FOLIO | The 95ers want you to start thinking about basketball again in Jacksonville – Words by Folio Staff and Malorie Aldrich | Basketball has been the sport of hoops and dreams since its origins and those dreams are returning to Jacksonville. The sport has evolved immensely since educator James Naismith invented it back in 1891 to keep his students active during the winter. Back then, there was no net — a person had to retrieve the ball from a peach basket each time a successful shot was made.
The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was the most dominant of the few professional basketball leagues in North America. The BAA was only two years old when it absorbed most of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 and rebranded as the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA did not become a monopoly overnight, though. The rival American Basketball Association (ABA) was its main competitor from 1967 to 1976. Then the ABA and NBA merged into what we now fully understand as the NBA.
It’s hard to imagine that basketball, as we know it, is still younger than some of the legends who played it: Jerry West, the inspiration for the NBA logo, is 85 years old; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is 76 years old; Dr. J (aka Julius Erving) is 73 years old; and Jacksonville’s own Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore is 74 years old.
The origins of basketball in Jacksonville are rather legendary and the latest attempt is being shot by the Jacksonville 95ers next month.
Jacksonville WHO? The Story Behind the Jacksonville University Dolphins
Duval’s basketball narrative began with the inception of Jacksonville University’s (JU) men’s basketball team in 1948. However, it would take several decades for JU to ascend to Division I status, marking a significant turning point in its college basketball journey and elevating its relevance in the sport.
The documentary “Jacksonville Who?” shares the story of JU’s integrated basketball team overcoming racial tensions and becoming the smallest school in history to reach NCAA- Division I. In the documentary, the narrator begins by saying, “I don’t know if a Hollywood scriptwriter could have done a better job watching the ascension of Artis Gilmore from Jacksonville.” If you haven’t seen this 52 minute documentary, stop and watch it here.
City leaders discuss the civil rights turmoil of the era, including Ax Handle Saturday, which occurred in 1960. Despite all that was going on around the city, the JU basketball team was a microcosm of how Black and white individuals could not only work together but love each other. No other sports team — college or professional — was representing the city of Jacksonville at a national level and they did so in a transcendent way.
From 1967 to 1969, 7-foot-2-inch Artis Gilmore was enrolled and played basketball at Gardner-Webb Jr. College (now University) in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. Gilmore led Gardner-Webb to the NJCAA tournament in 1968 and 1969 and was a two-time junior college All-American where he played alongside Ernie Fleming. When JU recruited Fleming to come to Jacksonville, Fleming wrote back and said he’d love to come to Jacksonville … and would like to bring his roommate, Artis Gilmore, with him.
“Jacksonville WHO?” shares the story of how Gilmore refused to travel to Jacksonville by bus or plane because he was worried about Gardner-Webb (and those who would find the departure unsettling) finding out.
“Maybe it was paranoid, maybe it was true, maybe it was not,” Gilmore said in the film. “But we decided we were not going to catch an airplane, not going to catch a bus because we just assumed there would be personnel in those locations observing our departures.”
Segregation and racial violence were systemically infused in the South. At that time, there was only one Black player in all of the Southeastern Conference. JU started three Black players.
“There was a different mentality in Jacksonville,” Artis continued. “There was a sense of tension in the community. Except within our group of individuals.”
As the popularity of the games grew, venues in the Jacksonville area were chosen to accommodate the large crowds. However, due to segregation, organizers had to carefully scout locations where the events could be held.
“I think that the players did a lot for, not just JU, but for the city,” Fleming’s widow, Marchita Simmons said. “To see Black men becoming famous in the city. You got to remember the integration of schools here was in 1968.”
Gilmore ultimately led the Jacksonville Dolphins team to a 27–2 record and into the 1970 NCAA tournament. The NCAA tournament was an even larger challenge, as they had a series of top teams back-to-back. As JU arrived for a second-round matchup in Kentucky, the hotel sign said, “Jacksonville, who?” Kentucky refused to have Black athletes on their team and made that a point of pride and contention. They were also one of the best teams in the nation coached by a future hall-of-fame coach. The JU Dolphins won 106-100 despite the longest of odds.
In the championship game, JU faced off against John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins. JU had the early lead, but UCLA made adjustments. Some say the referees had whistles that were partial, but UCLA was able to block Gilmore and had a speedy fast break. Duval’s best lost 80-69.
However, it was a show of unity and solidarity on a national stage. Thousands of fans met the team at the airport. The police escort drove them past people of all races and ages showing love, support and unity.
Current JU President Tim Cost recapped the season from a broader perspective, “If you talk to people to that era, it jumpstarted the healing of race relations in this city and this part of the region. People came together over the game and love of these young men.”
Jacksonville Basketball History
Other leagues don’t quite have the status of the NBA but play meaningful basketball at a professional level. One such league is The Basketball League (TBL). The TBL just completed its sixth season and recently expanded from 44 teams in the 2022 season to over 50 in 2023 and Jacksonville is one of those lucky cities.
