He’s made it abundantly clear that he finds his life’s purpose in helping serve others and providing light in times of darkness. After a spectacular career at the University of Portland, the undersized point guard went undrafted in the 2006 NBA Draft. But his faith didn’t allow that to deter him from his goal of becoming a professional basketball player.

He’d end up having a 17-year pro career that spanned a handful of countries and a brief stint in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings in 2010-11. Last year, he announced his retirement as a player after spending his last two seasons as a player/mentor with the NBA G League Ignite. 

He followed up his retirement with news that he’d be joining the Portland Trail Blazers as a player development coach and their G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix, as an assistant GM.

Pooh pulled up to the SLAM office and chopped it up about everything: his new dual role with the Trail Blazers, his transition from player to coach, founding the Black Coaches Association, what community means to him and more.

This interview has been slightly edited for clarity and conciseness.

SLAM: I appreciate you for being here, first things first. We’ll get into a few things, but I want to start with your latest accomplishment, becoming a coach in the League. How’d that come about?

Pooh Jeter: First, praise God that we’re able to have this conversation and speak on the SLAM platform. This is huge. You know, me being in this new role–I wasn’t expecting it. I was really expecting to still be playing with Ignite, until I got this opportunity from Mike Schmitz, the assistant GM [for the Portland Trail Blazers] and a longtime friend of mine. He had an idea of this dual role, in the front office and coaching. Once Chauncey Billups—who I’ve been knowing since ’05—found out, he was like, I need him too! So it just made sense to have this role of being a player development coach [for the Trail Blazers], and also being assistant GM of our NBA G League [Rip City] Remix team.

SLAM: So, what’s Coach Pooh like?

PJ: Coach Pooh is—I’m still a hooper. But I’m able to share my experiences. One thing I know about player development is people don’t think about the development part. That’s not just basketball. Me being in this role, I’m still like a teammate since I just recently made this transition. For me to be able to tap in for you to bring out your best don’t really gotta do with basketball; we’re human beings as well. I think the trust that players have with me, they’re able to really let me know what’s going on with them. Because, the basketball stuff is—I’ll be able to help with that, for sure.

SLAM: How’s that transition from player to coach/front office executive been for you since announcing your retirement last year?

PJ: The transition has been amazing, man. The last two years I played with G League Ignite really helped me make my transition even better. I still get down and practice, which is cool. I’m one of the only people in the League with this role. It’s an amazing balance; I’m able to really talk to both sides. I’ve experienced so much and it’s not meant for me to hold it, it’s for me to share. My whole mission is refreshing others; that’s what I’m about.

SLAM: In another interview, you mentioned how important it is for you to share information with your community first. Can you speak to this a bit more? What does community mean to you?

PJ: Community is everything to me, wherever I’m at. We gotta fix within if we want to do things on the outside. Once you focus on that part, everything is gonna take care of itself. That comes with information, that comes with love. Coming from the inner city, you really have to tap into that to really change narratives. That’s the whole point of me being a messenger and servant. I gotta serve. Once I’m able to do that, [the younger generation] is gonna do the same. It starts with community.

SLAM: I want to touch on the Black Coaches Association (BCA). How did that come about and what are you trying to do with it?

PJ: BCA really started with coaches John Thompson, Nolan Richardson, George Raveling and John Chaney around the late ’80s. Then it just went away. I had a conversation with Coach Jason Hart—he’s somebody I really look up to for a lot of different reasons. He was venting to me, because at that time (and now) the Pac-12 didn’t have a Black head coach. That’s weird for a Power Five conference—like, why?! Well, I’m really into trademarks and once I saw Black Coaches Association/BCA was available, I got on it. So then, with the relationships that I do have, here comes [a long list of Black coaches] that became members of the association. I was still a player at the time, and there was so much going on in the world. I just wanted to make sure these coaches were alright mental health-wise. Everybody started making their calls and it got big! We probably have 2,500 Black coaches in our database.

Now that I’m on the sidelines, I’m looking at other pro players who want to get into coaching. Again, it’s about who we’re getting our information from. I’m just tryna do something to make sure the community—my community—is prepared for the opportunity. Black Coaches Association is my baby. It’s a real passion and priority of mine.

SLAM: What’s left for Pooh to do in the game of basketball?

PJ: I’m gonna go to this scripture in the Bible: “even though I have plans in my heart, God directs my steps.” I have to continue to pray and just be aligned with the steps we’re on and hopefully, these steps are leading somewhere. You know, I wasn’t expecting to be a coach and in the front office; that wasn’t my plan. I just pray that my steps are being directed in the right way, with God. One of the requirements is to walk humbly; I’m just trying to walk humbly and make sure God’s will is done.

Here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’s updated regularly. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

Photos by Marcus Stevens.

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: Pooh Jeter is All About Serving Others, Whether He’s on the Court or Sidelines appeared first on SLAM.

“I didn’t have an idea of what my future looked like at that moment of being in the clubs, just promoting and being around the guys… so I was just taking it as is,” says Shabar.

Eventually, his stars began to align themselves. In 2017, he met some heavy hitters from Adidas and found his way to establishing a full-time role with the company, which marked the turning point in not only his career but also his perspective moving forward. “From me working with Adidas as a marketing consultant in the grassroots basketball department, that kind of, like, sparked my interest of, oh, I could work corporate, I can actually do this… That made me shelf nightlife,” Shabar recalls. “It gave me the idea that I can do something different and leverage my relationships and leverage my abilities.”

His journey is exemplary of how the game can enable a kid who was dealt a tough hand to make the most of his cards. He grew up in a single-parent household in Redfern Projects, one of the notorious projects in Queens, and says he clawed his way out. “My mom was adamant about me getting out of the projects, she wanted a better life for me and I thank her for that,” says Shabar. “A big part of that pathway was putting me in sports. I think that’s the first encounter of the idea of getting out the hood–it’s sports or rap. Once I picked up that basketball, I felt empowered.” And like many young Black boys who grow up in the projects, Shabar had hoop dreams of making it in the pros. Unfortunately, his playing days were cut short after sustaining a knee injury while playing at City College of San Francisco, but the game remained a central component of his life trajectory. He never got to realize his NBA dream… as a player. He still found a way to the League, just in a different way. 

Today, Shabar is the Oklahoma City Thunder’s fan development experience coordinator, a role he accepted last November. “It was a real emotional moment, to be honest with you,” Shabar says of the moment he learned he had been offered the job. “You know, you dream of getting drafted. This was my draft.”

As a fan development experience coordinator, Shabar’s priority is creating an intersection with culture and basketball through activities that engage local fans. It’s something that’s much easier said than done, especially for a small market like Oklahoma City. But Shabar is equipped with the experience to excel. “It’s something I’ve been doing for a long time,” he says. “In a sense, promoting parties is that intersection between sports and culture and lifestyle branding. I was creating experiences in New York City; I’m just bringing that same thing here.”

Shabar has gotten off to a great start in helping strengthen the bond between the Oklahoma City locals and the Thunder. He recently spearheaded an “HBCU Night” in honor of Black History Month, in which they highlighted Oklahoma’s only HBCU, Langston University, where students created a special edition shirt inspired by the tradition of their school. The night’s goal was “education, elevation and celebration,” says Shabar. Safe to say, mission accomplished.

“I’m just here trying to grow and learn everything I can from everybody that’s around me,” Shabar says. “Eventually I would want to step into a leadership role… but I’m happy to continue the journey with a sports organization, specifically the OKC Thunder. It’s a great time to be here.”

At the time of publishing, the Thunder are first in the Western Conference. If they continue to win at this rate and our SLAM 247 cover stars continue to progress as rapidly as they are, Shabar’s job is made that much easier.

Here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’s updated regularly. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

Photos by Brooke Brennan and Stuart Bennett.

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: OKC Thunder’s Shabar Ewing is at the Forefront of Culture and Community Engagement appeared first on SLAM.

Pepe Bratanov, also known by his artistic moniker Peppy Colours, is a Toronto-based visual artist and curator of The Local Gallery New York. His work has garnered numerous awards and recognition internationally. We recently sat down to discuss his love and passion for basketball-inspired art, how the partnership between The Local Gallery and SLAM came to be, investing in art, art gallery misconceptions and more. 

This interview has been slightly edited for conciseness and clarity. 

Curtis: The partnership between The Local Gallery and SLAM is very unique; can you speak to how it came about?

Pepe: Truly unique. It was born out of mutual love for the game. On a brand level, there was a total alignment, and on a human level even more so. Everyone involved is so passionate about hoops and art. On one hand, you have TLG with a very strong interest in hoop culture and is dedicated to growing and pushing the contemporary art scene. On the other hand, you have SLAM, a brand that needs no introduction, the most authentic voice in basketball storytelling for a very long time. This partnership just made so much sense on so many levels.

