REGINA - The Harlem Globetrotters will be performing in front of many spectators on Tuesday at the Brandt Centre in Regina.
The Harlem Globetrotters, which are known for their tricks and entertaining performances, have captivated many people, including current Harlem Globetrotter Joey "Hot Rod" De La Rosa.
De La Rosa saw the Harlem Globetrotters play at his school when he was a 9-year-old in New York City. Seeing "the creativity [and] everything [that] they were doing with the basketball, from spinning the ball on their finger to passing it to other people's finger and just doing different tricks. I was like, wow, these guys are amazing]," said De La Rosa.
Witnessing what the Harlem Globetrotters could do inspired De La Rosa to start playing basketball himself. He remembers that day when he told his parents. "Mom, dad. I'm going to be a basketball player."
By putting in the work and effort, De La Rosa had the chance to play at Montverde Academy, known for its basketball program. After attending university, De La Rosa had the chance to work out for a few National Basketball Association (NBA) teams.
His career eventually took him overseas, where De La Rosa played in countries like China and Thailand. Despite not making it into the NBA, De La Rosa felt he accomplished a lot in his career, trying his best to reach his goals and tasks for himself.
After deciding what his next move in his career would be, De La Rosa’s agent presented him with different opportunities. De La Rosa sat down and considered what options would be best for himself and his family. The opportunity he decided to take was to join the Harlem Globetrotters.
Seeing as the Harlem Globetrotters were the reason De La Rosa got into basketball in the first place, he called it a "full circle moment for me." He added, "I never would have thought I would have been a Harlem Globetrotter. And then, when the opportunity [to play for the team] presented itself, I just thought about that very first moment when I was a 9-year-old boy. So [seeing it] circle all back around to where it all started. It's like crazy for me."
Since De La Rosa has played for both a professional basketball team and the Harlem Globetrotters, he noted how "everything is different and "the energy is unmatched [at a Harlem Globetrotter event]."
One big difference De La Rosa pointed out between the Harlem Globetrotters and other teams he’s played on is the interactions between the players and spectators. "We're gonna be interacting with our fans. The fans are gonna be able to have access to us at the end of the game at the fifth quarter [to] sign autographs with us, and, you know, take pictures with us. I don't think no other professional sports team does that during the game. [For example] We might bring a young fan on and have them sit on the bench."
Because of the entertainment and connection players bring to the fans, De La Rosa spoke about seeing a video each day talking about how a person was grateful for the Harlem Globetrotters for interacting with their kids or how the team has inspired a young adult from their performance.
De La Rosa also hears fans speak about the Harlem Globetrotters in the 60s, a time before he was even born.
The history and legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters "speak volumes about the positivity that they brought into the world," said De La Rosa.
Next year, the Harlem Globetrotters will celebrate their 100th year anniversary. As De La Rosa is part of that history, he reflected on being part of the team. He said for him, playing on the team is "more about what we do outside of the basketball court. We go visit hospitals and spend time with them [the children] and brighten up their day, and you know we [also] go visit schools. You guys might not be able to go to a Harlem Globetrotter game, so we'll come to you guys at a school nearby or at a hospital, and we'll, you know, interact with you [and] uplift you."
When the Harlem Globetrotters go to a different city or country, it makes De La Rosa feel "really blessed to be able to do what I love, which is play this game and be able to see where these people come from because everybody grew up differently. But it doesn't matter where you grew up for me. It's all about if I'm in your presence. How can I uplift you and give you this positive message from me so I love travelling."
During these events, if you asked De La Rosa what the hardest trick to perform is for him, he would tell you none of them are hard if you constantly practice them and try to get better at them. De La Rosa also likes to lean on his veteran teammates for advice and ways to learn a new trick.
In terms of what De La Rosa is looking forward to the most while playing in Regina, he said, "I'm just looking for the fans to come out, you know, support the Harlem Globetrotters like they always do, and I'm gonna be out there [and] we're gonna be out there doing what we do best."
The event starts tonight at 7 p.m. at the Brandt Centre.
