Five-star Texas commit Aaliyah Crump is the next up in joining the lineage of basketball legends from the great state. Before even picking up a ball, Crump had a front-row seat to the greatness of the Lynx dynasty.

“I had one experience where I got to run to half court and got a ball from Maya Moore during the championship games,” Aaliyah recalls. “That really had a huge impact on me: the Lynx, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen.”

At just nine years old, Crump’s path was set toward success. Now, she aims to extend her winning portfolio—from a Minnesota state champion and FIBA gold medalist to a standout at the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 6—by joining the star-studded group at Montverde Academy in pursuit of yet another championship.

“When you’re playing against the best of the best, you have to know that you’re also good, right? It’s all about having confidence and moving forward every day, even though it might be hard,” Aaliyah says.

The parallels in game play and mentality between Aaliyah and her basketball Mt. Rushmore—Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart—are undeniable. The commonality of being strong and versatile is evident when Aaliyah steps on the court.

“I’m pretty versatile, so you have to pick and choose what you want to guard,” she explains. “I like to shoot threes and I like to get downhill, but I’m trying to become more of a threat in the paint.”

With her eyes set on Texas, a school embarking on its own path in the SEC, Aaliyah’s main goal is to impact winning in both the present and the future.

“Doing what I have to do to help my team win is the biggest thing for me,” she says. “Growing into that part of my game, being physical and bodying up, whether that’s offensively or defensively.” 

Aaliyah emphasizes that the love of the game will follow her wherever she goes.

“I feel like basketball has taken me so far in life and left me with so many opportunities, but I know it can take me even farther,” Aaliyah says. 

Beyond chasing championships or fulfilling a basketball legacy, she aims to be the best version of herself and push the future of the game. Aaliyah’s poise and humility reflect her understanding of being an impact player both on and off the court.

“You can be a player or you can be a person off the court who also is really impactful,” she says. “Whether it’s playing at the highest level or making an impact in our world today, I would like to see where the game has taken me.” 

As Aaliyah prepares to embark on her journey at Montverde Academy and beyond, it’s clear that her story is just beginning. With each game, she not only aims to uphold the legacy of Minnesota’s basketball greats, but also to carve out her own identity in the sport.

The post Meet Montverde’s Aaliyah Crump: the Versatile Guard Talks Texas and Winning Mindset appeared first on SLAM.

These are just some of the WNBA players who have had impressive, eye-opening rookie seasons.

Add to that list Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Not since Parker—who went on to be the first and only player to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season—has a rookie impacted the League and everyone and everything around it as much as Clark.

Call it the Caitlin Clark Effect.

SLAM 252 featuring Caitlin Clark is available now.

Record-breaking performances. Game sell-outs across the country. Fans packing up and traveling wherever she goes. More eyeballs than ever on the W. Clark has been the talk of the W.

But there’s a flip side to it, too. Heated arguments and debates on sports talk shows and across social media are nonstop, all about Clark and her effect on the League. Is she getting too much press? Is she being painted as the WNBA savior when there are other players who have been here holding up the League for so long? Depends on who you ask—and the time of day you ask.

One could argue that never has so much pressure been put on a player coming into the League. Expectations were high from the jump, even while Clark was still in college at Iowa. There, she set the NCAA Division I scoring record with 3,951 total points. A lightning quick point guard with fast hands, she also became the Big Ten’s all-time assist leader (1,144) and hit the most three- pointers in a single season with 201. So, coming into the League, all eyes were expectedly on her.

But, ironically, Clark has not said much about the hype and fanfare surrounding her first season in the W. She appears to have chosen, instead, to just play her game and seemingly be content with breaking record after record after record and helping her Indiana Fever team do the same. All the while, she is assisting in a brand of excitement for women’s basketball, the likes of which haven’t been seen in a while.

The list of WNBA records broken by Clark is long and exhaustive. There are almost too many to name. They include setting the WNBA single-game assist record (19) against the Dallas Wings, recording the first triple-double for a rookie in WNBA history against the New York Liberty, and breaking the record for most assists in a season by a rookie.

You can’t leave out tying the rookie single-game three-pointers record—Clark made seven of those early in the season in the Fever’s game against the Washington Mystics. Other records include 21 games with at least 15 points and 5 assists, the most ever in a single WNBA season, and becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to record 400 points, 100 rebounds and 150 assists in a season.

Clark was also named to the WNBA All-Star Game in July and finished with 10 assists, the most by a rookie in the prestigious game’s history.

This unbelievable rookie season has also included a not-so-great statistic: She recorded the most turnovers in a debut game in WNBA history, with 10 in the Fever’s opener against the Connecticut Sun. She also has the most turnovers in a single season by any player in WNBA history. There’s definitely work to be done in that department, but overall, the Caitlin Clark Effect can’t be denied.

And it has extended beyond just her individual game.

The Fever clinched its first playoff spot since 2016 and currently sit at No. 6 as we head to print. In addition, the WNBA announced that the 2025 All-Star Game will take place in Indianapolis. The 21st WNBA All-Star Game, set for Saturday, July 19, 2025, marks the first time that Indy will host the League’s midseason showcase.

The Fever—already on an upward trajectory after last year’s acquisition of No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston, along with Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull and NaLyssa Smith—have soared to new heights with the addition of Clark. This starting five earned a playoff spot after going on a hot streak following the Olympic break, rattling off seven wins in eight games. Collectively, they have transformed into a team whose ceiling keeps rising.

Hot shooting from Hull has landed her in first place in the League in three-point percentage (49.2 percent). Mitchell, who has been on her own personal tear this summer, is fifth in three-pointers made this season (96) and ninth in points per game. Clark is the assists leader, averaging 8.5 per game and is first in the League in three-pointers made at 111. Boston is fifth in field-goal percentage (52.8 percent) and eighth in blocks per game (1.3).

In August, the Fever led the entire League in scoring (89.7 ppg) and hit a season-best 100 points in a win against the Chicago Sky on August 30. Indiana also knocked down the most three-point field goals in the month with 72.

On August 16, the Fever beat the Phoenix Mercury 98-89, marking the first time since the 2015 regular season that Indiana has swept its regular-season series with Phoenix. Less than two weeks later, Indiana toppled the Sun, 84-80, for the first time since 2021.

The team’s success has also extended to its coach, Christie Sides, who formally entered the Coach of the Year chat and was named WNBA Coach of the Month for August after guiding the Fever to a 5-1 record. Sides is the first head coach in franchise history to earn the honor.

Clark has racked up accolades League-wide as well. In August, she was named both WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month and WNBA Rookie of the Month. It was the third time she earned Rookie of the Month honors, having also received the recognition in May and July, while marking the first time she was named Player of the Month. She was recently recognized as the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time in her young career, and she also leads her rookie class in scoring, assists, steals, free-throw shooting and minutes played. And on September 13, she broke the WNBA’s all-time assists record, previously held by the legendary Ticha Penicheiro.

The player many call the female Stephen Curry has been under the microscope since before she entered the League, and the heat has been turned up all season long. Whether you agree or not, whether you’re a fan or not, Clark has dealt with the pressure, lived up to the expectations (even exceeded them in many ways) and has cemented her name in the sport after only one year as a pro.

The Caitlin Clark experience has only just begun but it’s already in full effect

Buckle up.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Simply Undeniable: Caitlin Clark Covers SLAM 252 appeared first on SLAM.

Seeing Moore grace the front page of SLAM 217 had me scrambling, the problem was, I couldn’t find her cover anywhere. Sold out on SLAM Goods, not a sniff of it on eBay. It was looking as though anyone lucky enough to grab that coveted first retail run was holding onto it tight… and with good reason.

To say that Maya Moore is one of the greatest female players ever witnessed shouldn’t be a statement that’s thought little of. She has been a champion at every level possible. From High School to College to the WNBA, even on the Olympic stage–titles were secured. Not only that, but the list of accolades that accompanied these championships and medals is almost unimaginable. She’s an undisputed Hall of Famer, and if you’re taking her as your basketball GOAT, I’d be reluctant to argue.

There was something more to Maya Moore’s game than hardware, though. Less tangible than trophies, but with more impact, somehow. A trait not so easy to describe. While she was fierce on the boards and had hands so quick that steals felt like camera tricks, her style of play and scoring ability possessed a majestic quality. A magic. The ‘poetry in motion’ type of magic. The type that gives you goosebumps and watery eyes when replayed in slow-mo. The kind that reminds us of the beauty of the game that we once fell in love with.

As MJ is one of a handful to have had this effect on us previously, it was fitting that Maya would be picked up by Jordan Brand before she even stepped foot on a WNBA court – and when she walked away from it in 2018, she did so in a pair of signature Jordan 10s, and as an icon of the Jordan Family.

Stepping away from the game in her prime was far from insignificant, and wasn’t without purpose. Aside from basketball, Moore had been fighting for social justice long before cries for freedom were allowed to be printed on team uniforms. She was a voice for a suffering community during a time when disciplinary action was taken towards players who refused to be silent in their political views. It was her specific commitment to reform in the criminal justice system that saw her forego the 2019 and 2020 WNBA seasons, and ultimately retire in early 2023. If recent history has taught us anything, it’s that some things are bigger than basketball.

In some ways, Maya Moore’s presence on issue 217 was bigger than SLAM. It burst open the floodgates, with a flurry of female hoopers subsequently hitting the cover, and catapulted our coverage of Women’s Basketball into a new era. Some of the dopest covers we’ve dropped since have featured the likes of Candace Parker, Sabrina Ionescu, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. We’ve also seen three rounds of WSLAM specials. Each drop points us back to Maya Moore’s Mona Lisa smile, quietly confident, affecting change without breaking character.

As a SLAM enthusiast with a deep admiration of Moore’s journey both on and off the court, it was paramount that I added her cover to my collection somehow. It would appease the innate notion we have as humans to somehow align ourselves with those whom we respect – like signed autobiographies, game-worn jerseys and signature shoes – this would demonstrate my allegiance to her cause. Eventually, I went in-house, with a member of the SLAM fam (shout out to Peter Walsh) hooking me up with a personal copy. For me, this could never just exist as another spine on a shelf. It had to be framed and placed in a prime position. It’s to be observed, discussed and remembered… and when the inevitable Maya Moore life-story movie is released someday in the future, I’ll proudly point to Maya on SLAM 217 and will let it be known, just like any true SLAM-head should, that I’ve been down since day one.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s Official Archivist Details Maya Moore’s Excellence and Tracking Down Her Illustrious SLAM Cover appeared first on SLAM.

The game has always been a part of Strong’s life—she even suited up for the same club team as mom—but it wasn’t until she moved to the United States in fifth grade that she started taking her game to the next level given the level of competition.

“The talent level and skill level is a lot different here, so definitely it’s a little harder. I started getting results out of it, so I was like, OK, let me lock in,” she says. Off the court, Strong also had to deal with the transition that comes with moving from a different country, whether it was cultural adjustments—in Spain, she would watch a lot of American movies and was nervous about having to deal with bullies in school like what she saw in the films—or the language barrier. Strong, who speaks Spanish, initially struggled with reading comprehension in English.

She’s come a long way since then. A five-star recruit and the No. 1 ranked player in the ESPNW 100 for the class of 2024, Strong is an undeniable talent with an all-around game—at 6-2, she uses her strength and size to her advantage, whether it’s holding her own on the post, using her silky smooth handles to drive to the rim or relying on her acute court vision to dish out dimes to her teammates. The 2023-24 Gatorade North Carolina Girls Basketball Player of the Year averaged a double-double at Grace Christian School (NC) while also maintaining a 3.68 GPA.

Strong, who would watch highlights of Maya Moore—her favorite player—and Breanna Stewart, had always dreamt of going to UConn. And yet, when it came time to make her final decision, the final factor had nothing to do with location, she says, but rather, what she felt within. “It’s always been a dream school,” she says. “I just kind of felt it in my heart, and I talked to my family. I prayed about it.”

At UConn, Strong wants to elevate her game and get “accustomed to the college pace” and the level of physicality—from getting in shape to becoming more efficient and a consistent shooter. She’s set to join a Huskies squad that just lost standout Aaliyah Edwards to the 2024 WNBA Draft but will see the return of one of the most elite floor generals in college hoops, Paige Bueckers. The pairing already has fans in Storrs excited for the future. Strong is ready to bring that same energy.

“We’re just trying to win,” she says. “They haven’t won a championship in a while, so that’s the plan for the next four years. I’m just very excited to play with everybody and be coached by the coaching staff.”

Portraits by Luke Schlaifer.

The post From Spain to the States, No. 1 Ranked Senior Sarah Strong is Ready to Continue Her Journey at UCONN appeared first on SLAM.

After falling short of expectations in ‘94, a 52-game exhibition schedule was prepared. While the historic group of players including Lisa Leslie, Dawn Staley, Nikki McCray and Katrina McClain prepared for the ‘96 Olympics, Nike released the first-ever women’s signature basketball shoe, the Nike Air Swoopes I. The model was filled with Swoopes’ insights, highlighted by her signature “S” logo on the tongue and rounded heel tabs so she could easily get in and out of the shoes with her long nails. 

The red, white and blue colored model would be the first of Swoopes’ seven signature silhouettes, the longest signature run for any women’s basketball player. In the inaugural season of the WNBA, Swoopes would rock the Air Swoopes Zoom III. She’d win the first of her and the Houston Comets’ four-straight championships in the Air Zoom Swoopes. She recorded the first triple-double in League history and won a ‘96 Olympic Gold medal in the Air Swopes II and won the 2000 WNBA MVP in the Air Swoopes IV. 

From ‘95 to ‘01, Sheryl Swoopes ushered in a new age of marketability and potential for women and young girls in sports across the country. And in the place of the trail she blazed, others expanded the realm of opportunity. 

After witnessing the success of Swoopes first three silhouettes, Nike would welcome a second WNBA athlete to the signature family; Lisa Leslie. With a 101-point high school game continuing to spread the word of her dominance, the USC legend held potential from the hardwood to the runway—signing a modeling contract with the acclaimed Wilhelmina agency before joining the LA Sparks in ‘97. 

Fresh off winning Gold at the ‘96 Olympic Games and securing All First-Team honors in her rookie season, Leslie debuted the Nike Total Air 9 during her sophomore campaign in ‘98. Inspired by the lavish aesthetic of Chanel handbags that she grew up idolizing, Leslie’s first and only signature silhouette boasted a quilted leather upper and metallic swooshes that took after her love for silver jewelry. After incorporating Leslie’s design language, Nike outfitted the mid-top with a full-length Total Air cushioning system. 

From the Nike Air Max Elite to the Blue Chip II and the Huarache 2K5, the three-time League MVP rocked their marquee models designed in exclusive Sparks colors and inscribed with her “LL9” logo. 

While it typically takes anywhere from 18-24 months for a marketing plan and signature shoe to be created and officially released, Swoopes and Leslie dropped buckets in some of the first basketball shoes designed exclusively for women. By ‘98, The Swoosh would bolster its roster even further, releasing Dawn Staley’s signature sneaker, the Nike Zoom S5. Flaunting the first initial of her last name and her jersey number along the supportive strap, the glove-like model would receive a follow-up in the Zoom S5 II in ‘99. In that same year, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke entered the chat after headlining the Nike Air Max Shake ‘Em Up in her rookie season. 

Named after her jersey number, the Nike Air C14 witnessed the Houston Comet’s third-straight WNBA Championship and cemented Nike’s stake in the women’s game. Five signature shoes in five years.

To champion its female-led roster, Nike did what they did best, cook up a fire commercial. Not just one, but three. Headlined by a young Kyla Pratt, the circa ‘98 “Little Rascals” showcased three young girls peppering Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke and Tina Thompson with questions and opinions about their game. 

While Nike rolled out the red carpet, Jordan Brand—not even a year into the establishment as its own independent brand underneath Nike—launched its basketball shoe designed and geared exclusively toward women. Releasing it in the same year as the Air Jordan XIII, the Jordan OG shared a similar design language with dimple-stitched sidewalls and a carbon fiber shank in the midsole while the heel was decorated with an embroidered jet-black W.

SLAM 29 cover star Chamique Holdsclaw would revolutionize the turn of the century. As Cooper, Staley, Leslie and Swoopes headlined Air Max and Zoom Air-based cushioning systems, Chamique led the way for the brand’s latest on-court technology, Nike Shox. 

The iconic Nike Shox BB4 became a staple for Holdsclaw in ‘01. Her version, however, pulled from a space-themed inspiration, sporting a porous pattern laid across the leather sidewalls that mimicked moon craters. After securing the ‘02 Scoring Title, Holdsclaw held down the debut of her own signature, the Nike Shox Mique II.

Three years later, a future contender for the GOAT title would arise, marking Nike’s sixth women’s signature athlete: Diana Taurasi. The reigning Rookie of the Year entered the ‘05 season with the Nike Air Taurasi in tow, doing damage in UConn and Mercury-based colorways. Her Maserati-inspired signature logo sat proudly along the outer heel above a sea of quilted stitching. 

The following season saw DT and The Swoosh run it back, switching from an Air-based cushioning solution to the wildly popular Shox technology. Aside from the orange and purple palettes and “Taurasi” printed insoles, the Nike Shox DT explored a much more reserved approach to the signature solution. Instead, the mid-top model was marketed toward high school teams that often wore matching sneakers in unison. Throughout ‘06, the Shox DT released a myriad of team bank colorways that could easily match with girls’ basketball teams across the country. Yet Taurasi’s second sneaker would be the final women’s-specific signature series released by the brand in nearly two decades. 

In the place of signature offerings came a more centralized focus on the brand’s tried-and-true solutions. The ‘02 season saw the Nike Shox Stunner extend a far-reaching dominance. Four-time All-Star Tina Penicheiro frequented an exclusive purple, white and silver colorway with an embroidered Portugal flag while Tina Thompson’s contrasting red pair sported “Cali Girl” in royal blue cursive along the ankle strap. 

Both Sue Bird and Seattle Storm teammate Lauren Jackson were known for stockpiling heat in the Pacific Northwest, dicing up the W in PEs of the Zoom Soldier V, and the heralded Huarache 2K4. Lindsey Harding, Deanna Nolan, Tamika Catchings, Bird and Jackson all made the Nike Air Flight Elite a staple in ‘07. 

Those reserved colorways weren’t just held for the players. In 2011, Nike showed the entire LA Sparks organization some love to celebrate their 15th season, releasing an extremely limited 24 pairs of the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse in the team’s eccentric color scheme. 

That same year, Jordan signed one of the greatest players ever: Maya Moore. 

Entering her rookie season with the Minnesota Lynx, Moore headlined the brand’s suave, sleek and equally explosive ethos. During her reign in the W, Moore touted Jordan’s full line of on-court solutions, from the Jordan Fly Wade and the Jordan Super Fly to the Jordan Game shoe; the modern continuation of Michael Jordan’s signature line that’s currently on its 39th iteration. Moore rocked exclusive colorways and textures. The Air Jordan 28 through Air Jordan 32 became a blank canvas for gradients and hues inspired by the Lynx color scheme, marbled, lenticular and galactic patterns and of course her signature logo. 

Off the court, the former WNBA MVP explored her taste through the lens of the Air Jordan retro silhouettes. Rich fabrics and colorful palettes filled a number of models inspired by Moore including the Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan X and Air Jordan XI. 

Despite the care, dedication and creativity that was poured into Nike and Jordan’s mainstay models, the absence of a leading female presence in the signature basketball space certainly became a point of contention over the years. 

Looking to expand your WNBA sneaker knowledge? Read more on how the current legends of the W are creating their own renaissance movement.

The post How Former WNBA Legends Forever Changed The Sneaker Landscape appeared first on SLAM.

“It didn’t take but a second, maybe a minute,” Jensen told the Associated Press. “That little step-back sassy three, this little seventh-, eighth-grader. Yeah, she’s diff. You could just tell. They’re easy to identify but really hard to get. Everybody can see the true, true ones. The trick is to get them.”

Jensen played a major part over the years in recruiting Clark, who was intrigued by Iowa’s playing style and what head coach Lisa Bluder had done with the program and the point guard position, specifically. At Iowa, she could play freely. Fast. And, with senior Kathleen Doyle leaving for the WNBA Draft, she would be next in line to not only orchestrate the offense, but make an impact.

Years later, Jensen admitted that they talked to Clark about what she could do at the collegiate level. How she could take them to the Final Four and beyond. It matched perfectly with Clark’s own vision for herself: “I have goals for a Final Four,” she told Sports Illustrated back in 2020. “I have big hopes and dreams, which I think any person should if you’re playing basketball with them. Who wouldn’t want to win and be the best?”

It’s one thing to dream; it’s another to do it, and then a lot more. Could Clark, or anyone who knew her during those early days, have ever imagined that she’d become the greatest college basketball player Iowa has ever seen? Or, arguably, the greatest in the college game today, man or woman? What about the way she’s transcended the sport—not just women’s basketball, but the game entirely. The NCAA all-time scoring record. The logo shots. The Nike commercials. Selling out arenas like a rock star, having rappers like Travis Scott and WNBA legends like Maya Moore pull up to watch her play, the constant crowds of people wanting her autograph after games. What did Beyoncé say again? You know you’re that [girl] when you cause all this conversation. What was it Drake said, too? You know it’s real when you are who you think you are.

SLAM 249 featuring Caitlin Clark is available now. Shop.

Caitlin Clark is bigger than basketball, bigger than any box score, viral clip or logo shot. She’s more than the list of awards she’s won so far during her four-year career at Iowa, too. An exceptional person, woman, human, at the forefront of a very specific moment in history we’re all living in right now. A basketball Renaissance, a new era for women’s basketball. She’s not just doing it alone—there are so many stars who are changing the college basketball landscape right now, and Clark has an entire squad dominating alongside her, too.

To fully appreciate what’s happening in women’s hoops right now, we first have to acknowledge the past and the many, many women who helped paved the way before them: the legends who held the records Clark has now broken—no, not just Pistol Pete, but Lynette Woodard and Kelsey Plum. Then there’s the program Lisa Bluder has built at Iowa over the past two decades, before Clark even arrived. And what about all the Iowan women who competed in 6-on-6 basketball, including Jensen and her grandmother, long before women were even allowed to play fives.

And to even fathom what that young girl, now a woman, from West Des Moines has done, you have to go back. Here is where our story really begins…

***

If you’re new to women’s hoops, this history lesson is for you. While basketball was technically invented by a man we all know of in Springfield, MA, just down I-91 N, it was a woman by the name of Senda Berenson Abbott who first introduced the game to women at Smith College in 1892. This was 80 years before Title IX was passed, but girlie was on to something. Ditching Dr. James Naismith’s peach baskets for wastebaskets, the Smithies dropped buckets (literally) in a version of the game that divided the court into three sections. While ideologies about women—their delicacy, physical activity impacting their ability to reproduce—definitely existed back then (to keep it real, even Berenson once said that “desire to win…will make our women do sadly unwomanly things”), that was truly the catalyst.

The game only grew from there, from the east to the west, eventually reaching rural Iowa in the 1900s. There, women were already used to working on farms alongside their brothers and fathers, bailing hay and sweating, so the idea of them playing basketball wasn’t too scandalous. Rural high schools were really the first in the nation to allow girls to play 6-on-6, a version of the game that split the court in half, involved three forwards and three guards and had rules like players only being allowed to dribble twice.

It’s no coincidence that one of the most electric women’s college basketball players of today was born in the Hawkeye State. The throughlines in Clark’s story really start here.

By 1920, the first state tournament was held in her hometown of Des Moines at Drake University. The following year, Audubon beat Ottumwa in the championship thanks to an 18-point performance by the MVP, Dorcas Anderson, who just so happens to be the grandmother of Clark’s associate head coach, Jan Jensen.

More than half a century later, Jensen, too, would star on that very same court her grandmother did. By 1990, Jensen was averaging 29.6 ppgs as a senior at Drake, where she was coached by none other than newly-hired Bluder, who also played 6-on-6 basketball in high school at Linn-Mar in Marion, IA. After 10 seasons at Drake, Bluder took over at Iowa and eventually hired Jensen, first as an assistant.

“She was just tremendous. She was really just a player’s coach and intense but knew how to make it fun. Obviously, it benefited me,” Jensen told The Athletic.

Bluder’s coaching résumé at Iowa speaks for itself: with an 850-391 overall record, she’s the program’s all-time winningest coach and currently ranks 14th in NCAA DI women’s basketball history. She’s led the Hawkeyes to 21 postseason appearances, including their first-ever national championship appearance just last season. Over the years, she’s coached three Big Ten Player of the Year standouts, including Clark, who’s won it in back-to-back years, as well as Megan Gustafson and Kathleen Doyle. Her success is as much a testament to her brilliant basketball mind as it is her ability to connect with her players; as Clark told The Athletic, Bluder can strike a balance between “serious” and “fiery,” but also “fun” and “goofy.”

The program Bluder has built is now a powerhouse. This year’s squad can run opponents into the ground, shoot the ball in your face, and then stuff you on the defensive end. Not only is the team equipped with Clark but a whole roster of certified bucket getters. Look no further than Kate Martin, a 6-0 graduate student and guard who joined the program ahead of the 2019-20 season, is currently averaging double digits, including a career-high 12.9 points as well as 6.5 boards. Having grown up in a family of Hawkeye fans—Jensen is her aunt—Martin has known that she wanted to suit up in the black and gold since she was 5. Flash forward to today, and she’s emerged as a versatile standout who can do it all: block shots, finish at the rim and knock down threes from beyond the arc. But her impact on the program, and this Hawkeyes team, can’t be measured in just individual stats or accolades. Often referred to as “The Glue,” in the media, she is undoubtedly Iowa’s heartbeat and their tenacious leader.

Then there’s Gabbie Marshall, another sharpshooter with a crazy step-back game who is also Iowa’s defensive ace. Marshall is the first Iowa women’s basketball player to record 200 threes and 200 steals in a career and has been key in matchups against teams like Nebraska this season. Who could forget those final 31 seconds of the Big Ten Championship thriller when she displayed pure grit and blocked an attempted three by Nebraska’s Logan Nissley in overtime. “[Marshall is] one of the best shooters, but I don’t think she gets enough credit for her defense,” Clark said of Marshall, in The Daily Iowan. “She takes the challenge of guarding the best player every single game.”

Sophomore Hannah Stuelke was also key in Iowa’s Big 10 championship win, combining with Clark for 59 points to help bring the Hawkeyes their sixth conference title. The matchup, which averaged over 3 million viewers on CBS, is now the most-watched women’s basketball game on the network since UConn-Tennessee in ’99. Stuelke’s been putting up big numbers all season long, including 47 points against Penn State in February, which is the second-most points ever scored in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. And what’s even tougher is that she did it without attempting a single three. Scary.

All of the hype and media attention we’re seeing around the program now is just part of the cultural fabric of Iowa’s renowned hoops history. Not just the program, but the entire state, which has been supporting women’s basketball since before anyone on Bluder’s current roster was even born. Girls’ basketball drew sold-out crowds of 15,000 people. People bought their tickets way in advance. Sound familiar? We’re not talking about just today, but back in the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s. When the Hawkeyes defeated South Carolina in the Final Four last year, Bluder was just as surprised to hear that Iowa legend Molly Bolin, who also played 6-on-6 and dropped 83 points as a senior at Moravia High School in the ’70s, was in attendance.

Now, imagine if Clark, or Martin, or Marshall or any star college basketball player today was playing back then. The last year 6-on-6 basketball was played was ’93, but stories about that time have been passed down through generations. Even Clark knows what type of time these women were on. “I used to joke with her and be like, Man, Caitlin, you would have been so good at 6-on-6, or, you could have just played offense,” her high school coach Kristin Meyer tells us. “[She] would have averaged over a hundred points a game, but she would have hated it because she would have had to wait on her half and she can’t go get the ball.”

Now picture this: what if those very same Iowan legends—like Denise Long (the first woman drafted by an NBA team, the San Francisco Warriors) and Deb Coates, to name a few—had what Caitlin now benefits from: social media, NIL deals, a magazine cover like this one. Clark isn’t just rewriting women’s basketball history; she’s authoring the next chapter. And she knows her history, too. “When I hear from a lot of people that played basketball, whether it was 6-on-6 however many years ago, I think they’re blown away at where women’s basketball is now and the platform we get to play on,” Clark said in USA Today. “That doesn’t come if it’s not for the people who came before us.”

For those who study and teach women’s sports history, including Jennifer Sterling, a lecturer in the American Studies department at the University of Iowa, Clark’s place in history is monumental. “It’s important history taking place right now,” Sterling says. “What she’s done on the court and off the court, what the team has done, and the coaching and how athletics has supported this moment, I think is all really exceptional.”

And so, our story continues…

***

The “Caitlin Clark Effect” didn’t just happen when she arrived at Iowa. It’s always been something innately within her. Before she’d ever even picked up a basketball, Clark’s parents would hear from her daycare that their 2-year-old had “exceptional motor skills and coordination,” as they told HawkCentral. She was always competitive by nature, too, whether she was playing Candyland on their living room floor or hooping against her brothers. At the age of 5, her grandfather, Bob Nizzi, recalled in HawkFanatic a time when she stood up to a bullyish boy on the court and “put on the best downfield block that I have ever seen and rolled this kid out of bounds and stood over him.”

Always a gifted athlete, her father, Brent, soon noticed Clark could hit shots from 15 feet on a six-foot hoop, and when he was unable to find a girls youth basketball program for her, he put her in a boys league in second grade. They ended up winning the tournament, and as the story goes, someone’s mom was so pressed that Brent remembers them saying that “a girl shouldn’t be allowed to play in a boys tournament.”

But Clark’s always been unafraid and unapologetically herself. She’s always pushed boundaries, too. Today, we’ve seen her hit the MJ shoulder shrug after a deep three and wave off opponents like a G, things she’s been both celebrated and criticized for. “Everybody wants to critique her, everybody wants her to be nicer. They want her to be more ladylike. They want her to be less arrogant. They want her to pass. That kid loves it. She’s an entertainer. She is passionate,” Jensen told the Hawk Central in 2023.

She remembers Clark like that in high school, too. Energetic, even in the classroom. So much so that, as a junior, Meyer remembers one of Clark’s history teachers telling her that on exam days, Clark would finish her tests so quickly that they started having to send her to Meyer’s office, just to keep her preoccupied. “She always took school very seriously, but she needs to be entertained,” Meyer says.

The same goes for on the court. When they’d have conversations about her shot selection, there would be times when Meyer would say to her, Caitlin, we’re not going to do that. But did she listen? “I never really gave her the green light,” Meyer says. “She just always took it to be honest.” As a junior at Dowling, Clark averaged 32.6 ppg and dropped 60 points against Mason City HS, one off the state record. Now she’s doing the same at the collegiate level; as we head to press—and she heads to the NCAA Tournament, Caitlin’s currently averaging a career-high 31.9 ppg, has had multiple 40-plus point performances and is still setting records.

“Her game [now] is very similar to what it was when she was a freshman in high school,” Meyer says. “Her attacking the basket, her court vision and her ability [to make] just incredibly difficult passes look easy. Her range—she didn’t shoot from half court or from the logo necessarily in high school—but she was testing the boundaries a little bit as far as definitely shooting behind the high school three-point line.”

And that is exactly what makes her exceptional: natural talent and work ethic aside, Clark has always been just wired different. “Caitlin, she’s just fearless and she is confident and she is bold and she is brave and courageous,” Meyer says. “It took those natural skills, with the work ethic [she’s built], and to have the courage to just play big.”

***

As for the rest of Caitlin Clark’s story, that is still being written. By the time you’re reading this, Iowa is a No. 1 seed going into the NCAA Tournament. We don’t know yet how this college chapter will end and if she’ll end up winning her first, and the program’s first, NCAA title. Or, how the next one, her arrival to the WNBA, will begin. Will she be able hold her own in the WNBA as the Indiana Fever’s projected No. 1 pick? Regardless of what happens, her impact won’t be tainted in the slightest. Longtime college basketball fans, new fans, young fans, are all enamored by her. At Dowling, Meyer’s current players hear stories about her 60-point game, her competitiveness and her approach to practice and commitment to making her teammates better.

“Whenever she’s stopped by [the school], the girls are just nervous around her. They almost feel like she’s famous, which to me is so weird because she’s just Caitlin,” Meyer says.

Some call Clark the “female Stephen Curry,” while others haven’t stopped comparing her to Pete Maravich since she broke his all-time NCAA scoring record this year. But Clark made it clear to the media after she broke the record that she doesn’t want to be remembered for just her accolades, but rather, “for the way I played with a smile on my face, my competitive fire.”

And that is her legacy. That is what we’ll be talking about in the years to come—Caitlin’s passion, her talent, what she’s done for women’s basketball. When we asked Sterling about Clark’s impact—and whether we can expect a chapter about her in seminar syllabuses one day (the answer is yes)—our theory was proven correct: the legend of Caitlin Clark is just beginning. It’s all part of a larger history.

“Hopefully this is the beginning of more amazing things to come,” Sterling says. “And the culmination of the many changes in women’s sport that have happened along the way.”

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post The Legend of Caitlin Clark: How the Superstar is Writing the Next Chapter in Iowa Women’s Basketball History appeared first on SLAM.

W LEGENDS OF THE PAST

From the first woman, ever, to grace the cover of SLAM to the icons that changed the game. 

COP COVER TEE

W LEGENDS OF THE PRESENT

Breaking boundaries. Defying any and all expectations. For these women, limits don’t exist.

COP COVER TEE

W LEGENDS OF THE FUTURE

From the legendary impact of Dawn Staley to college basketball’s brightest stars—including Juju, Angel, Flau’jae, Paige, Azzi and Cameron—women’s hoopers don’t just have next, they have right now.

COP COVER TEE

SHOP THE WOMEN’S HOOPS COLLECTION

The post Celebrating the W Legends of the Past, Present and Future  appeared first on SLAM.

But there are also other stories that need to be told. From Perry Wallace, who was the first Black basketball player to compete in the SEC to the social justice work led by WNBA players and protests that took place across the W and the NBA in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, author Andrew Maraniss is here to tell them all.

Maraniss, a New York Times bestselling author and a Visiting Author at Vanderbilt University Athletics, is a pioneer in his own right. He’s just released four books, including a new 10th-anniversary edition of Strong Inside (for adults), the paperback edition of Inaugural Ballers (for teens/adults) and the first two books in a new series for first and third graders called Beyond the Game. Get your copy here.

SLAM recently caught up Maraniss to discuss the inspiration behind his work and writing books for the next generation of sports fans:

SLAM: Let’s start with the first book you published. What inspired you to write Strong Inside?

ANDREW MARANISS: Growing up like you I was really into sports writing. I always saw sports and reading and writing as connected. My parents said I learned how to read by reading the back of baseball cards when I was a little kid.

In my sophomore year, I was taking a Black history course I was a history major. And it just coincidentally happened to be the same year that Perry Wallace was invited back to Vanderbilt to be honored as the Jackie Robinson figure of the SEC.

[It was] just a coincidence that he comes back at the same time I’m taking this course and there’s an article in a student magazine about his experience as the first black player in the league. Not growing up [in Tennessee], I had never heard Perry’s story before. And so it immediately grabbed me as something that I was interested in…so I called Perry out of the blue. He was a professor in Baltimore at that time, and I wrote a paper about him when I was 19 years old…And 17 years later, I emailed him and said, Hey, do you remember me wrote a paper about you and time ago? I’d like to write a biography about you.

SLAM: Your two books from your new series Beyond the Game are written for first and third graders. In which ways was your approach to writing a book for younger audiences different?

AM:  One piece of advice that I’ve gotten from my editors working on these books, not only for these little kids, but also for teenagers is to respect the audience and not dumb things down. And so what I’m trying to do is just tell a story in a clearer way, which I would be trying to do whether I was writing for elementary school kids or high school kids or adults…The major difference is the length of the books…[And] on the back, they have a glossary of terms that they might be unfamiliar with. They have sort of a call to action, like what have you learned from reading the story that could guide the kids and their families as they read the book.

The reason why I wrote [Beyond the Game] is that these issues are things that matter to families that a lot of families are actually experiencing…Maya Moore and LeBron James are fighting for the same values that these families have, and that they would like their kids to read about, at a time when there’s a lot of pressure on libraries and school districts and teachers from others in the community…And so I understand that these books are coming out at a time when they could be seen as controversial by some people.

But for me, that’s all the more reason to write them.

SLAM: This is a lot like making you choose a favorite child, but which of your four books is your favorite and why?

AM: Yeah, that is exactly like asking for your favorite child is. And I’ve used that analogy before. With that caveat, I would say that Strong Inside being my first book, with it being the book that took me eight years of my life to write, and also because of the relationship that I was able to form with Perry Wallace himself while he was alive, will always be the most special book to me.

And even while I was working on it, he was becoming a real father figure, mentor, favorite professor, type of figure to me. And I feel so fortunate that I was able to spend so much time around him and to learn so much from him about life and racism and courage and toll of pioneering. I saw him on his deathbed, you know, and he asked if we could plan the memorial service for him here at Vanderbilt.

SLAM: Even compared to other major sports, basketball has been a big player in advocating social equality. What makes basketball special as a platform to discuss societal injustice and promote equality amongst different genders and races?

AM: That’s a really interesting question. I think the answer goes back to the very beginnings of basketball. In Inaugural Ballers, I write that [basketball] was an international game…The first players were students from around the world, we actually have a sketch of the very first basketball game ever played. That was done by a Japanese student at that school. So from the very beginning, it was international, right, which I think is unusual in sports…Because there are only five players on the court, they’re not wearing helmets, it’s a very personal game and the players are visible. In that way, it gives them a platform that’s a little bit different than football even in visual ways.

Basketball has been a place where women and African Americans and other groups that are marginalized often have found success. Today’s game has enormous platforms…so with that comes an opportunity to use that platform to speak out for civil rights or human rights, women’s rights. And it’s been really impressive, I would say, to see how these basketball players are using that platform to try to make the world a better place for all people, not just for themselves.

SLAM: Now that your four books will be coming out in a couple of days, what’s next for you?

AM: Oh, well, the Beyond the Game series continues beyond these first two books that will come out on March 5. So the third book will be on Pat Tillman. You know, the NFL player who enlisted after 9/11 was killed by his fellow troops from friendly fire. And then the army lied about the circumstances of his death. So again, you could call that a heavy topic for first, second and third graders, but it’s a really interesting story.

The fourth book, I’m just beginning now will be about a Native American distance runner named Jordan Marie Daniel, who raises awareness of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls. That’s her advocacy through her sport. So yeah, that would be the other things for people to know.

You can purchase Andrew’s books here.

Illustrations by DeAndra Hodge for the James and Moore books.

The post From LeBron James to Maya Moore, Author Andrew Maraniss Latest Work is for Every Generation of Hoops Fans appeared first on SLAM.

We compiled a group of individuals (programming note: 30 entries, not 30 people total) who mean something special to SLAM and to our audience. Read the full list here and order your copy of SLAM 248, where this list was originally published, here.

The post SLAM Presents: 30 Players Who Defined SLAM’s 30 Years appeared first on SLAM.

We compiled a group of individuals (programming note: 30 entries, not 30 people total) who mean something special to SLAM and to our audience. Read the full list here and order your copy of SLAM 248, where this list was originally published, here.

It was very, very simple. Just a pump fake and one dribble to her right. That’s all she needed to win Game 3 of the 2015 WNBA Finals. A pump fake and one dribble to her right gave her all the space required to drill a buzzer-beating three from the top of the key. And that highlight is probably the best way to capture Maya Moore’s greatness. She was always efficient. She was always steady. She was always the closer.  

In 2018, we used Moore’s SLAM 217 cover (and the cover shoot content) to help catapult our women’s basketball coverage. Coming off that shoot starring the prolific winner (four WNBA championships, two Olympic Golds and two NCAA championships), we launched WSLAM, which has now grown to become the best coverage of women’s hoops on every level. 

