Everyone and their brother wants to be a professional basketball player. But only a few hundred of the finest players ever get to play in the NBA. And if you just miss the cut, the working conditions and the salaries are more than a small step down from the millions and the private jets of the League.
Take, for instance, Team Hollywood. The men on the team are of a caliber you will never find at your local YMCA. One of the co-founders, and captains, of the team is former Laker Clay Johnson. The president of Team Hollywood, Peter Adams, was kind enough to write up a journal of a recent Team Hollywood trip to Pennsylvania and (thanks to a wrong turn in the middle of the night) New Jersey.
This is not a basketball story for the wine-and-cheese crowd. This, my friends, is what it's like to be a professional basketball player when you're not in the NBA:Denver
As I was getting off the plane I noticed standing in the terminal was NBA Legend David Robinson. There were camera phones all over the place taking pictures as well as autograph seekers. Our team captain, Clay Johnson, formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers was with us and we had an opportunity to personally to meet him. As we were leaving I noticed people were running past us to see him, and I overheard a comment: " I can't believe we are in the presence of a great baller." I thought to myself they have no idea they just ran by true straight hoopers.
Hello my name is Peter Adams and I am the president of the street basketball team Team Hollywood. People often write, e-mail, or call because they want a tryout for Team Hollywood and they have no idea what a streetball tour can consist of. This story will take you into our Philadelphia Tour which lasted Friday to Sunday and six games in six different counties.
Philadelphia
Friday, April 15, 2005, when most of the country was trying to get taxes paid, we were arriving on the scene at the Philadelphia Airport. First on the scene Jeff "Windchill" Coffman who flew all night long from Seattle. Charles "Skywalker" Ward should have been the next player to touch down however he called our Vice President LaToya Adams and said somehow the plane forgot him (what kind of sense do that make the plane forgot him).
Next on the scene Tony "The One" out of Washington D.C. showed up, "Pretty Boy" Jason Pitts out of Detroit was next on the scene and bringing up the rear of the flights was myself, Showcase, C-Nizzy the national hip-hop rapper/producer, and our Team Captain formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers (he was that one brother everyone confused with Michael Cooper).
After arriving at the airport we were supposed to stop for lunch but because of time we had to head to our first location: Youth Study Center. They had a lady driving us around in an old beat up van from a Juvenile Detention Center and I remember Tony "The One" making fun of her because she had no clue where she was going. When we walked into the building it seems as if everyone stopped to look at us as we went to a waiting room where we talked to some press. Clay Johnson and myself took control of the interviews, Windchill was so hungry that he left the building to run to the corner to buy a Philly steak and cheese, while C-Nizzy was being mobbed by people who wanted to talk to him.
When we entered into the gym for the game all the youth was looking at us with attitudes like who in the hell are these guys and they are about to come to Philly and get whipped. The first game was so simple C-Nizzy didn't even play and Skywalker was not even there yet.
Bucks County
After beating up on them team we left going to Bucks County. Once arriving at Bucks County these youth seemed friendlier, and their staff was glad we were there. We did a small presentation that went very well and Showcase demonstrated tricks that the kids were amazed with. This game was a lot more fun and interesting however all of our players were in town we all played, and it was nothing less than Michaell Jordan and his Chicago Bulls playing the L.A. Clippers. It was a fun and easy game filled with great highlights.
Lancaster County
Once we left Bucks County we traveled to Lancaster County. Nelly was going to be live in concert the next day and C-Nizzy spent the whole trip on the phone trying to sell his people a major hit (I do not know what ever came of the conversation all I know is we wanted VIP tickets to the concert the next night).
We had dinner and arrived in Lancaster. We checked into our hotel and I had the hotel staff wash our uniforms that night for the next day's games. The next morning we did a presentation for Lancaster and we rained down on them team with vengeance. Skywalker dunking all over the place, C-Nizzy shooting like shooting stars, "Pretty Boy" Jason balling with Detroit style, Clay and Tony "The One" holding there own, Windchill misusing everyone, and Showcase sitting on the bench complaining about his ankle hurting.
