NEW YORK – Raptors 905 General Manager Chad Sanders has been named the 2020-21 NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year, as selected by his fellow NBA G League team basketball executives.

In his third season as General Manager for the Toronto Raptors’ NBA G League affiliate, Sanders oversaw a team that finished with the best record in the NBA G League (12-3) during single-site play at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla.

Sanders’ key player acquisitions included forwards Henry Ellenson (21.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg) and Alize Johnson (16.6 ppg and 13.3 rpg) and guard Nik Stauskas (18.1 ppg, 3.6 apg), who helped the team finish with the highest-scoring offense in the league (123.8 ppg). Raptors 905 also led the NBA G League in assists (28.9 apg) and three-point field goal percentage (37.9).

Before the season, Sanders acquired returning player rights to guard Matt Mooney from the Memphis Hustle in exchange for returning player rights to Ben Moore.  Sanders also traded for the 15^th pick in the first round of the 2020-21 NBA G League Draft, which was used to select Gary Payton II.  Mooney (11.6 ppg, 5.7 apg) and Payton II (10.8 ppg, 2.5 spg) were key contributors for the top-seeded Raptors 905.

Prior to being named General Manager for Raptors 905, Sanders worked in the Dominican Republic’s Basketball Program from 2011-2017, becoming General Manager of the National Team in 2015.  During his tenure, the club’s world ranking climbed 10 spots from 27th to 17th, highlighted by a 13th place finish in the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Santa Cruz Warriors General Manager Ryan Atkinson and Oklahoma City Blue General Manager Nazr Mohammed finished second and third, respectively, in voting for the 2020-21 NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year Award.

NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year Award Winners
2020-21: Chad Sanders (Raptors 905)
2019-20: Bart Taylor (Salt Lake City Stars)
2018-19: Trajan Langdon (Long Island Nets)
2017-18: Malik Rose (Erie BayHawks)
2016-17: Mike Gansey (Canton Charge)
2015-16: Adam Simon (Sioux Falls Skyforce)

About the NBA G League
The NBA’s official minor league, the NBA G League prepares players, coaches, officials, trainers and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 29 teams, 28 with direct affiliations to NBA franchises for 2020-21, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. A record 45 percent of all NBA players at the start of the 2020-21 season boasted NBA G League experience. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA Cares programs.