Lightning adds two more ex-NBA players
Hawkins, Sampson join squad for May 16-17 games vs. Kankakee
With the addition of Joaquin Hawkins and Jamal Sampson, the Los Angeles Lightning can now field an entire lineup of ex-NBA players. The Lightning (4-1) will play host to the Kankakee (Ill.) Soldiers this weekend at Cal Lutheran with tip-off set for 7 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Hawkins, a 6-7 former Long Beach State standout, played the 2002-03 season with the Houston Rockets. He also toured with the Harlem Globetrotters in 1998-99 and was with the L.A. Clippers in the preseason. Sampson, a 6-11 center from Cal, won three state titles as a prep star at Mater Dei High. The cousin of ex-NBA All-Star Ralph Sampson, he spent five years in the NBA with five teams.
The Lightning also features ex-NBA players Lamond Murray, Bryon Russell and Fred Vinson. Murray is the fourth-leading scorer in the high-scoring International Basketball League (27.6 ppg) while Russell is averaging 11.4 points. Russell, who spent nine years with the Utah Jazz, was a teammate of Sampson's on the 2003-04 Lakers.
L.A. swept three games against the Nevada Pride last week in Las Vegas. In the second game, Vinson poured in 32 points with a team-record eight 3-pointers.
Kamran Sufi, ranked No. 2 in IBL assists at 12.2, tied his Lightning record with 21 assists in a 143-111 win over Nevada on May 7. Ex-UCLA star Billy Knight, last year's IBL 3-point champion, returns to L.A. this weekend after a pro season in France.
It's Kids Weekend at the Gilbert Sports Arena with one kid 16-and-under being admitted free with a paid adult.
The Lightning will play their next 12 games at home. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, at the Lightning web site, lalightning.net, or by calling 800-745-3000.
