Sports
Who are the Washington Generals? The Harlem Globetrotters’ archrival, and much more
Editor’s note: Throughout the week, The Athletic highlighted the Harlem Globetrotters and their contributions to basketball, vision for entertainment and overall commitment to goodwill. This series will conclude on Sunday, Feb. 16.
The Washington Generals epitomize the notion of an underdog. That’s an easy reputation to earn with more than 18,000 losses compared to three wins on one’s résumé, but the Generals have been on the losing end time and time again when looking at their decades-long rivalry with the Harlem Globetrotters.
When it comes to one of America’s favorite exhibition games, the Generals are rarely viewed as “losers.” If anything, they are supporting cast members for a beloved Globetrotters team that focuses on one primary goal: entertaining the masses. The Globetrotters need an opponent. They need a team to defeat.
Why not the Generals?
“You’ve got to make them look good,” Generals guard Jordan Fuchs told The Athletic.
That’s the job of a Washington General: to enhance what’s already on the table. The Globetrotters are the eye candy; somebody needs to make sure they receive the praise on the court. And because members of the Generals are so good at what they do, attending matchups between both teams provides a unique experience for fans.
Even if defeat is routinely inevitable for Washington — 1971 is a long time to taste defeat after defeat.
The Washington Generals often are the punchline of a Harlem Globetrotters joke. This 2019 photo shows the Globetrotters’ Angelo “Spider” Sharpless pulling the leg of the Generals’ Shaquille Burrell during a Las Vegas exhibition. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
It’s hard to explain the competitive value of knowing you’ll lose just about every basketball game you play. Imagine training your hardest, only to anticipate the scoreboard not tilting in your favor. The notion can be frustrating, right?
Or, to Fuchs, a former football and basketball athlete at Indiana University, games against the Globetrotters can be more than just what’s shown on the scoreboard.
“It’s a rewarding experience because I get to put smiles on everyone’s faces, even if I’m on the losing end,” Fuchs said. “Everyone enjoys it, and for me personally, I enjoy it because I get to play the game I love and I get to showcase my abilities.
“I get to travel and meet amazing people. The network that I’ve accumulated from doing this is incredible. Different people in different states, different countries. It has been amazing.”
For the Generals, created in 1952 by Louis “Red” Klotz and considered the most futile team in sports history, there is always joy in knowing the next day could be the one when they end the skid. The team initially was meant to legitimately compete against the Globetrotters but eventually became the ultimate crash test dummy for its opponents donning red, white and blue on the hardwood.
Being a General requires a unique focus. The roster features skilled players who have to be ambitious enough to recognize the awareness of always being secondary in the show. No matter the circumstance, the goal is to always ensure the Globetrotters come out on top, even though fans will leave arenas impressed by displays of athleticism, 4-point shots and dynamic dunks coming from the team wearing green and yellow.
The Generals, in many ways, take on the role of the ultimate antagonists. Fuchs considers himself “the lead villain.” It’s a responsibility he takes very seriously, all for the spirit of entertainment.
“If you remove the outcome, you know we’re going to lose, but if you remove the outcome and just focus on the process and the game, you find joy in that,” he said.
— Jordan Fuchs (@therealjordan81) February 18, 2022
On Jan. 5, 1971, in a matchup in Martin, Tenn., the Generals — then playing as the New Jersey Reds — snapped a 2,495-game losing streak with a 100-99 victory over the Globetrotters. As the Globetrotters entertained the crowd, the Generals stormed ahead in the final seconds. Klotz made the game-winning basket as the buzzer sounded to give the Generals their most exciting victory in modern-day history. It was the first time in 14 years the Globetrotters had lost a matchup against their archrival.
After the game, Klotz, who died in 2014 at 92 years old, famously quipped that beating the Globetrotters “is like shooting Santa Claus,” but how did the Generals legend feel about finally being on the right side of the scoreboard?
“I think it was probably the best day of his whole entire life,” Bronwen O’Keefe, Globetrotters head of brand marketing and content, told The Athletic. “I can’t imagine the celebration and happiness that he had. He probably held on to that day for a very, very long time or through the rest of his life.
