Jrue immediately points to Derrick, the winner.

“I won the blocks, I think Jrue won the steals. I was pretty confident I would beat him in blocks, and we discovered that,” Derrick says, before flashing a quick glance to Jrue as he prepares for a potential comeback. “The Stock Exchange, they both count,” he continues.

Steals, blocks, dropping 30-pieces and everything in between, it’s no exaggeration to say that the Celtics’ starting guards do anything and everything that’s required to win. And as a result, they’ve experienced a summer that only six other NBA players ever have: winning an NBA championship and an Olympic Gold medal all within the span of two months. Now add SLAM cover stars to that list. They just won’t stop winning.

SLAM 252 featuring Derrick White and Jrue Holiday is available now.

Derrick White and Jrue Holiday aren’t just dedicated to their many, many responsibilities. They achieve greatness through them. They excel at being great at everything, so at a moment’s notice, they can fulfill any role needed. They defend the best players, no matter the position. They initiate the offense. They operate out of the dunker spot. They put their bodies on the line. They make the game easier for everyone around them. So when it came to the construction of the 2024 US men’s national team, the transition from the Cs was damn near seamless.

Jrue started in three of the team’s six games as the primary ballhandler, dropping 15 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals against Serbia in the opening contest. Off the bench, Derrick went 3-3 from downtown and swiped 3 steals against South Sudan. While a surrounding cast of superstars soaked up the spotlight, Derrick and Jrue held down the intangibles in the backcourt.

“Everybody was making a big deal about roles and everybody’s got to play a little bit differently. But for me and for Jrue, we just kind of played the way we play, just do the same things that we do with Boston,” Derrick says of playing in Paris with Team USA. “We didn’t have to change too much. Obviously, the minutes and everything looked different, but I didn’t feel like I had to go in there and be somebody I wasn’t or change anything.”

There’s a stoic confidence to Derrick White, one that was fully realized by the rest of the League’s fan bases after being torched again and again by the Parker, CO, native. From Boston’s outpouring of appreciation to receiving All-Star chants in San Antonio—where Derrick spent his first five years in the L—last year’s campaign was the best of his career: 15.2 points, 5.2 dimes, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1 steal per game. On a ridiculous 39.6 percent shooting from three.

The playoffs were his playground. Thirty-eight against Miami in Game 4 of the opening round. Four blocks on the Pacers in Game 3. Five steals two nights later.

But it’s the absurd amount of blocks that Jrue’s consistently amazed by—87 of ’em on the season, to be exact. Go to YouTube and there’s a three-and-a-half minute masterclass dedicated solely to rim protection.

“Nobody else in the League can do it the same way,” Jrue says of Derrick. “He blocks shots like a big man. To me, that’s amazing. Not only having the talent, the ability, the timing to block a shot—he’s also guarding your best perimeter player, where in this League, it’s super difficult to guard anyone. To have a backcourt mate like that and know the drop-off isn’t there at all, I feel like for other people, it’s scary, but it’s exciting to know that every night is going to be a tough night for any team.

“Putting on this jersey isn’t easy. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with it,” Jrue continues. “Even the season he’s had is a testament to the work he’s put in. How he plays, how he came out and played from the beginning of the season, how he ran the team. Even starting us off in Miami, like, the first series. I mean, just cooking. That means a lot to us, but he put in the work.”

There’s a common thread throughout the duration of our conversation: Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are unselfish to the core. They can’t help but give the other their flowers. This isn’t just how they play, this is who they are. Compliments get thrown back and forth like they’re working the perimeter. They’ve earned them. And as the both of them can attest, these are lifelong habits.

“I think our parents did a good job of raising us and being able to show us that giving is the way to go, and that’s how you, I guess, get happiness—by serving other people,” Jrue says. “I think over time you start to realize that service to other people is very important. For us, I think it just translates to our game. Yeah, Stock Exchange.”

The joy they’re looking for doesn’t come from posting a career-high. Winning takes care of that—as well as the assists and persistent displays of defensive brilliance that result in 64 regular-season wins and gleaming gold hardware.

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A blend of pride, skill and fearlessness anchors the Celtics’ two lockdown artists. Sprinting back on D. Poking the ball away on drives. Deflections on the help side. Cutting off the pick-and-roll. Diving for loose balls while chipping teeth. It’s a concerted effort of chaotic beauty.

“As long as I’ve been in the League, it’s been known that Jrue is the elite of the elite on that end. Just being on this team, you see how guys don’t even want to dribble the ball up the court when he’s on ’em. As soon as they see Jrue, it’s just like, Give it to somebody else, let them figure it out,” Derrick says. “Playing against him, you really get a deeper appreciation seeing it night in
and night out.”

While Derrick had two seasons to get acclimated to playing alongside Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Co., Jrue arrived in Boston on the first day of training camp. A handful of weeks remained before the tip of the season, and Derrick was already comfortable running the point. So the two worked through what their version of the Celtics offense would look like. The more reps they got together, the more comfortable they felt.

“When we came into training camp, Derrick was so sure of himself at the point guard position that it helped me,” Jrue says. “I think being able to mirror him from the beginning was great for me. Him being confident and knowing that I’m here to run the team and do whatever it takes to win, it just gave me confidence, knowing alright, If I follow him and I follow his direction, I’ll be fine.”

More often than not, Jrue has been the one leading the direction throughout his career. In Philly, in New Orleans, in Milwaukee, each stop had him running the show as the head honcho of the offense. Then 33 years old, entering a situation that had already been somewhat solidified, Jrue’s mindset was the same as always: help where he’s needed.

Game averages of 12.5 points and 4.8 assists might have been a drop compared to years’ past, but the game is so much greater than the context stats provide. The work Jrue did this season didn’t always show up in the box score—unlike his career-high 5.4 rebounds—but it more than resonated with the team and the greater Boston area.

“This season, I feel like the city of Boston is kind of like how we play. Hard nosed, blue collar, no excuses. Whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to do, and I feel like the city of Boston is like that,” Jrue says. “You should see these fans. I’m telling you, literally from the first preseason game to the last game of the season, they’ve been there supporting, they’ve been there cheering in a way that I’ve never seen before. It’s like one of the craziest experiences that I’ve been a part of. I feel like they appreciate that because [they] understand my game and how I play.”

The recognition is shared from Dorchester to the front office, with both Jrue and Derrick signing four-year, nine-figure contract extensions. The best defensive backcourt in the League is back in Boston, and so is the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Even though they’re fitted in their green and white Icon threads, an overwhelming amount of gold fills the facility. Light dances off the Olympic Gold medals that dangle from their necks, reflecting off the Finals trophy that they carefully hand to one another. Standing in front of a row of cushioned bleachers, even here the weight of the 18 championship banners that hang in the rafters off to the left can be felt.

Derrick and Jrue know the expectations will be higher next season and they’re embracing it. They’re leaning even more into the trust that they’ve built in the backcourt, and the infamous mentality of head coach Joe Mazzulla.

“Right now, we’re just getting back into it, getting our minds right. Knowing that when the season starts, Joe’s gonna have us ready to go,” Derrick says before Jrue laughs.

“That’s for damn sure,” he says.

“He’s probably more excited than anybody to have a target on our back. Y’all heard the quote. That’s legit who he is. That’s the kind of guy you want to play for,” Derrick says. “Last year was last year. You just got to continue to have that same mindset of getting better, improving and focusing on the things that we do.”

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

The post Surreal Summer: Derrick White and Jrue Holiday Discuss Winning an NBA Championship, Olympic Gold Medals and Doing the Little Things appeared first on SLAM.

This story and so much more sneaker coverage is included in latest issue of SLAM KICKS 27. Grab your copy now.

First Team

DeMar DeRozan

No one else has the range that DeMar possesses when it comes to Kobes. This has been firmly established, especially on our page. And if we’re being real, DeMar’s collection on its own is enough to make this list year after year. The 1s, 6s and 9s all made their expected appearances, but it was seeing the Kobe 10 Elite HTM and the return of the Kobe A.D. from his Spurs days that cemented his status, yet again.

P.J. Tucker

In a reality where the grails of 10 years ago are being re-released every few months, P.J. Tucker remains pulling up to arenas with unspeakable colorways in tow. Nike KD 4 samples and Off-White Kobe customs should paint the range that the man displayed night after night. 

Devin Booker

A storyteller, a tastemaker and a sneaker historian. Devin Booker proved to be all those and more with the debut of his first signature sneaker. Colorways honored the Beaverton brand’s past icons and Booker’s own memories. Appearances were mapped out with a thematic-level of care. Documented and televised, the Nike Book 1 not only laid the foundation for Booker’s line, it set the standard mad high. 

Stephen Curry

When you’ve spent 11 years with one brand like Stephen Curry has, you get to dip back into the archives as much as you want to. Especially when all of your models have been updated so you’re floating on Flow cushioning. From headlining the Curry 11 to the Anatomix Spawn FloTro and the Curry 4 FloTro, the 2023-24 season saw the best shooter on the planet merge the stories of today with the silhouettes of years past.

Tyrese Maxey

The tides of opportunity turned to Tyrese Maxey all season long as the 76ers point guard of the future. But it was his diverse rotation of New Balance TWO WXY v4 colorways that cemented Mad Max’s first-ever First Team selection. From dollar bills with his face to revealing his own logo, the Boston brand isn’t pulling any punches with the rising star.

SECOND TEAM

LeBron James

The LeBron 21 got funky when it came to colorways. Shaggy suedes, pearlescent oranges, glossy metallics; even a second layer to the silhouette was revealed in clad grey. The extent of the experimentation culminated in the return of Deion Sanders’ Nike Air DT Max ’96, revealing a hybrid sneaker slashed by the football trainer’s iconic claw marks. The sandbox remains full of opportunity.

Paul George

When one door closes, another opens. In Paul George’s case, at least a dozen did. A stream of Kobe 4s, 8s, PG 1s and 2s all flowed through in his second season removed from his signature deal with Nike. And if you thought we saw the “Philly” Kobe 4 a lot last year, just wait until 2024-25 season.

Malik Monk

When you have an arsenal of Kobes like Malik Monk, balance might be the last thing on your mind. But the Kings guard has proven to be tasteful in his on-court output, shifting between his own PEs, original colorways and the recently updated run of Protros without leaning too far one way or the other. 

Jayson Tatum

From “Taco Jay” and flavored lemonades to wavy denim treatments, Jayson Tatum already has a thoroughly thought-out roster of colorways. The Jordan Tatum 2 extended the efforts of his first signature and established a lengthy connection to the brand’s wider athletes, from the WNBA to the League’s rising stars.

Trey Lyles

Let’s be real, no other big man in the L is putting it on like Trey Lyles. The Kobe aficionado has been well recorded on our socials and his collection of 4s through 9s remained in peak form this season. Toss in a duo of Yeezy and Mambacurial-inspired customs and you’ve got a second-straight Second Team selection for the Sacramento forward. 

MVP: P.J. Tucker

We’ve been over it before and we’ll say it again, P.J. Tucker is not the sneaker king, but he is the MVP of the 2023-24 SLAM KICKS Awards. Kicking it in the Nike Kobe 3 and Mookie Betts’ Air Jordan 11 PEs puts him in a tier of his own. But it’s the stories behind the likes of his own Nike Air Flight ’89 and exclusive Nike Book 1 colorways that remain at the heart of P.J.’s continued sneaker excellence. 

Most Improved Player: Devin Booker

After years featuring an assortment of sleek, Suns-appropriate Kobe PEs, Devin Booker was handed the keys to his own signature series. He’s not just the face of the silhouette, he spearheaded every part of the process, from its shape and color blocking to the eventual releases. An exclusive rotation of orange, black, purples and greys shifted to reach every corner of the color palette as tasteful colorways arrived in droves from October to April.

Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

The Nike Air Zoom GT Run was Wemby’s running mate all season long. Block after block, one jaw-dropping display of indescribable basketball artistry after another, the alien moniker has become more than fitting. Self-drawn extraterrestrial doodles served as his stamp of expression until the arrival of his own GT Hustle colorway at NBA All-Star Weekend. Sporting a sea of galactic imagery, the Swoosh doubled down with the reveal of Wemby’s own logo chiseled into a corn field. If anything, this is just the beginning of Wemby’s ascension in the sneaker space.  

Photos via Getty Images.

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Twelve circular neon orange portals appear out of thin air. The citrus hues fly off the spheres’ edges in sparkling fashion, rotating in a clockwise direction as the views of various cities from across the U.S. grow wider and wider. Bellowing horns in the background build to a crescendo. You’ve probably seen this scene before, in a movie theater in 2019. Except this isn’t a movie: These are the greatest hoopers in the United States of America.

While USA Basketball representatives flew around the country presenting each player on the 2024 Men’s National Team with their USA threads in April, users on X flooded the timeline with the only comparison that made any conceivable sense: a 20-second clip from Avengers: Endgame.

In the film’s climax, the full totality of the Avengers team appears, journeying across the universe to join Captain America for one final showdown against Thanos. One by one, the greatest heroes in the galaxy stand shoulder to shoulder. It’s the perfect parallel for this year’s squad: one last ride with the best basketball powers ever assembled.

The USA Basketball’s Men’s National Team has descended on Paris with the sheer force of the Infinity Gauntlet. When the official roster was announced in mid-April, the basketball community erupted in excitement, and rightfully so. We couldn’t stop talking about it either. This amount of talent, all on one team, makes them the modern day Avengers: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Derrick White, Joel Embiid, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo, Tyrese Haliburton, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum.

On paper, the roster is stacked. For the first time in USA Basketball history, the Men’s National Team will feature four former NBA MVPs: Durant, James, Embiid and Curry. Then there are the team’s 11 combined Olympic appearances, 10 total Gold medals, three FIBA World Cup titles, seven returning Olympians and a combined 84 NBA All-Star selections…yeah, the U.S. ain’t playing fair.

When USA Basketball’s Men’s National Team Managing Director Grant Hill set out to achieve a seemingly simple yet complicated task—construct the best basketball team in the world—what he put together was a 12-man roster, which will be led by head coach Steve Kerr, that can hold their own against one of the toughest Olympic fields in recent memory.

The path to glory and the highest view from atop the podium won’t be easy. It never is. But then again *checks roster* we haven’t seen anything like this before.

It’s been 12 years since we last saw LeBron James bounding down the court with the letters “USA” stamped across his chest. Olympic memories of tomahawk dunks, out-of-nowhere alley-oops and utter dominance from baseline to baseline haven’t been a reality for more than a decade.

James elected to rest his body and opt out of the 2016 and 2020 Games. Now, at 39 years old and with a catalog of accolades longer than Santa Claus’ wish list, he’s back. And 2024 is a different story; it’s his one last shot at Gold.

This isn’t the same LeBron who tore through London while debuting the legendary Nike LeBron X all those years ago, but don’t get it twisted. The explosiveness is still there, the low-post game is omnipresent, the court vision is still staggering and anyone can get clamped at any time. Coming off his 21st season—where he shot a career-high 41 percent from three—LeBron’s refined touch and years’ worth of wisdom will be the soul of the pack. And right next to him will be Kevin Durant, netting jumper after jumper.

The Olympics are KD’s playground. Every four years, the best scorer on the planet toys with defenders and lights nets on fire with a FIBA-certified ball. Durant boasts the most experience of this team with three Gold medals on his résumé, a journey which first started when he was the team’s go-to bucket-getter after stamping his arrival in 2012 at the London Games. He’s got the USA Basketball record books on lock: all-time leader in points (453), scoring average (19.8 ppg), we could go on and on. If this summer goes as planned, Durant will walk away as the most decorated player in USA Basketball men’s history with a record four Olympic Golds.

Stephen Curry, however, is shooting for his first. “We obviously want to go get the Gold, and for this being my first experience, I’m super excited,” Curry told Inside the NBA in mid-April. “I’m 36 now and I don’t know if I’ll have another one, so this is definitely the year.”

After back-to-back Finals runs in ’15 and ’16 and the continuation of the Covid pandemic well into 2021, Curry, much like James, has sat out the past two Olympics to rest and heal some nagging injuries. In the meantime, the country has patiently waited to see him reign down threes against the world’s best.

It may be his debut, but Curry has been instrumental in the team’s success on the international stage, winning Gold at the FIBA World Cup in 2010 and 2014. Now, the future Hall of Famer will get to check “Olympics” off his bucket list.

Anthony Davis was just 19 when he was selected to the 2012 USA Men’s National Team. After taking home the Gold, the five-time All-Defensive Team honoree is now responsible for manning the paint for the U.S. alongside his first-time Olympic teammate, Joel Embiid.

Embiid could have played for France—where he has citizenship—or Cameroon, his native country, but instead, the 2023-24 NBA MVP chose to play for the USA.

“After talking to my family, I knew it had to be [USA Basketball]. I want to play with my brothers in the League. I want to play for my fans because they’ve been incredible since the day I came here,” Embiid posted to X in October of 2023. “But most of all, I want to honor my son who was born in the U.S. I want my boy to know I played my first Olympics for him.”

This year’s team has a bunch of returning members from the USA Basketball’s last Gold medal squad, including one of the most underrated players in the game: Bam Adebayo. A point guard in the open floor, a small forward in the mid-range, a center on the block—the 2020 Olympian is a cheat code in international competition. While Bam, AD and Embiid preside down low, Jrue Holiday, another returning member of the team, lurks on the perimeter.

Holiday will pick your pocket, sneak into the passing lane and sit with the best of them. For years, the two-time NBA All-Star has been the glue for championship-winning and contending teams. He plays to win, and he leads by action. He’s tasked with much of the same in tandem with defensive stalwart Derrick White, who joins Embiid and Curry as the third first-timer on the Olympic team. The NBA is filled with a plethora of scorers, but the selection of various tacticians assembled for the U.S. Men’s National Team is what takes this roster from Gold to Certified Platinum.

“This guy next to me will be the next one,” Kevin Durant told The Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy after becoming USA Basketball’s all-time leader in points in July 2021. The “guy” he was pointing to was Jayson Tatum.

Tatum vividly remembers the 2020 team’s first scrimmage against the USA Select Team in Las Vegas. Someone kicked him the ball on the wing and, instead of getting his, the 23-year-old deferred to Durant who was to his right.

“I remember he got mad at me,” Tatum told Draymond Green on “The Draymond Green Show” in April 2022. “He was like, Yo, don’t look to me. Be yourself. I need you to kill. And I was like damn…he needs me to do me on this team.” So that’s what he did.

After dropping their first contest of the 2020 Tokyo Games to France, the U.S. won its second game in a 54-point blowout against Iran, and then in the third, Tatum led the U.S. squad with a team-high 27 points on 10-16 shooting from the field in a win against the Czech Republic. Point taken. The next talisman had emerged.

And so have Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker and Tyrese Haliburton. With Durant, LeBron and Curry gearing up for one last ride this summer, USA Basketball is looking toward the future of the country’s success on the world stage. It starts with building the next generation of flag bearers.

This past NBA season served as Ant-Man’s official inauguration as the League’s next superstar. When the offense falls flat and energy begins to dissipate, Edwards will smirk as he plans his next jaw-dropping display of athleticism that will ignite a 20-0 run. Haliburton’s arrival extends the country’s long line of offensive orchestrators and visionary passers in transition while Booker’s devotion to the mid-range and mastery of the iso routinely makes for instant offense in the most unlikely scenarios. The next generation of USA Basketball players is a not-so-subtle reminder of why this squad is so damn exciting. Everyone can make their claim for playing time. This isn’t just a 12-man roster, it’s a 12-man deep rotation.

The schedule will be grueling, but the experience will be unforgettable. Memories will be made, legacies enshrined and the next chapter of USA Basketball will be written. Meanwhile, Durant wants to see complete dominance.

“I want to really make a statement on how dominant our players are,” Durant said in his Boardroom cover story in February. “Like 40, 50-point wins. I want to do that.”

SLAM PRESENTS USA BASKETBALL IS AVAILABLE NOW

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Gold Rush: Previewing the 2024 USA Men’s National Team Ahead of the Paris Olympics appeared first on SLAM.

To celebrate Boston winning their 18th title, we just dropped SLAM 251, the Champs Issue, featuring none other than the Jays; Jayson Tatum and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown.

SLAM 251 FEATURING THE CELTICS IS OUT NOW

Get your copy of SLAM 251 right now so you can reminisce on the season, whether that’s in Beantown or beyond. And we’ve got Gold Medal Editions on lock, too. Go grab a piece of history and celebrate the champs accordingly.

The post The Champs Are Here: The Boston Celtics Cover SLAM 251 appeared first on SLAM.

Each piece of memorabilia tells a story, whether it’s Bill Russell’s game-worn jersey from the 1965 Finals or the threads from a veteran Bill Walton and a rookie Jayson Tatum, who made his debut just seven years ago. Together, they showcase not only the continually evolving state of the franchise but the League, as well. The walls of the exhibit act as a journey through the organization’s history as displays transition from the extremely short shorts of decades past to today’s jerseys that are lighter and more boundary-pushing than ever and some not-so-short shorts to boot.

Altogether, the exhibition boasts 11 of Boston’s championship rings alongside the 1981 Larry O’Brien Trophy, Cedric Maxwell’s Finals MVP of the same year, and the defunct Walter Brown Trophy—awarded to the team that won the NBA Finals and passed from team to team until the 1975-76 season, when the Celtics were the last team to secure the trophy.

But ultimately, what connects these pieces of memorabilia, some of which have as much as 50 years of history between them, is the green-and-white that represents the team from New England. If you’re a Celtics fan or simply obsessed with basketball lore, The Vault inside the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame holds all the knowledge for a limited time.

Photos via Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The post The Vault Inside the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is Where the Boston Celtics’ Past and Present Coincide appeared first on SLAM.

As a new pro, the former Utah star has continued to put her community, and heritage, at the forefront. From her very first arrival to the W—draft night, which was held back in April— Pili wore an elegant, custom gown from the brand AUTHMADE STADIUM, which was founded by Jason Vu in 2017. The brand has continued to redefine the intersection of fashion apparel and sports, and has created custom pieces for high-profile clients across hoops and entertainment, including Bad Bunny, Jayson Tatum and collaborations with NBA teams like the Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets.

AUTHMADE STADIUM primarily focuses on streetwear, making the creation of the gown a first for Vu. And yet, he’s not one to shy away from a challenge, especially not one that includes weaving together elements of storytelling, purpose, and celebrating AAPI communities, into his work. Vu started the process by getting to know Pili personally through texts, Zoom sessions, and sharing inspiration pics and sketches, all while hearing more about her story and her connection to her roots.

“Being a Vietnamese immigrant of AAPI descent and just being in an industry where more representation is needed as a designer, I think the story compels me,” Vu told WSLAM.

For the draft, Pili specifically wanted to wear a piece that represented who she was and where she came from, and Vu’s attention to detail is what was key in creating a look that complimented Pili’s personal style.

“Having that tribal print incorporated into the look was something that was extremely important to Alissa. She also wanted to showcase her tribal tattoos that are on both her right leg and left shoulder so incorporating a slit and drop shoulder into the look helped compliment her body and accentuate her tattoos,” he says.

For Pili, the final product was perfect: “My dress for the WNBA draft was a representation of my Polynesian culture,” Pili says. “I wanted to incorporate where I come from, with pride, and designer Jason Vu did an amazing job taking my vision and creating a beautiful masterpiece.” 

Her draft night look was also the perfect introduction for W fans to get to know the rookie on a deeper level, all while paying homage to her community, family and upbringing. When asked what was most fulfilling, Vu echoes that exact sentiment. “[It was fulfilling] to be able to make a dress that not only she was proud of, but her family, her community in Alaska, and, the whole Polynesian community that follows her,” he says. 

For AUTHMADE STADIUM, this is just the beginning. The brand just launched a new collection in collaboration with the WNBA and the NBA, “So I Can Dream.”

Photo credit: On Time Agency & Minnesota Lynx, Jake Soriano.

The post How Alissa Pili and Jason Vu Teamed Up to Put the API Community at the Forefront of the Lynx Rookie’s WNBA Draft Night Look appeared first on SLAM.

This year’s voting style for the All-star League Fits was unique by mirroring the NBA’s voting process, with the ballot being split up by conference *and* frontcourt/backcourt. In the East, layering has been a critical style choice for stars like the Jays and Tyrese Haliburton while wearing many hats: beanies, fitted’s, and cowboy hats. Meanwhile, in the West, stars like SGA and Jordan Clarkson have been showing out in the tunnel, as they always do, with their effortlessly cool style, bold accessories, and choice of shades.

Here’s this year’s LeagueFits All-Stars:

That’s back-to-back starting selections on the LeagueFits All-Star teams for Jaylen Brown.

Is there anyone in the League whose outfits are more talked about more than Tyrese Haliburton’s? He’s in a class of his own right now.

Who said there’s no waves in Philadelphia? The first-ever LeagueFits MVP snags a starting spot on this year’s starting 5.

Sometimes less is (a lot) more. Jordan Poole led the entire Eastern conference in votes this season.

Jayson Tatum led the Eastern frontcourt in voting (and by a lot, too).

Save any and all other nicknames, after back-to-back style All-Star selections, he’s officially Thanasfits Antetokounmpo.

Aesthetic this, aesthetic that, nobody’s aesthetic is as defined and consistent as Bruce Brown’s. (Who says cowboys can’t come from Massachusetts?)

Nic Claxton’s consistently been NYC’s best-dressed player despite being nearly 7-feet tall. Well deserving of his first LeagueFits All-Star selection.

Buddy Hield’s been consistently throwing fits for a few seasons. Excited to see it continue in Philly.

Once upon a time, Kyle Kuzma was the first-ever LeagueFits Rookie of the Year. He clearly hasn’t slown down at all since then.

Y’all know scary Terry was the first box checked on my ballot.

A guy who dresses how he’s feeling, there’s few guys in the league with the same variety and range as Myles Turner.

It’s been a season of straight heaters since Bol Bol arrived in the desert. (Oh, and he’s been putting in work on the court since the turn of the new year, too).

The Alexander’s are officially the LeagueFits royal family. Nickel Alexander-Walker joins Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a western conference starter, beating out an absolutely stacked ballot feat. Two former LeagueFits MVP’s. 

 Yeah, nobody had more votes than this guy. It’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s world and we’re all living on it.

It’s not easy to get dressed night in and night out when you’re a 7-footer with the largest sneaker size in the association, but Karl Anthony Towns has managed to do it. Shout out to the on and off-court All-Star.

Jalen Williams is the THIRD member of the Oklahoma City Thunder to be voted a LeagueFits All-Star, and the second to be voted onto the starting lineup. S/O dub.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone as consistently dressed as Devin Booker.

The host of last year’s on-court All-Stars is back. No LeagueFits discussion is complete without Jordan Clarkson in the conversation.

The first (of many) LeagueFits accolades for Lu Dort. One of the best-dressed players on the league’s coolest team.

The only thing better than winning your first ring is being voted as a LeagueFits All-Star for the first time.

LeBron’s in the GOAT conversation. He’s a business mogul. He’s a husband and father. He’s maybe the busiest basketball player ever, and he’s still found time to craft the best slate of pregame style we’ve ever seen from him in his career.

Jarred Vanderbilt made our All-LeagueFits first team last spring, it’s not a surprise that Los Angeles’ best-dressed added another style All-Star to his resume.

Russell Westbrook’s wardrobe is gonna be carved into the NBA style Mt. Rushmore when he retires. In the meantime, tho, he has more fits to get off (and create).

The post The 2024 LeagueFits All-Stars: Full List 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.

The process for “discovering” a high school basketball player changed a lot in the social media era.

To set some context: it used to be way different. In the ’80s, ’90s, even early ’00s, you’d read about an up-and-coming player in a newspaper or a magazine, then catch glimpses of them on television if somehow possible (though likely not until they hit the college ranks). You mostly saw very little—a small article here or there with a short text description and a photo; in some extreme examples, some decent footage on a sports highlight television show; and in some super-extreme examples, a magazine cover, the ultimate stamp.

Then came the internet, then Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, all that. Pretty soon everyone had a camera in their hands 24/7, which meant that when a high school basketball player did something amazing, it immediately hit the internet, and if it was really amazing, it immediately went viral.

In 2017, Zion Williamson went viral damn near every other day. He was a junior forward out of South Carolina with a combo of flight—he could soar up to eye-level with the rim and just sort of hang out there for a few seconds—and power—he was built like a linebacker and dunked with such ferocity it shook the gym and caused a frenzy amongst the kids in the stands—that made every one of his dunk clips, which flew around social media at light speed, a must-watch.

At the time, the world had started to move with such tempo that on Zion’s game nights, those highlights were viral by the time he woke up the next morning. So where did that put SLAM, a publication with a history of “introducing” players like Zion to the world?

It was a question I thought about a lot at the time. I had become Editor-in-Chief the year before, a role I earned in part because of my ability to help SLAM compete in the hyperspeed media universe. And though the answer would continue to change (and still changes often to this day), at the time it was simple: we’re going to put him on the cover and we’re going to tell his story properly, show people the real Zion. 

SLAM 210 was Zion’s first magazine cover shoot. By the time the cover dropped, everyone knew his name (from Instagram), but this was the first time the audience actually heard from him directly. We had an interview with a “longform” video (like, three minutes) and a slew of beautiful, crispy photographs, which I half-joked at the time were the first look anyone got of Zion’s face outside of blurry camera phone footage.

That content was the result of a day spent with Zion and his family in Spartanburg, SC, where they’re from. There’s a mural in the middle of the city that says “THERE’S ONLY ONE SPARTANBURG,” and Zion’s stepfather bolted a basketball hoop to the middle of the mural for our photos. The images of Zion would become iconic in a different way than, say, a 2001 magazine cover would’ve, but in their own new-age way. Months later, when every college fan base was photoshopping Zion in their favorite team’s jersey, they meme’d our cover photo almost exclusively. Two years later, when Zion was drafted and signed with Jordan Brand, the company bought the rights and used that same photo—funny because of the many adidas logos they had to scrub and replace to make that work. The photo looked great, though, and was still the best visual representation of Z more than two years after the initial shoot.

We continued to cover Zion extensively following that shoot. His season at Duke was a blast, and we shot a great cover with him for SLAM 222—The Future Issue—right before he was drafted in 2019 to the New Orleans Pelicans. He teamed up with SLAM favorite Lonzo Ball, so we shot another cover, a group shot that also included Brandon Ingram and Jrue Holiday. Fast forward to summer 2020, post-Covid explosion but pre-Bubble, we rented an Airbnb-turned studio, masked up and shot a cool cover with Z to hype up the forthcoming return of the NBA. A few years later, in early 2023, we celebrated the then-surging Pelicans with a Pen & Pixel-style cover featuring Zion, Ingram and CJ McCollum. And then last summer he got another front page, posing on KICKS 26 alongside fellow Jordan Brand endorsees Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic.

As I’m typing this, Zion Williamson is just 23 years old, and though it seems like he’s been around the scene forever, his career is really still in its early chapters. He didn’t rocket to immediate NBA dominance, but some of the chatter about him not performing is just nonsense; he’s a two-time All-Star who’s averaged over 25 points and 6 boards per game while maintaining a 60 percent (!) field goal percentage. It’s already been incredibly impressive, and again—he’s 23! 

There’s an anecdote in my cover story from 2017 that explains what it was like to watch Zion work out in an empty gym, how it felt like each dunk literally shook the room, the sound of the ball smashing through the hoop reverberating off the walls. That intense, seemingly out-of-nowhere, shake-the-room energy—if a sound could be a mission statement, in that moment, Zion produced SLAM’s. Bold, powerful, striking…for us, it was a North Star in the form of a sound wave. We chase that feeling with our content—our covers, our videos, our photos, our stories—every day, and that shoot crystallized it for me. Plus, it helped me figure out what SLAM’s place in the lightning-fast media landscape should be. It looks different than it used to, but we still stand head and shoulders above the competition because of our elite storytelling and the credibility that a SLAM co-sign provides. 

So yeah—we’re Team Zion. Forever. 

Portrait by Zach Wolfe. Photo via Getty Images.

The post THE 30 PLAYERS WHO DEFINED SLAM’S 30 YEARS: Zion Williamson 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.

On June 12, 2015, we found ourselves walking the streets of downtown St. Louis with 17-year-old Jayson Tatum. At the time, though he was a five-star recruit who would soon commit to Duke, we were able to freely roam the streets without Jayson being bombarded by fans. Today, we wouldn’t be able to redo that shoot so seamlessly. But that day perfectly encapsulates the long-ranging relationship that SLAM has built with many of today’s NBA superstars.

The shoot was longer than our usual high school shoot: Jayson was about to become our HS Diarist for the following academic year, meaning he’d have his own column in the magazine for the following 12 months, which meant we’d have to capture plenty of images in different outfits so that we’d have enough options for all of the coming issues.

Jayson was accompanied by his entire family that day: his mother Brandy, his father Justin, his grandmother, his high school girlfriend and other relatives. We walked around taking photos in different parts of downtown St. Louis in the beaming summer sun. Although he had a cool, calm and collected demeanor, you could tell he already knew he was a star in the making. Going into the shoot, we asked him to bring whatever streetwear outfits he thought best reflected his personality. He showed up with a custom St. Louis Cardinals jersey that had his name stitched on the back, which he rocked for a photo in front of the iconic Gateway Arch. The second outfit he brought? A full gray suit, with a white dress shirt and a patterned pink/red/orange/white tie. He really meant business from Day 1.  

Through his diary entries in the issues that followed, we got a glimpse of his competitive side. He wrote about looking forward to playing against his dad during the season (Tatum attended Chaminade and his dad was the head coach of their rival school, Christian Brothers), and kept track of their head-to-head record. We also learned the impact that his mother had on his life, and even some of the school projects he enjoyed working on the most, along with any extracurricular activities. 

Toward the end of his senior year, Tatum was part of our annual HS All-American team shoot, where he posed alongside De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Harry Giles III and Josh Jackson in a conference room at a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The SLAM All-American uniforms that year were sponsored by Jordan Brand and the shoot itself happened during Jordan Brand Classic week in NYC. Today, Tatum and Jordan have a very fruitful partnership. A full circle journey, indeed.

In the aftermath of his high school days, SLAM and Tatum have continued working together. In 2018, he appeared on his first solo SLAM cover, wearing a band-aid on his face in a nod to fellow St. Louis legend Nelly (the title of his HS feature—the spread where he’s wearing the aforementioned custom Cardinals jersey—was “Ride Wit Me,” a reference to Nelly’s hit single). In late 2022, he posed for his second solo cover. He’s also been a part of a couple of group covers. In 2023, he appeared on his first KICKS cover alongside fellow Jordan Brand athletes Zion Williamson and Luka Doncic. 

Point being, nine years later, Tatum and SLAM continue to collaborate on some top-tier shoots. He has not only played a major role in SLAM’s story and growth over the past decade—he’s also done the same for the game of basketball. Today, he’s one of the NBA’s biggest stars. A lethal scorer with a smooth flow to his game, he’s already been to four Conference Finals and got within two games of winning an NBA title in 2022. Off the court, he’s emerged as one of the most marketable figures in the game—you can always find him on TV, starring in commercials for Subway, Ruffles and Gatorade, among others. And, of course, he has his own signature sneaker with Jordan Brand—another TV spot to add to the list. He’s also become a model figure for fatherhood in the League—Jayson and his son, Deuce, are an elite duo in the hearts of all hoop fans and are frequently spotted together on the court and in the locker room after games. (And, for obvious reasons, we love when Deuce rocks his dad’s SLAM cover tee, which has happened a few times.)

Needless to say, as the headline of his high school story fittingly said, we’ve been riding wit’ JT for almost a decade, and we look forward to seeing all the destinations that lie ahead. 

Portrait by Chris Razoyk. Photo via Getty Images.

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

This story and so much more is featured in the latest issue of KICKS 26. Get your copy here.

First Team

P.J. Tucker

As sure as the sun rises in the eastern sky, P.J. Tucker is back on our First Team. There’s nobody in the League more versed, more versatile and more willing to play in any pair. He cemented himself long ago on this list, yet he keeps on proving himself over and over.

James Harden

James Harden is a fairly uncommon human being in general. He did, after all, help to rewrite the NBA rule book with his singular style of play. His seventh signature silhouette, the best of the 2022-23 campaign, is particularly exceptional. It’s got a funky shape, it’s got an upper that looks like a puffer jacket, it’s full of the best tech the Stripes has to offer and it had incredibly hard colorways throughout the season. 

DeMar DeRozan

It’s not a shot at P.J. to say with confidence that DeMar DeRozan has the best Kobe collection in the League. As has been printed in these pages many times, he’s played in every Nike Kobe silhouette throughout his career and continues to add Kobe PEs that look more like art pieces than sneakers to his collection.

Ja Morant

Before his signature sneaker debuted on Christmas Day 2022, Ja Morant had been hooping in high quality Kobes and original versions of the early Kyries. Then he stomped into the signature game with a handful of unique colorways. And because he moves differently than just about everybody in the League, there’ll be more originality in his future.

Stephen Curry

The best shooter ever had variety in 2022-23. Curry 10s, FloTros of the 1 and 2, some sprinkling of the 4 FloTro all got court time with No. 30. There aren’t many others who tell stories with their footwear like Stephen. His nonstop commitment to the underrated and underrepresented often gets communicated through his footwear. 

Second Team

LeBron James

Flavor after flavor after flavor. LeBron James’ 20th season will be remembered for the multitude of colorways he played in. Both the Nike LeBron 20 and the Nike LeBron NXXT Gen appeared under the bright lights in equally subtle and outrageous makeups, night after night. 

Paul George

Even though his signature line has wrapped up, Paul George didn’t miss a step. Each game brought a new chance for him to show off his unexpected appreciation for basketball sneakers, like, for example, wearing the “All-Star” Nike Kobe 6 while playing in the City of Angels. You get the connection?

Malik Monk

Malik Monk very much understands how to properly apply hues to footwear. All of his Kobe PEs, be it 5s or 6s, are consistently fire. None of them are really that similar, either. There’s a ton of variation from pair to pair, with browns and blues and purples and blacks and pinks
showing up throughout his stable. 

Trey Lyles

Look, let’s be honest here, yeah? Kobes are this generation’s Jordans. Trey Lyles has a stockpile of rare heat that he’s amassed over the years and most of them aren’t protros. He’s on this list because he consistently hoops in heavy hitters from the game’s most cherished line, oftentimes reminding people about pairs or colorways they’d previously forgotten. 

Jayson Tatum

Another visual storyteller, Jayson Tatum started the season with many versions of the Air Jordan 37 and Air Jordan 38 Low that let the public in on what matters most to him. Once ASW rolled around and he got to unveil his first signature with Jordan Brand, the storytelling door flew clean off the hinges. Tatum tells us a whole lot about himself without ever saying a word. 

MVP: P.J. Tucker

LeBron James only has four MVPs. Michael Jordan only has five MVPs. What in the hell is good with that? That’s not the truth. Both deserve a minimum of 10. In the context of basketball sneakers, P.J. Tucker is LeBron. He is MJ. In our pages, he will continue to get his shine until he hangs up his sneakers for good.

We’ve called him a lot of things over the years, like the Michael Jordan of wearing Jordans. We’ve compared his conquering of basketball footwear to passages in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Now that we’ve finally gotten him on the cover and had a chance to listen to him speak openly about sneakers, he’s the MVP because he loves it all more than anyone else. We hear you, P.J. 

