To show 'em what you've got on the playgrounds of NYC: how's that feel?

Whenever you step on a New York City playground, you always feel like you've got to prove some thing because no one fears you. New York is loaded with players who have great talent, even if you don't know much about them. They may have messed up in life and not gotten the chance to play in college, but they can play ball.

One thing about the playground: They want to test your manhood, and they want to see if you will continue to play once you get hurt. That's a sign of toughness to players in New York. If they put you on your behind, they want to see if you're going to get back up and keep playing or hack down and go home.

Players are used to being pampered in college and in the pros. It's not like that on the playground. You might have a ball with no air. You're playing on concrete. You're playing in the heat. You play with chain nets. You have, like, a film on your hands from playing outside. But you can't make any excuses. People expect you to play like you do on TV.

In the Big East, the play is more structured. Guys have specific roles, play defense, rebound, set picks. But on the playground, everybody wants to show their overall game and not be limited. In the park, you play ...