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Sons of Chicago: "Money" & "The Kid"

The Basketball's Disease

Sons of Chicago: Money & The Kid The Basketball's Disease

On the internet, you can often find legendary stories about this magnificent game invented by professor James Naismith, but some of these aren’t easy to find, even if they left an unforgettable mark on the ball that unites all cultures of the world. The Basketball’s Disease was created for this, to give stories to who can’t stand being without.

For example, there’s a story that Reebok got a few years ago, it was Lamar Mundane’s story, a kid who never became pro in the NBA, with “Money” as a nickname. In fact, the expression “Money in the bank” was created for him. Why? Well, it’s quite simple. Every time Lamar shot, raising his arms toward the basket, he got 2 or 3 points, he shot with 100% from the field.

On Chicago’s most wanted playgrounds, he used to benefit of immense trust and everyone used to give him the last ball for winning the game, like you did with your lifetime savings in the bank. The only problem was that he couldn’t understand a thing about basketball and the sporadic times he tried to shot underarm, he missed. Just crossover and jump shots. He shot like God, even if he couldn't dunk nor pass the ball. If you don’t believe it, ask some questions to Maurice Cheeks and Terry Cummings, or even Danny Crawford

But we must focus on the Windy City and talk about this icon of human resilience that is on the cover of this article. The said he was dunking in the prime school already. He was strong, very strong, and almost on the top. Too bad he was victim of the circumstances, first of all, himself. His name was Billy “The Kid” Harris and at the Dunbar Vocational High School he was already dominating both national baseball and basketball. During games, with his opponents guarding him like sergeant Demetrio Lopez-Garcia with Zorro, he did 21 on 22. In a game, after his move to Lindblom High School, always in the South Side, he scored 57 points, 41 of them in the second half, with a 27 on 39 shooting.

Finishing the season averaging 36 points, he ended up in Kansas University’s seek but he chose Northern Illinois, where he played a decent season, with a season-high 38 points ad Madison Square Garden. On the field he was disrespectful, he used to answer to everybody with unseen trash talk. Even future NBA stars like Doug Collins and Kim Brewer never got to contain him. In 1973 Draft he was selected by Chicago Bulls, but he never really got a chance to play. Plus he was dealing and his game, called “chutzpah” in Yiddish, with 30 inches flies over the basket, ended up in the ABA, with the San Diego Conquistadores. Unfortunately, he couldn’t understand speeches about team play and defense. They say he couldn’t even guard his snapback. He was a savage player on every playground of the world, he only cared about “passing the midfield and score on your face”. Besides drugs, he never let a woman slip and in 2010, after a career as youth coach, he left six sons and eight step-sons in tears.

In Chicago they say: “For who’s from the ghetto the only dream is to become pro. For whom who can’t, you may shoot them in the head for all that matter”. Was him the greatest player with James “Fly” Williams?

 

"Between the ages of 16-30, there is no player that could ever beat me. Jordan, Doc, Bird, Oscar, Magic, any of 'em. I would have fucked them up. I'd give them 22 points in a game to 24. They would never beat me.” (Billy "The Kid" Harris)