I get that the Globetrotters are all schtick, and that they do things to their opponents that would get them fouled out of an NBA game in a hurry, but the athleticism and skill at basketball is still there. Would they be competitive against [whatever is the worst team in the NBA these days]? Or in a real game, with real refs actually calling fouls, would they get their butts handed to them?
Really, really doubtful. The money is incredibly better in the NBA, and basically anybody who can play there is there already. The comedy act can’t afford anybody who has a shot elsewhere.
It wasn’t the case in 1948, when the Globetrottersbeat George Mikan’s Minneapolis Lakers in a straight-up game, though.
If any amazing basketball talent was there, the NBA would pick them up. I’m not saying they are not good, but the NBA has all the top talent.
Right. Big rivalry there. Even into the 60s the Globetrotters may have been able to put together a competitive team.
For a few years not so long ago they would occasionally play serious games against Division 1 NCAA teams. They were competitive; they lost close games to then-defending champion Michigan State in 2000, Vanderbilt and then-defending champion Maryland in 2002, and UTEP in 2003, but in that 2003 tour they beat Michigan State, UMass and then-defending champion Syracuse by relatively comfortable margins.
Against an NBA team? It’s basketball, so on any given day it’s possible they might pull out a win, but generally I have no doubts in at least 99 out of 100 games they’d get absolutely destroyed. These guys play for the Globetrotters and not in the NBA for a reason.
The question is actually kind of meaningless, now, since there isn’t one Harlem Globetrotters team anymore - there are three.
Timely topic - the Washington Generals (also three fielded teams) folded and it’s in the news today.
Oh great, now I’ll never get my money back. I’m telling you, the Generals were due for a win!
There’s been two Globetrotters teams for a long time. The international team and the US team. The US team was often manned by guys like Meadowlark Lemon who had his own team, the Harlem Bucketeers, and played on others. Wiki says he formed the Bucketeers in 1980, but I know they were touring in the 60s.
Remember the Harlem Globetrotters were formed at a time when blacks were not allowed to play in the NBA. They really did have some amazing talent then. Thats why years ago the HG of the Meadowlark Lemmon era (early 70’s) were so awesome.
Starting in the 80’s though they went into decline and by the 90’s were nearly bankrupt. Recently though with new management and better sponsors they have made a comeback.
I went to see them 2 years ago and they were not nearly as good as the old team. You didnt see the amazing dunks, dribbling, and shots they used to do and the jokes fell flat.
To add to what Urbanredneck said, the Globetrotters were originally a barnstorming team that would take on anyone who would play them. There were no Washington Generals - the Globetrotters were a truly competitive team who could beat just about anyone. This was possible because the NBA hadn’t integrated yet. The NBA started to integrate in the 1950-51 season. That the Globetrotters beat the Lakers in 1948 doesn’t say much about whether they’d beat even the worst NBA team today.
The Globetrotters originally developed their ball-handling act as a kind of pre-game exhibition. They didn’t use it much during games. When the NBA integrated, the Globetrotters lost some of their talent to the NBA, and public interest in the Globetrotters as a competitive team waned. To maintain their popularity, they became an exhibition team and worked their fancy pre-game ball-handling routine into their games (along with some new comedic stuff).
IIRC both Connie Hawkins and Wilt Chamberlain played with the Globetrotters. I doubt they have any players of equal talent now, but at some point they might have be competitive or better.
Regards,
Shodan
If the Globetrotters played the worst team in the NBA, they’d lose 150-50, if the Knicks wanted to run it up. They wouldn’t - the catastrophe would be limited by sportsmanship, and in basketball you back off a little when it’s getting out of control - but they could if they wanted to.
The Globetrotters are not an NBA team and aren’t in the same world as an NBA team.
As has been pointed in, in 1948 the NBA wasn’t integrated. For that matter, it was barely a major league. It had just then been organized and was a speculative enterprise, to say the least. It cannot be compared to the NBA today.
I remember when they weren’t always the Washington Generals - usually when the Globetrotters toured the west coast, they would play the California Chiefs (of course, it was the just Generals with different uniforms).
I’m surprised to learn they weren’t the same business.
I guess exhibition basketball ain’t what it used to be. The turning point must have been when real basketball became more entertaining than the parody.
I’m surprised the Generals and Globetrotters were two different organizations and not just employees of the same company.
Your not far off.
Years ago basketball was a slower game based on setting up shots and running plays.
During the 1960’s their was the ABA (American Basketball Association) that was known for breaking the rules. They had a red,white, and blue basketball. They had black players. They did dunking and did other wild stuff like had cheerleaders.
Eventually they merged with the NBA and even the NBA did more wild stuff.
The Globetrotters were still good into the early 70’s because they still had some top black talent from the pre-integration days.
Oh man, the ABA! I was thinking about those days after seeing CNN commercials about Morton Downey Jr. (is he Robert Downey Jr.'s father? :;). He was an owner of the New Orleans team. They had it all over the NBA in excitement. I hardly ever got to see a game but they were all over the news highlights. The NBA only got a little better after the merger until a new level of superstars entered the sport. Super dunks were the best you got before then.
The Globetrotters are entertaining to watch. They’re less about basketball, and more about putting on a show. In reality, many college teams would beat them in an organized, evenly-officiated game. Remember, the Globetroiter’s roster consists of players who couldn’t make it in the D-league, let alone the NBA.
True about the show aspect, but at the end of the day the player still has to put the ball into the basket.
The way the Globetrotters and Generals work is the Generals actually play real ball when on offense. But on defense, the rule is “make the Globetrotters look good”.
Don’t forget that a Globetrotter currently holds the world’s record for the longest basketball shot at 109 feet, 9 inches.