By Rick Assad
In the long and glorious history of the NBA, four cities and three teams have won three or more consecutive championships.
They are the Minneapolis Lakers from 1952 through 1954, the Boston Celtics who won eight straight from 1959 through 1966, the Chicago Bulls twice from 1991 through 1993 and 1996 through 1998 and the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 through 2002.
Players on those legendary teams are some of best to ever lace up a pair of sneakers and include George Mikan and Verne Mikkelsen for Minneapolis, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn and John Havlicek for the Celtics, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman for the Bulls and Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant for the Lakers.
Each and every one of those men went on and were inducted into the James Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
This past Saturday at the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo where a 16-team tournament was held, the Boys & Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley captured back-to-back Community Junior NBA Coach of the Year honors.
The previous year, Jay Jackson, who passed away in 2024, was the recipient.
This year, Graceffo, a longtime coaching fixture in the city was named, and he was both elated and surprised.
“My reaction when I was told I was going to be selected as Coach of the Year was total shock because since our beloved Boys & Girls Club Athletic Director Jay Jackson, who tragically passed away last summer, had received the award last year,” he said. “I never thought that the Lakers would give it to another Burbank representative so soon.”
Three-time NBA champ A.C. Green was on hand to present the award to Graceffo, who was grateful and also thanked those who made it possible.
“It’s just a tribute to our CEO Shanna Warren, BBGC administration team, and our amazing sports team, that they allow us to grow, are always open to new and fresh ideas, and continually push us to do great things,” he said. “The most rewarding thing to me about receiving the award, is that I know Jay is looking down from heaven and smiling, and that he will always continue to inspire me.”
The Junior Lakers went 1-1 on the day beating the City of Carson 17-12 but losing to the Los Angeles Challengers 23-19.
Two players on the Junior Lakers played well and they were Santiago Soto and Michael Gordon.
Burbank resident Richard Stepanyan is 12 years old and also on Graceffo’s team.
“I love playing basketball so I can show my skills to the people, and I love good competition,” said Stepanyan, a guard who attends Dolores Huerta Middle School. “It’s fun to talk to my team to stay on track on defense.”
Stepanyan has been playing basketball for three years and his favorite NBA players are Golden State Warriors’ point guard Stephen Curry and Minnesota Timberwolves’ shooting guard Anthony Edwards.
“I like basketball because I want to play well. Have fun and set up my teammates,” he said.
Twelve-year-old Evan Commeville is another member of the team and has tried his hand at playing baseball for a year, flag football for two years and basketball for five years.
“I like to play every day and practice,” said the Burbank Luther Middle School student. “I like the competitiveness between my friends and teammates.”
Commeville, a guard, enjoys dishing off to teammates.
“I like to be a playmaker and see them score and I like to play defense,” he said.
