Milton Leon Banks (October 17, 1958 – July 18, 2007), was an American

basketball player Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

best known for his seasons spent touring with the Harlem Globetrotters. He started his basketball career at Cal-Poly in 1979, he was a member of several

3x3 (basketball) 3x3 basketball (pronounced ''three-ex-three'') is a variation of basketball played three-a-side, with one backboard and in a half-court setup. According to an ESSEC Business School study commissioned by the International Olympic Committee, 3 ...

, or Hoop-it-up championship teams, Dino Smiley's

Drew League The Drew League is a pro–am basketball league held every summer in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1973, the league has grown in popularity over the years, with NBA players regularly participating in its games. History The Drew L ...

, and was named to the

Venice Beach Venice is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles within the Westside region of Los Angeles County, California. Venice was founded by Abbot Kinney in 1905 as a seaside resort town. It was an independent city until 1926, when it was annexed by ...

's basketball Hall of Fame in 2012 along the likes of Kobe Bryant.

Early life

Milton Leon Banks was born on October 17, 1958, in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. He is the son of the late Cleola and Herbert Banks Jr. Milton attended Russell Elementary and 28th Street School in Los Angeles. His family soon relocated to

Pomona, California Pomona is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 151,713. The main campus of California State Pol ...

, where he would grow up.

Career

He began his career as a basketball player after graduating from Garey High School in 1976. From there he went on to play for Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA, and shortly thereafter, he returned home to

Pomona, Ca Pomona is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 151,713. The main campus of California State Polytech ...

to play for Cal-Poly's basketball team from 1979-1980. Milton's 6'7 stature quickly gained him notice among the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

division II teams. In 1993 he attracted the attention of the Harlem Globetrotters, landing a position on their team. He went on tour with the Globetrotters a few seasons which led him to accepting roles on T.V.,

The Steve Harvey Show ''The Steve Harvey Show'' is an American television sitcom that aired on The WB from August 25, 1996, to February 17, 2002. It was created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan. Synopsis Steve Hightower ( Steve Harvey) is a 1970s funk ...

, and movies Sunset Park 1996, and

B*A*P*S ''B.A.P.S'' (an acronym for '' Black American Princesses'') is a 1997 American female buddy comedy film directed by Robert Townsend and starring Halle Berry, Natalie Desselle, and Martin Landau. The film was written by Troy Byer and was her fir ...

in 1997.

Philanthropy

Milton was an avid member and proud supporter of Athletes in Action, which is a ministry that uses sports to help lead others to Christ. He would also volunteer at local

Boys and Girls Clubs of America Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) is a national organization of local chapters which provide voluntary after-school programs for young people. The organization, which holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code, h ...

as a mentor to the kids.

Filmography

1997 * Sunset Park (film) 1996 *

(T.V. show) 1996

References

External links

* Harlem Globetrotters All Time Roster https://web.archive.org/web/20121208045155/http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/harlem-globetrotters-all-time-roster * Basketball Profile http://basketball.usbasket.com/player/Milton-Banks/Cameroon/California-State-Polytechnica-Un.-Pomona/155193 * California Sneakers mobile Museum http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/california-sneakers-mobile-museum-featuring-former-harlem-news-photo/564052377 {{DEFAULTSORT:Banks, Milton L 1958 births People from Pomona, California Harlem Globetrotters players 2007 deaths American male actors