Standing Tall

Power

Strength

Courage

"Shooting air balls at the basket...what you call money, I pay more in taxes..."

Jay-Z - Oh My God

Pennsylvania is a well known football state, much like Florida, Texas, and Ohio, however the Keystone state is also home to some of the best basketball athletes to play the game. Names like Dawn Staley, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kobe Bryant come to mind, but one of the most known unknown great basketball players is none other than Richard Hamilton.

Native Son

I interviewed Rip Hamilton last summer for GAME TIME, during his annual Rip City community event in his hometown Coatesville, PA. Prior to that trip to the small coal mining city, I had only been there once. My friend and fraternity brother Jordan "JJ" Jackson lived there and attended Coatesville High School, and as I drove through the town, I was surprised at how different it was than I thought. I expected rural farm land, with a quaint boondocks feel, but what I saw was a town ravaged by the collapse of the industrial revolution. 

I am not a fan of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. I am however appreciative of the people that have lived there, that have navigated their way out, and have made a better life for themselves. This is no suburb of Philadelphia, this town is unlike anything I've seen, and I travel a lot. In essence, people grow up tough there, and if you see toughness and strength in Rip Hamilton's game, then you can only guess where he got it from.

The other day, Jordan Jackson visited the site, and posed the question about Hamilton playing less minutes with the Pistons, while coming off the bench. He made a point that Iverson's days are numbered in the Motor City, and that Rip is a proven scorer and winner within the NBA. He wanted my opinion, so here it is:

Rip is one of my favorite players within the spectrum of all sports and competition. He is a leader, and I believe that leaders are born, not made, therefore he is a legit athlete that has done nothing but win, and lead by example. I first noticed him during one of his many classic high school battles against his best friend Kobe Bryant. At 6'7", and approximately 190lbs, the lithe guard plays with an easy Sunday morning flow, almost lulling the defense to sleep as he creates baskets for himself and teammates. He's a shooter, but unlike most players of his caliber, Rip can put the ball on the floor, further putting the defense on the alter, at his mercy. 

For his size and ability, he is a special player. Imagine if he were never traded from the Wizards? That team could have been built around him, with Caron Butler, and Jamison? He has the basketball version of the Midas touch, because he has won, and proven himself on every level. He was the #2 high school player in Pennsylvania behind Kobe...won the NCAA Championship with UCONN, and earned a ring in Detroit. 

At 29...30 next month, he is still in his prime, so the Pistons need to figure out what they want to do. I believe the curse of Carmelo Anthony is haunting this team, and for those who need me to spell it out...the Pistons didn't draft Anthony in 2003 because they felt they were a team coming into their own with a championship on the horizon...that didn't need an established player like 'Melo...instead they choose Darko Milicic with the 2nd overall pick and the rest is history...and while the Pistons won it all in 2004, things haven't been the same since. 

This team is in such a state of discord that will not be fixed anytime soon. Things will get worse, before they get better, and that is so unfortunate for Richard Hamilton. However his saving grace is that he was born and raised in Coatesville, and because of that fact, he can handle this and a lot more.

Photos:  Doug Pensinger/Allsport