Pro basketball league in high gear

By Wes Woods II
Summer Forty-Niner

The 2000 Southern California Pro Basketball League is dribbling its game through The Pyramid until July 30.

"We've had over 15,000 people [watch the basketball games] since July 8," said Marni Colbert, the director of operations for the summer pro league.

The summer league, which is in its fifth year at The Pyramid, has had current National Basketball Association players Bo Outlaw, of the Orlando Magic and Derek Strong, of the Clippers, play in the games. Other stars, such as Derek Fisher, of the Lakers, and Antawn Jamison, of the Golden State Warriors, have watched, Colbert said.

Joe Bryant, Kobe Bryant's father and general manager of the Olympia Milano summer pro league team, said The Pyramid was a "special place."

"It's where Kobe put on his Laker jersey for the first time in '96," he said.

"The Pyramid is a great facility, it's beautiful," Colbert said. "The people are great."

She also said the summer league would "probably" be back for a sixth year.

There have been no incidents with the players because most of the athletes are trying to get a job, she said.

Colbert said she didn't know how much money the pro league would make until final attendance and sponsorship sales were accounted for.