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Home is where the start is

Area players hope the ABA is only the beginning

By Don Bowman

When Donald Harris left the UT-Arlington campus, his dream was to play professional basketball. That meant the NBA, eventually, and he was willing to do anything to get to that level.

Which meant waking up every day for a year in Australia.

"It wasn't easy," said Harris, who plays for the Texas Tycoons in the American Basketball Association. "I didn't know the area, which could have happened if I had played someplace like Utah or North Dakota, but I didn't even know the food. Life was different and as a result, it was sometimes hard to focus on what I needed to focus on -- basketball."

Harris is one of several former area college stars who are chasing the pot of gold at the end of the NBA rainbow by playing for the Tycoons. It's not the NBA, but it could get them there.

"It's a dream," former North Texas guard Chris Davis said. "Sometimes I don't know if it's a realistic one, but I'm not about to give it up. At least not yet. And it helps that I'm pursuing it here with players I'm familiar with and a place I know and love."

The comfort level is important. The local players, such as former UTA standouts Jabari Johnson and Mack Callier, and Michael DeGrate, who started at UNT, all appreciate their situation. Any sport has its ups and downs, including the ABA with its bus rides and small gyms. But there's something these players can count on.

"When I have a bad day, a bad game, I know I can go home and get support, instead of going to an empty room in an unfamiliar city," Callier said. "I can ask friends or former coaches what I did then as opposed to what I'm doing now.

"And, there's the added plus of having family and friends see me play. We're all hoping for a better life and we're hoping basketball can give that to us."

And it doesn't hurt the Tycoons either. Having name recognition has helped the team's local profile, and probably its won-loss record.

"I don't think I've ever been around a team that gets along together so well," Tycoons coach Steve Tucker said. "They're basically all good kids, but the fact that they're not just a bunch of guys thrown together ... they knew each other's games before they joined this team ... that's helped us develop.

"And it gives them some benefits that a lot of ABA players don't have. The Mavericks and Donnie [Nelson] are very aware of these guys and what they can do. I'm positive one or more of them will be competing for the Mavericks in the summer league this year."

Jimmy King didn't play college basketball in the area, but he was a high school star at Plano East. After being in the spotlight as one of Michigan's Fab Five, he faded into the shadows after several opportunities in the NBA.

"I've played in a lot of places, and to me, there's not a whole lot of difference. But there is something about being home that makes you concentrate better, feel more a part of life, as opposed to just being focused on the game. Your focus needs to be on the game, but it also needs to be on life."

In the end, however, it's all about chasing that elusive dream.

"Sometimes you look around at where you're playing, the small crowds and such, and wonder if it's worth it," Callier said. "And then you know. It's not time to give it up yet. I'm not ready to do that. By being here, in this area, with my family and responsibilities constantly in my thoughts, telling me what life can be like. I won't give that dream up until I either achieve what I want, or find something better."

But until he achieves the dream, he knows there really is no place like home.

GAMEDAY

ST. LOUIS AT TYCOONS

7:05 tonight, Thomas Coliseum, Haltom City

Tickets: $10-$15

Then and now

Five major contributors to the Texas Tycoons played for UT-Arlington or North Texas:

JABARI JOHNSON 6-3, GUARD, UTA

Johnson led the Mavericks in scoring in 2000-01 and is fourth on the school's career list in 3-pointers. For the Tycoons, he's averaging 15.3 points and 6.5 assists per game.

DONALD HARRIS 6-4, GUARD, UTA

Harris led the Mavericks in scoring in 1997-98 and field goals in 1998-99. For the Tycoons, he's averaging 15.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, shooting 52 percent from the field.

MACK CALLIER 6-7, FORWARD, UTA

Callier is UTA's all-time leading rebounder and third-leading shot blocker. For four seasons, he led the Mavericks in field-goal percentage. For the Tycoons, he's averaging 8.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, shooting 50 percent from the field.

CHRIS DAVIS 6-6, GUARD, NORTH TEXAS

Davis is the second-leading scorer in UNT history and is one of five Mean Green players to have a career average of at least 20 points per game. He's also the school's career leader in 3-pointers and is third in career assists. For the Tycoons, he's averaging 17.7 points per game, shooting 58 percent from the field.

MICHAEL DEGRATE 6-8, FORWARD/CENTER, NORTH TEXAS

DeGrate shot 55.6 percent from 3-point range in 2003-04 and is eighth in career field-goal percentage for the Mean Green. For the Tycoons, he is averaging 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

[FirefightnRick]

I miss Chris Davis. What a great story and wonderful person. He was by far one of the top class-act represenatives for our university during his time here. I wish him all the best.

Rick

[Buford_Julep]

Chris is still helping out with the NT basketball program. He is an assistant coach for brother Earvin's AAU summer team.

Harold Stewart played for that team last summer and will play for the Mean Green in 2005-2006.

Marquez Haynes, rated as high as 4-stars by some recruiting services, also played for Chris and Earvin. He has verbally committed to Boston College, but hasn't signed yet. North Texas was one of his top choices and he might wind up here.