Rookie of the Year: Jalen Williams

The list of Stripes silhouettes that Jalen Williams played in is mighty long. It includes the Harden Vol. 7s, Crazy 97s, Dame 5s, Top 10 2000s, D.O.N. 4s, Agent Gils, Harden Vol. 4s, D Rose 1.5s and Dame 8s. 

Williams maintained a steady rotation throughout the season, varied with many colors. He seems to be a student of the sneaker game. He joined the likes of Tracy McGrady, Nick Young and Jaylen Brown when he rocked mismatched adi joints. The young star popped out to All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City with one white Harden Vol. 7 and one pink Harden Vol. 7. His name will most definitely show up again in these pages next year.

Most Improved Player: Paul George

The Swoosh decided to end Paul George’s signature line at the PG6. It went out with a bang, concluding after the drop of his collab with Hot Wheels. 

The ending of one thing is the beginning of another. Freed up from being required to play in his latest signature model, PG hit the ground running by wearing Kobe 4s, Kobe 5s and Kobe 6s. He dug into the closet for the return of the PG1, the PG2 and the PG2.5. Strategically, he secured this spot when he played in the “Draft Day” Kobe 4s in Charlotte. That was a wakeup call signifying there was another knowledgeable sneakerhead ready to show out. 

LeagueFits Arrival Sneaker of the Year: Russell Westbrook

Michael Jordan’s retirement in 1998 gave the first class of Brand Jordan athletes the full sneaker spotlight. They were getting to play in retro colorways made just for them. Guys like Ray Allen, Derek Anderson, Vin Baker, Eddie Jones and Michael Finley are the reason every sneakerhead knows what PE (player exclusive) stands for. Retro PEs continued for the next couple of Jordan athlete generations, with guys like Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson gaining fame for their heat. 

But Jordan Brand changed up the overall thought process a few years back. Retro PEs are far more rare now. 

Their scarcity is why Russell Westbrook’s Air Jordan III colorway is getting the nod for the LeagueFits Arrival Sneaker of the Year. Seeing these IIIs in the wild is like seeing the Loch Ness Monster finally reveal itself. 

Best of the Brands:

Curry 10

adidas Harden Vol. 7

Jordan Tatum 1

New Balance TWO WXY v3

Nike LeBron 20

PUMA MB.02

READ MORE: KICKS, NBA, WNBA

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  SLAM’s Adidas Collab Welcomes The Return Of The Crazy Two For The First Time 
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The post The 2022-23 KICKS Awards: First Team, MVP and MORE! appeared first on SLAM.

“Like Joël said, I’ve worked on a lot of game shoes,” Lefferts, the embroidery expert, says. 

“Materials have such an emotional impact, especially in Jordan. If you look at the AJXI, patent leather. It also has to feel, like, instinctively like it’s Jordan, which, to me, this did.”

The post The Air Jordan 38 is Woven Through History by Expert Craftsmanship appeared first on SLAM.

Our photographer is snapping away, and Williamson needs to get on the same page as his fellow KICKS cover stars—Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum. Smiles or straight faces?

On this day in early July, it’s hard not to smile. We’re on a boat in the heart of Paris, docked along the Seine. The Eiffel Tower—about a mile up the river—creates a backdrop so stunning it looks almost fake. After a morning of rain, the clouds have parted and the sun shines down, beaming through the ceiling windows. Biggie’s “Sky’s the Limit”—Zion’s choice—blasts through a speaker. Williamson, Doncic and Tatum are standing on white seamless paper, delicately holding the latest offerings in their signature lines with Jordan Brand—the Zion 3, Luka 2 and Tatum 1—like they’re newborn babies. A large-scale media event has been organized for the afternoon, where the three sneakers will officially be introduced to the world.

So, yeah, there’s a lot to smile about. But the verdict? Straight faces. Mean mugs.

KICKS 26 featuring Zion, JT and Luka is available now. Shop here.

On the surface, Williamson, Doncic and Tatum have a lot in common. They are all young superstars (Tatum is the oldest at 25, Doncic is 24 and Williamson just turned 23 in July)—leaders of the next generation to take over the NBA. They are all versatile, positionless players—embodiments of the direction the game is heading. And, of course, they are all part of Jordan Brand’s exclusive roster of signature athletes.

Yet, it’s the uniqueness of each player that makes the design process both challenging and stimulating for the Jordan team. “It makes it more interesting, to be real,” says David Cin, Jordan Brand Senior Design Director of Performance Footwear. “It’s definitely challenging—you have to study what their needs are.”

The Brand constructs its basketball products based on two core principles: motion and emotion. First, silhouettes are crafted to benefit the motion of players on the floor. Designers study game film (not unlike how coaches do) to discern the precise movements and styles of their athletes. They grab clips and break them down into individual frames, laying out the images on a giant mural board. The question then becomes, How do we build a shoe perfectly tailored to these types of movements? Mechanical engineers work with material experts and other specialists to come up with the right solutions.

Of course, design decisions are also informed by meetings with the athletes themselves. That’s where the emotion component of each pair—which deals more with the narrative that surrounds it—is mostly unpacked. Beyond creating products that enhance performance, the Brand aims to evoke emotion through storytelling. The Zion 3, Luka 2 and Tatum 1 are all reflections of their namesakes’ journeys to this point.

“At the end of the day, it’s about really digging deeper into who our athletes are as people and allowing our consumer to see that other side,” says Kelsey Amy, Jordan Brand Expert Color Designer of Performance Footwear.

“We knew that had to be a part of the equation, too,” adds Cin. “Thinking about, Hey, what’s that feeling you get [from shoes]? How can we tap into that? How can we inspire kids?”

Williamson is seated on the lower deck of the boat, where the multi-hued carpet nearly matches the “Sanctuary” colorway of his Zion 3. We’ve asked the Pelicans star to describe his emotions on this dreamlike afternoon. He takes a deep breath, and that youthful smile returns to his face. “Two words,” he says. “Lord Jesus! Lord Jesus! Lord Jesus!”

It’s a cliché, but Williamson really looks like a kid on Christmas morning—only he’s seen this present before, many, many times. As he tells KICKS, he’s even more excited about the Zion 3 than he was about the first two releases in his signature line.

“When you look at my signature shoes, each shoe was built to represent what I was doing extremely well during that time,” he explains. “During my first year and a half in the League, I was more of a post player. I could handle [the ball], but I was mostly, like, a stretch 4, so when I would do certain moves, it would be [about] power or my second jump. So my first shoe was designed on that. If you look at my second shoe, I started handling the ball more, so it was about containment of power while still being able to have finesse. The third one, I think—I’m sorry, I know—that the third one represents who I am and what my game is like.”

In an early meeting about the Zion 3 almost two years ago, Williamson opened up to the Jordan team about a piece of his story that had yet to be fully explored through his line. His path to the NBA, Zion explained, is often misconstrued as having been easy, largely due to his athletic gifts and ridiculous highlight tapes.

“He talked about how people think that it’s just been sweet,” says Jarrett Mann, Jordan Brand Global Product Director of Performance Footwear. “They think that he was an overnight sensation—that he basically came on the scene as a 16-year-old YouTube phenom, and it was dunks and blocks and he was the highest sought-after recruit since LeBron [James]. But he talked a lot about coming to that moment.”

It was far from easy, Williamson stressed. 

I’m gonna shock the world. Y’all just gotta wait.

– Zion Williamson tells SLAMKicks

As a kid growing up in Florence, SC—not exactly known as a hotbed for basketball—he had to get it out the mud. “A lot of people where I’m from, when you talk about making it out, it’s not just basketball we’re using,” says Zion. “We’re just trying to make it out in any way.”

By the age of 9, Williamson was waking up at 5 a.m. every day to train with his stepfather (in the South, it’s wise to beat the blistering sun). Coming from a state with so few NBA players, he struggled with self-doubt. “I would always just kind of have in my mind, I’m not gonna make it, I don’t think I’m gonna do it,” he says. “That way, if something went wrong—like I heard in all the stories growing up—then I wouldn’t feel as bad about it. I always had self-doubt, but the older I got and the more I trusted my game and trusted who I was—who I am—the doubt has been erased.”

The Zion 3 was structured to communicate this lesser-told part of Williamson’s past, and the “out the mud” mentality it cultivated in him. Joël Greenspan, Jordan Brand Senior Designer of Performance Footwear, worked with a computational designer to simulate the visual effect of Zion’s foot last launching through mud (they went as far as to study different viscosities and the mud specific to South Carolina). It wasn’t just about creating a color-splatter design on the upper; the Jordan team also sought to make the mud a useful component of the shoe.

“The mud is a metaphor. It’s the hardship, the difficult times that Zion had to go through,” says Greenspan. “It’s therefore the thing that made him strong. We knew immediately that we had this idea of mud to armor. We wanted the mud to be the thing that makes the shoe strong.”

The solution? Haptic ink—a special kind of screen print previously used on Nike’s Metcon silhouettes, which are, according to Expert Material Designer of Performance Footwear Jacqueline Lefferts, “the only shoes where people can climb up a rope without holes being burnt through them.” The haptic ink provides extra reinforcement and containment in stress areas. “I guess the process was really, How do we tell this narrative in a beautiful way but still make it performance enhancing?” Lefferts says. In addition to the ink, the shoe features a Formula 23 drop-in midsole for enhanced court feel and a Zoom Air bag for crash protection. Williamson’s “Zion” logo is displayed prominently on the heel.

Of course, the man behind that logo hopes that his new sneaker gives others the confidence to overcome their own uphill battles—to make it out the mud, just as he did. “No matter where you’re from, no matter what situation you’re in, no matter how bad things are looking, no matter how good things are looking—when you put the [Zion 3] on, you should feel that you can literally do anything,” he says. “Whatever your aspirations are, with the Zion 3 on, you got a chance. That’s what I want people to feel.”

That’s what Williamson will feel when he laces up the Zion 3 this upcoming season. “One of my favorite things [about the shoe]—you can zoom in on that,” he tells us, flipping up the tongue to reveal three words printed on the inside: Shock the World. “I still stand on that. I’m gonna shock the world. Y’all just gotta wait.”

“I would say of our portfolio of athletes, in terms of just chapters of life, [Luka] has the most unique journey to him arriving at where he is,” Amy says.

That journey spans thousands of miles, beginning in the beautiful city of Ljubljana, Slovenia, where Doncic—Jordan Brand’s first European born-and-raised signature athlete—grew up. His father, Sasa, played professional ball for several years, and Luka fell in love with the game right away. “I was basically with basketball my whole life,” he says. “My father was playing and I was always with a ball in my hands, always at his games. So I was just connected to basketball.”

He had a natural feel for the sport and played whenever and wherever he could, flocking to an outdoor court every day after school. By the time he was 8, Doncic was already running with a group of 12- to 14-year-olds. “It all just came naturally,” he says. “I always played with older guys and then I could learn a lot from them.”

At 13, Doncic was offered a five-year contract by Real Madrid. Accepting the deal meant leaving his family and friends behind and moving to a country where he didn’t even speak the native language. “It was tough. At first it was a for sure no,” he admits. “I didn’t want to go.” But Doncic eventually decided to make the leap, determined to continue chasing his NBA dream. He picked up Spanish in just three months and blossomed on the court, earning numerous Liga ACB honors and winning EuroLeague MVP for a championship squad in 2018.

Doncic developed a unique skill set while competing overseas. The court is smaller and there’s no defensive three seconds in the international game, shrinking the space that players have to operate. Doncic had to focus on how to create space, despite not being the most athletic player in the league. The result? A combination of footwork, vision and balance that is one of one—and makes the task of designing his signature line extremely challenging.

“With the Luka franchise in general, we have an athlete who really gives us some very unique problems to solve,” says Chad Troyer, Jordan Brand Global Senior Product Line Manager of Performance Footwear.

Problems like, How do we account for Doncic’s elite step-back? Answer: the IsoPlate, an innovation built exclusively for Luka that wraps up the medial and lateral forefoot and secures the foot when shifting from front to back.

Informed by meetings with the Mavericks training staff and additional insights from Doncic, the Luka 2 combines the IsoPlate and full-length Formula 23 with a new medial Cushlon 3.0 wedge foam to keep Luka’s foot in control and propel him out of his moves, facilitating even more separation between him and his defenders. “It’s always going to be about space creation for Luka,” says Greenspan.

Colorways of the Luka 2 celebrate the many chapters of Doncic’s life. The “Lake Bled” is a nod to the scenic body of water in Luka’s hometown in Slovenia—“I think it’s one of the most beautiful places not only in Slovenia, but in the world,” Doncic says—and the teal-based “Matador” is inspired by his pro career in Madrid.

“Luka has taken the world by storm, with kids all over the globe from every different kind of culture,” Troyer stresses. Those kids, from as far away as Slovenia and Madrid, can look at Doncic’s story as proof that your dreams are never too far-fetched. That it’s possible to make it all the way to the NBA if you chase that ambition just as Doncic did.

“It’s up to us as a Brand to be able to dig deeper on those stories and educate our consumer on who Luka is as a person,” adds Amy, “and how he got from point A to point B.”

Truth is, there was no magic formula—just hard work, a lot of sacrifice and a real passion for the game. “Ljubzen” (“Love” in Slovenian) is printed on the top eyelet of the Luka 2, and the words “NON DESISTAS” and “NON EXIERIS” are featured on the heel of each shoe respectively, which translates from Latin to “Never give up, never surrender.”

“It was tough leaving Slovenia and moving to Madrid when I was 13. But looking back, I think that experience pushed me to where I am today,” Doncic reflected upon the 2’s release. “I hope my journey, from a kid in Slovenia dreaming of playing in the NBA, can inspire people everywhere to go after their dreams and stay true to themselves no matter what.”

It was June 2020, and Jayson Tatum was chatting over Zoom with his team at Jordan. That’s when they suddenly dropped the news on him: the Brand was giving him a signature. And Tatum…barely reacted. He froze—not on Zoom, in real life. He was in complete shock. It wasn’t until the design process kicked off that it really began to sink in. This is actually happening. This is my dream.

During those early brainstorms, Tatum expressed his preference that his signature be lightweight and feel connected to his foot in a way that was second nature. “As a basketball player, you don’t want to think about the shoe when you’re playing,” he explains. “You just want to lace your shoes up and go play the game. That level of comfort and trust in a way from your sneaker allows you to be yourself.”

The eventual product—the Tatum 1—is the lightest sneaker in Jordan Brand’s performance line. “That’s what we tried to target first and foremost,” says Derek Foster, Global Product Line Manager of Performance Footwear. “And then, within that, we were just really trying to nail down some of the attributes that relate to Jayson. We looked at his biomechanics and the way he plays—he’s a very forefoot-dominant athlete.”

Designers were able to remove weight while still maintaining a strong TPU frame that supports Tatum’s side-to-side movements—as does the outsole, which implements a plate technology. An uncaged Zoom Air bag is included in the forefoot, allowing Tatum to play efficiently on his toes just the way he likes.

Aside from the sneaker’s functionality, Tatum emphasized the importance of the Tatum 1 being for kids, not just for him. He prioritized creating a kids-specific design that utilizes an innovative tailgate system for easy entry. His son’s nickname, Deuce, is also featured on the inside of the tongue of three of the first four colorways. “[Deuce] challenges me to be a better person, because I always know that he is watching everything that I do,” Jayson says. “He’s inspired me to be a better man, to be a better role model, to be a better basketball player.”

“What [Tatum] brought to the table, what felt important to him, was to be about the future—to inspire kids,” says Bryant Klug, Jordan Brand Expert Designer of Performance Footwear. “He isn’t treating it like a scrapbook of all his own details—we have some of that stuff on the shoe, but he always talked about it, like, who it was for. And it was always for other people.”

There are two things that I’ve kind of always lived by. [One], you can never dream too big…

Another thing that goes hand in hand with that is, the bigger you dream, the harder you have to work.

– Jayson Tatum

Those details—like the coordinates of St. Louis and the words “I Just Didn’t Quit” (inspired by a Nipsey Hussle quote) on the TPU piece of the outsole, as well as “Living Proof” on the outer part of the rubber—reflect his own journey, for sure, but with the intent of influencing the next Jayson Tatum. They tell the story of a kid from the Midwest—raised in a city that, like Williamson’s hometown, isn’t known for basketball—working tirelessly to reach the NBA. His head coach at Chaminade HS, Frank Bennett, insists Tatum took just two days off during his four years there—the two days following their state championship victory his senior season.

“There are two things that I’ve kind of always lived by,” Tatum says. “[One], you can never dream too big. I grew up in St. Louis. My mom lived check to check—she was 19 when she had me. We’re not supposed to be here. I had dozens of people when I was younger tell me that I should choose a different dream or another profession—you know, something more realistic. But another thing that goes hand in hand with that is, the bigger you dream, the harder you have to work. And I was never going to let anybody outwork me.”

As a young boy, Tatum looked up to Kobe Bryant. He had on “What The” Kobe 9s in the state title game as a senior and rocked the “Prelude” colorways of the Kobe 5 and 6 when he played on the EYBL circuit. He was inspired by the Mamba’s blueprint. Now Tatum is the one setting his own blueprint, and he has a brand-new canvas with which to convey it.

“I know firsthand the influence that you can have on somebody without ever knowing them or meeting them,” Tatum says, reflecting on the impact that Bryant—all the way out in Los Angeles—had on him in St. Louis.

“So I understand the responsibility that I have, with the platform that I have, to inspire the next generation, whether they want to be a basketball player or the best doctor in the world—whatever it is, just to inspire somebody.”

Portraits by Alex Woodhouse.

The post Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum & Zion Williamson All in Paris?! SLAMKICKS Exclusive appeared first on SLAM.

This past June, France’s Victor  Wembanyama, was selected No. 1 overall in the NBA draft, a 7-4 unicorn (and recent SLAM cover subject) hailed as a franchise savior in San Antonio. Then in early July, Paris celebrated the 20th anniversary of Quai 54, an international rendezvous of hip-hop and basketball sponsored by Jordan Brand, with guest appearances by Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson and Jayson Tatum. And Tony Parker, four-time NBA champion and lead facilitator during the Spurs’ era of dominance, will be the first Frenchman immortalized in the Naismith Hall of Fame by the time you’re reading this.

But the country’s roundball roots run deep. Real deep. Though it’s not a widely known fact, France is the birthplace of European basketball. 

On December 23, 1893, only two years after Dr. James Naismith tacked up a pair of peach baskets at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, MA, Naismith’s former student Melvin Rideout organized the first game outside of the US at 14Trévise, at the YMCA Paris which opened earlier that same year.

For the next century and change, hoops have been a year-round endeavor at 14Trévise, giving it the unique distinction as the “oldest surviving basketball court in the world.”

The gym is a carbon-copy replica of the Springfield Y, complete with an overhead wooden running track, two steel support pillars that run vertically down the middle of the court and iconic oak herringbone parquet floors. 

However, 14Trévise encompasses much more than basketball. A beacon of innovation at the time of its inauguration in 1893, the building brought together sports and intellectual and cultural activities, featuring a student hostel, theater, swimming pool, bowling alley, library and restaurant.

In 1993, for its 100th anniversary, 14Trévise was honored by the French Historical Monuments Administration for its “originality as a social, educational and sports complex,” thereby protecting its status as an original 19th century Y building.

From our perspective, any building with the legacy and lineage of 14Trévise not only deserves recognition, but restoration. And it’s finally happening. 

The Y is currently undergoing a $10 million overhaul to preserve the building’s architectural heritage and integrity while continuing its social mission to use sports and the arts for youth empowerment. 

In order to reopen for next summer’s Paris Games, 14Trévise closed its doors in early 2023 for 18 months of construction. Although the famous court will not host any official competitions, it will be a must-see destination on the Olympic map and all Olympic basketball games will be screened inside the gym for fans.

“Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic Committee, was a supporter of the YMCA Paris from the start, and would be proud to see it renovated for the ’24 Games,” Christelle Bertho, architect and historian of the project, tells SLAM. “However, the gym will not become a museum. It will stay as vibrant as it has been since 1893—a much-used space for social, sports and cultural activities [that] will [also] host many special events.”

Hoopers from all over the world habitually stop in at the YMCA Paris to put up shots and travel back in time. Stephen Curry, Tyler Herro, Rudy Gobert, Boris Diaw and Nicolas Batum have all made pilgrimages to 14Trévise and left their marks on the place. And now, you can too, whether you travel to Paris or not. 

Remember those iconic oak herringbone parquet floors we mentioned earlier? Well, starting at €100 (approximately $100), any fan can “adopt” one of 2,024 gym floorboards—via adopteunelame.com—to have their names etched into hoops history and be featured on the donor board upon the Y’s reopening.

“Because there are so many basketball lovers all over the world, it was dear to us to offer an opportunity to get involved in our unique restoration project and share our passion and dedication for saving this historical gym,” Danuta Pieter, philanthropy advisor to YMCA Paris, tells SLAM. “We already have supporters of all ages and from all continents.”

Floorboards aside, all eyes will be on Wemby this season and Paris next summer. And when 14Trévise reopens its doors, France’s influence and imprint on basketball culture will continue to grow.

Word to Dr. Naismith!

Photos via Ludovic Marquier.

The post Ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the World’s Oldest Surviving Basketball Court is Being Fully Restored appeared first on SLAM.

“In tennis you can tell who has control of the point by the depth of the players,” Kerr told the media back in 2022. “If you’re pressuring (in basketball) and get them starting their offense well above the three-point line you’re controlling the possession.”

As someone who started playing tennis about 10 years ago, and still continues to love the game today, I’m pretty familiar with the ins and outs of it. But when I had the opportunity to intern for SLAM in New York City, that’s when I was fully introduced to the world of basketball. After researching different players, watching highlights and helping organize older issues of SLAM, I started to think more about what the two sports could possibly learn from each other. 

Let’s keep it real, professional hoopers are just as into other sports as they are basketball, whether it’s golf or even tennis. Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward used to play tennis as a kid and once said that if basketball didn’t work out, he would’ve tried going pro in tennis. He still credits tennis for most of his mental game and says he still enjoys playing at home in his free time.

Meanwhile, tennis players like Frances Tiafoe also have a love for the game. Tiafoe even played in the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity game this year. 

There’s a lot that both games have in common—from popularity to the fact that both basketball and tennis are global sports. But there’s also a lot they can learn from each other.

SLAM let me have some fun with it during my internship and think creatively about what they might look like. 

Give tennis fans more freedom at matches to make the experience more enjoyable

When you’re at a tennis game the rules are pretty strict. If a stadium worker sees you standing, they’ll immediately run over to tell you to take your seat. If the umpire hears too much talking before a point, they’ll make an announcement for it to be quieter. When these types of things happen while you’re trying to enjoy a match, it can make you feel annoyed and not want to be there instead of enhancing the live sports experience. In this case, tennis can look to the NBA and see how players feed off the crowd’s energy. Why do you think teams have an at home advantage? If the tennis world eases up a bit and lets the audience go as crazy as they please, the experience for the viewer will be on a different level. It might even encourage more people to attend. 

What if tennis had two-way contracts and a G League?

The two-way contact has been monumental for the NBA and its players. By giving the athletes the opportunity to bounce between two clubs, it allows them the chance to adapt to pro ball rather than just being dropped in and expecting to produce from Day 1. Tennis should try a concept like this, especially since it can be hard for an up-and-coming player to break through while playing against the best. Without high rankings, they end up playing the top seeds and losing right away. 

If there were some sort of starter league where they could play before, or even a two-way type of contract, that could be way more beneficial for a player’s career.

Tennis needs a set season and a championship

Without a set season like the NBA, a tennis “season” starts to feel endless. There’s a new tournament every two weeks or so, and at the end of November, they get about five weeks off before it just restarts. While the NBA has now become a year-round game in terms of coverage, there’s an ebb and flow to the season with the playoffs being the most exciting time to conclude the season. 

Perhaps tennis should look to the PGA in terms of a playoff and championship model outside of the majors to add to the storytelling and drama of competing for a title each year.

The NBA could benefit from installing the Hawk-Eye computer vision system to make calls

In the past few years tennis has installed a camera system that makes all the calls exact. It’s changed the game. If basketball were to install this type of technology it could save not only time, but any confusion/skepticism on certain calls. Whether it’s for fouls or who hit it out of bounds, this could also be highly beneficial for the refs. 

Tennis should have an All-Star Weekend

NBA All-Star Weekend is when the League’s best players come together and compete in games and skills competitions. Tennis desperately needs something like this, and it would certainly draw some much-needed attention for the sport’s up-and-coming stars. From the skills competition to legends playing doubles (or pickleball as we just saw in Florida), having fun with the game and putting individual rivalries aside for a weekend would help propel the sport forward.

Basketball should have more men’s and women’s overlap at events

In all tennis tournaments there’s a men’s and a women’s draw going on at the same time. That means the game’s biggest stars, regardless of gender, are all in one place. Tennis is able to incorporate men’s, women’s, doubles, juniors, and even wheelchairs all in the same tournament. So why can’t we see that in basketball? Could the NBA season overlap with the WNBA season and have more crossover type of events? We’ve seen it a little during NBA All-Star Weekend through the years, but in more of an exhibition vs. competitive format. 

Tennis stars need to engage the crowd more

NBA players like Jayson Tatum will hit a crazy shot or make a great play and then engage with the crowd. The audience lives for that, and that feeling between players and fans makes the game even more exciting. Tennis doesn’t have that as much because the players tend to stay locked in (sure, they may yell for a second after winning a big point, but it’s just not the same). It’s no surprise that tickets to Nick Kyrgios’ matches sell more than any top player, and it’s time for the rest of the tour to tap into that same energy.

Allow tennis fans to cheer and yell during points

Imagine a silent NBA game. Not the same, right? In tennis, you can hear a pin drop throughout the arena while a point is being played, and fans are immediately shushed if they start to yell during points. While the silence may sometimes make the point more intense, it’s about time we start letting the fans get more into the game.

Let tennis fans walk to their seats at any moment during the match

Tennis only allows people to walk to their seats on a change over, which is every odd-numbered game. If you run to the bathroom or go to grab a drink and get back as they restart, you could be waiting to get in for over 10 minutes (and no one wants to do that). While you may have to wait a second if you’re sitting courtside at an NBA game, you can walk to your seats at any given moment, which encourages fans to feel like every game is truly an experience. 

Find ways to get the next generation of fans more into tennis

How do we make tennis more exciting and get the next generation to love the sport just as much as the rest of us do? Let’s look to the NBA. By marketing marquee matchups and following the game’s biggest stars from high school to college to the League, players are building a fanbase before they ever step on an NBA court. By unifying youth tennis and with more consistent storytelling, the hype will match the talent by the time they take center court at their first major.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post 10 Things the NBA and Tennis Can Learn From Each Other appeared first on SLAM.

“You gotta think: somebody that can keep a dribble, show the ref that you’re holding them off balance but keep themselves on balance to finish or practice being unbalanced and finishing, they’ve mastered it,” Shumpert tells us on set. “You watch so many different players that come out of college polished [and] able to do things that we weren’t working on cause the college game wasn’t half that stuff wasn’t even allowed. The game is evolving and there’s becoming a universal understanding of what you can do.”

To put on performances like what we’ve seen so far this NBA season—from 71-point nights to 100-plus game totals—is as much testament to the level of talent as it is passion. “This young group, they’re so talented and in love with [the game],” Shumpert continues. “You know what I’m saying? They sleep with basketballs [and] their game shoes on. I love that. They be in pressure situations and they’ll still windmill it. Like, they don’t care and they are so locked in and so in love and trusting of their bodies. Me being somebody that had all them surgeries, I’m like, I wish I could trust my body on game 55, [and] I’m just doing a windmill on a breakaway in traffic. 

I remember being that young and just dribbling to a place and just being like, f*** it, let’s try it. I’ve never done it from this angle, turn this way contorted, but let’s do it. It’s like, those kids that were like five and they were trying those grown moves and you like, bruh, your ‘lil self can’t do that, like calm down. But they kept doing it and kept doing it and now they look at a grown up like, you ain’t even worked on the stuff I worked on. I mastered it.” 

Shumpert, who suited up for the Knicks and won a championship with the Cavaliers in 2016, has both played alongside and against NBA superstars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Now, he’s witnessing firsthand how the next generation of standouts not only look up to the older players, but are taking their game even further. “Now, they look at a grown up like you ain’t even work on all the stuff I worked on. I mastered your game in my mind at eight. I start working on Steph Curry game, too, then I added a ‘lil Melo game ‘cause I had to learn how to play in the post. Now I got Kyrie Irving all up in my head so you can’t stop me. It’s crazy. It’s so cool to talk to a kid now that’s playing in the pros and they be like, yeah I been watching Kyrie my whole life and I be like, dang bro that’s crazy. I’m old. Me and Kyrie are old? Wow. Kyrie [is] younger than me so I’m like, Kyrie is who you look up to? We’re watching a new generation of just killas. It’s cool.”

As for the level of competitiveness in the League, Shumpert’s next take sparks a conversation amongst the Starting Five: “They wanna win but I meant the competitive nature of I’m gonna score on this end and you can’t score on the other end. I think the grittiness of that has left—part of it is them adjusting to officiating, the hand checking is gone, the ability to rough somebody up sorta got taken away completely but I just felt like that’s what [is lacking] when I watch it…I know what it’s like to be in the League and it’s like Iman you got four fouls, stop and I’m like, dog who’s letting somebody lay a ball up? Like why y’all mad at me, bro? I didn’t even foul ‘em, like that was a tic-tac call. But it’s like you don’t just get layups, you don’t just get open shots, you have to do it under duress or I don’t believe it. 

I’m one of those guys. I don’t believe he’s that good [if] he can’t do it under duress,” he adds. “…That’s what I end up watching but like I said that’s my personal [opinion]. I want y’all to play how I want y’all to play and it’s like nah, they worried about scoring 150 points and they’re doing it very well.”

As for what SetFree, Kiss and Danielle think? Watch the DraftKings’ Starting Five series here.

Photos via The Compound and DraftKings.  

The post Iman Shumpert Shares His Take on the Competitiveness of the NBA on DraftKings’ Starting Five  appeared first on SLAM.

Daily subjects vary—some lessons center on basketball, others are focused more broadly on the transition from high school to college. Professors vary as well—the recently retired Coach K spoke to the 2022 freshmen, as well as current coaches, general manager Rachel Baker and others. The overall mission of the class is clear: welcome new members to The Brotherhood. Teach them what The Brotherhood is all about.

“It’s great because you learn about the history of Duke,” says freshman center Christian Reeves. 

One day, associate head coach Chris Carrawell, who played for the Blue Devils from 1996-2000, showed an hour-long video tracing Duke’s storied past. The five national titles and 15 ACC tournament championships under coach Mike Krzyzewski. The 1,129 wins since 1980 (the most ever by a coach at one school). Carrawell broke it all down, highlighting how the program has managed to find so much success.

Everyone knows about The Brotherhood. For many of Duke’s new players (both its top-ranked recruiting class and impressive group of grad transfers), it was a significant factor in their decisions to come to the university.

Still, it is tough to fully understand The Brotherhood until you are a part of it—until you are experiencing it from the inside, as opposed to just hearing about it. There are traditions in place that give newcomers an immediate feel for what they have joined: a close-knit, strong, lifelong family. 

“What The Brotherhood means to me is, simply, unity and togetherness,” former Blue Devil Gary Trent Jr told SLAM in 2018. “Being part of something that’s bigger than yourself, fighting for someone other than yourself, just always looking out for the next man and your brother.”

“The Brotherhood is basically the bond that is Duke [Men’s] Basketball,” added Grayson Allen, who spent four years at Duke from 2014-18. “It’s former players from 20 years ago to guys now and to future commits. It’s the whole thing. You share a common experience of playing here, playing at Duke, playing for Coach.”

Of course, at the heart of The Brotherhood is “Coach,” who has defined the program for over four decades. “It started really because there are not a lot of cases where you get a coach who has coached so many players for so many years,” Carrawell explains. Krzyzewski is the glue that holds The Brotherhood together—the powerful connecting force at its core. He cultivates relationships between past and present Duke players. He makes sure that those bonds never fade. The Michael W. Krzyzewski Center (known on campus as the “K-Center”)—a two-story athletic and academic facility adjacent to Cameron Indoor Stadium—even has a “Legacy Locker Room,” constructed specifically to accommodate former players who come back.

Throughout his tenure, Krzyzewski established annual traditions such as K Academy, a five-day fantasy camp held at Duke in June. Campers, who must be at least 35 years old, compete in a basketball tournament and get to learn the inside scoop about the Blue Devils program. Alumni always return for the event, making it one big family reunion.

Ryan Young, a 6-10 center who recently transferred from Northwestern, was a coach at the 2022 K Academy. 

“That’s where I really saw The Brotherhood,” says Young. “You have young guys like Quinn Cook, Amile Jefferson and Grayson Allen back here coaching teams, but you also have older players that I don’t even recognize that played here in the ’80s and ’90s and 2000s that have all been coming back every year for this event. It’s really cool. I’m sitting there coaching with Mark Alarie, Justin Robinson and a few other former players. And then you have, like, Shane Battier and all those guys walking around the gym like it’s nothing.”

There are typically around 30-40 former Duke players in attendance at K Academy—all bonded by their experiences at the university. Some are in the NBA (more than 20 Blue Devils are currently on NBA rosters), some are coaches, some are front office executives, some have moved on from basketball entirely.

During Krzyzewski’s illustrious career, Duke had 68 NBA Draft selections, including 42 first-round picks. Beyond just K Academy, those players constantly come back to Durham and serve as mentors for the present-day Blue Devils, many of whom aspire to follow in their footsteps.

Heading into the 2022-23 season, the team was visited by Jayson Tatum, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams and others. Those alums didn’t just drop by to say hello—they hung around, played pick-up, worked out at the K Center, engaged with the staff, shared advice with the players. Freshman Mark Mitchell got to pick the brain of Barrett, another versatile and dynamic lefty wing who was once in his position.

“I’m trying to be where he’s at, so him just taking time out of his day to talk to me and give me tips for five minutes really meant a lot to me,” says Mitchell. “Some guys can be arrogant or act like they’re too cool, but he really sat there, talked to me, took me on the court and gave me little tips that I can [use] to be better.”

“I think the coolest part about The Brotherhood is the fact that people—us as players—own it and don’t take it for granted,” assistant coach Amile Jefferson says. Jefferson played for Duke from 2012-17, appearing in a program-record 150 games and winning a national championship in 2015.

“It doesn’t matter if you come here for nine months and you’re a one and done or you stay for four-plus years,” Jefferson continues. “When you wear this jersey and you lay your blood, sweat and tears on the line for this school, for this team, you become a part of something bigger than yourself. And guys carry that with them and it means something. So it’s cool to see guys, especially our pro guys, come back and work out with our young guys—come back and mentor them, stay in touch with them. It happens organically. It’s not like our coaches are making the alum do that, making the pro guys do that. It’s giving back, it’s paying it forward, and I think that’s what The Brotherhood is about. It’s not just a word. It’s a word that works. And it’s followed up by action.”

It isn’t a coincidence that the current coaching staff consists of three former Duke players: Scheyer, Carrawell and Jefferson (all of whom played for Coach K). That has been the program’s approach for a while now, ensuring that the traditions get passed on, the culture doesn’t fragment and The Brotherhood continues to thrive, even in Krzyzewski’s retirement. Under Scheyer, the standards will remain the same and the family will only grow.

“I think you look at the stability of our program for a long time and we plan on keeping that stability as we move forward,” Scheyer says. “[The Brotherhood] is really the feeling of what it means to play for Duke…Whether it’s one year that somebody is here or whether it’s four years, it’s not a pit stop. Duke University, Duke Basketball—it’s not a pit stop. You have to be all in.”

The Brotherhood extends far beyond the court. It’s a network of support that transcends basketball. A former Duke manager who now works in private wealth management recently came back to talk to the team about his career path. 

“On the job side, if you ever need anything business-wise, you have so many people that have come through The Brotherhood,” says junior guard Jeremy Roach, captain of the 2022-23 squad. “You can ask them questions and get information from them.” Roach was drawn to Duke during his recruitment process because of the “family mentality” fostered by Coach K.

“We all try to help one another,” Carrawell stresses, whether it’s related to the game or not. “I can go to Grant Hill. Daniel Ewing can come to me. I’m pretty sure there’s a younger guy that can go to Daniel Ewing, just because we have that Duke connection.”

“Once you leave here, there’s a special connection that you feel with the guys who have played here, the guys that are about to enter our program, and the guys who are currently here,” adds Scheyer. “That’s a bond I don’t think you can explain unless you’re in it.” 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post How Duke Men’s Basketball Program Became an Eternal Brotherhood Over the Years  appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s a nice and simple number, though: 

Five. 

Jayson Tatum has had five 50-plus-point games in his career. That’s more than Larry Bird, more than Paul Pierce, more than John Havlicek, more than Isaiah Thomas, more than Sam Jones, more than Bob Cousy, more than Kevin McHale and more than Ray Allen. 

Tatum has scored at least 50 more times than any other Celtic. He and Bird are the only players to ever score 60 for the League’s most storied club. 

Here’s one more easy number to put all of that into perspective: 

24. 

As in, he’s only 24 years old. 

The above is special regardless of age. The skill level is magnified under the intensity of the attention that the Cs have always received. Last season’s run to the Finals has heightened the attention around Tatum even more. He’s delivered, making expectations seem more like invitations to demonstrate his dominance. A few more numbers, true as we go to press, to illustrate the evolution super clearly: 

—Career-best 31 points per game

—Career-best 8.6 rebounds per game 

—Career-best-tying 4.4 assists per game 

—Six 40-plus-point games

—10 30-plus-point games 

The eye test is a resounding pass. He scores a 100 on that, an A+, gets five gold stars and one round of applause. 

Tatum scores in every single way imaginable on the floor. Single coverage is pretty much no coverage for him. Going up against a double team is like a fun challenge that he can solve most of the time. These days, it looks like triple teams are becoming a necessity. 

He’s been surpassing the ghosts of Celtics past in mostly the Air Jordan 37 Low. Jordan’s signature foam, Formula 23, is stacked in the heel for landing, while an Air Strobel unit and a Zoom Air unit are double-stacked in the forefoot. Tatum’s shown off a variety of PEs while he’s been in the 37. 

But things are about to change…

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Jayson Tatum’s Game is Already Otherworldly, but He’s Just Getting Started appeared first on SLAM.

But the mind has ways of playing tricks on you. It starts to sense oxygen deprivation, triggering a response to the body’s nervous system. Feelings of fear and anxiety arise. But at that moment, as it started to feel like he was reaching a breaking point, what did the All-Star decide to do?

Brown chooses survival. Hurling the weights out of the pool, he accidentally tosses them in the direction of Hamilton’s wife, Gabby. “Almost drowning will for sure humble you,” Brown tells us while on set for his SLAM cover shoot. “Water is a great equalizer. You could have the most confidence in the world, [but] when you get in that water, it neutralizes [you]. It [doesn’t] care if you’re a billionaire or a normal person, that water treats everybody the same. It’s not forgiving, and if you don’t respect it, or think you’re above it, it’ll show you. You learn that you got to be humble. The humility will show in the water.”

Jaylen Brown is always a step ahead. Get your copy of SLAM 242 featuring the NBA All-Star.

