Name a former NBA player and try to think about what he’s currently doing in his life.
It’s hard to pin point what some of your favorite NBA players are doing following the end of their careers. Some get lucky like Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Chauncey Billups and a few others. They locked in a career on television and made a name for themselves on some of the biggest broadcast networks. For others like Yao Ming, Dikembe Mutombo and Hakeem Olajuwon they found opportunities working with the NBA and their home nations to bring the game of basketball to the next generation of athletes. And of course, players like Kiki VanDeWeghe, Phil Jackson, Luke Walton and a whole host of others, they found work with the NBA front office or with a organization in some form.
There’s a nice group of former NBA players who have life going pretty well for them right now but what about the others who seemingly faded out of the NBA with no mention until they do something bad? More people remember Antoine Walker being broke than they remember him being an NBA champion. Von Wafer spent six seasons in the NBA but now all everyone wants to talk about is how he ‘begged’ NBA teams on twitter for another shot in the league. The list goes on and on but one thing is clear, not every former NBA player is given another chance once they leave the league.
Eddy Curry jokes this is the first time he's been in New York since Carmelo Anthony forced him out. pic.twitter.com/lIAub3lFSo
— Rob Lopez (@R0BaTO) August 9, 2016
Just this summer alone, there has been a huge spike in former NBA players looking to make a comeback to the league and most of the time, it’s a pointless effort. Very few NBA players leave the league and get a chance to comeback and play an important role on a team. Not saying there’s no chance for a guy like Stephen Jackson, Emeka Okafor or Ray Allen to be on a team come October but the chances are slim and the cases of success are close to zero.
Brandon Roy, Michael Jordan, Greg Oden, Metta World Peace, and Bob Cousy all have something in common. These are guys who played in the NBA and for one reason or another walked away for the game just only attempt a comeback. They all wanted to find that sense of belonging on an NBA team once again. Just about all of them didn’t return to form. Father time is forever undefeated and teams know that all too well.
It’s hard for a former NBA player to make a comeback to the NBA but there’s another league looking to bring that sense of team and camaraderie back to these former players. The Champions Basketball League, slated to begin in the summer of 2017, wants to be the new home for not only these ex-players but the young fans who want a chance to be there on the court with some of their favorite stars.
A little better look at the Gotham Ballers jerseys for @ChampsHoops league, sponsored by @adidasHoops. pic.twitter.com/pxzmzhFcdi
— Rob Lopez (@R0BaTO) August 9, 2016
“That’s a big void that nobody’s been able to address,” Champions Basketball League CEO and Founder Carl George said to media on Tuesday afternoon in a press conference held at Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier’s beautiful Manhattan restaurant ‘Clyde’s Wine and Dine’. Frazier, George and many others including Eddy Curry, Al Harrington, Corey Maggette and Marcus Banks were front and center at the press conference along with NBA legends Earl ‘The Pearl’ Monroe, Mark Agguire and New York basketball legend John Wallace. They were formally announcing the first team in the league, the Gotham Ballers.
“When you go to the Knick game, I might be the only autograph you get,” Ballers president and Knicks TV analyst Walt Frazier told reporters. “The players are isolated, and they have to be because they are so popular. [In] our league, we’re going to try and gather here after games.”
Mark Aguirre was recently named the President of Basketball organizations for the league. Frazier is enlisted as the team’s President, Monroe is slated to be the team’s General Manager and John Wallace will be the team head coach. The roster for the inaugural Gotham Ballers season includes: Al Harrington, Kenyon Martin, Shawn Marion, Eddy Curry, Kareem Rush, Tyshawn Taylor, Jamaal Tinsley, Terrence Williams, Josh Childress, Daniel ‘Boobie’ Gibson and Renaldo Balkman.
The New York team is the first of 16 expected to be announced in the coming months with the next announcement slated to be in Boston and the team already will include Corey Maggette.
There are a few main goals instilled with the new organization, a league that CEO Carl George names as an ‘extension’ league. They want to bring former NBA players to everyone who wasn’t able to see them before. They want to bring competitive basketball to cities all around the country when there might be a void in the sport and they also want to give back to those communities who helped them succeed. It also helps give the players an opportunity to handle life after basketball and put some money in their pockets.
Best look at the Gotham Ballers jerseys for the @ChampsHoops. Jerseys are sponsored by @adidasHoops. pic.twitter.com/tJjM6NuXnp
— Rob Lopez (@R0BaTO) August 9, 2016
In total the league hopes to one day expand to 24 teams, exclusively in NBA cities. They want to play in smaller college gyms, typically around a 6,000 person capacity. The teams are going to be divided up in two divisions, East and West. The league is open to only former NBA player and there are some requirements to be on a roster. You must be 1-3 years out from your final season to play or if you’re a former NBA All-Star, you must be at least five years removed from your final season. Carl George says he won’t turn down any player but he will make sure to adhere to these rules for every player. There are other ways players can be involved including in that organizations front office or even on the bench as a member oft he coaching staff. Tickets to games will cost $25 per person with a special deal for younger fans.
Beginning in 2017, seven home games and seven away games will round out the regular season schedule played throughout July and August with a championship tournament in September. Charitable exhibition games will be played during the offseason.
Cities that will host a @ChampsHoops team include NY, DC, Boston, LA, San Fran, Minneapolis, Detroit & Chicago. pic.twitter.com/CDmfUxgRRZ
— Rob Lopez (@R0BaTO) August 9, 2016
Carl George broke down some logistics of the league. He told me the players are getting paid $200,000 for a full season of games, 14 in total, which also includes compensation for different appearances, doing a number of community events. The players will also receive bonuses based on team performance. A team that places first in their respective division will receive an extra $50,000 per player and the team that wins the championship after a four day, NCAA-style tournament in Las Vegas will win $100,000 per player. Essentially, these players get a chance to work for 100 days and can win up to $350,000 while also making a difference in communities. The league will provide a hands-on approach to the fans, giving full access to all players, coaches and even management through meet-and-greets and pregame shootarounds, allowing young fans to get on the court.
“We’re thrilled to announce this powerful team lineup – these great talents, players straight out the NBA are passionate about the game and have ties to the region,” said Mark Aguirre, President of Basketball for Champions Basketball League. “Ultimately we are creating highly competitive play and connecting fans to these exciting games and athletes they love. We want everyone to have fun and interact with their favorite players and sports heroes in our exhibition games, and there’s even more excitement as we hit the hardwood next summer in 16 markets across the U.S.”
George closed the day by telling me the idea of this league is very simple. It’s somewhere former NBA players will be able to go to get another chance and be able to also connect with the community like never before.
“Really, if you think about it, anyone who doesn’t want to play in this league following the end of their career, just doesn’t have a love for the game”, says George. “If you can play and you can suit up, why not come here? The guys all know it and you’ll see a number of former stars take the court for us. It’s really as easy as dribbling a basketball and you’ll see a room full of former NBA players turn their heads. They all can and want to play and they will. They have a chance. They also have a chance to make a difference in the community and that’s the bigger mission behind all of this.”
Be sure to keep up with the Champions Basketball League and see when a team in your city will be announced.
