Sun Kings Basketball

Twenty-nine years ago, on May 1, 1995, the Yakima Sun Kings defeated the Pittsburgh Pirahnas, 96-94, in the Yakima Valley SunDome, winning the 1995 CBA Championship 4-games-to-2. Rookie forward Aaron Swinson had 26 points and 12 rebounds in Game 6 and was named Finals MVP. The 1995 CBA MVP, Eldridge Recasner, scored 18 points in the clinching win, including the go-ahead basket with 20 seconds remaining.

What a team!! Eldridge Recasner, Reggie Jordan, Larry Robinson, Kevin Holland, Aaron Swinson, Curtis Kitchen, Anthony Goldwire, Dell Demps, Erik Martin and Edgar Jones. CBA All-Star Chucky Brown was called up to the Houston Rockets earlier in the season, also winning the 1995 NBA Title.

Coached by CBA Coach of the Year Mo McHone and Paul Woolpert, the winningest coach in franchise history.

Owners Gary Hansen, Steve Pratt and Brooks Ellison, also the team’s General Manager and two-time CBA GM of the Year.

Athletic Trainer Geoff Clark, CBA Trainer of the Year, kept the team healthy, along with Massage Therapist Marshall Slight.

Front office staff of Cindy Sullivan, Jason Krump and Rich Austin.

Unforgettable memories of a group of great Sun Kings.

The Sun Kings lost a member of the family yesterday when former Assistant Don Allen Sellers passed away. Don worked for the team several times in the late-1990’s and early-2000’s. He will be remembered for his love of all things basketball, his giving nature and that big, hearty laugh. We love you and miss you, Don!

Look at former Sun King Geoff Clark. He was recently promoted to Director of Player Health and Performance for the Portland Trail Blazers. After almost a decade with the Sun Kings, winning one CBA Title and CBA Trainer of the Year Honors, Geoff went to the Trail Blazers in 1999. For the past 12 years, he was Head Athletic Trainer for the Blazers, and was named NBA Trainer of the Year in 2014. Congratulations, Geoff! A well-deserved promotion for one of the all-time Sun King greats!

Anthony Carter played the 1998-99 CBA season with the Sun Kings before having a 13-year NBA career. After three coaching stops, AC is in his second year as an Assistant Coach/Director of Player Decelopment with the Miami Heat.

www.nba.com

The celebration of life for Dave Thomas will be held on Sunday, February 9th at Shaw and Son's Funeral Home in Yakima starting at noon.

Since the Sun Kings came to Yakima in 1990, the team had several owners, coaches, players and staff members. But there was one constant - Yakima Herald-Republic beat writer Dave Thomas. Dave worked hundreds of games, keeping the readers of the Yakima Valley informed about the team. His stories and columns were the best in the league, and the publicity Dave gave the team was a major reason why players wanted to come play in Yakima. He was more than a writer, he was a member of the Sun King’s Family! Dave passed away unexpectedly this morning. To say he will be missed is an understatement. We are thinking of Dave, his wife, Valory, and his son, Brian.

It’s so sad we will not have Sun Kings basketball this season. Gonna be a long winter!😢

Looks like we will not have the Sun Kings back for the 2020 season. Here's to hoping the team returns in the near future!

For the sixth time in six finals appearances, the Yakima SunKings are champions! Last night, they defeated the Albany Patroons to win the inaugural NAPB Championship, 2-0. Hats off to the best coaches, the best players, the best owners, the best franchise, and the best fans! Never gets old, the Yakima SunKings are champions!

The SunKings are 8-2 and in second place!

Be sure to check out and "Like" the page of the new Yakima SunKings today!

Yakima SunKings

Paul Woolpert is back as the Sun Kings Head Coach and General Manager!!

Come down to the Red Lion Yakima Center (607 E. Yakima Avenue) at 11am today for the press conference announcing the return of the Sun Kings. Everyone is welcome!

Sun Kings Fans, you are invited! Press conference scheduled for 11am tomorrow at the Red Lion Yakima Center.

Will the Sun Kings be coming back to the Yakima Valley?

Did you know that 10 former Sun Kings suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers?

Benoit Benjamin, Maurice Carter, Duane Cooper (2000 CBA Champion), Chucky Brown (1995 CBA Champion), Pig Miller (2003 and 2006 CBA Champion), Mario Bennett, Demetrius Calip, Ronny Turiaf (2006 CBA Champion), Reggie Jordan (1995 CBA Champion) and Mike Higgins all saw time for the Lakers.

Florida State's PJ Savoy is the son of former Sun King Patrick Savoy. The Seminoles are the #3 Seed in the West Region. Patrick played for the Sun King during the 1996-97 season and participated in the 1997 CBA Slam Dunk contest at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

1995 CBA Champion Erik Martin and his #4 Seed West Virginia Mountaineers are playing #5 Seed Norte Dame this am.

Former Sun Kings owner Gary Hansen, passed away on January 15th. Gary was part of the group, along with Steve Pratt and Brooks Ellison, that owned the team from 1992-95. During that time, the Sun Kings made the playoffs for the first time ever, and won the 1995 CBA Championship. Here is the link to a story on Gary from the Yakima Herald-Republic.

http://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/professional_sports/hansen-s-silence-spoke-volumes-for-yakima-sun-kings/article_3488eb82-e129-11e6-b758-97989508ff69.html

Hansen’s silence spoke volumes for Yakima Sun Kings YAKIMA — Even at the height of the Yakima Sun Kings’ greatest early achievement, you didn’t see one of their owners in the middle of the party.

Congratulations to former Sun King Darrick Martin on being named Head Coach of the NBDL Reno Bighorns! Darrick played for the Sun Kings during the club's 2002-03 CBA Championship season and was named Playoffs MVP.

Here is a link to an article regarding the 2003 CBA Championship Game vs. Grand Rapids:

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/yakima-wins-record-third-cba-title/n-1989355

Yakima Wins Record Third CBA Title - OurSports Central YAKIMA SUN KINGS WIN RECORD THIRD CBA CHAMPIONSHIP Yakima defeats Grand Rapids 117-107 in 2003 CBA Championship Yakima, Wash.

1998-99 Yakima Sun Kings

Four of our five CBA trophies

CBA logo throughout the Sun Kings time in the league.

Bob Wilson purchased the Topeka Sizzlers and brought the franchise to Yakima in 1990, renaming the team, the Sun Kings.

Now an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers, David Vanterpool, was a member of the Sun Kings second CBA Championship team in 2000.

Erik Martin, #32 from the Sun Kings 1995 CBA title team, is an assistant coach at West Virginia.

If you have any Sun Kings photos or memories, please post them here.

Aaron Swinson, MVP of the 1995 CBA Finals (the Sun Kings defeated Pittsburgh 4-games-to-2), is an Assistant Coach for the University of Cincinnati women's basketball team.

1999-2000 Sun Kings Dance Team.

I think this was 2000 season.