Former Indiana University and NBA star Kent Benson and former Indianapolis Rockets general manager Bob Petty had a vision to create a minor professional basketball league in Indiana.
This spring, the Hoosier Hardwood Basketball Association debuted with teams in four Indiana towns — Medora, New Castle, Pendleton and Terre Haute.
Now, the HHBA is looking to expand to 10 teams, and Columbus is one of the cities it is targeting for an expansion franchise.
“We hope to get 10 teams, and we’re hoping Columbus will be one of them,” said Garry Montgomery, HHBA vice president of community relations.
“When you look at the proximity to the other teams we have already and from what I can see, there would be a great family entertainment value to this,” he said. “I like the Columbus feel. I like what I’ve seen down here, and I just think that there would be some value there for Columbus to have a local entertainment option for families that would be fairly inexpensive.”
The initial item for a prospective franchise is finding local ownership. So Benson, who is the chairman and founder; Petty, the president of basketball operations and founder; and Montgomery are looking for an owner in the Columbus area.
“We are being very selective on our team owners,” Benson said in a news release. “It’s more than just having an owner write a check. We want an owner with the same passion to help players reach the next level as we do and be involved in providing a fun, family-friendly basketball experience for their community. If you love basketball, love your community and want to develop something special and unique for your community, we are interested in speaking with you.”
Last year, the HHBA held a combine, and players were selected from that. The league plans to hold another combine this year.
Former Pendleton Heights and Butler standout Kellen Dunham is the HHBA’s most recognizable player. Dunham, who serves as the player/league adviser, led the Pendleton Legends to the inaugural HHBA championship.
“I’ve been really surprised at the level of talent that we’ve had,” Montgomery said. “It was beyond my expectations.”
Montgomery said some games drew about 200 fans this spring.
“We pulled it off in a COVID year, which says a lot,” Montgomery said. “It was a learning curve, a big one. There were a lot of things to work out. We got through it, and it was a COVID year, so any time you can pull something out in a COVID year, it was great. I have no worries about the attendance going forward.”
Teams play twice per weekend for 10 weeks prior to the playoffs. Games are at 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and either Sunday afternoons or evenings from March through May.
“That little window is our niche,” Montgomery said. “Because a lot of our players have other daytime jobs, we try not to stretch out too long of a season for them. They’re making sacrifices during that window of time to be a part of it.”
Players make between $500 to $2,500 per month during the season, based on skill level, experience, projected jersey sales, T-shirt sales and ticket sales from their individual HHBA websites. Compensation packages may also include performance-based incentives.
“Kent is committed to making this thing work and doing it the right way,” Montgomery said. “We will not have players that will not stand for the national anthem. That’s not going to happen. Kent is adamant about it, and rightfully so. It’s not uncommon for us to have a prayer prior to the game for players and for the crowd, as well.”
Contracts also will include a community service aspect.
“We’d like to have our players very community-oriented,” Montgomery said. “So maybe on any given day, one or two or three of those players would come into a school and do a dunk demonstration for a bunch of middle-schoolers and then at the end have some positive messaging. You may have a guy show up to have a reading buddy at an elementary school.”
Tickets for HHBA games are $10. Columbus last hosted a professional basketball team during the 2011-12 season when the Indiana Diesel played their home games at Columbus North’s Memorial Gym.
Potential owners or anyone else needing more information on the HHBA can visit its website, mvpresults.com
“We’re looking for ownership, and we really want it to be local,” Montgomery said. “We’re looking for people who really have a heart for basketball and a heart for the town and bring good entertainment value to Columbus. Finding ownership is the first critical thing.”