Gary Charles: The Godfather of Grassroots Basketball

Every day is a good day in my world. –Gary Charles

by Montrie Rucker Adams, APR

Growing up

in the suburb of Roosevelt on Long Island, New York, Gary Charles remembers spending most of his time outside involved in sports. He played basketball, football, baseball, ran track and even bowled. Charles remembers those “cherishable” moments on travel teams, where they stayed in host homes with predominantly white families.

When he graduated from college, the coaches in town mentioned that they needed help with the teams and were looking for someone to replace them. “They asked me to get involved. I couldn’t say no,” said Gary.

This began Charles’ lifelong involvement in sports coaching, and advocating for and promoting the players, coaches, and administrators.

In the mid ’80s Charles formed the Roosevelt PAL, the basketball program in partnership with the Roosevelt Police Athletic League. Eventually he changed the name to Long Island Panthers and then NY Panthers, and started recruiting players throughout NY because he saw an opportunity for them to get a scholarship.

Knowing he couldn’t move forward without funding, he went to his friend Chuck D, founder of the legendary rap group Public Enemy, for a donation. He wrote a check for $2500. Charles was expecting $250 or $500. Chuck D said to him, “Anything you’re involved in I know it’s going to work out. I want to be able to say I was there for you,” remembers Charles.

He boasts Lamar Odom, Danny Green (Philadelphia 76ers), Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls), Wally Szczerbiak (Cleveland Cavaliers) as a few of the basketball greats who once played for the travelling team.

In 2010 Charles created the Las Vegas Fab48 tournament with Grant Rice and Dinos Trigonis. He ended his Panthers program

in 2016 to concentrate on his tournament in Vegas. The Tournament has been described by Eastbay as “a showcase for some of youth basketball’s top talent. College coaches and basketball fans from around the globe flock to Las Vegas every year to see the game's best young players square off against each other. With top talent and great games, the Fab 48 is considered one of the best youth basketball events in the nation.”

As a tribute to his mentor Sonny Vaccaro, and after the removal of Dinos from the team, Charles asked Sonny if he could go back and rename Fab48 to “The Las Vegas Big Time Tournament. That was the name of the Tournament that Sonny had started in 1995 in Vegas. “The name is me paying homage to Sonny for creating grassroots basketball the way he did,” said Charles. Vaccaro was the Nike marketing executive who signed Michael Jordan to his first pair of basketball shoes. “LeBron and Kobe played in it,” said Charles of the Tournament. “All the teams were a collection of the top payers from the city or state. The event is popular. It’s one of the hottest events in Vegas and one of the top tournaments of the year,” he said. “LeBron and Carmelo Anthony both played in the original Tournament and now their son has both played in the tournament. James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry Grassroots teams, and many other ’90s former players participate. Either their kids are playing, or they sponsor teams to play,” he adds.

The Event That Fueled Change

One month after George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer on May 25, 2020, Charles uploaded a video to Twitter stating in part, “Hey white people. I understand you aren’t comfortable watching us march out there. Understand that as a Black man, we are uncomfortable every day. I understand that we shouldn’t burn buildings down. I just wish your ancestors felt the same way when they burned down the whole town of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, OK,” posted Charles.

He called out white coaches saying, “Your silence is loud,” and implored the Black coaches with, “What are we going to do about it. When are we going to stand up and band together?”

Forming The Advancement of Blacks in Sports

The video went viral, Charles connected with Formal Head Coach of Depaul University, Dave Leitao, and Head coach of Florida State, Leonard Hamilton. Then they reached out to Dawn Staley, Women Head Coach of South Carolina and Women Head Coach Vivian Stringer, Head Coach of Rutgers University. Vivian suggested we reached out to Felicia Hall Allen. It was when Felicia Hall Allen, CEO of A Step Up got involved that ABIS really took off. “She contacted 30 more coaches in men and women’s basketball. Then we reached out to baseball, track and field, gymnastics, football…all the sports. We want to be the voice for racial equity in sports. Not only do we want to make sure Black coaches get a fair opportunity at a job as a head coach somewhere,” said Charles, “but opportunities for vendors also, and we have to speak up when wrongs are committed in sports in our Black community.”

