Stefhon Hannah scored a game-high 31 points and added eight rebounds to lead the Iowa Energy to its first-ever NBA Development League Championship with a 119-111 victory over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Friday. 

Michael Haynes added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Shy Ely had 17 points and seven rebounds for Iowa. Curtis Stinson, the NBA D-League MVP, had five points and four assists in just 19 minutes for the Energy, which captured its first championship after winning its conference or division for the third straight year. 

“Obviously, it feels great,” said Iowa head coach and NBA D-League Coach of the Year Nick Nurse. “We’ve gotten a lot of accolades, from division titles to MVPs to lots of Call-Ups. This one sits atop the perch of all of them, obviously. It feels great.” 

Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti announced that the team has recalled guard/forward Robert Vaden from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

Vaden, who helped lead the 66ers to the D-League semifinals, averaged 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 32.3 minutes in four postseason games for the 66ers. During the regular season, he averaged 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 28.0 minutes in 45 games (17 starts).

Iowa Energy head coach Nick Nurse today was named the winner of the Dennis Johnson Coach of the Year award, as voted by his fellow NBA Development League head coaches.

“Nick’s passion and dedication played a huge role in making the Iowa Energy the NBA D-League’s best team this regular season,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. “Not only did Iowa flourish as a team this year under Nick’s guidance, but the Energy also produced two players who ended the season on NBA rosters and the NBA D-League’s Most Valuable Player. Nick’s expertise and commitment to excellence have been invaluable to Iowa, and I congratulate him on this honor.”

In his fourth season with Iowa, Nurse guided the Energy to a league-best 37-13 record through the regular season, earning the top seed in the NBA D-League Playoffs, as well as an Eastern Conference title.

Curtis Stinson of the Iowa Energy today was named the NBA Development League’s Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the NBA D-League’s 16 head coaches.

Stinson, a 6-3, 215-pound guard out of Iowa State, started in 48 of Iowa’s regular season games, averaging 19.3 points, 9.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 42.9 minutes. Stinson led the NBA D-League this season in assists, minutes, triple-doubles (five) and double-doubles (28), leading Iowa to the Eastern Conference title with a 37-13 regular season record, the best in the NBA D-League.

“It’s a real honor to be named MVP of the D-League,” Stinson said. “There are a lot of great players in this league, and to receive this award is one of the highlights of my career. I am truly thankful to have great teammates and coaches, and I appreciate all they have done to help me earn this recognition.”

Maine Red Claws forward DeShawn Sims was selected by the NBA D-League’s 16 head coaches as the NBA Development League’s 2010-11 Rookie of the Year.  

Joining Sims on the NBA D-League’s inaugural All-Rookie First Team are Tulsa 66ers guard Jerome Dyson, Springfield Armor guard Scottie Reynolds, Iowa Energy forward Marqus Blakely, who ended the season with the Houston Rockets, and Rio Grande Valley Vipers center Patrick Sullivan. 

Iowa Energy guard Curtis Stinson, the third player in NBA Development League history to earn All-NBA D-League First Team honors in consecutive years, joins Bakersfield Jam guard Trey Johnson, Dakota Wizards center Chris Johnson, Erie BayHawks forward Ivan Johnson and Texas Legends forward Joe Alexander on the 2010-11 All-NBA D-League First Team, as voted on by the NBA D-League’s 16 head coaches. 

Of the First Team members, Alexander, the eighth overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2008 NBA Draft, Trey Johnson, who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Chris Johnson, who is now a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, have NBA experience. Stinson, meanwhile, was voted to the First Team for the second straight year, joining Randy Livingston (Idaho, 2006-07, 2007-08) and Tierre Brown (North Charleston, 2002-03; Charleston, 2003-04) as the only players in NBA D-League history to earn such honors. 

Named to the Second Team were Iowa Energy guard Othyus Jeffers, who is currently with the Washington Wizards, Utah Flash guard Orien Greene, who earned a  Call-Up to the New Jersey Nets this year, Rio Grande Valley Vipers forward Jeff Adrien, who is now a member of the Golden State Warriors, Tulsa 66ers forward Larry Owens, who is also with the Washington Wizards, and Austin Toros center Marcus Cousin, who is now on the Houston Rockets’ roster, on assignment to Rio Grande Valley. 

The Third Team consists of Rio Grande Valley guard Jerel McNeal, who earned a  Call-Up with the New Orleans Hornets this season, Texas Legends guard Antonio Daniels, who is now with the Philadelphia 76ers, Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Patrick Ewing Jr., who is currently on the Hornets’ roster, Maine Red Claws forward DeShawn Sims and Texas Legends center Sean Williams. 

The New Jersey Nets signed guard Mario West for the final three games of the season.

West played his first three NBA seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.

He spent this season with the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, before signing a 10-day contract with the Nets on March 31.

West has appeared in five games for New Jersey, making three starts and averaging 4 points and nearly 2 rebounds per game.

The Houston Rockets have signed 6-11 center Marcus Cousin to a three-year non-guaranteed contract, and then assigned him to their D-League affiliate the Rio Grande Vipers.

Cousin played this season with the Austin Toros.

To make room for Cousin on Houston's roster, Rockets GM Daryl Morey waived DeMarre Carroll, a forward acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in the trade that sent Shane Battier to Memphis.

Hasheem Thabeet, the other player acquired in that deal, is being recalled from the Vipers, so that Cousin can take his spot on their roster.

The Oklahoma Thunder signed Robert Vaden from their D-League affiliate the Tulsa 66ers Saturday, and then Thunder GM Sam Presti immediately assigned him back to the 66ers.

Vaden now fills the 15th spot on the Thunder's roster.

Vaden was drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats in the second round of the 2009 draft, and then acquired by Oklahoma City in a draft day deal.

He has played this entire season with the 66ers. Before joining the 66ers, he spent all of 2009-10 playing in Italy.

With only nine healthy player to work with, the Washington Wizards signed Larry Owens from the NBA Development League. They also Othyus Jeffers, who had been on a 10-day contract, for the rest of the season.

Owens, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged 12.4 points and 5.0 rebounds with the Tulsa 76ers.

In order to make room for Owens, the Wizards released Cartier Martin whose season is  already over after he sustained a stress fracture in his left foot.