Together, we saw an opportunity to carve out a space that hasn’t been fully explored. We’ve seen small things done here and there that try to bring the art and basketball worlds together, but in most cases it’s one-offs, pop-ups, brief celebrations of the game, but nothing as committed and dedicated to basketball and hoop culture as what we’re building. And where we’re building it. We’ve entered New York City, the biggest art market in the world with 1,500 or so galleries. It’s saturated, so we couldn’t just be another gallery. We needed to find a niche. We needed to do something differently. And we did. We launched the first gallery in the commercial art world entirely dedicated to basketball and hoop culture all year round.

Curtis: What is it about basketball and its culture that makes it possible to have an entire art gallery solely dedicated to art inspired by the game?

Pepe: I think the key here, as you said, is in its culture. The sport itself is beautiful and extremely entertaining, but it’s the culture that makes it so special and sets it apart from other sports. There’s so much that surrounds the game–the sneakers, the fashion, the music, the video games, the entertainment, the diversity and inclusivity. There’s a lot of trend-setting. Hoop culture is pop culture. And pop culture has always played a big part in influencing the art scene. Art is about expression. It comes from the artist’s sad or happy place. It’s often a reflection of culture, popular or not, and the current state of our society. And when basketball and basketball culture touch so many aspects of our lives, it’s easy for it to make its way into art. You could even say it’s inevitable.

I think when we were starting this a lot of people expected that we’d be showing portraits of basketball players. And we do show some portraits occasionally when they’re done in a really interesting way, but it’s so much more than that and honestly, it’s all the other stuff we show at the gallery that gets people excited about what we do. Whether it’s an artist applying old Japanese pottery techniques to porcelain sneakers and basketballs, art made with sprinkles or textiles, or portraits made with vintage Jordans, the diversity and unexpected nature of the work is what draws people in. We’ve had people who are not even into basketball visit the gallery and fall in love with what we do.

And on top of it all, I think we’re experiencing a bit of a renaissance when it comes to the growth of basketball and everything that surrounds it. It just seemed like the right time. We had all the right ingredients to create something special.

Curtis: As a curator, and artist yourself, what draws you into basketball-inspired art?

Pepe: The diversity and fresh takes. It’s 2024; everything looks like something else. It’s hard to create something that’s truly original, if not impossible. But I continue to see things that are done in an interesting way, things I think people will connect with on an emotional level. And creativity–I always look for creativity in the work. Having talent is important, but nothing beats creativity and fresh thinking.

And to go full circle, of course, the culture. Basketball is so rich in culture and it’s what allows the creation of all this diverse work. Side note, I’m obsessed with soccer. I watch it and play it religiously. Growing up in Europe, soccer was all I knew. But when it comes to art, I was never able to find inspiration in it outside of the game I’m watching or playing.With basketball it’s a whole different thing. It’s got a special place in my heart even though I adopted it later in my life, not until the early 90s when the NBA and Jordan’s Bulls were introduced in Europe in a more prominent way.

Curtis: We’ve heard people like Rich Paul urge athletes to invest in art; what’s your take on art as an investment?

Pepe: When it comes to art, I think for me the most important thing is you need to connect with the piece you’re acquiring. Have that special connection with the art and the artist. You’re going to wake up next to this piece every day. It needs to mean something to you. It needs to trigger something in you. One look at it may turn a bad day into a good one.

So I’d say if you’re making the investment, make it an emotional one. If it happens that the artist is on the rise and the value of the work will double in a year or two, all the better. It’s a win-win. But the work must mean something to you. Leave the rest to us. We’re always on the lookout for emerging talent that we believe is on the rise in hopes to help make your emotional investment a financially sound one, too.

Curtis: There’s a huge misconception about the relationships between artists and galleries. Again, leaning on your experience as both a curator and artist, can you speak to the role of art galleries in 2024 and why they’re maybe more necessary in today’s climate, contrary to popular belief? Especially with people having more access than ever before with the advent of the internet and social media.

Pepe: For artists, the biggest thing is validation. It’s in our nature as human beings. We need it, we seek it. There’s a reason why the movie industry has the Oscars, athletes have the Olympics and so on. Pretty much every industry and sector has its own way of recognizing the cream of the crop. Love it or hate it. It’s in us.

There are millions of artists out there and only so many galleries. Getting into a gallery helps propel the artist’s career. If you love a certain artist and their work, I strongly encourage you to buy their work from the gallery they’re showing in. It gives them an immense sense of pride. Especially when the artists next to them may not be able to sell. When you buy from the artists directly, you’ll help them pay one of their bills for the month; buy their art from the gallery they’re showing in and you’ll be helping them build their career.

Curtis: Looking ahead, what do you envision The Local Gallery NYC adding to the grand scheme of the art community? 

Pepe: Freshness, creativity, diversity and inclusivity. We are new and unburdened by some of the old ways of the industry. I believe we have a fresh take on art. We’ll always look for and support creativity. And just like the sport itself, it’s our mission to have a space that is inclusive and supports diversity. Oftentimes, I see people passing by our doors and feeling uneasy, uncertain if they should come in. There’s this misconception attached to art galleries, that they’re not for everyone. And some are indeed not for everyone. This is not us. This is the place for you where you can discover exciting new work, get immersed in creativity and leave inspired by the sport, its culture and the art that meshes it all into one.

Pull up and check out the gallery at 43-42 12th St, Queens, NY 11101.

Photos by Marcus Stevens

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: Meet the Curator Behind The Local Gallery NYC, SLAM’s New Art Gallery appeared first on SLAM.

Every June, my former AAU team, Hoop Booth, would travel to Old Dominion University for their team camp to play a handful of games against some of the best high school and AAU programs in the area. And every year, there was one team I’d look forward to playing as a marker for where my game was: I.C. Norcom High School out of Portsmouth, Virginia. They were talented across the board, well-coached and flat-out tough. But Dorian (or Doe Doe as they called him) was the piece that really made this team go. Dorian was ahead of his time. This was back in 2010, so Kevin Durant had only been in the League for three years. It wasn’t yet the norm for hoopers taller than 6-7 to have the skill and fluidity of guards who played below the rim combined with the athleticism and length of true bigs. 

Today, Dorian Finney-Smith is one of the most coveted role players in the L. During a time where the average career length is about 4 and a half years, it’s not an accident that Dorian is in his eighth NBA season with what seems like many more ahead of him. Sure, he was blessed with physical gifts but it’s his unwavering refusal to take these gifts for granted that got him here.

Dorian pulled up to the SLAM HQ in Queens and we sat down to discuss his upbringing, going undrafted, his outlook on fatherhood, which includes helping his own father get released from prison recently. He also opened up about the legacy he hopes to leave behind and his community service efforts.

This interview has been slightly edited for conciseness and clarity.  

Curtis: Growing up in Portsmouth, it would have been so easy to adopt a small-town mentality; can you speak to the commitment you made at an early age to do something special?

Dorian Finney-Smith: Well, my older brother [Ben Finney] played as well, so I was able to watch his process. And his best friend, who’s like family to me, Vernon Macklin, was like the first person from my city to make it to the NBA and that was motivation for me. To be able to touch somebody who got drafted–to be able to have conversations with and see somebody who I know got drafted made me know it was possible. With him being highly ranked and being from my small city, that was all the motivation I really needed.    

Curtis: I know you had a target on your back as a major athlete in a small trouble-ridden area. How did you keep on a narrow path and not fall victim to the peer pressures that plagued a lot of the Portsmouth youth?

DFS: My momma being on our ass [laughing]. But also, one of my older brothers was killed and my pops was in prison, so I had all the motivation I needed to know that I didn’t want to live that type of lifestyle. Everybody my brother grew up with who I would use to call the big bros was getting locked up. I realized by eighth or ninth grade that the life that rappers and everybody glorified was only gonna lead you to two places, either death or jail. They’d just fall into the system. I also had a best friend, Jeremy Canty, and his pops was a real stand up man who was good for me. His pops took me to all my workouts and stuff like that when my momma couldn’t. She had to work and she got five other kids, so she couldn’t get us to practice and stuff like that. I had a great community around me, man. I had a good support system. A lot of people wanted to see us win, wanted to see me win.

Curtis: Most highly coveted prospects like you choose to go the private school or prep school route. What went into your decision to stay home and play for Norcom High School, your local public school?

DFS: I wanted my friends to get looks, too. I wanted the college coaches to come see them when they came to our practices. I wanted them to get some notoriety. I just wanted everybody to eat, that’s just the type of person I am. I always said, ‘if you’re good enough, they’re gonna find you.’ And back then it was different; we wanted to play public school. And we still got the opportunities to play against the James McAdoos and the Findlay Preps once we won our first state championship. I ain’t easily influenced, so it wasn’t like my mom and them were trying to get me out the city.

Curtis: After a steady and consistently improving college career that began at Virginia Tech and ultimately Florida, filled with honors like ACC All-Freshman Team, SEC Sixth Man of the Year and 2x Second-team All-SEC, you went undrafted in 2016. How would you say your upbringing and experiences prepared you for adversity and helped you stay the course to earn an opening day roster spot for the Dallas Mavericks after going undrafted?

