UGA MBB
Todd Abernathy should be announced very soon according to several sources, also thanks to a great dawgs fan, Charles Mann should be staying,
And here it is…
Mike White quotes only, credit to Seth Davis’ Hoops HQ which I have found an enjoyable read.
“There’s a lot of excitement around here,”Our students were incredible throughout the year. Our administration has been incredibly supportive in helping us rebuild this program.”
The Portal
“We’ve got a lot of momentum. We’ve just got to continue to ride that momentum and get better as a program.”
“I went into it saying, I’m sick of not being able to shoot it better. And also the turnover problem. We finished at about one-to-one (assist-to-turnover ratio), which is just not getting it.”
“We feel like we signed good players, but even better human beings. We’ve got a locker room full of great kids and we’re optimistic that it’ll all fit really well.”
Kanon Catchings
“He’s got to continue to round out his game offensively to compliment his ability to shoot the three. And then defensively, his ceiling is very high too, with his length, speed, quickness and switch-ability.”
Jayden Ross
According to author of the article, Ross is expected to be the starting PG…
“I know he played off the ball at St. Mary’s, a top 25 team, a conference champion, 3-to-1 assist-to-tournover, he’s going to get more usage at the point. I think he’s a very good passer.”
Transfer Class
“They all can score it, Overall, I just feel like we’ve gotten a lot better with passing it, decisions. If you look at the volume of threes made with the guys we signed and then, returning Blue and we have to get Dylan’s confidence back up the way he shot it his freshman year, we ought to look like a completely different team offensively from those standpoints.”
Jacob Wilkins
“one of the better athletes that I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach, with incredible length and the ability to change ends and sprint into jump shots.”
Somto Cyril
“The more minutes he logs, the more different we can be defensively in terms of extending pressure and picking our spots because of his ability to block shots. And then I think the more he plays, the more we’re going to block and alter, the more that’s going to help us get out in transition and play faster offensively.”
SEC Basketball
Arkansas
Arkansas’ Karter Knox is withdrawing from the NBA Draft process and will return to Fayetteville for his sophomore season.
Florida
Alex Condon will withdraw from the NBA draft and return to Florida, he told ESPN.
G: Boogie Fland / Alex Lloyd
G: Xaivian Lee / AJ Brown / Isaiah Brown
W: Thomas Haugh / CJ Ingram
F: Alex Condon
F/C: Chinyelu / Handlogten / Rioux
Texas A&M
Mackenzie Mgbako, a projected second round pick, will withdraw from the NBA draft, and spend his junior season at Texas A&M, agent Sam Rose of CAA told ESPN.
And Uzan’s return to Houston means another A&M addition…
Creighton transfer and Houston commit Pop Isaacs has flipped to Texas A&M.
The 6’2” junior guard averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and shot 38% from 3 (23/60) in 8 games before his season was cut short due to injury.
Isaacs previously played at Texas Tech where he averaged 15.8 points per game during the 2023-24 season.
NCAA Basketball
Duke
FAU
FAU MBB secures a hometown commitment from 2025 6’6” F Zion Sampaio.
Sampaio is a member of the Brazilian National Team and scored over 1000 points for the St Andrews Scots
Houston
Houston point guard Milos Uzan will withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to Houston
PG Milos Uzan
G Emanuel Sharp
G Ramon Walker
F JoJo Tugler
F Chris Cenac
PG Kingston Flemings
G Mercy Miller
G Isiah Harwell
G Bryce Jackson
F Chase McCarthy
F Jacob McFarland
C Cedric Lath
C Kalifa Sakho
Kansas State
AAC Player of the Year and consensus All-American PJ Haggerty has withdrawn from the NBA draft and committed to Kansas State, he told ESPN.
Wichita Eagle: Jerome Tang’s new offensive coordinator has changes in mind for K-State basketball
“Matthew Driscoll will formally be known as Jerome Tang’s associate head coach when he arrives in Manhattan within the next few weeks and officially joins the Kansas State basketball family.
But K-State fans will likely be more interested in his informal title of offensive coordinator, especially those who have grown frustrated by scoring struggles over the past two years.
After a terrific first season under Tang, the Wildcats have turned mediocre on offense. Two years ago, they ranked 136th nationally in Bart Torvik’s efficiency ratings and unsurprisingly missed the NCAA Tournament. Last year, their offense ranked 116th nationally in the same category and the team slumped to a losing record.
Both were massive drops in production from when K-State’s offense ranked inside the top 40 and the Wildcats reached the Elite Eight.