Jacksonville has been the home city to several other basketball teams over the decades. In 1970, the ABA’s Miami Floridians decided to become a regional team and dropped “Miami” from their name. The Floridians played several home games at the Jacksonville Coliseum during the 1970-71 season. Jacksonville proved too small of a market, and Duval was taken off of the rotation. The team completely folded in 1972.
In 1986, the Jacksonville Jets were the first formal semi-professional basketball team in the city, playing in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). The CBA was used as a training ground for future NBA athletes like the TBL or the NBA’s D or G leagues.
Then-president of the Jets, Ted J. Stepien, promised, “In the months to come you are going to witness basketball like you’ve never seen before…The Jacksonville Jets are made up of top NBA picks and former college All-Americans.”
Stepien was the former owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. However, he was controversial during this time for his views on segregation. In an interview in December 1980, Stepien said, “No team should be all white and no team should be all Black, either. That’s what bothers me about the NBA. You’ve got a situation here where Blacks represent little more than 5 percent of the market, yet most teams are at least 75 percent black. The New York Knicks are 100 percent black. Teams with that kind of makeup can’t possibly draw from a suitable cross-section of fans.”
Stepien concurrently described himself as “big on desegregation” and “for a totally integrated society” but seemed focused on the lack of what he felt was an underrepresentation of white players in the NBA. The team received a lot of hype and put out top-of-the-line marketing in its day and eventually moved to Mississippi on Jan. 2, 1987.
The United States Basketball League (USBL) was formed in 1985 and the Jacksonville Hooters joined the league in 1988. That year, they had a record of 21 wins and 9 losses, finishing first in the USBL but losing in the semifinals. The Hooters are officially accredited with winning the USBL championship in 1990, as they went 15-1. In 1993, the team briefly moved to Daytona Beach before returning to Jacksonville. They shortly adopted the name “Shooters” before ultimately settling on “Barracudas.” During their time as the Jacksonville Barracudas, the team gained recognition in Sports Illustrated for one of their standout players, renowned boxer Roy Jones Jr.
In 1999, Joe Newman and the Richard P. Tinkham re-launched the ABA “in partnership with the NBA,” according to its website. The new ABA looked at Jacksonville and discussions occurred about a Northeast Florida launch under the name “Jacksonville Jackals,” but the team never developed.
In the early 2000s, high-level basketball was on the city’s priority list. The city assisted with some funding toward exploring the viability of basketball in Jacksonville and the Orlando Magic even held training camps at UNF. The U.S. men’s basketball team came to town for an Olympic warm-up friendly at the Veterans Memorial Arena in 2004. The arena also played host to the opening round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in 2006.
The ABA finally made its debut in Jacksonville in 2006 with the addition of the Jacksonville Jam as an expansion team. The Jam had an impressive first season, finishing with a 25–8 record and earning the No. 2 seed in the ABA tournament. Owner Felix Krupczynski received recognition as the league’s Executive of the Year, as noted in the Jacksonville Business Journal on April 20, 2007.
Initially, the team played at the arena, but high overhead costs led to financial difficulties. They subsequently moved to the more affordable court at UNF. However, after the season, players claimed they were not paid as promised, resulting in tension between Krupczynski and ABA leadership. Seeking a solution, Krupczynski turned to the Professional Basketball League (PBL). Unfortunately, on February 4, 2008, the PBL announced the termination of the Jacksonville Jam organization due to failure to meet obligations. Although the league planned to rebrand the team as the Jacksonville Slam, it ultimately folded.
The next team was the Jacksonville Bluewaves, which originated in the World Basketball Association, a small league with six teams in Florida and Georgia. They played their home games at Edward Waters College and went 6-0 in their inaugural season. Once again, it was not without challenges. During the season, the team was forced to cancel a game and would later move games to Bolles High School. Dwane Joshua was one of owner Kevin Waters’ important players. Both now join the city’s latest semi-pro basketball team, the
Jacksonville 95ers, as owners and leaders.
On July 9, 2010, it was announced that the Bluewaves would be joining the new American Basketball Association. Joe Newman served as the CEO of the ABA at the time and announced, “Jacksonville is a great city and deserving of a quality ABA organization. In Kevin Waters, we’ve found the right owner to maximize the potential. I’ve known Kevin for several years and am very impressed with his abilities both on and off the court.” Given the lag between seasons, Waters accepted an offer he couldn’t refuse, partnering with well-funded personal injury attorney Ron Sholes to start the Jacksonville Giants.
Sholes secured the territory rights for Jacksonville in 2010 for the American Basketball Association.
In a 2016 “Jacksonville Daily Record” article, Sholes noted he constantly talks to front office staff and the coaches about players, the team, how they’re playing and other aspects you’d hear from an engaged owner.
The Giants were successful on the court as ABA National Champions in 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021. In 2016, the Giants were allegedly recognized by the ABA as, the “Highest Regular Season Attendance in ABA History – 8,987.” However, attendance went up and down. They, too, left the arena and suffered from largely only being sustained by legal and medical marketing combined with COVID-19. As attendance fell, the Giants folded with no announcement after being eliminated from the 2021–2022 playoffs. Its website is still active.
