darthska
Staff member
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I've told the story on here before, but Rooks and Corey Benjamin are the only dudes I've hooped with that have played in the league. I went to school with Benjamin, then he broke into the league with the Bulls at the 2-spot in 1999... right after Mike left.
But Rooks, I actually played with Rooks when he was actually in the league. At one of the foster homes I was in, one of the staff was a coach at a HS in San Bernardino and he was tight with Rooks, and Rooks would come down and hoop with us sometimes, either at the HS we went to in that home (Fontana High), or at coach's school.
That was the first time I had ever met an actual NBA player, like banging in the paint with him and everything, and I seriously thought they were all as nice and chill as him.
Like I remember hooping with him and then seeing him on tv a couple days after, and I remember wondering if the other people on the floor ALSO have people watching them on tv after hooping with them just a few days before.
As an adult, I know now that's definitely not how it works, but I can attest: that's how it worked for us foster kids and Rooks. Dude was a real one, imo.
But Rooks, I actually played with Rooks when he was actually in the league. At one of the foster homes I was in, one of the staff was a coach at a HS in San Bernardino and he was tight with Rooks, and Rooks would come down and hoop with us sometimes, either at the HS we went to in that home (Fontana High), or at coach's school.
That was the first time I had ever met an actual NBA player, like banging in the paint with him and everything, and I seriously thought they were all as nice and chill as him.
Like I remember hooping with him and then seeing him on tv a couple days after, and I remember wondering if the other people on the floor ALSO have people watching them on tv after hooping with them just a few days before.
As an adult, I know now that's definitely not how it works, but I can attest: that's how it worked for us foster kids and Rooks. Dude was a real one, imo.
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