Albany Patroons
| Albany Patroons | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Leagues |
CBA 1982–1992, 2005–2009 USBL 2006–2007 |
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| Founded | 1982 | ||
| Folded | 2009 | ||
| History |
Albany Patroons 1982–1992 Capital Region Pontiacs 1992–1993 Albany Patroons 2005–2009 |
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| Arena | Washington Avenue Armory | ||
| Location | Albany, New York | ||
| Team colors | Gold and Kelly Green | ||
| Head coach | Derrick Rowland | ||
| Ownership | Ben Fernandez | ||
| Championships | 2 (1984, 1988) | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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The Albany Patroons were a professional basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and in the United States Basketball League (USBL).
The Patroons' home arena was the 3,500-seat Washington Avenue Armory, a former New York National Guard armory with a castle-like exterior. In 1990, the Patroons moved from this location and into the newly constructed Times Union Center, then called the Knickerbocker Arena. When the team was re-established in 2005, it moved back into the Armory. In February 2009, the CBA announced it was abbreviating its regular season as of February 3. On its official website, it was announced that the team would not play in the 2009–2010 season.
Originally entering the CBA as an expansion franchise in the 1982–83 season, the Patroons won league championships in 1984 and 1988, defeating the Wyoming Wildcatters in both instances.
NBA head coach Phil Jackson won his first championship ring when he guided the Albany Patroons to the 1984 CBA championship. Walter (Walt The Stalt) Williams was named MVP of the series and went on to become a key assistant coach to Jackson. Jackson would later win NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.
In 1988, the Patroons won a second championship, this time under head coach Bill Musselman. Musselman would later coach the Minnesota Timberwolves, and several Patroons from the 1987–88 championship year – including Lowes Moore, Rick Carlisle, Scott Brooks, Tod Murphy, Tony Campbell and Sidney Lowe – played on those early Timberwolves squads.
Three years later, the Patroons completed a 50–6 regular season, including winning all 28 of their home games; at that time, George Karl was the Patroons' head coach. Future NBA stars Mario Elie and Vincent Askew were part of that 50–6 squad.
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