World Basketball Association
Encyclopedia
The World Basketball Association, often abbreviated to the WBA, is a professional men's spring basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 league in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

History

The WBA was conceived in 2004, with seven teams scheduled to play. One of these, the Chattanooga Majic, did not start the season, and was replaced by the Bristol Crusaders.

The WBA consists of players with 5 years or less experience and each team is limited to 2 players with 5 years on their final 10 man roster. The WBA holds that the window of opportunity for NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

 hopefuls is 3 years.

The WBA exists to prepare players to play in the CBA
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...

, NBA D-League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...

, NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

, and international scouts.

Current clubs

  • Gwinnett Majic
    Gwinnett Majic
    The Gwinnett Majic is a franchise of the World Basketball Association based in Gwinnett County, GA. The team was called the Buford Majic until the beginning of the 2009 season. The Majic were the WBA champions for the 2009 and 2010 seasons....

     (Buford
    Buford, Georgia
    As of 2010 Buford had a population of 12,225. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 65.8% white, 13.8% black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.9% Asian, 14.7% reporting some other race and 2.5% reproting two or more races...

    , Georgia
    Georgia (U.S. state)
    Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

    )
  • Jacksonville Bluewaves
    Jacksonville Bluewaves
    The Jacksonville Bluewaves are a basketball team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They played in the World Basketball Association, a small league with six teams in Florida and Georgia, in the 2010 season. In July 2010 it was announced that the Bluewaves would be joining the new American...

     (Jacksonville
    Jacksonville, Florida
    Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...

    , Florida
    Florida
    Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

    )
  • Marietta Storm
    Marietta Storm
    The Marietta Storm is a World Basketball Association franchise based in Marietta, Georgia. The Storm plays its home games at Smyrna Recreation Complex in Smyrna, Ga, just outside of Atlanta.-2011 Team roster:1. Andrew Francis 6’7” RWANDA...

     (Marietta
    Marietta, Georgia
    Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...

    , Georgia
    Georgia (U.S. state)
    Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

    )
  • Conyers Court Kings (Conyers
    Conyers, Georgia
    Conyers is the only city in Rockdale County, Georgia, USA. It is twenty-four miles east of Atlanta. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,689. Census estimates of 2005 indicate a population of 12,205. The city is the county seat of Rockdale County. By 2009, the reported population was...

    , Georgia
    Georgia (U.S. state)
    Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

    )
  • Rome Gladiators
    Rome Gladiators
    The Rome Gladiators, based in Rome, Georgia, USA are a franchise in the World Basketball Association. They play at the Winthrop-King Centre at Shorter College.-2004:...

     (Rome
    Rome, Georgia
    Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...

    , Georgia
    Georgia (U.S. state)
    Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

    )
  • Tennessee Tornadoes (Fayetteville
    Fayetteville, Tennessee
    Fayetteville is a city in Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County.-History:...

    , Tennessee
    Tennessee
    Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

    )
  • Upstate Heat (Anderson
    Anderson, South Carolina
    Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was estimated at 26,242 in 2006, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530...

    , South Carolina
    South Carolina
    South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

    )

Complete club list

  • Anderson Heat
    Anderson Heat
    The Anderson Heat are a World Basketball Association franchise in Anderson, South Carolina. The Anderson Heat were formerly the South Carolina Heat in Greenville, South Carolina. The Heat finished the 2005 season a dismal 8–16, tied for last place in the WBA's Eastern Conference. They are currently...

     (2005-05)
  • Arkansas ArchAngels
    Arkansas ArchAngels
    The Arkansas ArchAngels are a team in the World Basketball Association, they began playing in the 2005 season.-2005 season:Despite being overshadowed by the highly successful Arkansas RimRockers, the ArchAngels had a decent first season, and received good press coverage. Attendance hung around...

     (2005–2006)
  • Atlanta Hardhats
  • Magic City Court Kings (2005–2006) (withdrew during season), as Birmingham Bulldogs
    Birmingham Bulldogs
    Birmingham RLFC are a rugby league team based in Birmingham. They play in the Midlands Premier division of the Rugby League Conference.-History:Birmingham Bulldogs were founded in 1989...

     (2004–05)
  • Birmingham Steel (2010) (never played)
  • Bristol Crusaders (2004-04)
  • Chattanooga Majic (2004-04) (never played)
  • Cleveland Majic
    Cleveland Majic
    The Cleveland Majic was a Cleveland, Tennessee based team in the World Basketball Association. The Majic are owned by Dr. Joel Wallach, and after the resignation of head coach Rick Hughes, Acie Earl was named the new head coach.-2005:...

     (2005–06)
  • Decatur Court Kings
  • Druid City Dragons
    Druid City Dragons
    The Druid City Dragons were a World Basketball Association franchise in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that played during the 2006 season.The team was officially announced as Tuscaloosa's first professional basketball game at a press conference on Thursday, April 20, 2006. The team took its name to pay homage...

     (2006-06)
  • Florida Flight
    Florida Flight
    The Florida Flight is a team in the Continental Basketball League based in Orlando, Florida which began play in 2010 in the World Basketball Association . In 2011 they will play their games at Avalon Middle School. In 2010, they played at the Kissimmee Civic Center in Kissimmee, Florida....

     (2010)
  • Floyd County Rage
  • Fort Worth Star Prospects
  • Franklin Knights
    Franklin Knights
    The Franklin Knights are a professional, minor league basketball team based in Franklin, Tennessee, USA. In 2010 they competed in the World Basketball Association and went to the championship game. They were also named the 2010 WBA Team of the Year...

     (2010)
  • Gainesville Knights
    Gainesville Knights
    The Gainesville Knights are a second year franchise in the World Basketball Association. They play at Gainesville High School's gymnasium.-2005:The Knights could be considered an extension of the Raleigh Knights, who played in the WBA in the 2004 season...

