Basketball to Drug Trafficking: The Story of Pee Wee Kirkland

Richard “Pee Wee” Kirkland began playing basketball in the streets of Harlem when he was 9-years-old. By age 13, he split his time between playing ball and committing robberies to help finance a growing drug empire.
In college, Kirkland was the 1968 MVP for Norfolk State, turning down an offer from UCLA to play alongside Kareem Abdul Jabaar. Kirkland was then drafted by the Chicago Bulls but turned down their offer when he realized he could make more money in the drug game than the basketball game. With law enforcement on his tail, Kirkland found himself behind bars twice between 1971 and 1988. From there, he made a change, becoming a motivational speaker and inspiring young, inner-city athletes to take a different path out than he did.
Presented by Ryot.
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[@louminox3065]

The Man kept on referring to himself in the third person. Thats an OG right there.

[@louiskwaku8879]

Lol I just caught that too. Damn! Didn't know he was in the clip too.

[@marshannajohnson8584]

Why did I just say this!🤣🤣🤣 I'm like, "why is he referring to himself in the third person?"

[@carbonconnection2480]

Because he is a legend in his own mind. Dude is a solid smartass cocky asshole

[@josiahwise3847]

He basically was talking I'm third person cause he didn't want to get charged

[@mynameisyumyumgivemesum1412]

@@josiahwise3847 what!? 🤣

[@delvesdg]

He's like 3 Denzel roles in one man. Roman J. Israel, Jake Shuttleworth (He Got Game), and Frank Lucas.

[@13rcampbell]

Perfect

[@durtysoufboi]

🤔💯

[@vperkv6554]

Dont forget, BOOK OF ELI

[@561REALTLK]

facts

[@mclal]

they should make a movie about this guy and Denzel should play him..

[@ArieWilliams]

Denzel Washington needs to play PeeWee in a BioPic

[@blc0179]

i mean he kinda did...

[@ArieWilliams]

Wooooow I see the connection in He Got game 👀

[@damewash]

I was thinking the same thing. An actual movie about Pee Wee played by Denzel that dove into his life outside of basketball.

[@1drip256]

To late he old now

[@dumisatonyjohnson8145]

AWillEdits Denzel too old to play PeeWee

[@VicTX_]

He said he can’t make a movie about his life Bc the whole truth can’t be told & he’s not willing to say any names or certain parts of it

[@perseusrex614]

@@kdcruz75 they are jews, thats why. Even (specially) he knows you dont name them.

[@kovy274hart]

Probably because if he did, he'd be dead. His son played for Dwight too.

[@brittanybonnie1478]

yeah i hope he writes it down so when he dies the movie can be made

[@brittanybonnie1478]

@@dnice4653 yeah he could justmake the movie and title it based on a real story..that way he can tell the truth and cover it up as fiction

[@n.l.vnightowl7608]

And he doesn't wanna glorify it, like when they ruined the message azie was trying to give to the youth with the paid in full movie

[@garybrown5557]

That's Wisdom, "When you go into a life of crime , you declare war on the system "

[@anthonywardjr1750]

Peewee at Rucker Park in Givenchy, his money still longer than his hair 😂

[@XxDGKxMONSTAxX]

Keeping secrets too the grave, I don’t blame him

[@VILEPAINTS]

Crazy this dude shows up to my gym twice a week to train this one dude in private and dresses in casual clothes never knew until he introduced himself to me to teach me how to use my left hand more on drives and get floaters off. Never mentioned to me he was a hustler just a hoop og but now here I am on KZbin finding out I dabbed a legend after teaching me to use both hands and spinning in the paint 🤯

[@sdrice2007]

I feel what you saying. My brother and I grew up in Brooklyn in the 80s and heard the stories, etc. I know about him, not so much in detail, but I met him up in the Bronx. We locked eyes and nodded heads. That was it, but the recognition and the respect was there. Before I had to leave, I told him he is a legend! That's all I remember from that day.

[@NooN4life]

Legend in 2 games like I'm peewee Kirkland - clipse (gridin)

[@hoodrichdulla140]

first thing that came to mind when i saw this video!

[@thekidd2189]

King push

[@soulspace9088]

I said this while the page was loading and this comment was the first thing I see. One of the hardest tracks ever.

