Last week, a lot of heads in NYC where rooting for EBC @ Rucker Park legend Rafer “Skip To My Lou” Alston to help the Orlando Magic to their first NBA title. Didn’t happen, but it sparked a conversation between www.bouncemag.com frequent visitor Funkalot, who inquired to me about who exactly could claim an NBA ring as well as a Rucker Park chip.
I knew that Skip won an EBC America title against Seattle in 2006, but I couldn’t remember if he ever actually went all the way at EBC’s regular tournament. And the only modern-day NBA player I could think of who had league rings who had also played at EBC this decade was Kobe Bryant, however he only showed up for one regular season game so he wouldn’t qualify for having claim to both either.
I had to take it back, so I called Rucker Park Hall of Fame coach Butch Purcell, who directed the mighty Westsiders in the Rucker Pro League in the ’70s. From what he could remember, there were only a few players who could claim both a Rucker championship and an NBA (or ABA) title ring:
Rucker Pro League Champion Westsiders team members with NBA (or ABA) rings:
Julius Erving: NY Nets (ABA)
Billy Paultz: NY Nets (ABA)
Ollie Taylor (who graced our issue #6 Rucker cover): NY Nets (ABA)
Charlie Scott: Boston Celtics (NBA)
Rucker Pro League Champion Rucker Pros team members with NBA (or ABA) rings:
Willis Reed: NY Knicks (NBA)
Wilt Chamberlein: Philly 76ers (NBA), LA Lakers (NBA)
Satch Sanders: Boston Celtics (NBA)
Emmit Bryant: Boston Celtics (NBA)
Nate Bowman: NY Knicks (NBA)
Rucker Pro League Champion Floyd Lane’s Celtics team members with NBA (or ABA) rings:
Glen McDonald: Floyd Lane’s Celtics and Boston Celtics (NBA)
Tiny Archibald: Floyd Lane’s Celtics and Boston Celtics (NBA)
We couldn’t confirm if former NY Knick Hawthorne Wingo had both, and perhaps there are others from the early 50s. However accurate this list is, though, let’s all salute the handful of cats who were very special on the playground and the pros, obviously since it hasn’t happened in many decades . . .
June 16th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
DDB says:
Erving also has an NBA ring with the Sixers in 1983.
June 16th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
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June 17th, 2009 at 1:31 am
Casey Lee says:
Kool Bob,
I appreciate the post my dude! To educate our readers, the EBC was founded in 1980 and played at Mt. Morris Park. It was moved to Rucker Park in 1983, so there is 26 years of history at 155th for the Entertainer’s Basketball Classic.
To my knowledge, I cannot think of a player who has won both an EBC and NBA chip…maybe a hoop-head-historian may come across someone..
June 17th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
bobbito garcia says:
casey my brother–
EBC definitely started at mt. morris on 120th and madison, but it then moved to 139th and lenox, and later moved to rucker park on ‘55th circa ‘86 or ‘87. check with greg, he’ll give you the full scoop. thanks!
June 17th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Casey Lee says:
Kool Bob,
I forgot about 139th & Lenox! My bad…I definitely knew that too, it was just that site was the transition court, it’s easy to forget about! Good look on the correction!
June 18th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
funkalot says:
Skip has come the closest to attaining the dual chip status, of EBC and NBA. He did win an EBC Chip with Fat Joe’s, a few years back, backing up Steph and Kareem Reid.
What about Lamar Odom, Queens finest? Has he ever played up at EBC?
June 18th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
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