Vernon Earl Monroe (born November 21, 1944) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player. He played for two teams, the Baltimore Bullets and the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

, during his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Both teams have retired Monroe's number. Due to his on-court success and flashy style of play, Monroe was given the nicknames "Black Jesus" and "Earl the Pearl". Monroe was inducted into the

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...

in 1990. In 1996, Monroe was named as one of the

50 Greatest Players in NBA History The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team ...

, and in 2021, Monroe was named as one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.

Early years

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Monroe was a playground legend from an early age. His high school teammates at John Bartram High School called him " Thomas Edison" because of the many moves he invented. Growing up in his South Philadelphia neighborhood, Monroe was initially interested in soccer and baseball more than basketball. By age 14, Monroe was 6'3" and his interest in basketball grew, playing center during most of his youth. Some of his "shake-and-bake" style moves originated while playing on the asphalt playgrounds. "I had to develop flukey-duke shots, what we call la-la, hesitating in the air as long as possible before shooting," Monroe said. As he was developing as a teenage player, other players would razz him. His mother gave Earl a blue notebook and told him to write down the names of those players. "As you get better than them," Monroe said his mother instructed, "I want you to scratch those names out." After graduating from John Bartram High School, Monroe attended a college preparatory school affiliated with Temple University. He worked as a shipping clerk in a factory, while frequently playing basketball at Leon Whitley's recreation center in Philadelphia. Whitley had played at Winston-Salem Teacher College on their 1953 championship team and encouraged Monroe to attend Winston-Salem to play for coach

Clarence "Big House" Gaines Clarence Edward "Big House" Gaines Sr. (May 21, 1923 – April 18, 2005) was an American college men's basketball coach with a 47-year coaching career at Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Among his numerous honors ...

College career

Monroe rose to prominence at a national level at then- Division II Winston-Salem State University, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Under Hall of Fame Coach Gaines, Monroe averaged 7.1 points his freshman year and Monroe tells a story of when he wanted to return to Philadelphia as a freshman. Coach Gaines called Monroe's mother and after a stern talk, Monroe stayed in college. Monroe then averaged 23.2 points as a sophomore, 29.8 points as a junior and 41.5 points his senior year (1,329 points in that 1966–1967 season). During that 1966–1967 season, Jerry McLeese, a sportswriter for the '' Winston-Salem Journal'', called Monroe's points "Earl's pearls." Soon after, fans began to chant "Earl, the Super Pearl," and the nickname was born. In 1967, Monroe earned NCAA College Division Player of the Year honors, leading the Rams to the 1967 NCAA College Division Championship with a 77–74 victory over SW Missouri State in the Final. Overall, in his four years at Winston-Salem State University, Monroe averaged 26.7 points, with 2,395 total points in 110 games. He remains the leading scorer in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association basketball history. After he finished his collegiate career, Monroe graduated from Winston-Salem and passed the national teaching exam. Monroe was not selected to the 1967 USA Basketball Team to represent the country at the

1967 Pan-American Games The 1967 Pan American Games were held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, from July 23 to August 6, 1967. Winnipeg was chosen as host of the Pan American Games on its second try. It first bid for the 1963 Games at the 1959 PASO meeting in Chicago ...

after trying out. The 40-person committee failed to select both Monroe and fellow future Hall of Fame player Elvin Hayes. Monroe has said that USA coaches said his style of play was "too street, too playground, too black." adding, "It has always left a very, very bad taste in my mouth."

NBA career

Baltimore Bullets (1967–1971)

In 1967, the two-time All-American was drafted number two overall by the Baltimore Bullets (now the Washington Wizards) in the first round of the

1967 NBA draft The 1967 NBA draft was the 21st annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 3 and 4, 1967 before the 1967–68 season. In this draft, 12 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball play ...