[@YouCallThataKnife253]

I was singing that line in my head the entire time I'm watching this video XD

[@Audi100]

I swore you was going quote ja rule.lol

[@captaintyphoon9296]

10:12 I Love How Firm He is With the Producers How he Has a Line and He Won't Budge from it Props to Pee Wee Kirkland for Turning his Life Around.

[@waynemarshall8836]

Pee Wee has been old for years 😂 but has looked the same... Check above the rim... Same hair cut since 94

[@rashadbeckham7141]

Wayne Marshall 😂😂 ikr

[@garygray809]

Oh yeah. Good call bro. I forgot he was in above the rim. He was the Georgetown scout. Wow he still does look the same

[@gilfordmccormack8140]

Actually longer than that probably 70's&80's

[@rodolfocontreras4051]

Hes in above the rim? He old school he gonna rock out with that cut. And yall gonna rock out with what ya had in ya mid 20s.

[@waynemarshall8836]

@@rodolfocontreras4051 what I love about pee is he was one of the biggest street guys but never promotes that shit... Good man

[@justincoffey2692]

Pee Wee Kirkland’s story should be promoted over Alpo’s,Frank Lucas,Nicky Barnes,Tookie Williams etc His story is the story these kids in the hood needs to hear and see! It needs to be a movie on his life! Hollywood loves to glorify black men’s criminal lifestyle that ends fatal,but fails to tell the whole story. The whole story is this every black drug kingpin story doesn’t end in life prison,a snitch,or dead! PeeWee’s story is evidence of that💯

[@justincoffey2692]

Shane G.O.A.T Mosley No doubt ima check it out

[@rayw4564]

Best post

[@josebatista2949]

So wat u tryna say

[@000lowkey]

Justin coffey the thing is Pee-Wee so thorough. He’s not willing to let Hollywood tell his story because of the details of it coming out. Every doc or interview I’ve seen him in he gives little to no info on what u really want to know. The dude is very thorough & well respected. The game is not to be told.

[@rodolfocontreras4051]

He doesnt want one. He the last of a dying breed. The game aint talked about, period. He must be disgusted at what the game turned into.

[@roc2eazy]

pay close attention. The NBA was NOT paying athletes like they were today. a lot of nobodies are getting 1 mil .. he def didnt need that NBA $ in that era

[@roc2eazy]

@@IDunno655I'm sure, when the judge said "he prob ruined their parents or grandparents that was heavy, prob true

[@9doe212]

Hell yeah( 5:06 "if he would have been a little bit ?) a little bit of clean Cash can be helpful when u have a bunch a street paper....!!!! I believe one compliments the other...!!!!

[@roc2eazy]

@@9doe212 true..very true. A smarter person would have saw that

[@roc2eazy]

@@IDunno655 yea I didn't think I've saw a lot of footage on him but his respect is high. Saw him on the A train one late night. He def had an ora..slow smooth ora or maybe I was just like "oh shyt it's pee wee"

[@TotoWolffsBigHog]

Well in 1969 the NBA and ABA hadn’t merged yet, and I highly doubt TV/ sponsorship deals were anything close to what they are today.

[@sunzofman940]

Peewee still got millions😂😁 one of the few that escape with his fortune✊

[@brittanybonnie1478]

all facts...the man is worth more then anybody think...its likely in offshore accounts they will never find it

[@TheFreshgirl96]

Thats why he got all them designer hoodies on each scene 😂😂😂😂

[@diamondsareforever1011]

Don't forget Frank Matthews he escaped from the FBI with over 15 millions dollars still to this day the FBI can't find him✊

[@TheFreshgirl96]

Linda Terry damm thats deep, never thought about it like that Linda 💯💯

[@Vintagenegro]

@Linda Terry lol ask the us government how many they kill to get what they got.

[@KingCamo90]

Should of had Denzel Washington play Kirkland in a movie back when he did He Got Game. Would of been a dope film

[@theflyent7106]

Exactly bro not no snitch ass nigga... That's when you can tell the film be made by these devils who always n will promote the bullshit in our culture... Big Facts!!!

