The G-League : The Basketix Glossary

Published on October 31, 2025 4 min. reading

The NBA G League (formerly the D-League) is the official development league of the NBA, launched in 2001-02 as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL). Its goal is to provide a professional playing field for young talent, players in transition, coaches, referees and staff, in order to prepare them for the NBA level. Over time, the league has transformed. In 2005, it adopted the name NBA D-League to better emphasise its connection to the NBA. Then, in 2017, thanks to a partnership with Gatorade, it became the NBA G League, with the ‘G’ representing Gatorade in the official name.

What is the G League’s place in today’s NBA?

Long considered a secondary league, the G League is now a central pillar of the NBA ecosystem. More than just a development league, it serves as a learning ground and strategic laboratory for the entire American professional basketball world.

Training, preparing, revealing

The G League is first and foremost a school of modern basketball. It trains future NBA players, but also coaches, referees and even managers. In 2025-26, it will comprise 31 teams, 30 of which are directly affiliated with an NBA franchise, from the Maine Celtics (Boston) to the South Bay Lakers (Los Angeles). Each club becomes an extension of its parent organisation, a place where players learn to play, coach and manage ‘NBA style’.

The springboard to the dream

It is also the last stop before the big stage. More than 60% of current NBA players have played in the G League before securing a permanent contract. For many, it is a necessary step, a place where you can fail, start over and learn.

Two-Way Players alternate between the NBA and the G League.
Rookies come here to get playing time.
Foreign players get a taste of the American style.

And some, like JD Davison, 2025 MVP with an average of 25.6 points for the Maine Celtics, hone their skills here before trying their luck in Boston.

A laboratory for the NBA

The G League is also where the future of basketball is being invented. New rules and technological innovations are tested there, including automated refereeing and adjustments to match duration. For the past few seasons, the competition has consisted of a Tip-Off Tournament, a regular season of 36 games, and then playoffs expanded to 16 teams. Every idea validated here could one day shake up the NBA.

Some notable successes from the G-League to the NBA

Here are a few examples that show how this league can sometimes propel careers in unexpected ways :

Pascal Siakam : Perhaps the biggest G League success story in recent years. Before shining with the Raptors, Siakam honed his skills in the G League with the Raptors 905. He won a G League title, was named Finals MVP, developed his offensive instincts and became an NBA All-Star.

Fred VanVleet : Also with the Raptors 905, Fred VanVleet was undrafted when he started out, but his performances saw him emerge as a key player in the Raptors’ 2019 title win.

Rudy Gobert : Yes, Rudy also had a brief stint in the G League, playing eight games with the Bakersfield Jam to gain playing time. He then gradually earned his place with the Jazz before becoming one of the best defenders in the league.

Jordan Clarkson, P.J. Tucker, Serge Ibaka : A few players who all passed through the G League at some point in their careers to bounce back or prove their worth.

A story of perseverance: the unsung veterans

Andre Ingram : He embodies perseverance. He spent years in the G League before making his late NBA debut, where he scored 19 points in his first game with the Lakers. We wrote an article about his inspiring story.

Renaldo Major : The G League’s all-time leading scorer, he had only a brief stint in the NBA but remains a legend in this league. Yes, Renaldo, the Ronaldo of the G League.