By Fred Cromartie, Ed.D. |
With the NBA All Star Game just around the corner on Sunday, March 7 2021, one can only image who will be the selected to sing the National Anthem.
With that in mind I want to take a magical journey back to the year 1983 and the NBA All Star Game. Justin Tinsley’s 2018 piece in The Undefeated – “The Players’ Anthem: When Marvin Gaye Sang ‘The Star-Spangled Banner'” – speaks to the pride and heartbreak that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pat Riley, Magic Johnson, Dr. J. and many more had from witnessing Marvin Gaye’s rendition of the National Anthem.
Tinsley, states that Pat Riley said “Being the head coach of the Lakers, and coaching the All-star Game at the Great Western Forum the day, it just made it special, almost spiritual-type moment for me.”
You can listen to Gaye sing the National Anthem below:
You can see for yourself, listen to Gaye sing the National Anthem.
Dr. Fred Cromartie is the Director of Doctoral Studies at the United States Sports Academy.