The last 12 months have been a flurry of camps, tournaments, events and enacting his own clinics on defenders and offensive threats alike. And the wide-spread recognition has rightfully poured in. “It’s just kind of recent, like my freshman, sophomore year. I realized that I loved basketball once I shot out my sophomore year and I just kept wanting to play,” Chris says. “Because most people, they’ll just stop and quit, but I kept going and worked harder, and it motivated me.”

The 6-10 center with the bag of a guard has always been one of the tallest among his peers. But it wasn’t until his freshman season at Riverside Academy that he began building toward his future. Alongside his trainer, coach James Parlow, Chris crafted the foundation of the skill set that we see today. One dribble, with a shoulder into the chest, straight into a two-hand flush. Face up fadeaways from the same spot. Pull-up middies off the pick-and-roll. The handles to create coast-to-coast in transition and for others. 

“I feel like every year I got two times better than where I was the year before, which is the goal. Just development. A lot of skill work, working on having a lot of skills,” Chris says. “The goal was to be a versatile big that can guard all positions, handle the ball, shoot the ball, take a guy off the dribble, all those types of things. That was our plan, and I worked and got better and it came to life.” 

Despite the pieces falling into place, Chris was forced to sit out the entirety of his sophomore season after transferring to Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Transfer rules ruled him ineligible. While the team went on to capture its second straight state championship, Chris was holed up in the lab trying to close the gap between himself and the top-ranked prospects who had been grinding for their keep since middle school. “I was just thinking, Be in the gym and catch up to everyone,” Chris says.

He entered the summer with a Big Easy-sized chip on his shoulder and led the school to its third consecutive state title the following season, averaging 13.9 points and 10.2 boards a game. Now, he’s taking his double-double game to the acclaimed Link Academy in Missouri. 

At the program that’s produced the likes of Ja’Kobe Walter, Jordan Walsh and current Texas freshman Tre Johnson, Cenac Jr is taking advantage of every glimmer of opportunity that presents itself. He’s assumed the role of the squad’s head honcho, electing to lead through actions and let his voice follow as he builds out the habits for his future. “The main thing right now for me is winning the national championship with these guys that I’m at Link with,” Chris says. 

The journey has been rewarding, ranking as high as the No. 7 player in the class of 2025. But that feeling of catching up still hasn’t faded. There are more levels to climb before reaching the ultimate goal. 

“It feels good, but at the same time, it’s not the only place that I want to be at. The rankings now, it’s cool. But the NBA, and lasting in the NBA for a long time, is the main goal. I can’t be complacent.”

Photos via Getty Images. Portrait by Marcus Stevens.

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“There’s a lot of kids that are in the same shoes that I was in when I was growing up. For me to be able to inspire those kids, help them to believe that it’s possible, it’s doable,” Precious says. “Even if they’re in that type of environment right now, they might not see or think that things like this are achievable. I’m just trying to show them that if I could do it, they can do it.” 

The week-long camp held for the past three summers provides the youth with life skills, meals throughout the day, free gear and an abundance of quality time with Precious. In 2023, they were able to send two select campers to programs in Canada. As the country grows its connection with the game, Precious is hoping to spearhead even more accessibility. 

“It’s more than just a camp to him. It’s who he is as a person. Their story is his story,” says Nichole Jiminez, Executive Director at What If Unlimited. “When you’re working with a lot of people, not everyone has the lived experience of what they’re trying to support. I think the genuineness of the camp and why it’s such a success and why it’s growing so rapidly, it’s because it’s his truth.”

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Following a four-year career at Dayton, where he led the nation in three-point percentage last season, Washington Heights native Koby Brea is heading south to the school of his dreams, the University of Kentucky.

It all started at those courts on Nagle Ave. In the heart of Washington Heights, a neighborhood north of Harlem, tucked behind the hallowed main court of Dyckman Park, lies a smaller half-court lined with a singular black fence. It’s there that a young Koby Brea fostered his love for the game. Just a few blocks away from his parent’s apartment, Koby would go to the court and meet up with his friends and other local kids to draft their own teams and hoop throughout
the day.

When he was 6, he would lace up his kicks, grab his ball and head down the street with his dad, Stephan, to meet up with his pop’s friends. They’d travel from park to park, hooping to their hearts’ content. “They still play to this day. I don’t know how, but they do,” Koby says. And there was Koby, witnessing that love for the game in real time.

“Being around it, all you can do is really watch and enjoy the ride,” he says. “Any time they ran down one way, I’d be on the other half trying to shoot, trying to get my ball and be quick before they came back down.”

A few years later, he was waking up at 5 a.m. to work out at those same courts. Everyone sleeping while he was working? That was the best motivation.

Dyckman set the standard for who Koby Brea wanted to be. In 2024, that would be the best shooter in college basketball and the latest addition for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats.

Fifteen years after first being introduced to the concrete courts, Koby is back at Dyckman. It’s a piping hot mid-August afternoon and the sun is unrelenting. Pay it no mind, Koby’s suited in a full Eric Emanuel baby blue tracksuit with matching “Industrial Blue” Air Jordan 4s on-foot. After watching him learn to play and eventually compete in the summer Dyckman tournaments, his father, mother and youngest brother Tyler now stand off to the side as we snap photos. It’s a family affair. For the Breas and Washington Heights, that’s always been the case.

“Growing up in Washington Heights, it’s like having a really big family around you,” Brea explains. “You’re just around a whole bunch of people that are just like you, that come from the same culture, the same background. We have a lot of Dominicans, a lot of Latin people, and any time you’re walking down the street, you see somebody that’s just like you, that looks just like you, talks just like you. It just feels like family.”

The endless hours spent surrounded by his community, on and off the court, set the stage for his commitment to those who have poured into him. As he stands at center court with Tyler dribbling around his legs, he sees his own childhood mirrored back at him. It’s an eerily familiar feeling, one he experienced just a few weeks prior to our shoot when he first stepped foot inside the Joe Craft Center in Lexington. For years, Koby envisioned himself suiting up in the Big Blue. Now it’s a reality.

“You see all the blood, sweat and tears that was put into that gym that I just walked into,” he says of that visit.

When Koby wasn’t dicing it up at Dyckman, he was watching Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker and the rest of the mid-2010s Wildcats. He longed to get shots up underneath the weight of the eight banners that hung above. That level of prestige was captivating. So he aimed for it. 

Koby remembers the first time his coach at Monsignor Scanlan High School brought him to the campus in the Bronx. As they made small talk about the team and the school, the coach asked Koby where he wanted to play at the next level.

“I remember I was a kid with big dreams and I told him, I want to go to the University of Kentucky,” Koby says. “And he looked at my dad and he was like, You’ve got a wild one. I don’t know if I can get you to Kentucky, but I’ll make sure I get you somewhere. That just goes to show that when you have people around you that are confident in you, want to push you the most you can, you also have that confidence in yourself that this is what I want to be and that’s how I’m going to make it. It sets it off for yourself.”

Heading into the 2024-25 season, Koby Brea’s not only suiting up for Kentucky, he’s expected to help the program capture national prominence once again.

But the Washington Heights native didn’t just get to the blue blood of his dreams. He grinded his way toward the opportunity. Coming out of Scanlan as a second team All-New York selection, Koby set his sights on a career as a Dayton Flyer. He took home A-10 Sixth Man of the Year in his redshirt freshman season, but suffered a pair of stress fractures in each of his legs the following year that prevented him from taking that next leap he was ready for.

Instead, he spent the summer getting form shooting in while sitting in his wheelchair. It took the entirety of the offseason and a portion of the preseason to fully recover. With just two weeks of practices and conditioning under his belt, Koby proceeded to light nearly every net in the nation on fire, leading the Flyers into the second round of March Madness.

On 201 attempts, Koby led the nation in three-point percentage, nailing 49.8 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Sorry, not sure if you caught that. Koby Brea hit damn near half of his shots from downtown. Throw in 11.1 points and nearly 4 boards a game and the accolades started to flow. A second A-10 Sixth Man of the Year honor was appropriately bestowed and just like that, Koby was instantly on the radar of every major powerhouse in the country. At the end of the day, Kentucky always had the upper hand.

“This year I just really wanted to take the opportunity to take a step back so I could take a couple steps forward. I came back to college with the expectation that all I was going to do this summer was work,” Brea says. “Work as hard as I could, work the hardest that I ever had, just to ensure that I had a great year at a great new place.”

The wait, the work, it was all worth it. He made his stamp at Dyckman. He found himself at Dayton and inscribed himself into the college basketball record books. Now he’s putting up shots in the same gym Booker did nearly a decade ago, as visions of the 2025 NBA Draft grow closer and closer to reality. But in the here and now, Koby Brea is letting those years worth of lessons guide him as he takes it day by day. He’s stronger, healthier and more lethal than ever with the ball in his hands. And as he turns the chapter to his collegiate epilogue, there’s a looming goal that Koby’s longed for ever since he took those walks to Dyckman with his dad.

“The expectation is simply to hang the ninth banner. Me, I’m a true competitor, and I pride myself on winning. I definitely want to leave my stamp everywhere I go. Being at Kentucky, the standard is so high and everybody expects success,” Koby says. “I just want to have the opportunity, day by day, to keep growing and be the best version of myself.”

Portraits by Alexander Zhang and UK Athletics.

The post Washington Heights Native Koby Brea Talks Realizing His Dream at Kentucky and Overcoming Obstacles as Best Shooter in College Basketball appeared first on SLAM.

Growing up the youngest of four siblings, Nate Ament did everything his brothers did. It’s why when it comes to sports, soccer was the first thing he gravitated to. His older brothers played it, so he did, too. And when his third oldest brother Frederick started to pick up basketball, Nate was more than game.

By the time he was 10, the rapidly growing Manassas, VA, native realized that he was going to be too tall to stay on the pitch. So hoops it was. It started out as 1s and 2s at the local elementary school. After a two-minute walk, Nate and his brothers were on the blacktop, meeting up with Nate’s classmates and Frederick’s friends from high school. The battles were fun, but it was pride that Nate was seeking, even in middle school.

“The part that I fell in love with was being able to play a sport where you can take someone 1-on-1 and you can try to beat them, not just offensively but defensively,” Nate says. “Being able to have a matchup is being able to say, I’m gonna guard you the whole game. I’m gonna stop you from scoring on me. I’m gonna make sure my team wins. So, I really fell in love with the competitiveness of it.”

Seven years later, that will, love and determination serves as the foundation of Nate’s game, a game that has seen him blossom into a consensus top-5 player in the Class of 2025 and the No. 1 player in the state of Virginia. Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, UConn, Virginia and many, many others have stamped the five-star do-it-all wing as a future difference-maker for their squads.

Between the 3SSB circuit and his tape out at Highland High School, it’s easy to classify Ament as the modern NBA archetype. He’s a lengthy 6-9 forward who’s continuously fine-tuning the framework of his three-level scoring. The locks on defense are there, too. Mind you, with a handle and quickness to break down defenders in transition and off the wing. Size-ups, step-back treys and low-post fades, it’s all his game.

“From when I first started playing basketball to now, I knew that you just have to be consistent, always getting in the gym. In anything I did, I just knew that I wanted to be the best,” Nate says. “I just kept it consistent. I knew that I had the capabilities to be one of the best in the country. But for me, it was just important not to rush things and to stay patient with my journey, because my journey’s different than anyone else’s.”

As of late, the game has taken him from the gleaming lights of Times Square to the gold medal podium at the FIBA AmeriCup with the U18 USA Team. And to cap off a summer driven by years of commitment to his craft, he took home the Terrence Clarke Spalding MVP Award and the dub at the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 6. While he netted contested jumpers and rose up to meet the rim more than a few times while playing at the Rucker Park, memories from his days on the blacktop resurfaced. He wanted to get the best of his matchup, just like his brothers.

“They try to be the best at everything they can do, whether that’s sports, whether that’s school, life or anything. I try to do that with basketball as well,” he says. “They’re kind of my motivation. I play hard for them. Not just for my brothers, but for my whole family, just to make sure that I’m representing the name on the back of my jersey in the best way possible.”

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

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The pair of six-story structures are wrapped in abstract silver paneling with crystal clear glass composing the full face of the main wing’s entrance. Ten white beams sit at an angle supporting the L-shaped walkway above. Black adirondack chairs and tables are sprawled out underneath the shade that the canopy above provides. It’s a sick scene. Flick worthy for sure. 

SLAM 253 featuring Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper is available now.

As we wipe away rain that fell on the chairs just 15 minutes before, the doors of the building swing open. Class is out. Students wearing sweatpants, backpacks, slides and with iPhones in hands pour out of the automatic double doors. 

Initially, the kids don’t pay any mind to the 6-10 and 6-6 freshmen who will be leading the Scarlet Knights into the 2024-25 season as one of the most talked-about teams in the country. And then Dylan starts messing with his boy.

“Free pictures with Ace Bailey! Ace Bailey’s here!” Dylan, who’s wearing a black Rick Owens jacket and black PRPS jeans, calls out to the crowd of students trying to make it to their next class. Ace isn’t having it. 

“THE Dylan Harper. Five dollars for a photo with Dylan Harper!”

The two go back and forth for 30 seconds, until a group of students starts to gather. This wasn’t the intention. They were just trying to mess with each other. A healthy balance of embarrassment, if you will. But before we know it, a line has formed and the two have created a routine that’s down pat. 

Dylan holds the adidas basketball stamped with the Rutgers R and stands to the right. Ace, who’s wearing a black sweatsuit with red accents from the Lifestyle Sports Agency, which was founded by Sharife Cooper’s dad, Omar, and currently reps the Tennessee native, stands to the left with room in between them. They wave someone over and Dylan asks if they want to hold the ball. They smile while a friend takes the photo. A few dap-ups follow and encouragement for the season, then it’s off to class, the dining hall or the dorm. After about five minutes, the line disperses, and Ace and Dylan go right back to posing for their SLAM cover shoot.

This has never been the norm for Rutgers basketball. Impromptu meet and greets. Sold-out season tickets months out from the season. Thirty-plus journalists showing up for media day. It all represents just a bit of the hype that this pair of freshmen have injected into the program. 

As the No. 2 and No. 4 players in the Class of 2024 (per ESPN), Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are the highest-ranked recruits to ever suit up in the Scarlet red. And that’s no shade to the likes of Phil Sellers, James Bailey and other Rutgers legends, but the energy around campus this year is different. These kids don’t just walk with the gusto of rock stars, they play like it, too. NBA scouts, head coach Steve Pikiell and the students who just got out of class all know it. And to think it all started with a Big Ten win nearly two years ago.

It’s January 15, 2023, and Ace Bailey is on his official visit to Rutgers. He’s with now-sophomore Jamichael Davis, sitting behind the bench waiting for Ohio State vs. Rutgers to tip.

“And then Coach Pike’s coming down talking to me and J-Mike [Jamichael Davis] like, Come on, put your stuff on. Y’all ready? That just showed us right there that he’s excited for us to come down,” Ace says. “And I’m still a junior, I wasn’t even a senior yet. So, him saying that, it meant a lot to let us know he’s ready. He’s ready to pour into us and give it his all. So we’re ready to give our all for him.” 

Amid the hype and excitement in the locker room after watching the team rally together for a thrilling overtime win, Ace knew that this was where he was supposed to be. He leaned over to Coach Pikiell and verbally committed to the program on the spot. 

“I didn’t have any idea that I was going to commit that day, but what I felt in the locker room was something that I wanted to be a part of. So I committed, and from there we went out to eat,” Ace says. “B. Knight [associate head coach Brandin Knight] called Dylan and was like, Talk to Dylan. And I was like, I just did it, it’s your turn now. He was like, I got you.”

In truth, Ace had no idea who was on the other end of the line when Brandin Knight handed him the phone. It took a second for the two to figure out who they were talking to. But once they did, they fell right back into the brotherhood that’s been fostered since they first met at Sharife Cooper’s camp a few years ago. 

“Off the court, it was never about basketball for us. It was about building a friendship and a bond,” Dylan says. “I think from day one, we connected and clicked right away. And it would be little stuff. [I’d] call him, FaceTime him like, Yo, how was class? How was school? We got practice later. Stuff like that. So it was never about the basketball part, it was about being a brotherhood and coming together as one.”

It took around 11 months, but Dylan came through. Surrounded by his immediate and extended family, the No. 1 point guard in the country announced his commitment live from the Fanatics HQ in New York City. After going back and forth with his brother, Ron Harper Jr, about their battles growing up and passing the torch of the program, Dylan decided to return the favor to Ace. 

“I was in school when he called me, too,” Ace says. 

“Yeah, he was laying on the couch,” Dylan says while Ace laughs. “I think it was before practice. It was just, like, a brother thing. After you do something good, you want to call your family, your people, and tell them what happened. So that’s what I did right there.” 

Dylan’s connection to Rutgers runs deep. Between middle school and high school, he was running around the RAC (now referred to as Jersey Mike’s Arena), getting shots up while his older brother led the program’s resurgence with back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. 

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“His four years here, just seeing how the coaching staff really worked with him, I was just like, Why can’t that be me? So that was probably the biggest thing. The family lineage, I want to be myself and [know] I can come here and be myself,” Dylan says.

While Dylan was building out the framework of his game, he was equally immersed in the program’s cultural fabric. He watched Rutgers basketball climb from winning less than five games in Big Ten play to flirting with AP rankings. He witnessed his brother rise from being a four-star recruit (per Rivals) to making the League under the guidance of Coach Pikiell. Now it was his turn to build off of the foundation his brother constructed. 

For the past few months, Ace and Dylan have been building chemistry and rapport with their teammates and coaching staff. Workouts preceded and followed their daily practices from June to August. They’ve been putting in the work. No doubt about it. 

“We learned a lot from the summertime. That was just a time to bond with our teammates,” Ace says. “We’ve got great bigs, great guards, great shooting guards. We bonded, see how they play, they see how we play, and we just connected and put everything together.”

It’s only been a few months and they’ve already built out an uncanny cerebral connection. Dylan knows when it’s time for Ace to turn up. He can feel the pockets within the game where Ace can build his confidence through buckets, and vice versa. Backdoor cuts and alley-oops are signaled with the bat of an eye. At the same time, Ace knows when Dylan’s going to find him for a slashing cut off the baseline. He’s taking advantage of the moments where he can break open his bag and rain down pull-up threes while expanding his playmaking.

They’re adjusting to the pace of the college game and “not wasting your energy on doing a lot of moves. Being exact in what you want to do, stick right to it. Don’t try to play around,” Dylan explains. “These are grown men. Like 23, 24. You’re not going to have time to really do everything that you were doing in high school.”

“Get to your spots,” Ace chimes in. 

“Get to your spots,” Dylan repeats in affirmation.

Even when they’re not connecting on displays of basketball genius, Ace and Dylan are in sync. Target runs are routine, most recently copping a new comforter for Ace. So are late night stops at Shake Shack or hitting up the dining hall after practice. Since arriving on campus in the midst of June for summer workouts, Ace and Dylan have been stacking on the bedrock of their brotherhood. When one calls, the other answers. It’s been that way long before the commitments. 

“Yeah, we go to Target, like, every other week. If y’all want to catch us, catch us at Target. We’ll be at Target. All the time, I’m telling you,” Dylan says. “But, probably in the summertime it was more like, practice early, then the rest of the day we’re with each other. No class, chilling in the room, playing the game. Doing kids stuff, honestly, just being ourselves and bonding.”

Inside the third floor of the practice facility, Ace and Dylan pose for flicks in their Scarlet Knights uniforms. Despite standing in front of a matching backdrop, the bond between them is clearer than the panes of the business school they’ll be next to 30 minutes later. Jokes get thrown back and forth like the rock on the perimeter. They call out to passing teammates in unison, checking in to see what their guys have been up to. And when Josh Turner’s “Your Man” blares from the speakers above, an unanticipated karaoke session ensues.

Piscataway has become a second home. There’s a sense of comfort, family and loyalty that runs through the campus. Their commitment to Rutgers’ prominence is being met with a trust to be themselves, to keep their feet grounded in the present while holding each other accountable to what they set out to accomplish almost two years ago. Team up. Dominate.

Welcome to the new norm. Rutgers, you ready?

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

The post Range Brothers: Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey Talk Coordinated Commitment to Rutgers, Building a Brotherhood and Sights on the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Jrue immediately points to Derrick, the winner.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“That’s for damn sure,” he says.

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

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

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

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

First Team

DeMar DeRozan

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

P.J. Tucker

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

Devin Booker

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

Stephen Curry

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

Tyrese Maxey

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

SECOND TEAM

LeBron James

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

Paul George

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

Malik Monk

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

Jayson Tatum

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

Trey Lyles

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

MVP: P.J. Tucker

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

Most Improved Player: Devin Booker

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

Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

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

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Undeniable Heat: Presenting The 2023-24 SLAM KICKS Awards appeared first on SLAM.

Ja Morant’s first signature sneaker set the standard high. Clean colorways and a smooth, comfy ride stamped the low-top sneaker’s wide-spread adoption from the high school circuit to college and NBA arenas. The debut was built on a clear cut foundation that screamed success since its debut, and for the sequel, Jarrett Mann, Head of Design for Nike Men’s Global Basketball Footwear, and Ja found even more areas to explore.

“The Ja 2 is building on a lot of the fundamentals of the Ja 1 and his style of play,” Mann says. “We know that Ja is a high flyer, and we also know that he changes direction and requires control. So really, the icons of this shoe were about bounce and control.” 

Ja solidified the check list for his signature series throughout the process of the 1. Comfort, stability, homages to his family along with a number of other items show up in the Ja 2 through an evolved lens.

To support the bunnies of the highest flyer in the L, the Ja 2 doubles down on its forefoot Air Zoom unit with the inclusion of a full-length Cushlon cushioning system. Other enhancements for comfort include a more pronounced ankle collar system, a sleek waterfall-inspired inner lining and a ballistic mesh vamp. But the hallmark of the sneaker resides in the ribbed midfoot panel. The molded aesthetic is more than just for show, bringing functional support as the model’s mainstay lockdown system for the 25-year-old who routinely evades the laws of gravity. Pair that with the raised sidewall guardrail and a stitched medial panel, and the checklist’s nearly complete. 

“Definitely the comfort level is obviously the first thing I recognize when putting on the shoe. That’s the first thing that everybody looks for,” Ja says. “Once I stepped in those shoes, I felt real comfortable in them. After that it was lacing ’em up and getting right. Making sure I can do everything I normally do on the court when you see me play, and I was able to do that at a very good level. And that was the whole goal with the Ja 2, to make sure I’m the best Ja out there on the floor.”

Improvements have been made, but “the core things always stay the same,” Ja says. “My checklist, that’s locked in stone. We know that every time we step in the room to speak on the Ja [line]. So it’s really just what other stories am I comfortable expressing through my shoes?”

