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 »
John “Mookie” Thomas helped lead N.I.K.E. 1 to a Pro City title this summer. Photo: Kevin Couliau.
The first time I heard John “Mookie” Thomas talk, I knew what he was about.
“Terrence! You were supposed to call me at 9. Now I gotta call you back,” is what he left on my voicemail.
He wasn’t really yelling nor was he really mad. The tone in his voice simply said, ‘Yo, young man. Handle ya B-I !’
With many of Crooklyn’s finest calling Mookie an older brother/uncle figure, I guess it was only right that I got the same treatment. Mookie’s all about responsibility and earning everything given to him, which was never more evident than at the Nike TOC.
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Throughout August, The Jim Couch Foundation sponsored workouts at Fordham University for boys and girls of all ages. Even though the workouts are technically free, the participants paid in sweat and hard work. The summer may be typically reserved for tournaments but it’s also a chance for players to refine skills they have and work on the ones they don’t. Instruction from experienced NYC ballplayers, including NBA Top 50 Greatest Player Nate “Tiny” Archibald, was just too valuable to pass up for a ton of players. Archibald said that he saw a lot of potential at the workouts and that a main reason he wanted to be apart of it was to give back and help the next generation learn.
I got the opportunity to interview Haron Hargrave, a 25 year-old who is the brains behind Queens Day, and a ballplayer himself making noise on the circuit this summer with 30+ point performances throughout the boroughs.
A little over five years ago, Mike “Ghost” Zanidean trekked to Toronto from his home just outside of Vancouver with little more than $300 in cash and two suitcases full of gear. He dreamed of finding the finest comp Canada had to offer, but eventually earned worldwide acknowledgment thanks to his formidable bag ‘o tricks and took an American detour to play in Memphis at LeMoyne-Owen College on scholarship and run on AND1’s Mixtape Tour. He’s returned to the T.Dot, but things haven’t slowed for the hoops vagabond. “Million Moves” Mike founded the You Can’t C Me Streetball Tour, is releasing his “The Game Within The Game” highlight compilation film in August, still plays in college, updates his blog and YouTube profile regularly, guides young ballers in clinics and camps, and fine tunes his upcoming clothing line… In his spare time!
Hit the jump to learn more about Mike’s NBA influences, favorite pre-game meals, and favorite moves!
When we met with you last, you were hooping at Division II LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis. How nice is winter in Tennessee?
Well, the winter wasn’t as harsh as it is up here in Toronto, but the summer was so hot that the winter seemed cold. Put it this way: I would rather spend the winters out in Tennessee than I would here.
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