Thunderbirds to hold free agent tryouts

October 12, 2005 - NBA G League (G League)
New Mexico Thunderbirds News Release


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., October 12, 2005 - Michael Cooper, 12-year NBA veteran, five-time NBA champion and head coach of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, will conduct open tryouts Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15-16 at the University of New Mexico-Johnson Center.

"As head coach of the Albuquerque Thunderbirds, I am excited to extend an invitation to all serious basketball players to attend our open tryouts," said Coach Cooper. "This is going to be a great opportunity for a talented athlete to join the group of players that we draft on November 3rd to form our training camp roster. We look forward to the Thunderbirds emerging from training camp with a professional and competitive squad that will represent the spirit and commitment of Albuquerque and the D-League."

The Thunderbirds' free agent tryouts offer local athletes an opportunity to showcase their talents in front of D-League coaches and scouts while they compete to earn a position in the team's official training camp. Training camp is scheduled to begin on November 5.

"Not only is this a chance for the top athletes in Albuquerque to show their stuff, this is an opportunity for the fans to see how high the level of competition will be in the D-League," said team president Billy Widner. "There are some great NBA players like Avery Johnson and Ben Wallace who started their NBA careers as un-drafted free agents. I hope we can find the next diamond in the rough."

Applicants must be at least 20 years of age and may pre-register by submitting the official registration, disclosure, and release forms, along with a $125 nonrefundable fee by 5 p.m. on Oct. 12. Applications are available at www.abqtbirds.com or the Albuquerque Thunderbirds office located at 2325 San Pedro, NE Suite 1A1, Albuquerque, NM 87110.

Tryouts will be limited to the first 150 players to register and no incomplete registrations will be accepted. All applicants to register after the pre-registration deadline will be subjected to a $150 nonrefundable fee.

The MCM Elegante', a full service hotel, is offering a $59 special room rate for participants of the Thunderbirds' free agent tryouts. The rate includes a hot breakfast and transportation to Johnson Gym for each session. Athletes interested should contact Shannon Mullan at shannonmullan@mcmelegante.com or log on at www.mcmelegante.com for more details. The MCM Elegante' is located at 2020 Menaul Blvd NE, just East of I-25.

The Thunderbirds home opener is Friday, Nov. 25 against the Tulsa 66ers, with tip off at 7 p.m. at Tingley Coliseum. The regular season begins with back-to-back outings against the 66ers in Tulsa on Nov. 18-19.



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