United States Basketball League: Difference between revisions

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==All Star Game==

==All Star Game==

The first edition was hel in 1985. [[Springfield Fame]] beat the USBL All-Stars, 87-75, in league’s inaugural all-star game in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/03/sports/all-stars-beaten.html|url-status= |date=July 3, 1985|title=All-Stars Beaten |publisher=nytimes.com|accessdate= }}</ref> [[Michael Adams (basketball)|Michael Adams]] with 18 points and 7 steals was the MVP. The All-Star team featured [[Manute Bol]], and [[John “Hot Rod” Williams]] among others.

The first edition was hel in 1985. [[Springfield Fame]] beat the USBL All-Stars, 87-75, in league’s inaugural all-star game in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/03/sports/all-stars-beaten.html|url-status= |date=July 3, 1985|title=All-Stars Beaten |publisher=nytimes.com|accessdate= }}</ref> [[Michael Adams (basketball)|Michael Adams]] with 18 points and 7 steals was the MVP. The All-Star team featured [[Manute Bol]], and [[John “Hot Rod” Williams]] among others.

<ref>{{cite web|url=https://funwhileitlasted.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1992-United-States-Basketball-League-Marketing-Brochure.pdf|url-status= |date= |title=USBL |publisher=funwhileitlasted.net|accessdate= }}</ref>

==20th Anniversary Team==

==20th Anniversary Team==

The United States Basketball League (USBL) was a professional men’s spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985 and ceased operations in 2008.

History

The United States Basketball League was founded in December 1984 by Daniel T. Meisenheimer, from Connecticut.[1][2][3] The league management initially planned to schedule about 40 games during the summer, and started to look for new teams to join the newly formed USBL.[4] Former NBA referee Richie Powers was named the league’s vice president and director of operations, while Earl Monroe was the commissioner.[5] Meisenheimer introduced a salary cap of $250,000 per team.[5][2] The teams for the first season were the Connecticut Colonials from New Haven, Connecticut; the New Jersey Jammers from Jersey City, New Jersey; the Long Island Knights from Long Island, New York (owned by Meisenheimer himself); the Rhode Island Gulls from Warwick, Rhode Island; the Springfield Fame from Springfield, Massachusetts; the Westchester Golden Apples from Westchester, New York; and the Wildwood Aces from Wildwood, New Jersey. Several players with NBA experience joined the USBL: among them Ken Bannister, Jim Bostic, Tracy Jackson, Lowes Moore, Eddie Lee Wilkins and Sam Worthen. Other players who played in the 1985 USBL season would later play in the NBA, such as Michael Adams, Manute Bol, Ron Crevier, Spud Webb and John “Hot Rod” Williams. After the regular season ended after each team played 25 games, the league management decided not to organize postseason games, since many players were going to join other teams for the start of the regular season of other leagues such as the NBA or the CBA.[6] The first USBL champions were the Springfield Fame, that had ended the regular season leading the league with a 19–6 record. Hot Rod Williams and Tracy Jackson were named co-MVPs, while Manute Bol led the league both in rebounds per game (14.2) and blocks per game (11.2).

In 1986 two teams, the Long Island Knights and the Rhode Island Gulls, left the league, and three new franchises joined the USBL: the Gold Coast Stingrays from West Palm Beach, Florida, the Staten Island Stallions from Staten Island, New York and the Tampa Bay Flash from Tampa, Florida. In the same year Nancy Lieberman joined the Springfield Fame and became the first female player to play in a professional league with men.[7] Lieberman debuted in June 1986 in a game against the Staten Island Stallions, playing 3 minutes during which she did not score.[7] In 1987 another woman joined the USBL: Lynette Richardson, who had played college basketball at Florida International, signed for the Miami Tropics.[8] On June 13, 1987, Richardson and Lieberman played against each other during a game between the Miami Tropics and the Long Island Knights: Richardson scored 3 points while Lieberman scored 2.[9][10]

The top teams of the regular season advanced to the USBL Postseason Festival, a playoffs system that saw teams play single elimination games in order to advance to the final game. On three occasions (1985, 1986 and 1990) no postseason was held, and the team with the best regular season record won the championship. In 1989 the USBL ceased operations temporarily in order to improve its organization, and resumed the following season, in 1990.[11]

Complete team list

Locations of final USBL teams and divisions

Salary cap

In 1992, the salary cap was $40,000 with rookies getting paid $315 per week.[12] In 1998 it had remained the same, as each franchise had a regular season salary cap of $40,000, which meant that an average player earned roughly around $400 a week during the 2-month season of the league (rosters of 10 players).[13]
As reported in 2000, the annual salary cap of the league was $47,500 for a franchise, for all its players. No player was allowed to receive more than $1,000 per week as salary.[14]

USBL Champions

Teams played a single championship game at the end of the playoffs to name the league champions

