Swee'pea: The Story of Lloyd Daniels and Other Playground Basketball Legends

by John Valenti, Ron Naclerio (With)

“If you care about basketball or about people, you will care about this book.” —(John Feinstein, author of Season on the Brink )“[Daniels’s] story was quite powerful in an age before the Internet and social media and is a fantastic read for this generation’s basketball players, parents, and lovers of the game.” —(Ronnie Flores, Ball is Life)In this updated edition of a lost classic of sports writing, authors John Valenti and Ron Naclerio chronicle the life of Lloyd Daniels, one of New York City’s most legendary basketball players.Lloyd Daniels learned to hoop on the playgrounds of Brooklyn and Queens during the 1980s. “Swee’pea” they called him. His rep on the court traveled all the way to the Bronx, and across the country, earning him enthusiastic comparisons to the likes of Magic Johnson. Swee’pea was sure to make it to the big time and out of a New York City where drugs and violence had gripped many of its neighborhoods. And eventually he did, leaving the city’s asphalt courts for the shiny hardwoods of NCAA programs, minor pro-leagues, and eventually the NBA.He took with him, however, a drug habit, a learning disability, and a reputation for self-destruction.With Swee’pea , Newsday reporter John Valenti and celebrated New York City high school basketball coach Ron Naclerio brilliantly capture how an athletic phenom becomes both a product of his environment, and his own worst enemy. Supplementing Daniels’s enigmatic story are profiles of basketball successes like former NBA stars Kenny Anderson, John Salley, and Mark Jackson—and tragedies like Earl “The Goat” Manigault, Richie Adams, and Tony “Red” Bruin—who never made the league.Timeless, gritty, and hard-hitting, Swee’pea is a classic tale that illuminates why so many of basketball's best players throw away multimillion dollar careers, and a journey back to a time when the humble playground courts of New York City were giving rise to some of the finest players in the world.

Genres: Sports, Basketball

416 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 5, 2016

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lloyd Daniels seemed to have it all – at least when it came to his status as a playground basketball legend in New York City. He had dreams of making it to the NBA and nothing was going to stop him. However, there were plenty of thing that DID derail the young man’s drams and they make for a very sad tale. Lloyd’s dilemma is not uncommon and his story, along with several other playground legends, is expertly captured in this compelling book by John Valenti.

The book was first published in 1990 when Daniels, nicknamed “Swee’pea” after the character in the Popeye cartoons, was eye-opening for what it revealed about life in the inner city for these basketball players. They are so focused on basketball that other options, such as education, and perils, such as drugs and street crime, are either ignored or the young man succumbs to them.

Daniels’ story is particularly sad, as he was provided so many chances to succeed. He was enrolled at a community college without a high school diploma or GED, played on a basketball team with NBA talent at a drug rehabilitation facility, enrolled in a major college without said diploma or even passing grades in community college and most importantly, many opportunities to recover from his drug addiction. It is a fascinating tale, mostly sad, at times irritating, but always compelling.

There are many other stories of players who had the same types of struggles as Daniels – mostly with the same fate, but a few success stories such as Kenny Anderson. While they made for good reading, I thought they were a bit of a distraction from the main story of Daniels. Nonetheless, because the goal of the book was to make the reader become more aware of these stories, it was good that they were included.

If a reader read the original book in 1990, the updated information is very good and helps explain the story in more depth. If the reader is like me and this version is the first time he or she has read the book, it is well worth the time to read in order to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the life and trappings that a playground basketball star will encounter.

I wish to thank Atria Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[John Valenti 3rd]

“If you care about basketball or about people, you will care about this book.” —(John Feinstein, author of Season on the Brink)

“[Daniels’s] story was quite powerful in an age before the Internet and social media and is a fantastic read for this generation’s basketball players, parents, and lovers of the game.” —(Ronnie Flores, Ball is Life)

In this updated edition of a lost classic of sports writing, authors John Valenti and Ron Naclerio chronicle the life of Lloyd Daniels, one of New York City’s most legendary basketball players.

Lloyd Daniels learned to hoop on the playgrounds of Brooklyn and Queens during the 1980s. “Swee’pea” they called him. His rep on the court traveled all the way to the Bronx, and across the country, earning him enthusiastic comparisons to the likes of Magic Johnson. Swee’pea was sure to make it to the big time and out of a New York City where drugs and violence had gripped many of its neighborhoods. And eventually he did, leaving the city’s asphalt courts for the shiny hardwoods of NCAA programs, minor pro-leagues, and eventually the NBA.

He took with him, however, a drug habit, a learning disability, and a reputation for self-destruction.

With Swee’pea, Newsday reporter John Valenti and celebrated New York City high school basketball coach Ron Naclerio brilliantly capture how an athletic phenom becomes both a product of his environment, and his own worst enemy. Supplementing Daniels’s enigmatic story are profiles of basketball successes like former NBA stars Kenny Anderson, John Salley, and Mark Jackson—and tragedies like Earl “The Goat” Manigault, Richie Adams, and Tony “Red” Bruin—who never made the league.

Timeless, gritty, and hard-hitting, Swee’pea is a classic tale that illuminates why so many of basketball's best players throw away multimillion dollar careers, and a journey back to a time when the humble playground courts of New York City were giving rise to some of the finest players in the world.

[Mason R · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well documented account of the rise and fall of Lloyd Daniels. Granted, this was written before his short stint in the NBA, so he did make it to some degree. Overall a sad story. Talent given doesn't remain intact forever. You have to nurture it and work hard to get better. Lloyd couldn't get away from the lure of street life long enough to nurture his gift. This book explores how a great hoop talent was seduced by those who told him he could do no wrong. He did plenty wrong. By his early 20's Lloyd had somehow squandered all his chances, having never stepped on a college court to play basketball and barely surviving a near fatal shooting.

[Ivan Zullo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As they say, everyone's got a story to tell. Lloyd Daniels definitely has an interested one.
He's probably one of greatest what-if of basketball history and I must thank John Valenti for gifting us with this book.
By reading Lloyd's ordeal, you are forced to think of how the sport recruiting system had some flaws in the 80s and 90s. Llyod Daniels has been a sort of manifesto of that era: the system use you as long as they need you in a basketball court and when they don't need you anymore, they throw you out like garbage.
If you read this book like a fiction, you'll be so glad to discover the Llyod survived and it's been able to change, after all.

[Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder what Lloyd Daniels would have been without the drugs, or the basketball talent. Many, many chances.