227's YouTube "Chili"-Melvin "Sugar" McLaughlin & Grand Rapids, MI (MLK) King Park-Basketball Greats

Aug. 7, 2009 - PRLog -- Basketball in Grand Rapids Michigan is definately "Chili!" Players during the months of April-August play basketball at Grand Rapids Martin Luther King Park (King Park), which has been featured in world famous Sports Illustrated magazine, from roughly 6:30 pm-9:00 pm.

"Playing against tougher, older, experienced players is what makes your game better," said Al-Din. "During the summer months, King Park (Grand Rapids) helps alot of high-school players get better ("Chili" Competition)."

Players like Melvin "Sugar" McLaughlin (Grand Rapids Basketball Legend-"Shoot it SUGE!") & basketball stars Michael "Pops" Sims, Anthony Welch, Andre Harris, Loy Vaught, Mike Davenport, Justin Jennings, Thomas "Tom Tom ('Chili'-Crossover)" Kelly, Jamie Cole, Marte Smith, Geno Carlisle, Eric McLaughlin, Lacy Jones, Michael Spicer, Anthony Soule, Eric Taylor, Thomas Kilgore, Matt Stewart, "Preacher," & more give players the competition needed to go to the next level; usually a college scholarship and an opportunity for a college education & possibly the NBA.

http://www.hoops227.com/youtube_basketball_grand_rapids_m...

The establishment of Grand Rapids "NightCourt" Basketball League at Paul I. Phillips Gymnasium, which kept kids out of troublesome nightlife, gave basketball players an opportunity to get better at their game.

"King Park, for me, was always a chance to get better," said Al-Din. "Playing for Ed Palubinskas (LSU & Olympic Games Record Setter) in High School (Mountain Home HS, Mtn. Home, ID), and going back to Grand Rapids during the summer was enteresting because I knew how to shoot, but in the park you have to add more to your game in terms of creativity ("Chili")."

One of Grand Rapids, Michigan's most celebrated basketball players and contributors to the community of Grand Rapids, is Melvin "Sugar" McLaughlin ("Shoot it Suge") who starred at Central Michigan University and has "Chili" range out of this world (For "Suge" NBA 3-point range & beyond, is easy)!

"Watching Melvin McLaughlin during the Gus Macker Summer 3 on 3 Basketball Tournaments is exciting," said Al-Din. "Put it this way, with a 45 mph wind blowing in 8 different directions "Sugar" Mel could shoot the lights out from 3-point range (Ice Cold "Chillin")! It was always a "Chili" time of basketball excitement to leave 'da hood' and travel up to Belding, MI and see "Sugar" Melvin McLaughlin shoot during the Gus Macker Basketball Tournament!"

It's 'big time' basketball and competition throughout the state of Michigan. The top five divisions of All-State players can expect Division I NCAA Basketball offers & predominantly from the Big 10 Conference, with schools like University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Northwestern and Minnesota.

"Amazing is how you can describe watching "big-time" basketball shooting accuracy in the park or 3 on 3 basketball tournaments, when the weather has heavy winds," said Al-Din. "Melvin is accurate, even today, and trains and helps kids get better. To see him at Martin Luther King Park, early, on a Saturday morning training kids and helping them get better, is encouraging."

The previously mentioned Grand Rapids, MI "Chili" basketball players attended colleges like Michigan State University, University of Illinois, Purdue University, Indiana, Northwestern, Cal-Berkley, Xavier, Oakland University (Detroit), UCONN, Central Michigan University & Ball State (David Letterman's Alma Mater). Basketball competition is competitive in Grand Rapids, MI.

"I can remember me and my uncle running into Melvin McLaughlin at a fitness center one summer," said Al-Din. "He had a conversation with my uncle, asked where I was attending school and shook my hand with a huge SMILE (literally showing all of his teeth (lol))! Melvin McLaughlin has a way of giving, through the game of basketball (Grand Rapids - "Chili" - Style)."

Jamaal Al-Din's Hoops 227 (227's YouTube "Chili"-Melvin "Sugar" McLaughlin & Grand Rapids Basketball Greats-NBA Mix) provides Wikipedia information, YouTube highlights and links of all NBA Teams including:

Atlanta Hawks /  Boston Celtics /  Charlotte Bobcats  /  Chicago Bulls /  Cleveland Cavaliers /  Dallas Mavericks /  Denver Nuggets /  Detroit Pistons /  Golden State Warriors  / Houston Rockets /  Indiana Pacers /  Los Angeles Clippers /  Los Angeles Lakers /  Memphis Grizzlies /  Miami Heat  / Milwaukee Bucks  / Minnesota Timberwolves /  New Jersey Nets /  New Orleans Hornets /  New York Knicks /  Orlando Magic /  Philadelphia 76ers /  Phoenix Suns /   Portland Trail Blazers /  Sacramento Kings /  San Antonio Spurs /  Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC)  /  Toronto Raptors /  Utah Jazz /  Washington Wizards

http://www.hoops227.com/youtube_nba_1.html

For YouTube and basketball video entertainment, tune into Jamaal Al-Din's Hoops 227 (227's YouTube "Chili"-Melvin "Sugar" McLaughlin & Grand Rapids Basketball Greats-NBA Mix)-the everything basketball & YouTube entertainment website. 227's YouTube "Chili"-(227's YouTube "Chili"-Melvin "Sugar" McLaughlin & Grand Rapids Basketball Greats-NBA Mix). Taste it!

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Jamaal Al-Din's Hoops 227-the everything basketball website, located in Boise, Idaho features YouTube NBA, You Tube Jordan, and uTube basketball footage of the world's most exciting players. We specialize in basketball camps, clinics and private training.