D-League coming to Dallas suburb in 2010-11

Mavericks president Donnie Nelson loved the convenience of having an NBA Development League team in Fort Worth. In less than an hour, he could get from his desk to watching his team's top prospects in action while also scouting other up-and-comers.

The privilege lasted only two seasons, though, ending in 2007. Nelson has been looking to bring the D-League closer to home ever since — and, boy, did he succeed.

The reigning NBDL champion Colorado 14ers are moving to an arena in the north Dallas suburb of Frisco, about a half-hour drive from Mavericks headquarters and only a few minutes from Nelson's house.

Nelson won't only be a neighbor. He's also the principal owner and operator of the club.

"I drive past it every day, so it's a natural fit," Nelson said Thursday. "It'll make our jobs a little bit easier."

The only catch is the club will skip the upcoming season, then debut in 2010-11. It is well worth the wait for Nelson, who actually has been trying to get a D-League team in the area for about five years, before Fort Worth even had its ill-fated franchise.

"When Fort Worth left, it ripped something out of my heart," Nelson said. "It was a terrific asset for the Mavericks."

The 14ers were affiliated with the Denver Nuggets and New Jersey Nets. The D-League will remain at 16 teams this upcoming season because of an expansion into Portland, Maine.

The Mavs' affiliate is currently in Albuquerque. Technically, they must wait until next summer to be connected to the Frisco club, but it should be a slam-dunk decision.

Frisco is a booming area connected to downtown Dallas by a toll road that ends practically in front of the Mavericks' arena. The suburb's population already has cracked 100,000 and is still growing rapidly.

Sports are part of that growth, with Frisco already home to FC Dallas of MLS; the Frisco RoughRiders of the Texas League (they are the Texas Rangers' Class AA affiliate); and the headquarters and practice facility for the NHL's Dallas Stars. The D-League team will play in a newly renovated arena next to the Stars' facility.

The team will carry the name Texas, instead of Frisco. The nickname will be selected through a contest, the first of many ways the team plans to become part of its new community.