The Nike Ja 1 served as the testament to his rise. Those images of sun-stained cones, flipping tires–which inspired the 2s traction pattern–and 12 a.m. workouts, now embroidered at the heel, are still present. The Nike Ja 2 amplifies those experiences and searches for even more by delving into the strength of the palette and his stash of stories.

On top of the personal memories exists a collection of shades and tones that aim to evoke the same feelings we all experience when watching No. 12. The “Purple Sky colorway paints that on-court energy in a galactic collection of plums, mismatched neon Swooshes and paint-splattered midsoles echoing the sights of the night sky.

The vibrant red, gold and black “Nightmare” composition captures the nightly reality for Ja’s opponents: an unstoppable display of speed, hops and will that you can’t shake loose. Light greys, ice blues and hits of metallic gold envision his trips to the top in the “Tree Topper” colorway. But of all the upcoming releases, the one Ja’s most excited for represents those closest to him. 

“‘In the Woods’ is probably one of my favorites and pretty much the biggest one for anybody who knows me or my family and how we get along,” Ja says. “We call where I’m from back home ‘The Woods.’ And it’s pretty much sitting around a cook-out and we’re all there together just bonding, listening to music, you play cards. It’s a lot of fun.”

When asked how the chosen colors correlated with those memories from South Carolina, Ja points to the light brown highlights, royal blue Swooshes and evergreen collar lining. “You’re gonna see dirt,” Ja laughs. “And then my grandma’s porch and the house color. It’s all in there.”

And as Mann explains, using different textures and finishes only magnifies the end result. 

“Texture is extremely important, and it’s all the team who obsesses over the work. Something as simple as ‘In The Woods,’ you’ve got a textile that feels a bit more rugged and tactile,” Mann says, as he floats the heel of the Ja 2 colorway in front of the camera.

“And if you look at the “Purple Sky” colorway, you get this sheen and shine with star graphics. So really, this shoe as you see it, you’re going to see a ton of colorways, a ton of expression all brought to life with those materials. [There’s] a lot more to come, but definitely, we’re looking at how do we interpret the things that we hear from Ja and put those into the shoe.”

Turns out, Ja and the Swoosh struck another gold mine. 

Photos via Nike and SLAM KICKS.

The post The Second Generation: Behind the Design of the Nike Ja 2 appeared first on SLAM.

It was everything we could have dreamed of. One by one, the 2024 NBA All-Stars from the East and West made their way from the tunnel to the court. It was February 18, 2024. Everybody was suited in their best. The King debuted a hybrid Nike LeBron 21 fused with Deion Sanders’ monochrome Nike Air DT Max. Stephen Curry was rocking his titular Curry 4 Low FloTro. The digs were clean. And then a metallic finish gleamed under the lights of Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Draped in the game’s half-red, half-blue striped warm-ups, Kevin Durant sent everyone—including us—into a fever pitch. The litany of social media posts that followed echoed the culture-shaking moments from the heyday of NikeTalk. Bright orange Swooshes stamped at the strap and the medial heel. A faint baby blue speckling littering the jet-black midsole that reflected the depths of deep space. A translucent, glow-in-the-dark outsole sitting just below. And under the hood, a picturesque galaxy of stars, big bangs and wormholes extending across the insoles.

For the first time since 2012, Kevin Durant was wearing the KD 4. And this wasn’t like him kicking it in a pair of Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 OG Lows from his beloved rotation. The two-time NBA champ was dropping buckets in the Zoom-cushioned silhouette just like he did 12 years prior.

For the entirety of the first half, we got to watch KD play in what’s continuously heralded as the best sneaker in his lengthy signature discography. We literally witnessed history repeat itself in real time. Top of the key threes, alley-oop reverse lays and no-look assists on the perimeter. Different jersey, different city and a few more grays in the beard, but the kicks stayed the exact same.

We’re serious, the exact same. Kevin Durant’s retro run is precisely that: a retro. This isn’t the same ethos that surrounds Kobe Bryant’s Protro pairs that have been retooled for the modern game. The 4s have the same smooth TPU strap, full-length Zoom Air bag and monomesh midfoot windows that Leo Chang masterfully cobbled together out in Beaverton.

On a hallowed night in Orlando over a decade ago, the world watched a 23-year-old Durant stamp his unyielding love for the game in his third-ever All-Star appearance. Thirty-six points, 7 boards, 3 dots and 3 steals = MVP. Fast forward 12 years, and the sneaker wasn’t just laced on KD’s feet as he poured in a surgically efficient 18 points; it also lay in a shielded display case at CORPORATE on McCrea St.

Everyone knows about the different hallmark moments in the NBA season. But for the sneaker brands, All-Star Weekend is the epicenter of the year. Budgets are allocated, plans are set in place and venues are booked months and months in advance. In-person activations are the name of the game, marrying newly released products with experiential moments. Customizable gear is like its own currency. Then there are the true sneakerheads, who are are searching through pop-up stores and local boutiques for the holy grail of the weekend.

This past February out in Indianapolis, everyone was hunting for the pair Durant would famously wear a few days later.

The tonal beige and brown “Year of the Dragon 2.0” colorway may have officially kicked off the silhouette’s revival in early February, but the “Galaxy” was the first original colorway from that iconic 2011-12 run that the Swoosh brought back to market. A shock drop on February 15 set the stage for the return of the community’s favorite ensembles.

Just as we spoke it into existence last year in KICKS 26, Nike wasn’t hanging it up like they
did with the 2018 release of the KD 4 “Thunderstruck” after Durant and the Warriors claimed the title. The Swoosh combed through the catalog and hand-selected the best of the best. Nothing but haymakers for months.

In late May, we were blessed with the topographical “Weatherman” joints as images of cargo pants and color-coordinated tees screamed of a bygone era. By the time you have this magazine in your hands, what some consider the most acclaimed colorway of Durant’s 17 signature sneakers will have returned, with the aesthetic of rubber-tipped bullets and plastic magazines. The KD 4 “Nerf” is upon us. And while it won’t be packaged in the same square box that held a cardboard mini hoop and foam basketball, those same pops of deep blue, gray, orange and volt will be transporting everyone back to memories of denting the closet door with All-Star-caliber dunk contests in their childhood bedrooms.

The releases have been timely yet staggered, allowing more than enough breathing room between each drop to reignite the deep-rooted passion that exists for that midfoot strap. Nike knows they’ve got us in a vice grip. It’s why they’re reportedly set to close out the 4s retro run with a duo of bangers, the copper and black “Christmas” colorway and the heart-tugging “Aunt Pearl” rendition—the first of a now 13-silhouette-strong series dedicated to KD’s late aunt.

The past seven months have been a bunch of nostalgia-induced trips down memory lane. We’ve been living in the parallel reality that we dreamed about just a few years ago. It’s back on the streets, on the courts and in closets all around the world. Lucky for us, the story of the 4 continues.

Photos via Getty Images and Nike.

The post 4 Ever: Looking Back at the Return of the Iconic Nike KD 4 in Retro Form appeared first on SLAM.

Devin Booker is different. The way he approaches the game is different. His obsession with decades past, definitely different. His extensive classic car collection, different. His Arizona home decked out with tastefully placed vintage furniture, different. His historian-like knowledge of basketball sneakers, mad different. How he’s approached the life cycle of his debut signature shoe—the Nike Book 1—has been emphatically different.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as they say. And with an eye as unique and curated as Devin Booker’s, his debut signature sneaker was bound to be the culmination of years’ worth of meticulous passion and patience.

Off rip, the Book 1 looks unlike anything Nike has brought to the hardwood in years’ past. It’s refined simplicity with a regal accent. Buttery-soft leathers, a rounded toe box and simple stitched overlays all create an off-the-court aesthetic coupled with a crazy court feel. Plush is an understatement.

Set atop a Cushlon 2.0 foam midsole and a top-loaded Zoom Air bag in the forefoot, Booker and lead designer Ben Nethongkome infused a cohort of premium materials and tech into his debut signature.

The Book 1 echoes the essence of a museum, casting a compilation of vintage and modern textures throughout the low-top. Depending on the colorway’s inspiration, the finish is bound to wax and wane, like the cracked detailing reminiscent of the Phoenix desert in the forefoot of the “Chapter One” or the smoothed touch of the tonal tan “Mirage.” In the midst, a thickly stitched work wear textile adds an emblematic depth to the mid-foot panel.

But before we dive in too much deeper, we need to take a journey. A physical and metaphorical one. A journey through the mind of Devin Booker and the literal path he walked from the dew-fallen ground of Beaverton, OR, to the scorched pavement of Arizona.

Nike’s 24th athlete to have a signature shoe has been heavily committed to the signature process. The evidence is overwhelming. Taking a trip to the Department of Nike Archives—DNA, for short—in Beaverton early in the model’s 18-24 month production cycle sparked the vision that Booker has since brought to life.

His first silhouette serves as an homage to the firsts in Nike Basketball history: the Air Force 1, the Air Jordan 1 and the Nike Blazer, the first Nike basketball shoe. Drawing inspiration from Booker’s ‘72 Chevy Blazer K5—where he preserved the vintage exterior and souped up the interior with a modernized engine—the Nike Book 1 explores an aesthetic that bridges decades. The result is a future classic crafted with a sea of lavish materials and a historic level of storytelling that can only be found in the mind of the 27-year-old.

During All-Star Weekend, Booker invited media members and close friends to an intimate library lounge to celebrate the debut of the Nike Book 1 in the “Mirage” colorway on the SNKRS app. Various colorways weaved throughout bookcases that lined the walls of the dimly lit room. Large leather-bound boxes inscribed in gold foil lay on wooden tables housing the inaugural sneakers. This was more than just input. A true, authentic collaboration was taking shape. An alliance that featured many, many exclusive iterations.

Throughout the 2023-24 NBA season, Booker showed his vast appreciation and understanding of the Beaverton brand’s history via an assortment of Player Exclusive colorways. On Christmas Day, he unveiled an homage to his father’s favorite shoe, the Air Max 95, in the 1995 “Neon” color blocking. A tribute to the legendary Air Jordan XI “Cool Grey” landed in early November. And those “Be Legendary” Kobe 4 and Kobe 5 colorways he was hooping in a few years ago? Yeah, he transformed them into their own matching ensembles.

His love for the outdoors was channeled through the infamous ACG Air Mowabb “Twine” colorway, matching the “Teal Charge/Club Gold/Twine” trifecta to a tee. And his refined, classic mystique emerged with a salute to the circa 1972 Nike Cortez in the white, red and blue color blocking that Forrest Gump was kicking around in the 1994 film.

The Air Jordan 1’s construction wasn’t the only inspiration that Book drew from the landmark model. The “Metallic Purple” and “Shattered Backboard” compositions were given their due shine, too. Classic after classic. OG after OG.

While the Book 1 made pit stops throughout Nike’s sneaker mile markers, several nods to Book’s personal tastes appeared on the floor of Footprint Center. A triple-black treatment embroidered with a crisp white Detroit Tigers emblem arrived in early November. An icy blue throwback to his 2019 “Moss Point” Air Force 1 Low touched down a few weeks later. And a white clad concoction devoted to one of his favorite shows, Narcos, materialized in late March.

For the past 10 months, Devin Booker has been slowly reinventing the level of involvement for a signature athlete. The approach has been methodical, calculated, timely, purposeful; a canvas for his dedication to the process and the ones who came before. This sneaker, this moment, is decidedly Devin Booker.

The colorways, the mixture of fabrics, the tongue tab, the sleek aesthetic, even the ambiance found in the room out at All-Star Weekend, it’s all a result of who Devin Booker is at his core.

There’s a reason the model’s debut “Mirage” colorway smoked on the SNKRS app in minutes. Devin Booker just gets it. He cares about the storytelling, cares about materials, cares about creating moments. Devin Booker is a different level of tastemaker.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Open Book: Chronicling the Ingenuity Behind Devin Booker’s Debut Signature Sneaker, the Nike Book 1 appeared first on SLAM.

It’s a typical sunny day on the west side of L.A. and Trevor, Tajh and Tristan Ariza are trying to see who can hit a half-court shot first. It’s been two years since the NBA champion and L.A. native retired, and today, he’s back on the campus where his basketball dominance began. Except Trevor’s not the one in his old white, red and black threads. His oldest son, Tajh, is.

Tajh is currently one of the top 16-year-olds in the nation, and come next fall, he’ll be running the gambit on the same court his dad did. After finishing the basketball season at St. Bernard HS, Tajh soon after transferred to Westchester this spring.

Inside the school’s gymnasium, Tajh stands at halfcourt surrounded by a sea of red, black and white, from the “Comets” branded bleachers and walls to the shades of his dad’s original No. 4 home jersey that he’s wearing. The faded banners showcasing Trevor’s two state titles with the Comets hang proudly as father and son pose for flicks. Even in this moment, Trevor’s influence is ever-present. It’s surrounded Tajh since he was a baby, dribbling around with Kobe and Derek Fisher. Yes, he’s the son of an NBA player. But Tajh Ariza’s game is entirely his own.

“I gotta keep putting in work every day,” Tajh says. “You know, my dad [had a] great career, but I want to have my own name and show people like, Oh, I want to be like him, you know? So I just gotta keep working so I can get there.”

The 6-8 rising junior exploded on the recruiting circuit and is now considered top-10 in the class of 2026. After his freshman year, he held just three major DI offers. In the span of five months last year, he racked up five more. This past spring he received an invite to USA Junior National Minicamps, and over the summer he was playing up with Team Why Not 17U on the EYBL circuit. Things are just clickin’.

But the path wasn’t so easily laid out. Trevor let Tajh find his own love for the game. He didn’t push, he didn’t nudge; he sat back and watched his son discover their now shared passion.

“My idea for him was always right before he got to high school, if he was serious about it, I would give him all the tools that I use or the things that I learned to help him. So I would say when he got serious—about wanting to get better or actually work at basketball—was going into the ninth grade,” Trevor says.

Tajh agrees. He loved the game, but there’s a vast difference between loving to play and loving something enough to commit yourself to 5 a.m. workouts, two-a-days and a grueling 82-game season.

“I had to change my habits. Before maybe middle school, I didn’t really take it as seriously. It was just fun for me I guess. Of course, it’s still fun,” Tajh says, “but now I see that I have a real chance at what I want to do and be great. And I just kept going. I just took it.

Right before Tajh entered his freshman year, Trevor laid out what it would look like for his son to reach his highest potential. It ended with a soft yet subtle reminder: It’s time to kick it into the next gear. “I sat down with him and told him that it’s not gonna be fun. A lot of the time, it’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna take a lot of sacrifice. And most kids, when they hear sacrifice or take away fun or free time, they kind of shy away from things. Lucky for me, he wanted to do it. So it was easy,” Trevor says.

In the year since, Tajh and Trevor have built out a dedicated plan. At least three times a week before school, they either lift or grind through sand drills with Trevor’s old Hoop Masters teammate. Working in the soft sand of L.A.’s beaches is taxing, exhausting, unnerving—all the above. But his explosiveness has taken off. “I started dunking on people, so that’s when I noticed that it started helping,” Tajh says. Off the court, he’s studying the ways larger guards like Paul George and Brandon Miller create space off the bounce.

After a shower, breakfast and school, Tajh will hit whichever program they didn’t do in the morning before heading to the court for myriad of shooting and ballhandling drills. From the gym to the sand dunes, Trevor is right there with his son.

Tajh’s dedication is persistent, a combination of witnessing the professional traits of his dad’s career and the will to carve out his own legacy. Getting up at 5:30 a.m. to run in constantly shifting sand is as much of a mental workout as it is a physical one. While Tajh embraces the results of his work, Trevor views it as a mile marker for how far his son has come since their freshman year conversation.

“It’s easy, for him especially being so young, to get the attention that he’s getting and kind of, like, be complacent and stuck in that. And my message to him is always just put your head down and focus on the work that you put in,” Trevor says. “Focus on the hours that you’re putting in, in the gym, in the sand, watching the game, learning the game, just focus on that. Everything else will take care of itself.”

When he moved from North Carolina to L.A. to attend Saint Bernard HS as a sophomore, Tajh says the talk around his game remained relatively quiet aside from the allure of his last name. That was until the beginning of the season when he received his first two offers from the University of Washington and USC. He’s still got the reaction video on his phone. “I was so excited. I was jumping up and down, yelling. It felt good to finally get, you know, what I felt like I deserved. But it also just motivated me to keep going. [To] just keep on stacking on that,” Tajh says.

Witnessing that joy in his own kin is a pride only a parent can experience. At the same time, Trevor has come to curtail his advice even after an 18-year career in the L that featured a 2009 championship with the Lakers and stops with 10 different organizations. The guidance he provides his sons is often rooted in the steps that he took in his journey to the NBA. And just like their games are different, so are the options and decisions available to them.

As Tajh prepares to enter his junior season and his younger brother, Tristan, gets set to start school, too, Trevor knows he can’t assume the roles of coach, dad and teacher all at once. He has to be selective and mindful of the hats he wears, and when he wears them.

“If there’s a week where I’m heavy on, like, Clean up your room or Take the trash out. How many times I gotta tell you to take the trash out? I gotta ease up on what’s going on on the court, because I’m hard on them at home,” Trevor says.

If Tajh is taking care of business at home, Trevor will drop some more knowledge. “But again, it’s his canvas. So he has to paint it the way he sees it. I can only tweak little things or give him little nuggets until he comes to me for big things.”

Big things like transferring to your dad’s alma mater.

As he looks up at the banners placed by his dad decades ago, Tajh can feel the target on his back expanding. Teachers are already flooding him with memories of the school’s past legendary battles with crosstown rival Fairfax. But the noise is just that: noise. And as his dad walks down the halls that he once occupied, he knows Tajh is ready to fully walk into his own. 

“I think for Tajh, he’s always been around it. So, it’s almost like second nature,” Trevor says. “He’s been around the environment since he could walk, since he could talk. It’s tailored for him. Some kids are born to do certain things. And to me, in my eyes, I feel like he’s one of those kids that was just born to be in this space.”

Portraits by Sam Muller.

The post Passing the Torch: With Guidance From His Dad’s Career in the League, Rising Junior Tajh Ariza is Ready to Make the Family Name His Own appeared first on SLAM.

The soulful piano keys of “Lost One.” The bellowing horns and drum breaks on “Show Me What You Got.” The screaming high hats from “Oh My God.” These are the sounds of Paolo Banchero’s education.

“Jay-Z was one of the first rappers I ever heard in my life,” Paolo says. “That was when I was growing into my own, just as a kid, as a player. So that CD was always on in the car. I heard it countless times, just running it through, and I just grew to love it.”

SLAM KICKS 27 featuring Paolo Banchero is available now.

Glance at Hov’s discography of album covers. Then watch the way Paolo plays the game. It’s an eerily similar sight. Dimly-lit backdrops and a polished getup. There’s a suave commotion going on. A don-like figure stands center stage with thousands of eyes thrust upon his every move. In turn, the figure speaks an eloquent truth. Both words—and pivots in the post—tell the tale of one wise beyond their years.

Paolo Banchero is here. His days as a Blue Devil are gone. That Rookie of the Year award is off in the distance. He’s dropping 30 on ya head, denting defenders’ chests with his shoulder and towing the Orlando Magic back to the playoffs, with the Air Jordan 39 on his feet. Rarified opulence.

Paolo may have grown up a Hov disciple, but the self-proclaimed music connoisseur is an old soul with an ear for the new school. By February of the 2023-24 season, the soon-to-be All-Star realized he had strayed too far from his roots.

“I just caught myself listening to the same music, kind of getting bored of it,” Paolo says. “And so I was like, Man, I ain’t listening to Jay-Z! I was like, Why am I not listening to Jay-Z? I’ve been listening to all this for months. I’m like, Man, I need to go tap back in.”

He did a bit more than just tap back in. Just like he did with the stack of CDs in his pop’s car, Paolo was swiping through the legends in his music library in search of that old shit. The throwbacks. The music that nurtured his soul.

Between the last two months of the regular season and through all seven games of the Magic’s opening round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Paolo was shuffling through nothing but Lil Wayne, Jay, Nas and Jeezy. “I felt like it gave me a new energy,” he says.

The Pelicans got served a 20-point triple-double in late March. Then there were the back-to-back 32-pieces on the road in early April. Jalen Duren got as close as humanly possible to contest Paolo’s step-back jumper, but Banchero still hit the game-winner back in February. And to close it out, a 26-point double-double to clinch the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with a dub over the Milwaukee Bucks in the regular season finale.

This isn’t the stuff of a typical second season. His numbers—22.6 points, 6.9 boards and 5.4 dimes a night—weren’t just an increase in production from year one. We all watched as Paolo took that next step in a future superstar’s career. And he did it in year 2. Wayne’s rhymes, Jay’s tone and Nas’ cadence all fueled the master class that unfolded before our eyes.

In the week of practice leading up to the Magic’s first postseason appearance since 2020, Paolo switched everything up. Lil Baby turned to Lil Wayne. The braids that were once tied to each side of his head were now in tightly bound cornrows. And the slew of Jordan Luka 2 PEs he’d been wearing throughout the season were swapped out for the pair that sits boldly on these pages, the Air Jordan 39.

Those at the AdventHealth Training Center out in Orlando in April got the first look at the sleek mid-top solution in the wild. For days, Paolo couldn’t take ’em off. The Air Jordan 39’s cushioning set-up is fueled by the same magic that propelled Eliud Kipchoge’s world-record marathon time and Mike’s fifth championship in the Air Jordan XII. Combining that full-length ZoomX foam with Air Zoom cushioning became an addictive feeling.

“Once I put the shoe on, though, that was when I was like, It’s over. I gotta be in these. I told Sam [Druffel, Paolo’s sports marketing rep at Jordan Brand] this 39 is their best work in my opinion. As long as I’ve been with the brand, it’s their best work. It’s a super comfortable shoe, I love wearing it,” Paolo says.

That love eventually turned into us seeing the 39 earlier than even the brand had planned. Paolo was diggin’ the sig so much, he asked the team out in Beaverton if he could be the one to debut the model in Game 1 of the playoffs. With a game that so effortlessly paralleled the silhouette’s ethos, the answer was a resounding hell yes.

The 39th iteration of Michael Jordan’s signature sneaker began with Mike’s infamous cross-step. From his three-dribble rule that forced the offense to create art within simple parameters to the fluid footwork that left defenders stuck in the mud, the foundation of Michael Jordan’s game lay in trusting that simplicity. It’s why there’s only nine colorways set to release from now through next spring. It’s why the haptic print upper, the textured tongue and the tumbled leather toe box are most prominent amidst a sea of hidden premium tech. The Air Jordan 39 is the epitome of refined elegance.

The essence of clarified minimalism that permeates around the Air Jordan 39 is exactly why Paolo is leading the charge for the game shoe. His movements on the block and in transition are that of a calculated craftsman. A polished spaceship hardwired with a jet engine.

