Washington Generals Top Players: Donald "Clyde" Sinclair

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Several Washington Generals went on to become members of the Harlem Globetrotters. But Donald Sinclair is easily the most successful to ever make the jump.

A lifelong resident of Clayton, North Caolina, Sinclair originally played basketball for the Clayton High School Commets. During his time attending Clayton, he played both basketball and football. In 1976, Sinclair was part of the team that became state champions.

After graduating in 1977, Donald played at Kings Community College, before transferring his junior year and playing for N.C. Central University. While at N.C. Central, Sinclair averaged 17.1 points per game and 7.2 rebounds. He also set the school record for assist during his time, and was twice voted the defensive player of the year. He was also awarded all-region and all-CIAA honors.

After graduating in 1982, his impressive college career got him drafted by the Washington Bullets. Unfortunately, he did not make the final cut. Although in hindsight had he made it, he might have never had nearly as long of a career in professional basketball as he ended up having.

After playing abroad Clyde was eventually signed by another Washington team, this time the Washington Generals. It changed his life forever, although probably not in the way he had thought it would.

Sinclair played for the Washington Generals during the 1987-88 season, arguably one of the best and most famous Generals teams ever, playing alongside such players as Nancy Lieberman. He was part of the Generals when they played the Globetrotters in West Berlin, a game that aired on "ABC's Wide World Of Sports".

Clyde "The Glide" Sinclair

After the 1988 season Sinclair became one of the relatively small number of Washington Generals to make the jump to the Harlem Globetrotters. Taking on the nickname "The Glide" he went on to play for the Harlem Globetrotters for an impressive 17 years, playing against the Washington Generals he once was a member of, as well as their later going against their r alter-ego the New York Nationals.

During his time as a player for the Globetrotters Sinclair played with the Globetrotters for the first time in a free democratic South Africa. He played against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Legendary All-Stars in 1995. He was named "Mr. Globetrotter" by the team in 1998, an award given to the player who most represents the spirit of a Harlem Globetrotter. Clyde was on hand for the trotters 20,000th game in 1998, played in Remington, IN. He was also part of the team that represented the Globetrotters when they were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2002.

Sinclair was also recently inducted into the Johnston County Atletic Hall of Fame in 2011, for his time at Clayton.

In 2005, Sinclair hung up his Globetrotter uniform and took on a new role for the Globetrotters. That of Coach. It's a position he has served for the last 7 years.

Sinclair took an opportunity to play for the Washington Generals, and turned it into a 23+ year career with the most famous basketball team in the world. Not bad for a guy who started out making a living losing to that same team.