MackenzieMgbako, Gill St. Bernard School (Gladstone, NJ), Robert Dillingham,DondaAcademy (Simi Valley, CA), SimeonWilcher, Roselle Catholic HS (Roselle, NJ), Jared McCain, Centennial HS (Corona, CA), Judea Watkins, Sierra Canyon HS (Los Angeles, CA), Jadyn Donovan, Sidwell Friends School (Washington DC), Hannah Hidalgo, Paul VI HS (Haddonfield, NJ). June 2, 2015. Sitemap He would pull up to the Rucker and double-park his Rolls Royce then go put in work. DeWitt Clinton (Bronx, N.Y.) '61 The EBC has a men's division which headlines the league, but it also has a high school league, and U15, U12 and U10 divisions. Crews spent about two months renovating. All of which causes Morrissey to say, If you can survive the summer pro-am circuit in New York City, you can survive any league in the world.. We dont care what you do. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. You may not be able to say one thing to one person that you could to another., Gilbert developed a slogan that he uses to promote the Pro-Am program. players union. Gilbert was playing in one of the New York area pro-am leagues when official Tom Washington, who has worked in the NBA for more than 27 years, said something to him following a game that stuck. 156, and it further gathered steam when a similar pro league was started for professional players to compete in the offseason. This annual summer youth league has been instrumental in developing young players and cultivating academic growth and community building. Kevin Durant Is Victorious In Rucker Park Return - VIBE.com Gilbert not only helps train officials but also assigns them to leagues throughout the New York metro area, including the Rucker Park League, where many of the top-flight high school, college and professional players display their talents. Beginning in 1947, Rucker organized a tournament around Harlem for area players as a way to bond the community and give local kids an extracurricular activity. players playing out there. For Jones, a 16-year-old resident of Harlem, its still just his home park, the one he has played at ever since he can remember. The 2022 grassroots basketball season is inching closer - and the upcoming circuit should finally see some return to normalcy - as all three shoe brands (Nike, adidas, Under Armour) expect to field full schedules during the live-recruiting periods. software for managing & marketing your events. New boss wants to bring NBA players back to Rucker Park - New York Post [2] Since 1974, the park has been named after Holcombe Rucker, a local teacher and a playground director for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Overbrook (Philadelphia, Pa.) '55 Even more than his handle, Williams' biggest asset is confidence. Scott is one of the most accomplished players ever to roll through the Rucker. [5], In June 2017, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio dedicated the court to Greg Marius, founder of the Entertainer's Basketball Classic streetball tournament held at the park. Most know him as Dr. J, ABA and NBA ambassador of the 1970s and '80s. He's so revered the playground at 99th and Amsterdam in New York is named Goat Park. Herman "Helicopter" Knowlings [18][19], Rucker Park in 2008, with Frederick Douglass Boulevard at left, Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 02:43, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, "Holcombe Rucker Playground Highlights - Greg Marius Court: NYC Parks", "A Street Basketball Mecca Gets a Face-Lift", "How The Basketball Tournament Landed Harlem's Famed Rucker Park As Its First Outdoor Venue", "Empty Garden: Why did New York stop growing basketball stars? When the pros are involved, the park draws huge crowds and wild responses. There is a reason one of the squads for the Boost Mobile Elite 24 is named in his honor: "The Goat" is arguably the most well known streetball legend of all-time. I would not have progressed as quickly in my career if I didnt work at Rucker and some of the other leagues around the city, Morrissey said. He would sometimes roll through Rucker to rep the City of Brotherly Love, often with spectacular results. All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball, Alonso says Aston 'living a dream,' eyes podium, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live'. Rucker Pro League, the Each One Teach One summer league and the famed . Taft (Bronx, N.Y.) . Laurinburg Institute (Laurinberg, N.C.) '66 If youre a hooper, your dream was to play at that park, said Corey Williams, who goes by the nickname Homicide and turned impressive performances at the Rucker and other playgrounds into a lengthy international professional career. