A BASKETBALL STORY - PART 1

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This story came to me in a dream. I’ll try to transcribe it as accurately as possible, but I’m afraid there are going to be some definite problems. For one thing, the story is about a basketball player, and I don’t know a single thing about the game. That’s going to be the weakest and most easily criticized part of the story, because, frankly, I’m going to fake it. But the story touched my heart, and I’m thinking it is demanding to be told. It is my intention to tell this story serially over several days and several ‘blog postings. Honestly folks, I don’t know where this story is going to go. I am hoping you will enjoy the journey.

THE GREATEST BASKET-BALL PLAYER OF ALL TIME
By Kalil Honsou

Kalil Honsou is a freelance writer who has published articles in The Source, Vanity Fair, and GQ. In 2006 he garnered critical acclaim for his three part article on Michael Jordan, entitled “American Legend: The Rise and Rise of ‘Air’ Jordan”, published in Sports Illustrated three years after the athlete’s retirement from the National Basketball Association.

It was the last day of my extensive interview with Michael Jordan.

Michael, gracious man that he is, had allowed me an unprecedented access to his private life. We had arranged to meet each other periodically over the course of a month, each time in a different location. Once in Mali, we met just before Michael was feted by government officials in the African nation. Another time, we met in a small town in Maryland, where Mike was busy coaching his youngest son’s Little League team. Yet another time we met in Las Vegas, joined by Charles Barkley for a private, high-stakes three-day poker marathon that was detailed in my article “American Legend: The Rise and Rise of ‘Air’ Jordan”. But on this, our last day, we met in Michael’s office at the base of operations of the Washington Wizards.

At the tail end of the interview, after I had turned off my tape recorder and was preparing to leave for the airport. I off-handedly asked Michael who he considered was the greatest basketball player of all time. This was meant as a joke. Those of us who had interviewed Mike over the years already knew his answer. When asked that question, a younger Mike Jordan would just smile and you and arch his eyebrows knowingly. Nothing more need to be said.

But this occasion was different. This older Mike was different. This was a man looking at the other side of significant events that shook his sense of security and mortality. This was a man who had to bury a murdered father, weather the storm of a crumbling marriage, and who also had to watch as close friends and business acquaintances burned up in the horror of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

“Hey Mike,” I said smiling. “Just for the record, who do you think is the greatest basketball player of all time?”

Mike looked thoughtfully over at me. “Ever heard of Jimmy Waters?”

“Who?” I said.

“Damn,” he said. “I thought you know everything, K. You’re slippin’!”

“There has never been a professional basketball player named ‘Jimmy Waters’.” I said. I was a bit stung, too.

“I didn’t say he was a pro.” Mike replied. “Didn’t even make it to college.”

“What’s he a street ball player? He better than ‘the Goat’?”

Earl “The Goat” Manigault
(1944-1998)

Considered the best street basketball player of all time. Known for his 52-inch vertical leap and his ability to “double dunk” (i.e. dunking the ball twice in mid air). Immortalized by Don Cheadle in the movie Rebound: The Legend of Earl “The Goat” Manigault. Died of heart failure in 1998

Mike scoffed at me. “Now you’re just plain trippin’. Jimmy Waters. Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. ‘The Planet’. Look him up there. Now ask me no more questions, I’ve got work to do.” Hey waved me out of the office.

Thus I began what would become a year-long odyssey to discover the man who Michael Jordan considered was more deserving of the title “Greatest of All-Time”.