Frequently Asked Questions

How many games are in an NBA G League season?

The NBA G League season will begin with a 16-game Showcase Cup schedule from Nov. 10 through Dec. 22, which features seven home games and six road games against teams in a regional pod. The teams with the best winning percentage in each of the four regional pods, as well as the four teams with the next best win percentage across the league, will go on to play for the Showcase Cup in a single-elimination tournament at the NBA G League Winter Showcase between Dec. 19-22. The winners and runners-up will compete for a trophy and a monetary prize pool. The remaining G League teams who do not qualify to compete for the Showcase Cup Championship will each play an additional two-games each at the Winter Showcase outside of the tournament format. Following the Showcase Cup, the team will start a 34-game regular season slate featuring 17 home games at Landers Center and 17 road games, before culminating with the 2023 NBA G League Playoffs.

Where do the Hustle practice?

The team has a permanent and dedicated locker room and basketball operations office at FedExForum in Memphis. They will share the Built Ford Tough Training Facility with the Grizzlies along with the weight room and other training amenities.

Who will the Hustle play?

There will be 31 NBA G League teams expected to play in the 2023-24 season, 29 of which are affiliated with an NBA team. The NBA G League Ignite and Mexico City Capitanes will also play against G League competition.

How can I watch the games?

All fans are encouraged to watch the live action of all Memphis Hustle home games at the Landers Center by purchasing tickets. All NBA G League games are aired on ESPN Networks, NBA TV and GLeague.com

How can I follow the team online?

You can follow the team @memphishustle on X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or online at memphishustle.com.

Who owns the team?

The Memphis Grizzlies.

Will Grizzlies players regularly play on the team?

The NBA G League provides an excellent avenue for young players to gain valuable experience. 11 players on the current Grizzlies roster have G League experience, and operating our own G League franchise will provide even more opportunities for our younger players to continue developing their skills. All NBA players are eligible to be assigned to the NBA G League, with players having more than three years of NBA experience needing to consent to the assignment.

Where do NBA G League players come from?

• NBA teams can assign players to their NBA G League affiliate and recall them at any time.
• NBA teams can sign players with four years of service or fewer to two-way contracts, allowing them to retain their rights while the player spends the bulk of the season in the NBA G League.
• NBA teams can draft players and sign them to NBA G League contracts, thus retaining their rights through the “Draft Rights Player” rule.
• NBA teams can designate up to four players that they cut during training camp as “affiliate players,” meaning those players will join that team’s NBA G League affiliate (should the players choose to sign into the NBA G League). These players are signed under contract with the league rather than the team, meaning they are technically free agents who can be called up to any of the 30 NBA teams.
• NBA G League teams hold local tryouts each offseason and can invite up to four players from these tryouts to their training camps.
• The NBA G League holds a draft every year consisting of nearly 150 players who have signed contracts with the league. It lasts four rounds and teams only have to make two selections.
• Players who return to the NBA G League are, by rule, re-acquired by the teams that they played for within the last two seasons (Returning Players).
• Once the NBA G League season begins, players who sign NBA G League contracts are placed into a rotating waiver pool so that teams can claim them.
• If a player from high school, college or overseas enters the NBA G League without ever having declared for the NBA Draft, he will also join the waiver pool. That player remains NBA Draft-eligible but is not eligible to be called up to the NBA.

When a new franchise joins the league, an expansion draft is held in which the new team selects 14 players from a pool of unprotected players among the league’s other teams. The expansion team will then hold that player’s NBA G League rights for two seasons. Each returning team can protect up to 12 of its players from being selected.

Who is eligible to be drafted?

The league signs 100+ players each year to join the pool of draft-eligible prospects. They include college players who went undrafted in the NBA Draft, international prospects, and players who were recently waived by NBA teams following training camp. Players must be 18 years old to be eligible for the NBA G League Draft.

What is the value in owning/operating your own NBA G League team?

Operating our own team gives up a valuable platform for developing players, coaches and even front office personnel. The team also gives us another vehicle to connect with the many passionate basketball fans across the region.

How many teams make the playoffs?

Teams will be split up into two conferences, Eastern and Western, for the 32-game regular season starting Dec. 27th after the Showcase Cup. The top six teams in each conference with the best winning percentage will earn a spot in the 2023-24 NBA G League Playoffs.

How many players are on an NBA G League roster?

There are a minimum of 10 players on rosters, not including three two-way players allowed per NBA team. A team’s active roster may expand to up to 13 players if its parent club assigns players from the NBA roster.

How do NBA G League contracts work?

NBA G League players sign standard one-year contracts with the league, not individual teams, according to three different salary scales. (This excludes players on assignment from the NBA, who remain under NBA contract.)

First introduced in the 2017 offseason, NBA rosters expanded with the addition of two “Two-Way Contracts.” Beginning in the 2023 offseason, the NBA added an additional Two-Way Contract, bringing the total of two-way contracts per team to three. NBA Two-Way players are limited to a maximum of 50 games with their NBA team and are ineligible for the playoffs. Only players with four or fewer years of NBA service are able to sign Two-Way Contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.

How can I try out for the NBA G League?

The league holds a National Tryout once each year. Participants must fill out an application and make a $350 online payment. The event is limited to 220 players, and between 25 and 40 typically sign contracts and become eligible for the NBA G League Draft.

Four players from the NBA G League National Tryout have gone on to reach the NBA: Dennis Horner (Nets), Dwight Buycks (Raptors, Lakers, Pistons), Shaq Harrison (Suns) and Jaylen Morris (Hawks).

Additionally, each NBA G League team holds its own local tryout(s) prior to the start of the season and can invite up to five of the participants to its preseason training camp.

Is there an open tryout for the team?

This season’s tryouts have already taken place. Tryouts for next season will be announced at a later date. All applicants must be eligible to play in the NBA G League and complete the required paperwork.

Can you explain two-way contracts for the NBA G League?

Do players signed to two-way contracts count toward the 21-player maximum allowed for NBA training camps?

Yes.

Does a two-way contract count against the NBA team’s salary cap?

No. Teams do not need cap room to sign a two-way player.

Can NBA teams without a G League affiliate utilize two-way contracts?

Yes. The one team without a G League affiliate — Phoenix Suns — can still sign players to two-way contracts. When they assign them to the G League they will use the flex assignment rule.

Flex Assignment Rule — Upon receipt of an assignment from an independent NBA team, the NBA G League will identify any NBA G League team willing to accept the assigned player. The assigning independent NBA team will then choose the destination for assignment between those teams. If no NBA G League team is willing to accept the assigned player, he will be assigned to one of the hybrid affiliate teams pursuant to a lottery.

Can other NBA teams call up players on two-way contracts?

No. Players on two-way contracts have their NBA rights owned by the team they signed that contract with.

What is the maximum amount of players on two-way contracts one team can have?

Three. Beginning in the 2023 offseason, each team can have a maximum of three players on a two-way contract at any one point in time.