All-American Professional Basketball League (2005)

The All-American Professional Basketball League was a minor basketball league formed in 2005 by Worth Christie. Announced on January 23, 2005 the league viewed itself as a direct minor league outlet for the National Basketball Association (NBA). The best players were to be promised salaries of up to $40,000. The league was composed of 10 teams and these ten teams were regionalized with 3-4 NBA teams where the designated AAPBL team could negotiate with players released from those NBA teams before other AAPBL teams could.

All-American Professional Basketball League (2005)
SportBasketball
Founded2005
Ceased2005
No. of teams10
Country United States

The AAPBL held a tryout camp at the MetraPark Arena in Billings, Montana from July 11 to July 23.[1] Players paid $1,000 to participate in the training camp.

The league held two "dispersal drafts". On July 20, 2005 the league's teams drafted from available CBA and NBDL players. On July 28, 2005 the teams drafted from the players who participated in the training camp.

On August 1, 2005, mere days after the tryouts and drafts and days after insiders knew its fate, Worth Christie announced the league had folded.[2] Contrary to earlier reports, few if any players who participated in the tryouts received their $1,000 back. Those working with the league and Christie were not paid for their expenses to work at the tryout camp nor were they compensated for any of the work done.[3]

On July 29, 2006, the Billings Gazette reported that Worth Christie was facing over $100,000 in lawsuits from former AAPBL employees and coaches.[4]

AAPBL teams & rosters

The following lists the teams and their draft picks (from the two dispersal drafts).[5] These players never signed contracts nor played with these teams, since the league folded so quickly.

The 1st pick of the draft went to the Mankato Mallards and they selected Sam Clancy who was the 2004-05 CBA Player of the Year.

AAPBL team allocations

The teams in the AAPBL were assigned NBA and college teams, largely based on region. Theoretically, if a player was released from a certain NBA team, the AAPBL team assigned with that NBA team was allowed the first chance to sign him before any other team in the AAPBL. For the college programs, it worked the same way. If a player wasn't drafted in the NBA draft he would have first rights to be picked up by the designated AAPBL team.[6]

NBA

Colleges

AAPBL Summer League

The Summer League Training Camp ran from July 11-July 23 at the MetraPark Arena in Billings, Montana. Each team in the league consisted of players who paid $1,000 to participate in the camp.[7] Players drafted in the dispersal draft of July 20 were not included in this.

Standings
2005 AAPBL Summer League Final Standings
Pos Team Games W L Win %
1Great Falls Cowboys111101.000
2Hutchinson Ballhogs1192.818
3Butte Bandits+1174.636
4Minot Minutemen1174.636
5Wichita Bombers1165.545
6Lincoln Generals1156.455
7Mankato Mallards1147.364
8Wyoming Golden Eagles1138.273
9Billings Rims1129.182
10Topeka Tornado11110.091

+ Butte defeated Minot in play, therefore they technically rank ahead of Minot

Statistical leaders
  • Points Scored - 267/24.3 PPG - Darius Pope - Minot Minutemen
  • Rebounds - 134/12.2 RPG - Tony Qorri - Wichita Bombers
  • Assists - 149/13.5 APG - Peron Austin - Minot Minutemen
  • Steals - 32/2.9 SPG - Nate Miller - Mankato Mallards
  • Blocks - 31/2.8 BPG - Marcus Wernke - Lincoln Generals

Single game records
  • Points Scored (Team) - 142 - Great Falls Cowboys - 7/21/05
  • Points Scored (Player) - 45 - Glenn Jones - Wyoming Golden Eagles - 7/21/05
  • Rebounds (Player) - 25 - Justin Murray - Minot Minutemen - 7/12/05
  • Assists (Player) - 29 - Peron Austin - Minot Minutemen - 7/11/05
  • Steals (Player) - 7 - Chris Ealim - Minot Minutemen - 7/21/05
  • Blocks (Player) - 7 - Marcus Wernke - Lincoln Generals - 7/19/05
  • Fewest Points Scored (Team) - 71 - Minot Minutemen - 7/13/05 and Topeka Tornado - 7/22/05

2005–06 regular season
  • The League's first regular season contest was scheduled for November 8, 2005. The Minot Minutemen were to visit the Billings Rims.[1]
  • Each team was to play 50 games from November to March, with playoffs concluding in early April.[8] The playoff format had yet to be discussed.

Miscellaneous
  • The AAPBL Summer League Offices were located at the Northern Hotel in Billings, Montana.
  • A $1 program was sold to attendees at the Summer League games. A day pass cost $10. Every team played on all 11 days and a day pass granted access to every game
  • The AAPBL office was located in Casper, Wyoming.[5]
  • Two cities originally slated to host teams were Pueblo, Colorado and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Cedar Rapids Ballhogs moved to Hutchinson, and the Pueblo Aztecs moved to Minot, North Dakota and became the Minutemen.[9]
  • League's tagline was "A bounce away from the NBA".
  • Not to be confused with the All-American Professional Basketball League that played from 1947–1948
  • Owner Worth Christie filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy. Claiming only $2 in assets and still not paid salaries to players, coaches, arenas and staff.

References
  1. "AABL camp leaves Levingston raring to go". The Billings Gazette. August 1, 2005. p. 10.
  2. "Hoops league's workers not paid". The Billings Gazette. August 3, 2005. p. 1.
  3. "AAPBL dug a grave for Billings pro hoops". The Billings Gazette. January 1, 2006. p. 16.
  4. "Former employees sue AAPBL". The Billings Gazette. July 29, 2006. p. 15.
  5. "AAPBL Summer League". Archived from the original on October 23, 2005. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  6. "All American Professional Basketball League Announcements". Archived from the original on March 19, 2006. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  7. "Hoops league owes MSU-B $40,000". The Billings Gazette. August 4, 2005. p. 5.
  8. "All American Professional Basketball League coming to Cedar Rapids, Iowa". www.oursportscentral.com. December 9, 2004. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  9. "AAPBL folds two weeks after tryout camp". The Manhattan Mercury. August 3, 2005. p. 13.

See also
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