About CBA Teams
The Continental Basketball Association was one of the
most important minor professional basketball leagues in American
basketball history. The league was known as the Eastern Basketball
Association before adopting the CBA name in 1978.
CBA franchises frequently relocated or changed names. Because of that,
the same franchise could operate in several cities over a relatively
short period. The table below groups those connected franchises
together whenever a clear lineage exists.
Many CBA teams also played an important role in developing players,
coaches and executives who later reached the NBA.
CBA Teams and Franchise Histories
| Primary Team / Franchise |
Years |
Franchise History / Name Changes |
| Albany Patroons |
1982-2000 |
Albany Patroons (1982-1992) →
Capital Region Pontiacs (1992-93) →
Hartford Hellcats (1993-94) →
Connecticut Pride (1994-2000)
|
| Albany Patroons |
2005-2009 |
Albany returned to the CBA in 2005 and remained through the league's
final season in 2008-09.
|
| Alberta Dusters |
1980-1985 |
Alberta Dusters (1980-1982) →
Las Vegas Silvers (1982) →
Albuquerque Silvers (1982-1985)
|
| Allentown Jets |
1978-1981 |
Allentown Jets (1978-79) →
Lehigh Valley Jets (1979-1981)
|
| Anchorage Northern Knights |
1978-1983 |
Anchorage Northern Knights |
| Atlanta Krunk |
2007-08 |
Atlanta Krunk |
| Baltimore Metros |
1978-1983 |
Baltimore Metros (1978-79) →
Mohawk Valley Thunderbirds (1979) →
Utica Olympics (1979-80) →
Atlantic City Hi-Rollers (1980-1983)
|
| Butte Daredevils |
2006-08 |
Butte Daredevils |
| Dakota Wizards |
2001-06 |
Dakota Wizards; later moved to the NBA Development League.
|
| Detroit Spirits |
1982-1995 |
Detroit Spirits (1982-86) →
Savannah Spirits (1986-88) →
Tulsa Fast Breakers (1988-91) →
Tulsa Zone (1991-92) →
Fargo-Moorhead Fever (1992-94) →
Mexico City Aztecas (1994-95) →
San Diego Wildcards (1995)
|
| East Kentucky Miners |
2007-09 |
East Kentucky Miners |
| Evansville Thunder |
1984-86 |
Evansville Thunder |
| Fargo-Moorhead Beez |
2001-02 |
Fargo-Moorhead Beez |
| Flint Fuze |
2001-05 |
Flint Fuze (2001-02) →
Great Lakes Storm (2002-05)
|
| Fort Wayne Fury |
1991-2001 |
Fort Wayne Fury |
| Gary Steelheads |
2000-06 |
Gary Steelheads |
| Grand Rapids Hoops |
1989-2003 |
Grand Rapids Hoops (1989-94) →
Grand Rapids Mackers (1994-96) →
Grand Rapids Hoops (1996-2003)
|
| Great Falls Explorers |
2006-08 |
Great Falls Explorers |
| Hawaii Volcanos |
1979-1984 |
Hawaii Volcanos (1979-80) →
Billings Volcanos (1980-84)
|
| Idaho Stampede |
1997-2006 |
Idaho Stampede; later moved to the NBA Development League.
|
| Indiana Alley Cats |
2006-07 |
Indiana Alley Cats |
| Jersey Shore Bullets |
1978-79 |
Jersey Shore Bullets |
| Kansas City Sizzlers |
1985-2008 |
Kansas City Sizzlers (1985-86) →
Topeka Sizzlers (1986-90) →
Yakima Sun Kings (1990-2008)
|
| Lancaster Red Roses |
1978-2006 |
Lancaster Red Roses (1978-80) →
Philadelphia Kings (1980-81) →
Lancaster Lightning (1981-85) →
Baltimore Lightning (1985-86) →
Rockford Lightning (1986-2006)
|
| Louisville Catbirds |
1983-1995 |
Louisville Catbirds (1983-85) →
La Crosse Catbirds (1985-94) →
Pittsburgh Piranhas (1994-95)
|
| Maine Lumberjacks |
1978-1995 |
Maine Lumberjacks (1978-83) →
Bay State Bombardiers (1983-86) →
Pensacola Tornados (1986-91) →
Birmingham Bandits (1991-92) →
Rochester Renegade (1992-94) →
Harrisburg Hammerheads (1994-95)
|
| Michigan Mayhem |
2004-06 |
Michigan Mayhem |
| Minot SkyRockets |
2006-09 |
Minot SkyRockets |
| Montana Golden Nuggets |
1980-1986 |
Montana Golden Nuggets (1980-83) →
Puerto Rico Coquis (1983-85) →
Maine Windjammers (1985-86)
|
| Ohio Mixers |
1982-1995 |
Ohio Mixers (1982-84) →
Cincinnati Slammers (1984-87) →
Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets (1988-91) →
Tri-City Chinook (1991-95)
|
| Oklahoma Cavalry |
2007-09 |
Oklahoma Cavalry (2007-08) →
Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry (2008-09)
|
| Oklahoma City Cavalry |
1990-97 |
Oklahoma City Cavalry |
| Pittsburgh Xplosion |
2006-08 |
Pittsburgh Xplosion |
| Quad City Thunder |
1987-2001 |
Quad City Thunder |
| Reno Bighorns |
1982-83 |
Reno Bighorns. This franchise is unrelated to the later NBA D-League
team of the same name.
