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COMEDIAN MO’NIQUE ANNOUNCES HOUSTON’S NEW CO-ED BASKETBALL TEAM
from Volume 25 Issue 9
COMEDIAN MO’NIQUE ANNOUNCES HOUSTON’S NEW CO-ED BASKETBALL TEAM
HOUSTON IS HOME. Actress/ Comedian Mo’Nique (center) and husband, Sidney Hicks, make local headlines once again. ‘The Parkers’ star visited the “Bayou City” to announce the couple’s new venture into professional sports team ownership. The couple is now the proud co-owners of the Houston Equalizers, a new co-ed sports team, part of the Global Mixed Gender Basketball (GMGB) League.
By N.L. Preston
HOUSTON – Academy award-winning actress and comedian Mo’Nique and her husband, Sidney Hicks, are reppin’ Houston in a major way while adding sports team owners to their repertoire. The Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 2009 film Precious, visited the “Bayou City” to announce the couple as the new owners of the Houston Equalizers, part of the Global Mixed Gender Basketball (GMGB) League.
The announcement was made at a press conference, which was attended by Houston city and business leaders, in addition to other prominent figures, in early March at the Galleria area Grotto restaurant.
On behalf of Mayor Sylvester Turner, legendary Houston sports journalist Kim Davis presented Mo’Nique with an official proclamation, naming March 10, 2020, Houston Equalizers Day.
“Although I’m from Baltimore, Maryland...when I got started in my comedy career, whether I was at a little bar or on big stages, [Houston] always showed up,” Mo’Nique said.
The comedian recalled that nearly 15 years ago, while pregnant with twins and on tour in Houston, she stopped in the middle of her comedy routine and told the audience she just couldn’t go any further due to pregnancy discomfort. To her surprise, she received that true “H-Town love” as the audience rose to its feet with thunderous applause, telling her to go take care of herself and her babies, not complaining or seeking any refunds.
That’s the type of love that motivated the actress to fight for the Equalizers, beating out VH1 Basketball Wives star Tami Roman, to become the co-owner of the Houston team.
“Houston is my home because y’all don’t treat me like a celebrity, nor do you treat me like I’m famous. You treat me like I’m yours,” Mo’Nique said.
The couple now joins a growing list of other GMGB celebrity owners, including Percy “Master P” Miller, president and owner of the New Orleans Gators; Tiny Harris, owner of the Atlanta Heirs; rapper Ice T, owner of the New York Knights; Trina and Maurice “Trick Daddy” Young, owners of Miami Ballers; reality star Laura Govan, owner of Chicago Vikings and Anwan Glover, owner of the Washington Fusion. Tentatively, Roman will own the LA Breeze and Martell and Melody Holt of Love & Marriage: Huntsville will become the owners of the Alabama Rockets.
GMGB PARTNERS. Comedian Mo’Nique and husband, Sidney Hicks, are the new proud co-owners of the Houston Equalizers.
GMGB is focusing on keeping “equality” at the forefront, being the first professional co-ed basketball league combining both the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players.
Mo’Nique is all about equality, clearly illustrated in her recent battle with Netflix, and says, with her team, “losing is not an option...so watch out.”
The teams play full-court basketball. In the first quarter, three women and two men play, and in the second quarter, three men and two women play. The lineup will alternate each quarter. The halftime shows are guaranteed to be full of surprises.
Sidney and Mo’Nique, the proud parents of four children, love how the new league brings the entire family into the fold of basketball. They stress the importance of joy, laughter, and fun on and off the court.
James Scott, CEO of GMGB, says he was excited for the ink to dry on the deal adding the Houston Equalizers to the league.
“Houston is a basketball mecca, but you’ve never seen anything like what we’re bringing,” Scott said. “We have something here that is unique. I’m not a basketball player, but I said to myself, ‘Why aren’t women and men playing together?’ And everybody thought I was crazy, and when I said I was going to start a league, they really thought I was crazy.”
Despite the doubters, Scott moved forward with making his dream a reality and Monique, he says, is passionate about this endeavor.
“She already has the Equalettes, the co-ed cheerleaders, and we’ve already put together their uniforms,” Scott added. The owners are currently planning Equalette cheer tryouts for the month of April.
Master P and Tiny, in the competitive spirit, say they are coming after Mo’Nique, but she’s not worried. Like Tiffany Haddish says: “She Ready!!!”
Scott shared that on the day Kobe Bryant died, they were in talks with the Los Angeles Lakers legend that morning about him getting involved with GMGB, in which he fully supported. Bryant’s beloved daughter Gianna “GiGi” Bryant, who perished with him in a tragic helicopter crash, was a promising female basketball star.
The league is dedicated to making sure women also have a seat at the table.
“Most of my staff are women because they’ve been working the hardest,” Scott said. “This is something that we are going to make happen. This is ours and we are coming strong!”
For more information, visit www.Global- MixedGenderBasketball.com – AANI
