Pee Wee Kirkland: A Legend in Two Games
Pee Wee Kirkland is a legend in two games. A legend on the basketball court and a legend in the streets. Harlem, NYC is a place unlike any other place in the world, especially in the 1960’s and 70’s. In the ghetto options are limited. Like BIG said “either you selling crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot”. Pee Wee Kirkland mastered both games. He was a wizard with a basketball in his hand and sold drugs at a kingpin’s pace. In Pee Wee’s era the drug of choice was heroine. The Heroine epidemic hit the streets like the Black Plague and tore apart families one hit at a time. For young men growing up in this time, hustling was a way of life and a way to escape the poverty that surrounded them. It later becomes an obsession of sorts, and the addiction to shiny cars and flashy clothes becomes overwhelming.
Kirkland’s game spoke for itself. His main stage was The Rucker Pro League where he played against greats like Connie Hawkins, Joe Hammond, and Dr. J. Photo Complex.com
My father knew Pee Wee personally. They both grew up on 116th Street in Harlem and ran in some of the same circles. When I was young my pops would tell me stories about how Pee Wee was better than Dr. J and how he would put on a show at Rucker Park. With a basketball in his hands Pee Wee was unstoppable. His stage was the Rucker Pro league where guys like Connie Hawkins, Joe “The Destroyer” Hammond, and Julius Erving played. Pee Wee ended up going to Norfolk State University and was once dubbed by Sports Illustrated as “the fastest man in college basketball”. In 1968 Kirkland was drafted to the Chicago Bulls in the 13th round of the draft. For most people getting drafted is the ultimate goal to achieve, but I guess Pee Wee wasn’t like most people. Kirkland left the team while still in the preseason simply because he could make more money on the streets than playing pro basketball for the Bulls. Three years later Pee Wee found himself jailed in Pennsylvania’s Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary on drug related conspiracy charges. He would have the next 15 years to figure out his next move. It was rumored that Pee Wee’s net worth was in the area of $30 million, and that’s back then.
Pee Wee Kirkland was said to be worth more than $30 Million at the height of his elicit activities. Photo NYDailyNews.com
After that time he spent in prison for conspiracy he ended up catching another case on tax evasion. Pee Wee knows that he made mistakes in life but denies ever selling drugs. He does however admit to a string of robberies on jewelry stores.
Pee Wee was sentenced to a 15 year bid on drug related conspiracy charges. Photo InsideHoops.com.
When Pee Wee got out of prison he vowed to change his life and help the children in Harlem, and beyond. He went to prison as part of the problem and upon his release back into society he wanted to be one of the solutions to that same problem. Kirkland, with the help of Nike, started the ”School of Skills” which I remember vividly growing up! Saturday morning waking up early to do drills never felt better. It was a family atmosphere and almost every kid in the neighborhood wanted to experience that. All it took him was a few days in prison to devote his time to turning his life around. He can tell you firsthand that there is nothing good that comes out of selling or using drugs. “You end up in a casket or behind bars” Pee Wee said in an interview with Vlad.
The Legend of Pee Wee Kirkland lives on. His exploits were captured and told by the Feds Magazine issue #46. Photo Feds Magazine
Kirkland missed out on a lot of opportunities by making bad choices. While in prison he reflected on these choices and made a choice to never return. Those circumstances changed his life and gave him the energy to become a motivator and positive role model for youth around the country. You can still run into Pee Wee in Harlem on a warm summer day. He devoted himself to helping the same community that he once tore apart. He’s one of the legends that lived to tell his story. He doesn’t glamorize the life he once lived but uses it as a cautionary tale of how material things can cloud your mind into thinking that you’re doing the right thing. Salute to Pee Wee and all of the OG’s who are a part of the solution; and not part of the problem.
Feature photo credit: Complex.com