About the USBL Awards
The United States Basketball League operated as a
spring and summer professional basketball league and became known as
"The League of Opportunity." The USBL gave players, coaches and
executives a chance to develop professionally while competing in a
short-season format.
The league presented a variety of annual awards, including Player of
the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year and postseason honors.
Defensive Player of the Year became a regular award during the final
years of the league.
The USBL suspended operations for the 1989 season before returning in
1990. Its final season was played in 2007.
USBL Player of the Year
| Year |
Player |
Team |
| 1985 | John "Hot Rod" Williams | Rhode Island Gulls |
| 1985 | Tracy Jackson | Springfield Flame |
| 1986 | Don Collins | Tampa Bay Flash |
| 1987 | Don Collins | Tampa Bay Stars |
| 1988 | Lewis Lloyd | Philadelphia Aces |
| 1989 |
League suspended operations for the 1989 season |
| 1990 | Jerry Johnson | Jacksonville Hooters |
| 1991 | Michael Anderson | Philadelphia Spirit |
| 1992 | Roy Tarpley | Miami Tropics |
| 1993 | Ken Bannister | |
| 1994 | Stan Rose | Atlanta Trojans |
| 1995 | Charles Smith | Florida Sharks |
| 1996 | Brent Scott | Portland Mountain Cats |
| 1997 | Dennis Edwards | Florida Sharks |
| 1998 | Curt Smith | Washington Congressionals |
| 1999 | Adrian Griffin | Atlantic City Seagulls |
| 2000 | Sean Colson | Dodge City Legend |
| 2001 | Jason Lampa | Brooklyn Kings |
| 2002 | Kwan Johnson | Brevard Blue Ducks |
| 2003 | Albert Mouring | Oklahoma Storm |
| 2004 | Chudney Gray | Brooklyn Kings |
| 2005 | Nate Johnson | Kansas Cagerz |
| 2006 | Quannas White | Oklahoma Storm |
| 2007 | Anthony Richardson | Kansas Cagerz |
USBL Rookie of the Year
| Year |
Player |
Team |
| 1985 | John "Hot Rod" Williams | Rhode Island Gulls |
| 1986 | Marty Embry | Jersey Jammers |
| 1987 | Muggsy Bogues | Rhode Island Gulls |
| 1988 | Ricky Grace | Jersey Shore Bucs |
| 1989 |
League suspended operations for the 1989 season |
| 1990 | Randy Henry | Jacksonville Hooters |
| 1991 | Greg Sutton | Empire State Stallions |
| 1992 | Fred Lewis | Jacksonville Hooters |
| 1993 | Khari Jaxon | Palm Beach Stingrays |
| 1994 | Randy Carter | Memphis Fire |
| 1995 | Roger Crawford | |
| 1996 | Mike Lloyd | Atlantic City Seagulls |
| 1997 | Mikki Moore | Atlanta Trojans |
| 1998 | Kerry Thompson | Tampa Bay Windjammers |
| 1999 | Adrian Pledger | New Hampshire Thunder Loons |
| 2000 | Jason Lampa | Long Island Surf |
| 2001 | George Evans | Maryland Mustangs |
| 2002 |
Devin Brown |
Kansas Cagerz |
| 2002 |
Corsley Edwards |
Adirondack Wildcats |
| 2003 | Lenny Cooke | Brooklyn Kings |
| 2004 | Tony Bland | Brevard Blue Ducks |
| 2005 |
Badou Gaye |
Westchester Wildfire |
| 2005 |
John Allen |
New Jersey Flyers |
| 2006 | Tristan Smith | Long Island PrimeTime |
| 2007 | Adam Schaper | Gary Steelheads |
USBL Coach of the Year
| Year |
Coach |
Team |
| 1985 | Gerald Oliver | Springfield Flame |
| 1986 | Henry Bibby | |
| 1987 | Gordon Gibbons | Tampa Bay Stars |
| 1988 | Dave Ervin | Philadelphia Aces |
| 1989 |
League suspended operations for the 1989 season |
| 1990 | Rex Morgan | Jacksonville Hooters |
| 1991 | Bill Lange | Philadelphia Spirit |
| 1992 | Al Outlaw | Atlanta Eagles |
| 1993 | John Lucas II | Miami Tropics |
| 1994 | Al Outlaw | Atlanta Trojans |
| 1995 | Mike Mashak | Jersey Turnpikes |
| 1996 | Eric Musselman | Florida Sharks |
| 1997 | Kevin Mackey | Atlantic City Seagulls |
| 1998 | Ray Hodge | Connecticut Skyhawks |
| 1999 |
Darryl Dawkins |
Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
| 1999 |
Kevin Mackey |
Atlantic City Seagulls |
| 2000 | Kent Davidson | Dodge City Legend |
| 2001 | Robert Parish | Maryland Mustangs |
| 2002 |
Francis Flax |
Kansas Cagerz |
| 2002 |
Harvey Grant |
Brevard Blue Ducks |
| 2003 | Cliff Levingston | Dodge City Legend |
| 2004 | Dale Osbourne | Dodge City Legend |
