Pro Am

[JRutledge]

I will put it to you this way. You cannot just call Bill Jones and you automatically get a single game in this league. You have to attend a camp in Las Vegas and prove you are worthy with fitness and ability level. Also many officials that work the league have received opportunities to work in other pro leagues like the CBA (and many other pro leagues at similar levels that I do not know the specific name of) and also you can get consideration if you try out for the NBA. This is also not the only league available during the summer as well.

For the record I have never worked the league and likely never will because of my lack of interest. I have worked with Bill Jones (who is named on the link) this past season in the post season where I worked with him during 3 games for a Regional Championship in HS. I have also worked with Bill several times previously in HS games. I have also had extensive conversations with him about working Pro-Am and talked with others that have been hired or are on the road to work in the NBA system. There are several guys in an association I belong that work these games every summer. My knowledge is second hand at best, but there is a little more to this than your local YMCA league with some guys that either never played HS or any college level ball. I even worked a tournament a few years ago outside of Chicago that had players that were all former D1 players and some former NBA players that played in this league. I would not consider that the same as an average "wreak league."

Peace

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

My knowledge is second hand at best, but there is a little more to this than your local YMCA league with some guys that either never played HS or any college level ball. I even worked a tournament a few years ago outside of Chicago that had players that were all former D1 players and some former NBA players that played in this league. I would not consider that the same as an average "wreak league."

Hey, I was just going by what they posted on their website. Under "About Us", they said "The Chicago Pro-Am is a non profit organization that conducts basketball leagues during the winter and summer to provide structure and leisure activities for young adults. These semi-professional basketball games give many inner-city youths, who might not be able to attend professional games, an opportunity to participate and attend a more wholesome recreational facility." And when you check out their teams, the majority listed are high-school age. Maybe I'm wrong, but that sounds like rec league basketball to me. Note that I'm certainly not putting the league down when I say that either.

When I looked at some of the other hits that you get when you Google "pro-am basketball, most of them looked like your average rec league to me also.

Just saying......

[howie719]

most of these pro-am's are very competitive and the level of play is very high. If you have any interest in doing this level it would be a mistake to think it is a glorified rec league. Your average competitive mens A league would take a pounding in one of these games.