Richard "Pee Wee" Kirkland (born May 6, 1945) is an American streetball player and drug trafficker.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 6, 1945 Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Charles Evans Hughes (Manhattan, New York) |
| College |
|
| NBA draft | 1969: 13th round, 172nd overall pick |
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
| Position | Guard |
Career
editBasketball
editBorn in Manhattan, New York, Kirkland played varsity basketball at Charles Evans Hughes High School in Manhattan, New York, and was made an All-City guard. He was awarded a scholarship and attended Kittrell College, a community college in North Carolina, and was on the basketball team averaging 41 points per game. He then attended Norfolk State University and played on the basketball team, teaming up with future NBA star Bob Dandridge.[1] The Spartans won the CIAA title in 1968 with a 25–2 record; they lost in the second round of the NCAA Division II Men's Tournament. The next year their record was 21–4 and they lost in the first round of the D-II tournament. In 1969 he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the fourth pick in the thirteenth round. It is speculated that he turned the offer down because he was making more money in current ventures, including being a drug dealer, than he would in professional basketball.[2][3] At the time, the opportunities offered to him outside of the NBA were far more lucrative, in terms of financial gain and public recognition.[4][dubious – discuss]
Motivational speaker
editHe presents his messages in the "School of Skillz"—a basketball and life skills campaign that is co-sponsored by Nike. The camps began in the 1990s on Saturdays in Harlem and has since become a nationwide endeavor. He has won championships as a high school coach at The Dwight School, a prestigious private school on the Upper West Side, in New York City. One of his early breakthroughs involved reaching out to youth such as Hanif "Camel" Warren. As an educator and social worker, Kirkland utilizes the respect he receives from young people because of his gangster past to reach at-risk youth and break down their misconceptions about "keepin' it real" on the streets.[5]
Kirkland earned a master's degree in human services from Lincoln University.[6]
In popular culture
editIn the 1994 film Above the Rim, Kirkland appeared as Georgetown recruiter Phil Redd.[7]
References
edit- ^ Mallozzi, Vincent M. (1997-01-12). "The Legend of Pee Wee Kirkland Grows". The New York Times Print Edition. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
- ^ Maharaj, Gitanjali (1997). "Talking Trash: Late Capitalism, Black (Re)Productivity, and Professional Basketball". Social Text. 50 (The Politics of Sport). Duke University Press: 97–100. doi:10.2307/466817. JSTOR 466817.
- ^ ESPN.com Interview by Mary Buckheit "Pee Wee Kirkland: From American gangster to crossover legend"
- ^ "Social Text", No. 50, The Politics of Sport (Spring, 1997), pp. 97-110
- ^ ESPN.com Interview by Mary Buckheit "Pee Wee Kirkland: From American gangster to crossover legend"
- ^ ESPN.com Interview by Mary Buckheit "Pee Wee Kirkland: From American gangster to crossover legend"
- ^ "Richard Ray Kirkland". IMDb.