DFS: My mom used to have this saying, ‘it don’t matter, we gonna always end up on top.’ That was the mentality I always had. I never really got the immediate results I wanted; I always had to work for it. Even in high school, I didn’t play my freshman year. My friends were playing, and I sat on the bench the whole year. I never pointed my fingers at nobody; I always looked in the mirror and worked on my game. That’s exactly what I did. I ain’t feel sorry for myself or nothing, I just started working. And I wanted them to feel my presence whenever I got on the court. I knew whatever [NBA] team I was going to, they weren’t gonna have me there to shoot all the balls. I knew playing defense was probably what was gonna get me on the court. I just wanted my energy to be felt as soon as I stepped on the court. So, when I got to training camp, I felt like I did that.

I didn’t even have the best summer league. I remember sitting in my locker just being appreciative like, ‘man, this might be my last day here.’ D-Will was just smirking at me like, ‘I don’t know rook, this might not.’ But I was just appreciative. C’mon, man, I’m from Portsmouth, Virginia and I got Dirk Nowitzki sitting beside me, bro.

Curtis: Piggybacking off your decision to stay at Norcom in high school, you mentioned you wanting everybody to eat. Now, you’re doing that, literally, with your community service efforts. Can you speak to the inspiration to give back to your community and what that means to you, especially as a Black person coming from where you come from?

DFS: It means a lot to me, man. It wasn’t just my mom, it was the whole community who helped raise me. I grew up in an era when you may see somebody at the store and you’re doing something hard-headed, and they might say, ‘man, chill before I tell your momma.’ The community cared, especially when you’re doing something positive and they know you’re working hard to get out of that situation. They all encouraged me. If they saw me hanging with someone they even thought was a bad influence, they’d pull me to the side and tell me, ‘watch yourself when you’re around him.’ So I always felt like this was bigger than me, especially when I started looking back at it. Even my brother’s friends–when they used to do all the little hard-headed stuff, they’d be like, ‘Doe, stay home tonight.’ So, I just wanted to pay my dues, man. Because any one of those times they could’ve just said ‘come on,’ and that could’ve been it for me. 

But again, my upbringing, too. My mom always gave back, even when we stayed in the projects. It’d be another house full of kids that we’d be passing and we’d be giving them hand-me-downs or vice versa. We were a little older and bigger so we would be giving away our clothes to other kids. My mom always had that family-type feel, you know. She’d feed the whole neighborhood–make a big pot of spaghetti and feed everybody, all of our friends. There’s six of us, so if everybody got two friends, it was a lot [laughing]. So, I just took after my mom. My first year doing my camp, I was on the training camp deal but to everybody else, it was like, ‘he’s on the team and he’s from Portsmouth.’

Curtis: This past holiday season, you got an early Christmas gift–your father was blessed to come home after doing almost 28 years in prison. Even though he was away, he was still a part of your life, so can you speak to your relationship with him?

DFS: When my brother passed, and when I had my first daughter, it made me want to build that relationship with him. Shout out to Coach D, Billy Donovan, who used to always push for me to have that relationship with him. During my redshirt year at Florida after I transferred there, Coach D and my mom thought it was best that I talk to someone about my brother and stuff. So working with them and talking about my life, we came up with the plan of trying to reconnect my relationship with my pops and staying consistent with it. That’s pretty much how it happened.

Curtis: Can you touch on the process of helping him get released?

DFS: When I got to the NBA, Jamahl Mosley, who coaches the Orlando Magic–we were talking and I told him about my dad’s situation and he was like, ‘man, you should hit up Cube (Mark Cuban) and see if he knows someone who could help you with that.’ After I got my first deal (with Dallas), I ended up saying something because I knew I was gonna be there for another three years. Cube got me in contact with Jason Lutin–shout out to him. And Lutin just attacked this thing like a full-court press, man. He dove into it. He hit up his contacts–Jerry Kilgore, shout out to him, too. And once they read the case, they said he should’ve been got out, or at least on his way out. I was able to talk to the parole board last year, probably, like, a week before the trade [to Brooklyn]. It was a lot going on, it was a dope experience for it all to happen and come to fruition. He got here, and the first probably 10 minutes was just a staring contest, just me looking at him, checking him out. My kids are all over him. And that’s who he really wanted to see. Not saying he didn’t want to holla at me, it’s just he wanted to be with his grandkids.

Curtis: Has your relationship with your parents shifted your mindset of fatherhood?

DFS: Of course. Like I said, it was six of us and four of us played Division I basketball. She used to be at three games in one day. She’d go from my game, to my sister’s game, to Old Dominion to see Ben. She’d leave at halftime; but you’re going to hear her voice, you’re going to see her and she’s gonna wave to you when she leaves, you know what I’m saying? She used to try her best, man. That’s who the real GOAT is. My mom was very determined. She didn’t let us make any excuses. Anything that happened at home–once we on the court, we on the court. She helped us with that mentality, and I still use it today. You know, I just never wanted my kids to grow up like I did. I want them to be able to say I was there.

Curtis: When all is said and done, how do you want to be remembered–by the basketball community, by your kids, by Portsmouth?

DFS: I always say God-fearing family fam, but I’m going to elaborate on that a little more. I just want my kids to know their dad loves them and I want them to appreciate life. I try to lead by example because any day this shit can be taken away, at any time. I learned that at an early age with my brother, and hopefully it don’t gotta be to that extent with them. I always try to tell them, ‘get what you can get out of each day.’ As far as the community, I just want to do my part, man. I want them to know that I care, I care about my community, I care about the generation after me. And like I said, it’s bigger than me. If I could change the mindset of one kid each year, then I did my job. I just try to be who I would’ve needed when I was young, or who more of my friends could’ve used when they were younger.

Action photos via Getty Images. Portraits by Marcus Stevens

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: Dorian Finney-Smith Talks Fatherhood, Helping Dad Get Released From Prison and Going Undrafted appeared first on SLAM.

Today, Justin is widely known in the art world and recognized for his unique style of cutting up luxury items and retro Jordans and piecing them together in collages mixed with paint and other mediums. He went from selling his first piece of art for about $150 and now has pieces that sell for upwards of $15,000. For those looking to invest in something besides material items, stocks, cars, etc., rest assured that investing in a Justin Ruby piece is a safe bet. But money isn’t his motive, his contributions to the fabric of the world are much more heart-driven.

Justin’s art is keen on the most intricate details, not just in the visual components but also in the underlying storytelling. Each stroke of his brush and choice of materials is deliberate, weaving together emotions and narratives. From the delicate play of light on a subject’s face to the subtle symbolism embedded in the background, every element serves a purpose in the grand scheme of his creations. And while he’s not limited to one medium, the consistent theme on display in most of his artwork is his love for sneakers. His process involves carefully selecting sneakers that resonate with the essence of his subjects. The sneakers themselves become characters in the art, telling a unique tale of their own. Justin’s art transcends the canvas; it’s a dialogue between culture and the human experience.

“I used to say all these different reasons like materialism or whatever,” he says when asked to describe what inspires his artistic style. “Materialism is a theme in my work, but really it was just for acceptance. I still didn’t feel like my homies or my good friends felt moved by my art. It felt kind of removed from them still. So I was thinking about what I could do that’d make them care. What I could do to tell a narrative that they could relate to, where they could feel involved. I knew they would go nuts if I posted a video on Instagram of me cutting sneakers up. I didn’t even know what I was going to do with it. I remember laying [the pieces] out on the floor trying to make a face out of them. And this was my first pair of 7s.”

You can find two of Justin’s remarkable pieces, along with over 20 others from different artists on display and available for purchase at The Local Gallery NYC, presented by SLAM, located at 43-42 12th Street Long Island City, NY 11101. 

I sat down with Justin to discuss the moments that led him to take art seriously, having his work shown in galleries, his love for hip-hop and more.

This interview has been slightly edited for clarity and conciseness.  

Curtis: York is a very small and relatively uneventful town, so I’m curious: how did you get introduced to art and when did you decide to take it seriously?

Justin Ruby: I feel like I had multiple introductions because I feel like there were introductions that didn’t stick. At the first high school I was going to, [art] wasn’t really a cool thing to do. Then I moved schools, and it was like art was this cool thing. There were cool kids who did art, so there wasn’t shame to be so excited about it. I was in art class and I kept getting in trouble and shit, and then this one time my teacher gave me detention. She was like, ‘You’re going to do an assignment while you’re in here.’ So, I brought in this drawing the next day and she’s like, ‘Who did this drawing for you?’ I was like, ‘I did this drawing.’ She made me sit down and do another one because she didn’t believe me. Then I did it and she was like, ‘Justin, you need to stop screwing around. You could really go to school for this.’ Then she took me to the advanced teachers and stuff. They were all like, ‘Dude, you could really do this. You could get a full ride to college.’ I had some college-level teachers and they really encouraged me and built up my confidence as a creator, and as a person, too.

