San Diego Wildcards

The San Diego Wildcards were a men's professional basketball team representing San Diego, California who competed in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 1995–96 season. The team was owned by Southern California based sports executive Doug Logan and coached by Mauro Panaggio, who has the most wins as a coach in CBA history. The San Diego Sports Arena served as the Wildcards' home venue. The team folded on January 5, 1996 after placing a 4–17 record.

San Diego Wildcards
LeaguesContinental Basketball Association
Established1995
Folded1996
ArenaSan Diego Sports Arena
LocationSan Diego, California
Main sponsorViejas Casino
Head coachMauro Panaggio
OwnershipDoug Logan

History

The team was brought to San Diego in 1995 after their predecessor the Mexico City Aztecas folded.[1]

In September 1995 it was announced that the team's nickname would be the "Wildcards".[2] The name came from the franchise's principal sponsor Viejas Casino. who had their name on the team's jersey. At a press conference announcing the sponsorship, team owner Doug Logan wore multi-colored glasses with bells attached, resembling a joker, the team's mascot.[1]

A Wildcards radio advertisement that aired in 1995 excoriated college basketball and the Los Angeles Clippers while touting the CBA.[3] During broadcasts of the Los Angeles Lakers games on KSWB-TV the Wildcards hosted "one-minute ticket telethons" hosted by broadcaster Chris Ello.[4]

Mauro Panaggio was hired as the team's head coach.[5] Panaggio had coached in the CBA for 14 seasons prior to joining San Diego and had more wins than any coach in the league's history warned the media that the team may have trouble catching on, stating, "No one should get too comfortable here. If they aren't producing, they will have a short stay in San Diego."[1] Team owner Doug Logan originally hired Panaggio for a front office position, but he stepped into the head coaching role after being told by Logan that he could not find anyone to fill the vacancy.[6]

Jarvis Basnigh was selected by San Diego during the 1995 CBA dispersal draft.[1] The Wildcards chose three players during the 1995 CBA draft. Dwight Stewart was selected out of the University of Arkansas, Mike Williams was drafted out of the University of Massachusetts and Brian Fair was drafted from the University of Connecticut.[5][7][8]

The Wildcards first game was at the San Diego Sports Arena on November 17, 1995 against the Chicago Rockers.[1] With the game tied 106–106 with six seconds left in the fourth quarter Wildcards guard Kareem Townes hit a two-point field goal in what would be the deciding basket of the game. Kevin Brooks for San Diego led all scorers with 21 followed by Wildcards center Scott Paddock with 20.[9] Attendance for the game was 3,310. The first game was recapped by San Diego Union-Tribune sports writer Mark Zeigler who wrote, "They had a professional basketball game last night at the Sports Arena and — here's the weird part — people were actually standing and cheering. For the home team."[10]

The Philadelphia 76ers signed San Diego guard Greg Grant on November 21, 1995. Grant only played one game with the Wildcards in which he had three points and nine assists.[11][12]

After a 2–10 start to the season, attendance remained low, causing concern that the team would have to fold. San Diego's general manager Jeff Quinn told The San Diego Union-Tribune, "We're substantially less [in attendance] than I would have thought we would be right now. I would have thought we'd have been drawing somewhere around 3,000. I'm a little mystified. I don't know the answer right now."[13]

On January 5, 1996 it was announced that the San Diego Wildcards were ceasing operations. Team owner Doug Logan claimed the team was losing $35,000 a week. The team's final record was 4–17.[14]

Roster
Roster listing
San Diego Wildcards roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 3 Townes, Kareem 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) La Salle
G 10 Grant, Greg 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 145 lb (66 kg) New Jersey
G 12 Wynder, A. J. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Fairfield
F 23 Carter, Marc 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) San Diego State
F 32 Chatman, Canaan 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Portland
G 34 Fair, Brian 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Connecticut
F 35 White, Leonard 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Southern
F 44 Brooks, Kevin 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Louisiana–Lafayette
F 45 Johnson, Joey 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Arizona State
F 50 Stewart, Dwight 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 265 lb (120 kg) Arkansas
C 55 Paddock, Scott 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Notre Dame
F
    		Basnight, Jarvis 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) UNLV
    F
      		McClary, Ken 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Florida
      G/F
        		Oliver, Jimmy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Purdue
        C
          		Dent, Rodney 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Kentucky
          G
            		Hunter, Cedric 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Kansas
            F
              		Gray, Evric 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) UNLV
              Head coach
              Legend
              • (C) Team captain
              • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
              • (FA) Free agent
              • (S) Suspended
              • Injured

              References
              1. Zeigler, Mark (September 22, 1995). "Wildcards' name not a joke; Viejas casino sponsors San Diego's CBA team". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-1.
              2. "Thursday Sports Transactions; Basketball". UPI NewsTrack. San Diego, California. September 21, 1995.
              3. Quindt, Fritz (October 16, 1995). "You may be a redneck -- or a Cowboys fan". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. C-2.
              4. Quindt, Fritz (November 10, 1995). "Notes and static". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-2.
              5. "Ex-Minuteman Draws Wildcard". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Northampton, Massachusetts. September 22, 1995.
              6. Zeigler, Mark (November 15, 1995). "A coach from the Old School; Wildcards' Panaggio just isn't the retiring sort". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-1.
              7. "U.S. Faces Sweden in Davis Cup". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. September 22, 1995. p. C2.
              8. "The NBA; 'War on the Floor' Stern Rebuke". Daily News of Los Angeles. Los Angeles, California. September 28, 1995. p. S1.
              9. "Rockers Fall On Late Shot". Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago, Illinois. November 18, 1995. p. 95.
              10. Zeigler, Mark (November 18, 1995). "Crowd wild over 'Cards victory". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-1.
              11. Jasner, Phil (November 21, 1995). "Grant Returning to the Sixers". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 66.
              12. Zeigler, Mark (November 21, 1995). "Wildcards' Grant may be headed for a stint with 76ers". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-5.
              13. McGrane, Mick (December 18, 1995). "After team folds, Panaggio scolds". San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. C-13.
              14. Quindt, Fritz (January 8, 1996). "Golfers assigned to sign is sign of time". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. C-2.
              This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.