Fadeaway Friday: A new era begins with the NBA Gatorade League

                                             

In case you haven't heard already, the NBA's minor league system is no longer known as the "NBA Development League (D-League)." The league has taken on a fresh identity as the "NBA Gatorade League (G League)" in an attempt to rebrand itself and further enhance the product that they are putting out on the floor.

Kareem Copeland of The Associated Press provided some more details about what is coming with this rebranding:

"The NBA Development League is changing its name starting next season to the NBA Gatorade League, a deal that will include a rebranding that will affect the league logo, basketballs, jerseys, on-court signage and digital properties.

Long viewed as a proving and testing ground of sorts for the NBA, what has been known as the D-League will also get to take advantage of Gatorade's Sports Science Institute - a resource that many elite athletes, including Dwyane Wade and Cam Newton, have used in recent years for testing and evaluation of what exactly their bodies need during competition.

"This isn't about slapping a name on a league," NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said. "This is much, much deeper than that."

Tatum said this is not the first step toward a name change for the NBA, and declined to detail the length or financial terms of the deal. But he said the part of the deal including GSSI will provide "knowledge to enhance player performance in our game" through nutrition, training and other advances. Gatorade will also incorporate its most recent products and equipment throughout the league." 

The bottom line is that by partnering its minor league system with Gatorade and its Sports Science Institute, the NBA will get a chance to see whether or not such a partnership is beneficial to the players and teams in the league. If such a partnership proves to be successful, there are good odds a similar type of partnership between the NBA and Gatorade will be agreed upon in a future CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement).

Personally, I think this is a great move by the NBA. They are always looking for ways to improve their product and I see nothing but pure upside with this partnership. This benefits the athletes by giving them more information about how to best stay fit, this benefits the owners by putting a better product on the floor for their customers, and it benefits the fans because they'll get to see their favorite athletes perform at an even higher level.

Note: Fadeaway Friday is a weekly piece that focuses on the NBA Gatorade League. 

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Fadeaway Friday: Quinn Cook has the Canton Charge heating up

The Canton Charge are the hottest team in the NBA Development League right now, having won five straight games to get themselves a winning record (11-8). The player who has been leading the charge for the Charge is Quinn Cook, a 6'2", 175 pound guard in his second year out of Duke. During this winning streak, Cook has averaged 28.8 points on 50-108 (46.3%) shooting from the field, shooting pretty efficiently and doing a good job at carrying the scoring load.

In terms of whether or not this will lead to a 10-day contract for Quinn Cook remains to be seen, but if he keeps putting up numbers like this, odds are good he'll get a 10-day contract at some point in the season. One of the things that is important to understand is that while he is playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers' D-League affiliate, he is not actually property of the Cavaliers. This means he is free to sign with any NBA team that is interested in his services.

                                        (Credit: NBA D-League on YouTube. Click here for source) 

It is my personal belief that Quinn Cook is definitely in the mix to sign a 10-day contract, but due to his lack of size, it's hard to see him sticking with an NBA team for the rest of the season. Typically, guys who don't immediately stick in the NBA after their rookie seasons have a tough time finding a permanent home in the NBA. That's just the nature of the league. However, guys who can score and shoot like Quinn Cook definitely catch the eye of NBA scouts and give themselves a shot at getting signed.

As far as the Canton Charge are concerned, they are really benefiting from Quinn Cook's stellar shooting. His hot hand has got them right back in the D-League playoff mix. While Duke fans would obviously love to see their guy get another shot in the NBA, they better enjoy watching their guy heat up and carry a team on his back.

Going forward, the Canton Charge have a lot more work to do. They've clawed back into the playoff conversation and now they have to stay here and gain more ground. So long as Quinn Cook plays like he has been and other guys find ways to step up, the Charge could very well sneak into the D-League playoffs. They are certainly a team to keep an eye on.