I didn’t really fit in anywhere; I was just in this gray area. I was too white for one thing and too “[cultured]” for another. I just felt kind of like a loner sometimes. I never even seen artists; I thought artists were dead people. I never heard of a living artist who made money off of it. I wasn’t raised in abject poverty or anything, but it was like, ‘Bro, I just want more.’ And I realized every time my parents would fight or my family would be stressed, it was because of money. And I’m like, ‘Yo, I want more!’ Like, there’s more to life than living paycheck to paycheck, I just had this ambition to do something.

Curtis: Where does basketball and hoop culture come into play for you?

JR: I thought basketball was my passion, but really, I just love the culture. If we were playing pickup, I could play really well. But there was something about the structure of the game—I wasn’t really coachable and I didn’t understand the flow of the game. I didn’t remember any of the plays and shit. So like, I’m thinking about some project I could do. Everyone’s thinking about the gameplan and I’m trying to figure out what shoes I’m going to wear.

Curtis: Clearly sneakers are a huge part of the type of art you create today. Where does your love for kicks come from?

JR: My best friend, Mikey. His dad was like this mythological character; he was present in his life, but he lived in Philly, so he would only see him every once in a while. But Mikey would always come back in with some Jordan’s-not Spizikes or what’s in Foot Locker. He would come in with, like, some OG 13s. I was learning and he was always teaching me about shoes. This is when I realized I really enjoyed design-picking out colors and things like that. We went to Sneaker Con and we saw them painting shoes in a contest. Mikey was like, ‘Justin, you can do this better than all of them.’ And I remember Mikey surprised me one day. He convinced his dad to buy me an airbrush and then he brought me these Military Blue 4s and he’s like, ‘Bro, paint these for me.’ We were so excited, we didn’t even wait. It was like 11:30 at night. I didn’t even prep them right. You’re supposed to strip everything off, but I got straight to it. I remember Mikey wore them like two or three times and they were chipping off on the side. I love him because he was trying to support me, but he would get straight clowned for wearing them. I painted like maybe two more pairs of shoes, but then I saw I could paint on a canvas and sell that for like for like $350. 

Curtis: How did you get into your artistic style of cutting up sneakers and putting them back together in a collage-style painting?

JR: I never really liked painting landscapes or animals or anything. I loved figures and I would draw basketball players and stuff. And I was into rappers. This was my first attempt at getting people’s attention. And then, like, doctors and lawyers started liking it. Because everybody is a part of this culture. I could have a rich doctor put my work on their wall, but I can also have people who never seen a piece of art love it and be moved by it. I can move somebody in the trenches and I can move somebody in first class. It was the first time I felt powerful. Like, ‘Damn, I can really make some type of impact.’

Curtis: Hip-hop is a huge component of this column and you mentioned being into rappers. Do you listen to music while you’re creating art? How does hip-hop inspire you?

JR: I remember when I first discovered Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne is still like my favorite character. He kind of really really pushed me into liking rap. I listen to all music. It really depends on what mood I’m in. It’s more of how it makes me feel in the moment. Sometimes, it depends on the piece I’m working on. If I’m in a mode where I have to work for 15 hours in a day, I’ll start out slow and graduate to something more high energy. But I listen to majority rap, for real. Obviously, Drake has been one of my favorites-obviously J. Cole and Kendrick. There was a point in time where I would only listen to Kendrick. And now I really been listening to R&B and stuff. I really love Bryson and Brent. I feel like they’re constantly comparing who’s best and stuff, but it’s like everybody has separate contributions.

Curtis: There’s a big misconception about the relationship between artists and galleries. What does it mean to you when you have your work showing in galleries?

JR: When I first started, that was the ultimate goal. Having your work in a gallery is like getting drafted. When your work is on a legit wall and you see it there, and they’re having an opening-it feels like I’m legit now. Like, I’m a professional. At first, you’re like a typical starving artist and you just want to pay your bills. But then once you get past that point, it’s like, ‘I’m going to be someone.’ It’s not about the money, it’s about contributing. To the culture, to like the society. You have people messaging you like, ‘This shit changed my life.’ Showing your work in galleries is dope, especially when you find a dope gallery and they’re actually a legit gallery.

Curtis: Where do you want to take your career? What does success in this crazy and evolving art world look like to you?

JR: I feel like it’s changed. I had goals last year-I hit some of them, I missed some of them. But right now, I haven’t really been setting goals. I just want to contribute whatever I wake up that day feeling like. A lot of times, I make these detailed plans and one little thing will get delayed, and then this thing gets messed up and this other thing falls through and then this new opportunity comes. So I’ve just been living in the moment. My goal is just to make better work, great work, amazing work and reach people.

Photos via Alex Yarrish

As always, here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’ll be updated weekly with each column. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: Artist Justin Ruby Cuts Up Your Favorite Kicks to Make Stunning Basketball Portraits appeared first on SLAM.

While on her way to a workout, Evina spoke with me about her upbringing, recruitment, trusting the process, making history, being a hip-hop producer in her past life, interning with the Portland Trail Blazers, and more.

CURTIS: How are you doing? How’s the off-season been treating you?

EVINA: The off-season has been really good. I definitely miss playing, but I’ve just been getting my workouts in crazy. I either work out in Portland or Eugene. And I live in Salem, so I’m an hour from both. It’s just like, I’ve got to get it in regardless. And I feel really different this off-season, I feel really different. 

CURTIS: You grew up in a basketball family; can you talk about your family’s introduction to the game?

EVINA: Basketball was the only sport my family ever played; my mom was the only person in my family who didn’t. My dad played at OSU and overseas. All my brothers played. My younger brother plays. So it’s like basketball is just what it is.

CURTIS: So what was the moment when you knew you were special and knew you were different from your peers who you were competing against?

EVINA: I grew up playing with boys. When I was getting really good with my boys team, we would have parents from the other teams complaining like they didn’t want a girl on the team. It’s like you’re getting mad that I’m a girl, but I’m beating your son’s ass. When it got to that point it was like, ‘okay, I think we got something special.’ My coach growing up always told me that I was gonna get a scholarship from anywhere I wanted to, that I was gonna go to UConn, that I was gonna win a national championship. He literally spoke it into existence. It was just all coming true because of all the work I put in.

CURTIS: Piggybacking off of that, coming out of high school you were a top two prospect in the country. Can you speak to the preparation that’s necessary to reach that point? What did your day-to-day look like growing up as you were becoming the most sought after recruit?

EVINA: Thinking back on it now, it was kind of crazy–like the type of day-to-day I was having, especially at a young age. And coaching kids now, I feel like they don’t do what I was doing and just kind of eat, live and breathe basketball. I just loved the game. I loved the game to a point where I felt myself getting better and I didn’t want to stop. I would wake up and my coach–his name is Price–would pick me up from my house. Me and my brothers would go to the gym and get it in at like 6 a.m. Then he would take us to the donut shop, we would all go to school, and after school I would find some way to the gym. If my parents were at work and couldn’t take me, I would walk like an hour to the gym. And I would be there until like 10 o’clock and I wouldn’t leave. I missed out on a lot of things, but back then it was like I didn’t want to be anywhere else. The gym was my safe place, so I was just there all the time and I was good there. 

CURTIS: How did your recruitment out of high school unfold, what made Tennessee the right choice initially?

EVINA: Basketball-wise Notre Dame was where I wanted to go. But the school part, I was like nah this isn’t gonna work. I remember going on an unofficial visit to Stanford as a freshman and as soon as we were walking away from the coach, my mom and I looked at each other and I was like, ‘this ain’t it.’ There was nothing wrong with it, it just wasn’t for me. Then when I got down to my top five, there were definitely a couple of schools I didn’t want to tell no. I felt like at the time, Tennessee had everything that I wanted. They had a Black cultural center. I’m like, ‘this is where I’m supposed to be, my people are here, I feel at home.’

CURTIS: So after having two impactful seasons, you decided to transfer; what went into that decision and why UConn?

EVINA: There was just a lot of stuff going on at Tennessee. I still have no regrets. I’m still super thankful that I went there and spent my time there. I met some incredible people who I still talk to. And it’s not like I wasn’t getting playing time. I was the starting point guard both years, leading the team in scoring and assists. I told myself I never wanted to be the kid to transfer and go to another school. After my first year, there was so much going on outside of basketball that was affecting us on the court. But I wanted to stick it out and do whatever was possible to make things better. But then it got worse. I didn’t feel like we had a true culture. The year I transferred was the first year of the transfer portal. I put my name in the portal and my AAU coach was in contact with UConn. I had a lot of schools reach out but I was turning people down left and right. I pretty much knew where I wanted to go. I didn’t want this elaborate process. I knew if I had a good official visit that I was gonna commit on the spot.

CURTIS: After two great years at UConn, it was time to decide what your next steps were. Did you consider using the extra year of eligibility that was granted as a result of COVID?

EVINA: Hell no, I was ready to go [laughing]. Five years was already too much. I had a really good redshirt junior year, I really almost left after that. I played super well in the tournament and they had me projected in the top ten, but we didn’t win. We lost in the Final Four. Me being stingy, I was like we got unfinished business and ended up coming back the next year, which I don’t regret either.