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. For the first time, the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. North (Riverside, Calif.) summer league team in 1993 before returning to New York and creating history at the Rucker. The New York City native took it to heart and began his journey in officiating. A basketball paradise is just a block away. Action in this summer's tournament gets started in the Omaha and Rucker Park regionals. He made his name and became famous, however, at the Rucker. A fierce rebounder, Ramsey has impeccable credentials as a Rucker legend -- he is the only player to ever win Rucker MVP honors at the high school, college and pro level. Many of them., A Street Basketball Mecca Gets a Face-Lift, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/10/sports/basketball/rucker-park-renovation.html. adidas Partners With Rucker Park, Drew League and AEBL - ONE37pm Stacey Marius, Gregs sister, said that her brother had this vision of bringing his love for hip-hop and basketball and getting them together and having tournaments, but in a place where it was a high-profile tournament that everybody could enjoy.. players learned through the decades that they could not just own the court by reputation alone. Its no secret its across the street from one of the most dangerous housing projects in New York City, the Polo Grounds. Its commonly referred to as Rucker Park or just the Rucker. Here's everything we know, The paths of KD and Kyrie: How one month changed three franchises and two superstar legacies, From bubble struggles to NCAA seed improvement, why these final weekend games matter, Transfer Talk: Barcelona circling as Man City tells Silva he can leave, Foden's return to form helps mask De Bruyne's troubles, Nelson sends Arsenal into euphoria with last-gasp winner over Bournemouth. In his five years of officiating at Rucker Park, Morrissey has officiated games with the likes of NBA stars Durant, J.R. Smith and David Lee, to name a few. These guys are out there playing for a lot, not only pride, but a chance to show their skills and improve their game., Morrissey noted the environment can toughen an official and actually contribute to working on your craft to become the best you can be.. At a shade under 6-foot-5, Jackson was one of the game's first great leapers. That June, Mayor Bill de Blasio named Rucker Parks basketball court the Greg Marius Court. Underneath the 155th Street bridge is Rucker Park, quite possibly the most famous playground in basketball. With the AEBL, I think about culture. Its paved the way for so many people, Williams said. Yall ready for this? Street ball, a basketball Sticker. In the NBA, Archibald was known as "Tiny," the man who ran the point for the 1981 NBA champ Celtics and the only player to lead the league in points and assists in the same season. James "Speedy" Williams Archibald went the JUCO route and kept improving his game to the point where he was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1996. Its not just the renovation, Wells said. As someone who played college ball myself, its been incredible to work with experts in this space. Charles Evan Hughes (New York, N.Y.) '64 'Slutty Vegan' Will Open Much Anticipated Harlem Joint Next Week, Espaillat Announces Community Project Funding, Urges Orgs to Apply, Program For Harlem Entrepreneurs Could End With $16K Prize: See How, Unlock Your True Potential- From Feeling Cursed to Confident In 6 Weeks, NYC AI Summer Camp for Middle School Students. Holcombe Rucker, a Harlem school teacher, staged the first summer Rucker tournament in 1946. Everything we send is officiating specific because that's all we do. Thats why that park is special. players union, checked in on the progress. Everybody wanted it.. But only true basketball heads know he ran with the J.W. He didn't play in the League, but earned his nickname at the Entertainer's Basketball Classic up at Rucker. Every play is life or death for these guys.. The same applies to officiating, Gilbert said. In the spirit of Rucker's legacy, this tournament is always preceded by one amongst amateur players, called the "Each One Teach One" tournament. Official Facebook Site for the EBC (Entertainers Basketball Classic) street basketball league held at. It was automatic.. He had to tie his sneakers a little tighter.. I remember the first game I ever did with Zach Zarba. Not long ago, players like Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Vince Carter made the pilgrimage to West 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard to a court that is tiny in area, but large in cultural and historical significance. All-Star Baron Davis made sure to get some shots up on the court the evening before he played at Rucker Park, Gittens said. There he played on the same team as Lamar Odom, Jamal Crawford and Sebastian Telfair. Rucker Park Legends - New York City Streetball The NBA legend didn't suit up . You can feel the energy in the crowd, said Mensah, who has refereed in games that included NBA pros Kemba Walker, Metta World Peace (Ron Artest), Lance Stevenson, Nick Young and Durant. He compared it to a junior varsity basketball player who wants to improve by playing against the varsity players. Rucker Park, a Basketball Mecca, Gets New Life - Continuitynews You would think this was video for a movie, because every time he came down, they made sure he got the ball, and he was just firing it from way beyond the 3-point line, Wells said. Know someone who'd like Harlem news in their inbox? He also had a 90-point game Roxborough and was simply the most dominant force on all levels of the game including streetball. Holcombe Rucker Park Highlights : NYC Parks 156 Playground when it opened in 1956, and an influential Harlem teacher named Holcombe Rucker soon saw its potential. All these guys came down there because it was basically mano a mano, he said, with you against somebody, not being told how to run a set, but your best skill against my best skill, and your knowledge against my knowledge, on this even playing field where the crowd can become an opponent too., He added, You was pushed into a different level of playing because you didnt want to fail in front of all of these people, and you want them to see you perform, because it gave you so much more energy and more life, and then your legend grew., Wells recalled the time Carter, who recently retired after a 22-year N.B.A. Rucker Park - The true Mecca of basketball - Old school style Sticker. Roberts could not see over the heads of those who stacked the parks sidelines shoulder-to-shoulder. And Rucker started with boys like Bob McCullough. What can they expect when they go to a game this summer? They just want to see a good basketball game., The people in New York City know all the facets of good basketball, added Morrissey. Williams took the hard road to streetball stardom. 