It’s the classic ‘local boy makes good” story, just that the local in question did good after a detour through Cairo and Manila.
Patrick Yousef Gardner of the Long Island Nets grew up in Merrick, Long Island, a five mile, ten minute drive from Nassau Coliseum. He still lives in the Nassau County suburb but he has changed his NBA rooting regimen.
“So, I’m all for the Nets, but as a kid I grew up as a Knicks fan — I was a Knicks, Yankees, Giants fan,” The 6’11” big told Lewis. “Yeah, you know, times have kind of changed now.