James “Twiggy” Sanders has become the first head
coach of the American Basketball Association expansion team the
Maryland NightHawks.
Previously Sanders was an assistant men’s basketball
coach at Shaw University.
A native of Raleigh, where he grew
up just three blocks from Shaw, he played at Ligon High School
where he was all-conference, all-state and All-American and
was named Wake County Player of the Year in 1970.
Sanders went on to star at Johnson C. Smith University. He
was voted to the CIAA All-Tournament team in 1973 and 1974.
He received his B.S. in Physical Education in 1974.
After graduation,
he became a star player with The Harlem Globetrotters from
1974-91, playing basketball in over 101 countries spanning
six continents. He is slated to be inducted into the “Ring
of Legends” (Globetrotter Hall of Fame), joining the
likes of Goose Tatum, Meadowlark Lemon, Marquis Haynes, Tex
Harrison, Curley Neal and Mannie Jackson.
Sanders has coached on all-three levels. He was head basketball
coach at Bonner Academy in Raleigh and also was head coach
for two years with the Raleigh Cougars of the United State
Basketball League (USBL). He was also an assistant coach for
two years at Morris Brown.
“My mission is three pronged,
(1) to put a quality squad on the floor and try to get a bunch
of wins: (2) provide our fans and the league with an exciting,
fun team to watch and be proud of; (3) provide an atmosphere
of growth for our players on and off the court as they endeavor
to claw their way into the NBA.” says "Twiggy
