2017–18 NBA G League season


The 2017–18 NBA G League season was the 17th season of the NBA G League, the minor league for the National Basketball Association. It is the first season after the league rebranded to become the NBA G League as part of multi-year partnership with Gatorade.
The Austin Spurs won the league title, sweeping Raptors 905 in the NBA G League Finals.

League changes

The league expanded to a record 26 teams from 22 teams during the 2016–17 season. There was one relocation and four expansion teams introduced this season, each owned and affiliated with an NBA team. The Iowa Energy were purchased by the Minnesota Timberwolves at the end of the previous season and rebranded as the Iowa Wolves. The Miami Heat purchased the controlling interest in the Sioux Falls Skyforce, their affiliate since 2013. The Los Angeles D-Fenders also relocated to a new facility within El Segundo and were rebranded as the South Bay Lakers. The purchases and expansion of these teams by individual NBA teams left just four NBA teams without a developmental affiliate, down from eight the previous season. It also decreased the number of independently owned D-League/G League teams from seven to four. Meanwhile, the NBA also started using two-way contracts for their team rosters, allowing players to be more easily called up or sent down.
The league retained its Eastern and Western Conferences, but realigned each conference into three divisions each. Along with the league expansion, the league also expanded its playoff field from eight teams to twelve. Each of the division winners and three wild cards per conference qualify. The top two seeds in each conference earn a bye over the first round.
The NBA announced a title sponsorship deal with Gatorade prior to the season, under which it has been renamed the NBA G League. The G League also experimented with new broadcast arrangements, including airing 120 games on Eleven Sports, and streaming games on the typically video game-oriented live streaming service Twitch, which included interactive stats, and commentary provided by prominent Twitch personalities.

Regular season

Finals standings.
x – qualified for playoffs; y – Division champion; z – Conference champion

Eastern Conference

;Atlantic Division
Team
3218013–1219–6
x – Raptors 905 3119118–713–12
Long Island Nets 2723514–1113–12
Maine Red Claws 17331514–113–22

;Central Division
Team
2921019–610–15
x – Grand Rapids Drive 2921016–913–12
Windy City Bulls 2426513–1211–14
Canton Charge 222879–1613–12
Wisconsin Herd 212988–1713–12

;Southeast Division
Team
y – Erie BayHawks 2822015–1013–12
x – Lakeland Magic 2822015–1013–12
Greensboro Swarm 1634129–167–18
Delaware 87ers 1634126–1910–15

Western Conference

;Midwest Division
Team
2822015–1013–12
Sioux Falls Skyforce 2525313–1212–13
Iowa Wolves 2426414–1110–15
Memphis Hustle 2129710–1511–14

;Pacific Division
Team
y – Reno Bighorns 2921014–1115–10
2822116–912–13
Santa Cruz Warriors 2327613–1210–15
2327613–1210–15
2327614–119–16

;Southwest Division
Team
z – Austin Spurs 3218017–815–10
2921314–1115–10
x – Texas Legends 2921316–913–12
Salt Lake City Stars 16341611–145–20

Playoffs

Statistics

Individual statistic leaders

Individual game highs

Team statistic leaders

Player death

On March 24, 2018, Grand Rapids Drive player Zeke Upshaw collapsed on-court during the final minute of the team's regular season finale. Two days later, Upshaw died at the age of 26. Autopsy reports indicated that Upshaw had died from a sudden cardiac arrest. The start of the NBA G League playoffs were delayed out of respect for Upshaw's death, and the NBA's Detroit Pistons gave Upshaw an honorary call-up to their roster.