By Amy Hillard

 

The Harlem Globetrotters will suit up for audiences once more when their 2009 “Spinning the Globe” World Tour event revisits Columbus on April 15 at 7 p.m. at Nationwide Arena.

From dribbling tricks to extraordinary fan interaction, the Globetrotters have always been known both for their ability to entertain in addition to displaying their athletic talent. The team has been around since 1926 and its members have become known as “Ambassadors of Goodwill," spreading laughter and excitement to the millions of audience members who have come out to watch them.

But the players have more in mind than just entertainment when they take the court. CityScene had the opportunity to talk with Globetrotter "Moo Moo" Evans, a guard who played for Troy (2004).

 

“It’s about the interaction that comes with being a Globetrotter, specifically the children I encounter while entertaining," Evans says.

 

He first saw the famous basketball team with his dad when he was a child. From that point he was determined to follow the legacy that team members such as “Curly” Neal and Wilt Chamberlain have set forth for the Hall of Fame basketball team.

Evans' favorite experience as a player comes from an interaction he had with a young girl who was battling cancer.

 

"Before a performance, one of the kids came over. She was suffering with cancer and she gave me a rubber band to wear. I’ll never forget the look on her face when I came out wearing it during the show,” Evans says.

 

Experiences such as this one and visits to children’s hospitals and schools are what Evans loves most about his career.

 

“It’s all about making people smile,” he says.

In the future, Evans wants to open up his own basketball-themed restaurant for people of all age groups to enjoy. However, as for right now he’s enjoying life both as a Globetrotter and as a coach for an AAU girls’ basketball team.

 

To see Evans and his teammates in action, visit www.ticketmaster.com for ticket information, or call 800-745-3000.

 

For more information about upcoming events at Nationwide Arena, visit www.NationwideArena.com.