Yakima SunKings

Last updated
Yakima SunKings
Yakima SunKings Logo.png
League Continental Basketball Association
1990–2008
The Basketball League
2018–2019
Founded(1990-2008)
2017
History Kansas City Sizzlers
1985–1986
Topeka Sizzlers
1986–1990
Yakima Sun Kings
1990–2005
Yakama Sun Kings
2005–2008
Yakima SunKings
2018–2019
Arena Yakima SunDome
Location Yakima, Washington, U.S.
Team colors   
OwnershipJaime Campos
Championships6 (1995, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2018)

The Yakima SunKings are a basketball team located in Yakima, Washington, covering the central Washington sports market of Yakima, Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg and plays at the Yakima SunDome. The team competed in the Continental Basketball Association from 1990 to 2008. In June 2005, the team was purchased by the Yakama Indian Nation and was renamed the Yakama Sun Kings (from Yakima to Yakama) to honor the Nation.

Contents

In 2018, a new version of the team was launched in North American Premier Basketball, which then rebranded as The Basketball League in 2019. The team won the regular season title in both seasons and won the playoff championship in 2018. The league lost western teams prior to the 2020 season and the new SunKings decided against participation in the league.

History

The franchise started in Kansas City, Missouri, then moved to Topeka, Kansas, and the Pacific Northwest. In 1990, the team was purchased by Sacramento attorney Robert Wilson and was led By GM Brooks Ellison. Ex-Major League Baseball Player Ted Bowesfield was hired as an adviser. Dianne LaBissionaire, Pat Beehler, and Jay Mahn conducted day-to-day operations. A local contest to select a name was held, and the Yakima Sun Kings was chosen, replacing the old name, "Sizzlers". The team hired local favorite Dean Nicholson as coach. Dennis Rahm became the play by play radio announcer and handled media releases.

The Sun Kings was the first team to show a profit in the history of the CBA. The team was fairly successful historically, given the inconsistent nature of minor-league basketball; they won the 1994–95, 1999–2000, 2002–03, 2005–06 and 2006-07 CBA championships. The Sun Kings had a disappointing 2003–04 season when they posted a 10–38 record. They were also 0–9 against the CBA Champion Dakota Wizards.

Ronny Turiaf, a draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005, played nine games for the Sun Kings in the 2005–06 season, less than six months after undergoing open-heart surgery which caused the Lakers to void his contract. He averaged 13 points in nine games with the team before re-signing with the Lakers in January 2006. [1]

The Sun Kings won their fourth CBA Championship with a 111–101 victory in Game 3 of a best-of-3 finals series against the Gary Steelheads on March 27, 2006. [2]

In 2006–07 the Sun Kings repeated as champions, sweeping the Albany Patroons three games to none. [3]

On April 10, 2008, the Yakama Nation shut down team operations due to financial losses. [4]

On September 29, 2017, it was announced that the Yakima SunKings would be one of the founding franchises of the North American Premier Basketball. [5] In October 2017, Paul Woolpert was rehired as its head coach and general manager. [6] The team won the inaugural championship. The league became The Basketball League in 2019 and Woolpert left the team. The SunKings then removed itself from the league before the 2020 season as most of the western teams had folded.

Current roster

Yakima SunKings roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
F 1 Flag of the United States.svg Atterberry, Landon 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)210 lb (95 kg)29 – (1993-07-15)15 July 1993
G 11 Flag of the United States.svg Battle, Stephen 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)190 lb (86 kg)31 – (1991-04-16)16 April 1991
C Flag of the United States.svg Conrad, Jason 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)190 lb (86 kg)33 – (1989-04-23)23 April 1989
SF Flag of the United States.svg Farmer, Tony 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)245 lb (111 kg)28 – (1994-04-24)24 April 1994
G Flag of the United States.svg Koshwal, Mac 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)200 lb (91 kg)34 – (1987-10-19)19 October 1987
F 3 Flag of the United States.svg Schuck, Brent 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)190 lb (86 kg)32 – (1990-10-04)4 October 1990
PG Flag of the United States.svg Trapp, Jackson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg)29 – (1992-11-03)3 November 1992
Head coach
  • Flag of the United States.svg
Assistant coach(es)
  • Flag of the United States.svg Jim Berndt
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Notable former players

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References

  1. ↑ ESPN.com, "Lakers sign F Turiaf" accessed February 1, 2005
  2. ↑ Yakima Herald-Republic, "Sun Kings win CBA Title"
  3. ↑ Yakima Herald-Republic, "Without a doubt - Sun Kings win CBA Title"
  4. ↑ Seattle Times, "CBA's Sun Kings Fold"
  5. ↑ Herald-Republic, "Yakima will be one of eight cities to play in inaugural season of the North American Premier Basketball League Pro basketball — and Sun Kings — returning to Yakima "
  6. ↑ Thomas, Dave (2017-10-17). "Back to the future: Rebooted Sun Kings bring in Woolpert as coach, GM ; Professional Sports". yakimaherald.com. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  7. ↑ Thamel, Pete (2003-05-15). "PRO BASKETBALL; Bell Took Long Road To the N.B.A. (Published 2003)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-03-10.


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