ABA #24 ALL INDIAN TEAM

[Ez Street]

June 4, 2004 - Indianapolis, IN. Joe Newman, ABA co-founder, today announced that the 24th expansion team in the fast-growing professional basketball league will be in Albuquerque, New Mexico and will be comprised of Native American players. According to Newman, "We've been working with Spider Ledesma for over a year trying to put together an organization and team for Native America. With diversity a key ABA goal, we can't think of anything more fitting. We are very proud to have a team named "Native America" in the ABA and playing in the great city of Albuquerque."

The principal owner, CEO and President of the team is W.S. "Spider" Ledesma of the Mission tribe and of Mexican Indian ancestry. Ledesma is well-known throughout the Native American athletic community and first gained national attention in 1991 winning the first of his 5 National Championships and 3 MVP awards as a center for the Santa Clara Itashans. Spider has played for his distinguished Elder from the Oglala Sioux tribe, Clinton Pilcher, who is also the team VP of Basketball Operations. From the age of 14, he has been called the "greatest Native American player ever." Spider is the only Native American ever to have been one of the top 10 scoring leaders in Europe/FIBA (1991/92: 31.5ppg) and (1995/96: 35.8ppg - 1st in Div 1). Spider's career includes NBA Veteran's Camp (1987 & 1988) while leading the LA Clippers in the 1987 pre-season in rebounding.

Spider stated, "I love my people and the beginning vision that was given to me in 1997 by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The opportunity to help provide a balanced and stable lifestyle for our talented athletes (and they are talented) while promoting the strengths of our culture and the larger North American Indian community through the media platform the ABA enjoys will provide a tangible example of success not only to the international community but in particular to our native people, blessed youth and children." He added, "I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the ABA for assisting us tomake this much needed vision a reality in the lives of our people and athletes. They have welcomed us with open arms and taken an interest in seeing Native America succeed. We are grateful for their continued guidance, professionalism and time on our behalf."

Ledesma concluded, "Our National Team leadership will be in Albuquerque shortly to begin operations, including the selection of our playing venue. We will be meeting with several NA governors, including, but not limited to, Governor Lucero of the Isleta Pueblo, Governor Paisano of the Sandia Pueblo, Governor Vallo of the Acoma Pueblo, and the New Mexico native and mainstream media. Our President of New Mexico operations, Tamara L. Penn, is currently scheduling meetings with several Pueblo leaderships and Tribal Chairmen and councils to discuss immediate sponsorships and to generate the needed support to ensure a fiscally-sound season for all areas of operations. VP New Mexico Operations, LeAnne Slow-Rodriguez, is also assisting scheduling meetings with tribal leaderships concerning sponsorships."

All interested players of North American Indian descent can tryout for the Native American National Team at various regional tryouts scheduled between July 10th in Billings, MT and August 21st in Phoenix, AZ. For more information, log onto the website: www.NativeAmericaCamps.com or contact Spider Ledesma at NativeAmericaABA@aol.com or call (601) 799-1880.

[sc49erfan15]

This is ridiculous.

I am by no means a racist at all, but correct me if I'm wrong...if a white businessman made a team that was exclusively-white, how many people would be screaming "discrimination"?

[Ez Street]

Perhaps the Harlem team will be all Black.

Utah could be all White.

Shall we progress down the racist highway......

[GMac]

sweet cream on an ice cream sandwich... im just waiting for Miami to break out the all-cuban team, San Antonion to bring the All-Mexico team, and San Fran to bring the all-chinese... like really... dont get me wrong there is honoring your heritage and then there is becoming a parody of the civil rights movement... i hate to sound uneducated but how many good native american bballers are there... im not saying the ABA calibre is great to begin with but by restricting it by race is totally backwards... i remember when Don Cherry said he didnt want Europeans on the Mississauga Ice Dogs that policy got dumped pretty damn quick so they could remain competitive

[habsfannova]

Wow, seriously wow.

[CDunn]

Absolutely absurd(gotta love illiteration).

I guess we should start searching ClipArt for "Native American" to find the new logo.

I suppose they could get around discrimination things by calling the team a Native American National team. Still, that's very shaky in my mind.

As to the talent of American Indian players, this might work, especially if they intend to get most of their players off of reservations. Basketball is very popular on reservations, one of the reasons being the reservations are extremely poor and basketball is cheap to play. A couple of buckets and a ball is all you need. So you get a lot of young Native Americans growing up playing basketball, and with them playing it a lot, you're bound to get some talented players. Just my guess. As for Spider Ledesma's skills, I'm not sure I'd want to use "led Clippers in rebounds in the preseason one year" as a career highlight.

Whose gonna get an ABA team next? The cast of Cheers?

[Saintsfan]

i hate to sound uneducated but how many good native american bballers are there...

Maybe thats the point- that they don't get the chance and need someway of encouragement! If we were talking the NBA I might be bothered but why shouldnt the ABA use this as a way of encouraging minorities???

[slapshot]

There's nothing wrong with the ABA if it wants to encourage minorities to play the game. But to have one team exclusively one specific minority just seems very shady and seems to turn back the progress of race relations. Why can't the Native Americans try out for the other 20-something teams in the league?

Are they going to play on a reservation or at a casino? I wouldn't put it past this league to springboard off their stereotypes: "Player signs for big Wampum...". I'd hate to hear the battle cry coming out of the loudspeakers.

