Bensalem senior Kevin Grow will be playing with the Harlem Globetrotters at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday, March 9, 5 p.m. On Wednesday, two members of the Globetrotters – Handles and TNT - led a special assembly at Bensalem High School. To view photos of the assembly, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Check back next week for an article documenting Kevin Grow’s remarkable journey.
By Mary Jane Souder
Kevin Grow had just completed practicing a magic circle routine with two members of the Harlem Globetrotters in the lobby of Bensalem High School’s gymnasium.
‘Handles’ Franklin – of Globetrotter fame - smiled and said to the group of photographers recording Grow’s every move, “Is he perfect or what?”
While it would paralyze most to do any kind of routine with the Globetrotters, the Bensalem senior, who was born with Down syndrome, was unfazed , and Grow made it look and feel like the most natural thing in the world.
He also made it look effortless when – in front of more than 2000 Bensalem students at the assembly - he hit nothing but net on his first and only long-range shot during a challenge competition.
“There’s a guardian angel with an assist,” said Earl Grow, Kevin’s father.
Or maybe that’s just Kevin Grow being Kevin Grow.
“At this point, it’s not surprising,” said Bensalem basketball coach John Mullin. “This is just another day for him. That’s his approach.
“They emptied the building and rearranged a school day for him. There are 2,000 kids out there, and he walks up and buries a tough shot.”
Grow has been the manager of the basketball team for four years, and the Special Olympics gold medalist practices basketball at every opportunity. He has been a longtime fan of the Globetrotters.
“He was always fascinated by them, and he’s seen them a few times over the years,” said his mother, Dorothy Grow. “He watches Globetrotter clips on YouTube, and he’ll be laughing. He’ll replay them again and again.
“He would say, ‘Can I play for the Globetrotters?’ I said, ‘You’re still in school. Maybe when you get older.’”
Grow won’t have to wait until he gets older.
The Bensalem senior became an internet sensation by burying four three-pointers in the final two minutes of his team’s regular season finale against Neshaminy
The YouTube video of his remarkable sharpshooting – thanks in no small part to the efforts of his teammates – went viral and has well over a million views. Grow has been on television sportscasts from local stations to ESPN SportsCenter.
The Philadelphia 76ers signed Grow to a two-day contract, and more recently, he signed a contract with the Harlem Globetrotters – joining the legendary Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to play for both the Sixers and Globetrotters.
Wednesday’s assembly was preceded by a live early morning appearance on Fox 29’s Good Day, and Grow, of course, drained a three-pointer.
At Wednesday’s assembly, the Bensalem senior was at center court with Handles and TNT, wearing his official Harlem Globetrotters jersey bearing the number three with KG3 above it.
The focus of the assembly was anti-bullying, and Handles began by addressing the school’s outpouring of love and support for Grow.
“Last week I was in Paris, France, and I saw the video of what happened here with KG3,” he said. “Not only did I see how amazing KG3 was but how amazing that team is and how amazing that coach is and how amazing this school is.”
Handles’ introduction of Grow – “my man who is putting this area on the map, my man who shows that dreams can come true, my teammate KG3” – drew the biggest ovation of the afternoon.
“I don’t think enough credit is given to those amazing fellows right over here,” said Handles, pointing to Grow’s teammates. “These players, this team with that amazing coach and his staff – they allowed Kevin to achieve one of his goals and one of his dreams.”
Handles’ point of emphasis at the assembly was the ABC’s of Bullying Prevention.
“A stands for action,” he said. “If you see someone being bullied, we want people to take action, and that means telling an adult.
“B stands for bravery. It’s important that you’re brave enough to be a leader, you’re brave enough not to laugh when someone is being teased, and you’re brave enough when someone is getting teased on the internet not to chime in.
“C stands for compassion, caring about each other. If you care about each other, in turn you’ll have a better class, and in turn, you’ll have a better school, and in turn, you’ll have a better community.”
Handles closed by pointing to himself, TNT and Grow as three examples that dreams can come true. TNT, who played college basketball at Temple, is the first female Harlem Globetrotter in 20 years.
“She is a tribute that you can do anything that you put your mind to, no matter what,” he said.
He went on to talk about his journey.
“I saw the Harlem Globetrotters when I was six years old in the cartoon Scooby Do, and I said, ‘That’s what I want to do in life,” Handles said. “People said, ‘It’s impossible.’ I dribbled the basketball everywhere. Now I travel around the world with the Harlem Globetrotters dribbling a basketball for a living.
“Believe in yourself, believe in your dreams. My buddy, KG3 - so many told him that he couldn’t achieve his goal, he couldn’t achieve his dream.
“If you don’t look at this story of inspiration right here in your own school and understand that you can do whatever you want to do in life with hard work and doing the right things – if this is not an inspiration to you, know that us three are living testimonies that your dreams can come true. You can be whatever you want to, so continue to work hard and be the best you can be. When opportunity arises, seize the moment.”
And how did Grow handle his celebrity status? The same way he handles every other day. He enjoyed every minute of it.
“He doesn’t know bad,” Earl Grow said. “He’s never had a bad day.”
“This is today, and tomorrow something else will make him happy,” said Dorothy Grow. “It might not be this huge.”
It could be, according to his father, something as seemingly insignificant as the roast beef sandwich in his lunch, and for Grow, playing with the Globetrotters was simply another goal achieved.
“He would send them e-mails in his words asking to be part of the team, and he was going to be ‘Special K,’” Dorothy Grow said. “There actually is a player named Special K on the Globetrotters, so for Christmas we bought him a Special K jersey, and we bought him tickets. He was pretty happy he was going to see them again this year.”
Grow is doing much better than that. On Sunday, he will take the court with the Globetrotters in the fourth quarter of their game at Wells Fargo Center, living proof that dreams do come true.
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