Elite 24: What’s the best way to get a playground nickname?
Words. Jason Jordan
Bishop O’Connell High (Va.) point guard Kendall Marshall has played in some of the most hostile environments that the prep basketball scene has to offer.
He’s been called names, threatened, yelled at and even had things thrown at him. Add in the fact that Marshall, a rising senior, is already committed to North Carolina and the scrutiny only intensifies.
“People have their own ideas about how a ‘North Carolina recruit’ should be playing,” says Marshall. Still, without having ever played there before, Marshall is quick to point out that “playing at Rucker Park won’t be like anything that I’ve ever experienced.”
Marshall, along with 23 of the top high school players in the country, will takeover Harlem’s famed Rucker Park Friday, August 21 at 7 p.m. to compete in the Boost Mobile Elite 24. The game will be televised Saturday, August 22 at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
The Rucker is the most storied streetball court on the planet and has played host to everyone from Wilt Chamberlain to Kobe Bryant.
“I’m a little nervous to be honest,” says Marshall. “I mean it’s the place where the greatest players come to play. The crowd, I hear, can get a little rowdy, so you’ve got to come strong if you want to leave with a nickname. That’s what I want.”
St. Patrick’s High (N.J.) point guard Kyrie Irving has the same aspirations, and said that the best way to attain his goal of being called the “Smooth Assassin” is to “just do something that the crowd likes.”
Florida guard Kenny Boynton agrees, and he would know. Boynton played in this game last year and scored 17 points to help the Blue team roll past the White team, 135-121.
“But you can’t just play ball and only do things that the crowd likes,” says Boynton, who earned the nickname “60 Seconds” because he scored in bunches. “You’ve got to play with flash out there. Have a little swag. You’ve got to be a showman. You’ve got to entertain the people. That’s the main difference with Rucker and regular ball; you don’t exactly have to be humble at the Rucker.”
It’s an adjustment that Findlay Prep (Nev.) guard Cory Joseph will have to make, if he wants to leave the Rucker being called “Automatic J.”
“I’ll just have to work on my jumper until it’s automatic,” says Joseph. “That’s probably the best way.”
But nothing’s set in stone.
Ames High (Iowa) swingman Harrison Barnes knows the unwritten rule when it comes to playing at the Rucker. “Now as I understand it, you’re not supposed to come in with a nickname,” says Barnes, who is rated No. 1 in the HighSchoolHoop top 50. “You leave with one. I’m just gonna have to earn my nickname I guess.”
Adds Boynton: “Nothing is given to you out there. Especially if you’re not from New York. That’s when you’ve really go to earn the nickname.”
Kentucky point guard John Wall earned the name “The Great Wall” after taking home MVP honors for the Blue team in last year’s game. He said that the only thing this year’s players have to remember is that it’s “all about entertainment.”
“Just bring your game, not your name, and put on a show,” says Wall. “Entertain the crowd and they’ll be fine.”
Desired Nicknames
Kyrie Irving – The Smooth Assassin
Kendall Marshall – Kryptonite
Cory Joseph – Automatic J
Harrison Barnes – Refused to give a name. He wants to earn one.
Famous Rucker Nicknames
Rafer Alson – Skip to My Lou
Kobe Bryant – Lord of the Rings
Julius Erving – Doctor J
Brandon Jennings – Doobie Doo
Michael Beasley – B Easy
John Wall – The Great Wall
Kenny Boynton – 60 Seconds
Ron Artest – True Warier
Earl Manigault – The GOAT
Earl Monroe – The Pearl, Black Jesus
Man I thought the Rucker would have been so much more major based on the way people talk about it. Just driving buy you can’t get a sense for the history that has been made there. Why am I talking junk though?
The only name I would earn would be “Get Off” - for Get Off the Court
[...] get: “If sports writing was the NBA, he’d be Kobe Bryant.” Vecsey went on to talk about his experience as both a player and a coach up at Rucker and school the young kids in some history of the park and the game. Having not coached up there [...]
with respect to nickname for Harrison Barnes ..
When Harrison Barnes gets hot, it’s Habanero time.
In 2010, College baskball enters the Har.Barnes.era
hey idiot he played an coache dr. j up there among other hall of famers. do you homework stupid