Gueydan, Louisiana—widely known as the “Duck Capital of the World”—is making history as it welcomes its first-ever professional sports team with the expansion of the National Basketball League (NBL). The newly formed Gueydan Flying Ducks will join the Gulf Coast Conference for the upcoming 2024-2025 season, bringing the excitement of professional basketball to this small, proud community.
The Flying Ducks will be owned and operated by New Era Sports Management, an athlete marketing and branding company with a commitment to growing sports across new regions. The team’s leadership includes a group of individuals with deep roots in Gueydan and Vermillion Parish:
President of Business Operations: Bryden “Beaux” Maxile
President of Basketball Operations: James Bessard
General Manager and Head Coach: Kevin Williams Sr.
Kevin Williams Sr. is a basketball legend within the NBL, boasting five league championships and two Coach of the Year awards with two different franchises. Williams, whose family hails from Gueydan, expressed his enthusiasm about the opportunity to lead the Flying Ducks.
“I am incredibly excited to bring professional basketball to Gueydan, a town that holds so much personal significance to me,” said Kevin Williams Sr.. “My family has deep roots here, and to have the chance to introduce this community to the NBL through the Flying Ducks is a dream come true. This is more than just basketball—it’s about giving back to a place that means the world to my family. To bring the first pro team to Gueydan and Vermillion Parish is a goal I’ve always wanted to achieve.”
Joining Williams and Bessard on the leadership team is Thomas Williams Jr., who will serve in a community relations role. This core group shares deep family connections to Gueydan, making the team’s arrival in the town a personal and meaningful journey.
Commissioner David Hutchinson Jr. welcomed the expansion with enthusiasm, stating: “The addition of the Gueydan Flying Ducks marks a significant moment in the continued growth of the NBL. Our mission has always been to bring professional basketball to new regions, and we couldn’t be happier to see this expansion in Gueydan. Kevin Williams Sr. is a proven winner, and I’m excited to see what he and his team will accomplish.”
The Gueydan Flying Ducks will begin play in the 2024 Winter Season, competing in the Gulf Coast Conference. This expansion enhances the NBL’s presence in the southern United States and brings a new level of excitement to the area, providing fans in Gueydan with the thrill of professional basketball for the first time in the town’s history.
For more information, visit the NBL website at www.usnbl.com or follow us on social media at @NBL_US.