SALINA- Professional Basketball is set to return to Salina for the first time in over ten years, according to a media release from One Sports Distraction Group of Topeka.

The Salina Thunder Minor League Basketball Club will participate in the American Basketball Association (ABA) beginning with the 2016-2017 season.

“We believe we are making the right move to bring the ABA to the city of Salina and bringing back great basketball to Salina,” said Shawn Smith, the President and Chief Executive Officer of One Sports Distraction Group.

The team is looking for front office staff including a General Manager, Marketing Manager, Director of Ticket Sales, Director of Events, and a Head Coach.

The Salina Bicentennial Center is being considered as a potential home for the Thunder, as well as other possible locations that could host an ABA team.

Smith said players for the team could come from Division I, Division II and NAIA schools, as well as other professional leagues, or could even be local players from the Salina area.

Smith said that funding for the team would come directly from One Sports Distraction Group, as well as sponsorships that the group would bring to the team.

He indicated that the group and itself fund the league.
Tryouts for the new team are expected to be announced in Mid-March.

Salina has had two previous minor league basketball teams. The Kansas Cagerz played eight seasons (1999-2007) in the United States Basketball League (USBL) at the Bicentennial Center and the Salina Rattlers played just one season (2000-2001) in the International Basketball Association (IBA), also at the Bicentennial Center.