Harlem Globetrotters

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – “Good trouble” is a phrase popularized by the late Congressman John Lewis of Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, referring to necessary, nonviolent actions taken to challenge injustice and create meaningful change. Lewis encouraged people to engage in “good trouble” to fight for civil rights and social justice throughout his life.

On a far less important scale, I see some “very good trouble” arising for the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend.

The NBA All-Star Game and its accompanying annual rookie – or Rising Stars – game have been under fire from the critics of late, and rightfully so. After a “catch lightening” moment at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago when the quirky “Elam Ending” gimmick created quite a finish when Team LeBron came back to win the game, 157-155, against Team Giannis in a contest where East and West were thrown to the wind, the annual Mid-Season classic has been a yawn-fest. The players – exhausted from a weekend of non-stop promotions, sponsor commitments, interviews, photo and video shoots, practices, parties and after-parties – limp to the starting gate on Sunday evening drained of energy and any desire to win, place or snore.

Last year, the league went so far as to have joint meetings with the NBA Players Association and then orchestrate pep talks from some of the true legends of the game in order to create some rivalry and incentive to play hard and win. The players bought-in, but their games took the night off despite a major change in the format.

About two months before the All-Star Weekend, the NBA announced that the All-Star Game would use a four-team tournament format with a championship, similar to the format used by the Rising Stars Challenge since 2022. Each of the teams will consist of eight players, with the traditional pool of selected all-stars drafted for the first three teams by NBA on TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith (who will be honorary general managers of each team, to be known as Team Chuck, Team Shaq, and Team Kenny, respectively). The fourth team in the tournament will be the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge, with their honorary general manager being Candace Parker (and therefore known as Team Candace).

Two major problems arose:

1. TNT (Turner Sports) was bidding adieu to its long-held NBA broadcast rights and – with it – the superb coverage of All-Star Saturday since its inception in 1984. To that end, there were frequent stoppages in play and a (veery) long halftime ceremony to mark the occasion.
2. If that weren’t enough, Turner hired comedian Kevin Hart to help emcee the coverage and Hart must’ve thought fans were tuning-in to see him instead of the All-Star basketball players. It was brutal.

Fast forward to the upcoming 2026 NBA All-Star Game and the NBA (and their new (but old) television partner NBC Sports) have vowed to try it again, this time with a format announced/confirmed just this week.

On November 11, the NBA announced that the All-Star Game format for 2026 will feature a round-robin tournament with three teams:

1. U.S. Team One
2. U.S. Team Two
3. International Team

Each mini-team will consist of at least eight players – all chosen regardless of position – Thank God. The games will last 12 minutes each, and the top two teams will advance to a championship game based on their records.

The “good trouble” and the words “at least” used just above are the focus of this column.

The NBA international team will be stacked, including the fact the consensus top five players in the league will all suit-up for the visitors. Take a quick look:

1. Reigning MVP – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC/Canada)
2. Previous MVP and the league’s most dominant player – Nikola Jokic (Den/Serbia)
3. Incredible, multi-talented phenom Victor Wembanyama (SA/France)
4. The indescribable scorer and new LA Lakers leader – Luka Doncic (LAL/Slovenia)
5. Multi-dimensional and former MVP – Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milw/Greece)

Now, the “good trouble” with the fact the following players are amongst the league’s Top 35 all-around players:

Alperen Sengun (Hou/Turkey)

Pascal Siakam (Ind/Cameroon)

Josh Giddey (Chi/Australia)

Domantas Sabonis (Sac/Lithuania)

Nikola Vucevic (chi/Montenegro via Switzerland)

Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK/Dominican Republic)

Jamal Murray (Den/Canada)

Deni Avdija (Port/Israel)

Franz Wagner (Orl/Germany)

Lauri Markkanen (Utah/Finland)

Other NBA international players who are all pretty good and worthy of consideration: Daniels (ATL/Aussie); Ayton (LA/Bahamas); Edgecombe/Bahamas); (former NBA MVP) Joel Embiid (76ers/Cameroon; Nembhard/Mathurin (IND/Canada); Wiggins (MIA/Canada) RJ Barrett (TOR/Canada); Gobert (Minn/France); Sarr (Wash/France); Hartenstein (OKC/Germany); Schroder (Sac/Germany)-MVP of the FIBA World Cup); Porzingis (ATL/Latvia); Zaccharie Risacher (ATL/France) and OG Anunoby (NYK/UK/Nigeria).

There are dozens of others.

There are enough international players to change the format and easily field two international teams and go to a four-team tournament format with the winners of the opening round facing each other for the NBA All-Star title.

The “good trouble” might just become “bad trouble” if the lone International team blows the USA club off the floor in the NBA All-Star finale. That said, as the early season games have proved-out, NBC Sports (and Peacock Network) have done a marvelous job of returning to NBA coverage with the focus squarely on the game. There are no gimmicks, no shouting halftime shows, no selling other shows or SportsCenter, no … nothing but Net. So, a one-sided all-star telecast is likely to get the same treatment, covering the best in basketball – no matter where the players come from.

Here’s an example of a very recent stand-out moment from NBC’s coverage of the NBA:

That was Marvelous!

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The National Basketball Retired Players Association struck a new partnership with the Harlem Globetrotters just as the Globies celebrate 100 years of basketball and entertainment excellence. The collaboration marks a new period of supporting former players and uplifting future generations.