Tang felt like he needed a new offensive guru to help K-State get back its scoring mojo. And he made that abundantly clear after the Wildcats announced that Driscoll was leaving a head coaching job at North Florida to take over as the lead assistant in EMAW country.
“His ability to develop players,” Tang said, “and implement high-level offensive systems is second to none.”
So what kind of changes can K-State fans expect next season?
For starters, the Wildcats will almost certainly attempt more 3-pointers. A lot more. Driscoll loved to spread the floor and shoot from the perimeter when he was in charge at North Florida. In fact, the Ospreys ranked No. 1 nationally in 3-point rate in both 2024 and 2025. Nearly 54% of their shots came from beyond the arc in both seasons.
By comparison, K-State ranked 148th in 3-point rate last season at 40.2%.
North Florida made at least 35% of its perimeter shots in those years, which enabled the Ospreys to rank within the top 4 of the Atlantic Sun in scoring efficiency.
Driscoll’s teams also liked to play an up-tempo style throughout his long tenure at North Florida.
He explained his style during a Zoom interview with reporters on Friday, saying that he aims to have “constant pressure on the rim” in order to keep defenses off balance. Two of his favorite words are also “pace” and “space.”
“That’s why we’re always one of the best offensive teams in the country,” Driscoll said. “What it creates is the opportunity to have two gaps. When you have two gaps, you can really take the ball and put pressure on the rim.
“People think when you become a great 3-point shooting team, it’s because you have great players. Don’t get me wrong, players make plays. There’s no doubt about it. But when you have multiple guys, usually four for us (who can shoot and drive), it naturally creates space.”
He went on to stress the importance of taking open shots when they are available. Too often, he said, K-State players passed up good looks midway through a possession only to take a much worse attempt to beat the shot clock. Sometimes, the Wildcats just turned the ball over.
By tracking potential assists and urging his players to fire away when they are open, North Florida rarely turned it over.
He hopes K-State can follow the same model.
“If we continue to change just some minor things,” Driscoll said, “and continue to get better players and continue to help them understand that synergy (we will improve). Because when you have it, stuff just happens.”
Over the past two years, K-State predominantly ran a “five out” attack on offense. It led to the occasional big game for David N’Guessan, Coleman Hawkins, Brendan Hausen and Tylor Perry. But turnovers and poor shooting often doomed K-State to clunkers.
Tang would like to change that next season. A new offensive coordinator is on the way to help.”
https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/kansas-state/article307085671.html
Michigan
Yaxel Lendeborg, a projected first-round pick, will withdraw from the NBA draft and enroll at Michigan, he told ESPN.
Massive news for Dusty May, officially adding the No. 1 big man in the transfer portal.
PG Elliot Cadeau
G Trey McKenney
G Roddy Gayle
F Yaxel Lendenborg
F Morez Johnson
G Lorenzo Cason
G Nimari Burnett
F Winters Grady
F Oscar Goodman
C Will Tschetter
C Aday Mara
High School
NBA
“I'm seeing *a lot* of Anthony Edwards criticism today, and I'd love to offer some perspective for the "Can't Man" crowd...
First off, it is 100% fair to say Ant has been outplayed in consecutive WCF series by SGA, Luka and even Kyrie.
I think Ant can learn a lot from those three guys -- specifically about how important it is to have a reliable mid-range game. Defense taking away threes? Clogging the lane and gaps to prevent drives? Cool... SGA, Luka and Kyrie are all excellent at knocking down contested mid-range shots over packed defenses.
SGA, for example = 50% mid-range shooter. Ant = 35% (and trending down from last year).
Now for some perspective...
Anthony Edwards has led the Wolves to back-to-back WCF appearances at ages 22 and 23.
Steph Curry didn’t reach a WCF until age 26 (won title). His first MVP came at age 26.
Giannis didn't reach his first ECF until age 24. First MVP at 24. First title at 26.
Nikola Jokic reached first WCF at 24. First MVP at 25. First title at 27.
Hell, LeBron didn’t make his 2nd ECF until 24! (in fairness he went to Finals at 22). First MVP at 24. First title at 27.
Ant needs to get better at certain things -- mid-range game, ball-handling, solving these defenses. But he is absolutely "on schedule," maybe even ahead of schedule.”
TSN: Anthony Edwards is using lessons learned from Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James during Paris Olympics
“One of the most prolific of those Team USA players is Anthony Edwards. He and Few spent a combined 87 days with each other over the past two summers, culminating in a gold medal during the Paris Olympics.
