A handful of former UCA players and others with UCA/Arkansas ties are participating in the Southern California Summer Pro League July 8-22 in Long Beach, Calif. The league serves as a showcase for free agent hopefuls, NBA 1st and 2nd-round draft picks, and established NBA veterans.

Four ex-Bears are taking part in the league, along with a few others who should be familiar to central Arkansans.

Stephin Booth, Jamal "Bointhehood" Joseph, Alexei Korolev and Mark Maxwell – who have all suited up for UCA in the past three seasons – are trying to prove themselves to scouts along with William Pippen (Scottie's nephew), Valdosta State's Jon Rogers, and former Arkansas Razorback/Oklahoma St. Cowboy/Prison Inmate Glendon Alexander.

Booth, a member of this past season's team and a California native, has played a total of 16:53 in two games and accumulated 4 points, 3 rebounds and 1 steal. He also had one Did Not Play - Coach's Decision, and was not on the roster for two of his team's games.

Joseph, a member of Rand Chappell's first team at UCA who saw limited time off the bench, has been the most productive of the UCA contingent at the league. In five games, Joseph has played 93:14 and scored 31 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, served up 13 assists and has 6 steals. In his latest game he scored 13 points and had 4 assists in 19:38 of action.

Korolev, who anchored the end of the bench for UALR before playing a similar role last season for UCA, has registered 2 DNP-CDs in the Summer Pro League. He has gotten into three games, and played 36:13 with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and 1 foulout. He had 10 points in just under 18 minutes in his last game.

Mark Maxwell, also a member of Chappell's first UCA crew, has logged the most minutes of the four at the league. In five games, Maxwell has been on the court for 100:28, scoring 31 points, hauling in 14 boards, swatting 4 shots, and fouling out of 1 game. He has been in the starting lineup on multiple occasions, twice being listed as a guard. The 6-foot-9 Maxwell played predominantly Center at UCA.

Alexander, recently featured on ESPN for his checkered personality, his fall from grace after committing wire fraud and his subsequent (and futile?) comeback attempt, has been in double figures scoring in four of his five games. In 89 minutes of action, the former McDonald's High School All-American has 68 points but has done little else, getting just six rebounds and five assists.

Pippen, who played collegiately at Middle Tennessee State, has gotten into three contests at the Summer Pro League, with one DNP-CD. In the three games he's played, he has logged 48:30 with 29 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals.

Rogers, a standout for Valdosta State in the Gulf South Conference, has played in two games – going for 2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers and 6 fouls in 20:07 of action.

Some of the more notorious players participating in the league are Rudy Gay, Hakim Warrick, Kyle Lowry, Jordan Farmar, Joe Forte, Andrew Bynum, Lawrence Robers, Von Wafer, Bo Outlaw, Lamond Murray, and Kareem Rush.