The idea to do underwater training came to Brown this past summer, when he initially looked to hire a swim coach (at the time, he says, he wasn’t the greatest swimmer). Just a few months after losing to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals, Brown shared a video on his Instagram account of one of the 20 sessions he did with Hamilton, doing everything from squat jumps to backflips. He learned how to stay calm and composed, even when his mind was telling him the opposite. 

“When you feel like you’re out of breath, that’s your mind sending alarms to the rest of your body saying you need air, but you probably still got 40-45 seconds left in reality before you actually run out of air,” Brown explains. “It just feels like that. [But] you don’t panic. You got time to set the weights down [and] compose yourself. Just swim back to the top.”

His words are almost prophetic for his own ascension. From averaging just 6.6 points as a rookie, to being on the bench, getting snubbed from the All-Star team last season and falling short in the NBA Finals to averaging the best numbers of his career this season: 26.9 points and 7.1 rebounds, as we went to press. Brown has been playing at a level so undeniably elite that by the time this magazine hits your hands, we expect him to be about to land in Salt Lake City for the All-Star Game. His name has even been mentioned in the MVP conversation (along with his teammate Jayson Tatum, of course). The symbolism is all there. 

And yet, Brown’s thinking goes way beyond just basketball. It’s bigger than that. “Everybody has those moments in life where adversity hits and you think, Why me? Adversity hits and you think, Oh, my life is over. Adversity hits and you think, This is the end. When, in reality, it’s just the beginning.” 

Jaylen Brown’s first introduction to Boston came during the 2016 NBA Draft. As a highly touted and gifted prospect out of the University of California- Berkeley, Brown took a master class in college, choosing not to be represented by an agent. One GM labeled him “too smart,” and the Celtics’ fan base made it clear how they felt about their No. 3 overall pick. 

“They booed me,” Brown recalls. “[Owner] Wyc [Grousbeck] was calling my name and he’s up there saying, Jaylen, he’s gonna be one of the best players the city has ever seen. He’s up there, like, defending the pitch. We’re sticking with it, y’all get over it. This is who we’re going with.” 

Any rookie might have felt some type of way, but Brown knew that there was a higher purpose for why he was selected by the Celtics. 

“Before I got drafted, honestly, I told God to put me where he needed me,” he says. “He chose me to be here, for whatever reason. I remember, distinctly, I didn’t care where I went, you know, I could have played basketball in Alaska. But I told him to put me where I needed to be and he placed me in Boston. So, instantly, I knew that it was bigger than my personal decisions. My personal happiness is about what you can do and how you can affect the community and how you’re going to use your platform. I really feel like that’s the only reason why I got talent. Our creator wanted me to do something with it. Bigger than just what I do on the court.”

There are signs everywhere. Brown, who is into astrology and believes in angel numbers, has a specific connection with the number 7, which symbolizes intuition and inner wisdom. He wears the No. 7 on his jersey and named his foundation 7uice. “Guardian angels showing me the right way to go,” Brown says. 

Now, in his seventh season, in the year 2023 (whose numbers, he points out, add up to seven), Brown has become just as revered for his impact within the Boston community as he has for his dominance on the court. Back in October, he surprised middle schoolers at the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy in Dorchester with free backpacks. He’s taken the time to get to know the city, too. One of Brown’s favorite restaurants is a Black-owned Caribbean-Asian-Latin fusion spot called ZaZ, located right in Cleary Square in Hyde Park. This summer, amid trade rumors reportedly involving Kevin Durant, Brown pulled up to Harambee Park, also known as Franklin Field, for the Dorchester vs Roxbury basketball game. He even wore a green t-shirt that referenced his now-famous tweet, “The Energy is About to Shift.” 

While the Celtics did manage to completely turn things around last year after being under .500 midway through, Brown was actually referring to himself when he tweeted that on January 31, 2022. 

“A lot of times when I tweet stuff, it’s like I’m talking to myself. Posting, like, reminders for me. Sometimes it’s not for the world, it’s for me,” Brown tells SLAM. “There was a lot going on, and you know at certain times of the year where you feel like things aren’t going in your direction, where it just seems like everything is going wrong. It could be like Murphy’s Law, could be a retrograde, whatever you attribute it to…At that moment, that’s what was going on for me, and it felt like that not only for me, but kind of for our team. I just tweeted [it] out as a reassurance to myself. Like, don’t worry, the energy is about to shift.”

It’s been almost a full year since then, but Brown admits that he’s been tested “on different levels physically, emotionally and mentally” lately, too, but won’t go into too much detail on the latter. 

The Celtics have also been tested, from battling injuries and trade rumors to a very public coaching change this offseason. For Brown, though, it’s about finding balance. “Experience has always been my best teacher,” he says. “At times when you’re feeling yourself get out of balance, just remember that I’ve been here before. I’ve seen this before. I feel like I’ve seen the highest of highs, being able to go to the Finals, but I’ve experienced the lows—losing the Finals, losing games, being on the bench, not playing, being injured…I’ve been trying to remove all self-limiting beliefs.”

After that 33-point blowout loss to the Thunder on January 3, Marcus Smart revealed to the media that it was JB who offered him words of encouragement. He also let Smart know that he was going to shift the energy in the next matchup against Dallas. “[Brown] came out and said, Listen, this is how I want to start. I’m going to pick up Luka [Doncic] early. I’m going to get the energy going, so you can get going.” 

Interim head coach Joe Mazzulla said Brown told him the same thing about guarding Doncic. Despite getting in early foul trouble, Brown showed a level of composure in the 124-95 win against the Mavs, and Doncic was held to his lowest point total since December, and his lowest assist total of the season. The Celtics went on a four-game winning streak soon after, cruising past the Spurs, Bulls and then, on the night after our shoot, the Pelicans. No one could stop Brown or Tatum. The Jays proved that they are the best scoring duo in the League and combined for 72 points. Brown put up a season-high 41 points while JT delivered a smooth 31-piece. 

Brown says he prepares for those big matchups by studying the rhythm of his opponent’s game. “Every player plays with a certain rhythm, a certain cadence, plays at a certain pace. Luka, Steph[en] Curry plays with a certain cadence. Kyrie. When I watch the game and film, I study their rhythm.”

He’s always been into music, too, and at one point made his own beats. When asked about the tempo of his own game, Brown breaks it down: “I can be, like, more uptempo,” he says while snapping his fingers. Snap. Snap. Snap. “I can play like I just got shot out of a cannon. It depends on the matchup, the mood, the energy of the game. I think part of my game is being able to be versatile, where I can slow it all the way down or I can be run and gun, running down in transition. Being versatile is key.” 

Just as Jayson Tatum described him after Game 2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Bucks, it’s clear that Brown sets the tone. “I could be smooth jazz, I could be hardcore rap. Gangsta rap at the same time, too,” Brown says. “When that’s coming out, there’s nothing you can do about it.” 

Inside the Celtics practice facility, Jaylen Brown is posing for this cover shoot but dialed in on playing a game of chess entirely with himself. He once called the game “comparable to life,” and it’s easy to see why he’s so into it—chess is all about strategy and requires winning and losing pawns and pieces in the process. Eventually, though, those wins and losses lead to even bigger moments. “Small victories,” Brown says of his goals for himself right now. “It’s a blessing to be considered one of the best in the game right now, [but] I don’t think I’ve reached my peak. I have a lot to still learn, a lot to look forward to in this game.”

The No. 6 patch on his Celtics jersey, in honor of the late Bill Russell, is another reminder of powering through adversity. Spiritually, the number also symbolizes high ideals. “To be able to have this six on [my] jersey means the world to me. At times when I get overwhelmed, where my spirit is just being aggravated, or I just feel weak, I just remind myself that I have one of the greatest examples, Bill Russell, [who was] able to deal with all the controversy that he dealt with when he was here,” he says. He later added, “Today, you would think the way people speak on his name was that he was welcomed and he was accepted during the time that he was standing up for what he believed in. That wasn’t the case. People trying to make it seem like it was, in Boston.

“Nah. Bill Russell, they was trying to run him out of town, terrorizing his family, his house, calling him all types of names, being disrespectful. And worse, right here in the city of Boston. Now he has a statue, and I think it should be twice as tall as what it is now. How things can change—sometimes you’re not always gonna be accepted for what you think or what you believe, but hopefully, if people know the essence of your heart and your intentions, with time it’ll equalize itself out.”

Brown doesn’t hesitate to keep it real about the Boston community. There are issues that still need to be addressed.

“There’s misconceptions in Boston. There’s a lot of Bostonians who have lived there, who are great people, into the community, who devoted their [lives] to some of the issues—incarceration and wealth disparity. Our education system. There’s a lot of families that have been there for a long time in Boston that represent excellence, [but] you wouldn’t hear that, or see that, if it wasn’t for the narrative that there is in Boston. But there’s also a part of Boston where the shoe fits—I’ve seen where, subliminally, there’s a lot of issues that go on in our society that gets covered up…Somebody’s got to say something.” 

Building a brighter future for Boston, and delivering the city its first NBA championship title since ’08, is a lot of weight and responsibility. 

But this is Jaylen Brown we’re talking about. Rather than panic, he’s too busy making moves on his way to the top.  

SLAM 242 is available now in an exclusive Gold Metal Edition and Cover Tee.

Deyscha Smith is the Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter, @deyschasmith

Portraits by Marcus Stevens is a Content Producer at SLAM. Follow him on IG, @Marcus.stv

The post Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown is on a Mission to Fulfill His Higher Purpose appeared first on SLAM.

The date was June 2, 2021. It was one of those “where were you when…” days for hoop fans across the globe. On that Wednesday, the world not only found out that the winningest coach in the history of college basketball was stepping away from the game for good after the following season, but also who would be taking over as Duke’s next men’s basketball head coach—the first time in over 40 seasons that the program would have someone not named Mike Krzyzewski at the helm.

For years, speculation around who would replace Coach K ran rampant. There were 2,000-word think pieces that broke down the list of suitors and aimed to predict this historic passing of the torch moment.

But when the day finally came, it was Jon Scheyer who was anointed as the chosen one. The former Duke guard, who was a McDonald’s All- American in 2006 before helping lead Duke to a national championship in 2010 (a season in which he led the Blue Devils in scoring with 18.2 points per game), has spent the past eight seasons as an assistant or associate head coach in Durham. He’s been a part of two of Duke’s five national titles—aside from the one he earned as a player, he also won a chip in 2015 as a coach.

In early October, we caught up with the new face of the program to discuss expectations, getting settled into his new role, hooping with alumni, tennis matches with the staff and so much more.  

SLAM: Being head coach at Duke must be a surreal experience. When did it start to feel real for you, and what was that “this is really happening” moment like?  

Jon Scheyer: I think back to when I got the phone call from [VP, Director of Athletics] Nina King telling me I was going to be the next Duke head men’s basketball coach. It was an incredible feeling, but I think the first time that it really felt real was the press conference that I had. Coach K had a press conference the day before, talking about his retirement and his plans. And then the next day, I had a press conference to announce I was going to be the next head coach. I walked out here and just seeing the crowd, seeing all the people that were there, it was pretty surreal, pretty special feeling, but that’s when it really felt real, like, this is happening.

SLAM: What was Day 1 on the job like for you? What was the order of tasks for that first day?

JS: Day 1, you’re trying to figure out, first and foremost, who you have coming back on the team, which for us this past year wasn’t many guys. So, hitting the ground recruiting-wise, but also figuring out who was coming back, because we had several players who had decisions to make, whether they were going to the NBA draft or whether they were coming back. And the second piece, which is happening simultaneously, is you’re figuring out your staff, and we’re really fortunate to have some great hires this offseason. There were discussions being had and timing, so both of those things were most important for me [on Day 1]. I always start with “who” before you think about “what,” and so getting the right people was really the biggest and most important thing that first day, and really for the first few months on the job. 

SLAM: What is the best piece of advice Coach K has given you during this transition period? 

JS: The best advice he’s given me is the same when he coached me when I was a player, but really on Day 1 when I found out I was getting the job, he just pulled me aside and said, Be yourself—know that I support you no matter what you do, how you handle yourself, what decisions you make, because he’s well aware that I’m not him, and if I try to be him, I wouldn’t be very successful. There’s only one Coach K, just as there is one Jon Scheyer. So, for me, the ability to be myself as a player here, it’s really been the same thing as a head coach—just to follow my instincts. I’ve been prepared for this, being alongside Coach K for a long time. I’ve worked for this. Really just trust yourself and trust your instincts. That’s something I promised myself I would do from Day 1 and I’ll always do that as long as I’m the head coach here. 

SLAM: Looking back on your playing days, what was your favorite moment or game while wearing a uniform at Duke?

JS: Probably the moment I’m most proud of is when we beat Baylor to go to the Final Four. We played a Baylor team that was really good—LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter, Ekpe Udoh, Quincy Acy—they had a front line of 7-0, 6-10, 6-8. They were really, really good, and we beat them in Houston. It went down the stretch. We felt like once we won that game—you know, it took us three-and-a-half years to get to that point; we lost in the first round, we lost in the second round, we lost in the Sweet 16. So, for us, we were climbing a mountain. Once we beat them, I think all the pressure went away and we could just play. And we beat a really good West Virginia team in the Final Four, and we beat Butler in an incredible championship game. But for me, beating Baylor was a big-time win that I’ll never forget. 

SLAM: You were known as the “Jewish Jordan” back in high school—are there attributes that earned you that nickname back in the day that you hope you can now use as a head coach? 

JS: The thing that I’m most proud of when I played, [and] hopefully now it’s not going to change as a head coach, but for me I would say the determination to get back up. I lost many games, but each time I lost, I felt like I was getting back up to win the next one. I never felt defeated, I never felt like we were going into a game we couldn’t win. Whether that was in high school and we were playing Mike Conley and Greg Oden’s team or we were playing Kevin Durant in AAU, or whatever it was, I felt like we were going to win. That’s something I feel now as a head coach. We’re going to play in some tough games, but I believe we’re supposed to win regardless of the outcome of the last game or regardless of who we’re going to play the next game…I think the success I had in high school will show you that and also the path I took when I was a player here—proud of the ability to get up and fight and pursue championships, really. 

SLAM: Have your players seen some of your high school or college highlights? Are they aware of how nice you were? 

JS: I think they know. I’m not so sure if they know some of the stats. I do try to hit them with, I scored over 3,000 points in high school, just so you know. I think I got most of our players in that stat. [The] 52 points in a game. They end up YouTubeing me and they see the 21 points in 75 seconds, and they’ll usually talk to me about that, although it’s funny to me that that game is brought up more than any other game I’ve played, because we lost. I was heartbroken after that game. So, when it’s brought up to me, I kind of chuckle and laugh because I literally was a wreck after that game. But that’s usually the one they bring up and I’ll take it. At least I have YouTube. I could be like some of the other guys on the staff, and none of their highlights are on YouTube—I’m not gonna name names, but that is true [laughs].

SLAM: Whereas Coach K was much older, you’re still in your mid-30s. Do you get on the court with the guys and try to school them?

JS: Well, I don’t want to name names, but some of our NBA guys came back this summer. And I got out there and played some ones. I did win. It is on camera. I’m not going to name names, but I beat three of our guys. If they ever say anything bad about me, I’m going to put it out in the universe. But until then, I have to keep it a secret. I showed the film to our team. I think they were pretty impressed overall. But I may retire after those wins versus [the] NBA guys. 

SLAM: So, these were one-on-one games with NBA players?  

JS: One-on-one. Game to five. From the elbow. I’m just going to say, a couple of them are…you would know them. Let’s put it that way. You would know these guys. 

SLAM: Interesting. How similar or different can we expect th—

JS: Jayson Tatum [cough cough]. Sorry, what? Go ahead [laughs].

DUKE REP BEHIND THE CAMERA: Ask him one more time and he’ll definitely show you the footage!

SLAM: We definitely will after this interview.

JS: [laughs]

SLAM: How similar or different can we expect the style of play to be this upcoming season in comparison to how it was under Coach K? 

JS: It’s hard to say exactly what’s going to be different with the style of play. I think we have a different team, so we have to play differently. We don’t necessarily have a team where we’re throwing the ball in the post. We have some guards that can really play in pick-and-roll. We have an athletic team where we can get out in transition, but we definitely do want to play fast. Being a leader on the defensive end and pressuring the ball is important, but also protecting our basket. I can’t tell you exactly what the similarities are, and differences will be because there are some values I will always hold true to me that I learned here when I was a player. But, also, we have to continue to evolve and play to the strengths of our team. I think we have a very different group this year where we will play differently. 

SLAM: We saw you were playing tennis when we arrived on campus. You were telling us you picked it up for the first time this summer. 

JS: I’ve played tennis this offseason. I picked it up and the tennis coaches are nice enough to let me get out there. Now that the season is starting, that’s going to happen less and less. I’m not sure if I’ll even play during the season. For me, I’m big on getting outside, and fortunately we live in North Carolina and not in Chicago, where you can actually get outside in November and January and February. For me, playing tennis, going for walks, once in a while I’ll play a pick-up game—basketball—but those days are numbered for me. It’s mostly about getting outside, getting some fresh air, just getting my mind off of things. That’s been important for me to do. I’ll get outside here and there to make it happen. 

SLAM: Do you play doubles or singles?

JS: I play doubles. We have some staff games that we play. Jai Lucas is pretty good. Amile Jefferson is alright. I’m probably the second best on the staff next to Jai. We have some great competitions. Me and Jai are neck and neck, but he’s just barely above me—we have some battles. 

SLAM: Who’s usually your teammate?

JS: My teammate was Amile, but we go back and forth. I’ve never played with Jai because me and him are right there. But it’s Amile, Zach Marcus on our staff, Mike Schrage—those are some of the guys that have played with us. 

SLAM: Who would you say is your tennis player comparison?

JS: For me, I model my game after Rafael Nadal. That’s how I model my game [laughs]. I can’t even say that seriously. I do, though, I do. Yeah, Rafa for me. How he never gives up on a play. The games don’t go on long enough for me to rally back and forth, but I always try to get the point. I respect Rafa. He’s maybe the GOAT. Him and Roger [Federer] are my two favorites.    

SLAM: Some say Coach K is the GOAT. How are you dealing with all the expectations? Following him is no easy task. 

JS: I’ve learned in the short time I’ve been head coach that it’s important to take care of yourself, to have things that make you personally happy, where you get workouts, your mind is fresh, because how you are in a daily basis with your team, the person you [are], they can take on. 

As far as expectations go, nobody has higher expectations for this program than I do. I’m hard on myself. I always evaluate every single day what I could have done better, what I need to do to get better for the next day. And that will never change for me. I think when you are that way to yourself, it allows you to coach others honestly and with transparency, [with] toughness and with love. And that’s something we plan on doing. We know it’s not going to be smooth sailing. We know there’s going to be setbacks, but just staying laser focused at getting better, attacking each day and being present. I really think the expectations or the success we want to have will take care of itself. 

Photos by Matthew Coughlin.

The post Duke Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jon Scheyer Talks Advice from Coach K and Dealing with Expectations appeared first on SLAM.

But two months into his junior year, Love’s distress for public speaking came to a head during a Climate Change presentation in November for his Public Policy course. 

“I just feel like I’m being looked at, but I got through it,” he told SLAM over the phone from Chapel Hill later that afternoon. 

Whether he’s become accustomed to it or not, from the classroom to the hardwood, all eyes will be on the North Carolina point guard this season. 

Yet seven months ago, the St. Louis native was faced with one of the biggest decisions of his life while sitting with the sour taste left behind from their Championship loss to Kansas. It took a total of 20 days for Love to come to the decision that his story was still being written. 

“Once we lost in the national championship, I went through that process of mainly just thinking about the loss and hurting about the loss,” Love said. “I just felt like talking to my parents and then talking to my mentors and guys that I look up to, everybody just felt like it was best for me to just come back and improve on what I need to improve on.”

RJ Davis, Armando Bacot and Leaky Black’s decision to return might have helped just a bit too. 

Love will be the first to tell you that his freshman shooting percentages were far below his expectations– 31.6 percent from the field followed by 37.1 percent in his sophomore campaign. The leap in improvement was made from beyond the arc, knocking down an additional 59 threes on 36 percent shooting in his second season rocking the University Blue. 

But shooting ain’t just about repetition and getting in your daily makes every morning. It’s flying out to LA for the summer to work on balance, shot creation and confidence with Drew Hanlen. You know, the dude that’s explored and expanded the games of Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Zach Lavine and Bradley Beal – just to name a few. 

“I texted him, ‘Man I need you,’ and he was like ‘I’m here for you.’ So I flew out to LA, and he already knew exactly what I needed. It was crazy because we didn’t do anything really intense, it was just mainly foundation and building up my confidence throughout the workouts,” Love told SLAM. 

Those same ‘tween, ‘tween step-backs that Love employs every game were repeated hundreds upon hundreds of times amidst the thick air in hot LA gyms. Leaning back less on jumpers and raising his release. Minor tweaks, yes. But consistent reps can build quite the mental fortitude.

Adding counters to his favorite move through hesi’s and in and outs, Love’s tempo on the court feels like the high hats and percussive piano keys behind Lil Baby’s Danger;  a well-paced chaotic wonder.  

“He actually said, ‘Stop moving like a white boy,’ because I was stiff with my dribbles and my movements. He was like, ‘just loosen up a little bit, get a rhythm into it,” Love told SLAM.

With Hanlen constantly throwing out words of affirmation, a summer in LA has seen Love rediscover the rhythm that makes No. 2 so lethal. 

While Tar Heel nation is still in awe of the 6’4 guard’s pull-up three that put the lid on Duke’s Final Four run and Coach K’s farewell to the collegiate game, that pesky three-point loss in April has fueled “the most important offseason in my career.” 

“I feel like, my confidence is all the way back now,” Love told SLAM.“This was the most important (off-season) because not only did I have my mind set on improving everything as far as basketball, but improving myself as well. My energy, being more mature, putting everything in perspective as far as me as a person, and growing as a person.”

That confidence stretches to his relationship with second-year head coach Hubert Davis. 

“The biggest thing is having a coach that believes in you. When you got that, you feel like you can do anything, especially on the court,” Love said. “Honestly, the biggest thing I take away from him is, he always helps me be better than what I think I am.”

While he was a part of Roy Williams’ final recruiting class, Love’s role as an extension of Davis’ teachings on the court has proffered a whole new dynamic for the two. Sending the former Tar Heel, now head honcho plays from around the League, constant communication has infused the recent 1,000-point scorer with a whole new energy. 

Cue a historic run in March and shot for the ages, that ‘I’m better than anyone you put on me’ mentality from his Christian Brothers days has been reinvigorated. 

“And now, I just feel like I’m back,” Love told SLAM. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post UNC Standout Caleb Love is Back Like He Never Left appeared first on SLAM.

The three-time All-Star officially passed the three-time MVP for most 50-point games in Boston Celtics history after he scored a season-high 51 points on 15-23 shooting from the field, 7-12 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 14-14 from the charity stripe to lead Boston to a 130-118 win over Charlotte. Tatum has posted more 50-point games than Bird and Paul Pierce COMBINED.

“He makes me look like a better coach,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said per ESPN. “He didn’t settle for shots; he got catch-and-shoots, he got off the dribbles, he got layups. The other piece of that is the humility of our team to really work with him to get those 51 points.”

JAYSON TATUM 51 PIECE

HE DROPPED 18 PTS IN Q4 pic.twitter.com/dinmve9N8T

— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2023

Tatum’s 51-point effort was his first 50-point outing since he scored 54 and 51 last season and notched a career-high 60 points during the 2020-21 campaign. Tatum has tied Gilbert Arenas for the third-best scoring performance on MLK Day after Agent Zero dropped 51 points in 2007.

“It’s been a while since I scored 50,” Tatum said per Yahoo Sports. “So I needed that one.”

Tatum scored his 51st point with 38 seconds left after knocking down his seventh triple of the evening, which drew “MVP ” chants from the Charlotte crowd. After Charlotte cut Boston’s lead to 98-95 following a pair of free throws from Jaden McDaniels, Tatum came in and responded with 18 fourth-quarter points to put the game out of reach.

Boston (33-12) holds the top spot in the League after Tuesday and is 4.5 games ahead of Brooklyn (27-15) for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The post Jayson Tatum Breaks Boston Record For Most 50-Point Games appeared first on SLAM.

After a monster outing on Wednesday, Brown believes that The Jays have “other limits to reach in the future.” Brown dropped a season-high 41 points and 12 rebounds, while Tatum added 31 points and 10 rebounds to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 125-114. It was the fifth 40-point game in Brown’s career and the 10th time that Brown and Tatum combined to score 70+ points.

“I don’t think this is the best you will see,” Brown said, per ESPN. “I definitely think we’ve got other limits to reach in the future, in our career. This is just part of the process.”

41 PTS (season-high)
12 REB

Jaylen Brown went off in the Celtics home W pic.twitter.com/faQNsTi5qo

— NBA (@NBA) January 12, 2023

Interim head coach Joe Mazzulla believes Tatum and Brown have been using the pain of losing the 2022 NBA Finals to fuel their high level of play. He complimented Brown for playing aggressively against the Pelicans, saying Brown “took what the defense gave him and made the right plays.”

“To get to that point in your career when you know you need each other, and you know you need your teammates — it’s a very powerful thing,” Mazzulla said.

The Jays continued to shine for us tonight by combining for 72 points and 22 rebounds during our win over the Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/CHr0zdzD8f

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 12, 2023

Malcolm Brogdon (20 points, four rebounds, and four assists) echoed those statements during a TV appearance and said that he’s noticed how The Jays have “taken a huge leap individually and together, so it’s a joy to be with them.” Al Horford (14 points, three board, and four dimes) commended The Jays for the growth they’ve experienced this season.

“They continue to grow in front of our eyes,” Horford said. “What we did last year and what they did last year leading us to the Finals, it shows a lot of growth on their end — Now I feel like they’re just playing basketball, trying to lead us.”

Boston (30-12) plays the Brooklyn Nets (27-13) on Thursday.

The post Jaylen Brown Believes He Has ‘Other Limits to Reach in the Future’ with Jayson Tatum appeared first on SLAM.

The fifth-year center out of Texas A&M started a game for the first time since Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals. He ended the night with six points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks while playing 23 minutes in a 107-99 win over the Chicago Bulls.

“He was great,” Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Williams’ contributions, per NBA.com. “I think he brought a level of joy to our team just because of how unselfish he is and the type of plays he’s able to make on both ends of the floor. I thought our spacing was better with our big lineup. That’s just something we’re going to continue to work on.”

big man pass, big man jam pic.twitter.com/qbcq5WGOxV

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 10, 2023

Williams has played in 10 games since he first returned from offseason knee surgery on Dec. 16 against the Orlando Magic. Since then, he’s averaged 7.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game while playing 19.8 minutes. Boston has also become the seventh-best defense (110.9 defensive rating) and the best offense in the League (117.1 offensive rating).

According to Mazzulla, Boston found their identity as an improved offense that can play stingy defense. Williams being in the lineup allows Boston to fully realize their two-way potential, with Mazzulla specifically stating that Williams gives Boston “a different attack that we can have.”

Grant Williams seems to agree with that assessment. The fourth-year forward said that the Time Lord strengthens Boston offensively and fortifies them on the defensive end with his ability to patrol the paint and defend the rim at an elite level. Tatum noticed how Williams “was in a great rhythm” and that the Celtics are”extremely happy to have (Williams) back.”

 “He does so many tremendous things that not many people in the league can even do,” said Grant, “He does a phenomenal job of not only protecting us on the defensive end, but he’s doing a great job pressuring on the offensive glass, being a threat down there – a lob threat. And like JT and [Jaylen Brown] have both said in previous days, we get to continue to include him, we get to continue to work him back into the offense, get familiar with him, understand that there may be opportunities to not only throw lobs but also dropping off to him to allow him to make a play.”

Boston will look to win their fourth-consecutive game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

The post Boston Reacts to Rob Williams’ Return to the Starting 5 appeared first on SLAM.

The recent stretch of lagging defense and tough losses have proven to be their first test of adversity this season. Surging star forward Jayson Tatum recently gave NBC Sports Boston some insight into what Boston has to do to rediscover their identity and play winning basketball again.

“I think it’s on the first group; we’ve got to back to our identity,” Tatum said. “When we were playing at the best and highest level, we would just play faster. That’s some 0.5 basketball, shoot it, pass it, or drive it. When we play like that, we’re damn near unguardable. Making shots is part of that, so they go hand and hand.”

Over the last nine games, Boston ranks 23rd in offense (113.5) and seventh in defense (112.8). A bit of a reversing trend for a team that held the top offense in the League and a bottom-15 defense before the Celtics’ 4-5 stretch of basketball. Going forward, Boston will likely look to marry their two-way play at a higher level beginning with a road game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The post Jayson Tatum on How the Boston Celtics Can Get ‘Back to Our Identity’ appeared first on SLAM.

Back in September, on the same weekend that he made time for the photo shoot you see on these pages, Mgbako was shooting a commercial for an unnamed sponsor (don’t worry, you’ll probably see it soon enough). That’s where he ran into Jayson Tatum, fellow member of the Duke basketball Brotherhood and who was most recently spotted leading the Boston Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals. Naturally, Tatum extended his soon-to-be fellow Dookie an invite to work out the next day, evidence of which quickly hit social media.

SLAM photo shoot, mystery commercial shoot, casual workout with an All-NBA first-teamer? Not a bad way to spend your weekend.

Based on the evident composure with which Mgbako carries himself, you might get the impression that this was all business as usual. Indeed, he doesn’t seem intimidated by such opportunities. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t appreciate them. “These opportunities are amazing,” Mgbako says. “I’m blessed, beyond blessed, to be in this position, and I’m thankful and grateful for the team I have around me.”

Like most top prospects, Mgbako relies on family and trusted advisors to help guide him on his path toward the game’s highest level. But he also possesses a confidence in his own preparation for that journey. “I’ve been prepared,” he says. “I have a lot of conversations with my family about things, but I also have the maturity level that goes with it. I had that vision from the beginning.” 

That vision will take him to Durham next fall, where he’ll headline a class that consists of five 5-star recruits. The 6-8, 190-pound forward will bring one of the most polished games in the country—one that many observers compare to his recent NBA All-Star workout partner. Ask him to list his strengths, and with humility intact, the answer is “pretty much everything.”

“For me, it’s getting to the cup, making plays for my teammates, my athleticism, my shooting, and my leadership,” he says. “I’m definitely vocal on the court, for sure. I aim to be the loudest person on the court every time out.”

He knows he’s still a work in progress, of course, and emphasizes defense and rebounding as the parts of his game where he has plenty of room to go from good to great. Still, there’s more than enough in his skill set to make him the most buzzed-about player in new Duke head coach Jon Scheyer’s second recruiting class. Mgbako announced his commitment last April, and he says it means a lot to be among the players setting the tone for Scheyer’s first teams.

But there’s plenty to keep him busy before he gets to Durham. He played last spring in the Nike Hoop Summit, representing Nigeria as a member of the World Team against the US squad. Then in August, he transferred in state from Gill St. Bernard to Roselle Catholic, where he’ll suit up this season for the defending state champs. His goal for his senior season is simple: “Win the national championship.”

That echoes the likely goal he and his Duke teammates will set for themselves a year from now, a target that is surely connected to his own long-term goals for college and beyond. 

“It’s just [about] getting to the highest place I can be with basketball, playing to my highest potential,” he says. “I expect to be held to the highest standard. I expect people to expect the best of me, because that’s all I’m willing to give.” 

Portraits by Marcus Stevens

The post Mackenzie Mgbako is Primed to be the Next Great Versatile Forward to Suit up for Duke appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets have beaten the Hornets, Hawks, Pacers, Wizards, Raptors, Pistons, Warriors, Bucks, and the Cavs, 125-117 on Monday to continue a win-streak tied for the longest in the NBA this season. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving dropped 32 points apiece to outlast a monster 46-point effort from Darius Garland, who single-handedly brought the Cavs back after scoring 18 points in the fourth quarter.

However, Kai and KD responded to Garland’s onslaught by scoring a combined 21 points on 7-10 shooting, 3-5 from beyond the arc. Durant and Irving have scored 30 points in the same game five times this season, tied for the most such games with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The All-Star duo’s big-time contributions have helped raise Brooklyn’s ceiling to the point they look like championship contenders again after 13 of their last 14 contests. As of Tuesday, Brooklyn is first in offense (120.1 offensive rating) and 10th in defense (111.9 defensive rating) in the previous 14 games.

“To be honest, we’ve always been about basketball,” said Durant, per ESPN. “The outside noise makes it seem like we don’t care about the game, but so many voices speak about our locker room who don’t have any idea what’s going on.

“We’ve always been about the game.”

The @BrooklynNets are in the midst of their longest winning streak since 2006

Peep the best play from all 9 games! pic.twitter.com/jLuPLlUdxi

— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2022

The win streak coincided with Durant passing five-time champion Tim Duncan (26,496 points)after he dropped a 20-footer in the second quarter.

“At some point, you’ve got to be able to celebrate some small wins,” Durant said of overtaking Duncan. “To be able to pass a legend, it’s something I’ll call my folks about tonight. I know that I’ve got more to do.”

pic.twitter.com/K3OH3gez2F

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 27, 2022

Brooklyn has a chance to lengthen their streak with a Wednesday night contest against the Hawks on the road.

The post The Brooklyn Nets Are on Their Longest Win-Streak Since 2006 appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s what happened across the L over the weekend. Let’s get it.

James Harden is Reportedly “Seriously Considering” Returning to Houston:

According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski at ESPN, Harden is reportedly considering a reunion with the Rockets if he doesn’t re-sign with Philadelphia as a free agent in July.

However, after the Sixers’ win over the Knicks on Christmas Day, Harden addressed the media and let them know how he really feels about being in Philly.

“I’m here, we’re playing very well, and I don’t know where that report came from,” Harden said, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. “But I’m excited to be here, and we’re playing well. We’re continuing to get better.”

Meanwhile, Harden caught everyone’s attention with this colorful holiday fit. Hide y’all presents.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by LeagueFits (@leaguefits)

Joel Embiid and Harden Combine to Score 64 Points against the Knicks:

The Beard (29 points and 13 dimes) and Joel Embiid (35 points) put up a combined 64 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists to help the 76ers extend their win streak to eight games with a 119-112 dub over the Knicks on Sunday.

The Sixers outscored the Knicks 24-9 to open the fourth and turned a one-point deficit into a 116-102 lead late in the fourth quarter.

“It was one of those games where you’ve just got to stick around,” Harden said per ESPN. “Like, stick around, stick around, and then fourth quarter, you give yourself a chance.

64 PTS | 12 REB | 14 AST @JHarden13 & @JoelEmbiid‘s combined Christmas Day stat line. vote both for NBA All-Star: https://t.co/kNf5hhEIQx.

presented by @palottery pic.twitter.com/Lu2cQROE6c

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 25, 2022

Jayson Tatum Torches the Bucks For 41 Points while Jaylen Brown Takes Over:

Jayson Tatum posted 41 points, including a ferocious first-half yam over Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jaylen Brown scored 29 points to help Boston (24-10) reclaim the top record in the League with a 139-118 win over the Bucks (22-11).

Boston grabbed a 100-86 lead after Tatum scored 20 points in the third quarter, and Brown brought the Celtics home with 13 points in the final frame; he also refused to back down after posting a screen that sent the Greek Freak to the ground. Brown and Antetokounmpo had a back-and-forth, but y’all know it’s only basketball. The players don’t take it seriously, and neither should basketball fans.

Boston gave Milwaukee their first three-game losing streak, while the Celtics have now won back-to-back contests after losing five out of six recent games.

HE CAUGHT ONE @jaytatum0 hammered it home in tonight’s @JetBlue Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/ZU6oCbvRB0

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 26, 2022

Jordan Poole Put Up a Dominate 32 Points to Lead Golden State Past Memphis:

Jordan Poole did what he had to do to play Grinch and ruin the Grizzlies’ Christmas after he dropped a team-high 32 points to lead the Warriors past Memphis on Sunday. Draymond Green (13 rebounds, 13 assists, two blocks) and Klay Thompson (24 points on 8-25 shooting) also put up some solid performances. They played up the burgeoning rivalry they have with Memphis with some sublime shi*t talking toward Dillon Brooks as well.

“He knows that he can’t get a second one. He’s still a young player,” head coach Steve Kerr said per ESPN. “Jordan was fantastic tonight, and we needed his offensive firepower.”

Dray Jordan

» https://t.co/ocDF2EGGU9 pic.twitter.com/HL0YggMOBa

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

Nikola Jokic Drops a Christmas Day Triple-Double Against the Suns:

Nikola Jokic (41 points, 15 boards, and 15 dimes) dropped his 83rd career triple-double and led the Nuggets to a 128-125 win over the Phoenix Suns. The two-time MVP recorded a 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist performance a week ago. It was the fourth 40-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist game in League history. Oscar Robertson (1961, 1962) accomplished it twice, and James Harden did it in 2016.

“Sick,” Aaron Gordon said of Jokic’s outing, per ESPN. “Those are video game numbers.”

Another MVP performance

41/15/15. Triple-Double 8⃣3⃣ pic.twitter.com/W5PNYlDFar

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 26, 2022

Jamal Murray (26 points, five rebounds, and five assists) forced overtime with a game-tying dunk, and Aaron Gordon put the exclamation point on the win with a poster over Landry Shamet.

“Yeah,” Gordon said. “Because of the time and score.”

Nuggets Nation BROUGHT THE ENERGY tonight. For that, we leave you with this

Goodnight, Wuggets Wation pic.twitter.com/WOYUm1twk7

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 26, 2022

The post NBA Weekend Recap: Elite Christmas Day Matchups and James Harden Addresses Reports of His Return to Houston appeared first on SLAM.

However, the spectacular play from the Celts hasn’t led Celtics president Brad Steven to consider removing Mazzulla’s interim tag. Steven said that Mazzulla has “done a good job” and is “running the show like a head coach.” Those words couldn’t be any more true for a team that ranks second best on offense (116.6 offensive rating) and seventh in defense (110.6 defensive rating).

Brad Stevens said he had no update on if or when the #Celtics will remove Joe Mazzulla’s interim status. “He’s done a good job. He’s running the show like a head coach.”

— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) December 23, 2022

Boston also has an MVP frontrunner in Jayson Tatum and an All-NBA/All-Star in Jaylen Brown. They can still rely on the two-way excellence of Marcus Smart, Robert Williams, and Al Horford. With those five and a reliable bench mob, the Celtics look like the cream of the crop.

The post Brad Stevens: No Update On Removing in Joe Mazzulla’s Interim Status appeared first on SLAM.

When we caught up with Redick after filming was done, he was just as reflective about his playing career and going into broadcasting and sports media.

“I think a big part of it was just going to play for the Clippers, to be honest with you,” Redick says of how he’s transitioned into media while being introverted. “Duke felt like a bubble. And then Orlando is a smaller market, even when we were really good it didn’t feel big. And when I went to the Clippers, big media market, a lot of eyeballs, we were a good team. The city’s huge. You start meeting people, you’re randomly at a fundraiser for the Democratic Party at Magic Johnson’s house and you’re up on stage with Harry Reid. And you’re like, what? How did I f***ing end up here? I’m taking a picture with Diane Keaton. 

