For those that not familiar with "the city" hoops lore, Rucker Park basketball court is in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, just east of the former Polo Grounds site. It's a place where great city players made their reps, from The Helicopter (Herman Knowings) and The Hawk (Connie Hawkins) to The Pearl (Dwayne Washington), Ed Pinckney and Chris Mullin (who felt he had to play there to be taken seriously).
There was an all-star game for guys and girls there last summer and obviously or two recruits - Citron and Miles -- were invited. I'm chuckling thinking that the Pearl -- with his arsenal of now-look passes and "I'm by you moves" to the hoop would've liked seeing Miles show her stuff.
Daniels. Four or five New York City high schools. UNLV for a bit. Ultimately made the NBA.
Herman, "The Heliocopter". I'd like to add Dean "The Dream" Meminger and as noted in an earlier reply, Earl "The Goat" Manigault.
more times than not, Knowlings popped up. In any case, we're agreed on pretty much the same guy. Here's a few testimonials about him.
Yeah, Dean the Dream was a denizen of Ruckers, as well. When he was with the Knicks, he brought up "old man" Dick Barnett up there with the "fade back baby" J (jumper) and people loved that. And the other Pearl (Earl Monroe) would give some shows.
The King brothers - Bernard and Albert -- would come up via subway from Brooklyn to show their stuff, as well. They and Mullin did a good job for Brooklyn ballers.
When I was just out of school and felt good enough about my game, I played at the west 4th Courts in Manhattan but I would never dream of heading up to Rucker.
I searched for him just now Knowlings and Knowings both popped up. However, Charlie Pierce used Knowles when he wrote his obituary for Kobe Bryant. I guess having multiple names is part of why he is a playground legend!
Some say that Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond was the best all round player who never left the streets of NYC. He supposedly turned down NBA contract offers because he was making more money on the street.
despite being a lifelong Celtics' fan, I loved watching both of these guys play.
Earl replaced Dick in the Knicks lineup, IIRC.
"Fad back, Baby" and he'd kick himself in the butt (almost) at the apex of his jump (and being lefty made it even more beautiful)
Earl was "sick" before "sick" was part of sports' vernacular. He defined the term "sick" with "more moves than exlax."
The seas parted when he was there.
Two guys -- the dr. and Mr. K -- with 'fros and jumping ability to the skies and the Burt Reynolds of the ABA, who protected those two day in, day out.
I had played that morning and went somewhere, but my friends who stayed said it was wild...within one hour, the place/block was jam-packed. I'm sure the Rucker gang came down and the Brooklyn guys came over. He said the Erving-Kenon-Ladner team didn't lose -- if any team came close, any one of the three would turn it on.
Ladner may have been paid to be an enforcer, but he could play before he died in that airline crash. Man, there's a name I never thought I'd type again....
in NYC from that era. There seem to be fewer major basketball talents coming from the city these days. Is that just my perception from 800 miles away or is it reality?
Who would have thought that a Sonia Citron article would lead us down a rabbit hole where we find... Wendell Ladner, the Burt Reynolds of the ABA. To bring it back to NDWBB, let's hope that Niele can find the Larry Kenon of women's basketball.
player because of her all around game. I also learned that her older brother plays soccer at Cornell. Niele made a strong initial pitch to Sonia after taking the ND job and that conversation convinced Sonia to make her commitment to ND.