There has never been a professional basketball team in Wilmington, yet the port city remains one of the sport’s most important landmarks. Wilmington will be remembered in basketball history for two things: being the hometown of the greatest player in basketball history, and having the only high school in America who would cut him.

Michael Jordan, part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, brought his team home with him as they had their preseason training camp in Trask Coliseum. The Bobcats held camp from last Tuesday through Saturday, capping their visit off with an intrasquad scrimmage on Sunday.

The scrimmage was sloppy and the players looked rusty coming off the summer break; however, the game was highlighted by a thunderous dunk by Jason Richardson right in the face of Sean May. Richardson received the pass from May’s fellow college teammate Raymond Felton.

“I told Ray, ‘don’t talk to me the rest of the week,'” said May, who was left a little embarrassed after the play. “I told Jay not to talk to me until the scrimmage was over. They set me up but it happens, it happens. I’ve been dunked on plenty of times, but that might be the worst.”

To make a playoff push the Bobcats will need increased production from May, who has been plagued with knee problems since he arrived in 2005. A micro fracture procedure was performed on his right knee last year, causing him to miss the entire 2007-7008 season. May scored nine points and had five boards in 34 minutes last Sunday.

3,000 fans came out to Trask to see how the Bobcats would start out their 2008-2009 campaign. With their inaugural season in 2004, the Bobcats have never had a winning season. Their most successful season came in 2006-2007 when they recorded a mere 33 wins.

This was the fourth consecutive season the Bobcats have made the trip to Wilmington to host their camp. The Washington Wizards also held their training camp in Trask Coliseum in 2000-2002. Jordan was the part owner of the Wizards during that time.

The Bobcats created quite a buzz as students spotted the athletes at different locations around campus. Volleyball practice came to a standstill as May walked through Hanover Gym. Also, Felton was seen ordering food in the Hawk’s Nest.

“It’s been really cool having a professional basketball team here at UNCW,” Travis Davis, a sophomore at UNCW, said. “I had to look twice when I saw Felton eating at the Hawk’s Nest. It was strange seeing a millionaire athlete eating lunch on my campus.”

The Bobcats will play eight preseason games before starting the season Oct. 30 against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.