Nate Branch is an American

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. After a high school career at Ravenswood High School in

East Palo Alto, California East Palo Alto (abbreviated E.P.A.) is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of East Palo Alto was 30,034. It is situated on the San Francisco Peninsula, roughly halfway between the cities of ...

, he played for

Nebraska University Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

and later with the

Harlem Globetrotters The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, and comedy in their style of play. Created in 1926 by Tommy Brookins in Chicago, Illinois, the team adopted the name '' Harlem'' because of ...

from 1967 to 1983. Branch was drafted by the ABA's Oakland Oaks in 1967, and offered a contract by the NBA's San Diego Rockets in the same year. Following an injury at Oakland's camp, Branch returned home and eventually signed with the Globetrotters. During his 15 years as a member of the legendary basketball team, Branch appeared with the Globetrotters on such television shows as White Shadow, Gilligan's Island, Wide World of Sports, The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine, Super Globetrotters (Nate was "Fluid Man"), and many more. Was a member of the Globetrotters in 1982 when they became the first professional sports organization to be awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Today, Branch is retired from the game, but continues to perform as a professional comedian and musician, and assists at basketball clinics for children. In 2022, his autobiography (co-written by Barry Kienzle), titled Playing My Way Through Life, was published.

References

External links

Official Nate Branch website
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Living people Harlem Globetrotters players Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball players Basketball players from Nebraska 1940s births American men's basketball players {{1940s-US-basketball-bio-stub