ABIS’ Impact

It wasn’t long before ABIS, of which anyone can be a member, had a significant impact in the sports community.

One year after its inception in 2021, the organization advocated for a gentleman name Travis Williams who had an idea to have an HBCU (Historically Black College/University) All-Star game during the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Final Four tournament. It was overwhelmingly received. “HBCUs never get a chance to get to the Final Four,” said Charles. “Travis was why don’t we create an All-Star game for them?” The NCAA was on board and through a series of meetings, and help from ABIS, Travis was able to get a three-year deal inked for the HBCU All-Star game to air on CBS.

Additionally, ABIS is supporting Brian Flores, the former Miami Dolphins head coach who has sued the NFL and three teams - The Dolphins, Broncos, and Giants, “We want to be the voice For Racial Equity in Sport.”

They have the support of the Ben Crump and the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches adding, “90 percent of NFL football starters are Black. We produce the oil, but we keep giving it away,” he said.

“ABIS wants to make sure that people know we’re here and they have a voice. We must continue to grow ABIS,” said Charles. “People must understand the power that we have. We can’t let people control us. We’re not trying to take over, we just want a fair chance.”

Coaching On All Levels

“It’s important for ABIS to thank JP Morgan Chase (JPMC) for the funding to start a financial coaching program. We appreciate the fact that JPMC believed in us,” said Charles. St. John and Hofstra Universities are currently the pilot program where collegiate athletes are “coached” about debit and credit accounts, interest rates, and what credit ratings and mortgages mean. “You don’t know what you don’t know,” said Charles. “We need to teach them at a young age how to protect their money and how to invest properly. Most professional athletes are broke four-and-a-half years after they retire. JPMC is allowing us to fund 10 more schools next year, six of them will be HBCUs.”

“The joy comes from knowing that when I make certain calls, it’s to give our people an opportunity,” answered Charles when asked what part of his job brings the most joy. “When those same people come back years later to say I made a difference in how they live and thank me for it, then I know I’m doing something right. That’s when the joy comes out of me,” he said.

“That opportunity is life-altering for them,” Charles adds. “Now they can take care of their fam-ily. I think as Black people, we’re not able to think that if you help one or two people, you’re helping the community. The joy that comes from me knowing that I helped someone else is unmatched.”

The Early Years

Born in Haiti, Charles draws his inspiration from his parent, wife and four children. “I watched how hard my mother worked to make sure her four sons and daughter did not need anything. She was one of the first women to do Jheri curls. I remember when Ultra Sheen came to our house to hire her. She refused because she didn’t want to travel, but instead built a salon in the basement. She helped all five kids go to college. She was only 4’9”, but no one messed with my mom.”

His father worked for IBM in the late ’60s and was one of the original Black hires. “He told me computers are the wave of the future. I thought I was going to be an accountant, but he put computers in my head in the 10th grade.” Charles later earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.

Every day his father wore suits. To this day, you will not see Charles without his signature suit and hat.

His 7th grade teacher Miss Gilkes, who reminded him of the actress Pam Grier, also encouraged his penchant for fashion. “I loved her,” he chuckles. “I came to school dressed up one time because of a field trip. She said, ‘You really look good dressed up. You should dress that way more often.’ I never forgot that.” He also made a mental note of the way women looked at his father and thought, “As soon as I can afford it, I’m going to dress like my dad.” Charles’ summer earnings went to his wardrobe. “The way you see me dress now, I’ve been doing this since the 9th grade,” he shares.

Sonny Vaccaro

“This man gave me an opportunity in the grassroots basketball community,” Charles recounts about John Paul Vincent “Sonny” Vaccaro. “Ours was the first organization he sponsored. He opened a door for me, and I ran in there! It has allowed me to be who I am today, The Godfather of Grassroots Basketball!” Charles emphatically states.