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Fadeaway Friday: Northern Arizona Suns are off to a sizzling start in their new location

     Starting this season, the Phoenix Suns have their own D-League affiliate located in Prescott Valley, Arizona called the Northern Arizona Suns (formerly Bakersfield Jam).  Despite having a totally new coaching staff and a new location, the Northern Arizona Suns are off to a fantastic 6-1 start, which is good enough for 1st in the Western Conference.
   
     The Suns are led by former Colorado guard Askia Booker (22.4 points per game) and guard Elijah Millsap (20.7 points per game), who is best known as Paul Millsap's younger brother.  The Northern Arizona Suns have really been playing some good basketball, holding opponents to just 91.0 points per game, which is second best in the NBA Development League. A big reason for the Suns' defensive success is they are holding opponents to just 41.1% shooting from the field and 28.0% shooting from 3-point range while also controlling the glass 44.7-41.0 on average. They are doing a really good job defending the perimeter and limiting second chance points.

     The fact that they are doing so well so quickly is really impressive and says a lot about the players they have on their team and their ability to buy into what the new coaching staff is telling them. Usually, it takes teams a little while to get rolling when they are brand new, so what the Northern Arizona Suns are doing is really impressive.

      As far as NBA talent is concerned, Elijah Millsap has been in and out of the NBA while Askia Booker has only had NBA Summer League stints. However, with trade rumors surrounding Suns point guard Brandon Knight, it's possible that the Phoenix Suns will call up Askia Booker and give him a shot should they deal Knight for some other pieces. In addition to his 22.4 points per game, Askia Booker is averaging 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and only 1.6 turnovers. Booker's 3.375 assist-to-turnover ratio is really impressive and really speaks to his potential as an NBA point guard.

     Going forward, look for the Northern Arizona Suns to continue to do well in the NBA Development League due to their team defense, rebounding, and overall efficiency. As far as Askia Booker is concerned, don't be surprised to see the Phoenix Suns call him up in the near future. Especially if they deal Brandon Knight for someone that isn't a point guard. Part of the reason for the Brandon Knight trade rumors could be a function of Askia Booker's success in Prescott Valley and his potential to provide quality off the bench point guard production for a fraction of what they are paying Brandon Knight. The NBA is all about doing what makes the most economic sense in order to help your team win. Trading Brandon Knight and giving Askia Booker a shot to shine could be a very beneficial move for the Phoenix Suns.


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Fadeaway Friday: Expect Anthony Brown to shine with the Erie BayHawks

                                          (Credit: YouTube)

     The #1 overall pick in the 2016-17 NBA Development League draft was Anthony Brown, the former Stanford standout that was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the early 2nd round of the 2015 NBA Draft. During the 2015-16 NBA season with the Lakers, Brown averaged 4.0 points per game on 28.6% shooting from 3-point range in 29 total games played (20.7 minutes per game). Brown didn't have the rookie season he was looking for, but he should prove himself in the D-League this season as a player worthy of another shot in the NBA.

     I watched Anthony Brown play during his senior year at Stanford and I was very impressed with what I saw. He has a good body on him (6'7", 211 pounds) and he has the ability to stroke it from deep, averaging 14.8 points per game on 44.1% shooting from 3-point range during his senior year at Stanford. Anthony Brown is a guy who I expected to get drafted in 2015 and I was certainly not at all surprised to see him go as high as he did. He has all the tools to be an NBA player and just needs to find the right place in order for him to succeed.

     I am confident that with the Erie BayHawks, Anthony Brown will have a very productive season and prove himself worthy of an NBA call up. He's already off to a great start, scoring 31.5 points per game on 66.7% shooting from 3-point range in 7.5 3-point shot attempts per game. In addition to popping 3s, Brown is getting to the rim well and really showing off his full repertoire. He's throwing it down in transition, finishing well around the basket, etc. Anthony Brown is getting the chance to be the feature player with the Erie BayHawks and is so far making the most of the opportunity.

     If you are looking for players to monitor in the NBA Development League, Anthony Brown is definitely one of those guys to keep a close eye on. He's a truly NBA level talent that has all the pieces to be a rotation NBA player given the right situation. Look for him to shine with the Erie BayHawks and be back in the NBA in the very near future.