Rochester Kingz

The Rochester Kingz are a basketball team based in Rochester, New York, that plays in the Mid Atlantic Division of The Basketball League (TBL).

Previously, the team competed in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 2023 to 2024.

History

Knowledge Allah, a local Rochester, New York restaurateur and owner of Allah's Kitchen, founded the Rochester Kingz in 2023. The team played home games at both Roberts Wesleyan University and Joseph C. Wilson Foundation Academy.

In their inaugural American Basketball Association (ABA) season, the team finished with an 11–8 record and was led by Johnathan Ivy (25.7 points per game) and Rodney Hawkins (22.1 points per game). The club suspended operations after being eliminated from the 2023–24 ABA playoffs by the Buffalo eXtreme on March 16, 2024.

Much of the players reformed under new ownership as the Rochester Royal Ballers for the 2024–25 ABA season. Star players Johnathan Ivy and Rodney Hawkins both left to join the Buffalo eXtreme.

The revived Rochester Kingz franchise was announced by Knowledge Allah in January 2025, and will compete in The Basketball League {TBL) for their 2025 season. They will utilize James Monroe High School as their home venue before moving to Blue Cross Arena.

The Rochester Kingz lost their TBL debut on the road in an interleague game against the London Lightning of the Basketball Super League on February 15, 2025. Dane Miller Jr. led the Kingz in scoring with 22 points.