That’s because the 6-8 guard is the youngest player in American hoops to have gone pro—ever. 

Last spring, just after turning 17, the wiry, athletic phenom bypassed his senior year at LG Pinkston High School in Texas to join the G League Ignite. He etched himself into the record books by signing a two-year deal with the NBA’s premier developmental unit, edging out former Ignite star Scoot Henderson—who, up to that point, had been the youngest American to participate in a professional basketball league—by five weeks.

But beyond Pate’s historically young age marker—which, to be clear, has become more normalized in the modern world of basketball—he’s simply a baller. Throw on his highlight tape and you’ll quickly understand why this Southern blue chipper has been wildly sought after. Ranked as a five-star prospect, he garnered recruitment from the nation’s premier college programs (Kansas, Kentucky, Georgetown and the like) as one of the most coveted additions of his class.

Instead, he took the LaMelo Ball route by going pro early. He played with the Ignite for a season, and in his limited but stellar outings, cemented his potential as a hybrid 1 guard who can do it all. He concluded his debut campaign with an average of 24 minutes, 8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest. His length, smoothness, creativity and tempered decision making are reminiscent of Penny Hardaway (one of Pate’s idols) mixed with Shaun Livingston—another of Pate’s exemplaries—and a dash of (yes, I’m gonna say it) LeBron James, who is Pate’s all-time favorite.

“I watch the big guards. I key into what they’re doing,” he tells me over a Zoom call from his porch in Dallas. “But basketball wasn’t even my first love. I was a football player, bruh. I wanted to go to the NFL like Julio Jones, Dez Bryant. I only started playing basketball because I was in a program where you had to play both.”

It explains Pate’s propensity for action and his ability to shift gears and hit the lane with relentless bursts of speed. Large and point-guard minded, Pate knows where his spots are and will surgically get there to create for himself and his teammates. A panther in transition, he pounces, glides and Euro-steps around, through and over any defenders clogging the lane. Impressively, the former NFL hopeful plays with more finesse than force on the hardwood. In fact, it’s his cerebral grasp of in-game rhythm and flow that most seems to define his potential contributions at the NBA level.

But his plans to reach the Association became complicated by Ignite’s recent disbandment; only halfway into his contract with the team, the Las Vegas-based squad folded. Their unexpected dissolution means Pate and his cohort were the last to ever suit up in the experimental NBA organization’s black, purple and white threads. Like always, he had to figure out the best play to make next.

First, he attempted to enter the 2024 NBA Draft with his teammates Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland (lottery picks for the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons, respectively) via a waiver exemption, but was denied due to being under the League’s age limit. That hasn’t deterred the bucket-getting protégé from pursuing his telos, though. Pate made a historic pivot by signing with the NBA-affiliated Mexico City Capitanes.

“I found out [about Ignite’s ending] 45 minutes before the world found out. I didn’t think an NBA program would shut down,” he admits. “But I don’t regret it. That’s adversity. That’s where I get my confidence from. I have to be fully prepared. You never know what’s gonna happen next. What’s next is I went to the gym and I had a job to do, the season wasn’t over yet. And it means I’m the last one in history, as the youngest to ever play with the Ignite.

“I’ve always kept the main thing the main thing,” he adds, without hesitation. “Basketball is the main thing.”

Basketball is why Dink Pate—a Black, Gen Z teenager from Pleasant Grove—is living in Mexico’s capital. Currently, he’s projected to be a star on the Capitanes.

The outfit is the only Mexican-owned sporting franchise to ever compete as a full-fledged member of any pro US league. Having officially joined the G in 2021, Mexico City has since become a top destination for NBA veterans like Jahlil Okafor, Kenneth Faried, Michael Carter-Williams and Juan Toscano-Anderson, who enjoy the chance to shine in North America’s largest city (Mexico City is bigger than New York, L.A, Chicago, Toronto or any other city you can name on this continental expanse). The metropolitan scale and commercial offerings, along with its passionate, international fan base, is something that other G League teams located in places like Southaven, Mississippi and Oshkosh, WI, simply cannot match. And unless they’re on a two-way contract, Capitanes players are available to be called up by any of the NBA’s 30 troupes, which makes it an ideal proving ground for a rising star like Pate. 

And yet, the Capitanes are also Latin America’s home base for its growing ranks of hoop talent aiming to reach the NBA from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. The coaching staff is bilingual. The players and personnel vary in age, experience and career paths. It’s no ordinary circumstance for anyone to enter, let alone an American teenager who nearly ended up playing at the University of Alabama before deciding to go pro.

To his credit, Pate isn’t overthinking any of it. He’s taking Spanish classes once a week. Growing up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where the Capitanes coincidentally played their home games during the COVID-impacted 2021 season (and which boasts over 2 million Mexican-heritage residents), has prepared him for this moment. He feels eager if not proud to put a spotlight on Mexico’s culture and its affinity for basketball.

“I be wearing my sombrero, bruh. I got Mexican homeboys. I stay representing,” he tells me, a Mexican American, with a genuine smile. “I feel like I got a country on my back now. I went down for two weeks and was showered with nothing but love. I love Mexico. That’s family.”

Mexico City will provide more than enough opportunities for what Pate is ready to deliver. Unlike his US-born contemporaries who will be mostly playing in front of college students and alumni at prestigious, ivory-towered campuses, Pate will be electrifying thousands of Spanish-chanting fans at Arena CDMX in the Azcapotzalco neighborhood of Mexico City as a member of the Capitanes.

When we linked up down south, he had just finished practice at Mexico’s national Olympic facility. We met at the bustling Monumento a la Revolución in the Aztec capital’s Plaza de la República. The triumphal arch—think the Arc de Triomphe on Champs-Élysées—symbolizes Mexico’s revolution, in which myth-like heroes such as Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa were crowned liberators of the country’s working classes, effectively rewriting Mexican history over a century ago. 

Besides standing for the nation’s rebellion, the memorial is also the primary logo for the Capitanes. And what better identifier is there for Pate—a player who has already broken history as the youngest pro US baller, and who signed to Reebok—than an ode to revolution?

The NBA’s current age eligibility rules were implemented in 2006, just three years after LeBron James entered the League straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School like an otherworldly meteor of fiery athleticism and professional maturity. But what King James has accomplished since going pro as a teen has been, well, kingly and unprecedented. In 2005, the NBA’s CBA determined that the League simply needed more time in assessing its ultra-young pool of talent, so mandated that all future players must be at least one year removed from their high school graduation and must turn 19 years old within the same calendar year of being drafted.

Unfortunately for Pate, being born in March means he won’t hit 19 until 2025, when he can finally become eligible for the NBA alongside fellow lottery prospects like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. At this stage, he’s embracing each step with a precocious mindfulness.

“You can do everything with poetry,” Pate says. “Poetry is real calm. It’s not loud. Stay low and move slow.”

When asked where he developed that mindset, he cites the apodictic rap revolutionary, Tupac Shakur. Pate flashes his Makaveli tattoo and tells me that all 713 of Pac’s tracks are worth listening to. 

On the court, Pate carries a Shakurian blend of maturity and freeness of spirit. You can see it in his off-the-dribble shooting. His calculated step backs. His rhythmic spins. And you can see it in the way he carries a joyful confidence, too.

“I’m not worried about my game,” he says. “I’m focused on my leadership, my communication. I’m gonna be that guy on the team. I’m ready to take the blame. I’ve always been a leader to high school kids but I’m about to be thrown to the fire. I’m ready for it.”

Portraits by Sandra Blow.

The post Dink Pate is Ready to Make History and Become the First Pro Hooper Drafted Out of Mexico appeared first on SLAM.

The state of his English was apparent over the course of an hour-long conversation in New York City in October: Risacher showed off a solid grasp of the language, much of it picked up from teammates in the LNB Elite, the top French pro league, where he made his senior team debut as a 16-year-old in 2021 and spent the next three seasons. “It’s locker room English, not what you expect to learn in a classroom,” he says. There were also movies, especially hoop flicks like He Got Game and Coach Carter, which he’s recently been able to watch without French overdubs. “They were actually better in English, for sure.”

Based on initial impressions from the NBA preseason, Risacher’s time in France’s pro league was no less beneficial to the development of his game. The 6-8, 200-pound wing, chosen No. 1 overall by Atlanta in the 2024 NBA Draft, made a dream first impression in his NBA debut, going for 18 points (on 7-9 shooting) in just 23 minutes in a win over the Pacers. Those numbers, and that result, might not count toward the Hawks’ hopes for a bounce-back season, but the value of Risacher’s outing is no less real.

Just ask the two guys whose appraisals matter as much as anyone’s in the ATL.

“It looked like he was enjoying himself,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder told reporters after the game. “He’s going to have good games, he’s going to have some bad games, but seeing him really have fun playing with his teammates, and those guys making each other better, was what I enjoyed.”

Trae Young, the Hawks’ franchise player, was similarly pleased with what he saw from his new running mate. “That was a hell of a performance,” Young said. “I want him to feel like he felt tonight, like there’s no pressure on him. He can go out there and be himself. He’s gonna have a hell of a career.”

None of this should come as a surprise—by definition, we expect big things from No. 1 picks—but the buzz on Risacher wasn’t quite on the level that his countryman, Victor Wembanyama, generated before and after the Spurs made him the top pick a year earlier. So, no, he hasn’t been anointed a generational game-changer like Wemby—nor, in the opinions of the 30 general managers who participated in the annual NBA GM survey, is he even a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. (Five players got at least one vote in the poll, and Risacher somehow wasn’t one of them.) None of which seems to faze him in the least. Risacher knows his value, and he’s confident the glimpses he showed in preseason are just the start.

“I’m the type of player who can do a lot of things on the court—the term would be ‘versatile,’ I think, in English?” he says. “The exciting part of having me in your team…I will take pleasure to do whatever it takes to win. I’m that type of player. And I want to win.”

On-court versatility comes easily to a player for whom the game is birthright.

“Basketball is a habit for me and my family,” he says. “Basketball was already there before I was born.” That’s what happens when you’re born in the midst of your father’s 23-year pro career, as Zaccharie was. Risacher was born born in Malaga, Spain, in 2005, where his dad, Stéphane, was hooping for Baloncesto Malaga in the Spanish top division. That was one of 10 stops on Stéphane’s professional résumé in a career that lasted from 1987 to 2010 and also included stints in Greece and his native France. A six-time All-Star in France and a member of the country’s Basketball Hall of Fame, Stéphane was also a fixture for years on the French national team, winning a Silver medal with the 2000 Olympic squad—and, as it happened, being one of the 10 men on the court when Vince Carter created the nastiest poster of all time over his French teammate, Frederic Weis.

Le dunk de la mort happened five years before Zaccharie was born, so he knows it only through the YouTube clips. But of his own earliest memories, naturally, so many connect to basketball. “I cannot even remember the first time I played,” he says. “It was just there. Going to my dad’s practices and games, coming to the gym with him at a really young age—I just did it, and I never stopped doing basketball. It was a way of life that I liked. I never felt like I had to do it. I just wanted to be in the gym with my father. I started getting better, and I wanted to be the best version of myself and accomplish what my dad did—and even better.”

Risacher emphasizes that his father never pushed too hard, but simply gave his son the guidance he asked for. (Clearly, the approach is working in the family: Not only has Stéphane been instrumental in helping Zaccharie reach the NBA, but his daughter, Zaccharie’s younger sister Ainhoa, is one of the top young prospects in Europe; she was recently named one of the best players at the FIBA U17 World Cup. Says Zaccharie, “I’m proud of her, excited for her. I can shoot better than her, but she can handle the ball better than me. She’s tall, she loves to play the point, make crazy passes. She’s special. I can’t wait to see her grow.”)

Zaccharie’s own breakthrough came when he made his French league debut for the senior team at ASVEL Basket in 2021. No matter how helpful his father was, the kid had to learn for himself what it was like to play for, with and against grown men who had salaries and careers on the line. Looking back, he says, “Being pro at 16, that definitely was the biggest challenge of my life. In our league, a coach can get fired super quick. They don’t have time to be nice. It’s a lot of things to handle for a 16-year-old young man. You gotta learn fast, because you play with grown men. You gotta just learn how to deal with it. How I handled it? Just the fact that I never stopped working.”

Risacher thrived, earning LNB All-Star status in 2023 and being named EuroCup Rising Star earlier this year; more important, the experience toughened him, giving him the confidence that when he made the jump to the NBA, he would be better prepared than most rookies to appreciate the stakes. It made it that much easier to settle in after his move to the States. He says he “felt at home pretty quick” in Atlanta, which he credits to the vibe of the city and the Hawks organization. Good vibes aside, he’s taken that transition seriously, working out hard between the draft and training camp. “I wanted to be better than I was in June,” he insists.

He also had a chance to bond with the All-Star teammate with whom a successful partnership is essential for the Hawks’ hopes of improving from last season’s disappointment. A recent highlight: Traveling out to Oklahoma to visit Young on his home turf, catch an OU football game and appear on Young’s podcast. “I really appreciate him for that,” Risacher says of the trip. “That really meant something for me.”

The rookie doesn’t need a podcast of his own to return the favor. He just needs to simply continue balling out, working to develop his potential and the versatile skill set that convinced Atlanta to use a No. 1 pick on him. The results will no doubt mean something to Trae, to his new franchise and to long-suffering Hawks fans ready to root for a contender.

Portraits by Christian Quezada.

Photo via Getty Images.

The post From France to ATL, No. 1 Pick Zaccharie Risacher is Primed to Make a Big Impact with the Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

When SLAM #41 dropped in April of 2000, we had just witnessed perhaps the greatest Dunk Contest performance of all time. Vince Carter was famously a sneaker free agent in just his second season, and he laced up the white and red AND1 Tai Chi on the fly for that instant classic array of dunks. 

AND1 had been around for a few years as a rising apparel company by that point and their transcendent streetball Mixtapes were moving major, but now, their footwear was taking off too. 

The Tai Chi became the first shoe in company history to sell more than a million pairs.

“Not only was that maybe the best series of dunks I’ve ever seen — because it was just dunks that you’d never even seen before — but it was almost like the dunks that he had done were tailor made for the colorblocking of the shoe,” said the brand’s former head of footwear. 

The opening reverse 360 perfectly showcased the white and red sides of each shoe rotating through the air. The between-the-legs dunk — off of a bounce pass — immortalized the shoes in mid-air forever.

The iconic photo is so classic that the Raptors’ new unis feature the pose right on the front. Earlier today, Vince and the franchise unveiled a new outdoor basketball court featuring the silhouette at half court.

As the buzz back in 2000 after that mid-February All-Star Weekend continued, on the very next SLAM cover slot that was available, VC laced up a simple black and white pair of the Tai Chi for the cover shot.

The header text was straightforward:

“The Greatest Show On Earth” 

As SLAM continues to celebrate its 30th Anniversary this year, we created a new version of the AND1 Tai Chi to honor the 2000s era of AND1 and the impact of the Tai Chi on sneaker culture.

The timing couldn’t be better, as both SLAM Magazine and Vince Carter will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame next month in October. 

Our AND1 Tai Chi collab features SLAM’s heritage colors of white, grey, black and orange, fittingly the exact shades from that Issue 41 cover shot. 

The white-to-black mesh fade is a nod to the brand’s unique materializations from the start of the decade, and a way to bring the Tai Chi’s original yin and yang inspired split read to the side of the shoe.

As always, the shoe looks best with a suede color along the inside panel — a bright orange suede is seen here on the SLAM edition. 

The contrast stitching, split color laces and chrome shank all tie back to the added touches that initially made AND1 footwear such a force in hoops during the turn of the millennium.

To layer in more detailing, our 30th anniversary crest can be seen along the inner right collar, opposite of the three vertical stars on the left collar that signify each issue’s edition number.

The 3M hits throughout tie back to the bright lights of All-Star Weekend, and the impact that The Greatest Show On Earth has had, all these years later, on both AND1 and SLAM Magazine. 

The post The Greatest Show On Earth // This AND1 Tai Chi Collab Celebrates SLAM’s 30th Anniversary  appeared first on SLAM.

Ever since I can remember playing the game, watching the game, loving the game — SLAM Magazine has been right there. I’ve been wearing a rubber band ever since that first KICKS issue.

It was the foundation. The blueprint. The culture. All along. For both basketball and sneakers. For the last thirty years, and however many years it runs from here…

I knew I could also contribute to the anniversary in a unique way. 

To celebrate the impact of SLAM and its 30th anniversary, we’ve partnered with footwear brands across the industry. We’re looking back at some of the most iconic covers and players over the last 30 years, to tell the story of SLAM’s impact on the basketball world, all through some fire collaborative sneakers. 

My favorite part about SLAM is the chapters. The eras. The way that the magazine and the platform meant different things to different people along the way — each decade — but always made an impact and left its mark.

Tonight in New York, we’ll be previewing some of our upcoming SLAM 30th Anniversary footwear to come at the magazine’s 30 YEARS OF SLAM party, with a runway spanning throughout the entire rest of 2024 of more heat on the way. Here’s an early look at what to expect all year long. 

SLAM x LEBRON x NIKE

By the time the already-dubbed “King James” appeared on the cover of SLAM #78 at the midway point of his rookie season, the most hyped prospect in league history was already meeting, and even exceeding the hype.

“It’s only the beginning,” read the cover text. 

He was lacing up his first signature shoe, the Air Zoom Generation, throughout his historic 20.5.5 rookie year. It wasn’t just the league that had stamped him as the future, but Nike coined him “generational” off top with a record-setting $90 Million rookie shoe deal. 

The history between SLAM and Bron is also long stamped. The text behind the tongue of the SLAM x Air Zoom Generation is updated from the cover and says as much: “Since The Beginning…” 

Flipping the hues of his first shoes, a rich red suede takes on the base color, while a series of design details celebrating his debut signature all come to life. There’s a nod to his first PE, the “Laser” Generations worn on Christmas Day, which was also the first lasered hoop shoe to hit the NBA hardwood. A detailed lasered graphic highlighting the SLAM logo and James’ upbringing tells the story further.

For the first time, there’s a collar Swoosh placement, just as Aaron Cooper originally designed them. The molded parts on the shoe that drafted off of his much-discussed Hummer H2 are all chrome to honor his 18th birthday gift. We’re only just getting started with this one.

***

SLAM x AND1

When SLAM #41 dropped in April of 2000, we had just witnessed perhaps the greatest Dunk Contest performance of all time. Vince Carter was famously a sneaker free agent in just his second season, and he laced up the white and red AND1 Tai Chi for that instant classic array of dunks. 

AND1 had been around for a few years as a rising apparel company by that point and their transcendent streetball Mixtapes were moving major, but now, their footwear was taking off too. VC laced up a simple black and white pair of the Tai Chi on the very next cover slot that was available. The header was straightforward:

“The Greatest Show On Earth” 

To celebrate the 2000s era of AND1 and the impact of the Tai Chi on sneaker culture, we’re creating a new version that brings to life SLAM’s heritage colors of white, grey, black and orange, fittingly the exact shades from that cover shot of Issue 41. 

The mesh fade is a nod to another model from the era that I always loved, the Finger Roll, and a way to bring the Tai Chi’s original yin and yang inspired split read to the side of the shoe. As always, the shoe looks best with a suede color along the inside panel — a bright orange suede is seen on the SLAM edition. 

Our 30th anniversary crest can be seen along the inner collar, along with the three vertical stars found on the cover text. The 3M hits throughout tie back to the bright lights of All-Star Weekend, and the impact of The Greatest Show On Earth all these years later. 

***

SLAM x CURRY BRAND

Stephen Curry had just signed with Under Armour a few months before he was on his first cover of SLAM in December of 2013. And man, what a run he’s had in the decade since. He’s now the President of Curry Brand, his own damn brand within the Under Armour umbrella.

On the original cover, he’s wearing the Anatomix Spawn, a sneaker that marked a new era of design for UA, and the first model he wore with the brand to start the 2013-2014 season. 

The real story is the shoe that Stephen wore for the cover shoot was a mix of blue, purple and teal. In a full circle moment I couldn’t have imagined, I actually photoshopped the original picture, shifting the purple midsole to royal blue, and the teal collar to a Warriors-matching yellow. This was long before the league let go of their color rules, of course. 

A decade later, and Curry Brand has recently launched the Anatomix Spawn through its Flotro filter, remixing the company’s innovative Flow midsole with a modernized version of the original upper. 

While SLAM #173 was just the starting point of Curry as cover man, the SLAM x Spawn Flotro celebrates all of the covers that the 4-time champ has appeared on in the years since. 

The design incorporates a collage of his covers across the entire upper, with torn edges inspired by everyone’s childhood ritual of tearing out the pages of SLAM to tack up on their bedroom walls. 

The concept is also a nod to the generational impact that Curry has had on the game, inspiring young readers and players around the world to reimagine how they approach the game, extend their shooting range, and experience the joy of hoops.

The heel hang tag features the SLAM logo, while a pearlized midsole references the common 30th anniversary stone. The lace tips are a nod to both the milestone and Curry’s iconic jersey number, simply reading “THIRTY.” 

Stay tuned for more on the full SLAM x Curry Brand pack to come. We’ve got another model on the way, too…

***

SLAM x SABRINA x NIKE 

A year after being selected #1 overall in the WNBA draft, SLAM stamped Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu as “The Next Queen of NY” for the mag’s Future Issue. 

The following year, Sabrina was launching her very own signature shoe with Nike, taking her starpower and impact on the game to yet another level. An All-Star and All-WNBA PG in each of the last two seasons, the 3-Point Contest record setter will once again be running point this season for a loaded Liberty squad that reached the WNBA Finals last year.

The expectations are rightfully high yet again as Sabrina enters her fifth season. There’s also equally high expectations for her follow-up signature shoe, the Nike Sabrina 2.

After her debut signature model broke barriers and saw adoption at all levels of the game, inspiring “anyone, anywhere,” the momentum around her second sneaker makes it one of the anticipated models of the entire year.

We can’t wait to share how SLAM x Sabrina comes to life in New York later this year.

***

SLAM x LAMELO x PUMA

Since he was a teenager, LaMelo Ball has been SLAM Fam. He was doing full-scale photoshoots throughout his high school run at Chino Hills, with his starpower and basketball journey taking him around the globe ever since. 

After his Rookie of the Year start in the league, the face of Puma Hoops saw the launch of his first signature shoe coincide with his first All-Star Game appearance during his sophomore season. It was on Issue #237 that he pulled up for the cover of SLAM in his unlaced MB.01s, hitting the league’s longtime logo pose in a custom LaFrancé jersey from his own clothing line. 

With an iced out, 3D UFO pendant on his neck, the cover declared him “Out Of This World.”

With more to come later this year, look for SLAM and LaMelo to bring to life his “rare” and “1 of 1” personality in the loudest way possible, as we team up with Puma to celebrate Ball’s impact on the sneaker industry and his place in the future of both the game and SLAM’s next chapter ahead. 

***

SLAM x PENNY x NIKE 

As we looked back through the decades of SLAM covers over the years, we also looked at the various milestone issues since the very first cover went to print in ’94.

The 30th issue of SLAM featured none other than Penny Hardaway, with a Scoop Jackson-penned cover story that perfectly captured his immediate rise with the Orlando Magic and his mission to stay on top of the game that he poured everything into. 

Around that same time in the late ’90s, Nike had just unveiled one of their most innovative sneakers ever with Penny as the headliner. The Foamposite One has been one of the most unique and iconic sneakers across the industry ever since, with its molded upper and clear bottom making for an unmistakable look and a global following. 

The SLAM x Penny Foamposite takes it back to one of the earliest sketches from designer Eric Avar, who somehow saw the future when first crafting the shoe in the mid-90s. The molded Foamposite upper found here features a printed graphic inspired by Avar’s concept sketch, with the details dialed in from there. 

For the first time, there’s a Swoosh along the shank, just as Avar had sketched it. The tongue logos alternate between Hardaway’s sleek 1 Cent logo and the SLAM logo. The heel tabs feature the three vertical stars found on every cover throughout the magazine’s 30 years, and a number 30 that also honors SLAM’s 30th Issue. 

***

SLAM x ADIDAS 

When you ask anyone to pick their favorite cover of SLAM, it’s the 15th issue featuring a fold-out cover of rising rookies “set to blow up” that quickly comes to mind for many. One of the deepest Draft classes ever posed in front of a brick wall, and SLAM was right there in 1996 to stamp the collection of future Hall of Famers as next up. 

In partnering with Adidas, we’ll be bringing to life one of the brand’s most forward-thinking designs in company history. Yes, that means the Crazy Two is retroing in the future, for the first time. 

With a molded silhouette drafting from the automotive industry, the sneaker was every bit as boundary pushing as it was polarizing when it originally launched.

You’ll be seeing the outsized proportions of the sneaker come to life in an entirely new way later this year, as SLAM looks back to the shades found along the classic “Ready Or Not…” cover from the earliest days of the magazine.

***

SLAM x BUBBA CHUCK x REEBOK 

You already know this was a must. 

As Allen Iverson writes in the foreword of the “30 YEARS OF SLAM” book:

“I am SLAM.” 

The bond and timeline of the two have been linked ever since Iverson was first featured on the cover, while still in college. When Issue #32 dropped though, the impact reached beyond basketball. 

It’s not just an iconic SLAM cover. It’s an image that kickstarted an entire throwback jersey era for the 2000s, and cemented AI as the most culturally impactful icon that the league has ever seen. 

Throughout the detailed Russ Bengtson feature interview with The Answer, there’s a layout graphic featuring Iverson that’s centered around “The 3 of Diamonds.” 

As we all know, there isn’t much explanation needed to explain Allen’s affinity for ice.

The throwback “PHILA” jersey he’s wearing was custom made by a local nearby manufacturer named Mitchell & Ness, to highlight the history of the league in an “Old School Issue” as the NBA was dealing with a lockout that year. It was the chains, the tats, the watch and the earrings that let you know this was still a modern icon of the next millennium. 

Inspired by “frosted” diamond watches, the midsole of the SLAM x Reebok Question Low features a metallic frosted texture that extends up into the shoe’s iconic toe cap. The SLAM logo appears on the heel, while the lettering up the eyelets have been switched out to read Allen’s longtime nickname among his closest friends, “Bubba Chuck.” 

The “3 of Diamonds” logo from the original cover story layout can be found on both the heel of the shoe and through the clear outsole, bringing one of the most impactful covers in SLAM’s 30-year history full circle, celebrating once again that “Allen Iverson is Soul On Ice.” 

***

The post SLAM Celebrates 30 Years With Upcoming Sneaker Collabs  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 coolest play in the coolest sport in the world is the slam dunk. We love it so much we named our magazine after it, and we’re hardly alone in our obsession/fascination. And as neat as they can be in contrived dunk contests or glorified exhibition games that may also go by the names “streetball” and “All-Star Games,” the greatest dunks of all happen in games. And NBA games are the highest form of the game in the world. And now, for everyone from the front to the back to hear loud and clear: VINCE CARTER IS THE GREATEST IN-GAME DUNKER IN HISTORY.

The run he went on during his truncated Rookie of the Year campaign in 1999 through the Sydney Olympics in 2000 [Doug Collins: “He jumped OVER HIS HEAD”] and maybe another season or two in Toronto had never been seen before. “Fine,” you say. “Dunkers have evolved. Elgin to Doc to MJ to Vince. Of course someone at the turn of the millennium was iller than a dude from the ’70s.” Yeah, well, no one has done it like that since either. And it’s been more than two decades! Go through the SLAM archives and read the SLAMadamonths from back then. They were almost all Vince, and only Russ could make the monotony seem fresh. Or if YouTube’s more your thing, here’s a PSA that will be old news to longtime SLAM and SLAMonline readers but new to many of you: check out “Matt Adam’s Infamous Vince Carter Mixtape” below and sit back.

Nine-plus minutes of joy, and irrefutable proof of the in-game dunker assertion I made earlier.

If Figs and SPT told me to write 250 or so words about VC’s inclusion on this exclusive list, I’d call it a day and feel my work is done. That’s how memorable and impactful Vince Carter’s run as the GOAT dunker was.

Alas, they need more words, and he actually impacted the game three other big-time ways. 

The first is that he saved the NBA in Canada. When Carter got traded to the Raptors on Draft night in 1998, they stunk and their colleagues in Vancouver were even worse—and on the fast track to moving to Memphis. Carter’s arrival on NBA courts, fresh off a terrible lockout and the retirement of Michael Jordan, was a boon to the entire League, sure, but it had actual resonance in Canada. “The most exciting player in the NBA plays in Toronto,” was not a sentence anyone—let alone Canucks—ever expected to utter. He the North, indeed. Not to keep giving you video-watching assignments, but there’s literally a documentary about this: The Carter Effect. Stream and learn.

Another incredible fact about Carter that deserves major props is that he played the third-most games in NBA history. More than Stockton and Malone. More than KG. More than LeBron (at least when you read this). The only players who’ve played more games than Vince Carter are Robert Parish and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who are ineligible for this list because they didn’t play in the SLAM era (the Chief did barely, but you get the point). So at 1,541, Vince Carter is the games-played leader in SLAM history. Further inexorable proof of his relevance and also a stat that you never would have fathomed in those early days when he was literally jumping over defenders. Because as you’d imagine, that style of play came with injury risk, and for much of his career, VC was labeled injury-prone. But he got better at avoiding contact, got better at shooting from distance and morphed into a locker-room favorite who could provide some pop off the bench until he was 43 years young. 

Last but not least, VC deserves eternal props for his impact on the sneaker game. He played in fly Nikes and Jordans at UNC before becoming the rare NBAer to rock Pumas as an NBA rookie. By his second year in the L, he was having issues with Puma and had a stretch of de facto free agency. This led to him wearing the AND1 Tai Chis for the 2000 Dunk Contest. No shade to those shoes, which are classics, but it says here that Vince’s iconic wearing of them is the reason the shoes have lived on to this day. VC circled back to Nike for the balance of his career and rocked pure heat. To quote the famous campaign and one of the more genius SLAMadamonths in Russ’ oeuvre: “Boing.” 

Photo via Getty Images.

The post THE 30 PLAYERS WHO DEFINED SLAM’S 30 YEARS: Vince Carter 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.

Watch this game long enough and the awareness sneaks up on you. You start to understand how the spotlight narrows in hindsight, how the space for competing narratives is diminished by time. Turns out there’s only so much mental space available to recall the players who define eras. The result, as far as our NBA memories go, is that even some of the game’s greatest and most breathtaking careers can be nudged out of the light of immediate recall. We haven’t forgotten them, exactly. We just need to be reminded.

So here’s your reminder about Tracy Lamar McGrady Jr.

Seven-time All-Star, two-time scoring champ, 2017 Hall of Famer. A preps-to-pros pioneer whose career crossed eras: came into the League a year behind Kobe, made his first All-Star Game three years before LeBron arrived, dropped buckets on Jordan in Washington, KD in Seattle and CP3 in OKC. His peak, when it came in the early-mid 2000s, was crazy, a five-year run with the Magic and Rockets in which he averaged 27.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per. In that extended moment, T-Mac was just about the last guy any NBA defender wanted to see with the ball in his hands.

The peak being 20 years ago now, the aforementioned narrowing of the spotlight hasn’t done McGrady any favors. The MVP winners in those years were guys named Iverson, Duncan, Garnett and Nash, a list that (obviously) doesn’t even include at-or-near-prime Shaq, Kobe and LeBron. The NBA’s top tier was crowded as hell in the first few years of the new millennium. Just know this: Tracy McGrady belonged in the same breath as all of them.

The legend began one summer week in New Jersey in 1996, when a long, skinny Florida kid with no national rep landed at the proving ground of adidas ABCD Camp. By the time that highlight- filled camp week was over, McGrady was the most buzzed-about player in the ’97 class. The college coaches who hadn’t heard of him a week earlier soon learned they needn’t have bothered learning his name. His decision—choose a college by signing day or sign with adidas for $12 million and head to the Draft—ended up being an easy one.

The appeal was still mostly potential when Toronto made McGrady the ninth pick of the ’97 Draft, where he joined the Raptors—and, a year later, was joined by his far-removed cousin and fellow Floridian Vince Carter. A lanky 6-8 bundle of unpolished talent, McGrady was slow to make an impact and quickly overshadowed by his high-flying distant relative. But by the end of his third season, when McGrady emerged to the tune of 15.4 ppg and started giving optimistic Toronto fans visions of a new-millennium Mike and Scottie, he decided he had no interest in sidekick status. T-Mac was ready to be a star.

A free-agent move back to his home state gave him the chance. It’s hard to believe in retrospect that he spent just four seasons in Orlando, where he averaged better than 28 ppg—including League highs of 32.1 ppg in ’02-03 and 28 ppg in ’03-04—got the first of three solo SLAM covers, and made that star-spangled No. 1 jersey iconic. The numbers were undeniable and the highlights ridiculous—he practically made the off-the-backboard self-alley-oop a signature move—but, lacking an elite supporting cast, his individual achievements never led to postseason success.

He tried to find it in Houston, where he landed after a trade in the summer of 2004 and teamed with Yao Ming, giving him the All-Star big man he’d lacked his entire career. But injuries curtailed the partnership, and McGrady’s numbers diminished throughout his five full seasons with the Rockets. After brief stints with the Knicks, Pistons, Hawks and Spurs, and a season in China, he retired in 2013.

Today, Tracy McGrady’s legacy and impact are clear. An icon of the preps-to-pros era. A lethal scorer and one of the toughest finishers in NBA history. Owner of an adidas signature line (and two KICKS covers to go with it) that combined innovative design and on-court performance as well as any in his era. Post-playing gigs with ESPN and Showtime, plus the founding of the trailblazing Ones Basketball League. And yes, that 2017 HOF enshrinement, an honor that some observers, blinded by ringzzz culture, questioned the inevitability of. They shouldn’t have. The résumé is beyond question, the numbers etched in stone and the highlights burned into the memories of anyone lucky enough to be watching. 

Photo via Getty Images. Featured image by Keith Major.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gulp.

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

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

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

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

Photo via Getty Images.

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

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.

“Skip to My Lou” was not Rafer Alston’s first nickname. The pseudonym that would stick with the point guard throughout blacktop supremacy and an NBA career was born the summer after his Rucker Park debut. That prior summer, the frail 14-year-old from South Jamaica, Queens, was all the way uptown balling comfortably with collegiate starters. Despite a considerable difference in age and size between him and the other players, not one could remain in front of him. He handled the rock as if it were a yo-yo and treated defenders like turnstiles in subway exits. “Here comes The Energizer!” shouted Rucker Park MC Duke Tango.

“He just keeps going and going,” said Duke’s co-host, Al Cash. Rafer’s new notoriety climbed to a point where Harlemites would anticipate a lopsided score just to witness The Energizer bounce to his own drum.

The following summer, Rafer received the keys to that same Rucker team. During a particular game in which he felt the players and crowd lacked synergy, he premeditated a move in hopes of producing stimuli. The opposing guard found himself alone with a 3-on-1 fast break quickly approaching. Rafer bounced the ball in front of him and shuffled his feet with hope that his defender would take the bait. As expected, the opp reached for the ball. Raf then snatched it back, wrapped it around his own waist and dimed his slashing teammate. Spectators erupted onto the court and Al Cash immediately renamed The Energizer “Skip To My Lou.” 

For Rafer Alston, life has only been easy as Skip To My Lou. When he wasn’t performing on a playground, he was consistently weathering obstacles and downhill winds. As an 11-year-old prodigy, he was too young to understand the neighborhood fuss around his ability. All he knew was that he was better than the other kids, but their parents were present at games and his weren’t. Mama Alston worked two jobs and dad was so consumed by drugs he stole Raf’s Michael Jordan rookie card. Perhaps a healthy home life would’ve prevented one of the greatest high school guards ever from only playing a combined 10 games his junior and senior years.

He averaged over 30 points both seasons at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, despite playing under 20 minutes per game. He kept his name ringing on the AAU circuit with Riverside Church by besting future legends like Chauncey Billups and Allen Iverson, but his dream was never to be a playground legend before age 18. It happened anyway––before he played a single minute for Jerry Tarkanian at Fresno State, this very publication put him on the front of its December ’97 issue with the cover line: “The Best Point Guard In the World (you’ve never heard of).” The pressure meant little to Rafer. His only goal was to become an NBA point guard like his idols Mark Jackson and Kenny Anderson. 

Even when Alston’s name was called in the 1998 NBA Draft, it was the beginning of yet another scenic road ripe with rocky terrain and opposing nature. Being confined to George Karl’s Milwaukee Bucks bench quickly taught the rookie that the League had little regard for those amazing AND1 mixtapes. After two seasons, he nearly quit his dream job. Then close friend Troy “Escalade” Jackson (Mark’s little brother—RIP) convinced him to join the D-League. One 10-day contract begat another and in a couple years, Rafer was lobbing alleys to new Dunk Contest GOAT Vince Carter in Toronto, zipping by defenses with a rookie phenom named Dwyane Wade in Miami, then running an offense through Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming in Houston. His game was also worth nearly $30 million. 

Today, only one NYC playground legend has played in an NBA Finals. After being traded in the middle of his 10th season to the Orlando Magic, Rafer led prime Dwight Howard and Co. to the mountaintop of the 2009 NBA season for a championship bout with Kobe Bryant’s Lakers. Games 1 and 2 saw rough performances from Alston. Coach Stan Van Gundy pulled his floor general aside and instructed him to abandon the previous contests and return to whichever style of play was most fun. In Game 3, Alston dropped a dazzling 20 points on 8-12 shooting, ushering the Magic to their only win of the series. The highlight of the game was when he spun off of Derek Fisher and hit Lamar Odom with a stutter-step before jelly rolling Pau Gasol. As he ran back on defense, the Magic’s energizer smiled and pointed toward his idol, who just happened to be commentating the game for ABC. 

“I wanted Mark Jackson to know that even though I’m getting old,” said Alston after the game, “I still have a little Skip left in my game.” 

Hell of a journey. 

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

It’s the latest build in the two-time Blocks champion’s overtly extensive Lego collection: the set allows users to shoot baskets with Lego minifigures via exclusive spring pieces placed in the figurine’s legs. The 1.5-inch figures resemble the League’s stars from two decades ago, including Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Antoine Walker, Shaquille O’Neal, Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. They are all represented in their respective ’03-04 uniforms. 

“I actually just finished this, the one from when I was a kid,” Turner says of the Lego NBA Set. “I just got it on eBay and I’m like man this is nostalgia, this is one of the first sets I ever had. I knocked that out within three-four hours, put all that together. I’ve got a little mini-figure of myself, I just take the legs off and put myself on the court and flick it back.” 