“By the time I was doing ESPN [and] by the time we had launched the ‘The Old Man and Three’ in 2020, I was very comfortable by then. I look at those four years in L.A. as sort of the growth and the journey. That, to me, was a pivotal moment in my life—and it coincided with me becoming a father.  That gave me a whole new perspective on things and what mattered and not caring as much to be honest with you. Not being so sensitive.” 

The decision to get into podcasting for Redick really started out of curiosity. “It was something other than basketball, which is something that I had thought about for a long time,” he says, later adding: “It’s weird, because I grew up so introverted and now I have to have gotten comfortable. I have to talk a lot on camera.” 

It was around 2012-2013 when Redick, who was then playing on the Orlando Magic, took a trip to Boston to visit his best friend from high school. They hit up Fenway, as well as Harvard, where they ended up having a two-hour long conversation on the quad. “I remember thinking at the time, ‘I wish somebody had recorded that.’ I didn’t have the podcast [yet].” This moment ultimately contributed to the start of a journey that would lead to Redick diving into podcasting. 

Now, Redick has established himself as one of the strongest voices within sports media, offering both a deep knowledge of the game, as well as a player-first perspective. Whether he’s challenging Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take, interviewing superstars around the NBA on the “The Old Man and Three” podcast, including Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum, alongside co-host Tommy Alter, or going back and forth with the DraftKing’s Starting Five about the state of the game today, Redick admits that these are all skills—public speaking, asking questions, getting subjects to open up—that he’s had to learn and develop over time. Since he became the first active player to host a podcast when he launched a weekly show with Yahoo Sports in 2016, Redick has spent the past five years perfecting his craft with the same preparedness and attentiveness to the game as he did as a player. 

“There are certainly comparisons, there are certainly similarities. I think a lot about preparation. For me, being undersized with a short wingspan, not particularly bouncy, not particularly agile—I mean relative to you, I’m a better athlete, but relative to NBA players, I was on the lower end of the spectrum. So I had to prepare and people tell me all the time, and it drives me f***ing crazy, ‘Oh, you’re a natural.’ And I’m like, ‘Mmm, no, I’m not.’ It goes back to the extroverted thing. I’m not. I’ve actually got hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of reps. Like last year, I would do a f***ing five-minute SportsCenter hit at 12 o’clock, I’m preparing 45 minutes for that. I get the questions. I’m doing my research. I’m thinking about clips. I do it the same way I played. That’s how I had to play and I look at it [like] I have to do it the same way here…Look, if we’re being honest, you go to Miami in Game 4, you’re down and you hit a big bucket down the stretch, you make the game-sealing free throws, and Joel gets the rebound to end the game and you’re going back in the locker room with your teammates to fly back to Philly to close them out. There’s no better feeling than that. We probably, as athletes, we probably won’t ever feel that again. There’s got to be some level of acceptance on that but you can still grind and search and challenge yourself in ways that you approximate that.”

When he’s watching the game these days, Redick pays keen attention to body language—a skill he learned at Duke while playing under Mike Krzyzewski. 

“I think it’s because I played for Coach K, I am big on watching body language—and I know that sounds weird. There’s four or five actions you can run in the NBA, and there’s three or four ways to defend those actions, generally. There’s some creativity around watching Phoenix or Dallas—the different ways they get into the pick and roll. I find it fascinating and when I call their games, I’ve tried to find ways to point this out and break it down because I think most casual fans [are like], ‘Explain pick and roll. What’s that?’ [and] the Twitter nerds, they love it.  But I watch body language a lot and when I’m evaluating a team, I’m watching the body language. When I’m evaluating a team winning or losing, I’m watching the body language. I’m watching players that have edge—I am fascinated by Jose Alvarado, T.J. McConnell, Marcus Smart. I love watching those guys. 

“And then, as a true basketball fan, and this is where I, like, for whatever reason, run into such headwinds. I appreciate greatness. Shouldn’t we all? I guess not because so much of the narrative side of it is pointing out all the failures of great players versus celebrating the longevity, the scoring, the winning. It annoys the f**** out of me, to be honest with you. It does. I love watching Tatum play, I love watching Ja Morant. I view games through the analytical lens for sure, but I’m also just a basketball fan. I retired and I was like, I’m going to take a break, and then I had to sign up for ESPN, but then, like, f***ing two weeks into the season I’m like, Jesus, man, I’m doing the same thing I did as a player. I’m watching eight [NBA] League Pass games, switching back and forth channels, channels, channels, and then it’s 12:30 at night and I’m like, Okay, I can finally go to bed because I’ve watched all the games.”

For Redick, there’s “two components” to the way he approaches his work now as an analyst and podcast host: “There’s the analysis of the game, which to me, seems very black and white,” he explains. “In that, I can go look at advanced stats, and I can talk about them all day, I can watch a play, and I can break that down. It’s cut and dry. The narrative side of media, which is where I think I’ve made some headway, if that makes sense, that is the gray. Tobias [Harris] and I talk about this all the time, because he was such a black and white person, and it used to drive me crazy. I’d be like, ‘Dude, you gotta learn to live in the gray.’ And I like to live in the gray. That’s how I operate in my life. And so I think, every conversation we have about narrative, it’s always super nuanced. I enjoy having those conversations. That, to me, is where you get a lot of disagreement. And that’s inevitable, because so and so player, team, their stans. And you are never going to change the opinion of a stan. You’re just not. But I enjoy having those conversations. And I’m not always right. I know I’m not always right. And I knew when I was wrong. I do, or at least I try to. Kings fans, I’ve acknowledged that I’ve admitted the whole trade, whatever.”

Then there’s Redick’s ability to understand his subjects, an attribute that has made him so compelling as an analyst. He’s been there, not just on the court, but as a professional athlete who’s been put under a magnifying lens by the media and general public. When the scrutiny surrounding Russell Westbrook gets brought up mid-interview, Redick offers both perspectives—there’s the one that only he, and his former NBA teammates, could ever possibly understand, and then there’s the outside, fan perspective. “So, number one, we’ve all been memed and GIF-ed. I think we’re all cognizant that the camera is on us, but we’re also human. And I remember during the [NBA] bubble, our second game, we got blasted by the Clippers and I had to lay down because of my back, so I never sat on the bench. I’m rolling my back …and I’m, like, staring into the abyss. That became a GIF for, like, four days and it’s like, Yeah, you caught me in a bad moment. I was f***ing pissed. We were losing by 30 in the third quarter. Like, it happens. So, the body language part I get and certainly players like Russ are scrutinized, especially once different storylines get added in.” 

It’s in the gray area where Redick shines most. By intertwining his knowledge of the game and 15 years of playing experience with his understanding of how NBA fandom works, as well as the media, Redick has been able to get players around the League to let their guard down and open up about never-before talked about topics, from mental health to getting cut from a team, in a way most broadcasters could only imagine. He’s still that same determined, competitive and straight-up clutch sharpshooter that he was at Duke and in the League—the only difference now is that he’s bringing that same passion to every assignment, every game and every interview. 

“It’s the juice. Yeah, that’s the juice for me,” Redick says of getting players to open up. “When I played, the competition part was such a drug. And the highs of it were just so good. The lows were so bad. But it was so addicting, all of it was so addicting. And as athletes we really struggle to recapture that in our post-playing days, it’s damn near impossible. I sometimes get it on the golf course. Going back to recording, for the podcast, for me, that is the drug. When PJ Tucker talks about how, at the end of his first season, the Raptors cut him and prior to cutting him for the playoff run, they brought him into the office, the whole staff was there, and they showed we’ve had a camera on you. For the last two weeks, here’s your body language in huddles, here’s your body language when your teammates scores, here’s your body language in practice. Like, when he tells that story, that’s a high for me. When DeMar [DeRozan] opens up about his mental health approach and his struggles and his journey there, that’s a high for me. You don’t always get that in every interview or every episode, but when you get it, God, it’s so f***ing good.”

Watch the latest episode of the DraftKings Starting Five series featuring JJ Redick here. 

The post JJ Redick Quickly Became a Rising Star in Sports Media by Approaching it the Same Way He Approached the Game appeared first on SLAM.

His game—and his legacy, if it’s not too early to discuss such things—lies at a unique intersection of old and new, historic and cutting edge. Jayson Tatum is 24 years old, and it seems simultaneously as if he’s been in the League a decade, or barely any time at all. The truth, as he begins his sixth NBA season, is that Tatum is a three-time All-Star and one of the most complete forwards in the game.

The old and historic date back to his schoolboy days in St. Louis, where his family connections spoke to future success. He’s the godson of Larry Hughes and a cousin of Tyronn Lue. After a college year in Durham at Duke, he landed in Boston, the NBA’s most history-obsessed city, where like all great players, he’s compared to the legends (Larry and otherwise) who wore the green and white before him. At the same time, he also developed a deep connection with one of the iconic legends of the Celtics’ greatest rival. With Tatum, the connections to the past run deep, and in multiple directions.

But his game? That’s thoroughly new school, and already truly elite. He showed it during the 2019-20 season, when his per-game scoring jumped from nearly 16 ppg to better than 23 points per. Last season, in his third straight All-Star campaign, he averaged 26.9 points, 8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game, establishing himself in that rare tier of players who do everything very, very well.

Tatum chose the playoffs, as all Boston greats must, to truly announce himself to the basketball-watching world. He led the Celtics past Giannis and the defending champs from Milwaukee, then past a relentless squad from Miami and into the NBA Finals, where it took Stephen Curry and the healthy, resurgent and reloaded Golden State Warriors to keep Boston from another title and Tatum from his first. He settled for Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors and the gift of understanding what it will take to lead his team to a championship.

You don’t have to believe in destiny to like Tatum’s odds. He’s everything an NBA standard bearer needs to be: immensely talented, intensely focused on improving and a joy to watch, owner of one of the smoothest and most complete offensive games of his generation. He may not have the high-wattage personality of most of the rest of the new Starting Lineup generation of which he’s so deservedly a part, but Tatum has the quiet swagger and a definite sense of style—those Taco Js, immortalized on his figure, are already iconic—to go with it. Most importantly, he’s got the game.

Simply put: He’s already so good and probably not yet close to his peak. More All-Star picks, more MVP consideration and many more deep playoff runs seem all but inevitable. The green and white, and the game in general, are in good hands.

The post Starting Lineup’s Jayson Tatum NBA Action Figure Captures the Celtics Superstar’s Elite Game appeared first on SLAM.

My name is Sammy, and I’m a collect-aholic. It’s an addiction—more like an obsession. My pursuit to possess every SLAM cover ever released is something that I act upon daily. It’s the eBay search that I’ve saved and the hashtag that I follow. It has me empathizing with the hoarders documented on TV shows. Like them, I want to hold on to something and store it away to capture a moment. It’s a nostalgic task to complete.

Collecting back issues of SLAM is cool (at least I think so; my wife, not so much…), but it’s not unique. Although they’re not as commonly collected as sneakers, trading cards or jerseys, old SLAM mags are widely available, with a community of us who carry a vulture-like quality when it comes to pouncing on a 30-something-year-old hoops fan who happens to be clearing out their parents’ garage. There are small pockets of basketball collectors, however, who obsess over items that are not so common…

Simon Jackson, Autographs

When Simon Jackson (@dallasmavsautos) began collecting Dirk Nowitzki trading cards in 2008, he was quickly impressed by Dirk’s speedy responses to fan mail, specifically autograph requests. His commitment to building a Dirk card collection soon got weighed down by a ton of Dallas Mavs cards. 

“I realized that I’d gained a surplus of Mavericks trading cards by searching for Dirk, which got me thinking…” he says.

Now a Mavs fan, and putting his cards to good use, Simon has made it his mission to get an autograph from every player who has ever stepped on the court in a Mavs uniform. He says there have been 358 players in total (at the time of this writing) and he has 325 of them.

This is some achievement—as an Aussie living in Australia, he acquires autographs by sending stamped envelopes to former players with cards for them to sign and return. He reaches out via Instagram, Twitter and emails. The fact that he has an autograph from Randall Jackson, a man who played 39 seconds for the Mavericks, confirms what I already knew: Simon Jackson isn’t playing around.

Chris Jungwirth, Armbands

When Chris (@nbagameworn_chris) was 14, he noticed players throwing armbands into the stands at the Target Center in Minneapolis. It was the early 2000s—prime KG era—and Chris would sneak from the cheap seats down to the court to grab a grail band from Garnett, or from the visiting Paul Pierce or Vince Carter. He even caught a Rookie LeBron James headband when the Cavs came to town in ’04. Before armband customization was banned for a few years in ’06, players would rock them with short messages, tributes and nicknames.

Chris made note of the ones he needed by studying the SLAMUPS posters on his bedroom wall. Waiting by the team bus, getting to know equipment managers, befriending ball boys and even getting to know players while hanging out by hotels—all of these tactics helped his collection grow.

In more recent years, Chris has splashed a little cash acquiring some of the big names of the past: the iconic “Pip” armband that Scottie rocked while winning hardware, the Reggie Miller finger sleeve that he wore while tearing the beating hearts out of our chests (Yes, I’m a Knicks fan…). He’s also got the unmistakable “Mailman 32” band that Karl Malone rocked while racking up countless buckets. Chris recently dropped $300 on a Jayson Tatum one and has seen a rare Penny Hardaway go for $1,000. I’m still trying to figure out how he managed to talk a Lakers locker room “source” into parting with some Kobe No. 24 finger sleeves for just $150! 

“There are only about five of us continually looking for armbands,” he says. “It gets competitive at times. I’ve been offered $3,000 for my LBJ rookie headband.”

Chris’ collection is currently at 130 armbands and rising. I didn’t even mention the signed PE sneaks he has…

Gerard Starkey, Sneakers

Arguably, basketball sneaker collections are only truly worth discussing if they’re game-worn, and not only that, but worn by the greatest player ever to step onto a basketball court. Gerard Starkey (@gerard_og_vi) had been buying Jordans since he was a 9-year-old skateboarder but when he was 15, he took a leap, figuratively of course, when he got his hands on a pair of Michael Jordan PEs (“Carmine” Jordan VIs). His previous collection suddenly eclipsed by the glow of an MJ exclusive, Gerard set his sights on the shoes that told stories. 

“If you just collect stuff, you end up boxing it and not really enjoying it,” he says. “If the items have a story, then they have context and meaning. If you don’t just have the VIs, but you have the VIs that MJ cut his toe on, then it means a lot more. I started off trying to collect a PE in every style he wore, and then it snowballed.”

He forged a network through his skateboarding and basketball communities. Before social media tied the whole world together, Gerard became tied in with a few of the OG basketball sneaker collectors, guys who’d built up deep catalogs before the market went crazy. He’d help them sell stuff and even claim a pair of game-worn Js in exchange—gathering items that he adamantly says he’ll never let go of. “I don’t sell stuff,” he says. “I don’t sell stuff ever.”

Not only has Gerard built up one of the best MJ sneaker collections in the world, but he’s also built a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable in the game. From offering advice and photo-matching to confirming that a pair has been laced by Mike himself, Gerard provides a service used by Christie’s Auction House as well as high-end collectors who need help sourcing legit items. If there’s a top-tier item sold that has touched Jordan’s feet, it’s usually been through Gerard’s reliable hands.

The game has changed drastically since Gerard started collecting, with the current market allowing millionaire collectors to build a viral-worthy arsenal of MJ PEs in six months. Gerard, though, is unfazed: “They bought their collections. I built mine.”

Ferran Salavert, Jerseys

Hoops hoarders often set out on one path, but become sidetracked by a different obsession. Spanish native Ferran Salavert (@fibawhatelse) initially began collecting FIBA jerseys, primarily from teams in Spain. His favorite, Club Joventut Badalona, produced the likes of Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernández, and his love for the team prompted Ferran to hunt for game-worn jerseys of Joventut Badalona players who made it to the NBA.

“I like the NBA,” he explains, “but my roots are in European basketball.” 

This mission then expanded to Spanish NBA players, which eventually led him to expanding to jerseys of NBA players who hooped in Spain. Needless to say, this has created one of the most beautifully eclectic collections—“The European focus of my collection is what makes it unique”—of game-worn jerseys around. His collection currently stands at 250 jerseys, with his most valuable ones being the Gasol brothers and Ricky Rubio gamers.

Marcin Wójciuk, John Starks Gear

Even though he’s in Poland, Marcin Wójciuk (@john_starks_3) found himself collecting jerseys of each New York Knicks player who took the floor in the ’94 and ’99 NBA Finals. The collection grew, but so did his focus on John Starks. Marcin loved Starks. He could relate to the passion, the hustle and the sporadic nature of his game. This new focus on Starks led to a condensing of the initial collection. Quality over quantity was his new goal—game-worn jerseys and sneaks, the rarest trading cards, signed photos, but only the highest quality Starks items would suffice. 

“The first Starks jersey I bought was a fake,” Wójciuk says. “I waited three months for it to arrive in Poland from the States. I keep it as a reminder of where it all started.”

At the last count, he has 460 pieces. Marcin is still on the hunt for the adidas Intruders (rocked on the cover of SLAM 4) and has a friend who owns the pair that Starks wore in the ’94 Finals. If he’s reading this, I hope he sees sense and sends them to the place where all John Starks-related items can find their true home.

Leo Klein, All-Star Weekend Basketballs

The beauty of basketball collections is that most are never truly complete. New items are released, fresh players join the League and the hunt for another must-have grail item continues. One of the most complete collections I’ve ever seen, however, belongs to long-time NBA fan Leo Klein.

Like others, Leo has some of the more commonly collected items—jerseys and signed photos—only his are in mind-boggling quantities and presented beautifully in a man-cave-style basement to die for. The centerpiece of his incredible collection, though, is something much less common: a full run of NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest money balls dating back to when the competition began in 1986. There are 35 in total, all displayed in custom Lucite cubes. Leo has been to every All-Star game since 1994, picking up much of his collection in person. 

“I was often in the right place at the right time,” Klein says, “and so got handed things that someone in the regular crowd wouldn’t be privy to. Traveling to 25 All-Star games was part of the catalyst in why I decided to see if I could collect a full run of money balls.”

Others weren’t so easy. Despite knowing many of the top NBA personnel, grabbing any of the pre-1990 balls presented a difficult task, primarily because so few were produced. Klein contacted sponsors of the competition, tracked down collectors via auction houses and even placed an ad, specifically to find the balls from ’86 and ’87. 

Leo’s commitment to such a specific item, the way the collection was acquired and the fact that the last ball in his collection was the end of Spalding’s NBA era, make it all so unique. The collection has been valued at anywhere between $150,000 to $500,000, and to the right buyer, he might just consider selling. 

Photo credit Nathaniel S. Butler.  

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While we are less than halfway into the NBA season, Mazzulla and the C’s are thriving. Mazzulla credits Brad Stevens, who coached the Celtics from 2013-2021, for supporting him this season and being his “sounding board” per the Boston Globe.

“Just constant communication as far as where we think the team is, where we think we can go, what we can get better at, and what we’re doing well,” Mazzulla said. “He’s always done a good job as a coach of homing in on what we’re doing well and what we could do better. So for him to be on the outside and seeing it from a different perspective has helped me narrow in on what’s important on both ends. As a first-time head coach, to have a guy who’s coached in the NBA, has coached in a lot of big games, and has coached this team and has a great feel for what’s going on, it’s priceless.”

Stevens has had Mazzulla’s back since day one, so it’s no surprise he’s continued to offer his guidance as the C’s look to maintain their spot at the top of the League.

The ‘Kiss of Death’

A Tatum dagger is almost always followed by a kiss to the crowd, a celebration he calls the “kiss of death”. On Dec. 7, Grant Williams sank a 3-pointer in the first half and tried out the celebration for himself.

Goofy and loving, Williams has become a “little brother” figure in the Celtics locker room. Tatum essentially rolled his eyes at Williams celebration and said “he was too excited, too hyped”. 

“He was jumping. I was like, ‘Grant, it’s still the second quarter.’ So I pulled him aside and said, ‘You can do it, but I’m cool when I do it. I look cool. You didn’t look cool. You looked like a kid.”

The Celtics start a seven-game homestand on Friday, and armed with a Tour player, muscle milk God, and the kiss of death, hope to keep their streak rolling in Boston.

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Deuce’s dad was dominant on national TV after dropping 44 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on 15-29 shooting, including 5-10 from downtown. Tatum scored 18 points in the second half, including 12 in the fourth quarter. Brown posted 25 points, 15 boards, five dimes, and three steals on 10-21 shooting and 3-7 shooting from beyond the arc.

“Games aren’t won or lost in the fourth quarter or overtime,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said per ESPN. “We have to be elite at managing the end of the third, beginning of the fourth quarter. That is where NBA games are won and lost, and we didn’t do a good job managing that part of the game. So we’ll take the positives of how we worked to get back in the game and then managed a run to end it, but we’ll also focus on that stretch.”

44 PTS | 9 REB | 6 AST | 5 3PM

Jayson Tatum was NEXT LEVEL as he battled LeBron and AD in the @celtics OT win! pic.twitter.com/0MchIYGSds

— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2022

The monumental effort that the Double Jay’s had to exert left Tatum to tell Chris Haynes, “Damn, I’m tired,” on national TV during their postgame interview.

Easy to understand on a night when Boston surrounded a 20 point and allowed LA to go on a 45-12 run that led to a 13-point lead in the fourth-quarter. In response, Tatum made the Lakers defense look like it was in quick sand in the final frame, especially when he forced a switch agaisnt Matt Reaves. JT abused the mismatch and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, but he ended up scoring the game-tying bucket against LeBron James to force overtime.

“To come back after blowing a lead a little bit, it shows the resilience of this team,” Brown told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin. “We came back, we made some big plays, we didn’t let the wheel go when they came back and stormed back on us, and we made some big plays down the stretch. JT, Smart with a big 3, all of the above. So it just showed what we’re made of.”

And that’s why you never give up. pic.twitter.com/WT5trTuJTa

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 14, 2022

From there, Tatum and Brown combined to score seven of Boston’s 12 overtime points, with Brown knocking down the decisive triple to give Boston a an eight-point lead with 53.1 seconds left in the contest.

“That game just says a lot about our experience and mental toughness,” said Brown, who also had 15 rebounds. “That’s a tough and perfect way to close out our road trip.”

THIS IS WHAT JB DO pic.twitter.com/yTT6JJPCQO

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 14, 2022

Boston (22-7) looks to build a winnings streak when they take on the Orlando Magic (8-20) and LA (11-16) will look get backon track when they play the Denver Nuggets (16-10).

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Peaking at 29 minutes against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Leonard recorded 25 points off 10-12 shooting from the field, with nine rebounds and six assists. It was a stellar performance against the NBA’s best team, and the two-time Finals MVP admitted to wanting to give more playing time since the start of the new campaign.

“Sh-t, I’ve been trying to do it since the beginning of the year,” Leonard said. “It’s just about listening to the guys who study this.”

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Leonard refers to the injury that kept him sidelined for all of last season and 20 games this season. The partial tear of his right ACL, suffered against the Utah Jazz in the 2021 playoffs, has limited his form of being titled a top 5 player of the League, at least for now.

“It’s only my ninth game of the season, and that’s after a whole ACL year, just can’t rush it. I wish I could have played more.” Leonard said. “Twenty-eight minutes, 30 minutes is a lot of minutes still,” Leonard said. “Got to just do what I can and win these basketball games.”

The victories may stack just for Leonard’s presence on the floor, but last night was just his first 20-point night. The contribution of Paul George is what has blossomed the duo once more. He’s averaging 20 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and a three-point clip of 42.6 percent when Leonard is out on the floor with him.

George has had an MVP-caliber season thus far with or without Leonard in the lineup, and the seven-time All-Star admits that he sees improvement in Leonard’s game.

“Now he’s adjusted,” George said. “He’s found his rhythm, and you’ll see him more comfortable on the court.

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The pair showed a glimpse of what their dynamic scoring can do. While The Clippers look to keep their success, and Leonard’s game continues to evolve each game, even if it’s a limited time. The team can steadily find its confidence as a whole just in time for the second half of the season.

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Stephen Curry delivered another brilliant Finals performance, this time against the Boston Celtics, with his typical distance shooting and desire to get his teammates involved in the flow of the offense. Although Curry had solidified his legacy, it couldn’t have been done without the contribution of Andrew Wiggins.

In that series against the Celtics, Wiggins made his case for Finals MVP by shutting down the opposing superstar in Jayson Tatum and being the team’s second-best scorer at 18.3 points a game. He even led the team in rebounding with an 8.8 average and blocks with 1.5, ahead of Draymond Green and Kevon Looney.

The 2014 first overall pick had himself a series that cemented his name into NBA history, but in their title defense season, a rematch with the Celtics at Chase Center will feature Wiggins on the bench due to a right adductor strain, according to head coach Steve Kerr.

It's a bird.
It's a plane.
It's Andrew Wiggins! pic.twitter.com/DCpMYWfLBT

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 28, 2022

Wiggins had missed the last two games resulting in losses for the Warriors, but before his absence, in a win against the Houston Rockets, the forward dropped 36 points in the 34 minutes played. He went 14-19 from the field while shooting 80 percent from three (8-10), showcasing his improvement as an offensive threat once more.

Klay Thompson, the usual Robin to Curry as Batman, has struggled to get to form this season, averaging 18.9 points on the lowest field goal percentage shooting of his career at 39.6 percent. However, Thompson has found his rhythm lately, scoring 20+ points in five of his last seven games. With Wiggins sitting out this primetime matchup, Thompson will have to carry just a little more weight to make up for that missing production.

In Tatum and Jaylen Brown‘s revenge tour, the duo is currently averaging over 25 points each and have led the Celtics’ best record in the NBA at 21-5. The Finals rematch is shaping up to be completely different than last season after the Celtics added another scoring talent in Malcolm Brogdon, and interim coach Joe Mazzulla has created a League-leading 119.9 offensive rating.

The Warriors will have to find some defensive answers to figure out against the Celtics, but Kerr is “hopeful” that two of his four-time champions will be able to suit up, in Green and Curry. Dub Nation will undoubtedly miss what Wiggins can bring to the table, being one of the best two-way players in the game, but there should be no doubt in an NBA fan’s mind that the dynamic Warriors can find a way to steal a victory.

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June 17, 2022.

The morning after.

The iPhone is downstairs, on the counter. The screen lights up every few seconds as texts pour in. They’ve been rolling in for hours. Those will go unanswered for a while. If answered at all. 

It’s only been a few hours since the 2022 NBA Finals ended, and the gut-wrenching feeling of knowing that he was a couple of wins away from claiming an NBA title is starting to sink in for Jayson Tatum. 

He spent much of the night staying up trying to process what had just happened, lying in bed upstairs and replaying some of the pivotal moments of the series against the Golden State Warriors in his head. 

His mother, Brandy, who lives next door, spent the late-night hours after the game and the next morning at his home, trying to get him to snap out of the mental funk. 

But nothing seemed to be working that night, or the next day, or the day after that. 

“The day after [when] you wake up, it’s like waking up from a bad dream and realizing that you’re not dreaming and that you actually, you know, you lost. How mentally and physically exhausting the season was, the playoffs, that series was, and you just, you don’t want to do anything, you don’t want to go anywhere, you don’t want to be seen, you don’t want to talk to anybody,” says Tatum. “I was miserable. I never got my heart broken, but I could imagine if somebody got their heart broken, or anything like that, that’s how it felt. When I got home, I didn’t even want to eat. Left my phone on the counter downstairs. I had hundreds of messages, people checking in on me, I just laid in the bed—it took me a long time to go to sleep. I was just laying there. I was mad, I was upset, I was exhausted. And I just stared at the ceiling for hours until I fell asleep. That night and the next day waking up, like, Damn, we really lost the championship.” 

“Very uncharacteristic [of Jayson]. Jayson is known for having a short memory. He can shake whatever off, good or bad, high or low. He normally doesn’t hang on to anything like that. But this was different…Everybody knows, I’ve gotten up at two in the morning if he’s hungry, especially [for] tacos. He didn’t want that. That’s when I knew it was serious,” says Brandy of one of Jayson’s go-to meals, which up to that point he had never turned down. “He didn’t want to be bothered. He didn’t want to talk. He was devastated. I understood. I know firsthand how much work he puts in.”

Although the season was over, Tatum found himself on the clock the morning after. A decision needed to be made.

SLAM 241 featuring Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum is out now.

For the past few years, Tatum and his fam have flown out of the country for Father’s Day weekend. It’s become an annual tradition. A way to unwind with loved ones as the summer kicks off and before he starts ramping up his preparation for the following season. But this spring, with the Celtics making a deep run into June, the family had not made any travel arrangements for the annual getaway. They had decided to wait it out. If the Finals went all the way to a Game 7, the decisive game would fall on Father’s Day. And if the Celtics closed out the Warriors earlier, the parade in Boston could very well fall on that weekend. 

But once Golden State won Game 6 in Boston, Jayson had about 48 hours to make a decision before Father’s Day and plan out an itinerary in order to keep the annual excursion alive. Except there was one problem: Jayson had no desire to step out anywhere that weekend, let alone go on a trip. He had decided to call off the tradition. He just couldn’t get himself to go on a vacation so soon after coming so close to helping Boston get its 18^th championship banner.   

Brandy, concerned, wanted to make sure that Jayson didn’t get too caught up in the loss and that he took the proper time to clear his head and unwind before he transitioned to offseason training. She knew it was important for him to take the trip now more than ever. But since Jayson was adamant about not going anywhere, she deployed the one thing she knew would work when all others failed: Deuce. 

“I just let him have his moment, his time, but once I felt like enough was enough, we’re not gonna sulk all summer, that’s when I used my secret weapon,” says Brandy of Deuce, Jayson’s 5-year-old son, who has become a celebrity of his own. “Deuce can win him down with anything. Deuce makes all things good, so I used my secret weapon—sent Deuce in there to ask him. It always works.” 

“It took some convincing, because I didn’t want to leave the house for a couple of days. I was glad I did. I think that’s the best part about being a dad, taking your mind off things [and] going out [of] the country with him. He’s 4 [at the time], so he doesn’t really know or, for lack of better words, care that we just lost. He wants me to help him build a sand castle and go swimming with him. In the midst of all of that, he kind of took my mind off things, especially so close to us just losing,” Tatum recalls. “He’s spoiled, he gets whatever he wants. So, him coming and asking me, Daddy, can we go somewhere? I want to go to the beach! It’s hard to say no. He ultimately got his way.” 

And so off to the Cayman Islands they went. Brandy says they ended up booking travel just 24 hours before the plane took off. And although he was no longer stateside, there was no escaping the Finals chatter, as Jayson soon found out. 

“Everywhere I went this summer, somebody mentioned something about the Finals,” he says. “Being in the Cayman Islands, four or five days afterward, everybody—whether it was the driver, or the waiter, or the other guests at the resort—it was nonstop. And not that they meant anything wrong by it. They were just true fans and they saw somebody that played in the Finals. But it was something I had to deal with every day of the summer.”

When he got back from the trip, Jayson immediately turned his focus to the upcoming season. He knew he wanted to approach the offseason very differently from past years. A focal point became his diet. He admits that up to this past summer, he was never truly conscious about what he ate and didn’t follow any kind of regimented diet. He ate whatever he pleased and then just went out there and earned All-NBA First Team last season. But the deep playoff run in 2022 made him reevaluate everything. It had taken a toll on him physically and mentally. He logged 983 minutes in the playoffs last season—the most minutes played in a single postseason since LeBron James played exactly 983 in 2012. Tatum played the most cumulative minutes overall last season, too, when factoring in the regular season: 3,714. It’s a testament to his ability to stay healthy, to be counted on to stay on the floor and play through pain and fatigue.

And although he’s not one to make excuses, we’ll do it for him here. After playing exceptionally well down the stretch in the regular season and carrying his team to the Finals, the wear and tear started to become noticeable in certain moments against the Warriors. He had run out of gas. A feeling he vows won’t ever happen again.  

“I really had a different mindset [this summer]—I knew what it took to get to the Finals and I know how much more it takes to get over that hump. And I need to separate myself. I need to do something different. I need for my summer to be different than it was last year and the year before that. I need to prepare better. I hired a chef. I started to eat better. Started working on my body even more than I previously was because I knew playing until June, your body has to be prepared for that,” he says. “First, coming into the League, I didn’t really have a routine. I ate whatever I wanted to and I just went out there and played basketball. But now I’m very routine-based, and even though I’m only 24, I’ve played a lot of basketball, so [I was] trying to find the different ways to give me an edge.”  

Tatum spends part of every summer training in L.A. It’s his own six-week training camp before the start of Celtics training camp. And being in sunny SoCal, he’s always tried to have some fun while out there. But Brandy, who stayed behind this year, says word quickly got back to her on the East Coast that Jayson was using his time in L.A. much differently this time around. This summer, it was all business.

“Everybody that was there, trainers, any friends that visit, everyone, they were calling and they were like, It’s something different [this year]. This is like bootcamp! He’s so locked in,” she recalls. 

Jayson adds: “It was like, I didn’t really have time for other things. I love to play golf [but] I didn’t play golf not one time when I was in L.A. Just ’cause after everything we did every day, by the time we got back to the house and watched some film, did treatment, put ice on my legs, it was six, seven o’clock. The sun is going down, I’m exhausted, and I’m just preparing to get ready for the next day. The guys that were with me, they could attest to it that this summer was just different. I was determined to not have that feeling again of losing in the Finals…That’s all I cared about coming into the season—getting back to that point and not feeling like that again.” 

The 6-8 star’s first five seasons in the NBA have arguably been as successful as anyone’s first five years in the League over the past decade. Three Conference Finals appearances—including his rookie year in 2018, where he came within one win of reaching the NBA Finals. A trip to the Finals in 2022, where he fell just short of capturing a championship against a team that will go down as one of the game’s dynasties. He’s made the playoffs every year of his career so far. He surpassed 1,500 career playoff points earlier this year. The only player in NBA history to do that at a younger age was Kobe Bryant.

But Tatum’s definition of success is different from the rest of us. In his mind, when it comes to this, there is no glass half-full. His competitive side won’t allow him to find solace in the deep playoff runs or record-breaking numbers. If anything, it’s had the opposite effect. 

“And that was the toughest part this summer, everybody coming up and saying, You’ll be back. You were so close. You made it to the Finals. And it’s like, only one team won last year, right? We got to the Finals but you come to our arena or practice facility, we only hang up banners if you win. No conference champions or division champions—we don’t care about those. You either win or you lose,” says Tatum. “And that’s the mindset that I have and the group has. So, it’s not like a moral victory. We play this game to win, and you’re never satisfied until you do.” 

Despite the NBA Finals run, the Celtics found themselves with lots of question marks coming into this season. The drama around the offseason coaching change—Tatum’s third head coach in three years—was one. Then a couple of their core guys—Danilo Gallinari and Robert Williams—suffered major injuries before opening night, adding extra obstacles to the list. The result? The Celtics have the best record in the NBA and they were in the midst of a nine-game winning streak when we did our cover shoot with Tatum. 

“I think with having a new head coach, along with Gallo tearing his ACL and not knowing when he’ll be able to come back, and Rob missing the first part of the season until he gets back, it obviously didn’t look how we thought it would look coming back into the season. But I think all those things in a way made us buckle down even more, made us come together, knowing that there was a lot of things stacked up against us,” Tatum admits. “And we coulda chalked it up to a new coach, we have guys out, we played late into the season, or we could really buckle down because nobody is going to feel bad for us. We got a target on our back every night, we’re going to get other teams’ best shot because they know we went to the championship and they know the talent level that we have. So, every night is going to be tough regardless of whatever their record is, home or away. I think that has made us a better team.” 

As for Tatum individually, he’s enjoying the best numbers of his career thus far, averaging a career-best 30.5 ppg. He’s also averaging career-highs in assists and blocks. After a 43-point, 10-rebound performance the night before our shoot in Detroit, a common phrase started trending next to his name on Twitter: MVP season. It’s a sentiment that has been repeated a lot more since, including by TV personalities. A few days after our shoot, Vegas had him as an early favorite to earn the honor. “It’s something me and [my trainer] Drew [Hanlen] talked a lot about this offseason. He was telling me, I really want you to be MVP this season. And I think, of course, growing up as a kid, winning MVP was a goal. You know, I want to get to the NBA, win an MVP, win a championship, all those things,” Tatum says. “But I more so approached this season as, I just want to play at an MVP level, which means I’m playing as one of the best players, playing efficiently [on] both ends of the ball, and we’re winning. We got one of the best records and we’re on pace to get back to where we were. And all that matters is that we do that and get over the hump. I would love to win MVP, of course, but I just want to play at that level…And that we remember how we felt when we came up short, and that we’ll do whatever it takes not to feel that way again.”

SLAM 241 Gold Metal Edition and Cover Tees are available now. Tap in.

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

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Mazzulla has also earned the respect of the players on the Celtics roster, who have responded well and have been ‘all-in’ on their new coach.

“The thing I appreciated most was that he wasn’t going to try to be somebody he wasn’t because he was in a new role,” said Celtics star Jayson Tatum in a recent interview with Andscape. “He was very transparent. He said this was new for him, and it was going to be new for everybody. It wasn’t something that we were just going to move on and forget about. It was going be tough and a transition that everyone was going to be comfortable talking about.”

Mazzulla recently sat down to talk about his upbringing, coaching style, and how he prepared himself for his latest role as the head honcho of the Celtics. One of the first things everyone wanted to know was what was going through Mazzulla’s mind when he was first named to be Celtics interim coach;

“I’ve always had faith that I was going to be an NBA head coach,” answered Mazzulla. “I believed in myself, but I didn’t know it was going to happen this fast. I didn’t know it was going to happen in Boston. But I kind of felt it that it would happen at some point. At least, I had hope that it would.”

Given the Celtics’ rich championship-winning history and big-name head coaches of the past, Mazzulla was asked where his confidence came from;

“It’s developed over time. I think my dad and my mom, they had a huge influence on me as far as my mental preparation. As far as what’s your mindset on a daily basis, how do you navigate the world around you? And as a player, I wasn’t great. I thought I was a tough kid, but I didn’t have true mental toughness. I didn’t handle adversity well. I didn’t have great self-awareness. I didn’t have great self-management. I couldn’t self-regulate a lot. And so, when I got into coaching, I made a huge investment into that emotional intelligence and that mental preparation and how you navigate everything that’s going on around you. So, that’s helped.”

When asked if he felt any added pressure being the coach of such a historic franchise, Mazzulla responded by saying;

“There’s no real pressure. To me, you just have a responsibility. I have a responsibility to the Celtics, to the tradition, to the players, to the organization, the owners, to just do whatever you got to do to give this team and this organization the best chance to win another banner. And you just can’t stop until that happens. To me, it’s just a responsibility. And when I’m in moments of that, the only thing I can focus on is how do I execute. How do I just execute the next situation that I’m in?”

Mazzulla is definitely making the most of his opportunity right now and knows that whether he’s interim or coach in the NBA, either title can be taken away at any time. That being said, we should all be excited to see what Mazzulla and his Celtics do as the season progresses.

The post Joe Mazzulla Says He ‘Always Believed’ He Would Become an NBA Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

Chet Holmgren working on his shot pic.twitter.com/6b86KxecvK

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) December 2, 2022

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft suffered the injury at a Jamal Crawsford Crawsover Pro-Am game in August that had to be stopped due to unsafe court conditions. Holmgren played on the same day where LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Dejounte Murray, Paolo Banchero, and Tari Eason played at the Crawsford League.

