Dakota Wizards
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The Grizzlies' new affiliate in the NBA Development League.
While the Dakota Wizards may be the Grizzlies’ new affiliate in the NBA Development League (D-League), they have a 12-year history that includes stints in three different leagues. Furthermore, David Joerger, their most successful coach in franchise history, is now an assistant with the Grizzlies.
The Wizards began play in 1995 in the International Basketball Association (IBA), and in 2001 with Joerger at the helm, they won the IBA championship in the league’s final year of operation.
The IBA then merged with several teams from the Continental Basketball Association, and in their first year in the new CBA, Joerger and the Wizards won the league title, defeating the Rockford Lightning. After making it to the semifinals in the 2002-03 season, the Wizards again won the league title in 2004 over the Idaho Stampede, giving Joerger his third title as the Wizards’ head coach.
Joerger left the Wizards following the 2003-04 season, and after his departure the Wizards made it to the semifinals in 2004-05 then missed the playoffs the following season.
Prior to the 2006-07 season, the Wizards joined the NBA development league, and Joerger returned to Dakota as head coach. He won his fourth title with the Wizards in their first year in the D-League. Darius Rice came off the Dakota Wizards bench to put together a record-setting night and lead the Dakota Wizards to a 129-121 overtime victory over the Colorado 14ers. Rice scored 52 points and made 11 three point field goals, including one with 4.5 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime tied at 109. Rice’s points and three-point field goal totals are both D-League championship game records and Dakota is just the second team in the six-year history of the NBA’s minor league to win a title game at home.
Joerger was hired by the Grizzlies as an assistant coach prior to the 2007-08 season, and was replaced by Duane Ticknor.Links of interest:
Official site of the Dakota Wizards
Dave Joreger realizes NBA Dream
Wikipedia: Dakota Wizards
Map to Bismarck Civic Center