“How can I get to the basket or make a play without taking seven or eight dribbles? I think in the playoffs, that was what I really honed in on and realized,” Paolo says. “That was something that I knew coming into the playoffs—I was going to have to make a lot of mid-range shots. I was going to have to shoot catch-and-shoot threes. I was going to have to take what the defense gives me and basically cut the fat from my game and just be as efficient as I could.”

The triple-white “Sol” colorway—marked with a dash of red at the tongue’s Jumpman logo—rode with Paolo through a combined 45 points in the first two games of the series.

“It felt like I was floating. Obviously, I’m a big guy. I play with a lot of force, I cut a lot, I jump, and there’s just a lot of force being thrown around in my shoes,” Paolo says. “But those shoes, I don’t feel limited at all. I feel like I can make any movement, any cut. I can put however much force I need to into the shoe, and it’ll hold up. It just performed really well. I think I noticed it right away. Sometimes, a shoe feels stiff or a shoe feels too narrow and stuff like that. I think there was just a sense of freedom when I was in the 39 where I felt like I could move and do anything.”

At 6-10 and 250 pounds, Paolo is a walking force of nature, yet he glides across the hardwood with an unmatched fluidity. Getting bullied is unavoidable. Every team knows it. It’s why they routinely pack the paint and force him to operate in the midrange any chance they get. But that’s where the magic happens.

In that seven-game playoff series, Paolo was straight spot hunting. He wasn’t taking half the shot clock to break his guy down or analyze the rotations. Everything was an instinctive reaction. If he drove toward the paint and saw bodies, he was pulling for a middie. If he saw the slightest crack of daylight, he was absorbing contact and dishing to the open shooter. If they sagged off at the top of the key, hand down, man down.

He wasn’t worried about the stats, wasn’t worried about the percentages. He “just wanted to do whatever it took to win and get the job done.”

“That whole series, I progressed and I learned every game. The first two we lost and everyone thought we weren’t ready, and Cleveland was talking a bunch of smack, saying we were kids,” Paolo says.

The last thing that Paolo Banchero is is a kid. Scratch that. It’s not even in the vocabulary. We all watched the same maturation this year. The Magic may have dropped their first two games in the playoffs, but in Game 3? The production that played in the background of those car rides with Dad started to emerge in the back of his mind. Back to the basics. A surgical 31 points through three quarters. Jumpers met nylon. Fadeaways stood unbothered. Getting to the rim was the regimen. Drop-steps were imposing. The Magic pulled Paolo before the fourth up by more than 30.

Game 5 featured 39 points on 57 percent shooting from three. Game 6 consisted of 27, 10 of ’em in the fourth to tie the series at three a piece. “That was just dope to do in front of the fans, in front of the home crowd, just to be able to protect home court like that,” Paolo says.

From October to early May, sellouts at Kia Center became common practice. For the first time in what feels like a long time, there’s a bonafide superstar wearing the Magic blue. He rocks with the old and the new. He’s laser focused on his growth. And since the season wrapped, he’s been back in his hometown of Seattle, surrounded by the love, comfort and inspiration that raised him. He’s been refining his tools, trusting his instincts and evolving every day.

“When I first got to Orlando, there weren’t a lot of expectations for the team, and so there were a lot of expectations for me. But I wanted to have that rub off on the team. I wanted it to be team success. I wanted people to come back and start coming to the games,” Paolo says. “So it’s just been awesome seeing the fan base grow, obviously, the organization grow, us just getting more serious and being in the playoffs.

“But now I think it’s time to transition, kind of from that beginner stage of success and being happy about having success. Now, we’re trying to be one of the household names of the East and of the League. That’s not going to be easy—I know that, we all know that—but I think we’re all ready for it and we’re all excited.”

The 2023-24 season saw Paolo storm the Magic Kingdom, take the throne and reveal a path to immediate success for an entire organization. The time of chipping away at the end of the tunnel is over. The lights are shining bright, the expectations are thunderous and the hopes of an entire fan base rest upon his shoulders.

“I think eventually, when it’s all said and done, I’ll look back to my second year, last year, and kind of look at it as the start,” Paolo says. “That was kind of the start of something special.”

Portraits by Marcus Stevens. Action Photos via Getty Images.

The post Refined Elegance: Paolo Banchero Covers SLAM KICKS 27 with the Air Jordan 39 appeared first on SLAM.

A little over 24 hours before being drafted 17th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, Dalton Knecht was in our office getting up shots on the mini hoop.

While the SEC’s scoring average leader from last season made his way around to the 10 designated shooting spots we’ve laid out across the floor, we realized that the final sticker got swept up in the hustle of the day. So instead, we gave him the option to shoot from anywhere on the floor. He could go back to the faux free-throw line, try another from the couch or hit a simple layup. Instead, with a pure shooter’s mentality, Knecht took several steps back into the hallway, putting at least 25 feet of distance between himself and the hoop that’s bolted to the opposing cement wall and netted the shot.

“I felt that confidence arise from the moment I touched a basketball,” Knecht says. “My parents have always made me super confident, always told me [to] trust your hard work. I always felt like that. So no matter what, when I step on that court, I’m gonna be the most confident player on that court.

Knecht is a gym rat, whether that’s on a regulation-sized hoop or not. He’s drawn to the hardwood and its sights and sounds; the screeching of herringbone traction patterned outsoles, the smell of repolished floors and the sound of the leather ball falling through aged nets. It’s an obsession that he’s fostered meticulously over the past five years while on a journey exclusive to him and him alone. 

“I’d say it’s just kind of like home. When you’re in the gym, playing your own music, whatever you want, and you just go out hooping, either with some friends or just by yourself, you just go there to fall out of reality, just being on your own, flow on your own stuff,” Knecht says.

Hailing from Thornton, CO, the 6-6 23-year-old, in a purely figurative sense, lit the Thompson-Boling Arena ablaze every single night as a fifth-year transfer at Tennessee. From JUCO to the Big Sky to playing under head coach Rick Barnes, Knecht stormed into the SEC with a chip carved into his shoulder this past season, averaging a team-high 21.7 points and 4.9 boards a game while shooting a ridiculous 39.7 percent from deep. He dropped a 40 burger on Kentucky in early March, became the first player in the SEC since Shaquille O’Neal to score back-to-back 35-pieces and took home SEC Player of the Year in unanimous fashion.

Knecht’s story is the annual reminder that there are guys all throughout mid-major programs who belong on the biggest stage in college basketball. All they need is a sliver of opportunity. And Knecht snatched his in an instant.

Without an influx of offers after graduating from Prairie View High School in 2019, Knecht elected to go the junior college route. Surrounded by acres of prairie fields in the high plains of Sterling, CO, he poured his days into the gym. After two seasons and a first-team NJCAA All-American selection to his name, he set his sights on the Power Five conferences. And then the pandemic happened. So he adjusted, transferring from Northeastern Junior College to Northern Colorado in the Big Sky Conference. 

As a junior, Knecht acclimated himself to DI competition amidst a nagging injury and a stacked roster filled with upperclassmen. Enter his senior year, where his 8.9 points per game from the season prior erupted into 20.2 alongside the Big Sky scoring title, only confirming what he’d believed for years: betting on himself was worth it. So he decided to do it again.

On March 23, 2023, with a year of eligibility remaining, Knecht entered the NCAA transfer portal. Colorado, Oregon, Indiana and Tennessee all came knocking. But there was a glaring difference between the Volunteers and the rest of the pack: head coach Rick Barnes had coached Knecht’s favorite player of all time, Kevin Durant.

Knecht will be the first to admit he’s painstakingly combed through all of KD’s highlights on YouTube. He may not have the same funky warm-up routine as the two-time NBA champ, yet Knecht has drawn an affinity between their games.

“I tried to apply as much as I can to my game, and it kind of just carried on to watching—at Tennessee with Coach Barnes—a lot of Kevin Durant’s highlights, as well as Devin Booker’s,” Knecht says. “So, I just try to take as many players as I can and put it in my game.”

Throughout the year, Barnes and his starting guard sat in the film room and dissected Durant’s highs and lows from his lone season in Austin. They studied his cadence with the rock, his mastery of time and possession and his fluidity in iso scenarios. But mainly, they’d watch Durant’s monumental game against Texas Tech that featured 37 points and 23 rebounds.

It didn’t even take a full game before Knecht started amassing his own mix of highlights that Barnes will surely show to his pupils in the future. “I’d say that dunk was Coach’s favorite memory.”

“That dunk” was actually a full-on poster. With 15 minutes left in the second half of a “friendly” exhibition against Michigan State in late October, Knecht found himself pushing the pace up the backcourt. In a moment’s notice, he turned on the jets, lost his defender with a clean wrap-around the back at the three-point line, took two steps, rose up with the ball cradled in his right arm and threw down a silencing dunk on another Spartan defender. Straight filthy. The epitome of a body.

“The first thought was…I don’t even know. To be honest, I can’t even remember. But I just know before the game, one of my coaches, Rod Clark, he told me to go punch it on somebody if you get the chance. And I had the chance in the first half and I didn’t,” he says. “Then the second time, you kind of saw what happened, and to see my teammates’ reactions, like Josiah [-Jordan James] running up to me, was priceless. It was fun, just putting on a show and showing what I could do to the world.”

The poster heard from East Lansing to the Rocky Top set the standard of what was to come from No. 3 in Knoxville. Knecht has a knack for leading conferences in scoring. Go ask the NJCAA, Big Sky and SEC. Lights out shooting was a constant, curls in the midrange were automatic, putback dunks came and went and dusting defenders at the three-point line while finishing contested lays became routine.

“He also taught me on the offensive side about showing where gaps are and reading my secondary guy, ’cause Coach [Barnes] always told me you can get by your guy at any time, you just gotta worry about the secondary people,” Knecht says.

With around 20 hours between him and his hometown, Knecht scored tons of buckets night after night, helping to lead the Volunteers to the Elite Eight, where they fell to Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers, despite Knecht dominating with 37 points and cashing in 6 threes.

After long years spent honing his craft and waiting for the opportunity to place his bet, Knecht saw decades of self-belief and confidence validated by the highest entity in hoops on June 26, when the Lakers snagged him with the No. 17 pick.

Some say he came out of nowhere last season, but the good people of Thornton, Sterling, Greeley and Knoxville have been tapped in for years. Meanwhile, Rob Pelinka told reporters that new Lakers coach JJ Redick has already started drawing up pindown and ATO actions for his rookie sharpshooter.

“My journey’s not like everybody else’s, and that’s OK,” Knecht told reporters in his first press conference as a Laker. “Just creating my path is something special, and a lot of kids will look up to it. It’s really cool to write my own story.”

Portraits by Eli Selva. Photos via Getty Images.

The post Knecht Four: Lakers Rookie Dalton Knecht Talks About His Rise From Junior College, to Tennessee to the League appeared first on SLAM.

Believe it or not, every single player in the NBA does. 

Over the past few years, NBA Twitter has become filled with fan accounts dedicated to literally every player and organization within the League. We’re talking hundreds upon hundreds of accounts fueled by one sole purpose: amplifying the success of their chosen player or franchise. 

Go ahead, go to the search bar and look up anyone from Stephen Curry to Xavier Tillman, put “Muse” at the end of their name, and you’re bound to find an account that’s posting about them on a daily basis—in some instances, several duke it out in reply threads for the “official” title. Aaron Wiggins, Josh Green, even G-League legend Andre Ingram all have accounts repping them with a passion. This shit is random, it’s weird, and it damn near doesn’t make any sense. All the while, they make memes, troll each other during matchups, are followed by All-Stars and rake in millions of impressions a week. 

The collection of Muse accounts has seen legal action, led to social media careers by account holders and shaped an entire era of sports social media, for better or worse. Some folks think they’re the “downfall of NBA Twitter”, some love the added entertainment to scroll through on a nightly basis and some are completely oblivious to the supposed reason for the existence of the accounts: the statistical performance of the individual players.

“In a modern masculinity sense, it’s very cute to know that these kids, these teenagers, these adults, what have you, they’re real people and they’re talking about who they miss and who they enjoy. And that type of beauty is lovely and that’s why I enjoy it and am still involved in it,” the account holder behind SpursMuse said. 

As accounts for the obscure 10th man on NBA rosters continued to arise this past season, we wanted to truly understand what a Muse account was. How do they get these vague yet specific advanced stats? Why are they beefing and cussing each other out? Is this a job? Do they get paid? Why does Mason Plumlee have a dedicated account posting about his nightly numbers? Where did this all come from? 

For the past few months, we’ve been searching for answers. We reached out to and spoke with various Muse accounts to figure out how they started an account and to dish on the inner workings of the Network. We got on the phone with the founders of StatMuse to see if they’re even behind this phenomenon that uses their visual likeness (more on that later). And we might have gotten some answers. 

Fan accounts on NBA Twitter are nothing new, but these Muse accounts are a different breed. Using StatMuse’s AI-powered sports statistic search engine, accounts fuel online discourse, banter and engagement plastered with cartoonish illustrations of players across the L. Any statistical feat that you could ever dream of gets posted on a nightly basis. 

For the past two and a half years, the Muse Network has turned X—formerly known as Twitter—into a hotbed for some of the most obscure online sports beefs in recent memory. All the accounts may be tied to the sports stats company StatMuse, but that doesn’t mean everyone sees eye to eye. At the end of the day, this is hoops. Shit’s competitive.

Each account holds an unyielding loyalty to their team or player. Airing out grievances is a weekly occurrence as new pages enter the fold almost daily. 

WiseMuse—short for James Wiseman—was going back and forth with an anime page in February when Marcus Morris Sr.’s account came flying in from the top rope to diss them for having an account dedicated to the Pistons center. The frequency of run-ins has coined its own definition, “Muse Beef.” 

Back in 2014, Eli Dawson and Adam Elmore saw a new angle in the shared landscape between sports, statistics and software. The two founded StatMuse, a media company that focused on creating digestible stats content with the help of AI.

“If you go back to 2014 when Adam wrote the first line of code, Siri was out but you didn’t have the explosion of AI that you have today,” Dawson says. “So our fundamental bet was that this is gonna be the decade that humans start talking to computers. And once humans start talking to computers, it should transform the media experience where you can have this interactive, dynamic storytelling where whatever’s on your mind, whatever you want to learn more about, you can really drive that experience and all you have to do is ask.”

A decade ago you couldn’t type “Highest career playoff FG% by a player with 20+ MPG (minimum 15 games)” into a search bar and immediately get the figures back for DeAndre Jordan, Dereck Lively II and Rudy Gobert. You’d have to count through the games or pray someone else had already asked the question. Now StatMuse does it for you. 

With boundless opportunities to explore statistical feats and anomalies, social media took it from there. 

The phenomenon started in late 2021 and early 2022 with accounts like WarriorsMuse—now at 98.1K followers—and MavsMuse—now at 46.4K—arriving on the scene. Others followed that fall. Then the Network’s spontaneous nature came to fruition. Making an account for a perennial All-Star is one thing; you’ve got an unending stream of data and playing time to your advantage. Building an entire account for a role player like Zeke Nnaji or JT Thor—which actually exists—is a little absurd. But it kept happening. 

“Once Stat Muse started getting a little bit more involved and started engaging with us a little bit more, I think it became something different,” says the SpursMuse account holder. (The SpursMuse account holder—and most of the other account holders quoted in this story—asked us not to print their actual names.) “But in the early stages, it was definitely just a rag-tag page. No structure, no organization. Just a social media account like any other guy would have.”

As followings grew and accounts piled up, StatMuse decided to finally embrace the army of individuals who were preaching their gospel. Retweets, quote tweets and follows served as an official stamp of support from the company. When nearly every team had a representative, they encouraged their followers to create even more accounts for the remaining players and teams.

“I remember one of the first weeks I started, the whole big thing with all the new Muse accounts was getting StatMuse to follow you. And once StatMuse followed you, you knew that you were legit,” the HeatMuse account holder says.

Currently, individuals in the Network can monetize their accounts through X’s ad revenue system. Smaller accounts typically walk away with anywhere from $15-$30 a month while larger pages are making around $80, the SpursMuse account holder estimates. Other accounts pull in a bit more by agreeing to sponsored content deals with small companies who are looking to reach their X audiences. 

At the end of June, StatMuse launched a complete redesign of its website. Currently the company is still exploring programs that will share economic ventures with the community, like splitting up the advertisement revenue made off the new site. For the account holders, that’ll be a lot better than the $500 vouchers they used to receive to spend at the company’s online merch store. 

With roughly 500 accounts spread across multiple professional sports leagues, the Muse Network varies in its approach to content. Some accounts post hard statistics, while others lean into the nuances of social media. 

“SpursMuse kind of took off because I had always had a tonal bit to my account that everything was useless. Everything was out of context, everything lacked a bigger picture. And that’s just part of the conversation with any online sports stat,” the SpursMuse account holder says. “I became kind of enamored with the bit of, how can I find the funniest stats that would leave out such an important piece of context?”

He points to his April 16 post as proof. 

“The reality is that LeBron James has a billion triple-doubles past 38. But Timmy D is the only one with two blocks,” he says. “So I love doing that, trying to find the little bit of context, erase it, then you have the bare bones stat because then it’s way more abstract. It’s a little bit more fun in that sense.”

Leaving out context on social media is a venture that MavsMuse recently realized may not be worth it. After reaching the NBA Finals, MavsMuse tweeted that Jason Kidd was the first person ever to reach the Finals as a player and coach for the same team. He forgot to mention that his findings were based after the ABA and NBA merger. 

His post was met with a Community Note from fellow users pointing out that the likes of Bill Russell, Al Attles, Pat Riley, KC Jones and several others had already been there, done that. 

This playful approach to NBA Twitter has faced a range of reactions throughout the Network’s tenure. Social media has always been an unforgiving place. One misstep or incorrect stat leads to the whole community being roped into the same bucket. At the same time, the freedom associated with joining the Network is enticing. For accounts like BrunsonMuse, operating within the space wasn’t even about the stats. 

In September of 2021, ObiMuse—an account about Obi Toppin—was created as a joke. The New Yorker behind the account had seen the recent uptick in accounts and decided to make a bet with his cousin. They’d both make a player account and whoever reached 1,000 followers first won. After a week and about 20 tweets, ObiMuse had cleared 1K. 

By the start of the 2022-23 season, the account had around 3,000 followers. By March, he’d lost interest in growing the following. A rebrand was needed and whispers of a potential Obi Toppin trade had begun to grow louder and louder. At the same time, Jalen Brunson had finally hit his stride after being traded to The Mecca. Within minutes ObiMuse was flipped to BrunsonMuse.

The account holder of BrunsonMuse says the growth of his account was tied to two factors; posting quality over quantity and the emergence of Jalen Brunson as a bonafide superstar. Brunson’s stellar 2023-24 season brought new heights of attention to his page, which now sits at over 14K followers. WolvesMuse has seen the same scenario, gaining nearly 7,000 followers this season after Anthony Edwards planted his stake in the League as its next superstar.

“Honestly, the accounts for each player and each team is really like a stock,” the account holder of BrunsonMuse says. “If Jalen has a hot week I’ll gain more followers than I did the week prior. If he has a slow week, likes all go down, all engagement goes down, following goes down, everything goes down. It’s really just a reflection of how talented the team or the player is that we represent.”

It takes a certain level of dedication to run an account like this; to track, defend and follow a singular player throughout an entire year. Only beat reporters see this much confrontation and obsessive analysis. So when we learned that it was high schoolers, college students and everyday dudes in their 20s running these accounts, everything clicked. Leave it to the next generation to spawn one of the most divisive social trends in sports. 

“They all bully me in the main chat,” the SpursMuse account holder says between laughs. “I get the most shit out of anybody. Everyone says I’m a geezer. Everyone says I watched Wilt’s 100-point game—like I get crap from everybody. And it’s funny, I’m not that old, I’m just so much older than half the chat.” (He’s in his mid-20s.) 

That’s right, there’s a group chat. Over a year and a half ago, a number of the OG accounts started the chat that now houses nearly all of the Network’s heavy hitters, currently sitting at around 70 members. The chat has become an extension of the Network’s potential, connecting fans from across the globe, with some account holders living in Germany, Australia and throughout Asia. 

Every account we spoke with enjoys the hell out of the experience, but the Network isn’t immune to the pitfalls of social media. “If one Muse account is bad or lacking, that’s a reflection on the entire community,” the HeatMuse account holder says. “That’s something that we really emphasize in our own chat.” 

StatMuse allows those they refer to as “good participants” to use their IP, like their hand-drawn images and incorporating the company’s handle into an account name. In turn, the accounts are expected to uphold StatMuse’s brand image. But that’s kind of hard when literally anyone can make an account with Muse at the end.

“I’ve always worried, selfishly, that we are all committing copyright infringement. At its core, aren’t we all doing that? All it would take is one account doing something that puts StatMuse’s likeness at risk and then StatMuse shuts everyone down,” the SpursMuse account holder says. “I wish more people understood that and the impact that it would have.” 

Not only are the accounts aware of the potential consequences—they’ve seen them firsthand in the form of a now-nonexistent account known as BrickMuse. 

The aforementioned account focused on meme-driven content and would pay to boost their posts with likes and reshares from bot accounts. For a period of time, they remained in the group chat, although several accounts we spoke with noted their disdain for the individual and how they promoted their page. During the 2023-24 regular season, the community had enough when the account began pedaling false narratives about certain players having disabilities. 

Account holders immediately reached out to the StatMuse admins in hopes of getting BrickMuse removed. Reportedly, the company did more than that. They went with the legal route and forced the individual to renounce his account in full alongside any connection to StatMuse. 

“At the end of the day, it’s our IP. So if someone starts becoming a brand negative, we can get them to quit using the illustrations,” Dawson says. “It’s pretty rare and at this point, the community has people that want to join because it is positive, they love talking about stats. I think it’s kind of a self-fulfilling community at this point.”

Yes, the Muse Network has seen the ugly face of social media on more than one occasion and there are plenty out there who look down on this young group of creators, but there’s still an eccentric beauty in the movement. 

It’s puzzling yet endearing. Its randomness is fascinating as new accounts continue to spawn. And the randomness and weirdness never seems to stop. We’ve got X accounts for Markieff Morris arguing with a Cam Reddish stan over who was a better Lakers role player—Morris or Talen Horton Tucker. And they’re using stats to back it up. You can’t make this shit up. 

Photos via StatMuse.

The post Extreme Fandom: Uncovering the Mystery Behind StatMuse and the Legion of Muse Accounts That Just Keep Appearing appeared first on SLAM.

SLAM 251 featuring Naz Reid is available now.

The name of the reigning Sixth Man of the Year represents more than just a name at this point. Naz Reid has become a greeting between Minnesota Timberwolves fans outside of home games. It’s turned into a consistent stream of car horns outside of Parkway Pizza in Northeast Minneapolis with the now famous “Honk If You Love Naz Reid” sign sitting right outside. It’s transformed the seats of the Target Center into a beach day with Naz Reid towels in late March. It’s seen hundreds of yard signs plastered with his face strewn about lawns across the greater Minneapolis area.