"He has such an incredible, joyful spirit," Few said of Edwards. "It’s contagious within the team structure. You can see it, feel it. He’s one-of-a-kind."
Things looked bleak for the Wolves in the Conference Finals before a convincing 143-101 win in Game 3 over the Thunder that brought the series back to 2-1. Edwards was brilliant in that game, scoring 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the field.
Edwards has been a more complete player than last season, and his experience with Few and others in the Olympics has built him up for this stage.
Edwards was the youngest player on the 2024 USA Basketball team in Paris. That roster was stacked with legends of the game, and he would pick their brains constantly. Few noted how reverent he was in particular of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant, the latter of whom was his childhood hero.
Edwards has cited taking the pregame routine of those three and incorporating it into his own game. He also picked up some tips from the Olympic coaching staff which served him well in Games 2 and 3 of the Conference Finals.
"I was always trying to push him to accelerate a little bit across halfcourt," Few said. "If he can get it to four-on-three, three-on-two, he’s impossible to stop. He did it a little bit [in the past two games], and that made a big difference."
Few and the rest of the coaching staff also tried to get Edwards playing better off-ball defense.
"He’s such a gifted on-ball defender. It’s crazy how good he is on the ball, especially when he’s dialed in," Few said before pointing out that Edwards only had one year of college to refine his off-ball skills.
Edwards was a raw player on that end of the floor when he first came into the league, not really understanding help responsibilities. He's improved his focus through the Olympics, and that has carried over to the playoffs.
"He’s getting more attentive and more alert off the ball and in the gaps, making some plays," Few said. "I used to give him one thing to focus on a day. Off-ball defense. I was kind of always on him about that.”
One area where Edwards didn't need any help was in his one-on-one scoring. He and the rest of his Olympic teammates would play after almost every practice.
"It would get pretty competitive. It was usually fueled by Ant getting it going by talking a little bit. That would get everybody going," Few said, laughing.
“He’s made a jump every year," Few added. "He’s cutting better. He’s passing better. He’s obviously great on the ball defensively."
The biggest lesson that Edwards learned was from Curry, as he said during the team's media day.
"Playing without the ball...cutting, getting out of the way, and I get easy shots. I learned the most from Steph"
Edwards showed that in Game 3, running a staple floppy set that Kerr used with Curry this summer in order to get himself open for a 3.
What has stayed constant throughout the series is Edwards' attitude. That's what Few came away most impressed with after getting to know the Timberwolves star.
"He really is a great guy with a fun, positive spirit, which might not sound like much in this day and age. But it's awesome to be around, and it was awesome to have him."
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba...james-paris-olympics/b8abc1524f19905f1df4e2d2
History
I hope everyone had a enjoyable and meaningful Memorial Day
“HE 369TH INFANTRY DIVISION (THE HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS)
Black American soldiers from the 369th Infantry Division, known as the Harlem Hellfighters playing ball back in 1918 -in France. They were not only war heroes who were awarded many medals for bravery and valor. They are attributed with bringing jazz to Europe for the first time, but many historians believe that these Black American, Puerto Rican and Caribbean soldiers from all over New York, were the first to introduce the young, 27 year-old game of basketball to the general public anywhere outside the USA!
THE FIRST AMERICAN BALLPLAYERS IN EUROPE
Arguably, basketball had been played in a new branch of the YMCA, in Paris France, but the YMCA at the time was a sort of exclusive private club for young men and was not yet played outside the walls of the institution.
As James Naismith, a Canadian working as a YMCA director in Springfield Massachusetts had invented the game in 1891, it took a while to spread to the other foreign branches of "The Y".
There were already makeshift hoops and baskets erected outdoors and in sport halls in Harlem by 1900. These soldiers from Harlem erected these same types of baskets as free time activities as the army moved through Europe fighting the Germans.
When the 369th moved on to take its place on the front, they left alot of the infrastructure behind, including the outdoor courts and baskets. Interactions with local residents who had seen them play and even sometimes participated, obviously continued to use the abandoned facility when the soldiers were gone, finding brief moments of joy, even in war-torn Europe.
Black soldiers from the 369th were certainly the first American basketball players in Europe, but under very different circumstances!
David Renna, has pointed out that there was a game of basketball played in Paris in 1893. I concede that this is true. A few exhibition games were played in confined gyms designated for the YMCA to demonstrate the new sport, to private, exclusive members with no intention of ever playing outside the YMCA.”
