by Dan Cope
THE world famous Harlem Globetrotters Basketball exhibition team are bringing their freestyle skills to Cardiff Motorpoint Arena on May 3rd 2019.
The Globetrotters’ roster includes stars such as; Carlos English who goes by the nickname “Dizzy” and the 6ft 9in Nathaniel Lofton, also known as “Big Easy”. They have been entertaining audiences across the world for nearly 100 years, showcasing their jaw dropping athleticism with Basketball trick shots, skilfull ball handling, comedy and fan interactions.
The Globetrotters were formed in 1920 in Chicago and have found success worldwide. They famously played nine games in Moscow in the Soviet Union in 1959, during a time of hostile relations between the US and the Soviet Union. They have also had their own animated television series as well as appearing in popular shows such as The Simpsons.
Many famous Basketball stars have also turned out for the Harlem Globetrotters including Connie “The Hawk” Hawkins and the 7ft 1in Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain. Celebrities and sports stars alike, such as Nelson Mandela and Lionel Messi have been made honorary Globetrotters in the past.
The Globetrotters’ opposition, which is usually the Washington Generals, effectively allow the Globetrotters to pull of their spectacular stunts, but they take the game seriously when attacking which has led a few infamous Globetrotter defeats in the past, including a 100-99 loss to the Generals in 1971, thus proving he fact that “20 to 30% of the action is real”.
The team play approximately 450 live events per year in over 120 different countries which highlights their mainstream popularity with fans.
Show Start Time: 7:15pm
Show End Time: 9:00pm