NEW YORK – The Santa Cruz Warriors, the NBA Development League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors, will host the NBA D-League Showcase presented by Samsung at Kaiser Permanente Arena for the second consecutive season, it was announced today.  The 19-game Showcase will run over five days, from Jan. 6-10, 2016, and feature the league’s 19 teams playing two regular-season games apiece.

“The NBA D-League Showcase was a tremendous success in Santa Cruz last season, and we’re excited to work in partnership with Jim Weyermann and the Warriors’ staff for another memorable slate of games,” said Malcolm Turner, NBA D-League President.  “The Showcase is the NBA’s premier in-season scouting event, and I’m looking forward to watching 19 great contests in front of some of the league’s best fans at Kaiser Permanente Arena in January.”

The 12^th annual NBA D-League Showcase presented by Samsung will crown a champion based first on a team’s overall win-loss record at the event.  The advanced basketball statistic Net Rating (calculated by subtracting Defensive Rating from Offensive Rating) will be used as the first tiebreaker.  Offensive Rating is calculated by dividing a team’s total points by its total offensive possessions, while Defensive Rating is derived by dividing a team’s total points allowed by its opponent’s total offensive possessions.  Any remaining ties will then be resolved using a team’s Strength of Schedule, as determined by that team’s pre-Showcase opponents’ winning percentage.

Attended by general managers and player personnel executives from all 30 NBA teams, the NBA D-League Showcase presented by Samsung is a platform for players and coaches to display their talents for five consecutive days in one location as the world’s basketball focus returns to Northern California.  More than 45 NBA D-League players have earned GATORADE Call-Ups during or in the days immediately following the last 11 NBA D-League Showcases.

The 2015 NBA D-League Champions, the Santa Cruz Warriors, saw four eventual NBA Champion Golden State Warriors play on assignment in Surf City during the 2014-15 campaign: Festus Ezeli, Justin Holiday, Ognjen Kuzmic and James Michael McAdoo.  McAdoo, who got his start in Santa Cruz, joined Elliot Williams as Santa Cruz Warriors to earn GATORADE Call-Ups last season.  In total, almost 40 percent of NBA players at the end of the 2014-15 season had NBA D-League experience, while the 2014-15 campaign was a record-breaking one for player call-ups (63) and assignments (195).

“We are excited to bring back the NBA D-League Showcase to Santa Cruz,” said Weyermann, Santa Cruz Warriors President.  “One of our goals as an organization is to produce events during the City of Santa Cruz’s offseason that help generate revenue locally.  Having the league come back to Santa Cruz to host its premier event is great for local businesses and basketball fans alike.”

More information on general admission NBA D-League Showcase Tournament Passes is available by calling 831-713-4400 or by logging onto www.santacruzbasketball.com and clicking on the “Sign up for Showcase Pass” link.

A full game and broadcast schedule for the NBA D-League Showcase 2016 presented by Samsung will be announced at a later date.