Jacksonville Legend: Artis Gilmore
Artis Gilmore is and remains the cornerstone of basketball in Jacksonville. When he entered the professional ranks, Gilmore created a bidding war between the rival NBA and ABA. He was drafted by the Kentucky Colonels in the 1971 ABA draft and by the Chicago Bulls in the 1971 NBA draft. The ABA’s Kentucky Colonels won out and signed him to a 10-year, $2.5 million contract. He’d play in 420 consecutive games and was a quiet star of the league. The ABA was then consumed by the NBA after the 1975-76 season and Gilmore was the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Bulls. After the 1981-82 season, he asked to be traded and played for the San Antonio Spurs. He’d round out a brilliant career in the NBA with the Boston Celtics.
In 909 regular season games, Gilmore ended his time in the NBA, finishing with 15,579 points (17.1 PPG), 9,161 rebounds (10.1 RPG) and 1,747 blocked shots. His final stats in the ABA included 9,362 points (22.3 PPG), 7,169 rebounds (17.1 RPG) and a league-record 750 blocks.
Gilmore was an 11-time All-Star, the ABA Rookie of the Year, and an ABA Most Valuable Player (MVP). Julius Irving (aka Dr. J) personally introduced and welcomed Artis Gilmore into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Next Chapter: Jacksonville 95ers
Jacksonville’s newest basketball franchise is the Jacksonville 95ers, and they are set to begin play in the TBL next month at Jacksonville University. This league is considered to be one of the highest minor professional basketball leagues, with talent akin to the NBA’s G-league.
The Jacksonville 95ers is the brainchild of former player, coach and general manager Kevin Waters.
“I mean, I fell in love with basketball when I was 2 years old,” Waters explained. “My family used to laugh at me. I was dribbling the basketball without really knowing how to walk”
Waters started coaching basketball at the college level, starting off at Edward Waters University (then College) as an assistant coach for two years before moving on to Kennesaw State University in Atlanta where the team won the Division II National Championship. Upon moving back to Jacksonville, Waters fondly recalled getting a call from ABA commissioner Joe Newman. They complimented him and looked for him to help steer the Jacksonville Giants. Waters first served as head coach of the Giants until 2016, which led him to be the ABA’s head coach of the year twice. From there, Waters went to coach at Wilberforce University in Ohio and then to Fort Lauderdale where he won the FIBA National Tournament in 2022.
Under Waters’ leadership, the 95ers have big plans. Waters and his fellow owners want to give fans a gameday experience that is fun and rewarding while also giving back to the community. The ownership group aims to bring top-quality basketball to Jacksonville while also providing fans with the NBA experience on game days.
“We want to be a staple in the community. That’s the main goal first. And we want to provide quality entertainment,” Waters said. “We want to bring championships here to the city,”
According to Waters, the 95ers organization plans to stand out by the end of its inaugural season. “For example, our gameday experience, I know there are some other teams who have a great game day experience, but we are looking to put on top-level entertainment in reference to, the top performing dancers, artists that come through and having a lot of activities for the kids to participate in and something that will be a that will be engaging throughout the course of the game,” Waters shared. “The other thing that’s going to separate us from the other teams is being a winner. We understand the importance of being a winner here in Jacksonville. So it’s our duty to put a championship-level team on the court.”
Waters chose the name, the 95ers because of Interstate 95’s central role in and around the city.
“I had this dream two years ago about bringing a professional team here to Jacksonville. So I was thinking what would be a good name. And so many use animal names or things which don’t represent the city,” Waters explained. “You have to go through I-95 to get to Jacksonville and it runs from Maine to the southern tip of Florida and is a significant transportation hub for the country. Hmmm, Jacksonville 95ers. The name just kept coming back to me. But it was something that God had put into my head, a couple of years ago.”
And that’s not the only Jacksonville tie-in. The team mascot will be Johnnie, the River Monster. As covered in ‘Folio’ and on The Jaxson website, the first account of Jacksonville and the St. John’s River’s version of Nessie, the Loch Ness monster dates back to 1849, when a .
As noted on The Jaxson, “From a newspaper called ‘The Examiner,’ the ‘Daily Journal’ quotes the story of [a man named] Adams when, at the mouth of the St. Johns River on the 18th of February, 1849, his own and the attention of the crew was riveted upon an immense sea monster which he took to be a serpent.”
In October 1953, “The Orlando Sentinel” reported about a reward for capturing “that old St. Johns River monster.” Indeed, by land and by river, the 95ers have brought Johnnie to life to entertain and give back to the community.
The 95ers’ season will run from March to May with playoffs in June. So be sure to come on out to support our new team the 95ers, and see what excitement awaits. Get your tickets at www.jacksonville95ers.com
Article retrieved via link below:
https://folioweekly.com/2024/02/22/hoops-and-dreams-jacksonville-a-football-town-or-basketball-town/
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