Roanoke Dazzle

NBADL team
color1 = #FFB20E
color2 = blue
name = Roanoke Dazzle

imagesize = 125px
League = NBA Development League
founded = 2001
history = Roanoke Dazzle
2001-2006
arena = Roanoke Civic Center
city = Roanoke, Virginia
colors = Blue, Yellow and White
coach = Kent Davison
owner = NBA
league_champs = none | affiliations = Washington Wizards ("local" affiliate), Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets

The Roanoke Dazzle were a 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.

Franchise history

The NBDL initially announced that Roanoke was under consideration for one of the inaugural teams in August 2000.cite news
last =Bogaczyk
first =Jack
coauthors =
title =Roanoke might snare pro hoops team
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =C1
date =August 25, 2000
url =
accessdate = ] Competing with Hampton 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.cite news
last =Bogaczyk
first =Jack
coauthors =
title =NBDL on its way to Roanoke
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =C1
date =May 17, 2001
url =
accessdate = ] 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 Davison was announced as the first head coach in franchise history.cite news
last =Bogaczyk
first =Jack
coauthors =
title =Davidson rebounds in Roanoke
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =C1
date =June 29, 2001
url =
accessdate = ] On July 18, 2001, Daniels announced the team nickname, the Dazzle.cite news
last =Bogaczyk
first =Jack
coauthors =
title =NBDL wants to Dazzle you
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =B6
date =July 18, 2001
url =
accessdate = ] 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.cite news
last =Berman
first =Mark
coauthors =
title =Dazzle huge in debut
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =B1
date =November 19, 2001
url =
accessdate = ]

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..cite news
last =King
first =Randy
coauthors =
title ='So it's over': NBA benches Roanoke Dazzle
work =The Roanoke Times
pages =A1
date =May 2, 2006
url =http://www.roanoke.com/sports/probasketball/wb/63392
accessdate = ] cite web
url = http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/roanoke_060501.html
title = D-League Will No Longer Operate Roanoke Dazzle
author = NBA Development League
date = June 1, 2008]

eason by season results

-
colspan="6" align=center bgcolor="#0000FF" | Roanoke Dazzle
-
2001-02 || 18 || 38 || .321 || ||
-
2002-03 || 26 || 24 || .520 || Lost NBDL Semifinals || Fayetteville 2, Roanoke 0
-
2003-04 || 20 || 26 || .435 || ||
-
2004-05 || 26 || 22 || .542 || Lost NBDL Semifinals || Columbus 1, Roanoke 0
-
2005-06 || 25 || 23 || .521 || Lost NBDL Semifinals || Fort Worth 1, Roanoke 0
-
Totals || 115 || 133 || .464 || |
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Players of note

* Cory Alexander
* Andray Blatche
* Will Bynum
* Matt Carroll
* Anthony Grundy
* Mikki Moore
* Gabe Muoneke
* Peter John Ramos

Notes