Those short four hours were a full-circle moment for Turner. Merging two of his greatest passions is a reality a younger version of himself would be baffled to see realized. As a kid, Turner’s parents prevented him from playing video games frequently, and going over to his friend’s house for a Halo 3 marathon was a bit like walking on eggshells. Thankfully, friends like Robert had a backroom stocked full of buckets of Legos. 

“So while they were playing video games, I would always go to the back room and start building stuff and just make all my little imaginations and all this stuff come to real life,” Turner tells SLAM. “ I just never really looked back. My dad’s the one who really introduced me to it. And I kind of took it and made it my own.”

Instead of staring at a screen with a controller in hand, Turner’s father wanted his son to have a more hands-on approach to his burgeoning creativity. The answer was Bionicles. Housed within a cylindrical plastic container, the Lego robot figures captivated Turner and pre-teens alike for over two decades before being discontinued in 2010. 

People think it’s gimmicky having Legos around the house. I actually do this shit bruh.

— Pacers’ Myles Turner

To accompany his biomechanical collection, Turner built all types of vessels; from pirate ships and rockets to ships from movies or shows he was enamored with as a kid. Except, he wasn’t using the step-by-step construction booklet that typically accompanies a Lego set. Turner was building his creations straight from scratch and memory. 

The Pacers center sees several parallels between his dominance on the hardwood and his ability to create his own Lego constructions. His ethos is creative, determined, precise, and exacting. He’s the conductor and the pieces are his orchestra, much like how the paint and the ball are his symphony. 

“I think of myself when I’m on the basketball floor like I’m an artist and what I do on the floor itself is my art, it’s how I create. The stuff you work on in the gym, in the lab in the offseason, is the stuff that you put on display when you’re actually in the middle of an NBA game,” Turner tells SLAM. “It’s kind of the same thing (with Legos). All the stuff that you come up with in your head, you’re able to take a few pieces and throw something together. And it’s like, ‘Damn I really did that.’ It’s something to be proud of.”

From the minds of kids on Christmas day to professional builders on social media, every Lego fan has at one point pondered the idea of crafting a Lego City that sprawls across various tables. As a self-proclaimed Lego BricksConnoisseur—peep his IG bio—and a Lego VIP Member, Myles’ immense connection to the brand wouldn’t be complete without his own form of a clad-brick city landscape. 

“People think it’s gimmicky having Legos around the house. I actually do this shit bruh,” Turner says. “It’s fun for me, I do this shit all the time.”

Next summer, Turner plans to fully expand his own Lego City to an area in his Austin, Texas home that’s more accommodating to the expansive metropolitan area. Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, the Daily Bugle from Spider-Man, a windmill turbine and the 6,000-piece Hogwarts Castle from Harry Potter—which he’s currently in the midst of—will each connect in their own unique way. 

“There’s a whole bunch of little things that I want to do to make them all come together,” Turner tells SLAM. “That’s the beauty of it because you can make it all your own. You don’t have to follow anyone else’s guide or regime, and that’s the fun part about this.”

Amidst the lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, Legos became both a popular pastime and collector’s item for millions of us stuck at home. Met by the rise of platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, Lego creators began to showcase their extensive set-ups and jaw-dropping collections. However, Myles had already established his brick fandom well before Lego saw a social resurgence. In 2018 he posted a timelapse of him completing the 2,000-piece Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer over seven-straight hours. 

The long grey Empire ship is just one of the many vessels in Turner’s armada of Lego constructions. Walk up the jet-black spiral staircase in Turner’s Austin home and you’ll find a sleek metal and glass shelf outfitted with Lego versions of the Death Star, a Clone Wars Gunship, Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing, the Millennium Falcon, the Batwing and Batmobile. The shelf sits tucked behind a wall that also displays a two-foot-tall Lego Mario figure, a nod to Turner’s extensive video game fandom. 

Directly ahead of the upstairs entrance sits further display cases that showcase a detailed look at Cinderella’s Castle, a WWE belt, the Home Alone house and the beginnings of his aforementioned Lego City. Hundreds of exclusive and highly valuable minifigures, like the original $3,000 Boba Fett figure, are stacked in neat rows behind a translucent plexiglass case on another table. 

Soon, he’ll be adding a foot-tall Lego R2-D2 and AT-AT Walker, which he holds up on our Zoom call showcasing four fully complete legs and a half-built chassis. 

“The biggest thing for me in this Lego thing is, it’s not gimmicky. It’s not like I’m just trying to go out here and get a sponsorship. This is actually something I love and I’m passionate about,” Turner tells SLAM. “The ingenuity that goes behind all of it, the imagination that people have and just the different lanes that you open up and different worlds that you can open up stepping into this space is unreal. I have a lot of fun with that, man. It’s been it’s been real dope.”

While each of the latter ships is extravagant in its own right, Turner credits his most difficult build to the 9,000-piece 1:200 scale replica of The Titanic – which occupies the top-most section of the “ship shelf”. 

Garnering over 145,000 likes on X (formerly known as Twitter) immediately after its completion in March of 2022, Turner was quickly alerted to a mistake within his prize possession. One of the four yellow and black smokestacks was facing the opposite direction, a misstep that Turner has left alone to this day as an endearing personalized detail. “You know what bruh, I’m not about to go back and fix this. Like the Titanic didn’t work the first time in real life, so this is my version of it,” Turner tells us with a laugh. 

Given the vast amount of sets he’s built, Turner is more than acclimated to backtracking a few pages here and there for corrections. Over the years he’s also become used to the solitary construction process for his builds and creations. It wasn’t until recently that Turner began letting his girlfriend join him during builds, tag-teaming a custom 2,500 piece-by-piece image of his poster on Giannis Antetokounmpo from the 2022-23 season. The process, growth in routine, and intricacies of the latter have all become ingrained in the Pacer’s big man. 

So when Myles’ mother and team gifted him with a life-size version of himself as Darth Vader made entirely out of Legos, he was instantly taken aback. Constructed by professional Lego builder Ekow Nimakoj, “Darth Myles” stands at 7’3 composed of over 100,000 pieces. The statue took roughly 716 hours to complete in early June of last year.

“When they actually showed me that I was dumbfounded. I was like ‘Yo this is like this is amazing. This is sick. No one’s gonna have anything like this. I can make this the centerpiece of my house,’ Turner tells SLAM. “Whether you like Legos or not, you’re gonna look at this and be like, ‘Oh yeah, this is dope.’ You know what I mean? It doesn’t matter what you’re into.”

While we conversed, Turner fiddled with a few small dimensional pieces from the half-built AT-AT Walker, rolling the pieces around in his giant palms like peas. Booklets are sprawled out across the cherrywood desk he sits at, beckoning his attention to the number of unfinished projects he still has to dive into. There’s a neatness in the chaos, a fortress of solitude. Amidst the thralls of the regular season or coming back home to Indy after a four-game road trip, Legos have become a form of meditation for the Pacers center. 

“I can have a great game, or I can have a bad game, but once I come in here, once I’m in my little space I just tune everything out and get my music going, I’m sitting here and I just build bruh. I don’t really think about anything else in the world, I’m in my own space, if you will. And it’s a good little mental reset for me because like I said, no one’s bothering me. Sometimes I put my phone on Do Not Disturb. I’m literally sitting here, in my own world, doing my thing. And that comes in a lot of different forms for people,” Turner tells SLAM. 

In the 6-11 center’s case, watching small inconsequential pieces come together to form something magnificent is a therapeutic process. Carving out time to visit cities for stops at Lego Stores or Beyond The Brick locations is Turner’s self-care. So what would his younger self think if he saw it all?

“He’d be dumbfounded, he wouldn’t believe it. It’s one of those things where when I was younger, basketball was fun for me but I never saw myself making it this far,” Turner tells SLAM. “Now you look at it, I’ve literally changed so many people’s lives around me, I’ve changed my family’s lives, I’ve changed a whole bunch of my friends (lives), people that I work with. Looking at it from that point of view, when I’m that young I don’t think I would’ve been able to fathom what I was able to put together in less than ten years.”

Photos via Myles Turner.

The post The True Story Behind Myles Turner’s Dedication to His Legos Craft—from Childhood to the Pacers appeared first on SLAM.

“My life always revolved around basketball since I gained my first thoughts,” P.J. Tucker says. “My mom put a ball in my hand at 3 or 4 years old. It was a Michael Jordan basketball goal with the backboard. I just remember being in Germany and playing and the joy that playing basketball has brought me for 34 or 35 years. If somebody could see it through my eyes, the love and joy for the game and everything that kinda revolves and shapes the game…The game has been my life since I can remember, and that love and joy for it—just playing basketball—would be so crystal clear to people of why I play like I play and why I do what I do.”

P.J. Tucker is not the Sneaker King.

P.J. Tucker is a basketball player who loves sneakers. But he is not defined by sneakers. 

He is defined by passion. 

P.J. Tucker loves basketball. He loves everything that comes with it, too. But he does not love all of it more than he loves the game of basketball. 

A scorching hot day at The Better Generation in Houston is the backdrop for Tucker’s long-overdue KICKS cover shoot. There is a big picture to capture here. TBG is the sneaker store he co-founded and co-owns with Brandon Davis. We’ve shut it down for the day so that a Bentley Continental GT V8 could roll into the store’s front yard. 

Tucker knows cars, planes and trains very well. He’s hooped all over the globe. The son of Raleigh, NC, has played for six NBA teams. Though he was the 35th overall pick in 2006, he didn’t find a steady job in the League until 2012. Those years in between were spent playing overseas. 

As a world traveler, he has many stories to tell. Much to his delight, we give him a task to sketch out the connection between stories, hoops and sneakers. P.J. excitedly maps out his basketball career by highlighting the sneakers he most associates with each stop on his worldwide tour. 

Raleigh, NC, Enloe High School Eagles, Class of ’03

“Space Jam” Air Jordan XI

“Ohhhhh, I got my ‘Space Jams’ on going to New Bern Cook Out. We have a game that night. After the game, we go to Sheryl’s where the party’s at. It’s a hair and barbershop school. The lady’s [who owns it] son is our age and he threw parties, and he threw them at his mom’s spot. And then afterward, we going to Cook Out on the way home. My order, back then, I was all about the grilled chicken tray. Cajun grilled chicken sandwich. Lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, cajun fries.”

Austin, TX, University of Texas Longhorns, 2003-06

Reebok S. Carter 

“I was coming with it in Austin. In Austin I’m rocking the Sean Carter Reeboks. ‘S. Dots’ with a polo and jeans on. Killing them. You know they was a [size] 40, bro. You know they was a 40 with a belt. We’re going to The Drink. The Drink is the spot, that’s the stomping ground. Me, Vince Young and the crew. Everybody knows the basketball players and football players were at The Drink. The line is around the corner. You’re not getting in. We walking straight in, straight to the upstairs and it’s shut down. It’s over. We ain’t dropping a dime. Behind the bar pouring, bro…that’s different. Hook ’em.”

Greektown, Toronto, Ontario, Toronto Raptors, 2006-07 

“Brown Crocodile” Nike Air Force 1 Low

“Toronto, we’re going to Cactus Club. Vibes. I got on the ‘Brown Crocodile’ Air Force 1s. Yes, I got those on for sure. 100 percent. 100 percent. Oh my God. I had just started getting NBA checks. Them joints was $1,500, bro, retail. $1,500? In ’06? Cactus Club is a vibe, bro. It’s a restaurant-turned-speakeasy type. It’s four levels, [with] a rooftop…The lights on, going crazy, going crazy. You getting me hype over here.” 

Broomfield, CO, Colorado 14ers [D-League], 2006-07

Nike Air Force 1 Low 

“I was rocking all white Air Force 1s and I took no good clothes. It was, like, team sweats. I was out of my body because I really, like…it was probably one of the lowest points of my life when they sent me down. Oh man, it was bad. My swag was at an all-time low in Broomfield, Colorado.”

Holon, Israel, Hapoel Holon Tigers, 2007-08

Nike Air Yeezy 1 & Nike Air Huarache 2K8

“Finals MVP, a championship. Knocked off Maccabi for the first time in 30 years. Going crazy. One of my favorite years—entirely—in my career, NBA included. Top three for sure. But that was 2007-08. You know what dropped in ’08? They came out in Tel Aviv. If you don’t know what they is, [in] 2008, Kanye West released a shoe. That’s all I can tell you. He released a shoe. Oh man. I got them in Tel Aviv, dog. In Tel Aviv. I got two colorways in Tel Aviv. I got the gray and the tan. That was a year, dog. Happiness, playing basketball again. Because Toronto was a total…Toronto tore me down, and Tel Aviv brought me right back. Back falling in love with the game because I was able to play [again]. I only played 17 games in Toronto. That’s why my number is 17. So, it was like Tel Aviv brought me life back. And then I didn’t realize how much fun I was going to have playing in Europe. And it was like, Oh yeah, this is it. Listen. Huarache ’08. Top five basketball shoes ever to me. The white/blue/green pair. Oh my God. That year I hooped in those all year.”

Donetsk, Ukraine, BC Donetsk Tigers, 2008-10

Louis Vuitton Jaspers 

“I got the Louis. They just came out. The all white on white, the black high top, the gray with the pink bottom. I got all three in Kiev, Ukraine. All three. Walked right in the store. They was just right there. I need a 12. LV 12. [They reply] One second. All three pair. Oh my God. Mind you, I’m paying a lot more because the euro was kicking the shit out of the dollar back then. So we used to get paid and be like, Yo, give me some euros and…ah, it was bad. But it didn’t matter. They had all three in store. It was crazy. By myself. In Ukraine they speak no English. I had a translator that was with me, like, 80 percent of the time that the team paid for because nobody spoke English. And a driver and all that. But sometimes we landed in a city, like, good cities, I just dip out, all the good cities, and go shopping. It’s what I do. That’s like prime [Kobe] because Ukraine was Kobe 3 and 4. Ukraine was all Kobe for me. It was nothing else. Like, iDs crazy. Those were the years of iD crazy. And this is the most money I’ve ever made. I’m getting, like, $800,000 a year tax free. We’re going crazy. So I’m buying 10 pair of iDs at a time. You got nothing to do in Ukraine, so I’m just on my laptop making iDs, sending them to my mom’s house. My mom boxing them up, putting my cereal boxes [in them], my little stuff for me to eat and sending boxes at a time. Oh, the care packages are footwear. The food is additional. Throw some Cinnamon Toast Crunch in there for me, you know what I’m saying?”

Herzliya, Israel, Bnei Herzliya Basket, 2010

Nike Kobe 4

“Herzliya is crazy. We’re going to Herzliya Mall. Herzliya is on the water. They got the mall on the water. The mall is literally on the beach. Incredible. They had a Nike Store. You already know…”

Thessaloniki, Greece, Aris Basketball Club, 2010-11

Nike Kobe 5 

“Me and Bobby Brown used to go crazy at Thessaloniki. Kobe 5 year for sure. We had the all gold uniforms and that year the white/gold/black 5s [came out]. Had about 20 pairs of those. And just ran through those. Ran through ’em. Because everywhere you go, you gotta think, like, we got to Athens, Go to Nike Store. They got stores here? We go to the store. They got my size, I’m buying it every time. That way you can have them on time. Playing in your league, like, playing in Barcelona, Moscow. Nike stores. All these prime Kobe years, though, are the easiest because…making all those iDs to match the uniforms, shit used to be fun.”

Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, Piratas de Quebradillas, 2011

Nike Air Force 1 Low 

“We’re going to Isabella Beach. That was heavy Air Force 1. Puerto Rico, my Air Force 1 game there was crazy. Every day, Air Forced out. I’ve always been a big, big Air Force 1 [fan]. Where I’m from, that’s, like, the No. 1 shoe. You know the beach, all white on whites. It was a clean, fresh pair. That was all about that.”

Montegranaro, Italy, Sutor Basket Montegranaro, 2011

Nike Kobe 5 

“All Kobe. Italy was all Kobe.”

Bamberg, Germany, Brose Bamberg, 2011-12

Nike Kobe 8 

“Alright, so Bamberg is Kobe 8 and I would say my No. 1 Kobe. Crazy, because at the time I thought the 8 was the best ever. I just went crazy with the Kobe 8. And our colors were red, gray, black and white. And the Kobe 8 was just so perfect for the iD, dog. We just went insane with those. When I think of that, other than winning MVP, winning championships and doing all that, it was like, yo, the Kobes that year were insane. Playing in EuroLeague that year, everybody was wearing Kobe 8s, bro. Even when I look at pictures from back then, everybody was wearing Kobe 8s. It was like Kobe took over the world that year with that shoe.”

Phoenix, AZ, Phoenix Suns, 2012-17

“Olympic” Air Jordan VI and Amar’e Stoudemire Nike Air Max2 CB ’94 PE 

“[I always ate at] Matt’s Big Breakfast during the season in Phoenix. I was wearing a lot of heat during that time. That was the first big multi-year deal I signed. That was, like, filling in the blanks in my collection. I started getting a lot of stuff I wanted that I didn’t have. I just started going crazy. There was a store in Phoenix that was unbelievable during that time. Pound For Pound. Jay [Gaspar] had a pair that he had signed for him. And I was like, Jay—Jay is the equipment manager for Phoenix. He’s been there since he was, like, 6 years old. He was a ball boy at 6. He’s an OG equipment manager. One of my favorite people in the world. He’s the best. And he has Shaqs, Steve Nashs… And he has these white, gray and orange [Barkleys]. Ah, they’re beautiful. With the S.T.A.T. on the side. So that was a mission of mine to find those and I did. And the black, purple and orange. And the all-purple.”

Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee Bucks, 2021

Nike Boots and Timberlands 

“Nah, listen, Steny’s was the spot [where I hung out]. And they’re big, big Milwaukee-everything fans. Milwaukee’s a bar town so all those kinda dive bars, local people go there every day for their drink after work. It’s that vibe of Milwaukee and why the love of Milwaukee is so crazy. Because these people are like, if they love you, they love you. I can’t buy a drink there. And you know the wild part, when I go back, I’ll sneak in and just surprise everybody. Like, all the locals, the people that go there every day. And it’s still, like, same shit. It’s dope.”

Miami, FL, Miami Heat, 2021-22

Nike Air Max 1 

“Here we go, here we go! I’m wearing heat in Miami. I’m wearing runners a lot in Miami. That’s just kinda the vibe. The Air Max 98 or 95 with my little Nike running sets. It’s so hot and chill. That’s just the everyday kinda uniform. Tank top, running shorts, Air Maxes. That’s just my everyday there. Air Max 1s. I would say Air Max 1s because that’s my favorite Air Max ever, and I wore Air Max 1s to death in Miami.”

Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia 76ers, 2022-23

Air Jordan I 

“In Philly I wore a lot of Jordan Is, like, the normal brown Travis. I got a pair of ’85s and ’94s that I wear, the ones I wear wear. ‘Chicagos’ and ‘Breds’ both. And they’re my go-to pairs. Every time I wear those shoes, I wear those pairs. Even though I got a lot of ’85s and ’94s. They’re broken in perfect. They’re super comfortable. They’re, like, molded to my feet. They’re my shoes. They’re super worn down, but they look good.”

The Better Generation is shaped like a container. It’s a wide and narrow store. Walk in through the front door, turn left and P.J.’s section comes to life. A floor-to-ceiling display case of his Sixers jersey, game-worns and Kobe-signed pairs are the greeting. An impressively extensive collection of clothing follows. Two little seating pods close it out, resting underneath a “17” made out of moss. 

Seated under the 17, Tucker is fully engaged. He’s talking sneakers in a way that he doesn’t often get to talk sneakers. His high level of animation is a welcome surprise. He’s having a good time. Why doesn’t he share this side of himself more often?

“It’s not that many that [have] really, really been in it and been doing it and really understand it,” he says. “I almost tell them I don’t want to talk about shoes anymore because they don’t know. People don’t know, right? I’m not mad at them, I’m just tired of answering the same questions. Sneaker King, how are you—blah. Like, bro, you have no idea what any of this is about.”

He details how there are so many people out there who view him as the “Sneaker King.” They only know one thing about him. There’s much more to him than sneakers. It’s a constant in his life he can’t escape. People expect the anointed Sneaker King to behave a certain way. He doesn’t wear sneakers for the public’s approval, though. He does it out of the love that’s been mentioned. That love is threatened at all times by the uninitiated. His work to protect the pure nature of his passion is a daily commitment. 

“It gets ruined a lot,” Tucker says about his passion for sneakers. “There’s other things that bring it back. This [conversation] is bringing it back, 1000 percent. This is making me go back and think about my original love and why I do it and how it came to be. But even still, there are so many other things that tear it down and all the people that don’t really love it. They just kill it and destroy it. But that’s what makes me keep going, too. Regardless, I can’t let them take the shine away from what we love. All the things that make it what it is. It’s like, fuck that.”

He rolled up to this shoot with approximately 30 pairs in two giant bags, including the famous 24-pair holder that longtime followers of P.J. will know. Time unfortunately ran out and not every pair could be photographed. They were all hitters. Every single pair. Hype and resell value all through the roof. That’s not the best part. The best part is that all of them were worn. Every outsole showed clear signs of wear. And this is some stuff that’s so nice that it’s actually dumb. Dumb nice. Stupid nice. Crazy nice. 

“Kyle’s Wedding” Kobe 4s. “Board of Governors” XVIs. “Cactus Jack” IVs. “Pigeon” Dunk Lows. The Mags on the cover. Dumb, stupid, crazy nice pairs that 99 percent of people would never even put down on a carpeted floor in their own house. But Tucker wears all of them. He wears many more, too. He spent a few minutes during the shoot showing off photos that aren’t part of his Getty Images history, flicks from his days overseas. In real time, when the most hyped-up pairs of Kobe 4s-8s were getting released, he was playing in them. He wasn’t holding them for later. He was making memories with them on his feet. Even while at Texas, there are photos of him hooping in Air Jordan XIVs, Nike Air Penny 4s and Air Jordan IIIs.

Footwear has always been about memories and stories for Tucker. He doesn’t chase hype. He chases the indescribable feeling that sneakers give him. 

“It means something,” he says. “It puts you in a place and a time. And it gives you that feeling. And that feeling, like, there is nothing like that. 

“I can’t,” he responds when asked to verbalize the sensation. “It’s hard to put that feeling into words. It’s one of those things that only you know in your heart, like, how that shit makes you feel. No one else will ever understand it.”

KICKS 26 is OUT NOW!

He’s been communicating with everyone for years. What he’s saying in this interview has been said without speaking many times before. There’s another layer he mentioned about people not understanding him for who he is. Eagle-eyed Instagram followers will see beyond the sneakers and the cars and notice that a majority of Tucker’s captions have to do with mental fortitude and emotional evolution. He’s on a journey of betterment and the sneakers are part of it. 

“Sneakers help me emotionally through everything,” Tucker says. “Just the love for shoes keeps my mind off of a lot of bullshit that I could be thinking about and dealing with. The love and the job, especially now just because we got so much going on within sneakers, culture, fashion and everything. It’s something that gives my mind a break off of everything else that’s going on around me. And I think different people have different things in their lives that, over years, they kind of figure [themselves] out, you know, things that make you happy. You know, you build a garden in your backyard, whatever it is. Wednesday night bowling with your boys. Everybody has something, and sneakers [have] always been my kind of release of everything where it’s just natural and I just love it.”

There is an intensely deep connection that Tucker feels with the game and with what surrounds the game, including sneakers. And then there’s basketball itself. 

Tucker’s career arc hasn’t been easy. He was a beast at Enloe High, a man playing against little boys. He averaged more than 16 points a game in his junior year at Texas. He was a scorer while he was on the way up the ranks. But then he had to switch it all up. Like he said, the Raptors humbled him as a young pro. When he went over to Europe, he was a scorer again. He was a Finals MVP, a champion, a go-to guy. The man. But his goal was to make it back to the NBA. Change was nonstop. He had to continue to adapt.

Always evolving. 

At this point in 2023, his reputation as an NBA player was set in stone a long time ago. It’s a beautiful role. The 38-year-old is the last of a breed that went extinct a long time ago. He will do whatever is needed to win. Nothing better illustrates his desire for glory than Game 6 of the 2021 Finals. He played 36 minutes of extremely physical hoops and only took one shot. But his effort didn’t diminish at all. He had the best plus-minus of anyone in that game. Defense, hustle, energy, heart—raw passion. Good luck finding anyone else in the League right now whose effort wouldn’t go down if they couldn’t shoot the ball. Passion is the only way that a performance like that is possible. 

“[Desire to win] kind of built, even though I’ve always been like that, it made it through the roof of honesty with myself,” Tucker says. “With the ‘humble, hungry,’ like, all that. But it’s more understanding self. Understanding success, what it takes to be successful and how much you’d rather win than have individual success. Then once you figure out that people care about winners and not actual people, then that changes your whole trajectory, too. Everybody wants to win, but everybody wants to win the way that they want to win. They want to win being the man. They want to win with everybody saying their name. They want to win with everybody showing their highlights on ESPN and their friends being all happy, that kind of thing. But who wants to just fucking win, right? Who is like, I just want to win! I want to stand at the top of the mountain no matter what my stats are, no matter what happens. It ain’t a lot. I’ll tell you that right now. And to change your whole shit to be one of those people to not really care, to not care…Just to win.”

He says that things started to click for him when he made it back home from his overseas adventures. 

“There, I was the man,” he says about playing abroad. “I’m the guy, right? But then that’s how I learned to be a role player in the NBA. From being the man in Europe, I learned to be a role player because I know what I needed. I know what I needed guys to do. In Israel, I had my boy Chris Watson. Every rebound, he’s running down 50-50 balls. I can count on him. I knew what I was going to get from him. But it’s the self reflection of I’m not him and I’m not trying to be him. I’m not trying to fight him for a position. I don’t want to be James Harden. I’m P.J. What do you need me to do for you to be successful for us to win? I’m P.J. and I’m fucking the best P.J. there is in this fucking game. And nobody can do what I do on a nightly basis.”

His playing style and his playing style are both completely unique. And passion for both games drives it all.

“My love for basketball created my love for sneakers,” Tucker says. “I didn’t just [say] like, Oh, I like shoes. My first pair of shoes ever was a pair of Jordan Is in ’85. That was my mom. I didn’t pick that. But I did watch Michael Jordan and fall in love with the game and love what he was wearing. Then from that it was like…boom.” 

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post P.J. Tucker is NOT The Sneaker King… He’s Much More appeared first on SLAM.

February 9th 2003. How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days was the number one movie in the world. “All I Have” by Jennifer Lopez featuring LL Cool J was sitting atop the Billboard Hot 100. Kobe Bryant was on the cover of SLAM 66 wearing a jet black Lakers jersey with his three Larry O’Brien trophies. It was a cloudy night in Georgia but even then there were 24 extra stars in the Atlanta sky. On that night at Philips Arena, the NBA hosted its 52nd Annual NBA All-Star Game. 

It was a time before TikTok, NFTs, and NBA Twitter. It’s now 2023 and at times it feels like we’re living in some twisted up future, but at least the game of basketball is still good. 

By the time you’re reading this, the League will be getting ready to host the 72nd Annual All-Star Game in Salt Lake City and if we’re lucky, it’ll be a classic much like Atlanta’s game 20 years prior. Generally speaking, ‘03 is a year strongly etched into the memory of all within the culture. Baggy pants, bulky kicks, triple-layered headwear, spinning rims, Playstation 2… could it have all been so simple then? 

The 2003 NBA All-Star Game was one of the most stacked events of all time, both in star power and personality. Society was reaching a breaking point when individuality, charisma, and style were placed on a similar level as skill. The Western Conference All-Stars included Steve Francis, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Yao Ming as starters, with Shaquille O’neal, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Gary Payton, Stephon Marbury, and Peja Stojakovic coming off the bench. The West was helmed by then-Sacramento Kings head coach, Rick Adelman. Peja was an injury replacement for his teammate Chris Webber.

The Eastern Conference All-Stars included Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal, and Ben Wallace as starters, with Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Paul Pierce, Brad Miller, Jamal Mashburn, Antoine Walker, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas coming off the bench. Isiah Thomas, who coached the Indiana Pacers at the time, led the charge for the East.  

There are a lot of things you may have forgotten about the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. So, allow us to remind you. 

First off, the jerseys. It marked the first time since the ‘90s that the NBA designed and deployed All-Star Game jerseys. In the previous five years, players just wore their own jersey from their respective teams (All-Star Weekend in 1999 was canceled due to the lockout). And the jerseys were fresh as hell. The retro design recalled some of the late ‘80s All-Star Game jerseys, swapping out the short shorts for a baggier option. 

The main focus entering All-Star weekend was Michael Jordan, who was preparing to retire for a third and final time. He was a starter and an All-Star for the 14th time in his career, an accomplishment that didn’t come without its fair share of controversy. Allen Iverson and Vince Carter were both near at the peak of their popularity in 2003 and were voted as the starting backcourt for the Eastern Conference by the fans. Carter had missed a big chunk of games that season as a result of injury and there was a ton of pressure on him to give up his starting spot to Jordan. He resisted the notion for quite some time but he eventually relented and gave up his starting spot to his elder UNC alum just before gametime. The scrutiny turned ugly after a while, and the Atlanta crowd even booed Carter when he was being introduced before the game. 

For the record, Jordan was perfectly fine with coming off the bench. When asked about it during the game, Jordan said, “Vince surprised me. I told him as I told the rest of the players, I started 13 times, I didn’t need to start [a] 14th time. You know, they were adamant about getting me to start. Vince actually came to me right before we went out and said that he would love for me to take his spot. He’s very respectful. I think he took some undue punishment, all during this week about him being very honorable to the fans, and even at the end, when he gave it up, I really didn’t want him to back down from what he actually stood for and I’ve supported him in that sense. But he wanted me to take his spot and I thought it was very gracious of him and very respectful.”

Problem solved, Jordan started. 

Another wrinkle out of the gate was Jordan’s coach for the game, Isiah Thomas, who is arguably Jordan’s biggest rival and definitely his most prevalent foil. If Jordan had a nemesis, it was Zeke (or Jerry Krause). But Thomas had coached the Pacers to the best record in the East by the break, so he was his coach for the night. Infamously, there is a conspiracy that Isiah Thomas led a charge to freeze Jordan out of his first All-Star Game in 1985. Jordan was a rookie and finished the game with seven points on 22.2 percent shooting in a 140-129 loss. And now 18 years, two retirements, and 13 All-Star appearances later, Michael Jordan was the elder statesman in the All-Star Game, with Yao Ming as the lone rookie to participate in the game. 

Jordan, however, was aggressive but wasn’t hot right out of the gates. He started the game 0-7. He began the game only 10 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points in the All-Star game’s  history and the Atlanta crowd was hungry for him to break the record (a record that’s been snapped by the late-Kobe Bryant and LeBron James since then). Each missed attempt by Jordan was followed by hushed sighs of resignation by the crowd but the voracious outbreak when he finally made a jumper was well worth the wait. 

The first quarter was a relatively competitive defensive performance for both sides, the first quarter ended with the East leading 23-18 off the strength of a 13-0 run. Jordan never really got any hotter from the field, but he eventually broke the record and finished with 20 points on 9-27 (33.3 percent) shooting. 

The pace and level of play picked up considerably but the defensive effort faltered in the second quarter when the reserves checked in. The signature playground style of all-star ball had infiltrated every corner of the game and it was fun as hell. A sequence of lobs from Brad Miller to Vince Carter followed by Stephon Marbury to Shawn Marion early in the second quarter was especially electrifying. Shortly afterwards, Dirk Nowitzki went on a mini-heater in two minutes and scored all nine of his points for the night. All-Star games are interesting in that way. Basketball is improvisational like jazz and these are the best artists in the world. You never know when a player might go off onto a solo and strut his shit. 

Rick Adelman decided to indulge every hoops fan everywhere and played a lineup of Francis-Garnett-Duncan-Shaq-Yao. If any lineup with four seven-footers could work in a real game, I feel like this would be the one. Great mix of shooting, passing, mobility, length, and defense. They went on an 8-2 run in just over two minutes to secure a 55-52 lead heading into halftime. 

Halftime was a show in itself. The NBA had orchestrated a tribute for Michael Jordan that involved Mariah Carey coming out and singing in two different Jordan jerseys. She sang “Boy (I Need You)” while wearing a mini-dress styled to look like Jordan’s Bulls jersey. While they played a montage of Jordan highlights, Seinfeld clips, Gatorade commercials, SNL monologues, and Spike Lee poetics, Mariah Carey changed into a floor-length dress designed after Jordan’s Wizards jersey.

Mariah Carey gave chilling renditions of “My Saving Grace” and “Hero” at the center of a stage placed on the court. Jordan was moved to tears during the performance and Mariah Carey introduced Jordan to the crowd for an opportunity to address them. It took the standing ovation over a minute to calm down enough for Jordan to even get any real words out. When he could finally speak, he tearfully thanked the fans, his family, and expressed his gratitude for being able to pass the game along to the next generation. Much of the next generation was sharing the floor with him in this game and they’d determine how it would end. 

 If basketball is jazz, Tracy McGrady’s third quarter was like Miles Davis at his peak. He was cashing jumpers from all over the court and making daring forays to the cup, it was very clear why he was arguably the best scorer in the world at that moment. Iverson got it going as well with the pass-first Jason Kidd by his side in the backcourt to start the half rather than Michael Jordan. For the West, Kevin Garnett continued his impressive play on both ends of the floor. He hardly missed anything and remained a conduit of unbridled energy. Kobe got it going as well after pretty much sleepwalking through the first half.  

In the third, Shaq was throwing Jordan’s layup back to the three-point line. The crowd booed Shaq for hampering their hero but the East largely controlled the third quarter, eking out a 93-86 lead heading into the final frame. 

As usual the fourth quarter was more competitive than the rest of the game. Shaq dominated the reserve minutes but most of the Eastern Conference starters remained on the floor, even at the beginning of the quarter. Both of the Boston Celtics young guys, Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker, complained about the lack of playing time they received in the game. Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the Cleveland Cavaliers did not publicly complain but he only played four minutes. Isiah Thomas met all complaints with a closed ear, “it’s my team” he commented.   

Michael Jordan is one of the clutchest players in NBA history, if not the most clutch. He had won games, and championships, with his elite shot making ability with the game on the line. With 10.1 seconds left and the game tied at 120 a piece, and a young Shawn Marion on him with overtime looming, Jordan posted up in complete isolation. He took a few dribbles in the midpost, then turned over his shoulder and shot his patented turnaround jumper. He missed. The crowd sighed as it clanged off the rim. Overtime, the sixth instance this happened in All-Star game history. 

And then it’d eventually go into double overtime—the first time in NBA All-Star game history. 

Isiah Thomas must have felt guilty about the lack of minutes allocated to his bench players (along with the starters probably being exhausted with the extra basketball time on this night) because he put in a few guys who hadn’t seen many minutes down the stretch to start double OT. The West quickly jumped out to a lead and never relinquished it again. Garnett dominated against the smaller East lineup, finishing with 37 points on 70.8 percent shooting. The West held on to win the game 155-145 despite Iverson’s best efforts. 

The game came to a close with the usual procession of handshakes, hugs, and high-fives, as the players rushed to get off to a night on the Atlanta streets. Peace to mankind, it was a beautiful time to be alive. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Here’s a Look Back at the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta  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.  

The post The Most Elite Hoop Collections Out There: From NBA Jerseys to Rare Jordans Game-Worn by Michael Jordan appeared first on SLAM.

However, the two threes that Thompson hit moved him into some very elite NBA company. Coming off a recent game where he had just moved up to 13th in the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list, Thompson is also the 13th NBA player ever to make 2,000 career three-pointers.

Thompson now joins Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, James Harden, Kyle Korver, Vince Carter, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Kyle Lowry, and Paul Pierce as the only NBA players ever to accomplish such a milestone.

Becoming a part of such an elite group of sharpshooters must feel great to Thompson after battling his way back to form after suffering an Achilles injury in 2020 after just returning from an ACL injury in 2019.

This 2023 season has been sort of a “revenge tour” for Thompson, as he has trying to block out the noise and prove to the doubters that he’s still got it. Admittedly Thompson has come out and said that comments about his game “slipping” have hurt, but he knows that he can’t please everybody.

While it is a great career moment for Thompson, he and the Warriors look to get back on the winning track Thursday against the Indiana Pacers.

The post Klay Thompson Becomes the 13th NBA Player to Knock Down 2K Threes appeared first on SLAM.

However, Coach Doc Rivers insists the team committed no sort of infraction. Rivers spoke with Vince Carter on ESPN’s “The VC Show” and addressed how he’s handling the allegations.

“You handle it because it’s not true,” Rivers said. “Honestly, when James [Harden] did this and said this — first of all, we didn’t know what we were going to do with the money we were getting. And listen, James won, too, because James could’ve opted into a one-year deal. Instead, we gave him three years. And so both parties won in a lot of ways. Listen, it worked out for us; it worked out for James.”

The League began investigating the Sixers after Harden took a pay cut to seemingly create salary cap space for Tucker and House Jr. Harden opted out of his $47.4 million player option and re-signed with Philadelphia on a two-year $68.6 million deal.

By re-structuring Harden’s deal, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was able to bring in Tucker and House Jr., both of whom played with Harden when Morey held the same position with the small-ball Houston Rockets.

Rivers claims Morey did not know what Harden’s status was regarding a new contract and never engaged in illegal talks with the 10-time All-Star.

“I guarantee you Daryl Morey had no idea what James was going to do,” Rivers said. “I remember talking to him on the eve of when James could opt in or out, and he was like, ‘We’ve got five hours left.’ I mean, that was Daryl Morey, so that tells you he had no idea — I really believed that James was not going to opt-in, that he was going to try to do a longer-term deal. But I didn’t know; I can tell you that. That’s for sure.”  

The League seems to be cracking down on tampering, as it is also investigating the New York Knicks for the same violation in the signing of former Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson.

The NBA’s investigation of the 76ers will likely conclude in the coming weeks, so only time will tell if Philadelphia will be penalized or not.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Doc Rivers Dismisses Tampering Allegation Against 76ers: ‘It’s Not True’ 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.

So far we have seen the Knicks land, Jalen Brunson, on a massive four-year deal, and Nikola Jokic and Karl-Anthony Towns have re-signed to their teams on supermax deals. Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal will remain with the Bulls and Wizards respectively after signing max deals. Young All-Stars like Ja Morant, Darius Garland, and Zion Williamson have also signed max extensions with their teams.

