Meadowlark Lemon, the iconic prankster whose smooth showmanship was the hallmark of the traveling basketball troupe known as the Harlem Globetrotters, has died, his wife told the New York Times.
He was 83.
Lemon died Sunday in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he lived.
Famous for his long-distance hook shots, sublime passing and pranks that included dumping buckets of confetti on referees, Lemon became the Globetrotters' biggest star.
His nearly 25-year career with the prolific team, from 1954-78, gave rise to popularity of the NBA.
Aptly described in his Times obituary as the "ringmaster" of the Globetrotters' basketball circus, Lemon became known as the "Clown Prince of Basketball."
A slender 6-foot-3, his feats of grace and comedy once attracted bigger crowds than NBA teams.