League awards

Player of the Year

Postseason MVP

Rookie of the Year

Coach of the Year

Defensive Player of the Year

Man of the Year

Statistical leaders

Scoring leaders

Rebounding leaders

Season Player Pos Team Rebounds per
game
1985 Manute Bol C Rhode Island Gulls 14.2[25]
1986 Jim Bostic F Westchester Golden Apples 10.1[26]
1987 Hank McDowell F/C Rhode Island Gulls 10.7[27]
1988 Michael Brooks F Philadelphia Aces 13.5[28]
1990 Alex Roberts F New York Whitecaps 15.3[29]
1991 Anthony Mason F Long Island Surf 11.2[30]
1992 Roy Tarpley C Miami Tropics 17.0[31]
1993 Fred Lewis F Daytona Beach Hooters 9.3[32]
1994 Keith Lee F/C Memphis Fire 14.5
1995 Brent Scott C Miami Tropics 12.0[33]
1996 Shawnelle Scott C Long Island Surf 13.5
1997 Brent Scott (2) C Atlantic City Seagulls 11.4
1998 Andre Perry F Atlanta Trojans 11.0
1999 Andre Perry (2) F Atlanta Trojans 11.6
2000 Andre Perry (3) F Florida Sea Dragons 11.4
2001 John Jackson F Kansas Cagerz 12.0[34]
2002 John Jackson (2) F Kansas Cagerz 11.7
2003 Antonio Smith C Dodge City Legend 11.3
2004 Mario Woodson F Florence Flyers 10.5
2005 Roderick Riley C Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs 10.2
2006 Steve Castleberry F Northeast Pennsylvania Breakers 10.7
2007 Jason Miller F/C Kansas Cagerz 8.0

Assists leaders

All Star Game

The first edition was hel in 1985. Springfield Fame beat the USBL All-Stars, 87-75, in league’s inaugural all-star game in 1985.[36] Michael Adams with 18 points and 7 steals was the MVP. The All-Star team featured Manute Bol, and John “Hot Rod” Williams among others.
[37]

20th Anniversary Team

On 21 July 2005 the League announced the players of its “Top 20 and Beyond Anniversary Team” were chosen by a vote of executives, coaches, and administrators that have served over the years in the USBL.[38]

Players

An alphabetical listing of 20 voted players is as follows:

Honorable mention by USBL (2005):

  • Lloyd Daniels – “Sweet Pea” first showed the world his talents in the USBL.
  • Darrin Hancock – Is one of only two players with 3 USBL Championship Rings.
  • Tim Legler – The ESPN analyst played 4 great seasons with the Philadelphia franchise.

Coaches

Notable past players

Source[39]

USA

See also

References

  1. ^ “Daniel T. Meisenheimer”. twst.com. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  2. ^ a b “Summer baskets loop set”. New York Daily News. December 21, 1984. p. 311.
  3. ^ “New Pro Basketball League Will Have Old Pros’ Touch”. Philadelphia Daily News. January 9, 1985. p. 76.
  4. ^ “Hoop team a name with which to conjure”. New York Daily News. February 28, 1985. p. 88.
  5. ^ a b Goldaper, Sam (June 25, 1985). “N.B.A. Hopfuls Find a Showcase”. The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  6. ^ “Daniel T. Meisenheimer III, president and founder of the U.S. Basketball League, announced Friday that the first-year league will not conduct any type of playoffs or championship series this season”. UPI. July 20, 1985. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Lidz, Franz (June 23, 1986). “Mixing It Up With the Guys”. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  8. ^ Camillone, Jude (June 2, 1987). “Seeking Jobs in the NBA, The USBL Is No Joke”. Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  9. ^ “It’s a whole other World for Free in summer USBL”. The Akron Beacon Journal. June 14, 1987. p. 61.
  10. ^ “Will Birmingham join the United States Basketball League?”. birminghamprosports.com. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  11. ^ “USBL 1989 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  12. ^ Pro Basketball Comes to Lakewood (28/6/1992) – nytimes.com
  13. ^ – washingtonpost.com
  14. ^ UNITED STATES BASKETBALL LEAGUE, INC. – edgar-online.com
  15. ^ a b c d e “USBL hands out postseason awards”. oursportscentral.com. July 2, 2002. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  16. ^ a b c d e “USBL hands out post-season awards”. oursportscentral.com. July 2, 2003. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  17. ^ a b c d e “USBL honors All-USBL Teams”. oursportscentral.com. July 6, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  18. ^ a b c d e “USBL reveals All-USBL teams”. oursportscentral.com. July 5, 2005. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  19. ^ a b c d “Oklahoma’s White named player of the year”. oursportscentral.com. June 22, 2006. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  20. ^ a b c “Cagerz Richardson named USBL MVP”. kansascagerz.com. June 28, 2007. Archived from the original on October 21, 2007. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  21. ^ “Atlantic City Seagulls win USBL title”. The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 30, 1998. p. 47.
  22. ^ “USBL Unveils 20th Anniversary Team”. oursportscentral.com. June 21, 2005. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  23. ^ “2006 USBL championship game recap”. oursportscentral.com. June 25, 2006. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  24. ^ “Steelheads’ Schaper named USBL Rookie of the Year”. oursportscentral.com. June 27, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  25. ^ a b c “USBL 1985 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  26. ^ a b c “USBL 1986 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  27. ^ a b c “USBL 1987 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  28. ^ a b c “USBL 1988 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  29. ^ a b c “USBL 1990 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  30. ^ a b c “USBL 1991 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  31. ^ a b c “USBL 1992 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  32. ^ a b c “USBL 1993 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  33. ^ a b c “USBL 1995 Season Recap”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2000. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  34. ^ a b c “United States Basketball League Standings”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2001. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  35. ^ Farrey, Tom (July 10, 2012). “Buyer Beware Lenny Cooke Thought He Would Have It All. Now He Wonders What’s Left”. ESPN.com. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  36. ^ “All-Stars Beaten”. nytimes.com. July 3, 1985.
  37. ^ “USBL” (PDF). funwhileitlasted.net.
  38. ^ “USBL Unveils 20th Anniversary Team”. oursportscentral.com. July 21, 2005.
  39. ^ “All-Time USBL Roster”. usbl.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2004. Retrieved November 8, 2019.

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