Sunday night was a battle for New York. A clash between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, both vying to become the face of New York basketball. One of the most highly regarded cities in the basketball wor… okay if we’re being honest, this game wasn’t that serious. Neither the Knicks nor the Nets are very good right now, so the play on the court didn’t really matter nearly as much as those first two-and-a-half sentences suggest. That’s not to say the game wasn’t important.
On Sunday night, the Brooklyn Nets did something for the culture. Something that put the play of the game in the back of everyone’s mind, an afterthought. They honored Brooklyn native Christopher George Latore Wallace, better known as Notorious B.I.G.
The night was dubbed “Biggie Night,” and was an incredible celebration remembering one of the greatest rappers of all time. The night was highlighted by a pre-game speech delivered by Biggie’s mother Ms. Voletta Wallace, as well as the raising of an honorary banner into the rafter of the Barclay’s Center. The banner sported the number 72, the year of B.I.G.’s birth, and lyrics from his song “Juicy”: “Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.”
