Harlem Globetrotters to stop in Kennewick on Feb. 21

Chris “Handles” Franklin first saw the Harlem Globetrotters on the cartoon Scooby-Doo as a kid.

He was hooked.

“I never wanted to do anything else in life,” he said. “I picked up a basketball and never put it back down.”

Franklin is now is in his ninth year with the legendary exhibition basketball team, which stops Feb. 21 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.

Game time is 3 p.m.

Franklin visited the Tri-Cities this week, ahead of the game, to meet with schoolkids and help spread the Globetrotters’ message.

“Right now, we’re talking about bullying prevention,” he said. “I also talk about things that made me successful — listening to parents, teachers and principals, getting an education and believing in yourself and believing in your dreams.”

Franklin, a Pennsylvania native, is the son of a police officer and hospital worker.

He attended Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, where he was a standout on the basketball team.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in social work there, and went on to the University of Pittsburgh, graduating with a master’s degree.

Franklin never gave up on his dream of becoming a Globetrotter, persevering even after his first try — sending in a tape — didn’t yield results.

He worked on his skills and, eventually, the team came looking for him.

Playing in his first Globetrotters game was special. “But I think the first time I went home and played in front of my home crowd — my whole community watched me try to do this all my life. It was just an amazing feeling,” he said.

Franklin is a renowned dribbler who holds the world record for the farthest kneeling basketball shot made backwards — at 60 feet 7.5 inches.

With the Globetrotters, he’s played in countless games, delighting crowds across the U.S. and in 77 countries.

Entertaining troops in Iraq was one of the most memorable experiences, he said.

The Globetrotters celebrate their 90th anniversary this year.

Franklin said the team’s values and spirit of fun make it special.

“We cross generations. We’re able to connect with every generation of the family,” he said. “We stand for unity, bringing people together. It doesn’t matter what race, culture, ethnicity, gender you are — we believe in unity and bringing people together for smiles and having fun.”

Franklin won’t be with the Globetrotters during the Kennewick show, but he promises a good time.

This year, “it’s a show like no other show. There will be high-flying slam dunks, amazing ball handling. Memories that will last a lifetime,” he said. “It’s a must-see show.”

The Globetrotters are in the midst of a Great Assist campaign to leave their mark on communities through “acts of kindness and goodwill.” To nominate a deserving person or learn more, go to www.harlemglobetrotters.com/greatassist.

Tickets to the Feb. 21 show start at $25.50. They’re available at the Toyota Center box office and through Ticketmaster. Tickets purchased from the box office avoid service charges.

This story was originally published February 12, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Harlem Globetrotters to stop in Kennewick on Feb. 21."