And what a player to start with. Moore won throughout her entire career. Whether by the eye test or by looking at the stats, her dominance is obvious. This would be a good time to mention how she averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in her eight seasons with the Minnesota Lynx. It’d be appropriate to mention how she won the EuroLeague twice. And here, right here, feels like the correct place to mention how she also won the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto title, the WCBA championship three times and the world championship twice. 

We’re not calling her the GOAT. No, no. No, no, no. We’re just saying we understand those who do bestow that title upon her. Because…damn. That’s a lot of winning. Also, can’t forget the MVP trophy, the five different All-WNBA First Team selections, the WNBA Rookie of the Year award and the Finals MVP nod. Or the game-winners. Or the many on-court highlights that defied logic and all the history of previous WNBA players. We had never seen somebody on the floor like Maya Moore. 

Even off the court, Moore was singular, as she remains to this day. For somebody so utterly dominant and competitive when the bright lights are on, she has consistently been a gentle soul away from the flashbulbs and the cameras. Flip to page 41 of SLAM 217 for evidence. 

“My identity is not being the best basketball player,” Moore told us at the time. “Or even being Black. I mean, I’m a Black woman, and I own that. I try just to do as much as I can to live an authentic life and point people to truth. And being authentic means admitting when I don’t know. And admitting that I could’ve been better. And admitting I want to be better if I can.”

That hunger to be better is a little familiar. It sounds like somebody else who, like Moore, wore 23 on their jersey.

Moore was quickly grabbed up by Jordan Brand after she left UConn. It’s an important part of her story, and it contributed to her being on this list. Having the honor of being the first woman signed to Jordan is a quality illustrator of her greatness. The high standard that Michael set was met by Maya. 

Being associated with the Jumpman, as well as everything else she did on the court, combines for a nearly unquantifiable impact. We have to wait a few more years for young players across the country to get drafted to the W, get asked about who inspired them and hear them all speak about how much Maya Moore means to them. But it’ll happen.

Though Moore’s on-court career ended on August 21, 2018, her impact didn’t. She retired from basketball with a mission. She wanted to help a man named Jonathan Irons get released from prison. With Moore’s assistance, Irons’ wrongful conviction was overturned. Moore and her family advocated for previously concealed evidence in his nonfatal shooting case to be brought before the Missouri courts in 2020. He had spent over 20 years behind bars as an innocent man, and Moore gave up basketball to help him get his life back. Then, in the plot twist of our time, Moore and Irons got married soon after he was released. It’s one hell of a love story. 

So in the end, Moore, one of the greatest ever, hung up her Jordans to live her authentic life.

That SLAM 217 cover story opens  with a wry smile on Moore’s face. On some you-know-how-good-I-am-at-everything kind of energy. Both competitive and gentle. 

Photo via Getty.

The post THE 30 PLAYERS WHO DEFINED SLAM’S 30 YEARS: Maya Moore appeared first on SLAM.

We compiled a group of individuals (programming note: 30 entries, not 30 people total) who mean something special to SLAM and to our audience. Read the full list here and order your copy of SLAM 248, where this list was originally published, here.

Twenty-five years ago, we at SLAM didn’t really comprehend the significance of putting Chamique Holdsclaw on the cover of SLAM 29 wearing an authentic Knicks game uniform. To say otherwise would be untrue. However, the importance of her embodying the early SLAM manifesto, in terms of us publishing a basketball magazine from a grassy knoll, taking pot shots at conventional wisdom, is nearly unparalleled.

Holdsclaw was an exceptional college ballplayer and a gym rat from Queens, NY, and, when we weren’t debating such weighty topics such as ugliest player or douchiest head coach, we, as media provocateurs (which is French for jabronis), wondered aloud whether the NBA was ready for her, rather than the other way around.

We weren’t just questioning whether Holdsclaw could hold her own, but whether the NBA (and society at large, for that matter) could accept a female player in the League. Period. And so the cover line, “Is the NBA Ready for Chamique Holdsclaw?” was both a literal and an existential question. And, for the most part, it was also rhetorical: we already knew the answer and it was “Not yet.” (It would be another 20 years before a second female player, Maya Moore, would own SLAM’s cover, which was still ahead of its time.)

Despite Holdsclaw’s supreme athletic ability and work ethic, we also knew that players like Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter would likely be able (and willing) to drop double nickels on her nightly if given the opportunity. The NBA players who we spoke with as they came through New York confirmed as much, privately. Indeed, any opportunity to try out for an NBA team would come with a bull’s-eye.

But, someone had to be first, what if it were her? Holdsclaw was entering her senior year of college, and had, among many positive qualities, one transcendent characteristic: a preternatural calm demeanor that hid a burning competitiveness. She could shoot and rebound and was unaccustomed to failure. A relentless two-way player, she won four consecutive state high school titles and three consecutive national championships with the Lady Vols. Her college coach, the legendary Pat Summitt, called her a “Jordan-type player and person,” which was all we needed to hear.

She was drafted first by Washington in the 1999 WNBA Draft and would play a decade in the W, averaging 17-8-3 over the course of her pro career. Later, Holdsclaw would describe the Knicks cover as “a statement piece: Women’s basketball had arrived.” The thing is, SLAM wasn’t joining the chorus, we were actually leading it. And it wasn’t actually a chorus, back then, it was really just a handful of us sitting in a windowless room at the decrepit-ish SLAM offices.  

We were fortunate that social media was non-existent back then, otherwise Holdsclaw would’ve been drawn into an ugly back-and-forth between the sexes about her worthiness, which was something she didn’t ask for or deserve. And what we considered to be a legitimate attempt to frame a larger point about the progress (or lack thereof) of gender equality in sports would have been ridiculed or seen as a cynical move. In those days, anger was communicated to us through handwritten, honest-to-goodness hate mail from readers. Surrounding Holdsclaw, negative response was largely muted, which as far as I was concerned, was a slam dunk. Until it wasn’t.

A week after the issue dropped, my phone rang and a dispassionate female voice on the other end said simply, “Hold for Coach Summitt.”

Gulp.

Ten seconds later, Coach’s familiar drawl was stinging my ears. “Are YOU the FUCKING BLOCKHEAD that almost ruined my player’s ELIGIBILITY!?” She was in zero mood for me. Apparently, as Coach then scream-splained to me, had Holdsclaw accepted the uniform after the shoot—which she did not—she would be in violation of NCAA rules and would lose her eligibility. I could so see us doing that by accident.

I then acknowledged that yes, in fact, I was the decision-maker on the Chamique Holdsclaw story and tried to explain my thought process. I even employed the phrase “chip away at the male patriarchy” in an effort to butter her up/get her to stop shouting at me. She listened for a few seconds and then abruptly hung up on me.

Part of me thinks she was satisfied with my answer and actually saw progress. SLAM had gone 28-for-28 with men on the cover until we decided to change the game with someone that she herself had coached up.

But more than likely, Coach Summitt just didn’t feel like spending any more time than absolutely necessary talking to a fucking blockhead. 

Photo via Getty Images.

The post THE 30 PLAYERS WHO DEFINED SLAM’S 30 YEARS: Chamique Holdsclaw appeared first on SLAM.

The phone rings. Geno Auriemma’s name pops up on the caller ID. It’s October, and the UConn head coach is surprisingly upbeat and pretty chatty given the business-first demeanor he typically exudes on the court, and most definitely to the media during press conferences. He’s a legend, the Leonardo da Vinci responsible for igniting a renaissance in Storrs—and, really, all of women’s hoops—by creating the formula for the most successful program of all time in NCAA women’s basketball. No one has more championships or Final Four appearances than the Huskies. No one.

How’d he do it? Here, Auriemma reflects on his career, his legacy, and if he thinks anyone else will ever be able to do it like he has…

SLAM: Coach, it’s an honor. How are you?
GENO AURIEMMA: Things have been going pretty well. We just started official practices, so we haven’t been going for very long. Those have gone pretty well. We’ll see what happens in the next week or so, but so far, so good.

SLAM: How do you approach the start of every season?
GA: Each year brings its share of similarities. There are certain things that you want to do, [but] there’s also the unknown. What kind of team are we going to have? What do we have to do different[ly] to accommodate this particular team? So it’s similar in some ways, it’s different depending on the personnel that you have. But always the excitement is there, the challenges are there every summer, they’re just different. It’s refreshing to get back on the court because that’s what we like to do. We’ve been doing this for a long time, and I think we have a pretty good routine that we follow and we go from there.

SLAM: How does year 38 feel?
GA: It’s 38, 39, I don’t even know how many it is. It’s got the feel of other seasons that you’re excited and anxious about. You’re curious to find out how it fits together. You get someone like Paige Bueckers back, there’s a real excitement in the building. There’s a real excitement on our team. Aaliyah Edwards played a lot of basketball last year and a lot of minutes, Nika Mühl, the two of them. Aubrey [Griffin] played a ton of minutes. They picked up valuable experience. For me personally, there’s a lot of excitement of wanting to see what this team could be. I feel like it’s my job to make sure they get all the resources and guidance that they need from me and my staff to make it work for them.

SLAM: Let’s transition into the early days. Do you remember where you were when you heard the news that you got the job?

GA: No, I was here. I got a chance to meet with everybody I needed to meet with. I thought it went really well. Then the next day, our Athletic Director at the time, John Toner, who was also the President of the NCAA that helped implement Title IX took me aside. We got in his car and drove down to a Dunkin Donuts. We walked in and sat in those swirling stools that they had at the counter back in those days when they had counters at Dunkin Donuts. We had coffee and he looked me in the eye and he asked me if I wanted to be the coach of the University of Connecticut. He told me that I had to do this the right way and everything had to be done the right way. He put his hand down and shook my hand and that was it. I was the coach at the University of Connecticut just like that. I got back to campus and we went into the office and he handed me a one-page piece of paper. It said I was going to be the coach at the University of Connecticut for five years and I was going to get paid this and had to sign here. I signed it, and that was it. There was no agent involved. There was no negotiating a salary. It was just a handshake. Here’s your contract, $29,000. Take it or leave it. 

SLAM: During the ups and downs of the early years, what kept you going?
GA: What happens in these situations is, who you have on your team, in your program, on your staff or whatever, that’s the sources of your motivation. Those three years that it was a struggle, we kept our fingers crossed and just kept working. Even though it was difficult, and there were doubts, we never expressed those doubts to anybody—those were internal. On the outside, everybody thought everything was great and we’re pushing and we’re committed and we’re going to be great. The reality was, this was really, really difficult, and we knew it was going to be difficult, but we didn’t know it was going to be this hard. And like I said, it wasn’t until 1988, and 1989 when we won the regular season and tournament, that there was some validation. When we did win, it was now, How far can this group go? It turned out we were able to get to the Final Four. Then we were able to get Rebecca Lobo to come to UConn. We had a terrific group of people with her and right behind her that made it [feel like], Yeah, I really don’t want to be anywhere else. I want to be right here with this group of people.

SLAM: You’re known for cultivating future WNBA stars. Do you see who your players can become before it even happens?
GA: When we see a player in high school, we have an impression and we say, Hey, I see similarities between this kid and so and so. They get to campus, and as you start coaching them, you start to feel this like, Yes, this kid’s really got something, or, Man I really missed on this one. Or, you didn’t expect much, and you go, Wow, this kid is way better than I thought. You coach all of them from the beginning like they don’t know anything, and that’s the way we’ve always done it. Whether we get a kid who didn’t make first-team All-State, or we get a kid who was Player of the Year out of high school, we coach them the same. We start at the beginning and we try to make them better players. We’re not going to go in there and think that because they’re this talented or because they were all this, that they are ready to go. No, we treat them like they don’t know anything. Over a period of time, we keep hammering away at that stuff, they turn out to be pretty good basketball players. And then yeah, it gets defined by that—this is the Rebecca Lobo era, ’95’s National Championship. Our first All-American was Kerry Bascom, and that era [we] went from finishing last in the Big East before we got here to going to the Final Four. Then on Rebecca’s team, we had Jennifer Rizzotti, National Player of the Year. We had Kara Wolters, National Player of the Year. We had Nykesha Sales, who ended up being a two-time All American here and a WNBA superstar. The Diana Taurasi era had four Olympians and multiple All-Americans and National Players of the Year. The Maya Moore era with Tina Charles and Renee Montgomery and just amazing All-Americans and great players. The Stewie [Breanna Stewart], Stefanie [Dolson], [Morgan] Tuck and Moriah Jefferson [era].

All those eras involve so many good players. Each one of those players was treated the exact same way. They were all coached the exact same way, and maybe that’s why we had similar successes with every one of them, because we rarely changed the formula. I don’t care if you came in with the ability of Maya or Stewie, or you came in with limited ability like some of our other players, it didn’t matter. We were going to coach you the exact same way and we were going to get the same results. Looking back, that consistency of how we’ve done it is something we’re proud of.

SLAM: Do you think the formula and consistency are what’s contributed to the program’s success?
GA: For sure. The response that we get a lot of times is, You have the best players. And I would think, well, we have some of the best players, but we don’t have all the best players. If we’re able to get two of the best players in the country every year, that’s only two out of, say, 24 in the All-American Game. So, the other 22 went someplace [else]. So you can’t just say we won because we get the best players. But I think the consistency and the kind of players that we get, that to me is the differentiator between us and other programs. It doesn’t mean that what we do is better than anybody else. It’s just a little different. Again, we don’t win every year. This is the part that’s funny: We’ve gone to 22 Final Fours and those 22 Final Fours have all come since 1991. So that’s in 33 years. That’s pretty amazing. Twenty-two Final Fours in 33 years. That’s fantasy land, OK? In 22 Final Fours, we won 11 national championships and we’ve lost 11 times in the Final Four. We don’t win all the time. I think our goal is to just put ourselves in position to win all the time; it doesn’t mean we’re going to. And that’s not the easiest thing in the world to do. In today’s internet world, you’re either the best in the country or you’re the worst in the country. Nobody ever says, Yeah, they’re pretty good! Which is sad because there are a lot of pretty good teams. But now you’re either top or you’re the worst. There’s no in-between. That’s not the real world. If you’re a team or a coach or a player, you start to feel the pressure of those expectations. If you’re not careful and you get caught up in that, it doesn’t matter how many good players you have, you’re going to have a hard time winning.

SLAM: What has been the biggest factor that’s made the program click?
GA: We’ve heard all the time that the UConn era or the dynasty is in demise, you know, that it’s—it goes back to what I said: there’s this perception that if you’re not winning national championships, you’re not very good. I just think that, what makes it click, especially in today’s world, is that you don’t allow yourself to be caught up in all that stuff as a player. You don’t become [caught up in the] internet and what people are saying about you. You keep recruiting players that are more selfless than they are selfish.

[Players] that are willing to give up a little bit of themselves in order to win a championship and to play with other terrific players. There’s a lot of players that want to go to a school where they’re going to be the center of attention and it’s going to be all about them. What makes it click for us, and why people would talk about us the way they do is because we do find players that want to sacrifice some of their own goals for the big goal, the team goal. That’s a little bit rarer today than it was when I started.

SLAM: Have you thought of your legacy?
GA: I’ve thought about it during those times, when, maybe at the end of the season, you just finished a very difficult season. Maybe you’re celebrating a championship or you’re disappointed in how the season ended, and you wonder, Do I have it in me to keep doing this? How much is taken out of you to accomplish all these things. And you look back and you see the things that have happened here—I don’t know that I think of it in terms of who’s coming after me or what am I leaving behind, but I think some of the things that we’re going to leave behind are probably undoable in the future. I don’t think anybody can sit here and say, OK, pick out a coach that you think is going to win 11 national championships that’s coaching today. You’d be hard-pressed. Pick a team that won 111 in a row. Pick one that won 90 in a row, three times…Name a program that’s going to go to 14 straight Final Fours. Things that we’ve done legacy-wise are going to be undoable now. That’s probably not a bad thing because that means that the game has grown so much that it’s going to be more difficult to accomplish any of those things. Players are going to more schools than ever before, different schools. Coaches are doing a phenomenal job of not just recruiting, but of coaching. The legacy that’s going to be left here by those people that have worked here and played here, some things—we’re going to be in the record books for eternity. That’s something to be proud of, from myself to be proud of, which I am, all the coaches that have ever coached with me and every single player that put on a uniform here at UConn over those 39 years. It’s their legacy, too.

SLAM Presents UConn is available now. Shop gold metal editions and more.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Geno Auriemma Talks Legacy, the Early Years and Creating the Blueprint for UConn’s Dominance appeared first on SLAM.

Ten years have gone by since the 2013 Minnesota Lynx completely dominated the WNBA, going 26-8 in the regular season and 7-0 in the postseason to capture their second title in a three-year span. Minny’s squad led the W in offense and ranked third in defense. Their big three of Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen were all over the League-wide leaderboards for the whole season, where their names pop up across multiple categories. Starting power forward Rebekkah Brunson and starting center Janel McCarville show up in several of their own categories for best stats of that summer. 

Head coach Cheryl Reeve constructed a ceaseless system that suffocated opposing offenses. Brunson and Moore flew around the floor for blocks and steals. Coach Reeve turned the offense over to Whalen, whose probing playmaking abilities tore defenses apart. Moore and Augustus could score in any one-on-one situation. Supreme role players Monica Wright and Devereaux Peters filled in the gaps on both sides of the ball. McCarville had a deft passing touch. Brunson was a highly efficient finisher. They ran through everyone and they did it together. 

Moore was unquestionably the best player in the world in 2013. Flanked by her whole team, she was shaking her head in apparent disagreement when she accepted the Finals MVP. 

“The most valuable players are standing right behind me,” she went on to say. “I just can’t take this myself. The way this team has battled all year together has been unbelievable. This is the all-defense first team. These are the most valuable players. All of them behind [me] have just, night in and night out, not cared who gets the credit, helped me look good, and I try to do the same for them when I can. It’s just a really satisfying feeling to hold this trophy with this team.”

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of this historically great team, here’s a breakdown of the starting five who helped them march into the record books. 

Lindsay Whalen

14.9 PPG, 5.8 APG, 4.4 RPG, 49% FGP

Minnesota native Lindsay Whalen made it back home to the Lynx in 2010 after six seasons with the Connecticut Sun. She was a complete maestro when she finally suited up for her home state’s team. The 197 total dimes she dished out led the W in 2013. With targets like Moore, Augustus, Brunson and Wright, all that probing she did collapsed defenses with ease. She played with a penchant for the dramatic. Whay loved a good no-look pass. A former hockey player, she was a bruiser, a contact-loving finisher at the tin. She sought the bumps, dared smaller guards to get physical with her and outran bigger forwards. She made the 14th most free throws in the League that summer. 

As the head of the team’s offense, Whalen’s bully ball set the tone every night. She was aggressive. Her head was always down to drive the lane. She was gonna get a bucket, whether by herself or for one of her All-Star teammates (Minnesota was repped by Whalen, Moore, Augustus and Brunson at the 2013 All-Star Game). 

“To know we’re champions again, unbelievable season, unbelievable group of players, coaches, everybody,” she said after the Finals win. 

Maya Moore

18.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.7 SPG, 51% FGP

The aforementioned best player in the world. Up to that point in 2013, Moore had a trio of high school state chips, two college championships, an Olympic Gold medal and one WNBA championship. There was nothing she couldn’t do on the floor at the age of 24. Hit some Googles on her 2013 highlights. She was coming out of nowhere for blocks on jumpshots. Yo, it’s real, real, real difficult to block jumpshots. She was getting mixy, but not at social functions; rather she was mixing the sneakers off defenders with her dribble moves. Her behind-the-back escape dribble was wildly effective. Her athleticism was maxed out, too. Contortionist-type aerial acrobatics were the norm. To think her game was all flash and no fire would be foolish, though. The footwork she consistently displayed in her iso package was near perfection. She very rarely wasted any movements. It was just about a bucket, anywhere, anytime. Actually, all the time. 

In the locker room after Game 3, Moore said, “It’s just been a dream to be able to play the sport that we love for a living and to be able to do it at the highest level, and then walk off as champions together. This is stuff you remember [for] the rest of your life.”

Seimone Augustus

16.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 52% FGP

We’re gonna go ahead and call it right here: Money Mone has the best handle in the history of the WNBA. That one-two cross she used to hit everybody with was dis-gus-ting. A deadeye from within the three-point line, Augustus was the Lynx’s guaranteed bucket-getter. She made the midrange into her very own dance hall. Many, many, many defenders got free lessons in the cha-cha slide. 

Augustus made a huge sacrifice with the arrivals of Whalen and Moore. Minnesota was her team between ’06-10. She was easily going off for 20 points a game throughout those five seasons as the steady leading scorer. But they weren’t winning. At all. She wanted to win. A whole lot. To her credit, she shifted her role, delivering when necessary instead of whenever she wanted to. It made all the difference. She became Minnesota’s flamethrower, its secret weapon. In the seven postseason games the team played in 2013, she scored 18 or more in five of them.  

“Our mindsets were different,” Mone said after the Finals. “Really focused on what we needed to do to bring a championship home.”

Rebekkah Brunson

10.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 50% FGP

Of course, nobody knew in 2013 that Rebekkah Brunson was going to become living history. She was still years away from retiring, but when she finally called it a career in 2018, she had the distinction of being the only WNBA player ever to have won five championships (shout out to the ’05 Sacramento Monarchs). 

She may be the most underrated component of the ’13 championship run. She was on scouting reports for her defense, but with all the attention paid to the big three, she knew how to reliably convert their deliveries out of double teams. She was rock solid, a high IQ hooper willing to do the little things that equaled up to the big things. Work the public probably didn’t recognize. On-time defensive rotations and on-target extra swing passes were her difference makers that really only Coach Reeve and Brunson’s teammates praised her for. 

“It feels so amazing, oh my gosh!” she said in the locker room after Game 3. “I mean, it feels like this is my first one, really. I’m so excited, so blessed to be able to share it with these girls, with this franchise. It’s just awesome.” 

Janel McCarville

6.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 49% FGP

Janel McCarville was the last piece of the 2013 championship puzzle. She was traded from the New York Liberty just before the season began and got to rejoin Lindsay Whalen, her University of Minnesota college teammate. Though she only averaged 2.9 assists for the year, McCarville was an incredible passing big. She had the signature dime of the Finals. An on-ball pluck during the third quarter of Game 3 saw her bounding down the floor, pursued by a pair of Atlanta defenders. She dropped the rock off between her legs to a trailing Brunson, who finished the lay and got an and-1. It was one of those momentum-swinging moments that deflated the Dream and inspired the Lynx.

WSLAM 3 Cover Tees are available now.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Memory Lane: Revisiting the Minnesota Lynx’s 2013 Championship Run appeared first on SLAM.

Maya Moore has officially announced her retirement

4x WNBA Champ
2013 Finals MVP
2014 WNBA MVP
6x WNBA All-Star
3x All-Star MVP
2x NCAA Champ

Thank you Maya, for what you’ve done for this game, but more importantly what you’ve done for this world. pic.twitter.com/eyboNiWaYd

— WSLAM (@wslam) January 16, 2023

The four-time champion stepped away from the WNBA in 2019 to help her eventual husband, Jonathan Irons, win his freedom after his 50-year prison sentence was overturned in 2020. Irons married Moore shortly after his release, and they had their first child, Jonathan Jr., in July.

Moore was noncommittal about playing basketball up until Monday. The former MVP put the thought of seeing her play again to rest when she announced her retirement decision on Good Morning America.

“Well, I think it’s time to put a close to the pro basketball life,” Moore said. “I walked away four seasons ago but wanted to officially retire. This is such a sweet time for us and our family. The work we’ve done. I want to continue that in our next chapter. Be home for my community and family. … That’s what I’m moving into. Hanging it up.”

“I think it is time to put a close to the pro basketball life.”

Maya Moore announces her retirement from the WNBA and professional basketball.

via @GMA pic.twitter.com/k3VrAeNFJe

— Sean Hurd (@seanahurd) January 16, 2023

Moore finished her legendary career as a four-time champion, one-time Finals MVP, former MVP, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time national champion with the Uconn Huskies. Moore can be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame as soon as 2024 because she stopped hooping four years ago. She missed the deadline to be on this year’s ballot by a month.

As a former No. 1 selection, Moore matched the hype from her vaunted high school and college career, averaging 18.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game during her eight-year career with the Minnesota Lynx.

The post Maya Moore Officially Retires From Basketball appeared first on SLAM.

A marathon that’s still being run. 

A mountain that’s still being scaled. 

But the grind continues. There’s no turning back now. Too much ground has been covered, and there’s still much more left.

Women basketball players. Women who hoop. Ballers. Athletes on a quest to prove to the world that they are just as skilled, just as competitive, just as worthy of investment as other athletes. There are many who set the table, paved the way and took the hits to make others sit up and take notice. 

Women like Dawn Staley. Long before she started her own dynasty as head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, she was part of one of the greatest sports dynasties ever: the USA Women’s National Basketball Team.

The team claimed its seventh consecutive gold medal at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics, their 55th consecutive Olympic victory since the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The WNT is a hoops dynasty reigning and holding court for more than 25 years. 

Staley won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA as a player and then another as head coach in 2020. Her literal blood, sweat and tears helped lay the groundwork for today’s athletes. But she wasn’t alone. 

Team USA teammates like Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes were there, too, helping kick down the door and show the competitive nature of female athletes—both on and off the court. 

Swoopes chartered new territory by being the first woman to have a Nike basketball signature shoe, the Air Swoopes, in 1996. The Air Swoopes showed that female ballers could sell athletic footwear, too. She was also the first player to be signed in the WNBA in 1997. The three-time League MVP and Hall of Famer has won three Olympic gold medals and is one of only 11 women basketball players to have won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup Gold and a WNBA title. 

Leslie, a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner, raised the bar, becoming the first player to dunk in a WNBA game and paving the way years later for Brittney Griner to thrill fans with her own high-flying dunks. Leslie is also charting a new course for female basketball players. In 2019, she joined Ice Cube’s BIG3 professional basketball league and is currently the head coach for the Triplets team, whom she led to the 2019 BIG3 Championship in just her first year at the helm.

Breaking barriers, inspiring generations, silencing the naysayers—in the words from Nike’s 2020 Dream Crazier commercial: “It’s only crazy until you do it.” 

Another early barrier breaker was Tamikia Catchings, one of the most decorated and legendary female basketball players of all time. Catchings won a WNBA championship, regular season MVP, Finals MVP and is a 5x Defensive Player of the Year winner. Add to that four Olympic gold medals, a plethora of other awards and honors and you can see why the Hall of Famer and former president of the Player’s Association is a trailblazing icon for young female athletes everywhere. She’s also helmed a team as both VP of Basketball Operations and General Manager, showing that women are about more than Xs and Os when it comes to sports.

The baton was picked up by future Hall of Famers Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore. Bird, considered to be one of the greatest players in WNBA history, is a four-time WNBA champion with the Seattle Storm. She’s won a historic five Olympic gold medals. With three other athletes, she recently co-founded the digital production platform TOGETHXR, which uplifts women in all sports.

Taurasi, her Olympic teammate, is often called the GOAT of the WNBA. The League’s all-time leading scorer, on June 27, 2021, she became the first player to surpass 9,000 points. Taurasi is one of 11 women to win an Olympic Gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup Gold and a WNBA championship.

Moore is a 4x WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist who is considered one of the greatest winners in women’s basketball history, with championships that span across the League, college and EuroLeague. Off the court, Moore walked the walk by taking a hiatus from the League in 2019 to focus on reform in the American justice system. Before 2020 heightened the country’s concern for social justice, Moore was already at work, helping set the stage for the social and political activism rising among women athletes. Their activism has extended from racial injustice and voting inequalities to rights of LGQBTIA citizens and pay and health inequities.

With examples of the aforementioned and many more, a new generation has arrived on the scene to keep pushing the sport forward. That includes the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson, the League’s 2020 MVP, who won her first Olympic gold medal last summer in Tokyo. She’s also a key player in the W’s push for social justice and reform as a member of the Social Justice Council and spends time encouraging and uplifting young girls through her foundation, which advocates for bullying prevention and educating about dyslexia.  

Two-time WNBA champion Jewell Loyd of the Seattle Storm, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier and the Washington Mystics’ Elena Delle Donne are other examples of the newest generation of women basketball players carrying the torch into the future. 

As we honor the past and celebrate the present, let’s take a look to the future of the women’s game. It is indeed bright—almost blinding—as one thinks of what’s on the horizon. There are so many ways in which the women’s game can be brought up to the level of the men’s game, and I’m not talking about the level of play. 

Personally, I see a female head coach of an NBA team, sooner rather than later. Leslie has already proven it can be done on a smaller scale with the BIG3. Why can’t men in the pros listen to, learn from and win championships with a female coach? Also on the horizon, and definitely long overdue, is expansion of the WNBA from 12 teams to more, and what many are advocating for—Summer League and a Developmental League, much like those in the NBA. Twelve teams and 144 spots is simply not enough for all of the talented, athletic women coming out of our country’s high schools and colleges. They need the same opportunities to hone their skills and play alongside some of the best of the best. This can only happen with expansion, investment and commitment on behalf of the League, fans and businesses.

I also see a future where there is equal coverage of the WNBA and NBA drafts. Sports pundits, writers, columnists, photographers of all races and genders will be sent to cover WNBA games as a regular beat, not just for the moment because it’s the “it thing” to do. They’ll be present to capture the WNBA draft as a major event just like the NBA’s. Covering female ballers won’t be an afterthought, it will be a given.

There’ll be more women-owned sports conglomerates like Bird’s TOGETHXR, pushing female athletes, stories, passions and projects forward into the minds and hearts of all. When a new SLAM cover featuring A’ja Wilson or Sabrina Ionescu drops, it’ll go viral, just like a new Kevin Durant cover would.  

I see a future where support—financial and otherwise—will be equal. From facilities to funding to amenities to pay (for the pros), things will be a lot closer to equal than they are now, regardless of the level. It’s all long overdue.  

Nike said as much in its 2020 ad, “One Day We Won’t Need This.”

“One day, we won’t need this day. We won’t need a day to celebrate how far we’ve come. We won’t need a day to prove we’re just as fast or strong or skilled; We won’t need a day to relive the comebacks, the firsts, or the titles we’ve won. We won’t need a day to rally behind the ones fighting to change the rules. One day we won’t need this day at all. Because one day, this day, will be our every day.”  

Let’s make it happen. In fact, let’s just do it.  

The post Women’s Hoops is the Future of the Game appeared first on SLAM.

Both were the No. 1 players in the country in their respective recruiting classes (2020 and 2021), and now they’re about to embark on what is sure to be their most memorable journey yet.

“I would say our friendship is pretty insane,” Bueckers, a sophomore, says on the set of our cover shoot on UConn’s campus in early October. “It’s pretty crazy. Just seeing the way we interact…We have so many similarities, but we also have so many differences. I don’t know, it’s like yin and yang.”

Azzi then interjects to add, “But I feel like where we’re disconnected, we complement each other.”

With Bueckers regularly running the point and Azzi coming in at shooting guard, it’s easy to see what Fudd means. They are arguably the best in the country at what they do, and some of the greatest of all time know it. 

“She can be going full speed and stop on a dime and have, like, a feathery release,” Stephen Curry said of Azzi to espnW. “I think she has more of a textbook jumper than anyone I’ve seen.”

“She makes really hard passes look really easy, and she makes really easy passes look easy,” UConn legend Diana Taurasi said of Bueckers in a sit-down with TOGETHXR. “That alone sets her apart from every other player in college. Paige Bueckers is the best player in basketball already.”

SLAM 235 featuring Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd is available now.

There have been many top-tier championship caliber backcourt duos to come out of Storrs. Sue Bird and DT, Bria Hartley and Moriah Jefferson, Renee Montgomery and Tiffany Hayes, just to name a few. Most of them, though, we got to see come to life at Gampel Pavilion. But Paige and Azzi’s story is a little different. 

It was early in the summer of 2017 when the USA Women’s U16 National Team tryouts took place. The team would go on to play at the FIBA Americas Championship in Argentina later that summer. The USA team tryouts are well-known to be one of the most competitive environments, and both Paige and Azzi were some of the youngest trying to make the roster. 

“My first impression of Paige was, I think it was right before they made the final cuts and we were on the same team and we were both trying out for point guard,” Azzi recalls. “And I looked at her and was like, This white girl got nothing on me, I don’t need to worry about her. I quickly realized that I was wrong,” she shares laughing. 

The two superstars ultimately made the final roster and were on their way to Argentina, where they got their first test as teammates and ended up having an immediate connection.

“We saw them play together in Argentina and they both came off the bench,” Azzi’s mother, Katie, recalls. “All of the parents were hanging out at night and going on tours, so we actually got pretty close with Paige’s parents. Watching them play together on the court, we just assumed, Oh, they must be really tight off the court.”

It was an early showing of what is surely to become one of the top backcourts in the country. Paige handling the ball, bringing the court vision, seeing the passes that need to be made and catching the open cutters. The ultimate floor general. Azzi playing off the ball, making the necessary cuts, playing physical defense, and most importantly, getting open to knock down shots. The ultimate three-point assassin. 

While they helped bring home USA U16’s fifth gold medal, it really wasn’t until after the tournament that The Paige and Azzi Show really started. 

On their way back to the States, they ended up sitting next to each other. Paige was heading back to where she grew up in Minnetonka, MN, and Azzi was going to meet her grandparents who also live in the Gopher State. That plane ride would not only change each of their lives but would also eventually impact all of women’s basketball. 

“Yeah, I mean, when you sit alone on a plane next to Azzi, it’s just a whole lot of chattin’, so I kinda sorta entertained it and I think our friendship sort of bonded from there,” Paige says.

“I guess—that’s not how I remember,” Azzi responds while laughing. “I remember I was really shy, so when we were on the plane, I was kind of forced to talk to her. But then when we got back with my grandparents, she was just with us a lot. We would go to the gym. I had, like, a new workout partner, and I loved working out with her. Then from there, she just tagged along with my family. She was a part of us.”

Trips to AAU and high school tournaments to watch each other play, the annual Fudd family cabin trips, endless pranks and training sessions—they were always together. The basketball gods connected them and from there on, it was about pushing each other to be great on the daily. Above all, though, it was about supporting each other during the ups and downs of life—the same way family does.  

It was just two years later that Azzi would face one of her biggest challenges to date.

Paige and Azzi were both in Colorado Springs participating in USA Basketball’s U18 3×3 tryouts when Paige watched her best friend fall to the floor in pain. They both immediately knew it was bad. 

“There’s a picture of when I made it to the trainer’s table,” Azzi recalls. “She came over and put her hand on me and prayed over it. It almost looked like she got hurt, too.”

It would later be confirmed that the then 16-year-old star guard had torn her ACL. 

“I was heartbroken for Azzi. Seeing her on the floor had me in tears,” Paige recalls as the usual casualness of her voice disappears. 

“What is funny?!” Azzi jumps in jokingly, only to realize that Paige is quietly trying to work through the tears that are now falling. “Aw, stop. Really, stop. It’s OK, you don’t need to cry over me,” Azzi jokes.

Collecting her thoughts, Paige continues: “She’s my ride or die. I’d do anything for her, she’d do anything for me. It’s just, like, you go through a lot of hard times that the cameras don’t see, that the people outside don’t see, and I’ve always confided in her.” 

“Through that whole thing, she came and visited me before my surgery. After surgery, she was the first one to call. She was always texting me, checking up on me and making sure that my spirits were high throughout the whole thing,” Azzi says. 

Paige was also tested a year later, when on the lead up to her final high school game, the state championship was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“I think this is where [we] complement each other. When I’m upset, I talk a lot and she’s a good listener. When she’s upset, she kinda closes down and doesn’t talk, so I make her talk. Make her get all her emotions out,” says Azzi. “She was very frustrated and sad and upset, so we were just kinda there for her.”

Knowing they were the top recruits in back-to-back classes, the potential opportunity to play together in college was always in the back of their minds. Once Paige announced that she would spend part of her journey with the Huskies, she took the recruiting of her best friend into her own hands. 

“We talk about it a lot, but she needs to come to the Huskies,” Bueckers, then a HS senior, shared via FaceTime with SLAM in 2020. “We’ll compete every day in practice, and if she goes to another team, we’ll only be competing against each other one game a year.” She finished with, “Azzi, c’mon, you know what to do.” 

When it came time for her college decision in the fall of 2020, Azzi knew she couldn’t make it easy on her best friend. 

“I had called the coaches and told them, and then we went out to dinner,” Azzi recalls, chuckling at her best friend’s expense. “It was my parents, me, Paige and Colleen, who’s the team manager here. I told her that I committed and then she started to get really emotional and kept saying, I don’t believe it, really? Are you serious?” 

That’s when she had to pull the ultimate prank and said, “Tricked ya!” as Paige sat there shocked. 

“She got so mad that she got up from the table and left,” Azzi continues, bursting into laughter. “And then when she finally came back, one of my parents had recorded the conversation with the coaches, so I showed it to her and that’s when she knew that I had committed for real. I think she did cry tears of joy.”

Get your copy of SLAM 235 NOW!

It was the moment they were both waiting for. The moment they knew they’d finally team up to compete for multiple national championships. 

“Azzi’s an automatic bucket. She scores at all three levels at an insanely efficient rate,” Paige says. “She defends, she talks, she’s very strong. As a guard, she’s a big guard. She brings energy, effort and an insane work ethic. She can do a lot of positive things for this team.” 

Beyond her production on the floor, what stands out the most about the first-year Husky is her work ethic. Her tireless drive pushes not only herself but everyone around her to be better. 

“I want to learn. Everything we’re doing I want to not necessarily be the best, but I want to go the hardest and try to learn from everything we do,” says Azzi. 

Paige’s first year in Storrs was one of the most historic freshman seasons in all of college hoops. She averaged 20 points, 5.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game, and even shot over 52.4 percent from the field. Not only that, but she also recorded 168 assists, the most by a freshman in program history, and won every national award she was eligible for. Although it was a season for the record books, it didn’t end how the star guard wanted. 

After UConn’s Final Four trip was cut short in their 69-59 loss to Arizona, Paige took time to reflect and understand where she can improve so that they can bring home UConn’s first championship since 2016. 

“The big thing I learned is being super enhanced into the little details,” Paige recalls, with the memory of the loss replaying in her mind. “Whether it be waiting for a screen, setting up a screen, talking, using my voice, Coach [Geno Auriemma] is really big on the little things because they make the bigger things easy. Just learning from what I didn’t do last season and what I could do better.” 

The process at UConn is simple: learn from one of the greatest coaches of all time how to fine-tune and contribute your gift to the team. We’ve seen a lot of the greats do it, and now it’s Paige’s and Azzi’s turns. 

Walking down the halls at Werth or Gampel does not help ease the pressure, though. National championship banners hang everywhere you turn. The retired jersey of Rebecca Lobo. A shrine for the Huskies of Honor, which include Sue Bird, Tina Charles, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart. You’re reminded every day of the standard at UConn and what you’re expected to achieve.

“You can look at it two ways,” Fudd explains. “It can be really overwhelming, and you can see it as pressure, which sometimes I feel like I do. But I also see it as, all these players came in here already great, but they trusted Coach, they trusted the program and trusted the process, and look at what they accomplished while they were here by doing that and once they left. I know that I want to be like that.”

“It was a dream to play here, not even knowing what the future would hold—who I would play with, who I would play against,” says Paige. “Just me wanting to come here for school and to be able to do it with my best friend, it makes it so much better.” 

Some dynasties start on the basketball court, others start in the air, in coach on a 14-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Minnesota, where fire and water come together to create a force of nature the earth will never forget.

SLAM 235 is available now in these exclusive Metal Editions and Cover Tees.

Portraits by Johnnie Izquierdo.

The post The Story of How Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd’s Unbreakable Bond Led Them to UConn appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s dope. It’s amazing in a league where there are so many great players—like, players you’ve seen growing up and watching while in college—to be considered one of the top players for the future, that’s important,” says the 24-year-old Dallas Wings guard.

“I can be the future [of the League] but I am also taking advantage of my time right now and not wasting any time,” she continues. “I want to be one of the top players now and in the future.”

And she’s willing to do whatever it takes to be the best—on and off the basketball court—in everything she does.