This milestone partnership — led by Charles “Choo” Smith, Chairman of the NBRPA, Keith Dawkins, President of the Harlem Globetrotters and Herschend Entertainment Studios, and Antonio Davis, President & CEO of the NBRPA — embodies the enduring spirit of teamwork, joy, and service that has defined the Globetrotters for a century.

“Being part of the Harlem Globetrotter family taught me the power of connection,” said Charles “Choo” Smith, NBRPA Chairman. “This partnership continues that legacy — bringing together generations of players to serve and inspire. It’s about unity, honoring where basketball has taken us, and using our collective platform to impact the next generation.”

Antonio Davis, President & CEO of the NBRPA, added: “The Harlem Globetrotters have been cultural ambassadors and pioneers for basketball around the world. Partnering with them during their 100th anniversary is both an honor and a responsibility — one that reflects our shared mission to uplift, empower, and unite former players across every league.”

Keith Dawkins, President of the Harlem Globetrotters and Herschend Entertainment Studios, echoed this sentiment: “Our Centennial season brings about the opportunity to expand our relationships across the global sport of basketball. With the NBRPA, there’s not only a shared history and commitment to our athletes but also for about where we are going in the future. From community events to special projects to our massive global tour, we are looking forward to expanding the reach, and power, of our collective efforts to garner larger audiences around the world.”

As part of the new pact, the NBRPA and Harlem Globetrotters will launch a yearlong celebration highlighting the Globetrotters’ 100-year legacy, including:

• National Events & Appearances: Joint appearances at community and league events featuring former Globetrotters and other Legends of Basketball.
• Storytelling & Content Series: Digital and social campaigns celebrating Globetrotter alumni and the organization’s trailblazing role in sports and entertainment.
• Legends Care Initiatives: Programs designed to support former Globetrotter players with resources in health, education, and career development.
• Youth Engagement & Clinics: Basketball clinics, mentorship opportunities, and educational activations emphasizing leadership, sportsmanship, and inclusion.

The Globetrotters’ Centennial season will begin with a special event at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday, December 14.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The MLS approved a calendar change that will align the league with popular European and other global soccer league competition. The change calls for one more season under the current format, then a switch to the new format of a Summer of ‘27 to Spring of ‘28 schedule, moving away from the current February to November calendar. To help the transition, the MLS will play a compact 14-match season in the winter and spring of 2027 before adapting to the new gig. Overall, the shift aims to align with international soccer schedules, improve player transfers, and enhance the overall quality of play.

THIS JUST IN: This week Massachusetts legislators discussed several proposals that could dramatically reshape the gambling landscape in the Commonwealth. According to the Boston Globe, one such bill, state Senator John Keenan’s “Bettor Health Act,” would ban all in-game prop bets and limit sports betting advertisements during sports broadcasts. Prop bets – wagers involving the outcome of a specific play or a single player’s in-game or final-game statistics – have come under fire as NBA and Major League Baseball players currently face federal charges that they allegedly conspired with organized crime gamblers and fixed their performances. The scandals have questioned the integrity of all sports and they’ve raised questions about whether prop bets should be restricted or banned. The leagues do not control the type of wagers gambling companies offer, but they do control the flow of live statistics from the various sports’ venues to the sports books. The leagues are spending significant resources on monitoring wagering trends and spotting potential fraud and even minor idiosyncrasies.

CAN’T MAKE IT UP: The Texas A&M Aggies staged their biggest comeback in school football history, but one member of their law and order team wasn’t around to witness it. Instead he might find himself on the witness stand.

No. 3 ranked Texas A&M trailed unranked South Carolina 30-3 at the half, but managed a miraculous comeback to win Saturday afternoon’s game at College Station, Texas, 31-30. … A Texas trooper who had an altercation with South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor after a Gamecocks touchdown and the un-named trooper was sent home from the game, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Harbor scored on an 80-yard reception in the second quarter and ran into the end zone tunnel, limping following the score. As he and three other players were walking back to the field, the trooper walked in between Harbor and another player and bumped into them as they passed each other. The trooper and Harbor turned around and the trooper pointed at Harbor with both hands and said something to him. Harbor was quickly pushed away by his teammate and they continued to the field. The public safety department issued a statement saying the trooper was sent home.

“Our Office of Inspector General is also aware of the incident and will be further looking into the matter. No additional information will be released at this time,” the statement reads.

REMOTE CONTROL KRYPTONITE: At this time of year, with dozens upon dozens of college football games scattered all over the cable/streaming tv guide, there comes a time when you stumble across a listing for a vintage motion picture and the remote control seems to malfunction. It just won’t go. Not a chance in hell you can get past the listing without pressing “OK” and watching a bit.

Here are a few of the all-time classics, some with great scenes, others simply guy movies or great comedies: (Listed in no order)

• The Godfather/Godfather II
• Stripes
• Caddyshack
• Animal House
• Rocky/Rocky II (forget the others)
• The Fugitive (especially opening train scene)
• A Few Good Men
• Goodfellas
• Casino
• Airplane
• Blazing Saddles
• The Big Lebowski
• Diner
• Die Hard
• The Dirty Dozen
• Léon: The Professional
• Goldfinger (and add your own favorite James Bond picture)
• Saving Private Ryan (opening D-Day scene)
• HEAT (Bank robbery scene)
• The Terminator
• Dirty Harry
• Pink Panther/Pink Panther II
• Pope of Greenwich Village
• The Maltese Falcon
• Lethal Weapon/Lethal Weapon II
• Titanic
• Slapshot
• My Cousin Vinny
• Wall Street
• Wolf of Wall Street
• The Sting