It’s the name of a Jeopardy contestant’s cat. It’s even become the first tattoo for everyone from 18-year-olds kids to 82-year-old grandmothers. Naz Reid has got a hold on the Timberwolves fan base and the greater NBA community. There’s no explanation, no broader details. This is the epitome of if you know, you know. And trust us, after this past season, everyone and their momma, and their mommas, knows about the rise of Naz Reid.

But at first, Naz didn’t think the ink was real.

After the Timberwolves took down the Denver Nuggets by 26 points in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals—featuring 14 points, 5 boards, 4 blocks and 4 threes from the man himself—two lifelong Wolves fans and artists at Beloved Studios in Roseville, MN, set the stage for the community’s latest outpouring of admiration.

At 12:29 a.m. on May 7th, tattoo artist JC Stroebel tweeted out, “Will tattoo ‘Naz Reid’ on anyone for $20. I’m dead serious.”

Hundreds of requests followed.

“It was crazy. I think the 82-year-old lady was the first person that I saw, and then the list just goes on, I think 200-plus,” Naz tells SLAM. “It was up to the point where I was at the barbershop one day and two kids came in [and] my name was their first tattoo. So, that was crazy to experience. Definitely super exciting. It’s something you obviously dream about as a kid, to have that type of fan base and that excitement around your name is huge.”

From the back of the tricep to the lower thigh just above the kneecap, that excitement is on permanent display in Times New Roman font. The feeling has been surreal, in Naz’s words.

His name has become celebrated among a small market fan base longing for a return to prominence. Yes, the Timberwolves have a bonafide superstar in Anthony Edwards, alongside All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert manning the paint. But it’s the 6-9 versatile New Jersey native with the bag of a guard that has completely won over the hearts and minds of Timberwolves fans. And it’s the reason he’s on this very cover.

Naz Reid is the unsung hero of Minnesota. His quiet confidence is on full display as soon as he walks into the gym we’ve rented out in Las Vegas for his first SLAM cover shoot. Summer League games are taking place just a few miles away, but Naz is suited in his midnight blue and white Timberwolves threads with contrasting “Reverse Grinch” Kobe 6s on his feet as we snap away flicks. He’s paying no mind to the record-setting 116-degree heat that awaits just outside. 

Reid is only the third-ever undrafted player to win the Sixth Man of the Year award—joining John Starks and Darrell Armstrong—and the first Timberwolves player to take home the honor. His 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 41 percent shooting from three weren’t just a bump across the board from years’ past. The 2023-24 season served as his arrival as a full-fledged force in the L.

“This is the craziest I’ve ever seen it, especially this past season with how far we made it in the Western Conference Finals,” Naz says of the culture in Minnesota. “It’s been crazy. We have posters everywhere, chalk on the ground everywhere. It’s super exciting. Definitely something that we’re looking forward to for years to come.”

If you were to truly dive into why the Timberwolves fan base has such a deep-rooted love affair with the stoic 25-year-old, the overwhelming answer would probably be the relatability of his journey. And definitely the way he moves with the rock.

It’s the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs and the Wolves are cruising with a 17-point lead over the Phoenix Suns. With 9:53 left in the fourth quarter, Naz snags a loose ball and sets out in transition. A duo of rapid in-and-out dribbles follow, keeping Eric Gordon from planting his back foot confidently. As Naz finishes the second move with the ball, he whips it wide over his right shoulder, high above Gordon’s head, into a fluid pro hop. Time stops for a moment, as he cradles it in his chest and Bradley Beal enters the scene to contest. Except this is Big Jelly we’re talking about. With ease and a calming finesse, Naz pulls his momentum to the left side of the basket and lays the ball onto the glass and through the net with a clean right-handed reverse.

These routine displays of basketball artistry have sent home crowds into a frenzy, but for those in Asbury Park, NJ, they’re reminiscent of the days Naz was cooking at Roselle Catholic and dropping highlight after highlight as an official member of the Jelly Fam.

“That’s just my go-to. I’ve been doing that for a long time, long time,” Naz says of his transition excellence. “I think Jersey guys are just shiftier than a lot of other people. We just come with a different type of swag and game to any move that we put into play. That’s just kind of how we roll. You think about all the guards that have been in the NBA or near the NBA. You’ve got Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Briscoe, Kyle Anderson; you’ve got a lot of guys who are shifty and move with a different type of swag. I think it’s just kind of how we roll and where we come from.”

Looking back on the days when high school phenoms were stitching a new era into the cultural fabric of hoops, Naz now appreciates the impact being surrounded by guys like Jahvon Quinerly, Atiba Taylor and Luther Muhammad had on his game. “Everything has definitely translated and taken off to what it was back then to where it is now,” Reid says.

Twenty-seven points, 6 rebounds and 7 threes against Dallas in mid-December. A 31-piece and 11 boards while shooting 75 percent from the field in an early April dub vs. the Lakers. Twenty-three points on 78 percent shooting from three in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

From Roselle Catholic to Minneapolis, Naz has blended a guard-like fluidity and pace with the size and skills of a stretch big. He punishes smaller mismatches in the low post with surgical footwork and hook shots while dusting slower opponents at the elbow. He cashes in corner threes before his defender even realizes he left the paint. And he thrives, absolutely thrives, in any position head coach Chris Finch puts him in.

“We’ve had lineups this past year where I was the 3. We’ve had big lineups, so that’s something that I’ve been working on and continuing to work on,” Naz says. “Time will tell, but I can probably transition to a 3, 4 or 5 in this League. So, I’m just going to keep working on it and keep expanding my role.”

In that role as first off the pine, Naz recorded the most consistent season of his career in ’23-24. Fourteen 20-plus point performances in the regular season behind a career-high shooting from deep. And his defensive instincts began to shine. With No. 11 on the floor, the Timberwolves recorded a League-best 107.9 defensive rating. The infamous Game 2 that spawned a litany of tattoos saw Naz enact a defensive masterclass. In the first half alone, he stuffed Jamal Murray twice, then rejected Nikola Jokic on a pair of shots.

Ahead of the ’23-24 season, Naz signed a three-year, $42 million extension with the Timberwolves. The deal was five years of tumultuous work in the making.

His illustrious rise from Jersey to LSU wasn’t met with the same amount of enthusiasm you might have expected when he set his sights on the NBA. After a lone season in Baton Rouge, the 6-9 forward went undrafted in 2019.

His 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds during that season were enough to receive SEC All-Freshman team honors, but the League wasn’t biting. Concerns around his draft workouts and size were highlighted.

“It just made me more hungry. It kind of rose, kind of changed to where I was the hunted, now I’m hunting at that point,” Naz tells SLAM. “In high school, I was a top recruit, five-star, McDonald’s All American, things like that, to where now I had to grind to be in a position where I had to compete against others who were at high levels, who were drafted and things of that nature. So [I was] putting myself in that perspective of just hunting.”

Over the past five seasons, Naz has hunted for more minutes, more shots, more defensive assignments and more responsibility. In every role he’s found himself in, he’s progressed. Dialing into the specifics matters—who he works out with, his daily routines, even what time he goes to sleep at night—all of his habits are predisposed to how things carry over into the next season. Consistency in his role, in his growth, “that’s just the key to the sauce, to be honest.”

As a result, the fame, the outpouring of love and the appreciation he’s received have reached yet another peak. From influencing an entire generation with how they lay the ball up as a 17-year-old to the cult following of his name in the League, Naz has been dealing with the many waves of notoriety for years.

“I treat it as second hand and whatever comes with me putting the work that I put in, I’m excited to have,” Naz says. “Obviously, I’m truly humbled to have all that. I think as anyone should at the professional level, take that along with the bumps and bruises. Just keep being you and playing your game.”

Standing in front of a blue seamless backdrop that lets the aurora green piping of his shorts pop, Naz holds the infamous “Naz Reid” towel outstretched across his back. That March 22 evening was his favorite from this past season. As 18,000 faithful unfurled the towels throughout the arena, Naz dropped 18 points en route to a 13-point win over the Cavaliers. “That moment was a moment where I had to really take it in,” he says. “I haven’t really explained how much I appreciated that moment and how much that really made me feel as far as excited and wanted and loved.”

So we asked him to expand on that appreciation, to speak directly to the fans. From Naz to the Timberwolves fan base, NAZ REID the cat and those who hold his name in ink, this is his message:

“I appreciate every single one of you guys. You guys have seen me come in and work since day one, since the two-way signing to where I am now to this point,” Naz says. “I think everybody knows how much work and dedication I put in and [the] aspirations that I put in to get to where I am now. It’s not going to stop now. This is only the beginning.”

Portraits by Erik Isakson. Action photos via Getty Images.

The post Naz Reid Explains His Cult Following, Winning Sixth Man of the Year and Building a Newfound Culture in Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Photos via Getty Images.

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

SLAM 251 featuring Alyssa Thomas + DeWanna Bonner is available now. Shop here.

An uplifting energy was flowing throughout our office on a Monday morning in late June. After a two-and-a-half hour drive from Connecticut to NYC, all that can be felt and heard is an abundance of love and laughter shared by the couple as they pose for photos at their first-ever SLAM cover shoot.

Rocking their bright orange Explorer Edition uniforms, both Alyssa and DeWanna are fully present in the moment, while creating pockets of time where they fall into a world all to their own. They’re holding staring contests while we snap flicks and poking fun at their height difference.

“I love playing with Alyssa. She’s one of the hardest working competitors in the League, so it kind of makes me want to go harder,” DeWanna says. “Even at my age, I’m like, I’ve got a little bit more in there to give because I see her going just as hard.”

The two have been dating for the past few years, and during 2023 All-Star Weekend out in Las Vegas, Alyssa proposed to DeWanna underneath the shade of palm trees accented by candles and hundreds of roses. They started off as competitors and still are in some ways. DeWanna drafted to the Phoenix Mercury in 2009. Alyssa drafted to the New York Liberty and immediately traded to the Connecticut Sun in 2014. Ahead of the 2020 bubble season, a blockbuster trade sent the two down the path of a relationship as teammates that eventually turned into partners.

The past five seasons have been a journey of ups and downs: new teammates, new coaches, new positions, new responsibilities. And yet, the two remain anchored to the culture they’ve instilled since they first teamed up four years ago. It’s a culture that has the Sun sitting at 18-6 as the second-best team in the W with both DeWanna and Alyssa dominating, again. The wedding’s gonna have to wait ’til after the Olympics, though.

Before the morning of June 11, Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner had never been inside the Connecticut Sun offices. As Alyssa walked down the hallway with DeWanna closely behind, the four-time All-Star peered through the frosted glass of the room to her right. She instantly dropped her head to the side as the emotions began to build. A familiar figure stood in the room, Connecticut Sun president and USA Basketball’s Women’s National Team Committee Chair Jen Rizzotti. In her hands were Alyssa’s deep red, white and blue USA Basketball threads, honoring her with a spot on the 2024 US Women’s Olympic team.

“Honestly, they told me I had a meeting,” Alyssa says. “I turned the corner and I see her [Jen] through the glass and my heart kind of just dropped that it’s finally happening. I’m probably the second-oldest on the team at 32, and I’m getting my first opportunity to be on a team like this—it meant a lot to me.”

In the video posted to USA Basketball’s Instagram, the loudest voice in the room is DeWanna’s, cheering and clapping for her person with pride. “It’s funny because I think I was more anxious than her during that waiting process. I’m just like, When is it going to happen?” she says. “So for me, I’m just so proud of her, I’m so happy for her. It’s something that she really, really worked hard for, like she said, at 32. Yeah, we’ll be in Paris.”

Throughout her 11-year career in the WNBA, Alyssa’s offseason timeline has rarely matched up with the Olympics. She prefers to recoup her mental and physical in what little downtime there is between the season ending and the start of her overseas schedule. The 2020 Olympic Games (held in 2021 due to Covid) were at one point an option, but the rehab process for a torn Achilles that she suffered in January took priority.

AT was back on the court nine months later. And when the season wrapped, Cheryl Reeve convinced Alyssa to suit up for her and Team USA in the 2022 FIBA World Cup. Winning Gold has been an inescapable feeling ever since.

Just three days before our shoot, the first voting update for the 2024 WNBA All-Star roster was revealed. DeWanna ranked in the top 10. Knowing the festivities this season will see the USA Basketball roster face off against the WNBA All-Stars, the two are already looking forward to playing opposite one another in Phoenix. “Oh, I’m gonna whoop her up,” DeWanna chimes in immediately.

“She’s not scoring. She’s not getting a bucket,” Alyssa interrupts.

“Shut up,” DeWanna says in a playful tone as Alyssa laughs out loud. “Please. I don’t care where I am, I don’t care how crazy of a shot it is, I’m going to try and make it. And if I make it, oh, I’ve won a championship. If I make one shot on her, it’s over.”

“It won’t happen,” Alyssa fires back.

The back-and-forth is more than just a great sound bite—it’s a peek into their unique dynamic, one filled with love, teasing and a very, very healthy amount of competitiveness.

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“We almost had the opportunity to do that overseas, but I got hurt, which I was happy about,” DeWanna says about playing against each other. “I was a little nervous playing against her, because Alyssa is a little rough and I’m not. But in this environment, where it’s not too much on the line, it can be friendly. But I promise you,” she says looking right at AT, “I’m trying to bust you up.”

“It’s not friendly at all. It’s all business,” Alyssa replies.

For the past five seasons, it’s been just that: straight business. After DB was traded from the Phoenix Mercury—where she won two championships and was a three-time Sixth Woman of the Year—to the Sun, the two quickly formed one of the most dominant duos in the history of the W.

Under their purview, sustained success has become routine out in Uncasville, CT. Numbers 24 and 25 have led the Sun to four straight semifinal appearances plus a trip to the 2022 Finals. They’re insurmountable in high-low actions, transition and half-court defensive schemes. In the midst, a list of collective and individual accolades has been running longer than the Susquehanna River.

“They really are the heart and soul of this franchise,” head coach Stephanie White told the AP. “You think about not just what they do on a day-to-day basis, but the consistency with which they’ve done it since they’ve been here.”

Unstoppable doesn’t even begin to describe AT’s game. She’s a point-forward who sets the game to easy mode for everyone while leading the team in assists, rebounds and steals. This season, she’s putting up 11.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and a League-high 7.9 assists a game. And to start the season against the Indiana Fever, she threw down a 13/13/10 triple-double. Yeah, last season wasn’t just a one-off.

In her 15th season, DeWanna has only continued to expand the mastery of her offensive repertoire. The midrange is lit up with hot spots like a Christmas tree for DB. Transition treys stick to the net and post-up fadeaways sing of swishes. She uses her length to snatch steals on the defensive end, plugging up gaps and sending shots into the third row. As of press time, the 6-4 bucket-getter is pouring in a team-high 17.1 points, pulling down 6.3 boards and swiping 1.3 steals a game.

“I always say we have to be that much better than other teams. We’re not a super team or anything of that sort, so our margin for error is a lot smaller than other teams,” Alyssa says. “And just trying to get everybody to buy into that and understand that there are no off days. There’s no relaxing or taking plays off. We’ve got to go hard for 40 minutes.”

This season, the two have been clocking in overtime. Alyssa’s already popped off for two triple-doubles and DeWanna’s posted eight 20-pieces. Between Alyssa, DeWanna and two-time All-Star Brionna Jones, the only other constant that resides in Connecticut is change. The past five years have seen a revolving door of coaches, players and front office personnel.

“I think that’s just the nature of the beast in Connecticut,” Alyssa says. “It’s not a favorable market for people that like to do the other things, be in the spotlight, things like that. It’s a quiet area, you’ve got to be a different type of player to come there. We don’t have all the bells and whistles that other people do, so it’s really about the basketball for us.”

The 2024 campaign has been filled with even more adjustments. DeWanna and Alyssa spent the majority of last season surveying the paint at the 4 and 5. With center Brionna Jones back from a torn Achilles, they’ve dipped back into their typical roles while infusing elements of last year’s success. They’re developing chemistry with the new backcourt pairing of DiJonai Carrington and Tyasha Harris, who have stepped in to the starting guard positions. The newest additions of Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson coming off the pine have been an added piece to juggle, too.

“I don’t want to say we started over again, but it’s implementing new people and trying to get them to understand the system. But in the same way, reworking it to fit everybody’s style of play and get the best out of everyone,” Alyssa says. “We’ve had our ups and downs so far, and it’s still a work in progress, but it’s going to come down to us and the coaches coming together and figuring out what is best for this team. That’s why it’s a long season and it’s about playing your best basketball come playoff time.”

The playoffs are still a bit in the distance, but in June, the Sun were already in midseason form, posting an early 13-1 record and becoming just the seventh team in League history to win 13 of their first 14. All six of those previous squads reached the Finals, and four of them won it all. We’re not saying it’s destiny, but history has a way of repeating itself.

“We’ve been right there on the cusp, so now this year, I think we’ve kind of taken the fun out of it a little bit, but we’re trying to get that back,” DeWanna says. “It’s championship or bust for us. That’s where we are.”

As seamless as the highlights look, the couple warns that playing basketball every single day with your partner isn’t as magical as one might think it is. There are angles, reads and passes that Alyssa may see that DeWanna doesn’t, and vice versa.

“It’s like a gift and a curse. You’re playing with somebody that’s the best in the world and she’s also your partner, so you get to bounce ideas off of each other, you talk basketball. But also, it’s competitive; we go at it on the court as well,” DeWanna says. “But I still want to bust her up on that court.”

“It’s mostly that she wants to bust me up on the court,” Alyssa responds. “Nine times out of ten.”

“Tune in! When is the [All-Star] Game? July 20th. Vote me in, ’cause tune in,” DeWanna exclaims.

“Drinks on me the night before,” Alyssa says with a laugh.

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

The post Power Couple: Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner Talk The Olympics, Their Engagement and Building A Winning Culture With the Connecticut Sun appeared first on SLAM.

Darryn Peterson’s game is a lot more polished than you’re typical top-ranked high schooler. The No. 3 player in the Class of 2025 is a pure three-level scorer. Go check in with the adidas 3SSB, the dudes out at the NBPA Top 100 Camp and his teammates at Huntington Prep. They’ll tell you what’s good.

With offers from North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas and Baylor–just to name a few of the heavy hitters–there’s a reason that Peterson is widely regarded as one of the most heralded recruits in his class. 

But before he won Gold with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA U16 Americas Championship and was dropping buckets in front of James Harden out in Italy this past June, Darryn Peterson’s connection to the game was fostered in the backyard of his home in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.  

Basketballs wrapped in plastic bags, cones strewn about, a basketball hoop anchored by liquid cement and a well-used agility ladder; Darryn Peterson and his pops would train for hours outside growing up. 

“That’s where it all started,” Darryn says. “The stuff he was saying started to make sense. Cause you know, you feel like your Dad is just gettin’ on you and stuff, you don’t always want to understand it. But after a while, I started understanding what he was saying. I started to see it in games and stuff.”

Darryn’s Dad, former Akron guard Darryl Peterson II, had been invested in helping his son realize his dreams since day one. And as a massive Kobe fan, Darryl shared the same meticulous search for ambidextrous perfection. For as long as he can remember, Darryn’s been laying the ball off the glass with his right and left while finishing through contact. Now, he’s in the gym three to four times a week, wadding through pools in defensive slides and running hills. 

“Focus has been the main thing for me since I was a youngin,” Darryn says on what he’s learned from his Dad. “When you find something that you wanna get good at, you gotta really buy in and you gotta sacrifice. That’s the main thing. You gotta sacrifice, hanging out with your friends and staying up all night playing the game. [There’s] certain things you gotta sacrifice if you wanna be great at something.” 

Great doesn’t even begin to put things into perspective. 

The 6’5 consensus five-star recruit plays the game with an effortless finesse. One dribble pull-ups in the midrange, bottoms. Tomahawks in transition are paired with the smoothest of size-ups. Hop steps through the lane, post fades and sidestep treys; no matter where he stands, the ball always seems to find the net. He’s been touted as the best scorer in the country, but that belief wasn’t always so widespread.

“The knock was, ‘he’s getting 30 against guys that aren’t really good,” Darryn says. 

In his sophomore year at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, Peterson was posting 31 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.3 assists a night. But he yearned for something more. He wanted to be surrounded by and play against like-minded players who shared in his aspirations of the League. He wanted to be pushed. He wanted to play the best. So he transferred to Huntington Prep. 

“I just wanted to be able to go to a school where I was playing against competition and showcase that I was really like that. That was something I wanted to show, that I could go play against top guys,” Darryn tells SLAM. “I just wanted to play against people that were gonna make it hard for me every night.”

Despite dealing with a nagging injury throughout the season, Darryn proved that those 30 pieces weren’t reserved for his hometown, anybody in the US of A could get it. He dropped 31, 10 boards and seven assists against the Kentucky Christian Knights to open the season in November. Then he went head to head with Jalil Bethea and Archbishop Wood and hung another 31-point performance to go with four steals and three blocks. 

As Darryn poured it in from across the states, he was eyeing his final eight major Division 1 programs. But by the midst of the spring AAU circuit, he decided to open up his recruitment back up. In late April, he let everybody know that it was open season. 

While an influx of additional coaches began inquiring, Darryn was putting his game on international notice. After averaging 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game with the USAB Junior National Team in 2023, Darryn was lighting Italy up at the adidas Eurocamp. That first week of June overseas served as another measuring stick as the combo guard played alongside and against fellow five-star hoopers in his class and walked away from the week with first-team honors.

“Now I feel like I gotta outwork everybody. I felt like that already, but now I’m taking it to an extreme,” Darryn tells SLAM. “Every day, I’m playing like it’s my last every time I’m on the court. So just, how hard I’m going every day. I’m just tryna get ready for college and the NBA.” 

Now back on the grind of the summer circuit, Darryn says he’s been making the push towards playing at the point guard position after hearing from numerous NBA scouts and college coaches that “on-ball is probably where I could have the most success at playing in the NBA at the next level.” At 6’5 with an otherworldly athleticism that only just surfaced a few years ago–in his words– he’s been leaning on those same backyard drills with his pops as he brings the ball up court and initiates the offense more frequently. 

He’s not the only one who’s realized his potential as the orchestrator of the offense. Former Sixth Man of the Year and NBA Champion Jason Terry recognized it too. 

As the coach of his team out at Eurocamp, The Jet was giving Darryn as much reps at the point as possible. At times, he thought Darryn was being too passive as the five-star guard worked through the balance of setting others up while getting his. Just because he was running the point, didn’t mean he couldn’t be a scoring point guard, Terry told him.

When Darryn eventually makes his collegiate selection, that lucky program will be getting one of the hungriest workers in his class. With the scoring on lock and a growing bag as the facilitator, it’s the defensive side of the ball where Darryn knows he’ll make his mark. Put all three together and you’ve got a surefire lock for the League.

