__NOTOC__ The NBA G League Finals is the championship game or series for the NBA G League and the conclusion of the league's postseason. The league was previously known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005 and the National Basketball Association Development League (NBA D-League) from 2005 to 2017.
Since the league's inception in 2001–02, a variety of formats has been used to determine the champion. From the inaugural postseason in 2002 until 2006, the four teams with the best records advanced to the postseason. In the first two seasons, both the semifinal round and the Finals were held in a best-of-three format. Then, between 2004 and 2007, the playoffs used a single-elimination tournament among the four teams, with two semifinal games and one winner-take-all championship match.
In 2007, the league expanded to twelve teams and was divided into Eastern and Western Conferences, comprising six teams each. All playoff rounds were one game each, ending with the Eastern Conference's Dakota Wizards winning the championship 129–121 in overtime against the Colorado 14ers. The best-of-three format for the Finals returned in 2008. With the league's continued expansion to fourteen teams in 2008 and sixteen teams in 2009, the two-conference format was replaced with a three-division format consisting of Western, Southwestern and Central Divisions. Both the 2008 and 2009 NBADL championship series were between teams representing the Western and Southwestern Divisions, with no Central teams making it to the finals. The 2009–10 season saw a reformatting to having Eastern and Western Conferences, with the 2012–13 season being the only one with a third conference named as the Central and the 2013–14 season having just Divisions rather than conferences. Due to there being two more teams in the Western Conference (nine) than the Eastern Conference (seven), and because the top eight teams with the best regular season records qualified for the postseason irrespective of conference, the 2010 and 2012 NBADL Finals consisted of two Western Conference teams. Finally, in the 2014–15 season, the playoff structure was changed so the teams were separated by conference in seeding. The 2021 edition of the Finals was a one-game match, which equaled the number of games played for the other playoff rounds as played by the eight teams that were seeded solely by record. The league returned to the best-of-three format for the Finals in 2022.
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers lead the league in championship appearances (seven) and championships (four).
Key BoldWinning team of the Finals†Had or tied for the best regular season record for that seasonTeam (X)Denotes the number of times the team has won (also includes past names of franchise, if applicable)
Champions
Year Champion Division Coach Result Runner-up Division Coach2002Greenville Groove† —Milton Barnes2–0North Charleston Lowgators† — Alex English2003Mobile RevelersSam Vincent2–1Fayetteville Patriots†Jeff Capel II2004Asheville Altitude†Joey Meyer108–106 (OT)Huntsville FlightRalph Lewis2005Asheville Altitude (2)Joey Meyer90–67Columbus Riverdragons†Jeff Malone2006Albuquerque ThunderbirdsMichael Cooper119–108Fort Worth Flyers†Sam Vincent2007Dakota Wizards†EasternDave Joerger129–121 (OT)Colorado 14ersWesternJoe Wolf2008Idaho Stampede†WesternBryan Gates2–1Austin TorosSouthwestQuin Snyder2009Colorado 14ers†SouthwestBob MacKinnon Jr2–0Utah FlashWesternBrad Jones Year Champion Conference Coach Result Runner-up Conference Coach 2010Rio Grande Valley VipersWesternChris Finch2–0Tulsa 66ersWesternNate Tibbetts 2011Iowa Energy†EasternNick Nurse2–1Rio Grande Valley VipersWesternChris Finch 2012Austin TorosWesternBrad Jones2–1Los Angeles D-Fenders†WesternEric Musselman 2013Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2)CentralNick Nurse2–0Santa Cruz WarriorsWesternNate Bjorkgren 2014Fort Wayne Mad Ants†EasternConner Henry2–0Santa Cruz WarriorsWesternCasey Hill 2015Santa Cruz