The League of Opportunity : Basketball: USBL provides the last shot for former professionals and playground stars who are still trying to make a career of the game.

It’s a hot summer night in New Haven, Conn., and the gym is not air-conditioned. But Lloyd Daniels is ice cold, missing all eight of his first-half shots.

Daniels can’t afford to miss any more shots. A life of alcohol and drug abuse has dumped the one-time New York playground star in the only league that will have him -- the United States Basketball League.

Daniels saunters onto the court for the start of the second half. His coach is shouting instructions, but Daniels is listening to a fan instead.

“Shoot, Lloyd,” the fan says. “Shoot.”

“Can’t shoot it if I ain’t got it,” Daniels says.

“Then GO GET IT,” the fan snaps back.

Daniels takes a pass and squares up for his one last shot.

Everybody in the USBL wants one last shot. The former NBA player wants a lucrative deal in Europe. The overlooked college player wants a ticket to an NBA rookie camp. The recovering crack addict wants a chance to coach again. The female referee wants to work a men’s pro game.

The USBL calls itself “The League Of Opportunity.” Any doubt concerning that phrase was removed last month when Chuck Nevitt -- yes, that Chuck Nevitt -- started at center in the All-Star game.

“We want to be looked upon as a springboard,” said Mike Bovino, head of public relations marketing for the USBL. “The league philosophy is a showcase for players aspiring to the NBA.”

Last season, 17 players on NBA rosters had USBL experience, including Cleveland forward John “Hot Rod” Williams, whose springboard was more like a trampoline. Williams made $5 million last season as the NBA’s highest-paid player.

Williams is the USBL icon, but he is also an aberration. Most USBL players have marginal NBA talent and must work hard to catch a scout’s eye.

The 7-foot-5 Nevitt has never had a problem catching someone’s eye. Keeping it, however, is another matter. In six years as a perennial 12th man with the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston and Detroit, Nevitt averaged 1.6 points per game. Most fans remember him as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s caddy on the Lakers’ 1985 championship team.

“I’ve been out of the league (NBA) for a year and a half now,” Nevitt said. “This a great opportunity to get some playing time and get in front of some people.”

Nevitt, 32, is averaging 8 points per game for the Miami Tropics. He probably has seen the last of the NBA but isn’t ready to retire.

“I haven’t received any invitations to free-agent camps,” Nevitt said. “But I’ve received a lot of compliments from scouts at games. I’m cautiously optimistic. If things don’t work out over here, I’ll probably look into the European leagues.”

Another former NBA player with his sights set on Europe is World B. Free, who lit up opposing guards with his rainbow jumper. Free averaged 20 points per game in a 13-year career with Philadelphia, San Diego, Golden State, Cleveland and Houston that ended in 1988.

“I talked with Darryl Dawkins, who was playing in Milan, Italy,” said Free, who played with Dawkins at Philadelphia. “I’ve never been to Milan and Darryl told me they were looking for a shooter, an experienced guard to come in and be exciting for the people and do something.”

Now 37, Free owns two liquor stores, a video store and a telephone answering service in Raleigh, N.C., which is good, because the USBL doesn’t pay much. Most players make the league minimum of $300 per week.

“It’s a summer job,” said Dwight Moody, a guard with the Empire State Stallions. “I’m concentrating on playing some good ball and then see what happens.”

Travel conditions aren’t much better. After a game at New Haven, the Tropics had to sleep at Bradley Airport in Hartford because of a motel reservations mixup.

The league itself has had its share of problems. Founded in 1984 by current commissioner Dan Meisenheimer III, the USBL suspended operations after the 1988 season. The league returned with five teams in 1990, but the Philadelphia Aces and New York Whitecaps were unable to find home arenas and folded after six games.

With smaller arenas, more realistic budgets and a boost from sponsors, who provide meals and lodging in exchange for free advertising, the USBL expanded to eight teams in 1991.

The league uses NBA rules, although one clock operator had to be reminded that the 24-second clock doesn’t get reset on every dead ball. Each team must have four rookies on its 10-man roster. According to Bovino, about half the league’s players are invited to NBA rookie and free-agent camps.

“I want to show people that I can do quite a few things,” Moody said. “I’m looking for bigger and better things, for sure.”

“We play a real demanding schedule and the quality of play is good,” said Earl Cureton, a former NBA player now with New Haven. “It’s nowhere near NBA quality, but the quality is good.”

The 6-foot-9 Cureton forged a nine-year career with Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, the Los Angeles Clippers and Charlotte as a backup center. He has been out of the NBA for a year and is hoping NBA general managers haven’t forgotten him.

“I want to keep my name in their minds,” Cureton said. “Also, being 33 years old, it’s important to keep in shape and show the scouts that I’m taking care of myself.”

But the opportunity of the USBL extends beyond the players. Last month, the Tropics named Kevin Mackey as their new coach. Mackey was arrested last year after leaving a suspected drug house. He later admitted that he abused drugs and alcohol for years and was fired by Cleveland State.

Mackey spent three months in rehabilitation programs and says he hasn’t used alcohol or cocaine since last July. Since Mackey took over, the Tropics have won seven straight games.