Syracuse legend Pearl Washington passes away at 52

[sportjames23]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/syracuse-legend-pearl-washington-52-loses-battle-with-brain-cancer/ar-BBs1vnc?li=BBnbfcL

Man, I didn't know he had cancer. :(

[Thunderfan86]

RIP

[feyki]

Rest in peace . But too young man , it's sad .

[AngelEyes]

Way too many basketball players dying in their 50's lately. Very sad.

[senelcoolidge]

RIP
I didn't watch him, he was before my time. But my Dad told me about him..great college bball player. Known for the crossover.

[stalkerforlife]

RIP.

Dude was a baller.

[Young X]

RIP. I believe he was the first guy to start doing crossovers. As some one who frequently uses them, I thank him for his contributions to the game.

[FillJackson]

RIP
I didn't watch him, he was before my time. But my Dad told me about him..great college bball player. Known for the crossover.

Was a great, great college baller. He wasn't speedy, but he was almost unguardable, he could get to any spot on the floor he wanted to. Put the Syracuse player on the map.

Georgetown in Ewing's days used to play a swarming full court press. He would break it by himself
https://youtu.be/Qqt2HEbAGO8?t=233

He was one of those guys who could start at a standstill and just take you. Great change of speed and direction
https://youtu.be/Qqt2HEbAGO8?t=124

Mark Jackson said he was slippery. Said that a lot young guys would play against the older crew on the playground, but Pearl Washington was the only schoolboy who could perform against them.

[FillJackson]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YLf6tzlw0k

Good video on the evolution of the crossover. Iverson didn't do it until he got to college. Tim Hardaway learned it from watching Pearl Washington.

This is something I talk about when people talk about old ball players. Wilt and Russell didn't grow up with the NBA on TV. They could watch guys in their neighborhood at 10-12 years old, but not the very best. Even in the 1970's basketball wasn't TV all the time. Watching the greats as you grow up has a giant influence on the individual players and the development of the game as a whole.

[Rake2204]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YLf6tzlw0k

Good video on the evolution of the crossover. Iverson didn't do it until he got to college. Tim Hardaway learned it from watching Pearl Washington.

This is something I talk about when people talk about old ball players. Wilt and Russell didn't grow up with the NBA on TV. They could watch guys in their neighborhood at 10-12 years old, but not the very best. Even in the 1970's basketball wasn't TV all the time. Watching the greats as you grow up has a giant influence on the individual players and the development of the game as a whole.I appreciate the video, man. Having come up through the ranks together in New York, Kenny Smith paid touching tribute to Pearl before the Pistons-Cavs game tonight. I could see him getting a little glassy eyed, and rightfully so. He made mention of this video.

As a sidenote, I was glad to hear Dwyane Wade mention how Tim Hardaway's crossover was particularly difficult and tough to emulate. I went through a few stages, one as recently as a year or so ago, where I set out to implement the Hardaway-specific Killer Cross into my game and even through lots of repetition and practice, it was tough to get it down to the point of being both super sharp and consistent.

That said, when I did manage to get the steps right, with the super low dribble (actually pulling it off proper) my god... it shakes a defender in the worst way.

[ClipperRevival]

I appreciate the video, man. Having come up through the ranks together in New York, Kenny Smith paid touching tribute to Pearl before the Pistons-Cavs game tonight. I could see him getting a little glassy eyed, and rightfully so. He made mention of this video.

As a sidenote, I was glad to hear Dwyane Wade mention how Tim Hardaway's crossover was particularly difficult and tough to emulate. I went through a few stages, one as recently as a year or so ago, where I set out to implement the Hardaway-specific Killer Cross into my game and even through lots of repetition and practice, it was tough to get it down to the point of being both super sharp and consistent.

That said, when I did manage to get the steps right, with the super low dribble (actually pulling it off proper) my god... it shakes a defender in the worst way.

Yup. Tim's crossover is clearly the hardest to master, especially going full speed. You really need superb coordination and reflexes to pull that move off.

[L.Kizzle]

RIP. I believe he was the first guy to start doing crossovers. As some one who frequently uses them, I thank him for his contributions to the game.
Crossover's were being done as far back as the late 60s by guys like Earl Monroe and Tiny Archibald.

[jayfan]

Earvin Magic Johnson
✔
‎@MagicJohnson

Rest In Peace to the best ball handler I've ever seen in my lifetime, Dwayne "Pearl" Washington.
3:09 PM - 20 Apr 2016


That's some high praise.




.

[Pointguard]

Was a great, great college baller. He wasn't speedy, but he was almost unguardable, he could get to any spot on the floor he wanted to. Put the Syracuse player on the map.

Georgetown in Ewing's days used to play a swarming full court press. He would break it by himself
https://youtu.be/Qqt2HEbAGO8?t=233

He was one of those guys who could start at a standstill and just take you. Great change of speed and direction
https://youtu.be/Qqt2HEbAGO8?t=124

Mark Jackson said he was slippery. Said that a lot young guys would play against the older crew on the playground, but Pearl Washington was the only schoolboy who could perform against them.

Pearl's crossover was a bit different than everybody else's in that he often got his head and shoulders in it. The misdirection would eliminate the first defender out of the play - not to just freeze the first defender. Pearl was not as quick as other point guards but he, like Mark Jackson, was fast. So you would see the play mature from Pearl's moves in a more dramatic way. Rose was/is the only player use the cross over with another move for the second and third defender. Sometimes, you would see Iverson, use the combination crossover move for the same effect.