New Pro Basketball League Could be Coming to Yakima
You might remember years ago when both Tri-Cities and Yakima had pro basketball teams in the old CBA (Continental Basketball Association), the Chinook and the Sun Kings. Now, hoops could be returning.
From 1946 until it disbanded in 2009, the CBA was considered the developmental league for the NBA. Like what AAA is to MLB baseball, the CBA was where many players sharpened their skills before sticking with an NBA team. Phil Jackson, George Karl and other famous coaches got their start in the CBA as well.
The Tri-City Chinook played in the Toyota Center for three years from 1992 to 1995 before folding. That shutdown had people talking as owner Mike Lundgren abruptly moved all the team's equipment out of the Toyota Center into storage in Pasco, and would not talk to the media.
The Sun Kings had far better success, winning several CBA titles and playing for a total of 18 years in the Sun Dome under various ownerships before the teams last owner, the Yakama Nation Indian tribe, shut it down. The CBA eventually folded in part because the NBA severed it's ties and had created what's now known as the "D-League" several years earlier. A new official developmental league.
Now, the North American Premiere Basketball League has been created by Dr. Sev Hrwynak and Dave Magly, the former commissioner of a professional league in Canada. They have 9 franchises in place and are ready to start assembling the league. It could include Yakima. They want to put a team in Yakima because they saw the success of the Sun Kings.
Local resident Jose Compos, who used to attend Sun Kings games, and is the owner of the Happy Time pot store, contacted the league about buying the Yakima franchise. According to the Yakima Herald, Compos met with the league and now owns the team.
The league is finalizing plans to start playing games in the 2018 season.