Roanoke Dazzle
Encyclopedia
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 1970s. Playing their home games at the Roanoke Civic Center, their logo design featured a star
moving on rail tracks
around a basketball.
for Virginia's NBDL team, Roanoke was evaluated as a potential franchise location based on its population, arena size and lack of a major NCAA basketball program in the Roanoke Valley
. After reaching an agreement to play home games at the Roanoke Civic Center, the NBDL announced Roanoke as the league's fifth member on May 18, 2001. The announcement marked the return of professional basketball to Roanoke since the departure of the American Basketball Association
's Virginia Squires
following the 1972-73 season.
By June 2001, Donna Daniels was named team president and Kent Davidson was announced as the first head coach in franchise history. On July 18, 2001, Daniels announced the team nickname, the Dazzle. The name was chosen purposefully to not reflect Roanoke's railroad heritage as two other professional teams, the Roanoke Express
and the Roanoke Steam
, already called the civic center home. The Dazzle would be victorious in the inaugural game on November 18, 2001, against the Mobile Revelers
in the Roanoke Civic Center.
After five seasons, and overall moderate success on the court, the Dazzle were one of the final two teams from the NBDL inaugural season to last through the 2005-06 season. The Fayetteville Patriots
were the other. Both were owned by the NBA for their entire five season history. On May 1, 2006, the NBA Development League announced that the NBA would no longer operate the Roanoke Dazzle. League President Phil Evans
briefly held out the possibility of a local ownership group operating the team. However when a local ownership group failed to materialize, the team was disbanded..
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...
team based in Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 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
Virginia Squires
The Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...
called Roanoke home in the 1970s. Playing their home games at the Roanoke Civic Center, their logo design featured a star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
moving on rail tracks
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
around a basketball.
Franchise history
The NBDL initially announced that Roanoke was under consideration for one of the inaugural teams in August 2000. Competing with HamptonHampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
for Virginia's NBDL team, Roanoke was evaluated as a potential franchise location based on its population, arena size and lack of a major NCAA basketball program in the Roanoke Valley
Roanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
. After reaching an agreement to play home games at the Roanoke Civic Center, the NBDL announced Roanoke as the league's fifth member on May 18, 2001. The announcement marked the return of professional basketball to Roanoke since the departure of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
's Virginia Squires
Virginia Squires
The Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...
following the 1972-73 season.
By June 2001, Donna Daniels was named team president and Kent Davidson was announced as the first head coach in franchise history. On July 18, 2001, Daniels announced the team nickname, the Dazzle. The name was chosen purposefully to not reflect Roanoke's railroad heritage as two other professional teams, the Roanoke Express
Roanoke Express
The Roanoke Express were a team in the ECHL from 1993 until 2004. Home games were played at the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia.-History:...
and the Roanoke Steam
Roanoke Steam
The Roanoke Steam is a now-defunct af2 charter member franchise. They played their home games at the Roanoke Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia. The Steam were unable to get into the playoffs during their only three years in the league...
, already called the civic center home. The Dazzle would be victorious in the inaugural game on November 18, 2001, against the 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...
in the Roanoke Civic Center.
After five seasons, and overall moderate success on the court, the Dazzle were one of the final two teams from the NBDL inaugural season to last through the 2005-06 season. The 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...
were the other. Both were owned by the NBA for their entire five season history. On May 1, 2006, the NBA Development League announced that the NBA would no longer operate the Roanoke Dazzle. League President Phil Evans
Phil Evans
Phil Evans is a South African football defender and defensive midfielder. Evans currently plays for Thanda Royal Zulu.-International goals:-External links:* at National Football Teams*...
briefly held out the possibility of a local ownership group operating the team. However when a local ownership group failed to materialize, the team was disbanded..
Season by season results
| Season | Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | Pct. | ||||
| Roanoke Dazzle | |||||||
| 2001–02 | 8th | 18 | 38 | .320 | |||
| 2002–03 | 4th | 26 | 24 | .520 | Lost Semifinals (Fayetteville 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... ) 2-0 |
||
| 2003–04 | 5th | 20 | 26 | .435 | |||
| 2004–05 | 4th | 26 | 22 | .542 | Lost Semifinals (Columbus 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... ) 96-89 |
||
| 2005–06 | 4th | 25 | 23 | .521 | Lost Semifinals (Fort Worth Fort Worth Flyers The Fort Worth Flyers is the name of a now defunct team of the NBA Development League minor league basketball expansion team based in Fort Worth, Texas. They began play in the 2005-06 season. The decision was made by the NBADL to not operate this team for the 2007-08 season.- Franchise history... ) 87-78 |
||
| Regular Season Record | 115 | 133 | .464 | 2001-2006 | |||
| Playoff Record | 0 | 3 | .000 | 2001-2006 | |||
Players of note
- Cory AlexanderCory AlexanderCory Lynn Alexander is an American professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA.After a career at the University of Virginia , Alexander was the 29th overall selection of the 1995 NBA Draft, chosen by the San Antonio Spurs...
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Affiliates
- New Jersey NetsNew Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(2005–2006) - Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
(2005–2006) - Washington WizardsWashington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
(2005–2006)