| Minnesota Ripknees | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 |
| League | ABA 2006-2007 PBL 2007 ABA 2007-2008 |
| Team history | 2006-2008 |
| Arena | Roy Wilkins Auditorium |
| Based in | St. Paul, Minnesota |
| Team colors | Gold, blue, brown |
| Owner | Jam Entertainment |
| Head coach | Larry A. McKenzie |
| Championships | 0 |
| Division titles | 1 |
The Minnesota Ripknees were an American basketball team of the American Basketball Association, which briefly joined the Premier Basketball League after starting play as a member of the ABA in 2006. The team gets its unusual name after "Ripknee", a character in stories (with a hole in the knee of his blue jeans) which former co-owner John Jurewicz used to tell his son, William (also a former co-owner) on long car trips. The team ceased operations after 2008.
They finished their inaugural season 24-8 playing their home games at the Gangelhoff Center, good for first place in their division. However, a financial dispute prevented the team from participating in the playoffs.
After the season, the team announced they would switch their affiliation to the Premier Basketball League[1] and they would now be playing at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium (which previously served as the alternate home of the Minneapolis Lakers, and is right next to the Xcel Energy Center).[2]
Before the Ripknees could ever take a shot in the PBL, [3] they were sold to Jam Entertainment (owners of the Rochester Fire, Peoria Kings, and Rome Legions). The Ripknees returned to the ABA to play there for the 2007-08 season. [4]
According to a report on Our Sports Central, the Ripknees ceased playing in the ABA before the end of the 2007-2008 season.[5]