In a media release sent out late Tuesday evening, Shawn Smith, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Topeka-based One Sports Distraction Group, announced that professional basketball would be returning to the Salina market for the first time in nearly a decade.

According to the release, the Salina Thunder Minor League Basketball Club will participate in the American Basketball Association (ABA) beginning with the 2016-2017 season.

“We believe we are making the right move to bring the ABA to the city of Salina and bringing back great basketball to Salina,” Smith said.

Currently, the Thunder is looking for front office staff including a General Manager, Marketing Manager, Director of Ticket Sales, Director of Events, and a Head Coach.

Smith told the Salina Post Wednesday morning that he plans to meet with the owners of One Sports Distraction as early as next week to discuss the possibility of the Salina Bicentennial Center as a potential home for the Thunder, as well as other possible locations that could host an ABA team.

He said players for the team could come from Division I, Division II and NAIA schools, as well as other professional leagues, or could even be local players from the Salina area. Players in the ABA could possibly come from all over the country, according to Smith.

Smith said that funding for the team would come directly from One Sports Distraction Group, as well as sponsorships that the group would bring to the team. He indicated that the league is funded by the group and itself.

Tryouts for the new team are expected to be announced in Mid-March.

Salina has had two previous minor league basketball teams. The Kansas Cagerz played eight seasons (1999-2007) in the United States Basketball League (USBL) at the Bicentennial Center and the Salina Rattlers played just one season (2000-2001) in the International Basketball Association (IBA), also at the Bicentennial Center.