CURTIS: How did your time at UConn prepare you for the W?

EVINA: Honestly, the transition from UConn to the pros was pretty easy, and I think it’s because we have a pro-like system already embedded in UConn. Both on the court and off the court, at UConn, we have to dress and present ourselves a certain way. It was annoying at times, but then you get to the league and it’s like, ‘oh shit, this makes sense.’ So transitioning, I don’t think was hard at all. But it was definitely different in knowing there’s only 12 teams and barely 12 roster spots. There’s only about maybe three people on each time with guaranteed contracts. You’re coming in thinking they’re gonna keep you, but they don’t care where you come from. Sometimes it’s not even about whether you played good or bad. For example, when I got drafted to Seattle, it was the perfect team, perfect situation, wrong time. But it’s like you just gotta keep it pushing. And it’s hard for a young player to jump around. I’ve been on five different teams in two years.

CURTIS: Can you speak to trusting the process and what that looks like for you?

EVINA: It’s definitely been a journey and it’s super tough not letting your mind get to a point of thinking you’re not good enough. But everywhere I’ve been, every place I’ve been to, I’ve continued to put the work in, whether I was playing or not. You just gotta keep your mind into it. All the work I put in helps me never waver from knowing I’m good enough and belong in the league. I’m getting better. I’m gonna get my time at the right time. And I think when you just continue to put the work in–like especially this off-season, I just feel different.

CURTIS:  What do you like to do when you’re not hooping?

EVINA: I love music. I’m listening to music all the time. All the different words, the different beats. Maybe I was a producer in my past life. Either that or a mob wife, I think [laughing]. But yeah, I love listening to music and just vibing for real. I like going to concerts. I just be chillin’, watching movies. I don’t really be on nothing crazy.

CURTIS: Who are your favorite hip-hop artists?

EVINA: Probably Kendrick right on top of Cole. But then sometimes I’ll throw in Young Dolph or BigXThaPlug, like the Tennessee will come out, you feel me? It really depends on what my mood is. Sometimes Dame D.O.L.L.A will be in the mix. Dame can really rap.

CURTIS: Apple Music or Spotify?

EVINA: I’m an Apple Music girl.

CURTIS: What’s your Apple Music replay looking like, who’s at the top?

EVINA: It’s pretty versatile. I know Larry June got it. I’ve been listening to him like crazy. His album that came out this year is probably my favorite from top to bottom. I listen to a lot of Mexican music trying to work on my Spanish a little bit.

CURTIS: Oh wow, that’s a perfect segue because I wanted to ask you about that. You are the first, and only, Mexican-American to be drafted in WNBA history and be playing in the League. Can you talk about your roots and what it was like when you first found out that you’d made history? 

EVINA: I think it was my mom who told me because someone had said it on Twitter. She was like, ‘I didn’t know you were the first Mexican-American to be drafted.’ Man, when I got my Mexican passport, I cried, like literally tears coming out my eyes. Just because it means so much to me. I’m half Black, half Mexican and all my life, because I may not appear as a Mexican, people didn’t believe me. So when I got my passport, I’m like you can’t tell me shit, this is legit. I’m really Mexican, my mom is full Mexican. So just being able to have that passport, how much it means to my family, it really does mean a lot to me. Hopefully, one day I’ll be able to put a Mexico jersey on. 

CURTIS: How has your identity shaped you as a person?

EVINA: Just feeling the love from my family–I think that’s what it’s about, right? They come up to me and tell me I make them proud. They tell me to keep going and that I give them hope and just a different perspective. I’m like ‘damn, really? I’m just putting the ball in the hoop.’ When I hear them talk to me like that, it’s just like I don’t ever want to stop–knowing the impact I have on my family and for the people who always believed in me. I played down there this past year and that was super cool. And I think that’s the main reason why I’m trying to learn Spanish now. That’s definitely my goal. I told all my Mexican teammates to only speak to me in Spanish. That’s the only way I’m going to learn.

CURTIS: I read that you interned with the Portland Trail Blazers. What was that experience like: what’d you do, what’d you learn? There’s a wave of W players really emerging in the NBA/media space. Can you talk about why you chose to intern with the team, and what some of your off-court aspirations are?

EVINA: I was an intern for basketball operations. I was learning everything–salaries, salary cap, contracts, scouting. There are so many layers to it. I learned how to cut up film. I was helping with warmups and a bunch of other stuff. It was a huge learning process, just to kind of see the other side of things. I’ve been the player, so not being on the player’s side of things was different. The money the NBA is playing with is totally different. I’d rather do a 10-day in the NBA than a full season in the W [laughing]. But yeah, I wanna hoop as long as I can, but I wanna have other stuff going while I’m hooping. 

CURTIS: Last question: What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you? Could be anything.

EVINA: Maybe that I have a big and pretty funny personality, just not taking life too serious[ly]. People around me are like, ‘I didn’t think you were gonna be like this, I thought you were just a cute face.’ I hate people like that. You know, she or he looks good or looks cool, but their personality is trash. I never wanted to be that type of person.

Photos via Getty Images.

As always, here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’ll be updated weekly with each column. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: Evina Westbrook Talks Sparks Off-Season, Her Love For Hip-Hop, Mexican Roots and Interning With the Trail Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

Maria Isabel, 27, is on her way to becoming a superstar, there’s no doubt about it. The singer/songwriter has been singing since she could speak, and began professionally making music about four years ago. If she’s not in the recording studio or gracing a stage, there’s a good chance you’ll see her courtside at The Garden, cheering on her beloved New York Knicks. With a charming voice and presence that can mesmerize any crowd, the Queens native finds a way to captivate any audience she’s surrounded by. Don’t blink, soon enough she’ll probably be headlining her own show at The World’s Most Famous Arena.

I sat down with Maria who spoke with me about her love for basketball, how the game inspires her, her appreciation for hip-hop, what we can expect next from her and more.

CURTIS: Jumping straight into it, you carry New York with you everywhere you go; can you walk me through your upbringing and what being born and raised in Queens means to you? How has that influenced you to get to this point?

MARIA: I was born in Flushing. My parents are both Dominican, so we went back and forth a lot between [New York] and the Dominican Republic. But yeah, Queens is literally my whole world. I feel like it’s affected me in so many ways, just being surrounded by so many people at all times. I mean, it’s the most diverse place in the world. So I feel like from a young age, I was exposed to a lot–a lot of different people and a lot of different sounds. And then within my community itself, I feel like I was really influenced in terms of the kind of music I was listening to and the way I dress. So yeah, I feel like it’s a huge part of who I am.

CURTIS: Being exposed to so many sounds like you say, was there a specific moment growing up for you where you just knew you wanted to build a career through music and remove any plan B or other options?

MARIA: I don’t think there was a specific moment where I was like, ‘Oh my God, I love music.’ I just don’t remember not feeling that way. But I think more so I had a moment of like, ‘Oh, this is gonna work.’ It was about two years ago, going on my first headline tour, and especially playing the New York show. I had a few other stops on the tour and they all went well and it was really cool, but something about being home in my community with people I didn’t know, but also people I grew up with, too – being on that stage and seeing how that went was the biggest moment I’ve had so far that made me feel like this is working.

CURTIS: Switching gears a bit – so clearly, we’re at SLAM and I’m familiar with your deep interest in basketball. what was your introduction to the game; where did that stem from? Was it as a kid growing up, was it an interest that developed more recently?

MARIA: I can’t really remember what age, but I want to say late elementary school or early middle school. I have a lot of cousins, and we were all about the same age and grew up together in Queens. Our parents would always be working, so after school we would just kind of pick someone’s house and hang out there all day. One of my cousins, who I was going to school with at the time is a huge basketball fan – lives and breathes the NBA. I would go to his house after school and he would literally make me watch Kobe highlights. We had a hoop in his backyard and after we finished homework, he would literally have me doing drills in the back. I didn’t even have basketball shoes. He was two or three sizes bigger than me and I would double sock and use his. I’d be in the backyard running around with my food sliding around in his shoes. But yeah, I don’t know. I just had so much fun doing that after school. I think that was the first time I really loved something aside from singing, as a kid, specifically.

CURTIS: So, did you play at your middle school?

MARIA: Yeah. But it really wasn’t serious [chuckles]. It was like a few teams within the school and they would just play each other. There was no formal try out or anything like that. It was very much so if you want to be on the team, you’re on the team. But it was all guys. So I showed up one day and I was the only girl, and they were definitely hesitant. But it was really funny having that experience of playing basketball. I wouldn’t say I was great, but I had a great jump shot [laughing]. But I had no handles, like you could take the ball from me in two seconds. At first everyone was weird because I was the only girl, so no one wanted to play defense on me, which was fine by me because I would literally just stand in the corner, get passed the ball and make the shot. It was phenomenal until people realized I was making the shot and then there was like no mercy. After that, it definitely got harder to participate when everyone’s like a foot taller than you. But it was a good time!

CURTIS: What’s your favorite aspect of basketball?