Chet Holmgren back in his hometown pic.twitter.com/oKNvrhYWHO

— Joe Mussatto (@joe_mussatto) December 4, 2022

The Thunder said Holmgren remains on track to return next season. Recovery from a Lisfranc ligament tear typically takes from nine to 12 months. The former Gonzaga Bulldog averaged 12 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game during his three-game appearence at the Las Vegas Summer League.

The post Chet Holmgren Had a Secondary Operation to ‘Remove Hardware’ From Lisfranc Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

As this team marches on, Marcus Smart and currently rehabbing Robert Williams are set to rejoin the squad soon after suffering minor setbacks from injury. When the Celtics are at 100%, there’s no telling how far they can go.

In the postgame press conference after the win, Brown told NBC Sports that he envisions Boston returning to the NBA Finals.

“I want to get to the playoffs, and I want to show what I can do there,” said the Celtics star. “I think I could play with the best of them. I know what my capabilities are, but my emphasis right now is on winning games and leading this team back to the Finals. So that’s where my point of emphasis is. Anything else that comes along, whatever — I’m really focused on getting us back to the NBA Finals.”

Boston has significantly improved since losing in the NBA Finals in June. They currently have the best offensive rating in the League at 120.7, according to statmuse.com. New acquisitions like Malcolm Brogdon and Blake Griffin have unlocked another gear for this team.

Grant Williams is one of the League leaders in three-point accuracy, hitting triples at an incredible 46 percent. Last but not least, to put the icing on the cake, Jayson Tatum is playing at an MVP level. He’s averaging 30.7 points and 8.1 rebounds on 48.1 percent shooting, which are all career highs for the 24-year-old. It’s safe to say that the Celtics’ revenge tour is in full effect.

The Celtics will try and repeat the same success they had against the Nets on Monday when they face the Toronto Raptors at 7:30 p.m.

The post Jaylen Brown is Focused on Leading the Boston Celtics Back to the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers took on the Washington Wizards on the road, and Davis was in his bag as he went off for 55 points on 22-30 shooting from the field (73.3 percent), 17 rebounds, and three blocks. With yesterday’s performance, Davis now joins Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal as the only two Lakers in team history to record 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games.

He’s also the first Laker to score 40 points in back-to-back games since Kobe Bryant did it in 2013. Davis’ season-high effort had the road crowd chanting MVP, and his teammates backed it up with their post-game comments;

“Jayson Tatum is playing his a** off, but when you’re talking about people in the MVP race or category, that probably will change after tonight,” Lakers guard Patrick Beverley told ESPN. “Davis should be up there for sure.”

LeBron James also chimed in with his thoughts on Davis and the MVP race, stating;

“He’s been unbelievable, man, on both sides of the floor, I mean, playing like the MVP of this league. Just straight dominance.”

When Davis was asked if his goals this season included winning his first MVP award, he said his main goal is to win a championship and that “the rest will take care of itself.”

“To win a championship, that’s it. If your mindset is on winning a championship, the rest will take care of itself. That’s always been my thought. I put the team first over any individual awards or accolades that come with it. So if we continue to do what we do and win basketball games, the rest will take care of itself.”

It’s great to see AD showcasing his true potential and talent out there on the court again after battling a series of nagging injuries. Laker nation, hold on to your seats because it looks like the LakeShow is coming back!

The post Anthony Davis Is Focused On Titles: ‘the Rest Will Take Care of Itself’ appeared first on SLAM.

Also, if you’re not in the LeagueFits Discord yet, you gotta tap in. It’s been too much fun seeing everyone’s fit pics and latest cops.

The post WHERE DO I COP? The 11 Best Pieces Featured on LeagueFits This Week (12/2) appeared first on SLAM.

It was nearly 35 years ago when a new, first-of-its-kind line of sports collectibles landed on store shelves and changed, well, everything. A slight overstatement, perhaps, but for collectors and diehard sports fans, the arrival of the Starting Lineup brand really was a game-changer, an unprecedented way to express their fandom, scratch their collecting itch and rep the players whose games inspired them. The line quickly became iconic, and more than two decades later, the Starting Lineup brand remains just that—a classic, cultural reference point and a coveted collectible.

And now, to paraphrase one of the stars of the original Starting Lineup NBA run, “They’re back.”

After hinting at it last spring and summer, Hasbro this fall confirmed the return of Starting Lineup for a new generation of fans and collectors—and fittingly, the new line not only highlights the best and most dynamic players in today’s NBA, but does so with cutting-edge technology that adds brand-new digital components and brings an almost unbelievable level of realism to play. The result? Once again, Starting Lineup has changed the game.

And while the brand will once again run across all the major sports leagues, it’s the NBA’s unequaled star power that will lead Starting Lineup’s rebirth.

“If you look at the history of the original line starting in 1988, one of the most iconic Starting Lineup figures was that ’88 Michael Jordan,” says Justin Spagnuolo, Director, Global Brand Strategy & Marketing for Hasbro. “The NBA just felt like the right way to go, and the League and the Players Association have been great partners in getting us there.”

While everything about the new line nods to the brand’s history, the line itself couldn’t be more of the moment. Just look at that list of players: LeBron James. Stephen Curry. Giannis Antetokounmpo. Ja Morant. Luka Dončić. Joel Embiid. Jayson Tatum. Trae Young. An eight-man rotation you could put up against pretty much any lineup in NBA history, with a barrel full of championship rings, MVP awards and All-Star bids among them. 

Now look closer, literally, at the players themselves. The level of detail, the accuracy, the video-game realism…it’s crazy. And yes, that’s very much by design. “For us, the player likeness is the No. 1 thing—that’s been the Hasbro specialty, being as authentic to the player as possible,” Spagnuolo says. “We know from a consumer standpoint, that’s what the fans want, to be as lifelike as possible. To get that kind of likeness on a 6-inch figure is staggering.”

As an example, Spagnuolo points to Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies’ all-everything, highlight-generating young guard. From his hair to kicks—literally, from head to toe—Morant’s likeness is incredibly lifelike. Spagnuolo says that when Morant first unboxed his own Starting Lineup likeness, he was “blown away by how much it looks like him. It’s all about that level of detail, and we’ve carried that across the board.”

As one of the League’s most exciting young players, Morant represents everything the new Starting Lineup is striving for: a signature look, a dynamic style of play and a game worthy of immortalizing. Beyond marveling at the detail of his own replica, Morant shared with the Starting Lineup team how much he appreciated being included in the line as “a sign of how hard I’ve worked.” It’s a message that resonates with the Starting Lineup creative team.

Of the full lineup, Spagnuolo notes the unique mix of personalities and skill sets they bring, and the range of up- and-coming stars to Hall of Fame-bound veterans. 

“You’ve got guys like Ja, who’s absolutely ridiculous and ready to take over, and then a global icon like LeBron James. We’re just trying to cast the widest net and bring all these personalities to life.”

Of course, it’s not only the personalities and the game that have changed—this new generation of NBA superstars exists in a very different world than the original Starting Lineup run. That’s reflected throughout the new line, from each player rocking highly detailed shoes that are accurate to brand, model and colorway—which the players themselves determined, of course—to relative heights that are realistic to scale, to articulation that allows fans to recreate signature poses and shots, from dunks to dribbles to jumpers. Then there are the accessories: two extra sets of hands to customize the action, a display base and flight stand, a Panini trading card and a link to a Panini NFT trading card.

There will be much more to come in the resurgent Starting Lineup run, including more NBA players (hey, no spoilers), the recently announced NFL line, and…well, you’ll just have to wait and see. But it feels appropriate that the NBA line is leading this return. In the same way that the greatness of today’s stars, from LeBron to Luka to Ja, has been built on the foundation of Jordan and those who came before and after, there’s a direct line running from those original Starting Lineup figures through the newly launched line. In both cases, they’ve evolved, taking the best of the past and lifting it to new heights.

As Spagnuolo puts it, “History is a big part of our story.” Indeed, it’s the combination of that rich history with next-level tech innovation and the NBA’s biggest stars that makes the present and future of Starting Lineup so cool to be a part of. 

The post The Rebirth of Cool: Starting Lineup is Back with the First in a Series of NBA Action Figures appeared first on SLAM.

Butler averaged 25.6 points per game in that series while shooting 47 percent from the field. Butler was clearly on a whole other level in that series, including a 47-point Game 6 performance in TD Garden to force a Game 7 back in Miami.

The Heat and Celtics have matched up in the playoffs twice in the past two years, with Miami getting the best of Boston in 2019-2020 and Boston beating the Heat last year.

So far this year, the Heat (10-12) haven’t looked like themselves, as they currently sit in 11th place in the East. On the flip side, you look at the Boston Celtics, which seem to be clicking on all cylinders. They sit in first place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 18-4 and are winners of their last five straight games.

The two teams recently played an exhibition together this past Wednesday, but the undermanned Heat was no match for the healthy Celtics and ended up losing 134-121. Celtics star Jayson Tatum went off for a season-high 49 points as well.

Butler took to his Instagram story yesterday with a little hype-up video giving Heat fans hope and Celtics fans flashbacks to last year, saying he is “on the way.” Hopefully, Butler’s return helps to change the course of this Heat team’s record and shifts the momentum to a positive one going into the All-Star break.

We’ll have to wait and see if the Heat can start the month of December off strong.

The post Jimmy Butler’s Message to Boston Ahead of Friday Matchup: ‘I’m On the Way’ appeared first on SLAM.

Taco Jay is on a rampage, and he’s launched himself to the top of the MVP race. Wednesday, Tatum dropped a season-high 49 points on 8-12 threes and 15-25 shooting from the floor in a 134-121 win over the Miami Heat. TD Garden lauded the guard’s stellar performance with MVP chants.

“That means everything,” Tatum said per NBC Sports Boston about the MVP chants during the game. “That’s something I’ve dreamed about as a kid, and to hear it in front of our home crowd from the best fans in the world, it holds a special place in my heart.”

“I love this place, I love being here, and hearing that during the game gives you chills.”

Leading the No. 1 ranked Celtics with 31.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, Tatum is locked in as an early-season MVP candidate. 

The C’s are a League-best 18-4 a quarter of the way into the season, and they are hungry as ever following their Finals run.

Tatum has been vocal about the devastation he felt following Boston’s Finals loss to the Warriors and the subsequent motivation he and the Celtics’ have to get back to the championship round and ultimately win a championship. 

While Tatum’s first five seasons with the Celtics were riddled with inconsistency, injuries, and both roster and front-office changes, the C’s may have finally found their footing. Undoubtedly their most consistent and confident start to the season, the Celtics rely on an unusual metaphor to stay locked-in day after day: the sandcastle.

Every time the Celtics enter the film room, head coach Joe Mazzulla has a picture or video of sand castles up. The “cheesy” message is that you build great sandcastles on vacation, but when you leave the beach, the tide inevitably comes in and washes the sandcastle away. So the next day, you arrive at the beach, and you build another sandcastle. 

The C’s are focused on being a one-win-at-a-time team. They are trying to show up each day and build the best sandcastle they can. 

“It’s a choice that we’ve got to make every day when we come in and try to be the best version of ourselves — and knowing that it’s never going to be easy,” Tatum said per MSN. “We’re always going to get the other team’s best shot.”

An 18-4 record and a dominant win over an Eastern Conference rival in Miami don’t mean much to Boston today. That record and that win were yesterday. The tide came in, washed the win away, and left a fresh beach for Boston to build another great sandcastle. 

The Celtics refuse to be complacent. They refuse to be satisfied. Until they win Banner 18, it’s “done, next” for the C’s.

Boston faces the Heat again tomorrow night and looks to add another W to their win column.

The post Records and Sandcastles: An MVP Candidate and Unique Mindset Keep the Celtics Rolling appeared first on SLAM.

“No, nothing close,” Brogdon told NBCSports if he’d ever played on a better team like this season’s Celtics. “This is a treat for any NBA player. Whether you ask Marcus Smart, Tatum, Brown, anybody, it’s a treat to play on a team like this.”

While playing alongside all-stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Brogdon is averaging 14 points a game with a 48.8 percent field goal average and 46.9 percent from beyond the arc.

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The 29-year-old joined the Celtics hoping to contribute to a veteran role for when they are again pushing towards a championship, similar to last season. However, this isn’t the first time Brogdon has been part of a title contender and playing alongside an MVP candidate like Tatum.

In 2019, the Milwaukee Bucks reached the Eastern Conference Finals and were two wins away from reaching the big stage. Brogdon averaged 13.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 rebounds per game during Milwaukee’s run to the ECF. The 2019 MVP, Giannis Antetokumpo, was just getting into the flow of superstardom, but the team ultimately fell to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors.

In just 25 games as a Celtic, Brogdon says his teammates and the front office have developed their leadership from and have encouraged younger players “to be appreciated of what they have here.” Holding each other accountable while maintaining the good vibes around the team will help the Celtics reach their ultimate goal of hanging an 18th banner.

“There’s a lot of good here, from the top down — the leadership down to the PTs, the players,” said Brogdon. “I remind the guys of that when times get tough because there’s always going to be times and days when there’s lulls, but for me and Blake (Griffin), we’ve been in situations where the team is not winning, and the team is really struggling, and there’s chaos. I try to encourage guys to be appreciative of what they have here.”

The post Malcolm Brogdon: ‘It’s a Treat to Play’ On High-Powered Celtics appeared first on SLAM.

The last time we caught up with the man behind the 7, the same one who founded the AND1 mixtapes, he was quarantining in Mexico and designing impactful social justice-inspired t-shirts that were worn by players around the NBA from inside the Bubble in Orlando. At the time, The Compound was located in the Bronx, but since its relocation to Kings County, it’s obvious that Set Free’s initial vision for the space has reached a different magnitude. He’s created a space entirely for artistic expression and curation, and nearly every square inch of the studio is, in his own words, a “living, breathing creative gallery,”—once you walk past the KG jersey, there’s even a custom Star Wars-inspired wallpaper of Luke Skywalker that reads, Meanwhile back at The Compound, the battle continues, and with Yoda saying, “Do or Do Not. There is No Try!”

As we walk throughout the studio, and past a room still in construction that Set Free reveals is going to become a recording studio—the space feels like a sneak peek into his mind, passions and interests, from the work of art to the sports memorabilia and vintage antiques. Hanging up on one wall are stunning, black-and-white portraits of the late-DMX and The Lox—Jadakiss has also been featured in a recent episode of DraftKings’ new The Starting Five series, which is filmed live in The Compound. In another corner of the room is a sophisticated-looking lounge area with microphones set up for podcasting, and a set of turntables on top of an antique, wooden chest—a nod to Set Free’s DJing days. Not too far away is an antique barber chair that looks like it’s from the early 1900s, down to the red leather and wood paneling. Wherever you turn, there’s something to marvel at. 

“A lot of art galleries, you can’t touch anything, you don’t feel like you are part of it,” Set Free later says while sitting inside his office. “I wanted The Compound to be this living, wall of art that you can be a part of and it inspires you to create.” 

The Starting Five series is filmed, specifically, in the living room-type area with plush, brown leather couches that are perfect for not only kicking back, but debating the game, music and culture. It’s here where Set Free has powerful conversations about basketball lifestyle with exclusive guests Jadakiss, former NBA star Baron Davis and streetball legend “Skip to My Lou.” In a recent episode where the Yonkers music artist discusses one of his most special albums, you might notice that sitting on a coffee table are an assortment of memorabilia—from magazines (including a copy of the SLAM Presents Warriors special issue) to action figures. 

When we stopped by The Compound in November, it appeared that Set Free had switched it up with works of art one could only imagine to see in person—from Kevin Durant’s KD10 signature kicks, which he wore when he won his first NBA championship in 2017 (a gift to Set Free from KD), to the AND1 mixtapes in their original yellow, blue, brown and fire-engine red cassette boxes. 

It’s one thing, though, to see the mixtapes in person, but it’s another to later hear from Set Free about how he thinks the game has evolved and is moving to its own beat. 

“I just love seeing the game evolve with the new generation of young stars. [With the griddy dance], I don’t think there was ever an NBA player that did a dance [like Ja Morant], [Stephen] Curry with the shimmy with the shoulders. It’s exciting, it’s like seeing two generations of the game being played. On one hand you got Ja Morant, Trae Young, Luka [Doncic], [Jayson] Tatum and [Jaylen] Brown and then you still have [James] Harden, [LeBron] James and Kawhi [Leonard]. Seeing these two worlds is incredible, and then with seeing the worlds you’re also seeing the connection. One of the things I say is, [when we were growing up], everybody in the NBA wore high top sneakers. Now all the guys are wearing these low cuts, and they look incredible. LeBron even took his sons to the Nike meeting to design a sneaker with him. So, you know, you’re seeing a generational culture clash that’s really exciting. I’m seeing Ja dunking over veterans and I’m like, Oh my goodness. But then I’m seeing LeBron dunking on kids, and it’s incredible. So, for me, just to see the older generation and the younger generation, with the music, fashion, with the style of play—it’s been one of the most exciting years I’ve seen in a while.”

When asked to describe the tempo of the game today, in relation to music, Set Free pauses and marvels at the thought. “Wow,” he whispers, later adding: “Creatively, intensely fast. It’s like some of the things I’m seeing, [I think when] Ja Morant went up [for a dunk], caught some contact in the air and changed it to a finger roll. … LeBron is still dunking like he’s in his twenties, Tatum is going crazy, Zion, when he’s playing, it’s very intense, creative and it’s fast.” 

Set Free isn’t just an admirer of how the game is being played, but the culture of the game as a whole. When asked who stands out to him style-wise in the tunnel, he doesn’t hesitate to name LeagueFits MVP Jordan Clarkson. “He’s a star. … He puts it together right. I don’t think it’s about the brands, he wears high end [brands] and pieces nobody knows. You don’t have to go to Paris anymore, just watch the beginning of Sportscenter.”

Other fashionable players around the League that he mentions include Jayson Tatum and James Harden, but when asked what he thinks about players walking the runway at New York and Paris Fashion Week, like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Set Free explains: “What happened is, [there] was a transition, though, from players sitting front row in Paris, and shoutouts to Virgil [Abloh], he kind of brought a lot of NBA players to his shows. The NBA players were always the model type—they’re thin, slim, tall, the exact build of a model—so it was just a transition from them sitting in the front row to being on stage now. I always thought it was coming.”

Nearly every answer from Set Free, whether it’s about basketball, fashion, and hip-hop, is woven together through the lens of a passionate admirer of the culture. “For me, music is a beat that always never changes. No matter the artists, it always does something the same way. Basketball is the only thing with a genre of music connected. So, when you say basketball, you say hip-hop. If you say golf, you don’t see music. Tennis, there’s no music [there]. But it’s always been this way [with basketball]. At one point it was Public Enemy that drove that beat and then Nas and Mobb Deep, it’s still this same connection to me from Drake to Rick Ross at one point, Lil Wayne and Cash Money at [another] point. 

“I mean, for me with the AND1 mixtape, it started with Common and Mos Def and Busta Rhymes, but now it’s 2Chainz, Lil Baby, J Cole but it’s still the same feeling now and which I’m happy about. Super happy about all the collaborations, the [DJ Khaled] album, NBA Youngboy, Griselda is one of my favorites. Of course, the legends of the Jadakiss’s and Cam’rons, and all the “babys”—Lil Baby, DaBaby, I’m baby-ied out, in a good way…It’s an exciting time in music [and] I love how the players embrace it. You know, you’ve seen them [wearing] in ear [headphones], over-ears coming through the tunnel, pregame, shootaround. You see them [mentioned] in lyrics, and even with the griddy-thing…I don’t think music is going to leave the NBA, hip-hop is so connected [with it]. At one time it was movie stars like Jack Nicholson, Bill Murray, but now those [courtside] seats are filled by Jay-Z, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne.” 

Just as the game is changing, Set Free and The Compound are also constantly evolving, too. As a self-declared “artistic, cluttered minimalist,” Set Free admits that when he first arrived at the space and it was empty, he could look at every blank wall and know exactly how many frames would fit. 

“[When I walked in] and saw it empty, I literally [knew] every block where everything fits. I stood in the middle, and was like, five paintings fit there, three fit there, six on that wall. If you’ve noticed, every space is almost full. I’m going crazy because I’m waiting on tables for that space. For me, it’s just art and math. Like that gray wall, ten frames is going to fit perfectly on that.” 

Like every artist, Set Free is rarely ever satisfied with the way things look in The Compound, and he’s constantly been moving and changing the layout around. But like every visionary, he sees an opportunity to create something new and innovative. That’s the future of The Compound. 

“It’s always evolving. But I think that’s what keeps it fun. Like, usually [with] the last Compound [space No. 1], maybe twice a year, definitely maybe once, I would take all those 10 frames down, put them back in storage and go get new art and put it in that sport to keep [it] refreshing.”

With his blessing, Set Free wraps up the interview by encouraging us to wander freely around the space and take it all in. To get close enough to really see every intricate detail of the art, the jerseys, the mixtapes and the NBA championship kicks. After all, The Compound is meant to capture all of your wildest, most creative curiosities.  

The post Inside the Creative Mind of Set Free Richardson and the 3rd Version of his Famed Creative Space—The Compound appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI: 

Most of the fireworks on Friday night happened in Houston in an absolute shoot-out between the Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 83 points, but it wasn’t enough. After leading by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, Atlanta squandered the lead, and the Rockets surged late to capture their fourth win of the season, 128-122.

Despite Murray scoring a career-high 39 points and making a career-high eight threes, the Hawks couldn’t get the job done. A big reason for this was their performance on the boards in the absence of Clint Capela, who was out due to dental pain. Houston outrebounded Atlanta 59-28. This included a 22-6 drubbing on the offensive boards and a 37-22 advantage on the defensive boards.

Most of the headlines after the game were about the aftermath of a third-quarter scrum between each team’s respective backcourt. Young and Murray did plenty of showboating on the way to scoring a combined 83 points, and you get the sense that Green and Kevin Porter Jr. didn’t like it one bit. Green and Porter took to Instagram to mock Young following the game. Green waved goodbye to the Hawks after their 18-point fourth quarter. 

Ja Morant messed around and dropped a triple-double in Madison Square Garden, dropping 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 dimes. He’s been highly productive during Desmond Bane, who suffered a sprained big toe injury on Nov. 15 and won’t be back for at least another week.

Postgame, Morant credited New York Knicks point guard and Chicago/Memphis legend Derrick Rose for paving the way for hyper-athletic guards by saying; 

“He really made it to where people believe in guys like me,” Morant told the Commercial Appeal. “Coming in, athletic guards, I felt like he was pretty much the one who kind of made it more famous. With how acrobatic his finish is, his touch around the rim, and how explosive he was. Coming in, he was my comparison. It’s crazy to be out there on the floor sharing a court with him.”

Klay Thompson was off to a rough start on the offensive side of the ball to begin the season, but he’s beginning to get on track. He shot 61.5 percent from the field in Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State scored 47 points in the first quarter and never really looked back. They had crisp offensive execution the entire game. 

The Boston Celtics continued their winning ways. They have won 12 of their last 13 games. They are a League-best 16-4 on the season. Jaylen Brown had 36 points in their most recent win sans Jayson Tatum against the Washington Wizards. The Celtics are poised for a return to the NBA Finals if they keep playing the way they’re playing. 

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and the Brooklyn Nets are now only a single game under .500 following their 111-97 win against the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Seth Curry was a big factor in the win against his former squad, with 29 points on 11-15 shooting. 

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been playing out of his mind and is turning some heads. Fox has been shooting a career-high 53 percent from the field, helping him average 25.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

Fox has the Kings sitting in sixth place in a jammed Western Conference with a record of 10-8. Fox’s play has been so good that this past weekend, he inked a deal with one of the biggest and most well-known sports agencies in basketball Klutch Sports. For Sacramento, Fox’s recent play and lead role in the Kings’ resurgence could be just what the team needs to end their 16-year playoff drought.

The Kings have the talent and youth to be very disruptive if given a postseason opportunity. The team’s additions of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk (in addition to Fox’s play) have been a great fit. Hopefully, Fox and the team can continue this momentum.

Over the weekend, the Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in their last four games. During the third quarter of Saturday’s game, Russell Westbrook was going up for a layup after previously grabbing a rebound and was fouled on the way up by Spurs center Zach Collins. When Westbrook rose up from the ground heated from the foul, you could see that he had a cut and was visibly bleeding from his forehead.

The two teams got together for what seemed like a couple of seconds after the foul, but everyone was calmly escorted to their respective benches. Westbrook, who was fuming for a good reason, was taken away by LeBron James, who quickly compressed Westbrook’s head wound with a towel and walked him over to the bench to be further examined by the Lakers team doctors.

Once the situation calmed down, a Flagrant 2 foul was given the Collins, and a tech was given to Westbrook. Postgame, James commented on the altercation, saying;

“I saw where the cut was immediately. It was just common sense to put pressure on the cut right away. Don’t let it continue to go. Before we became teammates, we’ve always been like brothers and cool and things of that nature. His health is more important than the game of basketball. We were just trying to stop that and let the training staff do their job after we got him over to the bench.”

Miami center Bam Adebayo has had a quiet yet phenomenal stretch over the Heat’s last six games averaging 25.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field. However, in Adebayo’s last two games, he has scored over 30 points and has been a key contributor toward the end of games on both the defensive and offensive sides.

The Heat are currently on a three-game win streak led by Adebayo’s diverse and consistent play, and the team looks to carry that momentum into their Wednesday matchup with the 2022 Eastern Conference Champion Celtics. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND:

Ja Morant’s father asked for his son’s jersey for the first time in Morant’s career. Morant stated that it was “special” for him to get a triple-double in the Garden and that it was a place that he always had a special feeling for.

Morant admitted after Sunday’s game that MSG was special for him to have a triple-double since it was a place he watched in so many games on television as a kid — which was why his father made the unusual request for his jersey.

“It’s just the bright lights, man,” Morant told ESPN post-game. “Having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up actually watching teams come here and play, watching the Knicks play — everybody loves the Garden. We really called it the bright lights. Everybody is watching. So for me to be able to go out and play like I played tonight was big-time for me.”

The post ICYMI: We Got You Covered With Thanksgiving Weekend News appeared first on SLAM.

However, the promotion of Joe Mazzulla has helped Boston become an offensive juggernaut with the top-rated (118.8) offense in the League. The only question to solve is how to get Boston to regain their defensive dominance; as of Wednesday, the Celtics hold a 112.5 defensive rating, good for 19th.

After Marcus Smart (22 points, five rebounds, eight assists on 8-12 shooting) helped lead Boston to a gritty, come-from-behind, seventh-straight win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, it’s clear that the vibes are immaculate in Beantown. During his postgame interview, Smart said, “last year around this time, we would have lost this game.”

We never stopped believing and pulled off a big comeback against OKC for our seventh straight win pic.twitter.com/p2byTNFvzw

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 15, 2022

But that was last year, this season, Boston has shown maturity and veteran polish after their run to the Finals. Although the Celtics were outplayed for the first 36 minutes of the game, Smart refed to let Boston’s win streak end. Smart dropped 10 points and four assists and hit the lead-clinching three-pointer after he checked in with 8:03 left in the game.

“It feels amazing,” Smart said, per NBC Sports. “We had a lot of stuff going on early in the season with us. A lot of controversy, a lot of expectations for us, a lot of obstacles to overcome. And we just continue to keep fighting, trusting one another, and keep going.”

Now that's how you break the zone @smart_MS3 found @jaytatum0 for the jam in tonight's @JetBlue Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/Qfk6a6u2cJ

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 15, 2022

Because of Smart, timely contributions from Peyton Pritchard and Derrick White, and the team-high 27 points, five rebounds, and eight assists effort from MVP candidate superstar Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics stole a feel-good win heading into a three-game road trip.

“Everybody contributed,” Tatum said. “D-White and Payton off the bench giving that spark at the end of the third, beginning of fourth, that really willed us to that comeback. So I was extremely proud of the way that we responded, the way that we competed, and figured it out.

“It wasn’t pretty. Obviously, some things we wish we could have done better, but that’s a talented team, and that’s a good win.”

Boston begins their road trip against Atlanta (9-5).

The post Marcus Smart On the Positive Vibes in Boston: ‘It Feels Amazing’ appeared first on SLAM.

On Saturday, Boston defeated the Detroit Pistons 117-108 in a game where the Celtics star seemed almost unstoppable, erupting for 43 points. After the game, when asked whether or not he felt like he was the MVP at this early point of the season, the 24-year-old did not hold back.

“I mean, I think I am,” Tatum told Yahoo Sports. “It’s a long season. Every time I step on the floor, I feel like I’m the best player. But it’s a lot of talented guys in this League – It’s (MVP) measured by team success. We have 69 games left. The key is staying healthy, keep playing the way we’re playing and see what happens.”

Boston is currently second in the Eastern Conference, only trailing Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Tatum is a clear MVP candidate, but if the Celtics can remain one of the top teams in the League as the season goes on, he will have a case to be the clear-cut favorite.

Winning such an accolade has undoubtedly been one of his dreams since he was a kid, he clarified on Saturday; however, the goal of winning a championship is what’s most important to him right now. 

“As a kid, was one of my dreams winning MVP? Sure,” Tatum said. “If it happened, it would be a dream come true. But it wasn’t, like, ‘Come back, win MVP.’ It’s like, ‘Come back, get to the championship.’”

The post Jayson Tatum Says Possibly Winning MVP ‘Would Be A Dream Come True’ appeared first on SLAM.

However, Boston’s All-Star duo changed that narrative and blossomed into the mature stars that Celtics fans had been hoping for since 2010 when they beat the Miami Heat to advance to the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

A credit to their dynamic run was the message shared by former teammate Kemba Walker, who spent time with the team from 2019-2021. During an appearance on NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski’s podcast, Walker talked about the importance of the duo playing team basketball in order to reach new heights.

“They’ve always seen the talks and people saying they can’t play together. But I always just tried to tell them, ‘Just block that out,'” said Walker. “I always told them, ‘This organization ain’t going nowhere without you two.’ Literally.”

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The two frankly needed each to go on the journey they did last season. In the games Brown missed, the team went 8-8; without Tatum, the Celtics had a record of 2-4.

Of course, the stud defensive unit of Al Horford, Marcus Smart, and Robert Williams may have contributed to a portion of those victories, but the team certainly doesn’t match the post-season threats of a Brooklyn Nets or Milwaukee Bucks without the star power and intangibles of Tatum and Brown.

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“My main thing to those guys was that they had to love each other,” said Walker. “Those two guys, Jayson and Jaylen — you two guys have to come together as much as you can and lead this team to the promised land. They can’t go anywhere without those two guys. Those two guys are so special, and they’ve shown it.”

The chemistry they’ve developed has grown into this season, as the Celtics currently have an 8-3 record, tying the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second-best in the conference.

The road towards another shot at a championship remains long for the Celtic. If Tatum and Brown still look to win the ultimate prize, they must still consider the leadership-quality messages of Walker.

The post Kemba Walker: Boston ‘Won’t Go Anywhere’ Without Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown appeared first on SLAM.

Wiggins’ improvement comes after he joined a Warriors team that allowed him to take a lesser role as a valuable third scorer and premium defender tasked with defending any opponent’s top perimeter threat. It’s the kind of role that’s allowed him to prevent anybody from saying he didn’t live up to his potential as Maple Jordan.

The rapid development caused Coach Steve Kerr to rave about how “confident” he looks this season and how he’s used his role on the ’22 title team to “springboard” into possibly having a better year than he did last year. During the Finals, Wiggs averaged 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while primarily being a thorn in Jayson Tatum’s side. He also played tough defense against Luka Doncic and Ja Morant while being a go-to scorer late in the shot clock.

“I think (Andrew) Wiggins — this is I’ve ever seen Wiggs,” Kerr said. “He’s an All-Star last year; he helped us win a championship. I think he’s used that momentum that he gained a year ago to kinda springboard into this season, and I don’t think he’s ever looked more confident.”

"This is the best I've ever seen Wiggs." pic.twitter.com/XopHFZCytm

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 24, 2022

As of Tuesday, Maple Jordan is averaging 22.3 points, a career-high 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 52.0 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent from downtown. It’s a small sample (three games), but it’s the type of production that justifies Golden State’s commitment to its future while prioritizing its veteran championship experience.

“Not only in his own game but with what we’re doing, the way we play. You saw the extra pass last night that he made to (Stephen Curry) for the three. He’s making those simple plays, but then he’s attacking when he needs to attack and playing just really efficient basketball, playing great defense. So a lot of good stuff, but we have to put it together as a team, and that’s gonna take some time.”

Draymond Andrew pic.twitter.com/GDNRYHOHSR

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 24, 2022

The post Steve Kerr Believes ‘This Is the Best I’ve Ever Seen’ Andrew Wiggins Play appeared first on SLAM.

White did just enough for Boston to turn their early struggles around, and it reconciled into a second seed in the Eastern Conference standings. The success went on into the playoffs as the Celtics secured their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010.

White couldn’t have imagined this surge from the Celtics after being acquired, but personal issues and adjustments to the new squad became a mind-racing experience for him, leading to a championship series loss to the Golden State Warriors.

“It was crazy. I mean, from February to June, it felt like I was on the move nonstop,” White tells NBC Sports Boston. “This year, I feel much more settled in and comfortable. Last year was a great experience, and I loved it all. But I’m feeling much more settled in this year.”

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Although most of the statistical categories took a slight decline for White, his Celtic tenure can be remembered by the elite shot-making and defending he displayed in Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. In those games combined, White totaled 35 points off the bench while securing nine rebounds and nine assists.

Just days before that stellar play, White’s wife, Hannah, gave birth to their son Hendrixx which attributed to him spending time away from the team. Of course, the Celtics still found ways to win due to the offensive eruptions from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. White shared his recognition of the unorthodox duo and how their commitment is a significant aspect of the team’s success.

“From the outside, you see the games, and you’re impressed,” said White on Tatum and Brown. “But it’s all the stuff on the practice court, the things they do after practice — They’re obviously super talented, and their work ethic is a big reason why.”

After the Finals loss, White needed to settle into Boston with his family and team properly. Including the adjustment to fatherhood over the summer, White spent hours in the facility working on his craft as a perimeter shooter, to which interim coach Joe Mazzulla noticed he was shooting far differently as he did in the series against the Warriors.

“I love where he’s at from a confidence standpoint,” said Mazzulla. “I think when he plays with confidence, I think that’s important for all of us to make sure he’s confident because he’s really good for us. When he’s shooting with confidence, I think he’s a threat at all three levels.”

Now comprehensive of his career-changing, White looks to be that x-factor off the bench that the Celtics had wished he would’ve been just four months before. With White’s emerging presence in the gym, he feels the team has gotten much closer, with the taste of revenge lingering on their minds.

“I mean, everybody’s frustrated. Just be so close and not finish it,” said White. “You just want to have another opportunity at that. But you just have to keep getting better and understand the things that you need to work on and work on them. We can’t skip any steps.”

The post Derrick White Discusses the ‘Crazy’ Struggle He Faced After Getting Traded to Boston appeared first on SLAM.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but for now, here are seven takeaways from last night’s action.

Revenge SZN: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are looking even better

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been a nightmare for teams on both sides of the ball for a few years now. They have three ECF trips under their belt and a recent appearance in the NBA Finals — they’re not supposed to still be getting better. After showing up to opening night rockin’ some pretty eye-catching fits, Brown and Tatum dropped a combined 70 points (dropping 35 points apiece) and solidified the dub over Philly.

Both were attacking from every part of the floor. Having two dynamic players like Brown and Tatum gives the Celtics a good chance to get back to the Finals and maybe even win it this time. 

Ring Night: The Warriors may be poised to make another championship run

On ring night, the Warriors look good. Damn good. Stephen Curry is still just as good as he’s always been, and the Warriors’ weapons all kept them afloat and out of reach. The Dubs had their trademark explosive third quarter, and signature contributions from Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Curry, and Andrew Wiggins on offense guided them to a win. Draymond Green and Kevon Looney anchored a strong defensive performance. Their young core (Moses Moody, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga) came in off the bench and provided valuable minutes. Sheesh, the Warriors are deep. 

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The Beard drops a 30-piece on Opening Night

James Harden has been a picture of perfect health for the majority of his NBA career, but during his tenure with the Nets, and leading into his tenure with the Sixers, Harden was dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that sapped away a lot of his explosiveness and his ability to change speeds that made him so difficult to contain during his days in Houston. Houston Harden showed up in Boston last night for Philadelphia.

He finished the game with 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 64.2 percent shooting from the field and 12/12 shooting from the line. Some may say vintage Harden; we say he’s back. 

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LeBron James speaks on Lakers’ Shooting Troubles:

The Los Angeles Lakers Big 3 finished with 77 of 109 points as the remainder of the team struggled to score all game with their limited spacing. Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis also shot a combined 4-16 from three, while the Lakers as a whole shot 10-40. After the game, The King was quick to recognize this deficiency in the Lakers’ offense, citing a lack of “lasers.”

Moving forward, the Lakers need better shooting performances if they do not want to repeat their fate from last season. 

Honoring No. 7: Jaylen Brown Speaks on Bill Russell’s Legacy

The legendary Bill Russell, and 11-time NBA Champion (twice as a head coach of the Celtics), passed away this past summer. The Boston Celtics legend had his No. 6 retired around the League, and every team is wearing a “6” patch on their jersey to honor him. The Celtics took each step, however, intent on honoring their greatest player. Jaylen Brown took a few moments to commemorate Bill Russell before the game, honoring him as a player, a father, a leader, and a man. 

Coaching Debuts of Mazzulla and Ham:

Darvin Ham and Joe Mazzulla both made their head coaching debuts on opening night. Mazzulla won his first game, and Ham lost his. Mazzulla is an interim head coach, for now, following Ime Udoka’s season-long suspension by the Boston Celtics.

Near the end of their contest against the Celtics, Stan Van Gundy joked that Mazzulla now has the best winning percentage in NBA history. This is true and looks to remain true, at least through his next game. Ham, on the other hand, has the tall task of coaching a veteran Lakers team back to promise. There are some positive takeaways to be had from the team’s performance but look for tweaks in the next few games as they look to find their footing. 

FREE BG 

October 18th marked the beginning of the NBA season, but it was also Britney Griner’s 32nd birthday. Stephen Curry took some time to bring awareness to her wrongful incarceration in Russia during his direct address to the fans in attendance as well as the fans watching on TV at home. The fight for Griner’s freedom continues to be a major point of emphasis as the season begins. 

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The post 7 Takeaways From Opening Night appeared first on SLAM.

Afterward, the Boston locker erupted in joy as they gave Mazzulla a customary water bottle shower to celebrate the first win of his career and team owner Wyz Grousbeck gave Mazzulla the game ball. The locker room commemoration was a fantastic moment for a team dealing with controversy after Ime Udoka was suspended for violating team rules days before training camp started.

“I’m grateful for the relationship we have,” Mazzulla said, per ESPN. “These guys have been through a lot together, and they’re great players. So it’s just a matter of working together. So I appreciate their trust and buy-in, but they come up with a lot of good stuff as well, and we kind of just figure it out.”

On a mission. : @sammironko pic.twitter.com/5aZy88VquF

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 19, 2022

Boston opened the season with a win due to their speed and quickness over Philadelphia. The Celtics outscored the 76ers 24-2 on the fast break and were torching the nets over the final 36 minutes as they shot over 60 percent from the field to erase an early Philly eight-point lead.