The Warriors will also look to be putting a different bench mob on the court this coming season after they let Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson walk away in free agency. The decision seems to imply that the Warriors will invest 100 percent into their win-and-develop model as they keep their championship core intact while empowering Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody.

Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber is finalizing a three-year, $33 million contract extension, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Kleber was entering the final year of his deal, now under contract through 2025-26.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 8, 2022

Montrezl Harrell is headed to Philly after a tumultuous offseason where he dealt with some legal troubles surrounding marijuana trafficking that was later reduced to misdemeanor possession in a Madison County (KY) courthouse. The charge will be expunged from his record in 12 months if Harrell doesn’t get in any more legal trouble.

James Harden recruited Harrell due to their relationship as teammates on the Rockets. Harrell is expected to bring some toughness and grit to a Philly team that needed a backup big man behind two-time MVP runner-up Joel Embiid.

ESPN Sources: Free agent C Montrezl Harrell is signing two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, including a player option. Harrell brings more toughness to a team searching for it this offseason. He was Sixth Man of the Year with Doc Rivers/Sam Cassell in 2019-2020 w/ Clippers.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2022

Sources: The Toronto Raptors signed Thaddeus Young to a two-year, $17 million extension, which includes player incentive bonuses and a $1 million partial guarantee for the 2023-24 season, @hoopshype has learned.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 5, 2022

Gary Harris’ two-year extension with the Orlando Magic is flat $13M each season. The second season is fully non-guaranteed, a league source told @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 5, 2022

Sumner is fully recovered from a torn left Achilles that cost him the entire 2021-2022 season. He had been coming off his best NBA season with the Pacers prior to the injury, and now he’ll join the Nets’ backcourt rotation. https://t.co/5HfzZmkDZN

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 5, 2022

Free agent TJ Warren has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Free agent center Gorgui Dieng has agreed to a one-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2022

Cole Swider signed a two-year Two-Way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a league source tells @spotrac.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 4, 2022

Free agent center Serge Ibaka has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2022

The Brooklyn Nets signed Wake Forest Alondes Williams to a 2-way deal.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) July 4, 2022

Dragic is signing a one-year, $2.9M deal with the Bulls, sources said. https://t.co/f6VK9np1cf

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

Free agent Josh Okogie has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2022

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has agreed on a five-year, $193 million designated maximum rookie extension that could earn him as much as $231 million, CAA Sports’ Co-Head of Basketball Austin Brown tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/z4lnVLD1GM

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Restricted free agent Cody Martin has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2022

Free agent G Eugene Omoruyi has agreed to a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Mike George of @OneLegacySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Darius Garland has agreed on a five-year, $193M maximum designated rookie contract extension that could be worth as much as $231M, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. It is the largest deal in franchise history.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent guard Damion Lee has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2022

Free agent Donte DiVincenzo has agreed to a two-year, $9.3M deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent guard Raul Neto is signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a three-year, $25.5M deal to return to Golden State, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $6.6 million deal to return to the Chicago Bulls, with player option in second season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Robin Lopez has agreed to a one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent F/C Drew Eubanks is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers on a one-year deal, his agent James Dunleavy of @excelbasketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

John Wall officially agrees with the Clippers on a two-year deal for the taxpayer midlevel. https://t.co/5yCuV4cePg

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 1, 2022

Free agent C Jusuf Nurkic has agreed on a new four-year, $70 million deal to stay with the Portland Trail Blazers, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/6vmHrdOZI3

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

NBA All-Star Zach LaVine has agreed to a five-year, $215.2 million maximum contract to return to the Chicago Bulls, with a player option in Year 5, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The defending champs lose another valuable two-way star after Otto Porter Jr. signed with the Raptors on a two-year deal that has a player option.

Free agent Otto Porter Jr. — vital member of Golden State Warriors championship team — reached an agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a two-year deal with a player option, league sources tell @YahooSports. https://t.co/ck81fptKZh

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2022

Free agent G Theo Pinson is returning to the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Free agent Aaron Holiday has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Mitchell Robinson has agreed on a new four-year, $60 million contract to stay with the New York Knicks, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @Wassbasketball tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dnKtVQmln9

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Bruce Brown has agreed to a 2-year, $13M+ deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 1, 2022

#Pistons to re-sign Marvin Bagley III, add Kevin Knox as free-agent frenzy begins: https://t.co/WVHahAmeKR

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) July 1, 2022

Ricky Rubio played an integral part in the Cavs’ resurgence to the playoff scene last season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December. Rubio was traded to the Pacers near the trade deadline but the Cavs and Rubio were mutually interested in bringing back the former lottery pick point guard.

Free agent guard Ricky Rubio is nearing a deal on a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Zion Williamson, the 2021 All-Star phenom, has locked in on signing a max extension deal with the Pelicans. Williamson missed all of the 2021-2022 season while he recovered from foot surgery. The deal keeps Williamson in New Orleans through 2027-28.

Williamson said after the season ended, “I couldn’t sign it fast enough.” Indeed, the All-Star locks in commitment to New Orleans.

The deal is expected to include protections that both sides were sorting through overnight and will finalize, sources said. https://t.co/n0hyRwRk9e

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

The Golden State Warriors lose one of their best and most versatile defenders after Gary Payton II decided to head towards playing for the Portland Trail Blazers on a three-year deal. Payton led the League in steals per 36 minutes.

Warriors were unwilling to meet that high of a price tag (and resulting tax spike) for Gary Payton II and have now lost their defensive ace off the bench to the Blazers. He led the NBA in steals per 36 minutes last season. https://t.co/iaY6xmUrG7

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 1, 2022

Free agent center Andre Drummond is finalizing a deal with the Chicago Bulls, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent Kevin Knox has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2022

Free agent JaVale McGee has agreed to a three-year, $20.1 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, with player option for third season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Ja Morant is locked in with the Grizzlies after his agent told Woj that he signed a five-year max extension to lead Memphis as its lead guard for the foreseeable future.

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has agreed on a five-year, $193M designated rookie maximum extension that could become worth $231M, his agent Jim Tanner of @_TandemSE tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Karl Anthony-Towns has reportedly agreed to a four-year super max extension per his agent. KAT’s contract will begin during the 2024-2025 season.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns has agreed on a four-year, $224M super max extension, his agent Jessica Holtz of @CAA_Basketball tells ESPN. Deal begins with the 2024-25 season and delivers Towns’ total contract value to six years and $295M.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Jalen Brunson has reportedly agreed to the four-year deal that the Knicks offered him. Woj reported that the near-max deal includes a player option on its final season.

Free agent guard Jalen Brunson has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal with the New York Knicks, his agents Aaron Mintz and Sam Rose of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option on the final season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

The Wizards have added three veteran guards to join Bradley Beal in recent days — Will Barton, Monte Morris and now Delon Wright leaves the Hawks for Washington. https://t.co/4YFMxR2o7Z

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Kyle Anderson has agreed to a two-year, $18M deal to join the Timberwolves, his agents Thad Foucher and Joe Smith of @wassbasketball tell ESPN. https://t.co/fWzhFhVfkx

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris has agreed on a two-year, $26 million contract extension, his agents Austin Brown and Aaron Mintz of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2022

Anthony Gill is signing a two year-deal with the Washington Wizards, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Restricted free agent C Nic Claxton has agreed on a two-year, $20 million deal to return to the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Troy Brown Jr. has agreed to a minimum deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Lonnie Walker IV is signing a one-year, $6.5M deal with the Lakers, sources said. https://t.co/7xBnStLWfo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Rockets restricted free agent Jae’Sean Tate has agreed to a three-year, $22.1 million deal to return to Houston, his agents E.J. Kusnyer and Jordan Cornish of @beyond_am tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, agents Mike Silverman and Brandon Grier of @steinbergsports tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Davon Reed has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent guard Jevon Carter has agreed to a two-year deal to return to Milwaukee, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Wesley Matthews has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Trevelin Queen has agreed a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent F Nic Batum has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Lu Dort has agreed to a five-year, $87.5M deal to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, his agent Thad Foucher of Wasserman tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Chris Boucher is returning to the Toronto Raptors on a three-year, $35.25M deal, his agent Sam Permut of @RocNationSports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Jones’ agent, Austin Brown of @CAA_Basketball, tells ESPN the second year is a player option.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Amir Coffey has agreed to a three-year, $11M deal with the Clippers, his agents Bill Duffy and Marlon Harrison of @BDA_Sports and WME Sports tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent G Tyus Jones is returning to the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-year, $30M deal, his agent Kevin Bradbury of @REP1Basketball tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Free agent Danuel House has agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Bobby Portis has agreed to a four-year, $49 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Deal includes a player option in Year 4.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent PJ Tucker is finalizing a three-year, $33.2 million fully guaranteed deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, his agent Andre Buck (@andrebuck14) told @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent Victor Oladipo has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal to return to the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a two-year, $16 million-plus deal with the New York Knicks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fully guaranteed deal for Hartenstein.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Free agent center DeAndre Jordan has agreed to a deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Sources: Malik Monk is signing a two-year, $19M deal to join the Kings. https://t.co/spgbvRZspx

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have reportedly finalized a four-year supermax extension that he will likely sign sometime next week. Shams Charania reports that he will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23.

The Phoenix Suns and All-NBA guard Devin Booker are finalizing a four-year, $214 million supermax contract extension that he’s set to sign as soon as next week, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

Booker will also be the cover athlete for NBA 2K23, per sources.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Nikola Jokic has reportedly signed the richest deal in NBA history after signing a supermax contract extension with the Nuggets on Thursday.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Bradley Beal will stay in the Nation’s Capital after he reportedly signed a five-year max deal.

All-Star guard Bradley Beal has agreed to a five-year, $251 million maximum contract to stay with the Washington Wizards, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has agreed on a four-year, $100 million contract extension, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports + WME Sports tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

The Spurs are pulling the qualifying offer on Lonnie Walker IV, making him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Expect a strong market for Walker immediately.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Jalen Brunson is headed to New York after Shams Charania reported that he intends on signing a four-year deal with the franchise.

Free agent Jalen Brunson intends to sign a four-year, near $110M deal with the New York Knicks in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Mavericks never received chance to make offer, sources said.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

According to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic, P.J. Tucker will be pursued by Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago. and Philadelphia during the free agency period of the NBA offseason. Furthermore, Schiffer reports that Tucker is unlikely to return to South Beach.

Multiple teams — including Atlanta, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Chicago and Philadelphia — are expected to compete for PJ Tucker in free agency. All are expected to offer the full mid-level/TPMLE exception. He is unlikely to return to Miami, per sources.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) June 30, 2022

Trent Forrest will be an unrestricted free agent after the Jazz decided not to extend a qualifying offer to the point guard out of Florida State.

The Utah Jazz will not extend a qualifying offer to point guard Trent Forrest, making him an unrestricted free agent, League Sources tell The Athletic. There is interest in working something out during free agency. Forrest was a member of the rotation this past season

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) June 30, 2022

Per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic, Juan Toscano-Anderson will be an unrestricted free agent once the free agency period of the NBA offseason begins on Thursday. The 29-year-old became the first Mexican-American to win an NBA title after the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

“I got a championship with my hometown team,” JTA told Thompson during a phone interview Wednesday night.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me. You’ve got to give a little to get a little. And I gave up playing time to, you know, become a legend. I’m a legend in the Town. I’m a legend in Mexico. And I’m not saying that myself. It’s showing, know what I mean?”

Juan Toscano-Anderson is at peace with leaving the Warriors.

“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me.”

It’s time for the next chapter of his storybook journey.https://t.co/m94B7ILm2u pic.twitter.com/5OxoGWXG6P

— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) June 30, 2022

According to Tim Reynolds, the Heat does not have a meeting scheduled with restricted free agent Jalen Brunson on Thursday.

The Heat are not planning to meet with Jalen Brunson today, and they did not have such a meeting scheduled, per league source.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 30, 2022

The Cavs are reportedly expected to match offers given to restricted free agent Collin Sexton. Multiple reports say Sexton wants a “starting guard” extension. The Alabama product is coming off a season-ending torn meniscus.

Cavs Expected To Match Outside Offers For Collin Sexton – Hoops Wire https://t.co/9k5zuRmUAd

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) June 30, 2022

The Jazz won’t extend a qualifying offer to forward Eric Paschall, sources tell @Tjonesonthenba.

He will become an unrestricted free agent.https://t.co/fcOCtqEmMN pic.twitter.com/ok07Xpx9Dr

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 30, 2022

Kemba Walker and the Pistons have reportedly agreed to a contract buyout. Walker will be a free agent after he clears waivers. Walker last played for the Knicks last season before he was traded to the Pistons as New York clears space to sign fellow free agent Jalen Brunson.

Four-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker and the Detroit Pistons are finalizing a contract buyout, sources tell ESPN. Once Walker clears waivers, he’ll join free agency.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022

Per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, the Heat have guaranteed the contracts of Max Strus, Gabe Stevenson, and Omer Yurtseven as of Thursday morning.

Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Omer Yurtseven are still on the Heat’s roster this morning, which means their full $1.8 million salaries for next season are now guaranteed. This was seen as a formality. Carry on.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) June 30, 2022

The Sacramento Kings are exercising the option on PF/C Chimezie Metu for the 2022-2023 season, sources tell ESPN. Metu averaged 8.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 21 minutes a game for the Kings last season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Patty Mills will be exploring his options on the free-agent market after declining to sign his player option with the Nets on Wednesday afternoon.

Brooklyn Nets guard Patty Mills declined his $6.2M option and will become a free agent, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

The Kings won’t be offering a qualifying offer to Donte DiVencenzo, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Sacramento Kings are declining to offer Donte DiVencenzo a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. There will be significant interest in DiVencenzo on the open market.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Lu Dort will be a restricted free agent after the OKC Thunder decided to not sign Durt’s team option for the 2022-23 season, per Shams Charania.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are declining the $1.9 million team option on froward Lu Dort for 2022-23 season, which makes him a restricted free agent and allows sides to negotiate a new deal in free agency, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

James Harden will hit the free-agent market for the first time in his career but he is likely to re-sign with the 76ers.

ESPN Sources: 76ers star James Harden has declined his $47.3M option and become a free agent. He keeps real the possibility of negotiating a new deal that would deliver the Sixers roster-building flexibility in free agency – including use of the full $10.5M exception.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Bobby Portis told the Bucks that he’ll decline his player option and will instead become a free agent.

Portis has early bird rights in Milwaukee.

The maximum that he can sign for is 4 years/$49M.

The contract has to be for a minimum of 2 seasons and cannot include an option in year 2. https://t.co/Nu5KC9G8D9

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 29, 2022

Bradley Beal has made his long-awaited decision and will become a free agent for the first time in his career after declining his player option.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has declined his $36.4M option and become a free agent, his agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Beal is eligible to sign a 5-year max to return to Wizards – or sign elsewhere on a 4-year deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Jae-Sean Tate will be a restricted free agent after the ROckets declined his team option for the 2022-23 season. Shams Charania reports that Houston and Tate are mutually interested in signing a new deal once free agency begins on Thursday.

The Houston Rockets have declined forward Jae’Sean Tate’s $1.8 million team option for next season, making him a restricted free agent, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Rockets and Tate have mutual interest in discussing new deal in free agency beginning Thursday night.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2022

The Cavaliers have reportedly elected to not offer Moses Brown a qualifying offer to Moses Brown, per Michael Scott of the Hoopshype. The decision allows Brown to enter the free-agent market as an unrestricted free agent.

Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers won’t tender a qualifying offer to center Moses Brown, @hoopshype has learned. The 7-foot-1, 22-year-old center will become an unrestricted free agent. Brown could be an intriguing development option for NBA teams around the league.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 28, 2022

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Taurean Prince and the Timberwolves have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Minnesota Timberwolves F Taurean Prince has agreed on a two-year, $16 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 29, 2022

Ivica Zubac and his reps have reportedly agreed to a three-year extension with the Clippers, per Woj. The Clippers declining to sign his team option led to the agreement with Zubac.

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $33 million extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman of @excelbasketball tell ESPN. The Clippers declined his $7.5M team option for 2022-2023, clearing the way for Zubac’s new deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

Tony Bradley is reportedly opting into his player option and will remain with the Bulls next season, per Woj.

Chicago Bulls center Tony Bradley is exercising his $2M player option for next season, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2022

The post 2022 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

While it helps, you don’t have to win a championship to be on this list. There were some pretty incredible NBA teams that fell short of championships but were still so far ahead of the rest of the League (besides the champion) that they deserve to leapfrog some actual champions. 

This week, we’re unveiling who we think deserves to be included on this list, which is featured in our SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time special issue. Here’s our top 65-55:

65. 1983-84 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 54-28

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, Calvin Garrett, Magic Johnson, Eddie Jordan, Mitch Kupchak, Bob McAdoo, Mike McGee, Swen Nater, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Larry Spriggs, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy

The Lakers would have to wait one more year to finally beat the Celtics when it mattered most. Led by Kareem’s 26.6 ppg and 8.1 rpg in the series, the Lakers forced a Game 7 on the road. But whether it was the mystique of Boston Garden, that famously tricky parquet floor or simply a deep and talented Celtics team that had the benefit of homecourt advantage and League MVP Larry Bird, L.A. couldn’t quite vanquish its franchise kryptonite.

64. 1976-77 Philadephia 76ers

Coach: Gene Shue

Record: 50-32

Roster: Jim Barnett, Henry Bibby, Joe Bryant, Fred Carter, Harvey Catchings, Doug Collins, Darryl Dawkins, Mike Dunleavy, Julius Erving, World B. Free, Terry Furlow, Caldwell Jones, George McGinnis, Steve Mix

This Sixers squad might be best remembered for a roster that included future coaches (Doug Collins, Mike Dunleavy) and the fathers of future All-Stars (Joe Bryant, Harvey Catchings, Henry Bibby). Of course, Philly also had Dr. J in his first NBA season after a legendary five-year ABA run, and second-year big man Darryl Dawkins, a few years shy of his Chocolate Thunder prime. A fascinating roster, but no match for Bill Walton and the Blazers in the Finals.

63. 1967-68 Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Alex Hannum

Record: 62-20

Roster: Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Costello, Billy Cunningham, Ron Filipek, Johnny Green, Hal Greer, Matt Guokas, Luke Jackson, Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni, Jim Reid, Chet Walker

Philly finished with the League’s best record, eight games clear of the Celtics in the East, thanks to balanced production from future Hall of Famers Hal Greer (24.1 ppg), Billy Cunningham (18.9 ppg), Chet Walker (17.9 ppg) and of course, Wilt Chamberlain, who put up 24.3 points and pulled down 23.8 boards per. The Sixers didn’t lose more than two straight all season…until the East Finals, when they blew a 3-1 lead against Russell, Havlicek and the eventual champs from Boston.

62. 2001-02 Sacramento Kings

Coach: Rick Adelman

Record: 61-21

Roster: Mike Bibby, Chucky Brown, Doug Christie, Mateen Cleaves, Vlade Divac, Lawrence Funderburke, Bobby Jackson, Scot Pollard, Brent Price, Jabari Smith, Peja Stojakovic, Hedo Turkoglu, Gerald Wallace, Chris Webber

For Kings fans, it is still a crime, the grandest larceny ever. Game 6 of the Western Finals against the Lakers was flat stolen from Sacramento. Missed calls. Allegations of referees fixing the proceedings. It was ugly, nasty business. And it robbed the team with the NBA’s best record, the one with Chris Webber in charge down low, Peja Stojakovic shooting from everywhere and a deep supporting cast of a title. It’s that simple. And that outrageous.

61. 1995-96 Seattle Supersonics

Coach: George Karl

Record: 64-18

Roster: Vincent Askew, Frank Brickowski, Sherell Ford, Hersey Hawkins, Ervin Johnson, Shawn Kemp, Nate McMillan, Gary Payton, Sam Perkins, Steve Scheffler, Detlef Schrempf, Eric Snow, David Wingate

What happens when one of the greatest teams in franchise history meets the greatest team in NBA history? Well, you can figure it out. The Sonics won the Pacific by 11 games and had a star-studded lineup with ferocious Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton on the perimeter, talking junk and stealing everything, smooth Detlef Schrempf all over the place and Hersey Hawkins shooting the lights out. Seattle was great. Really great. Unfortunately, the Bulls were greater.

60. 1956-57 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 44-28

Roster: Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, Dick Hemric, Jim Loscutoff, Jack Nichols, Togo Palazzi, Andy Phillip, Frank Ramsey, Arnie Risen, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Lou Tsioropoulos

The birth of a dynasty. Led by the in-their-prime backcourt of Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, and the frontcourt pairing of rookies Tom Heinsohn and Bill Russell, the Celtics made the franchise’s first Finals appearance in the spring of ’57. St. Louis took Boston to double OT in Game 7, but Heinsohn (37 points, 23 boards) matched Bob Pettit (39 and 19), and Russell went for 19 and 32 to help the Celtics claim the first of their 17 banners.

59. 2017-18 Houston Rockets

Coach: Mike D’Antoni

Record: 65-17

Roster: Ryan Anderson, Trevor Ariza, Tarik Black, Bobby Brown, Markel Brown, Isaiah Canaan, Clint Capela, Eric Gordon, Gerald Green, James Harden, Nene, RJ Hunter, Aaron Jackson, Demetrius Jackson,  Joe Johnson, Luc Mbah a Moute, Chinanu Onuaku, Chris Paul, Zhou Qi, Tim Quarterman, PJ Tucker, Briante Weber, Troy Williams, Brandan Wright

Unfortunately, these Rockets, which featured the dynamic backcourt of James Harden, Chris Paul and Eric Gordon, won’t be remembered for their NBA-best record or high-scoring ways. They will be remembered for that 25-point second half in Game 6 of the Western Finals against Golden State and then a homecourt loss two days later that ended the series. Houston played fast, used Clint Capela to handle the rough stuff inside and still wonders what might have been.

58. 2004-05 Phoenix Suns

Coach: Mike D’Antoni

Record: 62-20

Roster: Leandro Barbosa, Zarko Cabarkapa, Steven Hunter, Jim Jackson, Casey Jacobsen, Joe Johnson, Maciej Lampe, Shawn Marion, Walter McCarty, Steve Nash, Bo Outlaw, Smush Parker, Quentin Richardson, Paul Shirley, Amar’e Stoudemire, Yuta Tabuse, Jake Voskuhl, Jackson Vroman

These Suns didn’t care much about defense, and they flamed out in the Western Finals against San Antonio, despite having the NBA’s best record. But what a fun team to watch. Led by League MVP Steve Nash, Phoenix pushed the tempo feverishly and featured a talented collection of scorers. Nobody could dunk like Shawn Marion, unless it was Amar’e Stoudemire. Joe Johnson was deadly from three, and Quentin Richardson shot from everywhere. Good times.

57. 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Frank Vogel

Record: 52-19

Roster: Kostas Antetokounmpo, Avery Bradley, Devontae Cacok, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels, Anthony Davis, Jared Dudley, Danny Green, Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Markieff Morris, Zach Norvell, Rajon Rondo, JR Smith, Dion Waiters

One year after failing to make the playoffs, the Lakers won it all in the COVID-19 bubble. Anthony Davis joined LeBron James in a formidable pairing, and the duo combined for 51.4 ppg. The Lakers lost only five games in their four playoff series. James led the NBA in assists, the supporting cast handled its roles without complaint and the Lakers won it all in a season they dedicated to the late Kobe Bryant.

56. 2009-10 Boston Celtics

Coach: Doc Rivers

Record: 50-32

Roster: Ray Allen, Tony Allen, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis, Michael Finley, Kevin Garnett, JR Giddens, Eddie House, Lester Hudson, Oliver Lafayette, Marcus Landry, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine, Henry Walker, Rasheed Wallace, Shelden Williams

The Celtics’ Big Three led the squad on another trek to the Finals that included an Atlantic Division title. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were again the engine on an Eastern Conference title team, with help from point man Rajon Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins, while Rasheed Wallace provided support up front. Boston led the Lakers, 3-2, in the Finals, but ultimately lost a seven-game decision.

55. 1996-97 Utah Jazz

Coach: Jerry Sloan

Record: 64-18

Roster: Shandon Anderson, Antoine Carr, Howard Eisley, Greg Foster, Jeff Hornacek, Stephen Howard, Adam Keefe, Karl Malone, Chris Morris, Ruben Nembhard, Greg Ostertag, Bryon Russell, John Stockton, Brooks Thompson, Jamie Watson

The Jazz had plenty of great seasons during the Karl Malone-John Stockton years, but this might have been the best. Malone was League MVP, and Utah set a franchise record for wins that still stands. Stockton once again ran the show and set up everyone, while Jeff Hornacek and Bryon Russell were valuable on the perimeter. The Jazz looked good, but as usual, the Bulls looked better, taking the Finals in six.

Read here to find out who made the No. 75-66 spot on the list.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams Of All Time

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time: No. 65-55 appeared first on SLAM.

Canadian basketball legends of the past, present and future grace the cover the first-ever edition of SLAM Canada: Steve Nash, Kia Nurse and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Featuring augmented reality-enabled covers, SLAM Canada 1 has stories on Drake, Natalie Achonwa, Super Fan, Vince Carter and more. The inaugural edition is penned by a diverse roster of journalists who reflect the strength and passion of Canada’s basketball community.

SLAM Canada Issue 1 featuring Kia Nurse is OUT NOW!

Steve Nash is one of the cover stars of SLAM Canada 1. Shop now.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is next up. Get your copy of SLAM Canada 1.

The post Steve Nash, Kia Nurse and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Cover SLAM Canada 1 appeared first on SLAM.

As the League celebrates it’s 75th anniversary, there’s quite a few Top 75 lists out there already. In fact, we’ve got quite a few of our own, from SLAM’s Top 75 Players of All Time Special Issue to most recently our Top 75 NBA Teams of All Time (shop here). We could’ve easily left it at that, but after checking out Tracy McGrady’s new Ones Basketball 1-on-1 League, we started thinking about the best 1-on-1 NBA players of all time.

So, we decided to have some fun with it and put together a bold list, categorized based on height, of all of the names that should be included in that conversation.

6-3 AND BELOW

1. Allen Iverson
A one-man revolution where the cross was just the beginning. He’s the master mixer on
our list for a reason.

2. Kyrie Irving
Hang it in the Louvre. KAI’s game is entirely its own art form.

3. Stephen Curry
The greatest shooter of all time needs just a sliver of space to make you pay, all while
staring down the crowd as the ball drops through the net. Uncanny.

4. Derrick Rose
Athleticism that was unparalleled and the nonexistence of fear had D. Rose bullying the
League as the youngest MVP ever.

5. Chris Paul
A mid range savant. A floor general. A Point God.

6. Gilbert Arenas
Agent Zero was lethal, tactical and surgical in leaving defenders guessing what portion
of the bag was about to be unleashed.

7. Damian Lillard
You can pick him up, but what comes next is entirely on you.

8. Russell Westbrook
Shot out of a cannon, if No. 0 is barrelling down the court, you best clear the runway.

9. Isiah Thomas
Lower to the ground just meant more ways to attack as the handle powered the
creativity that No. 11 enacted on his way to snagging two.

10. Jerry West
The Logo was constantly carving up defenses to drop buckets and dimes left and right.

11. Ja Morant
The ascension has been recognized. Call 12, and he’s always gonna answer.

12.Baron Davis
A blend of everything. Baron gave birth to the uber athletic displays of guard play that
we’ve become enthralled with over the years.

13. Trae Young
There’s a new villain in town and he’ll take your heart and your team’s straight to the
offseason.

14. Tiny Archibald
Ain’t nothing tiny about this man’s game. Nothing.

15. Stephon Marbury
The inspiration behind one of the greatest hoops flicks of all time attacked the game entirely on his own terms.

16. Tim Hardaway Sr
Having a killer crossover named after you is a mic drop moment.

17. CJ McCollum
The slipperiest shooting guard in the L. Shaking and baking is his M.O

18. Deron Williams
D Will mastered his own pace to the game. Separation was key and once he created it, you might as well just head back down for O.

19. Donovan Mitchell
Picking up this man is like taking a trip throughout the Spida-Verse, sprawling, spinning and overstimulated with flashes of colorful creativity and blinding moves.

20. Jrue Holiday
Always reliable, always locked in, always ready to pull it in your eye. Second-guessing is the greatest compliment a hooper can recognize and Jrue sees it often.

21. Steve Francis
Constantly sending defenders stumbling, Steve Francis doesn’t often get his due as one of the shiftiest guards to ever step on the hardwood.

22. Tony Parker
Some speed is built, some is gifted. TP’s froze defenders in a picture frame as he weaved around the paint for dimes and buckets.

23. Kemba Walker
We know y’all remember THE step back. Nuff said.

24. Chauncey Billups
Decidedly different. Big guard, big body, big buckets.

25. John Wall
Revolutionary athleticism instilled John Wall as the next box-office point guard. Go do your Google searches and watch his mixtapes to see what we’re seeing.

26. Lou Williams
Lou Williams is too smooth with it: a certified bucket, 3x NBA Sixth Man Player of the Year and a derserver of the utmost respect. 

27. Monta Ellis
Those 360 layups were just a regular thing for Monta Ellis. That’s what type of time he was on. 

28. Nick Van Exel
Nick Van Exel was waaaaaay too quick with it, from the crossovers to the high-flying drives to the lane to those insane dishes and dimes.

29. Jamal Murray
We’ve already told you this before: there’s music in Jamal Murray’s game. Try not to get lost in the melody, though, because he will drop 50 on you. Again and again.

30. Brandon Jennings
Dropping 55 points as a rookie is quite the statement, but then again, Brandon Jennings was never one to shy away from any moment. His game was too electric.

6-4 TO 6-8 

1. Michael Jordan
   The greatest. Put MJ in any situation, matchup or moment and you already know the outcome. Nothing more needs to be said.

2. Kobe Bryant
   He was constantly ascending past the depths of what competing truly meant. He knew your next move before you’d even had a chance to formulate the thought.

3. Tracy McGrady
   Scoring 13 points in 33 seconds is wild, but that’s just what T-Mac was about. One of the most complete scorers in the history of the Association.

4. Carmelo Anthony
   The fadeaway. The jab step. The spot-up jump shot, and his signature “washing machine” spin move. Carmelo Anthony remains one of the game’s most unstoppable scorers of all time. 

5. Kawhi Leonard
   Best believe, any matchup against the Klaw will result in him getting the last laugh. Trying to defend him in a 1v1? Now that’s pure comedy. 

6. Dwyane Wade
   The nickname was fitting: the Flash was one of most elite and efficient shooting guards who attacked the basket with an explosiveness that couldn’t possibly be contained. 

7. James Harden
   Equipped with a signature-move so iconic, a few names on this list have tried it out, the Beard is truly lethal with the rock in his hands.

8. Julius Erving
   A wizard who truly transcended the game. Every move was a symphony of basketball played at its finest. 

9. Charles Barkley
   A relentlessly physical rebounder with an attitude to match, Sir Charles was a force to be reckoned with.

10. Devin Booker
    With the words “Be Legendary” tattooed on his forearm, D-Book has continued to transcend his game towards just that no matter if he’s pullin’ up from midrange or hitting clutch shots from deep. 

11. Scottie Pippen
    One of the game’s greats could really do it all, from dishing out dimes and orchestrating an offense to snagging boards and holding it down on the defensive end. Versatility at it’s finest.  

12. Paul George
    PG’s all-around game is just one of the many things that define his greatness. His explosiveness and ability to create his own shot is another.

13. Paul Pierce
    The Truth can be hard for many to accept, but his dominance was nothing but pure facts. Shaquille O’Neal had a thing for nicknames, and when Paul Pierce dropped 42 on the Lakers in ’01, Shaq went over to the Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett and told him to write this down: “My name is Shaquille O’Neal and Paul Pierce is the truth. Quote me on that and don’t take nothing out.” Enough said.

14. DeMar DeRozan
    The King of the Fourth is a true revolutionary when it comes to the art of the midrange.

15. Jimmy Butler
    They call him Jimmy Buckets for a reason. That’s exactly what you’re gonna get.

16. Jayson Tatum
    JT moves different out there on the parquet floor, from the lethal step back and sidestep threes to the sheer dominance every time the rock touches his hands. That’s what happens when you’re mentored by none other than the Mamba.

17. Vince Carter
    Once Vince Carter got within eyesight of that line, it was over before it had even begun.

18. Zion Williamson
    You can’t be contained when the limits never existed. The same goes in the paint, or anywhere on the floor, when it comes to Zion Williamson. 

19. Penny Hardaway
    One of the greatest guards ever. That spin fake into a stepback, move? Pure magic.

20. Luka Doncic
    Luka plays at his own pace while completely dominating in the process. Different.

21. Dominique Wilkins
    With legs like propellers and arms that could absorb contact, Nique had underrated shot-making ability that went along with his otherworldly athleticism. 

22. Grant Hill 
    Versatility in a human being. Grant Hill was a threat to score from all three levels.

23. Elgin Baylor
    Surrender the skies to Elgin Baylor. Aerially gifted with merciless finishes at the rim.

24. George Gervin
    Smooth, refined, patient, disciplined and measured. Ice’s game was where fundamental met flash.

25. Alex English
    Nobody scored more points in the 1980s than Alex English. Nobody.

26. Joe Johnson
    His nickname is Iso Joe. Nothing more needs to be said.

27. Bradley Beal
    Bradley Beal technically has a perfect jumpshot. Pair that exquisite form with his handles and the result is a scoring machine.

28. Klay Thompson
    One of the best shooters ever is also a big body that precisely clamps players of all heights and weights.

29. Gary Payton
    Possibly the best perimeter defender to ever play, Gary Payton could also get to the tin whenever he wanted.

30. Jamal Crawford
    Jamal Crawford is creativity unleashed through instinct and intellect.

6-9 AND UP

1. Shaquille O’Neal
   The most physically dominant player ever. Realistically, there’s nobody stopping the Diesel.

2. Kevin Durant
   Size, skills, smarts. There have been very few other players that are more offensively complete than Kevin Durant.

3. LeBron James
   The case can be made that LeBron James is the best player ever. Full stop.

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
   Try guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo without any help defense. Get the picture?

5. Kevin Garnett
   The only part of Kevin Garnett’s game that outshined his skills on both sides of the ball was his competitiveness, a trait that’s gone nearly unmatched throughout history.

6. Hakeem Olajuwon
   Possibly the best two-way center ever, who dominated with equal doses of agility and nimbleness, power and force.

7. David Robinson
   Dunks and jumpers with the left, blocks and steals with both of his hands and a compressed trampoline in his right leg, David Robinson’s basketball IQ was just as ridiculous as his athletic capabilities.

8. Karl Malone
   Brute strength. Left side of the post to the right side of the hoop every single time. Never could be stopped.

9. Wilt Chamberlain
   Scored 100 points in a game, averaged 50 points for a season and if blocks and steals were tallied when he played, Wilt Chamberlain’s mythic status would be even greater than it already is.

10. Joel Embiid
    Joel Embiid is a guard stuck inside a 7-2, 280-pound body.

11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
    The author of the game’s most unstoppable shot, its leading scorer and a shot-blocking terror.

12. Larry Bird
    Larry Bird was so good at scoring that he would tell bigger, stronger and more athletic defenders exactly what he planned to do with the ball and they still couldn’t contain him.

13. Anthony Davis
    Middies, catch-and-shoot threes, barrels to the rim, pick-and-roll ball containment, weakside shot-blocking and passing lane invader properly describes Anthony Davis.  

14. Moses Malone
    Quite possibly the most underrated great in NBA history, Moses Malone was unstoppable from the block and even if he did miss, he’d consume offensive rebounds with such ferocity that the ensuing putbacks would be uncontested.

15. Dirk Nowitzki
    It’s real when a singular shot is credited to a player. Basketball now has the one-legged fadeaway thanks to Dirk Nowitzki.

Subscribe to the official podcast of the basketball bible, SLAM’s “No Pump Fakes.”

Follow host Theus McBee on Instagram @theuselijah and Ahmad Smith, @akisnba.

The post SLAM’s Official Top 75 Greatest 1-on-1 NBA Players of All Time List appeared first on SLAM.

The contest featured Obi Toppin (New York Knicks), Cole Anthony (Orlando Magic), Juan Toscano-Anderson (Golden State Warriors), and Jalen Green (Houston Rockets).

The one thing that this contest brought that fans would remember is the footwear of a particular contestant that went back to hit NYC roots to attempt a dunk.

First Round: (Jalen Green and Cole Anthony get eliminated)

Cole Anthony pulled off a stunt that is difficult in any YMCA, much less an NBA arena. He put on some Timbs to bring the New York vibe to the contest. Then he put on his father, Greg Anthony’s, Knicks jersey to show homage. After two non-attempts, he put down a left-hand windmill for a score of 40.

Timbs on? Still bouncy.@The_ColeAnthony @GregAnthony50 #PhantomCam pic.twitter.com/noKTQv0fu7

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2022

However, Cole injured himself on the dunk and missed three times on his next dunk, and was eliminated. It was a shame considering that dunk brought a lot of energy to the crowd and the announcers. Even Toppin was pointing to his wrist, wondering when the clock would start.

While Cole Anthony provided the theater, Green probably had the most impressive dunk of the first round with an impressive between-the-legs 360 dunk finishing away from the basket.

Jalen Green defying gravity in #PhantomCam pic.twitter.com/kE6Gzifvny

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2022

What doomed this year’s pre-competition favorite was completing his first dunk. The plan was to get a pass off the backboard from Josh Christopher running out of bounds in the corner. But after two misses, Green had to settle with a windmill off an underhand lob that received the lowest score of any completed dunk in the first round.

Toppin and Toscano-Anderson made the final the old-fashioned way by not missing any dunk attempts.

Final round: (Juan Toscano-Anderson had some controversy on his first dunk)

In the finals, Toscano-Anderson tried to put his elbow in the rim ala Vince Carter but did not get enough lift to hang on the rim to finish. According to the rules, it was considered a dunk attempt, and he could not try again. The score of 39 basically doomed his chances.

He then tried to replicate Jason Richardson’s iconic dunk with a pass off the backboard into a left-hand windmill between the legs that went nowhere. He missed all three attempts, and for all practical purposes, the contest was over with a score of 30.

Obi Toppin went on to take the Slam Dunk Contest with some impressive dunks.

Obi Toppin had some creative dunks to become the #ATTSlamDunk Champion! #StateFarmSaturday #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/Mt0DJqgjbc

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2022

With the win, Obi Toppin became the third Knicks player to win the Slam Dunk Contest along with the three-time winner Nate Robinson and Kenny Walker.