WSLAM 1 featuring Arike Ogunbowale, Diamond DeShields and Betnijah Laney is OUT NOW!

Take, for example, a recent toasty 95 degree Sunday afternoon in Dallas. Inside the Singing Hills Recreation Center is Ogunbowale, a mere two weeks after winning WNBA All-Star MVP honors and returning from vacation.

Hair pulled back in a long ponytail and wearing a white Nike headband, she stands with a basketball in the corner of the large, empty gym. She’s there on her off day for a photo shoot for Red Bull.

There’s Arike dribbling the ball with both hands. There’s Arike twirling the ball, first on one hand, then on one finger. There’s Arike shooting the ball and showing off her handles. There’s Arike posing. She’s laughing. She’s smiling, that wide, toothy grin we’ve all grown accustomed to, and chatting with the camera crew.

Dressed in a white T-shirt, blue shorts, black tights, white Nike socks and orange, black and white Nikes, she walks confidently down the gym floor near a basketball hoop. She chats with her trainer, Melvin Sanders of SandersFit Performance Center in downtown Dallas, before he begins passing her the ball. She effortlessly puts up a bucket. Then another. And another. She hits 10 straight before she misses. 

There’s no one there but me, a handful of Red Bull staff, Arike and her trainer. But she’s as focused as if she were in College Park Center where the Wings play their home games. She’s tending to business, but watching her up close and on the court alone, you can see how at one she is with the ball, how shooting baskets is second nature. She’s always working on her craft, always trying to get better, always trying to improve, even taking a photo shoot with seriousness. And it’s this work ethic, grit and determination that has propelled her in just three short years to become one of the unquestioned faces of the WNBA.

You just knew she would be.

You knew it when she led her Notre Dame team to the 2018 National Championship on a last second shot. 

You knew it when she passed fellow Irish alum Skylar Diggins-Smith to become the Notre Dame’s all-time leading scorer. 

You knew it when her name was called at No. 5 overall in the 2019 WNBA draft. 

You just knew the 5-8 walking bucket was going to take the League by storm. And in a way, so did she.

“I have a lot of confidence in myself. So I knew whatever I brought to Dallas, I would help the team for sure. No matter what it was, off the court, on the court,” she shares with WSLAM. “I knew I would help the team however I could and make a name for myself in Dallas.”

And throughout the League. 

And what a name.

She was a unanimous All-Rookie selection and WNBA Rookie of the Year runner-up after finishing third in the League in scoring (19.1 ppg) and leading her team in scoring. With a total of 630 points (third in League history in rookie points), she tied Maya Moore’s record of 30 or more points in four straight games. 

For her sophomore year, Ogunbowale—who admires the game of legends Seimone Augustus, Lisa Leslie, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi—won the WNBA scoring title (22.8 ppg), recording four 30 point games in back-to-back years.

This year, a few games left in the regular season, she is averaging 18.8 ppg and is on pace to reach career bests in three-point and free-throw shooting. She was also named the All-Star MVP in her first All-Star Gajme after dropping 26 points.

“I want to be one of the top players now and in the future.”

– Arike Ogunbowale

But it’s not just on the court where Arike is making her name known. Recently, she joined some big names, including Kevin Durant, Elena Delle Donne and Kelley O’Hara, as investors in Just Women’s Sports, a growing media platform. 

“As you get more into the League, you want longevity and want to start investing in things,” she says. “What better way to start investing than in women’s sports? I’m involved in women’s sports. It’s what I do. If I have daughters, this is what I want them to do, and I just want to inspire young kids.”

“This is really putting my money where my mouth is, elevating women and all that they do, so why not invest in it and have a part in helping it grow? That was really important to me.” 

Ogunbowale, who’s signed with Nike and most recently partnered with Red Bull, also has her hand in uplifting young people. She recently worked with the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation to give away clothing and other gear to young girls. 

“I have a lot of things in store. Whatever I am doing, I am definitely trying to make young girls and our community the focal point. That’s what I’m big on.”

Get your copy of the first all-women’s issue of SLAM!

She’s also big on basketball, and getting into the playoffs remains her top priority; something she’s yet to experience after a 10-24 finish her rookie year; 8-14 in the shortened 2020 wubble season, and currently 10-13 this season, one game out of the playoffs.

“I’m good. I’m locked in and getting ready for the second part of the season,” she answers with trademark confidence when asked about her current state of mind. 

And she has to be. 

Although there are other talented veterans on the Wings, including Olympic Gold medalist Allisha Gray, defensive stalwart Kayla Thornton and Isabelle Harrison, it’s Ogunbowale who’s the face of the franchise and the leader of the team. She has been since she was drafted and named starting point guard in the absence of Diggins-Smith. How challenging has it been for her to step into the role of leader and help put the Wings in the best possible position to succeed? 

“I wouldn’t say challenging, it’s just a process, especially with me being young myself,” she explains. “I already had to be more of a leader even in year one when I was starting point guard. I’m not even done with year three and I’m already considered a leader, and that’s just who I am and what I add to this team.

“In order to be a top player, you have to lead as well, so I think I’m growing in that and learning and that’s still a process, too. I’m not the best leader yet,” she admits. “But I’m definitely working at it. And it helps to have teammates and coaches who trust you, trust what you say; believe in you as a leader. That definitely elevates my confidence as well.”

Wings teammates Harrsion and Bella Alarie, who have played alongside Ogunbowale for three and two years respectively, have seen the growth and evolution of their teammate and see no limits on her ascension to the top of the League.

“My favorite thing about Arike is how talented she is, but still has a listening ear,” says Harrison. “Even when she got here her first year, she was our leader. Arike was the person we were going to give the ball to at the end of the game so she stepped up a lot. This is her third year now, I think she is just getting more comfortable in her role as far as being vocal, leading off the court, encouraging  people and holding herself to a standard defensively. She wants to grow. I don’t know if people see that about Arike. She wants to grow and she wants to be better.  

“So any Arike slander, I don’t listen to it. I don’t care who it comes from,” Harrison says laughing, but also very seriously. “That girl wants to be better. And I love that about her. She is just so humble. She is just putting herself on the next level. She can only go up. She is pushing herself to be good.”

Alarie calls Ogunbowale, “a fantastic player, playmaker and extremely confident. And that’s something I look up to her for. She’s not afraid to take those last second shots that make or break the game. I really admire that.”

“The way she’s grown into herself, she’s done a great job of carrying us along with her,” she continues. “I really love playing with her. She brings a great attitude to the court. She plays hard and she is only going to get better.”

One area Ogunbowale is striving to improve upon is reading defensive schemes other teams are throwing at her as they try to make it more difficult for the bucket-getter to score.

“Everyone knows I can score, but every night it’s a different defense. The hardest thing is being able to adjust every game to different defenses because teams throw different things at me,” she says. “Being able to adjust and read the right plays—you know, if I’m getting trapped, I gotta swing it quick—just being able to get up on those things faster.”

There’s no doubt she’ll improve defensively and in any other way she desires. Ogunbowale has that kind of will, dedication and focus—much of which comes from her family, whom she calls the source of her inspiration and motivation and with whom she connects with every day. “My support system is really big and definitely keeps me going.”

What also keeps her going is her competitive nature and her desire to take her team further than they’ve ever gone. 

“I’m locked in. We’ve got some important games. We’ve gotta get these wins in order to make this playoff push. I’m really locked in right now.” 

Go behind the scenes with Diamond, Betnijah and Arike for their WSLAM 1 cover shoot!

Portraits by Raven B. Varona. Follow Ravie B. on Instagram, @ravieb.

Action photos via Getty Images.

The post Arike Ogunbowale Continues Making Her Presence Felt On and Off the Court appeared first on SLAM.

Moore’s husband, Johnathon Irons, escorted her to the stage to accept the award where she gave a powerful, moving speech to the socially distant tables on the rooftop of Pier 17 in New York.

“Power is not meant to be gripped with a clenched fist, … power is meant to be handled generously so we can thoughtfully empower one another to thrive in our communities, … championing our humanity before our ambitions.” —@MooreMaya pic.twitter.com/NcLo4VdfPh

— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021

Moore offered a compassionate plea to be courageous in all aspects of life, not just in the ones made out for one to be. She acknowledged stepping away from the game of basketball took courage, but the true courage that won her the award has been in the emotional, mental and spiritual outpouring of love when fighting for injustice.

“Power is not meant to be gripped with a clenched fist, … power is meant to be handled generously so we can thoughtfully empower one another to thrive in our communities, … championing our humanity before our ambitions.”

In Mar. 2020, Moore aided in Irons exoneration and release from prison after being wrongly convicted for burglary and assault chargers in 1998. Irons is just one of the many individuals Moore and her social action platform Win with Justice have aided in the fight for criminal justice reform.

The post WNBA Legend Maya Moore Receives Arthur Ashe Courage Award at 2021 ESPYs appeared first on SLAM.

It’s an early morning off day for the Chicago Sky, who are playing the New York Liberty in a back-to-back series. Candace arrives in her practice gear and backpack ready for her SLAM cover shoot, and the minute she recognizes Jay-Z’s “Heart of the City” playing, she lights up and starts rapping every lyric. As she waits for the set to be ready, she picks up a ball, starts shooting around and continues spilling out every word of the song without missing a beat. At first glance, you wouldn’t think she’s the champion, TV analyst and overall legend that she is, but rather just a kid who loves to hoop, joke around and listen to Hov’s best bars. But then the list of accolades that goes on for pages and all of the historic moments in women’s basketball that she’s made happen to come to mind and you remember the greatness that is Candace Parker.

Get your copy of SLAM 233 featuring Candace Parker NOW!

It all began in the suburbs of Chicago, where the Parker family enjoyed all things together. Debates, watching movies, listening to ’90s hip-hop, but most important of all, basketball. The love for the game was immediate for almost the entire family. Almost.

“I think my memories of growing up in Naperville were just following my brothers around everywhere,” Parker shares with SLAM. “My parents always told me I could do everything and more, so I think those are kind of my first memories. Going to the basketball park, going to games, those were our weekends. We went to the park every weekend and played H.O.R.S.E. as a family. My mom had a video camera, we had Sunday dinners…We always ate one meal together at the table. I think those are my fondest memories.”

Her father Larry was a standout player at Iowa, her oldest sibling, Anthony, picked up the game immediately and was selected in the 1997 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets, and middle brother Michael played from day one as well. It was an instant connection to the leather ball from the start for most of the kids in the Parker family except for one. This curious young girl wanted to pave her own journey in something new, but as the saying goes, life had another plan for her.

“When I picked up a basketball, I didn’t want to pick it up,” the 14-year WNBA veteran recalls. “I played YBA growing up, which was a great experience, but I didn’t want to play basketball, I wanted to have my own thing. I wanted to play soccer. When I watched the ’96 Olympics, I wanted to be an Olympic soccer player. I wanted to be like Mia Hamm, like Briana Scurry. I wanted to be like all of them.”

It’s insanity to think that we almost missed out on the greatness that is CP3, but Mama Parker knew what Candace could do in the family business of basketball.

“It was kind of my mom who pulled me aside, because at the time my brother was brilliant and played basketball, my other brother was pretty smart and played basketball…Anthony’s gonna kill me for that,” Candace says with a laugh. “But they were just so great, you know, and I didn’t know if I could follow in their footsteps. I remember my mom being like, Baby, you can do both, you can do anything you put your mind to.”

From that moment on, Candace started focusing on basketball more and more. Trips to the park to practice on her own became regular and she gradually fell in love with the family business. While that love may have been gradual, her gift for the game was evident immediately.

“I just remember being in the gym in seventh grade and everybody before school would come in early and play and we would have basketballs and soccer balls. I just remember grabbing a tennis ball and going up and dunking,” the five-time All-Star reflects. “One of the substitute teachers was like, Uh, could you do that again? I was like, Yeah! And just went up and dunked. After that he was like, How old are you? And I was like, I’m 13, and he just shook his head.”

That’s really how it was for the insanely talented 13-year-old who had just only recently fully committed to the sport. By her sophomore year, Parker was already leading Naperville Central to state championships and was one of the highest ranked players in Illinois, but that wasn’t enough for her.

“I remember in eighth grade I was rated as one of the best players in the state and I was like, In the state?! I don’t want to be top in just the state. So, I think it was always that motivational thing,” she says.

Intensely competitive was her nature, built not only by her family, but her environment and the Chicago area as a whole. The first glimpses of top women’s talent at the amateur level on a national level started during her high school years, but the local coverage was one thing that was always constant in the ’Go.

“In terms of youth development, in terms of following kids from the time they’re in fourth or fifth grade, even before social media, that was Chicago,” Parker says. “Hoops Prep, you could watch Eddy Curry, Cappie Pondexter and I think that bred the next talent. I watched that and wanted to go out and work on my game so I could do that.”

The level of competition in the area constantly motivated Candace. She continued grinding and ended up making history along the way, becoming the first woman to win the slam dunk contest at the 2004 McDonald’s All-American Game.

Although Naperville Central’s star continued on her meteoric rise to national stardom, aspirations beyond college weren’t something that she thought of often while growing up. At the time, the WNBA had just formed and there was no real precedent for Candace to believe that going pro was a possibility.

“I really didn’t start thinking about professional basketball until I was probably in high school. My brother got drafted when I was in middle school, and I remember that was the coolest moment for our family, because I had all the posters, SLAM posters and SLAM covers. Allen Iverson was my idol. I really loved basketball, but I didn’t really start thinking of it professionally until my brother got drafted and then that was a real thing,” the 2013 WNBA All-Star MVP says.

It was the reality for young girls back then. Many didn’t believe that professional sports were something they would be able to pursue as a career beyond college, but once that possibility arose for Candace, there was a new goal to achieve. With that came the decision of where to spend her next four years preparing for the WNBA, which meant finding the right coach to help build her career.

And then Pat Summitt came along.

Tennessee wasn’t a program Candace had always envisioned herself playing for, mostly because they won so much under Summitt’s reign while she was growing up. Parker liked being the underdog. She wanted to help build something special and new at the next level. With the Lady Vols having gone through a championship drought in the late ’90s, the dunking superstar was ready to restore the winning culture at Tennessee. In November of 2003, she made it official and committed to play for Pat.

“It was my sophomore year, and she came to see me play, I’ll never forget it,” Parker says. “In North Carolina, at the tournament, she sat to the left of the bench. She had her bright orange stuff on, and that was a moment. That was one of those moment pictures that I took in my mind, because that was something I dreamed of. Watching her, I think as a basketball coach was extraordinary but watching her as a person was even more. That’s why I think my parents wanted me to go there, because they wanted me to have a strong woman as a leader to kind of show me more than just basketball.”

Just like destiny had planned, it was a moment and a person who would change her life forever.

From the very beginning, Candace had a special relationship with Coach Summitt, one filled with deep respect and a mutual desire to make each other better people, not just better players or coaches. With that bond from early on, Pat made good on her promise to help develop Candace—“as a player, as a person, and a student. We can have a lot of fun in the process,” the Lady Vols head coach penned in a recruiting letter to the budding star.

A few years later, Candace brought the winning back to Tennessee, helping lead the Lady Vols to back-to-back NCAA titles in ’07 and ’08. But even more important than that, she grew as a person and learned more than she could have ever hoped from the legendary coach.

“It’s weird, because when you’re going through it, you don’t understand the impact that it’s gonna have,” Parker says. “At 18-22 years old, I don’t think I understood the impact that she was having on my entire life. But to be able to see a role model, even the way I parent as a career mom now, I watched her balance that and she was always present. I think that’s the biggest thing, being present in the moment, making sure that the people around you understand how important you are to them. And I also think that it’s no longer a do-as-I-say, it’s a do-as-I-do. There’s a lot of people that can say stuff, but if I’m not seeing it on a daily basis, then you’re not gonna believe it. And I think everything Pat, you know, from winning championships, to battling a terrible disease, she did it with so much grace.”

Just days after winning her second NCAA title, Candace was drafted first overall in the 2008 WNBA draft to one of the best franchises in the League, the L.A. Sparks. Her first season would be one of the most memorable years in the history of the League. In her first game, she dropped 34 points, setting the record for most points scored in a career debut. Then, a month later, Candace threw down a dunk against the Indiana Fever, making her the second woman in history to dunk in a game (Lisa Leslie was the first, in 2002). By the end of the season, she averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game and became the first player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.

Impressive doesn’t even begin to describe what she did in 2008, not to mention the part that no one knew during the season.

“I was actually pregnant with [Lailaa] at the end of the year, my rookie year,” Candace says. “I accepted the MVP and Rookie of the Year trophy with my daughter and then from there it’s just been our journey.”

And so began one of the biggest transitions of her life that she’s most thankful for.

“I think it kind of taught me to bemore selfless. It’s not just about basketball, there’s more to life than just basketball, and I have her to thank for that,” Parker says.

While she had already accomplished so much, there was one thing that the new mom and Sparks’ star had on her mind—a WNBA Championship. In 2016, the opportunity finally came along, and while she was on the cusp of the elusive title, there was something else on her mind.

Pat Summitt lost her battle with Alzheimer’s disease in June of 2016. With that, the world lost a legend and role model, but for Candace, she lost a mentor. In one of the toughest years of her life, Candace knew that season just meant more. It was about more than just winning a championship for herself; it was for the woman who guided her journey to that title.

In a grueling series for the ages against Maya Moore and the Minnesota Lynx, it all came down to a winner takes all Game 5. With the clock running out and no timeouts left, Nneka Ogwumike grabbed her own rebound and made the game-winning putback. It was a moment and a series fans will remember forever.

“I remember a lot about that series. Just the grind, the focus, the energy that it took to even get through that series,” the 2016 Finals MVP says. “I think it also speaks to my innocence, because in 2008, we had a chance to go to the Finals and we lost on a last-second shot. I had a number of baskets that rolled off the rim. And I think that recognizing that, like, we won off of a rebound putback…And everybody after that is telling us that we’re the best thing ever off of one moment. I think it just kind of speaks to how you gotta stay the course.”

It was a moment that only further cemented her place in L.A. sports glory.

Get your copy of SLAM 233 featuring Candace Parker NOW!

Los Angeles is a place that will forever have Candace’s heart. It was where her daughter grew up, where she herself grew up, and where she had some of the best moments of her life, both on and off the court. After that season, Candace started a second career while managing basketball, which of course included more basketball. She went on to join the Turner family and the NBA on TNT cast where you’ve seen her school Shaq and clown around with Chuck, Ernie and the gang.

“I am a basketball junkie. I love it as a player. I love it as a fan,” she gleams.

After 13 seasons in L.A. though, it was time for a change. In a surprising move, Candace made the decision to sign with the Chicago Sky this past winter.

“Chicago is where my family raised me, where I first learned the game of basketball and where I first fell in love with this orange ball. I am excited to continue the next chapter of my career where it all began. To my new teammates, my new organization, and my new fans: I’m home,” Parker announced with the Chicago Sun Times.

There was something about coming home that just felt right to Candace. She was ready to share the place she grew up in with her daughter, take her to Colonial Special (one of her favorite restaurants in Chicago), or to the park where she grew up playing and that’s now named after her.  

“I believe a lot of things come full circle,” Parker says. “I think just over the course of my career I realized how much important people have meant to my career. Coming back home, I mean, my dad fixed my blinds the other day, we went over to his house for Father’s Day, my mom cooks me pregame, picks up my daughter all the time. Dad brings doughnuts over sometimes for my daughter, like, it’s just, I can go see my grandma. I really respect the time that I moved away from home because I needed it. I needed to establish myself in my home and get away from that, but to come back, who I am now, to really appreciate it.”

It’s a move that’s made the Sky, with a highly athletic and energetic roster and one of the best backcourt duos in the League, one of the favorites for the 2021 WNBA title. While the goal is to bring a championship home, the future is about more than just basketball for CP3.

“This next chapter,” Parker says, “I’m really enjoying the moment. Like I say all the time, I have way more basketball behind me than I have in front of me, I can promise you that. But one thing I’m never going to do is cheat the game. I have a circle of friends that I told 10 years ago that when it’s time, you need to sit me down and have an intervention if I don’t see it myself.”

Candace was always destined for the game of basketball and we have Mama Parker to thank for making it happen in the beginning. While her love of the game has always been at the forefront, it’s been about doing something bigger, about making an impact on young girls’ lives, whether it be within the game of basketball, another sport or in the boardroom.

“I think when you’re able to change something, you know, if you’re able to leave any type of change within something, I think you’ve established and developed a legacy. I hope that I have made a difference and I have changed certain things that have always been. I think that that’s going to be the legacy, and I hope that’s the way it is in the next chapter.”

SLAM 233 featuring cover star Candace Parker is available now in these exclusive gold and black metal editions. Get your copy on SLAMgoods.com.

Cover story portraits by Jon Lopez. Photos via Getty Images.

The post It Was Destined: Candace Parker and the Glory of Going Back Home appeared first on SLAM.

“To all the incredible Black women in my life, on my teams. To Breonna Taylor and all the lives lost. To those names I have not yet learned but I hope to share — I stand behind you and I will continue to follow you and follow your lead and fight for you guys.”
— Paige Bueckers pic.twitter.com/uhGiMAYHSu

— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2021

Bueckers’ speech pointed out the lack of media coverage that Black women deserve despite what they have given to the sport, the community and society as a whole off the floor, as well as 80 percent of the postseason awards collected last season on it.

“With the light that I have now as a white woman who leads a Black-led sport and celebrated here, I want to shed a light on Black women,” Bueckers said, per Yahoo!. “They don’t get the media coverage that they deserve. They’ve given so much to the sport, the community and society as a whole and their value is undeniable.”

“To all the incredible Black women in my life, on my teams. To Breonna Taylor and all the lives lost. To those names I have not yet learned but I hope to share—I stand behind you and I will continue to follow you and follow your lead and fight for you guys.”

Then she acknowledged other Black women trailblazers such as Maria Taylor, Robin Roberts, Odicci Alexander and Maya Moore, who received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, joining the ranks of previous winners Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela and Billie Jean King.

After the awards ceremony, Paige explained even further to ESPN’s The Undefeated on her decision to honor Black women in her speech.

Paige Bueckers goes into detail about why she decided to spotlight Black women in her @ESPYS speech. pic.twitter.com/fo8sk4MC9Z

— The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) July 11, 2021

Playing for a storied UConn program known for guards, Bueckers averaged 20 points and 5 assists a game on a Final Four Huskies team with a 28-2 record. She was the first freshman to win the John Wooden Award as the best women’s college basketball player.

The post Paige Bueckers Honors Black Women in Powerful ESPYS Speech appeared first on SLAM.

Bird, who will turn 40 this month, missed half of the abbreviated 22-game regular season with a bone bruise in her knee. The SLAM 228 cover subject will suit up for the Storm as they take on the Las Vegas Aces in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals tonight.

Making her debut at No. 4 on the list, Liberty rookie Sabrina Ionescu appeared in just 3 games this season before exiting the wubble with a Grade 3 ankle sprain. The former Oregon star and No. 1 pick in the 2020 Draft could be a face of the league for years to come.

Despite not playing since 2018, four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore appeared at No. 5 on the list. Moore, 31, decided to take off a second consecutive season to focus on reform in the American justice system.

Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne ranked No. 8 on the list despite sitting out the season due to health concerns. Delle Donne, who suffers from Lyme disease, was inexplicably denied a medical exemption from the league.

Top-10 Most Popular WNBA Jerseys:

1. Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
2. Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
3. Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
4. Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
5. Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx
6. A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
7. Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm
8. Elena Delle Donne, Washington Mystics
9. Courtney Vandersloot, Chicago Sky
10. Satou Sabally, Dallas Wings

The post Sue Bird Tops WNBA’s Most Popular Jerseys List appeared first on SLAM.

—

Introduction by Ros Gold-Onwude:

This isn’t a moment, it’s a movement.

Summer protests demanding that “Black lives matter” have put a magnifying glass on a group within the movement often left most vulnerable in society: Black women. In 1962, Malcolm X said: “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”

Here, we examine the WNBA, a professional basketball league of excellent, elite, predominantly Black women. Over the course of its 24 years of existence, the women of this league have time and time again stepped up to lead the call for change.

With the WNBA’s inaugural season in 1997, there was a new American women’s professional basketball league that young girls could aspire to. In 2014, the WNBA became the first pro sports league to air a nationally televised “Pride” game in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. In 2016, players accepted fines to wear “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirts, protesting against police brutality. In 2019, perennial superstar Maya Moore left the WNBA in the prime of her career to fight for criminal justice reform. In 2020, after a long and grueling fight, the players negotiated a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), granting them more equity, increased salaries, better lifestyle conditions while traveling on the road, new health and mental wellness initiatives and improved maternal care, including paid maternity leave and assistance with childcare.

The WNBA’s true power is in the collective voice of its players, who have increasingly used their platforms to demand more. WNBA players have long been on the frontlines fighting against racism, police brutality, sexism, sexuality discrimination, inadequate maternity policies and more.

The women of the WNBA have had everyone else’s back, who will have theirs?  While they compete in the most elite women’s basketball league in the world, they are still battling for respect and still working to find a consistently successful formula to sell tickets and to market their dynamic collection of women to the public.

Let me make sure not to discredit the longstanding devoted fans of the league; they are the life-blood of the WNBA’s success and their loyalty is both needed and cherished. However, given the high caliber of talent, increased quality of play and increased number of televised and streamed games, this league is deserving of more. I hear you, agonizing over the countless tragic murders of Black women like Breonna Taylor and Oluwatoyin Salau, crying out: “Protect and nourish Black women, #SayHerName!” I share this anguish and challenge us to also say the names of our Black female heroes while they are alive and crusading. Let’s keep that same energy and show more love to the WNBA, a league of predominately Black women who are the best of the best at their craft.

In a recent roundtable discussion, I spoke with three highly-decorated WNBA players of different eras:

Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes, a 3x Olympic Gold Medalist and 4x WNBA champion with the Houston Comets.

Las Vegas Aces forward Angel McCoughtry, a 2x Olympic Gold Medalist and 5x WNBA All-Star.

Minnesota Lynx guard Lexie Brown, a 2018 first-round pick out of Duke.

We talked about the realities of what Black women face in America with regards to racism and sexism, and how WNBA players have always led the charge for equality and respect.

Below is part one of the roundtable. Stay tuned for the rest of the discussion.

Gold-Onwude: How did basketball affect the trajectory of your lives?

Swoopes: For me, when I think about my journey and where basketball started, I started playing when I was seven years old. I think I knew at a very early age that basketball would be my ticket to not only change my life but change my family’s life. And never did I realize just how much it would change my life and I don’t just mean the things it did for me on the court, I mean just doors it opened for me which allowed me to open doors for Angel, for Lexie and for everyone who came after me; but I don’t think we talk about the people, the women who even came before me that paved the way for all of us to have those opportunities. And I’m so thankful and so blessed and grateful that we’re having this conversation today, where we can still talk about the growth of the game. I can honestly say that without this sport my life would be very different, absolutely.

McCoughtry: I just think it’s opened so many doors. You know, growing up in Baltimore playing with all the guys, the only female out there, I remember they all came one day outside and said, “Hey, you can play in the WNBA one day.” And I was like, “What that’s? The WNBA?” And they were like, “It’s the NBA, but for the girls.” That’s when I went home and I started watching you, Sheryl, and watching them win championships and I was just amazed that there were women out there that were just like me. I didn’t have to be ashamed to be tall, I could stand proud and be who I am. That was the first time I watched a lot of women play sports on TV, I always just saw the men. I never dreamed of being an Olympian, I never dreamed of being able to play in different countries. None of that ever crossed my mind. Just playing the sport has opened so many doors. Now we can inspire, we can advocate for political justice through our sport. That’s what it’s all about.

Gold-Onwude: Lexie, how did ball affect the trajectory of your life? It’s interesting because Angel brings up something that I resonate with and we’re the same age essentially. I wasn’t necessarily growing up to be a pro, that idea came later. You are younger and the league has experienced a whole lot more success and longevity by the time that you were coming to the game. How did you view the league and what was possible for you with basketball?

Brown: I wanted to be a WNBA player when I was little, so that’s the amazing thing that you guys have been able to do for players like me. You had built a league that we were able to look up to and want to get to, but basketball is something that I just love and like Sheryl and Angel said, the doors that it’s opened have been incredible and the voice that I’ve been given and other players in the league have been given to speak up on things that normally we probably wouldn’t be comfortable speaking on. One because we wouldn’t know much about it or two because we wouldn’t think anybody would be listening. So to be able to speak on things, being [in this roundtable] for me is incredible. I’m honored. Basketball has definitely changed my life.

Gold-Onwude: Sheryl, this one is for you. You played in the inaugural WNBA season. 1997, the league starts up. The Houston Comets win the first four championships in the league’s history. Earlier you said that we don’t necessarily talk enough about the beginning of the WNBA and even the players who played before the WNBA was started. So let’s take a moment to relive that. What was the public reception to the start of the WNBA?

Swoopes: First thought was if the NBA is behind the WNBA then it’s going to be successful; and I just remember all the marketing that the league put behind it and it was year round, it wasn’t just during the season. People were excited about it and coming off of the success that the 1996 Olympic team had. I think we had built a lot of fans and a lot of excitement and a lot of curiosity about, Can these women really play? And I think in that moment, Ros, we truly gained the respect of people around the world of how good these women really can be.

Gold-Onwude: Has the growth and the reach of the league since then met your expectations?

Swoopes: When I look at where the WNBA is today, I will tell you a couple of things. I think the talent level from top to bottom is better than it was in the beginning. And what I mean by that is, you have teams that you don’t know who’s going to win the championship from one year to the next. Not to say the talent wasn’t good then because it was, but the thing I would say that does disappoint me a little is I think the league could and should do a lot more in marketing players.

Gold-Onwude: I know players are talking about how to use their platform in a meaningful way and how the WNBA can support them in doing that. What are meaningful, non-superficial, non-performance ways that the WNBA can use this 2020 season to affect change facing racial inequalities and systemic racism in America?

McCoughtry: We can definitely use this sport as a tool. I didn’t agree with some NBA players who said, Hey, this is a distraction, it’s entertainment. No, we’re here to unite. We use our basketball as a tool. We inspire. This is the time now to play and fight for the social justice. We’re definitely going to have our shirts on. I think we can use our interview platforms to speak up. Look, Breonna Taylor, she was in Louisville, that’s where I went to school. Right now we’re advocating for that. We can use this tool to fight against the social injustice. This is the time now.

Brown: I agree with everything that Angel just said. I think also I’m excited that, although the bubble is not an ideal environment, we’re also going to be in there together so we’ll be able to bounce ideas off of each other, share stories, share experiences with each other. I think that usually teams kind of do their own thing one by one by one because we’re all in different cities, but I think we’ll be able to have one united voice really because we’re all going to be in the same place. I think that us as players are going to have a lot of control over what’s said and shared because we’re going to be the only ones in there.

Swoopes: I think it’s every player’s individual decision. If you think it’s good for you to play then you play. If it’s not then you don’t. Because not only do we have this coronavirus pandemic, we got the whole [problem of] systemic racism, all that stuff going on. There’s a lot going on in this country right now. And I think if players are going to play, then you make that decision and you play, but you have to have a plan in place. So if the NBA and WNBA are going back to play, is that a distraction? It’s probably a distraction for people who are already distracted anyway, right? And I agree with Angel, it’s a moment for everybody to come together and say, All right, we have a huge platform. And it’s no secret that the NBA and WNBA are predominantly Black. So the thing I don’t want to happen is for players to start playing again and all of a sudden they’re back in their space and their environment and forget about the real world, because these issues and these problems that we have today are going to be around for many more years to come. If we at some point, and I say we as all of us as Black people, don’t put our feet down and say listen, Here are some of the changes that we want, here are some things that have to happen, here’s where we need you to be on our side. I don’t think players use their voice enough and if players are saying we want to play, I think it’s a perfect time and perfect opportunity for players to take advantage of it and demand change.

McCoughtry: It’s been too long. And I like what I see, you know, we have to support the millennials, they’re the ones out there fighting. The millennials. They weren’t there with Rodney King, they weren’t there with Martin Luther King, they weren’t there. They saw George Floyd and they were pissed. Everybody got to see, Oh my God, America’s really in a lot of trouble right now. You see in France, you see in London, they’re tearing down Confederate statues. We see things that we’ve never seen before, so some kind of change is happening. But I think that we need to continue to use our platforms. Beyonce wrote a letter for Breonna Taylor. We all need to use our celebrity and our platforms to really get this done.

Gold-Onwude: I want to bring the conversation to a special woman we all know—Maya Moore. She left hoops in the prime of her career to fight for criminal justice reform. It definitely felt like it happened so abruptly, like all of a sudden Maya just didn’t come back to hoops. This honorable cause taken up by one of the biggest stars in the game has been covered by the media here and there, but I think we should be talking about Maya Moore more.

McCoughtry: I competed with nobody like I did with Maya Moore…ever. It’s never going to be the same. I wish she was back, but I understand the road she’s going on. It’s a road that needs more attention. I think what she’s doing is amazing. I don’t think enough people know the story of what she’s doing and I think that Netflix or somebody needs to do a documentary of what she’s doing off the court.

Swoopes: Maya’s a champion, she always has been. What she’s doing now is not going to be any different. Everything that she brought to the court, all the passion, energy, drive, determination she had as a basketball player, she now has that in this cause. I agree with Angel. I think somebody, somewhere should be doing more coverage, should be talking more about what Maya is doing now instead of people talking about, Oh my God, I can’t believe Maya just left the game. That’s her decision. I think Maya gave everything she had to give to the game and probably accomplished if not everything almost everything that she wanted to accomplish as a basketball player. I’ve always said that I feel like God puts us on this earth and that we all have a purpose and sometimes it takes us some of us longer than others to find that purpose. Maya, a lot like myself, I don’t think her purpose was to be a basketball player. I think it was to use basketball as a platform to do bigger and better things. The passion that she has right now in her heart is for something bigger and better than basketball. And where we are in this country as African American men and women, I couldn’t think of a better time for her to be doing what she’s doing. I got nothing but love for Maya, nothing but respect for her.

Brown: I think the Lynx have always been at the forefront of these types of issues. Knowing what I know now, I see one of the main reasons why—because they had someone like Maya playing on the team and I’m sure she advocated for things like that. Her last season was my first season, so up until that point I had just been a fan, a spectator of hers. And obviously in my first season, I was still kind of a fan and a spectator. I don’t think she’s getting nearly enough attention as she should. You see what some of the NBA guys have been saying. They’re just talking about leaving the game. They’re not actually going to leave and leave all that money. Maya actually did it. She didn’t announce it, she just did it. And nobody’s saying anything. All the attention the guys have gotten for just saying they shouldn’t play and go help the community. OK, hear you, go do it.

Gold-Onwude: Definitely. And to your point, Lexie, what Maya did was brave. She didn’t discuss it, talk about it, she left behind something that was wildly successful and comfortable for her. I remember those Stanford-UConn battles of our college days and then covering her in the pros. Maya’s an excellent woman at everything. So when I see her as she steps into this next phase and fights for criminal justice reform, I see a woman that is still excellent. And Sheryl, you said her crusade is on time. She was actually a little early. The country just now is like, OK, Let’s fix some things. Maya’s been doing this. I agree that her story needs to be uplifted even more than it has been because if someone, a player of her caliber on the men’s side, left to do such a noble cause, it’d be everywhere.

Swoopes: It would be all over the place.

McCoughtry: It would be a movie by now.

Gold-Onwude: It would be a movie.

Brown: Like if a person like LeBron just stopped playing, it’d definitely be a movie already.

McCoughtry: Not even if it was a LeBron caliber player, if it was just a normal player that scored two points a game on the bench in the NBA, it would be everywhere. 

—

100 percent of proceeds from SLAM’s new issue will be donated to charities supporting issues impacting the Black community. Grab your copy here.

Photos via Getty.

The post LET’S KEEP IT REAL: WNBA Roundtable About Racism & Sexism, Part 1 appeared first on SLAM.

The No. 12 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, Jones plans on making a big impact for the New York Liberty this season. When asked about her draft experience, her voice lights up with excitement.

“It was interesting,” she says. “I didn’t really know what to expect. Honestly, my whole draft day was real chill. I woke up, went to work out, came home and got ready for friends to come over. Then I had all of my family on a Zoom call to watch the draft together.

“When I heard my name called, I was so shocked. Everyone started screaming and crying tears of joy. It was surreal.”

Jones was predicted to go later in the draft, so her selection in the first round was a bit of a surprise. Yet anyone who’s watched Jones work on the court would understand why she was chosen so high. 

“When I was at DRS (Florida A&M University Developmental Research School), I would always say I want to go to the League. Whenever I was playing pick-up, I would imagine my name being called in the draft. I dreamed this, so to see all of this come true, it still feels like a dream. Except when we’re practicing—then it feels real,” Jones says, laughing.

The Liberty have seven rookies on their roster, so they’re already slated as underdogs. But that doesn’t deter Jones. She boasts of the talent on her team and describes the rookies as hungry and ready to play. Jones also praises the Liberty’s veterans and the level of depth that they bring.

She’s kept her goals for her rookie season simple. “My focus is to get better each day, and contribute to my team,” Jones says. “We are underdogs, only picked to win four games this season. We have a really good team, and we are so versatile. We all just have to buy in to the plan.” 

Playing in the “Wubble” has been a great experience for Jones. She describes IMG Academy as having everything that one would need to get prepared for the season. As for her temporary housing, Jones loves her space. “It is huge and really nice to live in. My favorite part is the kitchen because I like to cook, so I immediately felt at home,” she says.

While at DRS, Jones was selected as the All-Big Bend Player of the Year and Florida Gatorade Player of the Year in 2016, and finished her high school career with more than 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 500 steals.

Staying motivated and focused required a lot of hard work and sacrifices along the way. “My motivation was that I was the little kid who looked up to players like LeBron and Maya Moore, saying, I want that. I want to play in the League and be able to give back to my community,” she says. 

Jones continues: “My motivation is to make it so that I can give back to my high school, my city and those who helped me along the way. I plan on having my own AAU team, gym and be that role model to other kids who have the same dream. I want to really give back to my community in Tallahassee.”

While attending the University of Louisville, Jones not only grew as a player, but also as a person. Along with serving the community, Jones grew spiritually as a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

“Becoming involved with FCA helped me to grow closer to God,” Jones says. “I also went on a mission trip to Jamaica, and that experience caused me to grow as a person and be selfless and not take things for granted and be more appreciative.”

While also serving as vice president for the ACC Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Jones would read to kids and do community cleanups. “I love giving back to the community—growing closer to people from all walks of life and different interests,” she says.

This season, the WNBA and WNBPA created a new platform in response to the social and racial inequalities that exist in the country: The Justice Movement.

“Being all women, we are using our voice to help make change, and to be a voice for the voiceless. Ultimately, I want to see justice for Breonna Taylor and for all of the victims who have lost their lives to police brutality. I pray every day for my close friends that are Black males,” Jones says.

Jones continues to shine not only on the hardwood but outside of the game as well. She will make her rookie debut on July 25 against the Seattle Storm. This stage is a long way from Tallahassee, but certainly one that Jones has prepared for all of her life.

—

Ashton Edmunds is an intern at SLAM. Follow him on Instagram @ae11_.

Photos via Getty Images

The post HOMETOWN HERO: Liberty Rookie Jazmine Jones Leads By Example appeared first on SLAM.

The season tips off on Saturday, July 25 at noon ET with the Storm against the Liberty. Below is our 2020 preview to get you ready for the action. Let’s go.

EAST

1. Chicago Sky

If there’s one team everyone in the League should fear this upcoming season, it’s the Sky. This Chicago group is one of the youngest in the League, so it’s no surprise that they are also one of the most athletic. Behind prolific scorers in two-time Three-Point Contest champion Allie Quigley and Diamond DeShields, the Sky were second in scoring last season, just behind the champion Washington Mystics. Not only that—they were also  second in assists, in large part due to Courtney Vandersloot, the record holder for most assists in a single season. In keeping core pieces like Stefanie Dolson, Cheyenne Parker and Gabby Williams, while also picking up Sydney Colson and Azura Stevens, Sky Town has a lot to look forward to in the 2020 campaign.

