Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Harlem, New York, U.S. |
Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Taft (The Bronx, New York) |
NBA draft | 1971: Hardship round, 5th overall pick |
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers | |
Playing career | 1969–1973 |
Position | Guard |
Career history | |
1969–1971 | Allentown Jets |
1972–1973 | Garden State Colonials |
Joe Hammond, nicknamed "The Destroyer", is an American former streetball basketball player based in Harlem, New York. He attended Taft High School in the Bronx, [1] but he dropped out of school in the 9th grade and thus never played college basketball. [2] He played professionally in the Eastern Basketball Association (EBA) with the Allentown Jets and Garden State Colonials. [3]
A streetball player, Hammond once scored 50 points in a half against Julius Erving at Rucker Park. [4] In the 1971 NBA hardship draft, he was selected with the fifth pick of the 1971 Early Entry draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. [2] [5] He also turned down a three-year contract to play in the American Basketball Association. [1]
He was arrested for dealing drugs and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. [6] In 1990, he was described as being the best streetball player ever by The New York Times . [7] He later sued Nike and Foot Locker for $5 million for using his image without his permission. [6]
Streetball is a variation of basketball, typically played on outdoor courts and featuring significantly less formal structure and enforcement of the game's rules. As such, its format is more conducive to allowing players to publicly showcase their own individual skills. Streetball may also refer to other urban sports played on asphalt. It is particularly popular and important in New York City and Los Angeles, though its popularity has spread across the United States due to the game's adaptability.
AND1 is an American footwear and clothing company specializing in basketball shoes, clothing, and sporting goods. AND1 was founded on August 13, 1993. The company focuses strictly on basketball and is a subsidiary of Galaxy Universal.
Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park is a basketball court at the border of Harlem and the Coogan's Bluff section of Washington Heights neighborhoods of Manhattan, at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, just east of the former Polo Grounds site. It is geographically at the base of a large cliff named Coogan's Bluff. Many who have played at the park in the Entertainer's Basketball Classic achieved a level of fame for their abilities, and several have gone on to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Raymond Lewis was an American basketball and streetball player. After playing college basketball for Cal State LA, he was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 1973 NBA draft. He never played in the NBA but made a name for himself as one of the best streetball players in California.
Richard "Pee Wee" Kirkland is a former American streetball player and drug kingpin.
Kareem Reid is a former point guard in the National Basketball Development League. He played college basketball for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, and went on to play professionally in several leagues in the United States and Europe. Reid is also a well known street-ball player in the Bronx, playing in the Rucker Park league, where he won three consecutive championships at the Entertainers Ballers Classic from 2002 to 2004.
Holcombe Rucker was a playground director in Harlem for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation from 1948 to 1964. He founded the New York City pro-am basketball tournament, that still bears his name and is the namesake of a world-famous basketball court in Harlem.
James "Fly" Williams is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the Spirits of St. Louis and for multiple teams in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). A street basketball player from New York, he once scored 100 points in an IS8 League game in 1978.
Darren Douglas Phillip is an American professional basketball player. Phillip a.k.a. "Primal Fear" is also a well known streetball player on the basketball courts of the New York City summer leagues. He was the 2000 NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leader.
Troy Jackson was an American basketball player. The younger brother of retired NBA player Mark Jackson, he was a member of the AND1 Mixtape Tour, known by his streetball nickname "Escalade". Jackson was listed by AND1 at 6'10" and 375 pounds.
Daryll Hill is an American former basketball player from Queens, New York.
Henry Wilmore is an American former basketball player who is most known for being a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American in 1972 while playing for the Michigan Wolverines. He played at the University of Michigan from 1970–71 through 1972–73, scored 1,654 points and grabbed 573 rebounds. A native of Manhattan, New York, Wilmore honed his skills and tenacity by playing streetball at well-known basketball courts, such as Rucker Park.
"Jumpin" Jackie Jackson was an American professional basketball player. Jackson was one of the first streetball legends in the Rucker Playground Basketball Tournaments in New York City in the early 1960s. He went on to a 20-year career with the Harlem Globetrotters, earning his nickname by allegedly snatching a quarter from the top of a basketball backboard on a bet.
Linked to the popularity of basketball in Puerto Rico, the recurrence of streetball has become intertwined with the practice of the sport in all of its levels. Taking influence from the grassroots connection of Nuyorican streetballers to the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the practice is widespread in Puerto Rico, with impromptu games being a highly common occurrence for decades. Organized streetball gained momentum in the early 2000s and soon became involved with the local urban culture, especially the hip hop and reggaeton industries, giving origin to teams like Puerto Rico Streetball and the Puerto Rico Streetballers. Organizations based in Puerto Rico have played against foreign competition, with the results including the first win of an international team over the prominent AND1 Live Tour Team. Teams native to the archipelago are affiliated to the Street Basketball Association and FIBA's 3x3 basketball program.
James "Speedy" Williams is a streetball basketball player from the Bronx, NY who has been called a "Rucker Park legend". He attended Morris High School in the Bronx. He played at Medgar Evers College where he averaged 26 points per game, later going on to play with the Harlem Globetrotters and the Continental Basketball Association. He played 10 seasons with the United States Basketball League and the Harlem Wizards.
Larry "Bone Collector" Williams is an American streetball basketball player who earned the name the Bone Collector for his ability to "break players' ankles".
James "Pookie" Wilson was a streetballer from Far Rockaway, Queens in New York City.
Malloy Nesmith Sr. is a former streetball player from New York City. He is originally from The Bronx, NY. In high school, he played at James Monroe High School, finishing in 1988. He played college ball at Utah State He left because of academics and dislike of the schools slow basketball style of play. He is considered to be a legendary streetball player and point guard who played at Rucker Park. He played as part of the Bad Boy Entertainment Squad. At the Rucker, he played against a number of NBA stars. He was the subject of a book, Swee'pea: The Story of Lloyd Daniels and Other Playground Basketball Legends. He was a regular at the Entertainers Ball Classic. He was featured in the NBA dribbling commercial. He played professionally at the Dominican Republic with the Gregorio Urbano Gilbert
Adrian Walton is an American basketball player. Initially a streetball player known as "Hollywood", he was considered to be one of the last great streetball players.
Kenny Hutchinson is an American former basketball player. He emerged as a top college prospect while playing basketball in New York City at Benjamin Franklin High School and Martin Luther King Jr. High School. While playing at Franklin, Hutchinson was part of a star line-up alongside Richie Adams, Gary Springer and Walter Berry. He won a state championship in 1982 before the school closed down that same year. Hutchinson transferred to King for his final year, where he was named a second-team Parade All-American in 1983. During his high school years, he was an avid streetball basketball player at Rucker Park participating in the Entertainer's Basketball Classic.