American Basketball Association

Roughly once a month, the NBA cuts 31 checks to NBA teams as revenue from its multibillion-dollar national television contract. There are only 30 NBA franchises, so who gets the extra check? The money goes to brothers Ozzie and Dan Silna, co-owners of the long-forgotten ABA team, the Spirits of St. Louis. Thirty years ago, Ozzie Silna, with attorney Donald Schupak, negotiated a deal that cleared the way for the ABA to merge with the NBA.

John Salley, the wisecracking former NBA center, the TV host, the guy who wore goofy oversize glasses in "Bad Boys," wanted to talk business. Basketball business. He's the new commissioner of the new American Basketball Assn. Seriously. No punch line. "As soon as you get a job, you should be looking toward your next job," Salley said. "Being a performer and being someone who's in charge of performers are two different lives."

The excitement that greets Michael Jordan's appearance these days is motivated not only by the belief his next move on a basketball court might be something no one has witnessed previously but by the quixotic nature of his quest. No mid-sized player in modern history has single-handedly lifted a team to the NBA championship. Many great ones failed trying. Battered knees forced Elgin Baylor into retirement in the season that the Lakers finally realized their goal and Jerry West reached the promised land only with the help of Goliath himself, Wilt Chamberlain.

Roughly once a month, the NBA cuts 31 checks to NBA teams as revenue from its multibillion-dollar national television contract. There are only 30 NBA franchises, so who gets the extra check? The money goes to brothers Ozzie and Dan Silna, co-owners of the long-forgotten ABA team, the Spirits of St. Louis. Thirty years ago, Ozzie Silna, with attorney Donald Schupak, negotiated a deal that cleared the way for the ABA to merge with the NBA.

The proposed ABA 2000 professional basketball league Thursday announced plans to begin play with eight teams in late December, and left the door open for the Anaheim Roadrunners to become the ninth. Al Howell, president of the proposed Anaheim franchise, said he "reached an agreement in principle" Thursday for his team to play at the Arrowhead Pond. Mike O'Donnell, the Pond's assistant general manager, confirmed the agreement.

Inside a Maywood gymnasium, two basketball teams competed before mostly empty stands. It would have been easy to mistake the game for a local league contest or even a friendly scrimmage if not for the television camera crews and massive banners advertising Chinese telecommunications and furniture companies. Not many people in Maywood cared who won or lost the game.

Chances are the ABA isn't coming to Orange County. Thank goodness. The people who were pouring into the Pond Tuesday night by the ones and twos and sometimes even in huge groups of three to see the most famous basketball team in the world, had two questions about the ABA. What is it? And why would we want it? Answer No. 1 is easy. It is a minor-league attempt to bring an alleged version of pro basketball to arenas with empty dates in January. Answer No. 2 is easy also. We don't.

Proposed Anaheim and Los Angeles franchises in ABA 2000, a planned revival of the American Basketball Assn., came up with their wish lists of players Tuesday in the league's draft of veterans and first-year players. Anaheim selected Alabama guard Schea Cotton, a former high school standout at Mater Dei and Bellflower St. John Bosco, as its No. 1 pick among rookies, and Los Angeles took Long Beach State center Mate Milisa, the Big West Conference player of the year.

Ronnie Coleman has been a professional basketball player for 13 years, but he has never played in an NBA regular-season game. From one international league to another, Coleman has witnessed many strange things, but he experienced something new last month while playing for the Long Beach Jam. The Las Vegas Rattlers, one of the financially challenged franchises in the American Basketball Assn., did not have uniforms.

Fueled by memories of the American Basketball Assn. and its long-ago stars Julius Erving and Moses Malone, investor Duane Hughes happily paid $10,000 a year ago to buy a franchise in the revived league. Hughes, a former New York City rapper, secured a 10,000-seat arena for his ABA team, the Charlotte Krunk. He booked rap artist Mike Jones for postgame entertainment. He paid for jerseys, basketballs and $30,000 worth of TV commercials.

Fueled by memories of the American Basketball Assn. and its long-ago stars Julius Erving and Moses Malone, investor Duane Hughes happily paid $10,000 a year ago to buy a franchise in the revived league. Hughes, a former New York City rapper, secured a 10,000-seat arena for his ABA team, the Charlotte Krunk. He booked rap artist Mike Jones for postgame entertainment. He paid for jerseys, basketballs and $30,000 worth of TV commercials.

Inside a Maywood gymnasium, two basketball teams competed before mostly empty stands. It would have been easy to mistake the game for a local league contest or even a friendly scrimmage if not for the television camera crews and massive banners advertising Chinese telecommunications and furniture companies. Not many people in Maywood cared who won or lost the game.

Hours after storming the court and firing her coach, Nashville Rhythm co-owner Sally Anthony was rushed to a hospital after a 911 call by a relative who said she had tried to "hurt herself." A relative called 911 about 6 a.m. CST Sunday to report that Anthony was hurting herself, according to a 911 tape obtained by Associated Press on Tuesday.

Ronnie Coleman has been a professional basketball player for 13 years, but he has never played in an NBA regular-season game. From one international league to another, Coleman has witnessed many strange things, but he experienced something new last month while playing for the Long Beach Jam. The Las Vegas Rattlers, one of the financially challenged franchises in the American Basketball Assn., did not have uniforms.

You want high-flying basketball but at low-end prices. You want to be able to yell at a referee and have him hear you. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the American Basketball Assn. -- minor-league hoops at its scrappiest. I mean, where else but the playground can players not foul out of a game? The ABA-leading Long Beach Jam's season is near the end, and while it's not to be confused with March Madness, here are 10 reasons to check out this weekend's games against the Las Vegas Rattlers: 10.

In the beginning, no one's watching and you play because you love the game. At the end, no one's watching and you play because you love the game. It's in the middle, when the crowds swell and the money is stacked to the sky, that things can get confusing as the Bryants, father and son, could tell you. Kobe's dad, Joe, a veteran of eight NBA seasons and until last week a retiree, returned Tuesday night as coach of the Las Vegas Rattlers of the American Basketball Assn.

The American Basketball League released its 44-game schedule Wednesday and it has the league's newest team, the Long Beach StingRays, opening at home against the San Jose Lasers on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. The StingRays, who will open training camp at Long Beach State on Sept. 2, have two other October home games, Oct. 21 against the Colorado Xplosion and Oct. 28 against the ABL champion Columbus Quest.

Hours after storming the court and firing her coach, Nashville Rhythm co-owner Sally Anthony was rushed to a hospital after a 911 call by a relative who said she had tried to "hurt herself." A relative called 911 about 6 a.m. CST Sunday to report that Anthony was hurting herself, according to a 911 tape obtained by Associated Press on Tuesday.

Those were the days, my friend, but, unfortunately, they ended. Making up in nostalgia for what it lacks in present-day entertainment value, the NBA Finals' first meeting between two teams from the old American Basketball Assn. has everyone reminiscing about the defunct league, because you can't go wrong with Afros the size of lawn shrubs, bikini-clad cheerleaders and a cast of zanies.

If only the American Basketball Assn. could bring the same name recognition to the court that it brings to the front office, it might gain some visibility. John Wooden, the legendary former UCLA coach, is the latest to sign on with the fledgling professional league that kicked off its inaugural season last month. Wooden, 90, will be introduced as a consultant for the Los Angeles Stars at a Thursday news conference at the Great Western Forum.