Practice makes perfect for new Trotter Rosegreen

Victoria Sun

Thursday, March 1, 2001 | 10:02 a.m.

Who: Harlem Globetrotters 75th Anniversary Tour

Where: Thomas & Mack Center

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Tickets: $10 to $75

In an attempt to become an expert at entertaining kids the Harlem Globetrotters' way, Warren Rosegreen was forced to break the cardinal rule of mothers and wives everywhere: No ball in the house.

To get better at performing ball-handling tricks, Rosegreen practiced two hours a day inside his Las Vegas home. Understandably, his wife, Dalicia Ramey Rosegreen, had her worries.

"She used to tell me, 'Put that ball down before you break something,' " Rosegreen said with a chuckle. "She was always yelling at me to give up the ball."

Rosegreen, one of the newest members of the world famous traveling basketball team, hasn't mastered all of the moves yet. But he's getting there.

The former UNLV basketball standout will return to the Thomas & Mack Center Friday night for a 7 p.m. performance that is part of the Globetrotters 75th Anniversary Tour.

Local fans can expect to see the same basketball wizardry and showmanship from the Globetrotters that has dazzled fans all over the world. Following the exhibition, fans will get an opportunity to meet their favorite Globetrotter during an autograph signing session.

After learning a few of the Globetrotters' most basic routines at a mini-camp last September, Rosegreen was on his own.

"I was thinking it was going to be really hard because I remember watching Meadowlark Lemon and Curley Neal bobbing and weaving and doing all of those tricks," Rosegreen said. "And I thought, 'I don't know how to do all that.'

"I was scared at first. I couldn't even spin a ball on my finger. I was like, 'Man I've got a lot of work to do.' "

Rosegreen averaged 9.9 points and 8.7 rebounds for the Rebels from 1995-97. During his junior year, he led the Rebels with 9.5 rebounds a game.

The tenacious rebounder played last season in South Korea and decided to join the Globetrotters so he could travel around the world and reach out to kids.

Mannie Jackson, owner of the Globetrotters, noticed Rosegreen after watching him play in the summer pro league in Long Beach, Calif. Two years ago, Jackson asked Rosegreen to join the Globetrotters, but Rosegreen decided it wasn't the right time.

When Jackson called again in August, Rosegreen couldn't refuse.

"It's good, clean family entertainment," Rosegreen said. "That's what motivates me every day to do this job, the kids.

"I had some cousins in Tennessee when we performed there that went to the game. After, I talked to them about education and how important school is.

"I've always been the type of person to reach out to kids. I like the fact that it's a family event."