The Rockford Lightning was a basketball 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). They were based in

Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, Winnebago and Ogle County, Illinois, Ogle counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in far northern Illinois on the banks of the Rock River (Mississippi River tributary), Rock River, Rockfor ...

History

The Lightning were the oldest team in the CBA, originally existing as the Lancaster Red Roses from

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster ( ) is a city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 58,039 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, eighth-most populous ci ...

. That team changed their name to the Lancaster Lightning, then the franchise moved to

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

for a year before relocating in Rockford. Their home arena was the MetroCentre. They were the runners-up in the 2001-02 and 2004-05 CBA seasons, losing a winner-take-all championship game to the Dakota Wizards 116–109 in 2002, and a best-of-5 series to the

Sioux Falls Skyforce The Sioux Falls Skyforce are an American professional basketball team of the NBA G League based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and are affiliated with the Miami Heat. The team has played its home games in the Sanford Pentagon since the 2013–14 ...

3–1 in 2005. On January 20, 2006, the

team A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to in ...

's owner announced that the Lightning would cease operations after the season unless other investors purchased the team and continued its operations. An attempt was made to constitute a new local ownership group, but it was unsuccessful, and the team folded. The Lightning's main rival was the Quad City Thunder.

NBA call-ups

* Bruce Bowen (1995-97) -

Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern C ...

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), ...

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...

Sam Mack Sam Mack (born May 26, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. The 6'7" shooting guard from Dolton, Illinois played with five different NBA teams over a 10-year span and has had a 20-year international basketball career. Col ...

- Vancouver Grizzlies * Gerald Madkins Golden State Warriors * Earl Boykins (1998-99) * Matt Steigenga * Linton Johnson * Darrell Walker (coach) * Mike James * Larry Sykes * Desmond Ferguson * Howard Eisley * Ken Bannister *

Kornél Dávid Dávid Kornél (in English sometimes Kornel David, born October 22, 1971) is a Hungarian former professional basketball player. He is yet the only Hungarian who played in the NBA. Early life Dávid grew up with the Budapesti Honvéd juniors ...

Ralph Sampson also would play for the Rockford Lightning in the Continental Basketball Association during the 1994–95 season before ultimately retiring for good.

References

Basketball teams in Illinois Basketball teams in Baltimore Basketball teams in Philadelphia Basketball teams established in 1978 Basketball teams disestablished in 2006 1978 establishments in Pennsylvania 2006 disestablishments in Illinois {{Illinois-basketball-team-stub