He's Got Game: The Globetrotters' Anthony 'Buckets' Blakes

DURING THE PAST 84 years, the Harlem Globetrotters have become famous around the world for their coupling of competitive basketball and hoop-themed hilarity.

The comedic angle of the Trotters, which during game time involves antics like players sliding across the floor while continuing their dribble, or the whole team stopping mid-game for an impromptu football play, originated from the team's heyday when they were known for beating their opponents so badly that they would end up performing tricks just to keep the crowds amused.

But for a travel intensive team that is about to kick off a North American tour consisting of 270 games in 240 cities — including both a Dec. 29 stop at the Patriot Center and a Dec. 30 visit to the Verizon Center — just after completing a tour of 150 games overseas in countries like Iraq and China, cracking a joke or two may also just be what it takes to survive the road.

"I've only found one gray hair on my head," said Anthony "Buckets" Blakes, who sports the #15 jersey on the team, "and I think that's from all the traveling. That's from going through customs. It's hard to laugh going through customs."

With eight years under his belt as a Globetrotter and one page left in his passport, Blakes has figured out the tricks of the trade when it comes to traveling with a team that is so busy its 30 players normally divide up into two or three separate teams that tour independently of one another.

"You learn a little routine and it's all based on the person," Blakes said. "Everyone is different physically and mentally. You can tell the veterans from the rookies because the veterans have developed a routine to adapt to just about any environment, while the rookies, we're giving them some helpful hints and they're still grinding along trying to figure out how they're going to continue to play another 200 games after they've only played 70."
As for Blakes' personal routine, he cites exercise, eating right, sneaking in a nap when possible and a big breakfast as the keys to what keeps him going. After so long on the team, you might think that being a Globetrotter has become almost second nature to the 33-year-old Phoneix, Az. native, but Blakes sticks to his regiment in order to stay sharp because he feels that people expect a flawless performance every time he dons his red, white and blue uniform.

"That's probably one of the toughest parts of being a Globetrotter is trying to be perfect every single night day in and day out," he said.

Aside from the heavy travel and trying not to flub any tricks in front of an arena full of people, the pros of Globetrotting greatly outweigh the cons for Blakes. The community outreach aspect of the job, which finds Blakes and his teammates doing anything from speaking to kids at schools and rec centers to assisting charities, as well the chance to learn about the cultures of the different places he visits are two of his favorite parts of being a Globetrotter, said Blakes.

And by traveling throughout the 50 or so countries that he has visited in his time a Globetrotter, Blakes has figured out the reason behind why the Globetrotters always feel like the home team no matter what country they're in.

"We make people happy," he said, "no matter where you are, who you are or what you believe in."

Photos courtesy the Harlem Globetrotters