San Diego Wildcards

The San Diego Wildcards were a men's professional basketball team representing San Diego, California who competed in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 1995–96 season. The team was owned by Southern California based sports executive Doug Logan and coached by Mauro Panaggio, who has the most wins as a coach in CBA history. The San Diego Sports Arena served as the Wildcards' home venue. The team folded on January 5, 1996 after placing a 4–17 record.

San Diego Wildcards
San Diego Wildcards logo
LeaguesContinental Basketball Association
Established1995
Folded1996
ArenaSan Diego Sports Arena
LocationSan Diego, California
Main sponsorViejas Casino
Head coachMauro Panaggio
OwnershipDoug Logan

History

The team was brought to San Diego in 1995 after their predecessor, the Mexico City Aztecas, folded.[1] Southern California would prove to be the last stop for the franchise, which went through various incarnations in different cities since 1982: Detroit; Savannah, Georgia; Tulsa; Fargo, North Dakota and Mexico City.

In September 1995 it was announced that the team's nickname would be the "Wildcards".[2] The name came from the franchise's principal sponsor Viejas Casino. who had their name on the team's jersey. At a press conference announcing the sponsorship, team owner Doug Logan wore multi-colored glasses with bells attached, resembling a joker, the team's mascot.[1]

In an effort to boost ticket sales, a Wildcards radio advertisement claimed CBA games would be more entertaining than college basketball or Los Angeles Clippers games.[3] During broadcasts of the Los Angeles Lakers games on KSWB-TV the Wildcards hosted "one-minute ticket telethons" hosted by broadcaster Chris Ello.[4]

Mauro Panaggio was hired as the team's head coach.[5] Panaggio, who had coached in the CBA for 14 seasons and had more wins than any coach in league history, warned the media that the team may have trouble catching on, stating, "No one should get too comfortable here. If they aren't producing, they will have a short stay in San Diego."[1] Panaggio was originally hired for a front office position, but he stepped into the head coaching role after being told by Logan that he could not find anyone to fill the vacancy.[6]

Jarvis Basnigh was selected by San Diego during the 1995 CBA dispersal draft.[1] The Wildcards chose three players during the 1995 CBA draft: Dwight Stewart out of Arkansas, Mike Williams from UMass, and Brian Fair from UConn.[5][7][8]

1995-96 season

The Wildcards first game was at the San Diego Sports Arena on November 17, 1995 against the Chicago Rockers; [1] the Wildcards won, 108-106, on guard Kareem Townes' game-winning bucket with six seconds left.[9] Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union-Tribune wrote, "They had a professional basketball game last night at the Sports Arena and — here's the weird part — people were actually standing and cheering. For the home team."[10] But attendance that first night was only 3,310, in the 14,800-seat San Diego Sports Arena.

Veteran NBA and CBA guard Greg Grant, who had been with the franchise in Mexico, played only one game with the Wildcards (with three points and nine assists) before being signed by the Philadelphia 76ers on November 21, 1995.[11][12]

After the opening night win, though, the 'Cards were decked on a regular basis, losing ten of their next eleven games. Attendance remained low, causing concern that the team would have to move (again) or fold outright. San Diego's general manager Jeff Quinn told The San Diego Union-Tribune, "We're substantially less [in attendance] than I would have thought we would be right now. I would have thought we'd have been drawing somewhere around 3,000. I'm a little mystified. I don't know the answer right now."[13]

Panaggio's "short stay in San Diego" comment proved to be prophetic: on January 5, 1996, the Wildcards officially ceased operations. Team owner Doug Logan claimed the team lost $35,000 per week. The team's final record was 4–17.[14]

Roster
San Diego Wildcards roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
G 3 United States Townes, Kareem 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) La Salle
G 10 United States Grant, Greg 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 145 lb (66 kg) TCNJ
G 12 United States Wynder, A. J. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Fairfield
F 23 United States Carter, Marc 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) San Diego State
F 32 United States Chatman, Canaan 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Portland
G 34 United States Fair, Brian 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Connecticut
F 35 United States White, Leonard 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Southern
F 44 United States Brooks, Kevin 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Louisiana
F 45 United States Johnson, Joey 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Arizona State
F 50 United States Stewart, Dwight 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 265 lb (120 kg) Arkansas
C 55 United States Paddock, Scott 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Notre Dame
F
    		United States Basnight, Jarvis 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) UNLV
    F
      		United States McClary, Ken 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Florida
      G/F
        		United States Oliver, Jimmy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Purdue
        C
          		United States Dent, Rodney 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Kentucky
          G
            		United States Hunter, Cedric 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Kansas
            F
              		United States Gray, Evric 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) UNLV
              Head coach
              Legend
              • (C) Team captain
              • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
              • (FA) Free agent
              • (S) Suspended
              • Injured Injured

              References
              1. Zeigler, Mark (September 22, 1995). "Wildcards' name not a joke; Viejas casino sponsors San Diego's CBA team". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-1.
              2. "Thursday Sports Transactions; Basketball". UPI NewsTrack. San Diego, California. September 21, 1995.
              3. Quindt, Fritz (October 16, 1995). "You may be a redneck -- or a Cowboys fan". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. C-2.
              4. Quindt, Fritz (November 10, 1995). "Notes and static". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-2.
              5. "Ex-Minuteman Draws Wildcard". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Northampton, Massachusetts. September 22, 1995.
              6. Zeigler, Mark (November 15, 1995). "A coach from the Old School; Wildcards' Panaggio just isn't the retiring sort". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-1.
              7. "U.S. Faces Sweden in Davis Cup". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. September 22, 1995. p. C2.
              8. "The NBA; 'War on the Floor' Stern Rebuke". Daily News of Los Angeles. Los Angeles, California. September 28, 1995. p. S1.
              9. "Rockers Fall On Late Shot". Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago, Illinois. November 18, 1995. p. 95.
              10. Zeigler, Mark (November 18, 1995). "Crowd wild over 'Cards victory". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-1.
              11. Jasner, Phil (November 21, 1995). "Grant Returning to the Sixers". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 66.
              12. Zeigler, Mark (November 21, 1995). "Wildcards' Grant may be headed for a stint with 76ers". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. D-5.
              13. McGrane, Mick (December 18, 1995). "After team folds, Panaggio scolds". San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. C-13.
              14. Quindt, Fritz (January 8, 1996). "Golfers assigned to sign is sign of time". The San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, California. p. C-2.
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