No matter the neighborhood or the tournament, there is that one kid who is nice. On the court, he’s the man. The neighborhood loves him. Everyone embraces him. He has everything: the crossover, his jump shot is straight cash money and he plays defense baseline to baseline. He has a following too. If he has a game, everyone knows.
“Yo, son, you goin’ to his game later?”
“Yeah, I’m goin’, son. My son get right.”
The whole neighborhood is in the park watching him give out a 40 piece to the opposite team. The on-lookers are saying, “Son is nice” while the other spectators are saying, “Wait ’til after this game. We gonna see him.” These particular fans are in the cut, just chillin’, waiting to catch him slippin’. Read More »
I remember growing up playing in various tournaments in my neighborhood of Brownsville, Brooklyn. This one hot summer day, I saw this kid by the name of LeVance Fields. I was coming from the store and my man said, “Lee Lee is killin’, son. He’s only in 7th grade too, son.” I said to myself, “He’s next from the hood to go.” As the years went by, his game only further expanded.
In high school, our teams would face-off in epic battles. The Brownsville Recreation Center 16 and under league was no joke back then. It was him and Eugene Lawrence (St. John’s alum and Brownsville native) in the back court. Just think about Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings and Brandon Jacobs of the New York Football Giants in the same back field. The games were always fun and exciting. Also another memory I have is when he shared the back court with Eugene Lawrence, and the front court was Antonio Pena (Villanova Wildcat), Saiquon Stone (Southern Mississippi University) and Terrence Portis (St Thomas Aquinas College) playing in S.T.A.Y. at The Cage on Mother Gaston and Sutter Ave. Fields came from a “crime-ridden” neighborhood where the game of basketball is a gateway for people to make it out. Every time he stepped on the floor as a Pittsburgh Panther, while donning the nickname “General Lee,” he put Brownsville on his back. Even though he went undrafted in this past year, he is still keeping the hood happy with his success on the court. Read More »
(L to R-Courtney Castro, Snoop and Speedy Williams)
Ladies and Gents, Ballplayers, lovers of the game, and my fellow Brooklynites, here’s a little somethin’ from my man LowerEastScribe. He has Brooklyn roots but he moved to the Lower East Side in the borough of money makin’ Manhattan. He and I will be working together on the Brooklyn Report. Check out his article on Courtney Castro, better known as “The Jumpman”
One of NY’s best kept secrets (No Pun intended Mr. Reid) right now is Brownsville’s own Courtney Castro. Growing up in the ‘ville, Castro (who’s mixed with Black and all types of Spanish) started out playing baseball. But at age 13, his older brothers aerial-artistry made him see basketball in a new light.
“I used to see him playing ball in the park a lot,” said his brother. “Baseball was my first love but after watching him dunk on a few guys, it just looked like a lot of fun.”
While most serious 13-year-old ballers are seasoned vets, with AAU and top-flight camps under their belts, Castro’s start came via milk crates nailed to trees in his backyard. Eventually he upgraded to broken rims. Read More »
The 2009 NBA Draft is approaching us. Brooklyn has offered the “League” with some pretty darn good local talent. The L has had the likes of: Bernard King, Jamaal Tinsley, Quincy Douby, Chris Mullin, Connie Hawkins, Pearl Washington, World B.Free, John Salley, Jeff Houston Greg “Jocko” Jackson, Jerry “Ice” Reynolds, Norman Richardson, Chris Taft, Gordon Malone, Billy Cunningham and many more. (Disclaimer: I may have forgotten some. I apologize Brooklynites.)
This moment right here solidified and put Brooklyn on the map!!!!!!!!!! Stephon Marbury’s interview was heartfelt. He represented his family, his neighborhood, Coney Island and the borough of Brooklyn. The struggle, the hard work, determination, competitiveness and the heart were shown through his tears. Stephon Marbury showed the L why Brooklyn is the best borough in basketball in the state of New York. Read More »
SummerBall on MSG is needed for this up-and-coming summer.Last summer,SummerBall on MSG provided the five boroughs with the best street ball action in the country. There has been rumors and talks about SummerBall on MSG not being on air this summer. If you would like to see segments such as “Boobie’s Bench” spearheaded by Boobie Smooth “The Politican” or “To the Baja” with Bobbito Gracia a.k.a Kool Bob Love, you can send an email to michael.bair@thegarden.com. People we need SummerBall on MSG back on air this summer. Send them emails ladies and gentlemen, ballplayers and lovers of the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Brooklyn Report has been circulating around the borough and around New York City. Thank you for the love ladies and gentlemen, ballplayers and lovers of the game.There are more things to come,so stay tuned. This past weekend was pretty entertaining and it went like this:
Saturday
Nate Sudlow playing at Bryant University (Courtesy of Bryant University Athletics)
The team I have been playing for since the age of 12, the Brownsville Jets,had game at George Greshwin Junior High School (I.S. 166) in East New York in the McMillian League. They were playing in the College Division (We are the Brownsville All-Stars in this league). Most of my teammates have graduated or still completing their coursework in college. Even though we are friends guys, we didn’t look like ourselves in some points of the game until my Uncle Chris called us “fake Brownsville Jets”. I can see Jocko on the sideline shaking his head telling us how to win the game. We started off well but then the lead was cut to 4 points. Besides that, we won the ball game by 16 points. You know how you’re watching a game and you vividly remember that one highlight you tell everyone on your block like 20 times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here it is people: Read More »
(In my best Santogold impression) “Broooookllllllllllllyn We Gooooooooo Haaaaaaaard”
Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls and my fellow Brooklynites. The Brooklyn Report is finally here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ever since I started working with Bounce Magazine, it seems like Brooklyn Basketball does not get as much love in the summertime. Even though Brooklyn ballplayers come to different boroughs throughout New York City and sometimes destroy the competition, we still don’t get no respect at times. I love New York but I am Brooklyn guy with a Brooklyn game. Read More »
There are no words to describe the atmosphere on this past Friday night at William H. Maxwell High School, located in the East New York section of Brooklyn, New York. The stats and final score didn’t matter either. This past Friday night was dedicated to an individual who lived up to the line the great and late Notorious B.I.G. recited on “Juicy”: “Bernard spread love because its the Brooklyn way.”
I knew Bernard Lewis through a couple of friends of mine who were also his friends. I remember one summer he decided to play in a basketball tournament. Bernard played the game of basketball to stay in shape, while the rest of the crew played the game of basketball with the aspirations of making it out of Brownsville playing the game we love. To us it meant, going to school for free or putting food on the table for our families. Bernard played with the Brownsville Jets in one of the best tournaments Brownsville ever had, S.T.A.Y. (Sincerely Teaching African Youth or Striving To Achieve Yours) Basketball Classic. It was the only tournament in Brownsville that players had numbers such as 66,77 and 88. I wore number 66. His coach was James “Fly” Williams. Read More »
Randy Millard is a resident of Brownsville, Brooklyn. He is currently pursuing a degree in Mass Communications/General Broadcasting at Norfolk State U. He eats, drinks, and sleeps ball in the 'hood. He spreads love too because it’s the Brooklyn way!
