The Harlem Globetrotters performed basketball tricks and played against the Washington Generals Saturday night at Breslin Center. Anthony “Ant” Atkinson describes what it is like to be a Globetrotter.
Twenty-five years ago, Erik Bruns’ father took him to see the Harlem Globetrotters play in Detroit and loved the night. Saturday night, Bruns was able to experience another Globetrotters performance and come away with the same impression.
“I remember watching them from a long time ago,” Jackson resident Bruns said. “It’s been awhile, but I still enjoyed it.”
The Globetrotters, who are known for their mid-game antics along with their basketball skills, were no different Saturday night at Breslin Center against the Washington Generals, when the game often seemed secondary to everything else going on.
Throughout the night, the teams took timeouts for various reasons such as the Generals’ coach hypnotizing four different Globetrotters and star player “Special K” Daley removing the entire uniform of a General player in one swipe.
However, despite mainly being showmen, the Globetrotters do play to win in their games. At 98 percent, they have a higher winning rate than any franchise in the history of professional sports. Being able to maintain the balance between putting on a show for the crowd and playing basketball is something that many fans appreciate.
“They’re funny and stuff, and they’re good at basketball,” 15-year-old Flint resident Jake Martin said. “I wish I could dribble like that. My favorite part was the circle at the beginning when they were just dribbling and passing it to each other.”
Although the basketball abilities the Globetrotters demonstrate are impressive, many people at the game prefer the more humorous aspects of the performance.
“The best part was when they were bowling with Globie,” Jake’s 11-year-old brother Cody said, referring to when the Globetrotter’s mascot knocked down 10 supersized foam soup cans after being catapulted down the floor on a cart. “That looked like a lot of fun.”
The variety of entertainment in the Globetrotters’ show enables the performance to be aimed toward an entire family experience.
The team often uses audience members in their acts and team members hope it makes the performance more interactive and enjoyable.
“We’re just trying to bring a lot of excitement, a lot of laughter and a lot of memories to people that come out,” one of the feature dribblers, “Ant” Atkinson said. “We’re targeting kids and parents, but we enjoy it for everyone to come out and just get a memory of a lifetime.”
Though the show is clearly aimed toward a younger set, the family friendly entertainment that the Globetrotters provide is what brought Bruns back with his children.
“It’s a great show, and I can bring my kids,” Bruns said. “I think and hope they liked it, too.”
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