If the Dunks Won’t Go Plunk, He’ll Try Comedy

Terry Nelson’s aspirations are probably greater than those of most junior college basketball players. Rather than focusing on doing his best at Harbor College, a stepping stone in his career, the freshman is preoccupied with stardom and slam dunking.

“When I was little,” Nelson said, “I thought, ‘One day, if I could dunk, most of my shots will be dunks.’ Now I think dunking is my major asset. I can dunk in a half-court game.”

He realizes, however, that fancy moves and occasional jams don’t guarantee success. That’s why Nelson, the Seahawks’ top scorer and team captain, has a backup plan in case his athletic career doesn’t take off.

The 6-foot-6, 205-pounder, known as “Smoothe” for his court finesse, is also a stand-up comedian. He writes his own jokes; his style, he says, is somewhere between Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor.

“I’ve watched all of Eddie’s movies,” Nelson said. “I rewind them and watch them over and over again till I know every line.”

Nelson works hard at being funny, although succeeding in basketball is his immediate priority. The 19-year-old spends four hours a day in the gym and uses every spare moment to rehearse witty lines in front of the bathroom mirror.

Last year Nelson performed his comedy routine at a Hollywood restaurant. He plans to do it again at the end of the season, although he says it’s difficult to find a club that books comedians under 21.

“I just write the stuff and I act it out,” Nelson said modestly.

Last season he was a sensation among Seahawk players, coaches and the team bus driver. Although Nelson wasn’t eligible to compete, he joined the Seahawks on a January road trip to Barstow College.

Harbor’s bus broke down on the way home, stranding coaches and players for eight hours in a cold and isolated desert. Nelson used the opportunity to test his stuff.

“He really had everybody cracking up,” said Harbor Coach Ken Curry. “It was hilarious. It helped keep us warm.”

One season later, Nelson’s serious stuff, his performance on the court, has kept the Seahawks hot, with a 21-12 mark (7-4 in league) going into tonight’s final Southern California Athletic Conference game against Marymount.

Harbor, in third place in the seven-member conference, has been assured of a playoff berth for the third consecutive season under Curry. The third-year coach says this is his best Harbor team and that Nelson, who averages 19 points and nine rebounds a game, is the biggest reason.

“He’s got incredible athletic ability,” Curry said. “He can run the floor; he can play the three (small forward), the four (power forward). He can do so many things. He’s a superstar and a team leader.”

The best part, Curry says, is that fame hasn’t gone to Nelson’s head. Most talented young players, he points out, tend to be cocky and hot-headed.

“He’s flamboyant without being arrogant,” Curry said. “He does awesome things and he says, ‘OK, let’s go on to the next play.’ He gets it done and goes on.”

Marymount Coach Jim Masterson says Nelson is undoubtedly one of the league’s best players. Harbor beat Marymount, 80-78, on Jan. 24 in the first round of conference play, and Masterson isn’t looking forward to facing Nelson again.

“He’s a tremendous player,” Masterson said. “He jumps well, and he plays good inside and outside. His first game back, after his toe injury, was against us, and he got 14 points even though he hobbled and played very little.”

Nelson sprained his right toe in a game against Barstow on Jan. 10. He leaped for a rebound and jammed the toe against the floor when he landed. The injury forced him to miss two games and two weeks of practice, but he used the time wisely.

“It was a blessing in disguise,” Nelson said. “While the team worked out, all I could do was shoot free throws. I’d spend two hours a day shooting free throws. Before, my (free-throw) percentage was in a slump. It was under 50%. My first game back (against Marymount), I went nine for 12 from the line.”

Nelson has improved other parts of his game as well. He’s had to, in order to stay at the top after a one-year absence from competitive basketball.

Nelson sat out last season because he transferred to Harbor from Cal State Fullerton. He also would have skipped a year had he stayed at the Big West college because, under Proposition 48, he was academically ineligible to play out of high school.

Despite poor grades, Fullerton signed Nelson on Nov. 11, 1987, the first official sign-up day for high school basketball players. Cal State Long Beach, the University of Hawaii and the University of Nevada, Reno, also tried recruiting him after a successful career at Long Beach Poly High.

Nelson was also a high jumper and football player at Poly, but basketball was his specialty. He played three years on the varsity and averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds as a senior, despite a broken ankle that kept him out for almost half the season.

Fullerton was the first school he visited. He committed early because he liked former Coach George McQuarn. But McQuarn resigned in November, 1988, and a dissatisfied Nelson left after his first semester.

“I didn’t like the change,” he said. “I didn’t like the new coach and his plans.”

Nelson enrolled at Harbor last spring because he knew Curry from a summer basketball league. Curry also recruited Nelson out of high school.

“I tried really hard,” Curry said, “and I thought I was going to get him because he didn’t have the grades to play anywhere else.”

Nelson says that’s changed. If all goes well, he’ll play at a Division I school next year. He says his grades have improved and he’s on schedule to receive a two-year degree by the end of this summer.

On the court, “it’s taken me 30 games to finally do my stuff and to really get in shape,” Nelson said. “It’s finally coming together, and it hasn’t been easy.”

Many coaches say Nelson is ready to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Assn.--no surprise since his athletic ability has never been questioned.

“He’s definitely a Division I player,” said Trade Tech Coach Oliver Jones, “and I think he can make the move after only one year at a junior college. I’m very impressed with him. I think we (league coaches) all are.”

So far, New Mexico State, Cal State Long Beach and St. Mary’s have shown interest in Nelson. So far, he doesn’t have a preference.

“I just want to win the state title and be the MVP of the tournament so I can get some recognition,” he said in a serious tone.

Not a far-fetched goal for a guy who considers himself a mini-Magic Johnson, even though he’s not conceited.