Los Angeles Stars (2000–2001)

The Los Angeles Stars were a minor league basketball team in the American Basketball Association (ABA) during the league's inaugural 2000–2001 season. The Stars were one of the league's initial eight teams.[1] The Stars were defunct after its initial season.[2][3]

For the 2004–2005 team, see Los Angeles Stars (2004–2005).
Los Angeles Stars
LeagueABA
Founded2000
Folded2001
HistoryLos Angeles Stars (2000-2001)
ArenaGreat Western Forum
LocationLos Angeles, California
Head coachPaul Westhead

To attract fans, the ABA had rosters with former National Basketball Association (NBA) players and past college basketball stars with local ties.[4] The Stars used their territorial draft picks to select Ed O'Bannon and Tyus Edney, who won the 1995 NCAA championship together at UCLA.[5] O'Bannon, a former first-round draft pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, would play for the Stars,[6] while Edney played for the Indiana Pacers in the NBA that season.[7] O'Bannon would be joined on the Stars by former UCLA players Toby Bailey, who also played with O'Bannon on the 1995 championship team, and JaRon Rush.[8]

The Stars' head coach was former Los Angeles Lakers and Loyola Marymount head coach Paul Westhead,[9] while former UC Irvine star Scott Brooks was an assistant coach as well as a player on the Stars.[10] Former Lakers star Jamaal Wilkes was hired as vice president of basketball operations.[11] His former college coach at UCLA, the legendary John Wooden, agreed to join the Stars as a consultant at Wilkes' request.[12]

The team's record was 28–13 in 2000–2001, and their season ended with a 112–132 first-round playoff loss to the Kansas City Knights.[13]

Roster
Roster listing
Final Los Angeles Stars roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 34 Bailey, Toby 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) UCLA
G 4 Brooks, Scott 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) UC Irvine
G 50 Carroll, Jimmy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Nevada
F 44 Farmer, Tony 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Nebraska
F 33 Freeman, Kevin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Connecticut
C 24 Grant, Paul 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Wisconsin
F 31 O'Bannon, Ed 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) UCLA
F 23 Rush, JaRon 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) UCLA
F 54 Sanford, Mark 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Washington
G 5 Staples, Curtis 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 196 lb (89 kg) Virginia
F 32 Ward, Jerod 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Michigan
C Watkins, Jameel 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Georgetown
G 21 Wheeler, Tyson 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Rhode Island
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

References
  1. "Wooden Takes Job". Kentucky New Era. Associated Press. February 2, 2001. p. B4. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  2. Shaikin, Bill (November 20, 2001). "Journalists Want Law Repealed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  3. Heisler, Mark (December 17, 2003). "Elder Bryant Rolls the Dice With ABA's Vegas Team". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  4. Stephens, Eric (December 27, 2000). "Stars Shine in ABA Debut Before 5,347". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  5. Rovell, Darren (August 20, 2000). "ABA 2000 plays the name game". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  6. Drehs, Wayne (December 28, 2000). "A 'warrior' one day, wondering the next". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  7. Wharton, David (March 21, 2002). "He Went Great Length for Bruins". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 13, 2011.
  8. Crowe, Jerry (December 14, 2000). "Former Bruin Rush Returning to L.A." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  9. Ford, Bob (February 4, 2001). "Still Crazy After All These Years A New Professional League Has Given Paul Westhead, That Mad Professor Of Up-tempo Basketball, Yet Another Laboratory In Which To Experiment". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  10. Terry, Mike (December 26, 2000). "Reborn ABA begins future tonight". The Spokesman-Review. p. C2. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  11. Shaikin, Bill (August 8, 2000). "Wilkes to Guide Team in ABA Revival". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  12. Crowe, Jerry (January 31, 2001). "Wooden Becomes Star Among the Stars". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  13. "ABA 2001 basketball". usbasket.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
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