Thomas Hamilton, Jr..........yes, that Thomas Hamilton
http://yourseason.suntimes.com/942937,051008hamilton.articleHamilton Jr. is like, unlike fatherFORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The resemblance is stunning.
Even if his name wasn't Thomas Hamilton Jr., any Chicago basketball fan would know the 6-9, 13-year-old playing for the Mac Irvin Fire 15-and-under team was the son of former King star Thomas Hamilton.
"Nobody ever used to say that to me," Hamilton Jr. said. "But people at basketball events are starting to mention it more now, how much I look like my father."
Hamilton Jr. is a seventh-grader at Beasley Elementary on the South Side, the basketball factory that produced former Simeon stars Derrick Rose and Tim Flowers. On May 3 at the Spiece Tournament, Hamilton wowed the media and scouts in attendance with a terrific all-around game that recruiting analyst Joe Henricksen called "European."
"He has an extremely high skill level for his age, which includes impressive three-point range with a very fluid shot and release, soft hands, nimble feet and the basic fundamentals," Henricksen said. "He will have to stay the course, maintain that body and the right mind-set to reach the unbelievable ceiling he has."
Recruiting analyst Roy Schmidt put it simply: "If he keeps his head on straight, he will play in the [NBA]."
Eighteen years ago in the Sun-Times, King coach Landon Cox said nearly the same thing about Hamilton Jr.'s father.
"I think [Hamilton Sr.] has a very bright future if he can keep his head on straight," Cox said at the time. "In three years, with self-discipline, he can be a millionaire."
Hamilton Sr. didn't keep his head on straight. After helping the Jaguars win the Class AA state championship in 1993, things went awry for the 7-2, 350-pound center.
He signed with Illinois but was denied acceptance because of academic problems. He transferred to Pittsburgh but left after sitting out his freshman year and never played college ball.
He was signed by the Toronto Raptors in 1994 but never played for them and was cut the next year. He signed with the Boston Celtics in November 1995 and played in his first NBA game in March 1996. He played in 11 games with the Celtics, and his best performance was a 13-point, six-rebound effort against the Washington Bullets.
Hamilton Jr. was 5 years old at that point and a major inspiration in his father's comeback attempt.
"If I play in the NBA, I can take care of my son," Hamilton Sr. said.
The Celtics released him later in the season. He was signed by the Bulls but never played in a regular-season game. He was arrested on a drug charge in Chicago in May 1998 but came back to play in 22 games with the Houston Rockets during the 1999-2000 season. That marked the end of his NBA career.
The last time anyone remembers seeing Hamilton Sr. on a basketball court was during Michael Jordan's comeback attempt in 2001. Hamilton was spotted at Hoops the Gym on the West Side, playing with Jordan, Antoine Walker, Charles Barkley, former King star Leon Smith and Eddy Curry, who had just graduated from Thornwood.
Hamilton Jr. said his father was never a major factor in his life. His mother, Latanya Floyd, has raised him, and Mike Irvin, a former teammate of his father's at King, has been his basketball mentor.
"Mike Irvin taught me how to shoot," Hamilton said. "He's been a father figure to me."
Hamilton Sr. has lost contact with his son and with almost everyone from his playing days. His former agent, Mark Bartelstein, hasn't heard from him in years.
"Thomas had so much talent," Bartelstein said. "He could have been better than Shaquille O'Neal. He just wasn't able to keep the weight down and do the things he needed to do."
Cox also has lost touch with his former star.
"I don't know where he is," Cox said. "I haven't heard from him in a very long time."
Hamilton Jr. said he has learned plenty from his father's troubles.
"I learned a lot from hearing about him," Hamilton Jr. said. "I have to keep my mind straight and hang around with the right people. I can't get caught up with what's going on in the street, and I can't be hanging out with losers."
Hamilton Jr. said his mother is doing a fine job of keeping him on the right path.
"Sometimes when I act moody or do something I shouldn't, my mom will say I'm reminding her of my father," he said. "It's kind of hard to explain, but that's when I know I have to straighten up. I can't do the kind of stuff that messed him up."
Like most of the talented junior-high-age players at Spiece, Hamilton Jr. is going through a double-recruitment. Chicago high school coaches have been after him for years, and college coaches recently started getting in on the action. Four Big Ten schools and a Conference USA school already have contacted him.
"I'm not really thinking about that yet," he said. "But I do like the Big Ten."
As far as his high school choice, Hamilton Jr. said he is leaning toward the Catholic League.
"I definitely want to go to a private school," he said. "I don't want to deal with all the mess in the Public League."
Hamilton Jr. lives near De La Salle and considers Meteors freshman Mike Shaw a big brother, so De La Salle has to be considered the early favorite.
"I'd like to play with my friends in high school," he said. "If me, Lawrence Briggs, Terrence Quinn and Jelani Neeley could all be together, that would be great."
Hamilton Jr. isn't very forthcoming about his father, but he said he's aware the subject will be brought up often during the next six years.
"I'm OK with that," he said. "I've seen tapes of him. I think he was good."