“Pace is the virtue of this team,” Grant Williams (15 points) said. “We have a bunch of guys that can bring it, a bunch of guys that are playmakers for one another, and we trust everybody. We trust everybody to make the right decision, to make the right read, to make the right play. So that’s why we keep the ball ahead, and we play freely. That encourages players to be who they are and that allows a lot of freedom and opportunity. It makes everybody a threat.”

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum became the first pair or teammates to each score 35+ plus during a season-opener since Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West did it for the Lakers in 1996. Tatum added 10 rebounds on the night and became the first Celtic to drop 35 and 10 during the first game of a season since Paul Pierce did it in 2004.

The last Boston Celtics to drop 35+ points and 10+ rebounds in the first game of a season:

Paul Pierce (11/3/2004)
Jayson Tatum (10/18/2022) pic.twitter.com/bJkUacfiKQ

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) October 19, 2022

The Celtics were filled with praise for Mazzulla during post-game interviews. Offseason trade acquisition Malcolm Brogdon complimented Mazzola for his even-keeled demeanor, Marcus Smart (14 points and seven assists) said it’s apparent the interim coach is “oozing” with confidence, and Brown said he’s “tough as nails.”

“He wouldn’t have took any of the credit for tonight, but the thing that I like about Joe and admire about him is that he’s very honest that he doesn’t know everything,” Tatum said. “He wants us to help him out as much as he’s helping us out. It’s like we’re in a relationship, and we’re all on the same page and trying to accomplish the same thing. We’re all in this together.”

Fly high. : @sammironko pic.twitter.com/x9AzxZGrv7

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 19, 2022

After their convincing opening night victory over Philly, it looks like Boston will be going about the season like it’s business despite a messy start to the season. Boston’s All-Star wing duo of Tatum and Brown will remain dominant, they’ll be reliant on their speed, quickness, and length to rev up their offense and defense, and Boston will continue to play with the intensity that helped fuel their run to the 2022 NBA Finals.

The most important thing to understand is that Mazzulla seems to have gotten a resounding endorsements from the Celtics players. This season, that’ll be the most important difference in whether or not they can replicate their success from last season.

“It was a proud moment,” Mazzulla said. “I think it started with the Bill Russell ceremony and just talking to the team about the legacy he left on and off the court and the responsibility we carry to be able to hold that and build our own legacy.

“I think at the end of the game, the ‘Let’s go, Celtics’ chant, we picked up right where we left off. I pride myself in the Boston fans and the city of Boston, and when they’re cheering for you, it means you’re doing something right.”

The post Celtics ‘All in’ On Joe Mazzulla After Gifting Him First Win of His Coaching Career appeared first on SLAM.

After winning the chip, the veteran forward draped himself in a Mexican flag, proudly honoring his Mexican heritage. 

Toscano-Anderson broke many Warriors fans’ hearts after he decided to sign with the Lakers for the 2022-2023 season.

In five preseason games, he averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 boards, and a whole lot of competitive fire in 18.3 minutes.

“Juan is doing some amazing, competitive basketball-playing,” Lakers Coach Darvin Ham said, per Andscape. “You need those kinds of guys that can get you 50-50 balls, take charges, and put bodies on bodies knowing that they may not be the one who gets the rebound or stat or whatever.”

“They still sacrifice for their teammates. You can’t have enough of those guys in your locker room. And Juan Toscano-Anderson is at the top of the list of everything he does. His attitude, [the] energy [he] brings to work every day. His teammates are very fond of him.”

Not only does JTA’s character shine on the court and in the locker room, but he is trailblazing a path for Mexico and basketball. 

“Things don’t happen overnight,” Toscano-Anderson said. “Basketball is a growing sport in Mexico, there; there’s a lot of financial interest in it — I know there are guys that can do it for me, but it’s a different world now in regard to marketing and advertising. I’m opening doors to bridge the gap between the U.S. and Mexico.”

Toscano-Anderson is the first Laker of Mexican descent. For a city that is 75 percent ethnically Mexican, is populated by over five million Mexicans, and has the largest Hispanic, JTA’s arrival is momentous. While the Lakers have aired Spanish-speaking broadcasts since 1993, the franchise has not had a Spanish-speaking player since Kobe Bryant retired in 2016.

Although he was not Hispanic, Bryant energetically embraced the Mexican community in Los Angeles.

“If there was a guy that understood the love, the passion, the loyalty of the Hispanic community, especially towards the Lakers, it was Kobe.” former Lakers Spanish television announcer Adrian Garcia Marquez said. 

Being the first Spanish-speaking player since Kobe and being half-Mexican, JTA can connect to L.A’s Hispanic and Latino roots.

“There are probably more Mexicans watching the Lakers than any other demographic. That’s very important, not only for myself in the Lakers, but in L.A. for [the] Mexican community, the Latino community,” Toscano-Anderson said. “I don’t want to call myself an ambassador, but somebody who’s representing and who can speak the language. I’m representing full throttle. I can speak the language; I represent my culture, everything.”

Toscano-Anderson is embracing the L.A. community, and the L.A. community is embracing him. Known for murals of Laker greats – Kobe, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and more – the city recently added a Juan Toscano-Anderson mural. On the outside wall of a Mexican bakery, JTA dons a Lakers jersey with a Mexican flag wrapped around his shoulders, and Mexico City’s Tenochtitlán pyramids and downtown L.A. in the background.

“I went to the reveal of the mural. That was really dope,” Toscano-Anderson said. “I’m very appreciative of that. It’s LA, man, City of Champions. That was really cool. I couldn’t believe it, to be honest. I didn’t have anything, nothing like that before. It was more than just the sports thing. It was about that community embracing me there.”

Born to an African American father and a Mexican mother, JTA wants to be a positive role model for both Mexican American and African American kids. 

“It’s been magnified that I’m Mexican, but I also want people to know that I’m just as proud of being Black.”

“I’m Black every day. The way I dress, the way I talk. My sauce. I’m a Black man when I step out on America — Black is beautiful; I’m proud of being Black as well. Being Black makes me who I am.”

For Oakland, Los Angeles, and Mexico, Toscano-Anderson’s impact has not gone unnoticed. The community-oriented forward plays in his first game as a Los Angeles Laker tonight against the Golden State Warriors. The second NBA player of Mexican descent to win a title, Toscano-Anderson will be honored and receive his championship ring.

The post Juan Toscano-Anderson On the Love He’s Received From L.A.’s Latino Community appeared first on SLAM.

Since he’s arrived in Beantown, the 29-year-old point guard has made it clear that he’s ready to sacrifice any individual desires to help push the Celtics over their final hump. The last time Brogdon tasted anything close to championship gold was when Milwaukee made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019. Since then, Brogdon has made it to the playoff once as a member of the Pacers, losing in the first round of the 2020 bubble playoffs.

One thing that Brogdon believes about these Celtics is that he can mesh well because of his cool and collected personality.

“These guys are locked in,” said Brogdon per NBCSports. “They know what they want. There’s one goal in mind, and guys are just focused. When the guys are in the gym, there’s not a lot of joking; there’s not a lot of laughing. It’s a lot of what my vibe is — I’m all about business when I step in the gym. I consider myself between the lines as soon as I enter the facility every day. So I enjoy the vibe of that; it’s a very workmanship approach. Guys are focused.”

Brogdon’s former college coach, Tony Bennett, believes that his desire to succeed will allow his former point guard to thrive in Boston.

Bennett believes that Boston “will reinvigorate him.” He also cited that Brogdon’s tough-mindedness and defensive pride will help him “fill in with the right pieces,” and he is capable of taking over games and will do “what’s required to win.”

“The thing that I sold Malcolm on, way back when recruiting him — don’t take a backseat. No backseats. He just wanted a chance to go against the best,” said Bennett. “He wanted to compete against the Carolinas and the Dukes, and — obviously, you’ve got a Duke guy [Jayson Tatum] on your team — but that’s what drove him. And now that he’s tasted that and he’s been successful, that still hasn’t changed. He’s very competitive, and he will not back down. And he loves that.

“When you see him matching up on the LeBrons or different guys, he takes great pride in getting a stop, being tough-minded. And I think this will reinvigorate him. I think you’re gonna see him just fill in the right pieces and then, at times, be able to take over games in his way. But just do what’s required to win.  And that’s what I think Celtics fans appreciate over the years and will appreciate in him.”

According to Al Horford, Boston acquiring the 50-40-90 club member invigorated the Celtics’ returning core.

This makes sense when you realize the Celtics acquired Brogdon at a relatively low cost after letting go of a protected 2023 first-round pick and a collection of bench players. Indiana’s commitment to tanking was Boston’s ultimate gain as they acquired a dynamic point guard that can space the floor and move the ball with the best of them.

“Bringing a guy like Malcolm in just makes us that much better,”  Horford said. “I believe that we have a chance to be where we want to be — but I’m really excited about the upside of our group.”

Brogdon is also confident that he can be the missing piece to the Celtics title hopes, specifically saying that he believes “what I bring to the team, this is something that the team is missing in some ways.

“I do. I think I can help them,” Brogdon said with his usual steely demeanor. “I think what I bring to the team, this is something that the team is missing in some ways. But I think I can definitely help.”

Brogdon will have a chance to prove that theory when the Celtics play the 7ers for their season-opener on Oct. 89.

The post Malcolm Brogdon Believes He Can ‘Definitely Help’ Boston Reach Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Of course, 15 seasons of professional basketball can take a toll on anyone’s body, and Dragić hinted that the 2022-23 campaign could be his last year at it.

“It’s a lot of mileage that’s on my body,” Dragić per Sports Illustrated. “After every NBA season, I play for my national team for 12, 13 years. In those years, I didn’t have a break. Now, it’s a little bit different. But I’m still here. I’m still enjoying basketball. That’s the most important thing.”

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Dragić made a name for himself as a member of the Phoenix Suns. His breakout season came during the 2013-2014 season when he averaged 20.3 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 50.5 percent shooting from the field and 40.8 percent from beyond the arc. Dragic capped off that tough season by winning the 2014 Most Improved Player award and an All-NBA third-team selection.

That same year, Dragić struck big in free agency after signing a five-year $90 million deal with the Miami Heat to play with all-time great Dwyane Wade. He’d spend the next seven years in Miami, where he would be selected as an All-Star in 2018 and was the starting point guard for the 2020 Heat team that made the NBA Finals after beating Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum.

“I never thought I was going to be in the League for 15 years,” said Dragić. “But I always worked hard. I always tried to be better the next season. I feel like because of that; I’m still here.”

If the Dragon retires after this season, he will start his farewell tour against his old Miami Heat team on October 19 at FTX Arena.

The post Goran Dragić Contemplating Retirement Heading into 15th Season appeared first on SLAM.

“Definitely not a good feeling that I’ll never forget,” Tatum said per Sports Illustrated.

He shot 36.7 percent from the field in the Finals, down from 45.3 percent in the regular-season. The 2021-2022 NBA season was an eight-month slog for Boston, and after a rocky start, they almost came out on top. Tatum was exhausted toward the end of their run. Tatum went from averaging 35.9 minutes a night during the regular-season to playing 41.0 per game during the playoffs.

The physical tool he took manifested into a fractured wrist that forced Tatum to tape his wrist during games and a soft cast off the court, only taking it off when there were cameras around. When the Finals concluded with a Game 6 loss to the Warriors, Tatum went ghost for nearly two weeks, according to his trainer Drew Hanlen.

“I was exhausted. Didn’t feel like talking to anybody. Didn’t feel like being bothered. It’s hard to explain if you’ve never been in that situation but losing a championship was fucking miserable,” Tatum said on why he didn’t hit up Hanlen for two weeks after the Game 6 loss. 

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After the two-week sabbatical, Tatum went to work on improving his game.

Per Hanlen, Tatum was “intense’ during workout sessions and “became obsessed with winning.” Hanlen said he didn’t lose a one-on-one game all summer and famously barked at his teammates when they fell 0-2 during a five-on-five session. After winning their third game of the session, Tatum and his teammates went undefeated for the rest of the day.

weekend work pic.twitter.com/Ov23iLkMgd

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 9, 2022

He also wanted to improve his burst while attacking the rim to create contact and put more pressure on defenders. He was only fouled on 9.8 of his total drives. He adjusted his posture, embracing a lower base on his face-up. He tried to find ways to combat fatigue by changing his diet and increasing his conditioning drills. He shot hundreds of floaters.

He picked the mind of frequent workout partner and future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant. Tatum studied Durant’s ability to protect the ball, mainly how Durant uses his hips and shoulders to shield the ball from defenders and can protect it when he attacks the rim. Durant also gave Tatum advice on his hesitation dribble and side-step jumper.

“I’m still young enough where I feel like I can learn from a lot of guys,” Tatum said. “And he’s one of the best to ever do it.” 

Despite his expected increased role, Tatum seems to be looking forward to the opportunity to improve on the Celtics’ dee 2022 playoff run in this upcoming season, and this time, he hopes he can take the lessons he learned this summer with him. 

The post How Jayson Tatum Attacked the Offseason Following Boston’s Finals Loss appeared first on SLAM.

“So, I just wanted to go relax. Long season, clearly,” Tatum said in an interview with Andscape. “Enjoy some time with my son and the family. Get away from it. The Finals were so fresh in my mind.

And every time we walked out the room, somebody saw me and said, ‘Oh, man, we wish you would’ve … ’ ‘Good luck next year.’ And that’s even said to this day. But it was just three or four days afterwards, so it was really fresh.”

Two seasons after being eliminated from the Eastern Conference Finals by the Miami Heat in 2020, the Celtics came back this past season to win a pivotal Game 7 in Miami to clinch their first NBA Finals berth since 2010.

“It was just a learning experience, learning a lesson,” he added. “Maybe do some things differently next time if you get to that point. Obviously, it’s tough to learn a lesson that way, but it is what it is …It just fuels you. Motivates you to get back to that point.”

While Tatum has using the moment as “fuel,” his all-around game is enough to catch the attention of even his own competitors. Four-time NBA champion and Warriors forward Draymond Green recently called JT the ‘Young GOAT.’

“Resiliency allows teams to show their true characters,” said Green on The Draymond Green Show. “We’ll get to see the true character of the Boston Celtics led by none other than the young GOAT, young next greatest Jayson Tatum.”

The post Jayson Tatum Reveals How He’s Processed NBA Finals Loss Against Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

While the Celtics have seasoned veterans in Marcus Smart and Al Horford – Smart is the Celtics’ longest-tenured player, having played eight seasons in Green, and Horford has now been in the League for 15 years – Tatum is “the guy”. Tatum averaged 25.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in the 2022 playoffs, leading the Celtics to their first NBA finals since 2010.

“I might not be the loudest guy, especially in front of the camera,” Tatum said. “But for the guys in that locker room, when we’re in practice or on the plane or on the court, my presence is felt in my voice. We all put a lot into this game, so we all have the right to give input to each other. That’s all I try to do when I see something, try to help guys out.”

The Celtics battled past the Nets, Bucks, and Heat, before falling short to the Warriors. Horford said Tatum “took a huge step” as a leader during their Finals run.

“I feel like that confidence is kind of going to carry over this year,” Horford said. “And we’re going to continue to see more of that from him.”

Riding off of his leadership throughout the 2022 playoffs and having gained a deeper understanding of the mountain it takes the win a championship, the superstar has made his leadership presence and voice known during this year’s training camp.

“He does a lot of talking, pulling guys aside, seeing how we can get the best look and whatever it might be,” Derrick White said. “So [you] definitely see that maturity and the growth that he’s doing.”

“He wants to win. It’s always good to follow guys that want to win.”

Led by Tatum and interim head coach Joe Mazulla, the Celtics begin another trophy-hunt season on Oct. 18 vs. the Sixers. 

The post Jayson Tatum Impressing Celtics Teammates With His Leadership Growth appeared first on SLAM.

Udoka will be away from the team while he serves his season-long suspension for “violations of team policies.”

With such a chaotic situation right before Media Day, of course, players were going to be asked their thoughts about it. When Jayson Tatum was asked when he found out about Udoka’s suspension, Tatum said he learned what had happened in real-time just like everybody else through Twitter. According to Brain Robb, Tatum also said that Udoka’s suspension was “a lot to process.”

Tatum said he hasn’t spoken to Udoka since the suspension was handed down, but he’s excited to get on the court for training camp and get back to playing basketball.

“We were all kind of caught off guard,” Tatum said

Tatum: "You read the statement, you watch the press conference, apparently there are a lot of things they can’t speak about. I’m kind of in the same boat. I don’t know. It’s hard for me to answer if things were handled in the right way or they weren’t … I just don’t know."

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) September 26, 2022

While a head coach controversy is not the way any team wants to start their season, it seems that Tatum as a whole is not letting this sidetrack his or the team’s goals for this season. In an interview per NBC Sports, Tatum spoke about what he learned from the Celtic’s 2022 NBA Finals run.

“It’s extremely tough to even get to that point; not many people have even gotten there,”. Tatum continues. “You think about (we) sweep the Nets, and go seven with Milwaukee that could’ve obviously gone the other way, then seven with the Heat if Jimmy Butler made that shot, we could not have been in the championship, then you know getting to that point and then accomplishing the goal, it’s hard to put in words, it’s tough.”

Tatum also told NBC Sports that he’s heading into year six with that “plan of things that you like you can do differently.”

“Approaching the off-season with a plan of things that you feel like you can do differently coming into next season so that you know you’re more than capable of going all the way.”

Heading into his uncertain year with the Celtics, it looks like Tatum is more ready and eager to take that next step individually as well as a team.

The post Jayson Tatum On Ime Udoka’s Suspension and What He Learned During Boston’s Finals Run appeared first on SLAM.

Mazzulla joined the Celtics in 2019 and worked as an assistant coach on Brad Stevens’ staff. When Stevens became general manager and Udoka took over as head coach, Mazzulla was one of the few assistant coaches to stay in Boston. According to Udoka, the players gave him “glowing reviews”.

“I love Joe,” Jayson Tatum said per NBC Sports. “I think just being around him for the last, I think this is his third year, maybe second or third year, you can tell how passionate he is about the guys and his craft. And he’s gotten so much more knowledgeable, and more detailed, and more vocal, and more comfortable in his role as a coach. You’ve seen the growth from his first year, and he’s helped me out tremendously as a player and a person. So, can’t say enough good things about Joe, and everybody appreciates what he brings to this team, and I’m glad that we have him.”

In 2021, Mazzulla was the head coach of the Celtics Summer League team, and earlier this summer, Mazzulla was promoted to lead assistant coach when Will Hardy left to coach the Utah Jazz.

The Celtics open their season on Oct. 18 against the Sixers as defending Eastern Conference champs.

The post REPORT: Joe Mazzulla Likely to Become Boston’s Interim Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

First Team

PJ TUCKER

Julius Caesar reigned over the mighty Roman Empire with the famous words of “veni, vidi, vici.” Those words translate to “I came, I saw, I conquered,” which Jay-Z used in a song during his mighty reign over music. Hov is PJ Tucker’s favorite musician. This season was yet another encore of conquering for the NBA’s mighty, unbeatable, unrelenting, reigning Sneaker King.

DEMAR DEROZAN

By now it’s common knowledge that DeMar DeRozan has played in every single pair of Nike Kobes throughout his career. The amount of variety, from the lows to the mids to the highs, lands him on this list yet again. What gets him second billing, though, is his “WNBA” Kobe 6 PEs. Bean’s relationship with the W needs no explanation, so please watch the WNBA and please support the WNBA in the same way DeMar DeRozan does.

STEPHEN CURRY

Stephen Curry came out the gates with an entire pack of Curry 9 colorways done in collaboration with Sesame Street. But the 9 wasn’t just another silhouette. It’s the second one in his line to obsolete rubber midsoles in favor of the Flow tech that is pioneering different construction in basketball sneakers. Many more fire colorways followed after Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch got their shine.

TRAE YOUNG

Trae Young and adidas handled their business for this introductory silhouette. The Trae 1 was treated with numerous colorways, some of which matched the Hawks’ uniforms and some of which stood out as singular statements. “I think this shoe is going to bring out a lot of the creative ideas in my mind,” Trae told us in last year’s issue of KICKS. He was right.

JA MORANT

Sheer volume of high-level Kobes, KDs and Kyries would’ve been enough 
to land Ja Morant a spot on here. His intention on creating separation became crystal clear when he started to mix in outrageously loud customized Kobe 6s. The only part of Ja’s sneaker season that was as rare as the actual pairs was him repeating sneakers; almost every game came with something different. 

Second Team

JAYSON TATUM

Jayson Tatum has great chemistry with Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown and Al Horford and he’s just as in sync with Jordan Brand’s Senior Promo Colorway Designer Kelsey Amy. Together, the duo made dozens of Air Jordan 36 PEs that told Tatum’s story, illustrated his interests and paid homage to the legendary Kobe Bryant.

DEVIN BOOKER

Back again with his now-familiar rotation of Kobe 4, Kobe 5 and Kobe 6 PEs, Devin Booker introduced us to a couple of new 6 colorways that were adorned with, of course, “Be Legendary,” the pair of words that Kobe left him with back in 2016.

LAMELO BALL

For someone who isn’t even from this planet, LaMelo Ball did a damn good job of introducing the world to his first signature sneaker. The lead colorway’s all-red makeup contrasted crazy against Charlotte’s uniforms, while the mismatched “Rick and Morty” drop proved that traditional rules were of no concern to the 1-of-1 hooper.

DONOVAN MITCHELL

A ton of colorways, a few more colorways and then a couple of extra colorways define the D.O.N. #3’s run this past season. Spida has proven time and time again that he’s going to use his signature line to express himself, be it his love of Marvel, Monster’s, Inc. or the University of Louisville.

LEBRON JAMES

Nothing new here. Well, that’s technically not true. The King did play in the LeBron 19 this past season. And some retros in new colorways. The nothing  new here is that we’ve seen this man display an arsenal of ridiculous sneakers for almost two decades, so when he pulled out a golden version of the Nike LeBron 20-5-5 in his home region of Northeast Ohio, it was a reminder of just how long King James has been at the top.

MVP

PJ TUCKER

There’s grandeur in PJ Tucker’s consistency and his intentionality in this sneaker game. Sure as Alexander the Great rising each morning to examine how he could extend his rule across lands far away from Macedon, PJ’s extensive knowledge of history has furthered his dynastic rule as the Sneaker King. He’s the one pulling out samples that were made for Ray Allen and Gary Payton, playing in Kobe 6 PEs inspired by Kanye West’s original run of Nikes. He even played in those OG Yeezys this past season. The throne is being watched, meticulously.

Rookie of the Year

JALEN GREEN

In addition to several in-line adidas models, Jalen Green (bigggggg SLAM Fam) spent his rookie season in D.O.N.s, Dames, Hardens and Traes. But to keep it a Bucky Barnes, the real reason that our guy Jalen is getting this award is he wore the adidas Gil Zero twice. For the uninitiated, the Gil Zero is the actual silhouette that reintroduced the low top back to modern basketball over 15 years ago (absolute all due respect to Bean and his fourth sneaker). The young fella showing love to Gilbert Arenas made him the easiest pick of this entire awards section.

Most Improved

Stephen Curry

You’re for sure saying to yourself that Stephen Curry has had almost a decade of signature sneakers and that KICKS just put him on the first team from this past season a few pages back. You’re asking how it’s possible that he’s also being awarded with the Most Improved title. But never before have we’ve seen someone with such a technologically advanced main silhouette mix in old models like the Curry 1 (in new and old flavors) and the Curry 6. He also debuted the Curry 4 Flotro, an update of his iconic model from five years ago that now makes use of his groundbreaking Flow tech in the midsole. Those three factors are how this seasoned sneaker vet was a lock for Most Improved.

LeagueFits Tunnel Look of the Year

Jayson Tatum

So long ago that it almost feels like a myth here in 2022, Jordan Brand used to lace their players with amazingly beautiful colorways of retros. Seeing the old Jordans, as well as pairs in the late teens and early ’20s, in colorways that didn’t have red or black was a thrill, and those pioneering players and their PEs became legendary, lore-like figures in the annals of basketball sneaker history. Jayson Tatum pulling up to the NBA playoffs in a brand-new Air Jordan XIV PE was a brief return to the glorious days of yesteryear.

Best of the Best

Jordan

PJ Tucker

Eminem x Carhartt x 

Air Jordan VI

adidas

Jalen Green

adidas Gil Zero 

Restomod

PUMA

LaMelo Ball

PUMA MB.01

Nike

PJ Tucker

Nike Air Yeezy 2

Reebok

Montrezl Harrell

Reebok Kamikaze II Low

Under Armour

Stephen Curry

Under Armour Curry 1

The post The 2021-22 KICKS Awards appeared first on SLAM.

What happens when you look to blend the best of speed and flight? Jordan Brand asked that question, and the answer was the Air Jordan 37.

Jayson Tatum and Satou Sabally are what we call, in the new age of positionless hoops, the ultimate hybrid. The Prince of Boston coupled with that suave demeanor is smooth yet shifty. He’ll cross you with ease and bully you on the block with his 6-10 frame, fresh out of bed.

Sabally, third-year forward for the Dallas Wings, is brilliantly versatile; her game reads like poetry. The J? Silky. Handles? Filthy. Spin cycle? Gracefully elegant. Chase down blocks? Loads of ’em. 

Two of the most multifaceted hoopers on Jordan Brand’s expanding roster of basketball brilliance not only have the type of games that general managers salivate over, they’re leading the Brand into a new era of sustainability and peak performance.

Built for the future of the game and its athletes’ multi-directional play, Jumpman has always kept the visceral sense of rising through the air with blistering speed at the forefront of its discussions when dropping one of the most coveted performance sneakers on the market. The 37th iteration of Jordan’s signature line isn’t any different in that respect. 

“We wanted to create this pretty much one-of-one system that really no other basketball player could feel other than in the shoe; that really celebrates the best of speed, and the best of flight,” Chad Troyer, Senior Product Line Manager at Jordan Brand, tells KICKS.

And with a roster featuring players of nearly every build in men’s and women’s professional basketball, the 37 needed to be able to blend a myriad of properties to support their athletes; from the debut of a Jordan-only foam, evolving the Leno-weave upper and delving into the three phases of a jump, all while maintaining their commitment to sustainability (but more on that later). 

Nearly four decades of basketball history and heritage reside in Jordan Brand’s upcoming hybrid. So when constructing a lightweight support system that functions with the natural movements of the foot, Troyer and the Brand swung their gaze straight to the Air Jordan VII’s interior make up. 

While serving as a wink to the VII during its 30th anniversary, the buffed-up ankle collar, underlying forefoot pattern and familiar geometric color blocking on the outsole all seek to evoke 1992 nostalgia. 

Bam Adebayo, Rui Hachimura and Dearica Hamby all need both distinctive and effective support while wreaking havoc on the block and drawing defenders out to the midrange. The Leno-weave upper takes direct inspiration from the exoskeleton construction of the famous Nike Air Huarache and the targeted areas of protection of ankle straps and tape. 

Blending Tinker Hatfield’s past innovations with modern-age performance served as an empowering anchor of inspiration throughout the 37’s process. “We’re just wanting to make it newer and better now,” Troyer adds.

From the inner paneling of the VII to the carbon fiber shank’s return for the first time since the 32, the new aesthetic created by merging the structural design with the Leno-weave upper has excited Troyer the most.  

Yet the evolution of the upper is seen in a whole new space with the 37, “allowing the structure to be very strong where you need it,” says Troyer, “and then opened up and lightweight and flexible when you don’t.”  

Allowing varying light and colors to poke through the panels of the forefoot, the introduction of a specialized TPE yarn amidst the tooling of the zoned upper– crafted out of a single fiber of monofilament called Arkema—pays direct homage to the meticulous craftsmanship displayed in West African basket weaving.

“You can really see inside, you can see your sock, you can see the insole. It’s just going to become a unique aesthetic where we haven’t been before,” Troyer adds.

We’re not talking about picking and pulling random ideas and influences just to be sorted 
out later down the line here, we’re talking going into the deepest depths of the bottomless bag of Jumpman’s creative and technological capabilities.

The bevy of His Airness’ insurmountable athletic feats on the hardwood provide Nike’s Sport Research Lab in Beaverton with a scientific treasure trove of jumping sequences to dissect and translate toward designing footwear for the future. The result was an amalgamation of modern sports research and a contemporary treatment of reductive layering. 

The basis of Jumpman’s newest modernization is rooted in NSRL’s study of the three stages of jumping: load, launch and crash. So while the ultimate goal is to create lightweight products, Troyer and the Brand knew in order to achieve their ultimate realization, a little bit of additional weight and structure was necessary—enabling them to remove copious amounts of weight from the upper by way of the Arkema threads. 

The Load Phase acts as a conduit for transferring motion from the heel through the forefoot. By way of the AJ XI’s staple carbon fiber shank underneath the midfoot and the inclusion of Formula 23 foam, which is being debuted in the Jordan Luka 1, the users’ second-long movement of loading is instantaneously softened. 

“It’s more responsive, more comfortable, and also more sustainable than any foam that we’ve been able to use,” Troyer tells KICKS. “So it has performance properties that are great just to provide new solutions.”

The Launch Phase may mistakenly feel like the final stage of the process, but by creating additional protection for the heel and landing, athletes are much more inclined to “engage the rest of the system and ultimately jump higher,” Troyer says. 

Affixed with full-length Zoom Strobel alongside an additional Zoom Air unit in the forefoot for increased responsiveness and the sensation of a double-stacked propulsion, the inserted rebound technology is placed as close to the foot as possible.

The Crash Phase, the instantaneous deceleration of the jump, is an aspect rarely traversed within performance sneakers, but no longer. 

“It’s really integrating those aspects and creating the system based on the insights and asking if we can help athletes crash harder, meaning protecting their heel and allowing them to put more force into their jump, then they’re going to be able to engage the rest of the system and ultimately jump higher,” Troyer says.

The sleek and structured heel features a TPU mold that encases the Brand’s proprietary foam technology, ultimately acting as a crash-landing pad for the energy and force the wearer exudes when striking the court. 

“It’s totally a balance,” Troyer adds.

His Airness was the ultimate hybrid on the court. Just like his game, his 37th signature is a quintessential blend of strength and grace, of dominance and modernism. 

Beefing up their roster with the additions of Paolo Banchero, Rhyne Howard and Isabelle Harrison this summer, the Brand is able to bring their young athletes behind the curtain of crafting the model early in their careers. “They’re really along with us on the journey throughout, before it’s even done,” Troyer says. 

And among the first few flavors of the silhouette to drop—including “Beyond Borders” in September and “The Hare” this Fall—are both Tatum’s and Sabally’s PEs. 

“Now that we have this new roster of young exciting talent,” Troyer says, “we’re really learning from them as well to help inform what the ultimate hybrid means.” 

Photos courtesy of Nike.

The post Light Show: An Exclusive Look at the Air Jordan 37 appeared first on SLAM.

Thought exercise time: Jordan Brand doesn’t exist. Trippy, right? Saturday mornings would be less invigorating and probably way less frustrating. Bank accounts would be fuller. Closet space would be more robust. Outfits would be more wack. Connections with other sneakerheads wouldn’t be as strong. Memories would be unknowingly incomplete. The entire game would be entirely different. 

Appreciation exercise time: Stop for just a moment and commemorate Jordan Brand’s 25th anniversary. 

Flip the calendar back to September 9, 1997, on a 62-degree day in New York City. Michael Jordan held a press conference to unveil Brand Jordan. Yeah, Brand Jordan. Not Jordan Brand. Brand Jordan. 

Flanked by Ahmad Rashad, Vin Baker, Ray Allen, Eddie Jones, Michael Finley and Derek Anderson, MJ wore an oversized beige suit and stood on stage to share with the world that he was embarking on a new adventure. He was leaving the house that Nike built, ready to live on his own with his own gear. 

He was five titles deep at that point, 12 signatures in, with three kicks already retro’d and the Air Jordan XIII unveiled at that very same press conference. His commercials were all hits and he was just a year removed from the acclaim of Space Jam. Nike’s goal for Brand Jordan was just $250 million. With all of that winning he had already done, it was a layup. And a layup it has been. But not a layup on a regulation hoop with a 29.5 inch ball. It’s been a layup on a 4-foot kiddie hoop with a marble as the ball. That’s how successful it’s been.  

Michael Jordan has made over $1 billion from Jordan Brand in the last 25 years. 

Here we go again for emphasis: Michael Jordan has made over $1 billion from Jordan Brand in the last 25 years. 

That’s numeric proof that the adventure has been stupidly fruitful. 

The other proof isn’t as tidily quantifiable. It’s more of a knowing. The Jumpman is every-damn-where. Pole to pole, from Hong Kong to Beaverton, this quarter century has affirmed that Jordan’s sneakers are still the most sought-after, most worn and most popular in all of basketball footwear. 

What started in 1984 with the Air Ship (hop on back to page 9) has evolved into a titan. Michael has become the soul of our soles. His longtime agent David Falk loves to tell the story of how Nike’s goal for the first three years of Jordan’s initial five-year contract was to get up to $3 million in sales. 

The Air Jordan I made $126 million in the first year of that deal. 

The II wasn’t as monetarily successful, but it was still impactful (hop on forward to page 90). The III broke the door off the hinges with striking force. The IV-VIII kept the hits rolling until the XI came through as the ultimate masterpiece. 

Money was always extremely involved with Nike and with Tinker Hatfield. He was articulate, rapidly understanding sneaker technology so he knew what he wanted from the III and beyond. With his fingerprints all over the blueprints, the XIII’s arrival coincided with this quote from Mike Wise’s New York Times profile that released on Brand Jordan’s launch day: 

“It’s a part of me; it’s a part of the creative personality I have,” Jordan said to Wise back in ’97 about his burgeoning sneaker empire. “When I walk away from the game, this is my means of staying in tune with the game. Not coaching, not commentary. Those are things that I chose not to do and I don’t want to do.”

Numero 23 stuck to his words. Now that the Air Jordan 37 has landed (hop on forward to page 70), he hasn’t done any coaching and he rarely appears on TV talking about hoops. But he’s still active with the Brand. He still gets final approval on what the Brand’s designers call the “game shoe.” This colossal turn in the sneaker business has kept his legend alive in the almost 20 years since he last played. The youth know him as the sneaker leviathan just as much as they know him as the GOAT. On the low, it seems like that’s what he wanted, as evidenced by another quote from Wise’s piece in the Times: 

“I got away from the game, I got away from the city a little bit, I got more into things like this,” he said, surveying his own line of sneakers in front of him. “I did a lot of basketball camps this summer, staying in tune with the kids who love the game. I think that’s fun.”

The players who joined him on stage that day became sneaker legends in their own right. Anderson helped to pioneer the Air Jordan XI Low. Finley played in numerous retros that paired perfectly with his Mavericks and Spurs jerseys. Jones and Baker respectively spearheaded the Jumpman Pro Quick and the Jumpman Pro Strong. And Allen…that two-time champion has a tier 0 Jordan sneaker collection. Seen it, can confirm it. 

The Brand continued to link up with exemplary players in the NBA, the WNBA, the MLB and the NFL after that first five. It’s been the best of the best, as well as the best of the coolest, that have rocked the Jumpman. 

The current roster, led by Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson and Jayson Tatum, holds the future of the League in their hands. 

These last 25 years have been characterized by flight. Gravity has been determined to be optional and, ultimately, unnecessary. With just a few steps in his Air Jordans, MJ took off long ago. There’s no return date for this soaring and all we really know about what the future holds for Doncic, Williamson and Tatum is that the Jordan Brand most definitely exists, and that higher and higher is the only way to go. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Looking Back at Jordan Brand’s Monumental Impact on the Game over the Past 25 Years appeared first on SLAM.

With a resume like that, the Greek Freak is the epitome of hard work, undergoing a physical transformation that has helped him become, if not a top 3 player, a top 5 player in the League today. He averaged 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game on 55.3 percent shooting from the field and 29.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The Bucks lost in seven games to the eventual ECF champion Boston Celtics this year. During that second-round series against Boston, Antetokounmpo became the first player to post 200/100/50 in a single playoff series. The six-time All-Star finished with 237 points, 103 rebounds, and 50 assists and averaged 31.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in the 12 playoff games he played.

However, despite everything the six-time All-NBA selection has accomplished since being drafted 15th in the 2013 draft, one former superstar believes Giannis Antetokounmpo has a lot to learn.

The Giannis disrespect is WILD.

And he’ll just keep making them look like idiots. pic.twitter.com/JJEBGRGejP

— Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion) August 26, 2022

Last week, Gilbert Arenas stated on his podcast that Antetokounmpo “doesn’t really understand how to be great,” reiterating in a later post that while Antetokounmpo has become “stronger on his rim runs and wiser,” he still has to improve his jump shot and passing. Overall, Arenas believes Antetokounmpo has “the same flaws he walked into the game with.”

“Give him Tim Duncan’s knowledge, a whole different player isn’t he?”

Longtime NBA guard Gilbert Arenas joined @RickKamlaSports & @adaniels33 to clarify his comments about Giannis.#FearTheDear pic.twitter.com/G6it9PsDoG

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) August 31, 2022

Although Arenas has a point that Antetokounmpo does rely on his unguardable physical tools, to say he hasn’t improved his jump shot is misleading. He’s a 41.5 percent shooter from midrange, better than LeBron James (41.5 percent), Kyrie Irving (39.2 percent), Jimmy Butler(37.8 percent), and Jayson Tatum (37.0 percent). He’s also hovered around 30 percent as a long-distance shooter since 2017-18.

By the raw numbers, The Greek Freak has averaged better than five assists per game for five of the last six seasons. By advanced stats, Antetokounmpo earned a 30.4 assist percentage and owned a 1.77 assists/turnover split while carrying a 34.0 percent usage rating.

Regardless, the Bucks and Antetokounmpo are entering 2022-23 a season of winning the 2021 title. If they can remain healthy when it matters the most, the Bucks should reemerged as a 2023 NBA title contender.

The post Gilbert Arenas: Giannis Antetokounmpo is a ‘Whole Different Player’ if ‘Given Tim Duncan’s Knowledge’ appeared first on SLAM.

Exams show Chet Holmgren has potential torn ligaments in his foot, sources said. A timetable is being determined based on further evaluations. https://t.co/vig5zWOSzz

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 24, 2022

According to Charania, exams showed that Holmgren “potentially” tore some ligaments in his foot. The Oklahoma City Thunder will set a timetable after determining the extent of the No. 2 overall picks injuries. The former Gonzaga standout reportedly suffered the injury while playing at a Jamal Crawford CrawsOver Pro-Am game that featured LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Dejounte Murray, Paolo Banchero, and Tari Eason.

Holmgren averaged 12 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game during the three games he played at the Las Veagas Summer League.

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While speaking with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Tatum revealed that he was playing with a “small” wrist fracture over the last two months of the season.

“It was small, but it was still like a non-displaced chip. So like, I chipped a bone, but it didn’t leave the surface,” Tatum said.

“But it had shown that the bone had grew over it, so it healed. But I was still in pain because I kept getting hit or falling on it. So I guess I played with somewhat of a fracture for like two months.” 

"I played with somewhat of a fracture for two months"

Jayson Tatum opens up about playing through an undisclosed injury during the playoffs in live interview with Taylor Rooks in B/R app pic.twitter.com/kt7xZCV36W

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 21, 2022

Tatum said he aggravated the injury during the playoffs against the Bucks when Giannis Antetokounmpo fouled him on a dunk attempt in Game 3.

