Wizards coach uncertain of future

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BISMARCK — The coach of the NBA Development League team here says he doesn’t know whether he will return to the Dakota Wizards next season.

Duane Ticknor’s two-year contract expired at the end of last month.

“I’m going to go home (to Chicago) to my family and visit about it,” Ticknor said. “If you’re in the D-League, there’s only two or three premier jobs, and this is one of them, and I’m fortunate enough to be here.

“If I come back to the D-League, this will probably be the spot, but I’m going to weigh my options with my family,” he said. “It’s been tough on my wife. I’ve been home for two days since the beginning of October.”

Another question mark for the Wizards next season is which players will be back.

“I think the key to the success in Dakota has been having returning players,” Ticknor said. “Some of our returning players are getting to that age where it’s time to maybe go make some money (overseas), so I think next year will be a critical year.”

Another worry is finances. While the Wizards put together another winning season on the court — making it to the D-League semifinals — attendance dipped for the fourth straight season and the team finished in the red financially.

“It’s a big concern,” owner Steve McCormick said. “We want to get some outside investors in and probably take a different approach — more aggressive sales, getting more community involvement.”

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