FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2014
Contact:   Craig Fata, Vice President
(844) THE-MPBA / craig.fata@theMPBA.com

ST. LOUIS – The newest head coach in the Midwest Professional Basketball Association didn’t come to his first professional head coaching position through the standard path.  But what James Fleming, announced today as the first head coach in the history of the Windy City Groove, does bring, is more than thirty years of experience and credibility forged on the South Side’s basketball scene.

                    And Groove ownership couldn’t be more pleased.

                    “James has the knowledge and connections to local basketball that you can’t bring in from the outside,” said Steven Sanders, co-owner of the Groove.  “He’s an old-school guy that can relate to young players, he knows how to work with them and develop them, and he can flat-out coach, too,” Sanders said.

                    Fleming was an all-area player for University of Chicago High School in 1975 before earning a scholarship to Purdue University, which had won the National Invitation Tournament the year before.  He finished his collegiate career at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and returned to Chicago to play for a number of years in a pro-am league that featured numerous NBA and European players.

                    As a coach, Fleming has led various summer, recreational and AAU programs for more than thirty years.  With the Support Group team in the early 1990’s, Fleming coached future stars Glen Robinson, Juwan Howard, Michael Findley, Antoine Walker, Chris Webber and Kevin Garnett.  Most recently, Fleming coached the prestigious NBA AAU summer travel team in 2014.

                    “James is a gem that’s well-known around here but in not many other places,” said La Chelle Sanders, co-owner and general manager for the Groove.  “We’re lucky to have him,” she said.                                          

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