Who are the Washington Generals? The Harlem Globetrotters' archrival, and much more

Editors note: Throughout the week, The Athletic highlighted the Harlem Globetrotters and their contributions to basketball, vision for entertainment and overall commitment to goodwill.

This series will conclude on Sunday, Feb.

16.

The Washington Generals epitomize the notion of an underdog.

Thats an easy reputation to earn with more than 18,000 losses compared to three wins on ones resume, but the Generals have been on the losing end time and time again when looking at their decades-long rivalry with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Advertisement When it comes to one of Americas favorite exhibition games, the Generals are rarely viewed as losers.

If anything, they are supporting cast members for a beloved Globetrotters team that focuses on one primary goal: entertaining the masses.

The Globetrotters need an opponent.

They need a team to defeat.

Why not the Generals? Youve got to make them look good, Generals guard Jordan Fuchs told The Athletic .

Thats the job of a Washington General: to enhance whats already on the table.

The Globetrotters are the eye candy; somebody needs to make sure they receive the praise on the court.

And because members of the Generals are so good at what they do, attending matchups between both teams provides a unique experience for fans.

Even if defeat is routinely inevitable for Washington 1971 is a long time to taste defeat after defeat.

Its hard to explain the competitive value of knowing youll lose just about every basketball game you play.

Imagine training your hardest, only to anticipate the scoreboard not tilting in your favor.

The notion can be frustrating, right? Or, to Fuchs, a former football and basketball athlete at Indiana University, games against the Globetrotters can be more than just whats shown on the scoreboard.

Its a rewarding experience because I get to put smiles on everyones faces, even if Im on the losing end, Fuchs said.

Everyone enjoys it, and for me personally, I enjoy it because I get to play the game I love and I get to showcase my abilities.

I get to travel and meet amazing people.

The network that Ive accumulated from doing this is incredible.

Different people in different states, different countries.

It has been amazing.

For the Generals, created in 1952 by Louis Red Klotz and considered the most futile team in sports history, there is always joy in knowing the next day could be the one when they end the skid.

The team initially was meant to legitimately compete against the Globetrotters but eventually became the ultimate crash test dummy for its opponents donning red, white and blue on the hardwood.

Advertisement Being a General requires a unique focus.

The roster features skilled players who have to be ambitious enough to recognize the awareness of always being secondary in the show.

No matter the circumstance, the goal is to always ensure the Globetrotters come out on top, even though fans will leave arenas impressed by displays of athleticism, 4-point shots and dynamic dunks coming from the team wearing green and yellow.

The Generals, in many ways, take on the role of the ultimate antagonists.

Fuchs considers himself the lead villain.

Its a responsibility he takes very seriously, all for the spirit of entertainment.

If you remove the outcome, you know were going to lose, but if you remove the outcome and just focus on the process and the game, you find joy in that, he said.

pic.twitter.com/oiiiu0IrNi Jordan Fuchs (@therealjordan81) February 18, 2022 On Jan.

5, 1971, in a matchup in Martin, Tenn., the Generals then playing as the New Jersey Reds snapped a 2,495-game losing streak with a 100-99 victory over the Globetrotters.

As the Globetrotters entertained the crowd, the Generals stormed ahead in the final seconds.

Klotz made the game-winning basket as the buzzer sounded to give the Generals their most exciting victory in modern-day history.

It was the first time in 14 years the Globetrotters had lost a matchup against their archrival.

After the game, Klotz, who died in 2014 at 92 years old, famously quipped that beating the Globetrotters is like shooting Santa Claus, but how did the Generals legend feel about finally being on the right side of the scoreboard? I think it was probably the best day of his whole entire life, Bronwen OKeefe, Globetrotters head of brand marketing and content, told The Athletic .

I cant imagine the celebration and happiness that he had.

He probably held on to that day for a very, very long time or through the rest of his life.

Advertisement We still count that day as being a very important moment in the history of the Globetrotters.

You cant talk about the history of the Globetrotters without talking about the Generals.

How the rivalry plays out has changed over the years.

Its been good versus evil, with the Globetrotters as the heroes and the Generals as the villains.

There was even a masked General known as Cager who was the ultimate villain and played by multiple players.

Other times, its simply the story of the underdog Generals trying to upend the Globetrotters.

Given the lopsided nature of the rivalry, a question is why would someone want to play for the Generals? For one, it is an opportunity to play professional basketball.

The Generals arent simply props on the court; theyre real basketball players.

Some have been scouted in the G League, some in the NBA Summer League, some internationally just like some members of the Globetrotters.

One of the most famous names to play for the Generals is Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, who suited up for the Generals in the 1980s.

Lieberman was the first woman to play for the Generals.

Kayla Gabor is on the team now and is the second woman to play for the Generals.

Gabor is a former all-conference guard from Division II Lake Erie College in Ohio, a leading scorer during the 2016-17 season for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Im a General, which is very unique, Gabor said.

Nancy Lieberman, I believe, was 1977 to 78, so for me, bringing back the female on the opponents side is a unique spotlight.

I know in the past, were villainous and supposed to just be the enemy, but I always came in like, OK, we dont win every game, but I set personal goals.

My personal goals are to get the crowd on my side.

I always like to try and find people out of the audience to be like, Watch this! and hit a couple 3s in a row.

Ill do it for them.

Seriously, it is motivation for me.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kayla Gabor (@kaylagabor) The Generals, like the Globetrotters, practice and work on a variety of areas on the court.

They travel wherever the Globetrotters travel, with equal accommodations.

We all understand its a show, and maybe the youngest members of our audience dont understand the full kind of weight or meaning or impact of that, OKeefe said.

But we also have to account for the fact that on both teams, these are real people, real athletes with real skills, and theyre playing professional basketball.

We want to give them the opportunity to be able to show those skills off.

Advertisement There also remains the hope for Generals to be moved to the Globetrotters.

It doesnt happen often, but Latif Jet Rivers is a Globetrotter who started with the Generals (formerly known as the World All-Stars in 2013 and 2014) after playing college basketball at Wagner College in the early 2010s.

Rivers was moved to the Globetrotters in 2017 after spending time on the opposing teams.

This week were diving into the rich history of the Washington Generals and their unique rivalry with the Harlem Globetrotters! Discover which current Globetrotter has a history playing for the Generals...Tune in this weekend to #PlayItForward on NBC! pic.twitter.com/kLrfzu6cJ5 Harlem Globetrotters (@Globies) December 27, 2024 The Generals arent the stars of the show, but they are definitely an important part of Globetrotters history.

Even with loss after loss, theyve become fan favorites and role models for children.

In the eyes of many, they are far from an underdog.

It seriously is almost like a dream, Gabor said.

There are a lot of eyes on us, but its a really good role to take on.

It almost gives me a purpose in basketball that I never knew the sport would bring.

Its just awesome to be a part of history, as well, Fuchs added.

The history of the Globetrotters.

Shakeia Taylor contributed to this report.

(Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic ; photos courtesy of the Harlem Globetrotters).

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