As a matter of fact Showcase hardly played anytime in any of these games because he complaining of his ankle. The players were very angry with him and said if his ankle was bothering him he shouldn't have came on the trip. His failure to do his job on the court made all the other players step up their games.
This would have been no problem except not only did he not play he complained the whole trip. One of his biggest complaints was he shared rooms with "Pretty Boy" Jason and could not get any sleep because of Jason's cellphone ringing all night from groupies and want to be groupies. Jason rebutted that statement and said Showcase was sleeping fine because when he was locked out of the room beating on the door "this want-to-be-streetballer never got up to answer the door." He had to get the front desk to let him into his room at 3:00 am.
Dauphin County
After we left Lancaster we were on our way to Dauphin County when we stopped for lunch. This was a much-needed break from each other so players could take care of personal business. Clay Johnson and I sat down to have lunch together and I recall arguing with the restaurant for charging me $6.50 for a fish sandwich that didn't come with fries or a drink. The owner suggested that maybe I couldn't afford the meal and I made it very clear that not only could I afford this meal that I may buy this restaurant just so I could fire him for that stupid comment.
We got to Dauphin County and took our anger out on the team and beat them like road kill. We noticed that each team that we would beat they were contacting the next county to get them prepared to try to beat us.
Berks County
We left and went to Berks County, this was the most exciting game yet. They put up a great fight the first 45 seconds of the game and the rest of the game went something like Joshua fought the battle of Jericho... and the walls came tumbling down.
Chester and Delaware Counties
We left and went to Chester to check into our hotel for the evening and we were very tired. I remember riding in this sorry van and enjoying the company of my players watching Jay-Z's concert on DVD that he did in New York courtesy of "Pretty Boy" Jason.
It was interesting to listen to some of the conversations the players were having on their cellphones: Clay Johnson talking to Norm Nixon and Debbie Allen, C-Nizzy talking to Eddie Robinson formerly of the Chicago Bulls, Pretty Boy Jason talking to Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns and his son Ron Hearns, Tony the One talking to everyone in Washington DC, Skywalker talking to women all over the world, and Showcase talking to anyone that would listen to him cry like a baby.
Once we arrived to our hotel C-Nizzy's manager called and stated we would be paid to show up at Club Chrome. I told the players we would only stay for an hour and a half but once we got there and they were treated so much like VIP and the money was good. Skywalker made it very clear (not at gun point) we were leaving.
The women were all over these guys trying to pick them up. Clay Johnson said it reminded him of being at the club with the Lakers, but these women were much more aggressive. The women were so aggressive that when we left at 4:00 am they were in cars following our van, and we all got lost and ended up in New Jersey.
When we finally made it back to the hotel at 5 that morning I told the players we have to meet in the lobby at 7:30 am that morning. To my surprise not one single player was late. We were going to have our most challenging and most interesting game of the whole tour. On the way to the game we were reading the morning newspaper and read that someone was killed at the club we had left a few hours ago.
We got to the gym and it was packed all the reporters were there and they finally had a team that was pretty good. Not only was this our sixth and final game in 2 days and we also had been out at the club all night long. Our presentation was great and the game was good however before I knew it the game was getting out of control with players getting physical with each other. It didn't help when Windchill told them we was tired and didn't want why don't you just lay down and die like the other teams. Windchill pushed the guy to the floor and it was on. However Clay Johnson and "Pretty Boy" Jason were able to calm everyone down while C-Nizzy was ready to rumble.
I pulled the players aside and told them I have never been this tired before in my life let's finish the game and go home. After the first half they had to cancel the game because the youth were too hyped up, so they gave us sack lunches and we went to the airport.
Heading Home
Six games, six presentations, interviews. autographs, and an all-night appearance at a club--our work here was over. Some players picked up a $200 check and some a $500 check for the whole weekend. They boarded airplanes back to there various cities to do it all again next weekend.
I looked at all six players and thought: they have the hearts of streetballers. (Showcase, on the other hand, was going to be fired once I went back to the office. Once again like a coward he didn't show up to be fired.)
You can find out more about Team Hollywood from the team website. If you're ready to sign up, they assure me they respond to all e-mails. Team Hollywood will be in Houston during NBA All-star weekend.
