Rio Grande Valley Vipers
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a team of the NBA Development League, of which they are the current defending champions. They play their home games at the State Farm Arena at Hidalgo, Texas. The Vipers have a single-partnership affiliation agreement with the Houston Rockets for the 2009-10 season. Previously, they were also affiliated with the Cleveland Cavaliers for 2007-08 and the New Orleans Hornets for 2007-08 and 2008-09.
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Current roster
Head Coach: Chris Finch
Assistant Coach: Paul Mokeski
Assistant Coach: Jai Steadman
Athletic Trainer: Joe Resendez
| # | Pos. | Ht. | Player | Acquired | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | G | 6'6 | Antonio Anderson | 2009 | Memphis | |
| 23 | F | 6'5 | Stanley Asumnu | 2007 | Tennessee | |
| 12 | G | 6'2 | Will Conroy | 2009 | Washington | |
| 44 | F/C | 6'11 | Mickell Gladness | 2009 | Alabama A&M | |
| 33 | F | 6'6 | Mike Harris | 2010 | Rice | |
| 21 | G | 6'3 | Kenny Hasbrouck | 2010 | Siena | |
| 42 | F | 6'7 | Ernest Scott | 2008 | Valdosta State | |
| 18 | G | 6'5 | Jermaine Taylor (NBA) | 2009 | Central Florida | |
| 10 | G | 6'1 | Jonathan Wallace | 2009 | Georgetown | |
| 19 | G | 6'2 | Craig Winder | 2007 | Texas |
(NBA) - Assigned by Houston Rockets.
History
After the finish of the 2007 season, the D-League would expand to Hidalgo, Texas. They announced the team for the franchise would be named the "Vipers". In their debut, they would finish with a 21-29 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs. In 2008-09, they would finish with the same record from 2007•08, failing to go to the playoffs for the second year in a row.
In 2009, the Vipers and the Houston Rockets entered into a single affiliation partnership in which the Rockets controlled the Vipers' basketball operations while the franchise remains under local ownership. The result paid immediate dividends in the 2009-10 season as the Vipers enjoyed their most successful season. Led by league MVP Mike Harris, and coach of the year Chris Finch, the Vipers went 34-16, tops in the Western Conference, and earned the franchise's first playoff berth. In the playoffs, the Vipers beat both Reno and Austin in 3 games, and swept Tulsa in the Finals to earn the franchise's first championship.[1]
Season By Season
| Season | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Postseason Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Valley Vipers | ||||||
| 2007•08 | Southwestern | 5th | 21 | 29 | .420 | |
| 2008•09 | Southwestern | 4th | 21 | 29 | .420 | |
| 2009•10 | Western | 1st | 34 | 16 | .680 | Won Round 1 (Reno) 2-1 Won Semifinals (Austin) 2-1 Won D-League Finals (Tulsa) 2-0 |
| Regular season | 76 | 74 | .507 | |||
| Playoffs | 6 | 2 | .750 | |||
Past Affiliations
- Cleveland Cavaliers (2007•08)
- New Orleans Hornets (2007•09)
Past Coaches
- Bob Hoffman, Head Coach (2007•08)
Past Players
- Aaron Brooks, G, 6'0, University of Oregon (2007)
- Steve Novak, F, 6'10, Marquette University (2007)
- Jarred Merrill, F, 6'9, Oklahoma Christian (2007)
- Gabe Muoneke, F, 6'7, University of Texas (2007)
- Kenny Taylor, G, 6'3, University of Texas (2007•08)
- C.J. Watson, G, 6'2, University of Tennessee (2007•08)
- Kevin Bookout, F, 6'8, University of Oklahoma (2007•08)
- Cedric Simmons, F, 6'9, North Carolina State University (2008)
- Shannon Brown, G, 6'4, Michigan State University (2008)
- Chris Taft, F, 6'10, University of Pittsburgh (2008)
- Luke Anderson, F, 6'6, University of Minnesota (2008)
- Kyle Davis, F, 6'9, Auburn University (2008)
Players assigned from NBA teams
- Steve Novak - assigned by the Houston Rockets on November 11, 2007
- Aaron Brooks - assigned by the Houston Rockets on December 6, 2007
- Cedric Simmons - assigned by the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 2, 2008
- Shannon Brown - assigned by the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 11, 2008
- Joey Dorsey - assigned by the Houston Rockets on December 26, 2008
- Joey Dorsey - assigned by the Houston Rockets on November 13, 2009
- Jermaine Taylor - assigned by the Houston Rockets on January 28, 2010
Players recalled to the NBA
- Aaron Brooks - recalled by the Houston Rockets on December 14, 2007
- Steve Novak - recalled by the Houston Rockets on December 17, 2007
- Cedric Simmons - recalled by the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 11, 2008
- Shannon Brown - recalled by the Cleveland Cavaliers on January 17, 2008
Players called up to the NBA
- C.J. Watson - called up by the Golden State Warriors on January 8, 2008
- Jawad Williams - called up by the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 9, 2009
- Mike Harris - called up by the Houston Rockets on December 23, 2009
- Will Conroy - called up by the Houston Rockets from January 28 to February 8, 2010
- Garrett Temple - called up by the Houston Rockets on February 8, 2010
References
- ^ May, Peter (2008-02-03). "A Maine focus in D-League". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/02/03/bumps_didnt_derail_celtics/?page=4. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
External links
| Texas portal |
| v • d • NBA Development League | |
|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference |
| Dakota Wizards | Austin Toros |
| Erie BayHawks | Bakersfield Jam |
| Fort Wayne Mad Ants | Idaho Stampede |
| Iowa Energy | Los Angeles D-Fenders |
| Maine Red Claws | New Mexico Thunderbirds |
| Sioux Falls Skyforce | Reno Bighorns |
| Springfield Armor | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| Tulsa 66ers | |
| Utah Flash | |
| 2010 Expansion/Relocation | |
| Texas Legends | |
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Categories: NBA Development League teams | Basketball teams in Texas | Houston Rockets | Sports clubs established in 2007
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