It was Vaccaro’s idea to pay athletes and coaches for name recognition. When he eventually left Nike and went to adidas, he told Charles he needed to find the right player to represent adidas. “There’s a kid named Kobe Bryant. That’s the kid,” Charles offered.

Kobe was signed to the shoe deal out of high school. “Of all the kids I could have picked, I picked him. He is considered one of the greatest to ever play the game,” he said.

“Guessing right on Kobe is a humbling feeling. I really believed in him. I needed other people like Sonny Vaccaro to believe in him. Kobe will go down in history as one of the best!”

He notes that one of the toughest decisions he had to make in his professional career was when Kobe Bryant’s family asked him to be part of Kobe’s representation. “I knew it would mean that I would have to move to Los Angeles for a while. I couldn’t do it. I had no intention of leaving my kids in New York. No amount of money was worth it to me. To this day, I haven’t regretted that decision,” Charles said.

“Sonny spent most of his career trying to help the Black community,” said Charles. He founded the ABCD All America Camp, where high school prospects showcase their skills to NBA and college franchise teams. “He created this grassroots world where most of the grassroots coaches were Black. I watched the way he moved. He gave a hug to everyone. He gave his time to people. He had the best personality. He and his wife Pam are the best people I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said.

“He helped me grow, helped me realize what was out there. He showed me how he did it and how I can continue moving forward. I learned a lot. Without a doubt he’s been my mentor,” Charles said of Vacarro.

Success on His Terms

“Success is based on the foundation you create. You must have a strong foundation for success to continue to prosper. Without the foundation, everything will crumble,” said Charles. “I’ve learned that if I build it right, success will come my way. If I do a project that fails, it won’t crumble because my foundation is strong,” he adds.

When asked the essentials to creating a harmonious work environment, Charles is adamant about letting people know you believe in them. “Allow them to have an opinion and make them feel part of the decision making. Look them in the eye and say you believe in them. It frees them to do their job,” he shares.

Charles is still learning how to balance his career and personal life. He’s clear when he states, “I try to remember that I’m working so I can live. I am not living so I can work.”

A fun fact is that Charles’ ideal vacation is with his family. “At this point in my life it’s all about family. Any time I can spend with my family, if I can hang out with my kids, grandkids, I’m good. I don’t have to go to an island. I enjoy myself every day,” said Charles.

Charles and Gina, his wife of 25 years, have four adult children, one son and three daughters, who all work in Las Vegas with him during tournament season.

His Most Important Lesson

“You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with,” said Charles, “so I try to stay in my lane and allow them to do their job which in the end will help us all.”

“For example, I will not tell you how to do your job. I know that if you surround yourself with the wrong people, your business is going to crumble,” he said.

The ABIS Champions & Legends Weekend

To celebrate Blacks in sports, the organization is hosting its inaugural Champions & Legends Weekend in Las Vegas at the Resorts World Hotel Labor Day Weekend, May 2729, 2022. “It’s to honor us,” said Charles emphatically. “We should not have to wait for someone else to honor us. We should do it ourselves.”

He describes the gala as “The ESPY Awards” for Blacks. “We want to honor people who may be forgotten or who many people may not know and to help the public understand what we are doing. There are too many people out there who believe that Blacks aren’t doing anything,” he said.

Charles said ABIS is naming awards after sports legends and greats. The Shaquille O’Neal Economic and Sustainability Award is going to Albert King, former NBA player for the Washington Bullets. Dawn Staley, head coach for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks will receive the Vivian Stringer Pioneer Award. The Jackie Joyner Kersee Excellence Award goes to Olympic Gold Medalist Allyson Felix. Among other awards is the Sonny Vacarro Champion of Change named for all that he’s tried to change for Blacks in sports. It will be going to former Miami Dolphins’ Head Coach Brian Flores. The John Carlos/ Tommy Smith Social Activist Award will be given to Dr. Richard Lapchick.

The event is open to the public and anyone can attend. ABIS is always looking for sponsors, but especially for this amazing weekend celebration. You can sign up to attend on www.weareabis.org

“Come on people,” urges Charles, “Show up to the gala. It’s going to be a great black-tie affair.”