No. 1-Elgin Baylor played above the rim before Wilt Chamberlain who was already there. It was though by many Elgin could walk on water.

Dave Bing was the first NBA guard to win an NBA scoring title.

No. 1 Elgin Baylor and Dave Bing are the only public school players in the history of the NBA, who are in the Hall of Fame and named two of the 50 Greatest Players in the history of the league. They attended the same high school in Washington, DC. They are the only players to achieve the honor. Elgin and Dave put Spingarn High School on the map. I knew both players up close and personal. We shared the same coaches, Dave Brown and William Roundtree.

DC Mayor Walter Washington presents proclamation proclaiming Dave Brown Day in Washington, DC

The 1957 Green Wave football team led by Coach Dave Brown. I am in the back row with helmet under my arm.

Former Green Wave players Andrew Johnson (not seen in photo) and Byron Kirkley are Santa’s Helpers for my annual Christmas toy party for Rev. Roundtree’s Youth Center in SE D C.

HBell 1958–have ball will shoot and “Box in One”defensive stopper.

HBell-the first high school student/athlete to honor his Principal-Teachers and staff.

L-R Coach William Roundtree-Officer Ray Dixon-HBell-Dave Bing-Principal Dr. Purvis Williams and former student, Ms. Marie Primus.

No. 1-Earl Monroe and coach, the legendary Clarence ‘Bighouse’ Gaines hanging out at the the Foxtrappe Club in DC for my Inside Sports Celebrity Fashion Show. The Pearl aka Black Jesus, and Guard Almighty revolutionize “Guard Play” in the NBA. Earl, Gus Johnson and Wes Useld were the first “Show Time” act in the NBA. Their act could be seen in the Baltimore Arena at any given game.

No. 1-The Pearl and Bing go one on one. They both played for the Washington Bullets. The Pearl at the beginning of his NBA career and Bing at the end of his.

No. 1–NBA Hall of Fame player Adrian Dantley honored as the Inside Sports athlete of the Year. Former TV 7 News Anchor Fred Thomas does the honors. I remember I brought to Adrian’s attention that his agent David Falk had scammed several million dollars out his account. Dantley settled out of court?

N0. 1–Donovan Mitchell opted out of the University of Louisville after two years and was selected by the Denver Nuggets and traded to the Utah Jazz. Donovan served notice early, he was named to the All-Rookie Team, won the Slam Dunk Contest at the NBA All-Star Game and averaged 20 points a game. I am still trying to figure out how Ben Simmons of the Phila. 76ers was named NBA Rookie of the Year. Simmons average 15 points-8 assist and 8 rebounds! Donovan became an impact player immediately not only on the court, but also in the community. When politicians in Utah tried to ban Critical Race Theory from being taught in the Utah Public School System, Donovan refused to go along to get along.  He yelled, “foul” in their attempt to block legislation against teaching CRITICAL RACE THEORY. He was successful in blocking the legislation from passing. Donovan became the No. 1 enemy in the Utah House of Representatives. He refuse to shut-up and just dribble. He saw something and said something–a family trait. Donovan is my cousin on my mother’s side of the family.  Before being traded to Cleveland in 2022, he signed a blockbuster 5 year contact rumored to be worth 195 million dollars with the Utah Jazz. The ink was hardly dry on the contract when he donated 12 million dollars back to his middle school where he and his sister were students and his mother was a teacher. In Cleveland he kept it moving. On January 2, 2023 he turned the NBA upside down when he brought the Cleveland Cavaliers back from a 21 point deficit against the Chicago Bulls to win in OT 145-134. He was just two rebounds short from becoming the first NBA player to register a triple-double, scoring 73 points, 10 assist and 10 rebounds, he would have stood alone. His scoring 73 points, 10 assist and 8 rebounds puts him in the company of Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant-not bad company to be in. His talented supporting cast completely disappeared during the 2023 play-off lost to his hometown team, the New York Knicks. Whether Cleveland is the right fit for Donovan remains to be seen.

THE ROUNDBALL REPORT: The NBA success of the participants on the show can be directly traced to Harold Bell and Inside Sports. When the shows’ participants were denied press credentials to cover the NBA Wizards to enhanced their careers–the host and producer Andrew Dyer called me to intervene. Not once, twice, but three times. The third time was to get members of the show their first ever credentials to the NBA All-Star Game in LA. Thanks to my NBA Guardian Angel, Mr. Brian McIntyre (ret. VP NBA PR) he secured the credentials. I had experienced the same type of racism at the divided presstable at the Capitol Centre in Largo, Maryland during the 70s. Whites sat on one side of the half-courtline and blacks sat on the other side of the halfcourt-line. A white sports writer Frank Pastor and I notice the discrepancy while standing above the floor at half-time. We switched seats, he went to the black side of the press table and took my seat and I went to the white side of the press table and took his seat–Mission Accomplish. I have been a marked man ever since.

The sports/jazz voice of W-H-U-R Radio, the late Ron Sutton and I smile for the camera at a integrated press table during a Bullets game at the Capitol Centre in 1974.

When the Bullets moved their operations to DC they packed their bags and brought the racism with them–old habits die hard! The sad part of this story is that Andrew Dyer, Christie Winters-Scott, Monica McNutt and others forgot how they got to where they are now! They forgot that I invited them to lunch at Union Station to introduce them to Sam Jones (NBA), and James Brown (CBS) for the first time. I included them in the Earl Lloyd celebration during NBA All-Star Weekend. They forgot my meetings with the racist Wizards PR staff on their behalf to get their credentials approved. They forgot, NBA All-Star Game credentials, and me hosting and co-hosting the Roundball Report, etc. Something is definitely in our water as it relates to us. Ungrateful–Thanks but no thanks!