Hoop wizard Jack Ryan visits Wagner College basketball camp

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Basketball entertainer Jack Ryan at Spiro Sports Center on Thursday

(wagner/athletics)

When longtime West Brighton resident Pete Coakley was coaching at John Jay High School in Brooklyn's Park Slope year's back he ran into one fundamental problem at a time when he should have been enjoying the most talented team he ever coached:

The issue was team star Jack Ryan, a ball-handling wizard and deep-shooting guard who Chris Mullin once called the best shooter he had ever seen who never played in the NBA.

The problem was not having his star around when he was needed most.

Ryan, who exhibited his hoop gifts at Wagner College's basketball summer camp performance on Thursday, didn't like to show up for practice.

He wasn't much for going to class, either.

As a result, the now 54-year-old never reached the elite "high school legend" status of someone like a Mullin or Stephon Marbury.

He bounced around from junior college to junior college following John Jay, and landed at Ohio University for a brief stint.

Then it was back to New York and the playgrounds.

"He was the best player I was ever around in my 35 years coaching and playing in New York," said Coakley, now a Belmar, N.J. resident.

So good, in fact, he was able to get himself some NBA tryouts even without much of an organized career on his resume.

Ryan straightened out his life too late to cash in on the pro game.

But he knows how to put on a show.

These days, he is sort of a one-man Globetrotter performer who fascinates kids with his ball handling and shooting tricks.

He's also pretty good at handing out tips on playing for real ... along with some warnings about taking advantage of the abilities one is given.

Ryan will be back at Wagner College Basketball Camp next week for the final session.

For information about next week's camp schedule contact Chris Simpson at Chris.Simpson@Wagner.edu or call him at 201-602-4144.

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