The post Obi Toppin Uses Consistency to Take the NBA Slam Dunk Contest appeared first on SLAM.

Times were beginning to get tough for Mitchell & Ness Sporting Goods in Philadelphia, PA. For a while, the small store had been the go-to spot in the city. Founded in 1904 by Frank P. Mitchell and Charlie M. Ness, they first specialized in handcrafted tennis racquets, golf clubs and other equipment, which would be sold to local high schools. As the business grew in the 1930s, they started making uniforms for some of the professional teams based in Philly, like the NFL’s Eagles and MLB’s Athletics and Phillies. In the 1950s, Sisto Capolino, who started at the store in 1917, bought the company. 

Their reputation continued to expand, and success persisted for a long, long time, but it wouldn’t last forever. Not without change, anyway. Bigger sporting goods companies with more locations were sprouting up across the area in the early 1980s. “Things were getting pretty rough as the world was changing,” says Lynn Bloom, the Director of Authentics and Archives at Mitchell & Ness. “Independent stores were starting to disappear.”

In 1985, a man strolled into Mitchell & Ness holding pieces of two game-worn uniforms, a 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates vest and a 1949 St. Louis Browns jersey. They were both made of wool flannel. The customer’s request was simple: could Peter Capolino, Sisto’s son and now-owner of the store, repair the items? Capolino, who was very knowledgeable about baseball, pledged to give it a shot. Fortunately, there was a nearby manufacturer—Maple Manufacturing—that had piles of long-discarded wool flannel just sitting in its warehouse. The material matched what the man brought into the shop and Capolino was able to make the appropriate fixes. From there, he thought, Why not do this more and incorporate it into the business? He had nothing to lose. That decision would prove to be groundbreaking, as no one was doing anything similar at the time. The world of vintage sports apparel didn’t really exist until Capolino resolved to build it.

“It came about out of desperation. The business was really struggling,” explains Bloom. “The store was in a building where above it was a place called Readmor Books that sold old books and magazines—like, they had Sports Illustratedsfrom way back and old baseball programs. So, Peter would always joke that he would hide out there from his bill collectors, looking at old Sports Illustrated [magazines] and stuff. That related in that he had access to all these pictures of old baseball jerseys.”

“People coming into the sporting goods store were really responding to [the vintage jerseys], so he thought, I’m just going to make a couple more of these,” Bloom continues. “He had access to the images, he had Maple Manufacturing, he had ways to get them made and they were becoming pretty popular. He was making them one at a time. People would request [specific jerseys] or he would decide, I’m going to try a Mickey Mantle, or whoever he wanted to make. There was no licensing, there was no deal, there was nothing official happening except this little store in Philadelphia was making old baseball jerseys.”

The new endeavor created such a buzz that Sports Illustrated featured Mitchell & Ness in a 1987 article titled “Baseball Flannels are Hot.” Shortly after, the MLB reached out to Capolino and the two sides were able to come to a proper licensing agreement, giving Mitchell & Ness the exclusive rights to produce player jerseys. That led to the famous “Cooperstown Collection” and eventually sparked deals with the NBA, NFL and NHL.

Bloom joined Mitchell & Ness in 2001, as the company was in the midst of its craziest boom yet. Three years earlier, in 1998, Big Boi, half of the legendary Atlanta-based rap duo Outkast, wore a retro Nolan Ryan Houston Astros jersey in Goodie Mob’s “Black Ice” music video. That moment put Mitchell & Ness on the map outside of the hardcore baseball fans and sports memorabilia collectors. It was also the beginning of a throwback wave that seemed to take over pop culture. 

All of a sudden, everyone started buying vintage jerseys. The style, popularized by athletes and music artists, was to wear them extremely oversized—nothing smaller than an XXL. 

“It was really [during] that time, in the early 2000s, where every award show, every video that was shot, was like a Mitchell & Ness ad,” Bloom recalls. “It was crazy. We couldn’t keep up with it.” 

Jay-Z rocked some now-legendary throwbacks in his videos. Same with Fabolous, Jermaine Dupri, hip-hop duo Clipse, Cam’ron, Beanie Sigel, the list goes on and on. When he hosted the 2002 American Music Awards, Diddy rotated through several different jerseys over the course of the evening. About a month later, the NBA All-Star Game came to the city of Philadelphia, and celebrities kept dropping by Mitchell & Ness for the latest jerseys.

LeBron James actually met his close friend and longtime agent Rich Paul because of the growing fascination with throwbacks spearheaded by Mitchell & Ness in the early 2000s. At the airport in Akron, OH, Paul was wearing a Warren Moon jersey that caught the attention of James, then in high school. As it turned out, Paul was selling jerseys just like that one out of the trunk of his car and was on his way to Atlanta to purchase more. He gave James the name of his connection and their relationship grew and evolved from there.

The era of massive throwbacks would eventually slow down, especially as Jay-Z moved on to the button-up look, but by then, Mitchell & Ness was fully on everybody’s radar. The company has branched out tremendously ever since, developing new products like headwear, hoodies, t-shirts and more. Of course, jerseys have remained popular, too, and continue to be at the heart of the company’s business.

In over two decades, Bloom has witnessed Mitchell & Ness explode on an international scale. When she was hired, they were so small that employees didn’t have specific roles; now as Director of Authentics and Archives, she’s in charge of deciding which authentic jerseys the brand is going to make and ensuring that all of them are historically accurate. 

Her team plans out a schedule centered around major events, such as Hall of Fame inductions, notable anniversaries, big milestones, new M&N signees and more. Once they’ve narrowed down a list of throwbacks to produce, the extensive research process begins, which involves browsing the internet and image sites like Getty and AP, cross referencing any findings with old books, magazines, programs and media guides from the company’s extensive library, checking with collectors and experts in the space, and reaching out to leagues and respective Halls of Fame for physical samples, if possible. All notes are then passed to the Authentic Product Development Team, a group that creates the actual artwork that gets sent to the factory. Multiple samples are manufactured until Bloom and her colleagues believe they have a product that meets Mitchell & Ness’ high standards. Overall, the process takes anywhere from nine months to a year.

For the NBA, among the all-time bestsellers are  the Vince Carter 1998-99 purple Toronto Raptors jersey, with the pinstripes and iconic dinosaur, and everything Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson. The innovative uniforms from the 1990s—think giant logos, wacky designs and bold colors—always resonate with fans. Just as it was in 1985, when Capolino repaired those first baseball jerseys, Mitchell & Ness is all about celebrating the past, evoking a sense of nostalgia and expressing one’s deep love for sports.

“It has been one of the most joyous moments of my career to guide Mitchell & Ness from a cultural phenomenon to an international powerhouse,” says CEO Kevin Wulff. “In the past five years since our acquisition, we have focused on remaining true to our authentic roots while becoming innovators in the product and storytelling space and the brand is hotter than its ever been.”

“As a huge fan myself, I think a lot of what resonates with me is being able to recreate those moments in time that we all, as basketball fans, remember and that mean so much to us,” Bloom says. “That’s the best part of the job.” 

The post The History of Mitchell & Ness: How a Small Philly-Based Sporting Goods Store Became a Leader in Sports Apparel appeared first on SLAM.

KD has now surpassed Stephen Curry for the highest single-game scoring performance of the season. In November, Curry dropped 50, hitting nine three-pointers on 14-28 shooting from the field in the Golden State Warriors’ 127-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Most elite scorer of all-time? (via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/yfqhf0UHjp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 13, 2021

The two-time Finals MVP’s performance in the Motor City set the record for most points scored in Little Caesars Arena; Nets teammate and former Piston forward Blake Griffin previously held the record with 50.

With James Harden sitting out of Sunday’s game for rest, the Nets continuously turned to Durant throughout the entirety of his 41 minutes on the court. Durant’s MVP-caliber performance tied him with Caris LeVert and Vince Carter for fifth-most in a single game in Nets history with his seventh all-time 50-piece.

“We’re missing James (Harden), we’re missing Paul Millsap, so I felt like I had to pick up the scoring a little more,” Durant said in his postgame interview. “This team, Detroit, was playing back in the pick and roll, they wasn’t doubling as often as other teams, so I just tried to take advantage.”

The post Kevin Durant Drops 51 Points for Highest Scoring Performance This Season appeared first on SLAM.

Drake’s Certified Lover Boy is on, and Mitchell quietly sings along to “Love All” in between takes. The lyrics seem to echo a truth that’s reflective of his own journey. 

Lotta fallin’ outs help me build foundation…

Now in his fifth year in the NBA, Mitchell is on a mission to do something that’s never been done before in the Beehive State—win the franchise’s first NBA title.

“It’s not like this is a regular occurrence here [in Utah],” Mitchell says of winning a ’chip. “This isn’t like the Lakers where they have [17] of them. This is us. The team, the organization has never won one. So, how meaningful would that be? If you look at three or four years ago, Kawhi went to Toronto [and] that was a truly special moment for the country, for the team, for the organization. That excitement, we want to be the last team standing for many different reasons but that’s a big one as well—to be able to bring the first one here in history.” 

SLAM 235 featuring Donovan Mitchell is available now!

That’s always been the mission for Don since the minute he arrived in Salt Lake City as the No. 13 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft after two years at Louisville. While Mitchell has been a lead catalyst for the franchise’s success over the years, he’s also learned that it’s all about the work that it takes to get there. 

“I came into the League as a surprise,” he says. “I tell people all the time, it’s one thing to get drafted, but [it’s another] to be able to do this on a year-to-year basis, day-to-day. I think [that] is definitely what sets guys over the top. That’s my goal every year—to come out being the same player who gets better each year and you know what to expect coming from me, and I think that’s definitely what I’ve learned from my rookie year—the work. You gotta stick to it, the work doesn’t stop because you had one good season or one good game.”

Although his rookie campaign started on a slower note, that “surprise” came eight games in—he had back-to-back 20-plus point performances against Portland and Toronto, and by December, he dropped 41 points against the Pelicans, becoming the first rookie to score 40-plus points in a game since Blake Griffin did it in 2011, while also setting the franchise rookie scoring record. Two months later, Spida—a nickname he earned as a kid by a teammate’s father because of his long arms—paid homage to Vince Carter’s iconic 360 windmill dunk and snagged the 2018 Dunk Contest title. By the end of the season, Mitchell had led all rookies in scoring with 20.5 points per game, was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and was a runner-up for Rookie of the Year. 

And yet, even with all of his early success, Mitchell told SLAM in 2018 that he could “care less” about whether or not he won the award. What he did care about was making a “playoff push.” The Jazz advanced to the playoffs that year, and rookie Don seemed ready for the moment, popping off with a 27-point performance in Game 1 against the Thunder, and another 28 points in Game 2—his combined 55 points were the most ever by a shooting guard in the first two postseason games of their career, a record that once belonged to Michael Jordan (53). The Jazz advanced all the way to the Western Conference semifinals, where they lost to Houston in five games. 

 Still, that was just the foundation, the first layer to the building blocks that Mitchell was establishing as a future All-Star and face of the franchise. Looking back on his first year, Mitchell does have a message for his younger self, though: 

“Slow down. I think just understanding the game and letting the game come to you,” he says when asked what he learned as a rookie. “You’re not always going to go get it every game, being able to kind of pace yourself for an 82-game season. I really don’t want to say much to my younger self because without those bumps in the road, without those mistakes, victories and success, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. Maybe if I learned some things earlier, I’d be better now, but I think for me, just being able to go through those mistakes, [going] through those things allows me to be the player I am today.”

This exclusive SLAM 235 cover featuring Spida is available only on SLAM Goods.

By his third year in the L, Mitchell’s game had only gotten better. He went from averaging 20.5 points as a rookie to having career-highs in nearly every category, including points (24.0), assists (4.3) and boards (4.4). His dunks had somehow gotten even more explosive, his layup package was more impressive and the behind-the-back dimes to teammate Rudy Gobert had become all too easy. 

Mitchell was named an All-Star for the first time in his career that season, and the Jazz ultimately embarked on a playoff run against Denver in the Orlando bubble. His numbers were astronomical. He broke Karl Malone’s previous franchise playoff scoring record by dropping 57 points in Game 1, which was also the third most points in playoff history. He followed that up with 51 points in Game 4. 

When he screamed, “I WANT THIS SH**!” that game, it was clear, especially then, that he truly did. After losing to the Nuggets in Game 7, an emotional Mitchell knew that yet another shortcoming was just the start to something great. 

“This is me scratching the surface,” he said after the game, per ESPN. “This ain’t the end. This is just the beginning.” 

Grab the top spot, like pardon my reach… 

The 2020-21 season marked new beginnings. Mitchell returned with a vengeance, averaging a career-high 26.4 points and 5.2 assists. He’d also added a deeper three-point shooting range to his bag, which—considering the fact that he was already equipped with absurd athleticism and elite playmaking abilities—made him that much more lethal. 

While an ankle sprain in April would force him to miss 16 games, the setback only led to a major comeback when he returned at the end of May, just in time for the playoffs. The Jazz, who had finished with a League-best record (52-20) for the first time in franchise history, as well as the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference, took out Memphis in the first round in five games. Playoff Don was on a different type of time and made a statement early in the second round, dropping 45 points in Game 1 against the Clippers, followed by back-to-back-to-back 30-plus point performances in the next three games. The momentum was there, but for another consecutive year, it wasn’t enough.

“I didn’t watch basketball until Game 6 of the Finals,” Mitchell admits when asked how he felt emotionally after the elimination. “It just didn’t sit right with me. I felt like we had the opportunity to make it to the Finals, and for me, that was the first time I’d ever done that. It allowed me to sit back and approach the game differently, my training—obviously I was hurt, so I had to rehab, too, but I had to approach my whole summer differently.”

During the offseason, Mitchell let out his frustrations in the weight room and in on-court drills with trainer Chris Brickley. Those sessions became his escape, and the loss only added to his motivation.

“It adds fuel to the fire, it adds an element of, OK, we got to the second round, now how do we get to the conference finals? How do we get past that? We lost Game 7 two years ago in the first round, like, finding ways to level up and get better each year. If you let it absorb you, it can deter you from what your goal is, so for me, it’s being able to let it fuel my fire, fuel our fire as a team and go out there and improve in each category that I need to for myself, and the team as well.”

This season is another opportunity to run it back and build on what the Jazz have accomplished over the past few years. It’s still early, but they’ve been off to a solid start so far. As of this writing, they’re 8-3 with a No. 2 standing in the West. What’ll set them apart, Mitchell says, is how they perform when it counts.  

“We’re a pretty good team, [but] we’ve got to perform when it’s time. That’s no secret, that’s the biggest thing. We’re a good regular season team and we’ve had success in the playoffs, but we haven’t had the ultimate success. We haven’t gotten past the second round. That’s pretty much what we’re looking at ourselves [for]. Obviously, the external stuff is what it is, but internally, whatever you hear—multiply that times 10 and that’s what I’m thinking. You know what I mean? 

“Of course, we want to be able to make it past the second round, conference finals and Finals. So for me, that’s where it’s at for us. We’ve got to be able to do things the way that’ll work and we can’t skip steps throughout the year. We got to continue to go through what we’ve been going through, take care of what we need to take care of and we got to be ready.”

Woke up one day and it was all on me

If it comes down, it’s gon’ fall on me…

As for his own goals, Mitchell’s mindset has stayed the same since day 1. While he’s projected to have even better numbers than he did last year (according to Basketball Reference), it’s still not about individual accolades for him. 

“Unfortunately, I didn’t win Rookie of the Year [in 2018] and I didn’t make All-NBA last year, although I feel I should have, [but] it is what it is. For me, it’s all about winning. Winning takes care of everything in this League—if you’re able to win, you’re able to be top in the West, top in the NBA, everything else takes care of itself…For myself, it’s understanding that it’s not about you or the individual stuff, because you could be an individual award winner and not win a championship. The goal is to win a championship.” 

With Dwyane Wade in his corner as the new co-owner of the Jazz, Mitchell has been able to learn from someone who has reached the heights he’s trying to get to. 

“He’s just passing the game down, passing the knowledge down, and I appreciate that,” Mitchell says of Wade. “It doesn’t have to always be that way, that’s not always the case with guys. I ask a thousand questions and he’s always ready to answer it. There’s certain times where it’s like, Nah, bro, you know the answer. You need that, there’s definitely times for that, no matter how old you get or how experienced you get. There’s always times where it’s like, Figure it out. I think that’s why I’m thankful for him because he’s always able to keep it real.”

While on a press tour for his new memoir, DWYANE, Wade recalls the first time he met Mitchell, when he was playing against him. “I think I was in Cleveland at the time, and he was guarding me. I got a chance to size him up and I was like, He’s little,” he says, later adding, “but he was so explosive.”

When asked what advice he’d give to Mitchell about reaching the next level, Wade says, “Losing, it hurts, but it helps at the same time. He’s been knocked out of the playoffs, he’s had injuries. He has things to get that chip on his shoulder, he has experience…But, make sure that your effort every day is championship quality effort. Make sure you carry yourself as a champion, so that when you become one, when you get that opportunity, it’s not foreign to you. You know how to act, you know how to do it, you know how to respond to it.” 

Just as Mitchell embraces Salt Lake, they’ve shown him love right back. His impact is everywhere, from the sea of No. 45 jerseys in the crowd at Vivint Smart Home Arena to the way that crowd goes insane when he pulls up from three and nails one in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve had greats play for this organization. You got Karl Malone, John Stockton, so many legends that have played for this team. For us, that motivation, being the first one to do it, I think is definitely in our heads when we’re out there and competing. But, more importantly, we want to do it for each other, our coaches, our staff. That’s something that’s great, that we have that as a group. We’re connected. We’re locked in as a group and we want to be able to give our fans a show and bring one to Utah.” 

These SLAM 235 metal editions are available now. Shop here.

Portraits Atiba Jefferson.

The post Man on a Mission: Donovan Mitchell is Focused on Bringing Utah Its First-Ever NBA Title appeared first on SLAM.

And although he is now a member of the Miami Heat, Lowry still seems to have strong ties to Toronto.

In an interview with Marc J Spears of the Undefeated, Lowry speaks about his time within Toronto.

“I’m a man’s man, but I know I’m going to be a little bit sensitive and crying that day. I don’t know. I might hold it in,” Lowry told The Undefeated. “I’ve talked to [former Raptors teammate] DeMar [DeRozan] about it. But it’s one of them days where I know it’s going to be a lot of love for me and me giving love back, it’s just going to be interesting how it goes down because I don’t know what to expect.

“It’s different when you got traded from Memphis and you go back. I still get love from Memphis, which is awesome. I still get love from Houston. This is different because I continued to grow as a person in Toronto. So eight years in the city, one year I was in Tampa, but nine years overall with one franchise is a long time.”

Lowry also opened up about his decision to leave the Raptors.

“I still text (general manager) Bobby (Webster). I still text (Raptors President) Masai (Ujiri). There are no hard feelings,” Lowry said. “We’ve all had an open line of communication. And for me, it was very bittersweet because I never wanted to leave. But it was more a sense of: ‘All right, my kids are getting older. I want to be somewhere where they can be stable no matter what.’

“And, yeah, everybody says you could just live in Canada, but you’d have to get Canadian citizenship to live there. And I don’t think I would’ve lived there for the rest of my life. But I’ll be able to go back. That’s still home. Like I’ve said, and I’ll say it now, I will sign a one-day contract and I’ll retire as a Toronto Raptor. That is my everything.”

Lowry has spent nine years with the Raptors, In that process, he was able to become the franchise’s all-time leader in assists (4,277), steals (873), 3-pointers made and attempted and trails only DeRozan in games played and points scored along with leading them to a championship in 2019.

The post Kyle Lowry Reflects On His Time With the Toronto Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

It’s mid-morning on the West Coast, where Kevin Garnett lives now, and the sun is shining through the window behind him, gleaming off his Larry O’Brien trophy (“Just always know when you see me, you see her, and when you see her, you see me”) as well as his luxuriously moisturized bald dome (“It’s all coconut oil and sunshine, it ain’t built for everybody, you know what I’m sayin’?”). KG is 44 now, five years removed from his last NBA game, but he still looks like he could get out there right now and give somebody buckets.

This is not going to happen, of course. KG spent his 20-plus-year NBA career squeezing it all out down to the pulp, retired—if I can mix metaphors here—with the tank on E. But that intensity, that drive, that demon that drove him, that didn’t just go away. The fire still burns. So what’s supposed to be a half-hour Zoom call goes on for an hour, then an hour and a half, despite the fact that he’s got a whole gang of other interviews to get to. KG might be retired from the NBA, but he sure ain’t retired-retired.

Back in his playing days, Garnett was always the last to speak after games. He’d get his half-hour or so of treatment in the back, then get dressed, and only then—when everything was perfect—would he come out and answer questions. The entire media contingent was always still out there waiting, because we all knew he always had something to say. 

That, at least, hasn’t changed.

SLAM: I want to start going back to—I think this was the very first time I ever met you—and it would have been the Wheelchair Classic at Madison Square Garden.

KG: Wheelchair Classic, Wheelchair Cla—oh wow. Wow, wow, wow. That’s a throwback.

SLAM: Do you remember what it was like getting out on the court with those guys?

KG: Anytime when I was in high school I stepped on the court with any pro player, I was always in awe, I was always in awe of the difference and I always wanted to see the difference in what makes this mug a motherfuckin’ pro. And then when you play, you actually saw, you actually experienced a pro. You saw the difference in the style of play, the style of pace, the patience. And that’s what separates, to me, the professional from just a regular basketball player. You learn how to attack, you learn how to defend on all genres, on all categories—fast, big, strong, long, lean, you learn how to guard it all. So whenever I would step on a court, I would always be in awe of pros just because of that reason. But man, the Wheelchair Classic, you took me back. That’s deep.

SLAM: With young guys coming up back then, it flowed the other way, too, because you guys were so different from people who were already in the NBA. There was definitely a shift coming.

KG: Mm-hmm, definitely an energy coming, definitely a different—I think after you saw UNLV start making their run, you start seeing, like, the Fab Five come into it, the energy started to change a little bit, at least for me. Growing up during the crack era, kids getting killed for they shoes was, like, a new thing. Remember the first time you heard a kid got killed in Chicago for a pair of Jordans? That changed everything for me, man. Like, kids at school and all of us growing up and the way we competed. MJ made it cool to dress up and be professional, and then it’s like, Onyx came out and it was like “Duh duh duh, duh, duh, duh. Let the boys be boys!” It was a different energy vs the Anita Baker and the Luther Vandross. Our generation was coming off a bunch of, like, Yo, my dad ain’t in here, we single mom kids, we coming up like this. You learn to slap box, you learnin’ the street. It was just all of it, all of it at the same time, kind of rush the door and hit it all at once. And it was crazy that SLAM was, like, the birth of all of that, was at the same time.

SLAM: Did you feel that extra weight on you coming into the League? From that?

KG: Not weight, but I felt like I was representing. When I came out, no bullshit, this is a true story, I actually thought Felipe Lopez had the tools and the confidence and the skills to actually do what I did. When I actually sat back and thought about why more people didn’t actually take this route, it was really because of the education. I don’t think too many kids, any city kids, country kids, kids from the suburbs, didn’t matter. Overseas. All that. I didn’t think people was educated enough on the possibilities and the options of actually going from high school to the pros. And with that, I felt like I was representing Steph [Marbury]. I felt like I was representing AI [Allen Iverson], Shareef [Abdur-Rahim], Big [Robert] Traylor, Paul—Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, because I had played with all these guys. And I felt like I was representing that. I was representing the next wave of players that wanted to come in and make their mark and be impactful in the League.

SLAM: Your first game you were 4-4, you were pretty comfortable right from the start. Was there a moment when you thought, Wait a minute, I belong with all these guys.

KG: Comfortable, but I went through a couple preseason games against Big Dog [Glenn Robinson], which was like a grand opening for the League. He was the first superstar I played that didn’t take it easy. Big Dog was talking shit, it was bucket for bucket, and it grew a fire in me. And you know, the first couple games I was—I won’t say gullible, but I knew all these guys and I looked up to ’em, even Joe Smith and Rasheed [Wallace] and Stack [Jerry Stackhouse] and all those guys, even though we was all in the same [draft] class. I was a true fan. I was a kid who had posters on his wall. So Webb [Chris Webber] was my favorite player. And when I played Webb, he shot a jump hook on me, and I was looking so googly-eyed, and Sam Mitchell—to his credit—slapped the shit out of me like, Look, hey, you can’t come out here and appreciate these guys like this. I know you got these guys on your wall, fuck all that, we out here now. And it wasn’t until then, I can honestly say that moment there for me, was actually like, OK, OK, you can appreciate these guys and respect them, but not out here.

SLAM: Do you think about how coming out straight from Farragut shaped you? How maybe you would have been different had you gone to college? I know you were talking about Michigan, Carolina… 

KG: If I’m being honest, I’m glad I came out of high school, man. I see how college muzzles these kids and how these kids don’t really have a voice, how they get told and controlled so much. You know my biggest thing coming out of high school was [deep breath] just the control of me, man. I felt like so many times, you didn’t really get to make a decision, someone was making the decision for you. You know part of what took me so long in picking a school was me actually liking it vs a crew of people around me or people that want the best for me telling me. I wasn’t feeling that. I was like, Look, when I make a decision, I’ll make a decision. When I got to Chicago, I was a lot more mature than I was in South Carolina. I grew up a lot faster and the city helped me deal with a lot of intangibles and little things that kids really go through. I ain’t had no Mom and Pop to bounce things off of, I had to grit and grind and make decisions on my own, and those decisions, I had to stand on ’em. And they had to be decisions that carried a workload, and I was committed. I was committed to basketball day one, and I wasn’t gonna let anything stop me. And although I did have some, you know, bumps in the road, I kept it moving and I kept it going.

SLAM: Was there an exact moment when you’re like, OK, NBA, we’re doing this?

KG: I played Scottie Pippen in the summer one time. And we got to, like, a little shit, like, a little, I don’t even know. A little pushing match? Elbow? Some shit, I don’t know what Scottie was doing. But you know, he’s Scottie Pippen, and he’s a beast. Super GOAT. And I just stood my ground. But it wasn’t until then that I had confidence in myself and my skills, that the stuff that I was having confidence in was working, which built my confidence even more after playing him. 

Then I sat and I had a conversation, probably like a three-, four-hour conversation with Isiah Thomas about the West Side of Chicago and 16th Street and what I have to deal with every day, and he knew all of it. And the ABCs that goes with Chicago. Again, I’m gonna use the word “intangibles,” that come along with Chicago and going to school and playing in the Red West [Conference]. Like, he understood all that. We got to talk about street shit and just everyday stuff, right? Soon as I talked to Isiah Thomas, I knew it. I was committed. I came in, I knocked on Wolf’s [William “Wolf” Nelson, Farragut’s coach—Ed.] door. I was like, Yo, sit down, I need to tell you something. He thought something was wrong, he thought I got a girl pregnant or some shit, he was looking at me like, What? I was like, I’m going to the League. I need you to write this down. Tomorrow I need you to look up these agents…and da, da, da. He was looking at me and laughed. He’s like, What? He saw my face. And he saw how I was looking. And he saw how I looked at him. And I wasn’t smiling. I was deadass and I was looking at him like, I ain’t fuckin’ around, after you get through laughin’ I need you to get a piece of paper and write this down. This is what I need you to do. And I was talking to him with so much conviction that it wasn’t no laughing in the room. It felt like a Sunday but it was really a Saturday, and Monday got here and it started. And I can honestly say that that moment, after speaking to Isiah, and feelin’ that synergy, feeling like, I’m about to do something that everybody else ain’t did, I ain’t going to junior college, I’m not going to college. I’m about to bet on myself. I’m one of the hardest-working people I know. Don’t nobody work harder than me. Don’t nobody want this more than me. I’m fittin’ to go all in with this, and I jumped out and I jumped right in the rabbit hole. I didn’t care what it was. And in my mind, it couldn’tve been no harder than getting up, surviving every day in Chicago from the time I walked out of my house to the time I walked back in it. I looked at the League like it couldn’t have been harder than the West Side. I was like, No, it can’t be harder than this shit.

SLAM: I feel like from the moment you stepped on the floor, first game, your rookie year, you were influencing people, people who maybe never thought you could make the jump from high school to the pros. But you stepping on that floor made that real. Were you aware of that from the get-go?

KG: I wasn’t aware of it, but you know, you know how something is there, like a consistency of something being there? I felt that. And then people who know me, know I have, like, a little presence about myself. As a rookie, I would talk, but then I was listening so much and I was trying to soak up so much. And again, you’re trying to prove yourself so much that you find yourself just in this state of just always, always soaking up something, always gravitating toward something. Always. I don’t care what it is, it was always a learning moment for me. So I felt like I didn’t have the privilege of going to school like these other guys. I didn’t have the privilege of coming in here learning and all this other stuff. But Kevin McHale put me in a position that I can learn under him. And he put me in position to where I can be transparent with him and all the older guys that were there. And then I had a great group of older guys. Sam Mitchell was probably the best fit for me, very aggressive guy, from the South, he’s from Georgia. So he kind of understood, but he understood my motor, too, and that I wanted things. And then you know, when we got on the same page as far as where we come from and start peeling back layers about who we are, that’s when our relationship grew. And he knew I was a competitor, and I wasn’t backing down from nobody. And he loved that. I was a fucking pit bull. And I didn’t care about who—after that Webber incident, I didn’t care about any of that shit no more. I took more of a West Side kind of Chicago attitude with some South Carolina skill and discipline. And I worked my ass off. 

SLAM: When were you able to take the time to start looking back? Was it after you retired?

KG: I still haven’t looked back on shit. Fans send me videos or stuff all the time—fans make fan pages, tag you in shit, fans make YouTube joints and all this, and I like to thank all the fans, too, because half the shit that I’ve done I forgot about. You don’t really think about how much time you’ve actually put into this until you look up and your kid is 12 or 13. The only reason I think I actually look back at it now is because my kids actually want to converse and talk about it, and then I get younger fans coming up to me and their friends. That’s the only time I really talk about it. I don’t really like going back in time, unless I’m talking to [young players], I used to train some of these young guys, so giving them examples of things that I’ve been through and stuff I recall. But I never wanted to be the guy to be like, Hey, man, when I played…

SLAM: It’s funny to me that people talk about you acting in Uncut Gems, but my introduction to Kevin Garnett the actor was the Fun Police commercial with Cherokee Parks—you, Cherokee and Tom Gugliotta.

KG: The Fun Police was fun. I remember Cherokee and Googs being in it. I remember my best friend Bug being in it with me. Fun Police was fun—Trump was in one of my Fun Police joints, too. You remember that? Fun Police was probably one of my favorite commercials that I’ve ever done. And Uncut Gems was just a gem within itself, if I’m being 100. It fell in my lap. Adam [Sandler] was unbelievable. I got to see the true essence of his greatness. Julia Fox was great, she was unbelievable in this. The Safdie brothers was…they was just so easy to work with. They was so simple, so down to earth, so encouraging. I was like, You motherfuckers should be some goddamn coaches the way y’all do this shit.

SLAM: Do you want to do more acting? 

KG: I have a production company called Content Cartel, and we are co-producing my documentary along with Blowback Productions. Shout out to Marc Levin. Shout out to SHOWTIME. Got a bunch of projects coming up. This is my second calling. I love storytelling. Believe it or not, I have a ton of stories that I don’t tell on purpose. Production is something that I think I get, and it’s a lot of stories that need to be told. 

SLAM: What about from an NBA perspective? I don’t want to bring up sore subjects, but I know the Timberwolves thing didn’t necessarily go the way you wanted it to go. Is there still interest in being involved at an ownership level? 

KG: I noticed that in this boys club of owners, you have to play the game and know the game. And, you know, I think at this point, I’m considered a worker from that standpoint, I don’t think that the [owners] overall see the value in players coming back in ownership, which is sad, because, you know, Michael Jordan was once a player. Needless to say, I felt like the new wave of things to be done is coming. And this old wave is on its way out. So I’m just gonna wait for this old way to just kind of die out and new ways of business start to take over. And I think that’s the way that kind of fits me and suits me. If not, if I’m not able to be in an ownership group, then it’s all good. But it’s not gonna stop my greatness and other things that I want to accomplish. 

I love Minneapolis dearly. I do have an opinion on the reactivation or at least the reoccurrence of the city in which I think some real development in capital dollars in education, police reform—like all that needs to be addressed. We need education, we need our communities to feel like they’re safe. Real shit. And I think Minneapolis has a bunch of underlying issues that need to be addressed. And I think the ownership can play a huge part in not just educating, but bringing two parts together and bringing people together. Sports, believe it or not, and, you know, you can agree or disagree, but I think that sports brings the world together like music, you know? And my only real take in all of this was to be able to bring the city back together for what I know the city to be. 

And that was my real influence with trying to go in so hard and trying to make this work. But you know, in all things, if you’re gonna dance, if you’re gonna dance with somebody or if you’re going to partner with somebody, it’s got to be a two-way street. And it’s got to be something that both of you see the vision of, and I just, I think that in this situation, the vision wasn’t valued, nor looked at, and I think that it was ignored. I’m looking forward to being part of a different group, if it’s in Minnesota with the Timberwolves, cool. It doesn’t look like that. But if anything else comes up, I know Vegas is on the rise for getting a franchise soon. I know Seattle has roots, so we’ll see, I’m not going anywhere. And that situation too, it helped me and it educated me. So, you know, the second time that I come, I think I’m gonna come a whole ’nother way than I actually went this first time. But it was a great education for myself, all parties involved. I appreciate the experience. But yeah, I’ma fall back, I’ma regroup and then I’m gonna come back at this again. So you ain’t seen the last of me. So we’ll see. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

SLAM: You’re sounding like somebody who could be governor of Minnesota instead of just the owner of the Timberwolves.

KG: [Laughs] Hell no, hell no. There’s too much responsibility, man. I’ve been really, you know, chill, playing the shadows, I’m watching everything. I’m paying attention. I’m staying in tune. I’m staying in tune with the street. I’m listening to the community, I’m listening to all the kids that’s going through it. A lot of those kids that’s going through it and are really standing on the front line in Minneapolis are kids that I actually know, been through programs that I actually set through with the city. 

I went back to see the George Floyd memorial and the monument and just walk through there to get like a real feel for myself and, you know, get down on ground zero and feel the people, man, and it was one of the better things I did because I haven’t done it in a long time. I haven’t been back to Minneapolis in a minute. I still have a home there, I still have family there, still live there. Yeah, so things like that are just in my heart to do, but you know, I’m not a politician, I’m more the people’s champ. I fuck with the people. I don’t want to get mixed up with lobbyists and a bunch of other shit that I don’t really truly understand at the end of day. Nor will I give something to be something, you know. I stand on my square, you know what I’m saying, I’m five all day. And people know that. That means more to me than anything. But if the governor wants to reach out to me and help to bring some type of reform or some type of balance back to the city, I’m all ears, but it’s gonna be something of my own imagination and vision that I would like to see for the city and my people.

SLAM: I know the actual ceremony got pushed back because of COVID, but have you thought a lot about getting into the Hall of Fame and what that milestone means?

KG: When it first happened, I was all gassed. It’s just, it’s hard to actually feel good about the Hall of Fame with so much real-life issues and stuff that’s going on. I’m super gassed. And I’m just overwhelmed with the concept of being one of the best ever to do this. It hasn’t really settled in for me. COVID got everything effed up, you know what I’m saying? COVID got everything kind of, you know, sideways. But yeah, it wasn’t expected, to be honest. I got so much other shit going on in my life that I forgot about the Hall of Fame, if I’m being honest.

SLAM: It hurts with Kobe not being there for it.

KG: Yes, Kob’ fucks with me to this day, man. I still haven’t gotten over that. I feel some type of way when I look up and they just got him on TV every day. Like still here and…yeah. For all of us who had a relationship with Kob’, that’s gotta be hard. Because we’re all trying to get past it, we’re all trying to move on. And his energy and his legacy is still here. Somebody was asking me something the other day and before you answer you got to always take a breath, you know what I’m saying? Shout to Kob’, rest in peace to Mamba, man. Always. Till we meet again.

SLAM: What would it be like if you had a chance to do it all over? What would it be like if 19-year-old Kevin Garnett was joining the NBA in 2021?

KG: If I was joining the League in 2021? Well, my energy and my vision to be the best wouldn’t change, none of that. None of the intangibles would change for me. You gotta know, I competed differently, I competed angrily, I competed very aggressively. But that was the time. That’s not really the energy now, the energy now is more skilled, it’s more—it’s probably more skilled than ever. Like, do you see some of the shots that these kids are making? Jayson Tatum, every time I watch him, every shot that he takes looks difficult. He’ll shoot a turnaround going over his right shoulder, and I’ll be like, man, you really—for anybody who knows that move, you really got to get your right leg around and square up and—I’m just amazed at the skill level, man. 

If I was playing today, I definitely would have a three ball. I probably would have displayed a lot more one-on-one. I was really an unselfish player to a fault and my mentality was more of, If I can get everybody else involved and they get going, then I can have chances to take advantage of one-on-one opportunities because of double teams. I had a lot more one-on-one game than I actually displayed in the League, because during the time that I played, you had to, it was more systematic, it was more plays being called, you didn’t really break the play. You know, I actually like to blame Kob’ and T-Mac for that shit, they broke more plays than anything, you know what I’m sayin’? And the Mamba Mentality wasn’t always accepted either. 

I saw Joker [Nikola Jokic] do a step back off the so-called wrong foot and it was so unorthodox, but I had to sit back and as a student of the game I said, Hmm, there goes the Dirk part of his influence in our League and what Dirk brought to our League with that whole one-legged fadeaway off the glass with the 6-11, 7-foot guy shooting threes, being mobile. You know, as I go through and I watch the League and what we’ve actually given the League, I started looking at it like, Wow, I see Dirk’s influence, I see Timmy’s influence, I see Rondo’s influence, I see P’s [Pierce’s] influence, I see LeBron’s—I started to see my own influence. And then where they’ve taken our influence and doing one-legged step backs off the glass and facing up one dribble? The moves, man, the moves. The skills! Like, I heard Shaq say this, and just shout out to Shaq, man, and I love you Big Fella, but I don’t know if everybody from the older generation could have played in this generation. Just because it’s a faster pace, no one’s been at that Golden State pace as a League when you scorin’ 136-133. 

SLAM: Did you ever think 25 years ago that you would be in this position? Did you think your career would last as long as it did? That you would reach the heights that you did?

