IBL standouts enjoy bonus paydays

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, April 26, 2000 | 10:12 a.m.

Las Vegas Silver Bandits forward Rocky Walls is the best rebounder in the International Basketball League -- and is quickly becoming a math major.

When asked about the bonus money he will receive at the end of the season, he was first at a loss.

"I didn't even know about it," Walls said. "I figured there was some money to win a championship, but I didn't find out about the extra money for rebounding until I went into the coaches offices one day and they said something.

"So how much is it anyway?"

Well, Rocky, it's $2,250. That's $1,500 for capturing the league rebounding title and $750 for leading the team. It's also money in the bank, as Walls is averaging 12.3 rebounds a game with just two games left. Tremaine Fowlkes of Cincinnati is second with 9.3.

"I could always use a little extra money," Walls offered. "But that money really wasn't an issue. It wasn't a motivational tool."

No?

"Now I know if we win a championship, we get about $8,000," he said, stressing the dollar amount. "That's something you want. It's a lot of money."

The team that wins the IBL championship will divide $100,000 among its 12 players, which works out to about $8,300 per player. The second place team will divide $85,000.

The average IBL player salary is $50,000. But there are several Silver Bandits who stand to make an extra few thousand dollars for their individual efforts.

J.R. Henderson, the team and league leading scorer with 22.6 points per game, has the scoring title locked up.

He'll pocket $2,250 for his scoring alone, but stands to make an extra $7,500 if he is voted team MVP ($1,500), league MVP ($5,000) and first-team all-league ($1,000).

Las Vegas point guard Isaac Burton has sealed the steals title with 2.5 per game and also will get $2,250.

Burton and Walls said they didn't let the bonus money influence the way they play.

"I think the way things are set up now, people kind of look on the computer and look at their stats," Walls said. "But I think a lot of players don't base the money on it.

"I don't think they really care about the money; (it's) more about bragging rights. I'm proud of getting the rebounding title. If they didn't give us any money, I'd still be happy to say I'm the leading rebounder of the league, so it's cool."

Like Walls, Burton was unaware there was extra money for doing something he has prided himself on since he was a guard at Arizona State. Burton, who also leads the team in assists with 6.9 per game (and is second in the league) will get another $750 for that feat. If he wins the defensive player of the year award he could win another $4,500 ($3,500 for the league winner and $1,000 for the team winner)

"That surprised me," Burton said. "The money is always good, don't get me wrong, but it's just an extra.

"Something like that, it's not normal (racking up steals). Most people go for scoring titles. But defense, that triggers your offense. I've been playing hard on defense since college. I think me playing defense helped me out and helped the team out."

One thing Burton will do with the money is help his mom out. Burton's father, Isaac Sr., died on March 31 of brain and lung cancer.

"I was really blessed because it wasn't something sudden," he said. "I was sort of prepared for it."