Augusta Groove

The franchise began operations in 2005 as the Charlotte Krunk. It never actually played a game in Charlotte, however. Just before the 2005-06 season, nearly all of the teams in their division shut down, forcing the team to suspend operations between December 2005 and January 2006. Team owner Duane "Spyder-D" Hughes announced the suspension of operations in an emotional letter on the team's website, thanking the city of Charlotte and the businesses that helped his team. In the letter he announced plans for a celebrity basketball game, and youth concert to be held at Cricket Arena.

{{original research|section|date=June 2018}}

On August 7, 2006, the team announced they would be moving to the Continental Basketball Association as the Atlanta Krunk. On the 21st, they announced that they would by playing at the John H. Lewis Gymnasium at Morris Brown College.{{cite web|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3366830 |title=Atlanta CBA franchise to play at Morris Brown College |publisher=OurSports Central |date=2006-08-22 |accessdate=2017-06-27}} Finally, on the 24th, they announced they would be called the Atlanta Krunk Wolverines in honor of Morris Brown's athletics program, now discontinued.{{cite web|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3367917 |title=Atlanta Krunk announce name change |publisher=OurSports Central |date=2006-08-24 |accessdate=2017-06-27}}

File:Kenny Anderson Montclair Film Festival.jpg player Kenny Anderson served as the team's head coach during the 2007–08 season.]]

Prior to the 2007–2008 season, the team changed their name back to Atlanta Krunk.{{cite web |url=http://www.atlantakrunk.com/ |title=出前はピザハットの美味しいピザで決まり！自宅で楽しめるグルメ会 |publisher=Atlantakrunk.com |date= |accessdate=2017-06-27 |archive-date=2016-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305143506/http://atlantakrunk.com/ |url-status=dead }} The Krunk also added a majority owner, Freedom Williams.

Next, the owners announced their new head coach, former Georgia Tech and NBA standout Kenny Anderson. As a general manager, the owners and coach selected Vincent Smith, a basketball trainer who is also the brother of TNT basketball analyst Kenny Smith.

The team then revealed that they had signed Grayson Boucher, known as "The Professor" during his days on the And 1 streetball tour. Further, the team added the brother of Stephon Marbury, known as "Zeck" Marbury according to the team's website and the CBA, or "Zech" or "Zach" Marbury from his NBA days.[http://www.atlantakrunk.com/krunk/index.html << Atlanta Krunk Cba Basketball - "Every Game Is A Show!" >>] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110124154/http://www.atlantakrunk.com/krunk/index.html |date=2008-01-10 }}[http://www.nba.com/knicks/inthepaint/marburyact2_SL040716.html NY Knicks | In The Paint] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051205101426/http://www.nba.com/knicks/inthepaint/marburyact2_SL040716.html |date=2005-12-05 }}

In another announcement prior to the 2006–2007 season, Starbury, Stephon Marbury's clothing company, was revealed as the designer of the Krunk uniforms.[http://www.atlantakrunk.com/pr/pr062607.html << Atlanta Krunk Cba Basketball - "Every Game Is A Show!" >>] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229111305/http://www.atlantakrunk.com/pr/pr062607.html |date=2007-12-29 }}

Some footage has also been shot for a reality show about the Atlanta Krunk, featuring owners Freedom Williams, Duane "Spyder D" Hughes, and other team personnel and players.[http://www.atlantakrunk.com/pr/pr091007.html << Atlanta Krunk Cba Basketball - "Every Game Is A Show!" >>] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229102010/http://www.atlantakrunk.com/pr/pr091007.html |date=2007-12-29 }} Plans for the release of the show have not yet been announced.

The Atlanta Krunk made it through the season with the assistance of new owners. After the John L. Lewis Gymnasium was deemed unsuitable for CBA games, the team finished its schedule on the road. The Krunk ended the year 9–41, including nine forfeit losses. The season was noted for several missed paychecks, and an ever-shifting roster after the first month due to financial woes. The Krunk appeared on the road without uniforms, and completed one road trip with just five players.

