NBA great Earl Monroe had a couple of nicknames during his playing days. One was "Black Jesus." The other was "The Pearl." He could do things with the ball that were considered mythical.

Former Knicks great Earl Monroe — a member of the 1973 championship squad — takes a shot at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.

Monroe was a man of many nicknames, including The Pearl, Black Jesus, Black Magic, and The Lord’s Prayer. He was a legend of street ball, the NBA, and, of course, Knicks lore.

At a young age, NBA Kareem Adbul-Jabbar learned why Hall of Famer Earl Monroe was known as "Black Jesus." The summer before he got to UCLA, Abdul-Jabbar participated in a pickup game against Monroe.

As a senior in 1966-67, Monroe led Winston-Salem State University to an NCAA Division II title while averaging 41.5 points per game. Monroe, who turned 80 on Nov. 21, 2024, later went on to a hall ...