Harlem Globetrotters

The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team known for mixing athleticism, theater, entertainment, and comedy in their games. They have played over 26,000 exhibition games in 124 countries and territories. Most of their games are against teams like the Washington Generals and the New York Nationals, who play in a way that makes the Globetrotters look even more impressive.

One of the most famous parts of the Globetrotters' performances is their signature song, Brother Bones's whistled version of "Sweet Georgia Brown". Their mascot is a globe named "Globie", who looks like a friendly, anthropomorphized world. The team is owned by Herschend, and they continue to entertain fans around the world with their fun and skillful basketball shows.

History

The 1950 World Series Harlem Globetrotters, with owner Abe Saperstein (right) and team secretary W. S. Welch (left)

The Harlem Globetrotters started in 1926 in Chicago. They began as a basketball team that played shows before dances. Over time, they became famous for mixing basketball skills with comedy and fun tricks.

They played many games around the world and became known for their exciting performances. One of their famous opponents was the Washington Generals, a team that often played against them for fun. The Globetrotters made history by including the first black players in the NBA and later added the first woman player in 1985.

Roster

The Harlem Globetrotters have performed in over 26,000 games across 124 countries and territories. They often played against teams like the Washington Generals and the New York Nationals, who were known for playing in a way that made the Globetrotters look even more impressive. These fun games mixed basketball skills with comedy and entertainment, making them exciting for audiences everywhere.

Draft

Since 2007, the Harlem Globetrotters have held an annual "draft" just before the NBA draft. In this draft, they pick players they think would fit well with the team. Being chosen in this draft doesn’t guarantee a spot on the Globetrotters, but some players have joined the team after being drafted.

Some famous people picked in the Globetrotters' draft include Sun Mingming, Patrick Ewing Jr., Sonny Weems, Taylor Griffin, Tim Howard, Mark Titus, Lionel Messi, Jordan McCabe, then only 12 years old, Andrew Goudelock, Usain Bolt, Mariano Rivera, Brittney Griner, Johnny Manziel, Landon Donovan, Mo'ne Davis, Dude Perfect, Kevin Hart, Neymar, Missy Franklin, Jordan Spieth, Craig Sager, Gal Gadot, Aaron Judge, Tim Tebow, Paul Pogba, Joe Kilgore, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Mahershala Ali, Mookie Betts, and Chadwick Boseman.

Retired numbers

The Harlem Globetrotters have honored eight players by retiring their numbers.

Wilt Chamberlain, the first Globetrotter to have his jersey number retired, played for the Globetrotters from 1958 to 1959

Harlem Globetrotters retired numbers
No.	Player	Tenure	Date retired
13	Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain	1958–1959	March 9, 2000
20	Marques Haynes	1947–1953, 1972–1979	January 5, 2001
22	Fred "Curly" Neal	1963–1985	February 15, 2008
34	Charles "Tex" Harrison	1954–1972	December 26, 2017
35	Hubert "Geese" Ausbie	1961–1985	January 31, 2017
36	Meadowlark Lemon	1954–1979, 1993	January 5, 2001
41	"Sweet" Lou Dunbar	1977–present	February 15, 2019
50	Goose Tatum	1941–1943, 1945–1955	February 8, 2002

Honorary members

Ten people have been named as honorary members of the Harlem Globetrotters. They include famous individuals like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Whoopi Goldberg, and Nelson Mandela.

Pope Francis, an honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters, spinning a basketball

The team also gave special honorary contracts to Bill Cosby and Magic Johnson. However, the team said they had not worked with Cosby for many years after some people made serious claims about him.