In just its second year the Utah Flash is already serving as a valuable preparatory tool for the Utah Jazz, one of its two NBA affiliates.

The Flash, also affiliated with the World Champion Boston Celtics, has enjoyed a winning record heading down the home stretch of its second season and is battling for a NBA Development League West Division title.

Operating out of the Provo/Orem area, the Flash organization is one of the closest NBADL teams geographically to its NBA affiliate. Kevin O’Connor, Jazz executive VP of basketball operations and general manager, said the Jazz are fortunate to have an affiliate with similar structure and goals.

“Both philosophies are very similar and both believe in winning basketball games with guys of character,” O’Connor said. “A lot of people are inpatient, but the Jazz and Flash organizations both realize the need for stability.”

For the Jazz, close proximity provides the unique advantage of quickly sending players back and forth between the two organizations. No player understands this system better then the well-traveled Kyrylo Fesenko.

“It has not been hard at all to go back and forth,” Fesenko said. “I really love this game and want to play basketball no matter where I’m at.”

Fesenko is very familiar with the 45-minute commute along the Wasatch Front. In his short professional career, he has spent a lot of time in both Salt Lake City and Orem. In two years, Fesenko has played almost twice as many games for the Flash and as he has for the Jazz. He says playing with the Flash has made him better prepared for the NBA.

“Probably the most important thing I learn is confidence,” Fesenko said. “In both NBA and D-League it’s same game, both leagues are similar and the level of competition is exactly the same.”

Morris Almond has also split time during his first two professional seasons between the Jazz and the Flash toning his skills for the higher level. Almond received hands-on training and gained game-time experience in his rookie season and has recently returned to the Flash.

“Playing in the D-League is not a demotion, but it offers players a chance to get better, especially as a rookie,” Almond said.

In 2007, Almond was named the NBA D-League Impact Player of the Year as the prolific scorer averaged just over 25 points a game. Almond also holds the NBA D-League record for most points scored in a game, pouring in 53 points on Jan 30, 2009 at Bakersfield.

Flash head coach Brad Jones has strives to prepare players to make the jump to the next level. His is a delicate balance of finding minutes for NBA assigned guys and D-League contracted players alike, all the while trying to maintain solid team chemistry.

“One of the biggest things is helping young guys to understand playing basketball is a job,” Jones said. “The NBA plays so many games that players have to learn to take care of themselves both physically and mentally.”

Coach Jones says the two organizations are on the same page. He has been very grateful for the support from the Jazz.

“The Jazz have been terrific for the Flash and have showed support from the beginning,” Jones said. “We are able to work close with them and I think it helps both organizations.”

The NBA D-League was formed in 2001 beginning with eight teams located in the Southeastern portion of the U.S. Although, an NBA sanctioned and sponsored league, teams were not directly affiliated with NBA franchises.

Through steady expansion the league has grown into a unique basketball minor league system with all NBA franchises having NBADL affiliates. NBA teams are now able to send players to an affiliated system to develop skills and gain experience.

“We send players down to Orem to give them a chance to improve and play,” O’Connor said. “There are some darn good basketball players who are about a half a step away from making the NBA.”