Meadowlark

As the face of the Harlem Globetrotters, Meadowlark Lemon was an ambassador for basketball and America for over half a century. But his antics on the court, including non-stop patter and an unbelievable hook shot, belied an intelligent, sensitive person off the court. Moreover, his basketball skills were often overlooked; he could have easily transferred his abilities to the NBA. But had he done so, he never would have had the influence he did have on the world. Perhaps Michael Jordan is the most influential basketball player ever to come out of Wilmington, North Carolina. Or perhaps it was Meadowlark Lemon.