Jack Ryan (streetball player)
Encyclopedia
Jack Ryan, aka "Black Jack", aka "Water", is an American streetball
player from Brooklyn
, New York
. Ryan's basketball
exploits began at John Jay High School
, where, as a senior, averaged 26 ppg. Ryan later took his game to East 5th St. Park in Brooklyn, where he mastered the tricks and shots he became well known for. In his first season in a recreational league at West 4th, Ryan played one game against former Detroit Piston
Phil Sellers
and scored 44 points.
Ryan is also known for his very proficient 3-point shooting. According to an article written by Bobbito Garcia
about Ryan in Slam Magazine
Streetball Special Collector's Issue, Chris Mullin
once described Jack as the best shooter he'd ever seen who hadn't played in the NBA. The article also states Peter Vecsey got Ryan a tryout with the New Jersey Nets
in 1990, but was the second-to-last man cut, ending Ryan's NBA aspirations. Yet, Ryan still proved his mastery of the 3-point shot when he won the 2005 City Slam
3-Point Shooting Championships, which aired on ESPN
. In a close final, Ryan edged out fellow streetball sharpshooter Deshun "Father Time" Jackson
to take the title. In the media, Ryan was featured on the cover of the New York Times Sports section on December 3, 2003, and in May 2003 was named as one of "Slam Magazines Greatest Playground Ballers of All Time."
Aside from streetball, Ryan is also known for performing during halftime shows at NBA arenas with the basketball performance group "Project Playground".
Streetball
Streetball or street basketball is a variation of the sport of basketball, typically played on outdoor courts and featuring significantly less by way of formal structure and enforcement of the game's rules...
player from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Ryan's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
exploits began at John Jay High School
Secondary School for Law, Journalism and Research
The Secondary Schools for Law, Journalism and Research and Millenium Brooklyn are four high schools in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States...
, where, as a senior, averaged 26 ppg. Ryan later took his game to East 5th St. Park in Brooklyn, where he mastered the tricks and shots he became well known for. In his first season in a recreational league at West 4th, Ryan played one game against former Detroit Piston
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
Phil Sellers
Phil Sellers
Phillip "Phil" Sellers, Jr. is an American former professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA.-Early life:...
and scored 44 points.
Ryan is also known for his very proficient 3-point shooting. According to an article written by Bobbito Garcia
Bobbito Garcia
Robert "Bobbito" García , also known as Kool Bob Love and formerly known as DJ Cucumberslice, Bobbito The Barber, Make It Happen, Boogie Bob, Soul Food Bob, and Bag of Tricks, is a Puerto Rican DJ, writer, entrepreneur, streetball player/coach/announcer, sneaker connoisseur, and member of the Rock...
about Ryan in Slam Magazine
SLAM Magazine
SLAM Magazine is an American basketball magazine in circulation since 1994, published by Source Interlink. SLAM publishes nine issues a year to its circulation of over 500,000 readers worldwide.-History:...
Streetball Special Collector's Issue, Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin (basketball)
Christopher Paul Mullin is a retired American basketball player and former general manager of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He has also been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame....
once described Jack as the best shooter he'd ever seen who hadn't played in the NBA. The article also states Peter Vecsey got Ryan a tryout with the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in 1990, but was the second-to-last man cut, ending Ryan's NBA aspirations. Yet, Ryan still proved his mastery of the 3-point shot when he won the 2005 City Slam
City Slam
City Slam is an ESPN television series that premiered in 2005. The show is a basketball competition featuring streetball players competing in a slam dunk and three-point shooting contest....
3-Point Shooting Championships, which aired on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. In a close final, Ryan edged out fellow streetball sharpshooter Deshun "Father Time" Jackson
Deshun Jackson
Deshun Jackson, aka "Father Time", is an American streetball player from Bakersfield, California who has appeared on two ESPN television shows. He was featured on season 2 of the AND1 Mixtape Tour television show on ESPN, and later on the show ESPN City Slam. Jackson is 6-foot 1-inch tall and...
to take the title. In the media, Ryan was featured on the cover of the New York Times Sports section on December 3, 2003, and in May 2003 was named as one of "Slam Magazines Greatest Playground Ballers of All Time."
Aside from streetball, Ryan is also known for performing during halftime shows at NBA arenas with the basketball performance group "Project Playground".