“I’d say just a great guy, on and off the court. I wanna see everybody eat,” Darryn tells SLAM. “There’s going to be nights where I probably won’t be the best player on the court. I’m willing to not get any points and do everything I can to win. That’s my type of guy. Off-court, I’m a scholar first. So, they won’t have to worry about that, and [I’m] just a winner. So that’s a big thing for me that we get a winner, a hard worker and somebody that’s willing to do anything to get better and win.” 

Portraits by Christian Quezada.

The post After Transferring to Huntington Prep, No. 3 Ranked Rising Senior Darryn Peterson Is Proving Why He’s The Smoothest Scorer in the Class of 2025 appeared first on SLAM.

Inside the green-accented gym of Myers Park High School in Charlotte, NC, stands 6-7 senior Isaiah Evans. In front of him, a sea of white t-shirts screaming obscenities. But here’s the thing: Slim—one of his many monikers—was bred for this environment. Hell, he lives for it.  

The nation’s No. 13 overall prospect in the Class of 2024 (via 247 Sports) is simply built different. Nights like these are filled with overwhelming expression and talking mad trash to the crowd—only after it’s been dished his way. With his tongue swaying from side to side as he begins to unfurl a contested side-step middie, it’d be a good business decision to just get out of the way. Though there are few—very few—who have been successful doing so.

Draped in his royal blue and red North Mecklenburg threads, the future Duke Blue Devil pulled his squad across the finish line against the defending 4A state champions in a tension-filled atmosphere that rivaled the Drake/Kendrick Lamar beef. And yet, Showtime Slim enacted a masterpiece: 48-piece no fries—21 of them in a row during the second half.

“I always had an energetic feel toward me, but I really started getting real active my sophomore year, right after that ninth-grade summer,” Evans says. “I was really taking it personal.”

After being placed on the JV team during his freshman year, Evans spent the entirety of the following summer grinding his way into the varsity rotation as a sophomore. In Slim’s words, “It was time to activate.” After flipping the switch two years ago, the 18-year-old forward now holds the title of one of the most lethal scorers in his class. Gatorade State Player of the Year in North Carolina, McDonald’s All-American, reigning state champion and SLAM All-American—the list of accolades has only cemented his legacy. 

It was just over a month into his sophomore campaign before the major college offers began to trickle in, transitioning quickly into a downpour. While his peers began to stack themselves on prep school rosters, Slim chose to stay home, finishing the last of his high school days in the city that raised him. 

“Once I had gotten those first couple of offers [my] sophomore year, there wasn’t really any reason to leave,” Evans says. “You’re playing a national schedule every year, you’re going to these tournaments with these top teams, so I’m going to gain exposure. And I feel like I’m getting better year by year, so what’s the point in leaving?”

After pouring in 23 points—including four treys—Evans’ journey in his hometown was cemented with an undefeated season and the 2024 state championship. While visions of Cameron Indoor and hostile enemy crowds are in the near future, Evans knows he’ll miss the memories of those lively Friday nights when he bent the game to his will. But there’s still one solvent, a memento of his legacy. 

After igniting North Carolina’s historic basketball community as its latest homegrown star, Evans was cemented in North Mecklenburg history by having his jersey retired at the end of April. He let us in on the honor when we spoke. 

“A lot of people don’t know this, but I’m going to be the first and last person to wear No. 0 [at North Meck]. It really meant a lot to me.”

Portraits by Luke Schlaifer.

The post Future Duke Blue Devil and SLAM HS All-American Isaiah Evans Talks Staying Home for His Senior Season, Confidence and Being a State Champion appeared first on SLAM.

It’s a beautiful afternoon in mid-May and we’re at the Pippens home for a “Day in the Life” shoot with Tissot, and Justin and Scottie are going back and forth in their game of PIG. Well, initially, they were playing HORSE, but as the ball continued to find the net, both father and son quickly realized they’d be there until dusk if they didn’t make a pivot. So, PIG it is.

Scottie’s got just one letter; P, while Justin looks to save himself from elimination on the right wing. As soon as the shot clanks off the back iron, Scottie begins to celebrate. But Justin still has a shot at redemption. Right?

“I feel like I defeated that kid twice,” Scottie explains. “I’ve played PIG numerous times in my life, and I’ve never heard of you getting a second shot after you miss. I went with his rules, but in my world, I won twice. But in his world, he won once. So, I’ll let him win once.”

In Justin’s mind, and by the book for some players, if you miss your first shot on the last letter of PIG, you automatically receive a second shot to redeem yourself. If you make the second, you play on. If you miss, game over.

“There was not a new rule,” Justin says in his defense. “We played PIG, he had me at P-I and then for the last shot on G, you get two shots if you miss it. I don’t know [how] he never heard that. That’s how me and my brothers grew up playing. I can call [them] right now and I’ll ask [them] and [they’ll] tell me the same thing.”

Right on cue, the youngest Pippen whips out his phone and Facetimes his older brother Scotty Pippen Jr., who just finished his second season in the League with the Memphis Grizzlies. There’s no brotherly catchup, no “How are you doin?” It’s straight to business. Justin asks and Scotty Jr. answers: “When we grew up playing, yeah.”

Competitiveness runs in the Pippen family, from the hardwood to Connect 4 and Monopoly. As we prepare to walk with the two through a typical day in their lives, both father and son are giving each other a hard time. The quips aren’t negative, they’re purposeful. As Scottie puts it, the banter builds a competitive edge while instilling confidence. Coaches say it all the time: “Worry when I’m not giving you a hard time.”

Scottie’s got six NBA championships to his name, Scotty Pippen Jr.’s carving out the beginnings of his career in the L after dicing up the SEC at Vanderbilt. Now, it’s Justin’s turn.

The post The Pippen Hoops Lineage Lives On appeared first on SLAM.

“I was taking all of them joints, sneaking ‘em right in my bookbag and he was getting pissed,” Hayward says with a laugh. 

Mixing his streetwear origins with an elevated grandeur has become the bedrock for the clothing brand Hayward founded in 2020, Nobel. Now, Hayward finds himself on the other side of the coin. Last year, Nobel’s exclusive shorts for the Las Vegas Summer League sold out. Since then, everyone from current NBA players to the NBPA has been hitting him up in hopes of getting their hands on the next drop. 

Following a four-year career at Marquette, the All-Big East selection was chosen in the first round of the 2010 NBA draft, carving out a seven-year career between the L and the G-League. After quietly stepping away from professional basketball, Hayward began looking for another outlet to channel his expression.

“And I was like, fashion. I don’t have to put my name on it, I don’t really care to put my face there,” Hayward tells SLAM. “Nobel, I chose that name for a reason because there was so much crap going on and I just thought that, being nobel even though there’s a bunch of shit happening to you in your life, you can still do right. I just needed a constant reminder, and that’s why Nobel came in.”

When Hayward launched the brand four years ago, he envisioned clothing pieces that told stories by gelling the energy of the street with an unspoken elegance. He references everything from Chanel to how we position photographs within our magazine as the visions for his inspiration.

Steeped in Hayward’s love for Roman numerals and vintage architecture, Nobel captures a graceful edge through distorted floral imagery and archaic detailing. From vibrant colors and pastel palettes to refined aesthetics and angles, Hawyard has crafted his own form of elegance through Nobel.

As Hayward tirelessly worked through the beginning stages of the brand’s development, the NBPA took notice, inviting the founder to join the union’s Players Accelerator Program. Throughout the pilot launch in 2020, Hayward took part in every workshop and panel he could be a part of. His persistent dedication has led to continued partnerships within the program.

For the past two years, Nobel has been working with the Players Association at the Las Vegas Summer League. In 2022, Hayward cooked up event-exclusive tees with Roman numerals depicting the founding year of the NBPA–1954. Alongside various NBPA member brands last year, Nobel returned to Las Vegas where the brand sold an updated crop of designs at the PA’s first-ever pop-up retail experience. 

“Everything is organic with me, everything. I really stand on that. No matter how long it takes, even with money, business, all that, I just want it to be organic,” Hayward tells SLAM.

The recent run of exposure continued into this past All-Star weekend when we teamed up with Hayward and Nobel for a collaborative series of heavy tees, merging our two brand’s unrelenting passion for the game and its intersection with fashion. Mirroring the success at the NBPA pop-up in Vegas, two of the three pieces within the capsule sold out by Saturday’s end. Don’t worry, we’ve still got sizes left in this crisp white tee.

Since stepping away from the hardwood and into an outlet of his own imagination, Lazar Hayward has crafted a distinct lane for creative expression to roam free. His journey, like countless other players, has become a blueprint for the current generation of future entrepreneurs to analyze. He’s sending packages of threads to the League’s brightest stars, studying fabrics in the depths of LA factories, collaborating with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves (keep ya eyes peeled) and selling out pop-up venues. Even though he still hasn’t gotten his hands on the shorts that sold out at Summer League in 2023, he’ll be back in Vegas this summer with a new collection in tow.

“I’m gonna get me some this time though,” Hayward laughs.

Photos via Lazar Hayward.

The post Former NBA Player Lazar Hayward is Channeling His Creativity Through His Clothing Brand Nobel appeared first on SLAM.

She’s been faced with the same question that fuels Gatorade’s latest campaign, one that calls back to the heyday of the brand when Michael Jordan was drinking Citrus Cooler Gatorade from glass bottles. She’s been tested, pushed and proven. She’s come out on top, built a dynasty and become an icon. Those tests resonate deeply with A’ja’s journey, those moments of clarity when you have to choose; dig deeper or be satisfied. And A’ja Wilson is never satisfied. 

She points to the 2023 WNBA Finals as proof of the latter. “I think this past championship was something where IT was really tested a lot. You either got it, or you don’t. Your preparation sets you up for this moment,” Wilson tells SLAM.

That perspective was evident in mid-April when she was shooting the commercial that’s being rolled out as you’re reading this. Throwing it back to the late 90s, Gatorade has revived its “Is It In You?” campaign with a 60-second spot featuring A’ja alongside the brand’s elite athlete roster. 

When the brand presented her with the marketing deck that encapsulated the vibes and energy of the revised concept, A’ja was more than hyped. She felt connected. 

“I can’t even voice to you how I’m so excited that we’re taking it back to the vintage, like the old school, the ones that we really grew up on,” Wilson tells SLAM. “Being a 90s kid, growing up and seeing MJ, seeing all the other athletes, and now to finally be in it and be a part of a commercial that I used to watch, and now I’m going to be a part of the family as a whole, it’s been super exciting.”

We got the exclusive that A’ja was joining Gatorade’s elite roster in early May. With the brand’s history of fueling athletes for decades, Wilson wants to showcase the personable side of herself and her fellow athletes. 

“I think when you look at this roster and you look at the things that we do with Gatorade, it’s kind of like ‘yeah we grew up on this, but really we grew up on this. We really became adults on this one beverage and now here we are reppin’ it and it’s just truly amazing,” A’ja tells SLAM. “There’s a lot of people that see our roster and see the accolades and are like, oh my god they’re the elite of the elite. But they may not see we have whole humans that navigate through the world. So yeah, just to see that human side of it, the kid side of it, the tweets of A’ja, like no, they’re still human at the end of the day.”

It’s been nearly 30 years since Gatorade highlighted the IT within their athletes. As the landscape has changed, so has the brand’s mission for its modernized campaign. Today’s athlete journeys through a barrage of external pressures and expectations; from social media to finding the perfect team or training situation in an ecosystem filled with endless opportunities. 

For A’ja, her authenticity as an athlete—and a Black woman—is ever-present. It’s what anchors her to her why. She’s truthful, hilarious, and unapologetically herself. Through the years, she’s navigated these moments with both grace and dominance. Her will has been tested, questioned and praised, and as she explains her mindset and how she focuses on the constructive, the Las Vegas Aces’ team slogan from last season reemerges. 

Stay Poised Through the Noise.

“You can’t really escape it, it’s always going to be there. But the difference between good and great is how you can manage that noise, how you can stay poised through it,” A’ja explains. “What do you do in those moments? How can you be really in tune with yourself? And I think that’s so key even when it comes to Gatorade. You have to be inside yourself, good and centered at where you are so then you can project that out to everyone else.”

Photos via Gatorade.

The post A’ja Wilson Takes Us Behind The Scenes of Gatorade’s “Is It In You” Campaign appeared first on SLAM.

The game is growing at an exceptional rate and sneaker brands like Nike and Jordan Brand have certainly taken note. Athlete rosters have rapidly expanded and multi-million dollar endorsement deals have been reached. The ladies are now the first to debut premier basketball silhouettes like Jordan NIL athlete and UCLA point guard Kiki Rice, who unveiled the Air Jordan 38 during the 2022 Sweet Sixteen. Signature shoes have returned, with Sabrina Ionescu becoming the eighth women’s signature athlete in the brand’s history, and 30th all-time. 

Just this month, A’ja Wilson and Nike revealed that they’ve been working on her first signature –the A’One–for the past year, making her the first Black women to have a signature with the brand since the Nike Air Swoopes I. 

As we celebrate the start of the 2024 WNBA season, let’s take a collective trip back through the Nike archives and celebrate the pioneers of today, and yesterday, who laid out the blueprint.

THE PAST

THE PRESENT

The post Legends of the WNBA Have Always Made Sneaker History  appeared first on SLAM.

So the brands adapted. With an impeccable roster headlined by Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Jewell Loyd, Nike began releasing their player’s exclusive colorways to the public. 

Bird and Loyd, each known for their affinity with Kyrie Irving’s former Nike signature shoes, received a number of colorways in the marketplace, with Bird headlining the “Keep Sue Fresh” collection that spanned from the Kyrie 4 Low to the Kyrie Infinity. 

Out in Phoenix, DT began repping ‘Bron’s signature series, from the LeBron 9 and LeBron X to the LeBron 19—she even had compiled an extensive Mercury-colored collection of LeBron PEs, including the LeBron 18 “La Cabra”—which translates to the GOAT in Spanish.

In Washington, six-time All-Star Elena Delle Donne was paying homage with her PE rotation, dawning a Swoopes I-inspired colorway of the Nike Hyperdunk 2017 alongside a steady influx of KD 12s. But at the tail end of the 2019 season, Delle Donne flipped the script, electing to wear a lace-less model, the Nike Air Zoom UNVRS. Constructed around the brand’s newest technology, Flyease provided wearers with a hands-free, easy-access design geared toward those with disabilities. The latter would serve as a three year-long smoke signal of what was to come. 

In October of 2022, Nike and Elena Delle Donne officially released the Nike Air Deldon. While the high-top model wasn’t specifically marketed as a signature offering, the silhouette was as close to one as you could get. Built with Flyease technology at its foundation, the Air Deldon was inspired by the two-time MVP’s younger sister Lizzie, who is disabled. The model represented several aspects of Delle Donne’s personal journey, detailing her battle with Lyme disease on one colorway while joining Nike’s BE TRUE initiative that heralds the LGBTQIA+ community with a rainbow-treated installment.  

Then there’s Sabrina Ionescu. Before the legend of Caitlin Clark arose, Ionescu captivated the nation in college—breaking national and school records at the University of Oregon with a flashy play style and an unstoppable pull-up three. 

While standing on the shoulders of the legends that came before her, Nike announced Ionescu would be the eighth women’s signature athlete in Nike Basketball history. After 17 years, The Swoosh had returned in full to the women’s game and they flooded Sabrina’s business with support. An expansive marketing campaign, a full release schedule featuring more than a dozen colorways, a full unisex apparel collection and intricate storytelling that ran throughout the model. 

Touted as the first-ever unisex signature basketball shoe, the Nike Sabrina 1 sold out the first handful of colorways during the late summer. Then it took things to another level when the model was added to Nike’s customizable Nike By You platform. With layers of detailed fabrics, stitching and panels, the Sabrina 1 brought out the platforms’ full potential, allowing fans of the already praised silhouette to create their own 1-of-1 versions.

Custom Nike Sabrina 1s engulfed social media in the following months, with creators drawing inspiration from their favorite colorways of past signature models like the “Bruce Lee” Kobe 5. Some designs even stuck and were replicated at mass, like the titular rendition dubbed the “What The” colorway—inspired by Nike Basketball’s mid-2010s run of taking every colorway from one signature shoe and compiling it into one loud, expressive and surprisingly cohesive ensemble.

From the W and the NBA to men’s and women’s college basketball and the G-League, the Nike Sabrina 1 exploded in popularity. As soon as the 2023-24 season tipped, the low-top model quickly became a go-to for many Nike-endorsed NBA players with Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Tyler Herro and others customizing their own PEs at a frantic pace.

This time around, Sabrina’s sneaker won’t be a one-and-done: she confirmed during this year’s New York Liberty training camp that her second signature is currently in the works. 

And then there’s the long awaited announcement of the Nike A’One. As the first Black woman to receive a signature shoe with the brand since Sheryl Swoopes, A’ja Wilson continues to cement her legacy as not only a great, but a player deserving of the utmost recognition and respect. After headlining the Nike Cosmic Unity last season and dawning a regal black and gold LeBron 21 PE during the 2023 Finals, two-time WNBA Champion and New York Times Best-Selling Author A’ja Wilson has been positioned for an insanely bright future, and arrival of the A’One in the Spring of 2025 was met with top-tier marketing: Wilson posted a flick of herself wearing an iconic hoodie that read, Of Course I Have a Shoe Dot Com with the caption: “The answer to the question.” It was just as iconic as Wilson and her illustrious career. 

Wilson and Nike aren’t just only releasing a signature sneaker though—the two-time WNBA champion and MVP has been working for over a year now on a full apparel collection and signature slides, too. She’s been heavily involved in each step of the process, consistently checking in with the brand and going as far as to suggest satin-lined hoods so women wouldn’t have to wear a bonnet during travel days. 

As for other stars, in the summer of 2021, Jordan Brand announced the largest women’s roster in the brand’s history, signing Dearica Hamby, Satou Sabally, Jordin Canada, Aerial Powers, Te’a Cooper, Crystal Dangerfield, Arella Guirantes and Chelsea Dungee. Joining an established core of Kia Nurse and Asia Durr, the Jumpman went out and put pen to paper with Rhyne Howard, Dana Evans, Isabelle Harrison and Gabby Williams over the next year and a half. 

Picking up the legacy of the since-retired Moore, Jordan’s revamped athlete roster has brought a fresh perspective to the brand’s once-reserved approach to the ladies’ side of the game. Player Exclusive colorways have flooded WNBA hardwoods as a result. Kia Nurse’s Toronto Raptors-treated Tatum 1, Satou Sabally’s international-inspired Air Jordan 37 and Isabelle Harrison’s butterfly-coated Jordan Luka 2—in homage to her late sister—have each extrapolated a piece of the respective athletes’ journeys. In turn, sneaker blogs and team social media accounts have begun to add another element of storytelling to the WNBA’s atmosphere. 

Even though signature silhouettes and exclusive colorways continue to draw headlines, both Nike and Jordan have been cultivating their next generation of partners in the backdrop through the new possibilities presented by NIL. Mirroring the selectivity of their signature lineup, Nike has signed reigning National Freshman of the Year Juju Watkins, former AP Player of the Year Paige Bueckers and top high school sophomore Jerzy Williams to NIL deals. 

In the same realm, Jordan Brand has signed Rutgers-bound guard Kiyomi McMiller, LSU’s SEC Freshman of the Year Mikaylah Williams and UCLA point guard Kiki Rice. 

While it’s yet to be officially announced, Caitlin Clark has reportedly signed an endorsement deal with The Swoosh as well. Clark was one of the brand’s first NIL signings before her senior year at Iowa. 

This is just the beginning, and with investment, attention to detail, and unwavering support for women’s basketball, the renaissance continues.

Feeling nostalgic? Here’s a history lesson on how past WNBA legends paved the way in the sneaker game.

The post Today’s WNBA Legends Are Shifting Sneaker Culture  appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I was just out there having fun, I didn’t really care about talent. We just wanted to play to have fun,” Edgecombe says.

But talent is something the now-18-year-old has always possessed. It was just a matter of time before those outside of the islands came to know his name. After going toe to toe with juniors and seniors as a 13-year-old at Buddy Hield’s basketball camp in the Bahamas, V.J. decided to capitalize on his powers and potential by heading to the States to chase his dual dream: make the NBA and support his family.

The transition was smooth, Edgecombe says, but the reality of spending your teenage years in an entirely new country hasn’t been without its challenges. “I know it’s all for the best,” he says, “so I can sacrifice that for sure.” 

Ahead of his freshman year, V.J. headed to Florida, where he was initially unable to hoop due to the pandemic. His sophomore campaign was spent on the local AAU circuit with the South Florida Kings before he caught the attention of the Southeast Elite squad in the adidas 3SSB circuit.

“I was playing with a sprained wrist so I couldn’t shoot or anything. [I was] just on the court to play defense, go to the rim and make plays,” V.J. says of the summer going into his junior year. “I left those last two sessions with no offers. I was just hooping. I was just having fun, that’s all that mattered to me.”

Despite not being able to demolish defenses with a barrage of pull-up jumpers and spot-up threes, Edgecombe’s dominance quickly garnered traction at the grassroots level. Chase-down blocks and help-side pins off the backboard were a constant occurrence, alongside emphatic tomahawk dunks.

Imbued with lessons of determination grit and from his childhood in the Bahamas, V.J. brought an unrelenting hunger to Long Island (NY) Lutheran the following season. In his junior year, he exploded with the sheer force of a supernova.

“I came to America to play basketball, knowing I’ve got to feed my family and all of that. That’s definitely helped me and the person that I am right now. Just work harder than everybody else,” Edgecombe says. “I don’t want to be in that [percentage] that don’t make it out. I want to be in the part that makes it out and sets the standard high and sets a path for all the younger kids behind me.”

In his first year playing against the nation’s top prospects in the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC), a new league for elite prep teams, Edgecombe earned Gatorade New York State Player of the Year honors while also securing the League’s Player of the Year and scoring titles by pouring in 17.3 ppg. The offers started flooding in. In mid-January, Edgecombe announced his collegiate decision, becoming Baylor’s highest-ranked commit in over a decade.

Edgecombe has cemented himself as one of the most physically imposing players in his class. The athleticism is just unfair. And that J is smoother than the threads of his LuHi uniform. Trust that we’ve put you on game, because the Bimini native is holistically locked in to the next chapter of his journey.

“I feel like it’s going to separate me, to be honest,” V.J. says of his defense. “You have a bunch of prolific scorers in the country. I’m gonna be honest—everyone can score. I just need to do something that’s going to set me apart from everyone else. I’m not trying to be the same, I’m trying to be different.”  

Portraits by Erick Sasso.

The post Baylor Commit V.J. Edgecombe Left the Bahamas as a Teen. Now, His NBA Dreams are Within Reach appeared first on SLAM.

Remember those old black-and-white posters of MJ with his sweat highlighted in Gatorade colors? A’ja is running it back as the new face of the brand, as Gatorade has officially announced that A’ja Wilson has become the latest member of their elite athlete roster. 

