HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS SELECT WORLD SERIES WINNER, STAR NFL QUARTERBACK AND AWARD-WINNING ACTOR IN 2020 PLAYER DRAFT
Ambassadors of Goodwill also select viral nun, Sister Margaret Ann; 6-8 University of North Carolina Pembroke Forward Shaun Kirk
ATLANTA (November 16, 2020) – Today, the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters held their 14th annual player draft, selecting a wide array of talented prospects that includes a standout college player, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, a 2020 World Series champion, as well as a viral nun and a posthumously honored actor.
In all, the Globetrotters selected five players: one of the nation's top college dunkers in Shaun Kirk of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke; viral internet sensation Sister Margaret Ann; 2020 World Series champion Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson; and, honored posthumously, Black Panther and 42 star and former high school basketball player Chadwick Boseman.
"The Globetrotters have always chosen to draft players that are exciting and can captivate fans," said Barry Hardy, Globetrotters' head coach. "Our players need to be more than just their incredible athletic skills. This group of draftees embodies everything that it means to be a Harlem Globetrotter."
Following is a full recap of the Globetrotters' draftees:
Sister Margaret Ann, along with four other nuns at Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School in Miami, went viral when they posted a video during the 2020 NBA Playoffs cheering on the Miami Heat and player Kendrick Nunn. Sister Margaret is a longtime fan of basketball, having played and coached the sport at both the high school and collegiate levels.
Mookie Betts is a two-time MLB World Series champion, four-time MLB All-Star and a professional tenpin bowler for the Professional Bowlers Association. The 5-9 Nashville native, who can also dunk a basketball, chose to pursue a career in baseball, playing for the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2018, he became the first player in MLB history to win the Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series in the same season.
Chadwick Boseman was a basketball star at T.L. Hanna High School in South Carolina before finding his passion for acting. As a teen, Boseman once played against Kevin Garnett in AAU basketball and scored on him. After playing Jackie Robinson in the 2013 film 42, Boseman found worldwide fame, starring in the Marvel feature Black Panther. In 2016, Boseman was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer and during treatments, he continued to work on several films and never spoke publicly about his diagnosis. He passed away at his home on August 28, 2020, with his wife and family by his side.
Shaun Kirk, a 6-8 forward from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, is one of the nation's top college dunkers. Kirk was a four-year letter winner at Whiteville High School (N.C.) before playing college basketball at NC State for three years and transferring to UNCP to finish out his college career in 2020.
Russell Wilson, 5-11, is tied for most wins by an NFL quarterback through nine seasons (92) and is one of two quarterbacks in NFL history with a career passer rating over 100. Before being drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2012 NFL Draft, he was an elite three-sport athlete, playing football, baseball, and basketball at The Collegiate School in Virginia. In 2010, he was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB draft.
Past draftees by the team have included future Globetrotters, as well as high-profile celebrities and sports figures who are excellent examples of what the Harlem Globetrotters are all about – fun, entertaining, and family-friendly basketball.
Five current Globetrotter players have arrived on the roster as draft picks: "Sweet Lou Dunbar II (2018), Money Merriweather (2017), Hawk Anderson (2013), Thunder Law (2013), and Bull Bullard (2008). Overall, 18 players who have been drafted have played for the Globetrotters.
Celebrity picks have ranged from all walks of life, from international soccer superstars (Tim Howard in 2009, Lionel Messi in 2011, and Neymar Jr. in 2016), Olympic champions (Usain Bolt in 2012, and Missy Franklin in 2016), baseball icons (Mariano Rivera in 2013, and Aaron Judge in 2017), and Hollywood stars (Kevin Hart in 2016 and two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali in 2019).
The Harlem Globetrotters® are legendary worldwide, synonymous with one-of-a-kind family entertainment and great basketball skills for the past 94 years. Throughout their history, the Original Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 124 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first-ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans – among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents – over nine thrilling decades. The Ambassadors of Goodwill are sponsored by Baden Sports, the Official Basketball, Champion, the Official Uniform & Apparel provider, Tum-e Yummies, the Official Fruit Flavored Drink, Carnival Cruise Line, Inc., and Nationwide Children's Hospital. . Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Herschend Enterprises, the largest family-owned themed entertainment company in the U.S. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, visit the Globetrotters' official Web site: www.harlemglobetrotters.com and follow them on Twitter @Globies