The Wenatchee Bighorns pro basketball team is taking a hiatus for the 2026 spring season and will rebrand as a member of a new professional league. The team played home games in Smith Gymnasium at Wenatchee Valley College this year and finished the 2025 season in the TBL (The Basketball League) with a 15-9 record, and a first round playoff berth. The team was founded in 2023.
Wenatchee Bighorns logo provided
Wenatchee Bighorns logo provided
Sandy Cooprider, the father of team owner and general manger Shawn Cooprider says the Bighorns and many of the other West Coast Division franchises are leaving the TBL because of several unfulfilled league commitments and are planning to join the newly re-established USBL or U.S. Basketball League in 2027.
Shaun Cooprider is recovering from several serious health challenges and will be working to secure more financing to secure a USBL franchise.
The US Basketball League dissolved in 2008 after 23 years and was the first pro basketball league to play a spring to late summer season. Some famous alumnus like Manute Bol, Hot Rod Williams and Tracy Jackson advanced to play in the NBA. In 1986, Nancy Lieberman played the USBL and became the first female player to play in a professional league with men.
The Wenatchee Bighorns are holding a parking lot sale to sell off team merchandise, game-worn jerseys, and the team van at Smitty’s Pancake House on October 11th from 9am to 2pm.
The Best College Basketball Towns in America: Top 10WalletHub ranked 296 cities based on how awesome (or terrible) they are for college basketball fans. They looked at things like team performance, championship wins, ticket prices, fan engagement, and stadium size. Big cities, midsize towns, and small spots were all compared. The result? A definitive (and possibly debatable) Top 10 ranking! See the link in the #1 College Basketball Town in America for the full methodology. Let’s begin the countdown:
Gallery Credit: Scott Clow