KG: I want you to go and ask Kevin McHale a lot of the stuff you been asking me, and I’ll tell you, he’ll tell you, Day one, he wanted to be the best player in the League, he wanted to outlive everybody in the draft, he wanted to outplay everybody, he wanted to be the best hands-down in the All-Star Game, he wanted Olympics, all that. I wanted to cross everything off the list that you got to actually cross to be a master. You know? And I went in there like that, and more importantly, I worked my ass off. Part of why I definitely can’t run as fast or I can’t run after my kids is because I did go so hard, but there’s no regrets. And you asked me earlier what I would change, and I wouldn’t change anything. Maybe some tweaks here and there but nah, nah, working with Kevin McHale was a gift. I could never thank him more. Or, I couldn’t thank him enough for the knowledge in the stuff that I was able to get, I couldn’t have gotten that anywhere else but him. I’m very fortunate. I took that and I ran with it, and I grew it, and I put my own little vision on it. And it was only right to give it back and be able to give it to players so they can use it. Anything that you go into as a young kid, you hope that you come out on the other end as someone that is accomplished. I felt like I reached a lot of those things.

SLAM: Does that intensity go away? If you stepped out on a court right now and somebody rolled a ball out—

KG: I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t. No, I wouldn’t. The demon never goes away. And if you do put the demon up, it’s banging on the door at times to come out so I have to be under control. I do a bunch of yoga, I do a bunch of meditating, manifesting, just to keep things at bay. But yeah, I’m pretty sure that if we started racing and I got to losing, or anything competitive and I start losing, then you start to hear the banging at the door, Uh oh, the demon’s trying to come out. So these days I keep shit real chill and calm. I haven’t played ball in a very long time, believe it or not. But I’m shooting stuff in the basket, I have a little son so we mess around and stuff. Basketball is something that I put in the closet for a reason. Whenever I have a long day or I’m having difficulty or something, I take a ball and I’ll just go dribble at the beach or just kinda get lost in it. That’s kinda always been my therapy. It probably always will be. 

KEVIN GARNETT: Anything Is Possible is a feature-length chronicle of Kevin Garnett’s remarkable career and the pivotal moments that defined it. Stream the documentary on SHOWTIME. 

Photos courtesy of KEVIN GARNETT: Anything is Possible and via Getty Images.

The post Kevin Garnett Opens Up About the Early Years and How He’d Have a ‘Three Ball’ If He Was Playing Today appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM will be a launch partner for Autograph’s basketball vertical with iconic magazine covers that feature players ranging from Allen Iverson and Vince Carter to Devin Booker and Sabrina Ionescu. The magazines themselves have been collector items for over 27 years, and the cover remains the Holy Grail for all basketball players. As the most authentic brand in basketball storytelling, SLAM has grown into a global lifestyle brand and multimedia property with 20-plus social channels, a burgeoning merchandise division and multiple franchise events annually with over 16 million engaged followers across the globe.

“SLAM is uniquely positioned to bring the Autograph community some of the most unique and historic basketball NFT content,” said Dillon Rosenblatt, CEO and Co-founder of Autograph. “We’re proud to announce this partnership and we’re looking forward to the multitude of drops and exclusive releases to come.”

The Autograph NFTs previously dropped on DraftKings Marketplace included such star athletes as Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Derek Jeter, Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles and Tony Hawk. Autograph recently announced a similar deal with Lionsgate in which the companies will collaborate to create digital collectible content based on the flagship movie franchises later this year.

“We’ve been constructing a portfolio of companies with a specific focus on the intersection of sports media and blockchain technology, and this deal sits squarely at that crossover,” said Matt Aronson, President of SLAM’s parent company JDS Sports. “Autograph is introducing a best-in-class NFT experience for the mainstream. We’re thrilled to work with the team to bring SLAM’s archive of collectible covers to the digital world.”

SLAM previously partnered with New Orleans Pelicans All-Star Zion Williamson for a first-of-its-kind NFT drop in April, which included two SLAM covers featuring Williamson. The SLAM x ZION collection also included four limited-edition versions of both covers — Basic, Gold, Gold Autographed, and a 1-of-1 Platinum Autographed. The first cover, SLAM 222, was shot at Duke University in April 2018 immediately before Williamson declared for the NBA Draft, while the second, SLAM 228, was shot in New Orleans in June 2020 before the season restarted in Orlando.

The post SLAM Enters Partnership with Tom Brady-Backed NFT Platform Autograph appeared first on SLAM.

As time has gone on, Carter’s longevity has made him a legend of the game. One of his former teammates, Matt Barnes called him the most gifted teammate he ever had in his career in the NBA based on the time they played in Orlando during the 2009-10 season.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NBA Buzz (@officialnbabuzz)

What made Barnes’ statement so surprising is because he played with Hall of Famers like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Allen Iverson.

While it’s widely believed that Bryant, O’Neal and Iverson had better careers, Carter accomplished what very few players in NBA history could do by adapting to the current style of play.

The former lottery pick finished with career averages of 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while being named to eight All-Star teams.

The post Matt Barnes Names Vince Carter Most Gifted Teammate appeared first on SLAM.

NBA Rooks on ESPN+ gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the phenomenon that is Zion Williamson. But for Zion, the fanfare was at an all-time high before he even stepped foot on an NBA court. Go back and rewatch a clip of a Zion Williamson dunk. Now, watch it another time and look closely at the faces of everyone in the crowd. Pay attention to the looks of astonishment, all the wide-eyes, the jaws that drop, the excitement that takes over some people, who without even realizing it, find themselves jumping with him. If reactions are caused by two forces colliding, then this is the Zion effect every time he collides with the rim. It’s this act of athleticism and power that has propelled him to become one of the most electrifying players of this generation. 

Looking back, Zion was destined for legacy the minute he went viral at the age of fifteen for a posterizing dunk that caught the attention of the world (go back and watch that video, too). It’s one thing to see someone so young play with that much athleticism and talent, it’s another to watch them get bigger, stronger, jump higher and, amidst doubts, prove the hype to be true. 

Throughout his high school career at Spartanburg, Zion exceeded expectations. The fifteen year old phenom went on to average 36.8 points, 13 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game as a junior, proving that there was efficiency amongst the power. He finished 42 points and 16 rebounds against Cardinal Newman High School, and dropped 50 points in a win against Proviso East High School. Steph Curry caught notice of his game, and Drake wore his jersey in a picture he posted on the ‘gram. 

And with the hype, and the numbers, came the inevitable comparisons. Questions of, could he be the next—? That summer, we put the phenom on the cover of SLAM 210, and even expressed our own curiosity about whether we had seen a player like him before: He’s a lefty with the handles of a point guard and the dunking ability of…well, nobody that’s come along yet. Maybe Vince Carter? Dr. J? Dominique Wilkins? A slightly less springy, definitively more powerful version of Zach LaVine? It’s tough to put into context something that is arriving for the first time.

Yet, it’s fair to say that Zion became his own entity once took his talents to Durham, North Carolina for his freshman season at Duke. Some saw the next so-and-so, while Zion showed the world that he was more than just a high school phenom and must-see dunker. 

He proved his playmaking ability as a tremendous finisher around the rim and passer; proving he had a high basketball IQ amongst the power. He was a scary sight on the defensive end of the floor with his ability to block shots and rebound with so much ease, no one else stood a chance. That season, Zion racked up ACC Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week awards on a nearly-consistent weekly basis, and broke records previously held by former Duke freshman, from Marvin Bagley’s scoring record (which he and Barett both set), to a single game points-record that was held by both Bagley and J.J. 

His performances that season had every hoop fan excited about what he’d do next in the League. In a game against Clemson, Zion’s 360 dunk even had legendary ESPN announcer Dick Vitale feelin’ ready for the dunk contest. 

“OHH, OHH, ARE YOU SERIOUS? SLAM, BAM, JAM. GET HIM READY FOR THE NBA DUNK CONTEST,” said Vitale.

Yet, a Grade 1 knee sprain against North Carolina ignited a different type of chatter. Opinions flared over whether he should continue playing, or just sit out the rest of the season. 

When he did return in March for the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament, Zion hooped with a vengeance. He dropped 29 points in a win against Syracuse, shooting a perfect 13-of-13 from the field. Then, he scored 31 points in a win over North Carolina, and another 21 against Florida State. He became the sixth Duke Freshman to win ACC Tournament MVP. 

While Duke ended up losing to Michigan State in the Elite 8, Zion would take his talents to the biggest stage yet. After getting selected as the No.1 pick by the Pelicans, it didn’t take long for him to start adding to his own NBA highlight reel: in his summer league debut on ESPN, with Lebron James in attendance, he showcased the very same power and athleticism that caught the world’s amazement when he ripped the ball right out of Knox’s hands and finished with a massive dunk. Then, the news broke that he had suffered a bruised left knee injury, only played for nine minutes before suffering a bruised left knee injury. Critics chimed in about his body and whether he was injury-prone: they brought up his injury at Duke, and the knee bruise he had in high school. 

When you’re a once-in-a-generation type of player, you tend to cause a lot of conversation. 

“I did hear those things,” Zion admitted to SLAM going into the Orlando Bubble. “My mom taught me to accept the things I cannot change, and to change the things I can and move on. So, I can’t tell them what they can think or they can’t think. Not everybody is going to agree with what you do or like my body make-up or how you play the game. It’s their opinion and that’s fine. I’m my own person. So, when it comes to worrying about things like that, I don’t.”

You can’t control the past, but you can decide what kind of future you want. Before he’d become an NBA All-Star and average career-highs this season, Zion, in his own words, made it clear that if we wanted to see what he’d do next, we would just have to tune in. 

—

 Stream NBA Rooks exclusively on ESPN+.

Follow the journeys of Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett and more as they begin their pro careers on NBA Rooks, exclusively on ESPN+.

The post Zion Williamson Hasn’t Stopped Ascending appeared first on SLAM.

Instead, we decided to switch it up and hit you with some predictions that you haven’t thought about—or that you have but are afraid to admit.

From playoff predictions to thoughts on who will run the East and West, here is our official 2020-21 NBA preview:

Jayson Tatum and the Celtics Will Run the East

Deyscha Smith, Associate Editor

A 22-year-old destined to lead, having reigned supreme since he was only 19. Time Lord says he’s ready to move past his past performances. Fearless point guard is hurt, but his guards (in) waiting for minutes can now fill his place. Winter is, literally, coming.

This is SLAM, not HBO, but stay with me here. If the Celtics stick to the script and deliver a performance of their young careers, the team can rule the East this season. Brad Stevens has the right cast, but he’ll need Jayson Tatum to make an All-Star level sequel, Jaylen Brown to step up and lead, Jeff Teague to find chemistry amongst the youth, and the actual youth, Williams, Pritchard, Nesmith, Waters, to embrace the lights and be about that action.

The Midrange Jumpshot Will Come Storming Back

Max Resetar, SLAMKICKS

Analytics and space-and-pace philosophies have focused on guarding the three pointer with so much intensity that big men pretty much only play drop defense out of pick-and-roll.

As long as bigs continue to stay back in the paint on the PNR, a new crop of midrange shooters, along with mainstays like KD and Kawhi, will have the middie back in the League this season. Because, at the end of the day, a bucket is a bucket.

Donovan Mitchell: MVP Candidate

Adam Figman, Chief Content Officer

There are two types of MVP seasons: the “This guy ran the regular season by any statistical measure” seasons (every LeBron MVP, Giannis last season), and “This guy was fun as hell and built up an amazing narrative, so he gets it even though it’s kinda debatable” seasons (D-Rose in 2011, Russ in 2016). If Giannis’ stats improve, he could grab a third. But it says here that the media is bored of all that, opening the door for a fun superstar to make The Leap and ride a bunch of game-winners and insane scoring nights to an MVP trophy. That superstar? Donovan Mitchell.

The Hawks will make the Playoffs

Ryne Nelson, Senior Editor

Thanks to a busy offseason, this year’s Hawks will be a completely different team with a souped-up offense centered around Trae Young. They signed Bogdan Bogdanovic to provide scoring and playmaking, Danilo Gallinari to pick-and-pop, and Rajon Rondo to run the second unit. Even ATL’s sieve-like defense should improve with the additions of Clint Capela and Kris Dunn. Atlanta could still struggle on that side of the ball, but an electric offense should be enough to carry them into the playoffs.

The Nets Will Win 28+ Straight

Arvind Pitchai, VP, Social Media

KD. Kyrie. Spence. Caris. JA. Joe Harris. DJ. Taurean. Jeff Green.

We’ve been waiting on the KD/Kyrie duo, but the Nets’ depth hasn’t been talked about enough.

Unfortunately for the rest of the NBA, they are going to gel. The most studious player in the League, Kevin Durant, will allow that to happen. The last great win streak was 27 games from the 2012-2013 Miami Heat. The Brooklyn Nets will take that throne.

LaMelo will make the All-Star Game, the first rookie since Blake Griffin in 2011

Ian Pierno, Senior Producer

We’ve known that LaMelo Ball can put up numbers ever since his 92-point outing at Chino Hills, and he’s going to put up All-Star caliber numbers in Charlotte, too. The Hornets are unlikely to contend, but they’ve put pieces around Ball that can score in a variety of ways—Miles Bridges will finish the oops, Devonte Graham can snipe from deep and Gordon Hayward for everything in between. He’s going to run up his dime numbers, and his scoring history speaks for itself.

Lakers repeat/LeBron’s fifth title same week as Space Jam

Franklyn Calle, Senior Producer

Space Jam: A New Legacy has a July 16 release date, while the current NBA playoff dates are May 22-July 22. Meaning, LeBron James will win his fifth NBA championship and finally stand within one title from MJ’s career total in the same weekend that he debuts the sequel to a film Jordan once starred in 25 years earlier. In another stars aligned twist, the original Warner Bros. film hit theaters at the beginning of the same season that MJ won his fifth ring; LeBron will now be getting his fifth ring just hours after starring in the sequel.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SLAM (@slam)

The Phoenix Suns will finish 3rd in the West.

Theus McBee, Associate Social Media Editor

There is not a single back court in the entire Western Conference that is better than the one in Phoenix. Additionally, Deandre Ayton, also known as the most underappreciated center in the National Basketball Association, will be playing in his first NBA All-Star Game months from now. With that being said, the Phoenix Suns will be a top 3 seed in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.

Avery Bradley will help the Miami Heat remain an Eastern Conference powerhouse

Aron Phillips, Chief Operating Officer

While the Lakers were able to take home the Larry OB after 95 days in the Bubble, they did so with Avery Bradley watching from home. But don’t worry—Bradley will have his chance to play in the Finals this season, only now as a member of the Heat. A cagey 10-year vet who started 44 of 49 games for the Lakers last season, Bradley is the perfect piece to round out Miami’s All-Star core and he’ll be ready to lockup his former teammates as he goes for back-to-back rings.

With Russ, Wizards are Legit Contender in the East

Mike Harris, eCommerce Specialist

It’s never easy when you get out of a 10-year relationship. But when Russell Westbrook—a nine-time All-Star/former MVP who averaged a triple-double three years in a row—comes to town, you begin to think the future is bright. Paired with a 27-year-old All-Star snub coming off his highest scoring avg to date named Bradley Beal, there is no reason this team should not be a top 4 team in the East that’ll make the ECF.

Karl-Anthony Towns is Going to Have a Monster Season

Christian Quezada, Senior Video Producer

Karl-Anthony Towns AKA The Most Unappreciated Talent in our League is everything you want offensively from a big man. He’s going to sneak the Wolves into the crowded Western Conference playoffs—and that, plus his incoming 30-and-10 averages, will be enough to make him First Team All-NBA. Bet that.

A Few More Bold Predictions…

Markelle Fultz will win Most Improved Player

Lonzo Ball will win Defensive Player of the Year

Vince Carter will be the best NBA studio analyst ever

Miles Bridges will have the highest body count in the League

James Harden will score 75 points in a game

Facundo Campazzo will get punched in the face

DeMarcus Cousins and/or John Wall will be on a SLAM cover before the end of 2021

Damian Lillard will make 15 threes in one game

Ja Morant will be in a Lil Baby video before October

Zach LaVine will average 30+ PPG

Kawhi Leonard will avenge last season’s disappointment with a playoff sweep

Kelly Oubre will be the second-best player on the Golden State Warriors

The post SLAM’s Official 2020-21 NBA Preview: Everything You’re Not Talking About appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, the Hawks struggled to produce consistent offense without star Trae Young on the court. In 2020-21, their bench will be one of their strengths, as they suddenly become one of the deepest teams in the entire league.

Hawks Roster Additions

Biggest Acquisitions

• Danilo Gallinari: Danilo Gallinari may have been the Hawks biggest splash signing but he’s expected to play a sixth man role in Atlanta after a strong 2019-20 campaign with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Expect Gallinari to thrive as a perimeter shooter playing off of Trae Young and to play intelligent defense.

• Bogdan Bogdanovic: Bogdan Bogdanovic’s path to the Hawks is one for the books, with a botched trade between the Sacramento Kings and Milwaukee Bucks leading to the swingman hitting the open market. Like Gallinari, Bogdanovic’s best skill is his 3-point shooting, with the fourth-year pro knocking down .372 percent of his 7.2 attempts last season.

Hawks Roster Subtractions

Biggest Losses

• DeAndre’ Bembry: As the longest-tenured Hawks player on the roster prior to signing with the Toronto Raptors, DeAndre’ Bembry will be missed in the locker room and by the coaching staff. Though not a particularly skilled player, Bembry’s intensity, toughness and defense were valuable for Atlanta over the last four seasons.

• Jeff Teague: Veteran point guard Jeff Teague returned to Atlanta to be a stabilizing force in the second unit backcourt. Rajon Rondo now takes over that role, as Teague takes his talents to Beantown to replace their own recently departed backup point guard.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post Atlanta Hawks: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

Here Montgomery stood, offering dozens of Red Bulls and snacks to fuel participants. Her enthusiasm for activism was contagious, as she quickly spent the day talking to as many locals as possible. Few would have any idea that she has cemented herself as one of the most outspoken leaders in the League—on and off the court.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Renee Montgomery (@reneemontgomery)

An NCAA championship at UConn and two WNBA championships in Minnesota have afforded Montgomery a platform bigger than the game itself. Montgomery’s easygoingness and exquisite communication skills have made her a staple on NBA TV, TMZ Sports, and as a spokesperson for the Remember The 3rd of November initiative. (All of Montgomery’s community efforts this year can be found in detail on her website. -Ed.)

But here in the moment, Montgomery is simply one with the vibrant Atlanta community, and has taken to discussing another topic she is quite passionate about in addition to basketball and voting rights: historically Black colleges and universities.

Back in June, Montgomery had already began her quest for what she calls her own “personal championship”—to help fundraise for Georgia’s oldest private HBCU, Morris Brown College.

Make no mistake, her focus on HBCUs was a highly intentional choice and, ultimately, would be the decision that sparked her interest in sitting out the 2020 WNBA season.

“I had a phone call with [Morris Brown] president Dr. Kevin James,” says Montgomery, “and he just started telling me way more than I knew—the history, how they lost their accreditation, and the steps they are already taking to get it back. And I was just like, This is it. This is what needs help.”

HBCU pride has a special place in the Montgomery home, as West Virginia State was the stomping ground for her parents’ first dates together, and her sister attended college there as well. In her Players’ Tribune article where she revealed her decision to opt out of the WNBA season, Montgomery wrote, “I grew up very heavy in the Black culture, just because of that. I grew up being very educated in that aspect.”

The irony of the matter is that, although she was raised by two HBCU alums, Montgomery repeatedly had to navigate all-white spaces as a child and adolescent. Montgomery was isolated as one of just a few young Black students in St. Albans, WV.

In the same Players’ Tribune piece, she wrote, “I used to dread Black History Month because I was the only Black kid in class. A young me was almost embarrassed. Not embarrassed to be Black—I was embarrassed to be the only Black kid when the whole topic was about me.”

While at UConn, Montgomery once again was a minority at a predominantly white institution. So when she got to Atlanta, she was invigorated by the depth of Black culture in the city. Montgomery is still enamored by the city she now calls home, especially with Mayor Keisha Bottoms, who she feels she can genuinely relate to. The intersection of Atlanta, Black culture and family ties to HBCUs are what made saving Morris Brown the perfect championship for Montgomery in 2020.

In early November, Morris Brown announced that their application for accreditation had been approved by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, and the institution will be considered for full accreditation in April 2021.

But Montgomery’s path raising money for Morris Brown continues. Getting Morris Brown on its feet requires not only accreditation, but significant financial backing to provide scholarships, staffing and adequate resources for all students.

Those curious as to why Montgomery didn’t pick another focus related to the systemic inequalities in our education system, or give to prominent Atlanta HBCUs such as Morehouse or Spellman, are likely not familiar with Morris Brown’s unique history. Morris Brown is a small co-ed institution and maintains a rather miraculous history.

“Morris Brown is the first and only historically Black college in the state of Georgia that actually was founded by Black people, former slaves,” James says. “That history in itself of not only founding your own institution but being able to fund your own institution, was a miracle in 1881.”

While Morehouse and Spellman are traditionally all-male and all-female HBCUs, both were also founded in part by white men or women. Morris Brown, on the other hand, has ties to the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and was founded by a Black man in Wesley John Gaines.

In a time where it wasn’t uncommon for white missionaries to create schools for Black communities, Morris Brown was created by a Black man to uplift and promote future Black leaders.

“For that reason alone, you could argue that this college has to continue, that this college cannot close because of the blood, sweat, tears and sacrifices that these individuals made to start Morris Brown College,” James says.

James likely isn’t exaggerating about the blood, sweat and tears part. Morris Brown continues to fight for its accreditation and respect as a higher institution despite losing its accreditation in 2003 because of an embezzlement scandal implicating former president, Dolores Cross. Since then, the school’s enrollment has dwindled from 2,500 to 54 students.

What Morris Brown does have going for it is a tight-knit community atmosphere and a national interest. The college actually receives several thousand applications each academic year, but cannot accommodate students with financial barriers.

James and Montgomery have forged a friendship—surrounding the potential that sports can bring to Morris Brown—and that makes for the college’s best bet ever to get back on its feet. “Everyone loves a comeback story,” James says.

There are several aspects that make this potential Morris Brown comeback different the rest, and they all tie back to sports. What initially got Montgomery excited about Morris Brown was the prospect of the college’s new esports degree—the first of its kind in Georgia—which immediately would give the school a unique niche.

Morris Brown is considering starting their own esports team and partnering with their across-the-street neighbor in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to host competitions. Atlanta is currently home to two esports teams in the Atlanta Reign of the Overwatch League and the Atlanta Hawks 2K affiliate in the Atlanta Talon. The Reign currently have over 70,000 followers on Twitter, and the city presents itself as a buzzing metropolis for future events.

And then the clear X-factor is Montgomery, of course. During a recent on-air segment for TMZ Sports, Montgomery wore a Morris Brown shirt. At minimum, several thousand viewers saw the name Morris Brown, and likely a few took their interest to the web to learn more. Media appearances outside, Montgomery is a fiery athlete-activist willing to put her time and resources to causes that matter to her.

“There’s this community growing right now, and it’s called athlete,” Montgomery says. “When I sat out, I’ve never received so much support from other leagues.”

Montgomery has already connected with the likes of Vince Carter while on his podcast series with The Ringer, and she describes him as being very receptive to her initiatives. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans also reached out to share support.

Montgomery knew Evans on a surface-level basis before deciding to sit out the WNBA season, but connecting over her HBCU initiatives forged a deeper connection. Next on her list to discuss her fundraising efforts: Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Even with all these connections in sports, the climb to save Morris Brown will be nothing short of treacherous.

“As an athlete, everyone’s asking you to give them money,” Montgomery says. “Why is [my cause] more important than others? I hope people see HBCUs the same way we say Black lives matter. HBCUs matter.”

The intersection between athletics and HBCUs hasn’t been fully tapped into, and that’s what Montgomery wants people to realize. There are only two current NBA players who attended HBCUs—Robert Covington and Kyle O’Quinn—who attended Tennessee State and Norfolk State, respectively.

Montgomery sees the potential of Maker Mob forming at Howard thanks to top recruit Makur Maker’s commitment. And she saw Chris Paul sporting HBCU gear every day while in the NBA bubble.

Sports can be the platform that propel HBCUs to the next level, and predominantly white institutions can finally play their part in making this happen.

“If you have these random one-off [non-conference] games, add an HBCU to your schedule,” Montgomery says. “That would mean the world to the HBCU, and it’s not that big of a hit to you.”

On January 18, we’ll finally see this potential shift into focus. Howard will play Notre Dame on Fox, and famed sportscaster and Howard alum, Gus Johnson will be in the booth. Howard’s student-athletes will appear on national TV. Howard as an institution will likely benefit from such a platform, and web searches and interest in the school may rise.

And by then, Renee Montgomery will be well on the way to her personal championship in Atlanta. Just you wait.

—

Ellie Lieberman is a contributor to SLAM. Follow her on Twiiter @ellieliebs.

Photos via Getty and Power The Photographer.

The post Renee Montgomery Chasing ‘Personal Championship’ of Saving HBCU appeared first on SLAM.

The Atlanta Hawks are expected to sign Bogdan Bogdanovic to an offer sheet, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando reports. The Sacramento Kings would then be forced to match the terms of the offer sheet in order to retain him.

The terms of the agreement are not yet known, no surprising given the fact that teams aren’t even permitted to formally negotiate with players until 15 minutes from now.

The report falls in line with what The Jump’s Vince Carter discussed earlier in the day. He was confident in Atlanta’s ability to land substantial free agents this offseason, mentioning the possibility of Bogdanovic.

Bogdanovic’s name has come up a lot in NBA circles this week as he was involved in a supposed sign-and-trade opportunity that would have sent him to the Milwaukee Bucks provided he signed off on the plan. That has now completely fallen through.

Bogdanovic has been a solid pro in three seasons with the Kings and would add additional firepower to a Hawks team that is ready to take the necessary steps to compete in the Eastern Conference as early as 2020-21.

Bogdanovic averaged 15.1 points per game last year and will eat into Atlanta’s bountiful cap space this offseason.

The post Hawks Expected to Sign Bogdan Bogdanovic to Offer Sheet appeared first on SLAM.

In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.

Projected Roster Players

Projected Free Agents

Projected Dead Money

Projected Renouncements/Waivers

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Room Exception – $4,767,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• Should Atlanta waive Brandon Goodwin? Goodwin showed some promise as a backup for Trae Young and his deal is only for $1.7M for 2021. On the flip side, Atlanta would only need to eat $100K to waive him. The Hawks can always re-sign Goodwin to a minimum deal after they complete other offseason moves.
• Is it time to push in for free agents? Atlanta has good, young player in place at every key position. It is time to supplement them with veteran free agents? If so, how much do you spend and how long do you let those deals run for?
• How much do you offer John Collins in an extension? Collins has proven to be a very good offensive player for Atlanta. He’s capable of spacing the floor at the four or the five. Collins is also a plus rebounder. The question is his defense. How much do you pay for an offensive-minded big on a team full of offensive-minded players?

Projected Team Salary

$62,115,976

The Hawks have been building towards this point for a while now. Most of the roster is still on the first NBA contract. The lone exceptions are Clint Capela and DeWayne Dedmon, who were both acquired at the 2020 trade deadline to stabilize the center position. For Atlanta’s free agents, none of them are part of the long-term vision. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Brandon Goodwin, Skal Labissiere or Jeff Teague return, but all would be coming back for far less than their cap hold. Therefore, the projection is the Hawks renounce all of them to maximize cap space initially. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

$44,329,094 (1^st out of 30)

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post Atlanta Hawks: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

—

Words by Kazeem Famuyide / Portraits by Johnny Lewis

With heavy congestion on the New Jersey Turnpike, there was no need for speed. Keshon Moore, a point guard, known for always being aware of his surroundings, noticed a police cruiser ahead of him as he drove in the middle lane with his friend Danny Reyes riding shotgun. Jarmaine Grant and Rayshawn Brown, two friends of Moore’s, had fallen asleep in the back. The police cruiser slowed until it was nearly parallel to the minivan, making its presence unavoidable. The two white officers in the cop car looked over at Moore and Reyes as they drove alongside the van.

The cruiser pulled behind the van. Red and blue lights turned on.

Moore brought the car to a stop on the shoulder. As he began to slowly reach for his wallet, his foot came off of the brake and the car started slowly moving backward toward the front of the police cruiser—he had unknowingly put the van in “reverse” instead of “park.” The two troopers ran up and immediately broke the windows of the rented van with their batons.

And then they started shooting.

REYES & MOORE

There was always something special about a Curtis vs St. Peter’s matchup. About a 12-hour drive away in North Carolina was the true greatest rivalry in basketball—Duke vs North Carolina—and this was Staten Island’s version.

“That Curtis-St. Peter’s game was the first time I played against Danny [Reyes],” says Keshon Moore, who played for Curtis High School in the early ’90s. “There were like 2,000 people there, and it was a JV game. It was beyond what I even expected.”

“I remember because I hit the winning shot,” the 6-7 Reyes, who played for the Eagles as a freshman, says. “And those are the facts!”

Reyes would transfer from Peter’s to Curtis the following season and Moore’s playmaking abilities assured that success would continue, as the two went on to win the 1994 Staten Island High School League Tournament.

GRANT

Up in Harlem, a young Jarmaine Grant carried himself as a self-proclaimed “knucklehead.” “I wasn’t a future jailbird. [But] I was always in mischief,” Grant says.

A fight in seventh grade and a trip to the principal’s office changed his life course forever.

“As I’m sitting in the principal’s office, I saw some guy walk in and he’s kind of looking me up and down, and me being the knucklehead I am, I look back at him like, What is he looking at?” Grant says. “The man asked me straight up, ‘Do you like basketball?’ and I remember vividly saying, ‘Man, fuck basketball. I don’t care about sports.’”

The principal beckoned to the man trying to get Grant’s attention and said that the kid was basically a lost cause. Don’t even waste your time. He was done with that school.

But the man—a former pro and all-around legend named Nate “Tiny” Archibald—refused to take no for an answer.

“‘Why don’t you want to play basketball? You’ve got the height and you’ve got the frame,’” Jarmaine recalls Tiny asking him after he pulled him out of the principal’s office and into the gym. “Growing up in Harlem, I never knew the history of basketball there. I was the tallest out of my friends, but whenever I played ball [with them], I was just the stretch dummy.”

When you’re relegated to being target practice for the many rim-attackers that New York City produces, an NBA Hall of Famer handing you a basketball can be a form of divine intervention.

“If you want to know what this basketball can do for you, meet me here tomorrow morning,” the Bronx OG said to Grant before taking him back to his classroom. Grant bailed on a fight that was supposed to happen after school. His interest was piqued.

Under Tiny’s watch, Grant’s game began to blossom. He was a talented scorer who eventually enrolled at the legendary Rice High School in Harlem, NY.

BROWN

For Rayshawn Brown, junior high school was a little different. He was busy putting on a show, but it wasn’t happening anywhere near a basketball court. By age 13, he was performing in the Big Apple Circus while attending a performing arts school on a dance scholarship. “My whole upbringing from elementary school, middle school and even high school was performing,” Brown says. “I danced. I performed at Alvin Ailey. I performed at the Dance Theater of Harlem. I did countless shows from African dance, modern, hip-hop, jazz, breakdancing.

“That was more amazing to me than just being able to dance and foot movements,” Brown adds. He only scratched the surface of his athletic ability. At the age of 15, the height of Rayshawn’s tumbles caught the eye of coach Frank Sellitto.

“Oh my God, Ray, watch out,” the coach yelled, as Ray was practicing round-off back handsprings on the basketball court. He easily landed on his feet and was caught by surprise when Coach Sellitto asked if he knew how close his head was to the rim while he was in the air. Clueless, Ray went to try again to see how high he could get.

“I did it again, and once I realized how I jumped to do my back tuck, I said, Holy shit, I could jump really high,” Brown says about his first time meeting a basketball rim at eye level. His intrigue would turn to passion after meeting former NBA pro Steve Burtt, who took Brown under his wing as a mentor.

The tie that bound the “Jersey Four” of Danny Reyes, Keshon Moore, Rayshawn Brown and Jarmaine Grant together before the night of April 23, 1998, was the game that we love. For many Black and Brown kids, the sport of basketball is that of circumstance. Without it, there’s no reason for many to stay on the straight and narrow. Without it, there’s no reason to try and go to college and beyond to create better opportunities for the generations that follow. It’s the reason you chase the game.

After a two-year stint at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, NY, Moore enrolled at North Carolina Central to play DII ball. The stay didn’t last long—he returned back to Manhattan after a redshirt season. His place on the depth chart dealt a steady blow to his confidence.

Under the mentorship of a Hall of Famer and after leading one of Rice High School’s two varsity squads in scoring, Grant was surprised when major scholarship offers weren’t on the table upon his graduation in 1993. Instead, he enrolled in Westchester Community College, where he met his roommate and teammate: Keshon Moore.

Reyes’ hoops journey sent him on an odyssey that included stops at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in GA, New York City Technical College and a league in Puerto Rico. A bone bruise to his knee in 1997 didn’t help.

Brown, at the behest of Burtt, became a mainstay at Manhattan’s Basketball City: an indoor facility with some of the best open runs in the city. Knicks stars like Allan Houston, Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason were all regulars. A late bloomer to the game with no high school hoops record to reference, Brown trained with Indiana Pacers point guard Travis Best and AND1 Mixtape star Tim “Headache” Gittens, and he made a name for himself at local showcases in an attempt to achieve an athletic scholarship. At age 19, Brown crossed paths with Moore in NYC and struck up a friendship. The two would meet for workouts and pickup games across the city; it was a bond that revitalized Moore after his stint at North Carolina Central.

Moore, who wanted to get his scholarship back, decided to give the 12-hour drive one more shot and attend an informal tryout at North Carolina Central. And he made plans to bring Grant, Brown and Reyes with him.

“North Carolina Central was the epicenter of everyone’s workout,” Grant says. “You would see Vince Carter work out there, Rodney Rodgers, Tracy McGrady work out there—it was the school to go to just run. Scouts would always be there, and we knew we weren’t going there just to work out for North Carolina Central.”

Eyes from surrounding colleges, HBCUs and professional leagues in China and Europe were expected to be there. This would be a chance for all four of the guys to play in front of highly influential members of the basketball community.

But the Jersey Four never made it to the gym.

Moore had taken the trip to North Carolina Central plenty of times on a Greyhound bus, but this time he called in a favor from his girlfriend’s mother, who rented a van in her name for Moore since he wasn’t of legal age to do so. Excited and optimistic about the journey, Moore picked up Brown, and the two booked it uptown to scoop up Grant. Then they grabbed Reyes, who had just picked up a fresh pair of Nike Air Pippens and the new DJ Clue mixtape. They began the drive with Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri’s “Money Ain’t A Thang” on repeat. Times were good.

“I was away at school, but I knew my license was dirty,” Moore says. “It was suspended [for unpaid parking tickets], so I made sure I was going the speed limit. I’d never even been pulled over before, so I’m not even thinking about police officers.”

“There was no conversation, no dialogue. All I saw was a gun in my face,” Moore recalls. “It took about three seconds from the time I stopped the car and after that, I saw the sparks fly.”

The quickness that helped him so much during his basketball journey possibly saved his life, as Moore quickly jumped into the back of the van and ducked his head to avoid the gunfire. Grant, passed out in the back seat, awoke from his sleep to a kneecap shattered by a bullet.

“I woke up in a state of shock, because dreams don’t hurt,” Grant says. “All I see is chaos. I couldn’t see Rayshawn or Keshon. I could only see Danny. So any time I tried to move, I got hit with another bullet. Eventually I stopped moving, and by that time I couldn’t move. I was already shot four times.”

Slumped over to the side of the van, Grant could now see a clear vision of the police officer shooting at him. Confused as to why he was being shot at, Grant watched as a cop pointed his handgun at a defenseless Reyes, who put his hands up and pleaded with the state trooper to stop shooting.

“I kept yelling, Yo, the car is not in park! I tried to show him my hands to let him know I’m not trying anything funny,” Reyes says. “He looked at me, cocked his pistol and started firing. I got shot twice in my arm, twice in my hip, and one of the bullets that’s still in my stomach today came from those initial shots. Point-blank range.”

In the midst of the chaos of gunfire, screaming and glass shattering, the car was still on the reverse gear and heading toward something even more catastrophic: oncoming traffic.

Reyes grabbed the steering wheel to try and get out of the way, but with the lights off and moving southbound, a Honda Civic collided with the van, then went left and slammed into a concrete barrier. Rayshawn lost grip of the sliding door that he tried to exit out of as a bullet shot at him from the side hit his chest, went through him and lodged into his forearm. Danny made one last gasp to guide the group to safety, and as the car began to move forward, another shot blasted Reyes right in the middle of his back, an inch from his spine.

As the van came to a stop in a ditch, the Civic burst into flames. (The two people in the Civic had jumped out before the car caught on fire and were OK.) The four guys were taken to different hospitals after several hours of arguments between the paramedics, fire department and the police, who seemed almost determined to delay the time needed to get the group medical attention.

Reyes, who took the brunt of the onslaught, was removed from the passenger side of the van and then handcuffed, despite having been shot twice in the arm. His face was put in the mud as he continued to lose a lot of blood. Paramedics arrived and an argument ensued about releasing Reyes’ cuffs so he could be loaded onto a stretcher and receive proper treatment. The two troopers—John Hogan and James Kenna—refused, stating that the four hadn’t been searched yet. “One lady paramedic just got tired of the back and forth, so she brought out a razor and just cut my clothes off,” Reyes says. “So now I’m just butt-ass naked on the muddy grass, and once they didn’t find anything, I was finally put in the ambulance.” He was airlifted to a trauma unit in Camden, NJ.

The only difference between the Jersey Four and the endless amount of Black lives lost at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve is that they somehow survived. Their survival is key to spreading the message in 2020 that enough is enough. Too many times have we seen officers discard Black bodies and not face justice. Too many times have there been Black men and women who’ve pleaded for protection and service only to be met with silence. But because these four survived, they have a voice. These aren’t isolated incidents. The system is fucked up. They can tell you the reason they were shot that day was simply because they were Black and Brown and the people who shot them enforce a system of oppression that would keep them from being punished for it.

