Raleigh Cougars
The Raleigh Cougars were a USBL team from 1997-1999. The team included many well known players from the local college powerhouses. It was considered a great entertainment value for the dozens of fans who showed up to Dorton Arena.
Some Players:
- Lorenzo Charles (a.k.a. "Zo") of the famous national champion N.C. State wolfpack. 6' 7" Forward.
- Greg Newton - 6' 11" C Duke. Cougars literature noted that Mr. Newton was 1 away from Duke's all-time top 10 in blocks. (This is no longer the case.)
- Amere May - After averaging 13 points per game, Amere left Division II Shaw University early to declare for the 1997 NBA draft. Was quoted by Sports Illustrated as saying that he didn't think anybody in the NBA could stop his game. One observer quipped that he was right - nobody in the NBA would ever stop his game. Amere was a strong performer off the bench for the Cougars.
- Chuck Kornegay - Powerful big man from Villanova. Cougars fans dubbed him "the Chuck-wagon".
- Nate Higgs - Cheered on by the crowd - "Come on Nate-Dawg! You're better than that!"
- Jeremy Hyatt - 6'6" G NC State
The Cougars even drafted NBA superstar Tracy McGrady in the fourth round of the 1997 USBL draft.
One half-time show featured a short basketball game played by local children. Some observers felt it was marred by an unhinged, bearded man loudly booing and jeering the poor play of the youngsters.