, behind Jimmy Walker, who was selected by the Detroit Pistons. Monroe then won the

NBA Rookie of the Year Award The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the top rookie(s) of the regular season. Initiated following the 1952–53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottl ...

in a season in which he averaged 24.3 points per game. He scored 56 points in a game against the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, the third-highest rookie total in NBA history. It was also a franchise record, later broken by Gilbert Arenas on December 17, 2006. Monroe and his teammate, future Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Wes Unseld, quickly became a formidable combination in Baltimore, and Monroe became a cult hero for his ability to run the fast break and for his circus-like shots. He said, "The thing is, I don't know what I'm going to do with the ball, and if I don't know, I'm quite sure the guy guarding me doesn't know either." On February 6, 1970, he set an NBA record with 13 points in one overtime in a double-overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons (another mark since surpassed by Arenas). In 1968–1969, Monroe averaged 25.8 points, 4.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds, as the Bullets finished 57–25 under coach Gene Shue, capturing the Eastern Division title. However, the Bullets were swept by the New York Knicks 4–0 in the playoffs after receiving a bye. The Bullets finished 50–32 in 1969–1970, as Monroe averaged 23.4 points, 4.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds, but did not make the NBA All-Star team. Oscar Robertson, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Tom Van Arsdale, Hal Greer, and Flynn Robinson were the guards selected. The Bullets were again beaten by the Knicks 4–3 in the playoffs. In 1970–1971, the Bullets finished 42–40 under Coach Shue and captured the Central Division title. Monroe averaged 21.4 points, 4.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds. In the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Bullets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 4–3, and then defeated the Knicks 4–3 in the Eastern Conference Finals to reach the 1971 NBA Finals. Monroe averaged 23.0 points, 4.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds in the Philadelphia series. He then averaged 24.4 points, 4.3 assists and 3.4 rebounds against the Knicks, including 26 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds in the 93–91 Bullets' Game 7 victory. In the

1971 NBA Finals The 1971 NBA Finals was the championship series played at the conclusion of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 25th anniversary season of 1970–71. The Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks, who were founded as an expansion t ...

, the Bullets were matched against the Milwaukee Bucks with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and Bobby Dandridge. The Bucks swept the Bullets 4–0. Monroe averaged 16.3 points, 4.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds in the series. "Put a basketball in his hands and he does wondrous things with it," Bullets Coach Gene Shue said of Monroe. "He has the greatest combination of basketball ability and showmanship." In 328 games with the Bullets, Monroe averaged 23.7 points, 4.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds.

New York Knicks (1971–1980)

After the 1970–1971 season, Monroe's agent Larry Fleisher informed the Bullets of Monroe's wishes to be traded to the Lakers, Chicago Bulls or his hometown

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...

. After four games into the 1971–1972 season, he traveled to

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

to discuss a transfer to the

American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger, American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, ...

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...

. He had begun the campaign without having signed a contract due to a salary dispute with Bullets management. When his trade request turned into an ultimatum, he was suspended by the team on October 22. He eventually signed a contract immediately after being sent from the Bullets to the

for Mike Riordan, Dave Stallworth and an undisclosed amount of cash twenty days later on November 11, 1971. Upon his arrival with the Knicks, Monroe formed what was known as the " Rolls-Royce backcourt" with the equally flamboyant Walt Frazier. While there were initial questions as to whether Monroe and Frazier could coexist as teammates, the duo eventually meshed to become one of the most effective guard combinations of all time. In 1971–1972, Monroe averaged 21.7 points in his three games with the Bullets before the trade and he struggled to adjust after the trade, averaging 11.4 points, 2.2 assists and 1.5 rebounds in 60 games with the Knicks. However, the Knicks defeated the Bullets 4–2 and the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

4–1 to reach the

1972 NBA Finals The 1972 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round played at the conclusion of the 1971–72 National Basketball Association (NBA) season. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champi ...

. Monroe averaged 15.8 points and 3.3 assists in the Bullets' series against his former teammates. In the Celtics series he averaged 13.6 points and 3.8 assists. In the 1972 NBA Finals, the Knicks were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers with Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain 4–1, losing four straight after winning Game 1. Monroe averaged 6.8 points and 2.6 assists in the series. In 1972–1973, Frazier and Monroe led the Knicks, under future

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

Coach Red Holtzman to the 1973 NBA Championship, along with future Hall of Fame teammates

Bill Bradley William Warren Bradley (born July 28, 1943) is an American politician and former professional basketball player. He served three terms as a Democratic U.S. senator from New Jersey (1979–1997). He ran for the Democratic Party's nomination f ...

