The Knicks weren't the first basketball team I was a fan of. (There is some murky evidence I was a Lakers fan when I was in elementary school but we don't talk about that.) The Harlem Globetrotters was my first basketball team, that was the first jersey I owned back in preschool.

Saw today Meadowlark Lemon died at age 83 — I don't think I ever got to see them in real life — but through television that 1970s Globetrotters team with Meadowlark and Curly Neal was my team! Respect.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/sports/basketball/meadowlark-lemon-harlem-globetrotter-who-played-basketball-and-pranks-with-virtuosity-dies-at-83.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Rest in Peace Meadowlark, thanks for all the fun times you gave everyone. Remember going to see the Globetrotters in the early 70s at MSG. Couldnt believe the things they could do. Meadowlark paved the way for Steph Curry's pre game shooting displays.