Raleigh Cougars
Encyclopedia
The Raleigh Cougars was a United States Basketball League
team based in Raleigh, North Carolina
from 1997 to 1999. The team included many well known players from local colleges. The team played its home games at Dorton Arena
.
United States Basketball League
The United States Basketball League , often abbreviated to the USBL, was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985. The final champions are the Kansas Cagerz, who won the title game on July 1, 2007.-History:...
team based in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
from 1997 to 1999. The team included many well known players from local colleges. The team played its home games at Dorton Arena
Dorton Arena
The J.S. Dorton Arena is a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair...
.
History
In 1997 the team finished with a 14–12 record and advanced to the semifinals of the USBL Postseason Festival, where they lost to Atlantic City. In 1998, they had a 11–14 record and were eliminated in round one of the Festival. In 1999, their final year, the team finished with a 5–21 record.Notable players
- Lorenzo CharlesLorenzo CharlesLorenzo Emile "Lo" Charles was an American college and professional basketball player.Charles was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School...
(a.k.a. "Zo") of the famous national champion N.C. State wolfpack. 6' 7" Forward.
- Greg NewtonGreg NewtonGreg Newton was center for the Duke Blue Devils basketball team from 1994-1997. Newton was Team Captain in his senior season. He was a member of the Canadian National Team, that finished seventh in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.Newton averaged 7.6 points per game for his career...
- 6' 11" Center Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. Cougars literature noted that Mr. Newton was 1 away from Duke's all-time top 10 in blocks. (This is no longer the case).
- Amere May - After averaging 13 points per game, Amere left Division II Shaw UniversityShaw UniversityShaw University, founded as Raleigh Institute, is a private liberal arts institution and historically black university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest HBCU in the Southern United States....
early to declare for the 1997 NBA Draft1997 NBA DraftThe 1997 NBA Draft took place on June 25, 1997 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although the Celtics had the second worst record in the 1996-97 season and the best odds of winning the lottery with two picks, the Spurs, usually a model of winning and consistency, lost David Robinson to an injury early...
. Was quoted by Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
as saying that he thought no one in the NBA could stop his game. One observer quipped that he was right - no one in the NBA ever would stop his game. Amere was a strong performer off the bench for the Cougars.
- Chuck KornegayCharles KornegayCharles MacArthur Kornegay, Junior, also known as Chuck Kornegay, is an American-Spaniard and international professional basketball player. The 6' 9", 235-lb power forward gained notoriety at Villanova University, before going on to star for the Raleigh Cougars of the USBL, and ultimately overseas...
- Powerful big man from Villanova UniversityVillanova UniversityVillanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
(he transferred there from NC StateNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
). Cougars fans dubbed him "the Chuck-wagon", a la NBA star Charles BarkleyCharles BarkleyCharles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
.
- Nate HiggsNate HiggsNate Higgs is an American/Spanish basketball player and coach.-College:Higgs played for the Elizabeth City State University Vikings basketball team in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association between 1992 and 1994...
- Cheered on by the crowd: "Come on Nate-Dawg! You're better than that!"
- Jeremy HyattJeremy HyattJeremy Hyatt is an American professional basketball player, who played for the Newcastle Eagles in the British Basketball League...
- 6' 6" sharpshooter from NC StateNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
- Donald WilliamsDonald Williams (basketball)Donald Williams is a former American professional basketball player.Born in Garner, North Carolina, Williams played for Garner High School before going on to play at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
- 6' 3" North Carolina guard.
Trivia
- The Cougars drafted National Basketball AssociationNational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
superstar Tracy McGradyTracy McGradyTracy Lamar McGrady, Jr., is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons.Entering the league after graduating from high school, McGrady eventually became a seven-time All-Star. He led the league in scoring in 2003 and 2004. He has also played for the Toronto...
in the fourth round of the 1997 USBL draft.