Take, for instance, Team Hollywood. The men on the team are of a caliber you will never find at your local YMCA. One of the co-founders, and captains, of the team is former Laker Clay Johnson. The president of Team Hollywood, Peter Adams, was kind enough to write up a journal of a recent Team Hollywood trip to Pennsylvania and (thanks to a wrong turn in the middle of the night) New Jersey.
This is not a basketball story for the wine-and-cheese crowd. This, my friends, is what it's like to be a professional basketball player when you're not in the NBA:Denver
As I was getting off the plane I noticed standing in the terminal was NBA Legend David Robinson. There were camera phones all over the place taking pictures as well as autograph seekers. Our team captain, Clay Johnson, formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers was with us and we had an opportunity to personally to meet him. As we were leaving I noticed people were running past us to see him, and I overheard a comment: " I can't believe we are in the presence of a great baller." I thought to myself they have no idea they just ran by true straight hoopers.
Hello my name is Peter Adams and I am the president of the street basketball team Team Hollywood. People often write, e-mail, or call because they want a tryout for Team Hollywood and they have no idea what a streetball tour can consist of. This story will take you into our Philadelphia Tour which lasted Friday to Sunday and six games in six different counties.
Philadelphia
Friday, April 15, 2005, when most of the country was trying to get taxes paid, we were arriving on the scene at the Philadelphia Airport. First on the scene Jeff "Windchill" Coffman who flew all night long from Seattle. Charles "Skywalker" Ward should have been the next player to touch down however he called our Vice President LaToya Adams and said somehow the plane forgot him (what kind of sense do that make the plane forgot him).
Next on the scene Tony "The One" out of Washington D.C. showed up, "Pretty Boy" Jason Pitts out of Detroit was next on the scene and bringing up the rear of the flights was myself, Showcase, C-Nizzy the national hip-hop rapper/producer, and our Team Captain formerly of the Los Angeles Lakers (he was that one brother everyone confused with Michael Cooper).
After arriving at the airport we were supposed to stop for lunch but because of time we had to head to our first location: Youth Study Center. They had a lady driving us around in an old beat up van from a Juvenile Detention Center and I remember Tony "The One" making fun of her because she had no clue where she was going. When we walked into the building it seems as if everyone stopped to look at us as we went to a waiting room where we talked to some press. Clay Johnson and myself took control of the interviews, Windchill was so hungry that he left the building to run to the corner to buy a Philly steak and cheese, while C-Nizzy was being mobbed by people who wanted to talk to him.
When we entered into the gym for the game all the youth was looking at us with attitudes like who in the hell are these guys and they are about to come to Philly and get whipped. The first game was so simple C-Nizzy didn't even play and Skywalker was not even there yet.
Bucks County
After beating up on them team we left going to Bucks County. Once arriving at Bucks County these youth seemed friendlier, and their staff was glad we were there. We did a small presentation that went very well and Showcase demonstrated tricks that the kids were amazed with. This game was a lot more fun and interesting however all of our players were in town we all played, and it was nothing less than Michaell Jordan and his Chicago Bulls playing the L.A. Clippers. It was a fun and easy game filled with great highlights.
Lancaster County
Once we left Bucks County we traveled to Lancaster County. Nelly was going to be live in concert the next day and C-Nizzy spent the whole trip on the phone trying to sell his people a major hit (I do not know what ever came of the conversation all I know is we wanted VIP tickets to the concert the next night).
We had dinner and arrived in Lancaster. We checked into our hotel and I had the hotel staff wash our uniforms that night for the next day's games. The next morning we did a presentation for Lancaster and we rained down on them team with vengeance. Skywalker dunking all over the place, C-Nizzy shooting like shooting stars, "Pretty Boy" Jason balling with Detroit style, Clay and Tony "The One" holding there own, Windchill misusing everyone, and Showcase sitting on the bench complaining about his ankle hurting.
As a matter of fact Showcase hardly played anytime in any of these games because he complaining of his ankle. The players were very angry with him and said if his ankle was bothering him he shouldn't have came on the trip. His failure to do his job on the court made all the other players step up their games.