MARIA: There’s just a different energy there. I always say I love my job, but it makes me really sad that I’ll never know what it feels like to win a ring. I don’t know why but watching that happen just feels untouchable, whatever that feeling is at the end of a season. 

CURTIS: Are there any parts of basketball that you implement into your craft of singing and performing on the day-to-day basis?

MARIA: Absolutely. Going to the gym and being in that space meeting different athletes, and obviously watching basketball, I get inspired by them just in terms of how they take care of their bodies and prep for seasons and games. Singing is really similar. Being on tour and stuff is no easy feat. My first tour was a 60-minute show and I think people underestimate how much prep there is for that – even in terms of lung capacity. If you aren’t ready, you’re running out of breath up there for sure. Even when you are ready, it’s still hard. So, yeah, I think the more I learn from hoopers, the more I try to take that into my own experience of just staying ready so I don’t have to get ready.

CURTIS: Are there any specific basketball players who come to mind when you think of those that have inspired you?

MARIA: Yeah, I think in terms of love for the craft and commitment to it, I think Kobe’s the biggest one. He was really my introduction to basketball, but also I think everyone, regardless of being a basketball fan, you’ve heard of the Kobe mentality. So I think the same commitment of where it’s like, this is my life and doing whatever it takes to be the best. And then when I think in general, just like icon wise, it’s AI. I mean, he’s just a legend.

CURTIS: Switching gears once more to hip-hop. From what I’ve observed of you, you have a pretty expansive palette of music you listen to. As an R&B singer, can you speak to where hip-hop falls into that?

MARIA: Growing up in Queens, I literally couldn’t open my window without hearing Jay-Z or Nas coming through the window. Sonically, hip-hop is really impactful. Even making R&B, a lot of the sonic elements still get pulled from hip-hop. And obviously, my method of singing over it is softer, but even in the sense of someone like Lauryn Hill, kind of trying to go down that road is super influenced by hip-hop. But also, I think a big part of why I love hip-hop so much is because I feel like it was people like Jay-Z and Nas who were speaking to the experience of growing up in New York. So, I was listening to other artists and always being influenced, but something about that just always felt like home.

CURTIS: Some of your production is definitely hip-hop influenced. Is that intentional going into it when you’re creating, or is it more so a natural progression of making music for you with hip-hop being so embedded in the culture?

MARIA: Yeah, I think it’s a more natural thing where I don’t even realize I’m doing it. We’ll start a song off softer and I’ll just feel like something is missing. There’s like a push missing. And that’s usually where hip-hop comes in. Even writing my last single – I was in the studio with the producer, Illangelo, and we were listening to A Tribe Called Quest and a lot of Q-Tip before even beginning to think about the song. I feel like the song flowed naturally from the influence before I started making it. Rap and hip-hop are truly like poetry.

CURTIS: You referenced your single “I Drove You Crazy,” so I have to ask. Does that mean we can expect a project soon? No pressure [laughing]. I know you probably get this question all the time.

MARIA: Yeah, I’m finishing an album right now, which I’m really excited about. I’ve definitely been writing for the last year and a half or so. And honestly, a lot of that was just like experimenting with new stuff and trying to grow from where I was and meeting new people and trying new things. But yeah, it’s coming together. 

CURTIS: As we’re approaching the holiday season and new year, what are some things that you feel are next for you in terms of your growth as a human, as an artist and just where you want to take your career?

MARIA: New music is obviously the biggest thing. I think R&B was my first love when it came to singing. But I’m Dominican, I’m from Queens, like we said. So a lot of Latin and hip-hop influences, and I really want to just keep expanding on all of those things. My music is my most honest representation of myself. So, I really want to make sure that I kind of hit all those touch points as I grow. So, new sounds for sure. And then I really want to go back on tour in the new year, hopefully in the spring, and see more places, see more people.

Curtis’ Corner

Hoops: Hoop fans everywhere can rejoice! Bronny James was cleared to return this week, four months after he suffered cardiac arrest at a summer workout. He’s one step closer to returning to game action, which means we’re maybe one step closer to seeing the first father-son duo grace the same court in an NBA game. It’s so easy to root for Bronny; most importantly, I’m just glad he’s healthy.

Rap: Latto is one of my favorite rappers, male or female. She bodied her verse in the all-women cypher that was released this week on XXL. If you haven’t listened yet, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

Everything Black: Former five-star recruit Mikey Williams found himself in a world of trouble with the law earlier this year. He was given a second chance this week after his nine felony charges essentially turned into one misdemeanor (given he satisfies a list of requirements). I’m just thankful he’ll have the opportunity to right the ship. Hopefully, we’re able to see him suit up for Memphis before the season is out. More than anything, I hope he’s able to put this behind him, learn from his experiences and move forward to live out his dreams and fulfill his potential.

As always, here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’ll be updated weekly with each column. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: Singer/Songwriter Maria Isabel Discusses How Basketball and Hip-Hop Inspire Her Career as an Artist appeared first on SLAM.

Villanova Defeats UNC in the National Championship Game at the Buzzer (2016)

UNC’s Marcus Paige had just hit what would be one of the NCAA’s craziest shots in national championship history to tie the game at 74 a piece with just under 5 seconds remaining. Unfortunately for Paige, that shot is erased from many people’s memory bank because of what transpired shortly after. Coming out of a timeout with the length of the court to go and 4.7 seconds on the clock, Villanova’s Kris Jenkins inbounded the ball to Ryan Arcidiacono. He’d make his way up the court and pitch the ball back to Jenkins who was trailing the play. With 1.2 seconds left, Jenkins walked into an open three-pointer, let off a picture-perfect textbook release and the rest was history. Buzzer beaters are among the most exciting plays in basketball. But a buzzer-beater to win the national championship?! There’s a pretty good chance I’ll never see another walk-off buzzer-beater in the national championship again in my life. For that reason alone, I’ll savor this moment forever.

LeBron James Breaks the NBA’s All-Time Scoring Record (2023)

I’m just old enough to remember watching LeBron James when he was at St. Vincent-St. Mary. It feels like yesterday he was deemed “The Chosen One” as a 17-year-old junior in high school. Love him or hate him, there’s no true basketball lover who doesn’t respect the man. As a Kobe fan, I never rooted for LeBron growing up but I always respected his greatness. Quite frankly, he didn’t leave me with much of a choice. His journey from high school phenom to the Mount Rushmore of basketball has been admirable, to say the least. Watching him shoot one of his patented mid-range fadeaway jumpers to break Kareem’s all-time NBA scoring record is a basketball memory I’ll tell my kids about one day. At the rate he’s going, LeBron looks like he could play another 20 years. My future kids just might get to watch him for themselves.

Stephen Curry Breaks the NBA’s All-Time Three-Point Record (2021)

Every time Stephen Curry makes a three-pointer, he breaks a record. His own record. It’s no secret that Steph is the best shooter to walk this planet. On Dec. 14, 2022, under the bright lights of the world’s most famous arena Madison Square Garden, he stamped what was already a foregone conclusion. As he broke free from the Knicks’ defense, he caught a pass on the right wing from Andrew Wiggins and let it go with no hesitation like he’s done too many times to count over the course of his career. Nothing but net. Watching him lead his underdog Davidson Wildcats on an unprecedented NCAA Tournament run back in 2008 was mesmerizing. Experiencing watching him break the NBA’s all-time three-point record, and counting, is the epitome of what makes Steph the greatest show on earth.

Dawn Staley Becomes the First Black Coach to Win Two Division I Titles (2022)

I’m a fan of so many women’s college basketball programs, but since I was a kid UConn has been my favorite. I never ever root against them. This was the case in 2022 as they faced the South Carolina Gamecocks in the national championship. From the tip-off, South Carolina controlled the game and ended up pulling out a 15-point victory for what’d be Dawn Staley’s second national championship. As much as I would’ve loved to see Paige Bueckers capture a chip, I couldn’t help but be proud of witnessing history with Coach Staley becoming the first Black coach, male or female, to win two Division I titles. She’s known for no-nonsense approach to the game, but it’s evident how much she loves her players. In a sport that’s made up of mostly Black athletes, Black women coaches aren’t represented equitably. Coach Staley takes pride in her Blackness and carries that chip on her shoulder. Being able to watch her handle herself so gracefully on the way to making Black history is one of my favorite hoop memories that I can recall. 

Kobe Bryant Scores 60 in his Farewell Game at Staples Center (2016)

On April 13, 2016, basketball enthusiasts had a tough decision to make. You could either choose to watch the Golden State Warriors strive for their record-breaking 73rd victory or you could tune in to watch Kobe Bryant’s last game ever. As much as I love some Golden State, Kobe’s farewell was the easy choice for me. At this point, Kobe was fighting through a broken down body that he put on the line for two decades on his way to becoming one of the greatest hoopers to ever grace a court. The aura surrounding the game was charged with emotion as Kobe delivered a performance for the ages. He willed his way to 60 points, and most importantly a comeback win over the Jazz. Every basket felt like a poetic punctuation mark to an illustrious career. As the final buzzer sounded, the cheers of the crowd echoed gratitude, respect and a profound farewell to one of the game’s greatest icons. Kobe’s last game was more than a spectacle; it was a symphony of greatness that basketball fans will cherish forever.

