The legendary Harlem Globetrotters to play Nov. 12 in Kennewick

Carlos “Dizzy” English’s first connection to the Harlem Globetrotters was through the TV screen.

He loved Scooby Doo, and the legendary basketball team made animated appearances on the popular cartoon.

“They didn’t have an ordinary basketball. It was red, blue and white. I remember thinking, ‘They must be special,’ ” English said.

Now, he’s part of that special crew.

The Detroit native, known for his dribbling and shooting, is a Harlem Globetrotter.

“I couldn’t ask for a better job,” he said.

Being a Globetrotter “makes me look at life from a totally different angle. I’m blessed to touch lives every day,” English said.

He was in the Tri-Cities on Friday to visit with schoolkids and promote the Globetrotters’ stop next weekend in Kennewick.

Game time is 3 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. Tickets start at $25.50.

English started playing basketball when he was 6 years old. By the time he was 7, he was starting on a team for much older kids.

He began hearing from colleges when he was still in middle school.

For English, basketball became his focus — and his way to make a better life.

“My mom didn’t have all the money in the world. She made things work for us, but I knew she couldn’t pay for college,” English said.

He earned a scholarship to Cleveland State University, and then went on to spend three years in the NBA Development League.

He eventually became a Globetrotter. His first game in the red, white and blue was in his hometown.

“My whole family was there,” he said. “My mom was like, ‘Do you know what team you’re playing for? You’re playing for an historic team!’ ”

English has had plenty of memorable experiences with the Globetrotters since, including playing before a massive crowd at Madison Square Garden.

“There were probably 17,000 people there. It was the best game of my life,” English said.

He was involved in a shootout — Globetrotter style, set back 30 feet from the basket. And he was in the zone.

“Our team and the opposing team would go back and forth shooting. They got four in a row. I hit seven or eight in a row. Just to feel that energy in that building — everybody is looking at you. There aren’t too many times you get in the zone like that, where you feel like the basket is 40 feet wide. It felt like the perfect game. I didn’t want to leave that arena.”

The fun of being a Globetrotter, English said, is delighting kids and families. Making them smile, marvel, have fun.

People shouldn’t miss the chance to see the team in person on Nov. 12, he said.

“Bring the whole family to come see us,” he said. “We come with something different every year.”

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the Toyota Center box office. Those purchased through the box office avoid service charges.

This story was originally published November 4, 2017 at 2:31 PM with the headline "The legendary Harlem Globetrotters to play Nov. 12 in Kennewick."