|
|
Bjorkgren
leaves for NBA league
Pro
development team hires Falcons coach
by Jason
Stone
CAVE
CREEK – After three seasons leading the Cactus Shadows
boys basketball team, Nate Bjorkgren is taking his
coaching talents to the next level.
Bjorkgren,
a native of Iowa, recently resigned his post as the
Falcons’ coach after accepting an assistant coach
job with the NBA Developmental League expansion team
in Des Moines.
Bjorkgren,
who led Cactus Shadows to a 13‑16 record in
2006‑07 and a Wells Fargo 2 Region championship
the year before, will join two coaches already in
place for the not‑yet‑named team.
The
NBA Developmental League, also called the D‑League,
awarded Des Moines an expansion team Feb. 27 to begin
play this year. It is one of three expansion teams
that will begin for the 2007‑08 season.
Current
D‑League teams include the Albuquerque Thunderbirds,
Anaheim Arsenal, Arkansas RimRockers, Austin Toros,
Bakersfield Jam, Colorado 14ers, Dakota Wizards, Fort
Worth Flyers, Idaho Stampede, Los Angeles D‑Fenders,
Sioux Falls Skyforce and the Tulsa 66ers.
|
The
D‑League develops talent for the NBA’s 30 teams and
the entire NBA umbrella. In addition to the assignment of
20 NBA players to D‑League affiliates this season,
there have also been 11 call‑ups from the D‑League
to the NBA.
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.
Bjorkgren
will join two other Iowans on the coaching staff–head coach
Nick Nurse and assistant Gary Garner.
The
team is still looking for a nickname. Finalists include
Herd, Corncobs, Invasion, Scarecrows, Diesel, Energy, Steel
Sharks, Skywalkers, Pride and Green Wave. Games will be
played in the Des Moines Wells Fargo Arena.
|
