Growing up I was always the tallest person among my peers. Upon entering junior high
school, I was encouraged to play for the basketball team due to my height, but I declined.
In high school the freshman basketball coach urged me to try out and this time I did. At this
point basketball became a solitary focus of mine and | approached it with the
determination to be the best that I could be. During this time, I attended numerous
basketball camps honing my skills under the tutelage of nationally recognized legendary
coaches.
I was an integral member on Central High school’s basketball team and in my senior year l
received the Philadelphia All Public Award. Over these years I traveled throughout the city
competing against the best players in both the Public and Catholic school leagues as well
as in many pick-up games on the city’s playgrounds. As a senior, I received many
recruiting letters from schools across the country, but my eye was always on playing as a
member on one of Philadelphia’s Big Five Teams.
St Joseph’s University was my top choice because they were viewed as the most tenacious
and overachieving team. While there I was the starting center averaging close to ten points
a game, and this was before the “three-point shot”. I played in two consecutive NCAA
tournaments competing against many future professionals and held my own. One of my
best games played in the Madison Square Garden’s Holiday Festival was against Bob
Lanier, a 6’11” future NBA player.
After St. Joe’s I participated in many Industrial Leagues and played in the original Jewish
Basketball League at Broad and Pine. During this time my teams won multiple
championships, and I received Most Valuable League Player and High Scoring titles. One
of the most memorable experiences of my basketball career was representing the United
States Team in the 1989 Maccabi Games in Israel. There I played against Israel’s finest
under celebrated coach Ernie Grunfeld in front of my immediate family including my
children all who accompanied me to Israel.