Florida Flame
Encyclopedia
The Florida Flame were a NBA Development League
team based in Fort Myers, Florida
. Its logo represents a basketball on fire
moving at high speed.
It was announced that the Florida Flame would temporarily shut down operations during 2006–07, due to not having a home arena in which to play. The team maintained its league membership in hopes of finding a venue for the next season. When that didn't happen, the Flame quietly folded all operations and finally, officially ceased to be in late 2007.
The Charleston Lowgators relocated to Fort Myers in fall 2004 and became the Florida Flame. In September 2005, the NBA announced that the Flame would be affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves
, Miami Heat
, Boston Celtics
, and Orlando Magic
for the upcoming season.
The Florida Flame (formerly the North Charleston Lowgators/Charleston Lowgators) along with the Tulsa 66ers
(formerly the Asheville Altitude), the Austin Toros
(formerly the Columbus Riverdragons), and the New Mexico Thunderbirds (formerly the Huntsville Flight) was one of the only teams left in the D-League that was a charter member as of 2006.
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
team based in Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
. Its logo represents a basketball on fire
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
moving at high speed.
It was announced that the Florida Flame would temporarily shut down operations during 2006–07, due to not having a home arena in which to play. The team maintained its league membership in hopes of finding a venue for the next season. When that didn't happen, the Flame quietly folded all operations and finally, officially ceased to be in late 2007.
Franchise history
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
, Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, and Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
for the upcoming season.
The Florida Flame (formerly the North Charleston Lowgators/Charleston Lowgators) along with the Tulsa 66ers
Tulsa 66ers
The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S...
(formerly the Asheville Altitude), the Austin Toros
Austin Toros
The Austin Toros are a NBA Development League minor league basketball team based in Cedar Park, Texas, United States.The team plays home games at Cedar Park Center.Their logo is the design of a bull and basketball with the state of Texas in the background...
(formerly the Columbus Riverdragons), and the New Mexico Thunderbirds (formerly the Huntsville Flight) was one of the only teams left in the D-League that was a charter member as of 2006.
Players of note
- Kirk HastonKirk HastonKirk Haston is a former American professional basketball player. He attended Perry County High School in Linden, Tennessee, where, as a senior, he was a part of the 37-0 Class A state championship team, being named Class A "Mr. Basketball"...
- retired - Carl EnglishCarl EnglishCarl Jerome English is a Canadian professional basketball player. He stands 6'5" tall and weighs 205 pounds and he plays at the shooting guard position. He had unsuccessful tryouts for the NBA, with the Indiana Pacers and the Seattle SuperSonics...
- currently playing overseas - Earl BarronEarl BarronEarl Daniel Barron, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association.-Career:...
- multiple NBA call-ups - Dorell WrightDorell WrightDorell Lawrence Wright is an American professional basketball small forward with the Golden State Warriors. In the 2010-11 season, Wright became known for his three-point shooting.- NBA career :...
- forward/guard for the Golden State WarriorsGolden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... - Gerald GreenGerald GreenGerald Green, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Foshan Dralions of the CBA. He was selected by the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics with the 18th pick of the first round in the 2005 NBA Draft...
- currently playing overseas - Dwayne JonesDwayne JonesDwayne Jones is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Along with senior Jameer Nelson and juniors Delonte West and Pat Carroll, Jones was an integral part of the undefeated Saint Joseph's team during the 2004 regular season. The Hawks earned a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament...
- played for the NBA - Andre BarrettAndre BarrettAndre Rashawd Barrett is an American professional basketball player. Since 2004, he has played for numerous teams in both the NBA and its affiliate league, the D-League...
- currently playing overseas - Theron SmithTheron SmithTheron Augustus Smith is an American professional basketball player, in the small forward position.-Basketball career:Smith played collegiately for Ball State University...
- currently playing overseas - Bracey WrightBracey WrightBracey Wright is an American professional basketball player.-Amateur career:Wright attended Arbor Creek Middle School in Carrollton, TX and The Colony High School in The Colony, Texas. He was a former high school teammate of New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams...
- currently playing overseas - Smush ParkerSmush ParkerWilliam Henry "Smush" Parker is an American professional basketball player. Parker played shooting guard in college but moved to point guard in the NBA...
- currently playing overseas - Chuck EidsonChuck EidsonChuck Eidson is an American professional basketball player. He is 2.02 m tall and he plays mainly at the small forward position. He can also play at both the point guard and shooting guard positions as well as a point forward...