2. Connecticut Sun

Connecticut came just short of the championship in 2019 with one of the strongest rosters in the WNBA, but this year’s roster looks slightly different. Although they’ll be without leading scorer Jonquel Jones, who has chosen to sit out over health concerns due to COVID-19, they won big time in acquiring DeWanna Bonner during free agency. Along with veteran guards Alyssa Thomas and Jasmine Thomas, Bonner will help fill the major scoring void. The big question for the Sun revolves around team chemistry, having lost on-court leader Courtney Williams, as well as having picked up multiple free agents this offseason.

3. Washington Mystics

The reigning WNBA Champions will aim to defend their title in 2020, although they’ll be without some major pieces. They took a big hit during free agency in losing Point God Kristi Toliver, and will be without 2019 MVP Elena Delle Donne and free-agent signee Tina Charles due to health concerns over COVID-19. Washington added vet Essence Carson to help fill the void of Natasha Cloud, who has chosen to sit out the season in order to focus on the fight for social justice. Even without some serious offensive pieces, they still have last year’s Finals MVP Emma Meesseman, who will need to step up once again if the Mystics are to make another deep playoff run.

4. Indiana Fever

Indiana has struggled since their last playoff appearance in 2016, but this new squad could be considered the sleeper of the League. With lottery picks in the most recent drafts, the Fever are now young, quick and hungry to win. Indiana’s biggest strength is their talented bigs, including Natalie Achonwa, Teaira McCowan and the 2020 No. 2 overall pick Lauren Cox. They also have strong young guards in Kelsey Mitchell and Victoria Vivians, who returns this season after missing last year due to a knee injury. Behind the veteran leadership of Candice Dupree and Erica Wheeler, as well as former Mystics assistant and new head coach Marianne Stanley, Indiana’s ceiling is extremely high.

5. Atlanta Dream

Having lost Angel McCoughtry during free agency, Atlanta has a lot of question marks around this upcoming season. With significant movement in the offseason, the Dream’s roster has several new faces playing together for the first time. Courtney Williams and Shekinna Stricklen join the team after a WNBA Finals run with the Sun last season, and therefore will need to provide leadership in the locker room. Additionally, their frontcourt crew of Elizabeth Williams, Glory Johnson and Kalani Brown is extremely strong. The future definitely looks bright for the Dream, as they also picked up scoring sensation Chennedy Carter in this year’s Draft.

6. New York Liberty

The team with the most unknowns is the new Brooklyn crew. With one of the most inexperienced rosters, new head coach Walt Hopkins will need to rely on veterans Layshia Clarendon, Amanda Zahui B and Kia Nurse to help transition the rookies into the pros. That being said, the Liberty have some of the best prospects from this year’s draft, including NCAA phenom Sabrina Ionescu and former Husky Megan Walker. If Sabrina, Megan and the rest of the rookies are able to adapt quickly, the Liberty could have a surprisingly successful season. New York will be without Asia Durr, though, who decided to opt out of the 2020 season due to health concerns over COVID-19.

WEST

1. Seattle Storm

The 2018 championship team is finally back together after a year of many injuries, and we have a feeling they’re about to pick up right where they left off. Stewie is back, Sue is back, and the best part is that a lot of the younger players now have more experience to help take Seattle back to the top. We witnessed Jordin Canada and Jewell Loyd really come into their own in 2019, leading Seattle to the second round of the playoffs. With last year’s Defensive Player of the Year Natasha Howard, as well as new additions in Morgan Tuck and Epiphanny Prince, the Storm are destined for another title run.

2. Phoenix Mercury

Skylar Diggins-Smith, Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi are the new “Big Three” of the WNBA, and they’re likely to take the Mercury near the top at IMG this summer. Phoenix already had a stacked roster and the addition of one of the best scoring guards in the League only makes them that much better. With Bria Hartley and 2019 champion Shatori Walker-Kimbrough joining the mix, there’s no doubt that Phoenix has the deepest roster in the League. Diana “The GOAT” Taurasi is back this year after missing most of last season due to injury, which makes Phoenix one of the early favorites to win it all. 

3. Las Vegas Aces

The Las Vegas Aces are one of the top teams to watch in 2020. In another major free agency move, Vegas picked up Angel McCoughtry, who adds the experienced guard play they have been missing. Although they’ll be without Liz Cambage (due to health concerns over COVID-19) and Kelsey Plum (due to a torn achilles suffered in the offseason), the Aces roster is still strong. With some of their major players missing, 2018 Rookie of the Year A’ja Wilson is set to have another breakout season and potentially be an MVP candidate.

4. Los Angeles Sparks

You know the competition in the West is great when the Sparks are somehow in the middle of the pack, even though they have one of the greatest players ever hooping for them. The big question for L.A. this year is how Coach Derek Fisher implements his offensive system with top scorers Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike, Chelsea Gray and Riquna Williams. The Sparks also picked up Brittney Sykes and longtime rival Seimone Augustus. If Coach Fisher and his staff are able to put together a game plan that gets everyone on the roster involved, the Sparks could be the team to beat in the West.

5. Minnesota Lynx

Cheryl Reeve’s Lynx look a lot different than most years, as they continue their rebuilding period. Their leader, Maya Moore, has continued her inspiring path of pursuing social justice reform, which leaves Sylvia Fowles as the veteran in the locker room. The Lynx have lots of promising young talent on the roster, including 2019 Rookie of the Year Napheesa Collier. They also picked up some strong prospects in this year’s Draft with Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and Crystal Dangerfield. With sharpshooters Rachel Banham and Lexie Brown, the Lynx still have a chance at a solid season that could help develop a lot of their talent for the future.

6. Dallas Wings

Dallas has the most inexperienced roster in the West, but don’t let that fool you—they have some true bucket-getters on their squad who are poised to have big seasons. All eyes will be on 2019 Rookie of the Year runner-up Arike Ogunbowale, who averaged 19.1 points per game in her first season. Most exciting, though, is their pickup of Katie Lou Samuelson, who didn’t see much playing time with Chicago last year. As a UConn product, you know she’s bound to be a sponge and learn quickly how to be implemented into the offense, especially under head coach Brian Agler. With the addition of top prospects Satou Sabally and Bella Alarie, the Wings are low-key our favorite to shock the League this season, potentially even clinching a playoff spot.

—

Camille Buxeda is a Senior Content Producer at SLAM. Follow her on twitter @CamilleBuxeda.

Photos via Getty.

The post 2020 WNBA Season Preview appeared first on SLAM.

The cry of injustice has been drowned out for a long time. Recent events have suspended basketball and life as we know it. As one normality has been interrupted, another more uncomfortable truth has continued and the world has had time to notice. The pause has been necessary. For Maya Moore, it was her awareness of injustice that caused her to suspend basketball long before we did.

When she hit the cover of SLAM back in 2018, Moore was just 29 and overwhelmingly accomplished. Four-time champ, six-time All-Star, League MVP and far from slowing down. Still, away from basketball, there were far bigger things to achieve. Off the court, as her community suffered, she joined her WNBA colleagues in refusing to be silenced in their political protests. At the time, they were threatened with disciplinary action by the League, but they fought and won. Her biggest battle has been against the justice system itself, being so committed to criminal justice reform that she stepped away from the game to commit to fighting for one man’s freedom. It was a big deal. She missed two seasons while arguably in her physical prime, turning down another opportunity to play in the Olympics. Basketball wasn’t her priority. Instead, she was invested in fighting for justice for a man she believed was unjustly imprisoned. It would be a long and challenging process. Earlier this year, he was released.

Maya Moore’s SLAM 217 cover isn’t easy to find. [It sold out quick on SLAM’s online store, and it’s not readily available on eBay…yet.—Ed.] When I finally track it down, I’m going to frame it and put it on my daughter’s wall. When she’s old enough to understand who she’s looking at, I’ll want her to know that she can ball like Maya, and if she works hard enough, maybe her hands can be as quick and her shot as sweet. More than this, I hope she’ll understand that some achievements are bigger than basketball and that justice is worth fighting for.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 217 Featuring Maya Moore From September of 2018 appeared first on SLAM.

Moore hasn’t formally retired but says she is content where she is in her life pushing for criminal justice reform, particularly the case of one individual she believes to be wrongfully convicted.

Moore’s decision to sit out last season left open the possibility that she would suit up for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics but that, too, is off the table as she focuses on her new pursuit.

The six-time All-Star and former MVP was 29 years old when she stepped away the first time and now won’t return to the court until her age 31 season at least.

News of Moore’s absence comes weeks after the WNBA and WNBA player’s union came to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement that will drastically increase player compensation, including raises to player salaries and other specifically designated marketing benefits.

Streeter’s feature highlights Moore’s genuine passion for criminal justice reform but the superstar’s hiatus underscores the unique challenges that the WNBA faces as its stars are often introduced to additional opportunities that can compete with their commitments to the league.

Related: The WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement

The post Maya Moore To Skip Second Straight WNBA Season appeared first on SLAM.

Citing three stars of the women’s game, Bryant says WNBA hoopers “could certainly keep up” with their male counterparts.

The Black Mamba has attended numerous WNBA games with his dauther Gianna who is “hellbent” on attending and playing for the University of Connecticut.

Per CNN:

The LA Lakers legend said: “I think there are a couple of players who could play in the NBA right now honestly.

“There’s a lot of players with a lot of skill that could do it.”

Bryant went on to name three WNBA stars who he believes could make the jump into the men’s league.

“Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Elena Della Donne. There’s a lot of great players out there so they could certainly keep up with them,” he said.

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘Awesome’ LeBron James Will Surpass Him on Scoring List

The post Kobe Bryant: Some WNBA Players Could Play in the NBA ‘Right Now’ appeared first on SLAM.

Collier filled the stat sheet for the Minnesota Lynx in her first year in the W and was the only rookie to participate in the All-Star Game. Collier didn’t fill score at quite the same rate as Rookie of the Year runner up Arike Ogunbowale but she contributed efficiently and across the board for a playoff contender.

Collier averaged 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting .361 from beyond the arc and playing workhorse minutes. Her emergence as a first-year star allowed the Lynx to claw their way back to the postseason in 2019 despite the retirement of Lindsay Whalen and Maya Moore’s sabbatical.

Collier, who was drafted No. 6 overall last April, received 29 of the 43 votes for the award while Ogunbowale received the remaining 14.

The post Napheesa Collier To Be Named WNBA Rookie Of The Year appeared first on SLAM.

And now Mo’ne wanted to do it again, to return to the courts where she was first introduced to basketball. This was where Mo’ne, too small to go into the lane, honed her jump shot. But Quran couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Mo’ne play. Even Mo’ne had a hard time pinpointing the last time she played five-on-five.

That didn’t stop her; she came out firing. She hit one deep, deep three, Quran recalls with admiration. But Mo’ne, normally hesitant to attack the basket at Smith, was also aggressive and fearless. She ran up and down, up and down, until she didn’t feel like running anymore. 

This is the new reality for Mo’ne Davis, the girl who told everyone, as she skyrocketed to fame on the baseball fields of Williamsport, that she actually wanted to play college basketball. Someday, she said, she hoped to lace up for Geno Auriemma and the University of Connecticut. But now she’s heading to the University of Hampton to play softball and those college basketball dreams are suddenly in the past.

—

Five years ago, Mo’ne Davis was everywhere. In front of a national TV audience, she had just thrown six scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and racking up eight strikeouts in her Little World Series debut. Her instagram account blew up. People wanted to know Mo’ne Davis. They wanted to know where she came from and how she learned to throw like that.

It was at this point she let everyone know that although she liked baseball, basketball was her number one sport. Maybe she threw like Clayton Kershaw, but she wanted to hoop like Maya Moore.

Since learning on the Smith blacktops, Mo’ne lived and breathed basketball. When she wasn’t in the gym, she played NBA Live with her favorite duo, Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. When she wasn’t near a gym or gaming system, she watched highlights of her favorite players, like LeBron James and Stephen Curry. She joined the Marian Anderson Monarchs basketball program shortly after her early days at Smith playground. She played with the boys, but that wasn’t the only reason she stuck out to many of the coaches. 

“She was a gym rat,” her youth basketball coach at Marian Anderson, Ronald “Ike” Isaac, says. “Consistently in the gym. Wanted to hang out in the gym.”

Even as Mo’ne grew older and continued playing with boys, she held her own. Mo’ne was tough and smart—a true point guard. She knew how to hoop.

“Even as the boys got bigger and more athletic, we were still a better team with Mo’ne at the point guard, with her controlling and running the show,” says Steve Bandura, another one of her coaches at Marian Anderson. “People don’t know when they watch what they’re seeing, she has a plan when she comes over halfcourt and sees the defense… She doesn’t look at everything but she sees everything.”  

After the Little World Series, Mo’ne would play as an eighth and ninth grader on her school’s high school varsity basketball team. She competed for one of the top AAU teams in Philadelphia, Triple Threat. 

Yet it was during her early years of AAU that she began to understand she wasn’t big enough or athletic enough to play at UConn. 

“I think once I started AAU and I saw the different level of basketball players and the height you had to be at UConn, I figured I’m not growing anymore so that’s not in my future,” Mo’ne says. “But I’ve been a big fan of UConn… and I’ve wanted to go there for the longest. It’s one of my favorite schools, but I didn’t have the height to do it.”

Still she was good enough to play Division I. Going into her junior summer of AAU, schools like Fordham, Quinnipiac and Longwood called and wrote to Mo’ne. But little did these college coaches know—let alone her own family and friends—that Mo’ne was already thinking about moving on from basketball.

—

It was late July 2018, the summer before Mo’ne’s senior year, and one of the most important basketball weekends of her life. College coaches from around the country, including Quinipiac’s, one of Mo’ne’s top schools, were in the crowd. Mo’ne was supposed to be throwing dazzling passes, hitting little runners and commanding the offense for her AAU team. But that wasn’t happening. She was feeling sick and her asthma was acting up. She couldn’t play with the intensity and poise she usually brought to the court.

She reassured her teammates, however, that the rest of the tournament would be different. “This game I’m gonna play hard,” she told them. “I haven’t been playing hard, but I’m gonna play hard this game.”

Mo’ne came out the next day energized—maybe even too energized. Running down the floor on a fast break, she rolled her ankle. For the rest of the tournament, she hid at the end of the bench, a boot noticeably covering her ankle. The Quinnipiac coach walked the other way. During the most important time for college basketball recruitment, Mo’ne couldn’t play.

For days to come, the doubts entered Mo’ne’s head again. Did she really want to play college basketball? She would be in the boot for two months and if she wanted to increase her offers, she might have to do a postgraduate year. And, for multiple reasons, her relationship with basketball had already been waning.

There had been all of the Little League World Series appearances that had taken away from her time in the gym. There had been the high school coach who yelled a lot, leading Mo’ne to skip her sophomore season. There had been the years of losing in high school basketball. And there had been softball, a sport she grew to enjoy, as basketball became less fun, like a chore. 

Did she really want to spend another four years dragging this out? What was she doing this for anymore? Was it because she felt an obligation to her parents, who had put so much time and money into her pursuit of college basketball? Was it because she felt an obligation to herself, after spending her whole life working for these scholarships?

She decided that the ankle injury was the final straw. Mo’ne was ready to move on from basketball and pursue college softball. She worried over how some of the people closest to her would react when they heard.

But the thing is, no one was shocked. Not her brother. Not Coach Isaac or Coach Bandura. Maybe they were a little surprised that she was leaving behind a lifelong dream, but they had seen the writing on the wall. 

“That burnout factor, once it hits, it hits,” Isaac says.

Bandura was impressed with the way Mo’ne handled the situation. “I’m proud that she came out and had the guts to come out against what everyone else expected and stand up for what she wanted to do,” he says.

In the fall of 2018, her senior year, Mo’ne committed to play softball at Hampton. It was around that time that Mo’ne, on a visit to the school, met the Hampton basketball coach. He knew of Triple Threat, Mo’ne’s AAU team, and admired their program. There were no guarantees, but the door was left open. Maybe she could try and play both basketball and softball.

But as of right now, Mo’ne still doesn’t intend on trying to play college basketball. These days, with every sport being year-around, competing in two college sports is rare. There is the season and then the offseason practices, conditioning and workouts. Playing just one sport is a long and grueling process. 

And Mo’ne just doesn’t feel the urge—to play or even watch basketball. “I just started gaining interest in different things,” she explains. “And we just kinda saw the Warriors and the Cavs most of the time in the Finals so you kinda knew how that was gonna turn out.”

She checks in here and there, enough to form opinions on players (“A lot of people like RJ [Barrett]. I’m not a big fan of RJ…I’m a pass first person. So RJ doesn’t pass too much,” she says), but she’s not nearly as attached as she once was. 

Mo’ne is still pitching and playing baseball in her final summer with the Anderson Monarchs. She did an internship this past year with the Phillies’ broadcast team, interviewing players like Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. She has become a diehard United States women’s soccer fan, watching every second of the World Cup games (“I will literally sit [in the dugout] and watch it,” she says). She even wants to try golf or tennis. 

Still, she recognizes that “my mind can change. It changed already, so it could change again.” Bandura agrees, saying, “I just have the feeling that if she gets out there in the fall and plays pickup, it might strike a chord with her.”

She played her senior of high school basketball and now she’s playing again with the boys in a summer league. Maybe that will help her find her spark to play college basketball again. Or maybe she will find it the next time she goes to Smith Playground with her brother. Or maybe she’ll never find the spark again and become the best player in the Hampton recreation center. And Mo’ne Davis is fine with that, at least for now.

—

Benjamin Simon is an intern at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @BenjaminSimon05.

Photos by Bob Quinn

The post THE EVOLUTION: Mo’ne Davis Discusses Her Relationship with Basketball appeared first on SLAM.

Nurse and her teammate Asia Durr have formally joined the ever-exclusive Jordan Brand family, following Maya Moore as the only other women’s basketball players to officially rep the Jumpman. For all of Nurse’s humility in that initial moment, this is a distinction that she’s earned.

Nurse made it from Hamilton, Ontario, where she dominated for St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School, winning three straight OFSAA high school championships. She destroyed the competition outside of high school too, capturing five consecutive Provincial Championships with her Hamilton Transway team.

She was such a problem that she got noticed by the best program in college basketball. When Geno Auriemma came calling, Nurse moved down to the States, helping the UConn Huskies win a pair of titles. And she’s just the latest member of her family to have played sports at a high level. Her father played professionally in the Canadian Football League and both her mother and sister played basketball in college. Her brother and one of her cousins are pro hockey players and her uncle is Donovan McNabb, the former NFL quarterback.

Her accomplishments all throughout high school and college are impressive, but her early addition to the Canadian National Team was the solidifying stamp on how good she had become. She joined up with the best players in Canada when she was only 17, averaging 10 points per game in 2013. She came back the next summer still the youngest player on the team, and has been a steady force ever since. She’s a knockdown shooter, a willing passer and most importantly, a dog on the court. 

FOLLOW WSLAM ON INSTAGRAM

She’s got a killer’s mentality that comes out on defense and during clutch moments on offense. 

And now with her Jordan Brand partnership, Nurse has another win to add to her résumé. She’s been a fan of MJ since she was a kid, when she got a pair of Air Jordan Is during her years playing with Transway. She counts the I as her favorite pair.

“I love Jordan Is,” she says. “Those were my go-to. They go with any outfit, whether it’s sweats or jeans or something fancy, I will put on Is.”

Nurse leaves the court at Nike’s NYHQ and switches out of the Air Jordan XXXIIIs she’s wearing in favor of the recently released “NYC to Paris” Air Jordan I. She walks up to the roof of the building and poses for photos with her new home, New York, in the background.

She had a solid rookie campaign for the Libs last summer, posting 9.1 points per game. She showed flashes of what’s to come when she dropped 34 points on the Fever, 28 points on the Mercury and 25 points on the Wings.

Now in her second season, Nurse has upped her production through the first 18 games. Her ppg average is now at 16.2 and she’s taken on a larger role for the Liberty, all while rotating between the Air Jordan XXXIII and the Jordan Why Not Zer0.2.

“Right now I’m really into the XXXIIIs,” Nurse, who was recently named an All-Star, says. “I love the way they feel, I love not having to do my laces up, because I’m kind of lazy sometimes. I absolutely love the Russell Westbrooks as well.”

The XXXIIIs don’t have laces. They rely instead on Jordan Brand’s new FastFit technology that makes use of parachute cables to tighten and loosen the sneaker with a pull tab. And the Zer0.2s, with their lightweight textile upper and FlightSpeed technology, come in a plethora of colorways, allowing for the silhouette’s nontraditional design to shine. Nurse is already seeing the benefits of linking up with Mike in all the gear and the kicks, but the biggest benefit is the platform that the Brand is giving the 23-year-old.

“I love being able to be a face that young women can look at and say, ‘She did it, so why can’t I?’ There are so many important things about sports,” Nurse says. “It’s the transferable life skill that each and every young woman, as a role model, has the opportunity to learn through playing sports. So when they go into their lives and say, OK, I want to play this sport because that’s my life or I want to be a teacher or I want to be a doctor, they already have teamwork and cooperation and communication down. And as a part of this Brand, I love what they do to empower women.”

In addition to Nurse, Durr and Moore, the Brand also works closely with designer Aleali May, singer Billie Eilish and Michael’s daughter, Jasmine. They all have input on the direction of the sneakers and the clothing and the voice. They’re making a concerted effort to be sure that women are as much a part of basketball and sneakers as men are.

“Women have been showing Jordan Brand love for years, and we knew that to show them love in return, we needed to learn everything we could about how to serve them best,” Andrea Perez, General Manager and Vice President of Jordan Brand Women’s and Kids, told SLAM last year. “We spent hours with women around the world to get their insights.”

Because just like so many other people, Nurse remembers idolizing Jordan when she was falling in love with the game as a kid, all the way in Ontario.

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 223

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Photos via Getty and Nike.

The post RARE AIR: Kia Nurse Is Living Out Her Dream with Jordan Brand appeared first on SLAM.

“It was more of Jordan reaching out,” the 21 years old says. “Nobody signs with Jordan without getting his approval so just having that honor of having him reaching out, wanting me to be a part of the Brand… He’s the greatest player of all time so that was a no-brainer.

“He represents just, like, a larger-than-life figure,” Tatum continues on Jordan. “He’s been done playing for 20-plus years and the shoes still sell. Guys like myself that never got to watch him play live—I was born in ’98—but just from highlights and documentaries and things still knowing that he was the greatest.”

The first two seasons of Tatum’s career saw him evolve into one of Nike’s cornerstone athletes. He was given the keys to the Kyrie line as a rookie when Irving was hurt, debuting several high-profile Kyrie 4 colorways in the 2018 playoffs. Then as a sophomore he was the man behind the Adapt BB. He was the first player to wear them in-game and he went on to receive a handful of PEs of the auto-lacing sneaker. 

Now he’ll transition to become a high-profile Jumpman athlete. 

“I’m excited about just bringing my creativity over and telling them stories,” Tatum says. “Any chance I get I like to shed light on St. Louis, where I’m from. Kind of give my background and give kids hope that it doesn’t matter where you come from, if you love it or you work hard enough then you can achieve whatever.

“It’s crazy,” he continues. “Five years ago I couldn’t imagine being in the position I’m in now. Signing with Jordan, here in Paris, it’s just not something I really thought about when I was growing up in St. Louis. Like, I’m gonna go to Paris, I’m gonna sign with Jordan, I didn’t think that was a reality.”

A few moments after he gets up from the couch in the upstairs room he walks downstairs and joins a handful of Jordan Brand’s top talent. He squeezes in for a photo that also features Maya Moore, Kemba Walker, Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook and the man himself. 

“Probably when I was in, like, fourth or fifth grade I really started sitting down and watching Jordan film and highlights with my dad. Kobe was always my favorite player and he was like, ‘That’s cool, but you need to understand who Michael Jordan is.’

“His impact is hard to describe. He is undeniably the best ever, and you know you can go to any country in the world and they’re wearing Jordans.” 

Like here in France. 

“Yeah, France, they’re wearing Jordans,” he says with a smile. 

Tatum goes on to say that his favorite retro Js to play in are Xs while his favorite to walk around in are Is. And he’ll be hooping in the Air Jordan XXXIVs by the time next season starts. 

“I’ve had Jordans since before I could walk,” he says. “Not that I really remember, but I’ve got pictures in the house where I got on Jordans.”

Now he’ll have pictures in NBA where he has on Jordans. 

The post Jayson Tatum on Signing With Jordan Brand appeared first on SLAM.

Fast-forward to last month, and Collier, who played soccer and was a softball pitcher, became the sixth pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

“I just remember how awkward I was,” Collier says with a laugh about her earliest memories of playing basketball. “I played soccer for so long, so working with my feet, then transitioning to my hands, I just remember how weird it was to do that.”

There was a shift around eighth grade when Collier says she could see that she was gaining separation as one of the better players in her state. And that’s when she got her first collegiate scholarship offer. After starring at two different Missouri-based high schools (Jefferson City High School and Incarnate Word Academy), she decided to go to the University of Connecticut. She learned very quickly from a trio of the best that UConn had to offer.

“My freshman year, I really looked up to Morgan Tuck and the way that she led, which was by example,” Collier says. “That’s what I tried to do for my first three years.”

FOLLOW WSLAM ON INSTAGRAM

The 6-2 Collier put the work in and got the results, averaging 20 points and 9 rebounds as a sophomore, 16 points and 7 rebounds as a junior and 21 points and 11 rebounds as a senior. The achievements continued to pile up as Collier became one of the best do-it-all forwards in the nation. She matured into a bully in the paint, a knockdown three-point shooter, a lockdown defender and a rebounding machine. That’s why her coaches at UConn, Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey, challenged her to become a vocal leader in her last season.

“Being a senior this year I had to step out of my comfort zone a little bit, and that’s what they told me I would have to do,” she says. “Be more vocal and be that on-the-court kind of leader.”

Auriemma and Dailey have been coaching together since 1985. They’re the opposite forces that hold the Huskies’ powerhouse program together.

“Coach [Auriemma] is way more laid back than people think he is,” Collier says. “It’s kind of CD running the show behind-the-scenes.”

With her coaches pushing her, Collier wrote her name in the UConn history books when she became just the fifth Husky to ever record at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in their career, joining a list that includes Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Breanna Stewart and Rebecca Lobo. Collier also left UConn with a national chip on her résumé.

Now she’s headed to Minnesota to start her professional career. “We talk about Napheesa just being a little bit of everything,” her new head coach, Cheryl Reeve, said after the draft. “My experience with her at USA Basketball gave me a really good look into who she is and what she’s capable of. Power forward, small forward…she’s just a player. We’re excited to get someone who’s been incredibly efficient.”

Reeve also called her a Swiss army knife on the court, and that’s the true strength of Collier’s game. From the softball diamond to the soccer field to the basketball court, ever since she was a kid, Collier’s been doing it all.

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 222

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Photos via Getty.

The post QUIET STORM: Napheesa Collier Is About to Make Some Noise appeared first on SLAM.

The addition of Sims, the No. 2 pick in the 2014 WNBA draft, will give the Lynx an extra rotation player as they cope with the losses of Maya Moore and Lindsey Whalen.

The 26-year-old averaged 8.6 points per game for the Sparks last season but saw a smaller role in two years with Los Angeles than she did previously in Tulsa and Dallas.

Jones will join a Sparks team eager to tap the 2017 WNBA champions brain as they gear up for the 2019 campaign. Jones played a bit role for the Lynx over the course of the past two seasons.

The post Lynx Acquire Odyssey Sims From Sparks appeared first on SLAM.

In response to several fatal shootings by and of police officers that July, members of the Minnesota Lynx wore black warmup shirts with the message: “Change Starts With Us—Justice and Accountability.”

On the back were the names of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, two black men who were killed by police officers in Minnesota and Louisiana that week. Beneath the names was the Dallas Police Department shield, recognizing the five officers who had been gunned down during a recent Black Lives Matter protest.

In a pregame press conference, Lynx star Maya Moore explained why the team decided to take a stand.

“It’s time that we take a deep look at our ability to be compassionate and empathetic for those suffering from the problems that are deep within our society,” Moore said.

“But we do not in any way condone violence against the men and women who serve on our police force,” she continued. “Senseless violence and retaliation will not bring us peace.”

"This is a human issue & we need to speak up for change, together." -Maya pic.twitter.com/tyfl65Ag81

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) July 9, 2016

When the team took the floor for warmups, four Minnesota off-duty police officers working security staged a walk-off. For those officers, the support of Black Lives Matter appeared to imply that the players were anti-police.

The following day, the New York Liberty added their own statement, wearing black warmup shirts with #BlackLivesMatter and #Dallas5 on the front and a foreboding #___________ on the back.

“Being on the platform we have, [we should] definitely use our voice,” Liberty star Tina Charles said. “We have family, we have close friends, relatives that are affected by everything that is going on, and we relate to it as well.”

#BlackLivesMatter #Dallas5
#_____________________ pic.twitter.com/nzqDNziQ0h

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) July 10, 2016

During the week that followed, both the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever joined in peaceful protest by wearing black warmup shirts before their games.

With the protests picking up steam and dominating mainstream media, the WNBA sent a memo reminding teams that, per the league’s uniform policy, warmup shirts may not be altered in any way.

On July 20, the league fined the Fever, Liberty and Mercury $5,000 each, and players lost $500 from their paycheck.

After dolling out the penalties, WNBA President Lisa Borders released a seemingly contradictory statement, saying that the league was “proud of WNBA players’ engagement and passionate advocacy for non-violent solutions to difficult social issues.”

Borders’ statement drew the consternation of WNBA players, who called out the league for issuing Pride t-shirts after the Orlando nightclub massacre, but not allowing players to make a stand against police violence.

When the shooting in Orlando happened the WNBA immediately sent shirts for us to wear to show support..

— Kelsey Bone (@kelseybone3) July 20, 2016

Why support one cause that effects our country and not another?

— Kelsey Bone (@kelseybone3) July 20, 2016

Don't say we have a voice and then fine us because we use it. #notpuppets #cutthestrings

— Mistie Bass-Boyd (@A_Phoenix_Born) July 21, 2016

An outpouring of support—including that of the socially conscious Carmelo Anthony—stoked the fire. “I don’t see no reason to fine them. If anything you should want to support them,” Melo said before an Olympic team practice at UNLV.

In response to the fines, Liberty and Fever players initiated a league-wide media blackout during their game at Madison Square Garden.

In a moment indicative of the players’ solidarity, Charles, wearing an inside-out black warmup shirt, accepted the WNBA’s Player of the Month award.

“My teammates and I will continue to use our platform and raise awareness for the #BlackLivesMatter movement until the WNBA gives its support as it does for Breast Cancer Awareness, Pride and other subject matters,” Charles wrote in an Instagram post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIIkmuPgBCU/

Following the game, Fever star Tamika Catchings, then-president of the WNBA Players Union, refused to answer basketball-related questions, choosing only to speak about the players’ stance against police violence.

“I just feel like as a league, we kind of dropped the ball on being able to support something that the players are passionate about,” Catchings said. “And now you see different players and different teams stepping out and standing out for what they believe in. And yet even still, it’s looked down upon.”

The media blackout continued the following day, when the Washington Mystics and Seattle Storm wore black warmup shirts in the locker room and refused to answer basketball-related questions.

Storm stars Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart tweeted a photo of the team standing in solidarity with the hashtags #WewillNOTbesilenced and #Blacklivesmatter.

"There comes a time when silence is betrayal" – MLK @wnba #WewillNOTbesilenced#Blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/s3Od7E2MfJ

— Sue Bird (@S10Bird) July 22, 2016

Then something remarkable happened: Borders issued a statement revealing that the fines would be rescinded.

“Appreciate our players expressing themselves on matters important to them,” Borders wrote in a tweet. “Rescinding imposed fines to show them even more support.”

Amid the playoffs later that year, the entire Fever team and Mercury reserves Mistie Bass and Kelsey Bone continued the protests by taking a knee during the national anthem.

“When people talk about the summer, you can’t talk about [Colin] Kaepernick and all these things without talking about the unity of the WNBA,” said Liberty forward Swin Cash, then-vice president of the Players’ Union. “Our diversity and what we stood for and what we continue to stand for, I think it’s bigger than what any league has done.”

—

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

Photos via Getty.

The post BHM 2019: How WNBA Players Stood United in Protest in 2016 appeared first on SLAM.

My focus in 2019 will not be on professional basketball, but will instead be on the people in my family, as well as on investing my time in some ministry dreams that have been stirring in my heart for many years.

I will certainly miss the day-to-day relationships with my teammates and basketball family this season, but my no for the 2019 pro season allows me to say yes to my family and faith family like I never have before.

I’m sure this year will be hard in ways that I don’t even know yet, but it will also be rewarding in ways I’ve yet to see, too.

I’m thankful to my Lynx family and others close to me who have been walking with me during this shift, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

Moore is a six-time WNBA All-Star and was the 2014 MVP. Her Minnesota Lynx squad won titles in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017.

RELATED
Recognize the Absurd GREATNESS of Maya Moore

The post Maya Moore Announces She Will Not Play Pro Basketball in 2019 appeared first on SLAM.

“Sun is down, freezing cold. That’s how we already know winter’s here.” School’s back in session.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo_z-4Tn8-n/?hl=en&taken-by=slamkicks

Related
Inside the Design of the Air Jordan XXXIII

The post Travis Scott Calls on Class of XXXIII to Fly into the Future appeared first on SLAM.

It’s not often the four-time WNBA champion gets the opportunity to settle into a “routine of rest,” as she calls it. Between overseas seasons, the WNBA and USA Basketball, Moore is constantly on the move.

Alongside fellow future Hall of Famers Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson, Moore has led the Minnesota Lynx to an unprecedented run of success. She has reached the Finals six times over her eight-year WNBA career.

But that chapter could be coming to a close. After Minnesota lost in the first round this year, head coach Cheryl Reeve said that no player is off-limits when it comes to trade discussions. That includes the 29-year-old Moore, who’s still in the prime of her career and one of the top players in the world.

When we caught up with Moore last week, she was still in a mode of reflection and appreciation. She maintains that last season was a success because of the adversity the Lynx were able to overcome. Safe to say, the 2019 WNBA season is the least of her worries right now.

In addition to getting some much-needed rest this offseason, Moore is partnering with US Cellular on its “Most Valuable Coach” program, which honors impactful coaches from kindergarten all the way through the high school level.

Moore will have a hand in selecting the top-three coaches, who will be awarded school grants of $50,000, $20,000 and $10,000, respectively. From now through October 8, people can vote among the 50 nominees at themostvaluablecoach.com.

SLAM: You, Seimone and Rebekkah could all potentially hit free agency this offseason. With Lindsay retired, is there a sense that this could be an end of an era?

Maya Moore: Well, I don’t know if that’s what I would necessarily focus on. I think there’s been so much to celebrate. This year obviously didn’t go as hoped, as what we’ve usually produced. I’m just really in an appreciative mode. I think we kind of rush to the next thing so much in our day and age.

I’m, of course, sad to see one of the best to ever play our game move on and retire and start a new chapter. I’m really just grateful that we’ve had so much success. Even this year, the success that we had was… the challenges that we faced and the way we stuck together was a success.

Just because you don’t win a championship doesn’t mean there’s not things to celebrate and how many things we overcame and the relationships that you’ll always have. Sometimes when you hit adversity after being at the top, relationships can be challenged and break up and things aren’t the same. I think one of proudest things that I can say is with this past season’s adversity: The relationships that we have, they’re still really good. We have a lot of respect for each other. So I’m proud of that.

SLAM: Coach Reeve said no player is untouchable in trade discussions this offseason. Was that surprising to hear?

MM: Honestly, I wasn’t thinking too much ahead. One of the things that I think helps me is staying present in the moment and just trying to squeeze the life out of every day that we’ve had. Kind of letting our coaches set the vision and think about the future, and we just stay locked-in on the moment.

That’s where I was, and I still am kind of in that mode. It’s only been a few weeks, not even a month, since the season has ended, so I’m still kind of just reflecting and transitioning away from the season being over.

We have a long offseason. It’s kind of part of our culture—once the season is over, you just jump to the next season. Cheryl has to come out and start to set the tone, and so that’s what she did. We’ll see what happens in the future.

SLAM: When it comes to decision-making in your career, do you seek advice from players who have gone through similar situations?

MM: Fortunately, I haven’t had to be in a huge decision-making place when it comes to my WNBA career. I’ve been very committed to the Lynx, and we’ve had such a great group that have been committed to each other. We made history with how committed the four of us were to each other over this run. So that hasn’t been too difficult.

I absolutely reach out to people when it comes to advice if I feel like others can offer advice. People who have been in the league longer than I have, coaches, we all know that we’re available to each other. It’s a really sweet thing to know I’ve got support there.

I definitely am open to the wisdom of others, but I’m also very aware and thoughtful and have a good understanding of my current situation and how the league works. I’ve learned a lot from Cheryl over the years about what it takes to put together successful teams. I’m well-informed and have what I need.

SLAM: You’ve won multiple times on every level. Where are you finding motivation nowadays?

MM: I think to do anything great, you have to have a passion for what you’re doing. You want to be motivated to be better. I’m motivated by my teammates. I’m motivated by my coaches and our fans and our owner and people that enjoy the game.

You definitely have to have meaning in what you’re doing and finding purpose in what you’re doing. As long as I feel like I’m doing what I’m being called to do, then I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.

SLAM: Can you tell me about the “Most Valuable Coach” initiative with US Cellular?

MM: Absolutely. It’s an opportunity for people to go online and vote at themostvaluablecoach.com for the top-50 coaches. […] They’re trying to get it down to the top-15 coaches that are really leaders as far as trying to develop and pull out the good in all of their players. That’s from kindergarten all the way up to seniors in high school. Coaches that really care about and invest in their kids on the court, off the court, on the field, off the field, and really just take that extra step to raise up the next generation of players and people.

SLAM: Who are a few of your coaches who exemplified those qualities?

MM: I can think of my high school coach, Angie Hembree, who has been coaching for decades at the high school level. I won my first state championship with Coach Hembree. She was just one of those coaches that made you want to be better. She held you accountable for all the little details, especially when it came to being a great teammate. She really helped instill in me a mindset of being aware and mindful of my teammates and the impact that I’m having on my teammates. And also to be competitive, to be good and care about all the little details. And she was a hoot. She has the best personality and sense of humor and that always made things fun. She was hard on us, but we had fun.

And she cared about us as a person. She’d have us in her office and her door was always open. She was available to us. I love her to death, and she’s still one of my favorite coaches and somebody that will stay in my life for a lifetime.

I had a few AAU coaches with the Georgia Metros—my last AAU team I played for—that I can remember were helpful in helping me see myself as a mentor and encouraging me to take younger players under my wing and just look out for them. Just having that mindset to look out for other people and other players because I’m a leader. I remember learning that there.

SLAM: What qualities will you be looking for when it comes to selecting the final three coaches?

MM: That’s a great question. For me, when it comes to wanting to celebrate coaches in this Most Valuable Coach program are going to have to be people that just have a passion for other people and have a passion for their sport, but also are great vision-casters in casting a vision of the beauty of the game and of the games we play and why we play it.

I would look at the level of sacrifice. Look at what the coaches give of themselves to their team, to their players, to their community. Because I think that sacrifice should be honored and rewarded.

I’m open, too, to discovering peoples’ stories and discovering other reasons why we would want to celebrate these coaches. These coaches’ ability to connect with their players and bring out the best in their players and inspiring and sacrificing are all qualities I knew these top-three coaches are going to have.

RELATED
Recognize the Absurd GREATNESS of Maya Moore

—

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

Photos via Getty.

The post Maya Moore Talks Motivation, Offseason and Dominant Minnesota Lynx Run 🏆 appeared first on SLAM.

Michael Jordan, the Hornets and the NBA are working together with a number of community organizations to provide necessary and immediate relief and support to those affected by Hurricane Florence.