4 Returns on August 20 at Rucker Park The SLAM Summer Classic is BACK. ONE37pm: Thanks for chatting with us ReeCee! Monroe was a late-bloomer to the high school game; he started at center his final year at Bartram and averaged 21.7 ppg. Please try again. Holcombe Rucker Park Highlights : NYC Parks This past Friday, ONE37pm spoke with ReeCee Hollans, Global Grassroots Basketball Sports Marketing Manager about this groundbreaking deal. Do Not Sell My Personal Information 35 was retired by Austin Peay State University -- a long overdue gesture after twice leading APSU to the NCAA tournament and putting Clarksville, Tenn., on the map. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Copyright 2023 SLAM Media Inc. SLAM, SLAMTV, SLAM MEDIA and the SLAM logo are registered Officiating summer park-league games, like those held at legendary Holcombe Rucker Park in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, gives referees invaluable experiences, according to veteran official Terry Gilbert, director of the Pro-Am Referee Training and Development Program. But let's be real: it's known around the world for the basketball court in the corner of the three-acre lot right off Frederick Douglass Boulevard. "Rucker Park, to me, is pretty much like Madison Square Garden to NBA players," Williams said. Holcombe Rucker, a playground director, established a youth basketball league and summer tournament nearly 70 years ago to keep children away from temptation even as others warned him to disregard a sport designed for the winter. Dino, our founder, is a real family man. "When I was in 9th grade, I saw the Helicopter, with my own two eyes, pick a quarter off the top of the backboard to win a bet, and I was in complete shock," said former NBA all-star Bernard King. NBA 2K19 Summer Circuit #8 - Kobe vs Cortez @ RUCKER PARK! That mystique may be gone. The Bronx native is a one-on-one specialist and can defend players of all sizes. Eastern District (Brooklyn, N.Y.) '65 Finally, it also frequently will have a number of current and former NBA stars show up to play. Are you sure you want to delete this family member? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. As you mentioned to me earlier, AEBL games have an HBCU vibe to them, and its an experience. Morrissey admits the games can be taxing on officials. From $19.84. Worthen earned preseason All-American acclaim from Street & Smith's at Lane, was named a JUCO All-American in Texas and earned All-American acclaim at Marquette. What is TBT? Since a Harlem teacher named Holcombe Rucker first formed a summer league at the park in 1950, the court, at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, has helped shape the history of street basketball. 3 seed in the Rucker Park Region for the 2022 The Basketball Tournament (TBT). The former N.B.A. Can you break down what this adidas partnership means to each individual league? How This Man Became the Voice of Rucker Park Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. There was an error submitting your subscription. Those local players never received mainstream recognition as NBA talents, but they are still talked about in New York today. Academic problems almost ended Archibald's career before it even started but he got it together and in 1996 was named to the NBA's top 50 players list. Thanks to NBA's original documentary 'The Doctor', aired in 2013, we were able to get a glimpse of Julius Erving playing at the famed Rucker Park.. Julius put on a show for the crowd. The Drew League leaves Nike for partnership with Adidas Because the fans are right on top of the action, officials have to be careful, especially when running along the sideline. Remembering When Vince Carter became a Rucker Park legend by shutting So when I think about Drew, I think about family and empowerment on and off the court. The more plays you see, the more you have in your memory bank, Mensah said. | Rucker Community Web Site Former President Bill Clinton once stopped by to watch the action. TBT is a single-elimination basketball tournament where 64 teams compete for a $1 million prize. The court formally reopened on Saturday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, youth basketball clinics and games. 22.6k Followers, 805 Following, 473 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from EBC at Rucker Park (@ebcruckerpark) Rucker Park Gifts & Merchandise for Sale | Redbubble The renovations at the Rucker are personal for many NBA players, who have personal histories at the court, as well as for Roberts herself, who said her brothers took her to the park to shoot hoops while she was growing up in the South Bronx.