[@keanutavares2530]

CAMIZKiNG pun definitely intended. Also, Denzel would’ve been perfect

[@KingCamo90]

Keanu Tavares crazy thing in He Got Game he already had the square fro and all lol

[@HULLGRAFFITI]

@@theflyent7106 That makes no sense at all....

[@waynemarshall8836]

@@HULLGRAFFITI he's referring to Frank Lucas.... Nigga

[@HokiePitcher22]

How does someone become an "unofficial Harlem historian?" I'm seriously interested in how that became Shabazz' title. Lol

[@shawno448]

I was thinking 🤔 the exact same thing!

[@terry4137]

You can teach your damn self! Study, read, and you learn!

[@HokiePitcher22]

@@terry4137 and then hop on vistaprint and buy some business cards claiming a title that doesn't exist...got it 👍

[@tylerjamoneable]

“Stop probing your driving yourself crazy”

[@someguy4224]

Stop probing your driving ya self crazy 👌🏼🤣⚜️

[@jonathankinney14]

The former detective still hate that man !

[@mahalkita7351]

Jonathan Kinney ??????? thatz not what I c, I only see respect & admir8shun

[@GTAFINESTWAR]

Mahal Kita admiration*

[@taylormiller22797]

Mahal Kita dumb

[@originalsal2141]

Its cause they wanted him to get locked up for life.

[@BrooklynRival7718]

FUCK HIM.

[@professr9343]

How the interviewer gonna tell this man he gotta keep going in depth about shit he don’t want to talk about

[@w2338]

I appreciate a video with out 17 commercials

[@caseyjones9621]

This is the content from vice we want

[@tree70737]

Casey Jones don’t watch it.

[@juanchopancho914]

He was a giver and was full of love, he got the energy he gave out. He wasn’t in it for the money he was in it for the people

[@joshua-nf3rx]

Are you serious ? He’s basically a mass murderer

[@shanghunter7697]

He stated : It's not how your life begins, it's how your life ends !! He gave back to his community in a cpl AWESOME ways !! You have to respect that !

[@blazedxjan]

This is the Vice I fell in love with. Thank you for sharing.

[@isaiahwinbrone]

Some of the NBA greats played at the rucker

[@daimonmarioperez9501]

Pee Wee, has always been straight up when it comes to telling his truth. He's consistent. The matter of the fact is, it's not where start, it's where you finish... Since he did his last bid, he's been consistently working hard in sharing his knowledge to all young black kids that are willing to listen. In hope that they will not follow in his same path. Maybe so they can become productive young men in society. When these stories are coming from "Kirkland" the kids usually will take heed from the author....

[@joao_gomes]

Mr. Kirkland needs to be more quoted in rap music. The man was the OG. To this day

[@kris5885]

just came here from ‘grinding’ and I agree

[@bxboro4662]

Legendary! See him all the time in The Bronx... Gun Hill!

[@chersolos]

Ran into him at the garden opening night this year

[@jamesgajewski6912]

Gun Hill a true throbread area !!!

[@Forthreee]

He came into my store

[@milart12]

Wow, looks good for all he has gone thru--73 y/o

[@mrforex3708]

milart12 intentions. Your intentions are what age you

[@BrooklynRival7718]

He's also black.

[@HXGHLIGHTS]

I met him he’s such a chill person, great guy

[@rodneyfosdick3293]

Keep up this series of videos I enjoy them!

[@TDM1680]

Legend in two games like I’m Pee Wee Kirkland

[@dwadeisthegoat2020]

Terence McClain on of the best Pusha T lines ever

[@Prisoner-jf8vi]

I once saw him downtown Brooklyn driving around some fly shit.

[@lowkii712]

This is the good vice we all know and love

[@darrenb2020]

The one where you dont hear the interviewer.

[@richyr5876]

I saw peewee taking the 2 train about a month ago cool dude

[@jordaniverson7121]

richy r seen this man at the gym in Toronto, cool dude

[@samalex8724]

He should have sold some dope to you dopey azz niggazz.

[@richyr5876]

sam alex he did look like a dopey ass nigga 😂

[@rodolfocontreras4051]

I seen Pee Wee transfering from 2 train at Barclays in brooklyn. Couldnt believe it.