Todd Abernathy should be announced very soon according to several sources, also thanks to a great dawgs fan, Charles Mann should be staying,
And here it is…
Mike White quotes only, credit to Seth Davis’ Hoops HQ which I have found an enjoyable read.
“There’s a lot of excitement around here,”Our students were incredible throughout the year. Our administration has been incredibly supportive in helping us rebuild this program.”
The Portal
“We’ve got a lot of momentum. We’ve just got to continue to ride that momentum and get better as a program.”
“I went into it saying, I’m sick of not being able to shoot it better. And also the turnover problem. We finished at about one-to-one (assist-to-turnover ratio), which is just not getting it.”
“We feel like we signed good players, but even better human beings. We’ve got a locker room full of great kids and we’re optimistic that it’ll all fit really well.”
Kanon Catchings
“He’s got to continue to round out his game offensively to compliment his ability to shoot the three. And then defensively, his ceiling is very high too, with his length, speed, quickness and switch-ability.”
Jayden Ross
According to author of the article, Ross is expected to be the starting PG…
“I know he played off the ball at St. Mary’s, a top 25 team, a conference champion, 3-to-1 assist-to-tournover, he’s going to get more usage at the point. I think he’s a very good passer.”
Transfer Class
“They all can score it, Overall, I just feel like we’ve gotten a lot better with passing it, decisions. If you look at the volume of threes made with the guys we signed and then, returning Blue and we have to get Dylan’s confidence back up the way he shot it his freshman year, we ought to look like a completely different team offensively from those standpoints.”
Jacob Wilkins
“one of the better athletes that I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach, with incredible length and the ability to change ends and sprint into jump shots.”
Somto Cyril
“The more minutes he logs, the more different we can be defensively in terms of extending pressure and picking our spots because of his ability to block shots. And then I think the more he plays, the more we’re going to block and alter, the more that’s going to help us get out in transition and play faster offensively.”
SEC Basketball
Arkansas
Arkansas’ Karter Knox is withdrawing from the NBA Draft process and will return to Fayetteville for his sophomore season.
Florida
Alex Condon will withdraw from the NBA draft and return to Florida, he told ESPN.
G: Boogie Fland / Alex Lloyd
G: Xaivian Lee / AJ Brown / Isaiah Brown
W: Thomas Haugh / CJ Ingram
F: Alex Condon
F/C: Chinyelu / Handlogten / Rioux
Texas A&M
Mackenzie Mgbako, a projected second round pick, will withdraw from the NBA draft, and spend his junior season at Texas A&M, agent Sam Rose of CAA told ESPN.
And Uzan’s return to Houston means another A&M addition…
Creighton transfer and Houston commit Pop Isaacs has flipped to Texas A&M.
The 6’2” junior guard averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and shot 38% from 3 (23/60) in 8 games before his season was cut short due to injury.
Isaacs previously played at Texas Tech where he averaged 15.8 points per game during the 2023-24 season.
NCAA Basketball
Duke
FAU
FAU MBB secures a hometown commitment from 2025 6’6” F Zion Sampaio.
Sampaio is a member of the Brazilian National Team and scored over 1000 points for the St Andrews Scots
Houston
Houston point guard Milos Uzan will withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to Houston
PG Milos Uzan
G Emanuel Sharp
G Ramon Walker
F JoJo Tugler
F Chris Cenac
PG Kingston Flemings
G Mercy Miller
G Isiah Harwell
G Bryce Jackson
F Chase McCarthy
F Jacob McFarland
C Cedric Lath
C Kalifa Sakho
Kansas State
AAC Player of the Year and consensus All-American PJ Haggerty has withdrawn from the NBA draft and committed to Kansas State, he told ESPN.
Wichita Eagle: Jerome Tang’s new offensive coordinator has changes in mind for K-State basketball
“Matthew Driscoll will formally be known as Jerome Tang’s associate head coach when he arrives in Manhattan within the next few weeks and officially joins the Kansas State basketball family.
But K-State fans will likely be more interested in his informal title of offensive coordinator, especially those who have grown frustrated by scoring struggles over the past two years.
After a terrific first season under Tang, the Wildcats have turned mediocre on offense. Two years ago, they ranked 136th nationally in Bart Torvik’s efficiency ratings and unsurprisingly missed the NCAA Tournament. Last year, their offense ranked 116th nationally in the same category and the team slumped to a losing record.
Both were massive drops in production from when K-State’s offense ranked inside the top 40 and the Wildcats reached the Elite Eight.
