Philly Basketball Files

The Philly Basketball Files

The players. The stories. The legacy.

A documentary podcast about Philadelphia basketball. It starts with one former pro asking whether he was really that good. It grows into the story of a whole city's game.

See Season One Nominate a player

Status: Season One coming soonFirst file: It's Not Sweet: Was I Really That Good?Filed in: Philadelphia, PA

Season One

Was I really that good?

Where to watch and listen

    It's not sweet.

    Tone, to Anwar Coleman. The comment that opened the first file.

    How this started

    One comment sent a former pro back through his whole career.

    I played professional basketball overseas. That part is on the record. What Tone said made me ask a harder question: was I considered that good here, in Philadelphia, by the people who actually saw me play?

    So I'm asking them. I'm sitting down with players I played with and against. They get their flowers first. Then they can tell me the truth, including the parts I may not like.

    This is an investigation, and the answers can disagree. Along the way, it becomes a record of Philadelphia's players, playgrounds, schools and leagues.

    1. The confrontation

      An empty gym, and the story of what Tone said.

    2. The players speak

      Sit-down interviews with verified achievements up front.

    3. The history

      Old photos, game footage and stories from the city's courts.

    4. The city decides

      People who saw it bring their own stories and evidence.

    File PBF-001

    The host's record

    Season One puts that career in front of the people who saw it. This record shows what is documented so far and what still needs proof.

    DocumentedBacked by a public source you can open.
    From AnwarHis own account. Source still being added.
    Name to confirmA source exists, but the name needs checking.

    Career timeline

      Pro stops

      Listed without order until seasons are confirmed.

      The photo box

      Have a photo or clipping from these years? Tell us what you have.

      The Archive

      Everybody gets a file

      Each file holds a player's schools, teams, accomplishments and interview, with links to where the facts came from. The first file belongs to the host.

      Career facts come from the linked public sources. Being on the list does not mean an interview has been agreed to or recorded, and it does not mean the player endorses the show.

      Ask the Files

      Got a question?

      Ask about the show, Anwar's record, the players in the archive and their stats, or how to send in a story. It only answers from what is in the files, so it won't guess at history.

      Add to the Files

      Who are we missing?

      • Nominate a player whose story should be told.
      • Saw Anwar play? Tell us what you remember, good or bad.
      • Got old photos, clippings or game footage? Tell us what you have.