“Then in the playoffs, there was a play against Milwaukee in Game 3. I dunked it, Giannis (Antetokounmpo) chased me down and fouled me, and I fell into the crowd,” the Celtics’ star continued. “That was the most painful it’s been since that day that I hurt it. I ended up getting a cortisone shot in my wrist that night, and you could see it. I’ve lost color in my hand because it kills the fat cells, and there’s not a lot of fat in my hand, so I’ve lost color right there. After each game, I would have to wear a brace to shootaround, and I would take it off before the cameras saw me.” 

Tatum averaged 25.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game during the Celtics’ run to the Finals. When he got to the Finals, it seemed as though the wear and tear of his heavy minute load and wrist injury contributed to Tatum averaging 21.5 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting from the field while committing a Finals-record 23 turnovers.

The post Jayson Tatum Reveals He Played With a Wrist Facture ‘For Two Months’ appeared first on SLAM.

Although the Nets have yet to gain traction on a trade, new suitors have emerged in the KD sweepstakes. The Celtics, Raptors, and Heat are the biggest threat to land the 12-time All-Star, but Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Nets, and those three front-runners, haven’t been having any conversations lately.

Charania reported that the 76ers expressed their interest in acquiring Durant while the Bucks and Nuggets reached out in June and inquired again in July to determine Brooklyn’s asking price. That asking price is still an All-Star, other high-level players, and draft picks to this day. When the Pelicans inquired with the Nets in June, they reportedly told Brooklyn that Brandon Ingram was untouchable, per Charania. Atlanta reportedly offered John Collins, De’Andre Hunter, and a draft pick.

Because of that high price tag, suitors like Toronto possibly pulled out after refusing to make Scottie Barnes available. Boston made Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and a first-round pick available, but Brooklyn didn’t bite. According to Charania, Miami hasn’t offered a package built around Bam Adebayo.

The Memphis Grizzlies have reportedly become the newest trade suitor. Memphis could put together an attractive package surrounding their five first-round draft picks, four unprotected and one protected 2024 pick via Golden State, and young players like Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Zaire Williams, Brandon Clarke, Kennedy Chandler, and David Roddy.

Despite all the new traction in trade partners, Boston is still the premier front runner to acquire Durant. When Boston offered Brown, White, and a draft pick, Brooklyn countered by requesting Smart, more draft picks, and one more rotation player per Charania. While Boston has the assets to make something happen, there appears to be a reported gap in what the Celtics are willing to let go.

Brooklyn believes they have improved their roster after trading for Royce O’Neal, signing T.J. Warren, and re-signing Patty Mills and Nic Claxton while expecting the healthy returns of Ben Simmons and Joe Harris. Kyrie Irving is set to return as well after signing his player option. According to Charania, Irving has been working out with teammates and held a constructive dialogue with the Nets this offseason.

With four years remaining on Durant’s current deal, Brooklyn has no incentive to move the four-time scoring champ. Entering his age 34 season, Durant is less likely to sit out a season and has already dismissed rumors that he would rather retire than play for Brooklyn again.

The post REPORT: New Suitors Emerge in the Kevin Durant Sweepstakes appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: NBA’s 2022-23 Opening Night, Oct. 18 on TNT:

– 76ers at Celtics
– And as previously reported: Lakers at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2022

Shams Charania of The Athletic leaked the opening day and Christmas Day contests over the weekend. Some other key dates include the All-Star weekend that’ll be contested from February 17-19. The regular season will end on April 9, the Play-In tournament will take place from April 11-14, and the playoffs will start a day later on April 15.

The most noteworthy game will most likely be between the Grizzlies and the Warriors. The Warriors beat the Grizzlies on their way to winning their fourth championship since 2015. The two Western Conference foes have formed a fierce rivalry over the last two years after a pair of intense and physical playoff games and their recent second-round playoff series.

Sources: NBA’s 2022 Christmas Day schedule:

Bucks at Celtics
76ers at Knicks
Suns at Nuggets
Lakers at Mavericks
Grizzlies at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2022

The 2022-23 season will see the Warriors attempt to defend an NBA title for the first time in eight years. With their foundational core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green returning and their future stars like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole all returning, the Dubs will be loaded.

The Boston Celtics will look to run it back and return to the NBA Finals after losing to the Warriors in six games. There will be some exciting storylines coming out of Beantown as Boston looks to integrate Malcolm Brogdon into the lineup. It’ll also be interesting if the front office continues to pursue a Kevin Durant trade. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will also return as perhaps the top wing-duo in the League.

Don’t count out the Bucks, Heat, and 76ers either. The Heat are always a threat, the Bucks lost after suffering injuries at the most inopportune time, and the 76ers will have an entire season of James Harden x Joel Embiid to work with.

Another question that needs answers will be can the Phoenix Suns continue their dominant stretch and improve upon their 64-18 record from last year. Getting better after being the top seed in the playoffs is difficult, but Phoenix brings back their entire team and is still headlined by Devin Booker and Chris Paul.

It’ll be fun to see how Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz will fare after Jalen Brunson and Rudy Gobert left for New York and Utah, respectively. The Minnesota Timberwolves are throwing it back to yesteryear with a twin tower lineup featuring Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. Not to mention how much better the Grizzlies will be after earning the second-best record in the NBA last season.

Last but not least, how will the LA teams play? The Lakers are coming off a tumultuous season but added a new head coach in Darvin Ham, who’s been trusted to improve a roster that still boasts LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Anthony Davis. The Clippers are perhaps a more significant title threat with the return of Kawhi Leonard and the addition of former All-Star point guard John Wall to the lineup.

Below are the team schedules for each team by division and conference. The Eastern Conference is first followed by the West.

Team Schedules

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

New York Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors

Central

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Detroit Pistons

Indiana Pacers

Milwaukee Bucks

Southeast

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Hornets

Miami Heat

Orlando Magic

Washington Wizards

Western Conference

Southwest

Dallas Mavericks

Houston Rockets

Memphis Grizzlies

New Orleans Pelicans

San Antonio Spurs

Northwest

Denver Nuggets

Minnesota Timberwolves

Portland Trail Blazers

Oklahoma City Thunder

Utah Jazz

Pacific

Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

The post NBA Releases 2022-23 Regular-Season Schedule appeared first on SLAM.

According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the disgruntled Brooklyn Nets star sees both the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers as desired trade destinations. Begley went on to report that Durant would also want to play with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart if he were to land in Boston.

Despite Begley’s report, there is said to be no progress between Brooklyn and Boston on any sort of trade centered around Durant. Last week, Begley reported that there had been “pessimism” about a Durant trade being completed in the near future. As for Philly, no major reports have dropped, though Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Matisse Thybulle are all logical trade pieces in a Durant trade.

As the Durant saga—particularly with Boston—continues to run its course through the NBA offseason, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reported that the Nets initially asked for Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Durant trade talks, but the Celtics quickly shot the proposition down.

And while there are no tangible signs of progress involving a Durant trade to any team, the four-time scoring champ reportedly informed Nets owner Joe Tsai that Brooklyn would have to choose between Durant or keeping general manager Sean Marks and Coach Steve Nash. Tsai responded to the report with a tweet throwing his support behind the Nets’ front office and coaching staff.

Durant sent shockwaves around the League when he requested a trade on June 30, but it’s been over a month, and the 12-time All-Star still has yet to be dealt. Initial rumors indicated the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns were among Durant’s desired landing spots, and that list has reportedly since grown to include the Celtics and 76ers, according to Begley.

On paper, a fit with Boston makes sense, as Celtics coach Ime Udoka was an assistant under Steve Nash in Brooklyn during the 2020-21 season. Durant also played with Tatum on Team USA during the 2021 Olympics. Add in Durant’s desire to play with Smart, and KD seemingly has some chemistry building in Boston. But for now, it’s a matter of the Celtics offering enough to Brooklyn so a trade can go down.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post REPORT: Kevin Durant Views Celtics and 76ers as Desired Landing Spots appeared first on SLAM.

Wiggins has since brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Canada as he hosted youth camps in Vaughan and Mississauga. The 2022 All-Star returning to his hometown allowed him to prove to the kids attending his camp that when you believe in yourself and shut out the outside news, you can reap a lot of awards.

“I feel great,” Wiggins said per the Toronto Star. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of people had counted me out, but to be back and … winning a championship? All the sacrifices, all the ups, and downs, all the stuff was worth it. It makes the story that much better.”

HOW'S THE AIR UP THERE WIGGS? (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/dR3ehMFnft

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

It was a challenging and humbling lesson Wiggins learned as he went from being a volume scorer in Minnesota known for putting up empty calorie stats on losing teams. When he arrived in Golden State, Wiggins was able to thrive as the third star on a group headlined by Stephen Curry and Klay Thomspon.

Under the watchful eye of GM Bob Myers, Coach Steve Kerr, Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green, Maple Jordan embraced being a two-way wing that could be relied on to get a bucket late in the shot clock while guarding the toughest perimeter threat.

“When I step on the court, I’ve always been confident in what I can do,” he said. “When I was in Minnesota, I put up numbers. But people said, ‘He put up numbers on a bad team.’ So, I go to Golden State, and I’m not scoring as much, but I’m doing a lot at a more efficient rate, so the whole world gets to see.”

Wiggs is so damn smooth.
(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/T9unmLqnet

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

He played a pivotal role in guarding offensive threats like Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, and Jayson Tatum. He took on each assignment and won more than his fair share of battles, averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.

“It’s been a different type of summer, but the best summer of my life,” he said. “It’s been amazing coming down here and feeling all this love and positivity. It’s been great. Just being able to bring the trophy back home to where it all started for me —— where all my friends and family are, that helped me get to the place where I’m at now.”

Wiggins hopes to come into the 2022-23 season with a freshly minted extension after carrying a significant two-way load last season. The Warriors will likely have to lean on Wiggins as they implement Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman into the lineup after they let several veterans walk away in free agency.

The post Andrew Wiggins Feeling ‘Great’ During ‘Best Summer’ of His Life appeared first on SLAM.

Per CBS Sports, When it comes to who’s currently the best player in the world, the Greek Freak believes it’s LeBron James’ job to lose. The 37-year-old future Hall-of-Famer is still doing incredible things after 19 seasons and 51,899 minutes of action. Last season, James averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 52.4 percent shooting from the field.

“It’s interesting to me how LeBron is still [in] one of the best shapes [of] his life and being the best player in the world and still being in year 18,” Giannis told Marca Basket. “Like, that’s really interesting. I want to know how he does that. He’s been consistent for 18 years. He’s always there. He’s always showing up. That’s unbelievable.

“He obviously gets credit, but I think we’ve got to give him more credit. Doing it for 18 years guys, that’s hard. And hopefully, hopefully I can be there. Hopefully, I can do this for 18 years, 20 years. That’s the goal.”

James is on an uphill battle to add a fifth title to his legendary resume at this point in his career. The Lakers are going into the 2021-22 season with a new head coach in Darvin Ham but plenty of questions surrounding the viability of keeping Russell Westbrook on the team.

The Lakers added some youth and athleticism to their lineup, but questions also linger about their long-range shooting capabilities. Add in James fighting off Father Time, Anthony Davis’ durability, and the rise of Western Conference rivals like the Nuggets and the Grizzlies, and the resurgence of veteran units like the Warriors and Clippers, and the Lakers’ climb to playoff contention and becoming a championship contender will be an exciting storyline next season.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo Calls LeBron James ‘the Best Player in the World’ appeared first on SLAM.

Their featured superstar, Jayson Tatum, has let the six-game series loss to the Warriors inspire him to want to reach greater heights for the upcoming regular-season campaigns. Although his Finals debut didn’t end the way he expected, Tatum has used the loss and his time off to reflect on what he had learned from the process.

“(I learned) that I’m 24 and one of the best players in the world and that I will compete against whoever and take on that challenge,” Tatum said via The Athletic. “In that same breath, I feel like there’s so much I could be better at, and I think that’s the exciting part. That I’m at where I’m at, where there’s so much more I can be, so much more I can learn, and so many more experiences to go through.”

Strong words from the budding superstar who has reached top 10 status in the NBA but sees himself (and the team) getting better over time.

“It’s not a ‘for sure’ thing, you know. You have to put in the work. You have to take the right steps,” Tatum said. “But I’m positive that we got the right group that will buy-in, and we can’t look past anything and just try to coast our way to the finals. We gotta start from training camp.”

Tatum and the Celtics are ready to go at training camp to make it back to the Finals, hopefully holding the Larry O’Brien trophy in their clutches.

The post Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Lessons He Learned from the NBA Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Russell was a five-time MVP, 12-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champ with the Celtics. On top of anchoring one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties and retiring as one of the greatest defensive players of all time, Russell was the first Black head coach in NBA history and an outspoken political activist. The NBA Hall of Famer, who received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2011, was at the march on Washington as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech and publicly supported the late-Muhammad Ali when the iconic boxer refused induction into the military draft in 1967.

Russell died “peacefully” with his wife, Jeannine, at his side, according to statement posted via Twitter.

“Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps you’ll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us, or recall his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind how those moments unfolded,” the family statement said. “And we hope each of us can find a new way to act or speak up with Bill’s uncompromising, dignified and always constructive commitment to principle. That would be one last, and lasting, win for our beloved #6.”

Two years ago, the NBA legend contributed a powerful essay in SLAM’s special issue devoted to social justice, where he detailed his fight against racism throughout his life. Read here.

The entire basketball community from legends such as Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to current players including Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum and more took to social media to pay their respects to the late and great Bill Russell.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:

Stephen Curry:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wardell Curry (@stephencurry30)

Boston Celtics:

Charlotte Hornets:

Shaquille O’Neal:

Charles Barkley:

Magic Johnson:

Paul Pierce:

Jayson Tatum:

Marcus Smart:

Dwyane Wade:

James Harden:

WNBA:

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA, WNBA Community Remembers Bill Russell on Social Media appeared first on SLAM.

Banchero joins a Jordan Brand family that includes Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Luka Doncic, Carmelo Anthony, Bam Adebayo, Jayson Tatum, Russell Westbrook, and of course, Michael Jordan.

Banchero was grinding in the Summer League with the Zion 2s and Air Jordan 36s this year.

Banchero played two Summer League games before Orlando decided to shut him down. In those two contests, Banchero showed why he was the top overall pick coming out of Duke as he averaged 20 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game.

Banchero won ACC Rookie of the Year and was a consensus first-team All-American after scoring 17.2 points a game during his lone season at Duke.

The post REPORT: Paolo Banchero Finalizing Endorsement Deal With Jordan Brand appeared first on SLAM.

At that point, Barnes had yet to fully embark on the entirety of a season that many are now calling perhaps the most impactful rookie season in Raptors’ history. But to have the chance to chop it up with a member of the inaugural Raptors team (Stoudamire won Rookie of the Year that season in Toronto, like Barnes) just seemed like fate. 

“He was just really telling me to try to get Rookie of the Year, keep doing what I got to do and really take over this League,” Barnes says while on set of his SLAM 239 cover shoot.  

That was Stoudamire’s first time meeting Scottie officially; he’d watched him play in high school and at different Nike EYBL and AAU events, but now he was actually seeing what Barnes was capable of doing in the League. Just a month prior to their meeting, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft had dropped a double-double on the Cs—in just the second game of his career. 

“He was a matchup nightmare,” Stoudamire, who’s now an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, later tells us on the phone. “The good Lord doesn’t bless us with everything, but if [Scottie] figures out a way, and he doesn’t have to be a knockdown guy, but once he figures out his spots on the floor in terms of shooting the ball on a consistent basis, it could be dangerous. He would have cracked the code then because, I mean, everything else he has.” 

SLAM 239 featuring Scottie Barnes is OUT NOW!

Barnes wasn’t even born when the Raptors drafted Stoudamire as their first-ever pick in 1995, or when he graced the cover of SLAM 11 in the spring of ’96 (subscribe here to the SLAM Digital Archive). When he got to Toronto, Stoudamire explains, the team was just trying to grow the game of basketball throughout Canada. But what he didn’t realize back then was that he’d ultimately be able to impact an entire country. Many after him have been just as revered—from Vince Carter and DeMar DeRozan to Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry. All-Stars. Champions. Icons. But in this new era of the game, Scottie Barnes isn’t a glimpse into the future of Toronto. He is the now, and even the legends who came before him see that already.

“He has [an] opportunity to lead Toronto, but then be the face of a country,” says Stoudamire.

Excitement has been buzzing all around T-Dot about their superstar-in-the-making. His SLAM 239 cover shoot feels like a momentous occasion, from the Drake tracks blaring over the speakers (Honestly, Nevermind had dropped just a few days before) to Scottie singing along in between takes while he rocks a black and gold Swingman uniform and an icy, blinged-out chain that has an even icier “SB” for the camera. It’s the crowning of a new star in the North. 

After all, it’s been three years since the Raptors won that historic, first-ever championship in 2019, and since then, the team has been well-equipped with an arsenal of All-Stars and bucket-getters who helped them make the playoffs every year except one. The arrival of Scottie has had the place boomin’ with hype around what’s to come, especially since the Raptors exceeded any and all expectations last season when they finished fifth in the East. 

“I feel like I have the defensive tools, I really just want to put on the offensive end,” Scottie says. “Make my game more all-around. I’m just working on being able to get to the basket, being unstoppable on the floor. Scoring, being in the midrange area and just being a consistent shooter. Being able to knock down shots consistently, being able to carry myself in that way as being one of those top people in the League.” 

He’d look at those goals every single day. Winning ROY was a major moment not only for him, but for his family. It’s one of the reasons why he surprised his mom, Kathalyn, with the news. He had watched her relentlessly sacrifice for him and his siblings growing up, working late nights to put food on the table and get them school clothes. “[She tried] to get a few pairs of shoes to go to school, try to have some swag going to school so we could carry ourselves with that confidence. She made a bunch of sacrifices for us. Even though we didn’t have that much, we were still some spoiled little kids, [wanting] everything, trying to flex.”

Winning ROY also meant something for Toronto, as Barnes became just the third Raptor ever to win the award, joining the company of Stoudamire and Vince Carter. “That award meant everything to me. Everything. All the hard work, effort I put in since I was a kid. It meant everything for the city of West Palm Beach, for the country of Canada, city of Toronto. Masai [Ujiri], Bobby [Webster]. They put their faith in me, and I put in the work. So, every single day, I try to carry that with me.”

Now, his Rookie of the Year trophy sits on a stand, right next to two Rookie of the Month awards, inside his game room at his house. Since the season wrapped up, he’s been mainly spending his offseason in his native Florida, while going back and forth to Toronto. It’s a place he’s now calling home, and he’s already found his go-to spots to eat at, too. “I got a couple. Harbour 60, Cactus Club. I just love the city. It’s beautiful.”

A few days before our shoot, Barnes was livestreaming when he raved about how hyped he was to be a Toronto Raptor. When we asked him about it, he didn’t hold back in letting us know how much he’s been embracing the city. 

“It’s a blessing for me to get drafted to Toronto. I felt like it was just the best thing for me and the program,” he says. “I felt like I found the right home, with them being able to draft me…I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I feel like it was just a big thing that happened to me. It’s amazing. I feel like Toronto, they always support me, even the whole country of Canada supports me, shows me love. And it just feels like we’re all family.”

Scottie reveals he’s already on a text message/IG story-reply basis with Drake (“It’s really small talk, but we can tell that we’re brodies”). When he first arrived in Toronto after the draft, he even hung out with him at his mansion.

“His house is humongous. He got a lot of things that’s going on in there, it’s a dope house. He got the basketball court as soon as you walk inside, where he plays his league basketball. You know, he be killing ’em, but his house is fire. I think we put up like a couple of shots, but we were just getting to know each other. Just really chatting it up.”

According to Scottie, Drizzy let him know then that he had to put on for the city. “He just told [me] that the city’s gonna love [me], just really put on for the city. Do what we got to do.”  

In his rookie debut against the Wizards, Scottie showed glimpses of exactly what he could do, from a lefty sky hook for his first bucket to dishing out an elite bounce pass to Chris Boucher in the fourth. Nick Nurse called his performance “OK,” but also pointed out, “I think we see a really good player there.” 

For Barnes, the mindset early on was to do what it takes to win by making the right plays and putting in the effort, whether it’s rebounding, passing or guarding the best player on the court. When asked about what he expected for himself early on in the season, “winning” is the one word he mentions over and over again. “I felt like coming into the season, I really just tried to focus on winning, try and do whatever it takes to win…I really tried to focus on those little things, and then I knew everything else would carry on to the court with me.”

Scottie’s always been competitive. Growing up, he’d compete with his older brother in school and try to get better grades than him so he could show it to his mom, hoping she’d give him a few dollars. He wanted to play on his brother’s basketball and football teams, too, even though everyone was a few years older. He started playing organized basketball in third grade at the Salvation Army on a team that was mainly made up of fourth graders. Scottie then went on to become a five-star product in high school—he played at the University School alongside Vernon Carey Jr and then with Cade Cunningham at Montverde before suiting up at Florida State, where he earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors.

Now he’s channeling that same drive into everything he does, from video games (“[I’m] the best out of all my friends in [NBA] 2K, top three in [Call of Duty]”) to whatever challenges were thrown at him on the court this past season—from guarding all five positions against the Bulls, Celtics and Wizards in October, including superstars like Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal. By November, he was logging 35 minutes a game, but as Nurse previously said, “one of the first things to instill” is playing the “full 48.” 

When asked about his early season performances, Scottie points out that for him, it was a matter of maintaining the energy. “I would say in the beginning, I showed a lot of energy, but you got to really try to find those ways of channeling it [differently] because sometimes you can express way too much energy and then that next possession, you get really tired…Being at Florida State, I played a good three, four minutes, and then I would get subbed if I was too tired. But now, it’s just like, you got to be able to maintain that energy throughout the whole entire game for however long you’re playing.”  

On a team full of different personalities—from “chill vibe types” like Fred VanVleet and Isaac [Bonga] to “funny guys” like himself, Justin Champagnie and Dalano Banton, according to Barnes—it also helped that the team fully embraced him and allowed him to be himself on the court, especially OG Anunoby. “He was really telling me to be me on the floor, each and every single time. That really [gave] me that confidence when I stepped on the floor to be who I am, keep being aggressive, attacking.”

In December, Barnes dropped a double-double against the Knicks, was a defensive ace with those five blocks against Sacramento a few nights later, and then followed that up with a 23/12/5 stat line against Brooklyn, while being matched up against Kevin Durant, making him the youngest Raptor ever since Tracy McGrady to put up at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 dimes. By January, Bradley Beal was already calling him a “special” talent and saying he “looked like a star” after Barnes put up 27 against the Wizards. 

The Raptors went on an eight-game winning streak going into February, and after the All-Star break, Scottie was averaging just under 20 points per game. When he dropped a 31-piece on the Lakers in March, even the King let everyone know what was up. 

“I saw Scottie Barnes for the first time in seventh grade and I told one of my good friends that this kid is going to be special,” LeBron James said after the game. “It’s a beautiful thing to watch.” 

Looking back on the season, Barnes says he’s started processing the game quicker, too. “I felt like on the court I really know where I could get to my spots, can score the ball at [and] how I can just set my presence throughout the game, on both ends of the floor. I feel like I’ll be able to make more of an impact on the game because I really just found ways to really just attack the game. I got smarter throughout the year, and I just really realized how the NBA works with the calls and all the little things about the game.”

This same team that had missed the playoffs the year prior soon found themselves in a first-round matchup against Philly. Barnes nearly had a triple-double in his playoff debut—15 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists—and despite missing Games 2 and 3 with an ankle injury, another SLAM 11 cover star, Magic Johnson, saw that the promise was all there. “There’s definitely a lot of ‘Showtime’ in him,” Johnson told the Toronto Star.

While the Raptors lost that series, it’s clear that things are really looking up in the 6ix. Their 48-34 record was a vast improvement from the previous year, and Barnes is making it clear that his past season was really just the beginning. “This is just us getting our footing together, but I feel like we’re gonna take that next step to try to make a deep playoff run and be one of those top teams in the League.”

And as for his own goals, this offseason has been all about prepping his body for the demand of the 82-game regular season (Barnes started all 74 games he played in), while also sharpening the tools he’s well-equipped with. You might’ve already seen recent videos of his “revamped jumper” circling around the internet, too. Scottie’s already looking ahead at the type of player he wants to evolve into. Him adding to his already extensive bag? Dangerous. 

“Be who I am on the floor [and] be able to keep developing my playmaking [and] really just improve my scoring,” Barnes says of what will take him to the next level. “Keep [doing] what I do on defense, but just amping it up to another level where I can change the impact of a game throughout the court. Really taking over on the defensive end where I can get multiple stops, being able to be so active on the floor where I can just alter shots, change shots, just give teams different looks where I can have that presence. Talking, communicating and kind of just step up my role of being a leader on this team. I feel like that’s really what’s going to take me to that next level.” 

Deyscha Smith is an associated editor at SLAM. Follow her on Twitter and IG, @deyschasmith.

Portraits by Gabe Pineda/Victory Creative, follow them on Instagram @gabepineda/@victory. Styling by Ian Pierno, follow him on Instagram @ianpierno.

The post Scottie Barnes Has Everything it Takes to Become Toronto’s Next Star appeared first on SLAM.

“I played with [Durant] during the Olympics,” Tatum said Tuesday night prior to the premiere, per ESPN. “Obviously, he’s a great player, but that’s not my decision. I love our team. I love the guys that we got.”

Tatum also goes onto say that he doesn’t wear the hat of the general manager, and doesn’t “make anything” of the reports of Boston entering the race for KD.

“We got two new pieces [in Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari],” Tatum said. “I love our team. I just go out there and play with my teammates. I don’t put that [general manager] hat on to make decisions.”

The Celtics reportedly offered Jaylen Brown up as the centerpiece for the acquisition of Kevin Durant, but the rumor was “rejected.” Many are speculating that Brown’s latest tweet was in reaction to the rumors.

Durant’s agent Rich Kleiman did not comment on the trade rumors after he and Durant made an appearance at the premier of “Point Gods.” Durant also did not answer any questions.

The post Jayson Tatum Responds to Kevin Durant Rumors appeared first on SLAM.

According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Celtics reportedly included Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece of a trade to acquire Durant. The Celtics have joined the Heat, Suns, and Raptors as the most well-known teams to have some interest in trading for KD, per Woj.

Multiple reports have stated that Brooklyn wants the farm in exchange for Durant, wanting several assets that include multiple unprotected first-round picks and All-Star quality players. Per Woj, there still hasn’t been any traction in trade talks for KD, and no team has met the significant price tag that Brooklyn has set for the 2014 MVP.

Although the Celtics consider Jayson Tatum off limits in any trade talks, Boston has built trades for the Durant that reportedly include Brown and up to three unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps. Brown has two years left on the four-year extension he signed in 2019.

UPDATE: The Celtics’ offer was reportedly “rejected” as the Nets had asked Boston to include Brown, Marcus Smart, draft picks and possibly one more rotation player, per The Athletic.  

ESPN Sources: As Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant’s trade request approaches its fourth week, the Boston Celtics have emerged among teams engaged in talks on a possible deal. Story: https://t.co/eXpn6fRoYl

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 25, 2022

According to insider Shams Charania, after Phoenix matched restricted free agent center Deandre Ayton’s offer sheet from Indiana, the Suns are all but eliminated from acquiring Durant.

Sources: The Boston Celtics have offered a Jaylen Brown package to the Nets for Kevin Durant, which Brooklyn turned down and countered.

Full details on a potential Celtics-Nets mega-deal to be had, latest on Donovan Mitchell and more at the Inside Pass: https://t.co/Gkyfkhg5A1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 25, 2022

The Celtics also offered a package around Brown, Derrick White, and a draft for Durant, according to Charania. Brooklyn reportedly rejected the deal and requested that any Durant proposal include not only Brown and draft picks but reigning DPOY Marcus Smart and another rotational player. Boston is reportedly less enthusiastic about including Smart with other players and draft capital.

Durant averaged 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game on 51.8 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent from long distance.

The post REPORT: Boston Celtics Enter Kevin Durant Sweepstakes appeared first on SLAM.

One of the main leaders on that team, Tony Parker, one-third of the Spurs Big Three that helped deliver four championships to San Antonio, believes that with Coach Ime Udoka leading from the sidelines, the Boston Celtics can make up for their heartbreaking Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors. It all starts with allowing 2022 to serve as a motivator to the ultimate goal of not only making it back to the Finals but winning it all.

“For the Celtics,” Parker said per The Athletic, “that’s what they have to do.”

“He was with us in those years,” Parker said. “So he can definitely take some stuff from what we had to go through. I played with him as teammates and had him as a coach. He’s been through everything with us, so he knows better than anybody how to bounce back from a tough NBA Finals loss.”

There are some big differences between those Spurs and these Celtics. For one, the core of the Celtics are all under 30, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown being 24 and 25-years-old respectively. The Spurs championship core were all well into their 30s execpt Kawhi Leonard, who won his first Finals MVP that season but was yet to become the lethal scorer he is today.

The main thing that the Celtics will have to do is continue to play like they did from the flip into 2022 until the end of the regular season, finishing the season fifth in assists per 100 posessions and forming the top-ranked defense in the Legue. Being able to lean into team play will allow the Celtics to not allow offensive lapses like they did during their run to the Finals and over the final four of the championship series against the Warriors.

Both Udoka and team president have stated that they want to see the Celtics play with “a little bit more movement,” on the court. Being able to replicate what the Spurs did during their 2014 title run will be difficult, espcially with two wings that are deadly in isolation, but in order Boston to hang their record 18th title, they might have to sacrifice those points in order to accomplish their ultimate goal.

“For me, the way we lost in 2013, it created what happened in 2014,” Parker said. “Maybe one of the best finals in NBA history. Maybe the best Spurs basketball that we played. In 2014, the way we played, the passing game, everything, we were maybe at the highest level of my whole career. It started with a tough loss in 2013.”

The post Tony Parker Thinks Boston Can Avenge Finals Loss Like Spurs Did in 2014 appeared first on SLAM.

That heat became Jayson’s comfort zone. He’d go from lighting up the competition all throughout St. Louis to hitting up the BBQ joints all around the city. St. Louis is known for dozens of smokehouses, and folks out in the 314 have become linked to a specific way of making ribs. Rather than being slow cooked over indirect heat, they grill their ribs and douse them in hot sauce. Real talk right here: a report came out in 2015 confirms that St. Louisans consume more barbecue sauce than any other area in the entire country. 

Tatum started to get fired up in high school. His senior year at Chaminade College Preparatory School in Creve Coeur, MO, is highlighted by 10 different 30-plus point outings and six different 40-plus point outings. He was already heating up during his time with the appropriately named Red Devils. He brought his flames with him to Duke, where even on a loaded roster of offensive weapons, he managed to catch fire for seven different 20-plus point games in his lone season with the Blue Devils. It didn’t take long for the flames running through him to show up on the NBA level. As a rookie, he helped to lead the Celtics to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the mighty LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Now everyone could have the soul-awakening flames that Tatum had passed down to him. Everyone, including Ruffles®. It was only right that Tatum’s official Ruffles flavor would be Flamin’ Hot® BBQ. With a spice worthy of Tatum and St. Louis, his Flamin’ Hot® BBQ flavor packs in all the heat he’s been dominating the competition with. 

Ruffles® wasn’t the only major company to notice all the flames Tatum had been burning with. The illustrious Jordan Brand also took notice of his ability to catch fire. They scooped him up in 2019 and started gifting him with player exclusive colorways of Air Jordans. 

This season, as he and the Celtics marched to the NBA Finals, he played in the Air Jordan 36. The silhouette is a technological basketball performance beast. A new upper made of Leno-Weave got rid of unnecessary weight, a full-length Zoom Strobel unit held the foundation, and a hollowed-out Eclipse Plate provided structure and unique real estate for the Jordan team to test the boundaries of colorways. 

A three-way concert kicked off between Tatum, Ruffles® and Jordan Brand. Together, the trio cooked up an Air Jordan 36 PE that honored the long history of Jayson’s spirit. Featuring Ruffles®’ signature blue, white and red, Tatum’s newest colorway boasts a printed pattern and ridge-like finishes across the tongue, collar and heel pull tab. Direct nods to Ruffles are on the outsole and the insole, where “Own Your Ridges®” is written.

The flames got extra hot when Tatum wore them against the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of the 2022 playoffs. He shocked the world with a twirling, game-winning layup that brought his fire all the way from St. Louis to Boston.

Want a chance to score a pair of these exclusive Flamin’ Hot kicks? From now until July 31st, Visit RufflesSneakers.com to learn how you can have a chance to win an autographed pair of Jayson Tatum’s Size 15 Air Jordan 36 “Ruffles” PEs.

The post The Story Behind Jayson Tatum’s ‘Ruffles’ Air Jordan 36 PE appeared first on SLAM.

Rather than getting back on the grind immediately, Stevens told Celtics star Jayson Tatum to take some time off from basketball.

“I just told him, ‘Go on vacation. Go get some rest.’ This guy gave us everything he had.”

Brad Stevens on his message to Jayson Tatum: “I just told him, ‘Go on vacation. Go get some rest.’ This guy gave us everything he had.”

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 21, 2022

Following a six-game slugfest with the eventual champion Warriors, it seems appropriate for the players to take some time off to reset. Tatum played 100 games this year which became apparent in the NBA Finals.

In six NBA Finals games, Tatum averaged 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists on 36.7 percent shooting from the field, 45.5 percent from three, and 65.6 percent from the free-throw line. Tatum also had historic turnover issues in the playoffs; the Duke alum coughed the ball up 100 times, the most ever in a single postseason run.

“This guy gave us everything he had,” Stevens said per CBS. “When you look at the minutes, the games played; I said it several times that he’s a superstar that doesn’t want to sit,” Stevens said of Tatum’s postseason output. “He wants to play all the time.”

Tatum and the Celtics will look to rebound next fall, and considering the youthful nature of this Boston team, expect them to be around for a good while longer.

The post Brad Stevens to Jayson Tatum: ‘Go On Vacation. Go Get Some Rest’ appeared first on SLAM.

“The future is bright,” Udoka said after Game 6. “And we’re just getting started.”

Ime Udoka: “The future is bright and we’re just getting started.”

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 17, 2022

The Boston Celtics proved to be one of the most, if not the most resilient teams in the NBA; after finishing the season with the second-best record in the East despite a .500 start through the first 50 games of the year, Boston flipped a switch during the second half of the season and won 26 of their final 32 games and finished the season with the best defense in the League.

Boston’s turnaround led to them going on a revenge tour through the Eastern Conference Finals, beating each team that eliminated them in the last three postseasons. It started with a sweep of the Nets, beat the Bucks in 7, and did the same to the Miami Heat.

“This is tough, getting to this point and not accomplishing what we wanted to,” a dejected Jayson Tatum said after finishing with 13 points on 6-18 shooting in 40 minutes per ESPN. “It hurts. You know, we all could have done things better. I feel like I could have done a lot of things better. But, you know, like we said, we competed, we tried all season, all playoffs.”

When they got to the Finals, the Celtics looked like a legitimate threat to win the title as Tatum razzled and dazzled his way into the superstar debate. Jaylen Brown proved that any thoughts Boston should break up the Tatum-Brown wing duo were premature, Marcus Smart won the DPOY, and Robert Williams and Al Horford proved to be the best frontcourt combo for a team that wants to switch 1-5.

JB’s game is smooth as silk.
(via @celtics) pic.twitter.com/Ie7A1egRsW

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Through the first three games of the Finals, the Celtics were neck and neck with the Warriors and grabbed a 2-1 lead. Boston could find a way to win no matter how big the deficit was. Then Game 4 happened, and Stephen Curry dropped perhaps the most consequential performance of his career with a 43-point outing in a 107-97 win. No problem, though. Boston was 7-0 after losses.

However, that streak was broken when Golden State won a Game 5 they had no business in winning, 104-94, as Andrew Wiggins made up for Curry being unable to keep up his torrid scoring pace with a 26-point, 13 rebound outing. Okay, no sweat, Boston is going back to TD Garden; no way they lose at home — right?

Wrong; despite Boston coming out of the cannon with a 14-2 run, Golden State took that punch and threw it right back with a 35-8 run, from which the Celtics never returned. They cut it to nine late in the third quarter, but their season-worst 22 turnovers were too much to overcome. After all, Boston is 0-8 when they turned the ball over at least 15 times.

“It’s going to hurt. It will hurt for a while. Probably that stuff never goes away. I’ve lost one before.” Udoka said, who was on the Spurs’ coaching staff when they lost to the Miami Heat in seven games in 2013.

“That was part of the message. Let it propel us forward, the experience. Growth and progress that we made this season. Obviously, getting to your ultimate goal and fall a few games short is going to hurt. There are a lot of guys in there [that are] very emotional right now.”

Watching pops getting buckets in the Finals >> pic.twitter.com/44tkCXR4SG

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Boston’s first Finals appearance since 2010, losing in such a devestating matter will haunt the Celtics, especially after blowing some prime opportunity to go up 3-1 in Game 4 and having the chance to go up 3-2 at home in Game 5. But now, this loss could prove to be the fire Tatum and Brown need to destroy the East and make it back to the Final.

With a healthy Brooklyn, Miami, and Milwaukee in the way, it won’t be an easy task, but like Udoka and his team said, the future is bright.

“The future is bright,”  Brown said. “I always look at adversity as opportunities to shape an individual. For whatever reason, it wasn’t our time. That means we still got a lot to learn. Personally, I still got a lot to learn.

“For me, it’s always about growth. Continuing to get better, continuing to find different ways to lead. That’s what it’s about. The future is bright. I’m excited to get back next year.”

The post Ime Udoka After Boston’s Game 6 Loss: ‘The Future is Bright’ appeared first on SLAM.

At the championship stage, there are no moral victories. For what it’s worth, nine-time champion (combined as a player and coach) Coach Steve Kerr praised the Celtics for their run to the Finals after starting the season at .500 through the first 50 games. Boston ended up winning 26 of their last 32 games and finished the regular season with the League’s best defense.

The Celtics then went through a successful revenge tour through the Eastern Conference playoffs, beating the Nets, Bucks, and Heats on their way to the Finals. Those three squads are the only other teams to beat Boston in the last three postseasons.

“I wanna say congrats to the Celtics on a great series,” Kerr said. “They were incredible. Their defensive athleticism, length, and toughness was really tough to overcome. They had us on the ropes in the series and had a tremendous season. Since I’ve been here, we lost in the Finals twice, and it’s devastating to get this far and to come up short. I got a lot of friends across that hall between Ime and Will Hardy, Damon Stoudamire, Aaron Miles, a bunch of really good friends. Guys, I’ve coached and in FIBA, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White — great group of guys.”

“I genuinely feel for them cause I know what it’s like to lose at this point. But they had an amazing run, and it’s a great series.”

Steve Kerr sends his respect to the @celtics after a tough series.#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/7dVZDJAz1S

— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022

For the first time in their playoff run, Boston not only lost back-to-back games after winning their first seven games after a loss, but they lost three straight for the first since late December. Turnovers played a significant part in that December losing streak, committing at least 15 in those three consecutive l’s. On Thursday, Boston coughed the ball up a season-worse 22 times.