, Jerry Lucas and Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere and Phil Jackson. After a 57–25 regular season, in which Monroe averaged 15.5 points, 3.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds, his role on the team was defined. The Knicks then defeated the Bullets 4–1 and the Celtics 4–3 to reach the 1973 NBA Finals. The Knicks had a rematch against the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals. The Knicks won the championship, four games to one, with Monroe averaging 16.0 points and 4.2 assists. Bradley averaged 18.6, Frazier 16.6, Reed 16.4 and DeBusschere 15.6 points to illustrate the Knicks' team play. In 1973–1974, the Knicks, after defeating the Bullets, were defeated by the eventual NBA Champion Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Monroe averaged 14.0 points and 2.7 assists with 3.0 rebounds in the regular season. In the next four seasons, Monroe averaged 20.9 points, 20.7 points, 19.9 points and 17.8 points, before injures limited him in games and minutes during his final two seasons. The Monroe-Frazier pairing is one of few backcourts ever to feature two Hall of Famers and NBA 50th Anniversary Team members. A four-time NBA All-Star, Monroe retired after the 1980 season due to serious knee injuries, which had plagued him throughout his career. In nine seasons and 592 games with the Knicks, Monroe averaged 16.2 points, 3.5 assists and 2.6 rebounds. Overall, Monroe played in 926 regular season NBA games, scoring 17,454 total points with 3,594 assists on 46% shooting. He averaged 18.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.0 rebounds in his career. He scored over 1,000 points in nine of his thirteen professional seasons (1968–71, 1973, 1975–78) including a career-high 2,065 (25.8 points per game) in the 1968–69 season. Of his unique, flowing, fluid, silky-smooth on-court style of play, Monroe has said: "You know, I watch the games and even now I never see anyone who reminds me of me, the way I played." "The ultimate playground player," is how Bill Bradley once described Monroe. "If for any reason someone were to remember me," Monroe said, "I hope they will remember me as a person who could play the game and excite the fans and excite himself."

Personal life

* Monroe has one son, Rodney, and one daughter, Maya. Rodney Monroe played for the Atlanta Hawks after a stellar career at North Carolina State and Maya has coached in high school and college. * Monroe was named commissioner of the United States Basketball League in 1985. * In 2012 Monroe launched a new candy company: NBA Candy Stor

* In recent years, he has been serving as a commentator for

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

and as commissioner of the New Jersey Urban Development Corporation. * Monroe has also been active in various community affairs and programs, including the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Health, the Crown Heights Youth Collective, the Literary Assistance Fund and the Harlem Junior Tennis Program. He has received many honors for these "off-the-court" community activities, including the Harlem Professionals Inspirational Award, Most Outstanding Model for American Youth, the YMCA Citizenship Award and Big Apple Sportsman of the Year Award. * Monroe served as a spokesman for the

American Heart Association The American Heart Association (AHA) is a nonprofit organization in the United States that funds cardiovascular medical research, educates consumers on healthy living and fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and death ...

, along with his former Knicks teammate Walt "Clyde" Frazier. * In October 2005, Monroe opened a restaurant in New York City, named "Earl Monroe's Restaurant & Pearl Club". However, Monroe has since revoked the licensing rights to his name and the restaurant is now called The River Room. * Monroe, his brother and his sister all have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. * Monroe is a spokesman for Merck's Journey for Control website, where he serves as a promoter of diabetes-friendly eating and "Diabetes Restaurant Month!" * Monroe owns and operates his own record label, Reverse Spin Records, in New York, doing pop, dance, hip-hop and R&B music, currently with pop/dance artist Ciara Corr. * In the Spike Lee film ''

He Got Game ''He Got Game'' is a 1998 American sports drama film written, produced and directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington and Ray Allen. The film revolves around Jake Shuttlesworth ( Denzel Washington), father of the top-ranked basketball p ...

'', Jake Shuttlesworth (

Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has been described as an actor who reconfigured "the concept of classic movie stardom". Throughout his career spanning over four decades, Washington ha ...

) explains to his son, Jesus Shuttlesworth ( Ray Allen), that his name was inspired by Monroe's nickname: "Jesus". * Monroe is also a member of

Groove Phi Groove Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc. (GΦG) is a social fellowship. It was founded at Morgan State College (now known as Morgan State University) as an alternative to National Pan-Hellenic Council, mainstream List of African-American fratern ...

* From 1980 to 1981, Monroe had an endorsement deal with

Jordache Jordache Enterprises, Inc. is an American clothing company that markets apparel, including shirts, jeans, and outerwear.

for a signature line of basketball sneakers that bore his nickname "Pearl" near the heel.