Tang felt like he needed a new offensive guru to help K-State get back its scoring mojo. And he made that abundantly clear after the Wildcats announced that Driscoll was leaving a head coaching job at North Florida to take over as the lead assistant in EMAW country.
“His ability to develop players,” Tang said, “and implement high-level offensive systems is second to none.”
So what kind of changes can K-State fans expect next season?
For starters, the Wildcats will almost certainly attempt more 3-pointers. A lot more. Driscoll loved to spread the floor and shoot from the perimeter when he was in charge at North Florida. In fact, the Ospreys ranked No. 1 nationally in 3-point rate in both 2024 and 2025. Nearly 54% of their shots came from beyond the arc in both seasons.
By comparison, K-State ranked 148th in 3-point rate last season at 40.2%.
North Florida made at least 35% of its perimeter shots in those years, which enabled the Ospreys to rank within the top 4 of the Atlantic Sun in scoring efficiency.
Driscoll’s teams also liked to play an up-tempo style throughout his long tenure at North Florida.
He explained his style during a Zoom interview with reporters on Friday, saying that he aims to have “constant pressure on the rim” in order to keep defenses off balance. Two of his favorite words are also “pace” and “space.”
“That’s why we’re always one of the best offensive teams in the country,” Driscoll said. “What it creates is the opportunity to have two gaps. When you have two gaps, you can really take the ball and put pressure on the rim.
“People think when you become a great 3-point shooting team, it’s because you have great players. Don’t get me wrong, players make plays. There’s no doubt about it. But when you have multiple guys, usually four for us (who can shoot and drive), it naturally creates space.”
He went on to stress the importance of taking open shots when they are available. Too often, he said, K-State players passed up good looks midway through a possession only to take a much worse attempt to beat the shot clock. Sometimes, the Wildcats just turned the ball over.
By tracking potential assists and urging his players to fire away when they are open, North Florida rarely turned it over.
He hopes K-State can follow the same model.
“If we continue to change just some minor things,” Driscoll said, “and continue to get better players and continue to help them understand that synergy (we will improve). Because when you have it, stuff just happens.”
Over the past two years, K-State predominantly ran a “five out” attack on offense. It led to the occasional big game for David N’Guessan, Coleman Hawkins, Brendan Hausen and Tylor Perry. But turnovers and poor shooting often doomed K-State to clunkers.
Tang would like to change that next season. A new offensive coordinator is on the way to help.”
https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/kansas-state/article307085671.html
Michigan
Yaxel Lendeborg, a projected first-round pick, will withdraw from the NBA draft and enroll at Michigan, he told ESPN.
Massive news for Dusty May, officially adding the No. 1 big man in the transfer portal.
PG Elliot Cadeau
G Trey McKenney
G Roddy Gayle
F Yaxel Lendenborg
F Morez Johnson
G Lorenzo Cason
G Nimari Burnett
F Winters Grady
F Oscar Goodman
C Will Tschetter
C Aday Mara
High School
NBA
“I'm seeing *a lot* of Anthony Edwards criticism today, and I'd love to offer some perspective for the "Can't Man" crowd...
First off, it is 100% fair to say Ant has been outplayed in consecutive WCF series by SGA, Luka and even Kyrie.
I think Ant can learn a lot from those three guys -- specifically about how important it is to have a reliable mid-range game. Defense taking away threes? Clogging the lane and gaps to prevent drives? Cool... SGA, Luka and Kyrie are all excellent at knocking down contested mid-range shots over packed defenses.
SGA, for example = 50% mid-range shooter. Ant = 35% (and trending down from last year).
Now for some perspective...
Anthony Edwards has led the Wolves to back-to-back WCF appearances at ages 22 and 23.
Steph Curry didn’t reach a WCF until age 26 (won title). His first MVP came at age 26.
Giannis didn't reach his first ECF until age 24. First MVP at 24. First title at 26.
Nikola Jokic reached first WCF at 24. First MVP at 25. First title at 27.
Hell, LeBron didn’t make his 2nd ECF until 24! (in fairness he went to Finals at 22). First MVP at 24. First title at 27.
Ant needs to get better at certain things -- mid-range game, ball-handling, solving these defenses. But he is absolutely "on schedule," maybe even ahead of schedule.”
TSN: Anthony Edwards is using lessons learned from Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James during Paris Olympics
“One of the most prolific of those Team USA players is Anthony Edwards. He and Few spent a combined 87 days with each other over the past two summers, culminating in a gold medal during the Paris Olympics.
