Zonkeys de Tijuana

Lore & Background

The Zonkeys de Tijuana were founded in 2010 and entered the league the same year, becoming the first professional basketball team in Tijuana since the Cosmos de Tijuana and the Tijuana Dragons. Their name derives from the tradition of painting stripes on donkeys to resemble zebras, a practice once common on Avenida Revolución, where tourists paid to take pictures with or on the zonkeys. The team won its first championship in 2014 with a 4-3 finals series win over Caballeros de Culiacán, and repeated as champions in 2015. They later fell to the Halcones de Ciudad Obregón in the 2018 finals in a six-game series, as Halcones claimed the championship. In December 2019, ex-NBA player Henry Bibby was hired as head coach ahead of the 2020 season, and the team opened a new arena, Arena Zonkeys, moving from Auditorio Fausto Gutierrez Moreno.

Reader's Guide

The Zonkeys de Tijuana represent a unique cultural and sporting identity in Mexican professional basketball. Their name, drawn from the tourist tradition of painting donkeys as zebras on Avenida Revolución, ties the team directly to Tijuana's local history and tourism. As the first professional basketball team in Tijuada since earlier franchises, they revived the city's presence in the sport. Their back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015 established them as a competitive force in CIBACOPA, and their 2018 finals victory added to their legacy. The hiring of ex-NBA player Henry Bibby in 2019 and the opening of Arena Zonkeys marked a new era for the franchise. The team's significance lies in its role as a cultural ambassador for Tijuana, blending local folklore with professional athletics, and in its sustained success within the Pacific Coast basketball circuit.

Did You Know?

• The team's name comes from the tradition of painting stripes on donkeys to resemble zebras on Avenida Revolución.
• The Zonkeys won back-to-back championships in 2014 and 2015.
• Ex-NBA player Henry Bibby was hired as head coach in December 2019.
• The team moved its home games from Auditorio Fausto Gutierrez Moreno to Arena Zonkeys.