Streetball Legend Provat Gupta on Why Streetball is the True Essence of Basketball
 Photos by Steed Media Service |
During
the late ‘70s and early `80s, Provat Gupta made a name for himself by
dismantling opponents at the legendary Rucker Park in New York and
Venice Beach in California. Gupta played alongside players such as
Jerry Chambers, Casey Russell, and Raymond Lewis, and served as host of
the Labor Day Classic in Venice Beach, Calif., after he retired. Gupta
recently sat down with rolling out sports to talk about the importance
of streetball. –amir shaw
You have been involved in the streetball movement your entire life. Why is streetball so important?
The magic starts with streetball. It’s how you began to communicate as
a kid and prepare yourself for adulthood. Streetball has a way of
keeping you connected and safe. It allows you to express yourself and
be spirited. You can find out who you are by playing the game because
basketball and the game of life are similar. I talk to guys who learned
a lot on the basketball court and they tell me how the game inspired
them.
How were you able to impact young players after you retired from basketball?
My entertainment came from the streets of New York, but I took my
positive energy to affect people when my playing days were over. I
hosted the biggest streetball tournaments in California. We had
thousands of people attend. We had guys like Gilbert Arenas and Kobe
Bryant in the tournament. I also established wheelchair leagues and
helped young players develop their games. It felt very good to have an
impact on so many people.
Talk about some of the training techniques that you have developed to help young ballers improve their game.
I have created the first basketball map called, “Virtual Extreme
Technique.” There are 20 essential shots in basketball. I have taken
the most proven spots that will allow a person to maximize their game.
There are money shots that will make a big difference.
