Vancouver Metro Basketball League

 Created by Clint “Mjlover23” Lomax

Back in 2002 when I was living in the Seattle area, I attended an And 1 event at North Seattle Community College. It was an overcast afternoon with a slight chance of drizzle in the forecast.  The parking lot was packed full of hooper’s and hoop lovers from young to old, with every last one of them were chomping at the bit to get in and get a taste of some good old fashion street ball.  Before we were allowed to get our seats in the gym, there was this group of young Canadian baller’s that decided to put on a mini performance. 

As the kids did there thing one after the other, one of them stood out from the group.  Even though they all seemed to have the same build, there was this one kid who stood out. He looked as if he was eight years-old but was ultimately more unique and skilled than the others. This kid displayed not only lightning speed, but an almost unlimited repertoire of unimaginable crossovers and one handed maneuvers that would make NBAer’s like the king of the killer crossover, Tim Hardaway and skip-to-my-lou, Rafer Alston take notice. This kid was Joey Haywood.

In 2004 I moved to Vancouver, BC from Seattle and had the pleasure of sharing the court with Joey at a few different courts around the Lower Mainland. I got to see up-close that Joey possessed NCAA Division One speed and quickness, with an almost unchallengeable basketball handle. His Achilles heel, however, was his inconsistent jump shot. Joey could get to the hoop at will, but people wised up and started to back off of him, daring him to shoot. They thought they had the one they call “King Handles” figured out. Some even began to say negative things about him, all because of this one short coming in his game. So what did Joey do? He handled his business! In a span of a few years the evolution of King Handles was now apparent. Joey improved his jump shot making his game now almost unstoppable. Don’t believe me? Last year at Saint Mary’s University, Joey averaged almost 24 points per game while shooting 55% from the floor, which at the guard position is almost unheard of.

 
This past summer Joey agreed to do a basketball diary for the Vancouverbasketball.ca website this season. These articles will not only be just about basketball, but will include the everyday schedule and happenings that Joey experiences on a regular basis. Here’s the brief introductory Q&A bio between Joey and I.

Clint: When did you start playing basketball?

Joey: Well, I never used to like basketball. I loved playing hockey. My brother, Gary, always used to play basketball. He would sometimes make me dribble the ball or shoot but, I was not interested at all. When I reached the age of 7, I started to show interest in the game. From there, it took off.

Clint: When did you know you were going to be a good basketball player?

Joey: When I started to play with older guys when I was eleven. The older guys need a sub and I came on and was hitting shots. From there, I knew I was going to be a good basketball player.

Clint: Which players influence your game, and how did they motivate you?

Joey: Allen Iverson. He has so much heart for the game of basketball. People always say negative things towards him. That he is to skinny, he is not big enough, he is to street etc.  I’m a skinny person, not too much muscle on me.  My game is street and will always be street. A lot of people did not think I would make it this far in basketball because of my street game on the hardwood. I would hear people say things like: “he is to flashy, “He plays jungle ball/rap ball”, “not a coachable”, etc.  Now look where I ended up. Playing Major CIS basketball at a good school ( St. Mary’s University), played on the Trinidad National Team, two time leading scorer in the AUS conference, two time all-star, an All-Canadian, and travelled the world playing streetball.  That is why Allen Iverson influences me.

Clint: What message would you give to young hoopers coming up now, who may have doubts on how good they can be?

Joey: If you believe in yourself and have faith in whatever you do, you can make it far in life. There are going to be a few bumps on the road but never stop believing in your ability no matter what. You can achieve anything if you have faith in yourself and the creator.

Joey: I got to head to bed and get ready for light shooting and team practice. Talk to you guys soon.

Clint: Thanks Joey!  Talk to you later.

Just a few parting notes on the past year for Mr. Haywood.  Not only did he have an excellent season at St. Mary’s University, he was also a part of the Trinidad National basketball team, a team that beat the power house Puerto Rico team featuring NBA stars the likes of: Renaldo Balkman, Carlos Arroyo, and Jose Juan Barea.

Here’s a quick look at Joey’s stats last season at St. Marys (stats and rankings in the conference): 23.5 ppg (1st), .552 (3rd: had most FGA attempts in group), 5 apg (5th), 2 spg (6th), 6th in league in assist/turnover ratio, 1st in minutes played per game (38 min).