The calendar reads July. No problem. The NBA Finals
concluded three weeks ago. So what.
As the NBA’s big names continue to trade jerseys and zip
codes, many former Bruins are part of a lesser known group of
players who are using the dog days of summer to prove their worth
to anyone willing to watch.
Entering its 35th season, the Long Beach Summer Pro League,
which kicks off July 10, has attracted a healthy mix of NBA
hopefuls and aging professionals. Add in a few well-known
players trying to work on their game during the summer months and
it makes for a pretty competitive environment.
Former Bruins, all hoping to extend their professional careers
as long as possible, can be found in each of these categories.
“I think they are playing for their lives because there
are no guarantees for anything,” said Chris Roberts,
UCLA’s radio play-by-play commentator for basketball games.
“They are playing, really, because they still love the game
and they want a shot at being in the NBA.”
SFX, a team featuring the clients of the SFX sports agency,
boasts some members that helped bring the last banner to Westwood
almost ten years ago.
Ed and Charles O’Bannon, two major contributors on the
1995 NCAA championship team, are on the SFX squad. The two
brothers each played two years in the NBA, combining for a total of
519 points between them. Both will be looking for a spot on an NBA
roster once again after playing in basketball’s minor leagues
for the last several years.Â
“I’m not surprised to see some of [the Bruin alumni]
back, giving it another shot to try to get back to that NBA
level,” Roberts admitted. “In fact, it’s pretty
exciting, really, I kind of like it.”
Toby Bailey, a freshman on the ’95 team who played 73
games in two years in the NBA, joins his former UCLA teammates on
the SFX roster this summer. He, too, has been pining for
another look by pro scouts.
Darrick Martin and Tracy Murray, Bruin teammates in the early
1990s, will join Bailey and the O’Bannon brothers on the SFX
squad. Martin filled in for the injured Sam Cassell for
Minnesota in the playoffs this past year, but now finds himself a
free agent yet again. The same goes for Murray, who was released by
Portland in November during his twelfth year in the
league.Â
Meanwhile, Mitchell Butler, who played alongside Murray and
Martin while at UCLA, will play on the Slam team, after having gone
through his eighth season in the NBA.
Jelani McCoy, who played under the lights of Pauley Pavilion
from 1996-98, will also look to get another crack at the NBA, where
he averaged 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game over five
seasons.
Earl Watson, the Bruins’ point guard from 1998-2001, has
decided to play in the league for a different reason.
Having steadily earned more playing time in each of his three
seasons in the NBA, he does not need to improve his standing, but
rather is looking to further develop his talent.
Former Bruin Trevor Ariza will make his professional debut for
the Knicks’ summer pro-league team. After one season
wearing the blue and gold, the local product out of Westchester
High School decided to climb the ladder and was drafted by the
Knicks with the 43rd pick.Â
“I think he probably should have developed a little
more,” Roberts said of the underclassmen’s decision to
make the jump to the NBA.
“There’s a big difference every year in the draft,
whether you’re a first-round or a second-round pick …
Sometimes, even when you’re No. 2, there are no
guarantees.”
When November arrives, the forward hopes that a summer spent in
the gym and weight room will pay dividends on his decision to move
from Pauley to the Madison Square Garden.
The Long Beach Summer Pro League, much like its counterparts
across the country, afford many the chance, slim as it may be, to
play for a spot on an NBA roster.Â
Baron Davis, Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony are some recent
names to have used the league to hone their skills during a time of
year when many high profile players contemplate tee times over game
times.
For these 100 to 200 players, this NBA off-season circuit is
anything but an off-season.