———CONTINENTAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, it predated the NBA by two months, with six franchises (five in Pennsylvania: Wilkes-Barr, Hazleton, Allentown, Lancaster and Reading) and one in New York (Binghamton, which moved mid-season to Pottsville, Pa). It was subsequently renamed the Eastern Professional Basketball League and added teams from New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Massachusetts. It rebranded itself was the Eastern Basketball Association in 1970-71 and served as an unofficial feeder to the NBA and American Basketball Association.
It began expanding more broadly in 1977-78 when it added the Anchorage Northern Knights. It added its first Canadian franchise in 1981-82 when the Alberta (Lethbridge) Dusters joined the ranks.
In the 1980s, the CBA and NBA reached an agreement that allowed CBA players to ink “10-day” contract with the NBA, under which a player was signed at a pro rated league minimum (stipulated under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. The NBA had the option of signing the player to another 10-day contract after the first expired, but after the second days expired, either had to return the player to the CBA or sign him for the balance of the NBA regular season. (The rule still exists for current NBA Developmental League players).
In August 1999, the CBA’s teams were purchased for $10 million by an investment group led by former NBA star Isiah Thomas, who vows to operate it was a single-owner entity. Among Thomas’ measures was cutting the average salaries of players to $1,100 per week (from $1,500), and that of rookies to $800. In March 2000, the NBA offers Thomas $11 million, plus a percentage of the profits, for the CBA. He refused. But in June, after being offered the head coaching position of the Indiana Pacers, he was obliged to sell the league because NBA conflict-of-interest rules forbid a coach from own a team or a league. The league was sold to the NBA Players Association. But that summer, the NBA announced that it would create its own development league, and essentially the CBA’s partnership with the NBA collapsed, (with the league losing its status as the official development league). It was left with in a blind trust with teams unable to make their payrolls and the league carrying $2-million in debt. The teams were offered back to their original owners for a $1 simple consideration, and five former owners accepted the offer, though most didn’t. In February 2001, the CBA declared bankruptcy and the league folded without completing the campaign.
Meanwhile, in the summer of 2001, the International Basketball Association folded its tent and four of the former CBA owners who’d re-purchased their franchises joined the several teams from the now-defunct International Basketball League (an American-based loop which operated from 1999-2001 to operate a reconstituted CBA in 2001-02. The re-organized 10-team CBA featured former franchises in Rockford, Gary, Grand Rapids and Sioux Falls merging with IBA franchises in Bismarck (Dakota Wizards), Fargo (Fargo-Moorhead Beez) and Saskatoon (Saskatchewan Hawks). The Flint (Michigan) Fuze join as an expansion team.
In a constantly shifting landscape over the next few years, the CBA picked up eight new franchises (for a total of ten) for the 2006 season. The Atlanta Krunk Wolverines and Vancouver Dragons deferred their participation until the 2007–2008 season and the Utah Eagles folded on January 25, 2007. The CBA’s 2007–08 season began with 10 franchises, including six returning franchises and three expansion teams (the Oklahoma Calvalry, Rio Grande Valley Silverados and East Kentucky Miners), along with one returning franchise (the Atlanta Krunk, after a year’s hiatus).
The 2008–2009 season began with only four teams, with the Pittsburgh Explosion having mysterious folded. In February, 2009, the CBA announced that it was halting the regular season, and converting a scheduled series between the Albany Patroons and Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry into the league-championship series. CBA commissioner Jim Coyne announced in June, 2009 that with only 2 teams committed to playing in 2009-10, the league would fold its tent.
| 46-47 | Wilkes-Barre Barons d’d Lancaster Red Roses 2g-1 | ||
| 47-48 | Reading Keys d’d Hazleton Mountaineers 2g-1 | ||
| 48-49 | Pottsville Packers d’d Harrisburg Senators 2g-1 | ||
| 49-50 | Williamsport Billies d’d Harrisburg Senators 2g-1 | ||
| 50-51 | Sunbury Mercuries d. York Victory A.C. 2-0 | ||
| 51-52 | Pottsville Packers d. Sunbury Mercuries 2-1 | ||
| 52-53 | Williamsport Billies d. Berwick Carbuilders 2-1 | ||
