Larry Hughes probably thought his professional basketball days were behind him, but last winter the former Saint Louis University and NBA star got a call from Ice Cube and representatives of his Big 3 basketball league.
He announced via Twitter on March 6, “Can’t wait to get some @thebig3 action. It’s on!!!!”
Before Sunday’s opening day games at Barclay’s Arena in Brooklyn, Hughes told Michael Sap’s DailyMixReport “(The league) reached out to a few of my people. I’m still involved with basketball, I do an academy in St. Louis. I guess they figured I was still in some shape.”
Hughes said, “The competition and being out there in front of the fans,” is what drew him to the Big 3.
“(The Big 3) will allow (fans) to see guys a few years out of the league and up there in age but still can get after it.”
Hughes plays for the Killer 3s, which features co-captains Chauncey Billups and Stephen Jackson. Their history together helped land him with that squad.
“I actually just got off the phone with Chauncey just a minute ago. Me and Jack go back to when I got drafted by Philadelphia in 1998 he was one of the guys that was trying to make the team. We all got history, that’s why it’s good to get together,” Hughes said.
Billups did not play and was not in Brooklyn as he contemplates whether to accept the Cleveland Cavaliers general manager position.
The Killer 3s got the worst beating of Sunday’s opening day games, losing to Al Harrington and Kenyon Martin’s Trilogy squad 60-45.
Hughes must be working his way back into game shape, as he only mustered three shot attempts in the contest.
The other members of the Killer 3s are player-coach Charles Oakley, Reggie Evans, Brian Cook and Eddie Robinson.
Along with the launch of the Big 3, Hughes was also thrilled that his godson, Jayson Tatum, was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the third overall pick in the NBA Draft.
“I told him congratulations right now,” Hughes said.
“In a couple of weeks, we could talk about what he needs to do or the kind of things that go on, but right now I told him to enjoy it. Me and his dad are real close, any knowledge I have it gets to Jayson.”
Hughes played with Tatum’s father, Justin, at CBC and then SLU.
Hughes played the 1997-98 season at SLU and averaged 20.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.16 steals per game. He led the Billikens to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after beating Massachusetts in the opening round.
He was drafted eighth overall by the Philadelphia 76ers and also played for the Golden State Warriors, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Charlotte Bobcats, and Orlando Magic.
Reaves deal gives fans blues
The St. Louis Blues gritty forward and fan favorite Ryan Reaves to the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins last week to the chagrin of many fans.
Include me in that group, as I certainly hate to see the Blues lone player-of-color head to Pittsburgh.
The Blues received center Oskar Sundqvist and the 31st pick of draft. The team used the pick to select Russian forward Klim Kostin, the top ranked skater from Europe in this year’s draft.
It will be Reaves’ responsibility to protect Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who were repeatedly roughed-up by opponents during the regular season and playoffs. Crosby suffered a concussion on a questionable hit during the seven-game series against the Washington Capitals.
Reaves, who scored a career high seven goals and tallied 13 points last season, had six fights and refuses to be intimidated by any player – which is why many Blues fans hate to see him go.
“I’m always playing physical. I play physical before anything else,” Reaves told the Pittsburgh Tribune.
“I think that buys guys on my team a little extra room, maybe a little more security on the ice, knowing that if you go run one of our guys, I’m coming and I’m 230 pounds coming at you. Maybe think twice.”
In January, Reaves scored a skillful breakaway goal in Pittsburgh and when he returned to St. Louis, he told his wife, “I keep having good games against Pittsburgh. They’re probably going to trade for me one day.”
“I was literally just joking, but here we are.”
Reaves said the trade “shook me emotionally.”
“I call St. Louis home now. It was a little shocking to be traded.”
All-Star Game update
Voting ends today (June 29) for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Miami on July 11 and the American League starting outfield will most likely be comprised of three black players.
The New York Yankees Aaron Judge, who so far has put together one of the most impressive rookie seasons in MLB history, is the AL’s leading voter getter. He is followed by Mike Trout, but his hand injury will keep him out of the game.
The No. 3 and 4 vote getters, respectively, remain George Springer of the Houston Astros and Michael Brantley of the Cleveland Indians.
In the National League, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward has dropped to fourth in outfield balloting. He trails NL vote leader Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals, Charles Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies and Marcell Ozuna of the Miami Marlins.
He is the only black player in the NL with a remote chance of being a starter in the game and, if he doesn’t make up ground, he most likely won’t be selected to the roster.
There should be at least one African American player on the National League roster though.
After playing two seasons in Korea, Eric Thames returned to the Majors this year with the surprising Milwaukee Brewers and has helped them remain in first place in the NL Central for more than a month.
Heading into a midweek series with the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, Thames had 20 home runs, 40 RBIs and had scored 50 runs. With each team having a player on the All-Star game roster, Thames is a shoo-in to be the Brewers representative.
Alvin A. Reid is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook and appears on ABC’s The Allman Report and several sports radio shows, including Frank Cusumano’s “The Press Box” on KFNS. His Twitter handle is #aareid1
