NEW YORK – NBA Development League Most Valuable Player Vander Blue of the Los Angeles D-Fenders headlines the 2016-17 All-NBA D-League Teams, which were announced today along with the All-Rookie Team and the All-Defensive Team.

Blue, who ranked third in the NBA D-League in scoring with 24.8 points per game, is joined on the All-NBA Development League First Team by Keith Benson (Sioux Falls Skyforce), Quinn Cook (Canton Charge), Dakari Johnson (Oklahoma City Blue) and Edy Tavares (Raptors 905).  Tavares, the NBA D-League Defensive Player of the Year, earned a GATORADE Call-Up from the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.  Cook was called up by the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans.

The All-NBA D-League Second Team is highlighted by three players who received GATORADE Call-Ups this season: the Delaware 87ers’ Shawn Long (who played in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers), the Fort Wayne Mad Ants’ Alex Poythress (76ers) and Sioux Falls’ Briante Weber (Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets).  The D-Fenders’ Josh Magette and NBA D-League Rookie of the Year Abdel Nader of the Maine Red Claws are also part of the Second Team.

The Third Team features Raptors 905’s Axel Toupane, who finished the season with the Pelicans after a stint with the Milwaukee Bucks, and Maine’s Marcus Georges-Hunt, who earned GATORADE Call-Ups with the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.  Rounding out the Third Team are NBA D-League Impact Player of the Year John Holland of Canton, Maine’s Jalen Jones and Canton’s Eric Moreland.

In all, 11 players on the three 2016-17 All-NBA D-League Teams have NBA experience, with seven earning GATORADE Call-Ups this season.

Nader, who averaged 21.3 points and 6.2 rebounds for Maine, leads the 2016-17 NBA D-League All-Rookie Team.  Joining Nader on the All-Rookie Team are Maine’s Jones, Fort Wayne’s Poythress, Los Angeles’ David Nwaba and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers’ Isaiah Taylor.

Tavares, who tied for the NBA D-League lead with 2.7 blocks per game, headlines the 2016-17 NBA D-League All-Defensive Team.  He is joined by three other members of the All-NBA Development League Teams –   Sioux Falls’ Benson and Weber and Canton’s Moreland – as well as L.A.’s Nwaba, an All-Rookie Team selection.

The complete All-NBA Development League, All-Rookie and All-Defensive Team results are below.  The league’s 22 head coaches selected each team.

2016-17 ALL-NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
Keith Benson – Sioux Falls
Vander Blue – Los Angeles
Quinn Cook – Canton*
Dakari Johnson – Oklahoma City
Edy Tavares – Raptors 905*

SECOND TEAM
Shawn Long – Delaware 87ers*
Josh Magette – Los Angeles
Abdel Nader – Maine
Alex Poythress – Fort Wayne*
Briante Weber – Sioux Falls*

THIRD TEAM
Marcus Georges-Hunt – Maine*
John Holland – Canton
Jalen Jones – Maine
Eric Moreland – Canton
Axel Toupane – Raptors 905*

2016-17 NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Jalen Jones – Maine
Abdel Nader – Maine
David Nwaba – Los Angeles*
Alex Poythress – Fort Wayne*
Isaiah Taylor – Rio Grande Valley*

2016-17 ALL-NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Keith Benson – Sioux Falls
Eric Moreland – Canton
David Nwaba – Los Angeles*
Edy Tavares – Raptors 905*
Briante Weber – Sioux Falls*

*Earned GATORADE Call-Up this season

About the NBA Development League
The NBA Development League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory.  Featuring 22 teams with direct affiliations with NBA franchises for the 2016-17 season, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.  An all-time high 38 percent of all NBA players at the end of the 2015-16 season boasted NBA D-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 D-League Cares programs.  NBA D-League games are available on ESPN’s family of networks, Facebook Live and NBA TV.