“We still count that day as being a very important moment in the history of the Globetrotters. You can’t talk about the history of the Globetrotters without talking about the Generals.”
How the rivalry plays out has changed over the years. It’s been “good versus evil,” with the Globetrotters as the heroes and the Generals as the villains. There was even a masked General known as Cager who was the ultimate villain and played by multiple players. Other times, it’s simply the story of the underdog Generals trying to upend the Globetrotters.
Antics like this, against and not in favor of the Generals, have been happening for decades. (Don Emmert / AFP via Getty Images)
Given the lopsided nature of the rivalry, a question is why would someone want to play for the Generals?
For one, it is an opportunity to play professional basketball. The Generals aren’t simply props on the court; they’re real basketball players. Some have been scouted in the G League, some in the NBA Summer League, some internationally — just like some members of the Globetrotters.
One of the most famous names to play for the Generals is Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, who suited up for the Generals in the 1980s. Lieberman was the first woman to play for the Generals. Kayla Gabor is on the team now and is the second woman to play for the Generals. Gabor is a former all-conference guard from Division II Lake Erie College in Ohio, a leading scorer during the 2016-17 season for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
“I’m a General, which is very unique,” Gabor said. “Nancy Lieberman, I believe, was 1977 to ’78, so for me, bringing back the female on the opponent’s side is a unique spotlight. I know in the past, we’re villainous and supposed to just be the enemy, but I always came in like, ‘OK, we don’t win every game, but I set personal goals.’ My personal goals are to get the crowd on my side.
“I always like to try and find people out of the audience to be like, ‘Watch this!’ and hit a couple 3s in a row. I’ll do it for them. Seriously, it is motivation for me.”
The Generals, like the Globetrotters, practice and work on a variety of areas on the court. They travel wherever the Globetrotters travel, with equal accommodations.
“We all understand it’s a show, and maybe the youngest members of our audience don’t understand the full kind of weight or meaning or impact of that,” O’Keefe said. “But we also have to account for the fact that on both teams, these are real people, real athletes with real skills, and they’re playing professional basketball. We want to give them the opportunity to be able to show those skills off.”
There also remains the hope for Generals to be moved to the Globetrotters. It doesn’t happen often, but Latif “Jet” Rivers is a Globetrotter who started with the Generals (formerly known as the World All-Stars in 2013 and 2014) after playing college basketball at Wagner College in the early 2010s. Rivers was moved to the Globetrotters in 2017 after spending time on the opposing teams.
This week we’re diving into the rich history of the Washington Generals and their unique rivalry with the Harlem Globetrotters! 🏀 Discover which current Globetrotter has a history playing for the Generals…Tune in this weekend to #PlayItForward on NBC! pic.twitter.com/kLrfzu6cJ5
— Harlem Globetrotters (@Globies) December 27, 2024
The Generals aren’t the stars of the show, but they are definitely an important part of Globetrotters history. Even with loss after loss, they’ve become fan favorites and role models for children.
In the eyes of many, they are far from an underdog.
“It seriously is almost like a dream,” Gabor said. “There are a lot of eyes on us, but it’s a really good role to take on. It almost gives me a purpose in basketball that I never knew the sport would bring.”
“It’s just awesome to be a part of history, as well,” Fuchs added. “The history of the Globetrotters.”
— Shakeia Taylor contributed to this report.
(Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; photos courtesy of the Harlem Globetrotters)
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Only one more week of the 2025 NFL regular season remains, as Week 17 brought about some more playoff implications and even 2026 NFL Draft key positions.
The biggest takeaway from the slate of Week 17 is that two divisions in the NFL — the AFC North and NFC South — will be determined by whoever wins key matchups in Week 18.
First, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers getting upset by the Cleveland Browns at home, as Aaron Rodgers couldn’t find Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a controversial game-ending play in the end zone. That loss sets up the AFC North title game between the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, which is only possibly thanks to a road victory where Derrick Henry scored four touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.
Then, despite both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers losing their respective matchups, the NFL tiebreakers make their Week 18 bout the NFC South title game.
Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts during the second quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on Dec. 28, 2025, in Cleveland. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
And while everyone was focused on the NFL playoff picture, the two-game 4 o’clock slate gave us the New York Giants against the Las Vegas Raiders, the winner of which owning the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
The Giants would’ve solidified the pick with a loss, but Jaxson Dart and the Giants’ offense blew out Geno Smith and the Raiders to relinquish the pick, which now belongs in Sin City.
NFL WEEK 16 SCORES: PLAYOFF PRESSURE LEADS TO THRILLING FINISHES ACROSS LEAGUE
Here’s how every NFL game played out:
THURSDAY, DEC. 25
– DALLAS COWBOYS 30, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 23
– MINNESOTA VIKINGS 23, DETROIT LIONS 10
– DENVER BRONCOS 20, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 13
Dak Prescott (4) of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after his team’s touchdown against the Washington Commanders in the second quarter of a game at Northwest Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025 in Landover, Maryland. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
SATURDAY, DEC. 27
– HOUSTON TEXANS 20, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 16
– BALTIMORE RAVENS 41, GREEN BAY PACKERS 24
SUNDAY, DEC. 28
– CINCINNATI BENGALS 37, ARIZONA CARDINALS 14
– CLEVELAND BROWNS 13, PITTSBURGH STEELERS 7
– NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 34, TENNESSEE TITANS 26
– JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 23, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 17
– MIAMI DOLPHINS 20, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 17
– NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 42, NEW YORK JETS 10
– SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 27, CAROLINA PANTHERS 10
– NEW YORK GIANTS 34, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 10
– PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 13, BUFFALO BILLS 12
– SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-CHICAGO BEARS (TBD)
Bundle FOX One and FOX Nation to stream the entire FOX Nation library, plus live FOX News, Sports, and Entertainment at our lowest price of the year. The offer ends on Jan. 4, 2026. (Fox One; Fox Nation)
MONDAY, DEC. 29
– LOS ANGELES RAMS-ATLANTA FALCONS (TBD)
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Opening day at Santa Anita might have been delayed by two days because of heavy rain, but it was worth the wait for no other reason than to watch the stretch run of the $200,000 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes.
And for trainer Bob Baffert, it was even better than that. Not only did Nysos and Nevada Beach run 1-2 for him Sunday in the thrilling Grade 2 Pincay, but he also captured the two Grade 1 races he entered, the La Brea with Usha and the Malibu with Goal Oriented.
It was the fourth time Baffert won three stakes on the same day at Santa Anita, including the same trio of races on opening day in 2022.
He was especially excited after the Pincay, and not just by what he saw on the track.
“You know what’s great?” Baffert said as he stood in the winner’s circle and motioned to the grandstand, which was crowded with an announced 41,962 fans, the largest opening day audience since 2016. “It’s great to see this place packed. Look, everybody came out. They’ll come out to see a good horse and everybody was on the apron for this one. And they saw a great horse race.
“It was actually fun watching.”
Particularly for Baffert, who knew as the field turned into the stretch he couldn’t lose. Nysos, the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile champion ridden by Flavien Prat, was on the inside of Nevada Beach, the Goodwood Stakes winner ridden by Juan Hernandez.
Nysos was the heavy 1-5 favorite, having lost only one of his seven lifetime races, but for at least a moment it looked as if he might not get past Nevada Beach, at 3 a year younger than his stablemate.
But, in a virtual rerun of the Dirt Mile, when Prat and Nysos edged past Hernandez and another Baffert 3-year-old, Citizen Bull, the older horse once again prevailed, again by a head.
“I was close,” Hernandez said. “My horse ran really good. I was in front on the stretch for a couple of jumps and then it was just back and forth between Nysos and my horse. … He was giving me everything he had.”
The Grade 2 Pincay (formerly the San Antonio) was one of six stakes races on opening day, which is traditionally held the day after Christmas. It wasn’t one of the three Grade 1 races, but the presence of Nysos made it feel like the day’s main event.
Nysos returned $2.40 after running 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.36, the fastest since the Pincay was moved to that distance in 2017.
