The Iowa Wolves are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Des Moines, Iowa. They are affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and play their home games at the Casey's Center. From 2007 to 2017, the team was known as the Iowa Energy in the NBA Development League (D-League) until being purchased and renamed by the Timberwolves. They broke the D-league attendance record on their first home game with 8,842 fans. They later set the record again in game two of the 2011 D-League Finals with an attendance of 14,036 fans. They won the 2011 D-League Finals, defeating the Rio Grande Valley Vipers two-games-to-one.
Contents
History
Formation
On February 27, 2007, the D-League awarded an expansion team to Des Moines, Iowa, as one of the four expansion teams for the 2007–08 season. The team was owned and operated by Iowa Basketball, LLC, a local ownership group led by attorney Jerry Crawford and also including Gary Kirke, Sheldon Ohringer, Paul Drey, Michael Richards and Bruce Rastetter. The team would play their home games at the Casey's Center, parts of the Iowa Events Center. The team later hired former Northern Iowa player Nick Nurse as the team's first head coach.
The team initially held a naming contest for the team. The choices listed on their website were Corncobs, Maize, River Rats, Scarecrows, and Thoroughbreds. However, on June 29, 2007, the owners announced the name Iowa Energy, along with team colors and logos. The team logo was an orange basketball above the word "energy" and the team colors are purple, orange and red. Two NBA teams, the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat, were announced as the team's NBA affiliates.
Iowa Energy (2007–2017)
The Energy began to construct their roster by participating in the 2007 D-League expansion draft on September 5, 2007, and the 2007 D-League Draft on November 1, 2007. On November 23, 2007, the Energy played their first game in the D-League. They defeated the defending champion Dakota Wizards 101–99 to record the team's first win. Their inaugural home game at the Wells Fargo Arena was played on November 26, 2007. The Energy defeated the Albuquerque Thunderbirds 101–98 in front of a league-record attendance of 8,842. The Energy finished the season third in the Central Division with 22 wins and 28 losses. The record was only the tenth best record in the league and therefore the Energy failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Before the 2008–09 season, the league announced that the Energy would be affiliated with the Bulls and the Phoenix Suns. The Suns, who was previously affiliated with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, replaced the Heat, which would be affiliated with the Thunderbirds. The Energy improved their performance and finished the season with the best record in the Central Division with 28 wins and 22 losses. They were seeded third for the playoffs and were paired with the Dakota Wizards in the First Round. However, they were defeated by the Wizards at home with a 109–114 loss.
Energy center Courtney Sims, who averaged 22.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, won the D-League Most Valuable Player Award. He also earned multiple call-ups to the NBA, signing a pair of 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks. Guard Othyus Jeffers, who was selected in the third round of the 2008 D-League Draft by the Energy, was named as the Rookie of the Year Award. Sims was named in the All-NBA D-League First Team while Energy first-round draftee Cartier Martin was named in the All-NBA D-League Third Team. Both Sims and Martin received call-ups to the NBA and were forced to miss the Energy's playoff games.
The Energy were reassigned to the Eastern Conference for the 2009–10 season as the league realigned itself to two conferences. Despite losing former MVP Courtney Sims to overseas, the Energy improved their regular season record. They won the Eastern Conference with 37 wins, which was also the best record in the league. As one of the top three seeds, the Energy had the rights to choose their opponents in the first round of the playoffs. They chose to face the seventh seed Utah Flash of the Western Conference. They lost the first game of the series before they bounced back with two straight wins to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the Energy faced the eighth seed Tulsa 66ers, who eliminated the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the first round. The Energy defeated the 66ers 107–102 in the first game at Tulsa. However, the 66ers won the second game at Des Moines to even the series. In the decisive Game 3, the Energy lost 122–127 at home and were eliminated from the playoffs.
Iowa Wolves (2017–present)
On January 23, 2017, it was announced that the Minnesota Timberwolves would be purchasing the Energy to serve as their D-League affiliate beginning with the 2017–18 season and was finalized on May 3, 2017. On May 30, the team announced it had rebranded to the Iowa Wolves. The affiliation between the Timberwolves and the Wolves is the second between the Twin Cities and Des Moines as the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League and the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League also share an affiliation.
Players
Awards and honors
NBA D-League Most Valuable Player Award
Courtney Sims (2009)
Curtis Stinson (2011)
Othyus Jeffers (co-) (2014)
NBA D-League Rookie of the Year Award
Othyus Jeffers (2009)
All-NBA D-League First Team
Cartier Martin (2010)
Courtney Sims (2009)
Curtis Stinson (2010, 2011)
Othyus Jeffers (2014)
Alex Stepheson (2016)
All-NBA D-League Second Team
Othyus Jeffers (2011)
All-NBA D-League Third Team
Earl Barron (2010)
Cartier Martin (2009)
Damien Wilkins (2015)
NBA D-League All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award
Courtney Sims (2009, 2011)
NBA affiliates
Iowa Energy
Chicago Bulls (2007–2014)
Denver Nuggets (2012–2014)
Memphis Grizzlies (2014–2017)
Miami Heat (2007–2008)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2013–2014)
New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2011–2014)
Phoenix Suns (2008–2011)
Washington Wizards (2011–2014)
Iowa Wolves
Minnesota Timberwolves (2017–present)