[@dontarguewithfools]

I saw dude in lock up back in 78 Just joking I wasn't born yet 😂

[@duncandonna34]

Thank you for sharing, loved this

[@milogs17]

He look like a present Denzel.

[@wesleybynum5461]

Milo Litan Denzel should do a movie on his life

[@sexxmode3197]

Much older than denzel

[@EmericaBeastboy]

Wesley Bynum 😂

[@jaygio]

Not at all, not even close. People like you are the ones getting innocent people arrested in line-ups due to weak ass memory....

[@johnhawthorne2201]

Wesley Bynum he did when he was in American gangster. Peewee even said on Vlad that Frank lied about his life and tried to use his accomplishments

[@gregorysmith6122]

I met him this guy spoke to me like I was family he gave me game in wisdom.

[@rodsapyta7059]

FIRST CLASS VIDEO, Keep doing your thing P. God bless you..

[@samalex8724]

Hope he pees on you.

[@timash8478]

Pee Wee Kirkland has a heart of Gold. One of the sharpest brother if not the sharpest person I've ever had the pleasure of talking with.

[@heavy-d4032]

Anybody heard him on taxseason? Dope dialog between him and Tax/Tex 😂😂

[@xBITCHESxHATExMEx]

Never understood the hero-worshipping of drug dealers. The eroding of family values combined with government negligence and sometimes compliance almost completely wiped out an entire generation of Black America. Can't say I'm mad at drug dealers like Kirkland, but their lack of empathy disappoints me...

[@gregoryparkheightsjones9431]

xDexter'sFinestx how do you feel about cops being known as heroes to kids. Or priest being honored and praised before God and harming folks all over the world murdering and destroying families and homes everyday. Being minorities and coming out of these holes and conditions some worst than others when your hungry helpless no lights and prayed out all hope. Then u glamour and lust for a better life. ????? Picture. U see this guy with your skin grew up on your block. Driving cars U see only on TV or DR's may own the finest women and throwing cash around. Dropping crumbs when you starving. For some that only possibility of hope is better than Christ himself would you believe a white man who died on the cross came back to life and now want to bless black people who believes in him. When all black people know is. You are the ones who put us here all we know is for sure. They trapped us. Slaved us. Arrest Judge us caged us from Bill Clinton. To now Donald Trump. Who else in the ghetto or those communities can they glorify or relate with other than rappers and hustlers. It's a mind control. Mental thing. The government calls a project as we live it like lab rats off of there poisons until we begin tearing each other heads of like rats.

[@tylerfox9640]

@@gregoryparkheightsjones9431 You good mate?

[@gregoryparkheightsjones9431]

Tyler Fox super good

[@tristannorman6398]

Gregory ParkHeights Jones factss

[@lysdexsick]

What a Legend!!! Massive personality and a real person!!!

[@TrevWILL79]

Cat talks about himself in the third person. Real Wild!!

[@Reallil]

I ran into Pee Wee Kirkland twice in the Bronx on the 5 train... The Big Homie is official💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@JayB2]

This guy was back before Karlton "DUNKIN" Hines. Another big talent basketball player who became a drug kingpin, also from NYC.

[@samalex8724]

I am proud of him.

[@hthtv3440]

...had a homie that *knew* and loved him... they asked her to be in his doc, too; she declined. Beautiful Couple.

[@TheMrFrontera]

at first i was gonna say how could he turn down going to the nba thinking he'd have more sustained income from drug trafficking, but then i realized it was way back in the day.

[@garvinjoseph5131]

This guy said he wasn’t outstanding? From the old school guys I hear they said he suppose to be a hall famer he only went that low in the draft because of the school he went too. Division 3. Even pro players that played in Rucker with him said he was special.

[@KSmall109CAB]

Kirkland was at Norfolk State at the time that Bob Dandridge was there. Dandridge went on to win NBA championships with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Baltimore Bullets (now the Washington Wizards). Dandridge was drafted in the fourth round in 1969. Kirkland probably went low in the NBA draft because of fears about his lifestyle, not the fact that he went to Norkfolk State. If Kirkland had played football instead of basketball, he would have been the kind of guy that Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders would have risked drafting.