Curtis’ Corner

Hoops: College Basketball “Feast Week” is underrated as a series of sporting events. This past week, we’ve seen some great hoop from some of the top teams in the country. Feast Week gives teams a taste of tournament-style play in preparation for March Madness down the road. The Zach Edey-led Purdue Boilermakers won the Maui Invitational for the first time in program history. Could this be the year they win the Big Dance, too?

Rap: Like most rap fans, Scary Hours 3 has been on constant rotation for me. Every track is barred up, and you hatin’ if you say otherwise. “Evil Ways” and “The Shoe Fits” are my go-to’s from the EP. Furthermore, I’m patiently waiting for Cole’s “The Fall Off” and really curious to hear what it will sound like. What are the chances we get it before the year is out?

Everything Black: André 3000’s “New Blue Sun” is beautiful. It’s the perfect background music for any occasion. I love how comfortable André is living in his truth. As much as I’d love one, he doesn’t owe us a hip-hop album. His legacy is set in stone as one of the culture’s greatest artists ever.

As always, here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’ll be updated weekly with each column. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

Photos via Getty Images

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: 5 Moments Every Hoop Fan Should be Thankful to Have Witnessed appeared first on SLAM.

Quiet as it’s kept, Osman Bangura’s fingerprints are all over the game at every level—high school, college and even the NBA. At different points over the past two decades, he coached one of the nation’s best basketball programs in Virginia’s Paul VI High School, and at Howard University for a stint. He’s also helped build Team Durant and Team Takeover, respectively, to become two of the premier Nike EYBL programs in the country. When it comes to coaching and basketball, you name it and Osman has done it. He’s played many roles, both big and small, in helping a multitude of hoopers achieve their dream of playing Division I basketball and some to the league. He has unequivocally become THE guy in the DMV grassroots basketball landscape.

“I’ve been coaching for a very long time,” says Osman. “But people don’t really know that because I don’t boast. People do the talking.”

Osman, 46, who was born in Sierra Leone and moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland when he was eight, has no qualms about playing the background while others get the shine. His soft-spoken confidence sets him apart from many of his peers. He’s not in it for his ego. He knows his role—whichever one the moment calls for—and he plays it about as well as anyone in the country in his field. He simply wants to help put kids in a position to get scholarships and help kids improve their quality of life through the game, and he’s done both ten times over. It’s not that he shies away from the notoriety and attention, but he’s not seeking it either.

“I’ve done so much for kids and I don’t expect nothing back,” he tells me. “The way I was raised, you do right and the blessings are gonna come.”

Osman got into basketball late, and though he developed to be a pretty good player, admits he was never quite the prospect like his brother, Alpha Bangura, who went on to play for St. John’s University before carving out a solid career overseas. “I’ve always been a solid player. I was more of a defensive guy, I wasn’t a stud or all-American,” says Osman describing his game. And while he earned some opportunities at the next level, his college playing career was full of forks in the road.

Unfortunately for Osman, he suffered a handful of injuries including a ruptured Achilles and detached retina, which would eventually get the best of him and prevent him from having the playing career he envisioned for himself. He last played for Division III powerhouse Virginia Wesleyan in Virginia Beach before hanging up his jersey for good. “I was so beat, I thought basketball just wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get through it,” he says. 

But Osman knew he still had more to give to the game, even if it was no longer predicated on his athletic abilities. Osman returned to Maryland and one of the first people he reached out to was Glenn Farello, then-head coach at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, one of the best public high school basketball programs in the area at the time.

Farello has since moved on to coach Paul VI, where he’s been for the past 16 seasons. Farello has been named Coach of the Year 13 times. He’s coached more than 80 college basketball players and counting, with 22 who have played professionally five who have played in the NBA. And Osman was there for a chunk of that. “I told Farello, ‘Man, listen, I’m back home [from school]. I been through so much and I want to give back. I have a lot to share,’” Osman recalls. It was a no-brainer for Farello who coached Osman’s brother, Alpha, years prior.

The year was 2003 when Osman made that phone call and jumped into coaching, and he hasn’t looked back since.

“I felt [coaching] is what I had to do, I felt like I sold myself short as a player. I know I could’ve done so much more but I just coasted through it,” says Osman. “I had to give back, even if just one person got something out of it.” Well, if you consider all the current college coaches, Division I hoopers and NBA players who Osman coached along his journey, it’s safe to say that a lot of people got something out of it. Brooklyn Nets’ Dariq Whitehead, New Orleans Pelicans’ Jordan Hawkins, Syracuse’s Judah Mintz, Oregon’s Kwame Evans and Florida State’s Jalen Warley are just a super tiny sample size of Osman’s former players.

This list of basketball success stories that Osman is attached to is only going to keep growing, too. Today, he is the head coach at Thomas Pullen, which Osman says is one of the best middle school basketball programs in Maryland. He also recently decided to part ways with Team Durant as their program director and head coach, and rejoin crosstown rival Team Takeover, where he got his first taste of coaching AAU hoops in the early 2010s. Even with Osman leaving Team Durant and joining forces with a rival squad, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone badmouth him or question his integrity. And that’s because Osman’s intentions are made very clear; it’s always all about the kids.

Many people consider the DMV to be the promise land for college basketball recruiting, and Osman is at the center of it. He’s not the only major figure in this space, but he’s at the top of a shortlist of the most impactful. And while Osman could justifiably walk around with his chest out, he prefers to play it cool. He gives the credit back to his student-athletes and his staff every chance he gets.

“Without the kids, there’s no coaching,” says Osman. “And the biggest thing I would say is that there’s way you could do all of this by yourself. I would absolutely not be successful if I didn’t have my staff. I have it easy because I stand up [and coach], but these guys take a lot off my shoulders from scouting, recruiting, washing uniforms and driving vans.”

There aren’t many youth coaches out there with a track record that’s comparable to Osman’s. He’s done just about everything this game has to offer. But he’s still determined to keep growing and evolving. He says he still has feats to accomplish and goals to check off. He’s worked at every level except the NBA, and that’s where he has his eyes set when thinking about the distant future. “I’ve done so much in this [youth basketball] space and I think I’m needed in this space. But long-term I would love to be an NBA scout or GM in the future,” says Osman. “I couldn’t play at the highest level but maybe I can coach, be a scout or in the front office at the highest level and impact the game that way.”

Sure, his goals are lofty but I wouldn’t bet against Osman. And it goes back to something he said early on, “you do right and the blessings are gonna come.” He’s not perfect, nobody is. But Osman has done a lot of right over the years. It’s safe to assume the blessings are going to continue coming tenfold.

Curtis’ Corner

Hoops: Another week of college hoops and another freshman putting the world on notice for what to expect for years to come. This time it was LSU WBB freshman Mikaylah Williams who dropped 42 points in a win against Kent State. LSU is loaded with experience and a championship pedigree made apparent by last year’s national championship. Adding talented freshmen like Mikaylah to the fold just means LSU will be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.

Rap: If you’re on the hunt for a refreshing listen filled with elegant production, smooth flows and quality substance, check out Oddisee’s album “To What End,” which dropped early this year. I just recently came across it and have been running it consistently.

Everything Black: This week Brandon Jennings penned a guest story for SLAM about his Tuff Crowd collaboration with Stephen Curry’s Curry Brand. Brandon called it “the most impactful collaboration the league has ever seen” and he made some valid points to support his claim. Be sure to give that a read and check out the collection here.

As always, here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’ll be updated weekly with each column. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: Osman Bangura is the Grassroots Guru for DMV Hoops appeared first on SLAM.

When I was deciding how I wanted to kick the column off, I knew I wanted to take it back to the very essence of why we’re all here in the first place: the love of the game. Over the years, I’ve played with a lot of people who love to ball, but there’s one person who’s separated himself from the pack. 

Seth Allen, former Maryland Terrapin, Virginia Tech Hokie and ACC 6th Man of the Year is the best player I’ve played with—and I’ve played with my fair share of killers. He was my backcourt partner for a few years in high school and someone I went through a lot of battles with on and off the court. I got a first-row seat to his rise from an overlooked prospect to an ACC impact player. I knew Seth was the perfect person to kick off this column.

It’d been a minute since he and I connected for a long conversation, so it was great catching up and hearing him walk me through his journey from his perspective. It all starts with the love of the game.

“My love for the game started young,” Seth tells me. “Ball” was his first word. A basketball he got when he was four years old was the first Christmas present he remembers. And with a lot going on in his household growing up, basketball was the only thing that provided him with a sense of stability. “Basketball was the only thing that was consistent for me in life,” he says. “I was always in different types of environments, and basketball was the most stable thing in my life. I was always around different people, but basketball was always the same.”

