Hooplandia, the Northeast’s Ultimate 3x3 Basketball Tourney + Festival, was in full swing on Saturday, June 20, at Eastern States Exposition (ESE) in West Springfield, Mass. Among the bustling byways of the complex, nonstop gameplay was not all that was offered to attendees; Brian Scalabrine, former NBA player and current analyst for the Boston Celtics, offered a skills clinic and meet and greet at midday. He also chatted with event organizers about Hooplandia’s rapid growth, the recent explosion of 3x3 basketball and the strength of the Boston sports fandom.
“When I was a kid, I had Hoop It Up in Seattle,” Scalabrine shared, reminiscing. “It’s a big thing, and the whole city shuts down. I just remember that the games were so intense and only ten minutes long—you’re arguing with your friends, you’re arguing with the other team, but it is the best form of basketball. I loved it, and I remember losing in the finals,” he laughed. “I think those are the moments that really formed us as players. We didn’t have the stuff that they have now. But, then and now, 3x3 street ball is where it’s at.”
When asked about the rapid growth of 3x3 basketball, Scalabrine said, “I built a whole facility based on small-sided games. I’m a big, small-sided guy. Kids develop better in a small-sided area. I think you get more reps and it’s a great way to learn to play at a young age. Not only have I done that, but I’m trying to incorporate that for people. When it comes to the clinic, it’s pretty simple; I’m just trying to make them understand that establishing habits is the key to life. Not just in basketball—it’s how you get successful in whatever you do.”
His focus then turned to his clinic, which had just concluded on the Showcase Court before him.
“We almost ran out of space today!” he said, reflecting on the busy clinic. “When I think of basketball, this is what I think it should be about.”
Scalabrine was then asked what his priorities are when instructing a clinic, to which he replied, “My whole thing about the kids that I work with now is trying to establish the message that there is no magical formula where I show up and teach them to play basketball well. What I want them to take away from it is that you have to learn to establish your habits. You have to work at your habits. Those habits eventually turn into instincts, and I think a lot of people quit before that happens. I’m trying to encourage them to keep pushing through so that it clicks over. You don’t know when it will click over, but it eventually does for everybody.”
When asked about his patience during his own journey, Scal said, “When I was a kid, I was a terrible kid. Once I became a good kid, I became a great basketball player. There’s all this correlation—a lot of it is that I probably didn’t respect myself the way I should have. Once I started respecting myself and the things around me—well, I’m not saying life is easy like that, but it’s easier when it’s like that.”
Naturally, Scalabrine tied the conversation back to his avid Boston fanbase, which has remained a persistent force since his time on the Celtics.
“One thing about the northeast is that they love their sports, and they love the participation of their sports,” he said. “I think the numbers would prove that, per capita, we have the highest participation rate of almost any state in America for basketball. I think it’s the love of the Celtics, the love fans find when they grow up and play, and all of it starts somewhere. Ideally, it starts from a place of love; it’s all going to be hard, no matter what you decide to do, but I find that people love to play, they love the game, and that’s the reason why people come out and do this.”
When asked about Hooplandia’s prevalence in the rising 3x3 basketball scene, Scalabrine responded, “I like the idea of 3x3 continuing to grow…A lot of times, with my pickup games, we’ll play 3x3 FIBA style, which is taking the ball right out of the net and letting it fly, because I think it teaches you decisions that you’re not used to making, and it’s a really good development tool. Also, you can see the league—The BIG3—continuing to grow, so there’s a lot of growth happening in 3x3. It can be really hard to get ten guys together, but all you’ve got to do is get six people and you can play anywhere, any time. That’s why the growth is there. We just have to continue to push more than just 5-on-5.”
Scalabrine concluded his brief interview with an address to curious basketballers in New England and beyond, saying, “If you want to learn how to become a big time hooper, 3x3 is the way to go. Don’t limit yourself to 5-on-5—this way has a lot more touches, a lot more reps and Hooplandia is a fun place to learn a love for competing and a love for playing 3x3 basketball.”
Don’t miss out on special guest appearances like the White Mamba, or upcoming clinics by Ta’Quan “Tootie” Zimmerman of “Be a Baller, Not a Bully” and Joe the Jet of the Harlem Wizards on Sunday, June 21. Find all that you need to know at Hooplandia.com.