While the expansion Colorado 14ers co-owner John Frew doesn’t think Nuggets guard Julius Hodge will play for his NBA Development League team next season, he’s more than willing to give him a lift if he does.
The NBA Development League announced Thursday that four cities were awarded teams for the 2006-07 season, including Broomfield, the 14ers’ home; Bismarck, N.D.; Boise, Idaho; and Sioux Falls, S.D., pushing the league to 14 teams.
The Nuggets will end their affiliation with NBADL Austin to make room for the 14ers.
“(Hodge) was the first one to come to mind,” Frew said about the Nuggets’ rookie who played for Austin this season. “I’ll drive him personally if he makes that trip again.”
The 14ers were originally accepted as a franchise in the Continental Basketball Association but joined three of that league’s teams for the move to the NBADL.
Colorado will play at the new 6,000-seat Broomfield Event Center. NBA teams assigned 29 players from 19 teams to D-League affiliates this season. There were also 15 call-ups to the NBA.
NBA players eligible to play in the NBADL are those in their first two seasons. The 14ers are expected to have at least two players allocated to them from the region. They must try out at least one local player.
“Even if they aren’t stars at that time, it’s good seeing them bloom and make it as stars,” said Frew, whose franchise is contacting local schools about prospects.
On the proximity of the 14ers, Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said: “That would be a good thing. We’re extremely supportive of the (NBADL) and their efforts in Broomfield.”
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