Honors

* In 1977, Monroe was inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hall of Fame. * Monroe's number 15 jersey was retired by the New York Knicks on March 1, 1986. * In 1990, he was enshrined in the

. * Monroe was named one of the

in 1996. * In 2006, Monroe was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. * On December 1, 2007, the Washington Wizards retired Monroe's number 10 jersey. * In 2005, an

team, the Baltimore Pearls, was named in honor of Earl Monroe. * Monroe's number 10 jersey was retired by Winston-Salem in 2017. * In 2021, Monroe was elected to the

NBA 75th Anniversary Team The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75, was chosen in 2021 to honor the 75th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the fourth and most recent anniversary team in the league. S ...

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, 82 , , , , 36.7 , , .453 , , , , .781 , , 5.7 , , 4.3 , , , , , , 24.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , , , 38.4 , , .440 , , , , .768 , , 3.5 , , 4.9 , , , , , , 25.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 82 , , , , 37.2 , , .446 , , , , .830 , , 3.1 , , 4.9 , , , , , , 23.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 81 , , , , 35.1 , , .442 , , , , .802 , , 2.6 , , 4.4 , , , , , , 21.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 3 , , , , 34.3 , , .406 , , , , .722 , , 2.7 , , 3.3 , , , , , , 21.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, 60 , , , , 20.6 , , .436 , , , , .786 , , 1.5 , , 2.2 , , , , , , 11.4 , - , style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

, 75 , , , , 31.6 , , .488 , , , , .822 , , 3.3 , , 3.8 , , , , , , 15.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 41 , , , , 29.1 , , .468 , , , , .823 , , 3.0 , , 2.7 , , .8 , , .5 , , 14.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 78 , , , , 36.1 , , .457 , , , , .827 , , 4.2 , , 3.5 , , 1.4 , , .4 , , 20.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 76 , , , , 38.0 , , .478 , , , , .787 , , 3.6 , , 4.0 , , 1.5 , , .3 , , 20.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 77 , , , , 34.5 , , .517 , , , , .839 , , 2.9 , , 4.8 , , 1.2 , , .3 , , 19.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 76 , , , , 31.2 , , .495 , , , , .832 , , 2.4 , , 4.8 , , .8 , , .3 , , 17.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 64 , , , , 21.8 , , .471 , , , , .838 , , 1.2 , , 3.0 , , .8 , , .1 , , 12.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 51 , , , , 12.4 , , .457 , , , , .875 , , .7 , , 1.3 , , .4 , , .1 , , 7.4 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 926 , , ? , , 32.0 , , .464 , , , , .807 , , 3.0 , , 3.9 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 18.8 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 4 , , 3 , , 21.3 , , .359 , , , , .706 , , 3.0 , , 2.8 , , .3 , , .0 , , 10.0

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 4, , , , 42.8, , .386, , , , .806, , 5.3, , 4.0, , , , , , 28.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli intensity of X (''Extrem ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 7, , , , 42.7, , .481, , , , .800, , 3.3, , 4.0, , , , , , 28.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Ja ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 18, , , , 37.3, , .407, , , , .793, , 3.6, , 4.1, , , , , , 22.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 16, , , , 26.8, , .411, , , , .789, , 2.8, , 2.9, , , , , , 12.3 , - , style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;",

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: Citing progress in peace negotiations, U.S. ...

† , style="text-align:left;”,

, 16, , , , 31.5, , .526, , , , .750, , 3.2, , 3.2, , , , , , 16.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 12, , , , 33.9, , .491, , , , .855, , 4.0, , 2.1, , 0.7, , 0.8, , 17.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 3, , , , 29.7, , .267, , , , .818, , 3.0, , 2.0, , 1.3, , 0.7, , 14.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd go ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 6, , , , 24.2, , .387, , , , .611, , 0.8, , 2.8, , 1.0, , 0.0, , 9.8 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 82 , , ? , , 33.1 , , .439 , , , , .791 , , 3.2 , , 3.2 , , 0.9 , , 0.5 , , 17.9

References

Bibliography

External links

NBA Candy Store - New Candy Company started by Earl Monroe in 2013Official Website of Earl "The Pearl" Monroe
*
Reverse Spin Records, "About Earl 'the Pearl' Monroe"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monroe, Earl 1944 births Living people African-American basketball players American men's basketball players Baltimore Bullets (1963–1973) draft picks Baltimore Bullets (1963–1973) players Basketball players from Philadelphia John Bartram High School alumni Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association broadcasters National Basketball Association players with retired numbers National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame inductees New York Knicks players Point guards Shooting guards Winston-Salem State Rams men's basketball players 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American sportspeople