The National Basketball Association contracted after the 1949–1950 season, losing six teams: The Anderson Packers, Sheboygan Red Skins and Waterloo Hawks jumped to the NPBL, while the Chicago Stags, Denver Nuggets and St. Louis Bombers folded.
Midway through the 1950–1951 season, the Washington Capitols folded as well, bringing the number of teams in the league down to ten.
West Division: Denver Refiners/Evansville Agogans, Saint Paul Lights, Kansas City Hi-Spots and Waterloo Hawks (Former NBA).
[3][4] The franchise had difficulty financing the team's long trips to all its eastern and midwestern counterparts.
After the November 14, 1950, game against Grand Rapids, Future Hall of Famer Bobby McDermott was dismissed as coach of Grand Rapids due to his behavior during the game, in which he cursed loudly and said his team had been "robbed.