10 Streetball Legends of All Times

Legends like Steph Curry and LeBron James definitely hold a universal weight within the basketball industry. However, in terms of the streetball community, there are multiple other legends that rise just as high as these two.

Additionally, we have known many active sports betting communities that are very active around slightly less commercialized sports formats such as streetball or monkey knife fight, etc. Link such as this provides just the right blend of credible information needed to sports bet on these games.

Joe “The Destroyer” Hammond

Hailing from Harlem, he has been featured in the New York Times. In July 1971, he once dropped 50 points on NBA star Julius Erving in a half. He was also drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, 5th overall in the Supplemental Hardship Draft of 1971. 

Earl “The Goat” Manigault

Earl was raised in Harlem but was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He was undoubtedly one of the best leapers in streetball and was only about 6’1. Kareem Abdul Jabbar mentioned Earl as the best streetball player he had ever played against. HBO released a movie on him named “Rebound: The Legend of Earl” which highlights his streetball dominance. 

Richard “Pee Wee” Kirkland

After a successful basketball career at Norfolk State University and Kittrell College, Sports Illustrated named him the fastest man in college basketball. He was drafted by none other than the famous team Chicago Bulls in the 1989 draft of the NBA. 

Raymond Lewis 

He hailed from LA and was regarded for his pure ball handling and shooting ability. He also received about 250 college scholarships during high school. Raymond once took on the 30 best streetballers across Los Angeles. Raymond beat all of them in a single day and proved himself. 

Cornelius “Connie” Hawkins

Hawkins was from Brooklyn and proved his dominant dunking ability in both high schools as well as in the streetball scene which helped him grab scholarships to play for the University of Iowa. However, Hawkin’s career came to a pause due to a scandal after which the NBA blackballed him from their matches. 

Billy “The Kid” Harris

Born and raised in Chicago, this streetball legend is an amazing shooter and a prolific scorer. Billy played college basketball.  He made a record there as he averaged more than 17 points every game during his 2 final seasons played at Northern Illinois University. This led the Huskies to their first top-20 national ranking as well. 

Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell 

Mitchell was a talented streetball player who dominated the courts around the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1980s.  Mitchell is also considered one of the greatest talents who played at NBA matches. He was popular for his spectacular jumping ability. He could easily pull off a 460-dunk over a Honda Accord. 

Curt “Trouble Smith”

Coming from DC, Smith was a lethal and tough shooter. He played his first 2 years of streetball at Compton College in LA before playing for Drake. He averaged 21 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals in his lone season. Kevin Durant called him the best basketball player in DC. 

Julius “Dr. J” Erving

Before achieving the title of Dr. J who was dominant at the NBA and ABA, Erving gained popularity due to his plays in the air. He was excellent at finishing at the rim or passing the ball to his other teammates. He had brought the Philadelphia 76ers their only NBA title since the merger happened. 

James “Fly” Williams

Raised in Brooklyn, James played for Austin Peay State University and averaged 28.5 points over his 2 years with the Governors.  He returned to his hometown courts and scored 100 points in one game in which he had switched teams at halftime. 

Conclusion 

Streetball is quite different from regular basketball as per the style of play, rules, and even the names that rule these games. These players listed above are legends of the past. The sport still continues to evolve and events that are popular include the Half Court World Cup.  

Similar Stories