Learn More: https://t.co/YVIjhLyip4

Donate Now: https://t.co/SYRUiKF2Hp pic.twitter.com/VQuh3QQkvT

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) September 14, 2018

Click here to donate to the local organizations assisting the cause. 

RELATED
Maya Moore and Jordan Brand Are Reimagining the Future of Women’s Sneakers

The post Michael Jordan, Hornets Help With Hurricane Florence Relief Efforts appeared first on SLAM.

Stewart, 24, was also named the 2018 WNBA MVP and unanimously selected as the 2018 WNBA Finals MVP.

Joining Stewie on the All-WNBA First Team were Diana Taurasi, Elena Delle Donne, Liz Cambage and Tiffany Hayes.

Check out the full rundown:

2018 All-WNBA First Team

Breanna Stewart, Storm
Liz Cambage, Wings
Elena Delle Donne, Mystics
Diana Taurasi, Mercury
Tiffany Hayes, Dream

2018 All-WNBA Second Team

Candace Parker, Sparks
Skylar Diggins-Smith, Wings
Maya Moore, Lynx
Brittney Griner, Mercury
Courtney Vandersloot, Sky

The 2018 All-WNBA First Team is announced!@ecambage@De11eDonne@tiphayes3@breannastewart@DianaTaurasi pic.twitter.com/ciwYb4dvb3

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 13, 2018

The 2018 All-WNBA Second Team is announced!@SkyDigg4@brittneygriner@MooreMaya@Candace_Parker@Sloot22 pic.twitter.com/p0F9d2H192

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 13, 2018

RELATED:
Breanna Stewart Wins 2018 WNBA MVP

The post Breanna Stewart Unanimously Selected to 2018 All-WNBA First Team appeared first on SLAM.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg9XUeMnLA5/?utm_source=ig_embed

And she has a ton of other flavors. The Brand has been honoring her for years. The Air Jordan I and Air Jordan X were both treated with purple, grey and white styles, along with her MM logo. They dropped in women’s-only sizes last year. That was followed up by this year’s release of a purple and black Air Jordan XI Low. The “Rook to Queen” colorway celebrated her unbelievable performance in the 2011 WNBA Finals, when she put the Lynx on her back and led them to the title as a rookie.

She’s been on-court in the limited jawns for a while now. This season she rocked the Air Jordan XXX2, with a plethora of colorways. Gradient ones, where blue transitions into green. Or a military-inspired version, with pink accents. Some blue-based iterations, a grey-based option.

Jordan Brand even recreated MJ’s iconic “Wings” poster with Moore. That poster sent shockwaves through the internet when a little girl posed in front of it. She didn’t want to be like Mike. She wanted to be like Maya.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjdMbRfnf7t/?utm_source=ig_embed

The Brand’s focus on Moore is being complemented by the Jordan Women’s line, a collection of kicks and gear made specifically for women.

“Women have been showing Jordan Brand love for years, and we knew that to show them love in return we needed to learn everything we could about how to serve them best,” says Andrea Perez, General Manager and Vice President of Jordan Brand Women’s and Kids. “We spent hours with women around the world to get their insights, so we could make the right first impression. Now that we’ve done that and assembled the right team, we feel the timing is right to introduce our women’s division and serve her properly.”

“I was a little girl when MJ was everything,” Inside Stuff host Kristen Ledlow says. “And it wasn’t just MJ on the Chicago Bulls, but MJ in Space Jam, and from the time I was little, I loved the kicks that he not only rocked on the court but on film as well. I had an entire collection’s worth of Lola Bunny throwback gear. Falling in love with his sneakers from the time I was little and being able to rock them now as an adult is a special thing for me.”

Perez says that there are now a few changes to the general release Jordans that women have been wearing for years. The Women’s line has been remixing classics through premium materials. She points to the “Shattered Backboard” Air Jordan I that was done with satin, but dropped in women’s-only sizing.

“We added satin and stitching and a couple other touches that made it really premium and desirable, and all of a sudden guys were like, ‘Hey we want that too!’”

Another difference in the line is updating silhouettes to fit different trends. The Air Jordan I Rebel had a contorted look to its design, with a warped Swoosh and a Wings logo that was shifted off of its normal placement. Those sold out immediately.

Perez also notes that the women they’re collaborating with bring a unique perspective, something that the general release line hasn’t seen. In addition to Moore, the Brand has brought in singer Billie Eilish and designer Aleali May to help with the new direction. They even worked with Anna Wintour and Vogue Magazine. Jasmine Jordan, MJ’s daughter, is serving as an advisor.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbfNpY0FsdT/?hl=en&taken-by=mickijae

“Jasmine is a valuable member of the Jordan Women’s team who brings a perspective that no one else can,” Perez says. “Her understanding of Jordan Brand is as authentic as it gets.”

Eilish was out in Paris earlier this summer to reveal some of the Women’s line’s stylings. A big focus of the line is the Air Jordan I. Eilish, who’s only 16, counts the I as her favorite pair of kicks.

“You can wear Jordan Is with everything,” she says, via press release. “With the Is, it’s not just that they started everything. It’s still going. They never end. I feel like they’re the most popular shoe ever.”

Perez says that it was imperative for the I to be a major focus in the Women’s line. And Jordan Brand’s VP of Design, David Creech, fully agrees with her.

“Obviously we have an incredible opportunity to now dimensionalize the AJ I,” Creech says. “So they’re remastered through this idea of reimagining. So for us, it’s taking that, and then taking it to a dual-gender offense, and expanding the arsenal, if you will, to that next level. We have a great design team that’s only focused on women. Really they’ve taken the icon itself and [said] ‘OK, hey, what for her could we reimagine to create, bring in the outside world into our world?’”

That design team is using May to push forward. May had her own Air Jordan I colorway come out last year and her mix of silver and black on the silhouette sold out real quick. She’s been working on apparel and sneakers since. She cooked up the Jordan Brand’s Summer 2018 line for women, which included the Air Jordan I Zip, the Air Jordan Low and the Air Jordan III.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjxmiuaHdvE/?hl=en&taken-by=alealimay

Perez neither confirms nor denies a possible signature silhouette for Eilish or May, like the Legacy 312 that just released for Don C. She does say that they’re just getting started with this new vision and that there’s much heat to come.

Plus, while Moore’s performance kicks continue to attract the spotlight, her role in the line will evolve. And perhaps most importantly, the boss is fully on-board.

“[Michael Jordan has] been involved in every step of the process,” Perez says, “and is incredibly excited for this.”

—

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Maya Moore and Jordan Brand Are Reimagining the Future of Women’s Sneakers appeared first on SLAM.

KICKS 21 is “The List Issue.” Over the next few weeks, we’ll be releasing rankings that put an end (or beginning) to every hot debate in the world of sneakers. 

Order your copy of the magazine at our online store!

—

The WNBA heats up the hardwood each summer with rare and new sneakers. The league’s biggest superstars keep their kicks crispy with unseen PEs and all across the W, it’s a safe bet that every night will feature a neck-breaking pair.

With another season almost wrapped up, we ranked the league’s biggest ‘heads. And no, we didn’t forget about Maya Moore. She’s in a world all by herself. Stay tuned for more.

1. Tamera Young

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlUQW0Glw6c/?taken-by=tyyoung11

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk1XC5oF-W2/?taken-by=tyyoung11

2. Cappie Pondexter

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bly3icSnzJk/?taken-by=cappa23

https://www.instagram.com/p/BllwaLQnnHN/?taken-by=cappa23

3. Seimone Augustus

4. Sue Bird

5. Epiphanny Prince

6. Diana Taurasi

7. Breanna Stewart

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnH8r2pnsZ3/?taken-by=breannastewart30

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiSFUqaHw1i/?taken-by=breannastewart30

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm8VZpgH3nx/?hl=en&taken-by=slamkicks

8. Candace Parker

9. A’Ja Wilson

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhuCPxqFNO_/?taken-by=aja22wilson

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhky3eFjjww/?taken-by=aja22wilson

10. Chiney Ogwumike

11. Jewell Loyd

12. Kelsey Plum

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgzFJYZgNdx/?taken-by=kelseyplum10

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaFIVI8gx7u/?taken-by=kelseyplum10

13. Sugar Rodgers

14. Jordin Canada

15. Skylar Diggins-Smith

16. Elena Delle Donne

17. Kayla McBride

18. Essence Carson

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg9vOZkDvyW/?taken-by=pr3pe

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmUUEEZDNtg/?taken-by=pr3pe

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkD3XQKhZHO/?taken-by=pr3pe

19. Tiffany Hayes

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlO4UkrBT0f/?taken-by=tiphayes3

20. Kelsey Mitchell

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjvofgHDHD6/?taken-by=kelz_hoop

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhuXcESjvvP/?taken-by=kelz_hoop

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVIuMeFjcTu/?taken-by=kelz_hoop

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSFJq_OjvTO/?taken-by=kelz_hoop

21. Kia Nurse

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnFGPALBoxW/?taken-by=kianurse

22. Odyssey Sims

23. Gabby Williams

24. Danielle Robinson

25. Kristi Toliver

Other lists from KICKS 21:
The 8 Hottest KICKS of 2018 (So Far)
The 15 Best UA Colorways of 2017-18
The 15 Best LeBron 15 Colorways of 2017-18

—

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. 

Photos via Getty.

The post The WNBA’s 25 Biggest Sneakerheads 🏀👟 appeared first on SLAM.

During her end-of-season presser on Monday, Reeve said it would “take a whole lot to move a player or two” but ultimately, every Lynx player will be available for the right price.

“At this point, we are open to how we have this roster shaped going forward,” Reeve said. (Starting at 21:02):

Is there anybody on this roster that you consider untouchable?

Reeve: “There’s nobody untouchable. I think a lot of GMs would say that. There’s certainly preferences. But I think that we’re in a place where any phone call that comes—and talk about anybody—you listen to it.

“We’ve had labels of untouchables in the past. Would it take a whole lot to move a player or two? Absolutely. But at this point, we are open to how we have this roster shaped going forward.”

RELATED:
Brittney Griner on WNBA Salaries: ‘We Don’t Make Sh-t’

The post Lynx GM Cheryl Reeve: ‘Nobody Untouchable’ in Trade Talks appeared first on SLAM.

Peep all three cover stories at the links below, stay posted for more fire content from the mag over the next few weeks, and head to your local newsstand or order a copy here!

Photos via Rayon Richards, Sara Rubenstein and Getty. 

RELATED
Recognize the Absurd GREATNESS of Maya Moore
COLE SUMMER: High School Point Guard Cole Anthony Runs New York
All the Ways the Warriors Dynasty Could Be Brought to an End

The post SLAM 217 Is On Sale Now! 🙌 appeared first on SLAM.

Moore cited having too many commitments as part of Minnesota hosting the game.

Third-leading vote-getter, Sparks forward Candace Parker, will replace Moore as team captain. All-Star rosters will be revealed on Thursday.

As to why she turned down being an All-Star Game captain, Maya Moore said she realized she had too many commitments as part of the Lynx hosting the game, Pat Borzi reports for espnW.https://t.co/jdsu9Ii1Sf

— ESPN Women's Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) July 18, 2018

RELATED:
Recognize the Absurd GREATNESS of Maya Moore

The post Maya Moore Declines WNBA All-Star Captain Role appeared first on SLAM.

Months before, Moore posed for the shot: arms outstretched, right hand palming a basketball, left hand pointing toward 6th Street—an exact replica of Michael Jordan’s iconic “Wings” poster from 1985. Below the mural, in italics, it reads:

No bird soars too high, if she flies with her own wings.

So what did Maya, who’s been the only woman representing the Jordan Brand since she entered the league in 2011 and who also identifies as a deeply devout Christian, think when she saw herself on a mural that covered an entire city block? “I felt kind of like I was two people at once,” she says. “One side of me felt like the women’s basketball fan, the basketball fan that’s just been waiting for this sort of celebration of our game, of where we’re going.” And the other side?

“Oh my!” she says. “That’s me.”

Last October, when the Lynx beat the Sparks in their second thrilling Game 5 in as many years, they didn’t just avenge 2016’s last second Game 5 loss to the Sparks, the Lynx’s certain-hall of fame core—Maya, along with Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson and Lindsay Whalen (Sylvia Fowles, who since joining the Lynx, has become a League MVP, two-time WNBA champion and two-time WNBA Finals MVP, joined the squad halfway through the 2015 season)—won their fourth championship overall. Which means Maya, in only her seventh year in the league, matched the total number of championships that her childhood role model, Cynthia Cooper, won with the seminal Houston Comets. “When I was just starting in AAU, I rocked [Cooper’s] 14 and I loved it,” she says. But unlike the Comets’ smooth big guard, Maya grew up in the post, so her jersey numbers only got bigger: first 30, then 32, which stuck with her throughout both her dominant runs as a high school player at Collins High outside of Atlanta (three Georgia state titles and the 2007 National Championship) and on the AAU Georgia Metros (four National Championships). But when she arrived at the University of Connecticut in the fall of 2007, a sophomore wore 32. She didn’t know if she should fight her new teammate for the number or change her own. “And 23 was LeBron’s number at the time,” she says, “And MJ’s obviously, so I was like, Heyyy! You know, that’s good company.”

But basketball role models aside, it was Maya’s mom Kathryn Moore who drove her to basketball greatness, literally if not figuratively. When Maya was 11, the two of them moved from Jefferson City, MO, to Atlanta. “Went to four different middle schools,” she remembers. “So along with my faith and my mom, basketball was my constant.” But when I bring up my theory about a crazy dedicated parent being behind almost every crazy dedicated athlete—at that middle school age, I opined, most kids just don’t realize what it takes to be great—and ask her if it was her mom who pushed her, Maya sort of demurs and points at herself. “I was a kid who loved to play,” she says, “which is the beautiful part of my story.” Back then she had a portable goal that she lugged from apartment to apartment (“We lived in apartments from 11 until…” she pauses, and then laughs at the realization, “…now?”), and she would set it up on the patio and play that way. “I have a high achieving personality,” she says. “I would just play until I got tired and went inside—and generally it was my mom yelling at me to come inside.”

—

Maya does own an actual house in Atlanta now, but she isn’t kidding when she says she spends most of her life in apartments. During the WNBA season, which starts in May, Maya and Kathryn live in an apartment in Minneapolis. And from January until April, they lived in an apartment in Ekaterinburg in Central Russia, where Maya makes the bulk of her income for the entire year, playing two thirds of the season for UMMC Ekaterinburg, winning both the Russian league and the prestigious EuroLeague Final Four title (it’s her fourth major European championship). When Maya emerges from hair and makeup before her SLAM cover shoot at Target Center, she tells me that she has a hairdresser in each city she lives in, except Ekaterinburg. “I’m 100 percent sure there’s no one in Ekat who could fully do my hair,” she says. “It might appear to be simple, but it’s not.” She reconsiders. “Maybe a basic wash,” she says. “Maybe.”

For the cover, Maya is wearing a pair of diamond earrings—“I want to be feminine,” she says, “and I want to be respected as a strong female”—but I’m thinking about all the other jewelry that has come with all those titles: four in the WNBA, two big ones in Europe, one league title in Russia, three in China, one in Spain, the two National Championships at UCONN, and two gold medals with Team USA. She’s won at every level. Even her sneakers for the shoot, a pair of Jordan XXXII PEs with little inserts on the backs of both heels, four filled up with Lynx title years, with two left open (6—that ubiquitous Jordan Brand numerology), speak to who and what she’s chasing.

So…at 29, with her ridiculous resume…is Maya the best women’s basketball player of all time? Other than the original WNBA big three—Cooper and her Comets teammates Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson—the only other player in the conversation is fellow Connecticut alum Diana Taurasi (a third Connecticut player, Breanna Stewart, may get there someday). Although Maya and Taurasi share a birthday (June 11), Taurasi is seven years older and she’s played 13 full WNBA seasons to Maya’s seven. They’ve both won one WNBA MVP each. Taurasi does have five league scoring titles to Maya’s one, and her career scoring average is slightly higher: 19.8 to 18.5. They can both shoot from outside, although Taurasi shoots more three pointers and Maya shoots them at a higher percentage. They’re both 6 feet tall, but their games are slightly different: Maya is stronger and a better rebounder, while Taurasi is better with the ball in her hands and averages more assists.

The main argument I hear on behalf of Taurasi aficionados is that she’s a fiery competitor, and when Taurasi is on the best team, she is unequivocally the best player. But I’ve watched enough Lynx games to know that in the biggest moments, when they need something to happen, the team inevitably turns to Maya, and she almost always delivers. In the 2015 Finals against Tamika Catchings and the Indiana Fever, the series was even at a game apiece going into Game 3 in Indianapolis. Tied at 77 with 1.7 seconds left, Whalen found Maya for a stone cold three-point dagger to win, and the Lynx went on to claim their third championship in five games. Last year against the Sparks, in Game 5 at home in Minneapolis, the Lynx had turned a 12-point cushion with 90 seconds left into a three-point crisis with 30 seconds left under relentless Los Angeles pressure. Maya took the ball out of bounds, threw a squirrely bounce pass to Augustus who was forced to tip-toe along the center line, before she whipped it to Fowles, who handed it back to Maya, who Eurostepped her way into the lane for a 12-foot runner that she splashed for another iconic dagger.

Her coach, Cheryl Reeve, believes it’s those unscripted moments that make Maya great. “That shot [in Game 5] was the epitome of that,” she says after practice one afternoon at the Lynx facility. “Maya Moore doing Maya Moore things.” Reeve says the Lynx have a running joke where the punchline always goes, “Yup! Just how we drew it up!” She attributes Maya’s clutch gene to her tremendous self-belief. “She’s unfazed by the gravity of the moment,” she says. “She’s unfazed by mistakes that she might make in a game—she doesn’t let anything affect her.”

Back at the shoot, I think about the one thing that could kind of bother Maya Moore. I look at all those Lynx Championship flags in the Target Center rafters, and then I look at the other side of the arena, to the only evidence of the last Minneapolis Dynasty, a blue and gold banner filled with the retired numbers from the Minneapolis Lakers: George Mikan and Vern Mikkelsen and Jim Pollard and Slater Martin. And my mind wonders, would Maya Moore have been able to dominate in the 1950s NBA? And is this kind of science fiction even a fair inquiry?

“I try to be really careful about getting caught up in competing with men,” she says. “I think there’s a depth to what guys do and a depth to what women do.” I ask if there are quintessential qualities to being a great women’s basketball player. “I think one of the more obvious ones is that we have the ability to compete with each other,” she says. “You hear me? Not against. With each other.” She says it’s that way with the Lynx. “You can see the competing hard,” she says, “wanting to win, while celebrating each other.

“Obviously, there’s similarities,” she continues. “We’re athletic, we’re strong, women are physical specimens. We have strength and athleticism—it’s not the same level as a guy, and that’s OK, but what I can be respected for is my way to connect with people, or my strength in overcoming adversity. But if you don’t talk about that as being valuable, people overlook those little things that really are strength.”

After every Lynx win—and with Moore and her teammates, most games end with a Lynx win—Moore does a choreographed dance to Sugar Hill Gang’s “Apache (Jump on It)” in the middle of the floor with young fans brave enough to get out there.

“The nurturing way you see us engaging with the kids, those are reasons why our fans love us,” she says. “And so I want to continue to have a narrative around celebrating those things that we as women do. Not to say that guys don’t do that, too, but just in the special ways that make us different.”

Maybe the reason Maya Moore is such a great player, such a great teammate, is because she’s a great person. That seems cliché to even think about in the world we live in right now. I watched a video she did on The Players’ Tribune with Jerry Stackhouse on her new awareness initiative, Win With Justice, which is about educating people on the inequities of the justice system and looking to contribute to fixing that unfair system. It’s impressive seeing her admit that until recently she had it all wrong.

“My perception has changed from thinking if someone’s in jail,” she says, “they’re supposed to be, to, there’s a lot of factors and it’s not that simple.”

I wonder how Maya Moore can keep such a humble perspective when her head has been blown up to two stories tall across the street, when Jordan Brand is out there ensuring that every little girl basketball player around the world will be hanging that poster on their wall.

She says her own biggest role model never wore mesh shorts. She’s very serious about her belief in Jesus, and she identifies as a Christian before all else.

“My identity is not limited to being the best basketball player,” she says. “Or even just being black. I mean, I’m a black woman, and I own that. I try just to do as much as I can to live an authentic life and point people to truth. And being authentic means admitting when I don’t know. And admitting that I could’ve been better. And admitting I want to be better if I can.”

—

Portraits by Sara Rubinstein.

Steve Marsh is a writer based in Minneapolis.

The post Recognize the Absurd GREATNESS of Maya Moore 🗣 appeared first on SLAM.

It’s a Thursday afternoon at CBS Studios in L.A. and May, 25, is one of four speakers on a panel hosted by Kenny Smith to kick-off the Future of Flight event. Shortly after she discussed how much Michael Jordan influenced her, Jordan Brand unveiled the 2018 NBA All-Star Game jerseys along with upcoming footwear—from highly coveted retros like the Black Cement IIIs, more colorways of Russell Westbrook’s recently released signature sneaker, the Why Not Zer0.1, to pieces from the brand’s recently released Season of Her collection, featuring select footwear and apparel that caters to the female demographic. May, who recently styled upcoming pieces for the campaign, has played an integral part its development.

SLAM caught up with May to talk about the Season of Her collection, the response and design process for her sneaker, inspiring females and more.

SLAM: What’s it been like to see the evolution of Jordan Brand incorporating a women’s line with the Season of Her Collection?

Aleali May: It’s mixed emotions. Sometimes I was like, Damn, finally, ’cause we’ve been trying to get lit and then it’s also like, Wow, this is actually happening because we’re the target that’s missing. But mind you, when you think of women, these are the mothers that buy shoes for their kids. They want to look fresh when they go to the office or when they’re outside of it. Young moms, too. I got friends that have kids and they buy them the kids’ size, and to have something for her, that’s really something significant because we’re a part of sneaker culture too. Women buy, so it’s amazing. We have me, Maya Moore… we had to have this.

SLAM: Your Jordan 1 was a big hit that people were camping outside of UNDFTD for a few days to grab a pair. What was that feeling like?

AM: Honestly, I thought it was going to be one of those things where you walk in and see the pop-up, buy the shoes, flick up. I didn’t know it was going to be crazy. The day before it was like 2 p.m. and they were like, ‘Hey, can we start camping?’ And then we were like, wait what? I never imagined, for myself, to have a Jordan. I’m from South Central—everyone wears Jordans. When we all meet up for Christmas, we all wear the latest Jordans, and to see myself have one, I’m honestly still taking it in ’cause this is a dream come true, and it’s really cool that my city is in it. That’s something that’ll be a part of history forever. That’s the part that’s mind blowing is that as long as the world is what it is, it’s going to stay there. Really I did this for women and my city. I did this for my family. My uncle, G, put me on Jordans. For us to celebrate, I think that was the highlight—to see his face—because he bought me my first [pair]. It was lit.

SLAM: How much did the Slauson influence you as a kid and your style?

AM: First of all, I went to Hillcrest [Drive Elementary School] in the Jungles. My friends had the Looney Tunes pullover so I had to go to the Slauson Swapmeet and get the Looney Tunes pullover; then they had the bamboo earrings and I wanted to get them bamboo earrings; then I wanted to get the slouch socks. I actually used to get my uniform from the Slauson Swapmeet. That was really like the hub. [Me and my grandmother] would go and buy jewelry. That’s what it was, you know? That’s why I needed to have it there. Even though [UNDFTD] is on La Brea, there’s a lot of people that have never been to the Slauson Swapmeet. There’s a lot of people who’ve never had Roscoe’s, Randy’s Donuts and just having them have that shopping experience of like, ‘Damn, this is what it feels like?’ Also, it brings more people to go the Slauson. For me, I felt like I wanted to redirect it and bring some money to the neighborhood, so whoever seen the pop-up wants to see what the Slauson is; or I’m going to buy a piece of jewelry now. You know, really just highlighting how I grew up. And everybody has love for they city so that’s really what it was.

SLAM: When did it really hit you that you were actually doing a shoe with Jordan Brand?

AM: When I was on the flight back—you know, I’m a girl—so I cried. I just can’t believe that I just left this Jordan meeting and I sat in this meeting that you can imagine: it’s an all-white room, every product in there was all white. It’s a really long table where it’s you and a bunch of people with notebooks, talking and they were like, ‘What [shoe] you wanna do?’ And I was like the 1. I was a little nervous to ask for it because everybody wants to do a 1. They were like OK and I said corduroy and Gemo [Wong, Senior Design Director for Special Projects at Jordan Brand] was like, ‘Corduroy?’ He shook his head and for me, I was like what is going on right now? It was one of those things where you need your friend to be there ’cause then y’all can be looking around at each other…but it’s still surreal. I kept my guest pass and hung it up in my room. It’s a start of something that’s great.

SLAM: What was that one Jordan that pulled you in?

AM: I’ve always worn them when I was little, but I had a pair of XIIs and I’d frickin’ run around with the dogs. They were so bad I had to clean them so many times. But the Flu Games—those my shit.

SLAM: If you’re able to collab with Jordan again in the future, what’s the next shoe you’d love to work with now that you have the AJI and AJVI?

AM: The IV. I love the IVs. I just heard when I was little about the Military IVs and my dad was in the military, so automatically I’m like well whatever that looks like. I love the IV, man. Besides the VI—I like Is, IVs and VIs—that’s my swag. They go with everything. They don’t exactly look like basketball shoes, and for me, I have a small frame so it’s trying to find things that compliment my style and I can wear and swag out in. Every colorway. I even asked Frank [Cooker] for them and they were too big, but I was like, ‘Fuck this, I’m ’bout to wear two socks’. [Laughs]

SLAM: What kind of advice would you give the women that look up you?

AM: Like how they were saying on the panel, Jordan followed his own lane. I think the most important part is to be yourself. Being yourself is going to get you where you are. There’s a lot of times where I’m like, ‘Do I have to be this girl to get this? Do I have to do this?’ Instagram will also mess you up in the head, too. But if you stick to who you are and you’re like, this is me—unapologetic—people are going to respect that. People are going to see you making your own waves, making your own moves so that’s important to stay true to who you are. Also, learning yourself a little bit more. The older you get, the more you’re going to evolve, travel, take more things in and the more your style’s going to change—everything. You do this for you.

The post Aleali May on Working with Jordan Brand appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s a number that’s significant because so few people have been able to do that,” Auriemma said to ESPN after the win yesterday. “You feel incredibly fortunate that you’re one of a very, very select few and some of the great coaches that ever have coached.”

To honor Geno and his dominant program that has won 11 National Titles since 1985, Nike put together letters from 1,000 different people, including:

Phil Knight
Mike Krzyzewski
Swin Cash
Mark Tatum
Angel Gray
Scout Bassett
Tiger Woods
Charlie Villanueva
Rory McIlroy
Kobe Bryant
Warde Manuel
Crystal Dunn
Ray Allen
Kelsey Plum
Lisa Borders
Jewell Loyd
Jennifer Rizzotti
Elena Delle Donne
Holly Rowe
Doris Burke
Maya Moore
Kemba Walker
Andre Drummond

The Swoosh sent all the letters to Auriemma in a commemorative box. Peep the photos below.

Images courtesy of Nike

The post Nike Honors Geno Auriemma for Winning 1,000 Games appeared first on SLAM.

Kobe’s Hollywood ending served as a setup for his next career move: Bryant then founded Granity Studios to help athletes maximize their full potential through creative storytelling.

In November of 2015, Bean penned “Dear Basketball,” an ode to the game that debuted on The Players’ Tribune. Kobe then teamed with two legends in the film industry—animator and illustrator Glen Keane, who has worked on Disney films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, and composer John Williams, whose credits include Star Wars, Jurassic Park, E.T., and other classics—to bring “Dear Basketball” to life.

The five-minute short film was a 2017 Tribeca Film Festival Official Selection and is being considered for an Academy Award nomination. The film is available to watch here via Verizon’s go90.

While Kobe is working on other endeavors, he still keeps an eye on what’s going on in the League now. We caught up with him to talk about “Dear Basketball,” filmmaking, the Warriors, LeBron, Giannis and much more.

SLAM: Where did the idea to turn “Dear Basketball” into a short animated movie come from?

Kobe Bryant: I knew that storytelling was where I wanted to go, and I wanted to build a company where the fabric of the company was stories. I had this kind of pipe dream of turning “Dear Basketball” into an animated short film and to go out and get Glen Keane and John Williams to work on this piece. To say that that is a ridiculous dream to have is an understatement, but that’s where it started. I wrote this letter to the game of basketball and then from that point, I called up John and Glen to see if they wanted to make this dream a reality and that’s what we did.

SLAM: Did you work with them both in the studio?

KB: Glen and I worked out of a studio. The first thing we did after our phone call was we met up together at a studio, not to talk about the piece really, but just to get to know each other. My family came, his family came, and we just talked and got to know each other. We talked about all of his previous works, and we talked about my career and he and I just bonded. Even though they were different disciplines, we approached them both the same way. From there, things just grew and it transformed into, You know what? Let’s do this thing. That’s how it developed.

I’ve known John since about 2008. I gave him a call and he had read the piece and loved the piece and said that he would love to join us.

SLAM: Do you approach filmmaking with the same tenacity you did during your playing days?

KB: For the creative process, it’s the same passion for detail and heart delivered into it. When you’re creating, you have to create something from a place within and you have to find a way to pull that out and communicate it in a way that people can internalize it themselves. It’s a different process compared to competing and hitting game-winning shots and things of that nature. That stuff is a physical action, this involves a lot more introspection and quiet time to pull that out and manifest it into words, or pictures, or music, or all three.

SLAM: As a beginner in the film industry, I’m sure this has been an exciting learning experience for you. Has the learning experience with film been any different compared to when you were learning as a young NBA player?

KB: It’s no different than my approach to the game of basketball. It’s no different. It’s learning, learning, learning, learning, learning. After the first championship, I learned. After the second championship, I learned. So everyday for me was learning like I knew nothing at all. That’s the key. As a beginner here in this industry, my attitude is the same now as it was going into my last game ever. It’s learning—that never changes. That never, never changes.

SLAM: I wanted to get your opinion on a few NBA storylines that have been developing this season. First, the Warriors have been playing with a chip on their shoulder and we’ve seen Kevin Durant and Draymond Green get tossed from games. As someone who has been to the Finals multiple years in a row, is this their way of staying motivated during the regular season?

KB: I don’t know if they’re thinking of it that way, but I think the season means a lot to them. The fact that they are emotionally invested and they have these outbursts shows that last year’s championship doesn’t mean a thing to them—they want this one, and they want it bad. It shows that they care and they’re not resting on the championships that they’ve won.

SLAM: Who are a few guys that you’re a fan of?

KB: Giannis is really, really fun to watch. The way he plays the game and the passion with which he plays, I love watching Giannis play.

SLAM: Does he remind you of the way you played at all?

KB: He plays with the same passion and the same mean streak. He’s aggressive, he’s always attacking at both ends of the floor.

SLAM: The Lakers are going through a transitional phase with their young core. What’s your impression of Lonzo, Ingram, Kuzma and how they play?

KB: I think they’re doing well. It’s always tough to go through a transitional period with so many young players because they’re still trying to figure themselves out individually. But the beauty is they get to grow together and figure out how to mesh together. No different than Golden State. When those guys first came into the League, they were young and they kept them together. They developed their players and they grew and all of a sudden you have this juggernaut. They certainly have a lot of potential. Brandon Ingram has really seemed to turn a corner in the terms of the way he’s playing.

SLAM: Lonzo has been getting a ton of attention. Putting all the off-court stuff aside, what are some things you like about his game and the way he plays?

KB: His athleticism and his length are really important. His size, his vision. He’s a really good rebounder, which is important to have as a guard because you can control the tempo of games a lot better. The shooting thing, that will come around. It’s about getting used to pace, and tempo and all that other stuff. He has a really good feel for the game and from everything I hear about him, he’s a hard worker. No matter where his game is now, even if he’s playing lights out basketball, because of his work ethic he’s going to continue to learn and get better.

SLAM: You were right around the same age he is now when you were a rookie. You can probably relate to the pressure he feels as a young player who is looked at as the future of the Lakers. Do you feel like he’s handling it well?

KB: How would I know? I have no idea, I hope he is. The only thing I try to do is just focus on the craft. That’s the only thing that’s important: the craft. Focusing on your game, developing your game, mentally and physically doing what you need to do, you focus on that. The hoopla that surrounds you is nothing more than hoopla. What’s important on Monday won’t be important on Tuesday. But what’s important consistently every single day is how you improve and how you get better. Hopefully he’s locked in on that. If he is, he’ll be just fine.

SLAM: LeBron is in his 15th year…

KB: Which is crazy!

SLAM: What’s impressed you the most about his longevity?

KB: What’s impressed me the most about his longevity? I don’t know if I’m impressed by it. I’ve come to expect him to have a long career because of his size and the way he takes care of his body and his commitment to the game. It’s a pretty simple formula. We all played together on the Olympic team and one thing I always said to the guys was, If you do the work, you take care of your body and do the things you’re supposed to do, you’ll play for a long time. And if you don’t put in the work, you won’t.

SLAM: As fans we got robbed of a Finals matchup between you and LeBron. Does it disappoint you that you never played against each other in the Finals?

KB: Sure, I think it would have been a fun matchup. You have the Magic and Bird matchup, and the Magic and Michael, and Michael and Clyde and all those fun matchups. It would have been fun, that’s for damn sure.

SLAM: When you were on Team USA together, did you guys ever talk about what it would have been like playing against each other in the Finals?

KB: Who, me? No, never. I never trash talk. I would never say anything like that. [Laughs] Of course we did.

SLAM: One of the most impressive things about LeBron’s legacy is that it took other superstar players around the League to join up just to stop him from winning again. What do you think about superteams and the League’s parity?

KB: I don’t think it’s any different than him going to Miami to stop our reign in L.A. We both got blindsided by the Dallas Mavericks, but it’s the same thing. I’ve seen it before. Whether it’s him going to Miami, or Durant going to the Warriors. I’ve seen it before.

SLAM: Some of the old-school players seem to take offense with the amount of money the players are making today and criticize them for the way the game is played. Are those fair criticisms?

KB: No one determines what’s fair and what’s not fair in terms of criticism. Everyone has the right to criticize—whether it’s fair or not depends on the point of view you have. I really don’t care one way or the other. I think the game is meant to evolve, and meant to change, and meant to go through ebbs and flows.

The game has always been different. From when Elgin and Oscar were playing to when Dr. J came in the League, which was different than when Magic and Bird were in their prime, and when the Bulls were going through their run in the ‘90s. The game evolves and styles change. There will be a point of time when things will go back closer to the way they used to be with bigs dominating in the paint, but now is not that time. It’s just the natural cycles.

SLAM: Today’s players, and LeBron especially, use their platform to raise awareness about social and political issues. What do you think of the social movement going on in the NBA?

KB: I think it’s great, I think they’re doing exceptional things in that regard. The NBA has always been forward and at the forefront of not only allowing, but encouraging players to speak up. This is the society and the world that we live in, right? You want to be able to have every body feel like they have the ability to speak their opinion, and speak their mind and speak on issues that they believe are important and significant to them and their culture. I think it’s been phenomenal what LeBron, D-Wade and CP have done, and going down the line to Maya Moore and what the WNBA has done as well. I think it’s been great.

SLAM: Kyrie took a huge chance by leaving the Cavs, but has had a great start to the season in Boston. You have a documented relationship with him. Have you noticed any differences in the way he carries himself now that he’s the centerpiece of a team?

KB: He’s done the same things. You can’t change who you are—you are who you are. The same way he was in Cleveland is the same way he is in Boston now. I think the game and the systems are different. Cleveland played that kind of two crown approach of basketball when he was there. Boston plays a more democratic system.

A lot of the criticisms were that Kyrie likes to have the ball in his hands all the time and all this other stuff and that’s true. His game hasn’t changed, the system has changed and it’s allowed us as fans to see another side of his game.

SLAM: Your jersey retirement is tonight. Have you given any thought to what kind of emotions you’ll be feeling? In the past you’ve said that you don’t miss the game, but being back on that court will bring back memories, I’m sure.

KB: I think it will bring back some nostalgia. You see fans and faces in the crowd that I grew up seeing on a nightly basis and to have that moment i think is going to be very emotional. It’s going to be fun, though. I’m looking forward to it.

—

Peter Walsh is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @peter_m_walsh. 

Photos via Getty Images

The post Kobe Bryant on LeBron James, The Warriors, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jersey Retirement and Filmmaking appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m going to you,” Parker says. “I got you.”

Parker inbounds the ball to Gray, who pivots and drives left.  She gets to the left elbow and shoots a fadeaway over Seimone Augustus and Maya Moore.

Nylon. Ballgame.

“I had the mid-range game kind of flowing in that moment,” says the 25-year-old. “So it was kind of in-rhythm and it didn’t feel forced.”

The shot is still fresh in her mind. Two weeks prior to our interview, Gray became the hero of Game 1, finishing with a career-high 27 points.

It’s a moment she’ll never forget. Just like on January 12, 2014, when Gray fractured her right kneecap.

A senior at Duke, Gray was returning to form after dislocating her right kneecap less than a year prior. Once considered a surefire lottery pick, she knew that re-injuring her knee could put her WNBA dreams in jeopardy.

“One minute, during my college season, I was like, Yeah, I can do this. I’ma play pro,” Gray says. “And then the next minute, I was hurt for the next two years, and I didn’t know that I was going to get the opportunity that I did.

“It just takes a toll on not only your body but your mindset,” she explains. “You’re just contemplating why you’re doing this in the first place.”

The NCAA denied her the opportunity to redshirt, so she entered her name into the 2014 WNBA Draft. Gray began to doubt her chances of getting drafted knowing she would have to sit out the season for rehab.

Not only was Gray surprised to hear her name called on draft night, but she was taken 11th overall by the Connecticut Sun. Coming off a league-worst 10-24 season, the Sun were beginning a rebuild and could afford to be patient with Gray’s recovery.

After playing in Israel during the offseason, the Manteca, CA, native entered the 2015 season fully healthy.

But things did not go as planned.

Gray struggled off the bench. She gained weight. Her confidence steadily declined.

“You have so much time on your hands,” Gray says. “I had a lot of people tell me that I had gained weight. I didn’t know how to really go into my role on the team.”

Determined not to make the same mistakes, Gray worked tirelessly overseas to get back into great shape. She was prepared to return to Connecticut when her agent called on draft night in 2016. She had been traded to the Sparks.

“She said that I was going to L.A., and I was excited. I mean, to be able to continue to play, but also I was going home. I was going back to California,” she says. “So it was a blessing in disguise.”

Gray studied how the Sparks’ veterans worked at their craft. She picked the brain of All-Star point guard Kristi Toliver, who taught her the mentality it takes to be a elite-level floor general.

“Being around those veterans, it’s a different level that you go to even in practice,” she says. “And I think that’s what really helped me and elevated my game both mentally and physically.”

Toliver would sign with Washington in 2017 free agency, paving the way for Gray to become the starter. She was ready. Gray averaged all career-highs last season, including 14.8 points on 50.7 percent shooting with 4.4 assists.

Named an All-Star for the first time, she showcased her Showtime handle and passing ability among the game’s brightest stars. And then, of course, she put the league on notice during the Finals, proving she could dominate the highest stage.

She still thinks about those devastating knee injuries in college, but she doesn’t ruminate on those thoughts.

“I think it’s OK to flash back on [injuries] as long as you move past it, and you’re able to play without restraints or thinking of that,” she says.

After taking a 2-1 series lead, the Sparks lost the final two games of the Finals in heartbreaking fashion.

But Gray will be coming back stronger next season. She always does.

—

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

Photos via Getty Images

The post Hold On, Be Strong appeared first on SLAM.

We were on-hand in Italy when Jordan Brand introduced the Air Jordan XXXII, their newest flagship sneaker. It makes use of a Flyknit upper and a dual cushioning system featuring Nike Zoom Air and Flight Speed tech. Hardaway says he’ll be one of the players that gets to lace up the XXXII this season.

