Kingdome Classic (Harlem’s
legendary basketball tournament) is jumping off next month with teams
consisting of NBA stars and street legends.
The Harlem tournament, founded in 1985, folded after leagues
(such as the Entertainer’s Basketball
Classic) grew in populatiry. In 2004, former Roc-A-Fella Records owner Dame
Dash took charge and has pushed the annual event into growing numbers.
“Kingdom is on e of
the things that shaped me and molded me as a man because of its swagger … I
thought it would be something good, being that I’m from Harlem, that I can come
back to Harlem and help the people out. That could be my little gift,” Dame Dash told the NY Daily News.
The 10 week event, starting on June 23rd, will
take place on 115th St. and Lenox Ave and will feature various
celebrities. According to the Daily News,
Houston Rocket’s guard Rafer Alston (Skip to My Lou), Sacramento
Kings’ forward Ron Artest and New York Knicks’ forward David Lee are among the NBA stars
playing.
Sponsored by Dame
Dash’s sneaker line, Pro-Keds,
the event will also feature teams sponsored by Diddy’s Bad Boy Label, DMX’s Ruff Ryders and Jim Jones’
Diplomats.
“The atmosphere at the games is
nuts … You really get the feel that it’s the coming together of the community
in Harlem and the coming together of people who love basketball,” Lee tells the NY Daily News.