"He has such an incredible, joyful spirit," Few said of Edwards. "It’s contagious within the team structure. You can see it, feel it. He’s one-of-a-kind."
Things looked bleak for the Wolves in the Conference Finals before a convincing 143-101 win in Game 3 over the Thunder that brought the series back to 2-1. Edwards was brilliant in that game, scoring 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the field.
Edwards has been a more complete player than last season, and his experience with Few and others in the Olympics has built him up for this stage.
Edwards was the youngest player on the 2024 USA Basketball team in Paris. That roster was stacked with legends of the game, and he would pick their brains constantly. Few noted how reverent he was in particular of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant, the latter of whom was his childhood hero.
Edwards has cited taking the pregame routine of those three and incorporating it into his own game. He also picked up some tips from the Olympic coaching staff which served him well in Games 2 and 3 of the Conference Finals.
"I was always trying to push him to accelerate a little bit across halfcourt," Few said. "If he can get it to four-on-three, three-on-two, he’s impossible to stop. He did it a little bit [in the past two games], and that made a big difference."
Few and the rest of the coaching staff also tried to get Edwards playing better off-ball defense.
"He’s such a gifted on-ball defender. It’s crazy how good he is on the ball, especially when he’s dialed in," Few said before pointing out that Edwards only had one year of college to refine his off-ball skills.
Edwards was a raw player on that end of the floor when he first came into the league, not really understanding help responsibilities. He's improved his focus through the Olympics, and that has carried over to the playoffs.
"He’s getting more attentive and more alert off the ball and in the gaps, making some plays," Few said. "I used to give him one thing to focus on a day. Off-ball defense. I was kind of always on him about that.”
One area where Edwards didn't need any help was in his one-on-one scoring. He and the rest of his Olympic teammates would play after almost every practice.
"It would get pretty competitive. It was usually fueled by Ant getting it going by talking a little bit. That would get everybody going," Few said, laughing.
“He’s made a jump every year," Few added. "He’s cutting better. He’s passing better. He’s obviously great on the ball defensively."
The biggest lesson that Edwards learned was from Curry, as he said during the team's media day.
"Playing without the ball...cutting, getting out of the way, and I get easy shots. I learned the most from Steph"
Edwards showed that in Game 3, running a staple floppy set that Kerr used with Curry this summer in order to get himself open for a 3.
What has stayed constant throughout the series is Edwards' attitude. That's what Few came away most impressed with after getting to know the Timberwolves star.
"He really is a great guy with a fun, positive spirit, which might not sound like much in this day and age. But it's awesome to be around, and it was awesome to have him."
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba...james-paris-olympics/b8abc1524f19905f1df4e2d2
History
I hope everyone had a enjoyable and meaningful Memorial Day
“HE 369TH INFANTRY DIVISION (THE HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS)
Black American soldiers from the 369th Infantry Division, known as the Harlem Hellfighters playing ball back in 1918 -in France. They were not only war heroes who were awarded many medals for bravery and valor. They are attributed with bringing jazz to Europe for the first time, but many historians believe that these Black American, Puerto Rican and Caribbean soldiers from all over New York, were the first to introduce the young, 27 year-old game of basketball to the general public anywhere outside the USA!
THE FIRST AMERICAN BALLPLAYERS IN EUROPE
Arguably, basketball had been played in a new branch of the YMCA, in Paris France, but the YMCA at the time was a sort of exclusive private club for young men and was not yet played outside the walls of the institution.
As James Naismith, a Canadian working as a YMCA director in Springfield Massachusetts had invented the game in 1891, it took a while to spread to the other foreign branches of "The Y".
There were already makeshift hoops and baskets erected outdoors and in sport halls in Harlem by 1900. These soldiers from Harlem erected these same types of baskets as free time activities as the army moved through Europe fighting the Germans.
When the 369th moved on to take its place on the front, they left alot of the infrastructure behind, including the outdoor courts and baskets. Interactions with local residents who had seen them play and even sometimes participated, obviously continued to use the abandoned facility when the soldiers were gone, finding brief moments of joy, even in war-torn Europe.
Black soldiers from the 369th were certainly the first American basketball players in Europe, but under very different circumstances!
David Renna, has pointed out that there was a game of basketball played in Paris in 1893. I concede that this is true. A few exhibition games were played in confined gyms designated for the YMCA to demonstrate the new sport, to private, exclusive members with no intention of ever playing outside the YMCA.”
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