The 25-year-old is entering his fifth season in the League. He averaged a career-best 14 points last year for the Hawks and is all ready to make his return to the Garden — the Knicks drafted him with the 24th pick in 2013. We recently linked up with THJ to discuss his deal with the Jumpman, an agreement he’s (rightfully) hype about.

SLAM: How did you link up with Jordan Brand? Did they reach out to you?

Tim Hardaway Jr: It was more of a mutual thing with Jordan Brand. My pops [Tim Hardaway] was a big part of it. I was with adidas for all of college and for my first three years [in the League], but I played my fourth season in the NBA as a sneaker free agent. I just loved playing in Jordans and Kobe ADs.

They just felt comfortable. I just told my pops, ‘Hey, I love these shoes, even though they’re lows.’ My pops doesn’t like me playing in lows. I played in the shoes in the playoffs, when we played against the Wizards.

After the season, I was talking to my agent [about brands] and told him, ‘Hey, what’s up with Jordan? I don’t care what they give me, it’s just the honor to be able to play for the Jumpman and go out there and represent him in a great way.’ That was the pitch I gave them. And then my pops tried to talk to Jordan personally.

SLAM: Your dad still has a relationship with MJ? 

THJ: Just the mutual respect between one another. I’ve known his kids, Marcus and Jeffrey, since we were playing at Hoops Gym in Chicago. It’s just a mutual respect kind of thing.

SLAM: And you’ll be playing in the XXXIIs, right?

THJ: Maybe a couple of retros here and there but not too much. The XXXIIs feel very, very comfortable. They’re a great, great looking shoe. We’ve got some PEs coming, a lot of Knicks colorways. It’ll be great. I’m happy and excited to reveal them once the season keeps going.

Related
Inside the Design of the Air Jordan XXXII

The post Tim Hardaway Jr Talks About Signing with Jordan Brand appeared first on SLAM.

For the last year, Whalen, Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson and Maya Moore have had to live with letting a championship slip out of their hands. Tonight, they finally avenged that heartbreaking loss by beating the Sparks 85-76 in another close-out Game 5.

Fowles, the regular season MVP and the Finals MVP, recorded 17 points and 20 rebounds. Moore hit a clutch shot that closed the door on the Sparks’ furious comeback. She finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Whalen put up 17 points and 8 assists, Augustus chipped in 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and Brunson added 13 and 8.

With the exception of Fowles (she was traded to Minnesota in 2015 and now has two titles with them), the Lynx’s core four now have four ‘chips together, tying the Houston Comets for the most banners in WNBA history.

The Lynx won despite trailing 2-1 in the series and now have the chance to write their names in the record books with another title next season.

Maya. Clutch. #WNBAFinals (via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/3rNLBwtDLK

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 5, 2017

The post Minnesota Lynx Win 2017 WNBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

After watching 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike hit that remarkable fade away put-back, giving the Sparks its third title in team history, Parker, who was named Finals MVP, ran over to celebrate with her teammates and dedicated her first title to Pat Summitt, her former college coach at Tennessee, who passed away from dementia last June.

But the championship hangover is long gone, and the Sparks know that the Lynx, still woeful after losing at home in Game 5, are looking forward to this series that much more, despite reaching the Finals in six of the last seven seasons.

“Our mindset has been to stay in the moment and worry about what you can control,” says Parker, a few minutes after the team’s practice on Friday afternoon. “We know we have our work cut out for us and we want to make things difficult and shots difficult for them on the offensive end—really control the tempo of the game.”

Look at the storylines from whatever angle and it’s obvious this isn’t just another WNBA Finals. Before today’s 3:30 p.m. EST tip-off, the Sparks and Lynx join the Houston Comets and New York Liberty (1999 and 2000) as the only two teams to have met in back-to-back Finals. As both teams are on the quest for another title, the winner would tie the Comets (1997-2000) for the most championships in WNBA history. The Sparks can also become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Lisa Leslie led LA to consecutive ones back in 2001-02.

The Sparks and Lynx met three times this season, with the Sparks winning two of those three, but both sides are familiar with each others’ play and know who the key factors are that make each side go.

“It is exciting,” says Sylvia Fowles, the League’s MVP, on facing the Sparks again in the Finals. “I try not to look at it like a rematch, but in the back of my head that’s hard to do.”

And, according to Fowles, the only thing missing to cap off her MVP season is the championship hardware.

“You have a lot of women who are fighting hard to get this title,” says Fowles. “So if there wasn’t a title attached to it, I think it would be somewhat pointless.”

Maya Moore is averaging 19 points and five assists per game in the postseason and is looking to bring another title back to the Twin Cities. But she’ll have to duel with Alana Beard, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, who’s appointed the task every game night of limiting Moore from filling up the stat sheet.

“It takes a team to guard Maya because she’s capable of doing so many things offensively [and] you can’t technically defend her with one person,” says Beard, someone she picked as the top five toughest women to guard in the W. “I have to do my job, but at the end of the day, it’s going to come down to how we defend her as a team.”

Beard’s ability to lock up the WNBA’s top scorers on a nightly basis led the Sparks to the League’s second best defensive rating (96 points per 100 possessions) during the regular season behind the Lynx (94.1).

There’s no coincidence that Moore averaged 10.7 points against the Sparks and shot 39 percent from the field and 22 percent from deep when both teams faced each other during the regular season.

“I know it sounds cliché, but it’s not something that I work for,” says Beard, on her prowess on the defensive side. “I don’t work to be noticed; I work because it’s my job and to help my team in the best way that I can.”

Both teams have four of the five last MVPs, but regular season accolades, advanced statistics and winning percentages are meaningless for two of the top teams with 0-0 in a series that requires a team to win three games to be crowned a champion.

“This is what we worked for and to see how this team has developed over the course of the year to where we’re in the Finals for the second year, it’s something that I hold close to my heart and that I’m excited for,” says Beard. “It would mean a ton to bring another championship to LA, but we have one game to win first.”

Related
Chiney Ogwumike Previews ’17 WNBA Finals
The WNBA Has a Sneaker Heat Wave
Lynx Assistant Coach on Why Minnesota’s so Dominant

Game 1 of the 2017 WNBA Finals starts at 3:30 EST on ABC

The post Run it Back appeared first on SLAM.

Moore’s favorite Jordan Brand model is the X. Besides having her logo on the heel, Jordan Brand also features Colossians 3:23 on the heel tab as a tribute to her faith.

Both of these colorways release on September 30.

The post Jordan Brand Honors Maya Moore with New Duo of PEs appeared first on SLAM.

Fowles received 35 of 40 first-place votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

The 2017 #WNBA MVP… @SylviaFowles of the @MinnesotaLynx! #WatchMeWork pic.twitter.com/sq3q34RSCs

— WNBA (@WNBA) September 14, 2017

The 10-year veteran earned her first MVP award, and becomes the second Lynx player to win the award (Maya Moore, 2014).

2017 WNBA MVP VOTING (Total Points)

1. Sylvia Fowles (385)
2. Tina Charles (199)
3. Candace Parker (132)
4. Nneka Ogwumike (89)
5. Jonquel Jones (88)
6. Brittney Griner (82)

Other players receiving votes (total points): Elena Delle Donne (11),
Maya Moore (9), Skylar Diggins-Smith (7), Breanna Stewart (2), Courtney Vandersloot (2), Diana Taurasi (1)

RELATED:
Sylvia Fowles on Minnesota’s Hot Start, 2016 Finals, All-Star Game and More

The post Sylvia Fowles Named 2017 WNBA MVP appeared first on SLAM.

While people circle around Plum and Jefferson, Liberty center Tina Charles quietly starts to warm up. She practices her post moves against former Knick and current Liberty assistant Herb Williams and repeatedly knocks down jumpers from the baseline. She puts in her work methodically, finally ending by drilling a three-pointer from the corner.

It’s business as usual for Charles, always the final Liberty player to get shots up before the game starts. But the Queens native, dressed in a grey shirt and black sweatpants, is rocking a never-before-seen pair of the Nike Kyrie 3 that is most definitely not part of Charles’ tried-and-true pregame routine. The 3s are done up in an icy seafoam blue, their black Swoosh accented by a translucent outsole.

When we throw a picture of the sneaks on the @SLAMKICKS Instagram account, Kyrie Irving reacts like the rest of us, commenting “Sheesh” on the post.

For years now, Nike and adidas have been outfitting the WNBA’s biggest superstars with exclusive PEs that nobody else has.

Sue Bird hoops in green and yellow Nike Kyrie 3s. Candace Parker was the first to play in the adidas Crazy Explosive 2017, wearing a one-of-one orange and purple pair for the month of June, honoring her late college coach, the legendary Pat Summitt.

“I’ll be wearing orange kicks all June; it was my coach’s birthday and the month she passed away,” Parker told the LA Daily News in June.

Go on down the line and the W is chock-full of rare colorways. Some of them are PEs; some of them get made on NikeiD; some of them coincide with Pride Month or breast cancer awareness.

All of them, though, are fire.

“[Nike] knows the month of June is Pride Month,” says Liberty forward Shavonte Zellous, who has been playing in a rare version of the KD 9 with a rainbow-colored outsole. “All across the league they shipped shoes. I got them in my locker and I was like, ‘Oh, what’s this?’ It’s just an honor to wear these guys’ shoes, for us to be able to play in them and remix like they do.”

“We do pick shoes according to the players that [we] like,” says Lynx forward and three-time WNBA champ Seimone Augustus, who’s worn Kyries for the past two seasons. “I love Kyrie as a player. We have some similarities in our ballhandling, [and] his shoe fits me.”

During the Finals last year, Augustus wore a purple Kyrie 2 PE with Prince’s logo on it. Since then, she’s shown off other Lynx-related colorways of the 3.

“We have green in our uniforms,” Augustus says. “I try to bring that green out a little bit more when designing my sneakers.”

Sue Bird, one of Irving’s close friends, doesn’t get as flashy with her Kyrie 3s.

“I’m definitely someone who likes to match,” Bird says. “[Nike] knew that I wanted the colors of the shoes predominately green and yellow. Last year the WNBA switched to where no team has a white uniform, so this year the only thing I asked for was something that could match both uniforms.

“[Irving] actually came to a game earlier this month,” Bird adds. “I think I had the green ones on that day. He gave it the once-over. He approved. It’s funny because obviously his colorways are crazy, but the green and yellow are pretty rare. Nobody’s rocking green and yellow.”

It’s a Sunday afternoon in June and the L.A. Sparks are taking on the Phoenix Mercury at the Staples Center. Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike and Chelsea Gray, the home team’s three leading scorers, are all laced with silhouettes from the Three Stripes.

Ogwumike and Gray signed with adidas right before the season started. Nneka’s little sister Chiney, the 2014 WNBA Rookie of the Year, also inked a deal with the brand.

“I like the [adidas] culture of family and also how much they express displaying and advocating individuality for the athletes,” Nneka told us shortly after her new deal was announced. “They always put the athlete first. That’s definitely what drew me to adidas.”

While the Sparks are on their way to beating the Mercury, Ogwumike’s wearing a black-based pair of Crazy Explosives with purple and teal accents. On the other squad, longtime Nike athlete Diana Taurasi is getting ready to make history.

In the closing moments of the second quarter, Taurasi drives hard to the rim. Ogwumike respectfully plays matador defense, because after Diana flips in a layup, she’s officially become the all-time leading scorer in WNBA history.

Taurasi, 10 years removed from her signature sneaker, the Shox DT, wears a personalized pair of Nike LeBron 14s to etch her name in the record books. “DT” is written across the left heel and “3” (her number) is on the right one.

Her teammate, Danielle Robinson, says sneakers are a big part of the Mercury’s locker room culture.

“We comment on everything we bring in, whether it’s me, DT, [Brittney Griner]. BG just got some KDs from Nike, white with a purple Swoosh. We always comment. Whenever somebody gets a box, we’re like, ‘Open it up, let’s see what you got.’”

Though Robinson’s sponsored by Nike and wears the Kyrie 3, she doesn’t always get kicks sent to her. “I’ll be on NikeiD for hours at a time, just for the simplest details,” she says.

The players fortunate enough to get shipments speak with their player reps about which pairs they’d like.

“I just tell them what shoe I want to play in,” says Liberty guard Epiphanny Prince. “They give us a couple options, [but] they know I just want to play in Kobes. When I come here I’m just anxious to see what colorways they put together.”

Sugar Rodgers, her teammate, has been getting the Nike Zoom LeBron Soldier 10 and 11 delivered to her over the past two seasons.

“It feels like Christmas every time a box comes,” Rodgers says with a big smile.

—

Seimone Augustus and the Lynx grab a 93-76 win over the Mystics toward the end of June. Augustus only scores 9 points, but she breaks necks in an absurd pair of multi-colored Kyrie 3s that catches Irving’s attention. He reposts them on his IG.

“When we step on the floor, we want to be the best representation for their gear,” Augustus says. “We want it to be cool. That’s something we always talk about in the WNBA, trying to create a cool factor.”

With the level of basketball talent higher than it’s ever been in the W, and a growing push from both Nike and adidas, there are more eyes than ever on the league.

“[The brands] are big supporters of women’s sports,” Bird says. “They understand that we play a huge role, not just in basketball, [but in] pushing women in sports forward.”

Time to start the clock on the next WNBA signature sneaker.

Related
Sue Bird Talks About Her Nike Kyrie 2 PEs
Elena Delle Donne on her Nike Hyperdunk PEs
The Ogwumike Sisters Share Why They Signed with adidas
Tamera Young Talks About her Sneaker Collection

—

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @maxresetar.

Photos via Getty Images

The post Heat Wave appeared first on SLAM.

“No one’s gonna outwork him,” Sun assistant coach Steve Smith says. “He’s a tireless worker. But he has a true passion for coaching. It’s not really work, it just comes natural to him.”

The Sun have the third best record in the WNBA, sitting at a comfortable 19-10. Miller’s making use of a talented roster of young players, led by first-time All-Stars Jonquel Jones, Jasmine Thomas and Alyssa Thomas.

“Coach Miller has the philosophy that he brought to the organization–championships are won in the locker room. It begins with character first,” Smith says. “He’s done a great job of implementing all of that and getting the players to buy into it.”

Across the country, the Minnesota Lynx have also gotten their players to buy in. Head coach Cheryl Reeve’s best ability, according to her long-time assistant Shelley Patterson, is getting through to their roster.

“She helps the players to believe in themselves, no matter what’s happening in the media, no matter what people are saying,” Patterson says. “The literature on us is that we’re old, we’re slow, we shouldn’t be where we are right now. But one of the things she does well is make them believe in themselves. Inspire them to do more than they think they can. That’s what good teachers do. That’s who she is.”

Like the Sun, the Lynx are currently on fire. However, unlike the Sun, the Lynx have had consistent greatness for the last eight years. Patterson traces that back to Coach Reeve.

“One of the things that’s impressive, for seven seasons, we’ve won 20-plus games,” Patterson says. “You have to be very creative to be able to motivate players like that every single season. Every single motivational speech she gives is something different. In eight seasons, I have not heard her say the same thing twice. Our players, they just weigh on her every word.”

Reeve has found the winning formula. She’s got the Lynx atop the league, yet again, with a 22-6 record. It’s become the norm in Minnesota. Since Reeve and Patterson have been on-staff, the Lynx have captured three championships. They’re trying to avenge last season’s close loss in Game 5 of the Finals against Los Angeles.

“When you’ve been in a marriage, if you will, with most of the core players for eight seasons now, you have to change some things,” Patterson continues. “You can’t always be the same. But at the same time, you also have to keep things exciting. That’s just like any kind of relationship. Most marriages don’t last eight years without something being different and having to bring about change. Making it exciting, making the words that you say continue to motivate you year in and year out.”

Reeve and Patterson have faced new challenges in 2017. Even though Sylvia Fowles is playing like an MVP candidate, and even though Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus are still devastating on the wing, Rebekkah Brunson and Lindsay Whalen have missed games with injury.

Coach Miller’s also missing one of the key players on his roster. Chiney Ogwumike, the 2014 Rookie of the Year, hasn’t played at all this season due to an Achilles injury. It’s the second time she’s missed an entire campaign— she sat all of 2015 after undergoing microfracture surgery in her right knee.

Smith says that Coach Miller’s been able to replace some of what Ogwumike, a high-basketball IQ player, brings to the table.

“He’s very, very talented,” Smith says. “One of the most talented coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching with. In terms of the complete approach to the game, being able to anticipate what opponents are going to do, being able to put our players in position to have success, being able to have the foresight to, anticipate the gameplan that really makes it difficult for opponents to have success against us.”

More often than not, it’s the Lynx and the Sun that are having success against their opponents this season. With Reeve’s steady winning and Miller’s upstart youngsters, it’s also more likely than not that the Coach of the Year trophy’s ending up in either Minnesota or Connecticut.

—

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @maxresetar.

The post Lean On Me appeared first on SLAM.

Legends like Sue Bird, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore all played in orange-themed kicks. Bird was laced in the Kyrie 3, her go-to sneaker, while Taurasi and Moore, the game’s MVP, each played in the LeBron 14 and the Air Jordan XXXI. Parker was given a new Crazy Explosive 17 colorway, which had “2017 All-Star” on the back collar.

Their West squad came away with the 130-121 win, edging out a young East team that featured the debut of new Nike ‘ways. Elizabeth Williams rocked a never-before-seen Hyperdunk 2017 edition with a reflective silver Swoosh. Tina Charles, Allie Quigley and Layshia Clarendon played in the same colorway as Williams, but they were wearing the Kyrie 3. Sugar Rodgers stood out with a new Soldier 11 joint.

Other notable sneaker sightings came from two of the West’s point guards. Skylar Diggins-Smith and Chelsea Gray repped the Three Stripes, in the Crazy Explosive Low and the Harden Vol. 1, respectively. Jasmine Thomas, Stefanie Dolson and Candice Dupree each took the floor in the Kobe AD.

Ok, @jus242, we see you! pic.twitter.com/tjIakhVg3G

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) July 22, 2017

Scroll through the gallery above to see the kicks in action.

Related
Candace Parker’s 2017 ASG Sneakers
Sneaker Moments: Diana Taurasi Becomes WNBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer
Sue Bird Talks About her Kyrie 2 PEs

The post 2017 WNBA All-Star Game Best Sneakers appeared first on SLAM.

Parker’s new colorway features a red upper that transitions down into a gold midsole, sitting on top of a red outsole. On the medial side, the Three Stripes put their signature BOOST technology and they also wrote “2017 All-Star Game” on the heel collar.

Parker was named MVP at the 2013 ASG and will be joined by her LA Sparks teammate Nneka Ogwumike today in Seattle, another adidas athlete. Parker and Ogwumike combined to lead the Sparks to the 2016 WNBA title and currently have the second best record in the League at 14-6.

Parker’s putting in 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks per game this season. She’s been doing damage in a few other Crazy Explosive PEs. She wore orange kicks for the month of June to honor her late college coach, Pat Summit.

“I’ll be wearing orange kicks all June; it was my coach’s birthday and the month she passed away,” Parker said last month to the LA Daily News. 

The 2017 WNBA All-Star Game tips off at 3:30 ET on ABC.

Related
Candace Parker, Maya Moore on the Raw Emotion of their Rivalry

h/t WearTesters

The post Candace Parker’s adidas Crazy Explosive 17 ‘All-Star Game’ PEs appeared first on SLAM.

The rest of the Western Conference reserves are Seimone Augustus, Chelsea Gray, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Brittney Griner, who will miss the game with injuries to her ankle and knee.

The Eastern Conference reserves are Layshia Clarendon, Stefanie Dolson, Candice Dupree, Allie Quigley, Alyssa Thomas and Elizabeth Williams.

Along with three first-time All-Star starters, Stewart, Clarendon, Gray, Quigley, Thomas and Williams have all made it for their first time.

The reserves were selected by the W’s coaches.

During halftime of Saturday afternoon’s game, five players will compete in the first WNBA three-point contest in eight years.

Maya Moore, Sue Bird, Sugar Rodgers, Quigley and Jasmine Thomas will shoot for the three-point title.

The ASG tips off at 3:30 ET on ABC on Saturday, July 22.

Related
2017 WNBA All-Star Game Starters Announced

The post WNBA All-Star Reserves and Three-Point Contestants Announced appeared first on SLAM.

East:

• Tina Charles, New York Liberty
• Elena Delle Donne, Washington Mystics
• Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun
• Tiffany Hayes, Atlanta Dream
• Jasmine Thomas, Connecticut Sun

West:

• Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
• Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
• Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx
• Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
• Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx

Jones, Hayes and Thomas, all having the best season of their careers, are the first-timers. Charles, Delle Donne, Taurasi, Moore and Parker have all won regular season MVPs, while Parker and Moore have both won All-Star Game MVPs.

With the 2017 ASG being played in Seattle, Bird will serve as the host. She ties Tamika Catchings with her 10th All-Star Game appearance, too.

Moore was the overall leading vote-getter among fans (32,866), followed by Delle Donne (31,414), Parker (29,133), Fowles (24,904) and Bird (24,841). Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve will serve as the West head coach and New York’s Bill Laimbeer will guide the East after the Lynx and Liberty finished with the best regular-season records in their respective conferences in 2016.

The All-Star reserves, to be selected by the WNBA’s 12 head coaches, will be announced on Tuesday, July 18 during ESPN2’s telecast of the Seattle Storm and the Chicago Sky (9 p.m. ET).  The 2017 WNBA All-Star Game will be played on July 22 at 3:30 ET on ABC.

The post 2017 WNBA All-Star Starters Announced appeared first on SLAM.

Raw emotion.

Candace Parker was on the floor, crying. Nneka Ogwumike, who had just hit the game-winning shot, also had tears in her eyes, but she couldn’t move because most of her teammates had jumped on her back.

While the Sparks cried and hugged, Maya Moore walked off the court with her hands on her head. She had just nailed a fadeaway from the right baseline that gave the Lynx a one-point lead with 15.4 seconds left. But it wasn’t enough.

That was the last time the Sparks and Lynx did battle. They meet up again tonight.

The Sparks are 12-3 while the Lynx are 12-1, seemingly on a crash-course for a Finals rematch. Both Parker and Moore know that tonight’s game at the Target Center means a little bit more than a normal regular season matchup.

“As a competitor, you love games like this,” Moore says. “It’s just a lot of energy around the matchup. And the history makes it that much more fun of a game. I’m sure it’s going to show when the lights come on and both teams get out on the floor. It’ll be a very high energy match.”

Moore and Lynx have certainly started the season with a lot of energy. They lead the League in points per game, assists per game and that 12-1 mark is the best record in the W. Moore, Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen didn’t play overseas during the winter and all that rest is paying off. Minnesota’s whole team is on fire.

The Sparks are doing pretty well, too. With Alana Beard’s defense, Chelsea Gray’s improvement (she’s up to 16.7 ppg) and Ogwumike’s bucket-getting, LA’s only one game back in the standings.

“Obviously we realize in the long run this could help us, but also we realize that our focus is getting better and nobody’s going to hoist a trophy [tonight],” Parker says. “But it’s a good measuring point to see where we are against, what is right now, the best record-wise team in the WNBA.

“Being back in the city brought back memories but that was last year and it’s different this year,” Parker continues in a calm and confident tone. “We get excited and play our best against Minnesota and they do against us. There’s a lot of emotion going in.”

Thing is, neither Moore or Parker let their emotions get the best of them in-game. They both do their work with surgical precision, whether it’s Moore’s footwork in the post or Parker shutting down the rim with perfect timing. But tonight’s game means that much. So while there won’t be any tears after the final buzzer goes off, there’ll be plenty of desire for all 40 minutes.

The two superstars clash tonight at 8 EST on ESPN2.

The post Raw Emotion appeared first on SLAM.

“Stewie was my host when I visited the first time,” says Walker, referring to WNBA rising star and Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart, who was a junior at UConn during the 2014 visit. “It was kind of crazy, but you can’t act like you’re star-struck. She said it’s going to be tough as a freshman. So she said, ‘Just listen and take everything in that Coach tells you—don’t deviate.’”

Little did young Megan know that just a few years later she’d be arriving to Storrs with almost identical expectations as her hostess once did. Just like Stewart did in 2012, Walker is setting foot on campus ranked as the No. 1 HS prospect in her class. Stewart claimed the Gatorade National HS Player of the Year and Naismith National HS Player of the Year awards after her senior campaign. Walker? She too claimed the same prestigious awards this spring.

Others who claimed the Naismith award as HS seniors: The Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi, the Minnesota Lynx’s Maya Moore and the Seattle Storm’s Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. And then they all too went on to play at UConn later that year. That’s the elite company in which Walker, a 6-1 wing, finds herself, as she gets ready to start her own journey at Connecticut.

“It’s just an honor to be held to the standards of those other great players,” says Walker. “I feel like it just kind of sets the standard of what my career could end up being like at UConn.”

She’s arriving to campus fresh off a (fittingly) perfect 30-0 season and having led Monacan High School in West Chesterfield, VA, to state titles in the last three consecutive years. As a senior, she averaged 25.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.2 steals.

Her final HS game will go down in the history books as a memorable one in the Richmond area. Walker scored her team’s last 16 points, including a game-winning shot with 15 seconds left, to erase a double-digit fourth quarter deficit and squeeze out a 60-59 nail-biting victory. She walked away with a stat-line of 35 points, 11 rebounds, 6 blocks and 5 steals.

“I hope it left a mark and legacy behind,” Walker says of the aforementioned championship game performance. “We wanted to do something that no one else had done in our school’s history. The 30-0 and the three-peat was a school record. It just meant a lot to be able to accomplish those things and leave a mark.”

UConn is clearly the pinnacle of women’s college hoops, holding the record for most National Championships with 11 titles. The program is also responsible for the two longest winning streaks in college basketball. Just this spring the Huskies’ 111-game winning streak was snapped by Mississippi State in the Final Four. The program was looking to claim its fifth consecutive national title. Despite the end of a historic run, there’s reason for optimism. Walker is part of an incoming recruiting class that features four top-30 prospects.

“What we were doing, Coach said it wasn’t normal,” Walker says in late May after arriving to campus for summer school. “So we’re here, ready to work hard and get ready for next year. We have a chance to do something special and start from scratch.”

—

The post Like A Star appeared first on SLAM.

EASTERN CONFERENCE — EARLY RETURNS LEADERS

Backcourt: Tiffany Hayes (Atl) 4,288; Tiffany Mitchell (Ind) 4,202; Kristi Toliver (Was) 3,498; Sugar Rodgers (NY) 3,480; Courtney Williams (Con) 3,239; Cappie Pondexter (Chi) 2,967; Tayler Hill (Was) 2,794; Jasmine Thomas (Con) 2,696; Shavonte Zellous (NY) 2,128; Ivory Latta (Was) 2,042; Allie Quigley (Chi) 1,939; Briann January (Ind) 1,531; Erica Wheeler (Ind) 1,507

Frontcourt: Elena Delle Donne (Was) 19,280; Tina Charles (NY) 12,055; Jonquel Jones (Con) 10,585; Candice Dupree (Ind) 4,965; Stefanie Dolson (Chi) 3,170; Alyssa Thomas (Con) 3,038; Kiah Stokes (NY) 2,567; Tamera Young (Chi) 1,924; Morgan Tuck (Con) 1,740; Imani Boyette (Chi) 1,730; Natalie Achonwa (Ind) 1,385; Bria Holmes (NY) 1,320

WESTERN CONFERENCE — EARLY RETURNS LEADERS

Backcourt: Sue Bird (Sea) 16,139; Diana Taurasi (Phx) 15,207; Skylar Diggins-Smith (Dal) 11,462; Seimone Augustus (Min) 11,198; Lindsay Whalen (Min) 10,131; Jewell Loyd (Sea) 9,639; Allisha Gray (Dal) 5,766; Alana Beard (LA) 5,003; Kelsey Plum (SA) 4,221; Chelsea Gray (LA) 3,975; Moriah Jefferson (SA) 3,823; Kayla McBride (SA) 3,034; Jantel Lavender (LA) 2,002

Frontcourt: Maya Moore (Min) 19,949; Candace Parker (LA) 17,127; Sylvia Fowles (Min) 15,159; Breanna Stewart (Sea) 13,793; Nneka Ogwumike (LA) 13,563; Brittney Griner (Phx) 12,818; Rebekkah Brunson (Min) 6,236; Glory Johnson (Dal) 5,680; Ramu Tokashiki (Sea) 2,653; Karima Christmas-Kelly (Dal) 2,651; Alysha Clark (Sea) 2,517; Crystal Langhorne (Sea) 2,046

The post Delle Donne, Moore Lead First Fan Voting Returns for the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

Listen above or check us out on audioBoom and iTunes:

Related
Respect The Game Episode 56: Justin Jackson
Respect The Game Episode 55: Jarrett Allen
Respect The Game Episode 54: Willie Reed
Respect The Game Episode 53: Playoff Talk With Yaron Weitzman
Respect The Game Episode 52: YFN Lucci
Respect The Game Episode 51: Don Trip and Starlito
Respect The Game Episode 50: Ray Allen and Maya Moore
Respect The Game Episode 49: Raekwon
Respect The Game Episode 48: Julius “Dr. J” Erving
Respect The Game Episode 47: Nathaniel Butler
Respect The Game Episode 46: Stanley Johnson
Respect The Game Episode 45: Michael Irvin

The post Respect The Game Episode 57: Sasha Vujacic appeared first on SLAM.

Listen above or check us out on audioBoom and iTunes:

The post Respect The Game Episode 56: Justin Jackson appeared first on SLAM.

The post Respect The Game Episode 55: Jarrett Allen appeared first on SLAM.

“They’re assassins,” Loyd said. “That’s the mentality that I wanted and just loved watching. They never took the easy way out, they never settled. That’s something that I grew up with, competing. I was the only girl playing with the guys. That’s something that I understood very well, competing.”

Fast forward to opening day of the 2017 campaign and Bryant says, “Jewell’s like a little sister to me.” That should tell you all you need to know about Jewell Loyd.

Besides showing ultimate respect to Loyd, the 2015 ROY, Bryant also talked about the skill of the W’s players. “They can play at an extremely high level,” he says.

Watch the rest of what Bean had to say about the WNBA in the video above.

And the second time that we spoke to Loyd last season, she told us she’s working to get a tip-dunk in a game. With Kobe by her side, it’s only a matter of time.

Video courtesy of NBA

The post WATCH: Kobe Bryant Shares His Thoughts on Jewell Loyd, the WNBA appeared first on SLAM.

According to The Vertical, Ailun’s set to make $1.4 million this year.

The 6-4 point guard averaged 19.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Flying Leopards this season.

“We’re excited to welcome Guo to the Jordan Family,” Michael Jordan said in a press release. “From his competitive spirit and style of play on the court to his strong personality off the court, he’s a great fit for the brand. We look forward to Guo representing the game, Jordan Brand, and ultimately himself in Greater China.”

Ailun attended the LeBron James Skills Academy when he was 16 and has played pro ball since he was 18, putting up 15.4 points and 4.6 assists in 205 career games. Before signing with Jordan, he wore Nike. He joins a Jordan Brand roster that includes, among others, Maya Moore, Kawhi Leonard, Mike Conley and Jimmy Butler.

Related
Best Sneakers of 2016-17: Air Jordan XXXI

Photos courtesy of Nike

The post Jordan Brand Signs Chinese Basketball Association’s Guo Ailun appeared first on SLAM.

Listen above or check us out on audioBoom and iTunes:

audioBoom
iTunes

Related
Respect The Game Episode 53: Playoff Talk With Yaron Weitzman
Respect The Game Episode 52: YFN Lucci
Respect The Game Episode 51: Don Trip and Starlito
Respect The Game Episode 50: Ray Allen and Maya Moore
Respect The Game Episode 49: Raekwon
Respect The Game Episode 48: Julius “Dr. J” Erving
Respect The Game Episode 47: Nathaniel Butler
Respect The Game Episode 46: Stanley Johnson
Respect The Game Episode 45: Michael Irvin

The post Respect The Game Episode 54: Willie Reed appeared first on SLAM.

Listen above or check us out on audioBoom and iTunes:

audioBoom
iTunes

Related
Respect The Game Episode 52: YFN Lucci
Respect The Game Episode 51: Don Trip and Starlito
Respect The Game Episode 50: Ray Allen and Maya Moore
Respect The Game Episode 49: Raekwon
Respect The Game Episode 48: Julius “Dr. J” Erving
Respect The Game Episode 47: Nathaniel Butler
Respect The Game Episode 46: Stanley Johnson
Respect The Game Episode 45: Michael Irvin

The post Respect The Game Episode 53: Playoff Talk With Yaron Weitzman appeared first on SLAM.

YFN Lucci then joins the show to talk his new EP, ‘Long Live Nut,’ hooping in celebrity games and his relationship with top-10 recruit Collin Sexton.

Listen above or check us out on audioBoom and iTunes:

audioBoom
iTunes

Related
Respect The Game Episode 51: Don Trip and Starlito
Respect The Game Episode 50: Ray Allen and Maya Moore
Respect The Game Episode 49: Raekwon
Respect The Game Episode 48: Julius “Dr. J” Erving
Respect The Game Episode 47: Nathaniel Butler
Respect The Game Episode 46: Stanley Johnson
Respect The Game Episode 45: Michael Irvin

The post Respect The Game Episode 52: YFN Lucci appeared first on SLAM.

Listen above or check us out on audioBoom and iTunes:

audioBoom
iTunes

Related
Respect The Game Episode 50: Ray Allen and Maya Moore
Respect The Game Episode 49: Raekwon
Respect The Game Episode 48: Julius “Dr. J” Erving
Respect The Game Episode 47: Nathaniel Butler
Respect The Game Episode 46: Stanley Johnson
Respect The Game Episode 45: Michael Irvin

The post Respect The Game Episode 51: Don Trip and Starlito appeared first on SLAM.

Before Ray and Maya join the podcast, we also talk about the major storylines surrounding the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The post Respect The Game Episode 50: Ray Allen and Maya Moore appeared first on SLAM.

Tuesday night in Brooklyn, Jordan Brand athletes Ray Allen and Maya Moore helped kick off JBC Week by greeting the game’s participants with inspiring words—and lots of selfies and Snapchats. Allen, one of the first athletes to ever sign to Jordan Brand, urged the kids to savor the experience this week.  “Take the time to enjoy these moments,” Allen said on the mic, “because they go by fast. But what I want you also to know is, these moments are 10 percent of our lives. The other 90 percent, we’re grinding.”

It’s the fifth consecutive year the event will take place at Barclays Center, and the third event that will include a Girls All-American Game (a new tradition that Moore was instrumental in starting). And this time around, players will wear the Air Jordan XXXI “Flight Guy” colorway during practices and the games on Friday.

Inspired by Jordan Brand’s 30-plus years of transcendent style and pinnacle performance, Jordan has dubbed this year’s class of athletes the “Class of XXXI.” The “Class of” campaign matches up a player’s senior year of high school with that year’s Jordan release. For example, Russell Westbrook is Class of XX and Kawhi Leonard is Class of XXIV.

Before closing his remarks to the players on Tuesday, Allen (Class of VIII) mentioned SLAM in particular as a source of great motivation for his legendary career.

“SLAM Magazine is somewhere around here. When I got drafted—I don’t know if you guys have seen the cover from 1996, SLAM Magazine, it had everybody in my draft class,” Allen told the kids. “On the inside, it had a list of accolades. Most likely to win MVP, most likely to win an NBA Championship. My name was nowhere on there except for one spot, and it said Most Likely To Fade Into Obscurity. Now, I knew what obscurity meant, but I had to look it up in the dictionary because I had to make sure I knew what they were saying. That was one of the best things that ever happened to be. Because, basically, they told me I wasn’t going to be sh*t. Pay attention to stuff people say negatively about you. Not good. Good doesn’t make you work. Negative will piss you off just enough to make you work your ass off.”

Afterwards, we sat down with both Moore and Allen to talk about the Jordan Brand Classic experience, the Class of XXXI campaign, the NBA MVP race and much more. You can listen to those interviews below:

The national game of the 16th annual Jordan Brand Classic will tip off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 on Friday, April 14. Photos courtesy of Jordan Brand.

The post Ray Allen and Maya Moore Help Kick Off Jordan Brand Classic Week in NYC appeared first on SLAM.

We caught up with Wendell Carter Jr last fall in Atlanta, where he told us the important role that academics have played in his development.

See below for the official announcement:

Today, the McDonald’s All American Games announced Wendell Carter, Jr. and Evina Westbrook as the 2017 Morgan Wootten Players of the Year.

 

Hailing from Atlanta, GA and Salem, OR, Wendell and Evina will join the ranks of Jahlil Okafor (2014), Jabari Parker (2013), LeBron James (2003), Maya Moore (2007) and Ivory Latta (2003) who have received this prestigious award, which recognizes them for their outstanding character, leadership and the values they embrace in being a student-athlete in the classroom and the community. Wendell and Evina will take to the court next year at Duke and Tennessee as they continue their basketball career at the collegiate level.

 

McDonald’s established the award in 1997 to pay tribute to Wootten’s accomplished teaching and coaching Hall of Fame career. “Wendell and Evina are role models both on and off the court and exemplify what it means to be driven and committed to achieving their goals,” said Wootten. “They are leaders in their communities, in the classroom and I’m confident they’ll continue making an impact on the game.”

The post Duke Commit Wendell Carter Jr Named 2017 Morgan Wootten Player of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

“It was really just a joke,” says Boyette, who began to tweet using the hashtag #wnba20for50. “But people actually liked it, so I was like, I guess I have to keep doing it.”

For the next month or so I will outline my love and at least 50 reasons, @50cent should come to @wnbachicagosky vs. NY #WNBA20for50

— Imani McGee-Stafford, JD (@imanitrishawn_) May 10, 2016

Even as the campaign picked up steam, she never imagined that 50 would eventually sit courtside at a Sky game. But that’s exactly what happened last September when Chicago faced the defending champion Minnesota Lynx.

“Luckily, he came to a game where Maya Moore played, and she sold it,” Boyette laughs.

Boyette may not be giving herself enough credit, though. With 8.5 seconds remaining, Boyette iced that game with a thunderous block to ensure a 98–97 overtime win.

Afterward, 50 Cent had a message for Boyette. “He was like, ‘Whenever you guys play New York, call my people, let us know.’ So he’s a fan,” Boyette says.

It was a high point in a season that was filled with ups and downs.

Back in May, Boyette wasn’t getting crunch-time minutes—or any minutes at all. She picked up three DNPs in the team’s first five games.

“It was really hard for me to be putting in the work and not seeing immediately the results,” she says.

By July, however, Boyette had won the starting job and eventually finished the season first among rookies in field-goal percentage (55.4) to go with averages of 6.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 1.4 bpg.

With a non-stop motor, stretchy wingspan and elite athleticism, Boyette proved to be a defensive force in the paint and a steal at No. 10 in the 2016 Draft.

As far as Twitter campaigns are concerned, Boyette has now started a brand new one: #Bears4Boyette, an effort to get her husband, Texas defensive tackle Paul Boyette, drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft.

“All I have left is finding my husband an NFL team, and that’s it,” she says.

—

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

Photo via Getty Images

The post Hustler’s Ambition appeared first on SLAM.

I was huffing and puffing, gulping water right before Nat “Coach Dee” Lancaster, one of Ultimate Hoop’s trainers, put two hand towels down on the hardwood and told me to crawl to halfcourt.

He can’t be serious.

With my butt in the air, and my head down, I powered through the length of the professional-sized court at Manhattan’s luxurious Sky Building, where a few of the Knicks work out. I tried to come up for air, but Coach Dee barked at me to come right back. With 30 feet left on my crawl, I slipped. I couldn’t help but laugh. I was out of breath, my stomach was on fire, my arms and legs just dead weight and I was crawling across the floor on the court that Carmelo Anthony designed.

