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Coyotes’ Liam O’Brien sees ‘something special’

Arizona Coyotes center Liam O’Brien enjoys traveling with his fiancée, Adéla Zahrajová.

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

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BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

West Valley View Executive Editor

Liam O’Brien is an enforcer on the Arizona Coyotes, ready for fights and racking up 94 penalty infraction minutes.

He just laughs when asked about it.

“I think I’m a very competitive person,” the 27-year-old center said. “I just love to compete. I just love the feeling of playing. It’s a blast, and there’s adrenaline to it. It’s fun — between the guys in the room, the friends you make, people you get to meet, cities you get to travel to and the big game moments.”

A Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, native, O’Brien had a dream of playing hockey since he was 3 years old — and didn’t give it up.

There wasn’t an NHL dream in his hometown, so instead he admired the players of the Halifax Mooseheads, a Canadian major junior ice hockey club in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

“I would go to those games with my old man,” he said. “I looked up to a lot of the junior players, especially from my area.”

In the NHL for eight years, O’Brien had stints with the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche before signing with the Coyotes on July 28, 2021.

“My mom is super proud,” he said. “They were able to make it to the game there in New York City. It’s nice that they can come out and watch me live out my dream. For them, that’s all they could have ever asked for. They dedicated a lot of time, bringing me to the rink.

“They did so much for me. All their sacrifices, all the hard work, it all paid off.”

O’Brien — who calls the Coyotes a close-knit, great group of guys — trains during the off season, which is his typical summer routine. He spends most of his summers in Carlsbad, California, and he and his fiancée, Adéla Zahrajová from the Czech Republic, enjoy traveling. Their passport includes stamps from Thailand, Italy, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Greece and “all of Europe.”

On his wish list are Mauritius in East Africa, Madagascar and Peru.

“Traveling is something that we try to do as much as we can,” O’Brien said. “For hockey, I travel a lot within the United States and Canada. I think it’s important to see other parts of the world and other cultures and whatnot. That’s something we’ve taken the time to do over the last five to six years.

“I feel like we’ve been to a few other spots, too. I just really enjoy seeing the way other people live. I don’t think there’s anything cooler than that. You learn so much.”

He called Italy “amazing,” a place where the food is “ridiculous,” whether it’s a larger restaurant or a hole in the wall. “It’s the best food I’ve ever had.”

O’Brien hopes that the Coyotes’ rebuild will continue to improve.

“They’re building a culture — a strong culture — to win as many games as possible,” O’Brien said.

“We’ve really come together in the last little while, winning games against good hockey team. We’re coming together, and I think it’s the beginning of something special.”

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23 Globetrotters Soar to Arizona

BY JOSHUA WEISBLY

West Valley View Staff Writer

Harlem Globetrotters guard Saul “Flip” White Jr. feels fortunate.

This March, he and the rest of his team will bring their high-flying antics to four spots in Arizona as the team continues its “Spread Game Tour.”

“To see the smiles on the kids’ faces and also the parents’ faces that’s always been, and still to this day, my favorite part,” White says.

The Globetrotters’ stops are 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at Tucson Arena; 7 p.m. Friday, March 4, at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at Gila River Arena.

The appearances will bring fans new experiences from a dunk contest and funny characters during the four-quarter game. Fans can meet the Globetrotters afterward.

White comes from a family where basketball was always a part of life. He was introduced to the game at the age of 4, and one of his fondest basketball memories was his father holding him up to the hoop to dunk the basketball. White’s grandparents took him to Globetrotters games.

“I love entertaining people and putting smiles on their faces,” White says in his bio. “Being a Globetrotter means everything to me.”

White is known on the court for his acrobatics and athleticism.

Before becoming a Globetrotter, White played basketball at Moraine Valley Community College in Illinois, where he averaged 11 rebounds and 18 points per game. After college, White played in the International Basketball League before becoming a Globetrotter.

“It was a surreal moment at first,” White says. “When I got to training camp and saw everybody in a training camp, I’m like, ‘Oh, man, I’m really here.’”

Potential Globetrotters should remember there’s a difference between the team and the NBA.

“It’s different,” White says. “It helped me with basketball, but I had to learn the entertainment side and the tricks side once I became a Globetrotter.”

During his decade with the Globetrotters, White’s role has evolved.

“I’m 10 years in. I’m more of a team player. Now, I’m straight utility,” says White, a former “American Ninja Warrior” contestant.

“I ask, ‘What do you need me to do? This is what you need me to do?’ I’m going to fill in, and I’m going to do what I do best.”

Basketball has one of the richest histories in sports. The team strives to stick to its original goals, while reaching newer generations.

“We’re still bringing those high-flying dunks, those amazing trick shots, those antics, but we want the new generation to know that it’s OK to have fun while we entertain, have fun while you play basketball and love what you do,” White said. “You’re a basketball player, love it.”

History of the Globetrotters

The team was founded in 1926 by

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Abe Saperstein and won its first World Basketball Championship in 1940. From there, the Globetrotters embarked on its first international tour in 1950 and has since traveled to all 50 states 123 countries or territories.

The Globetrotters helped popularize the basics of basketball, such as the slam dunk and fast break, as well as the point guard and forward positions.

Those who are unfamiliar with the legendary group may recognize some of the names that have donned the team’s jerseys — Wilt Chamberlain, Meadowlark Lemon, Fred “Curly” Neal and “Sweet” Lou Dunbar.

Thirteen of its players have been inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The team joined in 2002.

If You Go...

WHAT: The Harlem Globetrotters WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3 WHERE: Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Avenue, Tucson COST: Tickets start at $20 INFO: ticketmaster.com

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, March 4 WHERE: Findlay Toyota Center, 3201 N. Main Street, Prescott COST: Tickets start at $31.50 INFO: 928-772-1819, ticketmaster.com WHEN: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5 WHERE: Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix COST: Tickets start at $20 INFO: 602-379-2000, footprintcenter.com

WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6 WHERE: Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Avenue, Glendale COST: Tickets start at $20 INFO: gilariverarena.com