Stephon Marbury is a basketball phenomenon. Mr. Marbury has been known by the basketball world at the young age of eleven. Many pressures and confrontations have encountered Mr. Marbury throught his entire basketball career. These began when he was a young child and they still accompany him.
	Many people from Brooklyn, New York, the city in which Stephon Marbury was born and raised, have known about his basketball skills for an extremely long time because "...he was dribbling on a court not long after he was dribbling on his bib"(Ryan, 56). Mr. Marbury described himself as mouthy and inconsiderate. He loved to "talk trash" to opposing team's players and even their coaches.
In 1988 Hoop Scoop, a recruiting newsletter, anointed him the bext sixth-grader in the nation...Up to that point, Marbury says, "I wasn't a very nice kid. I thought I was it. It was y'all supposed to talk to me, I'm not supposed to talk to y'all. i'd just come out on the court, just talk junk, with this walk and this look." In CYO ball he woofed at opposing coaches: I'm just killing your guards. Get someone out here who can stop me(Wolff, 62).
	By the time that Mr. Marbury was a Sophomore in high school at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, he had changed his act. He learned to treat everybody with respect and to be a professional person. He had also tattooed a panther onto his right arm. He said:
"A panther is quick and smart and always alert to everything. He's sitting on top of a mountain...That's where I want to see myself" (Wolff, 62).
	Mr. Marbury had great pressures exerted on him to put up big numbers. He was frustrated that very few people could comprehend how much pressure was exerted on him to do this. Mr. Marbury even had international recognition by making the covers of magazines in France and Germany. A news show on the American Broadcasting Company, "Nightline", profiled him. Mr. Marbury says:
It's real hard for people to understand if they don't come from New York, I was scrutinized for every little thing. In high school, I was like what Michael Jordan is to the NBA. I had to be on top of my game every day. Everybody was gunning for me(Ryan, 54).
	Mr. Marbury met another high school basketball phenomenon from South Carolina, Kevin Garnett. They both currently play on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Emmit Smith announced his retirement February 3, 2005. It was a very emotional moment for Smith, who has played running back in the NFL for fifteen years (thirteen of those years for the Dallas Cowboys). As Smith announced his retirement tears began to flow down his face stating “It’s been a tremendous ride.” Over his career in the NFL, Smith has racked up many impressive statistics and awards. Smith has played on three Super Bowl championship teams (including an MVP award in 1993). Smith is currently the NFL’s all time leading rusher with 18,355 yards.
Howard, another McDonald's All American, was a multi-talented forward from Chicago. Texas natives King and Jackson capped off the Fab Five Freshman season. While Jackson was an incredible defensive player, King was a super athletic guard [Wieberg]. Growing up wasn’t exactly easy for the “Fab Five,” most grew up poor, and the only thing keeping them from leading a life of crime was basketball. Jalen Rose grew up on the south side of Detroit, and saw dope and weed everyday on his way to school [ESPN 30 for 30].
Pete Maravich was one of the greatest basketball players of all time. His spectacular moves and awesome footwork helped him to get better everyday. His incredible passes and being able to control the court caused his teammates to like him even more. “His playground moves, circus shots, and hotdog passes were considered outrageous during his era” (NBA Encyclopedia Playoff Edition). His love for basketball was instilled by his father Peter “Press” Maravich.
Although many youngsters fail in the NBA, there are a few high school players who have had, or do have a successful career in the NBA. Some of these are, Moses Malone, Kobe Bryant, Tracey McGrady, and this year’s most valu...
Michael Jordan, what comes to your mind when you hear that name? Michael had played for the bulls and had gotten 6 championship rings with the team. Well, is it just me or does that sound like a lot of time in the game of basketball? In 1982 he took a big step up from highschool to college, where he wanted to pursue the basketball dream. He went to college at North Carolina where he played NCAA basketball for just one year before he was drafted in 1984.
Basketball is a chart-topping sport that is loved by many fans. It’s been a hit since 1891 when it began, starting in Springfield, Massachusetts. It grew rapidly in popularity and spread around the world. Many people found it comforting to play, such as Pat Conroy. Pat Conroy was an outstanding basketball player, who was committed in going far with his teammates.
Robinson, Mark D. Ph. D. “Every Black Kid Should Strive to Be a Professional Athlete”.