A few days earlier, I had spoken to former NBA player and current Ultimate Hoops National Manager of Training, John Thomas. At 6-10, Thomas made a career out of using his body to pull down rebounds, but you’d never know he was a bruiser in the League. He’s a kind soul and a born leader, able to completely articulate himself with a rare sincerity. He calmly described (actually, he gave no warning to how legit my workout would be) a UH training session.

“An Ultimate Hoops training session is looking at basketball from your vantage point, from what your specific basketball goals are,” he said. “Depending on if you take one of our private sessions, or our small group sessions or our larger ones, we’ve got multiple products to help assess your basketball goals. Individually, we’re gonna take a look at your game, offensively, defensively, ensuring where your mindset is and then ultimately tapping those into what are those specific goals.”

My goals as a ballplayer have always been lofty. I’m a short, slow white kid, but I’ve been playing in New York City parks my whole life, relying on my IQ and competitiveness to grind. I played four years of D-III level college ball and I take hoops real seriously. I love this game, I give it my all, even though I know I’m not making the League. I’m also the best player at SLAM.

I know my game and my body and I thought I had a good grasp on how damn strenuous an NBA player’s workout is.

They can do things physically that make no sense, but their mental capacity is what’s always stuck out to me. They all have the ability to say to themselves, ‘One more lap, one more lift, one more rep.’ They somehow find a way to push through even when their body tells them not to, day after day.

Coach Dee knows this. He has firsthand experience as an assistant coach with the Nets. He’s helped Joe Johnson, Jeremy Lin and Brook Lopez. Right after I dapped him up, he said, “Pick up that 10-pound medicine ball and run for four minutes straight.”

As a fairly experienced player, I knew right away that this was gonna suck, but I told myself I was gonna feel great afterwards.

“Speaking from experience, as an elite player, after every workout I wanted to feel [tired] because it’s something that I’ve pushed myself towards,” Thomas said a few days earlier. Yessir.

For the whole hour, I took less than 100 shots. In front of John Thomas, Alan Arlt, UH founder, and Reggie Dance, UH executive, Coach Dee put me through the ringer, challenging my mind to make my body fight the urge to quit. Defensive slides, core work, medicine ball stuff, running.

Afterwards, Coach Dee told me he wanted to break me down so that he knew what he was working with.

It makes sense that UH is growing this quickly. They have more than 30 outposts on the East coast, a handful in LA and have camps with Maya Moore and Ricky Rubio. They’re going to have more 100 certified trainers in the next year and their leagues are competitive as hell.

“Basketball is really about relationships, based upon how you conduct yourself as a professional, how you treat others,” Thomas said. “Typically, word of mouth starts to spread and that’s when you get the opportunity to work with players. From there, when you put on that experience, it’s something that really helps to benefit the player, then word of mouth continues to spread.”

It’s definitely spreading. UH has the ability to make you feel like you’re in the League. Fair warning, though, when you sign up for your Ultimate Hoops training session, the Bear Crawl sucks.

The post Ultimate Hoops is No Joke appeared first on SLAM.

Game 1 ended on Alana Beard’s outrageous buzzerbeater from deep in the right corner. But the Lynx punched right back and dominated Game 2. A terrorizing defensive effort from the Sparks led them to a Game 3 blowout.

They had Minnesota on the ropes in Game 4, too. It was a seesaw battle in front of a star-studded Los Angeles crowd (shouts to Magic, Snoop, Kobe and Lou Will). But Maya Moore put her opponents and their celebrity fans to bed all by herself. Moore finished Game 4 with 31 points and 9 boards, coming through in the clutch when it seemed like everyone else on the Lynx was afraid of the ball.

The highs and lows for each team have led us to this historic WNBA moment. Since the W first instituted the best-of-five series in 2005, only four Finals series have gone the distance. Last season, the it took this same Minnesota team five games to beat the Indiana Fever. That was their third championship in the last five years. All those battles have them ready for Thursday. They’re not sweating another Game 5.

“Pressure? No,” Lynx center, and 2016 DPOY, Sylvia Fowles says. “This is all fun now. We don’t wanna overwhelm ourselves with anything. Of course we wanna keep it at the top of our brains, what we are here for, but at the same time we just wanna have fun and execute.

“The hardest part is just getting to a Game 5,” Fowles continues. “Now it’s all about just paying attention to detail and playing hard every possession and make sure we’re ready to ball and match LA’s energy.”

LA’s energy and focus hasn’t been in doubt the whole season. The team is packed with proven veterans and a pair of MVPs. Kristi Toliver, their sharpshooting floor general, knows that her team is ready for one more game.

“Coach [Brian Agler], from the very beginning of the season, he was talking about having a certain level of focus, a certain level of concentration,” Toliver says. “I don’t think anybody else in the WNBA has watched more film than this team. We do our homework. We prepare. When you do that, you’re able to stay focused in the moment.”

And even though this is a historical moment, in a historical season, Toliver won’t let the Sparks forget what they have to do.

“For us, we have to win one more game. That’s it. Obviously it’s a big game, it’s a big stage and obviously everyone’s very mindful of that. But at the same time, we’re just playing a game. We just need to win a basketball game. That’s our approach.”

The total score of this series is 315-309, in favor of Moore and the Lynx. Two of the best teams the WNBA has ever seen are going to lace ‘em up for one more game. Either Toliver leads the Sparks to their first ring since 2002, or Fowles helps the Lynx capture their fourth chip in the last six years. One thing’s for sure—we’re in for a show.

—

Game 5 of the 2016 WNBA Finals will be on ESPN2 at 8 EST on Thursday night.

The post One More Game appeared first on SLAM.

The Lynx came out hungry for a Game 2 win and pushed their foot way down on the pedal, coming away with a 79-60 victory. Maya Moore dominated for Minnesota. She finished with 21 points and 12 boards and timely backbreaking shots.

Check out the video up top for a behind-the-scenes look at the sights and sounds of Game 2.

Video courtesy of WNBA

The post WATCH: WNBA Finals Game 2 Mini-Movie appeared first on SLAM.

Game 1 of the series was an instant classic. It was close throughout and it ended on a buzzerbeater from Alana Beard. Check out the video above to get a behind-the-scenes look into what’s sure to be one of the best matchups we’ll ever see.

Video courtesy of WNBA

The post WATCH: WNBA Finals Game 1 Mini-Movie appeared first on SLAM.

In the 16 years since their last title, the Detroit Shock (now disbanded), Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx have all won three titles. The Lynx have won three of the last five, and have been to four of the last five Finals. Today, they start their journey for four, tipping off against the Los Angeles Sparks at 3 EST.

Rebekkah Brunson has been the backbone for the Lynx since 2010. The 6-2 forward is in her twelfth season in the League and her sixth with Minnesota. She was part of the Sacramento Monarchs’ championship squad back in 2005, has three chips with the Lynx and if she and the squad win this series, she’ll get her fifth ring, making her the winningest woman in WNBA history. But of course, Brunson isn’t even thinking about rewriting history.

“Right now I’m focused on the moment. Five rings doesn’t mean anything unless you have five rings,” she says. “I can’t start thinking about what that could possibly mean, I just have to focus on what we’re trying to do right now, game by game.”

The Lynx are trying to slow down a Sparks offense led by Candace Parker, the 2008 and 2013 MVP, and Nneka Ogwumike, this season’s MVP. The responsibility of limiting the League’s best front line will fall partly on Brunson’s shoulders. Lynx Assistant coach Jim Peterson says the Lynx are going to rely heavily on Brunson yet again.

“Last year, LA was the hardest series for us,” Peterson says. “We don’t beat LA without Brunson. What she was able to get done against Parker—getting into Parker, making life difficult for Parker, not letting her do what she does. Candace Parker is unbelievably talented. Brunson just plays so hard, she makes life difficult for anybody she plays against.”

The Lynx make life difficult for anybody they play against. They throw out the most comprehensive and dynamic starting five in the League. Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus destroying opposing forwards with constant scoring. Lindsay Whalen carving up defenses to deliver pinpoint passes. Sylvia Fowles dominating the paint. The foursome was part of the Gold Medal-winning 2016 Olympic Squad.

And then there’s Brunson, the overlooked and underrated member of the starting five. The League-leader for all-time playoff games played. Fifth in total career rebounds, second in total postseason rebounds. The owner of four championship rings.

“Everybody focuses on Maya, Whalen, Seimone and Syl, but we don’t win any of these championships without Rebekkah Brunson,” Peterson, who’s been with Lynx for eight years, says.

They don’t see Brunson coming until it’s too late. Until she’s dropped 12 clutch points and snatched 8 impossible rebounds. And there’s no reason to miss out on Brunson—she’s a three-time All-Star, a five-time All-WNBA defensive team member, the Lynx’s franchise leader in double-doubles.

Her teammates and coaching staff recognize both how valuable she is and what winning this series could mean for her.

“I think they’re more excited for me than I am,” Brunson laughs. “I have great teammates. They’re not only great players but they’re great people.

“We just have a special group of people,” she continues. “We care about each other off the court as well on as the court. We also hold each other accountable. We don’t take it personally. My teammates could yell at me and tell me what I need to do, and I know it’s coming from a good place. It’s not coming from a negative place. We’re more capable of listening to each other, allowing great players to guide each other, in order to win and be successful.”

The Lynx have been ridiculously successful. Since 2010, the team has had one MVP (Moore), one DPOY (Fowles) and two COY trophies for Cheryl Reeve.

“One of the great things that Cheryl did, when she came in as head coach, she made Seimone, Whalen and Brunson, be not just team leaders, but vocal team leaders,” Peterson says. “They had to stand in a circle every practice and they would have to talk. They would have to say what they saw, what needed to be done.

“That first year, we were not good. Brunson probably wasn’t a vocal leader on any team she’s been on. But Cheryl made them stand there in a circle and be vocal team leaders. Whalen would always go first, then Cheryl would make Seimone speak. When Brunson spoke, the clarity that she would speak with, the things that she would see, the things she would identify, it was so good. Whenever she would talk, she would say the perfect thing for that time. You just go, ‘Yeah, that’s right.’ That’s the beauty of Rebekkah Brunson.”

—

The best-of-5 2016 WNBA Finals, between the Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks, start today at 3 EST on ABC.

Photo via Getty Images.

The post Rewriting History appeared first on SLAM.

I would make the case that such a moment went down in July.

It’s understandable if we didn’t fully appreciate it. At the intersection of sports and politics, this was a cacophonous, emotional summer. There was the death of Muhammad Ali. There were the countless controversies at the Rio Olympics. And there was that moment at the ESPYs when Carmelo, CP3, D-Wade and LeBron opened the show by speaking about police violence and made a public commitment to use their platform to help agitate for a solution.

In a smaller font, with far less attention, this summer was also when WNBA stars like Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Rebekkah Brunson (above with Moore), Swin Cash and Tina Charles used their own platform to wear political t-shirts during their pre-game warmups. Emblazoned upon these black t-shirts were the names of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, both killed by police, as well as a message of support for the Dallas police officers killed by a sniper at a demonstration against police violence. Then came the crackdown. WNBA President Lisa Borders—following the direction of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, according to my reporting—sent letters to all the teams involved in these kinds of on-court political statements.

Players were warned of fines if they continued to wear anything other than official warm-ups before games. Silver’s belief—and it’s a fine line—is that he wants players to be able to express themselves politically…just not on the court. As he said at his press conference during the Vegas Summer League, “My preference would be that players adhere to our uniform rules, both in the NBA and the WNBA. I think it’s a very slippery slope. As to where you would draw the line when it’s appropriate for a particular player to use that, use a game, pregame, as a political forum, I think it’s a dangerous road for us to go down. So I would greatly prefer that the players use the platform they’re given, social media, press conferences, media in locker rooms, however they want to do it, to make their political points of view be known.”

This was, NBA officials told me, the same policy exercised toward NBA players like LeBron James, Derrick Rose and Kyrie Irving after they wore “I Can’t Breathe” shirts following the death of Staten Island’s Eric Garner, who died after being put in a police choke hold. LeBron and company complied with the NBA’s wishes: They wore the shirts until they were asked not to. Yet the players in the WNBA refused to comply. They were fined $500 but refused to pay. They pledged to not speak to the media about anything other than the political reasons for why they would continue to protest. Even Carmelo expressed his support, saying, “I don’t see no reason to fine them. If anything you should want to support them.”

The players in the WNBA were saying that the League Office does not have power over their rights to express themselves on the court—that this is in fact contested space and they would fight for that space. Then something remarkable happened: with very little fanfare, the NBA blinked. A tersely worded statement from Lisa Borders was issued that the fines would be rescinded. The players stood their ground and they won.

This story, told at the margins of the sports page, matters because the NBA season is now set to begin and the League’s biggest stars have made it explicitly clear that they plan on speaking out about the world around them. It just got easier thanks to the women of the WNBA. They showed what solidarity, strength and resistance to corporate pressure looks like. In doing so, they have created space for NBA stars who care about these issues to have an easier time with Adam Silver and anyone who would hope to muzzle them. That door is now open. All they have to do is walk on through.

—

Photo via Getty Images

The post Can’t Hold Us Down appeared first on SLAM.

To promote the loser-goes-home game, the WNBA brought the stars together. In the video above, you’ll spot Griner, Diana Taurasi, Stephen Curry, Kristaps Porzingis, Drizzy, Kevin Durant, Candace Parker, Maya Moore, Jerome “The Junkyard Dog” Williams, Kevin Hart, DeMarcus Cousins, Skylar Diggins, Kyle Lowry and Sue Bird. Serious star power.

Tune in to NBA TV at 7 EST to watch the game tomorrow night, when you’ll this commercial during the broadcast.

Video courtesy of WNBA

The post Drake, Kevin Hart Star in WNBA’s ‘Pass the Ball’ Commercial appeared first on SLAM.

This season has also served as Breanna Stewart’s personal playground. The rookie is playing like anything but, averaging 19 points and 9 rebounds, both top-10 in the W.

Her stellar play and overall appeal has landed her at the top of WNBA.com’s sales page. The League just announced their highest selling jerseys, headlined by the 2016 number one overall pick.

1.      Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm

2.      Skylar Diggins, Dallas Wings

3.      Elena Delle Donne, Chicago Sky

4.      Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx

5.      Shoni Schimmel, New York Liberty

6.      Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury

7.      Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks

8.      Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury

9.      Sue Bird, Seattle Storm

10.  Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever

—

The WNBA resumes its historic 20th season on Friday, August 26 with the Seattle Storm hosting the L.A. Sparks and it tips off the WNBA Super20 sweepstakes, where fans can buy a ticket to a WNBA game and be automatically entered for a chance to win tickets to WNBA All-Star 2017, NBA All-Star 2017, or a grand prize of $20,000!

The post Breanna Stewart Has the Highest Selling Jersey in the WNBA appeared first on SLAM.

"This is a human issue & we need to speak up for change, together." -Maya pic.twitter.com/tyfl65Ag81

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) July 9, 2016

Team captains Maya Moore, Rebekkah Brunson, Lindsay Whalen and Seimone Augustus spoke to the media before the game. Moore said, “Senseless violence and retaliation will not bring us peace. We as a nation can decide to stand up for what is right, no matter your race, background or social status.”

The Lynx’ coach Cheryl Reeve offered this on twitter:

To rebut BLM with 'All Lives Matter' implies that all lives are equally at risk, and they're not. #BlackLivesMatter doesn't mean your life

— Cheryl Reeve (@LynxCoachReeve) July 7, 2016

isn't important if you aren't black – it means that Black lives, which are seen without value within White supremacy, are important.

— Cheryl Reeve (@LynxCoachReeve) July 7, 2016

The shirts, which were printed without notice to the WNBA, read, “Change starts with us—Justice & Accountability.” On the back of the shirt were the names Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, the Dallas Police Department shield and, at the bottom, “Black Lives Matter.” Castile and Sterling were both shot and killed by police officers last week.

Castile died just a short drive from where the Lynx play, in the suburbs of St. Paul, during a traffic stop on Wednesday.

President of the Minneapolis Police Federation, Lt. Bob Kroll, not only “commended” the cops, but said, “If [the players] are going to keep their stance, all officers may refuse to work there.” From the Star Tribune:

Lt. Bob Kroll, president of the Minneapolis Police Federation, the union that represents rank-and-file officers, praised them for quitting. “I commend them for it,” he said.

 

Kroll said the four officers also removed themselves from a list of officers working future games. He did not know who the officers were. “Others said they heard about it and they were not going to work Lynx games,” he said.

 

Asked if other officers will fill in for those who quit, Kroll said, “If [the players] are going to keep their stance, all officers may refuse to work there.”

 

Asked about a report that seven or eight officers had walked off the job, Kroll said, “They only have four officers working the event because the Lynx have such a pathetic draw.”

The Lynx turned out to be just the first to take a stand. The members of the New York Liberty paid tribute to the shooting victims and held a similar pre-game press conference on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

#BlackLivesMatter #Dallas5
#_____________________ pic.twitter.com/nzqDNziQ0h

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) July 10, 2016

The post Minnesota Police Leave Security Posts Over Players’ Warm-Up Shirts appeared first on SLAM.

15 WNBA family members–former players to current coaches, women who didn’t get a chance to play in the W, and journalists–made up the voting committee. A total of 60 players, both current and former, were nominated to be on the final list.

Lists like these are invitations for debate. No Chamique Holdsclaw, Elena Delle Donne, Katie Douglas, Teresa Edwards or Dawn Staley? Three Lynx players? Nine current players and 11 former? Why not 10 for each?

The one thing this list does this confirm is how incredibly stacked the W’s talent pool has been for 20 years. From Lisa Leslie to Maya Moore, there has been no drop-off in talent. The WNBA’s Top 20@20 includes:

Seimone Augustus  |  Sue Bird  |  Swin Cash  |  Tamika Catchings
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke  |  Yolanda Griffith  |  Becky Hammon
Lauren Jackson  |  Lisa Leslie  |  Maya Moore  |  Deanna Nolan
Candace Parker  |  Ticha Penicheiro  |  Cappie Pondexter
Katie Smith  |  Sheryl Swoopes  |  Diana Taurasi
Tina Thompson  |  Teresa Weatherspoon  |  Lindsay Whalen

“The 20 women honored today are an extraordinarily accomplished group both on and off the basketball court,” said WNBA President Lisa Borders, via a press release.  “On the court, they represent the absolute best in women’s professional basketball and are in so many ways larger than life. Off the court, they represent their teams, hometowns and communities in which they live and work with the utmost professionalism. And most importantly, they represent the hopes and dreams of generations of young girls all over the world – the future of the WNBA.”

The post WNBA Unveils ‘Top 20@20’ appeared first on SLAM.

The defending champion Minnesota Lynx have exploded to a 12-0 record. The Los Angeles Sparks are hot on their trail, standing at 11-0. After ten or more games, these are the only two professional sports teams in the history of America to be undefeated. Go ahead and count ‘em off. That includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL.

The Lynx and the Sparks are all set to tango this afternoon, 3:30 EST on NBA TV, when someone is going home with a loss. The historical context of this moment isn’t lost on the Sparks’ three-time All-Star, Nneka Ogwumike.

“In this 20th season, celebrating how far the WNBA has got, this is remarkable for two teams to be doing something like this,” Ogwumike says.

“We’re doing something that no other professional sports league has done,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve says. “That’s fun. Both LA and Minnesota, we understand playing each other, whether we’re playing tiddlywinks or spoons. Whatever it is, whatever time the game is, wherever the game’s being played, we just really enjoy the competition of playing a quality team like LA.

“I’m envious of our players,” Coach Reeve continues. “This is the time that I’d love roll back the clock and being able to put my shoes on and get out there and play.”

Both squads, of course, are consistently harping on the fact that today’s matchup won’t win them a chip. But it will help them get there.

“We don’t look too far down the line,” Sparks head coach Brian Agler says. “We know we can’t win a championship today. We won’t win a championship tomorrow. But we can take a step forward each and every day. If we move in that right, positive direction, we’ll be in the position that we should be at the end of the season.”

The Lynx have been moving in a positive direction for five years now. They’ve won three championships since Maya Moore got drafted back in 2011. Coach Reeve knows that today’s game is just a single moment in a season full of pressure-packed games.

“We don’t look up,” Coach Reeve says. “We stay in the moment. When we win a game, we don’t go, ‘Ok, now our record is this.’ We just don’t do that. We put everything we have into a moment and when that moment is done, we fold it up, put it away and move onto the next moment. This team is exceptional at doing that. People ask why we’ve been good for so long. That is probably the most understated thing.”

The Sparks are trying to win their first title since 2002, when Lisa Leslie was still the most dominant player in the game. This is their deepest team since that ’02 run, which capped off a pair of consecutive titles. Not only are Ogwumike and Agler aware of what today’s battle means for the team, but they’re aware of what the future holds for this stacked squad.

“We have a combination of people that could start,” Ogwumike says. “That’s what’s so special about our team. Everybody understands that it’s not about who starts a game and it’s not necessarily is about who’s expected to score the most points. It can be anybody’s night on any given night.”

“They keep things in perspective and they understand the bigger picture,” Coach Agler says about his selfless bench. “They know the next game could be their night, so they’re always ready to play.”

Both the Lynx and Sparks are more than ready to play today. It’ll be the first of three regular season matchups between them and almost certainly a Finals preview. All-world, all-everything Maya Moore knows tomorrow is about more than just a game.

“You look back and realize, wow, this was a big moment,” the four-time All-Star and former MVP says. “This is gonna be such a fun game. All the bigness of tomorrow is gonna result in it being an exciting game. Maybe I’ll take some time later to figure out how this moment comes together with WNBA history or my history.”

The post The Haymaker Game appeared first on SLAM.

In a small, bright den, some of Walker’s own jerseys are on display. There is one each from his time with his hometown AAU squad, the New York Gauchos; with Rice HS, in Harlem; at UConn, where he won a national title; with the Charlotte Bobcats, the franchise that drafted him; with the reborn Charlotte Hornets, with whom he’s thrived. But, amidst this sort of hoops shrine, there is an item out of place: a drum kit. It is padded and color-coded, an accessory for Rock Band, Walker’s favorite game. Today is a rare mid-season day off but it holds its own excitement—the Panthers will play in the Super Bowl in a few hours. No better time for Walker to jam out (virtually), one would think. Only there is a problem.

“The people here,” he says, referring to the group of friends and family with whom he lives, “they piss me off. They’re boring, man. They don’t like playing stuff like that. My dudes from college, though, they woulda loved to do this. That’s what we’d do in college. We used to go over to the girls’ team apartment and play Rock Band. Like Maya Moore and those girls. Oh, man. They used to kill that game.”

Bay windows overlook a quiet gated road. Walker, now 26, sits on a white L-shaped couch facing three TVs. He flips through the channels, searching for some daytime action on League Pass. He just woke up from a nap, but his goatee looks as sharp as ever. He’s wearing a snapback, a hoodie, athletic shorts and Jordans, all black, save for a white UConn t-shirt.

In the words of Jeremy Lamb, a fellow Husky who has reunited with Walker in Charlotte: “He’s very cool. He’s from New York, so—he can really dress.”

Walker, a Bronx native, is relaxed but talkative, and often flashes a wide grin. Perhaps he is just in a good mood today, but then, as rookie Frank Kaminsky points out, “He’s always got that big smile on his face.”

And why shouldn’t he? Walker has enjoyed a breakthrough season, averaging 21 ppg while shooting 43 percent from the floor—both career-bests. During one week in mid-January, he dropped 52 on Monday and 40 on Friday. Across February and March, he averaged 22.5 points while leading the Hornets to a 20-6 record. By April, Charlotte had established itself as top-10 on both ends, and proved to be a tough out in the Playoffs, falling to the Heat in seven games.

Drafted No. 9 in 2011, Walker entered the League right before the lockout. He struggled his rookie season, and Charlotte posted the lowest win percentage in NBA history that year. (Upside: “When I got here, [Michael Jordan] would come down and play 1-on-1,” Walker says. “He’ll never lose it.”) In the three seasons that followed, Charlotte seemed trapped in a dreary cycle of mediocrity—a decent season resulted in a decent Draft pick, which fed into another decent season, and so on. In those years, it was fair to doubt if Walker, a fan-favorite despite unsightly shooting percentages, would ever rescue his team from such misery. But in his fifth season, he did just that.

“He’s really improved his game,” Lamb says. “He has different ways of scoring now. He has a one-foot step-back, his handle has gotten even better, and he has different finishes around the rim.”

This season, Walker shot 57 percent inside the restricted area, outstanding for a PG. It represents an 8-point bump from last year—just one slice of an exciting trend. The previous season Walker shot 38 percent overall (on 15.8 attempts per) and 30 percent on threes (4.5). In the history of the NBA, no player has combined such volume with such inaccuracy. Now, his FGP is on par with John Wall’s, and he’s keeping pace with Chris Paul from deep (38 percent).

The stats and standings suggest Walker has ascended to NBA stardom. And yet, he’s still a score-first point guard, still 5-foot-something, still in Charlotte, still the best on his team; still Kemba, basically.

“You know what,” Walker begins, “I think I’ve played basically the same—I’m just shooting the ball at a higher percentage. I worked on my shot a lot this summer, and we got a shooting coach [Bruce Kreutzer—Ed.] who’s helped me a lot. Plus I’m taking better shots due to the players that we have.” (Over the summer, Charlotte acquired Lamb and Nicolas Batum via trade and signed Jeremy Lin.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngXmLjAaYtY

Hornets coach Steve Clifford believes Kemba’s breakout year was overdue. “A lot of times, we look at numbers, but we don’t study the why behind them,” Clifford says. “Often, a guy is playing on a team that makes it difficult on him because there’s no room [on the floor]. The additions to our roster have given Kemba more room. He’s always been good in the pick and roll, and now his long-range shooting has changed everything.”

Imagine guarding Walker. A screen is set for him at the top of the key. Your instinct is to stay under the pick, since historically, his strength is his drive. So you relax, leaving a suddenly good three-point shooter wide open. That’s bad. On Charlotte’s next trip down, you hop over that screen, afraid to allow another triple. But Walker ditches you near the arc and darts ahead. He can then (A) turn the ball over, but he won’t, since no one controls it better; (B) go to the rim, where he now finishes as well as anybody; or (C) kick it back out—the Hornets hit more threes per game than anyone in the East. So that’s also bad. And that’s why the Hornets are good.

Says Lamb of Walker: “He’s our leader, and we go as he goes.”

Al Jefferson takes it one step further. “Kemba’s the franchise,” he says. “This is his team. It’s very important for him to play that role. And he does so many great things. He’s a great offensive player, but he also takes the challenge on defense. If we’re facing Stephen Curry, it’s kinda hard for anybody to stop him, but Kemba will take that challenge. He wants that challenge. That’s something you only see the great players in this League do.”

On the floor, Walker is animated and busy. He gives his teammates the old grin after most buckets—his or theirs, big or small. (If the moment is significant enough, he might celebrate with a subtler version of the Antoine Walker shimmy.) He’s an excellent communicator on defense, according to Clifford, who adds that, “This year, he’s been more verbal in practices, in huddles, and in the locker room, too. That’s helped everybody.”

Walker is a thrill in transition, where nobody can cut him off. The NBA’s tracking data shows that he runs about 2.5 miles each night—among the most in the L. His buoyant movements in the half-court evoke prime Deron Williams, and Walker’s three-point shot evokes a guy on a small trampoline attempting a three-point shot.

Away from basketball, Walker’s life is grounded. “I go to the mall by myself sometimes and don’t get bothered much,” he says. “Charlotte is a really dope city. It’s real cool—it’s quiet. I love it.” A few years ago, Walker bought his parents Paul and Andrea a house nearby, and his mom sits behind the bench during home games. “She’s definitely the life of the games,” he says. “She’s a little nuts, but I guess it’s aight.” He goes to the movies and bowls. He begrudgingly plays 2K with his friends (rarely as himself).

Before each Hornets game, Walker eats a home-cooked grilled chicken sandwich or salmon filet. He then follows a modest pre-game tradition, but, as he explains it, “I can’t tell the world my ritual, ’cause then it won’t be my ritual like that, you know. It’s a secret.” But two of Walker’s teammates, who will remain anonymous due to the sensitive subject matter at hand, suggest that the proceedings involve a Future song, on which, according to one player, “Future actually does a little singing.” Laments the other player: “Everybody stopped liking the song ’cause we hear it every day.”

Mostly, Walker watches ball—a new love, oddly enough. Growing up, Kemba didn’t see himself as the The Next Great New York Point Guard, succeeding legends like Kenny Anderson, Mark Jackson, Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair. In fact, as he explains it, “I appreciate those guys, but I wasn’t into ball that much [as a kid]. When I went to high school, I still wasn’t really watching basketball. I was just playing ’cause I loved to play.”

Relaxing on the couch, Walker tunes in to a pair of matinee games: Celtics-Kings and Knicks-Nuggets. The room’s third TV, large and centered, is supposed to feature L.A. versus Miami, but Kemba is having trouble controlling the cable box. Instead, we are watching a chubby teenager explain some mathematic principles on a fuzzy local program.

Eventually, Walker finds the right channel. It’s Clippers by 7 late in the fourth, when Jamal Crawford hoists what would be a backbreaking three.

“Whew! Gametime,” announces Walker, familiar with the moment. Nobody in the NBA has scored more points than Kemba in the final few minutes of one-possession games this year. Of course, Walker’s reputation as a dependable crunch-time scorer precedes such numbers.

Clutch play first put Walker on the map. Back in March of Kemba’s junior year, UConn won the Big East Tournament in thrilling fashion. His step-back buzzer-beater against Pittsburgh icing the third of five wins that week remains the lasting moment.

The Huskies entered the Dance at No. 3, and, well, “When we got the brackets, I kinda went through, like, Yeah, we could beat them, we could beat them, we could get pretty far,” Walker remembers. Connecticut toppled Arizona (led by Derrick Williams) and Kentucky (Brandon Knight) to reach the final game where it faced Butler. Walker led all scorers with 16 in the win—the Huskies’ 11th in a row.

But Kemba doesn’t need to be reminded about any of that.

“I have, like, a hard drive somewhere, and I watch the games, from the first game of the Big East Tournament to the last game of the NCAA Tournament, all the time,” he says. “We wanted to shock the world.”

Indeed, the Huskies had at least one man glued to the screen.

“I don’t usually watch college basketball, but Kemba was the guy I watched,” says Jefferson, who entered the NBA out of high school. “I knew he’d be something special. That’s exactly who he is. He has that fire in his eyes. He’s a small guy, but he’s a giant trapped in a small body.”

Says the undersized dynamo himself: “I never really think about my height. You know because I always feel like, when I’m playing, I don’t feel like I’m 5-11 or 6-feet or whatever. I feel like I’m 7-feet, actually. When I’m playing, I don’t care. I don’t play like a little guy. When I’m playing, I feel like a giant.”

—

Leo Sepkowitz is an Editorial Assistant at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @LeoSepkowitz. Photos via Getty Images.

The post New Level appeared first on SLAM.

The initial boom of the WNBA rang out across the nation. Here were these larger-than-life women, getting buckets, raising awareness, inspiring a younger generation. Lisa Leslie, Tina Thompson, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, Ticha Penicheiro, Katie Smith, Teresa Weatherspoon, Yolanda Griffith. They could absolutely ball.

The W kept rolling out the star power. Next came Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, Cappie Pondexter, Swin Cash. And eventually Candace Parker came down the pipeline, along with Maya Moore, Elena Delle Donne and Brittney Griner.

The league’s list of high-profile players has never been short. Somewhere between Lisa Leslie catching her first poster and Maya Moore hitting that game-winner in last year’s finals, however, something changed. The national narrative shifted back to women’s basketball not being worth a man’s time. But there hasn’t been a better time than now to tune in.

“We have a lot of different types of women and players,” Mystics center Stefanie Dolson says. “We still have those superstars, like Diana, like Candace, they’re still in the game. Then you have a new generation of players coming in. Brittney Griner, Skylar, Elena. And then my class. In my class, we have some great personalities. We’re very skilled too.”

Damn skippy, Stef.

The League is littered with extremely talented players, who can shoot, pass, dribble, rebound and defend. Dolson, at 6-5, shot 47.6 percent from distance last year. And she was top-10 in blocks.

Incoming Chicago Sky rookie center Imani Boyette credits grassroots ball for the uptick in talent.

“We’re getting better younger,” Boyette says. “High school basketball, AAU, people aren’t just playing for fun anymore. Everybody’s developing more skills.

“My mom was a center back in the day, at 6-2. And she’s huge. Now, 6-2, you need to be a guard,” Boyette says. “Our game is changing. We have players like Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne.

“I asked Elena how she became a guard. Did it happen slowly? I was just wondering. She was like, ‘No, I’ve been a guard my whole life.’ We’re not one-dimensional anymore,” Boyette adds. “That’s great.”

Boyette’s mother is Pam McGee, former No. 2 overall pick in the ’97 Draft, at age 34. Pam also starred for the Trojans and the Women’s National Team. Boyette’s brother is JaVale McGee. Her family friend is Lisa. Well, she gets to call her Lisa. We know her as Lisa Leslie.

“I was actually at the game that Lisa dunked at,” the 21-year-old says. “I don’t think I realized how important it was. I was just like, Oh, everyone’s screaming.” Imani was only 7 when LL packed that one home.

2014 ROY Chiney Ogwumike is only two years older than Boyette. She has very deep feelings about those early days in the WNBA. Specifically her hometown Comets.

“Before we even knew basketball, we went to a Houston Comets game,” Chiney says about herself and her older sister, Nneka, who won the 2012 ROY with the L.A. Sparks.

“I’m mad we don’t have the Houston Comets anymore,” Chiney continues. “It was such an integral part to the sports culture in Houston. We had the best players in the WNBA in Houston.”

Sheryl Swoopes still has a hold over Ogwumike.

“I feel like we’re the last of a dying breed,” Ogwumike says. “[Sheryl] says back in her day, the game was tough. We wanna cary that legacy of playing basketball the right way, of being fierce competitors.”

This is the modern WNBA. Where Chiney Ogwumike crashes the offensive boards like a young Charles Oakley. Where Stefanie Dolson steps out to 23 feet like Bob McAdoo. Where Imani Boyette runs the floor like Anthony Davis. The game has never been better.

The W’s brightest aren’t only getting b-b-buckets on the court—they’re making a difference off of it, in both life and basketball.

“To have a voice in a positive way for younger girls, I wanna take the opportunity that I have to be a positive role model for girls,” Dolson says.

Ogwumike knows how many kids she has an influence over. “If you show them, ‘Hey, this is what’s possible. It’s possible to do multiple things,’ I think people will see that and do it as well,” she says.

“I’m proud to be myself, in the WNBA. We’re very much on the right side of history,” Boyette says. “Look at these women. These powerful women. I want my daughter to be like Lisa Leslie, Elena Delle Donne. It’s bigger than just the sport.”

“Before you start talking about the WNBA, go to a game,” Ogwumike adds. “More often than not, you’ll enjoy it.

“It’s laziness on people to not have an open mind, because they’re just sitting behind their phones,” she continues. “This is how people have decided to write off our league. But there’s a reason why it’s still standing after 20 years.”

It’s still standing because of how hard these players and coaches are working.

“The achievements that most of us women have gotten through the years, not even just in the WNBA, but through college and overseas, if they really stopped and watched us play, they would be surprised,” Dolson says. “Most people that don’t watch us, they think that we’re boring because we can’t dunk and it’s not as fun as the guys, but we do so many little things and we play basketball as such a team sport.”

“It’s a grind,” Ogwumike says. “You don’t wanna be crossed up by Seimone Augustus, you don’t wanna be running down the paint on a fastbreak next to Brittney Griner, you don’t wanna have to contest Maya Moore late. The WNBA is the best league of women’s basketball in the world. There’s a lot of work ethic.”

“We’re the real basketball wives,” continues Ogwumike, without a hint of doubt in her voice. “We’re the real ones married to the game.”

—

The WNBA tips off its 20th season on Saturday, May 14 with five games, highlighted by an ESPN telecast showcasing a matchup between the Lynx and the Mercury (7:30 p.m. ET), rivals who met in the Western Conference finals in each of the past three seasons. For more info, go to WNBA.com.

The post Watch Them Work appeared first on SLAM.

The season starts with the Dallas Wings in Indiana at 6 ET. The defending champ Lynx start their season against the Mercury at 7:30 ET.

Check out the video up top and hit up the WNBA‘s Twitter account for more.

The post WATCH: Preview of WNBA’s Newest Ad featuring Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Skylar Diggins, Maya Moore, Brittney Griner appeared first on SLAM.

Three-time Gold medalists Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings and Sue Bird will captain the veteran squad. Reigning WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Brittney Griner join the team for the first time:

• Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx)

• Sue Bird (Seattle Storm)

• Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever)

• Tina Charles (New York Liberty)

• Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky)

• Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx)

• Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury)

• Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream)

• Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx)

• Breanna Stewart (University of Connecticut)

• Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury)

• Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx)

Five of head coach Geno Auriemma’s  former players were named to the squad, including 21-year-old WNBA rookie Breanna Stewart.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Candace Parker was left off the roster.

I'm very disappointed @Candace_Parker wasn't selected to the USA Basketball Women's Olympic Team.

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 26, 2016

I feel @Candace_Parker is the best all around women's basketball player in the world!

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 26, 2016

I was surprised & disappointed to be left off the 2016 USA Olympic Team. But I wish all the members of the team GOODLUCK in Rio. #Gold

— Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) April 26, 2016

The post Five Former UConn Huskies Headline 2016 Olympic Women’s Basketball Roster appeared first on SLAM.

JBC week in New York is akin to the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, minus the extravagant alcohol-fueled parties and overbearing autograph seekers. It’s no match in terms of global cache, of course, but it’s undeniably one of the best events of the basketball calendar each year, for its combination of incredible basketball talent and “did that just happen?” moments with celebrities, legends and the players themselves.

Most importantly: it’s just genuinely fun.

The kids are in good spirits. The brand hooks them up. The media access is great. The fans are passionate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1gj8loLZW8

Like Tuesday, when after NBA legend and Jordan Brand athlete Ray Allen gave some remarks at this year’s “opening ceremonies” held at Terminal 23 in Manhattan, it became immediately apparent that, Yeah, these are still just high school kids. Within minutes of being set free at the tricked-out players’ lounge (pool tables, ping-pong, video games, the works), Michigan State-bound Miles Bridges and Duke-bound Jayson Tatum were performing a karaoke version of Future’s “March Madness” for their peers. A year from now, Bridges and Tatum will likely be lottery picks in the NBA Draft. Here they were, laughing and rapping and dancing—you know, being kids in a world where soon their every move will be tracked and every tweet turned into a bloggable news item.

Like Wednesday at 166 Flatbush, Jordan’s interactive retail pop-up space across from the Barclays and next to Shake Shack, where fans lined up for hours before it opened, engulfing the True Religion store with hopes of getting a glimpse inside the Jumpman shrine. With good reason: the Jordan Ultra.Fly, the Air Jordan XXX, the Letterman 1s and more were on display and on sale, not to mention a full-service barbershop, in-house bodega and virtual training station to track your skills. The players even got the chance to design custom t-shirts, like this one that Kentucky-bound Malik Monk created for himself:

Like Friday for the main event, the list of courtside cameos for which this year was strong, from JBC alums like Jabari Parker, Tyler Ennis, Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker and Jamal Murray (word to #BBN, again) to Giants WR Victor Cruz to Brooklyn rapper Desiigner—whose post-game performance of “Panda” had the Barclays crowd more energized than any Nets game in months—plus current All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Maya Moore. Fellow prospect Thon Maker showed up at one point and dapped up every player on the East bench during a timeout. Because, why not—after years on the high school hoops circuit, those are his boys.

It doesn’t take an expert to know that in 2016, HS basketball is big business. And sure, much of the glamour of the JBC can be attributed to Jordan’s emphasis on marketing the brand. But by letting the kids simply be kids, bringing in NBA ballers not just to make appearances and dip, but to actually be a part of the week, and allowing fans to participate in the week leading up to the featured games, Jordan’s been able to thread the needle: Jordan Brand Classic is cool. Still. In a culture where cool typically turns to corny as soon as a corporate entity seizes even the slightest control.

