Footin up and down like a UNLV Rebel
Lloyd Daniels is one of my favorite people in basketball.
By Ben Osborne
For all the reasons documented on our site all weekend (big thanks to Sam and Lang for running that show, and to Ben, Khalid, Mutoni, Russ, Shannon and all the prolific posters for contributing so much good stuff), I feel pretty damn hazy today. For real, all weekend my eyes kind of had a glaze to them, and that glaze hadn’t dissipated much when I straggled into the SLAMDome at 11 this morning. The dream-like feeling continued when I checked the voice messages on my work phone.
“Yo Ben—this is Lloyd Daniels! What’s up Ben? Call me back. Lloyd Daniels. Holla.”
Holla indeed!
I’ve never talked about this on the site, but Lloyd Daniels is one of my favorite people in basketball. He was a city basketball LEGEND when I was growing up in suburban New York, and then he was turned into a basketball tragedy in the engrossing 1990 book about his early life, Swee’ Pea and Other Playground Legends: Tales of Drugs, Violence and Basketball, the first full-length book I ever read twice. To hear Lloyd tell it, it’s past time that there be a sequel. I agree.
A 6-7 guard who was compared to Magic as a high schooler, Lloyd overcame never playing college ball, wicked drug addictions and getting shot three times in 1989 to last five seasons in the NBA before getting into coaching kids. I had the pleasure of profiling Lloyd at length in a feature story in SLAM 46 and then in a “Hype” story in issue 83, as well as writing about him in a piece I did on the USBL in the Village Voice in 2000. Throughout that time we stayed in touch, catching up every once in awhile to chat about family and hoops.
We hadn’t spoken before today in probably a year, though, and to be honest, he hadn’t been on my mind all that much. I did think of him in Vegas, though, since even though he never played at UNLV, Lloyd was one of Jerry Tarkanian’s most controversial attempted recruits there (a recruitment that ended when Lloyd was arrested in Vegas in 1987 trying to buy crack).
In any event, I eagerly call Lloyd back today and find him in tremendous spirits. “I’m alive, Ben!” A key fact when you’ve lived the life the 39-year-old Daniels has. But as he tells it, he’s much more than just alive. His burgeoning AAU Program, Lloyd Daniels Rebels, has got teams in three age groups, and in May he’s opening a new gym in Monmouth County, NJ, where he’s happily raising a family. “I’m blessed, Ben, blessed,” he says (no one I’ve ever interviewed says my name as much as Lloyd does). “Ben, for a guy they said would never make it to be opening a gym? I made it, Ben. And I got good players all over the high schools here, Ben, like Thomas Jones and Jabari Joyner from Neptune, Anthony Gibson at Monmouth and Chris Tranchita at Point Pleasant, plus kids at St. Benedict’s and Christian Brothers.”
Lloyd tells me he’s got a meeting here in the city next week, which I think is why he called in the first place, but I kind of cut him off to tell him that his timing is so weird, what with the just-completed weekend in Vegas and the relative lack of props UNLV and Tarkanian got during all the festivities (which Russ and I commented about on the site during the ASG). “You know what, Ben? Me and the Shark had lunch over the summer at The Palms when I was in Vegas for the Main Event,” he says. “Tark helped a lot of kids like myself, and some people don’t realize that. You can’t help every kid, but he tried to help a lot. The Shark is a good man. I know right now he’s just sitting back and relaxing in retirement.”
Lloyd is still an NBA fan, too. “I love the game,” Lloyd says. “Me and my son watch LeaguePass every night. I don’t know about the other night, though—that was the boringest all-star game I can remember. I think with it being in Sin City, which sure has changed a lot, guys had other things on their mind.”
Spoken like a true expert.
20 Responses to “Footin up and down like a UNLV Rebel”
Feb.21 at 1:20 am
Bernie in Phoenix says:
Thanks for the update on Daniels. It’s good to hear that he’s doing well. Glad to see SLAM reporting about guys like Daniels and Lenny Cooke. Maybe you could include a “Where are they now” tidbit in SLAM so we can find out how prominent players high school, college, or otherwise are doing. Guys like the O’Bannon brothers, the HS kid from Hargrave Military Academy, Felipe Lopez, etc. I’ve always wondered what some of these guys are up to nowadays.
