ABA names seventh division after all-time great
Published on June 3, 2005 under American Basketball Association (ABA) News Release
Indianapolis, IN. The American Basketball Association (ABA) today announced that its seventh division would be named the Louis Dampier Division after the former Kentucky Colonels star. During all nine years of the team's existance in the original ABA, Dampier was the ABA's most consistant guard - and it is a little known fact that he had the most assists in ABA history and scored the most points in ABA history! (in a league that featured Dr. J, Spencer Haywood, David Thompson, Connie Hawkins and other greats). Dampier was known for draining three-pointers with the flick of the wrist.
A native of Indianapolis and a graduate of Southport High School, prior to joining the ABA, Dampier was an All-American guard at the University of Kentucky. During his nine year career in the ABA, he averaged 18.9 points per game and then went on to play three seasons with the NBA's San Antonio Spurs before retiring and served also as an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets from 1988 to 2002. When the Kentucky Colonels did not merge into the NBA with four other teams, Dampier was disappointed. "If we had gone into the NBA, I think the fans would have supported us. They would have loved to see all the different players come through town. I spent most of my career in the ABA and had a lot of fun, but it became more of a business after I went into the NBA." With Dampier playing all nine ABA seasons, the Colonels won the most regular season games in ABA history.
Freddie Lewis, ABA Indiana Pacers captain and currently co-owner of the ABA Pittsburgh team commented, "Louis was a tremendous player and a fun to compete with. His team was terrific with guys like Goose Ligon, Sam Smith, George Tinsley, Bobby Rascoe, and of course Artis Gilmore, Dan Issel and Darrel Carrier - the competition between our two teams was fierce. I'm happy that a division has been named after Louis." For more information, visit www.abalive.com.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
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