Team colors Red, blue, white Affiliation(s) Detroit Pistons Founded 2006 | Ownership SSJ Group Head coach Rex Walters Conference NBA Development League | |
History Anaheim Arsenal
2006–2009
Springfield Armor
2009–2014
Grand Rapids Drive
2014–present Website grandrapids.dleague.nba.com Arena Deltaplex Arena & Conference Center Location Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States Profiles | ||
Pistons stanley johnson scores 26 points on assignment w grand rapids drive
The Grand Rapids Drive is an NBA Development League team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan and the minor league affiliate of the Detroit Pistons. The franchise began as the Anaheim Arsenal in 2006, before relocating to Springfield, Massachusetts in 2009 and becoming the Springfield Armor. After five seasons in Springfield, the franchise were moved to Grand Rapids in 2014 and were subsequently renamed the Grand Rapids Drive. They play their home games at the DeltaPlex Arena in nearby Walker.
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How grand rapids drive are progressing
2006–2009: Anaheim Arsenal
The franchise began life in 2006 as the Anaheim Arsenal. Based in Anaheim, California, and playing at the Anaheim Convention Center, the Arsenal was the first professional basketball team to call the city home since the Los Angeles Clippers played occasional games there in the 1990s. However, the Arsenal era was mainly marked by futility, never having accomplished a winning season or a playoff berth. On March 31, 2009, the Arsenal announced that they would relocate to Springfield.
2009–2014: Springfield Armor
On July 29, 2009, it was announced that Dee Brown would become the head coach. On September 2, the Armor picked first in the 2009 NBA Development League Expansion Draft, selecting center Marcus Campbell. The team ended their inaugural 2009–2010 season with a record of 7–43, the worst record in NBADL history.
During the 2010–11 season, the Armor started by picking 5th in the D-League Draft, and selected La Salle's Vernon Goodridge. The Armor would end up finishing with a record of 13–37, sixth in the seven-team Eastern Conference. After the season, head coach Dee Brown opted to leave the team to join the Detroit Pistons. Brown was replaced soon after by Bob MacKinnon, Jr.
For the 2011–12 season, the Armor entered into a single affiliation partnership with the Brooklyn Nets, giving the Nets full control over the basketball operations of and making them the sole affiliate for the Armor. The Nets became the second NBA team to enter into a single affiliation with an NBA D-League team, joining the Houston Rockets and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
2014–present: A new beginning in Grand Rapids
On April 15, 2014, it was announced that the SSJ Group purchased the Springfield Armor and would relocate the team to Grand Rapids, Michigan for the 2014–15 season. The Grand Rapids franchise will be locally owned and will establish a single-franchise "hybrid" affiliation with the Detroit Pistons.
The team launched a 'name the team' contest shortly after the formal announcement. The contest produced four finalists: Drive, Chairmen, Horsepower, and Blue Racers. The community was encouraged to vote online in order to determine which of the Final Four names would become the official team name. Out of the final four names to choose from, the Grand Rapids Drive was selected as the team's name.
The affiliation between the Pistons and the Drive is the third between the two cities as the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League also share an affiliation, as do the Detroit Tigers of the American League and the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League.