I’ve played with a lot of talented players throughout my basketball career, but every once in a while you come across someone whose athleticism immediately separates them from everyone else.

For me, Antonio Reddic was one of those players.

The first time I saw Antonio play was after I returned from playing professionally overseas. We were teammates in the Kennard Summer League playing for team WAMO, and within minutes, I knew I was watching someone special.

He was always the fastest player on the floor. The most explosive. The most athletic.

Antonio played with nonstop energy, and once he got out in transition, it was almost automatic. He could score in bunches without needing plays called for him because his speed and athleticism created opportunities that most players simply couldn’t.

To this day, I still consider him one of the best athletes I’ve ever shared the court with. I truly believed he had the talent and physical ability to play Division I basketball.

In this Q&A, Antonio reflects on his days at Aliquippa, his basketball journey, the memories that still stick with him, and what life looks like today.

 

Q: Before everyone knew your name at Aliquippa, what was your childhood like and how did you first fall in love with basketball?

A: I was an only child growing up, and I spent a lot of time with my grandmother because my mom worked block shifts. I actually didn’t fall in love with basketball until later. Football was my first love, and at that time in Aliquippa, football was basically what we were taught growing up.

 

Q: Aliquippa has produced a lot of great athletes. What was it like growing up in that environment, and how did it shape you as a player?

A: Growing up in Quip was a great experience for me as a kid. Every day, you could go outside and find people playing pickup football or basketball. I grew up going to the high school games and watching all the great athletes who came before me. Once I was old enough, I got to run pickup with guys like Relle, Rev, Josh Lay, Mike Lundy, Dewey Hines, and the list goes on. Being around that level of competition really shaped me into the player I became. I always told myself that when it was my time, I was going to give Quip everything I had in me from start to finish.

 

Q: People always talk about your speed and athleticism. Were those gifts something you naturally had, or did you work to develop them?

A: Everything came naturally to me. Don’t get me wrong, we trained hard in Quip for football year after year until I graduated, and that definitely helped. But I believe the athletic ability and talent I had were natural gifts.

 

Q: When you look back on your high school career, what moments stand out as your favorites?

A: I was a competitor, win or lose, so my favorite moments were always playing against the top teams and top players. We played against Schenley, Prep Charter with the Morris twins, Mount Vernon, and guys like Kevin Jones, Mike Colburn, Lance Jeter and Terrelle Pryor. There were a lot of big names we competed against. I loved everything about those games. Going against the best brought the best out of me.

 

Q: Who were some of the coaches, teammates, or mentors who had the biggest impact on your life?

A: The biggest impact on my life came from my mother and grandmother. They took care of me no matter what. After them, the rest of my family and friends also played a major role in helping shape who I became.

 

Q: I first saw you in the Kennard Summer League after I got back from overseas, and you immediately stood out. What did that league mean to you, and what are your memories of playing in it?

A: Man, Kennard was everything to me. From the atmosphere to the competition, it was just on another level. A lot of people don’t know this, but I loved outdoor rec basketball more than organized basketball. That’s one of the reasons I only played two years of high school basketball. Some of my best memories were all the battles between me and Brodie, Dre Kane. Then there was the year we won the championship. Playing with you and your brother made the game so much easier for me. Every team in that league had straight dawgs. We were really hooping that whole season.

 

Q: Many people believed you had Division I talent. Looking back, how do you reflect on your basketball journey and the opportunities you had?

A: To be honest, I didn’t even know I had Division I talent in basketball because all I really knew was football, and I was very good at it. I never really trained specifically for basketball. I was straight street ball. I never played AAU. Looking back now, knowing what I know today, I definitely would have taken basketball much more seriously. At the time, I was literally playing the game off my athletic talent. I didn’t fully understand how good I really was. But I’m still very proud of myself and how my basketball journey turned out.

 

Q: What was the toughest obstacle you faced during your playing career, and how did you handle it?

A: The toughest obstacle I faced was breaking my collarbone in college one week before our first game. That really hurt because I had worked so hard and earned the starting wide receiver spot while competing against talented players from all over. But I didn’t let it break me. I ended up moving down to New Mexico State with my brother Herb Pope. I played him one-on-one every day until I was fully healed, and that’s really where I started my basketball journey.

 

Q: If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

A: I would tell the younger me to open my mind up to the world a little more and not just focus on Aliquippa and football. I’d also tell myself to work a little harder mentally instead of relying so much on my natural talent.

 

Q: You played the game with an energy that few people could match. Where did that relentless motor come from?

A: I got it from growing up in Quip and playing against nothing but dawgs. You had to have that motor in you or you weren’t going to last. I also have to give credit to some of my coaches. They had me running hills, and that helped give me the conditioning and extra energy to keep going when other people got tired.

 

Q:  What does Aliquippa mean to you, and what makes the city’s sports tradition so special?

A: Aliquippa means a lot to me. That’s why it’s forever tatted on me. It helped shape me into the man I am today—the good and the bad. I’m blessed to be able to say I’m from Aliquippa with my head held high. What makes Quip sports so special is that no matter what situation gets put in front of us, we find a way. Whether it’s moving us up three classifications when we’re really a 1A school, dealing with crime in the city, or facing other obstacles, somehow we find a way to put all of that to the side, go out there and ball with no excuses. That’s Quip Pride.

 

Q: When people talk about Antonio Reddic years from now, what do you hope they remember most—not just as a basketball player, but as a person?

A: I hope people remember me as one of the best athletes to come out of Quip and as somebody who never gave up. I broke my collarbone, but I kept going and eventually made a name for myself anywhere and anytime I played ball. But more than any of the sports accomplishments, I want people to remember me as a dad who wanted to show his son that no matter what you go through in life, don’t give up. That’s bigger than basketball.