Globetrotters Bring World's Tallest B'Ball Player To Detroit
Jonesing to see the world's tallest basketball player? You're in luck. The Harlem Globetrotters will bring their 2012 World Tour to The Palace of Auburn Hills at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26, 2011.
Outstanding rookies on the newest roster include Paul "Tiny" Sturgess, the world's tallest pro basketball player at 7 foot 8 inches tall, Jonte "Too Tall" Hall, the shortest Globetrotter ever at 5 foot-2 inches tall, and Fatima "TNT" Maddox of Temple University, the team's first female player since 1993 and ninth female in team history.
The new Globetrotters also feature the top three finishers from the 2011 College Slam Dunk Contest, including the reigning champ Jacob "Hops" Tucker. At 5 foot 10 inches, Tucker sports a 50-inch vertical leap, and his YouTube videos have garnered well over four million views. Tucker joins slam dunk runner-up John "Jet" Williams of UNC-Asheville and semifinalist Darnell "Spider" Wilks of the University of Cincinnati.
The 2012 rookie class has a total of three seven-footers including 7 feet-4 inch Jermaine "Stretch" Middleton, the third-tallest player in team history, and 7-foot Anthony "Biggie" McClain. At 7 feet-8 inches, Sturgess becomes the tallest Globetrotter ever after a career at Mountain State University (W.Va.). He is the 19th internationally born player in team history, hailing from Loughborough, England.
"The Globetrotters are excited to welcome a new generation of stars to carry on the storied tradition of the world's most entertaining basketball team," said Globetrotters CEO Kurt Schneider. "This year's rookie class features some of the most talented and promising players from across the world."
Globetrotters stars Special K Daley, Big Easy Lofton, Flight Time Lang, Dizzy Grant, Scooter Christensen, and many others will team up with the world class rookies for nearly 270 games on the North American portion of the World Tour. Player rosters will vary in each city on the tour.
Tickets to see the world's most famous basketball team will go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday, October 17. Tickets start at $12 and are available at http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/, http://www.ticketmaster.com/, The Palace of Auburn Hills box office, or at 800-745-3000.
Sponsored by Howard Johnson Hotels, Greyhound Lines, Spalding, and Russell Athletic, the Original Harlem Globetrotters will celebrate their 86th consecutive year in 2012, continuing a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans of all ages.