[@garvinjoseph5131]

KSmall109CAB understood but dude try to downplay his basketball ability. This guy was elite.

[@fuegodibiase5831]

Garvin Joseph real shit sounded like some real hater type shit 🤐🤐🤷🏽‍♂️🤷🏽‍♂️🤔🤔

[@REALTRUEJOURNEY]

we need the pee wee Kirkland doc or biopic

[@hthtv3440]

We need him as a 'doc..tor'.. a Therapist, for his people... he feels so *Wise* .

[@dk1597]

@@hthtv3440 yeah him being wise was how he went to prison

[@lil06fab]

I was today years old when I finally understood the bar “legend in 2 games like I’m Peewee Kirkland.”

[@lil06fab]

Beeasy617 fys

[@shabba194]

Jungz it’s never to late to learn.

[@hthtv3440]

Who rapped that? #PushaT..?

[@hagosmtewolde7438]

I’m sure he kept a Journal somewhere and only one person knows - I enjoyed it didn’t know much about him before

[@MadMrMatter]

Vice Sports reminds me of old Vice, before their agenda took control.

[@Essays4College]

Their weed agenda?

[@mikebrophy2583]

@@Essays4College It's there interviews about how straight males shouldnt discriminate againsnt non binary xer strippers or child drag queen competitions. Take a browse through the Vice Facebook page. It is literally cancer.

[@kanescrimes4848]

I wholeheartedly agree. Vice(in it's entirety) started going down hill a little bit before Gavin Mcinnes left. I subscribed to vice magazine in 96, then all but abandoned it when the agenda train took traction about a decade or so ago. I miss the off the wall obscure topics the magazine used to cover. They also covered a lot of skateboard culture around that time.

[@atlantiswalker4000]

Facts

[@DETSRC313]

@@atlantiswalker4000 -Also a die hard Vice supporter and viewer since day one, the real day one. When you ask people same thing not ever or maybe one will mention the " Vice " Magazine. Most say since day one thinking of their visual vids. So only commenting because you mentioned the magazine and their topics they used to cover. So mad #RESPECT

[@sz42781]

" He gave back to the community" And then the community gave it back to him lol

[@TheRealNativeSun]

Hahahahaha. That’s Gangsta.

[@jons806]

BROOO THIS DUDE SAT NEXT TO ME AT THE KNICKS GAME I KNEW HE WAS FAMOUS

[@Lansky_TV]

Did the knicks win tho?

[@Anonymous-ew5bq]

@@Lansky_TV 😂😂😂

[@danielbutcher8108]

It's the Knicks of course they lost lol

[@Nickyk729]

I see a movie staring Denzel as well. He’d play the older Pee wee of course. Heck, they kinda sound and look the same anyway.

[@kg919]

He came and spoke to me in middle school. Inspiration

[@WeHipHopToo]

Should be a movie produced.

[@wesleybynum5461]

We HipHopToo w Denzel portraying PeeWee

[@hthtv3440]

ONLY If #PeeweeKirkland can write it and produced it, Authenticate Its content... if not? I wouldn't trust it, wholly.

[@angelchasingabag4987]

He is a real dude love his personality 💯💪🏽👑

[@dmiconsulting]

Why is he a real dude

[@jays0909]

“Legend in two games like pee wee Kirkland “-pusha T

[@MoneyOverFame]

I wish this was an hour long.

[@inm5508]

Bet he would play 2nd fiddle in this nba...could sit on the bench and get a 80 million dollar contract

[@niphonzama1674]

Lol peewee took the time so he could save his bag. If you listen clearly you'll hear that he's blatantly saying it😂

[@caliortiz118]

from the west coast i love you Pee Wee. you a real 1 unk

[@memememe633]

“Legend in two games like I’m Pee Wee Kirkland” I swear I seen that comment fifty times on here 🤦🏽‍♂️😂😂😂

[@dualdistance4767]

A nice story. It should be a movie!

