While on tour in Europe, Mia “Mighty” Hopkins is seen posing for the crowd.
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Pittston native Mia Hopkins is shown participating in the famous Spread Game halftime performance in Europe.
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Former Pittston Area basketball standout Mia Hopkins, now a member of the world famout Harlem Globetrotters, poses with Globetrotter coach and Wilkes-Barre resident, Al Clocker before a game in Paris, France in May.
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Harlem Globetrotter Mia “Mighty” Hopkins overlooks Toulouse, France.
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Whle on tour with the Harlem Globetrotters, Mia Hopkins stopped at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
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Mia Hopkins is shown having a bit of photo fun with the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
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Mia Hopkins stands in front of a large painting housed in the same room as the Mona Lisa.
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Mighty Hopkins does a selfie photo with fans after a game in France.
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Former Pittston Area basketball standout Mia Hopkins and current member of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters just completed her first overseas tour with the team in France and Spain.
Getting signed in late 2021, joining the team in early 2022 and leaving for Europe on Easter Sunday this year, has been a whirlwind for Hopkins, having only one day off during the month-long European tour.
“I’m in good shape, but this has been a grind, a mental toughness grind,” Hopkins said of the tour. “It’s not sleeping, having to play, having long travel days, that’s been the hard part.”
In a phone call from France, Hopkins, who goes by the nickname Mighty, said her day consists of rising early, hopping on the team bus, driving to the next destination, checking in the hotel, resting, getting to the arena for afternoon practice, going back to the hotel before turning around and heading to the arena for an 8 p.m. show.
After the game, there is a meet and greet for about an hour, then it’s back to the hotel, tending to business dealings, answering emails and texts, editing videos for social media and getting to bed between 2 and 3 a.m.
The next day, she starts the whole process all over again.
Hopkins said her first tour was not only an eye-opener, but also a great learning experience.
“I learned a lot about myself and about being a Globetrotter on this particular tour,” Hopkins said.
For the first few months as a Globetrotter, Hopkins was being used sparingly as a fill-in for other players on the other two Globetrotter teams until her first fulltime assignment on April 17.
“I was on call pretty much,” Hopkins admitted. “I had to fill in one day and then they called me to meet up with the other team. It really was like being on call.”
During her European tour, she was teamed up with legendary coach, Wilkes-Barre resident Al Clocker. Hopkins said she would often have dinner with Coach Al during the tour.
While in Europe, Hopkins said she had some spectacular shooting games. Known as a pure shooter, she recalled a few games when she couldn’t miss a shot.
“I’ve been really seizing my moment since I’ve been on tour,” Hopkins said. “I get most of my playing time in the third quarter and most of the time, I’ve been hitting my shots, including a Globetrotter 4-pointer which is beyond the 30’ mark. It’s also the time when I get to pull someone out of the crowd to do a ball spin on their finger.”
The game the night before, Hopkins said she hit three 4-point shots in a row, which thrilled the audience making her happy as well.
Hopkins said she’s been enjoying the Magic Circle, which is a famous Globetrotter tradition where the team forms a circle at midcourt to do their trick spins and passes before each game.
Currently, Hopkins is back at her new home base at San Antonio, Texas, where she will meet with her agent to discuss possible spinoffs from her time with the Globetrotters.
One desire she has is to start a basketball camp in Texas then rolling one out at home in Pittston, if possible.
Hopkins’ ultimate goal is to open basketball camps all over the world.
“There’s a big thing coming to Pittston,” Hopkins said. “There’s nothing set but I want to help Pittston in any way I can and continue to grow.”
In the meantime, Hopkins will wait for her next Globetrotter tour to South America in July returning in August.
“I’m just the vessel and I’m just surrendering to the flow of life, so we’ll just see what happens.”
