Free Agent teams are typically not set up for success. You can find them in many non-draft leagues across UH, and you’re more than likely going to see a losing record next to their team name. For example: The Free Agent team in the Summerlin Open League is 0-3 this season, losing their games by an average of 13.3 points.

I played on a Free Agent team in the one season I played in the Bloomington South Rec League. We went 0-9, lost our games by an average of 25.5 points and lost a 5-on-4 game when we were the team with five.

Not all Free Agent teams suck to that level, but it’s understandable why they tend to struggle. You have a team of players who have likely never played together before going up against teams that have years of experience on the court together. They are also generally less talented than the rest of the league, which doesn’t help.

Another downside is when Free Agent teams luck into getting one of the most talented players in the league. It’s fun for a couple weeks, but that’s when the recruiting starts for other captains. That’s exactly what happened in the Summerlin Rec League this season.

Teddy Sullivan averaged 24.5/13.5/5 in the first two games of the season for the Free Agents, only to be sniped by Another Enemy and put onto their roster for the rest of the season. Another Enemy was likely impressed with him when they lost to the Free Agents in Week 2 74-59, when Sullivan scored 24 points on 8-13 shooting, adding 12 rebounds and five assists.

Losing the best player on your roster is something most teams aren’t able to overcome, but the Free Agents went on to pick up a 78-76 victory in Week 3 over LFG to improve to 2-1 this season. James Luo and Jason Walkup were the big contributors in the win, as they combined to score 37 points on 14-26 shooting, adding 20 rebounds, eight assists and six steals.

L.C. Comine, the Summerlin league coordinator, said this team was put together last minute to make sure there were eight teams in the league, and to add competitiveness to the league.

“I had a mix of guys who I knew would play hard and weren’t (worried) about the stats. Also had a few new guys who have been able to contribute. Bottom line they are winning because of effort and wanting it more than their opponents,” he said.

That effort is not common on Free Agent teams (reference again to losing a 5-on-4 game with a man advantage during my Free Agent experience), and it’s paying dividends for this squad in the Summerlin Rec League. They likely aren’t going to contend for the title in December, but Comine predicts a “.500 record or better is in the cards for this squad.”

Say what you will about moral victories, but that’s a big win for any Free Agent team, especially one that lost its best player during the season.