Grizzly Business

The NBA'S longest-running reality show—When Grizzlie Attack! Horrific Tales of Blowout Losses and Bryant Reeves—could be filming in a new city starting in 2002. Pending a requested deadline extension, Vancouver owner Michael Heisley had until Thursday to declare whether and where he's moving his franchise. Suburban Chicago recently popped into contention, joining a handful of locales bereft of pro basketball. Herewith the credentials for some of those hoops-hungry towns.

St. Louis

PRO HERITAGE
NBA's St. Louis Bombers (1946-47 to 1949-50); Bob Pettit's St. Louis Hawks won '58 NBA crown; ABA Spirits (1974-75 to 1975-76)

COLLEGIATE TRADITION
Saint Louis U has made four NCAA tournament appearances in the past decade

HOMEGROWN TALENT
LaPhonso Ellis, Larry Hughes Darius Miles, Jo Jo White

PLAYGROUND REPUTATION
City gyms are bumpin' year-round and players wear out the nets weekly at the Forty, a court Off U.S. 40

ODDS ON GETTING GRIZZ
75 to 1

Louisville

PRO HERITAGE
Artis Gilmore (left) and his Kentucky Colonels won ABA title in 1975

COLLEGIATE TRADITION
Two NCAA titles (1980 and '86) for Louisville; Denny Crum's repugnant sport coats