This would have been no problem except not only did he not play he complained the whole trip. One of his biggest complaints was he shared rooms with "Pretty Boy" Jason and could not get any sleep because of Jason's cellphone ringing all night from groupies and want to be groupies. Jason rebutted that statement and said Showcase was sleeping fine because when he was locked out of the room beating on the door "this want-to-be-streetballer never got up to answer the door." He had to get the front desk to let him into his room at 3:00 am.
Dauphin County
After we left Lancaster we were on our way to Dauphin County when we stopped for lunch. This was a much-needed break from each other so players could take care of personal business. Clay Johnson and I sat down to have lunch together and I recall arguing with the restaurant for charging me $6.50 for a fish sandwich that didn't come with fries or a drink. The owner suggested that maybe I couldn't afford the meal and I made it very clear that not only could I afford this meal that I may buy this restaurant just so I could fire him for that stupid comment.
We got to Dauphin County and took our anger out on the team and beat them like road kill. We noticed that each team that we would beat they were contacting the next county to get them prepared to try to beat us.
Berks County
We left and went to Berks County, this was the most exciting game yet. They put up a great fight the first 45 seconds of the game and the rest of the game went something like Joshua fought the battle of Jericho... and the walls came tumbling down.
Chester and Delaware Counties
We left and went to Chester to check into our hotel for the evening and we were very tired. I remember riding in this sorry van and enjoying the company of my players watching Jay-Z's concert on DVD that he did in New York courtesy of "Pretty Boy" Jason.
It was interesting to listen to some of the conversations the players were having on their cellphones: Clay Johnson talking to Norm Nixon and Debbie Allen, C-Nizzy talking to Eddie Robinson formerly of the Chicago Bulls, Pretty Boy Jason talking to Thomas "Hit Man" Hearns and his son Ron Hearns, Tony the One talking to everyone in Washington DC, Skywalker talking to women all over the world, and Showcase talking to anyone that would listen to him cry like a baby.
Once we arrived to our hotel C-Nizzy's manager called and stated we would be paid to show up at Club Chrome. I told the players we would only stay for an hour and a half but once we got there and they were treated so much like VIP and the money was good. Skywalker made it very clear (not at gun point) we were leaving.
The women were all over these guys trying to pick them up. Clay Johnson said it reminded him of being at the club with the Lakers, but these women were much more aggressive. The women were so aggressive that when we left at 4:00 am they were in cars following our van, and we all got lost and ended up in New Jersey.
When we finally made it back to the hotel at 5 that morning I told the players we have to meet in the lobby at 7:30 am that morning. To my surprise not one single player was late. We were going to have our most challenging and most interesting game of the whole tour. On the way to the game we were reading the morning newspaper and read that someone was killed at the club we had left a few hours ago.
We got to the gym and it was packed all the reporters were there and they finally had a team that was pretty good. Not only was this our sixth and final game in 2 days and we also had been out at the club all night long. Our presentation was great and the game was good however before I knew it the game was getting out of control with players getting physical with each other. It didn't help when Windchill told them we was tired and didn't want why don't you just lay down and die like the other teams. Windchill pushed the guy to the floor and it was on. However Clay Johnson and "Pretty Boy" Jason were able to calm everyone down while C-Nizzy was ready to rumble.
I pulled the players aside and told them I have never been this tired before in my life let's finish the game and go home. After the first half they had to cancel the game because the youth were too hyped up, so they gave us sack lunches and we went to the airport.
Heading Home
Six games, six presentations, interviews. autographs, and an all-night appearance at a club--our work here was over. Some players picked up a $200 check and some a $500 check for the whole weekend. They boarded airplanes back to there various cities to do it all again next weekend.
I looked at all six players and thought: they have the hearts of streetballers. (Showcase, on the other hand, was going to be fired once I went back to the office. Once again like a coward he didn't show up to be fired.)
You can find out more about Team Hollywood from the team website. If you're ready to sign up, they assure me they respond to all e-mails. Team Hollywood will be in Houston during NBA All-star weekend.
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