It is quite easy to say that he is a legend in a legend. Thunder Law is a record-setting player in the famous Harlem Globetrotters, what is the reason for his nickname the Record Breaking Machine. On March 4th, the basketball attraction is coming to Slovenia for the first time. In the Tivoli Hall in Ljubljana, they will hold their attractive show. At this occasion we spoke with Thunder, who is one of the most famous members of the worldwide known basketball team.
Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that does athletics, theater and entertainment. That’s why some say it’s not a sport, but an art, a show, or a combination of both. What do you think?
I think it’s a great combination of both, which makes it a lot more harder. We have the greatest athletes in the world playing basketball at a high-level.
You had several honorary members who were world famous names, such as Henry Kissinger, Bob Hope, Nelson Mandela, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jackie Joyner Kersee, Bill Cosby, Magic Johnson, Whoopi Goldberg, even Pope John Paul II and others. Have any of them ever played with you on the field?
I have not had a chance to play with any of our honorary Harlem trotters.
How do girls find themselves in a team among men? Is their show somehow different than that od men?
That would be a great question to ask one of the phenomenal females on my team. But if I have to answer for them, they are representing girls all around the world and they do a great job representative.
Have the Globetrotters ever played a game against any of the NBA teams?
Yes, the Harlem Globe trotters played against the Minneapolis Lakers.
Your name on the team and on the court is Thunder. But that’s a nickname, not your real name. Does anyone else call you by your real name?
Yes, some people choose to call me by my real name and that’s totally fine. I love both of them.
They describe you in superlatives, including, for example, a record-breaking machine. What is your greatest quality? What do you think yourself?
I think my greatest quality is my personality. And the fact that I absolutely love bringing joy to the world.
You have set several records. How difficult was it to reach them? And how to keep?
It was very difficult to reach my records, but records are meant to be broken. I had some records that were broken in the past and I took them back.
Is what the audience sees in the performance a team work or more of an individual work?
No matter what your profession is anytime you have more than one person working to achieve a common goal. It’s always teamwork.
Some say the Globetrotters aren’t real basketball because there are too many gimmicks. What do you think about it?
Everybody is entitled to their own opinion. I don’t think the Harlem Globetrotters are gimmicks. But I do agree that it’s not traditional basketball, which makes it even more fun in my opinion.
Have you ever wanted to play, say, in the NBA?
The NBA has never been a goal of mine.
Considering that you are coming to Slovenia, one unavoidable question. What do you think of our Dončić? Do you know each other? Have you ever met in person?
I think he is one of the greatest basketball players in the world, very talented individual. I have never met him.
Would you ever invite him to play with the Globetrotters on the field as a special guest?
I’m sure we could find a spot on the court for him. Maybe he would be a good four-point shooter if he wanted to try out.
You probably follow basketball and the NBA. Which team do you support?
I have my favorite individual players, but I don’t support any team like I support the Harlem Globetrotters Basketball.
Your hobby is golf. Why golf?
Golf is a sport that’s very difficult and I love a challenge and I enjoy playing golf on my off time and that something I can play for the rest of my life.
Do you play it just as a hobby or sometimes in a game?
I played it as a hobby, but I do compete in some tournaments sometimes.
On Wikipedia, it is stated about the Globetrotters, among other things, that individual actors also appeared in films, serials, and various shows. In recent years, Wikipedia lists such performances as “some members performed” and the like. However, no individual names are listed. Are you one of those who have tried at acting, for example?
No, I am not one of the ones that act.
Are you also interested in acting? Have you ever had the ambition to star in a movie, for example? If so, what genre would you play?I don’t have any interest in acting in the movies at the moment, but that can change as life goes on.
Who and what is Thunder like in private? Considering your fame, is it hard to have privacy?
Believe it or not, I am the same person on and off the court. I really enjoy laughing and having a good time with friends and family, and I really enjoy bringing happiness to the world.
Here you can see Thunder Law saying hello to our web magazine:
Photo: HGT archive