The 2001–02 NBDL season was the inaugural season for the National Basketball Development League

NBA Development League

The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...

. The league started with eight teams: Asheville Altitude

Tulsa 66ers

The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...

, Columbus Riverdragons

Austin Toros

The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background...

, Fayetteville Patriots

Fayetteville Patriots

The Fayetteville Patriots were a NBA Development League team based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. Its logo design features a bald eagle's head and a basketball in the middle of a capital letter "P" with stars and stripes filling the rest of it.-Season By Season:- Franchise history...

, Greenville Groove

Greenville Groove

The Greenville Groove were a National Basketball Development League team based in Greenville, South Carolina. Playing their home games at the BI-LO Center, the Groove was a charter franchise and league champions for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2002-03 season.The National Basketball...

, Huntsville Flight, Mobile Revelers

Mobile Revelers

The Mobile Revelers were a National Basketball Development League team based in Mobile, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Mobile Civic Center, the Revelers was a charter franchise in the 2001-02 season and folded after the 2002-03 season...

, North Charleston Lowgators

Florida Flame

The Florida Flame were a NBA Development League team based in Fort Myers, Florida. Its logo represents a basketball on fire moving at high speed....

, and the Roanoke Dazzle

Roanoke Dazzle

The Roanoke Dazzle were an NBA Development League team based in Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A.. In operation from the inaugural D-League season of 2001-02 through the 2005-06 season, the Dazzle marked the return of professional basketball to Roanoke since the Virginia Squires called Roanoke home in the...

. The season ended with the Groove defeating the Lowgators 2 games to 0 to win the inaugural NBDL Championship.

Regular season standings

Team	W	L	PCT	GB
North Charleston Lowgators Florida Flame The Florida Flame were a NBA Development League team based in Fort Myers, Florida. Its logo represents a basketball on fire moving at high speed....	36	20	.643	—
Greenville Groove Greenville Groove The Greenville Groove were a National Basketball Development League team based in Greenville, South Carolina. Playing their home games at the BI-LO Center, the Groove was a charter franchise and league champions for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2002-03 season.The National Basketball...	36	20	.643	—
Columbus Riverdragons Austin Toros The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background...	31	25	.554	5
Mobile Revelers Mobile Revelers The Mobile Revelers were a National Basketball Development League team based in Mobile, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Mobile Civic Center, the Revelers was a charter franchise in the 2001-02 season and folded after the 2002-03 season...	30	26	.536	6
Huntsville Flight	26	30	.464	10
Asheville Altitude Tulsa 66ers The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...	26	30	.464	10
Fayetteville Patriots Fayetteville Patriots The Fayetteville Patriots were a NBA Development League team based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. Its logo design features a bald eagle's head and a basketball in the middle of a capital letter "P" with stars and stripes filling the rest of it.-Season By Season:- Franchise history...	21	35	.375	15
Roanoke Dazzle Roanoke Dazzle The Roanoke Dazzle were an NBA Development League team based in Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A.. In operation from the inaugural D-League season of 2001-02 through the 2005-06 season, the Dazzle marked the return of professional basketball to Roanoke since the Virginia Squires called Roanoke home in the...	18	38	.321	18

Season award winners

Award	Winner	Team
D-League Most Valuable Player	Ansu Sesay Ansu Sesay Ansu Martin Sesay is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA.-High school and college career:Sesay attended Willowridge High School in Houston, Texas...	Greenville Groove Greenville Groove The Greenville Groove were a National Basketball Development League team based in Greenville, South Carolina. Playing their home games at the BI-LO Center, the Groove was a charter franchise and league champions for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2002-03 season.The National Basketball...
D-League Rookie of the Year	Fred House Fred House Frederick "Fred" House is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays with the pro club Azovmash Mariupol. He was born in Valdosta, in the U.S...	North Charleston Lowgators Florida Flame The Florida Flame were a NBA Development League team based in Fort Myers, Florida. Its logo represents a basketball on fire moving at high speed....
D-League Defensive Player of the Year	Jeff Myers	Greenville Groove Greenville Groove The Greenville Groove were a National Basketball Development League team based in Greenville, South Carolina. Playing their home games at the BI-LO Center, the Groove was a charter franchise and league champions for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2002-03 season.The National Basketball...

League leaders

• Marshall Phillips: Roanoke Dazzle, Minutes Played (1051)
• Isaac Fontaine: Mobile Revelers, Field Goals (305)
• Isaac Fontaine: Mobile Revelers, Field Goals Attempts (654)
• Lorenzo Coleman: Roanoke Dazzle, Field Goal Pct. (.606)
• Artie Griffin: Roanoke Dazzle, 3-Pt Field Goals (103)
• Artie Griffin: Roanoke Dazzle, 3-Pt Field Goal Attempts (270)
• Terry Dehere: North Charleston Lowgators, 3-Pt Field Goal Pct. (.450)
• Tremaine Fowlkes: Columbus Riverdragons, Free Throws (269)
• Tremaine Fowlkes: Columbus Riverdragons, Free Throw Attempts (364)
• Tremaine Fowlkes: Columbus Riverdragons, Free Throw Pct. (.905)
• Derek Hood: Mobile Revelers, Offensive Rebounds (159)
• Thomas Hamilton: Greenville Groove/Roanoke Dazzle, Defensive Rebounds (342)
• Thomas Hamilton/Derek Hood: Greenville Groove/Roanoke Dazzle, Mobile Revelers, Total Rebounds (468)
• Omar Cook: Fayetteville Patriots, Assists (272)
• Fred House: North Charleston Lowgators, Steals (139)
• Lee Scruggs: Asheville Altitude, Blocks (118)
• Thomas Hamilton: Greenville Groove/Roanoke Dazzle, Turnovers (178)
• Galen Young: North Charleston Lowgators, Personal Fouls (211)
• Isaac Fontaine: Mobile Revelers, Points (906)
• Artie Griffin: Roanoke Dazzle, Minutes per game (34.2)
• Isaac Fontaine: Mobile Revelers, Points per game (17.4)
• Thomas Hamilton: Greenville Groove/Roanoke Dazzle, Rebounds per game (9.4)
• Omar Cook: Fayetteville Patriots, Assists per game (7.8)
• Fred House: North Charleston Lowgators, Steals per game (2.5)
• Lee Scruggs: Asheville Altitude, Blocks per game (2.1)

Playoffs

There were only 8 teams in the league. For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in the league were seeded one to four. Each round of the playoffs were played a best-of-three series.