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The Longest Road Trip

November 30, 2006 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Strong Island Sound News Release


The career path from minor league basketball to overseas

It must be a very difficult decision. But the financial lure ends up being the hook, and many players agree to make that long journey playing in their own backyard to going thousands of miles away. To a place where they not only do not know anyone, but not even the language. But a place where they can be dominant and hopefully take their career to the next level.

The independent minor league basketball circuit in the United States is vast and there are many opportunities to show your skills. For players that may have had a cup of coffee in the NBA, or others that are striving for 'a look,' these leagues are a stepping stone. Then there are the players that are showing their wares for a chance to move on, but not to 'the show.' A likely path is to the professional ranks around the world. Europe, Asia, South America, the Middle East. Just about anywhere you can think of, the game of basketball is played. And for one of these countries to sign a talented American player is though of as a coup.

The Strong Island Sound have had many of their players in their short history leave to go ply their trade overseas. The latest is guard Michael Campbell, who recently signed with BBC Royal Atomia Brussels in the Belgian First Division. Campbell was having a strong season with the Sound over the first eight games, averaging 20.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game. In 2005-06, Campbell played 19 games with Strong Island before signing to play in Poland and later in Puerto Rico. Earlier this season, guard Nate Brown went from the Sound to IR Reykjavik in the Iceland Express League.

Last season, the Sound had their share of players that either left during or after the season to play overseas. PF/C Shawn Simpson had a big night off the bench in the team's first game at North East Pennsylvania, and parlayed that into a contract with Samsunspor in the Turkish League. PF/C Garnett Thompson signed with AZS Gaz Ziemny Koszalin in Poland in January 2006. Following the team's run to the ABA Final Four, three players signed on overseas. G Rasheed Sparks went to the Japan BJ League with the Takamatsu Five Arrows. PF/C Robert Gittens moved on to Poland with the Znicz Sokolow Jaroslaw. G Chris Sandy, perhaps the most important acquisition by Strong Island, used an impressive ABA post-season as a stepping stone to join Kouvot Kouvola in Finland. Unfortunately, Sandy was killed in an automobile accident while overseas in November of 2006.

Who will be the next member of the Sound to sign to play elsewhere? That remains to be seen. But life in the independent leagues is just that. You want your team to do well and the players to succeed. But part of that means that they will be discovered and move on. Thankfully, there is a large pool of talented players that can take their place and hopefully perform as well. Kind of like a double edge sword.

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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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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