Police tried everything to get them to fold. Brown woke up to see that the incident was all over the news and being referred to as a “shootout.” Interrogators tried to coerce Moore into second-guessing the character of his friends; they also tried to piece together a case accusing the four of carrying drugs (in actuality, all they had was the over-the-counter creatine you can get at GNC). Kenna and Hogan maintained that their lives were in danger from a van rolling backward; forensic tests showed that the van couldn’t have been moving faster than 4 mph, a fact corroborated by the people in the Honda Civic that crashed into the van, who saw it rolling very slowly.

The cops tried everything to make it look like what happened to these four men was justified. All bullshit.

Reyes, Grant, Brown and Moore received a settlement of close to $13 million in February of 2001 after hiring the inimitable Johnnie Cochran to file suit in April of 1999. The state of New Jersey didn’t accept nor deny any admission of guilt. The two officers were indicted for attempted murder and aggravated assault, charges that were eventually dropped, though they were both forced to resign after pleading guilty to lying to investigators and falsifying documents to hide the fact that they had stopped minority drivers because of their race, according to the New York Times. Hogan testified that 75 officers told him to lie and that some of them brought him back to the scene of the incident to help him prep a more believable story.

These four men are remembered mostly by the incompetence of a broken police force. They should be remembered for their love of the game. They should be remembered for all of the endless nights and hours they put into that roundball and what it can do for you.

The guys are now using the experience for good—Moore and Grant are working on a new product with UC~Entelligence—a Black-owned start-up that specializes in mobile app and software development—that is being designed to help people in situations like the one they were in, facing police brutality and social injustice.

Meanwhile, the Jersey Four remain a miracle because they’re still here to tell their story. For the sake of those who can no longer speak after being silenced by police violence, do one thing when a Black person tells you about their experience with law enforcement: Listen.

—

100 percent of proceeds from SLAM’s new issue will be donated to the Social Change Fund. Grab your copy here.

The post The Story of the Jersey Four appeared first on SLAM.

The first t-shirt UNDRCRWN ever created was featured in an issue of SLAM. It was an Allen Iverson flip with the words “Thug Lif3” printed in the same font as the Sixers logo. UNDRCRWN only made about 40 of them, unsure of how they’d sell. After all, there was little precedent for their unique approach to the industry.

“We entered this without any rules. The genre didn’t exist,” says Media and Marketing Director Kari Cruz, who’s been instrumental in shaping the look and feel of the lifestyle brand for over a decade. “People would look at basketball and kind of judge it as performance wear only. They didn’t understand that you could create products that came out of the culture that didn’t have to be a line or designed to play in. We’ve always said that there are more people in the stands [than on the court]. We as a community just wanted to storytell and highlight moments that have impacted our lives.”

UNDRCRWN was established in 2005 by Dustin Canalin, an artist and creative designer with experience working alongside top brands. At the time, there were few other businesses in the space trying to mesh sports and culture in an authentic, in-your-face way. Canalin set out to do in the fashion world what SLAM was doing in the editorial world. And, with the help of people like Cruz, he’s succeeded.

“We wanted to address it in a way that talked about sneakers, the fashion that people wore, and really kind of rode in on the hiatus of streetwear,” explains Canalin. “We basically just didn’t want to do what other people were doing. There was so much fan wear out there, and we were, like, bigger than fans. I think that’s what was cool about SLAM. Allen Iverson’s tattoos were more the story than him scoring 30 points. We cared about the innate details that only the true heads would know.”

With that vision in mind, UNDRCRWN began crafting apparel that spoke to and referenced way more than the game itself: A tee with the famous Vince Carter dunk from the Olympics printed across the front, except instead of VC, it’s President Barack Obama; another with the members of NWA rocking custom Lakers uniforms; one with Biggie in a colorful East All-Star jersey next to lyrics from “Things Done Changed.” The list of their legendary pieces goes on and on.

UNDRCRWN’s vibe has always been similar to SLAM’s, leading the two to combine forces on several occasions. Now, with @SLAMGoods off and running, comes their biggest collaboration yet: an exclusive new line, celebrating the premier issue of the magazine and basketball’s ever-growing impact worldwide.

“Coming up with the idea for the collaboration, we really wanted to unify both brands,” says Cruz. “We have always seen SLAM as an authority, as our basketball bible. It was these pages that helped shape conversations and helped educate us and give us a point of reference. We wanted to take the actual pages of the magazine and take visuals and combine them in a way where it created these large scale collages that illustrate what motivates and inspires us, and how SLAM has been part of our life for as long as we can remember.”

Check out some images of the drop below:

Going forward, the iconic UNDRCRWN will maintain the same core identity while also evolving to what’s become the norm.

“I think there’s a lot of SLAM in UNDRCRWN and a lot of UNDRCRWN in SLAM,” Canalin says. “There are so many people doing what we both were doing ten years ago that [now] you have to do what other people aren’t doing.”

That was the goal for this latest project with SLAM and for perhaps more down the road.

“I hope that this sparks some memories for some of our older fans and some new fans—people that have always wanted to see a marriage between SLAM and UNDRCRWN,” adds Cruz. “I would love to see it keep going.”

—

CLICK HERE TO SHOP THE SLAM x UNDRCRWN COLLECTION

The post SLAM x UNDRCRWN Collaborate On New Collection appeared first on SLAM.

He was done. The lasting image of “The Last Shot” was the perfect exclamation point to Michael Jordan’s legacy. The greatest player to ever pick up a basketball had ended his NBA career on the highest possible note any player could.

Thing about Mike, though. He had this itch.

A year after his second retirement from the League, Jordan popped up as a minority owner and president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards. As a front office exec, Michael was tasked with putting together a roster, managing the cap, making draft picks and whatever other paper-pushing the guys in suits do up there in the owner’s box. But every morning, he’d make his way down to the locker room or the trainer’s tables with his coffee. He’d chat with vets like Popeye Jones and Hubert Davis, shoot the shit. He was itching.

In September 2001, two weeks after the 9/11 attacks shook the nation’s capital, Jordan announced his intention to return to the hardwood after three seasons away. He divested his ownership stake in the team and showed up at Wizards media day as a 38-year-old player.

“It’s an itch that still needs to be scratched here and I want to make sure this scratch doesn’t bother me for the rest of my life,” he told the assembled reporters at the MCI Center. “What if I’m tired of playing in the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club and I want to step up to the elite competition?

“I’m just going to play the game of basketball that I love. I’m not about the money. I don’t care if I get paid a dime,” Mike continued. “I’m going to play the game because I love it.” (And yes, Jordan’s track record as a Wizards executive is well-documented. Just a few months prior, he’d famously selected Kwame Brown straight out of high school with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 Draft, a decision that can only really be described as a huge misfire. But let’s separate Jordan the player from Jordan the GM, at least for a few hundred words, shall we?)

Doug Collins, who’d previously coached Michael in Chicago, was installed as the Wizards’ head coach and Washington held training camp in Jordan’s hometown that October, at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Outside of Mike and budding star Richard Hamilton, the Wizards came into the ’01-02 season with a funky mélange of promising young talent and steady, if plodding, veterans. For everyone on the roster, those first few practices with Jordan were surreal. “He would get the ball and we would all just stand around and watch,” recalls Jones. “Whether I was on his team or not.”

Off the court, traveling with Michael Jordan also took some getting used to, as his god-like status precipitated a rockstar lifestyle on the road for an otherwise humdrum Wizards team. Then-rookie center Etan Thomas remembers fans who would fight through crowds just for a high-five from Jordan, then look at their hand like it was made of solid gold. “It was like traveling with Michael Jackson or something,” says Thomas. “I saw people look at him and just start crying, craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Jordan’s personal trainer, Tim Grover, traveled with the Wizards on the road, too. Every morning at 7 a.m., they’d find a health club near the team hotel to go work out, like clockwork. Every morning. Every city. Every practice. He was no longer doing it with the iconic black-and-red Bulls gear on his back, but as Davis puts it: “He was Michael.”

Davis and Jordan both played at UNC (where Davis is now an assistant coach) and had competed in heated Bulls-Knicks playoff battles during the ’90s. But seeing the daily work ethic, preparation and competitiveness up close was something different. Davis remembers his jumper catching fire one day in practice when the two were paired up on the same team.

“I was practicing really well, I was hitting everything. So Michael switched jerseys and went to the other team and he guarded me. For the rest of the practice, not only did I not score, I didn’t even get a shot off,” Davis says. “I just was like, What is wrong with you? We’re on the same team! You’re that competitive that you want to compete against me? I’m a role player. You’re the best that’s ever played. He said, This is no different than playing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals—competing is competing. Some people turn it off and turn it on. For him, he never turned it off.”

Jones, now an assistant with the Indiana Pacers, recalls a practice later on during the 2001-02 season when MJ was scoring so easily—looking like Prime Chicago Bulls MJ—that Collins stopped the scrimmage and instructed him not to shoot anymore.

“We started scrimmaging again,” Jones explains, “and Michael had the same aggression he usually had scoring the ball, but he looked like John Stockton or Magic Johnson. I was astonished that he had that kind of vision. He was still attacking, but he wouldn’t shoot—he was kicking it out for threes or dropping it off to the bigs in the paint for dunks and layups. I remember after practice saying to him, I had no idea you could pass that way. He just looked at me and said, Oh, I can pass. I see everything. I just want to score.”

And score he did. If you thought it would take Mike a few games to shake the rust off, you must be forgetting who we’re talking about here.

“I think it was one of our first preseason games, we were playing down in Miami,” Jones says. “We’re in the tunnel getting ready to come out, and he says, ‘I’m gonna show you boys how to get 20 points in a quarter and then I’m gonna go sit down.’ At the end of the first quarter, he had 18 points.”

When the regular season started, Jordan delivered six 30-plus point performances before the calendar flipped to December. Then he hung 51 on Charlotte and 45 on New Jersey in back-to-back games in December. Then 40 and 41 against Cleveland and Phoenix in back-to-back outings in January.

Pause for a second. Remember, this man is almost 40 years old. Out here dropping 40-and-50-burgers in back-to-back games in the National Basketball Association. Absolutely unstoppable. Dudes don’t do this. Ever. It cannot be done.

Bobby Simmons, a rookie second-rounder on the Wizards that season, says Jordan was like “a magician.”

Jordan was legitimately in the MVP conversation for a fleeting few weeks as the All-Star break approached. Hell, he had the Wizards hovering above .500 after winning just 19 games the year before. But a knee injury that required surgery effectively ended his season early. Playing in 60 games, Jordan averaged 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game, playing 35 minutes a night. MJ led the Wizards in scoring and made the Eastern Conference All-Star team. At that point in the season, Kobe Bryant was the only other player in the League averaging 25, 5 and 5.

“The year that I played with him with the Wizards, he dominated every practice and he dominated in every game,” says Davis. “It didn’t matter if we were playing Philadelphia with Allen Iverson, or the Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe and Shaq. Every game that I played with the Wizards with Michael—there wasn’t a game when he wasn’t the best player on the floor. We just didn’t have a very good team.”

The Wizards flipped Davis, Simmons and Hamilton for Pistons All-Star Jerry Stackhouse during the summer of 2002, and added swingman Larry Hughes in free agency. Jordan scored 40 or more points three times in that second Wizards season, becoming the first 40-year-old in League history to score 40+ in a game. He played in all 82 games, averaging 20 ppg and 6 rpg, but the Wizards failed to make the playoffs again, and it became clear that Mike’s knees wouldn’t hold up much longer.

Vince Carter gifted Jordan his starting spot in the 2003 All-Star Game, which morphed into a full-on celebration of MJ’s legendary career (shouts to Mariah Carey’s classic halftime show performance). Fittingly, he even hit an iconic clutch fadeaway jumper late in the game, too.

At his first press conference as a player in Washington, Mike had said he wanted to lock horns with the next generation of elite NBA players: “You say the young dogs are going to chase me around? Well, I’m not going to bark too far away from them either. I’m not running from nobody. If anything, it’ll be a great challenge for me. I’m not saying I can take Kobe Bryant, or I can take Tracy McGrady. You guys are the ones saying they can take me. All good and fine. I’m pretty sure they’re sitting back and welcome the challenge. Guess what, I’m sitting back and welcome the challenge, too.”

Set aside all the other bullshit, the revisionist history, the unraveling of whatever half-hearted Wizards rebuild was in progress, and that’s what Mike’s Wizards comeback was all about, at its core. Did he prove he was up to the challenge? Shaq said, “He still has it.” Paul Pierce said, “Jordan at this age is better than about 90 percent of the players today.”

The unfolding of Jordan’s second un-retirement doesn’t hold iconic status like his “I’m back” fax in 1995, or come with the hardware of his first dramatic return to the court. Without question, those two seasons in Washington will forever serve as curious punctuation to the most legendary career in NBA history. Mike’s longtime agent David Falk says that at the time, he didn’t want MJ to come back: “I just didn’t think it was a good dessert to a great meal.” It was a sentiment shared by many friends and fans. But the more years that pass, the easier it is to forget just how much of a killer Michael Jordan still was on the court, even at 40 years old.

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM PRESENTS JORDAN HERE

Abe Schwadron is a social editor at FanDuel and former Senior Editor at SLAM.

Photos via Getty.

The post THE FINAL CHAPTER: Michael Jordan’s Stint with the Wizards appeared first on SLAM.

The 2011 NBA lockout resulted in an abbreviated 66-game campaign that didn’t begin until Dec. 25. The uncertainty leading up to then gave athletes plenty of time to mull other options beyond simply waiting for the return of the NBA.

For some, that led to dalliances with alternative professional hoops leagues, for James, it led to dreams of playing the sport he left behind in order to focus on basketball during his senior year at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

“I had no idea how long the lockout was going to be,” James said. “Myself and my trainer Mike Mancias, we really started to actually train to be a football player when it came to October and November.”

James and Mancias began tracking his 40-yard dash times and doing additional strength training.

James interest in football wasn’t just a fleeting distraction either, he was a first-team all-state wide receiver during his sophomore year of high school and the NFL itself has wondered how he would stack up if he if he chose to pursue a football career.

“Early on, it was a mutual love it seemed to me between basketball and football,” Willie McGee, a quarterback that played with James in high school told Joon Lee of Bleacher Report in 2017. “Maybe around junior year, you knew basketball was going to be his ticket.”

James received scholarship interest from NCAA programs like Florida State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Florida and USC but obviously stuck with basketball and was selected with the top pick in the 2003 NBA Draft shortly thereafter.

It’s hard to argue that the future Hall of Famer made the wrong decision given the 17 years that have unfolded since but we don’t blame him for wondering what if during the extended 2011 hiatus.

“Never having the ability to finish my high school career, of playing my senior year, I have dreams all the time about playing football,” James said on the Uninterrupted live stream.

We wonder what he’s thinking about now…

The post LeBron James Received NFL Contract Offer During 2011 Lockout appeared first on SLAM.

To celebrate #TBT, SLAM will be posting an old, iconic cover story on the website every Thursday.

SLAM 210, featuring Zion Williamson, was published in June 2017.

—

There’s a mural on a wall in the downtown area of Spartanburg, SC. On top of a royal blue background, the words “THERE’S ONLY ONE. SPARTANBURG.” are painted in white alongside an outline of the state of South Carolina, with various lines cutting through and connecting at the point in the state’s northern region where Spartanburg lies.

It’s a classic small-city welcome, some nice public art that locals and visitors can take pictures in front of to post on Facebook or Instagram or wherever. But today, on this rainy mid-May afternoon, the mural looks a little different than it has in the past. That’s because a basketball hoop has been hammered into the wall right where those in-state lines meet. Spartanburg resident Lee Anderson put it there thinking it’d spruce up the photos. He was right.

Not only does the hoop help create some fun pics, it also perfectly encapsulates the pulse and heartbeat of Spartanburg at this moment. Sure, the closest NBA team plays about two hours away in a totally different state, and South Carolina is traditionally considered football country, but on this day—and in this week, month, even year—Spartanburg revolves around basketball. All because of one individual. A 16-year-old student who attends nearby Spartanburg Day School.

His name is Zion Williamson.

You’ve probably heard of Zion. If you haven’t, you’ve almost definitely seen videos of him on one of your social media feeds, likely soaring through the air for some mind-boggling dunk that doesn’t look like it should be possible at the highest professional level, let alone from a teenager who isn’t legally allowed to vote. A little over a year ago, Zion first made headlines when he caught an alley-oop and finished a dunk over a helpless defender, whom Zion then stared down as the entire gym exploded in celebration. When it happened, Williamson was 15 years old and the No. 17-ranked player in the Class of 2018, per ESPN’s rankings.

He balled out through the summer of 2016, taking home co-MVP at the NBPA Top 100 camp, winning co-MVP and the dunk contest at the Under Armour Elite 24 and just generally dominating the AAU circuit. Then his junior season hit, and so did the dunks, the huge stat lines, the viral highlights, the mixtapes—all of it. One after the next after the next, each game containing anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes of must-see internet fodder. On at least a couple of occasions each game, Zion would grab a rebound or catch an outlet pass, dribble into the open court or through the defense, and rise up and dunk with a ferocity never before seen from a high schooler. Ever.

“You think he’s going to make a regular play,” says Lee Sartor, Zion’s high school coach at Spartanburg Day, “and it starts that way, but he finishes with such power and force that it just shocks your soul. You’re just amazed by what you just witnessed. And you want to see it over and over again because it’s just so unbelievable.”

Zion stands about 6-7 (and he could still be growing) and weighs around 240 pounds. He’s a lefty with the handles of a point guard and the dunking ability of…well, nobody that’s come along yet. Maybe Vince Carter? Dr. J? Dominique Wilkins? A slightly less springy, definitively more powerful version of Zach LaVine? It’s tough to put into context something that is arriving for the first time.

Those highlights, mixed with the level of command Zion was demonstrating on the court through his junior season, have turned him into a celebrity of sorts. All of the team’s home and away games are packed. Fans have traveled hours on end to watch him play. After one road game, the post-game atmosphere was so crazy that the players and coaching staff had to band together and bolt through a tunnel out of the back of the gym and run to the team bus. “I remember as we were running, I could imagine how The Beatles felt, with people running after them,” Sartor says, only half-joking. And Zion, who as a youngster asked for autographs from the highly-touted high school basketball players he admired, makes a point to sign every autograph and snap every selfie asked of him.

“I think people are realizing that they’re witnessing the beginning of something that could result in them saying, ‘I saw this kid when he was just starting, and now he’s perhaps the best player in America, or the planet,’” Sartor says. “I think people want to get a glimpse of that. It’s a show, and Zion realizes that his game and the way he plays, it excites people and inspires people and entertains people. He could, sometimes, just shoot a jumpshot or make a finger roll, but he knows that people are amazed by what he can do above the rim and finish with dunks, so that’s what he does. He wants to entertain people. People get excited by the way he plays.”

Williamson’s buzz hit another level last January when Drake posted a photo on Instagram of him wearing Williamson’s No. 12 Spartanburg Day School jersey. Zion was sound asleep as the image spread.

“I woke up probably around 8-ish,” he says. “I had hundreds of messages—group chats, like 50 Snapchat notifications. My phone just blew up. They were all like, go check Instagram, look what Drake just posted. I saw that he had my jersey on, and I sent him an IG message that said, ‘Thanks for showing me so much love—I don’t think you understand how much this means to me. You’re my favorite rapper.’”

The two haven’t met in person yet but text here and there. And to answer a question Zion often gets—no, he didn’t send Drake the jersey. “I asked him myself,” Zion says. “I said, ‘Yo, how did you get that jersey?’ He said he had it custom made. I just left it at that.”

From there, the celeb love branched out. Odell Beckham Jr also wore the uni and posted a pic on IG. Floyd Mayweather FaceTimed with him. Dez Bryant, Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard all sent messages.

When we catch up with Zion, he’s sitting in the Spartanburg Day School gym, seated upright on a folding chair under a basket during his first SLAM cover shoot. It’s in this gym where many of the viral videos originated—the bleachers and area surrounding the court filled with people standing up and high-fiving, hugging one another and yelling their faces off after any of Zion’s miraculous dunks.

“It’s an adrenaline rush,” Zion says. “It just gives you so much energy. When I get the ball or a steal and I’m wide open, you just hear everybody rise, and you hear, ‘Ohhh…’ and then you dunk it, and everybody’s jumping, high-fiving each other, and you’re just running down the floor like, Let’s go!

“I love it,” he adds. “When I was a little kid, even though I didn’t know what advanced dunks were—like windmills, 360s—I used to just want to see somebody dunk. Like, ‘Can you dunk? Dunk it!’ So when I see little kids go, ‘Zion, dunk it!’ I just look at them and say, I got you.”

Shortly before our interview, Zion, back on the court after a few weeks away from the game while he rested a bruised knee, does some “light” dunking for the SLAM photographer and videographers who are documenting the day. As he gets loose, I stand at halfcourt, watching. Eventually he takes a real running start, then leaps so high and throws it down with such fury that I contort my body in a full twist as I try to absorb what on earth I just witnessed. The aforementioned Lee Anderson—Zion’s stepdad—looks over at me and asks, “Are you OK there, Adam?” I tell him yes, but the answer is no. I’ve been to five NBA Slam Dunk Contests. I’ve never seen anyone dunk like that.

Part of the interest in Zion’s story comes from the fact that all of this—these dunks, this photo shoot, those highlight-reel games (at least the home ones)—is taking place in South Carolina’s Spartanburg Day School, a random private school with a sprawling campus in a relatively nondescript small city in South Carolina. To say that this school isn’t exactly a traditional basketball powerhouse would be quite the understatement. The entire school has an enrollment of 450 students, and that accounts for 3K (preschoolers) all the way up through 12th grade; the “Upper School,” which consists of grades 9-12, has about 150. The school doesn’t have a full-time basketball coach, and Sartor, who moonlights as the school’s varsity basketball coach, has a full-time gig as a Sheriff’s Deputy for Spartanburg County, though he says these days coaching basketball keeps him busy enough that it’s close to a full-time job.

“The school is small, intimate,” says Sharonda Sampson, Zion’s mother. “It’s not like when you go to a large high school and you get smothered. That doesn’t happen here. He goes to school with kids of people who own major corporations. So it’s like, ‘Basketball? OK, whatever.’ They see Zion, and he gets some attention, but they don’t bother him. They just like hanging out with him and being his friend.”

And like the school, Spartanburg as a city has not experienced anything like Zion. Football players, like former NFL running back Stephen Davis, have come out of the area, but never any big-name hoopers. (And Davis went off to Auburn as the No. 1 recruit in the country 25 years ago.)

“Usually you’re talking about what a community is doing to help nurture and do what’s right for teenage kids,” says Will Rothschild, Vice President of Strategic Communications of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce. “In this case, it’s a teenager doing a whole lot for his community. It’s a little odd to talk about—but it’s great.”

Rothschild gives an example of just how much attention Zion has brought upon the area: Last summer, Spartanburg hosted an AAU tournament that Zion played in, and the college coaches’ private jets were coming in at such a rapid pace that the local airport almost ran out of free space.

Zion isn’t originally from Spartanburg, though. He was born in Salisbury, NC, and moved to Florence, SC, when he was a toddler. Zion’s parents divorced when he was 5; his mother would later marry Anderson, who played guard at Clemson and then Columbus State in the late 70s. Anderson coached an AAU team and ran a basketball camp that Zion played in during the summertime.

“Zion came in very young, and he would get the basic stuff,” Anderson says. “From 9-5, every day [during the summer], for about six, seven years. That pushed him way over the top. Basic fundamentals, ballhandling, shooting, defense, rebounding drills. He got it all at a young age. That’s how he got ahead of his class.”

“I sucked,” Zion says. “But playing the game of basketball, it’s like a love—my first love. When you start playing, you don’t wanna stop.”

Zion wasn’t very tall, so he learned how to play point guard. “He mastered that pretty good,” Anderson says. “When he got to sixth grade, I just knew he would be way beyond the middle school competition. When he got to seventh grade, he was just dominating.”

Anderson had known Sartor from the South Carolina AAU circuit, and the family moved to Spartanburg at the beginning of Zion’s ninth grade year. The thought was Spartanburg Day offered a better basketball opportunity than where they were in the Florence area, and if hoops didn’t pan out, Zion would be getting a strong education in the process.

Uhh, good news—hoops panned out. As an eighth grade PG, Zion stood around 5-10, but he grew to 6-3 as a freshman and to 6-6 as a sophomore. He finished all-state as a freshman, but his team lost in the state championship and he went into that summer without any scholarship options. The following season Spartanburg Day won the state championship, and Zion hit summer ’16 with offers to local colleges like Wofford and Clemson. Then he played at a tournament in Dallas, where he picked up an offer from Iowa State. “So I’m like, OK, I can definitely go to college to play basketball,” he says. Next up was a tourney in Atlanta, where he left with “like 20” scholarship offers. He had arrived.

Zion is now a legitimate 6-7 forward but maintains the floor general skills he honed as a middle schooler with an added bounce unseen elsewhere on the high school scene. “This athleticism people keep telling me I have, it just came outta nowhere,” he says, smiling.

His game is undeniably similar to a certain previously buzzed-about high school recruit. He’s maybe an inch or two shorter than LeBron James was at the same age, and Bron was a better passer, but Zion is a better dunker and either equally or even more athletic at his size. They both were and are more than capable ballhandlers, both had and have seemingly NBA-ready bodies as high schoolers. Like Bron, Zion will need to improve his outside shooting, but if King James has taught us anything, it’s that perimeter skills can be improved immensely with hard work and time.

Zion’s stats have backed up the highlights. Per MaxPreps, he averaged 36.8 points and 13.0 rebounds this season, leading Spartanburg Day to a second consecutive state championship, albeit against lesser competition than some of his peers at basketball powerhouses—though in December he dropped 53 points in a victory over five-star recruit and future UNC guard Jalek Felton’s Gray Collegiate Academy, shooting 24-24 inside the three-point line and 25-28 overall.

He says he’s comfortable at Spartanburg Day, yet naturally many wonder if he’ll play out his senior year there or take off for tougher comp at one of the HS hoops factories across the country. And then, of course, there’s his college decision. He says his recruitment is wide open, with Kentucky, North Carolina, Duke and South Carolina considered to be at the top of the list. The college coaches have been so relentless in their recruiting that the family had to instill a rule: No phone calls or texts after 10 p.m. EST. “It’d be like 11, 12 o’clock, and coaches are calling, and we’re like, Wait a minute, do they not know you have to go to school tomorrow? You still need your rest,” Sampson says. “We were just like, OK, at this time, the phone goes on airplane mode.”

It’s no secret what Spartanburg’s residents are hoping for. As Zion takes photos in front of the “THERE’S ONLY ONE” mural, a man driving past in a pick-up truck yells, “Go to South Carolina!”

“Maybe!” Zion chirps back.

Time will tell where he ends up for what will likely be his only season of NCAA ball, just as time will tell how Zion’s game evolves from here. As an athletic wing who can handle the rock or do work in the paint on either end, Williamson’s well-rounded skill set makes him perfect for the increasingly position-less direction the game is heading. Like any teenager, he’s got a ways to go—some are skeptical that he’s even the best player in the Class of 2018, a title he competes for with Marvin Bagley III, a 6-11 power forward from Arizona. But there’s no debating that the future is bright. As a young child, he obsessed over tapes of Magic Johnson, mimicking Magic’s iconic no-look passes, and he now studies his three favorite players: LeBron (for his on- and off-court reputations), Kawhi Leonard (for the drama-free way he handles his business) and Russell Westbrook (for his ever-intense drive).

“I want to be one of the greatest that’s ever played this game,” Zion says, before listing off his personal goals. “I want to have a great reputation—nothing bad. Be a Hall of Famer. Try to win at least three NBA Finals, even though that’s probably nearly impossible, or very hard—but I’ma try. And give back to my community.”

There’s a lot of work to be done before any of that happens, but Zion is on the right track. His upbringing has provided him with such a strong backbone that texts from Drake and direct messages from a plethora of major celebrities haven’t gotten to his head. His status as a perpetual highlight reel in an era when bite-sized highlights thrive like never before means the spotlight will always shine bright. And his game suits the current landscape of pro basketball—and will likely suit it even better five-plus years from now.

Even his name is prescient. Mount Zion was the highest point in ancient Jerusalem. This Zion has begun his ascent to a height most of us can barely fathom. All we can do now is look up.

—

Adam Figman is the Editor-in-Chief of SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @afigman.

Portraits by Zach Wolfe

The post ARE YOU READY FOR ZION WILLIAMSON?: The SLAM 210 Cover Story appeared first on SLAM.

To celebrate #TBT, SLAM will be posting an old, iconic cover story on the website every Thursday.

SLAM 47, featuring Tim Duncan, was published in December 2000.

—

It’s the eve of what will be his first MVP season. The one where he will regain his claim to the throne he lost last year. He knows this, but will never say anything. He’s been trained not to. Understand, he has a degree in psychology. That’s the foundation. He’s smart. He’s cunning. He’s cold as the ice he sits on.

It’s been said that no one has gotten inside the head of Tim Duncan. That he’s been impossible to break down, that no one has gotten him to open up. In that, he’s the closest thing to Michael Jordan and Bill Clinton we’ve seen. Slick like arbitration, crafty like a Beastie Boy classic, coy like the end of a House of Games. Read his bio and you’ll discover more. But still you will come up empty. He planned it all that way. Inside his handshake is a welcome mat followed by a “Do Not Enter” sign. It’s all the brilliant, cognitive contradiction of a 24-year-old man who was born to be different from the norm and superior to the average. He’s become both.

But to get inside of Tim Duncan, we set him up. Played the same mind trick on him that he plays on everyone else. “Tell Tim we want to recreate the Iceman poster from back in the day,” we pitched to Tom James, the Spurs media cat who was in on the fix. “Yeah, yeah, tell him it was Gervin’s idea.” The lie worked. It was only a matter of whether we could out-master the master. Get the interview no one else has been able to get. And though Tim bit, his game recognized our game in the end. The first thing they teach you in Psychology 101 is “never put yourself in a position of weakness, because the payback can be a bitch.” For this story though– just this one story– the real Tim Duncan got got.

“Was I scared? Yes.” This is Tim Duncan’s voice. It’s not cracking, it’s not an extremely high pitch, but it is with emphasis. He has not balled in two months, he’s had major surgery on his left knee, he’s missed the Olympics. There is uncertainty that comes with fear, especially if it affects your mental as well as your physical. The injury, the surgery, the rehab. The fear existed in Duncan through all three. But it was in his mind where the fear manifested most. This was not a faux, Wes Craven-induced dream. Duncan’s being scared is for real. To the point where he thought, well…

“I wondered if I’d be able to play again. My fear was that this was the longest period of time I’d ever gone without touching a basketball. And I really didn’t know when I was going to be able to.”

“And that scared you?”

The calmness comes back to his voice, “Yes it did.”

But to look into his eyes and in his face, you could never tell. He’d never let you there. Not to focus so much on the injury, but the impact of it cannot be denied. Beyond a slight bit of confidence lost and skepticism gained. His status/title/rep as the “best ballplayer in the league” got passed around last season to all who came crawlin’ up his mountain. One week it was Vince, the next it was AI, then Kobe, then KG, then anyone else who wanted it. “That didn’t bother me a bit,” he says of his lost pound-for-pound crown. “I’ve heard everything. I think, no doubt, last year Shaq was the best player. I also think Vince is an amazing player. And you’ve got to give some props to Allen [Iverson]. And KG, that kid’s incredible. He’s as good as anybody but he doesn’t get as much [credit] as he should get because his team right now doesn’t do as well as it’s going to… ” Tim pauses and thinks about exactly what he’s saying. The analytic in him ekes out. “Well, hopefully it will stay that way as long as I’m around,” he continues with a Western-Conference-rivalry-with-the-Timberwolves laugh.

“To me, there are a lot of players who can be given that title at one point or another during the year, but the one who’s going to carry [the “best” title] through for that year is the one who takes his team to the top,” he adds. “I was given that title the season we won [’98-99]. Shaq got it last season. Was it due, did I deserve it when I supposedly had it? Yeah, I think so, a little bit. But I can’t really worry about it, because there’s going to be arguments about every year. You know what they say, ‘You’re only as good as your last game.’ And that is so true.”

So true to the point that one “unnamed” (OK, Lindy’s) pre-season basketball magazine had Duncan ranked No. 3 in the League—not among players, among forwards! Rated behind KG and the person who really should have replaced Duncan on the Sydney Squad (no disrespect Antonio McDyess), Chris Webber. When told of this, Duncan laughs in hesitated breath. It’s as if the split personality that he doesn’t have separates: part of him agrees, part of him doesn’t.

But after about 20 seconds of thought, the conclusion is made. The left hemisphere overrides the right. “Chris had a great year, he’s an incredible player. He had some great games against us, that’s for sure. And he did a helluvalot for that team. So who am I to argue? I won’t dispute [the ranking] at all.” Then the right hemisphere emerges. “But when we go head-to-head, it’s a different story. He’s gotta play, I gotta play. So it doesn’t matter what [the magazine] says.”

Still, nothing sweats him. Even when he’s being pushed for answers of anguish and being personally challenged. Doesn’t he understand we’re trying to piss him off, get him rattled? He’s fucking up the plan. Damn you, Duncan.

If you follow him over time (especially during the season), what you find is illuminating. Tim Duncan is not a brooder. He’s not boring, stiff, or flat. He isn’t slow, either; he moves at what is called “island speed,” an “irie pace” that is indicative of his St. Croix, Virgin Island, roots.

“People think he’s all shy, buy he’s sly.” Scott Duncan is Tim’s half-brother. Maybe more than anyone, he knows the Tim Duncan we are in Leonard Nimoy of. “Many people don’t get him, they think he’s boring, but he’s really opposite. He has this cool intensity, and the deepest running sense of humor. He catches everything. Nothing gets by him.”

He says the family is proud of Tim and that he’s on the path he set for himself as a child. “[Tim] knows his destiny and has been knowing of it for a very long time. He’s always been true to his inner self and totally trusts his instincts and feelings, which is why he is so cool. That’s why giving him the name ‘Ice’ is so perfect,” he continues. “It fits him. In his personality, it’s like he always keeps the ice flowing.”

If you get to know him, he’ll surprise you with his quick wit and sarcastic sense of humor. He’ll say the illest things, but only under his breath so no one except the person he’s talking to can hear. He’s a computer-head, specifically on the galaxy game StarCraft, where he attacks the program as if it were Rasheed Wallace. On laptops, he, David Robinson, Malik Rose, and Sean Elliot will battle for hours, especially when on the road. He’s a film buff and critic, the black Roger Ebert. He can also spit some Nas or DMX lyrics if anyone claims he “ain’t ghetto enough.”

He’s a playground legend by default (“Growing up where I did,” he says, “all we had was outside courts.”). He’s an icon of Ian-Thorpe-in-Australia proportions in his hometown, to the point that he can’t go back without getting mobbed with the deepness of Havoc and Prodigy. Even he admits, “I don’t get back [home] as much as I should.” His clique consists of his two sisters, Tricia and Cheryl, Scott, and his long-time girlfriend Amy.

He plays the crib a lot, meaning: He likes to spend time at home. Not that he’s shy, but he doesn’t invite distractions in his life. The brotha who grew up in the neighborhood who never came out of the house to floss, but wound up with the flyest whip because he saved his allowance by not hitting all of the parties? That’s Tim. The rumor (one explains a lot about Duncan) is that he’s so laid-back that during the weekend of his first All-Star Game (in ’98 in New York), he didn’t do anything. Never went to one of Puffy’s 300 parties. Instead, he and Amy room-serviced. Understand that everyone doesn’t need the spotlight to shine. Some gleam on their own.

Most important, though, in this search for the inner Tim Duncan, is the discovery that no one in the League will say anything bad about him. There are no enemies who pray and pray for his downfall, even though he may slay them and lay down law on court. Around the NBA, Duncan and Vince Carter seem to receive the most universal and unconditional love. And in a League filled with literal “player hating,” that the truth speaks more than volumes about Duncan. It soundbombs.

The phone rings once in his spacious San Antonio crib before he picks it up. It’s one day after he had eye surgery to help him “never lose sight of the rim.” He laughs at this, as he does at most everything. He’s just cool like that. After a few “wassup young fella,” it’s the business. “Tim Duncan? Let’s talk about Tim Duncan…”

George Gervin is the second installment of the Iceman moniker originally given to Jerry Butler, who used to sing with Curtis Mayfield. But Gervin took it to a level beyond resurrection—until now. When he blessed neighborhood sports store windows in the ‘80s with that unforgettable image for Nike, the understatement could be made that he “redefined what cool is supposed to look like forever.” Like Clyde Frazier before him, Gervin was on some other shit that no other athlete could pull off. No one had the character, no one exemplified the persona, no one else had the game. When told of the concept for this cover, Gervin had one thing to say: “Am I mad? Hell naw! I’d be mad if you called somebody else that. That’s a compliment to me.”

It’s not just the “iceness” that connects these two, but something deeper. It’s what occurs when they touch a basketball and bless the floor. It goes beyond the eerie coincidence of both playing in Spurs uniforms. As Gervin attests, “The things he can do at his size remind me of a guy named “Ice.”

They share the cashmere-soft, Victoria’s Secret-smooth jumpers from angles Willie Mosconi would love; the footwork reminiscent of Bill Robinson and Maurice Hines, unmatched by players their size; the effortlessness with which they perform and their ability to become instantly undefendable in (big) game situations, never “playing outside of themselves;” the finger roll.

The Original sees it in Duncan, probably more than he does in his own son, Gee. “There are players you pay to see. Tim Duncan is a player I’ll stand in line and pay to see,” he says. But in conversation with Gervin, it’s clear the love he holds for Duncan is far more important than what Tim has done on the court—even more important than the ring Tim brought the city last year and the one he’s planning to bring back this season (Duncan: “Don’t forget we are the same team swept the Lakers and Portland in the playoffs two years ago. We just need to be healthy and consistent, not necessarily better.”). It’s about the person Tim Duncan is, the one we are trying to expose in this story. Gervin gives us an answer.

“Whenever a guy of his stature still asks me for an autograph, that says something to me. I love that. See, don’t nobody want to be forgotten. I did my thing, you know. But every time I see him, he makes me feel as if I meant something. Meant something to the game, meant something to him personally. And he’s done that without even saying it to me. That’s class. You want to know what type of cat Tim Duncan is?” Another signature laugh comes out. “The young fella is a beautiful person.”

