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Turning dreams into reality: USBL alums vie for NBA title

June 8, 2006 - United States Basketball League (USBL) News Release


MILFORD, CT "" (June 8, 2006) The United States Basketball League (USBL) calls itself the "League of Opportunity" for a very good reason. For over twenty years, basketball players have come to the USBL hoping to play basketball professionally and one-day play for a National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship. Since its inception in 1985, the USBL has produced numerous NBA players, many of whom were not drafted out of college. The USBL serves as a stepping stone for many players with dreams of playing in front of thousands of fans on the same courts their idols played in years past. What started as dreams for many players has now become reality for several USBL alumni in the 2005-06 NBA regular season and playoffs.

Raja Bell, a rising NBA star and team leader for the Phoenix Suns this season, played for the Tampa Bay Windjammers in 1999. Due to the absence of injured superstar Amare Stoudemire for almost the entire 2005-06 NBA season coupled with the departure of talented free agent swingman Joe Johnson and the trade of Quentin Richardson to the Knicks during the off-season, Bell made the most of a golden opportunity and was an unsung hero for the Suns. He averaged career highs in points (14.7), rebounds (3.2) and assists (2.6) while shooting at an impressive 44.2% clip from three-point range. Bell also contributed stellar defense, something the Suns sorely lacked, and was given the unenviable task of holding Laker superstar Kobe Bryant in check during the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Bell took the challenge in stride and helped the Suns overcome a 3-1 series deficit to oust Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round. Bell's Phoenix Suns ultimately reached the Western Conference Finals before finally bowing out at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks.

The USBL boasts several ties to the Dallas Mavericks, including head coach Avery Johnson. After being passed over in the NBA draft, Johnson turned to the USBL for an opportunity to prove he could play at the next level. Johnson was a member of the Palm Beach Stingrays in 1988 where he won USBL All-Defensive team and USBL All-Rookie team honors. His achievements in the USBL allowed NBA scouts to get a closer look at Johnson and better evaluate his potential in the NBA, eventually leading to a prosperous and productive 16-year playing career in the NBA. Johnson was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2005-06 and he has his Mavericks four wins away from their first NBA title in just his second season as head coach. Johnson also won a NBA title while playing for the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.

Veteran role players Adrian Griffin and Darrell Armstrong add depth and experience to a championship-caliber Dallas Mavericks team. Griffin was named USBL MVP in 1999 and won two USBL titles with the Atlantic City Seagulls. Armstrong was named to the All-USBL First team in 1993 and had arguably the greatest single-game performance by a player in USBL history when he recorded a quadruple-double on July 3, 1992 that included 43 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, and 10 steals. Both players are known as staunch defenders as well and earned USBL All-Defensive team honors in 1999 and 1992 respectively.

Also, two members of the Mavericks front office were former USBL coaches. Kevin Stacom, now a Mavericks scout, coached the Rhode Island Gulls in 1985. Mavericks' player development and advance scout, Paul Mokeski, coached the Connecticut Skyhawks in 1996. Stacom and Mokeski are prime examples of how coaches have used the USBL to further their careers in professional basketball and are now part of a team on the verge of winning a NBA title.

Mike James, another prominent NBA player and USBL alum, did not get a chance to showcase his talent in this year's NBA Playoffs, but was one of the most integral players on his team. A product of Duquesne, James played for the USBL's Long Island Surf in 1999. Although he was not drafted into the NBA, James was invited to NBA Summer Camps. After being signed by the Heat in 2001, James bounced around the NBA until breaking out with the Toronto Raptors this year. This NBA season, James paced the Raptors by averaging a career-high 20.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game while also shooting a torrid 44.2% from beyond the arc. His veteran presence and leadership was a lone bright spot on a young and inexperienced Raptor team that finished near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. James will be a coveted free agent this off-season after playing the last year of his contract in 2005-06. James is a perfect example of a player that used his playing experience in the USBL to get better. James did not put up huge numbers while in the USBL, but nevertheless he stayed motivated and kept working towards his goal of playing in the NBA. He developed a great work ethic and proved even the average players in the USBL can still live out their dreams.

With the 2006 USBL Post Season Championship nearing, another group of USBL alumni will continue to follow their dreams. Every summer former USBL players can be found throughout NBA Summer Camps. Antonio Meeking (Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs '04) and Corey Williams (Brooklyn Kings '01 and '03) were among the final cuts prior to the 2005-06 NBA season. The summer of 2006 may provide an opportunity for current USBL players such as Nebraska's Brian Chase, Ricky Shields, or Jason Smith. Could Dodge City's Kyle Davis become the next player from the USBL to see the NBA? These players will have to wait to find out, but on June 23 in Dodge City, KS you can bet those players will be thinking about making the most of their opportunity, as they get ready to play for the 2006 USBL Championship that weekend. Scouts and coaches from other professional basketball leagues worldwide, including the NBA, will be on hand to find the next Adrian Griffin as the "League of Opportunity" once again lives up to its name and players turn dreams into reality.



United States Basketball League Stories from June 8, 2006


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