We closed the Weekend Journal in Philadelphia with the Harlem Globetrotters, who for a century have been taking basketball beyond scores and records and turning it into theater, laughter and a shared experience around the world.
The show in Philadelphia was all energy: upbeat music, a blasting horn and a cast of performers who mix elite ballhandling with comedy. One standout is Jahmani Hotshot Swanson — just 4-foot-5, but able to leap more than three and a half feet. He jokes about the distinction and then launches into a jaw-dropping dunk that proves the point.
Donte Hammer Harrison has been part of the team for 17 years. As the game’s emcee he’s miked from start to finish, working the crowd, calling out fans, and keeping the night rolling.
This is my moment, he told me, grabbing selfies with youngsters and sharing stories about how the flips and tricks matter as much as the hoops. For many players the Globetrotters are about more than showmanship — they’re about community. Hammer said the games bring people together across races and backgrounds in a way few other events do.
That unifying role goes back to the team’s origins. The organization traces its roots to 1926, a time when Black players were regularly barred from mainstream leagues and arenas. The Globetrotters offered a stage for African American talent to shine, and that history is honored at every performance.
Past greats are still recalled fondly: Frederick ‘Curly’ Neal, ‘Sweet’ Lou Dunbar and Wilt Chamberlain, who moved from the Globetrotters to NBA stardom. Women have also made landmark contributions: Lynette Woodard broke ground in 1985 as the first woman to join a professional men’s team in the U.S., opening doors for players like Arysia Ace Porter. Porter says Woodard carried the torch and proved women can do anything men do — and sometimes better.
I even got to try being a Globetrotter for a moment. My first challenge was a long behind-the-line shot. After a handful of misses and a quiet plea for luck, the ball finally fell through. The crowd squealed; the moment landed.
After 100 years of tricks, laughs and athletic theatrics, the Globetrotters still show that the biggest wins are often the ones that gather people together. As for me, I’ll enjoy being in the audience — I think I’ll stick to my day job.