Streetball Facts

Streetball was created in 1946 in Harlem, New York by Holcombe Rucker. Rucker was a New york City parks department employee who established the park in 1956, originally named P.S. 156 playground, to create a successful and safe Harlem youth basketball summer program location.

  1. Early Years

    • Though Rucker passed away in 1965, streetball continued to gain popularity. P.S. 156 Playground became the prime spot for both amateur and established baskrtball players to display raw talent. Famous players such as Kareem Abdul- Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain played streetball at Ruckers Park against the most notorious streetball players, such as "the Destroyer." It wasn't until nearly a decade after Rucker's untimely death that the park was renamed in his honor.

    Rules

    • The rules of streetball are much more relaxed than those of a traditional basketball game. The minimum amount of members that a team may have is usually no less than three. The winner of the game is determined by a point system of anywhere between 15 to 20 points. Players can call a foul, as opposed to leaving the decision up to a referee, as in a traditional game of basketball.

    Present

    • Streetball leagues are established all over the United States. Competitions, usually in the form of tournaments, take place every summer, especially in most major cities. Well known streetball players such as John Strickland, who passed away in October 2010, are celebrated and admired at a celebrity status level.