NYC: Still The Mecca
Springfield, Massachusetts will always be the birthplace of Basketball, but New York City will always be known as the Mecca. For many, the allure of playing in NYC would almost serve as a rite of passage and could either make a player or break them. Being born and raised in New York City meant that you were different from the rest. There’s a certain swagger that comes along with it, and ballplayers would wear it like a badge of honor. Some call it arrogance or bravado but in NY it’s just a natural instinct. Kill or be killed and from an early age you had to have a reputation on the court. And so, NY just cranked out high level talent. Somewhere along the way, the lines got distorted and people were saying that New York City Basketball had lost its luster. Kids weren’t staying home for school anymore and the Big Apple simply didn’t produce the top-tier talent that it once did. But I beg to differ.
When it comes to NYC Basketball you have to start your story with Lee Alcindor aka Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Photo BET.com
Since the days of Kareem at Power Memorial, New York has been a breeding ground for top tier talent. This is the birthplace of Earl Manigault and Pee Wee Kirkland. This is where Joe “The Destroyer” Hammond dropped 50 on Dr. J in a half. Where guys like Kenny Anderson and Rod Strickland made it possible for Felipe Lopez and Stephon Marbury to shine. Where Riverside Church and The Gauchos were like holy sanctuaries and were known to be the heartbeat of the Basketball scene at the amateur level. Ron Artest, Shammgod Wells, and Rafer “Skip to My Lou” Alston all stamped their names in these streets of New York before striking gold in the NBA. This is the City where guys like Andre Barrett and Kenny Satterfield took their games from Rice High School to the league in just a matter of a few years. Terrence Rencher, Reggie Freeman, Kareem Reid, Jarrett Lockhart… There’s way too many NICE ballers that came out of New York City to name them all! I’m talking ELITE… every time you think of one… four or five others come to mind right away.
Rafer Alston aka Skip 2 My Lou made a name for himself on the playgrounds of NYC. He was blessed to get a run in the NBA and put together a decent career. Photo by
In the late to mid -90’s two AAU teams in New York City were at the epicenter of Youth Basketball. Riverside Church and the Bronx Gauchos made it hard for other teams because all of the talents in the NY Metro area were consolidated on these two teams. Nowadays, with a lot more AAU teams on the landscape, the talent is much more dispersed than it has ever been. This disparity doesn’t allow NYC to shine as it once did. It’s been a long time since NYC had that same feeling that it once had in the past and there hasn’t been any groundbreaking talent in while. Currently there is a shortage of guys in the NBA from NYC. However, Boston Celtic All-Star guard Kemba Walker has made a argument of being one of the most decorated players in NYC history. After him, the list gets thin.
Straight outta New York City. Lamar Odom and Ron Artest (Metta World Peace) even once played on the same AAU team the Riverside Church Hawks. They won a Championship together with the Lakers in 2010.
Another difference between today’s game and that of 15-20 years ago in NYC is the playground game is a lot different. You see a lot less kids on the streets at the the parks and a lot more trainers working kids out in gyms. A lot of the youth are afraid to get hurt by playing on concrete, as a result, a lot less elite players pull up to the park in the summertime anymore. Don’t get me wrong, the parks are absolutely electric in the summertime. Dyckman, Gersh Park, Hoops in the Sun, Watson, Lincoln Park, The Cage and Rucker Park are all some of my favorite spots to catch some good basketball, but the level of play isn’t what it used to be.
EBC Rucker Park was where you wanted to be in the Summer. Where else can you see Shawn Marion and Baron Davis suit up on the same team, or the Bone Collector go at it with Jamal Tinsley. If you weren’t there, you missed it! What a time to be alive!
There were just so many players who contributed to the legacy of Basketball in the Big Apple. Nowadays there’s a new crop of players carrying the torch in NYC. Theres a ton of young guys from NYC making a name for themselves. players on the come up like Hamido Diallo and Cole Anthony, of the OKC Thunder and Orlando Magic, respectively. Hopefully they will be able to really make their marks in the league.
Bronx, NY native Kemba Walker has put together a good 10 year career which included 4 All-Star appearances and an All-NBA 3rd team selection. Photo nba.com
The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown the world into a state of disarray. More specifically, New York City has had its High School Basketball season pushed back significantly. For the record, being safe is primary. Basketball is secondary, but I think we have gotten to the point of resuming activity. A few kids who were actively getting recruited by colleges, get a chance to show their talent, albeit a short season. Some kids took advantage of the lax Covid-19 guidelines in other states and the rest were left scrambling.
New York City will always be the Mecca of Basketball and that’s because of the long standing reputation it has built over the years. It comes with the territory. Theres just too much rich history attached to the Big Apple. Salute to all of the people past and present who have contributed to pushing the NYC Basketball culture forward. There are so many players who put blood, sweat and tears into the game and we salute you.