|
| Rio Grande Valley Silverados |
2007-08 |
Rio Grande Valley Silverados |
| Rochester Zeniths |
1978-1984 |
Rochester Zeniths |
| Rockford Lightning |
2007-09 |
A later Rockford Lightning franchise played during the CBA's final era.
|
| San Jose Jammers |
1989-92 |
San Jose Jammers (1989-91) →
Bakersfield Jammers (1991-92)
|
| Santa Barbara Islanders |
1989-90 |
Santa Barbara Islanders |
| Sarasota Stingers |
1983-1996 |
Sarasota Stingers (1983-85) →
Florida Stingers (1985-86) →
Charleston Gunners (1986-89) →
Columbus Horizon (1989-94) →
Shreveport Crawdads (1994-95) →
Shreveport Storm (1995-96)
|
| Saskatchewan Hawks |
2001-02 |
Saskatchewan Hawks |
| Sioux Falls Skyforce |
1989-2006 |
Sioux Falls Skyforce (1989-2000; 2001-06). The franchise later joined
the NBA Development League.
|
| Tampa Bay Thrillers |
1984-1997 |
Tampa Bay Thrillers (1984-86) →
Rapid City Thrillers (1986-95) →
Florida Beachdogs (1995-97)
|
| Toronto Tornados |
1983-2001 |
Toronto Tornados (1983-85) →
Pensacola Tornados (1985-86) →
Jacksonville Jets (1986) →
Mississippi Jets (1986-87) →
Wichita Falls Texans (1988-94) →
Chicago Rockers (1994-96) →
La Crosse Bobcats (1996-2001)
|
| Utah Eagles |
2006-07 |
Utah Eagles |
| Wilkes-Barre Barons |
1978-1981 |
Wilkes-Barre Barons (1978-79) →
Pennsylvania Barons (1979-80) →
Scranton Aces (1980-81)
|
| Wisconsin Flyers |
1982-1998 |
Wisconsin Flyers (1982-87) →
Rochester Flyers (1987-89) →
Omaha Racers (1989-98)
|
| Wyoming Wildcatters |
1982-88 |
Wyoming Wildcatters |
Notable CBA Franchise Lineages
Yakima Sun Kings:
The franchise began as the Kansas City Sizzlers in 1985, became the
Topeka Sizzlers in 1986 and moved to Yakima in 1990. The Sun Kings
became one of the most successful teams of the later CBA era.
Rockford Lightning:
The franchise originated as the Lancaster Red Roses and passed through
Philadelphia, Lancaster again and Baltimore before arriving in
Rockford in 1986.
La Crosse Catbirds:
The franchise began as the Louisville Catbirds, moved to La Crosse in
1985 and later became the Pittsburgh Piranhas.
Rapid City Thrillers:
The franchise began as the Tampa Bay Thrillers, moved to Rapid City in
1986 and later became the Florida Beachdogs.
Omaha Racers:
The franchise previously operated as the Wisconsin Flyers and Rochester
Flyers before moving to Omaha in 1989.
CBA and the NBA
For decades, the CBA served as an important developmental league for
the NBA. Players such as John Starks, Mario Elie and Tim Legler spent
time in the CBA before establishing NBA careers.
The league also developed a notable group of coaches, including
Phil Jackson, George Karl, Flip Saunders, Bill Musselman and
Eric Musselman.
Several CBA franchises eventually moved into the NBA Development
League, including the Dakota Wizards, Idaho Stampede and Sioux Falls
Skyforce.
Final Years of the CBA
The CBA entered its final years with a much smaller collection of
franchises. The 2008-09 season began with only four league teams.
Financial problems caused the schedule to be shortened, and league
operations ended in early 2009.
The Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry defeated the Albany Patroons in the final
CBA championship series.
