion draft order for each of the 10 rounds. The order of selection will alternate in each round, such that the team selecting last in the first round (Iowa) will select first in the second round.
The list of available players is comprised of the 62 players from the final rosters of the former Arkansas RimRockers and Fort Worth Flyers, as well as any unprotected players from returning D-League teams. Returning teams were each able to protect up to 10 players from their final 2006-07 roster.
Immediately following the draft, each team will submit a draft list of their selected players, in order of preference, to the D-League Office.
The NBA Development League includes the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (N.M.), Anaheim Arsenal (Calif.), Austin Toros (Texas), Bakersfield Jam (Calif.), Colorado 14ers (Broomfield), Dakota Wizards (Bismarck, N.D.), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Texas), Idaho Stampede (Boise), Iowa Energy (Des Moines), Los Angeles D-Fenders (Calif.), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Texas), Sioux Falls Skyforce (S.D.), Tulsa 66ers (Okla.) and Utah Flash (Provo).
Entering its seventh season, the NBA Development League — the NBA's minor league established to develop talent across all disciplines for the NBA — has relocated its headquarters from Greenville, S.C. to New York City to help foster the D-League's continued growth by giving it direct access to the support and resources of the NBA and WNBA.
During the 2006-07 season, 19 NBA teams assigned 24 players to D-League rosters, and 14 NBA teams called-up 16 players (=8CGatorade Call-ups') while 31 D-League alumni participated in the NBA Playoffs.
Additionally, every referee hired by the NBA since 2002 has worked in the D-League, while coaches, athletic trainers and front office executives are also being developed.
The 2007-08 NBA season will also include the first-ever D-League coach to be promoted to the NBA with Sam Vincent taking over head coaching duties for the Charlotte Bobcats.