     (2005–2006) (withdrew during season), as Raleigh Knights (2004-04)
  • Georgia Warriors
    Georgia Warriors
    The Georgia Warriors are a World Basketball Association franchise in Cartersville, Georgia. The Georgia Warriors were formerly the Griffin Warriors in Acworth, Georgia, and later the Cartersville Warriors before adopting the state's name as their locale descriptor...

     (2006–2008) (spent 2006 as Cartersville Warriors)
  • Gulf Coast Bandits
    Gulf Coast Bandits
    The Gulf Coast Bandits were a World Basketball Association franchise in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Bandits sat out the 2006 season due to Hurricane Katrina and have since gone out of business....

     (2005-05)
  • Gwinnett Ravia-Rebels
  • Jackson Rage (2004-04)
  • Kentucky Reach (2004–05)
  • Macon Blaze (2005-05)
  • Marietta Storm
    Marietta Storm
    The Marietta Storm is a World Basketball Association franchise based in Marietta, Georgia. The Storm plays its home games at Smyrna Recreation Complex in Smyrna, Ga, just outside of Atlanta.-2011 Team roster:1. Andrew Francis 6’7” RWANDA...

     (2006–present)
  • Mayas-USA
    Mayas-USA
    Mayas-USA is a team of the World Basketball Association that began play in 2007. It is owned by the Liga Nacional Balonocesto Professional 's Mayas de Yucatan, and plays its games in Dallas, Texas. Mayas-USA defeated the Gwinnett Ravia-Rebels 114 to 104 in the 2007 league championship...

  • Mississippi Hardhats
    Mississippi Hardhats
    The Mississippi Hardhats are a World Basketball Association franchise in Hattiesburg, Mississippi....

     (2004–2009)
  • Mississippi Miracles
    Mississippi Miracles
    The Mississippi Miracles is an American Basketball Association and World Basketball Association team based in Cleveland, Mississippi. The team began play in the fall of 2004 as the Mississippi Stingers. They finished in 1st place in the Blue Division with a 19-3 record. They lost in the...

  • Murfreesboro Musicians
    Murfreesboro Musicians
    The Murfreesboro Musicians are a World Basketball Association franchise in Murfreesboro, Tennessee....

     (2006–2008)
  • Newport News Wildcats (2005-05) (never played)
  • North Mississippi Tornadoes
    North Mississippi Tornadoes
    The North Mississippi Tornadoes are a World Basketball Association franchise in Southaven, Mississippi....

     (2006–present)
  • Rome Gladiators
    Rome Gladiators
    The Rome Gladiators, based in Rome, Georgia, USA are a franchise in the World Basketball Association. They play at the Winthrop-King Centre at Shorter College.-2004:...

     (2004–present)
  • Southern Crescent Lightning (2004–05)
  • Texas Tycoons
    Texas Tycoons
    The Texas Tycoons were a team of the American Basketball Association and the World Basketball Association based in Dallas. The team began play in the fall of 2004 based in Fort Worth...

  • Tunica Gamblers (2004–05)
  • Tupelo Rock-n-Rollers(2009–2010)

  • WBA champions

    • Year Champion, score Runner-up, score

    • 2004 Jackson Rage 82 Southern Crescent Lightning 79
    • 2005 Rome Gladiators
      Rome Gladiators
      The Rome Gladiators, based in Rome, Georgia, USA are a franchise in the World Basketball Association. They play at the Winthrop-King Centre at Shorter College.-2004:...

       103 Mississippi Hardhats
      Mississippi Hardhats
      The Mississippi Hardhats are a World Basketball Association franchise in Hattiesburg, Mississippi....

       100
    • 2006 Rome Gladiators
      Rome Gladiators
      The Rome Gladiators, based in Rome, Georgia, USA are a franchise in the World Basketball Association. They play at the Winthrop-King Centre at Shorter College.-2004:...

       125 Cartersville Warriors 114
    • 2007 Mayas-USA
      Mayas-USA
      Mayas-USA is a team of the World Basketball Association that began play in 2007. It is owned by the Liga Nacional Balonocesto Professional 's Mayas de Yucatan, and plays its games in Dallas, Texas. Mayas-USA defeated the Gwinnett Ravia-Rebels 114 to 104 in the 2007 league championship...

       114 Gwinnett Ravia-Rebels 104
    • 2008 Decatur Court Kings 131 Buford Majic 128 (2OT)
    • 2009 Buford Majic
      Gwinnett Majic
      The Gwinnett Majic is a franchise of the World Basketball Association based in Gwinnett County, GA. The team was called the Buford Majic until the beginning of the 2009 season. The Majic were the WBA champions for the 2009 and 2010 seasons....

       95 Tupelo Rock-n-Rollers 93
    • 2010 Gwinnett Majic
      Gwinnett Majic
      The Gwinnett Majic is a franchise of the World Basketball Association based in Gwinnett County, GA. The team was called the Buford Majic until the beginning of the 2009 season. The Majic were the WBA champions for the 2009 and 2010 seasons....

       133 Franklin Knights
      Franklin Knights
      The Franklin Knights are a professional, minor league basketball team based in Franklin, Tennessee, USA. In 2010 they competed in the World Basketball Association and went to the championship game. They were also named the 2010 WBA Team of the Year...

       113
    • 2011 Gwinnett Majic
      Gwinnett Majic
      The Gwinnett Majic is a franchise of the World Basketball Association based in Gwinnett County, GA. The team was called the Buford Majic until the beginning of the 2009 season. The Majic were the WBA champions for the 2009 and 2010 seasons....

       113 Conyers Court Kings 91
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