17-Year Veteran with the Harlem Globetrotters Reveals the Brand's 'Greatest Trick' (Exclusive)

Meredith WilshereSun, March 1, 2026 at 10:00 PM UTC

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Hammer from the Harlem GlobetrottersCredit: Harlem Globetrotters -

Donte "Hammer" Harrison is reflecting on 17 years with the Harlem Globetrotters and how it shaped his life and career

Harrison credits the team with helping him come out of his shell while inspiring fans through basketball and community impact

As the Globetrotters celebrate 100 years of spreading joy, Harrison highlights the team's focus on innovation and family connection

Donte "Hammer" Harrison has been with the Harlem Globetrotters for 17 years. The basketball player and real estate agent, 40, shares the way his life has changed since joining the team — and the greatest trick the team has when it comes to engaging with audiences.

While talking to PEOPLE, the Brooklyn, N.Y., native reflects on being part of the team, which was first founded in 1926, how being mic'd up during games breaks him out of his introverted shell and what it feels like to be a global ambassador for the team and the sport.

"I had the opportunity to play in front of a great scout for the Harlem Globetrotters. He invited me to try out. I played a lot of New York City basketball, Rucker Park, in the pro city tournaments, and I saw my athletic capabilities. I didn't know any of the tricks, but I came on like a fresh mind, learning from my vets. I've learned so much. It's more than basketball for me, it's about the impact we have on a game," Harrison shares.

Harrison is one of the team's showmen, which means that he has a microphone on during the game. In this role, he can engage with the crowd and serve as the team's voice. As a result, the game, for him, "looks a lot different."

Credit: Harlem Globetrotters

"I'm the one who's mic'd up during the game, and it's like my playground. Growing up in Brooklyn, I was always an introvert. I kept to myself a lot. So becoming a Harlem Globetrotter allowed me to have a platform where I can be more outspoken," Harrison says.

He goes on to say that one of the "greatest" skills he got from the Globetrotters is to "communicate and to be relatable with our audiences."

"I love to give our fans something they have never seen before in a basketball game, that's always my first goal. I wanna inspire those young kids who maybe never even played basketball to know that something as small as a basketball can take you around the world if you give it a chance," Harrison shares.

As a kid, he used to remember taking the train transfer at the Atlantic Terminal, Barclays Center subway stop. Now, he gets to play at the arena in front of all the fans. "We were the first basketball team to play right after the stadium opened," he says.

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Harrison recalls, "I'll never forget Oct. 7, 2012. It was a great moment looking back on where I was before growing up in high school, not knowing what I was gonna be in life or what I wanted to be. Now, I'm the focal point of this stage, spreading goodwill and impact across arenas. I don't take it lightly."

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He shares that what "drives" him is the fans. "The engagement that we have year after year. Hearing their stories, the private DMs I get, the emails I get about the fans," he says.

Hammer from the Harlem GlobetrottersCredit: Harlem Globetrotters

The basketball player also enjoys "what we bring new to the game every single year," explaining that the team is continuously innovating, finding "new ways we create new experiences for our guests when they come to a game."

"This is our 100th year. We're not only honoring 100 years of basketball, we're also honoring the years of impact, the years as a goodwill ambassador and the years spent spreading joy all around the world," Harrison continues, noting that "what I love most is the things we do off the court."

Hammer from the Harlem GlobetrottersCredit: Harlem Globetrotters

In 2015, Harrison suffered an injury that sidelined him and kept him from playing. He was able to shift his role from player to ambassador, and through that, he would visit schools and hospitals. "I learned how to do all these things off the court, and I'm big on legacy and building impact, and I realized my voice and what I have to say can be my superpower," he says.

Since then, Harrison says, "I've given speeches at community colleges where I grew up, and other speaking engagements, roles I would never have been able to do had I not been with the Harlem Globetrotters. We get a lot of new players that come in, and they're a little shy. I always tell them, 'Just give it a chance, open your mind up, let your voice be a superpower.' "

Ultimately, the athlete says, "our greatest trick is bringing families together." Harrison adds, "If you're looking for fun, wholesome entertainment, to get your mind off of everything else that's going on in the world, come check out the Harlem Globetrotters."

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Source: “AOL Sports”