LOS ANGELES — The NBA on Thursday called a Saturday news conference at EnergySolutions Arena, where it's believed the awarding of a D-League team that will begin play next year in Utah will be announced.

Among those scheduled to attend is Brandt Andersen, a Brigham Young University communications graduate who is founder and CEO of a company called G Code Ventures.

According to his biography posted on the Web site for BYU's Marriott School Center for Entrepreneurship, Andersen "was recently awarded the rights to the NBA's Development League for Utah ... (and) is the general partner and majority owner of the team."

The same site said the yet-to-be-named team "will begin playing in the 2007-08 season."

Reached late Thursday night, D-League communications vice president Kent Partridge said, "We obviously like to expand to places where we have the right market, the right owner and the right arena. ... That's an area we're very interested in and like a lot."

Jazz officials would not comment, but team president Denny Haslam — along with NBA Development League president Phil Evans — also is scheduled to attend the news conference.

The 12-team D-League is run by the NBA, with all NBA teams either solely or jointly affiliated with one of the minor-league clubs.

The Jazz affiliated last year with Albuquerque, and this year they share the Boise-based Idaho Stampede with the Seattle Sonics.

It's reasonable to suspect the Jazz will affiliate in the future with the new Utah team, as the ever-expanding D-League favors close regional ties to parent clubs.

NBA franchises are not required to stock their affiliate with talent, but they are permitted to send younger under-contract players to the minors.

It's not known precisely where the new Utah D-League team will play. BYU's Marriott Center is an unlikely venue. But Andersen does have extensive Utah County ties.

According to the biography, he resides with his wife and two children in Provo and is currently the general partner/owner of two large real estate development projects, including The Lakes at Sleepy Ridge, a residential community that surrounds Sleepy Ridge Golf Course in Orem.

Andersen also founded a company called uSight, a software products and services provider for small businesses.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com