Scroll through the photos in the gallery above to get a sense of the week that was for the high school kids, from tourist attractions in NYC to gearing up for practice and the games.

The post 2016 Jordan Brand Classic Week Recap appeared first on SLAM.

There are now 25 basketball players competing for 12 spots on the US Olympic Women’s Basketball Team. Fifteen of the 25 recently participated in a three-day training game run by USA Basketball at the University of Connecticut from February 21-23.

On the first day of the training game, SLAM spoke with Carol Callan, USA Basketball’s National Team Director to discuss the selection process. Callan is the chairperson of the selection committee for the women’s team that will compete in this summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The other members of the selection committee are Renee Brown, the WNBA’s Chief of Basketball Operations and Player Relations, Dan Hughes, Head Coach and General Manager of the San Antonio Stars, Chris Sienko , General Manager of the Connecticut Sun, and Katie Smith, assistant coach with the New York Liberty.

Carol spoke about how the following factors played a role in the selection process: individual talent, players who fit roles on the team, sentimentality, age, previous Olympic or international experience, previous opportunities to be in the Olympics, and previous relationships with coaching and administrative staff.

Ten of the players have played in previous Olympics: Seimone Augustus, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles, Angel McCoughtry, Maya Moore, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi and Lindsay Whalen.

The US Olympic Women’s Basketball Team has won five straight Gold medals going back to 1996.

This roster is so loaded that if the 6 of the 25 players who played at UConn under current Olympic head coach Geno Auriemma constituted the starting five and the sixth man, they could probably be in the mix for the Gold. Auriemma was also the head coach for the US Olympic Women’s team in 2012.

It is expected that cutting the 25 to the final 12-woman roster will occur at one time, most likely late spring or early summer.

The current roster is:

The post Selecting the 2016 Women’s Olympic Basketball Team (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

All the same, no basketball fan in her right mind considers Horry to be greater than Jordan. Horry was a great complementary player, sure, but it was the all-timers around him who did the heavy lifting.

Imagine, though, Horry was considerably more talented, skilled and athletic—imagine his abilities resembled Kawhi Leonard’s. In that case, he certainly would have played a bigger role in the titles his teams won, and he would have bagged a few NBA Finals MVPs himself.

Yet as good as Leonard has become, he’s still not on par with Bird, Magic or LeBron in their primes. And even if a Leonard-level player had Horry-level hardware, he still doesn’t surpass Jordan.

Why? Because Jordan’s greatness doesn’t come solely from the quantity of titles he won. It also comes from his individual exploits, the sheer consistency of the overwhelming dominance he displayed throughout every regular and postseason he played with the Chicago Bulls.

The point is worth remembering in the wake of Tuesday night, when the UConn women beat Syracuse to secure their fourth straight championship. The win further catapulted UConn superstar Breanna Stewart into rare air, prompting the question of whether she is the greatest player—man or woman—in the history of college basketball.

“Stewie” has proven to be as devastating at her level as Kawhi Leonard is at his, steadily crushing opponents’ will with her 6-4 length, shooting range and versatility. On top of that, she was the best player on the only Division I women’s team to lose only once in a three-season span and the only team to win four consecutive national titles. Oh, and she’s also the only person to win four NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player awards.

As great as Stewart was though, she’s not the greatest college basketball player of all time. Other players—men and women—make stronger arguments despite winning fewer national titles.

Take Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, for example. For three straight seasons at UCLA, Abdul-Jabbar (aka Lew Alcindor) matched or one-upped Stewie in practically every category. The Bruins’ prestige has dropped in recent years, to the point where their odds to win the 2017 NCAA Championship are on par with Vanderbilt’s, but in the late 1960s UCLA was even more dominant than the UConn women are now. Abdul-Jabbar’s Bruins won 98 percent of their games compared to 96.8 percent for Stewart’s Huskies.

Both Abdul-Jabbar and Stewart won the Most Outstanding Player award every postseason they qualified for it. In the late 1960s, freshmen weren’t allowed to play varsity, but had Abdul-Jabbar been eligible he likely would have won it as a freshman too.

Abdul-Jabbar separates himself from Stewart when it comes to individual statistics. He bore more of the burden for his team and delivered more often at a higher level. The fact Stewart averaged 10.3 rebounds and 19 points in national title games looks really impressive—until you compare that line to Abdul-Jabbar’s title game averages: 18 rebounds and 30.3 points (on 70 percent shooting).

A side-by-side comparison of statistics from each player’s first three seasons further confirms that Abdul-Jabbar is in a class of his own when it comes to mixing individual accomplishment and team success:

Year One

Year Two

Year Three

OK, so maybe bringing the men into it was a bit much.

In terms of women’s college basketball only, how good is Stewart’s G.O.A.T. case? Here nobody separates themselves like Abdul-Jabbar, but a few players still surpass her in important areas. USC legend Cheryl Miller, for instance, won two titles but was a vastly more dominant individual force. Her freshman season alone was a masterpiece, while Stewart’s freshman year looked relatively pedestrian (more to come on this later).

Critically, Stewart is far from the consensus best player in the history of her own program. More insiders maintain that distinction belong with Diana Taurasi, whose Huskies won three titles from 2002-2004. Taurasi didn’t have the benefit of playing with as many All-Americans as Stewart did, ESPN analyst Doris Burke points out to the Hartford Courant: “In Diana’s final two seasons, so much of their success on those National Championships was driven by her. She had the ball in her hands for extended periods. She had the ball in her hands for the most important moments.”

Burke continues: “She made the players around her be above the level that maybe they thought they could play at. In terms of the weight of responsibility and that certain something that certain athletes have to raise the level of the people around them, Diana didn’t have Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson, the next two best players in the country [after Stewart] in my estimation.”

Taurasi had the luxury of those caliber of players in her sophomore year, but it was pretty much her show the next two seasons. Whereas Stewart et al rolled in as overwhelming favorites in practically every post-season game played later in her career, Taurasi’s Huskies were an underdog in the semifinal against Texas her junior year. “We had no business winning that game,” Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma told Zach Lowe. “She made everybody around her feel like they could do anything.”

Comparing The Best of The Best

Freshman Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

Make no mistake about it: Whether surrounded by other All-Americans or not, Stewart is a great player. But her greatness doesn’t transcend and overwhelm in the same way Michael Jordan did in the NBA, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Cheryl Miller did in college. Hardly any players ever reach this level, so that shouldn’t be an indictment against Stewart or take away from all that she has helped accomplish.

As Burke put in during Tuesday’s title game broadcast, “After a rocky first year at Connecticut, Stewart has gone on to become the most decorated and most successful player in history.”

Those two descriptions should be enough.

What about other all-time college greats like Bill Walton, Maya Moore, Brittney Griner, Sheryl Swoopes and Chamique Holdsclaw? See how they stack up to the above players here.

The post Back To Back To Back To Back appeared first on SLAM.

See below for the press release from the Atlanta Tip-Off Club:

Lonzo Ball, senior guard for the top-ranked team in the country, Chino Hills High School (Calif.), and senior guard Jackie Young of Princeton Community High School (Ind.), have been named winners of the 2016 Naismith Trophy presented by Hilton Worldwide, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.

 

Ball is averaging a triple-double this season with 25.4 points, 12.9 assists and 11.5 rebounds per game. His exceptional play led the Huskies to the team’s first Southern Section championship, and they have advanced to the Open Division bracket of the CIF state playoffs. Ball is now the third high school award winner to go on to play collegiately at UCLA, following Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman High School, Las Vegas) in 2012 and Kevin Love (Lake Oswego High School, Lake Oswego, Oregon) in 2007.

 

Young graduates from Princeton Community High as the all-time leading scorer (3,268 points) of either gender in the state of Indiana. The accomplishment garnered her recognition from the Indiana General Assembly. From November 2014 to February 2016 she led the Lady Tigers to 53 consecutive wins. Young is the team leader in field goal percentage, rebounds, free throw percentage, assists and steals. She will go on to play collegiately at the University of Notre Dame, following another Naismith Trophy winner who hailed from Indiana, Skylar Diggins (Washington High School, South Bend) who won the award in 2009 and went on to play for the Irish.

 

“Lonzo has truly earned this award by his unbelievable work ethic which has prepared him to display his gifts and talents at the highest levels”, said Chino Hills coach Steve Baik, who was named the 2016 Naismith High School Boys Coach of the Year. “Our schedule this season was one of the toughest and most challenging featuring the nation’s top players and teams. He was simply amazing proving himself to be one of the best players in the nation and also leading his team to victories all season. Lonzo’s leadership by example and unselfishness on and off the court are what set him apart. On the court he focuses on the team goals above his own. Off the court he takes care of his family, teammates and community. He is truly an amazing talent on the court as he has helped us accomplish more than we could ever dream of. However, I’m more proud of the young man that he has become! I’m so excited to see the amazing things he will accomplish in the future!”

 

The Naismith High School Player of the Year award was first presented in 1987. Notable Boy’s winners have included Jason Kidd (1992, St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, Alameda, California), Kobe Bryant (1996, Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, Pennsylvania), LeBron James (2003, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio) and Derrick Favors (2009, South Atlanta High School, Atlanta). Notable Girl’s winners have included Lisa Leslie (1990, Morningside High School, Inglewood, California), Chamique Holdsclaw (1995, Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y.), Candace Parker (2003, Naperville Central, Naperville, Illinois) and Maya Moore (2006 & 2007, Collins Hill High School, Suwanee, Georgia).

The post UCLA-Bound Guard Lonzo Ball Named Naismith HS POY appeared first on SLAM.

Check out the video up top.

The post WNBA Releases ‘Watch Me Work’ Promo (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Congrats to the 25 @TeamUSA finalists named today by USA Basketball! READ: https://t.co/AVzwGLnXQ1 #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/RqcDwmmuXC

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) January 25, 2016

Fifteen of the 25 finalists for the USA Basketball Women’s National Team earned a combined 41 Olympic and FIBA World Championship gold medals.

The team will be coached by Geno Auriemma, who has a 23-0 record with the USA National Team and three gold medals.

See the full list of players below:

Finalists for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team include: Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), Tina Charles (New York Liberty), Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins (Dallas Wings), Stefanie Dolson (Washington Mystics), Candice Dupree (Phoenix Mercury), Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury), Briann January (Indiana Fever), Jantel Lavender (Los Angeles Sparks), Kayla McBride (San Antonio Stars), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx), Chiney Ogwumike (Connecticut Sun), Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks), Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks), Danielle Robinson (San Antonio Stars), Odyssey Sims (Dallas Wings), Breanna Stewart (University of Connecticut), Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury), Courtney Vandersloot (Chicago Sky) and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx).

 

Additionally, Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm), who took part in the USA National Team’s minicamp in Las Vegas this past May, was added to the USA National Team pool and is among the 25 finalists. The No. 1 pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft and the 2015 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Loyd is a two-time world champion with USA Basketball. She helped the 2010 USA U17 World Championship Team collect gold with an 8-0 record, and she returned as a member of the 2014 USA 3×3 World Championship Team that swept its competition for a 9-0 record and gold medal at the 2014 FIBA 3×3 World Championship.

Related:
USA Basketball Names 30 Finalists for 2016 Olympic Team

The post USA Basketball Names Finalists for Women’s National Team appeared first on SLAM.

From a pop-culture standpoint, it was rather fitting that the Golden State Warriors ruled over the NBA in the same way Star Wars Episode VII did the box-office. Both were throwbacks to previous game-changing trilogies, both tap into nostalgia and each is a story for a new generation that’s both a continuation and a complete rethink. Elsewhere, be it with advertising (NBA’s antigun violence campaign), fashion (take a Stance) google search terms (Lamar Odom!), gender equality (Female assistant coaches: Becky Hammon and Nancy Liberman), media (ESPN closes Grantland), movies (LeBron survives Trainwreck), politics (Daily Fantasy Sports is deemed gambling), publishing (Kevin Love undresses for The Body Issue), social media (NBA surpasses one billion Vine loops), sneaker releases (Jordan Brand’s 30th anniversary; LeBron debuts new shoe on SLAM 192) or TV shows (Jeremy Lin guest star on ABC’s “Fresh Off The Boat”), 2015 was a mighty big year for Basketball.

Before commencing the countdown, there were five not quite honorable mentions but too large to be footnotes items that this humble author felt the need to include: Zach LaVine’s gravity defying night Brooklyn… Jimmy Butler sounding the Bull-horn… The Kentucky Wildcats’ almost perfect run… DeAndre Jordan double crossing Mark Cuban… and the quiet brilliance of Kawhi Leonard. With all that in mind, here are the 15 people who made the biggest difference to Basketball in 2015.

15. Kristaps Porzingis

When Phil Jackson (Team President) and Steve Mills (General Manager) were seemingly forced to select Euro prospect Kristaps Porzingis with the fourth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, many feared the Knicks would end up with another flameout — think Yi Jianlian (2007) or Nikoloz Tskitishvili (2002) — not the second coming of a Euro saviour in the Pau Gasol or Dirk Nowitzki mold (and it’s worth noting the latter, now one of the six best point producers in NBA history, has publicly praised Kristaps for his early development).

Playing in the media capital of the world is part of the story but the hype and hysteria surrounding the SLAM 195 cover subject is less Linsanity and more harbinger for real hope — New Yorkers can be forgiven for fawning over the rapid adjustment made by Porzingis because his skill set appears to have the potential to carry the storied franchise back into the contender conversation. While part of his immediate fame is ballyhoo attached to Great White Hope marketability, all the celebration is made possible because he has started to deliver like Dominos.

While it’ll be another 24 months before the true quality of the 2015 Draft class is known, Porzingis has done enough over the early stages of the 2015-16 season that there appears to be life beyond Carmelo Anthony. That sort of (contagious) optimism gives the Blue and Orange a significant piece to finally build around. It’s easy to dismiss Porzingis as “flavor of the month” but over the second half of 2015 few have matched the Latvian’s foreign exchange rate (which has climbed from modest to money in the bank).

14. Christopher Arena

Both Google and Facebook decided to give their respective logos a facelift in 2015 and while no singular NBA team carries as much weight as either tech giant, that doesn’t mean that even the slightest franchise identity change isn’t met with the same intensity by fans, be it backlash or praise.

As yours truly highlighted in SLAM Presents: KICKS 18, there has been a noticeable and somewhat dramatic change to a large portion of NBA franchises in 2015. With more and more fans viewing games/highlights via their smart phones, the League has consciously tailored uniforms, courts and branding to fit with consumption. It has been the job of department captain Christopher Arena (and his crew) to oversee the transition from the traditional one-size-fits-all, road and home uniform systems to autonomy/flexibility based on team desires. White (or in the Lakers’ case, Yellow) is no longer the prerequisite for the host just like limiting uniforms to dual sets has become a ghost of the NBA’s past.

The Atlanta Hawks (fearless fusion of eras/errors), Los Angeles Clippers (nautical theme sans nautical theme), Milwaukee Bucks (masterclass in decentralized rebranding), Philadelphia 76ers (losing never looked so good) and Toronto Raptors (goodbye Jurassic Park, hello Jurassic World) all introduced new identities in 2015 with varying degrees of appreciation or animosity. Wherever you looked in 2015, be it Dallas (fan designed skyline jersey), Indiana (30th anniversary “Hickory” get-ups), Memphis (ABA Sounders set), New Orleans (purple and green “Mardi Gras” uniforms), New York (1950’s throwback), Oklahoma City (Sunset alternate) or Sacramento (Baby Blue retro), the NBA wardrobe was expanding at a rate never seen before. Between Christmas Day, Latin Nights, Chinese New Year, St. Patrick’s Day and whatever other occasion team’s wish to emblazon on their players, there’s certainly no shortage of outfits to fill the Association’s shiny new Fifth Avenue store.

While Stance socks were added to the on-court system and the inclusion of a sponsor’s logo on all 2016 All-Star uniforms is a step closer to Advertmageddon, it was the ongoing invasion of sleeves that dominated jersey chatter. In 2015, certain sleeved offerings worked (white edition by Denver, Buzz City tees in Charlotte, racing stripes in Washington DC) while others offended good taste (Chicago and Houston in grey?!?). Dirk Nowitzki spoke out against the t-shirts in late 2013 but it wasn’t until LeBron James ripped his that the disdain threatened to disrupt the adidas x NBA agenda.

13. Maya Moore, Elena Delle Donne and Diana Taurasi

In an ideal world, the major storylines/stars of the WNBA wouldn’t need to be clumped together but as long as the League remains the NBA’s little sister, reality defeats wish. Powered by the highly popular triptych of Brittney Griner, Skylar Diggins and Elena Delle Donne, the WNBA’s 19th campaign — it hasn’t even been around as long as Kobe Bryant — show tremendous progress even though its blemishes were visible Diana Taurasi sidelined, Isiah Thomas’ ownership desires, etc.. If nothing else, both sides of the WNBA coin served as a reminder that the Lady’s Association is worthy of your attention even though it still needs advocacy.

Maya Moore: In Game 3 of the 2015 WNBA Finals, Maya Moore hit what could become the W’s signature shot. Her dramatic, top-of-the-key triple against Indiana (as time expired) has been compared to another No. 23’s heroics but what she has done over the course of her first five pro seasons (four Finals appearances, three champagne showers) is reminiscent of Bill Russell’s Celtics, who owned the NBA in the 1960s. There’s a reason why Michael Jordan hand-picked her to endorse the Jumpman and in 2015, the world was treated to another reminder that we might be witnessed basketball’s version of Serena Williams.

Elena Delle Donne: On September 16, 2015, Chicago shotmaker Elena Delle Donne was named the WNBA’s 11th MVP (after averaging 23.4 points — fifth-highest scoring average in league history — 8.4 boards, 1.4 dimes, 1.1 steals and two blocks per). The Sky won 21 of 31 regular season outings with Delle Donne in the line-up and went 0-3 without their 6-5 dynamo. She might’ve registered a pair of 40-point outings and finished top three in both rebounds and blocks per but her showing from the charity stripe (95% accuracy) meant defenders had a better chance of surviving an encounter with Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons than stopping Delle Donne in 2015.

Diana Taurasi: Imagine Mixed Martial Arts without Ronda Rousey. That’s what the WNBA was without its marquee name in 2015 (only it was capitalism, not injury, that kept the mighty Diana away). Instead of defending her WNBA crown, Taurasi’s Russian employers, UMMC Ekaterinburg, made her a Godfather offer to the tune of $1.5 million (for just a few months “work”). Financially speaking, it would’ve been irresponsible for Taurasi to turn down the foreign employment offer… but the bigger dilemma remains: the WNBA – and to an extent, its deep pocket parent – will need to figure out ways to curb more lucrative leagues from ransacking its talent. Whether the WNBA liked it not, Taurasi’s absence was noticeable, preventing the season from being near perfect.

12. Chris Paul

The longer he plays the more gifted he appears (compared to his playmaking peers) and the worse he seems to be cursed (another year, another early postseason exit or team collapse). Appearing in all 82 games for the first time, CP3 was later betrayed by his body in the conference semis but managed to return from a leg strain in time to help the Clippers  lose Games 5 (!), 6 (!!) and 7 (!!!) to Houston. That series defeat — another on a long line in a career that’s now reminiscent of Tim Hardaway’s over Isiah Thomas’ — instantly erased memories of CP3’s opening round heroics and that impossible shot over Tim Duncan that helped Steve Ballmer’s boys advance.

Once it appeared as though DeAndre Jordan would depart for Dallas (only to return) because he was unhappy with the situation in Los Angeles, all the long brewing criticisms of Chris Paul finally surfaced, many given justified airing. Salty, difficult and demanding, CP3’s reputation wasn’t painted with flattering remarks but NBA fans are always won over/back by winners, even problematic ones, so all is not lost for Chris Paul — Isiah Thomas wasn’t well liked but having rings alters how he’s viewed. Still, CP3 remains a hard figure to digest partly because his prickly artistry has been overwhelmed by complaints.

Now 10 years into his pro career, it’s safe to consider Chris Paul one the 10 best point guards ever — he is, after all, a career 19-10 guy (with two steals per) and top five on both the career assists and thefts per game leaderboard. Yet his ticket to the Greatest Five club expires soon and once it does, the only way CP3 can guarantee entry to the prestigious lounge is to reach the Finals.

11. Mike Krzyzewski

In early 2015, all eyes were squarely fixed on John Calipari, the eventual Naismith Coach of Year, and his stacked Kentucky Wildcats. While JC’s crew attempted to chase down the perfect season, Duke University’s 68-year-old hardwood zealot Mike Krzyzewski became the first D1 Men’s coach to collect 1000 victories (following his Blue Devils’ win over St. John inside MSG). He squad might’ve started fourth on the Associated Press’s pre-season poll but when all was said and done, Duke won yet another NCAA tournament — this time by blowing out Michigan State (a surprise Final Four entrant) before narrowly beating Wisconsin, 68 – 63, inside Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.

Throughout the memorable run, Krzyzewski carefully prepared freshman pivot Jahill Okafor for college basketball’s main course (March Madness) and the delectable centerpiece was rewarded with an All-American selection. Coach K also served up the right amount of Tyus Jones and Justice Winslow, two perfectly portioned side dishes to complete one of the finest meals of his tenure.

In 2015, Coach K also joined the late, great John Wooden with the most Final Four appearances (12) in D1 tournament history. Now a five-time NCAA Champion (1991, ’92, ’01, ’10, ’15), Krzyzewski’s employers mightn’t be well liked but this tactician, trainer and timber tutor is rightfully revered. In 50 years from now, when we think back on who cut down the nets in 2015, it’ll be Krzyzewski’s gleaming smile and his Blue Devils’ (not-all-that) surprising triumph.

10. Lamar Odom

Had it of been Dennis Rodman who was found unconscious inside the Love Ranch, a brothel 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas in Crystal, Nevada, no one would’ve been all that surprised. Yet when news broke in October that former NBA Sixth Man of the Year recipient Lamar Odom was hospitalized, the story quickly turned into a global conversation piece. The Odom incident became a highly publicized story primarily because of its linkage to the so-called “reality” television monstrosity that is the Kardashians but aside from being custom made for supermarket checkout gossip rags, Odom’s epic fall from grace showed the frailty pro athletes can mask.

For anyone who enjoyed the southpaw’s style of play or his infectious, sincere personality, the Nevada event was a puzzling fixture, so much so that Lamar Odom became one of the most searched names in 2015. While a portion of that search engine traffic would’ve been housewives trying to find out more about the New York native hitting rock bottom, the fact that basketball was mentioned in almost every report meant publicity for the NBA. While the Association never chased more visibility, it didn’t stop the headline hogging Kardashians from turning one man’s (much needed) recovery into television ratings.

In an interesting wrinkle, James Harden — who was dating Lamar’s ex-wife Khloe (the two filed for divorce in 2013 after four years of marriage) at the time — himself went into a funk after showing up out of shape to the Rockets’ season in tow of their break-up. Granted SLAM is hardly the forum to worry about lifestyles of the rich and famous but in this instance, a former cover subject was one of the year’s most talked about topics, thus, once the commotion reached fever pitch it made sense to study what was on the other side of the wall. The findings? One man’s critical situation created a TMZ-style circus with every media outlet jumping on the Odom story because it was linked to the Kardashians. Thankfully, Lamar is rehabilitating his life but for a brief time in 2015, his name was everywhere.

9. Anthony Davis

Despite the fact he was only in year three, Anthony Davis was able to pace the NBA in blocks (2.9) and Player Efficiency Rating (30.8). Those averages in tandem with a host of other two-way performance measures saw the emerging star finish fifth in MVP voting. More so, Davis hit the shot – a double-pump triple at the buzzer over Kevin Durant that doubled as one of the year’s best game winners – that effectively gave New Orleans their first postseason appearance since he joined the pros, courtesy of the tiebreaker over Oklahoma City.

All that production and elite understanding of the game (combined with his freaky genetics) meant predicting Davis to be the 2015-16 NBA MVP would be met with little resistance. Experts, including SLAM (193), looked favorably on the recent past and expected their to be more of the same in the immediate future… and yet Davis finished 2015 on uneven footing, leaving many to raise an eyebrow on what was supposed to be one of the surest bets in the pros. Still, he’s ahead of Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett after their respective third campaigns and it’s not insane to compare last season’s All-NBA First Teamer to a young Tim Duncan (given his defensive prowess and offensive ceiling).

Even though there are growing pains to be had and a suspect supporting cast in the Big Easy, Davis has been elevated by the NBA (and its legion of fans) because you never know what wonders his might display. There’s a good reason why the NBA gave his team a coveted Christmas Day 2015 spot: Davis may play in a smallish local television market but he’s part of Basketball’s promising future. That rationale is also why he’s now a major fixture on Nike basketball’s agenda and it’s why the taxation preparation firm H&R Block have signed Davis to be their spokesperson — plus, someone has to help him manage that five-year, $145 million extension, why not the financial experts?

8. Draymond Green

As Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors, Don Nelson tried to implement small ball in the early-to-mid 90s with a Chris Webber-Billy Owens-Chris Mullin-Latrell Sprewell-Tim Hardaway line-up. The concept, which was novel at the time, didn’t get a chance to prove itself because Webber was traded following his rookie run. The strategy was again employed by Nelson when he took the gig in Dallas but the effectiveness of small ball wasn’t fully realized, in its creators image, until 2014-15. The mismatches created by playing the versatile Draymond Green in the middle, especially once his three-point form vastly improved, was good enough to help the Dubs ruin LeBron James’ quest to bring Cleveland a title parade.

For 25 years, basketball fans have seen various attempts to make small ball effective, and one could argue that the reason the 2013-14 Spurs extracted sugar sweet revenge on LeBron James’ Heat was due in large to Boris Diaw’s time at center. However, that (Gregg Popovich) property wasn’t nearly as much fun as Steve Kerr’s 2014-15 Warriors, thus Green’s defensive potency and willingness to do the dirty work helped to make Golden State as likeable as they are watchable.

Like Jackson Pollock, Green’s isn’t worried about perfecting the process, he’s more focused on the emotions stirred up by the outcome — but that doesn’t mean his compositions (on the court) haven’t caused many critics to concede his skillfulness. Once upon a time, it helped to be Catholic — in the broad-minded sense — when appreciating the beauty of Draymond’s artistry. Now? Well, he’s widely accepted as both the team’s spiritual leader and its cocksure kingpin. Conservative thinking has never been welcomed in the Bay Area and in 2015, the Green Beret played like the evolutionary Dennis Rodman (circa 1990) which became the perfect running mate to Steph Curry’s fearless sniper. (More on that in a bit.)

7. Ben Simmons

Bill Simmons (no relation) believes the Australian native is the surest college prospect since Kevin Durant in 2007. That’s some seriously high praise but given a survey of the 2016 mock drafts reveals one consensus: Simmons at No. 1. It’s no wonder people are buying up stock in the LSU freshman.

On the surface, adulation for Ben Simmons appears every bit the tantamount to “Pistol” Pete Maravich, Chris Jackson (now Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) and Shaquille O’Neal, all former Louisiana State University prospects turned top lottery picks who captured imaginations during their respective stints in Baton Rouge. Yet a deep dive on the kid suggests the skilled 6-10 forward could be everything Len Bias was supposed to be (if you replace Bias’ athleticism with playmaking)… and yet all that pro potential could go unfulfilled (think Derrick Coleman or Joe Smith). What happens tomorrow is unknown but what’s certain today is this: no other collegiate hooper has been as talked about in 2015 as young Ben.

Anytime a player is flagged “franchise saviour,” NBA fans immediate show interest in hopes their general manager will get lucky at the lottery. Adding to the intrigue is the fact LeBron has given permission for commentators to make early comparisons and so long as Simmons continues to stand tall under the intensifying spotlight, he’s well positioned to be for basketball what fellow countryman Liam Hemsworth is to the silver screen.

6. Russell Westbrook

If NBA honors were handed out like Academy Awards, Russell Westbrook’s 2014-15 tour de force would’ve won him Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. While the other nominees — Anthony Davis, the year’s breakout star who’s capable of carrying an average feature film; LeBron James, perpetual favorite; Stephen Curry, a surprise lead of a box-office smash with never before seen acting range and James Harden, the year’s best villain — were all terrific, it was hard to argue against Russell’s scene stealing performance, especially because he turned a troubled script into a genuine NBA thriller.

More hurricane than human, Westbrook somehow turned the Thunder’s 3-12 start into a 45-37 finish. He not only paced the League in scoring in the process but ended his campaign ranked second in steals per, fourth in assists and first among guards in rebounding… but none of that mattered to him because OKC missed the postseason. Now that’s a hardwired competitor of the highest order.

Away from the timber, the fashion-forward Russ — he’s as likely to be seen gracing the cover of Esquire or GQ as often as he does SLAM — released his first Jordan Brand shoe (Westbrook 0), opting for a signature lifestyle release over yet another performance product. Allen Iverson labelled him a “certified killer” but the folks at Mountain Dew, Kings and Jaxs, L.V.M.H./Zenith watches, Subway and True Religion all hope he doesn’t do to their brands what he does to defenders. With a dapper style that’s straight from the gospel, according to Walt Frazier, Westbrook has become a lightening rod thanks to his fearless ways.

When thinking about the people who made the biggest impact on 2015, Russ ranks just outside the top five for one reason: his Tom Cruise-level dedication (pathologically competitive, driven by perfection) narrowly outweighs his Clint Eastwood coolness. Should that ever flip, there’s every chance Russ will be the NBA’s brightest star. But as of right now, he lives outside the final five because the names ahead of him either carry more cultural clout, have been granted greater governance by the general electorate or they’ve stolen the spotlight with a poetic revelation.

5. James Harden

While the majority of bearded bad guys (from Russian Street Fighter Zangief to Globex Corporation owner Hank Scorpio) are fictional, James Harden’s basketball villainy is very real. After producing a memorable regular season, one in which No. 13 paced the NBA in Win Shares (16.4), total points scored (2,217) and minutes played (2,981), Harden helped H-Town complete one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history before being voted MVP by his peers at the inaugural Players’ Choice Awards.

Additionally, he dished out more assists than LeBron (565 to 511) and led all shooting guards with an average of 7.0 apg. – the only player from his starting position ranked inside the top ten. Yes, he also turned it over a lot (321) for a variety of reasons, some his fault, others not so, but Harden also stole possession back 154 times. Along with teammate Trevor Ariza (registering another 152 swipes), the pair helped to give Houston one of the stingiest perimeter tandems in the pros, even with his matador impersonations.

Thanks to his delicious 2015 showing, the Bearded wonder has joined an elite group of bad guys — Heavyweight boxer James “Clubber” Lang (Rocky III), Krypton warlord General Zod (Superman), Agrabah’s royal vizier Jafar (Aladdin), Istari leader Saruman the White (The Lord of the Rings), international terrorist Hans Gruber (Die Hard), Mongo tyrant Ming the Merciless (Flash Gordon), the grandiose “Macho Man” Randy Savage (WWE) and the most dastardly gamer of them all, Billy Mitchell (King of Kong) — and appears set to continue his wicked ways in 2016.

While he remains bad news for defenders, Harden is certainly good for business. It’s why adidas offered the creator and shot maker a $200 million deal. A self-styled standout, Harden’s alignment with the Triple Stripe places him alongside Kanye West, a move that’s sure to enrage some and delight others. If nothing else, Harden has carefully created an NBA persona that’s one of his generations most memorable.

4. Kevin Durant

His offseason might’ve included the release of an eighth signature sneaker in addition to welcoming both Neff and The Players’ Tribune to an endorsement portfolio that features 2K Sports, Kind, Nike, Sprint, Sparkling Ice, Sonic and Unilever but all anybody wanted to talk about was possible NBA destinations Kevin Durant could land in 2016. The former MVP grew tired of the chatter and eventually pushed back. Sick of the distortion, KD let the media know he’ll be stonewalling any questions on the subject until the time was right for him (because there’s a multitude of items that require his full attention prior to any free agency decisions).

In an age when it’s all about daily clicks, the Fourth Estate didn’t necessarily turn away from KD because of spite but his reluctance to dance their dance made it easier for editors to overlook the Thunder and overload on Golden State. While the Warriors have earned the extra coverage, the Thunder still have two of the five best players in the game and with Durant healthy, their collective confidence grows stronger by the day.

Additionally, Durant made it clear during training camp that he was done talking about his injured foot. As far as he was concerned, the all-clear from his team’s medical staff meant he was back to full strength (and it didn’t make sense to live in the past). Through 25 appearances, Durant is averaging 27-8-5 — on 52-42-89 shooting splits — with a block and steal per in 36 minutes of action. Those are some impressive numbers and suggest that KD is all the way back– only fewer folks are talking about Kevin Durant now that Curry is on a crusade. But that’s okay with KD, he’s paid to play, not provide content.

While Paul George’s return to the Indiana Pacers was just as important as Durant’s, his Eastern Conference counterpart isn’t nearly as popular (KD now has roughly 13 million Twitter followers, Paul George just 1.4 million), as revered by their peers (LeBron and Kobe both believe KD is otherworldly) or under the same microscope given the coaching situation or the uncertainty circling his future. Once the most talked about NBA player, the Durant allure has subsided temporarily because of his sullenness combined with refocused efforts on all things Steph but again, Durant is gunning for the one prize he covets over all others: a championship… and he knows from experience, the media is whatever you make of it and right now he’s keeping his distance but that has made him more fascinating than ever.

3. Kobe Bryant

Before riding off into the Californian sunset, Kobe Bryant will embark on a season long retirement tour despite not wanting to ever make a fuss about his departure from the game. A cultural icon that will go down as one of the most popular, polarizing and proficient point producers to ever step into the NBA arena, Kobe’s a Hall of Fame lock who was much more than a bridge between Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

While Kobe’s game has devolved of late — his play in the opening portion of the 2015-16 season resembled Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sad attempt to once again travel back in time via the godawful Terminator: Genesys — he’s managed to regain some form, an interesting addition to his resume given he hasn’t played much basketball over the past couple of years. Thanks to a personally penned poem that was first published on The Players’ Tribune, a digital platform that Kobe partly owns, the Black Mamba conceded that he’s a superstar player who refuses to go quietly even though his body broke up with basketball long before his heart ever will. Still, as tribute for all he has done (and means) to the NBA over the past 20 years, Kobe will be granted one final All-Star spot and possibly an Olympic team berth too (in 2016).

There’ll be no classic Hollywood ending for the NBA’s top individual earner ($25,000,000 this season), only a slow, sad march towards the retirement home but before he goes, the ruthless leviathan will travel the land and soak up the NBA experience in a way that he has never allowed himself to before: as living legend.

2. LeBron James

When LeBron James decided it was time to return to Ohio, everyone expected there to be chemistry issues, teething pains (with Head Coach David Blatt’s system) and somewhat modest year one objectives. Once their deficiencies were addressed by GM David Griffin, LeBron’s cerebral stratum took care of bringing the Cavaliers up to speed, which meant they could jump head first into the 2015 postseason pool.

Playoff injuries to both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving soured the summer fun but it wasn’t until Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes started circling LeBron that everyone got that sinking feeling. Forced to swallow his fourth career Finals loss (from six appearances) LeBron was so valiant in defeat that his showing actually added to his legacy — it also didn’t hurt that his one-man army act resulted in averages of 35.8 ppg, 13.3 rpg and 8.8 apg during what turned out to be his fifth consecutive trophy round invitation.

For the year, Forbes had the King as the sixth highest earner — $65 million — and the N.B.A.’s top pitchman (when combining athlete salary with endorsement offerings). Then seemingly out of nowhere, James signed a new lifetime deal with Nike, the first such deal of its kind in the Swoosh’s storied history. While figures weren’t disclosed, the partnership could be worth as much as $1 billion given the power of LeBron, the success of his signature sneaker line over recent years, his cache in pop-culture, the value/structure of Kevin Durant’s recent deal and his philanthropic desires. Basketball remains Nike’s most successful division and after Steph Curry slipped through their fingers, one can safely assume the decision makers in Beaverton were keen to have LeBron on side for life… and given how fruitful their arrangement with Michael Jordan continues to be, you can bet King James wants to build an empire all his own, one that’s all about the kid from Akron.

1. Stephen Curry

Like there was ever any doubt.

The fact that Steph Curry, not Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis or any other preordained talent, managed to created a movement that disrupted everyone’s hopes, plans and preferences (while fending off every challenger) is as impressive as it is inconceivable.

In 2015, Dell’s son didn’t just trump the likes of LeBron James on multiple fronts (2015 Finals, most popular), he showed the history books/conventional wisdom that a jump shooting team can claim the title (so long as their powered by a pair of marksmen that reside on the Steve Nash and Ray Allen end of the spectrum).

Just the fourth basketball player — following Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and LeBron James — to be named Male Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press, Steph was recognized by the news organization editors and directors because of the way he elevated the expectations for all future perimeter players whenever efficiency or long distance production is evaluated.

As Jalen Rose recently noted how “the best player in the NBA usually is also physically opposing” but with Steph “we see him on a national stage be a son, a dad, a husband, a father, a brother.” That softening, harmful to any athlete who builds a name solely on their masculinity, has made Curry more endearing — a relatable David who contrasts the NBA’s vast collection of Goliath’s. But it’s a lie. Curry didn’t reach the pinnacle of his sport by remaining normal and yet, it’s because of his size (6-3) and that reliance on a seemingly obtainable skill-set that Curry has connected with fans in a way that most never even dream possible. As a result, demand for his pre-game warm-up routine has changed NBA arena policy while his traveling band of ballers has garnered record television ratings. He plays golf with the (44th) President, has the best selling jersey in multiple countries, and best of all, Curry is now lending his name/time to advocacy.

Prior to 2015, Curry had a lone All-Star appearance and Playoff series win next to his name. Then rookie coach Steve Kerr set him free. Not only did Curry collect the most All-Star votes while guiding the Warriors to the 10th best regular season record ever (67 wins), he was catalyst for the franchise’s first title in 40 years. Along the way, he won over hearts and minds leaving the media with no other choice but to reward Steph with the 2015 MVP trophy. That made him just the sixth Point Guard, following Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Earvin Johnson, Steve Nash and Derrick Rose, to receive the decoration.

And yet, Curry did it all on a below-market contract extension. To his credit, he never complained. While Steph may currently be the NBA’s 60th (!) highest earner — collecting less than Enes Kanter ($16,407,500), Roy Hibbert ($15,592,216) and DeMarre Carroll ($13,600,000), among others — his popularity has seen a range of brands come calling. From 2KGames to ESPN; from Muscle Milk to Sony; from Unilever to Under Armour, Curry has quickly become one of the most bankable names in sport. It’s why in mid-2015 UA trademarked the saying “Slay Your Next Giant” shortly before they extend Curry’s contract until 2024.

He’s far from done but what Curry accomplished in 2015 makes him the Ultimate Warrior.

—

Brad Graham is a freelance graphic designer/basketball writer who moonlights as the co-host of the Full Court Report podcast (new episodes every Monday and Thursday). Follow him on Twitter: @BackpackBaller. Images via Getty.

The post 15 People Who Defined Basketball in 2015 appeared first on SLAM.

Moore finished with 24 points on 10-18 shooting in the crucial road win. Minnesota now needs just one more win to be crowned WNBA champs for the third time in five seasons.

The post Maya Moore Hits Buzzer-Beating Three To Win Game 3 of WNBA Finals (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The 60-second spot acknowledges some of the perceptions surrounding the women’s game:

You think I can’t go as hard as you.

 

Can’t cross you up.

 

You think I can’t open doors.

 

Be legendary.

 

Box her out.

 

Get her to school on time.

 

Show them I care.

 

D you up.

 

Be who I want.

 

Love who I want.

 

All while chasing my dream.

The commercial ends with a confident, “Watch me.”

To add to the dope narration, the commercial features clips of Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon, Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus and wife LaTaya Varner, L.A. Sparks forward Candace Parker and daughter Lailaa Williams, Houston Comets great Cynthia Cooper as well as Elena Delle Donne, Brittney Griner, Maya Moore and more.

The post WNBA Addresses Stereotypes In New ‘Watch Me’ Ad (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.