Michael Bethely founded the Lilac City Legends in 2020. After pandemic-related delays and league changes, the Spokane men’s professional minor league basketball team relaunched in the United States Basketball League in 2025. Bethely also discussed Legendary Nights, a summer basketball program focused on community engagement and violence interruption.
April Eberhardt: Tell me about the Lilac City Legends.
Michael Bethely: The Lilac City Legends is Spokane’s men’s professional minor league basketball team. I founded it in 2020. We started before COVID, and then COVID hit. It threw a lot of things off for our inaugural season, but we still tried to build and keep things going.
Eberhardt: What happened after that?
Bethely: In 2021, we played in the Professional Basketball Association. That season was cut short because of funding and issues with the league. After that, we weren’t part of any league for maybe three or four years because we were trying to find one suitable for what we were trying to do.
Then, in 2025, we joined the United States Basketball League and had our relaunch season.
Eberhardt: How many players are on the team?
Bethely: This past season, we had 12 players on the active roster. We would sign and release people based on injuries or whether things worked out.
One of our marquee players is Markieth Brown Jr. He was the top scorer in the USBL last season. He played at Shadle Park and is still looking for opportunities to grow as a player.
Technically, these guys are playing professionally because we pay the players. We’re trying to find partners, sponsors and other opportunities to grow the team.
Eberhardt: So, what is Legendary Nights?
Bethely: Legendary Nights is a big part of the mission of the Legends, which is to inspire, encourage and motivate people to become legends within their communities.
We’re partnering with Spokane Word to focus on violence interruption, intervention and prevention. Basketball is big here in Spokane, so it gives us an opportunity to engage youth and young adults in an environment they want to be in while reinforcing positivity, love and care.
Eberhardt: How long will the events continue?
Bethely: We completed five weeks. We started in July, and August 28 was scheduled to be the last day, but we hoped to continue until the weather became too cold. Eventually, we want to move the program indoors.
Eberhardt: Who are the partner organizations?
Bethely: Spokane Word, Northeast Youth and Family Services, and Mentoring Today’s Youth. Mentoring Today’s Youth, through Jesus Is the Answer, serves as credible messengers. They can talk with young people, address conflict and help prevent violence.
For those four hours, it is a positive environment.