The team was purchased by Gary Perry, LaVon Mercer, and Ricky Brown in the middle of the '07–'08 season, and looked to relocate elsewhere in Georgia. Leading candidates were Columbus (where they would play at the Columbus Civic Center) and Augusta (where the venue would be the James Brown Arena). Augusta was chosen and the team was renamed the Augusta Groove.{{cite web|url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/050708/nba_197938.shtml |title=Augusta in running for franchise |date=2008-05-07 |publisher=Augusta Chronicle |last=Cox |first=Timothy |accessdate=2008-12-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625031957/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/050708/nba_197938.shtml |archivedate=June 25, 2008 }} However, the James Brown Arena was ruled out as a home.{{cite web | url = http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/060708/nba_461374.shtml | title = Groove may be playing at ASU | last = Byler | first = Billy | date = 2008-06-07 | publisher = Augusta Chronicle | accessdate = 2008-06-09 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

On June 5, 2008, the team announced its move to the Premier Basketball League.{{cite web | url = http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3653860 | title = Premier Basketball League Welcomes Augusta Groove | date = 2008-06-05 | accessdate = 2008-06-05 | publisher = Our Sports Central }} and on July 10, the Groove announced they would be playing at the Christenberry Fieldhouse on the Augusta State University campus.{{cite web | url = http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/latest/lat_406424.shtml | title = Groove to play at ASU | last = Byler | first = Billy | date = 2008-07-10 | publisher = Augusta Chronicle | accessdate = 2008-07-10 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080714014802/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/latest/lat_406424.shtml| archivedate= 14 July 2008 | url-status=live}} This did not hold, as on November 12, they announced they would play in the gym at Richmond Academy.{{cite web|url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/111108/nba_483001.shtml |title=Hoops team finds new home court |last=Byler |first=Billy |date=2008-11-12 |publisher=Augusta Chronicle |accessdate=2008-11-12 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113105556/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/111108/nba_483001.shtml |archivedate=13 November 2008 |url-status=dead |df= }} The team finished the year with a .500 record amid controversy about player pay{{cite web | url = http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/02/10/nba_510845.shtml | title = Financial troubles threatening team | publisher = Augusta Chronicle | last = Byler | first = Billy | date = 2009-02-10 | accessdate = 2009-03-25| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090214043914/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/02/10/nba_510845.shtml| archivedate= 14 February 2009 | url-status=live}} and remuneration for hotel stays.{{cite web | url = http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/02/18/oth_511849.shtml | title = Hotel seeks money from Groove | publisher = Augusta Chronicle | last = Byler | first = Billy | date = 2009-02-18 | accessdate = 2009-03-25| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090329085116/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/02/18/oth_511849.shtml| archivedate= 29 March 2009 | url-status=live}}

In an interview on 3 November 2009 that Perry conducted with the Augusta Chronicle, he announced both his affiliation with the Continental Basketball League and the official end of the Groove.{{citation | url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2009/11/03/nba_554304.shtml | title=Augusta loses its Groove | last=Byler | first=Billy | publisher=Augusta Chronicle | date=2009-11-03 | accessdate=2009-11-04}}

{{Start NBA SBS}}

|-

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; background:#4a008c;"| Charlotte Krunk

|-

|2005–06 || 0 || 0 || .000 || ||

|-

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; background:#4a008c;"| Atlanta Krunk

|-

|2007–08 || 9 || 41 || .180 || ||

|-

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; background:#4a008c;"| Augusta Groove

|-

|2008–09 || 10 || 10 || .500 || ||

|-

!Totals || 19 || 51 || .271 ||

|-

{{s-end}}

• Crunk (music genre)

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080821041810/http://augustagroovebasketball.com/ Augusta Groove] — official website

{{PBL Teams}}

{{Georgia Sports}}

{{Augusta, Georgia}}

Category:Defunct American Basketball Association (2000–present) teams

Category:Former Premier Basketball League teams

Category:Sports in Augusta, Georgia

Category:Basketball teams in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Basketball teams established in 2005

Category:2005 establishments in North Carolina

Category:Basketball teams disestablished in 2009

Category:2009 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state)