Spurs Sports & Entertainment purchased the team on June 28, 2007. The NBA D-League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league, featuring 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA franchises, the NBA D-League is a proven developer of talent: 27 percent of players in the NBA at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season boasted NBA D-League experience, and the league continues to develop coaches, referees, and front-office staff for the NBA and its teams.