Twiggy Sanders facts for kids

James "Twiggy" Sanders is a famous American basketball player and coach. He earned the nickname "Twiggy" and is well-known for his amazing skills with the Harlem Globetrotters. He played for the Globetrotters for many years, entertaining fans all over the world.

Early Life and High School Basketball

James Sanders was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He started playing basketball at Ligon High School. During his time there, he was recognized as a top player. He earned honors like All-Conference, All-State, and All-American. These awards showed he was one of the best high school players in the country.

College Basketball Career

After high school, Sanders continued his basketball journey at Johnson C. Smith University. He was a star player for their team. In both 1973 and 1974, he was voted onto the CIAA All-Tournament team. This means he was one of the best players in the conference's championship tournaments. He graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education.

Joining the Harlem Globetrotters

In 1974, James Sanders became very famous when he joined the Harlem Globetrotters. The Globetrotters are known for their incredible basketball tricks, comedy, and exciting games. Twiggy played with the team for 17 years, showing off his talent and entertaining millions of fans. He retired from the team in 1991.

Coaching After Playing

After his long career with the Harlem Globetrotters, Twiggy Sanders became a basketball coach. He was the head basketball coach at Bonner Academy in Raleigh. He also coached for two years with the Raleigh Cougars. This team was part of the United States Basketball League (USBL). Later, he worked as an assistant coach for two years at Morris Brown College.

In 2004, Sanders took on a new challenge. He became the first head coach for the Maryland Nighthawks. This team was a new addition to the American Basketball Association.

Current Activities

As of July 2025, Twiggy Sanders works as a substitute teacher. He teaches at schools like Carnage Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina. He also used to be the basketball coach at Carnage Middle School.

Family Life

Twiggy Sanders has three children. His son, Monty Jackson, is also involved in basketball. Monty Jackson is currently the Director of Operations for the men's basketball team at Elon University in North Carolina.

External links

• James "Twiggy" Sanders via Globetrotters site