Names like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan and others come up frequently in conversations about the greatest basketball players of all time. Most likely, the bulk of those reading this would have never considered Earl "The Goat" Manigault's name for that list. Most likely, the bulk of those reading this article have not even heard of him. Granted, he didn't step foot in a single NBA game, but he did leave a marking impression on the basketball world.
Manigault grew up on the hard streets of Harlem, New York, where he practiced basketball obsessively. He frequently attached weights to his ankles, which eventually helped him attain an incredible vertical jump. The 6' 2" Manigault had a 52-inch vertical, and he was well-known for his dunking ability. He was even able to grab quarters off the top of the backboard. However, his game wasn't limited to simply dunking. He was incredibly quick and athletic, had a beautiful and consistent outside shot and dominated the Harlem courts for many years.
There's much controversy over how Manigault earned the nickname "The Goat." Some suggest it's because "GOAT" stands for "greatest player of all time." Others say it's because his last name was mistaken for "nanny goat," and the name "goat" stuck. Whatever the reason, the "Goat" is well known in Harlem and at the famous street court, Rucker Park. Hocombe Rucker, whom "Rucker Park" is named after, was a mentor to Goat.
Manigault played with some of the best players of all time, including Earl Monroe, Connie Hawkins and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. After Abdul-Jabbar's retirement ceremony, which celebrated his impressive 30-year NBA career, he was asked who the best player he ever faced was. Surprisingly, he said it was "the Goat."
In the late 1950s, Goat set the Benjamin Franklin High School record by scoring 57 points in a game. Yet, he was kicked out of school not long after for smoking marijuana. After finishing at a private academy, Manigault returned to Harlem only to develop a heroin addiction. He was frequently in and out of prison from 1969-1978 before quitting the drug for good. He eventually fled New York with his sons to move to Charleston, South Carolina so his sons would not be subject to the same kind of drug exposure. Later, he established the "Walk Away From Drugs" tournament for kids in Harlem.
In 1998, Manigault died of a congestive heart failure at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.
Learn more about Earl Manigault's story:
- Rebound: The Earl Manigault Story (movie)
- Double Dunk (book)
