The Sports Informant

Just days after I dedicated my column to the journey that is the NBADL, and how Kings’ rookie Donte Greene needed some time in the minor leagues to shape up for the NBA, he’s been pulled back up.

Greene is back with the Kings and expected to play shortly, while whispers of a trade swirl around Arco Arena. No one’s opening up on the record, but don’t be surprised to see Greene’s return mark a roster spot for someone going out the door.

Regardless, Greene considered his time in the NBADL valuable, and after averaging 20.4 points per game in five games, it’s obvious he’s got his confidence up.

The NBADL, or the NBA Development League, is basically the minor league system for the NBA. Teams wishing to develop players without using minutes at the NBA level can send down rookies or players who need work and they will join one of 16 NBADL teams. Each NBADL team is linked to one or two of the NBA teams, and players can be sent up or down at any time. The Reno Bighorns, whom Greene played for recently, is an NBA affiliate of both the Sacramento Kings and the New York Knicks, which is why you’ll see Patrick Ewing Jr. on the roster, despite being traded away from Sacramento earlier this season.

Up until the 2005, the league was the National Basketball Developmental League (NBDL), but it’s undergone major changes in hopes of developing a true minor league system recently. The league started with eight teams in 2001, but expanded to 15 teams in 2005, went down to 14 in 2007-2008, and now has 16.

While fairly new to the common NBA fan, the minor league has had some historical success. Veteran Sacramento King Mikki Moore is one of several successful products to have spent time in the league and shown vast improvement when coming to the NBA.

The league’s gotten so big that it has hosted an all-star game the past two years, and should continue to grow in the coming years to the point where each team may possibly have its own affiliate, the ultimate farm league structure.

Ok, the boring stuff is out of the way now. The point is, there’s a system in place for guys to get better. Too often, in a league that has teams with benches shorter than most high school teams, players relying on their basketball abilities for paychecks in life need a place to play. While historically, those not top notch enough to contribute in the NBA head to Europe, the NBADL offers them a place to play purgatory basketball without quitting or committing overseas. This is good for all involved, from players to coaches and owners, all of whom can benefit from keeping guys around and getting them valuable experience.

So when Greene came back after only five games in the minors, it was a surprise, but not a waste. Anything to make a player better, mentally or physically, without hurting the success of your NBA team, is a win-win situation. The Kings, who have enough trouble getting win situations, should count their blessings for the NBADL. With a team full of youngsters determining the future of the franchise, the Kings need all the help they can get.