Handles Franklin

A master of the trick shot and freestyling during his playing days, Chris “Handles” Franklin now leads the next generation of Globetrotters as a head coach and master showman. He spent 14 years as a Harlem Globetrotter and is entering his 4th year as a coach.

The second all-time leading scorer and all-time assist leader at Lock Haven University (Pa.) University. Handles’ style and passion for elite basketball is a natural fit for the Globetrotters. He was a free-styling star in and around the game from 2000-2004, sharing the court and the commercial world with future NBA stars like Paul Pierce and Vince Carter, and his enchant for trick shots made him not just a Globetrotter favorite, but a Guinness World Record for the furthest kneeling basketball shot made backward from 63 feet and 7.5 inches away from the basketball hoop (2019).

It is that great mix of understanding the traditional basketball skills, he twice finished amongst the NCAA Division II leaders in scoring and assists while at Lock Haven,  as well as his ability to create otherworldly record-setting moments as a player, that has made “Coach Handles” such a vital part of the evolution of Globetrotter basketball as we head towards the 2026 Centennial season.