| Show Sports thoughts Professional ProCessional basketball died t tin in Utah in 1975 when the Utah Stars folded and an attempt to transfer an American Basketball Association team to Utah was crushed when the and the ABA merged However there are a number of former Utah Stars competing in the National Basketball Association WILLIE WISE a high scoring forward for Cor the Utah Stars is playing basketball for the Denver Nuggets For most of the season Wise had been used mainly as a substitute player Denver traded forward Gus Gerald and guard Chuck Williams to the Buffalo Braves for guard Jim Price Wise gained a spot on the Denver starting lineup due to the trade In a losing effort to Portland Denver's Willie Wise scored 15 points on December 17 in Portland Wise isn't scoring as many points for the Nuggets when compared to his great point scoring marks for the Stars but at least he is playing for a contender which isn't the case for some former Stars Another former Utah Star Randy Denton is playing basketball for the Atlanta Hawks Wises Wise's team the Denver Nuggets is the top team in the Midwest Division but Dentons Denton's team Atlanta is buried deep in the Central Division cellar Denton isn't playing for Atlanta as much as ashe ashe ashe he did with the Utah Stars Denton scored five points December 17 in a Atlanta victory over New Orleans Ron Boone an star all-star for the Utah Stars at guard is now performing his basketball skills for the Kansas City Kings Boone has been averaging points per ball game and is among the top ten Scorers scorers Boone is in place so far in the season THE TilE KINGS have been playing near the percentage percentage percentage per per- point for most of the season However Boone c cant can't nt be blamed for the Kings King's performances so far in the season Boone scored 21 points December 15 in a loss to toI I Washington The next night Boone tossed in 29 points in a 90 winning effort over the I New York Nets I Kansas City was idle December 17 Boone helped the Kings to a 90 89 victory over the Phoenix Suns December 18 by scoring 27 points The next night he put in 17 points However the Kings were defeated that night by Los Angeles In four games Boone tossed in a total of 94 points Jim Eakins who starred for Brigham Young University the Utah Stars and a number of other ABA teams is also dribbling the basketball for the Kansas City Kings Eakins has been performing well for the Kings In a loss to the New Orleans Jazz December 14 Eakins scored 13 points for the Kings Now we come to the sad case of Moses Malone the the Utah Stars signed fresh out of high school in 1974 The Stars made Malone a rich basket- basket bailer in 1974 Malone grabbed countless rebounds and scored a a great number of points for the Utah Stars in 1974 MALONES MALONE'S problems began in 1975 with the folding of the Utah Stars The high school who decided to skip college for the professional ranks was sold to the Spirits of St St. Louis Before the and ABA merged in 1976 Malone was a member of the ABAs ABA's St. St Louis club St St. Louis was not included in the merger and thus Malone was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers However before Malone had a chance to blaze the trail to Portland he was traded to the Buffalo Braves Buffalo then traded Malone to the Houston Rockets which adds up to four clu clubs that have owned the basketball services of Moses Malone in 1976 Tim THE MOVE to Houston for Malone rejoined him with Rocket coach Tom w who was one of the Utah Stars' Stars coaches for Malone in his first season Malone isn't burning up the like he did the ABA but he seems to have settled down with Houston as he is averaging 12 points and rebounds per game Malone is playing about 31 minutes per game Professional basketball disappeared from the Utah scene in 1975 but there are still stilla a number of former Utah Stars performing their basketball skills in the National Basketball Association |
