Lansing Pharaohs joining The Basketball League

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - A new basketball team is coming to Lansing.

Next summer, the Lansing Pharaohs will hit the hardwood as part of The Basketball League.

Team owner Chris Jackson owns a series of pot provisioning centers in the state, including one coming to Lansing, but his passion has always been with the game of basketball.

So when The Basketball League asked him about an ownership opportunity, he jumped at it.

“Lansing and central Michigan deserve an opportunity to have a professional sports basketball team,” Jackson told News 10.

Jackson’s goal is to win, but he says that he hopes the team can get involved in the area - and not just between whistles.

After all, it’s the goal of the league itself.

“These players in the basketball league are typically from the communities in which they’re playing,” said league CEO Evelyn Magley. “They’re not just signing the shoe, they’re going to the school to support people, they’re giving youth clinics, they’re working in the homeless shelters and nonprofit organizations. They’re literally being ambassadors in the communities in which they live.”

Jackson says the hard work off the court will align with the talent on the court, bringing high-level basketball to Lansing.

“You would have the majors, the NBA, the G-League is more Triple-A, and we would fall somewhere between Double and Triple a ball.”

When thinking of the team name name, Jackson went to themes he loves: royalty.

Then discovered the connection from centuries ago.

“It was interesting for me to find the use of the work ‘Lansing’ in ancient Egypt during the rule of a pharaoh, and so it all came together when we were thinking of the name.”

There’s a lot left for the team to figure out like where they’ll play and who will coach them.

Once they make those decisions, we can let you know.

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