Yakama Sun Kings

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Yakama Sun Kings
Yakama Sun Kings logo
Founded 1990
League CBA 1990-present
Team History Kansas City Sizzlers
1985-1986
Topeka Sizzlers
1986-1990
Yakima Sun Kings
1990-2005
Yakama Sun Kings
2005-present
Arena Yakima SunDome
Based in Yakima, Washington
Team Colors Blue, Gold and White
Owner Yakama Indian Nation
Head Coach Paul Woolpert
Championships 4 1995, 2000, 2003, 2006
Division Titles 1 1995
Mascot Rebound

The Yakama Sun Kings are a Continental Basketball Association franchise located in Yakima, Washington, covering the Central Washington sports market of Yakima, Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg. The Sun Kings play at the Yakima SunDome.

Originally located in Kansas City, Missouri, and then Topeka, Kansas, the franchise moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1990 and was renamed the Yakima Sun Kings. The Sun Kings have been fairly successful historically, given the inconsistent nature minor-league basketball; they won the 1994-95, 1999-2000, and 2002-03 CBA championships. The Sun Kings had a disappointing 2003-04 season when they posted a 10-38 record. They were also 0-9 against the CBA Champion Dakota Wizards.

In June 2005, the team was purchased by the Yakama Indian Nation, and were renamed the Yakama Sun Kings to honor the Nation.

Ronny Turiaf, a 2005 draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, played nine games for the Sun Kings in the 2005-06 season, less than six months after undergoing open-heart surgery which caused the Lakers to void his contract. He averaged 13.0 in nine games with the team before re-signing with the Lakers in January 2006.[1]

The Sun Kings won their fourth CBA Championship with a 111-101 victory in Game 3 of a best-of-3 finals series against the Gary Steelheads on March 27, 2006. [2]

[edit] References

  1. ↑  ESPN.com, "Lakers sign F Turiaf" accessed February 1, 2005
  1. ↑  Yakima Herald-Republic, "Sun Kings win CBA Title"

[edit] External link


Continental Basketball Association (current alignment)
A M E R I C A N Albany Patroons Indiana Alley Cats Minot SkyRockets Pittsburgh Xplosion
N A T I O N A L Butte Daredevils Great Falls Explorers Utah Eagles Yakama Sun Kings
E X P A N S I O N Atlanta Krunk Wolverines (2007) Bend, Oregon (2007) Hawaii Volcanoes (2007) Lethbridge Canadians (2007) Los Angeles Aftershock (2007) Miami Majesty (2007) SoCal Legends (2007) Spokane, Washington (2007) Vancouver Dragons (2007) Seattle, Washington (2008)
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