The Harlem Globetrotters will take the court at Barclays Center on Sunday, Feb. 15, one of hundreds of stops on their yearlong anniversary tour as the team celebrates its centennial season.
“This organization that translates language, translates all the barriers and brings everyone together in a way that makes people smile… that’s special,” Globetrotters President Keith Dawkins told Brooklyn Paper. “So, 100 years of that, and 100 more to go? We’re truly excited about that idea.”
Founded in Chicago in 1926 and relocating to Harlem three years later, the Globetrotters built a legacy of championing Black athletes and advancing the game. Their 1948 victory over the all-white Minneapolis Lakers made national headlines, and Globetrotter Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton became the first Black player to sign an NBA contract.
“The history is there, right? It’s there to be celebrated. As part of our equity, as part of our staying power. It is part of our brand awareness,” Dawkins said.
The Globetrotters combine comedy and athleticism in their acts, performing a choreographed, show-style of play designed to engage audiences. The team has played over 26,000 games in its 100 years.
“Brooklyn, I think that it gives you a certain type of personality that separates you from the rest,” Brawley “Cheese” Chisholm told Brooklyn Paper. “Ultimately, this city makes you strong. It makes you know who you are.”
Brooklyn-native Chisholm is one of many globetrotters anticipating playing for a hometown crowd. Growing up in Brownsville, Chisholm felt he spent his early years in the “Mecca of basketball,” watching players such as Stephon Marbury, Sebastian Telfair and Lance Stephenson rise from New York City.
“I know I’m standing on the shoulders of legends,” he said, recounting how Curly Neal used to attend gatherings at his grandfather’s house. “It’s always good to play at home. Especially playing in Brooklyn. It’s a different vibe playing in Brooklyn.”
Dawkins agreed, explaining that he could travel around the globe, and always encounter people with roots in the borough.
“It’s a big deal to come to Brooklyn, and you feel the energy when you’re at the building, you feel the energy out of our players who are from the area,” he said. “You feel the energy of the players who are not from the area because they understand the magnitude of what Brooklyn is.”
As he prepares to play in his hometown, Chisholm thought back to his elementary school, PS 237.
“Any kid that goes to that school, I want to just give hope and let them know anything is possible,” he said. “If you’re from Brooklyn, specifically, always believe in yourself. Follow your heart. Be the change you want to see.”
The Harlem Globetrotters’ 100-year tour is coming to Barclays Center at 3 p.m. on Feb. 15. Tickets are available now on Ticketmaster.