The first true encounter of “the individual that is Tim Duncan” came at a Nike Camp about four years ago when he was a summer counselor following junior year at Wake Forest. Somehow the rumor had gotten around that Tim’s nickname was “Cookie Monster” (A joke started by another counselor named Todd Harris). Tim hated the name. For the entire week, he got grilled with the name, never even knowing why he was being called that. “I hated that shit,” Tim would say. But did he say anything about it then? No. He never gave it power. His shell would not be cracked, not by that. He even read it in print before he entered his senior year, but still he gave SLAM love.

But it was after hours at that Nike camp where “Tim Duncan the ballplayer” emerged to our eyes. For two to three hours after the “invitees” night sessions were over, Tim got his freak on. He was often teamed with then-Eastern Michigan 5-6 point guard Earl Boykins. For an entire week, every night against other college All-Americans including Vince Carter and Miles Simon, Duncan and Boykins played something that looked a lot like 2-on-5 basketball. And they were winning. No one had any idea that Duncan could play transition basketball like that. As fast as Boykins was, there were times when Tim was beating him down the court, waiting for the oop. He was freaking smaller players with spin moves that gave him the baseline so open Monique from The Parkers could have slid right on through. He wasn’t just the “post-up” player we had labeled him; in all honesty he wasn’t even a center. But he wasn’t going to say anything. He let the secret about his game get out all by itself. And here’s the funny thing: by the end of that camp, no one was calling him “Cookie Monster” anymore.

This was the first lesson of understanding the psyche of Tim Duncan and how it works against others to his advantage. But still there are depths that remain untapped by anyone. The game continues. Tim seems to be getting mad comfortable with the tape recorder rolling. Our plan is working.

“What makes you laugh?”

He laughs. “Stupid humor. Jim Carrey movies, the Three Stooges, Friday, things like that. Who makes me laugh? Man, Antonio [Daniels] and Malik [Rose], those guys make me laugh more than anyone because they are silly, stupid for no reason.”

“Just like you, right?”

“Exactly,” he says.

“What’s the worst thing you ever did as a kid? We know you quiet and humble, but you had to do something scandalous coming up.”

He laughs big. “Uh, shit, I can’t think of anything big, but I got in trouble a lot…”

And just when he gets comfy, we change the pitch up. Hit him like we’re interested in basketball.

“Are you ready to do this solo?”

“What do you mean?” he says.

“Are you ready for the day that DR [David Robinson] stops playing?”

“Oooo…good question. No,” he says. “David is a big part of the reason I didn’t go anywhere.”

“You said that in the press conference, but tell us the real reason.”

“That is it,” he confirms. “And I love the area. I love playing with David and I think we have a chance to win another championship here. Plus, I like playing for Pops [S.A. head coach Greg Popovich]. I love the way he motivates the team and the direction we’re going.”

“Then why’d you only sign a three-year deal instead of signing for the long money?”

“Always keep your options open,” he says, being totally candid. “I’m not sure that I’ll even want to be in San Antonio in four years. DR may not be here, Avery may not be here. I’m protected, I’ve got four years of really good money. But after that time, I gotta be able to do what I want to do.”

“Did it piss you off when you heard the Spurs were trying to trade Avery Johnson last season?”

“You know what, the one thing I learned from day one in this game is that it’s a business, it’s not about friends,” he continues. “Ever since the day I got here, all of my best friends got traded or they weren’t re-signed. Chuck Person, Monty Williams, Cory Alexander, none of those names are still here. And those were my best friends in the world. But it doesn’t take away from the fun of the game. And I’ve been able to separate that. When we’re on the floor. Out there, basketball is basketball.”

“What scares you?”

He stands up. “Heights. Yeah, heights and sharks.”

“What about on the basketball court?”

“Not being able to play anymore,” he says as we relive the opening of our conversation. “Being injured again, that scares me. That scares the hell out of me.”

“Nice.” He says this while looking at his name iced in the chair he just finished sitting in. Then it hit him, the whole scam. He figured it out without expressing that he knew. If you play poker, you can see it in someone’s expression, there’s a small glisten in the eyes. But maybe it’s just a sparkle of what Tim sees in himself. No, he know. He figures he’s just been played. He figures that SLAM did all of this to “get me to open up, say something that I normally won’t say in an interview—they were trying to get to know me.” He mentally acknowledged that we’d done a good job. He appreciated the skills. Like we said, game recognizes game. But if you’re a psychologist with a superlative b-ball game, you don’t settle for that. Instead, you get even.

“Who do you see in you?” Tim asks, flipping the interview, setting up the set up. The question is posed after a discussion about who he identifies with. “There’s always one person,” I say. “That one person we see ourselves in.” It’s fantasy versus reality. “I see Sidney Poitier in you,” is what Tim Duncan hears. He relates. “I always saw him in my father,” is his response. It’s the epitome of that dignity thing that white Americans see in Cary Grant that we both see. I see it in Tim, Tim sees it in his father. Many mistake Tim’s quiet for something that it is necessarily not. It’s like “whatever” when his name is mentioned. “Man, people think you’re boring but you’re far from it.”

“I’m fun to myself,” he says.

The conclusion: Yes, Tim Duncan is quiet, but not uninteresting. Too few see that.

I answer Duncan’s question by saying, “Spike Lee.” Tim’s head shakes in agreement, he can see that too. “What about you?” I ask him. “What other individual do you see in you? Who does Tim Duncan see?” It’s the deepest and most personal question I asked him on this day. It’s the one answer that will complete the story, the answer none outside of the people around him has ever gotten. Instead, for the first time, except for when the photos are being shot, he’s silent. Five minutes pass. Then 10. He’s still quiet, says he’s “thinking.” I see that famous smirk of his. He just played us back. By the time you read this story, Tim Duncan will still have not given us an answer. He purposely did this. That was ice cold. Payback is a bitch, ain’t it?

—

Scoop Jackson is a senior writer for ESPN.

Cover photo by Atiba Jefferson.

The post ICEMAN 2000: The Tim Duncan Cover Story from SLAM 47 appeared first on SLAM.

In this SLAM series, veteran/retired players share some of the best, funniest and most unforgettable stories from their careers.

—

Throughout an incredible basketball journey, guard Monta Ellis has broken records, put on legendary performances for historic teams, been a consistently unstoppable scorer, shared the court and gone head-to-head with future Hall of Famers and much, much more.

Ellis starred for the “We Believe” Warriors and reached the playoffs with every NBA franchise he suited up for (Golden State, Milwaukee, Dallas, Indiana). Over his 12 seasons in the League, he averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals. Monta dropped 40+ on nine different occasions, including a 48-point game against the Thunder in 2007—the same year he won the Most Improved Player award.

Here, Ellis tells the memorable stories from his career:

—

SLAM: Describe your greatest or proudest moment on a basketball court.

Monta Ellis: That’s tough because I have a couple. I know, for one, my biggest thing was breaking the record when I was in high school to become the No. 1 scorer in JPS (Jackson Public Schools) and then I became No. 2 all time [in the state of Mississippi]. But I would have to say, man, my first game-winner in the NBA against the New Jersey Nets. The game was tight. I forgot who shot that ball in the corner, I think it was Vince Carter, and we ended up getting the rebound. Baron got the rebound and we thought Don Nelson was going to call a timeout, but he didn’t. So Baron pushed the ball and I ran the wing and it was, like, a three-on-two. But he was more to the left side and J-Kidd had to [make the stop], so he had to play between me and Baron. He decided to stop Baron and Baron kicked me the ball, and I ended up shooting it and hitting the game-winner. That was the year that I won Most Improved. I would have to say that one right there.

SLAM: Is that a surreal experience? Growing up, I’m sure you acted out scenarios like that in the driveway. When it finally happens, does it live up to that hype? 

ME: Yeah, man. I had done it numerous times even in high school. But it’s different when you do it in front of 18-20,000 people. I was in the Bay Area. When I say those were the best fans I’ve ever been a part of, those were the best fans I’ve ever been a part of. For me to hit that shot in that building in front of those fans, it was crazy. That time went crazy. From then on, they embraced me. That was my moment right there.

SLAM: What’s your best “We Believe” Warriors story?

ME: The one that people really don’t talk about is, that year [2007], [head coach] Don Nelson even came out in the paper and wrote us off. He said we weren’t going to make the playoffs, and we might as well start getting ready for next year and seeing what we could get in the Draft and whatnot. We had a lot of veteran guys on the team, and me being a young guy and hungry, we took that to heart. We all came together as a team then. I think we ended up winning 18 of the last 22 or something like that to end up getting into the playoffs as the 8-seed. With that run that we made, it was crazy.

We didn’t like that [Don said that]. So we all came together as a team and we just went out there and played. Off the court, you weren’t going to see one without seeing the other 12 or 13 guys. We go to dinner. Whatever we did, we were always together. It carried over to the basketball court. When we were on the basketball court, no matter if the times got tough or anything, we were always able to stay together. We had heated moments. We had heated situations. But nobody ever got personal with it. Nobody ever took it to heart. Everybody was like, Alright, we’re just trying to get better. We saw that. We saw everybody getting better. We saw the team getting better. So we just stuck with it.

SLAM: Can you talk about that ensuing first-round series against Dallas, when you guys pulled off the upset?

ME: The thing was with that series, Don Nelson and Mark Cuban had a personal thing going on at the time. Don Nelson coached his ass off that game. He told us exactly what was going to happen. He told us every move that Dirk was going to make. He told us everything that Jason Terry was going to do. Everything. When we knew we had them was when we first came to Game 1 and they switched their lineup to try to match up with us. We knew we had them then. From there on, we just ran the table.

SLAM: Who was the funniest teammate you ever had?

ME: Baron Davis, by far. I’ll tell you this, when it comes to BD, don’t ever bet him to do anything. Don’t ever dare him to do anything. Don’t ever crank up an idea where you even think that it might cross his mind because he’ll do it [laughs].

SLAM: Is there one thing you remember specifically that someone dared him to do?

ME: One day, we had a [nationally televised] game. We were on a run and everybody was talking about us or whatever. He knew the camera was going to be on. They had him put this outfit on—a cowboy outfit—with the cowboy hat, the boots, the belt, everything. They bet him to do it. Like, I bet you won’t do this. They fixed the outfit up. It was crazy. I don’t know when in the world anybody would’ve worn it. BD wore it. 

SLAM: Who told him to wear it?

ME: Al [Harrington], Jack [Stephen Jackson], Matt [Barnes] and J-Rich. 

SLAM: How did people react to it? 

ME: We didn’t do nothing but laugh. We were like, Man, he’s crazy. It was one of those outfits. Like, man, ain’t nobody supposed to come out of the house like that. He did that for a televised game.

SLAM: What’s the best prank in the NBA you ever saw?

ME: When I came in, they just did the norm, like put popcorn in your car. One day, they got Ike Diogu. We got drafted the same time. I think J-Rich asked him to do something and he didn’t do it, so he came out of practice and they had taken his rims off his truck, and they put his car on top of his rims. He came outside and he just had his car on top of his rims [laughs]. Those are the only pranks I ever saw. I ain’t never seen anything beyond that. I’ve seen more of the popcorn than anything.

SLAM: What’s the most unique pregame ritual you ever saw in the League?

ME: Now young guys do a lot of crazy stuff. When I came around, the only person that we said that had a crazy ritual was Ray Allen. He used to run miles and then he’d come out 3-4 hours before [the game]. And then Kobe, too. But other than that, on my team, I ain’t never had a teammate do any crazy ritual.

SLAM: Did you have a specific ritual? 

ME: Nah, I mean, because sometimes I’d go out and warm up, sometimes I wouldn’t. And then we had an extra gym, a practice facility, when I was in Dallas—I never went on the court then. I worked out in the back and then just went out and played.

SLAM: Stephen Curry has talked about an encouraging call he got from you when he was struggling during his second year in the League. What do you remember about that?

ME: I know what you’re talking about. I had just got traded to Milwaukee. The fans were upset. Then they had this Chris Mullin night, where they retired the jersey or whatever, and they booed the owner. I think that kind of got to him because everybody was talking about me more than anything. A lot of people were saying they would’ve taken me over him. Being young, sometimes that’ll get to you. And I understood it. So I just called him and told him, Don’t worry about all of that, man. Just keep working hard. You’re in a great situation, it’s your team. There are going to be critics. You’re going to have people that are going to say what they’re going to want to say. Once you turn it around, I guarantee they are all going to be on your bandwagon. I just told him to keep working hard, man, and play basketball how he knows and stop overthinking it. Just play. As players, you get in that mode sometimes. I get that. 

SLAM: Who would you say is the toughest player you ever faced one-on-one, either in a game or in practice?

ME: I used to have some good one-on-ones in practice with BD and all of those guys. In a game, it was Kobe. Oh my goodness. He hit crazy tough shots. He was always on the attack. He was in kill mode. If he ever laid back, don’t ever get comfortable with it. It’s like, he’s just waiting his turn. If you say something crazy, if he feels any kind of excitement, he turns up. It was unbelievable to guard him.

SLAM: Was that kind of the rule—don’t talk to Kobe on the court because that’ll get him going?

ME: I mean, if you want to. You better be able to back it up.

SLAM: Do you remember any specific times you played against him? 

ME: Oh, man. 2011. Me and him were going back and forth. He had like 30 something. I had like 40 something or close to that. They ended up winning because he hit a clutch shot at the end. And he hit it on me. There were two or three, maybe four possessions where he came down and scored, I came down and scored, he came back down and scored, I came back down and scored. We were going back and forth like that, for like 4-5 minutes straight.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via Getty.

The post STORYTIME: Monta Ellis Talks ‘We Believe’ Era, Playing vs Kobe + More appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM Movie Night begins at 8:00 pm ET on Thursday. The Carter Effect is available to stream on Netflix.

—

Sean Menard first linked up with LeBron James, Maverick Carter and the Uninterrupted crew when they bought his film Fight Mom, a documentary about Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson, an MMA fighter that was balancing motherhood with her career in the octagon. And as he details below, he was reluctant to share his next project with them. He had an idea to showcase Toronto’s history with basketball but thought that an American audience wouldn’t be able to connect with the film’s storyline. Luckily, he was wrong.

“Maverick and LeBron, they grew up watching Vince Carter when they were in high school,” Menard said. “And they’d seen the impact. So they said yup, we love it, we want to move ahead and make this thing.”

The Ontario-native eventually produced The Carter Effect, a documentary about Vince Carter’s influence on hoops up north. It was a smash hit at the Toronto International Film Festival and there’s still buzz floating around it. We caught up with Menard a few weeks after he, Drake and LeBron premiered the film in the T. Dot.

—

SLAM: What do you remember about Vince and the Raptors when you were growing up?

Sean Menard: I grew up just outside of the city of Toronto, about 45 minutes away. I didn’t really take to basketball at first. I was pretty young when the Raptors first got in, in ’95. I was, like, eight or nine years old. Then it took Vince Carter coming along to get the attention of me and my friends. It shifted from us talking about hockey or baseball to all of a sudden everyone was drawn towards, ‘Oh, did you catch that game last night?’ Or taking the ball out on the playground and trying to imitate his dunks and his moves. I noticed the switch from hockey and it all became more of a basketball culture.

SLAM: Why was it the right time to make this film?

SM: As a filmmaker, I look to tell stories that haven’t been told. It really just came from wanting to get this story out there. I have an office that’s right outside of the Air Canada Center. I would see the fans gathering around and “We The North” and all of this culture that has come in the last four or five years. I was just like, ‘How did we get here?’ It wasn’t necessarily just about I want to make a Vince Carter documentary. I want to explain the history and where we are now, this basketball frenzied country. You see the effect with all of these young players. I wanted to see how we got there. And then from there the film really just existed on a one-page Word document called The Carter Effect. It outlined, roughly, the film. I tried to get Canadian networks to pick it up and they all passed. I thought it was dead and over. Then it was those guys at Uninterrupted, they had bought my first film, and then they asked what else do you have? I sent them a few pitch documents and I was hesitant on this one because it was so Toronto-centric. I didn’t think such a large American company would want to jump at it but Maverick and LeBron, they grew up watching Vince Carter when they were in high school. And they’d seen the impact. So they said yup, we love it, we want to move ahead and make this thing.

SLAM: What did you learn about your home country while making the doc?

SM: While making the film I definitely noticed that Vince’s impact went beyond him just playing basketball. If he just collected his paychecks and just went home to Daytona Beach, Florida in the offseason and didn’t have any type of involvement coming back, there wouldn’t be a Carter effect. He got involved in the city, opening up a nightclub and doing those camps for those young basketball players that grew up and became NBA players. Just from going through this experience at the Toronto International Film Festival, having four sold out shows and seeing the lineups for people around the block, just hoping a ticket would get released last minute. Seeing these people show up to the theater and saying ‘I’ve never even been to a film festival but I needed to see this. This was my childhood.’ I guess I underestimated the reach and the impact that this really had.

SLAM: What were your expectations for the film?

SM: You’re messing with sacred ground of childhood and nostalgia. For me, my expectations were I can’t mess this up.

SLAM: Speaking of nostalgia, what’s your favorite Vince moment?

SM: It’s the Slam Dunk Contest. That’s what changed everything. Vince was doing those dunks with Toronto across his chest. Not the Raptors. It said Toronto. That’s just become such an iconic moment for me and for people that grew up watching that. It’s turned into a where-were-you-when moment.

My second favorite Vince moment is interviewing him. So when we sit down to talk to Vince, and we were told we only had 20 minutes. Being told 20 minutes with Vince is not nearly enough to make this film. So what ended up happening was after 20 minutes, he told the Memphis Grizzlies PR person to sit down because that person was trying to stop the interview. And we went for a full hour. I was hoping that was gonna happen but you never know until you get in the experience. He didn’t have to do that. He could’ve just taken the 20 minutes and be gone but he was so overcome with nostalgia and memories. And he did not mail in that interview. You could tell he wanted to make sure I got everything I needed to tell the story properly.

SLAM: Now you’re hanging out with Drake and LeBron. Have you had a chance to step back and realize what’s going on? 

SM: LeBron James was sitting behind me [at the premiere]. He’s a real delight to watch a movie with. He was like a little kid, reacting to the dunks and the highlights, making little comments. And then being on stage after, next to LeBron and Drake and Maverick Carter for the Q+A. You’re in front of 2,000 people and I had this moment. People kept saying stop and breathe and be present and really extend the moment. So I started doing that for a second and then I got lightheaded. I realized this is way too surreal, I need to step out of this moment for a second. Yeah, it was incredible. My expectations were never at that point. I never thought it would get that big.

—

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

Photo via Getty.

The post Director Sean Menard Talks ‘The Carter Effect,’ Toronto Hoops appeared first on SLAM.

With March Madness canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ll be reliving some legendary tournament moments on the days when NCAA basketball would’ve been played. Enjoy.

—

When you think about college basketball and the moniker “Dunk City,” what team comes to mind? Maybe it’s Zion Williamson’s Duke Blue Devils or Blake Griffin’s Oklahoma Sooners. Maybe the nickname takes you back even further, to the mid 1990s, when Vince Carter was soaring through the air for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The truth is, though, the “Dunk City” crown belongs to a small city in Florida and a cinderella team unlike any other: The 2013 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles.

The 15-seeded Eagles first stunned the nation with an improbable 78-68 victory over No. 2 Georgetown. FGCU followed it up with another masterpiece, defeating No. 7 seed San Diego State, 81-71, to become the first and only No. 15 to advance to the Sweet 16.

In addition to stamping their place in the history books, the Eagles’ unique backstory and exhilarating style of play helped turn them into one of the most memorable March Madness bracket-busters ever. Astonishingly, FGCU had only existed for 16 years at the time of their magical run. The school had only been participating in Division I men’s basketball for six seasons, and the 2012-13 season marked only their second year with full postseason eligibility. The Eagles won five straight games prior to the NCAA tournament, including knocking off top-seeded Mercer in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship to punch their first-ever ticket to the Big Dance. And their best player, Sherwood Brown, went from walk-on at a mid-major to Atlantic Sun Player of the Year to eventual March Madness legend. 

What made the 2013 Eagles truly unforgettable was not so much what they did, but how they did it. The typical recipe for success for major underdogs is to play sound ball, slow the tempo and hope to get hot from three. But FGCU was anything but typical. The Andy Enfield-led squad played above the rim and at an electrifying pace, a combination that resulted in a barrage of one-handed fast-break slams and flashy alley-oops that birthed the name “Dunk City.” They treated the big stage like a New York City playground, putting their high-flying athleticism on display every possession. They played with a captivating, pressure-free energy that excited the crowds and sparked second half runs of 21-2 against Georgetown and 17-0 against San Diego State. It was this entertaining style that caused the basketball world to fall in love with a team they didn’t even know existed before the tournament.

Florida Gulf Coast has made the NCAA tournament twice since, but has failed to make it past the first round. No players from the 2012-13 Eagles ever made an NBA roster. The team’s mastermind (Enfield) has moved on to bigger things, now coaching at USC.

But I can assure you that no basketball fan will soon forget the explosion of ridiculous lobs and highlight finishes that created the legendary “Dunk City.”

—

PREVIOUS MEMORY LANE STORIES:

Illinois’ Elite 8 Comeback vs. Arizona in 2005

Michigan State’s National Title in 2000

Sam Squadron is a contributor to SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @Squad209.

Photo via Getty.

The post MEMORY LANE: Florida Gulf Coast’s Incredible Run in 2013 appeared first on SLAM.

Also included in the team-by-team breakdowns are all partial/non-guaranteed players for the 2020-21 season, essentially expanding the list to include any individual that could plausibly hit free agency this summer.

Related: CBA Explained – Different types of NBA free agency

Atlanta Hawks

Charlotte Hornets

Miami Heat

Orlando Magic

Washington Wizards

The post 2020 NBA Free Agents – Southeast Division appeared first on SLAM.

Carter, 43, thought it would be “weird” to call it quits with 15 games remaining on the schedule, but said he was at peace with everything.

VC hit a crowd-pleasing three in the final seconds of the Atlanta Hawks’ 136-131 overtime loss to the visiting New York Knicks.

Per The AP and The Athletic:

“It’s cool,” he said, breaking into a big grin. “Basketball’s been good to me. I’ve enjoyed each and every moment of it, the good and the bad. If this is it, it’s all good.”

It wasn’t supposed to end like this for Carter if the NBA decides to cancel the rest of the regular-season games. He didn’t have his family in attendance Wednesday night. He only had one of his friends in the stands. The Hawks had planned to honor Carter on April 15 in what they were calling “H15tory Night” for what would be his final NBA game. But there was no fanfare or video tribute on Wednesday night.

“This was fun. If it ended today, this day and the end of the season with these last 16 games will be talked about for a very long time,” Carter said. “That’s something I’ll always remember. At least I scored my last basket. It’s a weird but cool memory.”

Carter entered the league in the lockout-shortened 1998-1999 season and is possibly walking away from the game on “unfinished business,” he said.

“I’m not one for the whole thing anyway,” Carter said as tears began to fill his eyes. “You can ask a lot of people around me, and they would tell you this. I’m appreciative. I do my time and just walk out the door, and it’s OK with me. Believe it or not. It’s cool. Believe me. It’s cool. The game’s been good.”

Related Mark Cuban: NBA Season Suspension Not About Basketball

The post Vince Carter: ‘If This is it, It’s All good’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Raptors’ win streak seemed to be in jeopardy after they entered the half trailing 63-48, but a second half charge secured a franchise-record 12th straight win for Toronto. The win put the Raptors one game ahead of where they were through 51 games a season ago.

Pascal Siakam had 25 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, Kyle Lowry had 32 points and 10 assists and Serge Ibaka scored 30. Ibaka’s clutch 3 sealed the win.

Nuggets 98 (36-16), Jazz 95 (32-18)

The Jazz looked ready to cruise to victory, but they were only able to muster up five points in the final six minutes of the third quarter as the short-handed Nuggets clawed their way back in to the game.

Nikola Jokic put the team on his back, racking up 30 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 steals. The Nuggets were only able to dress seven players due to injuries and a pending trade.

Heat 111 (34-16), Clippers 128 (36-15)

The Clippers’ stars carried them to victory as Kawhi Leonard recorded a +24 plus-minus in 31 minutes and Paul George notched a +22 in 26 minutes. The Clippers hit 24 threes — a franchise-record.

Landry Shamet and George each scored 23 points to lead the Clippers and Derrick Jones Jr. scored 25 off the bench for Miami.

Suns 108 (20-31), Pistons 116 (19-34)

The Suns’ young core of Devin Booker (22 points, 7 assists), Kelly Oubre Jr. (30 points) and DeAdnre Ayton (26 points, 12 rebounds) showed up, but 21 team turnovers plagued Phoenix.

Despite allowing the Suns to shoot 54.5 percent from the field, the Pistons were able to take care of business thanks to 31 points, 19 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals from Andre Drummond. The Pistons also had 14 offensive rebounds as a unit.

Magic 100 (22-29), Celtics 116 (35-15)

Jayson Tatum did a little bit of everything as he picked up 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks to accompany his 33 points on the stat sheet.

Warriors 88 (12-40), Nets 129 (23-27)

D’Angelo Russell (17 points) received a warm welcome in his return to Brooklyn, but his new squad suffered the largest loss in Barclays Center history as six Nets players scored at least 10 points. Caris LeVert’s 23 points and 8 assists led the way for Brooklyn.

Hawks 127 (14-38), Timberwolves 120 (15-35)

The Timberwolves dropped their 13th straight game as Vince Carter hit a game-clinching 3 for the Hawks on the 22nd anniversary of his NBA debut.

Trae Young had 38 points and 11 dimes for Atlanta.

Cavaliers 103 (13-39), Thunder 109 (31-20)

The Cavaliers had a well-balanced offensive attack with seven players scoring double-digit points (Kevin Love’s 20 and Collin Sexton’s 23 led the way), but they couldn’t stop Oklahoma City’s bench.

Dennis Schroder was a team-best +13 as he scored 30 points and dished out 6 dimes off the pine. No Thunder bench player had a negative plus-minus.

Grizzlies 121 (26-25), Mavericks 107 (31-20)

Memphis’ offense was nearly flawless, shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 48 percent from deep while turning the ball over just 10 times.

Jaren Jackson Jr. (19 points, 4 threes), Ja Morant (21 points on 10-for-12 shooting), Brandon Clarke (18 points on 7-for-10 shooting) and Tyus Jones (19 points on 8-for-8 shooting) pushed the Grizzlies’ scoring effort.

Kristaps Porzingis had 32 points, 11 rebuonds, 2 steals and a block in just 29 minutes for Dallas.

The post Post Up: Raptors Win Franchise-Record 12th Straight after 19-Point Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

—

The merchandise mart in downtown Chicago is the largest privately held commercial building in the United States. It’s a building so damn big, it literally had its own zip code until 2008. The south side of the Mart overlooks the Chicago River, where tour boats float past year-round, kayaks come out in the summer and the water’s dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day. On the north side of the Mart, in the shadow of the El train between Franklin Street and Wells Street, there’s a famously delicious, but eminently inconspicuous speakeasy-style steakhouse called Bavette’s.

This is one of Zach LaVine’s favorite restaurants in Chicago. You might find him ordering a steak here on an off-day, if he isn’t at home playing video games with his boys or out catching a movie with his girlfriend. Since arriving in a 2017 Draft-day trade in exchange for Jimmy Butler, the Seattle native has made the Windy City his home—and we know this, because he knows about Bavette’s.

The streetwise Bulls star won’t turn 25 until March and yet, in his sixth season, he’s an elder statesman on a roster that features only two players (Thaddeus Young and Otto Porter Jr) with more years of NBA experience. “It’s just how the NBA works now,” LaVine points out, “but it is kinda weird saying that I’m a veteran.”

With a 19-33 record as of this writing, the Bulls look unlikely to seriously contend for a playoff spot in 2020, but LaVine is still having a great season. Yes, the out-of-this-world dunks are what he’s recognized for around the globe, but with the newfound responsibility of being the lead dog in Chicago, he’s worked on his D, his shooting and his leadership to round into much more than just a dunker.

To go along with a career-best 24.9 ppg in this, his third season with the Bulls, LaVine is averaging 4.9 rpg and 4.0 apg. Not to mention his alien-type bounce and that je ne sais quoi silkiness to Zach’s game that makes it look like he’s hardly breaking a sweat when he’s lighting someone up for 30+, often with a dazzling mix of long-range bombs and twisting finishes at the rim.

“As easy as it looks on TV, it’s that easy,” Bulls teammate Shaq Harrison says with a laugh. “It still amazes me how easy it is for him.”

It’s a Saturday afternoon in January, about a month before NBA All-Star Weekend descends on Chicago, and last night was one of those nights for LaVine: he erupted for 43 points against the Pacers, albeit in a loss. “I can’t say it enough, Zach LaVine is a problem,” Dwyane Wade tweeted afterward. “I can’t wait to watch him over the next few years blossom.”

The team landed in Detroit around 1:30 a.m., so LaVine slept in before heading down to the hotel restaurant for lunch. A few hours from now, he’ll lead the Bulls to a much-needed win over the Pistons with a game-high 25. In between bites of salmon and rice, LaVine reflects on the evolution of his game, how he’s matured since entering the NBA as a teenager, and what it’s like to play every home game in the stadium that MJ built.

—

SLAM: How have you changed as a person since entering the NBA?

ZL: Tremendously. Coming into the NBA at a young age, at 19, the League grows you up. You can still be a kid, but you’re dealing with grown men, and you’re trying to be a professional. I feel like I’m in a different place now. I’m still young, I’m 24, I don’t have any kids, but I’ve got a really stable relationship, me and my girlfriend. I feel like a more mature person, not just with basketball, but in my personal life.

SLAM: What did you struggle with in your first few years in the League, looking back?

ZL: It’s all just learning experiences. There’s growing pains, there are ups and downs, especially as a rookie or in your second year. Playing the point guard position my first two years helped me out a lot. I don’t think I was, conventionally, an extremely good point guard, but it helped me make reads, helped me learn what to do with the ball. Me playing both point guard and shooting guard now, I feel like that experience helped me.

SLAM: How did you handle being traded from Minnesota to Chicago as a 22-year-old?

ZL: I had some help. My family is a big part of who I am and what I do. My dad was a professional football player [Paul LaVine played briefly with the Seattle Seahawks in the late ’80s. —Ed.], he’s been through the pro life, so I was a step ahead coming in, and I’m thankful for it. I understand it’s part of the business, and that it didn’t work out in Minnesota, even though I pretty much blew up there. But you understand how basketball works with trades and free agency and stuff like that. I was welcomed with open arms in Chicago, and I’m trying to do the best I can here.

SLAM: Your dad became an internet sensation last summer when you posted a video of him coaching you in a workout. How did he react to going viral?

ZL: He gets mad at me when we record sometimes. He was like, “Man why are you always making me look crazy?” He’s such a funny dude, he acts like that 100 percent of the time. My girlfriend was recording what we were doing, it’s just organic, that’s how we interact. He talks a lot, but that’s my best friend in the world. We’ve been through a lot together.

SLAM: On the court, what’s different about playing with the Bulls now as opposed to your first three years in Minnesota?

ZL: It was just a different type of opportunity coming here, being able to be a premier guy, a No. 1 option. In Minnesota, it was me, Karl [Anthony Towns] and Andrew [Wiggins]. I had to play a role—some games I was able to showcase my talents, but I was pretty much the third option, and I had to play my role on the team, and you have to understand that when you’re on a team. But I think here, I’m able to show my entire game.

SLAM: What would you say is the best part about playing in Chicago?

ZL: It’s just such a historic franchise. We’re in a little bit of a downslope right now, we started the rebuilding process and right now we’re underachieving to what we thought our goals for the year were. But it’s a great opportunity to help get this franchise back to a place where it should be—a top-3 franchise, a top-3 market in the world. The fan base here is incredible. What’s not to love? It’s a great city.

SLAM: What’s it like to look up in the United Center every night and see No. 23 hanging in the rafters?

ZL: That’s the best player ever. It’s inspiration to me. I feel like everybody in my generation was a big Michael Jordan fan. I watched all his videos—Michael Jordan’s Playground, His Airness—all those different VHS movies that kids don’t know about nowadays [laughs]. When I grew up, when I was a little kid, it was on a VCR, so we’d pause or rewind it and then go outside and try to do the same dunks, re-enact it. I think that’s what makes basketball so cool—there’s so many different things that can inspire you when you’re younger.

SLAM: How do you react when you hear people say you’re “just a dunker?” Does it bother you?

ZL: If you’re in the NBA, I think you know what I’m about. It’s funny, I remember this from when I was younger with Vince Carter. It’s just how fans see you. We’re not a team that’s on ESPN every day. We have some ESPN games, but the only time that global, regular fans are seeing you is the Dunk Contest. I don’t blame anybody, it’s not a bad thing to be known as [laughs]. People still don’t really understand how good Vince Carter was, or Dominique Wilkins, dudes that scored 26-27 points a game—All-Star, All-NBA guys. Because when you think of Vince Carter, you think of the Dunk Contest. It’s a little unfortunate, but I know what I’m about. I know how good I am. I know how much work I put in during the offseason. I don’t go out here and just dunk the basketball, it’s just one facet of my game. But I enjoy putting on a show for the fans.

SLAM: What career goals have you set for yourself?

ZL: I want to be a winning player first. I want to be in the playoffs. With that comes the All-Star selections, the All-NBA selections, being in the MVP conversation. I think it’s the same goals for most players, it’s just—can you achieve them? 

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 226

Abe Schwadron is a social editor at FanDuel and former Senior Editor at SLAM.

Photos via Getty.

The post LIVE FROM MADISON STREET: Zach LaVine Talks Playing in Chicago appeared first on SLAM.

In this post, just one of a series of 30, we’ll break down the reports that have started to trickle out about Hawks players that may or may not be on the move. While there’s no guarantee when it comes to a league as wild as the modern NBA, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on each squad’s roster as the deadline draws near.

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

• De’Andre Hunter
• Trae Young
• Cam Reddish
• John Collins
• Kevin Huerter

Barring an unforeseen trade for a star player, the Hawks are unlikely to make significant changes to their up-and-coming core. Injuries and suspension have prevented the front office from assessing the group. Trae Young is sidelined with an ankle injury. John Collins served a 25-game suspension earlier this season and Kevin Huerter was on a minutes restriction until recently. The trio has only been at full strength for one whole game together, which isn’t anywhere near the desired sample size to evaluate their fit.

This, however, doesn’t mean we won’t see trades in Atlanta. Young was visibly frustrated earlier in the season and according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the point guard was told by a high-ranking team official that help was on the way in the form of upgraded talent on the roster. The team appears to be sniffing around for a veteran big man and, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, have discussed trading for Steven Adams and Dewayne Dedmon.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Jabari Parker

Jabari Parker filled in admirably for Collins earlier this season, particularly on the offensive end, and it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll opt-out of his contract this offseason in order to try and secure a contract with a more lucrative salary than his current $6.5M figure. While there has been no word on whether the Hawks will shop the former No. 2 overall pick, it might make sense for the team to parse the market for him, considering their other offseason financial priorities like signing Collins to an extension. 

Parker won’t turn 25 until later this season, so he certainly still fits within this team’s young timeline. However, if another team covets the scorer, it would be surprising if Atlanta doesn’t at least listen to offers. Parker is averaging 15.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Chandler Parsons
• Evan Turner
• Allen Crabbe

Each of Chandler Parsons, Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe is on a massive expiring deal and if the team is going to bring in a veteran center like Adams or make other big moves, sending out one of the three (along with an asset) appears to be the most feasible scenario. Parsons ($25.1M) has seen action in just five contests. Turner ($18.6M), who was acquired to be the back-up point guard to Young, sports a career-low 7.5 player efficiency rating and Crabbe hasn’t been much better at 8.3. All three could be buy-out candidates if no trades occur.

Trades Are Possible

• Alex Len
• DeAndre’ Bembry
• Damian Jones
• Vince Carter
• Bruno Fernando

The noise about Atlanta looking for a veteran big despite 26-year-old Alex Len on the roster is telling. Len, who is on an expiring $4.2M contract, doesn’t appear to be in the team’s long-term plans. DeAndre Bembry is the only remaining player from Mike Budenholzer’s stint in the Hawks’ front office. He didn’t come to terms with the team on a rookie-scale extension this fall and he’ll be a restricted free agent this offseason assuming Atlanta or a team trading for him presents him with a qualifying offer. Damian Jones arrived in Atlanta this offseason via a trade with the Golden State Warriors and has seen action in 31 contests and sports a 16.7 player efficiency rating. Bruno Fernando, who was selected in the second round of the 2019 Draft, has seen steady minutes lately, though his time on the court fluctuated earlier this season. Don’t expect the team to move Vince Carter unless the 22-year veteran asks for it.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Atlanta Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

Malcolm Brogdon finished a tough, go-ahead layup with 36 seconds left to lift the Pacers over the Lakers, snapping LA’s 14-game road winning streak. The Lakers streak will finish as tied for the third longest in NBA history, 2 shy of the all-time record. For the Pacers, Domantas Sabonis recorded his 13th straight double-double, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Dwight Howard led the Lakers, dropping 20 points on 10-10 from the field. LeBron added 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists in the loss.

Hornets 110 (13-17), Kings 102 (12-15)

The Hornets outscored the Kings 30-23 in the fourth quarter to secure the win in Charlotte. Malik Monk led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds on 9-12 shooting for the Hornets. De’Aaron Fox returned after missing 17 games with an ankle injury, dropping a team-high 19 points in the loss.

Knicks 143 (7-21), Hawks 120 (6-22)

The Knicks’ 143 points is the most the franchise has scored in regulation in 39 years. New York was led by RJ Barrett, who dropped a career-high 27 points on 10-13 shooting. Mitchell Robinson also finished with a career-high of 22 points (9-13 shooting) to go along with 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. The Knicks’ youth movement is showing out under interim coach Mike Miller, who is now 3-3 since taking over for David Fizdale. Even in the loss, Trae Young went off for 42 points and 7 made threes. Vince Carter added 15 off the bench in his final game in MSG.

Nets 108 (15-12), Pelicans 101 (6-22)

The Nets outscored the Pelicans 15-8 in overtime to pick up the win on the road. Spencer Dinwiddie led the way, finishing with a game-high 31 points. Joe Harris added 24 points, and Jarrett Allen finished with 12 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 blocks for Brooklyn. New Orleans was led by Brandon Ingram, who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Jazz 109 (16-11), Magic 102 (12-15)

The Jazz held off a late surge from Orlando to secure the win at home. Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic each dropped 30 points in the win, the first time since 2008 that two Jazz players finished with 30+ points in the same game. Rudy Gobert added 12 points and 19 rebounds in the win. For the Magic, D.J. Augustin scored 14 of his team-high 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Clippers 120 (21-8), Suns 99 (11-16)

Kawhi Leonard (20), Lou Will (24), and Paul George (20) all dropped 20+ points as the Clippers dominated the Suns in LA. For Phoenix, Deandre Ayton returned from his 25-game suspension and led the team with 18 points and 12 boards. Kelly Oubre added 19 points on 8-14 shooting in the loss.

