Texas Legends | |
---|---|
League | NBA Development League |
Founded | 2006 |
History |
Colorado 14ers 2006–2009 Texas Legends 2010–present |
Arena | Dr Pepper Arena |
Location | Frisco, Texas |
Team colors | Light royal, silver, navy, white |
Head coach | Bob MacKinnon |
Ownership | Texas D-League Management, LLC |
Affiliation(s) | Dallas Mavericks |
Championships | 1 (2009) |
Division / Conference titles | 1 (2009) |
Website | texas.dleague.nba.com/ |
The Texas Legends are an NBA Development League team based in Frisco, Texas and the minor league affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks. The franchise began as the Colorado 14ers in 2006, before relocating to Frisco in 2009 and becoming the Texas Legends for the 2010–11 season. The Legends play their home games at the Dr Pepper Arena.
In 2006, Colorado businessmen Tim Wiens and John Frew, who were building the Broomfield Event Center as the centerpiece of the Arista development of Broomfield, Colorado, quickly sought to gain a new minor league basketball team for the venue and the surrounding community, believing minor league teams could be a hit in the northwest Denver-Boulder region. In February that year, the pair launched two sports teams, the Rocky Mountain Rage, a minor-league hockey franchise, and the Colorado 14ers, originally a Continental Basketball Association club. However, two months later, the 14ers entered the NBA Development League and began play in the 2006–07 season. The franchise was named after Colorado's famed 14,000-foot mountain peaks.
Onetime Denver Nugget Joe Wolf was hired to be the 14ers' inaugural coach, as he and management put together one of the D-League's most formidable rosters. Finding quick success in their inaugural season, the 14ers shattered Colorado minor league basketball records of many kinds from scoring to fan attendance. Team leaders included Von Wafer and Louis Amundson, who were each permanently called up to the NBA by the end of the season. Nevertheless, the talented and resilient team overcame losing stretches and roster reorganizations, and qualified for the playoffs in their first season. The 14ers made an impressive run through the playoffs, winning the Western Division title before losing the championship game in overtime to the Dakota Wizards.