The Basketball League

The Basketball League (TBL)
Upcoming season or competition:
Current sports event 2019 TBL season
Sport Basketball
Founded 2017
Inaugural season 2018
CEO Evelyn Magley
President Dave Magley
Commissioner Paul Mokeski
Motto “Where the spirit of the game lives”
No. of teams 11
Countries United States
Canada
Continent FIBA Americas (Americas)
Most recent
champion(s)		 Yakima SunKings (2018)
Official website thebasketballleague.net

The Basketball League (TBL) is a minor professional basketball league operating in North America that began play in 2018 as the North American Premier Basketball League (NAPB).

History

On July 7, 2017, Dr. Sev Hrywnak and Dave Magley announced the formation of a new professional basketball league. Magley previously served as Commissioner for the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC).[1] Dr. Sev Hrywnak is the owner of the Rochester Razorsharks. Teams are based throughout the United States and Western Canada. Over the course of two years, the league administration located cities that formerly hosted basketball teams in the defunct Continental Basketball Association, the Premier Basketball League, defunct NBA teams and other potential sports markets. The purpose of the league is to provide opportunities for community involvement particularly schools from the elementary to high school levels. Programs include players reading to younger children, hosting basketball camps for teens, and speaking in school-wide assemblies about substance abuse and staying in school.[2]

The league launched its inaugural 2018 season with eight teams: the Albany Patroons, Kansas City Tornadoes, Kentucky Thoroughbreds, Nevada Desert Dogs, Ohio Cardinals, Rochester Razorsharks, Vancouver Knights, and the Yakima SunKings. The Ohio Cardinals were replaced midseason by the Ohio Bootleggers, a team operated by the former ownership of the Vancouver Knights.

On February 25, 2018, Dave Magley stated that there were four more approved franchises in Bellevue, Washington, Raleigh, North Carolina, Tampa, Florida, and San Diego, California, with the goal of 16 total well-funded teams, for a 2019 season.[3]

After the first NAPB season, Magley acquired the league as sole owner, moved the headquarters to Indiana, and named Evelyn Magley as the new CEO. On July 14, the league was rebranded as The Basketball League (TBL).[4] Paul Mokeski, head coach and general manager of the Nevada Desert Dogs during the inaugural season, was then named commissioner of the league for the 2019 season.[5]

Teams

Locations of teams in The Basketball League

2019 teams

TeamCityArenaCapacityFoundedJoinedHead coach
Albany PatroonsAlbany, New YorkWashington Avenue Armory3,600–4,30020172018Derrick Rowland
Jamestown Jackals[6]Jamestown, New YorkJamestown Community College1,40020152019Mark Anderson
Kansas City TornadoesKansas City, MissouriHy-Vee Arena8,50020172018Eddie Corporal
Kentucky ThoroughbredsOwensboro, KentuckyOwensboro Sportscenter5,00020172018Brandon Lesovsky
Mesquite Desert DogsMesquite, NevadaRising Star Sports Ranch60020172018Carlnel Wiley
New York Court KingsQueens, New YorkBoys & Girls Club of Metro Queens2002012[7]2019
Raleigh FirebirdsRaleigh, North CarolinaSoutheast Raleigh Magnet High School2,00020182019Robert Brickey
Rochester RazorsharksRochester, New YorkBlue Cross Arena12,428[8]20052018Chris Iversen
San Diego WavesSan Diego, California20182019Jesse Carlin
Tampa Bay TitansTampa, FloridaHillsborough Community College1,00020182019
Yakima SunKingsYakima, WashingtonYakima SunDome6,15920172018Paul Woolpert

Future teams

TeamCityArenaCapacityFoundedJoiningHead coach
Dallas RedbirdsDallas, Texas20182020

Former teams

TeamCityArenaSeasonsNotes
BellevueBellevue, Washington——Announced 2019 NAPB expansion team; never mentioned after transition to TBL
Ohio BootleggersWesterville, OhioOtterbein University Rike Center2018Originally the Ohio Cardinals; franchise transferred to the owners of the Vancouver Knights during the 2018 season; not listed by TBL as a 2019 member
Vancouver KnightsRichmond, British ColumbiaRichmond Olympic Oval2018Ownership transferred during the 2018 season; not listed by TBL as a 2019 member

Team timeline

Current teams in tan
Former teams in dark tan
Announced future teams in green

Tampa Bay TitansSan Diego WavesRaleigh FirebirdsYakima SunKingsVancouver KnightsRochester RazorsharksOhio BootleggersMesquite Desert DogsNevada Desert DogsKentucky ThoroughbredsKansas City TornadoesAlbany Patroons

Seasons

SeasonRegular season championRegular season MVPPlayoff championPlayoff runner-upPlayoff MVP
2018Yakima SunKingsEdwin Ubiles (Albany)Yakima SunKingsAlbany PatroonsRenaldo Major

See also

References

  1. ↑ "KU notebook: Ex-Jayhawk David Magley leaves Canada pro league for new venture in U.S." The Kansas City Star. July 2, 2017.
  2. ↑ "The North American Premier Basketball League". NAPB.
  3. ↑ "State of the NAPB: Magley shares thoughts on first half of season". NAPB. February 25, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Meet the First Black Female Owner of a Male Professional Basketball League (Not a Team, But a League!)". Black News. July 17, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Mesquite (Nevada) Desert Dogs coming back for 2019". Mesquite Local News. August 17, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Moving On Up – Jackals To Join Minor League Professional Ranks This Season". The Post-Journal. August 29, 2018.
  7. ↑ "@tbasketballleague September 18, 2018 instagram". instagram.com. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  8. ↑ Media, Mountain. "Promoter/Bookings". bluecrossarena.com.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.