When I began my report I didn’t know much about Michael Jordan, but I did know that he was “undoubtedly the greatest player in the history of the NBA'; (“Michael Air Jordan'; 1). It seemed like every time I heard the word basketball I also heard the name Michael Jordan. There’s just no avoiding him. If you are watching television you might see him playing basketball or golf. If you were reading a magazine there will probably be an advertisement with his picture. If you were walking down the street you might see a kid wearing Air Jordan shoes or a Bulls jersey with “JORDAN'; on the back of it. This man is probably as recognizable as the Pope.
Abstract: Basketball players who enter the NBA early are not ready for the NBA. Early entry into the NBA by high school and college basketball players has had a negative affect on the college basketball program, the NBA, and the players themselves. Each year the number of early entries in the NBA rises more and more. In 1997, 47 basketball players entered the NBA draft early, and the number has risen since then. The college basketball program is drained of talent due to players leaving early. The high school players that go directly into the NBA are hurting the college program because they never contribute to the college program at all. The NBA now has to deal with a higher level of immaturity and disrespect by young players. College basketball players obtain a certain amount of respect and maturity in college. The players suffer by not grasping the concept of learning due to lack of education. Many analysts say that entering the NBA before finishing a four-year program is entering too early. The NBA commissioner, David Stern, has begun to work on ways to encourage players to go to and stay in college.
Bill Russell grew up in an extremely racist time in America in an extremely racist state. Born in Louisiana and raised both there and in Oakland, California; Russell and his family battled the every day hardships that most black people faced at that time. But Russell always had a set of morals and guidelines that he led his life by, many of which he learned from his father, who he says was his hero and biggest role model. These morals revolved around independence and a very classic “ I will not allow anyone to impose their will on me.” (Page 56, paragraph 1) These morals followed and shaped him in his playing and coaching career.
Basketball players were not paid all as well and did not play as hard and they looked up to legends. “Smith is Abe Lincoln in a sports world” (Reilly 2). Both Abe and Smith include blacks in their activities. “In today’s scandal-dripping land of college basketball, couldn’t we all use a little of Dean Smith” (Reilly 2). So many people only went to basketball games were that they only wanted to she the famous people that play and to get their
Growing up, Krzyzewski belonged to a group of neighborhood sidekicks tagged The Columbos, in which they could always be found taking part in playground basketball. ‘Mickey’, as he was known in this fraternity, had long been interested in sports but street ball with The Columbos is where he first learned to love the game. (Hines-Brigger, n.d.) While children usually had more than their parents in the Polish neighborhood in Chicago, young Krzyzewski was a successful point guard at Weber High School, an all-boy Catholic prep school. He was afforded the opportunity due to his parents paying extra to send him, despite his father being an elevator operator in Willoughby Tower and his mother, a woman who scrubbed floors at the Chicago Athletic Club.
Before Shaq was a Bigman for the NBA, he played Bigman for high school and college. In high school, he was 6’9 and in college he was 7’1 so he was dominant in high school and college as well as the NBA. He went to high school at obi wan kanobi High School in San Antonio, California, he would play pickup basketball sometimes and in his one on one record he went undefeated
Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York (Biography.com Editors). He was raised in North Carolina. His parents are Delores and James Jordan. He was very close with his dad and they both loved baseball above all things. He has an older brother Larry, who he worshipped. Larry played basketball and Michael followed in his footsteps. He attended Laney High school in Wilmington, North Carolina. As a sophomore he was
Michael Jeffery Jordan was born on February 17th, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York but, would go to college at the University of North Carolina(UNC) where he would become an All- American his sophomore and junior year, become the College Player of the Year and win an National Championship. After leaving UNC at the end of his junior year season, Jordan would spend a majority of his career in Chicago, Illinois when he was drafted by the NBA team the Chicago Bulls 21 years later. Throughout his career many people knew Michael Jordan would become what was known as The “G.O.A.T”. While in the NBA, Jordan was recognized for his countless achievements, athleticism and the way he impacted the sport of basketball. In 1985 when he was drafted, Jordan was easily nominated for Rookie of the Year over future NBA hall of famers such as Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and John Stockton. During his reign, Jordan was a six-time NBA champion in the years 1991 through 1993 and 1996 through 1998 and was one of few athlet...