- currently playing overseas
Roster at end of 2005–06 season
| Florida Flame Roster | ||||
| Head Coach Coach (sport) In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:... : Jeff Malone Jeff Malone Jeffrey Nigel Malone is a retired American professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Mississippi State University, and is mostly known for his time with the Washington Bullets of the NBA, where he was an NBA All-Star twice, playing the shooting guard position... |
(Mississippi State Mississippi State University The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area... ) |
|||
| Asst. Coach: Terry Thimlar | (Indiana State Indiana State University Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S... ) |
|||
| PF | 4 |  |
Duane Erwin | (Memphis University of Memphis The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system.... 2005) |
| C | 5 |  |
George Leach | (Indiana Indiana Hoosiers The Indiana Hoosiers are the athletic teams for the Bloomington campus of Indiana University . Athletic teams sponsored by IU Bloomington include cross country, track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, volleyball, soccer, football and basketball... 2004) |
| SG | 6 |  |
Bracey Wright Bracey Wright Bracey Wright is an American professional basketball player.-Amateur career:Wright attended Arbor Creek Middle School in Carrollton, TX and The Colony High School in The Colony, Texas. He was a former high school teammate of New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams... |
(Indiana Indiana Hoosiers The Indiana Hoosiers are the athletic teams for the Bloomington campus of Indiana University . Athletic teams sponsored by IU Bloomington include cross country, track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, volleyball, soccer, football and basketball... 2005) |
| SG/SF | 7 |  |
Lenny Stokes | (Cincinnati University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio.... 2003) |
| PF/C | 9 |  |
Roman Brown | (Florida Gulf Coast Florida Gulf Coast University Florida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University... 2004) |
| SG/SF | 10 |  |
Austin Nichols | (Humboldt State Humboldt State University Humboldt State University is the northernmost campus of the California State University system, located in Arcata within Humboldt County, California, USA. The main campus, nestled at the edge of a coast redwood forest, is situated on Preston hill overlooking Arcata and with commanding views of... 2004) |
| PG | 11 | |
Andre Barrett Andre Barrett Andre Rashawd Barrett is an American professional basketball player. Since 2004, he has played for numerous teams in both the NBA and its affiliate league, the D-League... |
(Seton Hall Seton Hall University Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the... 2004) |
| PG | 13 |  |
T. J. Sorrentine | (Vermont University of Vermont The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or... 2005) |
| PG/SG | 22 | |
E. J. Rowland | (St. Mary's Saint Mary's College of California Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church... 2005) |
| SG | 25 | |
Jonathan Moore | (North Carolina Central North Carolina Central University North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels.... 2005) |
| SG/SF | 33 |  |
Reed Rawlings | (Samford Samford University Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V.... 2001) |
| C/PF | 34 |  |
Elton Brown Elton Brown (basketball) Elton Brown is an American professional basketball player. He is 6'9" in height and 250 lbs. in weight and plays for Barak Netanya in the Israeli Basketball Super League.-College career:... |
(Virginia Virginia Cavaliers The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference... 2004) |
Year-by-year record
| Season | Finish | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Postseason Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Charleston Lowgators | |||||
| 2001–02 | 1st | 36 | 20 | .643 | Won Semifinals (Mobile Mobile Revelers The Mobile Revelers were a National Basketball Development League team based in Mobile, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Mobile Civic Center, the Revelers was a charter franchise in the 2001-02 season and folded after the 2002-03 season... ) 2-1 Lost D-League Finals (Greenville Greenville Groove The Greenville Groove were a National Basketball Development League team based in Greenville, South Carolina. Playing their home games at the BI-LO Center, the Groove was a charter franchise and league champions for the 2001-02 season but folded after the 2002-03 season.The National Basketball... 2-0 |
| 2002–03 | 2nd | 26 | 24 | .520 | Lost Semifinals (Mobile Mobile Revelers The Mobile Revelers were a National Basketball Development League team based in Mobile, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Mobile Civic Center, the Revelers was a charter franchise in the 2001-02 season and folded after the 2002-03 season... ) 2-0 |
| Charleston Lowgators | |||||
| 2003–04 | 2nd | 27 | 19 | .587 | Lost Semifinals (Huntsville) 108-100 |
| Florida Flame | |||||
| 2004–05 | 6th | 17 | 31 | .354 | |
| 2005–06 | 3rd | 25 | 23 | .521 | Lost Semifinals (Albuquerque) 80-71 |
| Regular season | 131 | 117 | .528 | ||
| Playoffs | 2 | 6 | .250 | ||
Affiliates
- Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
(2005–2006) - Miami HeatMiami HeatThe Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
(2005–2006) - Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
(2005–2006) - Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
(2005–2006)