Over the years, you’ve often been able to aim your artistic talents at sports-related subjects, even, for instance, honoring sports heroes on postage stamps. You’ve also said that playing basketball in college informed your “ability to communicate energy in motion through the painted medium.” Do you still play? And would you trade in your paints if you could magically become an NBA player?
I don’t play as much as I’d like to these days, but I don’t miss the injuries. If I had the opportunity to magically become an NBA player, I think I’d really enjoy it, but if I had to choose one over the other, I’d stick with painting. The career lifespan of painters is typically much longer than that of professional athletes, and I have a knack for it!
The art in Basket Ball practically leaps off the page. What are some of your secrets for capturing motion and athleticism in your portraits?
I can’t say I have any secrets for capturing motion. I primarily rely on my emotional barometer—how I feel when I draw or paint the figure on the page, and how my thoughts, intentions and ideas are expressed throughout the composition. There’s no substitute for human emotion, intelligence or handcrafted artwork.
In ninth grade, you had Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Michael Jordan, your heroes, sign some of your drawings. What were those drawings, and do you still have them? Have you encountered either of those superstars since that time?
MJ and Dr. J signed some of my pencil drawings I’d made when I was a teen. I still have them somewhere! Although I did meet and work with MJ’s mother and sister on two picture books, I haven’t run into him or Dr. J since, but maybe I will someday soon!
You’ve said, “I’m a painter by trade and an author by necessity.” In this book, your prose is full of the vitality of the game. Did your relationship with writing change over the course of completing Basket Ball?
I really love painting, but I also really enjoy writing and expressing my ideas through the written word. It makes use of a different skill set, and like basketball, it stretches, flexes and expands other parts of my brain. I enjoy the balance of both disciplines.
Have you always been a student of history?
I can’t say I’ve always been a student of history. My fascination with it began as a sophomore in college when I discovered the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues via Ken Burns’ documentary Baseball on PBS. I’d always loved stories, visual, written and spoken, but it was only then that I made the connection that history is a string of stories, and when they’re told well, it comes alive in a very vivid, tangible and engaging way. I’ve loved history ever since.
What were some of your most surprising discoveries?
I was surprised to discover exactly how the game was created by Dr. Naismith, and how it grew and spread so quickly. Each step of its evolution was surprising, from dribbling, to jump shooting, the advent of backboards, cages, slam-dunking and so on, to becoming the powerhouse we know today.
I was also fascinated by the origins of African American involvement in basketball in Washington D.C., as well as the pioneering West Indian founders in New York City, and the many contributions African American athletes have made to the game, from the NY Rens to the Harlem Globetrotters and the American Basketball Association. And of course, the many achievements of standout players like George Mikan, Oscar Robertson, Magic and Bird, Michael Jordan, the women’s 1996 Olympic basketball team and so many others. The impact the game has had on the world is tremendous.
What piece of basketball history would you have most liked to witness?
I would have loved to watch Julius Erving play at Rucker Park or see a teenaged MJ or LeBron play on their backyard or neighborhood courts. That would be amazing.
What’s the most memorable game you’ve ever attended?
I’ve been fortunate to watch several great games in person. I saw LeBron James and Kobe Bryant put their incredible talents on display at the American Airlines arena and Staples Center. But what stands out most is the first NBA game I ever attended. I saw Michael Jordan play at the old Chicago Stadium in 1989. He hadn’t yet made his championship run, but was already the most exciting player in the league with a very smooth, fluid and explosive style of playing. His athleticism and cunning were evident from the start and far above everyone else on the floor.
You conclude that “basketball is not so different from the game of life” while discreetly imparting some of the life lessons that the game offers. How have lessons you learned on the court shaped your life and career?
Basketball taught me the art of teamwork and how spending time honing your craft and doing the work produces positive results. I’m very much informed by the mantra that advises us that how we do one thing is how we do everything. We must consistently do the work to enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Author photo by George DeLoache