The post Post Up: Pacers Snap Lakers’ Road Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

We thought we were ready to start shooting. The strobe lights and C-stands were set in their proper positions. The seamless background paper had been unfurled, stabilized and secured to the ground so that when the three Heat players were to arrive inside our designated room (the old WNBA’s Miami Sol locker room), they’d be able to step right on set and begin their cover shoot immediately. It didn’t quite happen that way, though.

On this Monday afternoon in early November, the AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami is bustling with foot traffic throughout its event level hallways. The arena operations crew is breaking down the stage equipment and seating that had been occupying the event floor all weekend when motivational speaker Tony Robbins came to town for four shows in four days. The Heat were on a three-game west coast trip during that period. Workers wheel out sets of chairs and stage equipment through the hallways, preparing the arena for tomorrow’s home game against the Detroit Pistons. 

In the midst of all the movement and clamor, we realize that the three official NBA game balls needed for our shoot have yet to arrive to the room when Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro begin walking in. The team’s PR representative quickly steps out to track down the basketballs. Without them, the shoot is on halt.

Jimmy, Bam and Tyler stand around waiting in the meantime. The players’ moods could understandably turn sour at any moment. They’re fresh off practice. They’re probably hungry and/or tired. And standing in the way of food and rest is a photoshoot that is currently on hold until three basketballs arrive on set. 

Yet, the mood in the room is everything but sour. Jimmy has decided to take over DJ duties, and now blaring through his phone’s speaker is country music. Lots of it. For the next 20 minutes, we listen to Edwin McCain’s “Walk With You” and Bob Carlisle’s “Butterfly Kisses” and everything in between. Jimmy would later go on to name Luke Bryan, Luke Comb, Jimmy Allen and Kane Brown among his other favorite country artists at the moment. The only time the music genre changes during our shoot is when Bam decides he’s had enough of Jimmy’s country tunes and counters it by playing music on his own phone simultaneously from the opposite side of the room.

“He listens to this one all the time though, bro,” says Bam while shaking his head. “Me? I listen to soul—soul!” He then proceeds to play Bell Biv DeVoe’s “Poison” while making eye contact with Jimmy and bopping his head. Jimmy smiles back. 

Back to the beginning of the shoot, though.

We’re all sitting there listening to Jimmy’s country music playlist while waiting for basketballs to arrive. Suddenly, Butler decides it’s time to begin the shoot—with or without the balls—and simply starts art directing.

He begins by laying on the floor on his left side, with his right arm on his hip and his left arm in a 90-degree angle while resting his head on his hand—encouraging the photographer to snap away. Bam, joining in on the joke, stands behind him and places his right foot on Jimmy’s leg. Tyler, unsure if he is really supposed to participate or just wait for the PR rep to return, decides to stay seated in a nearby locker. 

“Come on, T! It’s a photo shoot! Be a part of the team,” a cheerful Jimmy yells. 

Tyler gets up and walks over to him. Jimmy changes his pose. This time he lays flat on his stomach, both hands under his chin with his elbows on the floor and his legs kicked up. He sports a huge smile from ear to ear and faces the camera. Bam stands behind him, softly resting his right foot on Jimmy’s back. Tyler stands next to Bam with his two arms out holding peace signs.

Jimmy then quickly gets ups and yells, “Oh, I got it! Look! Let’s do the cheerleading pyramid! I’ll be on top!”

No, the team’s PR rep isn’t back yet. It’s only been, like, a minute. But in the past 60 seconds alone the energy in the room has skyrocketed exponentially. It’s like when the teacher steps out of the classroom for a little bit and the kids in the room decide it’s party time.  

Jimmy places his hands on his teammate’s backs, motioning for them to get down so that he could climb on top to complete the pyramid. “Hell no!” yells Bam. A light-hearted debate ensues. Bam argues that Tyler should be on top since he weighs less. Jimmy insists that he wants to be on top—it’s his idea after all. They turn to Tyler to settle the debate. Tyler volunteers to be on the bottom. Jimmy raises both of his arms up, fists pumped in the air. “Ahhh!” Bam disapproves of Tyler’s decision and refuses to participate. Jimmy once again motions for both to get down. Tyler is ready to oblige and begins setting his knees on the floor. And then in walks the team’s PR rep. He’s holding the three basketballs but his attention quickly turns to what his players are trying to do. Jimmy says they must complete the pyramid before the real shoot can start. 

“Hey, don’t you remember what we just learned in media training?!” the PR rep tells them, smiling. “Really?!” 

“This is a great photo,” Jimmy responds. 

“This is not a great photo!” Bam says, laughing.

Jimmy agrees to be on the bottom and lets Tyler be on top, in order to get the photo to finally happen. “Give me an M. M! Give me an I. I!” Jimmy yells.

“I’m telling y’all right now, I do not approve of this,” the PR rep tells the trio while laughing and shaking his head. 

It’s a light-hearted moment and everyone gets a good laugh from it. The real shoot will now commence. But in between the jokes lies an obvious truth.  

The bond within this team is genuine. It’s not a front. They really click and they’re fun to be around. This trio, specifically, appears to have strong chemistry—especially when you consider that two of them just joined the team this past summer and that they’re barely one month into the regular season when this shoot is happening.   

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 225 FEATURING THE HEAT

They could have easily lost interest in the shoot while waiting for the basketballs to arrive. It would have been understandable—they were coming off practice after just returning from a west coast trip. They could have just chosen not to interact with anyone until the PR rep returned. They could have just kept to themselves, strictly business and formal, as many NBA shoots are.   

But Jimmy is just genuinely too happy at the moment for all of that, and so instead he figures out a way to keep everyone loose and engaged while we wait. 

Jimmy chose this destination and couldn’t look more pleased with the decision and where he’s at in life right now. After a couple of years of trying to find himself and where he fits within the team, Bam is primed for a breakout season and the national notoriety he rightfully deserves. And Tyler—after watching many teams on the draft board pass on him last spring, he’s landed in a perfect spot that has allowed him to flourish early on in the season.  

It’s a new era in Miami basketball, where the same tough-minded Heat culture continues to thrive, while new faces form a gritty but tight-knit environment that looks to take the franchise into its newest chapter. 

Butler raised eyebrows during the summer when he decided to sign with the Heat as a free agent. Miami has missed the playoffs in two of the past three seasons, and three of the past five. Playoff teams like the Clippers and Rockets were rumored to be in pursuit of him, along with the 76ers, who were looking to re-sign him to a max deal. But Butler chose the franchise that had finished 10th in the East last season instead. Haters claimed that winning wasn’t a priority to him and that he didn’t have championship aspirations.

Fast forward four and a half months and Butler has a lot to smile about. He’s already dispelled any of the narratives that his foes tried to spark during the summer. The Heat are 14-5, which is tied for the best start in franchise history through 19 games. Butler has helped bring back a winning culture to South Beach. And a championship is indeed the ultimate goal within the locker room. 

So yes, Jimmy Butler has every reason to be smiling from ear to ear while art directing pyramid poses during our cover shoot. He’s found the perfect home. Heat legend Dwyane Wade described Butler in early October as the epitome of “a Miami Heat culture guy.” The hard-nosed, demanding, no-nonsense culture that team president Pat Riley has built goes perfectly with Butler’s intense blue-collar work ethic. 

“It’s real and it’s not for everybody,” says Butler of the culture that attracted him to Miami. “But it’s for the three people that are sitting right here. We love it and it’s great to be in the trenches with all the guys we get to be in the trenches with. It’s tough, but when the times really get hard, we know what we can bank on to take us over the edge—whether it be the physical toughness, the mental toughness. Emotionally, we’re ready for any and everything anybody throws at us.”

He continues: “We got a lot of dogs. A lot of guys that feel like they got something to prove. That’s what I’m rocking with. We got people you can talk to, and it might be in a harsh way sometimes, but it’s never personal. You say what you have to say and you move on because y’all still have the same goal in mind and that’s to win. Everybody works relentlessly here. If you don’t, you wouldn’t come here or they wouldn’t bring you here. I think that’s why we all get along so well. We like being around one another because we all think alike, we all work the same, and that’s the common goal. Me and my guys.”

He arrived to the first day of Heat training camp at 3:30 am. The news went viral. For Butler, though, it was just another early morning routine. While appearing as a guest on Vince Carter’s “Winging It” podcast in early November, he noted that he usually goes to sleep at 7 pm on non-game days. When asked about it during our shoot, he confirmed. 

“I do, because I wake up so early to work. I don’t really do nothing at night. During the year, [because of] games we play, I go to sleep later. But if we just got practice or something, and it’s not a long day like today is, I’ma sleep,” he says. 

“I need my nine [hours of sleep]. It’s not a game. If I don’t get my nine, you can count me out.”

Tyler Herro, meanwhile, is new to all of this. The rookie found himself having to adjust to the Heat culture immediately. 

“Oh, we threw him in the fire—day 1! First day of pickup we made him guard Jimmy!” says Bam while bursting into laughter.    

Butler and Herro then proceed to debate who won the most games between their respective teams during that practice.

“I was killing you,” says Butler playfully, with a smirk on his face. 

“I wasn’t scoring?” Herro responds. 

“You weren’t scoring on me!” Butler counters.

The chemistry between the two teammates is glaring, despite the 11-year age difference. 

“I think both of them have really been like big brothers to me. Bam, just coming from Kentucky. We’ve had similar paths. And Jimmy, he took me under his wing since this summer and really pushing me and showing me the right ways, giving me confidence and really just putting me in the right spots,” Herro tells SLAM. “They threw me in the fire first day Jimmy was in Miami. Had to guard him in pickup. I thought I did pretty well but they just wanted to see how I would react. They were going at me but it was fun.”

Butler flew Herro into Chicago during the summertime to work out with him. The two quickly developed a bond. 

“To tell the truth, it’s been the same shit different day with this kid down here,” says Butler of Herro. “He’s always one of the first ones in the gym. Always one of the last ones to leave. And that’s the marking to the beginning of a true pro—a great player at that. He’s going to continue to be who he is and show why he’s going to be in this League for a long time.” 

The work has already paid dividends early on. In only the fourth game of the season, Herro exploded for 29 points against the Atlanta Hawks—the most by a Heat rookie since D-Wade. He’s been one of the most consistent rookie performers in the League thus far this season. 

And then there’s Bam—the only returning Heat player of the trio. He’s enjoying the best season of his career so far. As of this writing, he’s averaging 13.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game—career-highs in every single category.

He humbly brushes off the numbers. Butler intervenes. 

“Don’t be humble, tell them how you do everything well! Because he does. He won’t say it. I’ll say it,” says Butler. “He works super hard and he’s everywhere on the floor. You need him to pass it, he can pass it. He needs to shoot the corner three ball more. He rebounds, he handles the ball, he sets great screens. You can’t take him off the floor. He’s a key part to what we want to do and what we will continue to do. Spo [head coach Erik Spoelstra] knows—in order to win, you gotta have Bam out there on the floor.” 

Although the numbers are definitely welcoming for Bam, he’s more interested in discussing the dynamic of this team. He doesn’t answer the question regarding his career-high stats after Butler chimes in. Now in his third year with the Heat, Bam would much rather talk about the transformation he’s witnessed this season among the entire squad. 

“This team has more intensity around it. It’s more—I don’t know the word to describe the aura around it but it’s like a lot [more] hype around us. We enjoy each other’s success. I feel like that’s a big thing about us. We’re pure about it. And we’re not scared to talk to one another. Like Jimmy said, it might come off rude, but at the end of the day we all have one goal in mind. It wasn’t like that my first two years,” says Bam. “It was more like our team was kind of cliquey; like three people over here and three people over here. This team, everybody is one whole unit. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”

—

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 225 FEATURING THE HEAT

Franklyn Calle is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @FrankieC7.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson and via Getty.

The post EVERYTHING LITTY: The Miami Heat Are On Fire 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

After a sluggish start to the season, the Pacers have now won five of their past six games after knocking off the pesky Pistons. One of the keys to their victory? The Pacers bench throttled the Pistons bench, outscoring them 51-28. Domantas Sabonis has become a nearly automatic double-double, as he paced the team with 17 points, 14 boards and six assists on the night.

With Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose and Reggie Jackson all sidelined due to various injuries, Detroit is sorely lacking playmaking options. Third-year guard Luke Kennard has done an admirable job vacuuming up more possessions, and he dropped 29 points, six rebounds and five assists while playing a game-high 41 minutes.

Orlando Magic 118 (3-6), Memphis Grizzlies 86 (2-6)

This was a complete demolition. The Magic were in control all game, and put the nail in the coffin by outscoring the Grizzlies 34-8 in the 4th quarter. It was a beautifully balanced effort, with Nikola Vucevic looking back like his old self with 23 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and two steals. French guard Evan Fournier continued his solid season with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Jonathan Issac has become a fully-fleshed defensive terror. He had 22 points on 9-11 shooting, and now has a whopping 16 blocks in his last four games.

For Memphis, it was simply one of those down games a young, inexperienced team is bound to have throughout the rigors of an 82-game season. Their highest scorer was center Jonas Valinciunas, who put up 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Cleveland Cavaliers 113 (3-5), Washington Wizards 100 (2-6)

Of all the games on tonight, somehow this one ended up on national TV. but surprisingly, it was…kind of good basketball. The Cavaliers brought a balanced approach to D.C., with seven players scoring in double digits and Tristan Thompson leading the way w9ith 21 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks on 67% shooting

The Wizards may be off to a rough start to the season, but their young frontcourt comprised of Rui Hachimura and Thomas Bryant combined for 44 points and 15 rebounds on 21-29 shooting. Plus, Rui threw down this filthy dunk:

Sacramento Kings 121 (3-6), Atlanta Hawks 109 (3-5)

Ever since their perplexing and disastrous 0-5 start, the Kings have gone on to with three of their last four games to right the ship. Buddy Hield led the way with 22 points, while Bogdon Bogdanovic had a terrific game off the bench, scoring 20 points along with four rebounds, five assists and converting 83% of his 3-point attempts.

The Hawks continued their downward spiral, and are now 1-4 in their last five games. On the bright side, Trae Young is still making a mockery of the poor fools tasked with guarding him. He dropped a cool 30 points, 12 assists and five steals on 54% from the field.

Toronto Raptors 122 (6-2), New Orleans Pelicans 104 (1-7)

Is it possible to win most Improved Player two years in a row? Because Pascal Siakam is making a hell of a case to go back-to-back with the award after winning it last year. The dude just dropped a career-high 44 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. He’s a monster, and he just joined Vince Carter, Chris Bosh and DeMar DeRozan as the only Raptors players with multiple games of 40 points and 10 rebounds.

It’s sad seeing the Pelicans drop to a league-worst 1-7, but there are multiple silver linings. Brandon Ingram has taken the next step from ambiguous young player with potential to a star, super-human Zion Williamson’s debut is just around the corner and even if the losing continues, they are in line to add another quality prospect to their current treasure trove.

But as of now, it’s been rough.

Minnesota Timberwolves 125 (5-3), Golden State Warriors 119 (2-7)

This was a wild game. Andrew Wiggins popped off for 40 points, Karl Towns had a 20-14 double-double and Robert Covington had a quietly excellent night, scoring 17 points, corralling 11 rebounds, snatching five steals and swatting three blocks

A 2-7 record is pretty brutal for the “Dubs”, but it was a blast to see D’Angelo Russell balling again after a week off due to injury. He carried the Warriors, with 52 points, nine rebounds, five assists and seven three-pointers made.

New York Knicks 102 (2-7), Dallas Mavericks 102 (5-3)

In the surprise of the evening, the previously 1-7 Knicks strutted into Dallas and defeated old pal Kristaps Porzingis. Marcus Morris Sr. stepped up big-time with 29 points and nine rebounds, with Julius Randle scoring 21 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

Dallas’s two studs were phenomenal (Luka had a ridiculous 38-14-10 triple-double and Porzingis had 28 points, nine boards and five blocks), but the rest of the Mavericks starters combined for a measly…six points. That just cannot happen.

Denver Nuggets 100 (6-2), Philadelphia 76ers 97 (5-3)

What a fantastic comeback for the Nuggets! Down 19 points in the 4th quarter, they clawed their way back, and then Nikola Jokic went full Joker and hit a game-winning buzzer-beater 3-pointer. Boom. Now that’s a way to end the night.

The 76ers, who started the season 5-0, have now succumbed to three straight losses. To be fair, they were missing Ben Simmons, who orchestrates so many actions for them and serves as a strong first line of defense on the perimeter. Joel Embiid had 19 points, 15 rebounds and one soul-snatching block, but he also coughed up the rock eight times.

Utah Jazz 103 (6-3), Milwaukee Bucks (6-3)

What a thriller. Despite trailing virtually all game, the Bucks tied it up at 100 a piece thanks to excellent efforts from Giannis Antetokounmpo (30 points, 13 rebounds), Khris Middleton (26 points, 11 rebounds) and Eric Bledsoe (22 points, eight rebounds, five assists). It was a valiant comeback effort with the potential to turn into a quality win.

Then, Bojan Bogdanovic happened.

Not only did he win the game with this ice-cold three-pointer, but he also dropped 33 points.

Brooklyn Nets 119 (4-4), Portland Trail-Blazers 112 (3-6)

Apparently, if you scored 50 or more points in the NBA today, your team lost. Despite Damian Lillard’s herculean 60-point effort, his Trail-Blazers dropped to 3-6 in the brutal Western Conference. Get this man some more help.

Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie led the way for the Nets, with 33 and 34 points, respectively.

Los Angeles Lakers 95 (7-1), Miami Heat 80 (6-3)

The Lakers are fun again! They haven’t lost since opening night, the fans are louder than ever and there’s no drama around the team after years of behind-the-scenes tension. Bottom-line: this team is championship-level good, and they’re playing like it.

Anthony Davis stuffed the stat sheet yet again, with 26 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals and three blocks, while LeBron controlled all facets of the game as he had himself a tidy 25 points along with four rebounds and six assists.

The post Post Up: Nikola Jokic, Bojan Bogdanovic Hit Buzzer-Beaters To Seal Victories appeared first on SLAM.

Twenty-five years ago Shaq released his second rap album, Patrick Ewing was releasing his own shoes, ’Rap Jam Volume One’ cartridges were being crammed into Super Nintendos around the world, and a young “Vincent Carter” got his first mention in SLAM No. 3. Vince got some more love from SLAM 6 and 7, and by Issue 26 he was featured in one of the dopest concept articles of all time. It included a Compact-Disc/Dolby Digital style theme (you kids wouldn’t understand). By the time he hit the cover as a rookie on SLAM 35 in ’99, we were talking mainly about one thing: his dunks. I waited for the VHS cassette tapes to arrive in the mail; Vince waited for the SportsCenter highlights in the backseat of his limo. I’d hit rewind on grainy footage of baseline reverse double clutch two-handers over the Pacers, while questioning if I’d just seen what I thought I just saw. In 2000, his participation in the previously anticlimactic Dunk Contest meant that Shaq purchased new tapes for his camcorder, and Vince’s name became so synonymous with dunks that in the ensuing SLAM issue, SLAMADAMONTH temporarily changed its name to VINCEADAMONTH.

SLAM is here to stay, but VC’s career must end. As he enters his final season, I’m praying that his knees have some juice, just enough, so that he can throw down one more off-the-glass, full extension reverse 360 windmill, elbow in the rim one last time. Preferably on (or over) Dikembe Mutombo…or Frédéric Weis. If that’s too much to ask, I’ll settle for a simple tomahawk. And I’ll have my 4K Smartphone ready.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 35 Featuring Vince Carter From August of 1999 appeared first on SLAM.

Trae Young could do no wrong. The sophomore guard led his team to the win with 38 points (6-10 from deep), nine assists and seven rebounds.

Vince Carter also became the first player in NBA history to play 22 seasons in the league.

Bucks 117 (1-0), Rockets 111 (0-1)

In a game that featured three NBA MVPs, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo that came out on top. Giannis dropped a triple-double of 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

New teammates Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined for 43 points.

Clippers 141 (2-0), Warriors 122 (0-1)

Golden State fell in their opener at the new Chase Center as Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers proved to be too much to handle. Leonard finished with 21 points in 21 minutes, adding nine assists and five rebounds.

D’Angelo Russell ended his Warriors debut with 20 points.

The post Post Up: Giannis’ Triple-Double Spoils Rockets Home Opener appeared first on SLAM.

Just over a year ago, Huerter didn’t even think he had a realistic shot at being drafted. So this—all of this—was completely inconceivable.

John Sterling, the famed Yankees announcer he listened to growing up, really said his name during a Hawks-Nets broadcast back in December. He got to exchange No. 3 jerseys with his childhood idol, Dwyane Wade, at AmericanAirlines Arena in March. He shared a locker room with another legend in Vince Carter. At the age of just 21, he established himself as a major piece of ATL’s bright future.

Not bad for a year.

Huerter’s journey began in Clifton Park, NY, a suburb roughly 12 miles north of Albany that doesn’t get the attention of many media outlets. There was little hype surrounding his game until he joined the EYBL circuit as a 17-year-old. He had great size for a guard, could handle the ball well, was a skilled playmaker and showed incredible range on his jump shot. Offers from big programs started to fly in, and Huerter eventually committed to the University of Maryland.

After two impressive seasons in College Park, he decided to enter the NBA Draft, but didn’t truly believe he was bound for the League.

“I honestly just came out to play pickup at the combine,” he tells SLAM. “It was like a measuring stick for me to go there and see how good I thought I was compared to guys who were about to get drafted.” 

Yet Huerter stacked up much better than he anticipated. The feedback was so positive that he had no choice but to stay in the pool. “I fully expected going into it that I would be coming back for my junior year,” he admits.  

Instead, Huerter was taken with the No. 19 overall pick and off to Atlanta to begin his pro career. And by the end of November, he found himself permanently in the Hawks’ starting lineup. He thrived in their fast-paced, run-and-gun system alongside Young, averaging 9.7 points on 39 percent shooting from deep. Despite his laid-back personality, Huerter is assertive on the floor, especially when he’s in rhythm offensively.

“I think my looks are deceiving for a lot of guys,” Huerter says. “You don’t step on the court and guys immediately respect your game and how you play. So for me, it’s amusing to keep proving that and keep waking people up. Proving to them that you deserve to be in the League and deserve to play. So every game, that’s just my mindset—go out there and realize that nobody respects your game and nobody expects you to do much.”

During a win over the Sixers in January, he dropped 29 on 11-17 from the field. He had 27 at home against the Pelicans, including 17 in the second quarter. He knocked down four or more threes 12 different times throughout the season.

Atlanta is building a new identity centered on a young group that includes Huerter, Trae, big man John Collins and 2019 lottery picks DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish—two versatile pieces who fit their brand of basketball perfectly. 

“It’s fun—being a part of it from the ground level and being able to grow up and build with everybody,” Huerter says. “Right now we have no egos, we have no bad locker room guys. Everyone is just on the stage of trying to prove themselves.”

Expect the Hawks to maintain a similar style in 2019-20, and expect Huerter’s role to expand within it.

“Hopefully playing a little bit more point guard this year, we’ve been talking about that,” he explains. “Or at least having the mindset to do that—trying to get other guys involved, put the ball on the floor and make plays.”

“I think Kevin’s game speaks for itself,” head coach Lloyd Pierce said following a recent practice. “He’s probably one of the more skilled players we have… We just want to see more. We want to see him with the basketball in his hands a little bit more. We’ve got to find ways to get him more three-point opportunities. He’s got to find ways to get to the foul line… I think his game is already multi-dimensional. We just got to get him more threes and get the ball in his hands a little bit more.”

At some point, Huerter plans to get in the gym with Wade to develop his post game. He spent the summer building strength, working on his finishing ability at the rim, and, of course, making some media appearances. That part is something he’s going to have to get more used to.

He didn’t foresee being here this soon, so it’s hard to envision what’s in store for the future. As a kid, reaching the NBA was never something that was put in front of him. He dreamed of it, sure, but everyone does.

“For me, it was always just playing and getting to whatever the next level was,” Huerter explains. “When you’re in middle school, it’s playing in high school. When it’s high school, it’s playing AAU against the best. And from AAU it’s college and it keeps moving up from that.”

It’s unclear exactly what the next level is now, but based on Kevin Huerter’s past, one thing is certain:

He will get there. Probably faster than expected.

—

Alex Squadron is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Portraits by Johnnie Izquierdo.

The post SPEED IT UP: Kevin Huerter Is Already Taking Off with the Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

Odom—who mainly came off the bench during a disastrous 2011-12 stint in Dallas, averaging career-lows of 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 50 games—writes that veteran teammate Vince Carter held him back from violent retaliation.

Cuban didn’t deny the incident when questioned by a reporter, saying only that he wishes Odom well.

Per The Dallas Morning News:

“During one homestand, I was having possibly the worst game of the season. Head coach Rick Carlisle subbed me out, and I looked for a seat near the coaches, but none were available. So I went down to the only open seat at the end of the bench. Right next to Cuban.

“Cuban extended his right foot and kicked my shin. … I was stunned. This wasn’t a tap. I felt it. That was the last straw. It was painfully clear he did not respect me as a man. I felt the adrenaline rush through my body. In an instant I was transported back to Linden Boulevard, where the slightest act of disrespect could be fatal. As I sprang up, Vince Carter, who was sitting next to me, grabbed my arm tightly and leaned in.

“… What if Vince, who I had the closest connection to on that team, hadn’t been sitting there? What if he had been paying attention to the game and hadn’t seen the incident? I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that Vince Carter saved me from catching a charge and ending my career in disgrace.”

After months of saying how hopeful the organization was that Odom would turn around his season, Cuban’s frustration level hit the breaking point April 7 in Memphis. Cuban went into the visitor’s locker room at halftime and asked Odom, who had played four pitiful first-quarter minutes, a simple question: Was Odom all in or was Odom out?

“I didn’t take kindly to it,” Odom said in his book. “Once again, he didn’t treat me like a man. That’s not how you handle something in front of the entire team. Man, it was heated. I had fantasies about decking him, but that wasn’t the way out. I never played another game for the Mavs.”

Related Lamar Odom: ‘Trade from the Lakers Basically Ended My Career’

The post Lamar Odom Accuses Mark Cuban of Kicking Him During a Game appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a list of the contract types the Atlanta Hawks have heading into training camp. This resource will be updated as players are signed and waived. Check back often to see if your team’s roster configuration has changed.

Atlanta Hawks

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

The post Atlanta Hawks Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

Atlanta Hawks NBA 2K20 Ratings

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

The post NBA 2K20 Ratings: Atlanta Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

Bryant says healthy NBA players have a duty to perform for paying customers “every single night.”

For The Black Mamba, the refusal to sit out games (even when his body was screaming for him to do so) was a simple matter of competitive pride.

Per ClutchPoints:

“What the hell is that?” Bryant said, referring to load management. “I don’t know what that is. That’s crazy.

“You’ve got a lot of people paying their hard-earned money to watch you perform. It’s your job to be in shape. It’s your job to perform at that level every single night. And as a competitor, I’m not duckin’ shit. Like, it’s not, ‘Oh, my back hurts. I’m sore. We gotta play Vince Carter and the Toronto Raptors tonight.’

“We had a game against Toronto in 2000, and Vince was tearing the league up. My back was jacked. But the perception of that, Kobe is missing a game against Toronto and Vince Carter …

“Man, my back was really having spasms. But people would have looked at me like, ‘Oh, he’s duckin’ Vince.’ Excuse me? No, I don’t think so.

“So I would be in the layup line like, ‘Okay, there are a lot of days when you can rest and recover. Today ain’t one of them. He’s gonna have to see me today.”

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘The Only Time I Took a Game Off is When I Couldn’t Walk’

The post ‘What the Hell is That?’ Kobe Bryant Dismisses Load Management appeared first on SLAM.

Vince Carter has agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The 42-year-old told us earlier this offseason that it was his intention to play a 22nd season.

By playing a 22nd season, Carter will set a record for the most seasons playing in the NBA. Currently four players sit tied on that list with 21 seasons of experience. We’ve previously written about how Carter has suggested that he’ll retire after the 2019-20 season.

While Carter may be chasing history, he’s more than earned the opportunity to return to the league during a season in which he’ll turn 43 years old. Carter is highly regarded as an engaged mentor eager to teach young players about life in the league.

In the 27 games that he played at least 20 minutes last season, Carter averaged 11.1 points and 3.6 assists per contest, acceptable production from a veteran who brings now-historic levels of experience to a young franchise.

While there have been no formal announcements either way, it’s worth noting that Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade received honorary All-Star Game invitations last season. We may see Carter extended an invite for a similar role in 2020.

The post Vince Carter Agrees To One-Year Deal With Atlanta Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

For the past few months, boys and girls ages 13-14 have competed in regional tournaments, fighting for the opportunity to represent their city and country in the world championship. 

The winning teams from each U.S. region (Central, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast, West) have advanced to the Orlando-based tournament, where they will face off from August 6-11. Teams from Westchester, NY to San Diego, CA will fill out the sixteen total U.S. boys and girls teams. Last year’s boys world champion, Drive5 Power Elite of Overland Park, KS, will return as the Central region’s representative. 

But the tournament won’t just feature teams from the United States—it will host sixteen additional teams from across the globe (Africa, Asia Pacifc, Canada, China, Europe & Middle East, India, Latin America, Mexico). In just its second year of competition, the regional tournaments featured 15,000 youth hoopers from 75 different countries, according to the press release.

In a format similar to the Little League World Series, international and U.S. teams will compete within their respective divisions before the top two teams convene for the Global Championship.

“It was a great idea having an All-Star weekend for these kids. To get to know new cultures, new backgrounds,” Vince Carter said in a promotional video. The future Hall of Famer will serve as a TV announcer for the event.

Carter isn’t the only basketball star involved. Dwayne Wade, Mike Conley, Swin Cash and Breanna Stewart will also “attend the event to watch the competition, interact with the youth teams and participate in leadership development programs,” per the press release. 

Throughout the six day event, FOX Sports‘ family of networks will broadcast sixteen of the tournament’s games.

For more information visit the Jr. NBA website.

The post NBA and WNBA Players Set to Attend Jr. NBA Global Championship in August appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve seen a flurry of free agency activity since June 30, all listed and detailed in our 2019 NBA Free Agency Tracker, but not all players have found their homes for 2019-20.

The Kawhi Leonard domino fell in the wee hours of Saturday morning, which could open the flood gates for the final wave of activity. What might that wave actually look like though?

Below are the twenty most impactful free agents, many of whom could be excellent late additions to teams bracing up for a wild NBA campaign. Disagree? Hit us up in the comments below or chase me on Twitter (@AustinKent).

The post The Top 20 Remaining NBA Free Agents appeared first on SLAM.

This list is maintained by @AustinKent. Please forward any omissions, clarifications or helpful reminders about how the alphabet works to him on Twitter.

The post 2019 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

There’s at least some mutual interest between the two parties.

While news that Horford had a four-year, $100 million offer on the table when he chose not to pick up his player option is nothing new, we haven’t known who the mystery suitor was.

Now, Anderson writes, the Kings are ready to offer just that. Whether that’s enough to land his services or not remains to be seen. The Athletic’s Sam Amick reports that he’s heard the franchise is under the impression Horford is heading elsewhere.

In the Sacramento Bee feature, Anderson writes that Horford doesn’t have any scheduled meetings for Sunday at this stage.

This wouldn’t be the first time that this regime in Sacramento has made a big move to land veteran players. In 2017 they spent considerable money on greybeards Zach Randolph and Vince Carter.

If Horford does choose to accept the deal, he could a younger, more productive version of the veteran reinforcements that they were.

In 68 games for the Eastern Conference semifinalist Celtics last season, Horford averaged 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per games.

The post Kings Plan To Open Free Agency With Massive Al Horford Offer appeared first on SLAM.

The queue began to form shortly before 11:00 am EST on Saturday.

Tip off, of course, is 9:00 pm on Monday.

While entry to the barricaded area outside of Scotiabank Arena is free, there is a limit to the number of people permitted due to the location of the stadium downtown.

As a Canadian Press report ahead of Game 1 revealed, a total of 6,000 people can squeeze into the main park just outside of the stadium. Additional parks, however, have popped up across Canada, including one in Toronto suburb Mississauga with a capacity of 20,000.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns Raptors has given cities across the country approval for outdoor viewing parties in the spirit of the original but none will compare to the main one situated just outside the action.

Given that standing room tickets to the same game are hovering around $2,000 USD, access to the downtown atmosphere is in hot demand. Fans within the cordoned off area officially known as Maple Leaf Square have access to food, beverages, alcohol and, yes, portable toilets.

This 2019 run marks the sixth consecutive season that the Raptors have made available a formal outdoor viewing experience and its legend has grown since that 2014 postseason when then-general manager Masai Ujiri famously flamed a raucous crowd amid the team’s first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets.

These days the crowd at ‘Jurassic Park’ is as much a part of the Raptors postseason experience as anything. On Monday, both this team and the fans having waited 48-hours outside just to party near them, could see an atmosphere unlike anything they’ve ever imagined.

Related: Vince Carter has announced he’ll retire after 2019-20

The post Two-Days Before Tip-Off, Fans Are Lining Up For ‘Jurassic Park’ appeared first on SLAM.

While we’ve known for a few months that the veteran intended to return next season, he never officially said that the upcoming campaign would be his last.

On paper it makes sense that the end is near for the 42-year-old but the 21-year vet averaged 7.4 points in over 17 quality minutes per game for the rebuilding Hawks last season. Carter played in 76 games for ATL in 2018-19, dropping double digits in 28 of them.

Despite his success in Atlanta, Carter is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and after cashing pay cheques with six different teams over the course of the past decade, there’s no indication exactly where he’ll host his farewell tour.

Those keeping score at home may remember that Carter once said a return to Toronto would happen. Masai Ujiri, too, has suggested as much. (h/t Raejhon Johnson of Raptors Rapture).

Of course that could simply mean that the iconic 1998 draft pick would consider signing a ceremonial one-day deal prior to formally hanging up his Nike Shox. (Paul Pierce did exactly that with Boston in 2017).

Nostalgia aside, Carter earned the veteran minimum this season and could provide depth and an historic amount of experience for any team willing to take on the veteran.

There are obvious benefits to bringing a greybeard like Carter aboard, especially one that shot .389 from beyond the arc last season, but understandable distractions too.

Regardless of where Carter does end up, the 2019-20 season will be his 22nd in the league, giving him the most career seasons of all-time ahead of Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, Robert Parish and Kevin Willis who all played 21.

The post Vince Carter to Retire After 2019-20 appeared first on SLAM.

Kawhi Leonard debuted a black/gold of his signature New Balance OMN1S en route to a 23-point performance while Pascal Siakam stepped up with a team-high 32 points in the “Dark Grey” Nike KD 10.

Despite the Warriors’ loss, the team has to be encouraged by the return of DeMarcus Cousins who was made his Finals’ debut after he sustained a quad injury in Game 2 of the team’s first round series against the Clippers. Cousins wore the Puma Legacy before switching to the Puma Uproar Spectra.

Stephen Curry had a game-high 34 points in his Under Armour Curry 6 which featured a watermelon flavored colorway of red and lime green.

And closing out, A$AP Ferg performed in a pair of white/white Nike Air Force 1 Lows while Drake continued his trolling best in a Dell Curry Raptors jersey along with a pair of Nike Shox BB4 Vince Carter PEs. Future the Prince sat next to the Raps’ ambassador wearing a pair of the recently released and much coveted Sacai x Nike LD Waffle.

Peep the rest of the kicks from Game 1 of the NBA Finals below.

Photos via Getty Images

The post 2019 NBA Finals Kicks of the Night: Game 1 appeared first on SLAM.

Joined by Kent Bazemore and Annie Finberg, Carter talked about Dirk Nowitzki’s retirement and how it wasn’t “time to go” for him.

Via Winging It:

“I think he was at peace with his career and what he accomplished and felt it was time to go … not ya boy,” Carter said. 

Bazemore: “You coming back?”

Carter: “Yep, I’m coming back, bro. I’m coming back.”

Finberg: “You coming back to the Hawks?”

Carter: “I would like to. We’ll see what happens.”

Carter, 42, is an eight-time All-Star, and averaged 7.4 points for the Hawks this past season.

RELATED Vince Carter: ‘I Think I Can Give it Another Year’

The post Vince Carter Says He Will Return for 2019-20 Season appeared first on SLAM.

The footwear choice for their finales were as different as their games with Wade going with a flashy, golden “Last Dance” colorway of his Li-Ning Way of Wade 7 while Nowitzki wore the Hyperdunk X PEs he’s been rocking the entire season.

Another future Hall of Famer continued with his sick array of PEs as Russell Westbrook broke out a chess inspired design of his Jordan Why Not Zer0.2. Brodie certainly put his name in the conversation for having one of the League’s best PE games with the multitude of wild colorways he’s rocked over the course of the season.

In Los Angeles, Montrezl Harrell closed out another epic season of kicks in two pairs Kyries as he brought out the “Flytrap” 1 and the “Red Carpet” 4s. And in Portland, De’Aaron Fox capped off a sensational sophomore season in another pair of Kobes as he donned the Nike Kobe 8 System “All-Star.”

The rest of the best kicks from last night’s NBA regular season finale is just a few scrolls away.

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Brodie captured the attention of sneakerheads as he debuted a Pokemon-themed edition of his Jordan Why Not Zer0.2. The shoe’s colors were drawn from one of the show’s legendary characters, Charizard, and also features Pokemon ball woven labels on the tongue. For PG, he went with two pairs of his Nike PG3 with the latter being a bright red and yellow number. In the same game, Dallas’ Trey Burke reminded us he’s no sneaker slouch as he rocked the Off-White x Nike React Hyperdunk 2017.

In Oakland, Kevin Durant rocked the upcoming “Black/White” colorway of his Nike KD 12 which is slated to drop on April 6 and Stephen Curry wore a tough two-tone grey iteration of his Under Armour Curry 6.

We close out on a somber note with Montrezl Harrell paying tribute to rapper Nipsey Hussle on his Reebok Questions. Hussle was senselessly murdered on Sunday in front of his Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles.

Rest in peace, Nipsey.

Photos via Getty Images