Cardozo’s Own Owns More than the Court 
 By: Jessica Rybak
 
    Few can rival the accomplishments that Ron Naclerio, Cardozo’s head coach, has 
 achieved since he began his position as coach of  Cardozo’s basketball program in 
 1981.  Naclerio graduated Cardozo in 1975, and was a former All-American outfielder 
 for St. John’s University basketball team in the 1970’s.  During the winter of 2006, 
 he achieved his 500th career win and his 12th consecutive division title.
    Newspapers including the Queens Courier, Daily News and the Times Ledger have 
 written articles about Naclerio, and while it may seem like an excessive reaction 
 to a high school coach, the media excitement has been sparked by a phenomenal 
 tradition.  Annually since 1981 Naclerio personally arranges a reunion for all of 
 the former basketball teams that he’s coached. This year, about 200 people attended 
 the event that took place at the P.S. 46 schoolyard on July 1. “Being here today,” 
 Naclerio told the Daily News at the event, “is like one more day at Cardozo.” 
    Some notable attendees of this summer’s reunion that were coached by Naclerio 
 included NBA players Rafer Alston, a guard for the Houston Rockets and Royal Ivey, 
 a guard for the Atlantic Hawks. Also attending were the Associate Head Coach of 
 Providence College Steve Demeo, Hofstra assistant David Duke, Florida’s Broward 
 College coach Bob Starkman, and Neil King, employee of the State Department directly 
 under Condoleeza Rice.
    Ron Naclerio’s accomplishments and personality have sparked more attention than 
 just high school basketball. His action-packed life is currently being chronicled by 
 InnerArtists Management LLC, for a reality television show. “Fastbreak with Ron 
 Naclerio” has already been pitched to MTV, ESPN, BET and FOX Sports, all of whom are 
 interested in picking up the show for the fall of 2008. It first began filming in 
 2005, nine years after Alexes Hargrove, the show’s Producer and Manager, and her 
 partner, attorney Josh Zeide met Naclerio. Hargrove says that Zeide met Naclerio 
 during an NBA draft in 1995, and immediately realized that Naclerio “was a character.” 
 After years of trying to persuade Naclerio, who wasn’t at all interested in the idea, 
 the first material was shot  at a rival game with Bayside High School.  “From the 
 beginning, I didn’t really understand it,” Naclerio told the Queens Courier. “Now, 
 I’m gung ho for it, because I think I can teach a lot in this forum.”