[@emergematic9048]

Peewee really was the Drug Dealer with a heart of gold💛

[@timothymelendez3392]

Great video keep these type of videos going && Vice will be fine

[@carlmalone4186]

Great series

[@marcossantana1312]

Now he's the #1 Supplier at Costco

[@kvonfitt]

“Legend in 2 games like I’m peewee Kirkland” all makes sense now 🐐

[@paulreeves7924]

That beat sound like a phone vibrating lol

[@Flowerz__]

Crack ain’t no natural drug lol

[@poindextertunes]

flowerz right? im over here like bruh, they still have to process the plants into drugs. they aint getting high off that shit straight out of the ground

[@poindextertunes]

BossCaveman lmao definitely not the same high

[@Paaka]

@@poindextertunes you right

[@dontarguewithfools]

Only natural drug I've seen in person is shrooms and bud I've never seen poppy plants, Coco plants

[@geegarcia7858]

@@dontarguewithfools unless you live in Bolivia, Peru or Colombia lol... We got that shit all over our jungles.

[@dabiz4272]

I hate when people talk about how much drug dealers care about people and always helped them out. That's an oxymoron

[@hotsaucebone]

No kidding. The most ignorant thing to say

[@baileypanama]

da biz actually, won’t you care for your customers if you were running a business?

[@motoipearson2538]

“We were on the other side of reality, which was insanity”

[@fernandojr2172]

The man SOUNDS like Denzel Washington!!! Almost dead-on! the speech style, the tone, and voice speed,pausing rate, and even his english dialect (east coast eng)!

[@gkane7928]

I love how he drop game.

[@EastNewYorkSchwick]

360 Jumpshot Game-Winner?

[@dntgshot1236]

Yea sounded like fabrication to me too why tf would u even attempt that😂

[@hihiihihihi8408]

Rucker park was all about swag! That was only thing that mattered

[@lowmoneymillionaire9852]

Got to see it to believe it that's the first time I ever heard that one..lol

[@seanbravo306214]

Yes boi. Went from watching chiropractic massage videos to this.

[@JJ-tm2jb]

Met Wee Kirkland one day in a Gym I was shooting around at while he was working out with his son . He seen I was jerking my release and immediately came over to correct it . At this point i has no clue who he was until after talking with him . Gym in Bronx , NY last I recall

[@akumaoni9159]

This the guy from Above The Rim! When he told Kyle Watson that it doesn't work that way son, after his game!

[@papitodon7198]

Esau: He was good but he wasn't outstanding.. Fym..Legends in two games like I'm Pee Wee Kirkland

[@chuckgrimes1223]

“Legend in two games like I’m PeeWee Kirkland”

[@lonblaze2120]

I saw Pee Wee Kirkland in Hope Mills,NC around 2010, he was trying to get to Winston-Salem, NC.

[@SimpleAnt]

3:53 is a mood. 🐐

[@daltonross4316]

Real life Uncle Drew

[@2xag48]

Dalton Ross ??? No correlation whatsoever

[@markmoody5624]

Damn I love this dude! Much respect!

[@jeffjacobs6980]

Straight up OG. He didn't rat out on anyone. He knew on what's wrong & he done wrong. I don't agree with the drug game, but I have a lot of respect for him.

[@elpstackable]

He used to come to the park in the Bronx. He taught my kids when they were young

[@nastynate838]

shout out to the camera guy 👌🏾

[@shawnmagra6939]

Nvcca

[@SFocus-yy6tm]

He said No you not!!! He means it!

[@DaFonz808]

This man needs a movie for real. Denzel🔥

[@paratrooper8916]

Talking about yourself in 3rd person is definitely always super cool and never douchie.

[@lutherodaniels3799]

Man, it ain’t about the hustle, it’s about the person you see in the mirror everyday.

[@MrTokstew]

Amazing story but edited in a weird way. Kinda biased but maybe they were trying not to glorify his past

[@Redbone504]

S/o to Pee Wee real dude...he came visit our bball team for a whole weekend in my high school @ Laurinburg instit

[@arthurbarrett8570]

I would love to talk to this good brother! We need more people to look out for us and us each other.

[@kamabokogonpachiro6099]

Givenchy🔥

[@austinoldfield5251]

This man is a legend

[@monblancnoland4666]

Lmaoo cmon my g out here talking about himself in the third person hahaha my gag what a fuking legend

[@chrispeters7152]

Well this was awesome to say THE LEAST!!