“It was huge. I think honestly, it probably hit me when I was at [the] Super Bowl and I did the Gatorade ID activation station,” Wilson told WSLAM of her recent partnership. “It was pretty cool to just see it all come together. I think that’s when it really hit me like, oh no, you’re a Gatorade athlete. You’re amongst the GOATs of people in their respective fields and now I have a name in that. It’s just been a fun, fun ride. I think it’s finally starting to hit me now that I’m starting to see it more and be a part of it.”

Take a still photo from the Finals, wipe out all the hues and highlight a few beads of sweat with strictly orange, of course. Then toss the iconic Gatorade towel across her shoulders. “And instead of champagne, probably just Gatorade bottles because if we go for a three-peat, Gatorade will be my chaser at this point,” Wilson says with a laugh. “So yeah, definitely instead of champagne bottles, maybe some Gatorade bottles and the sweat, just lit.” 

While the brand’s Fruit Punch + Berry flavor has become a frequent staple in the Aces locker room, Wilson’s day one has always been the Orange flavor. From AAU tournaments to playoff press conferences, Orange Gatorade has always been part of her journey. 

“That’s why I was so geeked when I got it [the Gatorade deal] because I’m like, I’ve been drinking this forever. Orange Gatorade will forever be my life. I love that, I love that flavor, it’s No. 1 for me. It really dates back to the high school days.” 

A partnership as authentic as this is rare air. A’ja is the exact consumer that Gatorade has spent decades building its brand around and for. After growing up in awe of Michael Jordan’s commercials featuring glass and canned Gatorade containers, Wilson is now leading the charge for the next generation of tastemakers, just as she has across women’s basketball for years. Her connection to the brand goes back to her days dominating in high school at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, A’ja Wilson has been obsessed with Gatorade. A collection of tweets dating back as far as 2012 paints a pretty clear picture, one that truly represents the passion Wilson lives with on and off the hardwood. 

“#Favoritesnackinthewholewideworld pretzels, a rice crispy treat and an orange Gatorade #heaven #love”. – March 2013.

“Dear gas station, how do you run out of Orange Gatorade?” – June 2012. 

“#100thingsaboutme orange Gatorade is my SHIT!” – July 2012. 

Growing up, Gatorade was Wilson’s go-to bev for every random snack and meal. Not only was the flavor “top tier,” but the brand’s grasp on marketing toward athletes struck a chord with Wilson at an impressionable age. 

“I would be so mad going to restaurants with my parents because they didn’t have Gatorade. I’m just like, what else is there to drink? What am I supposed to drink? Because I felt like that is what fueled great athletes,” Wilson tells SLAM. “It felt like that’s what was pumping in MJ’s veins. It was like, no, I need that in my system.”  

And now, the former 2013-14 Gatorade State Player of the Year will be continuing her legacy alongside the brand that has always been there throughout her journey. 

“This is what you worked so hard for. This is what you wanted to go after. You wanted this. You wanted to be a part of this family because that’s all you knew,” Wilson says as she reflects on what her 18-year-old self would think now. “That’s what fuels greatness. Winning the award, it was cool, it was great, but now you’ve even grown in that case. Like, yeah, you’ve grown on-court but you’ve even grown with the brand. It’s been truly fun just to be a part of it. Even though it’s just the beginning, the best is yet to come.”

Photos via Gatorade.

The post EXCLUSIVE: A’ja Wilson Officially Joins Gatorade’s Elite Athlete Roster  appeared first on SLAM.

For the next 30 days—Monday through Friday— we’ll be unveiling the full list here. We’ve also got an exclusive retro collegiate collection, out now, that pays homage to each squad’s threads. Shop here.

“Swagger” may be an overused term, but there isn’t a more perfect way to describe the style of play that encapsulated the 2018-19 Murray State Racers. Mid-major program? Who gave a damn. 

Led by head honcho Matt McMahon, the leaders of the Ohio Valley Conference sent a message to America with every dub: “we’ll see y’all in March.” 

A big reason why was because of a tatted standout with freeform dreads, a taper fade and had an unrelenting athletic ability. Ja Morant was simply “The One” down in Calloway County. As a sophomore, he had one of the greatest individual seasons in program history. But it was the national stage where Morant’s legend grew. 

He was the first player to average 20 points and 10 assists in the modern era, dropping 24.5 points and 10 dimes a night. He racked up the sixth-most assists in NCAA history for a single season. He recorded the ninth-ever triple-double in NCAA Tournament history. He had 14 contests with 20 and 10, with a career-high 18 dots in a win over UT Martin. The man was straight filthy–Xxplosive like Dr. Dre’s cut off The Chronic. 

Behind the back snatch then reassess. In-and-out cross into a hanging lay while drawing the contact. And-one. Cradle the baby. Flying to the rim as fast as he flew off of it. Hard to predict, nearly impossible to contain. Lobs came from anywhere and everywhere; halfcourt, baseline out of bounds, in the fastbreak. Backscratchers, reverse alleys and tomahawk posters galore, with air guitar cellys following suit. Opponents spent more time looking up at the rafters than they did tracking the midsection of their opponents’ threads. 

But then came Morant’s single-handed demolition of UT Martin. After hitting a back-door cut from the baseline, Morant received the ball, and without taking a dribble, immediately rose up over a defender—who attempted a wildly ill-advised charge on the bounciest player in the world—and slammed it home while nearly clearing the defender with his legs spread like MJ. The highlight would introduce millions upon millions to the name of Temetrius “Ja” Morant and the high-flying Murray State Racers. 

“Downtown” Tevin Brown lit up Racer Arena with nearly three trey balls a game while Leroy Buchanon cemented the Racer’s otherworldly backcourt. In the paint, Darnell Cowert resided with sheer force. The former JUCO product quickly found his footing in the OVC, utilizing his graceful footwork to dance around defenders for 10.3 points and 6.5 boards a game. 

Two non-conference losses left the Racers with an early indication of their postseason success, with respective games against Alabama and No. 7 Auburn providing down-to-the-wire tests in late November and December. The Racers would sprint their way through the OVC, collecting a 16-2 conference record on the way to their second-straight conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth.

After cementing their staying power in a 20-point beatdown over Marquette, the Racers fell in the Round of 32 to No. 10 Florida State, but not before enacting enough jaw-dropping displays to craft their own “One Shining Moments” reel. The Racers weren’t just the Cinderella team of the 2019 tournament, they recaptured the magic that’s cooked up in mid-major programs across the country. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The 30 Most Influential NCAA MBB Teams of SLAM’s 30 Years: 2019 Murray State appeared first on SLAM.

We were originally going to do this on Friday ahead of the Final Four. Then DJ Burns Jr. and both of the men’s and women’s squads at NC State completely captivated the nation. For the first time since 1983, the Wolfpack are back in the Final Four. So we adjusted to honor history, as we’ve always done. 

It’s been 41 years since the “Cardiac Pack” captured the program’s first-ever national championship in New Mexico. And while decades have passed, Raleigh still remains encapsulated by the greatness of Sidney Lowe, Thurl Bailey, Dereck Whittenburg and the late Jim Valvano. 

Society loves underdogs. The sporting landscape loves them even more. In March of 1983, the NC State Wolfpack became America’s team. Cinderella’s? Yes. Overlooked? Heavily. Legendary? History says yes. 

Tumultuous doesn’t even begin to describe the journey that the 1982-83 team embarked upon. After lighting up Virginia for 27 first-half points in NC State’s first ACC regular season game, senior guard Dereck Whittenburg went down with a broken right foot. While they danced through the preseason with seven wins in nine games, a potential season-ending injury to their All-ACC guard left the Wolfpack searching for answers as they dropped their next three of four. Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins and UNC trounced them on the road by 18. Then Wake Forest copy and pasted with their own assertive 18-point win. 

In the meantime, All-American Thurl Bailey and senior guard Sidney Lowe kept the hopes of Raleigh afloat. The 6-11 forward dominated the ACC with 16.7 points and 7.7 boards a game while Lowe would orchestrate the offense with 11.3 points and 7.5 dimes per. 

Eventually, the Pack found their rhythm again. But the landscape was daunting. Valvano had preached the promised land of Albequrque over and over. Starting the season 7-1 and finding yourself with a 9-7 record heading into February didn’t exactly reflect a championship destiny. But then again, no one in the country had the legendary Jim Valvano leading the way. 

“Every single day, in every walk of life, ordinary people do extraordinary things. Ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things,” Jim Valvano famously said, quoting Olympian Pole Vaulter Bob Richards. 

The historical impact of Jim Valvano is straight up illustrious, permeating from his tenure at NC State to the annual Jimmy V Week that’s taken place posthumously every year since 1993. More than a coach, more than a mentor, Valvano was a walking inspiration to everyone from elementary school teachers to fellow coaches and rival teams. And while rankings, local news outlets and the national media had written off NC State’s championship hopes, Valvano refused to waver. 

You know those coaches that you’d run through a wall for? Yeah, that’s Valvano in a nutshell. Even after trotting out to a subpar record, the Wolfpack still believed. Valvano made it so; teaching, showing and envisioning that belief. 

That belief brought forth a rejuvenated second half of the season where the Wolfpack carved eight wins out of their next 10 games. That belief found its way into the return of Whittenburg, who suited up with the team weeks ahead of his initial recovery schedule.

With Lowe and Whittenburg bolstering a healthy backcourt – that dates back to their days at DeMatha Catholic – Bailey dominating the paint and sophomore Lorenzo Charles igniting runs with an endless array of hustle plays, NC State fully bought into Valvano’s vision. And those Demon Deacons that embarrassed them on the road? Yeah, they received a 41-point whooping in the final game of the season. 

An 8-6 record in the ACC failed to truly reflect the potential of the Pack. The conference tournament would be their last saving grace at the big dance. And in their way stood giants. Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins at UNC. Ralph Sampson and Othell Wilson at Virginia. Mark Price and John Salley at Georgia Tech. Delaney Rudd and Danny Young at Wake Forest. An underdog story was brewing while the rest of the nation pegged future lottery picks to lead their teams to New Mexico. 

After defeating Wake Forest, North Carolina and Virginia, NC State had secured their first ACC Tournament Championship since the 1974 season. Sampson saw it, MJ saw it, Valvano knew it; NC State could go all the way. And now America was waking up to that possibility as well.

The Wolfpack received the six seed in the West region where they took No. 11 Pepperdine to double-overtime. Then came Thurl Bailey’s game-winner against No. 3 UNLV, capping off a double-digit comeback in the second half. They cruised to a 19-point dub over No. 10 Utah in the Sweet Sixteen before reaching the Elite Eight against Sampson and the Cavaliers. Two clutch free throws from Lorenzo Charles gave the Wolfpack their second upset of the tournament. Then, a narrow seven point win over No. 4 Georgia. The Wolfpack had reached the land that Valvano had promised. 

And there stood Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon and a stacked Houston squad. No. 1 vs. No. 6 in the championship. Everyone and their momma was picking Houston. And then, the unthinkable happened. 

You’ve probably seen it tens of times. The airball by Whittenburg, the putback from Lorenzo Charles, Jimmy V racing and spinning around the court frantically trying to find someone to hug. 

44 seconds left, tied at 52 a-piece. The ball whipped back and forth as the Wolfpack looked to expose the slightest gap in Houston’s towering defense. As the play fell apart, Whittenburg cast up a three from Caitlin Clark’s range with four ticks left. Not enough juice. The ball sailed inches in front of the rim where Lorenzo Charles was tracking its trajectory. As Hakeem turned and watched his championship hopes rise, Charles met the ball just short of the rim and flushed it back through the rim as time expired. 

Defeating the number one team in the country is underdog material, but NC State’s journey is so much grander than their final game. Every moment where they found their backs against the wall, they’d respond. When the season seemed to slip away, Valvano refused to let go. When their best player went down, the bench filled in the gaps. When an ACC Championship was the only hope for a spot in March Madness, they won the whole damn thing. Survive and advance. Survive and advance. The Wolfpack survived all season long. Advancing just came with the territory. And they did it, again and again until a net was draped around Valvano’s neck.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Survive and Advance: The ’83 NC State’s Championship Run is the Greatest Underdog Story Ever Told appeared first on SLAM.

Alright, let’s take a collective moment and rummage through the memories. Think of the greatest game you’ve ever seen. Michael Jordan’s “last shot” over the Utah Jazz for the 1998 Finals? Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals? How about Syracuse and UConn’s six-overtime bout in 2009? The question is honestly subjective. These are all fair responses, but if we’re talking star power and buzzer-beaters, it’s got to be the 1992 Elite Eight matchup between Duke and Kentucky. 

Two legendary coaches, two legendary squads and a litany of future NBA staples. Last week we chronicled the game that jump-started the allure of March Madness. This week, we’re diving into the two teams that epitomized the glory, emotions and thrills of what Larry Bird and Magic Johnson started. 

But this game wasn’t just a game. It was an epic, a heavy-weight showdown, like if Hov and Biggie battled in a cypher. Shot for shot, bar for bar. 104-103, Duke. 

The image of Christian Laettner spinning and rising over Deron Feldhaus is seared into the minds of Dukies, Kentucky diehards and basketball fans alike spanning generations.

After putting together a 26-6 record and securing the No. 2 seed in the East region, Kentucky ran through Old Dominion, Iowa State and No. 3 UMass leading up to the matchup of the century. Led by sophomore Jamal Mashburn and “The Unforgettable’s” – four seniors in John Pelphrey, Feldhaus, Richie Farmer and Sean Woods – Rick Pitino and the Kentucky Wildcats weren’t to be trifled with. Matter of fact, they’d steamroll you. 

On the other side of the aisle, Mike Krzyzewski had assembled one of his most treasured rosters. Senior center Christian Laettner, sophomore Grant Hill and two juniors in Bobby Hurley and Thomas Hill were seemingly unstoppable, aside from those two measly losses on their record. The reigning national champions had hardware on the brain. 

The tension inside of The Spectrum in Philadelphia – now known as the South Philadelphia Sports Complex – could have been cut with the dullest of knives. Duke in their home whites, Kentucky in their away blues. 

With just under eight minutes to go, Duke had assumed complete command with a 79-69 lead. Yeah, Kentucky wasn’t having that. In just over two minutes, the Wildcats had enacted an emphatic 12-2 run to tie the game at 81 a-piece. The catalyst? Returning to Pitino’s pressure man-to-man defense that extended the full 94 feet of the court. 

The Cats attacked, clawing their way back into the game. Duke’s frustrations mounted and then boiled over when Laettner emphatically stomped on the chest of Kentucky’s Aminu Timberlake. Ejection? Up to you. Technical? For sure. Game changer? Kind of. 

The final five minutes of the game turned into a slugfest. I mean yes, it was physical. Physical to the point of frustrated stomps. But the greatness in the contest lies in both teams’ complete refusal to simply miss shots. The last 25 minutes of the game saw both teams shoot a scintillating 63 percent from the field. 

“It was like being in Carnegie Hall and just seeing the best musician or the best singer, and just sitting there in amazement at what they were doing out on the basketball court,” Pitino said to the media ahead of Louisville’s matchup against Duke in March of 2019. 

When the buzzer had sounded, Kentucky knocked down just under 57 percent of their attempts and a whopping 54.5 percent from downtown. Meanwhile, Duke went OFF, hitting over 65 percent from the field and a clean 50 percent from deep. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, there’s still time on the clock. Precisely one minute. 

Thomas Hill had just tied the game at 93 with a step-through floater. Now was the time for Kentucky to capitalize on their forceful second-half run. The play was discombobulated from the start, but Deron Feldhaus came through with a put-back that eventually sent the game into its impending, and illustrious, overtime. 

6-7 forward John Pelphrey knocked the lid off the rim with four minutes to go, giving Kentucky a narrow three-point lead before racing back to the other end and drawing a momentous charge against Brian Davis. All-American Bobby Hurley responded in kind with a trey of his own. Meanwhile, Kentucky’s best player – Jamal Mashburn – had fouled out midway through the period. 23 points, 10 boards and two steals were sitting on the pine. And one after another, the Blue Devils and Wildcats answered buckets with buckets. 

With 7.8 seconds left, Sean Woods caught the sideline inbound, immediately deployed a rapid double cross against Hurley, drove into the paint, and cast up a contested floater over the outstretched hands of Laettner. Glass then net. 103-102 Kentucky. 2.1 seconds left. 

“I was always the playmaker. I was known for and good at getting people the ball. At this particular time, it was just my time to go get a shot,” Woods told the NCAA in 2017. 

That was until Grant Hill and Christian Laetner connected on one of the most spectacular passes in basketball history. 

In the huddle, Pitino devised a strategy based on Clemson’s loss to UConn in an eerily similar situation during the 1990 tournament. No one would defend the inbounder. Send two on Laettner instead. In the end, it didn’t matter. We all know what happens next. 

To be honest, the pass was just as tough as the shot that ended numerous collegiate careers. We’ve seen far too many failed full-court heaves to not acknowledge the precision with which Grant Hill threw that 75-foot dot. The leather met Laettner’s palms perfectly, who faked to his right before pivoting his left foot to meet his right. The most hated 6-11 man in America rose over Feldhaus and sent the Blue Devils back to the Final Four. 

Antonio Lang immediately dropped to the paint. Thomas Hill was in tears. And Laettner was mobbed by a pile of blue and white threads in front of the Wildcats bench. 

“The Shot” and Laettner were immortalized along with Duke’s eventual national championship. And while there’ve been plenty of March buzzer beaters since ‘92, even ones for the chip, nothing can really touch the magic between Duke and Kentucky’s matchup all those years ago. Hell, we’re still writing about it 32 years later. 

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The Greatest Game Ever Played: Chronicling Duke and Kentucky’s Illustrious 1992 Elite Eight Matchup appeared first on SLAM.

Bird vs. Magic. Larry vs. Earvin. The Hick from French Lick vs. Buck. A folk hero vs. a showman. No matter which way you slice it, there’s only ever been one matchup that built college basketball into the living, breathing sensation it is today. The historic rivalry between Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson has been referenced ad nauseam. The Finals appearances, the championships, the rings; their legends were first intertwined on that one fateful night, March 26, 1979, when college basketball sprouted from a simple pastime on tape delay into a gargantuan titan. 

The two were polar opposites. Bird despised any and all attention from the media; Magic welcomed it. Bird was methodical; Magic put on a show. One was a forward who could pass and shoot like a guard. The other was a guard the size of a forward dishing out no-look dimes in transition. The arrival of two superstars who went decidedly against the grain of the game’s positional rigidity served as the catalysts for the evolution of college basketball. 

Behind the immaculate play of senior forward Larry Bird and a supporting cast featuring Carl Nicks, Alex Gilbert and Bob Heaton, Indiana State University had achieved their first-ever postseason appearance. With season averages of 28.6 points, 14.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, No. 33 would lead the Sycamores to topple No. 8 Virginia Tech, No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 2 Arkansas and No. 2 DePaul in March.

Bird’s star had been rising in Terre Haute for years, deciding to forgo his selection in the 1978 Draft for his final year of college eligibility. The latter would institute a massive shift in attention toward the Hoosier State and ISU’s bright baby blue threads. Winning 33 straight that season helped a bit, too. 

A 35-piece in the Final Four from the collegiate Player of the Year, on 16-19 shooting, would send ISU to its first NCAA Championship game against the Michigan State Spartans and a dime-dropping 6-8 point-forward from the factory side of Lansing, MI. 

The Spartans hadn’t fared as well leading up to March, losing four of their six contests in January. Yet the smile, humor and larger than life personality of Magic Johnson refused to let the team dwell on missed opportunities. Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent, Ron Charles and Co. responded in kind. 

After averaging 17.1 points, 8.4 dimes and 7.3 boards throughout the season, Magic’s Spartans (25-6) would knock off No. 3 LSU, No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 9 Penn for the collegiate showdown of the century. 

Formerly known as the Special Events Center at the University of Utah, now the Huntsman Center, the Sycamores and Spartans would meet for the first time in the history of their respective programs. Looking back 45 years later, the true essence of the game didn’t lie on the court, but rather in the grandeur of the moment. In a post-John Wooden era, two stars injected the college game with a level of anticipation that even the release of Avengers Endgame couldn’t match. 

After leading by nine at half with Dick Enberg on the call, Michigan State refused to look back, trouncing Indiana State 75-64 and capturing the program’s first NCAA Championship. Despite leading the tournament in points and rebounds, Larry Legend was uncharacteristic in his final collegiate game, going 7-21 from the field with 19 points and 13 boards. Meanwhile, Magic Johnson put on yet another historic March performance. The tournament’s Most Outstanding Player poured in a game-high 24 points with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. 

The sheer impact of that 1979 championship game hasn’t been replicated. And it probably never will. All these years later, college basketball still hasn’t seen a game draw anywhere near the level of audience it did in the late ’70s, equaling a 24.1 overall viewer rating. For the non-stat historians, that equates to roughly two out of five television viewers tuning into the game.

The hype wasn’t just felt in family rooms across America. Shockwaves from the historic matchup were simultaneously sent throughout the nation’s broadcast boardrooms. It was time to fully capitalize on college basketball. Magic and Bird had cemented it, so much so that CBS eventually made the push to completely overtake the tournament’s television rights in 1982. Bird and Magic were the only justification they’d need. College basketball deserved the primetime spotlight.

TV deals skyrocketed and the playing field was opened from 40 to 64 total teams. March Madness had been born. Before the 24-hour news cycle and the dedicated Selection Sunday special, Bird and Magic had successfully propelled the game to unseen heights. In just a few years, the arrival and obsession with “superstars” in the NBA would catapult the L into unequivocal success. And who would be credited with that impact? Bird and Magic.

Photos via Getty Images

The post When March Went Mad: Looking Back at the Legendary Matchup Between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson appeared first on SLAM.

“Playmaker first, two-way player,” Dybantsa says of his personal scouting report. “Defense and offense, can do a little bit of everything: rebound, score, pass, finish. Just a team player overall, and unselfish.” 

We’ve been following AJ since he was a lanky eighth-grader hailing from Brockton, MA, documenting his meteoric rise over the past few years. And despite reclassifying in October, Dybantsa clearly remains one of the best prospects in the country. Please, infer for yourself. With an unrelenting motor and shot-making ability matched by an equally eccentric personality, it was a no-brainer that the best player in his class is taking the pen to help officially relaunch our historic Basketball Diary. 

But more on that later. This is now. And now is Dybantsa’s time. He staked that claim not too long ago. 

“When I was in third grade, I had the dream of going to the NBA, but it wasn’t really realistic until Covid year. That’s when I started taking it crazy serious,” Dybantsa says. “There were no gyms available and I found myself just working out outside every day. I just took off. That’s when the rankings started coming, that’s when the attention started coming and I was like, This could be a reality.” 

After dominating the local New England competition as a freshman—posting 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks a contest—reality set in further this past June when Dybantsa elected to transfer to national powerhouse Prolific Prep. The increased competition plus moving in with a host family—on top of living on the opposite coast as your immediate family—would be a tough transition for any teenager. 