Feb.21 at 1:39 am
Harlem_World says:
Ben, I don’t know if he’ll ever read this - but let Swee’Pea know that there are ALOT of cats out here who have nothing but love and respect for that man. If anyone saw him play in his prime? Y’all know. Big up Lloyd Daniels and God bless you and your family.
Feb.21 at 1:15 pm
Jake Appleman says:
While I remember Sweet Pea’s brief stint with the Nets, I have a greater memory of the coverage his unique story got.
Feb.21 at 1:15 pm
Cub Buenning says:
Ben, maybe YOU need to pen the sequel?
Feb.21 at 1:31 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Cub: Lloyd and I have talked about it. We just need a publisher!
Harlem World: I told Lloyd I’d shout him out on the website and he implied he’s not exactly a websurfer. However, he put me on the phone with his daughter, who seems quite proficient, and I am about to email her this link. So, hopefully she’ll show him this page and he’ll see your support. Lloyd really has an amazing personality, and as long as he stays on top of his addictive past I think he can continue to be a great coach for kids.
Feb.21 at 1:33 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Bernie: While I won’t commit to a set “where are they now” section in the magazine, I do plan to cover a LOT of guys like this. So stay tuned…
Feb.21 at 1:56 pm
Cub Buenning says:
Jake, after hearing about your team’s name, I had to mention the one i currently play for that is simply named after a former player. The Denver-city prep legend and one-time Johnnie, Chucky Sproling. Dude was a scoring machine in HS (70-something before the advent of the 3ptline) and became a defensive stopper in college. I was just a middle-schooler when he did his thing in Colorado, but saw him at the state tourney multiple times. By the way, we’re undefeated with an out-of-shape, 6-8, 30-something manning the point.
Feb.21 at 4:34 pm
KMG says:
I saw Lloyd play at West 4th back in the late nineties…wicked floor leadership and outside jumper in the championship game (which his team won, of course). His jumper was straight water..the ball went through the rim clean every time. If you didn’t know any better you would think he was shooting airballs. Class act, glad to see he’s doing well.
Feb.21 at 4:59 pm
caputo says:
Nothing written in stone with this dude. SAW HIM KILLING A.MASON and others at John Jay College back in the day. Could of made it.
Feb.21 at 5:12 pm
caputo says:
Ok SLAMSTERS…..Can you name the man Yinka Dare (may he rest in peace) dished off to to log his first professional assits (three years into his career) ?????
Feb.21 at 5:28 pm
a says:
lloyd got to see the article thanks to the proficient daughter
Feb.21 at 6:09 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Good lookin’ out a!
Feb.22 at 2:32 pm
Whitewater says:
sweet….could he be the next?????? lol
Mar.9 at 6:35 pm
travis lawlor says:
too bad Lloyd would of like basketball tho he would of never did drugs in the first place and thanks for an update too
Apr.14 at 1:31 pm
Tyrone Davis says:
They call me Ty-Boogie back in NY, Im 3 years younger than Lloyd,but I watched him and played against him back in the day, and it was never a question in my mind that he would be a gift once the lord opened him up
Jun.16 at 8:40 pm
scooter stevens says:
Saw pea back in summer of 88 when I visited a friend living on Long Island. The city trip was one i ll never forget. Had played against the number two recruit coming out of hs that year in doug edwards and in a s. fla holiday tourney and can honestly tell ya he was a jv player compared to daniels…..great story on him, and would be great to keep up on oldschool legends…peace
Jul.9 at 12:08 pm
Bb says:
I enjoyed reading about Lloyd. Its nice to see a person like him given back to the kids and community. Sharing his life story to the world. Keep up the good work and working with the kidds.
Oct.29 at 8:41 pm
"Dan the Man" says:
Ben: What about an article on Southern Cal Streetball legend Raymond Lewis (Ray-Lew) who “Tark the Shark” said was the greatest player he ever saw! See his exploits at www.raymondlewis.com and what about current King of Cali Streetball Playa Jay “Boogie” Brantley…www.macleem.com
Nov.23 at 12:53 am
ICE says:
SWEET PEA IF NOT THE BEST ONE OF YHE BEST OUT OF NY
Apr.11 at 1:11 pm
Rich Ashmeade says:
I’m happy to see that Lloyd is doing well. I knew him since we were young kids playing baseball. Long before we even thought about picking up a basketball. I live in AZ and miss the city game.