New York, Sep 3 (IANS): The NBA G League on Thursday unveiled NBA G League Ignite as the name for its new team of elite prospects, which recently began training with head coach Brian Shaw in Walnut Creek, California.

A team dedicated to developing top young players through a one-year programme, NBA G League Ignite is focused on NBA Draft readiness and growth of professional life skills.

"We are thrilled to officially announce NBA G League Ignite as the name of our new team for elite prospects and we think it's a fitting moniker for a group comprising young players, taking the first step of their promising professional careers," said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

"These players have a passion for the game and a desire to develop their skills for the next level and it brings us a lot of pride for them to blaze trails as inaugural members of NBA G League Ignite."

Top high school prospects Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Daishen Nix, Kai Sotto and Isaiah Todd, along with NBA Global Academy graduate Princepal Singh began their professional careers with NBA G League Ignite and are receiving mentorship and life skills training as part of the professional development programme.

Five-time NBA champion Shaw is serving as head coach of NBA G League Ignite, which is unaffiliated with any existing NBA G League franchise or NBA team.

NBA G League Ignite has gathered in Walnut Creek, California, and started one-on-one skill development training with Shaw and his staff, which includes assistant coach Rasheed Abdul-Rahman, video coordinator Jerry Woods and athletic trainer Pete Youngman.

The bold, capitalised font of the NBA G League Ignite wordmark, heralds the team's energetic commitment to basketball development and serves as an anchor for the team's full identity and uniform designs, which will be unveiled at a later date.