“The most challenging part [about being AJ] is just people forgetting that I’m a kid,” Dybantsa tells SLAM. “Like, I’m 17 years old, I have a life outside of basketball. But they just see the internet side of me so they just think everything’s flowers and butterflies, when it’s really not.” 

While Dybantsa finds his footing, he leans on the life lessons and work ethic instilled in him by his Congolese father and Jamaican mother. “Nothing’s given to you, everything is earned,” he says of his parents’ reminders. “It was big for me in my life development.”

Colleges are swarming, the League’s already within view and he just signed on the dotted line with The Swoosh. SLAM has been covering high school hoopers for a minute (30 years, tbh!) and we can say with confidence, the next modern-day high school superstar is here, and his name is AJ Dybantsa. 

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

The post Class of 2025 No. 1 Recruit AJ Dybantsa is the Game’s Next High School Superstar appeared first on SLAM.

Haliburton’s music education began in the passenger seat of his dad’s (John) car. Growing up, friends and family would make CDs for John filled with his favorite hits, like Akon’s “Locked Up,” which Haliburton can recite word for word. “The first song and the last song were always the same, so if he had a song that was his song at the time, he would play it 24/7,” Tyrese tells SLAM. “I listened to a lot of old school music, and I think the love for that comes from being in the car with my dad growing up.”

When he was 8, surrounded by the influence of his older brother and his friends, Haliburton was put onto Drake and J. Cole, both of whom were in the midst of their early mixtape days. Well before the Grammy award-winning artists reached their prime and stood at the pinnacle of the rap game, Haliburton was bopping his head to their earliest hits.

For first-time All-Star, SLAM cover star and music guru Tyrese Haliburton, he’s officially stamped the NBA with a new pace of play, relative to the groundbreaking release of Drake’s 2011 Take Care. But sitting inside of a vehicle with the music blasting hasn’t been the young point guard’s primary listening experience as of late, instead opting for the recently released Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

As his daily routine revolves around traveling, practices, shootarounds and training sessions, Haliburton’s taste in music has shifted from playing his favorites on the aux in the car to the superior quality of Bose’s latest innovation that comfortably wraps around his ears.

“I’ve always wanted to wear earbuds when I’m working out or when I’m shooting, but I’m always scared they’re gonna fall out,” Haliburton says. “I like that they hook around your ear, that allows them to stay in your ear. You still get the sound, but that way whoever I’m shooting with, I can hear what they’re saying and still be locked in and listening to music at the same time.”

Earlier this season, Haliburton was able to put the earbuds to the test during his pre-game routine. He immediately noticed how comfortably they fit while refusing to shake loose from his ears despite running through a number of step-backs, spin moves and pick & roll scenarios. Up until that point, he had steered away from rocking earbuds on the court with trainers and coaches running him through drills. Now, he has a product he can trust.

“I like to know what’s around me, my surroundings and things like that,” Haliburton tells SLAM. “When I’m with my teammates and I’ve got my earbuds in, I still want to be able to hear what people are talking about.”

Launched on February 15, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds lay down another bridge for the vast connections between the game and fashion. Featuring an innovative, cuff-shaped design that boasts soft edges and a luminous finish, the white earbuds have become a staple in Haliburton’s daily life.

“I like that they’re unique in the way that they look and they’re not how everything else looks; I think that’s what makes them cool for me,” Haliburton says.

Music means memories for Tyrese. Every song, album and lyric holds an impression in his mind, attaching core memories to each one. Drake’s 2016 project “Views” transports him back to his high school days at Oshkosh North; “Come Thru” off Nothing Was the Same transcends all options. But don’t get it twisted. Tyrese grew up on the classics, too.

“It’s a mix of plenty of things,” Haliburton says with a wide grin, reminiscing on those childhood drives with his dad. He begins listing off the names of legends; Erykah Badu, John B., Usher, Mario, Mary J, Keisha Cole. And then the King of Pop comes up. “I’m a big Michael Jackson guy. I throw that on sometimes, too. I think music has a really good way of taking us back to a time.”

Don’t take our word for it though…If you’re planning on being in Indianapolis for All-Star Weekend, make sure to keep an eye out on our social channels for SLAM’s upcoming scavenger hunt where you could get the chance to try out the Ultra Open Earbuds for yourself.

The post Tyrese Haliburton Opens Up About His Passion for Music and Training with the New Bose Ultra Open Earbuds 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.

Ahead of his inaugural season with the Yellow Jackets, we sat down with Stoudamire at SLAM’s HQ to learn more about his coaching style and how he transitioned to the sidelines after 13 years on the hardwood.

SLAM: People know you from your NBA days in the ’90s and ’00s. What made you get into coaching?

Damon Stoudamire: I was in Houston and I was working out at Rice University. When I was an undergrad at Arizona, there was a guy named Chris Del Conte who was working under our [Arizona] AD Jim Livengood. He was the Athletic Director at Rice at that time and he was the one who said, Man, you should coach. He was like, We’ve got a new coach [Ben Braun], go talk to him. So I went and talked to him, and he said he could bring me on. He couldn’t pay me but it wasn’t about the money, obviously. 

That’s how it started, just being around the game. It went from watching practices to, Coach, is it OK if I come to your office and shadow you? Talk to you, pick your brain? Yeah, sure. Coach, can I come to recruiting meetings? Yeah, sure. Coach, can I come on a road trip with you? I want to see what that looks like. So that’s kind of how it started. He let me get an apprenticeship—I would call it being a high-level intern. I was doing that for maybe a month and a half, two months. Then the Memphis Grizzlies, who I played for, had hired Lionel Hollins, and Lionel called me to see if I would be interested in joining the staff. That’s when everything started going in that trajectory.

SLAM: When you landed with the Grizzlies, was coaching something that you were actively trying to pursue?

DS: I’m still trying to figure it out [at that point]. Lionel let me get my feet wet, so I was in charge of player development. I was basically working out with guys that I just got through playing with. I played with Mike Conley. I played with Rudy Gay. Darius Miles was on the team. It was crazy, because it was like three to four guys I had actually played with in the NBA. And now I’m coaching them. So Lionel told me, I’ll never forget this, When you’re ready, we’ll give you some scouts. That’s kind of when I knew I wanted to coach.

I’ll tell you one thing about me coaching is that I learned from some of the best, and they taught me a lot and they allowed me to grow. That was the biggest thing—they allowed me to grow.

SLAM: At what point did you start to formulate a plan and a timeline for your coaching career?

DS: I never formulated a timeline but this is what I told myself—with my background as an NBA player, and then going to college, that’s the best of both worlds. That makes a man desirable. That’s how I looked at it. The only timetable I set—I haven’t told a lot of people this, only a couple of people know—was by the time I’m 50 years old, I want to be able to pick the job of my choice. Whether it’s in the NBA or whether it’s in college, I want to make myself the most desirable coach that I can be to where if a job opens, they say, We want Damon Stoudamire.

SLAM: How would you describe your coaching style now that you’ve got your own team?

DS: My style is simply how it fits my team. You cannot say you’re going to play one style or another if you don’t have the right team. So you’ve got to see what your team looks like. You have to see where the strength of your team lies. And then you’ve got to formulate your plan from there, on both sides of the ball. My style is, I’m a player’s coach. It’s a feel. I always put myself in the position of a player. Being a player’s coach is being relationship driven, and it’s understanding the room. And from the standpoint of who I am, that’s my greatest trait. I’m a guy who understands what each player needs individually to be successful and how that fits into the whole to help the team be successful.

SLAM: When you were hired by Georgia Tech, you and the Boston Celtics were in Atlanta to face the Hawks. Tell us a little bit about that weekend.

DS: It’s a 13-day road trip and about five or six games. There wasn’t even time to think, that’s how fast it happened. I get to Atlanta and I meet with the AD and everybody. Probably five minutes into the conversation, I was like, This is real right here. We were talking, getting to know each other, trying to gauge if it was a fit. Let’s see if Damon’s personality, his demeanor and his style fit Georgia Tech. So we go from that dinner to, Well, can you meet in the morning with the president? And that’s the morning that we’re playing the Hawks. We ended up meeting at seven in the morning. And as I’m getting on the first bus, I get a call and they said, Hey, man, it looks like you might be the guy. They want to start speeding this up. So we get through the game, get back to the hotel and start hammering out contract details. It was bittersweet, honestly. But things happened so quickly. And then right after that game in Houston, I got [on] a plane, came right back to Tech, had a press conference that morning, [and] then boom, you’re hitting the ground running.

SLAM: After you were hired, you said, “I always tell people, unless somebody tells me different, I have never known a guy that’s gotten a job that he chases.” What did you mean?

DS: Only a select few are chosen to accelerate the process. But most of us have to go through the process. There’s a trajectory to get to where we’ve got to go. I always tell guys, You’ve got to be patient and don’t be ambitious. Do the best job in the position that you’re in, because trust me, people notice that. I remember when Lawrence Frank got the Detroit Pistons job. I didn’t know Lawrence from a can of paint, and he didn’t know me. But I got a call from him about joining his staff because he had talked to people about me and they told him I was a hard worker, I’d be great for him. For me, that’s one of the biggest compliments I ever got. For somebody that you don’t know to call you and want you to join their staff—man, that doesn’t happen a whole lot.

SLAM: There have been so many great point guards who have come through Georgia Tech. Are you going to continue that tradition? 

DS: The point guard has been synonymous with Tech, and I want that tradition to continue. But at the same time, there’s been some great forwards to come through Tech. I’m looking for the next Chris Bosh, Derrick Favors. I played with John Salley in Toronto. 

For me, the biggest thing is getting Tech back to prominence. It’s a great city, it’s a great institution and it’s a great basketball conference. I remember growing up and wanting to play in the ACC. The ACC Tournament was the biggest thing for me growing up, even as a West Coast guy. When I look at the league and the success the league has had over the course of time, it just makes it more exciting for me to be at Tech.

Portraits by Marcus Stevens. Photos via Getty Images.

The post Damon Stoudamire Talks Vision for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Returning the Program to ‘Prominence’ appeared first on SLAM.

It’s a heater on this late August day in Dallas, TX. Despite the scorching sun and inescapable humidity, there’s an upbeat tone behind the voice of five-star guard Tre Johnson. Calling on the phone from his hometown, the No. 4 player in the Class of 2024 just finished up his daily summer routine: a morning lift and an afternoon skill session. On this particular Wednesday, the 6-6 Dallas native was able to fit in some Pro-Am runs in between. Plus, he snagged a pair of the “Easy Money” KD 3s before hitting the weights. Overall, a decent day for any typical hoop head.

Except there’s nothing typical about Tre Johnson. He’s spent the past three months traveling across the country, from the Nike EYBL circuit to numerous top-ranked camps and academies. And to cap it off, he dominated the weekend at the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. 5, securing the 2v2 championship with Aaliyah Chavez and the dub in the Saturday night game at Rucker Park. He also snagged the W in Vol. 4.

“To be 2-0 at Rucker with no losses? That’s a great feeling,” Tre says with a laugh. But it’s not a jokey chuckle. It’s one that conveys a sincere truth behind his answer, with a little bit of attitude on top. I mean, he did just drop 14 at the most hallowed basketball park in the world.

In three seasons at Lake Highlands in Northeast Dallas, Johnson totaled well over 1,000 career points. His high release point, infinite range and magnetic ballhandling make him a threat from all over the floor. His performance in the UIL 6A Texas State Championship was a perfect display of all his gifts, as the baby-faced sniper dropped 29 points to secure state-wide prominence for the Wildcats.

By the time you’re reading this, Johnson will have embarked on a new step in his journey, suiting up for esteemed basketball powerhouse Link Academy. Tre announced his decision to join the reigning national champions this past June and headed up to campus in Branson, MO, just a few days after our call. There, he’ll join fellow Texas natives Jalen Shelley (No. 43 in the class of 2024) and BJ Davis-Ray (No. 54 in the class of 2025) as well as head coach Bill Armstrong, a former assistant at LSU.

“He’s a defensive guy. He was a defensive coach in college. And that’s something that I’ve always wanted to get better and become great at, as much as my scoring. Going in there knowing I’m going to be pushed on defense,” Johnson says.

While the Lions will boast a star-studded roster, Johnson is quick to point out that this year’s squad may not be matching up as equally in the height department. “So we’ve got to be able to get under people, cause havoc and get turnovers, and also rebound,” he says. “If that means me not having to score 20-plus just for us to win but also filling up in other categories [like] assists and rebounding and stuff like that, that’s going to be big for me this season.”

His top six programs—Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Texas and Baylor—may have been initially tuned into his innate scoring ability, but the 17-year-old is already tapped into the little things that will lead him to his ultimate goal: the League.

“Defense can translate,” Johnson explains. “Being able to guard the other team’s best player, you can get put on the court for that. Everybody in college came from being the best player on their high school team and scoring the ball.”

In the meantime, Tre’s got a few more items to check off his high school list. An invite to the Nike Hoop Summit and McDonald’s All-American Game are looming. A gold medal with the U19 USA Team and national championship with Link reside off in the distance. With a proven winning mentality and maturity, the latter is easy money.

Portrait by Marcus Stevens.

The post Class of 2024 Star Tre Johnson on Decision to Transfer to Link Academy and Taking His Game to the Next Level appeared first on SLAM.

Sitting inside SLAM’s video studio about 30 miles outside of his hometown, Harper is draped in his crimson red Don Bosco Prep uniform tapered with silver piping. He interjects our discussion about his childhood to set the record straight. 

“A lot of fouling on his part. A lot of fouling. Right when I’m about to win, always some fouling. He’s always cheating bro. We’re not going to be on that,” the youngest of the Harper clan tells us jokingly.

The No. 1 ranked player in the Class of 2024 has since grown to appreciate the arguments and bruises, “that really made me tougher.” And his recent summer schedule has shown that the 17-year-old has been battle-tested for the biggest and brightest stages. 

After reaching fourth place in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Hungary with Team USA just a few weeks ago and averaging 8.3 points per game as the second youngest player on the team, Harper flew straight to Georgia to meet up with his New York Rens teammates at Nike’s EYBL Peach Jam in South Carolina. 

Having brought back Session 3 MVP honors earlier in the spring, the hot-handed Southpaw picked up right where he left off with The Rens. Dropping 27 points on 10-for-18 shooting in the steamy North Augusta gym, Harper led his 17U squad to the Peach Jam semifinals. Through six games he averaged 21.2 points, 5.7 boards, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals. 

A proven three-level scorer who consistently plays at his own pace, the best of Harper’s bag was on full display as he seamlessly launched step-back jumpers that were all net. 

Yet, it’s what he can do on the other side of the ball that’s also caught the attention of Duke, Rutgers and the rest of the blue chip college programs recruiting him.

“My mom always told me, You’re going to score all the points, make the right play, but it’s what you can do on the other side and how can you affect the game in both ways, not just one way,” Harper tells us. 

After leading the Rens to the 16U EYBL championship last year, the coaching staff and NY-based roster looked to Harper to fully assume the reigns this summer. In the end, he scored the second-most points in the entire League.

“Really showing people how much of a leader I am, regardless of age,” Harper went on to explain. “I think me going out there, controlling a team, being the loudest person on the floor was really one of the main things. But also just showing people that I can defend one through three. I can guard guards but I can also guard the post.”

Traveling from Hungary to South Carolina and to San Francisco for Stephen Curry’s eighth annual elite camp over the past three months has Harper feeling ready for the next level. “[I’m] always going out and competing and playing my hardest every time is the reason why.” Having Normatechs and cold tubs at the crib helps fast-track the recovery, too. 

Social media enjoys referring to the Jersey native as ‘Baby Harden.’ Sure, he’s a lefty with an elite step-back and he’s extremely patient within the paint, but let’s be real—Dylan Harper’s game is entirely his own. 

His strength is sneaky. His footwork is a cheat code. He knows how to get his within the flow of the game. He’s outthinking his opponents as he brings the ball up court. Throughout the spring and summer circuit, Harper’s teammates consistently looked to the rising senior for guidance. He was more than happy to give it. 

In the Peach Jam quarterfinals, the Rens were looking to Harper for scoring, leadership and everything in between. Down by six points going into the fourth, Harper went berserk in the final quarter of play—13 points, two rebounds and a steal later, the 17U squad had advanced to the semis.

“It’s now or never,” Harper told his team. “You’re either going to quit in our last game or we’re going to go out and fight. And I think we did exactly what we did.”

At home, Dylan is immersed in the game. Watching his mom on the sidelines coaching since he was little and currently serving as an assistant coach at Don Bosco—Dylan played for Maria’s youth program, Ring City, before the Rens, after she expanded the once girls-only Nike program into an AAU club that also served boys—has showed him dedication. Seeing his brother mercilessly attack afternoon workouts and reignite the Rutgers program taught him commitment. Staring at his father’s diamond-cut rings—they’ve all been motivating factors for him to chase his own New Jersey state championship.

“Every time I step foot in the gym, it doesn’t matter who’s in there, who’s watching or where it’s at, I’m always going to put 100% effort into it just because I’ve got a lot of respect for the game and knowing that at any point in time the game can go away from me,” Harper says. 

Harper is also super well aware for a 16-year-old. That’s in part due to watching his brother excel through each level of the game. While Ron Harper Jr. solidified himself as a two-way player for the Raptors, Dylan says his spot could be taken at any moment. That’s when he witnesses his older brother’s true work ethic come to life, one he’s now adopted on his own. Rarely is there time to relish in the true thralls of the offseason. Hence the stacked summer schedule. 

Scratches on the forearms and mysterious bruises from taking it into the lane against his brother have developed into an unrelenting strength as Harper glides from each foot through the paint. On offense, he envisions the cuts of his teammates just before they take off, analyzing how the defense will read and react to a number of potential scenarios.

“Not everyone can be the No. 1 player in the country, so being humble and knowing you still have to put the work in is the main thing for me. But it’s also a reflection too,” Harper says. “Just because I got this ranking doesn’t mean the work stops—there’s always more.”

Photos by Jon Lopez.

The post No. 1 Ranked HS Prospect Dylan Harper is Ready to Expand His Family’s Hoops Legacy appeared first on SLAM.

“I would always walk into my college arena with whatever I was in and it gave me the confidence to go onto the floor and do what I was gonna do,” Darren Moore tells SLAM, the founder and owner of the versatile Moore Clothing Brand. 

As Lonzo Ball’s manager and former pro hooper himself, the once All-Big West guard and coach at Chino Hills has watched the game’s fashion trends come and go for over a decade. All the while, the feel-good play-good methodology has never faded. 

Bottling that transition of conviction, Moore is now bridging the gaps between functionality and NBA players’ eccentrically suave get-ups—helming his own identity after years of helping individuals within the League achieve theirs. 

Those within the NBA circle understand the importance of a versatile wardrobe. Executives, players, agents and friends all know the night doesn’t simply begin or end with the game at the arena. Meetings, dinners and socials are a weekly occurrence. 

Having a universal selection of pieces is as clutch as Stephen Curry in the fourth. But utilizing the same outfit for all three or more scenarios is where the night’s planning takes a bit more effort. 

“Whenever I go on vacation, that’s when it started to hit me. I always had to go shopping because I needed some type of resort wear, loungewear or dinner wear. And that’s when I was like, I’m tired of having to piece things together all the time. If I just came out with a collection that had everything that embodied how I moved, I think people would enjoy that,” Moore says. 

The recently launched clothing brand offers a diverse range of wear for a full schedule of festivities. Blending classic styles with modern aesthetics, rose pink silk button-ups, relaxed corduroy trousers and wool hats have invigorated both tunnel walk ensembles and Coachella attire. 

“I’m always on the move. And sometimes you want to change outfits for different occasions, but I don’t want to do that,” Moore says with a laugh. “I like to have certain outfits that just be universal and I’m always very presentable wherever I go.”

With the help of Leverage’s Chris Ngo and a team behind the banner, Moore Brand launched its inaugural collection on April 1st. Applicable from Poole Parties to evening dinner reservations, the 16-piece roster of premium-crafted pieces adds yet another element to the synergy Moore sees between fashion and sports. One he’s responsible for on his own. 

“It’s the first time I ever got to see real ownership and really get to see what it’s like to be creative,” Moore says. 

Inspired by the spring and summer seasons, Moore envisioned the brand’s first capsule through a business casual and vacation wear lens. Tonal palettes and understated aesthetics run rife across the zipper polos and oversized tees. The cursive Moore logos on each piece are recognizable yet overtly simplified, allowing for the textures and quality to revel in the limelight. 

“I’ve always felt you can make a statement without having to do much. With fashion being a way of expressing yourself, Less is Moore,” he says. 

The corduroy pants and vintage-style wool hats have quickly become a favorite amongst those in the L. And even though lasting comfort was the driving force in design, the diverse use of materials takes a striking blow to the “too loungey” comments and offers an upscaled option. Toss on a silk button-down and the latter dissipates faster than your favorite NBA player sprinting to the locker room. 

From Jalen Green and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Jonathan Kuminga and Onyeka Okongwu, Moore Brand has quickly asserted itself amongst the greater NBA community. While we can’t get into too many details, 2024 is going to feature a few exciting collaborations. Nothing too flashy. Nothing too grandiose. But certainly steeped in the feeling Moore got as he entered the Bren Events Center at UC Irvine. 

“When they (NBA guys) walk down a tunnel, it gives them confidence, it gives them swag going into the arena. So moving forward into Collection 2, Collection 3, we’ll continue to embody that. Different things that guys can present themselves in and say, ‘Hey, I’m here, I’ve arrived.”

Photos via Courtney Nuss / @courtney.nuss

The post Darren Moore, Lonzo Ball’s Manager, is Creating His Own Path with New High-End Clothing Brand appeared first on SLAM.

For former 25-year NBA referee Monty McCutchen, that recurring metaphorical journey has become a staple pillar in his weekly meetings with the League’s Referee Development Program. Perfection is impossible as an NBA official, but striving for excellence is always the case. And those inevitable mistakes, they lead to growth. It’s an aspect McCutchen is currently instilling within the program’s six proteges. 

“When you realize you don’t have to be perfect, but that you are willing to push the rock up the mountain every day – every single day – then the pressure becomes an internal dialogue about how you personally want to achieve excellence,” McCutchen tells SLAM. “Not, whether I was perfect in Golden State last night or Oklahoma City or Memphis. And when I make a mistake, I’m going to meet it head-on and try to grow out of it. Training is what overcomes pressure.”

The NBA’s Referee Development Program was once an avenue for the League to attract former players to the profession. Just a few years ago, the program received a revitalized initiative centered on cultivating the next generation of officials. 

Intended for up-and-coming referees looking to gain the skills and foundation necessary for a career in the L, hundreds of thousands of hopefuls applied for the three-year program in 2021. Through rigorous assessments and interviews, only six trainees were selected for the third RDP class. 

