San Diego Wildcards

San Diego Wildcards
Leagues	Continental Basketball Association
Established	1995
Folded	1996
Arena	San Diego Sports Arena
Location	San Diego, California
Main sponsor	Viejas Casino
Head coach	Mauro Panaggio
Ownership	Doug Logan

The San Diego Wildcards were a men's professional basketball team representing San Diego, California who competed in the Continental Basketball League (CBA) during the 1995–96 season. The team was owned by Southern California based sports executive Doug Logan and coached by Mauro Panaggio, who has the most wins as a coach in CBA history. The San Diego Sports Arena served as the Wildcards' home venue. The team folded on January 5, 1996 after placing a 4–17 record.

The team was brought to San Diego in 1995 after their predecessor the Mexico City Aztecas folded.

In September 1995 it was announced that the team's nickname would be the "Wildcards". The name came form the franchise's principal sponsor Viejas Casino. who had their name on the team's jersey. At a press conference announcing the sponsorship, team owner Doug Logan wore multi-colored glasses with bells attached, resembling a joker, the team's mascot.

A Wildcards radio advertisement that aired in 1995 excoriated college basketball and the Los Angeles Clippers while touting the CBA. During broadcasts of the Los Angeles Lakers games on KSWB-TV the Wildcards hosted "one-minute ticket telethons" hosted by broadcaster Chris Ello.

Mauro Panaggio was hired as the team's head coach. Panaggio had coached in the CBA for 14 seasons prior to joining San Diego and had more wins than any coach in the league's history warned the media that the team may have trouble catching on, stating, "No one should get too comfortable here. If they aren't producing, they will have a short stay in San Diego." Team owner Doug Logan originally hired Panaggio for a front office position, but he stepped into the head coaching role after being told by Logan that he could not find anyone to fill the vacancy.

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