Bill Russell, Jim Pollard, Paul Silas, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Damian Lillard …. These are just a few of the generational talents who have ascended from the blacktops of Oakland to the top echelons of the NBA. In this talk, historian and author Paul Brekke-Miesner explores how one small city in Northern California has produced several prolific ballers who have left indelible marks on the game of basketball.

A native and life-long resident of Oakland, Paul Brekke-Miesner is a keen observer and champion of sports in ‘The Town’ since the 1960s. He covered local sports for the Berkeley Gazette and Oakland Tribune for years, and in 2014 wrote the consummate history of Oakland sports: Home Field Advantage: Oakland – The City That Changed the Face of Sports. He has also presented on Oakland’s dynamic sporting history at the Oakland History Room, Alameda County Historical Society and the Oakland Heritage Alliance.