Warriors† (2)WesternCasey Hill2–0Fort Wayne Mad AntsEasternConner Henry 2016Sioux Falls Skyforce†EasternDan Craig2–1Los Angeles D-FendersWesternCasey Owens 2017Raptors 905†EasternJerry Stackhouse2–1Rio Grande Valley VipersWesternMatt Brase 2018Austin Spurs† (2)WesternBlake Ahearn2–0Raptors 905EasternJerry Stackhouse 2019Rio Grande Valley Vipers† (3)WesternJoseph Blair2–1Long Island Nets†EasternWill Weaver 2020 No NBA G League playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021Lakeland Magic—Stan Heath97–78Delaware Blue Coats—Connor Johnson 2022Rio Grande Valley Vipers (4)WesternMahmoud Abdelfattah2–0Delaware Blue CoatsEasternCoby Karl 2023Delaware Blue CoatsEasternCoby Karl2–0Rio Grande Valley VipersWesternKevin Burleson 2024Oklahoma City BlueWesternKameron Woods2–1Maine CelticsEasternBlaine Mueller 2025Stockton Kings†WesternQuinton Crawford2–1Osceola Magic†EasternDylan Murphy 2026Greensboro SwarmEasternD.J. Bakker2–0Stockton KingsWesternWill Scott
Results by teams
TeamsFinalsappearancesChampionshipsRunners-upYears wonYears runners-upPlayoff appearancesRio Grande Valley Vipers 7 432010, 2013, 2019, 20222011, 2017, 2023 12Asheville Altitude / Tulsa 66ers / Oklahoma City Blue 4312004, 2005, 2024 2010 10Dakota Wizards / Santa Cruz Warriors 4222007, 20152013, 2014 13Columbus Riverdragons / Austin Toros / Austin Spurs 422 2012, 20182005, 2008 11Utah Flash / Delaware 87ers / Delaware Blue Coats 41320232009, 2021, 2022 7Huntsville Flight / Albuquerque Thunderbirds /New Mexico Thunderbirds / Canton Charge / Cleveland Charge 2112006 2004 11Colorado 14ers / Texas Legends 21120092007 6Fort Wayne / Indiana Mad Ants / Noblesville Boom 21120142015 7Raptors 905 21120172018 5Reno Bighorns / Stockton Kings 2102025—9Greenville Groove 1102002— 1Mobile Revelers 1102003— 2Idaho Stampede / Salt Lake City Stars 1102008— 6Iowa Energy / Iowa Wolves 1102011— 5Sioux Falls Skyforce 1102016— 8Erie BayHawks / Lakeland Magic / Osceola Magic 1102021— 7Greensboro Swarm 1102026— 2Long Island Nets 101—2019 4North Charleston Lowgators / Charleston Lowgators / Florida Flame 101—2002 4Fayetteville Patriots 101—2003 2Fort Worth Flyers 101—2006 2Maine Celtics 101—20246Los Angeles D-Fenders / South Bay Lakers 202—2012, 2016 8Bakersfield Jam / Northern Arizona Suns / Motor City Cruise 0———— 6Capital City Go-Go 0———— 3Grand Rapids Drive 0———— 3Westchester Knicks 0————3Erie BayHawks / College Park Skyhawks 0———— 2Erie BayHawks / Birmingham Squadron 0———— 2Memphis Hustle 0———— 2 Agua Caliente / Ontario / San Diego Clippers 0———— 1Windy City Bulls 0————1NBA G League Ignite 000001Wisconsin Herd 0————0Rip City Remix 0————0Capitanes de la Ciudad de México 0————0
See also List of NBA champions
Notes
The Asheville Altitude relocated and became the Tulsa 66ers in 2005–06. The Columbus Riverdragons relocated and became the Austin Toros in 2005–06. The Colorado 14ers went on hiatus in 2009–10 and returned as the Texas Legends in 2010–11 after a relocation. The Huntsville Flight relocated and became the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in 2005–06, then the franchise renamed itself to the New Mexico Thunderbirds in 2010–11. The franchise was then purchased and relocated in 2011–12 and became known as the Canton Charge and then the Cleveland Charge in 2021–22. After two years as the North Charleston Lowgators, the franchise became known as the Charleston Lowgators for one season prior to their relocation. The franchise was known as the Florida Flame for the 2004 through 2006 seasons. The Dakota Wizards relocated and became the Santa Cruz Warriors in 2012–13. The Fort Wayne Mad Ants relocated to Indianapolis in 2023–24, playing as the Indiana Mad Ants. After the 2024–25 season, the team relocated again, this time to the Indianapolis suburb of Noblesville, as the Noblesville Boom. The Agua Caliente Clippers rebranded as the Ontario Clippers in 2022 without relocating. Starting in 2024–25, the team relocated to Oceanside, California as the San Diego Clippers.
References