The Fort Wayne Mad Ants were today announced as the 2014-2015 NBA D-League Development Champion. This annual award recognizes the NBA Development League team that best embodies the D-League’s goals of developing NBA basketball talent via GATORADE Call-Ups and assignments.

The Mad Ants earned a total point value of 27.50 in a scoring system established by the league’s Basketball Rules Committee (BRC). Stationed behind the Mad Ants with 22.75 points, the Maine Red Claws grab second in scoring while the Sioux Falls Skyforce complete the list of the top three teams, finishing with 22.25 points.

The scoring system awards two points for each unique player and full-time basketball operations staff member to earn a call-up, with an additional one point allotted per unique player who remains on an NBA roster for duration of at least 21 consecutive days. An additional two points are awarded for each unique player assignment, with a quarter point added for each subsequent assignment, up to a maximum of one total point per assigned player. The time span point become accruable lies between May 1, 2014 and April 30, 2015.

During the 2014-2015 NBA D-League season, eleven players from eight NBA teams were assigned to Fort Wayne, playing in a total of 64 games for the Mad Ants. Dahntay Jones earned a GATORADE Call-Up from the Mad Ants on January 14th when he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Jones went on to play in 33 regular season and 11 postseason games for the Clippers.

In total, 56 NBA players were assigned to their NBA D-League affiliates a record of 195 times during the 2014-2015 season. Additionally, 47 unique NBA D-League players earned 63 GATORADE Call-Ups to the NBA last season, both records.
The Mad Ants now join the 2013-2014 Santa Cruz Warriors, the 2012-2013 Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the 2011-2012 Los Angeles D-Fenders as winners of the annual award.