Maxwell Pearce

Harlem Globetrotter and mixed-media artist known as “Hops,” whose work connects basketball, creativity and athlete advocacy. He gave the TED talk “Why the Best Ideas Come from Play” at Play@TED in New York in May 2026.

Fundamentals Can Block Discovery When They Leave No Room for Play

Harlem Globetrotter and artist Maxwell Pearce argues in a TED talk that play is not a break from serious work but one of the ways disciplines evolve. Drawing on coaches who told him to stop dunking, the Globetrotters’ use of mistakes as performance material, and his own artwork made from athletic equipment, Pearce makes the case that progress depends on giving rule-breaking and accidents enough room to become new forms.

TEDJun 11, 20266 min read