| 53-54 | Williamsport Billies d. Lancaster Red Roses 2-1 | ||
| 54-55 | Wilkes-Barre Barons d. Hazelton Hawks 2-1 | ||
| 55-56 | Wilkes-Barre Barons d. Williamsport Billies 3-1 | ||
| 56-57 | Scranton Miners d’d Hazelton Hawks 2g-1 | ||
| 57-58 | Wilkes-Barre Barons d’d Easton Madison 2g-1 | ||
| 58-59 | Wilkes-Barre Barons d. Scranton Miners 2-1 | ||
| 59-60 | Easton Madisons d’d Baltimore Bullets 2g-1 | ||
| 60-61 | Baltimore Bullets d’d Allentown Jets 1g-0 | ||
| 61-62 | Allentown Jets d’d Williamsport Billies 2g-1 | ||
| 62-63 | Allentown Jets d’d Wilkes-Barre Barons 2g-1 | ||
| 63-64 | Camden Bullets d’d Trenton Colonials 2g-0 | ||
| 64-65 | Allentown Jets d’d Scranton Miners 2g-1 | ||
| 65-66 | Wilmington Blue Bombers d’d Wilkes-Barre Barons 2g-1 | ||
| 66-67 | Wilmington Blue Bombers d’d Scranton Miners 2-g1 | ||
| 67-68 | Allentown Jets d. Wilkes-Barre Barons 3-2 | ||
| 68-69 | Wilkes-Barre Barons d. Wilmington Blue Bombers 3-2 | ||
| 69-70 | Allentown Jets d. Wilmington Blue Bombers 3-2 | ||
| 70-71 | Scranton Apollos d. Hamden Bics 3-1 | ||
| 71-72 | Allentown Jets d. Scranton Apollos 3-2 | ||
| 72-73 | Wilkes-Barre Barons d’d Hartford Capitols 3g-2 | ||
| 73-74 | Hartford Capitols d. Allentown Jets 3-2 | ||
| 74-75 | Allentown Jets d. Hazelton Bullets 2-1 | ||
| 75-76 | Allentown Jets d. Lancaster Red Roses 3-2 | ||
| 76-77 | Scranton Apollos d. Allentown Jets 3-1 | ||
| 77-78 | Wilkes-Barre Barons d. Lancaster Red Roses 3-2 | ||
| 78-79 | Rochester Zeniths d’d Anchorage Northern Knights 4g-0 | ||
| 79-80 | Anchorage Northern Knights d’d Rochester Zeniths 4g-3 | Alberta Dusters, 4th in Western division. Lost in postseason semis | |
| 80-81 | Rochester Zeniths d’d Montana Golden Nuggets 4g-0 | Alberta Dusters, 3rd in Western division. No postseason playoffs | |
| 81-82 | Lancaster Lightning d’d Billings Volcanos 4g-1 | ||
| 82-83 | Detroit Spirits d’d Montana Golden Nuggets 4g-3 | Toronto Tornadoes | |
| 83-84 | Albany Patroons d’d Wyoming Wildcatters 3g-2 | Toronto Tornadoes | |
| 84-85 | Tampa Bay Thrillers d’d Detroit Spirits | Toronto Tornadoes | |
| 85-86 | Tampa Bay Thrillers d’d La Crosse Catbirds 4g-1 | ||
| 86-87 | Rapid City Thrillers d’d Rockford Lightning 4g-1 | ||
| 87-88 | Albany Patroons d’d Wyoming Wildcatters 4g-3 | ||
| 88-89 | Tulsa Fast Breakers d’d Rockford Lightning 4g-0 | ||
| 89-90 | La Crosse Catbirds d’d Rapid City Thrillers 4g-1 | ||
| 90-91 | Wichita Falls Texans d’d Quad City Thunder 4g-3 | ||
| 91-92 | La Crosse Catbirds d’d Rapid City Thrillers 4g-3 | ||
| 92-93 | Omaha Racers d’d Grand Rapids Hoops 4g-2 | ||
| 93-94 | Quad City Thunder d’d Omaha Racers 4g-1 | ||
| 94-95 | Yakima Sun Kings d’d Pittsburgh Piranhas | ||
| 95-96 | Sioux Fallx Skyforce d’d Fort Wayne Fury 4g-1 | ||
| 96-97 | Oklahoma City Cavalry d’d Florida Beach Dogs 4g-1 | ||
| 97-98 | Quad City Thunder d’d Sioux Falls Skyforce 4g-3 | ||
| 98-99 | Connecticut Pride d’d Sioux Falls Skyforce 4g-1 | ||
| 99-00 | Yakima Sun Kings 109 La Crosse Bobcats 93 | ||
| 00-01 | Idaho Stampede (17-7) and Connecticut Price (15-9) Led divisions when play suspended. | ||
| 01-02 | Dakota Wizards 116 Rockford Lightning 109 | Saskatchewan Hawks (8-32) worst record in league. No postseason playoffs | |
| 02-03 | Yakima Sun Kings 117 Grand Rapids Hoops 107 | ||
| 03-04 | Dakota Wizards 132 Idaho Stampede 129 | ||
| 04-05 | Sioux Falls Skyforce d’d Rockford Lightning 3g-1 | ||
| 05-06 | Yakama Sun Kings d’d Gary Steelheads 2g-1 | ||
| 06-07 | Yakama Sun Kings d’d Albany Patroons 3g-0 | ||
| 07-08 | Oklahoma Calvalry d’d Minot Skyrockets 3g-2 | ||
| 08-09 | Lawton-Fort Will Calvalry d’d Albany Patroons 2g-1 | ||
| LEAGUE FOLDED | |||
1980-81
The Alberta (Lethbridge) Dusters finished 4th in the Western Division during the regular season. In the postseason, the Dusters lost in the Western Division semis.
1981-82
Alberta (Lethbridge) Dusters finished 3rd in the Western Division during the regular season. They did not qualify for the postseason playoffs.
After the season the Dusters relocated to Las Vegas.
1982-83
Toronto Tornadoes
1983-84
Toronto Tornadoes
1984-85
Toronto Tornadoes. After season, moved to Pensacola.
2001-02
The Iba merged with the International Basketball League and the Continental Basketball Association to “restart the CBA for the 2001-02 campaign.
The Saskatchewan Hawks joined the reconstituted CBA, along with former IBA teams the Dakota Wizards and Fargo-Moorhead Beez.
Coached by Laurian Watkins, the Hawks finished with a league-worst record of 8-32.
The Hawks folded after the season.
2008-09
After the season, the league folded.
The Vancouver Dragons had intended to commence play in the league in 2010-11.