There are elite hoopers all across the world. Make no mistake about it, Seth Allen is one of them. And nobody, I mean nobody, becomes elite by accident. You don’t go from being an underrated 3-star prospect to Mark Turgeon’s first Maryland recruit by accident. You aren’t given the keys as an ACC freshman point guard by accident. You don’t hit the game-winning free throws against No.1 ranked Duke, as a freshman, by accident. You don’t become the top transfer on the market by accident. You don’t become ACC 6th Man of the Year by accident. And you damn sure don’t lead a Virginia Tech Hokies squad to their first NCAA Tournament berth in over 10 years by accident. 

Sure, he’s a naturally skilled and gifted athlete. But that’s rarely ever enough. Seth’s basketball success, all of it, is rooted in his obsessive love for the game. Look up “for love of the game” and a portrait of Seth should pop up. 

He loved the game before he even knew. “At first I didn’t even know I loved it or was good at it,” says Seth. After getting enough compliments from his peers and adults around the neighborhood, he started to believe in his ability for himself. And he needed every ounce of confidence to help him overcome the challenges that’d stand in his way along his journey.

Seth’s first real obstacle: a high school coach who sprinkled a healthy dose of doubt on his Division I hopes. Fortunately, that didn’t deter Seth’s ambition from striving to accomplish everything he set out to do. After his sophomore year, Seth transferred from C.D. Hylton in Woodbridge, Virginia to Fredericksburg Christian School (FCS) in Fredericksburg, Virginia, about an hour away from home. Once again, he’d find himself getting acquainted in a new environment. Once again, he relied on basketball to provide a sense of stability. And once again, basketball proved to be a reliable companion for Seth to lean on. After an incredible junior year and an impressive showing on the summer circuit, Seth committed to the University of Maryland in 2011, becoming the Terps’ first recruit in the post-Gary Williams era. Seth would cap off a stellar two years at FCS with a resume that helped him earn his spot as the Free Lance Star’s Player of the Decade for the 2010s.

Despite his jaw-dropping performances night in and night out in high school, Seth arrived on campus in College Park with a lot of naysayers who were skeptical of his production translating to the ACC. “Out of high school, people were thinking I wasn’t gonna be able to play my freshman year, and then I ended up playing and starting half the season,” Seth recalls. “And then sophomore year… my love for the game grew the more I gave to it.” He’d always been a gym rat, but at Maryland, he quickly learned that there were levels to this. “What the game is – you get out of it what you put into it and that’s something I didn’t fully understand at a young age,” he says. “In college, every team practices and lifts weights. That’s literally like the price of admission to being a college Division I player. So then it’s about who’s gonna do extra.” Well – Seth did extra. And that extra paid off.

With Maryland announcing they’d be joining the Big Ten Conference, Seth decided he wanted to stay put in the ACC. At the time, it was the best conference in college basketball by a considerable margin. They also just added Syracuse, Louisville and Notre Dame from the Big East. On top of that, it was important that his family could easily travel from their Northern Virginia hometown to his games along the Atlantic coast. Seth was the pick of the litter of all the 2014 transfers and received interest from many of the top schools in the country. So when he committed to Buzz Williams and Virginia Tech, who had just finished 2-16 in conference play, over NCAA Tournament mainstays like UVA, Syracuse, Baylor and others, many people questioned his choice. But Seth’s decision was calculated. “It was like, ‘I want to stay in the best league. And you know what? I’m gonna go to the worst team in the ACC and show everybody I can turn this team around,’” says Seth.

Another change of scenery. Another new environment in which he’d have to find his place. Another moment in which Seth had to rely on his love and trust in basketball to provide a sense of security amid so much uncertainty. Another instance of basketball proving its loyalty to Seth. 

Seth proved to be a man of his word. As a junior In his first year leading the Hokies, after sitting out a season under the old transfer rules, they did a complete 180. They went from second to last in the conference to a winning record and finishing in the top half of the ACC, barely missing out on the Big Dance before being invited to the NIT and advancing to the second round. It’s one of the biggest program turnarounds in ACC history. But the job wasn’t done. There were higher heights to reach. And Seth knew that if he wanted to reach them, he had to take his commitment to another level. Loving the game wasn’t enough, he had to fall in love with the process.

Seth upped the ante in his approach to the game. “I would say the moment really locking in was my senior year,” Seth says. “I deleted all my social media. I really was sleeping in the gym.” Seth was able to bring it all together the following season, his senior year, becoming the nation’s most lethal player in the clutch for the 2016-17 season with about eight game-winning clutch time buckets. His heroic performances helped him earn ACC 6th Man of the Year and helped Virginia Tech clinch their first NCAA tournament berth in over 10 years. Mission accomplished.

But the story isn’t over. Not even close. 

At 29 years old, Seth has continued to find ways to get better and evolve his game. “In your late 20s, you get to start figuring out what you’re really good at,” says Seth. His love for the game has only grown and shown up in new ways, too. He’s built a sustainable pro career that has spanned seven countries thus far, and a short stint in the G-League after being drafted by the Stockton Kings. Seth has given all he’s got to the game, and he has a lot more to give. “Until the ball stops bouncing, I’m still playing,” he says. “I love the game so much, so when I stop playing, that’s going to be a big moment. I want to play as long as I can. And then I know once everything’s all said and done, like, ‘okay, I gave the game everything I had.’” 

Even then, his career in basketball won’t be over.

After he’s done playing, he intends on coaching and teaching the game. He speaks extremely highly of those who have poured into him and helped him get to where he’s at. “I was blessed to be around really good coaches and have really good guidance,” says Seth. He’s maintained his relationships with his coaches, and he’s made them all aware of his intentions on coaching down the line. It helps that he’s a sponge and takes pride in being a student of the game. He was the only one taking a notebook and pen to every team meeting, soaking up game from veteran coaches in hopes of becoming one when the time is right. 

“I want to teach the young guys and I want to see how much the game is going to evolve,” says Seth. “Basketball players are artists. If you teach them the right way to play and then let them be the artists they are, then magic and beautiful stuff comes out of that.”

But what he can’t do is teach someone to love the game. That’s a choice they have to make for themselves. What Seth can do, however, is continue to love the game himself and good things will come out of it like they always have for him. Seth owes it all to basketball. “This ball, since I was four, took me so many places,” he says. “No matter where you go, even if you don’t speak the language and can’t talk to the people, basketball has always been the same.”

Take care of the ball and the ball will take care of you. Love the ball and the ball will love you. Seth knows this better than anyone.

Photos via Getty Images.

Curtis’ Corner:

Hoops: This is your opportunity to get on the hype train early. MiLaysia Fulwiley is a PROBLEM! The South Carolina freshman put the nation on notice with her college debut and is primed to help the South Carolina women’s basketball program stay among the elites in the country for years to come. 

Rap: I’ve had Westside Gunn’s “And Then You Pray For Me” album on repeat since it dropped. It’s niche, but a banger. Go bump that one time!

Everything Black: SLAM, in partnership with The Local Gallery Toronto, just opened The Local Gallery NYC a couple of weeks ago. It’s a year-round art gallery that will always be filled with art that’s inspired by the game of basketball. The legendary Spike Lee pulled up and copped a custom New York Knicks jersey puffer vest, created by Jocelyn Hu. Spike even rocked it at the game on Wednesday for Wemby’s Madison Square Garden debut. 

Pull up and checkout the gallery on 43-42 12th St, Queens, NY 11101.

Here’s the official Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist. It’ll be updated weekly with each column. Add the playlist to your library to stay in the know, and be sure to follow SLAM on Spotify.

The post Hoops, Rap and Everything Black: The Love of the Game feat. Former 6MOY Seth Allen appeared first on SLAM.

Hoops and rap became the lenses in which I see the world through. And of course, those lenses are filtered with my Blackness, something I take pride in and never shy away from.

Hoops, Rap and Everything Black is a weekly column that zeroes in on the two fundamental components of SLAM—hoops and rap—while threading in other aspects of the vibrant tapestry of Black culture. You, readers, can expect dynamic storytelling, features, interviews, personal essays, photos, mood boards and videos. I’ve also put together a 22-playlist (inspired by the No. 22, which I wore for most of my hoop career) called Hoops, Rap and Everything Black playlist that will go along with each column.

Just for fun, here’s the mood board I created when conceptualizing what I want Hoops Rap and Everything Black to reflect; this should give you a glimpse of what to expect.

A little bit more about me: Modestly, I developed to be a pretty decent hooper and played DI ball at Longwood University in Virginia. I still hoop every chance I get, and God willing I’ll hoop for the rest of my life. I grew up in the DMV, and over the course of my career played for notable programs like Hoop Booth and Under Armour’s DC Assault (now DC Premier), and schools like Fredericksburg Christian School and Middleburg Academy. I played with and against pros and high-level hoopers at every turn. I got my Master’s in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University and am currently wrapping up my second Master’s in Journalism at NYU.

Now that we got all that out of the way, let’s get to it. I appreciate you for being here, and hope you join me every week on this journey. You can read the first column here.

The post Introducing: Hoops, Rap and Everything Black—a Weekly Column about the Culture of the Game appeared first on SLAM.