Not to play Devil's Advocate, but how is this idea different from the Harlem Globetrotters and their predominantly Black roster?

[Brian in Boston]

As someone of Native American descent, I can barely begin to describe how much this disturbs me. "Separate But Equal" once again rears its ugly head, but this time Native Americans are involved... and they're imposing the racist doctrine on themselves!

What about Native North American basketball players striving to make one of the integrated ABA teams? How about the ABA's other franchises welcoming talented Native North American basketball players with open arms? How about the ABA's other franchises taking an interest in seeing Native North Americans succeed? Why must an all-Native North American basketball team be launched in order for a Native North American basketball player to be given a shot at playing professionally?

If there are Native North American basketball players with the requisite skills to play major or minor-professional level basketball out there, then let them strive to make the roster of an integrated franchise. If there are Native North American basketball players with the requisite skills to play major or minor-professional level basketball out there, then let the owners and management of integrated franchises have the decency and vision to give said player(s) a shot. On the chance that there aren't any Native North American basketball players out there with the requisite skills to play the sport at the major or minor-professional level, well... so be it. Better to recognize that and either turn to other athletic outlets, or strive that much harder to develop Native Noth American hoop players of professional calibre.

However, to engage in what amounts to a "dog and pony" show for the ABA is demeaning. "Separate But Equal" wasn't good enough for African-Americans during the years leading up to the Civil Rights Movement. Frankly, it shouldn't be good enough for "Spider" Ledesma or any other Native North American.

I fear that Native Americans throughout North America have "been down so long, it looks like up". I mean, why else would any self-respecting Native North American agree to participate in something like this.

Brian in Boston

[schlim]

Does it really matter? I mean, if they start losing reelly badly, you can imagaine they'd sign other players, and if they start winning, you can imagine other teams would try signing their players. I'm not big on PC-ness or anything, but people complaining about how everything is soooo PC these days is just as bad as the initial PC-inspired event or newstory.

Last time I checked, this was a relatively free country, and private business can handle itself however it wants. All men's/women's health clubs exist, ladie's nights in bars, and a bunch of other stuff that doesn't really intend to be hurtful or get everyone's panties in a bunch.

So, just let it be, and things generally correct themselves over time.

[NJTank]

This league is not a professional leagu and should jut be forgotten about now becuase its a joke its a laughing stock.

Dennis Rodman was on teh Championship team and didnt even realise they were playing in a championship Game.

[MilTownMVP]

I respect everyone's opinion, but let me ask this: Do you honestly think recruiters from Duke, UConn or even South Central Louisana State (Bobby Bouchet's alma mater) are going on to the reservations to recruit?

The team was probably founded to give opportunities to a group of people that has been overlooked by every conceivable hoops organization.

[MilTownMVP]

Not to play Devil's Advocate, but how is this idea different from the Harlem Globetrotters and their predominantly Black roster?

Probably because they were founded in 1927 back when Blacks weren't allowed to play pro sports.

And they're not a Black-only team... I know they had a couple white players a few years ago and I'm pretty sure they have a couple Puerto Ricans on the roster now.

[JamesCraven]

Insert B, B and S logo cliche here.

But seriously, do you think their logo will look like a gaming resort?

[DEAD!]

im just waiting for Miami to break out the all-cuban team, San Antonion to bring the All-Mexico team, and San Fran to bring the all-chinese... like really...

Don't forget the all-French team from Quebec and the all-Iraqi team from Dearborn Michigan

[Braden]

wow... I'm speechless... This league will last 2 seasons max.

[Phil]

I don't know. I don't hate this move.

They're playing basketball in the same league, what's the problem? I'm guessing most of the players who (if this pans out) end up playing for this Native American team wouldn't have even given the ABA a second thought. It's encouraging them to give it a try.

It's not like it's stealing jobs from any other race, nor does anyone else have less of a chance of getting in the ABA as a result. It's not like an existing team kicked off all the non-native players and said "only Natives from now on". It's an expansion team designed to get Native Americans interested in the game, just like the WNBA was designed to get women more into the game. Sure, there certainly might one day be a woman who can easily compete in the NBA, but they're not trying to discriminate against women and keep them down in the WNBA... they're trying to lift them up and encourage them.

I know I might get roasted for saying all that, and I know how difficult a foe racism is, but every once in a while we might take these things too seriously. (Who ever thought we'd take the ABA too seriously?) I'd say give this team a chance, let's see the impact it really has, and then judge it.

[gosioux76]

I'm anxious to see how responsive the area is to this. i'm moving there in July and I know they go nutty over UNM Lobos basketball and the high school tournaments are a big deal. They're also planning a big new downtown arena with the purpose of attractin an arena football team of some level.

Native American culture is one of the big things that makes that area attractive. I'd guess Albuquerque will embrace this team more than in other cities.

[random]

What about the new "all-mexican" MLS team?

[JamesCraven]

"I'm just waiting for Miami to break out the all-Cuban team, San Antonio to bring the All-Mexico team, and San Fran to bring the all-Chinese... like really..."

"Don't forget the all-French team from Quebec and the all-Iraqi team from Dearborn, Michigan."

Doesn't this organization (for the lack of a better word) have three teams in Mexico already? And BTW, wouldn't the All-Iraqi team be known as "Team Babaganoosh?" (An MXC reference there for you.)