The Grand Rapids Hoops were a

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

team that played in the

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball m ...

(CBA) based in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

. Their first season was in 1989 and their final season was in 2003. Professional basketball later returned to Grand Rapids with the Grand Rapids Flight in 2004.

League history

The team started and played in the Continental Basketball Association until the league folded in 2001. They joined the

International Basketball League The International Basketball League (IBL) was a semi-professional men's basketball league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States. In 2010 the Albany Legends became the first team in the Northeastern United States to join. The ...

for one season before returning to a resurrected CBA the following year where they stayed until their demise.

Name history

The team first played in 1989 as the ''Grand Rapids Hoops''. When the team was sold in 1995 to the people who ran the ''Gus Macker 3-on-3'' Scott McNeal, the nickname changed to the ''Grand Rapids Mackers.'' The team was sold again a year later to an investment group with Bob Przybysz as the managing partner and the name reverted to the ''Grand Rapids Hoops''.

Home court history

The Grand Rapids Hoops began their play in Welsh Auditorium in 1989. When the Van Andel Arena opened in the mid 1996, the Hoops moved there joining the

Grand Rapids Griffins The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL), playing their home games at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of t ...

as tenants. As attendance fell, the team moved to the DeltaPlex, a smaller arena located out of the downtown area. The team disbanded in 2003. The franchise was purchased and moved to nearby Muskegon's LC Walker Arena and renamed the

Michigan Mayhem The Michigan Mayhem were a minor league professional basketball team based in Muskegon, Michigan, that competed in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). In the CBA's 2004–2005 season, the Mayhem finished third in the league's Eastern Conf ...

in 2004, which has now been disbanded as well.

References

Continental Basketball Association teams Sports in Grand Rapids, Michigan Basketball teams established in 1989 Basketball teams in Michigan Basketball teams disestablished in 2003 1989 establishments in Michigan 2003 disestablishments in Michigan International Basketball League (1999–2001) teams {{Michigan-basketball-team-stub