Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Rio Grande Valley Vipers
League NBA Development League
Founded 2007
History Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2007–present
Arena State Farm Arena
Location Hidalgo, Texas
Team colors Red, Black, Dark Gray, Gray, White
                        
Team manager Gianluca Pascucci,
Head coach Matt Brase
Ownership RGV Basketball
Affiliation(s) Houston Rockets
Championships 2 (2009, 2012)
Conference titles 3 (2009, 2010, 2012)
Division titles 2 (2009, 2012)
Website Official site

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a basketball team in the NBA Development League. They play their home games at the State Farm Arena, in Hidalgo, Texas. With two D-League titles in 2010 and 2013, the Vipers are the most victorious team in the league alongside the Asheville Altitude.

The Vipers entered a single-partnership affiliation agreement with the Houston Rockets during the 2009–10 season. Previously, they were also affiliated with the Cleveland Cavaliers for 2007–08 and the New Orleans Hornets from 2007–09.

History

After the finish of the 2006-2007 season, the D-League announced an expansion to Hidalgo, Texas, with the team name "Rio Grande Valley Vipers". In their debut season, 2007-2008, they finished with a 21–29 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs. In 2008–09, they finished with the same record, failing to advance 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 by Alonzo Cantu. 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]

In 2013, the Vipers won their second title over the Santa Cruz Warriors. Andrew Goudelock won the NBA Development League Most Valuable Player Award and got called up by the Los Angeles Lakers.

In November 2013, the Vipers announced Gianluca Pascucci as the general manager and Nevada Smith as the head coach.[2][3]

On February 26, 2015, the Vipers broke ground on a new arena in Edinburg, which will be called Bert Ogden Arena, scheduled for completion in October 2016, which would be the Vipers' tenth season. The arena will reportedly house 8,500 seats, along with being a venue used for entertainment. The Vipers will be the main tenant and operator (while the City of Edinburg will own the arena), and there will be a 40 by 20 foot jumbotron, the largest in the league. The arena will be funded by sales taxes and cost an estimated $68 million, with nearly half being funded privately.[4]

On August 18, 2015, the Vipers named Matt Brase their new head coach.[5]

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
2010–11 Western 2nd 33 17 .660 Won Round 1 (Bakersfield) 2–1
Won Semifinals (Reno) 2–0
Lost D-League Finals (Iowa) 1–2
2011–12 Western 5th 24 26 .480
2012–13 Central 1st 35 15 .700 Won Round 1 (Maine) 2-0
Won Semifinals (Tulsa) 2–0
Won D-League Finals (Santa Cruz) 2–0
2013–14 Central 3rd 30 20 .600 Won Round 1 (Iowa) 2–1
Lost Semifinals (Santa Cruz) 2–1
2014–15 Southwest 3rd 27 23 .540
2015–16 Southwest 2nd 29 21 .580 Round 1: Lost to Austin (1-2)
Regular season 254 196 .564
Playoffs 21 10 .677

Current roster

Rio Grande Valley Vipers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From
G 6 Carlino, Matt 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1992–05–03 Marquette
G 2 Cochran, Karl 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1992–09–07 Wofford
G 9 Johnson, Jaron 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1992–05–05 Louisiana Tech
G 12 Johnson, Ty 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1992–07–28 South Carolina
G 10 Livingston, Denzel 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1993–04–18 Incarnate Word
G 15 Morris, Darius 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1991–01–03 Michigan
C 42 Smith, Joshua 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 350 lb (159 kg) 1992–05–14 Georgetown
G 4 Threatt, Jarvis 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1993–04–03 Delaware
F 5 Walker, Chris 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1994–12–22 Florida
C 23 Williams, Amir 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1992–12–23 Ohio State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • (NBA) On assignment from NBA affiliate
  • (I) Inactive
  • Injured

Roster • Transactions
Last transaction: 2016–04–29

Past head coaches

Past players

Players assigned from NBA teams

Players recalled to the NBA

Players called up to the NBA

Affiliates

References

  1. ↑ May, Peter (2008-02-03). "A Maine focus in D-League". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  2. ↑ "Gianluca Pascucci Named GM of the Vipers".
  3. ↑ "RGV VIPERS AND HOUSTON ROCKETS ANNOUNCE NEVADA SMITH AS HEAD COACH".
  4. ↑ http://riograndevalley.dleague.nba.com/news/rgv-vipers-break-ground-on-new-arena/
  5. ↑ http://dleague.nba.com/news/rgv-hires-matt-brase-as-head-coach/

External links

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