The Celtics were 0-8 in this postseason when they turned the ball over at least 15 times. Jaylen Brown led Boston in scoring with 34 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, followed by Al Horford’s 19 points and 14 rebounds outing and Jayson Tatum’s 13 points and seven dimes on 6-18 shooting from the field.

“Offensively, we were not good this series,” said Brown, who was Boston’s leading scorer for the series with an average of 23.5 points per game. “Give credit to the Warriors. They forced us into doing stuff that we didn’t want to do, and that resulted in turnovers, et cetera. At times, we just got to be better. That’s it.”

Tatum, in particular, struggled with ball security, becoming the first player in playoff history to commit 100 turnovers. He also committed 23 turnovers in the Finals. Tatum scored 21.5 points per game in the Finals, a drop from the 27 he averaged during the regular-season. Tatum’s struggles in the Finals could be attributed to the grueling road to the Finals.

The Celtics played back-to-back Game 7’s against the Bucks and Heat, two of the most physical teams in the League. There’s also the emotional wear and tear it takes to make it to the championship stage.

Regardless, Boston’s core of Tatum, Brown, and Smart is under contract next season, and their championship window will still be open despite the significant challenges the Bucks, Heat, and Brooklyn Nets will present in Boston’s hopeful return to the Finals.

The post Steve Kerrs Praises Boston Celtics Run to the Finals: ‘They Were Incredible’ appeared first on SLAM.

The main issue that plagued Boston was turnovers. In Game 6, Boston coughed the ball up 22 times, and Golden State took advantage of Boston’s mistakes by scoring 27 points off the turnovers. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart combined for 13 turnovers. The Celtics are winless in the playoffs when they turn the ball over at least 15 times.

“I think just our level of poise at times throughout this series and previous series, myself included, taking care of the ball, things like that. But it’s easy to look back and see all the things you could have done better. We tried. I know that for a fact.” Tatum said.

According to Statmuse, Tatum committed a postseason record of 100 turnovers.

Jayson Tatum is the first player in NBA history with 100 turnovers in a single postseason. pic.twitter.com/Jd7PKvYHCJ

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 17, 2022

Tatum finished the season-ending loss with 13 points, seven rebounds, and three assists on 31.7 percent from the field with 23 overall turnovers in the Finals.

In 18 games, the 24-year-old averaged 27 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. Tatum’s memorable playoff run ended with him becoming the youngest player in playoff history to post 600 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a single postseason.

Led by Tatum, the Celtics went on a revenge tour through the East, beating the Nets, Bucks, and Heat as he won the inaugural Larry Bird Trophy and led the Celtics to their first Finals appearance since 2010.

“It’s hard getting to this point, and it’s even harder getting over the hump and winning it,” Tatum said about the lessons he learned from the playoff run.

Tatum had a crazy playoff run:

— 1st in points
— 1st in assists
— ECF MVP
— Youngest ever with 600/100/100
— Beat KD, Giannis, Jimmy
— Dropped 46 down 3-2 at Bucks
— Dropped 13 assists in Finals debut
— Won 2 Game 7s

Head high. pic.twitter.com/Sc5w4gSoHK

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 17, 2022

This was the first Finals run of Tatum’s young career, and hopefully, it won’t be the last. Tatum and Brown have proven to be a dangerous duo at the wing. The core of Boston’s group is under contract next season, Tatum, Brown, and Smart made history as the first trio to finish a Finals game with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Michael Cooper did it in 1984.

Boston’s most glaring issue heading into next season will be finding a dynamic point guard or developing Smart to the point that he can make Tatum and Brown’s jobs easier as all-around wings.

“They won and we lost. We did it to ourselves. For sure, we had opportunities to go up and win,” Brown said per The Boston Herald. “I guess we’ve shown our immaturity at times, and it stings. Still a young group. Still got a lot to learn. Nothing to hang our head about. Tough day for Boston. Tough day for the Celtics. Yeah, I don’t know what to say.”

The post Boston Celtics Unable to Overcome Turnover Issues appeared first on SLAM.

Not only have the Warriors won their fourth title since 2015, but Curry won the 2022 NBA Finals MVP for the first time in his storied career. Curry finished Game 6 with 34 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, along with two steals and one block on 12-21 shooting from the field, knocking down 6-11 three-pointers to break his uncharacteristic streak of 10 straight missed triples.

4x Champ
2x MVP
8x All-Star
8x All-NBA
2x Scoring Champ
No. 1 All-Time 3’s Made
2022 NBA Finals MVP

The Chef’s resume is ridiculously extensive.

: @sammironko pic.twitter.com/QkjX7BGNl9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Curry entered Thursday night with the second-most career playoff points before winning his first Finals MVP, trailing only Bryant (4,381) and Chamberlain (3,430).

“It means we won; it means we took advantage of the opportunity to get back here,” Curry said during a postgame interview with Lisa Salters of ESPN. “We hear all the chatter; at the end it’s about what we do on the floor. Ain’t gotta talk about just gotta go do it, and that’s what this is about.”

It’s about damn time. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/LAiEBVoowa

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

The Warriors’ run to the ’22 title led by Curry highlights a record-breaking season for the two-time MVP. Curry started the season grabbing the all-time record for made threes; he created the 3k club for made three, won an All-Star MVP, and got to play with Splash Brother Klay Thompson for the first time in over 900 days. Curry also became the first Warrior to pass 3000 playoff points.

When you look back, the Warriors’ season was a roller coaster as they finished the season ranked third in the Western Conference season despite a foot injury that knocked Curry out for the final weeks of the regular season.

Back on top. Your 2022 NBA World Champions.

: @MarcusA11en pic.twitter.com/HJ04P2P3X3

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Now with the season mercifully over, Curry can sit back on his reclaimed throne.

“I’m so proud of our group,” Curry said. “I thank God every day that I get to play this game at the highest level with some amazing people.”

“You know this is what it’s all about — playing for a championship and what we’ve been through the last three years, beginning of the season, no one thought we’d be here except everybody on this court right now. It’s amazing. It’s very surreal, though, very surreal.”

Blood, sweat and tears.

: @sammironko pic.twitter.com/rv4PhdFfxe

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Game 6 was a game of runs; Boston raced out to a 12-2 run after making four of their first six shots, including two three-pointers from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But the Warriors went on a game-altering 21-0 run in the first half to bust the game wide and give themselves a 21-point cushion after a Thompson three-pointer.

Tatum stopped the bleeding and stopped the bleeding with a layup, but the Warriors had already thrown the first haymaker of the night. Oh yeah, and Chef Curry finally hit a three after missing his first attempt from the field.

Damn Stephen… (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/jGdIka9ZMk

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Boston was able to pick up some major runs in the second half, cutting the deficit to within nine points after unleashing a 12-2 run, highlighted by a nasty and-1 over Thompson and Jordan Poole. However, Boston was never able to get any closer than that.

No moment was more significant than the 29-footer Curry buried to give Golden State a 22-point lead with 6:15 left in the third quarter. To top it off, Curry pointed right to his right ring finger like Aaron Donald did throughout the Los Angeles Rams run to the Super Bowl in February.

The Chef wants #4. pic.twitter.com/tO7H1adzcB

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Curry couldn’t have gone the night without hitting his clutch silencer, putting the Celtics to sleep and sending his teammates, particularly Poole, into a frenzy as the Warriors grabbed a 96-81 lead with a little over three minutes to go in the game.

GOODNIGHT. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/dkNo4Pv8lf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

“We were so far away from it,” Curry said when asked why this title means so much. “We were here for five straight years and got three of them; then we hit rock bottom with injuries, then the long road of work ahead and just trying to fill in the right pieces and right guys. You could never take this for granted cause you never know when you’ll be back here. To get back here and get it done means the world.”

In six games against the Celtics, Curry averaged 31.2 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He shot 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc. Curry’s Final MVP performance has put him in some exclusive company. Curry joins Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players to win an MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star Game MVP, and a scoring title per ESPN.

The post Stephen Curry Claims First-Ever NBA Finals MVP appeared first on SLAM.

Stephen Curry finished Game 4 with 43 points and 10 rebounds, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to stamp the Warriors’ comeback from five points down. Curry has scored at least 30 in the last three games and has led the series in scoring with 137 total points. Curry is scoring 31.3 points per game in the Finals.

” A lot of our pride in our group,” Curry said after ESPN’s Lisa Salters asked him how he felt about the win. ” A lotta talk over the last 48 hours about how we can get back in the series and win in this building, finally figured out the fourth quarter, get some stops, and execute on the other, but it’s crazy because I still feel like we can play just a little bit better but to win on the road and get home-court advantage back — big for this group.”

Talk yo shit Stephen.

43 PTS
10 REB
7-14 3PM

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/qN5MoiLcS8

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 11, 2022

Curry and Jayson Tatum (23 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists) dueled bucket for bucket in the first quarter, with both All-Stars scoring 12 in the first. However, the Celtics were able to leave the opening frame with a 28-27 advantage, with Boston pushing its lead to 54-49 by halftime.

Simply spectacular, Chef. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/uIJgxgrWaG

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 11, 2022

Going into the second half of Game 4, the Warriors outscored the Celtics by 49 in the third quarter, while the Celtics outscored the Warriors by 40+ in the fourth. This time around, the third quarter trend for Golden State continued after the Warriors won the third by four points as Curry dropped 14 in the third and grabbed a 79-78 going into the final frame.

KYP – Gary Payton II. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/IRqChzFSq9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 11, 2022

Golden State reversed its fourth-quarter fortunes and outscored the Celtics by a 28-19 margin.

The Boston Celtics led by as many as five in the final frame at one point but Behind Curry’s 10 points, Golden State was able to win as they outscored Boston 17-3 over the final 5:15 of the game, including a decisive 10-0 run that turned a four-point deficit into a 100-95 Golden State lead after Curry knocked down the last of his seven three-pointers.

“Been here six times, got a lot of experience in terms of staying composed and confident in what you can do, the endurance in being able to fight through the foot (injury) and just play my game for (40) minutes I’m out there,” Curry said. “I’m just thankful for everybody on our team cause they brought a lot of toughness tonight and physicality to get off to a better start which allowed us to stay in the game and then go win it at the end.”

With the stroke of a flamethrower. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/Y0igtfZYeq

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 11, 2022

With the Finals tied at 2-2 heading back to San Francisco, the Finals turn into a best-of-three series. If it comes down to it, Golden State holds home-court advantage for a do-or-die Game 7.

The post Stephen Curry Drops 43 to Tie Finals Up At 2 Games Apiece appeared first on SLAM.

“Just try to remember it’s just basketball at the end of the day,” Tatum said during his media availability, “Try to prepare the same and not get too excited. Just go out there, be relaxed and play your game but still enjoy this. It’s no guarantee that you go to the Finals every year, and it’s a big deal.”

"It's still basketball at the end of the day."@jaytatum0 on how he handles the pressure of the #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/Uf15Ts1Zl3

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 9, 2022

That’s some sage wisdom coming from a young player that’s experienced a good deal of playoff success early in his career. But even Tatum had to know that that level of success wasn’t common so early in his career, especially being a lottery pick like he was. Tatum and Boston went on two runs to the Conference Finals run before they reached the Finals this year.

Tatum and Boston’s journey to get to the championship stage began with a revenge tour throughout the Eastern Conference, eliminating the only teams that have beaten them in the last three postseasons. Boston ended up sweeping the Nets and beating the Bucks and Heat in seven games.

The Finals run almost seemed ordained after Al Horford revealed how he texted Tatum that he was excited to see Boston play on the biggest stage in the basketball world.

Tatum’s Finals debut didn’t go the way he expected, to put it bluntly, scoring 12 points and 13 assists on 3-17 shooting from the field. Despite having difficulty finding the bottom of the net in Game 1, Tatum was able to play a pivotal role as a playmaker, providing the hockey assist for Horford’s and-1 layup to cement Boston’s Game 1.

YEA AL pic.twitter.com/6kPA4z8aab

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 3, 2022

In Game 2, Tatum bounced back and posted 28 points, six rebounds, and three assists in a 107-88 loss to Golden State but turned the ball over four times.

Tatum finished Game 3 with 26 points, six rebounds, and nine assists. The five-time All-Star took over Boston’s offense in the second half, scoring 15 points to hold off Golden State after they reeled off another signature third-quarter run to close Boston’s lead to 93-89 going into the fourth quarter.

JT to the rim with ease. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/mevdmRwNaP

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 9, 2022

In the final frame, Tatum sparked a 9-2 run to close the door on the Warriors’ comeback bid. The Celtics are now up 2-1, heading into Game 4 at TD Garden.

If Tatum and Jaylen Brown (27 points, nine rebounds, five assists in Game 3) continue to ascend and meet the challenge Golden State brings, they could possibly cement their status as Celtics legends as they lead Boston to their first title since 2008.

Jayson to Jaylen (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/eZ6lBAdzlr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 9, 2022

Green’s performance differed sharply from Game 2, where the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year set the tone as Golden State’s resident enforcer and bully. Green forced a jump ball just seconds into the first quarter. He got into the face of Grant Williams, drawing a tech, and was seen jaw jackin’ with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum throughout the game.

That version of Draymond Green was nowhere to be seen in Game 3 aside from a brief, tense interaction he had with Williams in the second quarter. In fact, Boston bullied the bully and dominated the inside, outscoring Golden State 52-26 in the paint. Boston also outrebounded the Warriors by a 47-31 margin, including grabbing nine more offensive boards that led to the Celtics scoring 22 second-chance points.

“I was soft,” Green said. “That’s what was most disappointing to me.”

Green’s up-and-down Finals performances are compounded by the fact that he’s allowing 1.24 points per play when he’s the direct defender, the worse he’s allowed in any playoff series since 2014, per Second Spectrum.

In the NBA Finals, Draymond Green is allowing 1.24 points per play when he’s the direct defender, which is his worst of any playoff series since 2013-14, per @SecondSpectrum. pic.twitter.com/f3No6dgSbY

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 9, 2022

Coach Steve Kerr said the expectation is for Green to bounce back heading into Friday’s Game 4 in TD Garden, playing a significant role in hopefully helping Golden State tie the series up at 2-2 as the series shifts back to San Francisco.

“I trust Draymond as much as I trust anybody,” Coach Steve Kerr said per Yahoo Sports. “You know, he always bounces back from losses and from tough nights individually. He’ll be back on Friday.”

The post Draymond Green Remains His Toughest Critic After Tough Game 3 Outing appeared first on SLAM.

The three leading men of Boston became the first trio of teammates to finish a Finals game with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Michael Cooper did it in 1984.

Brown got the Celtics off to a strong start attacking the rim, scoring 22 of his 27 points in the first half. Brown also posted nine boards and five assists. Tatum helped Boston cross the finish line, scoring 15 of his 26 points in the second half while contributing nine rebounds and five dimes. Smart finished Game 3 with 24 points, seven points, and five assists.

“I was born in ’98, so that’s way before my time,” Tatum said in a postgame interview with ESPN’s Lisa Salters. “But that’s great company to be in.”

With two 3-pointers from Jaylen Brown… Brown & Jayson Tatum are the first pair of teammates in Celtics history to each make 50 3-pointers in a single postseason pic.twitter.com/O94a6VrMLD

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 9, 2022

Tatum and Brown are also the first Boston teammates to knock down at least 50 three-pointers in a single postseason. The All-Stars accomplished the feat after Brown hit the first of his four triples in the first half.

In previous playoff runs, Ray Allen made at least 50 threes when Boston made a run to the Finals during his tenure in Beantown. However, his closest teammate, Paul Pierce, maxed out at 40 during Boston’s 2008 and 2010 run to the Finals. Larry Bird only made 80 three-pointers in the postseason for his whole career.

Boston is up 2-1 in the Finals after Wednesday’s Game 3 and has a chance to take a commanding 3-1 lead on Friday. Celtics and Warriors fans will wait with bated breath for an injury update on Stephen Curry’s foot injury he suffered in the fourth quarter.

The post Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart Join Elite Company With Game 3 Outing appeared first on SLAM.

Jaylen Brown (27 points, nine rebounds, five assists) and Jayson Tatum (26 points, six rebounds, nine assists) combined to score 53 points for the night. Brown scored 22 points in the first half to kick off the festivities, while Tatum took over Boston’s scoring duties and dropped 15 points in the second half.

Jayson to Jaylen (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/eZ6lBAdzlr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 9, 2022

Boston grabbed their 2-1 lead over Golden State by throwing the first punch and bullying the bully. Namely, Boston took Draymond Green (two points, four boards, three dimes) out of the game and forced him to foul out in 35 minutes.

The Celtics outplayed the Boston on the inside, outscoring the Warriors in the paint, 52-26. As a team, the Celtics outrebounded the Warriors 47-31, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds, which turned into 22 second-chance points.

“Game 2, they brought the heat to us,” said Marcus Smart (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists). “For us, that left a bad taste in our mouth because what we hang our hat on is effort on the defensive end and being a physical team. It definitely woke us up a little bit.”

For the series, the Warriors have outscored the Celtics by 43 points in the third frame. A seven-point swing highlighted their third quarter after Stephen Curry (31 points, four rebounds, two assists, including 15 in the third) knocked down a three-pointer as he was fouled by Al Horford (11 points, eight rebounds, six assists).

Horford’s foul was ruled flagrant because he didn’t give Curry any room to land. After Curry sank the subsequent free throw, Otto Porter Jr. (six points and four rebounds) hit a three-pointer to complete the seven-point sequence.

ANNDDD ONNEEEEE! (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/bSZhs14X5v

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 9, 2022

Curry hit another three just a minute later to give Golden State its first lead since 17 seconds into the first quarter. Boston did just enough at the end of the third and clung to a 93-89 lead entering the fourth quarter.

“It’s all about how you respond. We didn’t hold our head down or anything. We called a timeout, figured it out, and made winning plays.”

The Celtics kept their composure and responded to Golden State’s dominant run with a 9-2 run to open the final frame that extended their lead to 11 points. The Warriors were unable to cut the deficit to any closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Tatum scored eight points, followed by Smart’s eight before Coach Ime Udoka pulled Bostons started with two minutes left in the game.

“We talked about it quite a bit, our group being resilient and being able to fight through a lot of things and at times when it’s most needed being able to lock down on defense,” Udoka said. “We did in the fourth quarter,”

Takes some finesse. (via @espn) pic.twitter.com/xvmFzaPbYq

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 9, 2022

Now in control of their destiny with a 2-1 lead heading into Friday’s Game 4, Boston can feel good knowing that out of the 39 previous times teams who have split the first two games of the finals, whoever won Game 3 went on to win the series 82% of the time. Also, Boston is now 7-0 after losing and has yet to lose back-to-back games in the postseason.

However, neither has Golden State. In fact, Golden State has won at least one road in every playoff series since the first round of the 2013 playoffs. The Warriors will have to extend that streak to win their fourth title since 2015. After Boston bullied the bully that is Golden State, the question is who will take on that bully role on Friday.

The post Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum Lead Boston to Game 3 Win appeared first on SLAM.

After 13 seasons in the League, Curry has started to earn acclaim for his impact on the defensive side of the ball. Long are the days when Coach Steve Kerr would hide him on defense. Curry has had key moments engaging high-scoring wings and guards in the most significant moments of the game.

Steph was so happy when he got called a two-way player pic.twitter.com/uQ4L3QWCbS

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) May 16, 2022

At this stage, winning the 2022 title takes figuring out how best to take advantage of your opponents’ weaknesses. The Warriors made switch-happy defenses famous in the League eight years ago, and now offenses have countered the switch by running actions to get their best offensive threat against the weakest defender on the floor.

Curry is no longer a go-to target when opponents run pick-and-rolls to create those mismatches. At 34-years-old, he’s acquired the basketball IQ, quick hands, and added bulk that has made him one of the Warriors’ most important defenders and presents Boston with the problem of figuring out who they can exploit when they run pick-and-rolls.

“Teams used to try to call Steph into every action and just try to pick on him, but that doesn’t work anymore,” Draymond Green said per The San Francisco Chronicle. “He’s able to hold his ground, so you’re not able to bump him off his spot, and that’s been huge for us. I’m not shocked he’s playing that type of defense.”

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With Curry evolving into a stronger perimeter and team defender, the Boston Celtics are prone to offensive droughts. The Celtics have had to deal with a fearsome seven-man rotation of stars in their two-way role in former Defensive Player of the Year Green, effective positional defender Kevon Looney, former All-Defensive teamer Klay Thompson as starters can deploy ball-hawk Gary Payton II, and the savvy Otto Porter Jr. off the bench.

After Jayson Tatum knocked down a three-pointer to cut Golden State’s lead to six late in the third quarter, the Celtics were subsequently overwhelmed and allowed the Warriors to unleash a 19-2 run, being outscored 35-14 on the way to a 107-88 Game 2 loss on Sunday.

Curry played his part during that dominant defensive stretch by disrupting passing lanes, communicating effectively, and smothering Tatum and Jaylen Brown on pick-and-rolls. Curry’s effort was highlighted by two plays. One where Curry muscled through a Derrick White pick-and-roll and was able to stick to White’s hip long enough that Curry forced a contested three-pointer from Marcus Smart at the end of the shot clock.

The second came when Curry walled up on Al Horford in the paint, forcing the former Florida Gator to swing the ball out to Grant Williams. Curry followed up that stop by picking Williams’ pocket. The sequence showed that Curry can’t be bullied in the low post or get exposed for making bad reads. Curry is now one of the smartest and most physically strong players on the Warriors’ roster.

Steph Curry might be best known for his offense but he’s been spectacular on defense, playing passing lanes and picking off steals in bunches!

Check out Steph’s best defensive work from this season pic.twitter.com/VwosW6PAGh

— NBA (@NBA) June 7, 2022

Curry finished the regular-season ranked second in defensive win shares. He also averaged 2.0 fouls per game in 35.4 minutes per game. Curry has a better understanding of angles and spacing now, helping him become a better rotational defender, keeping him patient while looking to force turnovers, or making it difficult for his matchup to catch the ball.

“It’s always been a point of emphasis in terms of trying to win basketball games and do your job,” Curry said of his defense. “Over the course of my career, it’s been a physical development that’s happened over time that obviously helps, a lot of work that’s gone into that.

“But at the end of the day, from my rookie year to now, it’s always been about effort and just a care factor, overcoming physical limitations with matchups or whatever it is. If you try hard, good things will happen.”

Curry being able to become a plus defender was never the expectation. The only unanimous MVP can do more on the defensive side than just guarding spot-up shooters in the corner. However, Curry remains to get attacked on pick-and-rolls. In the Western Conference Finals, part of the Dallas Mavericks’ game plan was to wear down Curry as the game went on.

The eight-time All-Star was involved in 42.4 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions. That figure is 6.1 more than any other player in the conference finals. Although his teammates and Kerr have complimented Curry’s defense, many teams, like Dallas, still see Curry as a mismatch. Curry has changed that narrative on the most prominent basketball stage, playing defense at a high level in the Finals.

“He can guard 50 screen-and-rolls a game and run 50 screen-and-rolls a game,” Kerr said. “Not many people can do that.”

The post Stephen Curry Giving Boston Problems On Both Ends of the Floor appeared first on SLAM.

Tatum is locked in tonight. Already 4 3PT by the 2nd quarter.

(via @NBAUK) pic.twitter.com/VCEFEyG0yV

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 6, 2022

Tatum has nearly concluded the superstar debate in his fifth year in the League. This past regular season, Tatum earned his third All-Star appearance and was earned his first All-NBA First-Team selection after averaging career-high numbers nearly across the board. The Celtics won 26 of their last 32 games and finished the season with the top defense, beating the Nets, Bucks, and Heat to reach the Finals.

For the 2021-22 campaign, Tatum put up 26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 45.3 percent shooting from the field and 35.3 percent shooting from deep. JT scored 30+ points 24 times, 40+ three times, and has scored 50 or more twice, including a season-high 54 against the Nets in March. For the playoffs, he’s scored 30+ six times and had a 49/9/4 outing in a Game 6 win over the Bucks in the conference semifinals.

Heading into Game 3 of his first NBA Finals appearance tied at 1-1, Tatum flipped a question about him “as a superstar player” And asked reporters where the debate even came from.

“A lot of people want to debate,” Tatum said. “I guess you just commented about the superstar, whatever that means, right? I’ve seen there’s a huge debate: Is he a superstar, or is he not? I want to know where that came from. Did I tweet that? Did I ever say I’m a superstar, I’m on the verge? That never came from me.

“It’s been a big deal this last year and a half or two years. I see it all the time. There’s always been a question in the back of my head; I wonder who spoke on my behalf or said that or why that was such a big deal.”

Jayson Tatum said he wasn’t sure where the “Is he a superstar?” debate came from around him, but that’s focused on winning a title vs being a superstar: “If you win a championship, they can debate a lot of things, but they can’t debate whether or not you’re a champion.”

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 7, 2022

Tatum will have a chance to answer that debate clearly when the Celtics host the Warriors for Wednesday’s game 3. The Celtics are 5-4 in TD Garden but are certified road warriors with an 8-3 record in away games. Whoever wins will be in the driver’s seat and be two wins away from winning an NBA title.

The post Jayson Tatum On ‘Is He a Superstar’ Debate and Winning First Title appeared first on SLAM.

Boston turned the ball over 18 times on Sunday, with Marcus Smart (5), Jayson Tatum (4), and Jaylen Brown combining for 11 of those turnovers. The Golden State Warriors made the most of those extra possessions and scored 33 points off Boston’s turnovers.

“Turnovers are a big part of the game, especially when you see how many times we turned it over and how many points they scored off that,” Tatum said during Boston’s media availability ahead of Game 3. “You just think if you could limit those turnovers, you could limit a lot of those points. Basically, don’t turn the ball over; give ourselves a better chance to win.”

“It’s not rocket science. So it’s just a matter of doing that more often than not.”

We’re placing an emphasis on limiting turnovers as we prepare to bounce back in Game 3. pic.twitter.com/cmFLDdOCKl

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 7, 2022

When asked about Boston’s game plan for Wednesday’s Game 3 in Boston, Brown suggested that changing the spacing will be a point of emphasis.

“I felt like I got a lot of good looks,” Brown said. “Some didn’t go down, but I felt like I got a lot of good looks. We looked at the tape, got some points of emphasis for the next game: spacing, setting screens, etc., just to clear a little more space out, but I felt like I got some pretty good shots. It didn’t go in, but I’ll be ready for Game 3.”

Jaylen Brown said the Celtics turnover problems have a common thread: Spacing. Suggested changing the spacing is an emphasis for Game 3.

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) June 7, 2022

The NBA Finals have shifted to Boston for Games 3 and 4, with Game 3 scheduled for Wednesday. The Celtics are 5-4 in TD Garden and 8-3 while on the road.

The post Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown Sound Off on Bostons Turnover Problems appeared first on SLAM.

Stephen Curry dropped 29 points while Jordan Poole had 17 (including an insane half court three-pointer to cap off a huge third quarter run) as Golden State cruised to a dub in Game 2. Down 23 points entering the fourth quarter, Boston eventually went down 29 points with 10:45 minutes remaining. Celtics head coach Ime Udoka then elected to pull his starters at the ensuing timeout.

Draymond Green says he was surprised to see the Celtics’ first year head coach “pull the plug” with nearly an entire quarter to play.

“Going into the fourth quarter up 23, all it takes is one blow from there,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show.” “You throw one punch, and that’s kind of it. And that’s what happened. We threw a punch and went up 29, and then they pulled the plug.

“I was a little shocked to see them pull the plug so early. I do understand it and respect it. But I just did not expect to come back out of that timeout and (see) them pull the plug.”

Boston starters Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford never re-entered the game as Udoka suffered his first Finals loss as head coach.

Despite a perplexed reaction to Udoka’s decision, Green did praise the Celtics reserves, who actually outscored the Warriors by four in the fourth quarter.

“That is a championship organization and those guys didn’t come in and quit,” Green said. “They continued to fight and battle, and we had to continue to close the game out.”

Boston will get a much-needed boost from its home crowd as the series will now head back to the Bean for Games 3 and 4.

The post Draymond Green ‘Shocked’ Celtics Pulled Starters Early in Game 2 appeared first on SLAM.

For Boston to stay tight with the Warriors despite an off-night from Jayson Tatum (12 points on 3-17 shooting from the field, 1-5 from three-point range) bodes well for the Celtics. Tatum didn’t let his below-average scoring night deter him; the former Duke Blue Devil took over playmaking duties for Boston, matching Bob Cousey with a career-high and a Finals record-tying 13 assists in his Finals debut.

Tatum’s 13 dimes place him over Michael Jordan, Isaiah Thomas, and John Stockton, the previous single-game record-holders with 12.

“Ecstatic, right? Forty points in the fourth quarter? JB played big. Al, Payton (Pritchard), D-White. Those guys made big shots — timely shots as well. And we won, right?” Tatum said per The Athletic despite his off-night shooting. “I had a bad shooting night. I just tried to impact the game in other ways. We’re in the championship. We’re in the finals. All I was worried about was trying to get a win, and we did. That’s all that matters at this point.

“So I don’t expect to shoot that bad again. But if it means we keep winning, I’ll take it.”

Boston entered the fourth quarter down 12 points but was confident going into the final frame of Game 1. Jaylen Brown (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Al Horford (26 points on a Finals-debut record 6-8 shooting from three) awarded that confidence by scoring 21 combined points. Horford powered the Celtics’ decisive 17-0 run with 14 points, knocking down back-to-back triples to take the lead.

At the same time, the Celtics held the Warriors scoreless for nearly five minutes, allowing Stephen Curry (34 points, five boards, five assists) to contribute four points and two dimes on 2-6 shooting from the field.

“The message at the start of the fourth was: We’ve been here before. We know what it takes to overcome a deficit like that,” Tatum said. “Obviously, that’s a great team. It’s not going to be easy. But just knowing we’ve been in that situation before, and we’ve gotten (ourselves) out of it. We had a lot of time left, right? It wasn’t time to hang your head or be done; it was time to figure it out.”

“We know what it takes to overcome a deficit like that.”@jaytatum0 on Boston’s huge 4th quarter comeback in Game 1. pic.twitter.com/ljSshFv91H

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 3, 2022

Brown and Horford’s excellence in the fourth quarter allowed Tatum not to feel like he had to force the issue. Instead, Tatum could focus on swinging the ball when it came his way, contest shots on defense, and sprint to the corners to create optimum spacing when Brown or Derrick White (21 points on 5-8 shooting from distance) pushed the tempo. It was Tatum who dimed Horford for his second straight triple that gave Boston a six-point lead late in the fourth.

According to Tatum’s trainer, Drew Hanlen, he’s been hammering the importance of Tatum learning to be a game manager since last summer.

“I think the biggest thing is the advice that Michael Jordan gave Kobe Bryant: At the end of the day, the only thing that people are going to judge you on is if you get the job done or not,” Hanlen said. “In past years, (Tatum’s) focus has been on scoring and being able to carry the load on the offensive end through scoring. Whereas now, it’s more so just reading what the defense is giving him, making the right play, not forcing shots, not taking ‘my turn’ shots, and really just getting everybody involved.”

Tatum’s acceptance of that development allowed him to simply keep playing fast with his teammates instead of trying to slow the game down after Golden State tied the game at 103 with a Curry finger-roll. Instead, Tatum initiated the sequence intended for a White corner three that eventually ended with Horford hitting his first back-breaking triple to retake the lead they wouldn’t look back on.

To top it off, Tatum finished a plus-27 in the fourth despite not scoring. His passes created 38 points in Game 1 per Synergy. Only one of his 13 dimes was a shot inside the arc.

“All year leading up to this, we’ve been kind of grooming and preparing Jayson for these moments where teams are going to key in on you so much that they try to take you out of the game,” Smart said. “For us, it’s just to make sure he stays confident and knows that even though they’re doing a good job on you, you still who you are, and we got your back. That’s what we are here for, to help you when times like that, to help you get going.”

The Boston Celtics’ usual formula for winning has usually allowed Tatum and Brown to lead them across the finish line. This time around, Tatum played second-fiddle to Brown and the Celtics’ collection of role players.

When the Celtics capped off their comeback win with a Horford and-1, Tatum baited the Warriors into blitzing him. Tatum subsequently got off the ball and gave Smart enough room to put the game away with the dime to Horford, which ultimately gave them a 120-105 lead with less than a minute to go.

YEA AL pic.twitter.com/6kPA4z8aab

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 3, 2022

Boston can take a 2-0 lead as the series shifts to TD Garden after Sunday’s Game 2.

The post Jayson Tatum Sounds Off On Boston’s 4th Quarter Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA allows 100 media members to vote for awards like MVP and the All-NBA teams every year. The media had the choice to vote Embiid into the first team as a forward but chose not to because Embiid isn’t considered a forward. As a result, Nikola Jokic earned not only his second consecutive MVP over Embiid, but he was voted an All-NBA First-Teamer over Embiid as well.

The controversial exclusion has led Commissioner Adam Silver to consider reshaping the voting rules for All-NBA selections. Should Silver’s rule change be implemented, All-NBA selections will become positionless.

“I think we’re a league that has moved increasingly towards positionless basketball,” Silver said Thursday in San Francisco, in his annual press conference at the start of the NBA Finals. “The current system may result in some inequities just based on the happenstance of what your position is.

“It’s something that we will discuss with the players’ association because it has an impact on incentives in players’ contracts.”

Jokic and Embiid have finished 1-2 in MVP voting in back-to-back seasons. Embiid lost out on MVP both times and was named to the All-NBA Second Team twice in a row. The Process being left off the second team has caused quite a stir on NBA Twitter and on sports talk shows across the country. Jayson Tatum, a First-Team selection, said Embiid being snubbed “doesn’t really make too much sense.”

The post Adam Silver Considering Making All-NBA Teams Positionless appeared first on SLAM.

It’s almost as if Horford knew this was going to happen. In a way, you could sorta say he did. When the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Horford back to Boston last summer, one of the first things he did was text Jayson Tatum to let him know he saw the Celtics’ potential and was looking forward to playing in the Finals.

“It’s one of these things that I’ve been waiting for this moment,” Horford said, “I know it’s different, but I played in a similar stage in college. Those type of games, I just felt comfortable out here, and I wanted to project that to the group.”

“I wanted to make sure that our guys came out here, play free, understand that this is just a game, and just go out there and have fun.”

"I've been waiting for this moment."

Al Horford talked to @SHAQ about his performance in the Game 1 win for the @celtics. pic.twitter.com/0NlDaRkX0M

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 3, 2022

Horford played a pivotal role in Boston’s 120-108 come-from-behind win over the Warriors. The five-time All-Star finished Game 1 with a team-high 26 points, six rebounds, and three assists on a Finals-debut record 6-8 shooting from beyond the arc.

The former Florida Gator choose the fourth quarter to shine the brightest in Boston’s win. Horford scored 11 points in the final frame, including back-to-back triples and a mid-range jumper, to give the Celtics a lead they would never give up. Horford’s key three-pointers powered a decisive 17-0 run that allowed Boston to outscore the Warriors 40-16 in the fourth.

“It was the way that we were moving the ball on offense,” Horford said per NBCSports. “Just being in those positions, I felt like the guys kept finding me time after time. Derrick White hit some tough shots there too. Get some looks, knock ’em down, that’s that.”

A 4Q surge helped us take Game 1, as we closed out with a 120-108 finish against the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/BoxdYNVfVF

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 3, 2022

Boston didn’t allow a single Warrior field goal for nearly five minutes during that game-altering run. The Celtics’ shocking win to steal home-court advantage came on a night when Horford and Jaylen Brown (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists)had to carry the scoring load due to Tatum’s jumper being off on Thursday.

Even as Golden State built a lead as large as 15 through the first three-quarters, Boston was right there, bidding their time until they could strike. When they did, Golden State had no answers for Horford or Brown, who scored a combined 21 points when it mattered the most in Game 1.

“The group that started the fourth quarter, I think, did a great job setting the tone,” Horford said. “Jaylen attacking, Rob got a lob dunk, and that just kinda got us going, and from that point on, we felt like we’re gonna stay solid continue to fight, and that’s what we did.”

Horford’s confident prediction has come true nearly one year after that fateful trade. Boston is indeed back in the Finals after a grueling revenge tour through the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics beat the Nets, Bucks, and Heat on their way to their first Finals trip since 2010. After Thursday’s Game 1 win, Horford has the Celtics in the driver’s seat, up 1-0 on the Warriors.

The Celtics and Warriors will play again on Sunday in Chase Center, with Boston looking to take a commanding 2-0 series lead as the series shifts to TD Garden.

The post Al Horford on Finals Debut: ‘I’ve Been Waiting For This Moment’ appeared first on SLAM.

Boston enters the Finals after beating the Nets, Bucks, and Heat, who each beat the Celtics during the last three postseasons. The Celtics were able to make this run despite a slow start to the season. Boston went .500 over the first 50 games of the season but won after 26 of their last 32 games, finishing the season with the best defensive rating in the League.

The Warriors beat the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Mavericks during their run to the Finals. They finished the regular-season with a 53-29 record, good for third in the West. They’ve had a season of triumph with Stephen Curry breaking the all-time record for made three-pointers and creating the 3k club and the happy return of Klay Thompson following 942 days away from the hardwood.

They also had to deal with injuries to Curry and Green that almost knocked them off the top of the West, but the emergence of Jordan Poole and some timely big games from Thompson helped them stave off any trouble.

The regular-season series between the Warriors and Celtics ended in a 1-1 tie, with both teams winning their home games; Boston won the last matchup 110-88, but the Warriors were missing Andrew Wiggins, and Curry suffered a foot sprain that night that sidelined him until Game 1 of the first-round after colliding with Marcus Smart as the two fought for a loose ball.

Here, we take a look at these two powerhouse squads:

Can Golden State Solve Boston’s Defense?

Boston has the top-ranked defense remaining in the Finals and is designed to stop the chaotic motion offense of the Warriors. The Celtics’ ability to wear teams out physically and their switching makes them the best defense in the League.

On the other side, the Dubs are the top-ranked offense in the playoffs, scoring 116.1 points per game—up to four points from what they scored during the regular season. Will Golden State rely on their typical offensive actions against a defense that’s been excellent at stopping superstar scorers like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Giannis Antetokounmpo? We’ll have to find out and see.

Tatum Exploiting Mismatches

While Boston is equipped with a squad full of bucket-getters, one standout has been Jayson Tatum, who has hunted mismatches against the Warriors—whether it’s shooting over defenders or whipping the ball around so that Boston can attack Golden State when have a 4-on-3 advantage. As JT continues to step up as a playmaker, Boston has continued to thrive.

Coach Steve Kerr’s solution may be to mix different coverages against him, likely doubling, switching, and mixing in some zone looks like the Warriors used against Luka Doncic. Another question is if Derrick White, Smart, and Brown can continue to show out and knock down shots, including the ones Tatum helps create for them.

X-FACTOR

An x-factor for Golden State has been two-way play of Andrew Wiggins. As a member of the Warriors, Wiggins has emerged as an All-Star after thriving as a third option scorer. His shot creation, defensive versatility, and offensive rebound makes him indispensable players. Will Wiggins make the most of his opportunities against a physical defense that thrives at reducing ball movement and forcing some iso play?

Robert Williams is another x-factor for the C’s. The Time Lord’s shot-blocking at the rim and perimeter has been invaluable when he was healthy. On the offensive end, Williams is a primetime lob threat.

The post 2022 NBA Finals Preview appeared first on SLAM.