| 2005 | Ken Charles | Brooklyn Kings |
| 2006 | Bryan Gates | Oklahoma Storm |
| 2007 | Dale Osbourne | Dodge City Legend |
USBL Defensive Player of the Year
| Year |
Player |
Team |
| 2002 | Johnny Jackson | Kansas Cagerz |
| 2003 | Kevin Freeman | Westchester Wildfire |
| 2004 | Immanuel McElroy | Dodge City Legend |
| 2005 | Eric Coley | Oklahoma Storm |
| 2006 | Anthony Johnson | Kansas Cagerz |
| 2007 | Ronald Ross | Albany Patroons |
USBL Postseason MVP
| Year |
Player |
Team |
| 1987 | World B. Free | Miami Tropics |
| 1988 | Bobby Parks | New Haven Skyhawks |
| 1989 |
League suspended operations for the 1989 season |
| 1990 | | |
| 1991 | Paul Graham | Philadelphia Spirit |
| 1992 | Duane Washington | Miami Tropics |
| 1993 | Ken Bannister | |
| 1994 | Fred Lewis | Jacksonville Hooters |
| 1995 | Charles Smith | Florida Sharks |
| 1996 | Charles Smith | |
| 1997 |
Mark Baker / Brent Scott |
Atlantic City Seagulls |
| 1998 | Adrian Griffin | Atlantic City Seagulls |
| 1999 | Adrian Griffin | Atlantic City Seagulls |
| 2000 | | |
| 2001 |
Frantz Pierre-Louis / Ace Custis |
Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
| 2002 | Joe Ira Clark | Oklahoma Storm |
| 2003 | Darrin Hancock | Dodge City Legend |
| 2004 | Marcus Fleming | Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
| 2005 | Jermaine Boyette | Dodge City Legend |
| 2006 | Alex Sanders | Nebraska Cranes |
| 2007 | Nate Johnson | Kansas Cagerz |
2003 United States Basketball League Postseason Awards
USBL Player of the Year:
Albert Mouring — Oklahoma Storm
USBL Coach of the Year:
Cliff Levingston — Dodge City Legend
USBL Rookie of the Year:
Lenny Cooke — Brooklyn Kings
USBL Defensive Player of the Year:
Kevin Freeman — Westchester Wildfire
USBL Sixth Man of the Year:
David Graves — Dodge City Legend
USBL Executive of the Year:
Tom Nelson — Dodge City Legend
2003 All-USBL First Team
| Player |
Team |
Position |
College |
| Kareem Reid |
Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
Guard |
Arkansas |
| Albert Mouring |
Oklahoma Storm |
Guard |
UConn |
| Ace Custis |
Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
Forward |
Virginia Tech |
| Darrin Hancock |
Dodge City Legend |
Forward |
Kansas |
| Johnny Jackson |
Kansas Cagerz |
Forward |
Mississippi |
2003 All-USBL Second Team
| Player |
Team |
Position |
College |
| Lenny Cooke |
Brooklyn Kings |
Guard |
None |
| Olden Polynice |
Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
Center |
Virginia |
| Kevin Freeman |
Westchester Wildfire |
Forward |
UConn |
| Lee Benson |
Kansas Cagerz |
Forward |
Brown Mackie CC |
| Antonio Smith |
Dodge City Legend |
Forward |
Michigan State |
2003 USBL All-Rookie Team
| Player |
Team |
Position |
College |
| David Graves |
Dodge City Legend |
Guard |
Notre Dame |
| Lenny Cooke |
Brooklyn Kings |
Guard |
None |
| Bingo Merriex |
Texas Rim Rockers |
Forward |
TCU |
| Anthony Glover |
Brooklyn Kings |
Forward |
St. John's |
| Ousmane Cisse |
Brevard Blue Ducks |
Center |
None |
2003 USBL All-Defensive Team
| Player |
Team |
Position |
College |
| Kareem Reid |
Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
Guard |
Arkansas |
| Tim Winn |
Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs |
Guard |
St. Bonaventure |
| Immanuel McElroy |
Dodge City Legend |
Guard |
Cincinnati |
| Kevin Freeman |
Westchester Wildfire |
Forward |
UConn |
| Johnny Jackson |
Kansas Cagerz |
Forward |
Mississippi |
USBL Award Notes
Several notable future and former NBA players won USBL awards,
including John "Hot Rod" Williams, Muggsy Bogues, Roy Tarpley,
Adrian Griffin, Devin Brown, Mikki Moore and Robert Parish.
Don Collins won consecutive Player of the Year awards in 1986 and
1987. Kevin Mackey was a two-time Coach of the Year with Atlantic City,
while Dale Osbourne won Coach of the Year in both 2004 and 2007.
The USBL did not operate during the 1989 season. Award records for some
early seasons are incomplete, particularly team affiliations for a
small number of winners.
