Derick Grant: Making an Impact

Former Harlem Globetrotter, public speaker, and purpose coach Derick Grant sits down for a long conversation about his introduction to basketball and his unlikely path to the Harlem Globetrotters.

He reflects on how his parents, who grew up in rural South Carolina during the civil rights movement, built a strong foundation for him grounded in faith. And he talks about his nine-year career with the Globetrotters, which took him to 70 countries, breaking language, cultural and political barriers, and culminated with his historic 4-point shot and entry into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

He also recounts the history of the Harlem Globetrotters from their roots as the Savoy Big Five in 1926 Chicago to the world-class organization they are today. They broke racial barriers in the NBA in the 1940s, and Grant believes that sports continues to break down those barriers even today. Just as George Floyd’s death has changed the way he thinks about being a Black man in America, he points to the example of Colin Kaepernick using his platform to stand up for people who don’t have a choice...even though it cost him. “That’s what Jesus did,” he says.