Mason Street in the Village of Hempstead has a second name. Last week the street where Craig Claxton grew up was dedicated as Craig "Speedy" Claxton Way, with local officials and community members at the corner of Mason Street for the unveiling of the sign. Claxton is the head men's basketball coach at Hofstra University, a few miles from the block where he learned the game, and his team opens its 2026-27 season at home this morning.

From Mason Street to the NBA

Claxton is a Hempstead native. He played his high school basketball at Christ the King in Middle Village, Queens, where he led the Royals to a 26-1 record as a senior, then came back to Long Island to play at Hofstra from 1996 to 2000.

His college numbers still sit near the top of the school's record book. He finished with 2,015 points, one of six players in Hofstra history to pass 2,000, and left as the program's career leader in assists (660) and steals (288). He was twice named Player of the Year in the America East Conference, was a two-time Associated Press honorable mention All-American, and in his senior season averaged 22.8 points a game and won the Haggerty Award as the top player in the New York metropolitan area. That season Hofstra won the America East title and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 23 years. The university later retired his No. 10 jersey and inducted him into its athletics hall of fame.

The Philadelphia 76ers took him 20th overall in the 2000 NBA Draft. A knee injury in the preseason cost him his rookie year, and after a season in Philadelphia he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, where he was the backup point guard behind Tony Parker on the team that won the 2003 NBA championship. He was on the floor in the fourth quarter of the deciding Game 6 against the New Jersey Nets. He went on to play for Golden State, New Orleans and Atlanta, finishing his career back with the Warriors in 2010, and then spent three seasons scouting for Golden State.

Back at Hofstra

Claxton joined the Hofstra staff in 2013 as a special assistant to coach Joe Mihalich, became an assistant coach the next year and was named the program's 13th head coach on April 7, 2021. In five seasons he is 105-63. His second team won 25 games and the regular season conference title, and he was named the conference's coach of the year.

Last season the Pride won 24 games, took the Coastal Athletic Association championship and returned to the NCAA Tournament with Claxton as head coach. Hofstra had both the conference's Player of the Year, Cruz Davis, and its Rookie of the Year, the first time any school in the league's history had claimed both awards in one season.

Where the sign is

The new sign is on Mason Street in the Village of Hempstead, the block Claxton lived on as a boy and a short drive from the arena where he now coaches.

See the Pride this season

Hofstra's season starts today, Monday, November 2, at 11:30 a.m. against St. Joseph's Long Island at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on the Hempstead campus. The game is on WRHU, 88.7 FM.

  • Friday, November 13, 7 p.m. Iona at Hofstra.
  • Friday, November 27, through Sunday, November 29. Hofstra hosts the Island Invitational, playing Colgate, Merrimack and Vermont on three straight days at the Mack Complex.
  • Tuesday, December 29, 7 p.m. Molloy, from Rockville Centre, comes to Hempstead.
  • Saturday, January 2, 2 p.m. Stony Brook at Hofstra, the first conference game of the season.

The full schedule, tickets and broadcast details are on Hofstra Athletics' men's basketball schedule page.

Sources