Chicago Ballers

The Chicago Ballers were a basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The team competed in the Junior Basketball Association (JBA), a league created for high school and junior college players as an alternative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Chicago Ballers
LeagueJBA
Founded2018
HistoryChicago Ballers
2018 JBA season
LocationChicago, Illinois
Team coloursDark red, black, white
              
Head coachNicolas Colon

History

The JBA was first announced on December 20, 2017, when media personality LaVar Ball said to Slam magazine that he would create a professional league targeted at high school graduates and fully funded by his sports apparel company Big Baller Brand.[1][2] The league held tryouts in Chicago in April 2018, attracting 100 prospects but initially selecting only two players to its Chicago Ballers team: former Simeon Career Academy standout Kezo Brown and junior college player Antonio Singleton.[3][4][5] However, it held more tryouts in the same city at a later date.[5]

Brown, a former Chicago State commit embattled with mental health issues in high school, was encouraged to join the Ballers after Chicago State head coach Tracy Dildy was fired and assumed the same position with the Chicago JBA team.[6] However, Dildy was replaced by Eddie Denard, who had been his assistant at Chicago State, before the season began.[7][8] Singleton, on the other hand, struggled academically in high school and later played for Dakota College at Bottineau.[9] On June 8, 2018, members of the Ballers were interviewed on WCIU-TV.[8]

On July 13, coach Eddie Denard drew widespread criticism after shoving and verbally berating Montrell Dixson.[10] In their next game on July 19, the Chicago squad was coached by former Sacramento State University assistant coach Nicolas Colon, effectively replacing coach Denard moving forward.[11][12]

Final roster

Chicago Ballers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
PG 2 Brown, Kezo 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 20 – (1999-12-27)27 December 1999
G/F 3 Singleton, Antonio 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 194 lb (88 kg) 23 – (1997-08-17)17 August 1997
F 7 Pope, Josiah 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 202 lb (92 kg) 22 – (1998-03-11)11 March 1998
F 10 Lee, Shawn 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 22 – (1997-09-09)9 September 1997
SF 11 Dixson, Montrell 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 194 lb (88 kg) 22 – (1998-07-22)22 July 1998
SG 20 Watson, Lenell 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 21 – (1999-01-01)1 January 1999
G/F 22 Lyle, Deon (C) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 23 – (1996-08-30)30 August 1996
G/F 23 Rieger, Harrison 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 181 lb (82 kg) 22 – (1998-05-10)10 May 1998
Head coach
  • Nicolas Colon
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured
Updated: August 3, 2018
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References
  1. Calle, Franklyn (December 20, 2017). "LaVar Ball Launches Pro League". SLAM. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  2. Rovell, Darren (December 21, 2017). "LaVar Ball plans to start league for high school graduates". ESPN. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  3. Martin, Josh (April 24, 2018). "Lonzo Ball, JBA find seven players for LaVar Ball's league in Atlanta, Chicago". Lonzo Wire.
  4. http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/04/24/north-central-grad-selected-lavar-balls-new-professional-basketball-league/545785002/
  5. Martin, Josh (April 26, 2018). "LaVar Ball's JBA league to reportedly hold more tryouts in Chicago". Lonzo Wire. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  6. O'Brien, Michael (May 19, 2018). "Kezo Brown is going pro, will play in LaVar Ball's JBA". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  7. "Eddie Denard". Chicago State Cougars. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  8. "Sports Edition: Chicago Ballers". WCIU-TV. June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  9. Neddenriep, Kyle (April 24, 2018). "North Central grad selected for LaVar Ball's new professional basketball league". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  10. Martin, Josh (July 19, 2018). "LaVar Ball considering suspension for JBA league Chicago Ballers coach". Lonzo Wire. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  11. https://lonzowire.usatoday.com/2018/07/20/jba-league-coach-who-roughed-up-player-is-no-longer-with-chicago-team/
  12. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2018/07/20/jba-coach-replaced-after-altercation/805846002/
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