When Miles Rawls, commissioner, color and play by play man extraordinare of the famed Goodman League gives the players a handle, alias, nickname, streetball name, etc, it either sticks immediately or grows on you. It's probably creative genius for him to be able to come up with a title within seconds of seeing a player on the court but either way that person's life takes on a new shape, a new brand identity, and for Andrew "The Sponge Bob" Washington, it can be a marketing push.
At 6'2" and 215 pounds Andrew Washington has the ideal measurables of an NFL wide receiver, powerfully built and explosive. While football is a sport he likes and played as a youngster growing up in the District and Hillcrest Heights, Md, it's basketball that is his passion. Washington actually played baseball, took up the martial arts discipline, and even boxed for a spell as a youth. "I like to think of myself as an all around athlete. I have been exposed to it all however basketball is in my soul. I play for the love of the game."
Covering the Goodman League in 2007, the first thing that caught my attention was the name, then the game. The first thing I noticed was the explosive athletic ability and power, especially around the rim. Washington was virtually unstoppable from under the basket and he finished with power dunks WITHOUT running starts over taller opponents. My first thought was a smaller Charles Barkley with his ability to explode and finish with power around the rim. He would match players the like of Baby Shack, another power finisher and super athlete, basket for basket and no one intimidated him. Washington is one of the most dominant players in a league that is not friendly to everyone's game. Many people across the country think the level of competition at the Goodman is not good and unfortunately they are mistaken. Some of the best players in the country have graced the Goodman courts to get what has been told to me personally some of the best "bump" in the country. Gilbert Arenas didn't dominate that way Washington has the last two years.
The story of Andrew Washington began at the age of 9. As a youth he idolized Michael Jordon and Lawrence "Poetry in motion" Moten of Carroll High School in DC, who played his college ball at Syracuse. "I liked Moten because he was from DC and went to Syracuse." Washington played his AAU ball with the reknowed Maryland Stallions (Current NBA player Jarrett Jack was his teammate) Washington DC Executive 3 and the Metro Players.
Washington attended Dunbar High as a junior and Friendly High in Maryland as a senior. Washington stats (20 points and 12 rebounds a game as a senior) were impressive enough to land him at Allen County Community College in Kansas. After a breakout sophomore year in which he averaged 21 points and 9 rebounds a game, the mid majors came knocking. Washington says he chose the University of Delaware to be closer to home so his family could attend games.
Washington averaged 13 points and 4 rebounds in his two years at Delaware but a workout in front of a collection NBA scouts yielding nothing. "The knock on me says Washington was that there was no "true position" for me. They said I did a lot of things well and played hard but my shooting wasn't good enough to put me at the two guard spot."
Despite not being selected in the NBA draft, Washington continued to workout his body and his game on the courts in and around the district. "I developed my reputation just going at the top dudes in the area. When I got the opportunity to go at guys in other cities, I stepped up offensively and defensively. My game is the way it is because I workout so much I feel to be the best, you have to train the best you can. I feel I still have a lot of opportunity ahead of me in basketball. I'm working constantly on my ball handling and jump shooting to get prepared for my next job overseas."
Andrew admits that at first he hated the nicknamed given to him by Miles but somehow it just stuck. Washington is simply amazed because now he's famous by that name. "Everybody in the basketball world knows me by that name even if they don't know me."
Washington who says Kobe Bryant is the one NBA player who impresses him the most because of his work ethic, doesn't get caught on what could have been or what he missed out on. "I'm only 24 and have at least 10 years of playing left. If I had to start all over I would have played basketball just like I am now, I just would have surrounded myself at times with people with more positive energy. The advice I would give to youngsters is to "you get out of something what you put into it. He goes on to say you can't stop believing your dream can't become a reality. Despite what others say, you gotta keep believing when others try to get you to think otherwise."
"I've been thru the struggles and ups and downs of coming from a single parent household. I was fortunate to have a strong mother who always believed and supported me. The future is bright." Washington should know this. He recently came back from playing in Mexico for Lazaro Cardenas Tiburones and averaged 41 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game. "In Mexico, they told me they needed me to score the basketball."
To his knowledge and mine, Andrew "The Sponge Bob" Washington currently is under the radar of cable television's Nickelodeon and hasn't received any cease and desist letters from any corporate attorneys saying he's infringing on any copyrights or trademarks, yet.
For upcoming Goodman League playoff updates go to www.thegoodmanleague.com
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For archived Goodman League articles go to www.dcmetrosports.com/dcmsblog
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