NBA G League team moving to Las Vegas Valley
The NBA’s developmental minor league team, G League Ignite, is preparing to relocate from Walnut Creek, California, to Henderson and The Dollar Loan Center for the 2022-23 season, those with knowledge of the plan told the Review-Journal on Tuesday.
Ignite, comprised of prospects who elect to bypass college basketball and veterans who use the league to aid in their development, played several games last season at Mandalay Bay’s Michelob Ultra Arena.
ESPN first reported the relocation.
A move to the Las Vegas Valley, those insiders say, was discussed internally for months as Ignite canvassed the area for viable venues. The Dollar Loan Center opened in March to host the Big West men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. It seats 5,567 for football and hockey, according to its website, though capacity for basketball was not available.
Ignite began play in 2020-21 and has since featured local prep standouts Daishen Nix and Jaden Hardy.
Nix, a point guard formerly of Trinity International, played for Ignite during the 2020-21 season and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Houston Rockets. Hardy, a scoring guard and Coronado alum, played last season with Ignite and will begin his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks as the No. 37 overall draft pick in the 2022 draft.
Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.