Source: Bernard Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
A television series about the legendary players who went to work at Harlem’s Rucker Park? We are totally here for this.
Spotted on Page Six, Basketball Hall-of-Famer and NBA legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving is putting on his executive producer hat for a new Rucker Park television series. The show will be based on New York Times bestseller writer Vincent M. Mallozzi’s 2003 book Asphalt Gods: An Oral History of the Rucker Tournament.
Page Six also reports the buzz around the show is very high, with major production studios showing interest. The show will reportedly take an “in-depth look at some of the legendary players who honed their skills at Rucker Park — the uptown mecca of basketball in NYC.”
The show will also highlight stories about Wilt Chamberlain, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Willis Reed, Joe “The Destroyer” Hammond, and many others.
Rucker Park, considered one of the premier places to play street hoops, has been the subject of books and a 2020 exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York, called “City/Game: Basketball in New York.” There also have been plenty of documentaries as well. This forthcoming show will only add another layer to the mythos about the playground basketball court that is the home of the EBC (Entertainer’s Basketball Classic).
Over the years, the EBC tournament has seen many celebrities and NBA superstars like Kevin Durant, Stephon Marbury, the late Kobe Bryant, and more lace up their kicks and show off their skills. We’re definitely looking forward to this show. We will keep you posted as we learn more details.
—
Photo: Bernard Smalls / @BeanzGotGamez
Tagged: dr.j, entertainment blog, music blog, NEWS, Newsletter, rucker park