Kenny Pretlow had his doubts about Mike Boynton's promise.
Even though the point guard was forever insisting he would guard the other team's best player, the coach wasn't so sure one day back in the summer of 1999. Their team from Riverside Church in Brooklyn was facing a Mississippi squad and a young phenom named Darius Rice.
"Coach," Boynton told Pretlow, "I can get him."
The coach looked at the 6-foot-9 Rice, then at the 6-foot-2 Boynton.
"Mike," Pretlow said, "the guy is too big for you."
"Don't worry, don't worry," Boynton said. "I'm not going to let him get the ball.