Baffert said in the leadup to the race that Nysos likely would start next in the $20-million Saudi Cup on Feb. 14 in Riyadh, while Nevada Beach was more apt to go to the $3-million Pegasus World Cup next month at Gulfstream Park. After the Pincay, he didn’t rule out sending both to Saudi Arabia.
The only downside to Baffert’s stakes day was having to scratch Barnes and Cornucopian, the two morning-line favorites, from the Malibu. Barnes suffered a “minor setback” Saturday while Cornucopian had an incident in the paddock minutes before the race, which forced his withdrawal (he was uninjured).
No matter, though; Goal Oriented ($4.20) took over favoritism and earned his first stakes win, defeating stablemate Midland Money by a length in 1:20.97, the fastest Malibu since 2016.
“I’m just happy it turned out that we won it because it was so upsetting for a little bit,” Baffert said.
Usha ($13.20) was starting in a Grade 1 race for the first time, but she won the La Brea like a filly who has more victories in her future. She finished seven furlongs in a rapid 1:21.68 to beat 2-1 favorite Formula Rossa by 5¼ lengths.
The first of the six stakes races was the $200,000 Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on the turf. Tempus Volat, trained by Leonard Powell, led the race but was passed in the final yard by Hiding in Honduras ($21.40), a 9-1 long shot ridden by Antonio Fresu for Jonathan Thomas. Namaron, the 1-2 favorite ridden by Prat, finished third.
There was no such drama in the second turf stakes, the $100,000 San Gabriel, in which Cabo Spirit ($14.80), trained by George Papaprodromou, took the lead shortly after the start under Mike Smith and rolled to a 1¼-length victory over Astronomer. Stay Hot, the 2-1 favorite, lost a photo for third to Mondego.
The final race of the day was the other Grade 1 event, the $300,000 American Oaks, won by another Thomas trainee, Ambaya, a 12-1 long shot. The daughter of Ghostzapper was ridden by Kazushi Kimura, who picked up the mount when Fresu injured his ankle earlier in the day.
Etc.
The two cards that were rained out over the weekend will be made up Monday and Wednesday, with free parking and admission. Both days will offer two stakes races; Monday’s highlight is the $200,000 Joe Hernandez, which includes Motorious and Sumter, who were 1-2 in the race last year, and Imagination, last month’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up who will be racing on turf for the first time.
Rain is forecast beginning Wednesday, with track officials saying they will monitor the situation before deciding on how it will affect the racing, if at all. The schedule calls for racing Thursday through Sunday before Santa Anita begins its normal schedule of Fridays through Sundays on Jan. 9.
Sports
Ravens quarterback hopes to provide words of encouragement to Shedeur Sanders before Browns-Steelers game
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley said Saturday night he hoped to give Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders a call before his game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Ravens defeated the Green Bay Packers to keep their playoff hopes alive and need the Browns to pull off an upset victory over the Steelers. If Pittsburgh wins, they clinch the AFC North division title and a spot in the playoffs. If the Browns win, then the division title and a playoff spot would come down to their Week 18 matchup.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley (5) speaks during a press conference after an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
“I’m trying to make it out of here, so I can call Shedeur really quick and make sure he gets it done,” Huntley told reporters, adding that he would probably watch the game at home.
Huntley was in Browns training camp when he, Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco were all vying for the starting job. Flacco ended up winning the job before he was traded in the middle of the season, while Pickett was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. Huntley was cut and signed with the Ravens. Gabriel started a few games during the season and Sanders earned his own showcase to end the season.
The one-time Pro Bowler got to know Sanders in camp.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders looks to pass against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game in Cleveland, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/David Richard)
RAVENS RIDE DERRICK HENRY’S FOUR TOUCHDOWNS TO KEEP PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE
“Just when we got to the Browns. I knew of him, and he probably knew of me, but once we got to the Browns, we linked up a little bit,” Huntley added. “He’s a cool dude.”
Sanders and the Browns pulling off a win would be the marquee victory the young quarterback is looking for.
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ESPN noted that Deion Sanders, Shedeur’s father, intercepted a pass from Aaron Rodgers when the latter quarterback made an appearance for the Green Bay Packers in 2005. About 20 years later, Rodgers will compete against Sanders’ son in a pivotal matchup.
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