Professional basketball has arrived at FireLake Arena on Hardesty Rd. It was announced on Sept. 29, during a press conference, that the Citizen Potawatomi Nation is starting a minor league basketball team.
The Potawatomi Fire will begin their inaugural season in March 2022 with The Basketball League (TBL), and are the first team in the league to be owned by a tribe. The Fire will have 24 games in the season, including 12 home games.
FireLake Arena Director David J. Qualls, CPN Chairman John “Rocky” Barrett, and CPN Vice-Chair Linda Capps represented the tribe, and President of TBL David Magley, TBL CEO Evelyn Magley, and Potawatomi Fire Head Coach Derrick Rowland represented the league.
“I’m very proud of this because we have a steeped tradition in basketball in Pottawatomie County, across tribe and across the state,” said Qualls.
After it was mentioned that they should have a basketball court in the arena, Qualls began looking into installing one in hopes of holding tournaments or even starting an independent league. But, just two days after the flooring arrived, the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. It sat on crates in the arena for almost a year before he and Jennifer Bell, CPN Director of Public Information, shared a picture of it on Facebook.
“When we did, our media blew up,” said Qualls. “It was one of the largest viewed and shared pictures on the Potawatomi Facebook page.”
It was during the shutdown that Qualls discovered TBL and presented his idea to Capps and Barrett. The new team will be one of only two teams in the TBL in Oklahoma, the other being the Enid Outlaws.
“Mrs. Capps and I ... had the opportunity to go up to Enid to watch the national championship game against New York, and it was an unbelievable game - really exciting and wonderful quality basketball,” said Barrett.
Enid, in its inaugural year, won the TBL National Championship against the Syracuse Stallions, 120-107, on July 24. They have an overall record of 30-3, according to enidoutlaws.com.
“Now we have a rivalry,” said David Magley. “You will see people from Enid at your games, and we assume we’ll see people from Shawnee at their games. We’re creating an environment.”
Barrett said the Potawatomi Fire will not only give basketball athletes in the area a new level to achieve, but it will offer affordable, local family entertainment.
“The Potawatomi Fire offers an affordable option for entertainment here in Shawnee,” said Barrett. “You know, with it $80 to $100 to go to an OU game, and I don’t even know how much they’re charging at the Thunder now. It’s more than a set of tires.”
The money spent to attend games will also help contribute to the economy.
“We are hoping and praying and extremely confident that the community will show us support for this team because this brings a strong economic impact on our community and jobs and advertising and entertainment dollars that we might not otherwise see invested in our community,” said Barrett. “And this whole concept makes sense to our tribe because, beyond that, it’s an opportunity to embrace our community, and it’s an opportunity to improve the quality of life here.”
Qualls agreed, “Every dollar you spend at the Potawatomi Fire game - which won’t be a set of tires, I can guarantee you that - will turn over seven times in this community.”
Evelyn Magley spoke about TBL’s vision and welcomed the Fire to their growing family of 29 teams.
“Welcome to TBL’s family. This is unlike any other basketball league that’s here in America,” she said. “This vision that is going out across our nation is a God-given vision. I don’t apologize for it. It is an opportunity for us to do one simple thing: sharing the love of community, have a place where you can come with your children, and make memories.”
Rowland spoke next. He played in the NBA for the Denver Nuggets in 1981 and was a free agent for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks in 1985 and 1986, respectively, according to basketball-reference.com. He is best known as “Mr. Patroon,” after playing for the Albany Patroons beginning in 1982-83. Rowland is the Patroons career leader in scoring and rebounds, stated an article on timesunion.com. He then served as head coach for the team as they progressed through leagues, from the Continental Basketball Association to the North American Premier Basketball League, and now, TBL.
“The last team that I coached, the Albany Patroons, were very strong,” he said. “They made a movie about the team. They won championships. ... The biggest thing that we did in Albany was the lives that we changed, the things that we did as a group, that’s the biggest thing. Winning is great for a (while), but the thing that this league is about, for my players and myself, we’re about uplifting, making everyone better at what they do.”
One of Rowland’s goals is to recruit players who will be involved in the community.
“Wherever there’s a need, you want to see us in the community, trying to put a smile on your face, and trying to help kids because a lot of times … a lot of these kids will never have a chance to see professional basketball (players), interact with professional athletes,” he said. “That’s a great thing, I know. As a child, for me, that had a big influence on my life. Prior to junior high school, I knew I wanted to be in basketball.”
Two players are already on the team: 2016 OSU alum Anthony Allen, who was a Patroon, and Rowland’s youngest son, Derrick Jr. Allen, who is 7 feet tall and was born in Jamaica, was at the press conference and posed for pictures.
Qualls said they would be holding nationwide tryouts and combines, in which players can showcase their talents, as well as tryouts for those in the Shawnee area and tribal members of CPN. A dance team and cheerleaders are also being organized by Aonisty Parks, director of Dream-Catcher’s Dance Company, in Shawnee.
“I’ve enlisted Aonisty to help us coordinate a dance team for the Fire, the Fire Girls, as well as to work with our pregame, halftime, and postgame entertainment for those areas,” said Qualls.
Performing at the press conference were the North Rock Creek Band and Cheerleaders.
For more information, watch for announcements on the Potawatomi Fire social media sites and on their website, potawatomifire.com.