Leaving their homes and former jobs for the opportunity the program presented, each trainee made the move to New York City where the NBA’s corporate headquarters are located. On top of their weekly game assignments, the trainees are required to work within the League’s Basketball Operations floor on 5th avenue from Tuesday to Thursday each week. 

The 20th floor of the Olympic Tower in mid-town Manhattan is packed full of basketball expertise. Around the corner, you could bump into Executive VP of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars with a nugget of knowledge. Down the hall, you can find President of League Operations Byron Spruell with a word of advice and a warm smile. 

For three days out of the week, the trainees are submerged within the bustling Basketball Operations floor that McCutchen currently occupies on our Monday morning Zoom call in early March. 

“The RDPs learn the visual syntax of our language. And they’re hearing this all day long, through all the different discussions that we have,” McCutchen explains. “By having them in the office it allows for a much more osmosis type of learning.”

Televisions take up nearly every inch of wall space. Conference rooms are wrapped in NBA logos and player imagery. A collection of signed basketballs line a myriad of shelves and decorative tables. And of course, basketball games are constantly playing. Even the bathrooms have screens positioned above urinals and toilets. 

“This place is basketball heaven,” Dominique Harris says, one of the six trainees enrolled in the program. “There’s not a second that you can’t learn something here.”

Each week every member of the program meets personally with McCutchen to review film of their past games. It’s a collaborative session, one where McCutchen builds on glimpses of success while instructing on missed opportunities to be better. 

Are you in the right spot to read a foul correctly? When a shot goes up, did your eyes go from the wrist to the feet to your secondary responsibilities with the baseline official? In that order? Visual sequencing and repeating the same motions are what ingrain the group with the confidence and know-how necessary for the next step. The mundane is vitally necessary. 

“I found if you don’t create an internal procedure for yourself and how to handle situations, a lot of times little small details can be left out and it can be a big part of the game,” Cynthia Do tells SLAM – who quit her engineering job to move to NYC for the program.

Appointed as the Senior VP and Head of Referee Development and Training in 2017, McCutchen knows it’s his responsibility to provide the group with honest feedback. “One of the things that we are committed toward is this idea of radical candor, delivered compassionately,” he adds. 

Constant exposure to your mistakes, however, can easily take a toll on your mental. With all the external pressures of being assessed and watched while fine-tuning flaws, “you have to balance how you separate, this is my job, and this is me, and my mistakes do not define me,” Do says.

Currently 13 months into the three-year program, resources for the trainees run as rife as the amount of rules and regulations to master. Staten Island native Ashley Olsen has been keen to pick the brains of former officials in the Operations Department. Learning their different philosophies, ways of teaching and experience. 

After finishing her playing career at Wagner College, Olsen caught the refereeing bug from her old middle school teacher. Working high school games in her hometown, the former Northeast Conference Free Throw Champ began attending grassroots camps where she met a few of the women a part of the inaugural RDP cohort, including current G-League official Kesley Reynolds. 

Once introduced to the application, she dove head-first into the pool of opportunity. 

“As a referee, we have to be able to run the game, which means moving it along as best we can without disruption. Managing any disruptive plays we may have, having quarter-by-quarter awareness, knowing this team just went on a run, let’s see how this team responds,” Olsen explains of her most valuable takeaway thus far. 

All six individuals share one common thread; a love for the game was instilled at a young age. Whether they hooped at the Division 1 level, extended they’re playing days in college rec leagues or coincidentally, are the sons of professional referees, that passion has blossomed into a guardian-like stature to uphold the values of the game through officiating. 

For some, like Jacqui Dover, the culture of refereeing here in the states has presented a learning curve for the Gold Coast, Australian native. Dover played in a semi-professional league until a dislocated shoulder pushed her into picking up a whistle while rehabbing. Working her way up over the years, she’s since received appointments in the FIBA World Cup U17 Games alongside the NBL and WNBL – shout out to the good people at the Illawarra Hawks. 

The nuances, mechanics and terminology are all new, and so is the continent. When the group was invited to the NBA’s preseason week, she walked out on the first day with over 30 pages of notes. 

The vast amount of material presented isn’t the only foundation being built upon, as each trainee was tasked by both McCutchen and veteran NBA referee and Referee Association Board Member James Capers to soak up their environment. 

Having run the replay center for the NBL, the NBA’s own center of operations has been a main source of building her acuity. 

“That’s something I always find really valuable to be in the room to see games live and how that operates on the back end,” Dover tells SLAM. “It’s all just like a nice ref nerd heaven.”

“You hear how we’re addressing issues in and amongst the league,” McCutchen adds of the office’s atmosphere. “You hear my commentary in various meetings. You hear the hallway and the water talk in the lunchroom and we talk refereeing at naueseum around here.”

Dover isn’t the only international representation within the diverse group. Carlos Ortega Peralta hails from Ecuador. His mother and grandmother are both well-accustomed to the pebble grain leather ball, making the game inescapable in the best way possible. 

However, it was the influence of his father’s profession—who currently referees in the coastal South African country—that pushed him into wearing the stripes. After asserting his skillset, Ortega Peralta began officiating in the FIBA Ameri Cup while sharing a few games together with his pops during the country’s National Championships. 

He describes the atmosphere on the floor as a machine. The shift in terms, and rules, let alone the language, have all been an adjustment. One he’s learned to hone through McCutchen’s reference of Sysyphus’ daily grind up the hill.

“Everything is about knowledge because when you have more knowledge, you have more control of the game you have more control of you,” Ortega Peralta tells SLAM.

Carlos isn’t the only member with referee blood running through his veins. The older generations may recognize the last name of Jafar Kinsey, son of former NBA official of 14 years Jim Kinsey. 

After playing at the University of Central Missouri and the University of North Dakota, Kinsey’s father nudged him onto the idea of crafting a career from the hardwood on the sidelines. 

Filling in his father’s footsteps, one of Kinsey’s biggest influences through the past year plus has been one of his father’s former partners, James Capers. Described as the workhorse of the program, Capers is just as hands-on with the group as McCutchen. Throughout each interview with the group, Capers’ name is brought up. His influence and expertise are felt immensely.

“Having someone like that in your corner who’s gonna support you through the ups and downs and motivate you to be a better person, as well as a referee, it goes a long way,” Kinsey tells SLAM. “He’s someone you want to work with and make proud of at the end of the day.”

The program wouldn’t be complete, of course, if the group’s proficiency and skills weren’t tested. During the Basketball Without Borders event during this past All-Star Weekend, the group got to flash their acumen in front of McCutchen, Capers and other assessment personnel. 

The chance to impress isn’t taken lightly, especially knowing the more than rigorous hiring process that succeeds the program remains faintly in the distance. 

Throughout a year-long assessment of over 3,000 referees, only the top 100 are placed into the League’s grassroots system, including those underneath the RDP banner. Following further evaluations, the top 50 are elevated to a mid-level camp. Then, only 30 are invited to the elite camp where anywhere from four to thirteen are hired as G-League officials. 

Of the hundreds of available referees within the NBA’s developmental league, only one in five advances to either the work in WNBA or NBA. 

The odds may be daunting, but “I think they all really believe I want them to make it,” McCutchen tells SLAM. “And so from that standpoint, we create a culture in which honest exchanges take place. And that’s the groundwork for dealing with pressure.”

Pressure is a sentiment Dominique Harris has become more than acquainted with through the game. Receiving a scholarship to Gonzaga out of Redondo Union, Harris jokes that she’s been involved in every aspect of basketball from the Referee Operations floor on Zoom. 

Receiving an undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism and a graduate degree in sports management, Harris’ roots in the League were sewn as an intern for the Clippers in college where she connected with now associate VP of Referee Development George Tolliver. 

After freelancing, doing some play-by-play and serving as the head coach for several girl’s high school basketball programs in the LA area, Tolliver was able to convince Harris to apply for the 2017 class. She bombed it. But when 2021 came around, Harris lept at the second chance and made the cut. 

While the group is only required to be within the office three days out of the week, Harris admits she’s taking full advantage of the extensive amount of resources present, clocking into the office from Monday through Friday. 

“I have a feel for the game that I don’t think I would have if I didn’t play or if I didn’t call a game. If I didn’t see it out of all these different lenses, I wouldn’t have this perspective,” Harris tells SLAM of her unique viewpoint. 

Emulating the greats while remaining true to herself has been a certified solution for Harris as she rolls the boulder up the hill daily. 

“It’s been an amazing journey. Everyone has adversities in their life, but in my life, I had a situation where it kind of took my voice. And refereeing gave me my voice back, it gave me courage. Honestly, refereeing brought me back to me, so I don’t imagine my life without it,” Harris tells SLAM.

The Referee Development Program not only readies the next crop of basketball officials but simultaneously removes some of the antiquated myths about the profession. Each and every day the group rolls up their sleeves and fall’s deeper in love with their individual journeys towards becoming a great referee. 

The end goal will always be to referee on an NBA court. In the meantime, McCutchen and Capers are hammering down on the routines and habits the group will rely on years down the road. And the boulder continues to roll. 

“If we allow them to learn the craft, then we really believe that they’re gonna go do good work and serve basketball, wherever that may end up,” McCutchen tells SLAM. “This class, in particular, has been wide-eyed in the best possible connotation of that phrase. They are so eager to learn, and so receptive to what good officiating looks like.” 

The post Inside the NBA’s Referee Development Program appeared first on SLAM.

For the older cousin of Houston Rockets guard Josh Christopher, Nicodemus, journaling has been a part of his routine ever since becoming the youngest strength and conditioning coach in the Power 5 with Tennessee at 23 years old. 

Having since founded his own wellness and lifestyle consulting agency while working with NBA athletes and C-suite executives, Christopher has been on a multi-year journey deciphering the effect of order and how journaling can lead to fulfillment. 

“Knowing that I’ve always had a love for helping people add value to their lives, I quickly came to realize that my role is to help people become the best version of themselves,” Christopher tells SLAM.

After seven years of research, self-reflection and scrawling 1,000s of pages of notes, Christopher now presents his first-ever book; Out Of Order.

Centered on the “7 Key Areas of Well-Being” Christopher leads the reader through 100-plus pages filled with contemplative questions and guided journaling exercises. However, the goal of achieving self-order isn’t awarded once you reach the back cover. Rather, the journey one takes throughout each chapter is the true takeaway. 

Garry and Nicodemus Christopher have held a passion for sports since a young age, but Nic knew early on that athletics wasn’t necessarily his gift. “But I appreciated the work ethic. I appreciated the skill and the talent behind the game,” he says.

Inseparable since their youth, the Christopher brothers both attended Baylor University with their eyes set on impacting the world through the healthcare industry. Garry was in school to become a neurologist while his younger brother Nic was eyeing a career as an anesthesiologist. Yet at the start of Nic’s junior year, his older brother came home and hung up the scrubs for resistance bands and gym shorts. 

“I’ll never forget, my brother came back to our apartment. And he said, ‘Bro, I don’t want to be a doctor anymore. I want to be a strength and conditioning coach.’ And I’m just like, You want to be a what?” Christopher remembers. 

“For both of us, we thought being doctors was the only vehicle of change to help people change their lives and to save lives. But you look up 20-plus years later, we realize now that there are so many different vehicles that you can use to impact and change lives. So that was our defining moment for us. And we haven’t looked back ever since.”

While Garry currently resides as the Director of Performance for TCU, Nic’s decade-long journey leading the weight room has taken him from Purdue to Tennessee to Cal and Missouri. 

Spending thousands of hours surrounded by plates, machines and student-athletes, the close-knit relationship between trainers and players was one Christopher thrived in. Although, the connection wasn’t instantaneous. 

Nic describes the first and biggest mistake in his newfound career field as being too invested in the analytics of his profession. Obsessively tracking calorie counts, reps and devising a different number of sets for each individual on the roster, Christopher realized he had neglected the young men he was empowered with uplifting.  

“I realized that I have a unique opportunity to meet these guys where they are in life. What you’re going through, I either was just going through or am going through it so we can just remove the veil and be transparent,” Christopher tells SLAM.

“I see the potential in you (them) to be a husband and a father. And once they knew that they could come to me on that type of time and have those types of conversations, when we got to the weight room and I’m like, ‘do four sets of six with a slow eccentric,’ it’s like ‘oh, I gotchu coach, it’s nothing.’”

Around 10 years ago Nic’s morning routine went something like this: wake up at 4:35 am, watch or read a devotional/sermon and then immediately journal his thoughts and experiences heading into the morning. 

The recurring routine and dedicated time with pen and paper quickly became his release. His everyday sounding board. And then, the swiftness of life sent him a hurdle.

While serving as the strength and conditioning coach for the Cal Berkley program, Nic’s grandmother—who lived in Arkansas—traveled to visit the family in LA. At the time, Nic was in the throws of the offseason, priding himself on being available at a moment’s notice for any member of the team. Knowing the best opportunity to catch his grandmother was that weekend, Nic instead stayed behind on campus fearing a player would inevitably hit him up to get into the gym. 

His grandmother passed away the following Monday.

“I’ve dealt with that regret for the longest time because I felt like I could have at least said goodbye or kissed her before she left, but I chose this profession. My identity was too caught up in what I was doing and it wasn’t based off of who I was created to be or who I was,” says Christopher.

Guilt and resentment for his decision permeated. But the experience additionally served as an informal wake-up call, harkening Christopher to the next purpose in his journey. 

“Life happens and it’s like an overflow of all these experiences and everything that had taken place,” Christopher tells SLAM. “And my cup was full to the point where I had to pour this somewhere. And it just came into my heart, write the book. I have to pour this stuff into these pages.”

After coming to the understanding that order was a prerequisite to peace, Christopher began analyzing completeness, wholeness and tranquility. For 40 days and 40 nights, he partook in the daily exercises that became the exoskeleton of the book. Coming out of the experience with a true understanding of what peace both looked and felt like, Nic began crafting the official beginnings of Out Of Order. 

“It was probably one of the hardest things that I’ve ever done in my life,” Christopher explains of writing the book. “Because of the introspection, the self-examination, the vulnerability that I had to have with myself, and then I had to present it to the world.”

The expedition towards holding a hardcover novel inscribed with his own name has been years in the making. And now that it’s here, he’s discovered the next throughline in his life that’s connecting him to his next purpose—helping others formulate chaos into fulfillment. 

Every chapter in Nic’s personal story has expanded his ability to add value to the lives of individuals. Whether that be Michael Porter Jr. in his lone season at Mizzou or leading pastors and Fortune 500 CEOs through exercises derived from the book, Christopher thrives in the space of wellbeing. 

The post Nicodemus Christopher’s New Book ‘Out of Order’ Looks to Impact the Youth appeared first on SLAM.

“At that time my dream was already to make the NBA, so I was saying, hey that’s a Japanese guy playing in the NBA, I feel like I can do that too. I gotta go to work,” Watanabe tells SLAM.

Once time expired he picked up his basketball and went straight to work. He hasn’t looked back since. 

It’s been no secret that “Yutamania” has struck the Brooklyn Nets at their core this season. As of press time, the 6’8 forward is leading the League in three-point percentage, a scintillating 50.6 percent to be exact. From “Big Shot-anabe” to “Got-anabe” to “Yuta the Shootah”—Ian Eagle’s been having a whole lot of fun this year—Watanabe always seems to be in the right spot at the right time.

Sprinting to the deep corner on each possession and crashing the glass as the shot clock dwindles, the former G-League product has been a driving catalyst for the Net’s climb back toward the top of the East with his marksmanship and adhesive defensive presence. 

“It didn’t just happen over the summer or only this season, I’ve been putting in work since day one. It’s just slowly paying off now,” Watanabe says over Zoom from a downtown Phoenix hotel in mid-January. 

The career numbers aren’t just a factor of (formerly) sharing the court with KD, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, but as Watanabe says, it’s the confidence they have in him that’s added fuel to his accuracy. Anytime he knocks down a trey, dives for a loose ball or strikes up a clean contest at the rim, there’s Kevin dapping him up, or Royce O’Neal smacking his head in approval. 

“The other reason I’m shooting well is because of them. They always support me, give me confidence, all kinds of stuff,” Watanabe says.

For an 18-year-old graduate from Jinsei Gakuen High School, Watanabe had to blaze his own path to the League. Spending a year at St. Thomas Moore led to a four-year career at George Washington University. From earning a two-way contract with the Grizzlies to suiting up in Toronto to having his contract with the Nets guaranteed in early January, Watanabe has left breadcrumbs in his wake for the next generation to follow.

Sift through any highlight of Yuta on YouTube, and we mean any, and you’ll find comments sprinkled throughout written in Japanese. The second-ever Japanese-born player to reach the Association has grown accustomed to being one of the firsts. From becoming the first Japanese player to earn a Division 1 scholarship at George Washington to having the best-selling NBA jersey in Japan two years running. 

The Nets were also the most-watched team on Japan’s NBA Rakuten streaming service through January. 2nd, up 83 percent from last season.

Droves of Japanese reporters have followed the dubbed “Chosen One” since he was 16 years old playing for the country’s national team. He’s always provided candor and grace. Expanding his time for questions more than once over so that publications thousands of miles away can report back as much information as possible about the 28-year-olds journey.

As just the second-ever Japanese-born player to play in the L, there’s rarely been a time when talk around Watanabe has fallen to a whisper. As such, the son of two former Japanese professional basketball players has long since been keen on his controllables. 

“There are a lot of things that I can’t control, but there are always things that I can control like my work ethic. Every day, that should never change no matter what,” Watanabe tells SLAM.

The effort he exudes on a daily basis has only begun to pay off on the biggest hardwood stage in the world. 

Dropping a season-high 20 points in Portland on a gloomy mid-November night, the following home game against the Memphis Grizzles would prove to be yet another defining moment in his budding career. 

Ending the third quarter up by three in their crisp white Basquiat-inspired City Edition jerseys, the Nets were shot out of a canon to start the fourth enacting an 18-5 run fueled by four threes from Watanabe against his former squad. 

Subbing out of the game to a standing ovation from the Barclays crowd, thousands of voices shouted his name in unison. A prototypical sporting gesture, but one Watanabe had never experienced until that fateful November night. 

“After the game they’re all standing up calling my name, that was something I never thought would happen. It was an emotional moment for me,” Watanabe says. 

Atop his NBA responsibilities, the weight of an entire nation’s hopes surrounding the sport rest, in part, on Watanabe’s shoulders. An ambassadorship he’s always been keen to foster; knowing his growth broadens the avenues for future hoopers. 

And with over 30,000 Japanese Nationals living throughout the five boroughs and beyond, you’d be hard-pressed to not find the culture’s immense impact. Case in point?  the Keio Academy of New York located in upper Purchase, Harrison. 

An overseas branch of Minato City’s Keio University, Yuta got to witness firsthand the impact he’s made as he ducked through the door frame of the main gym on the morning of November 28th.

Shaking each other in uncontrollable excitement while boasting permanent smiles strewn across the gym, the cheers of the boys and girls varsity teams grew louder with each cross-over, step-back three and throwdown. Oh no, Yuta didn’t take it easy on ‘em. “That’s something every NBA player has to do even when you’re going against even high school players, you gotta show them who we are,” Watanabe says with a laugh.

Rekindling his joy for the game, the eyes and expression of each player’s face mirrored the look etched onto an 8-year-old Watanabe when he watched Tabuse take the court on TV. Reminiscing back to a time when he shared their same hopes and dreams, Watanabe said to himself afterward, “Yeah when I was in high school I was like them. I was just enjoying basketball, always smiling. It was really amazing.”

But when he first expressed his NBA dreams and traveling to the States, jubilantly youthful Watanabe was laughed at, told his “dreams” were too far-fetched, unrealistic. It’s not like a path was clearly paved for Yuta to walk like the hundreds of US-born draft hopefuls each year. In the meantime, the work would have to do. And now that he’s here, he’s steadfast on broadening the avenue he’s strutted down thus far.

“I think it’s really important for me to keep inspiring them,” Watanabe said. “They don’t have to be me. I want them to dream bigger. I want them to feel like, ‘I wanna be Kevin Durant. I wanna be like Kyrie Irving.’ Just don’t be Yuta Watanabe. Dream bigger.”

But to be honest, being Yuta Watanabe sounds pretty great. 

Photo via Getty Images.

The post After Leading the League in Three-Point Percentage, Yuta Watanabe is Continuing to Blaze his Own Path appeared first on SLAM.

Walking around the 35-acre campus on a crisp January afternoon, Isiah Harwell explains his decision to leave his hometown of Pocatello, ID, in search of a greater challenge in Utah.

“Out there is family for real,” Harwell says of Idaho. “But the reason why we left was because we felt like there could have been better competition that I could’ve been playing against that would’ve pushed me to be better.”

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After leading the Century Diamondbacks to the District Finals with averages of 18 ppg and 8 rpg during his freshman campaign, Harwell now finds himself lacing up against the nation’s best in the NIBC for Wasatch Academy. 

Immediately drawn to the Tigers coaching staff, who had been regularly traveling the four-hour distance between the bordering states to catch Harwell’s dominant freshman season, Harwell says it was an easy decision. 

“As soon as you meet ’em, it’s like a bond is just there,” he says. “It’s like you’ve talked to them before.”

As just the second sophomore on a senior-laden squad, the 6-5 shooting guard has quickly carved out his do-it-all role with the team. Sure, Harwell can bully his way to the basket or spin and hit a fadeaway J in your eye—which he breaks out often—but it’s the defensive side of the ball that he’s taken the most pride in midway through the Tigers season. 

The son of a former Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year—Ron Harwell was swiping 2.2 steals a game at Idaho St. in the ’90s—Isiah’s best teacher has always been experience. Growing up, playing defense always seemed like an afterthought. As soon as his pops took notice, Isiah was in the gym learning the techniques and nuggets of knowledge his dad had gained over the course of his collegiate career. 

“I was like, Oh, this is actually kind of easy. If your man doesn’t score on you, it does something psychological to them,” Harwell explains. “I need to be, like, a shadow on somebody, don’t leave them. You need to be one step ahead of them.”

Snatching 3 steals and swatting 2 blocks in a 13-point November win over Bishop Walsh, Harwell and the Tigers then competed at 2022 Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta the following weekend, where he was quick to assert his wide-ranging skill set. Averaging 13 points and 4 boards while shooting 36.4 percent from three, the five-star prospect began showing flashes of becoming the Beehive State’s top-ranked talent. 

Starting alongside junior point guard Jeremiah Johnson and Kansas State signee RJ Jones has placed Harwell in a keen position to analyze and embody the successful traits of the team’s leading scorers. Specifically, “how they get their shot off and how they’re getting to the basket and drawing fouls,” he explains. 

And where will Harwell head after Wasatch? He’s got some time, and a lot of offers, including Kansas, UNC and Texas. Until then, he’ll be stoically soaking in the vast amount of hoops knowledge in his home away from home. It’s time to tap in. 

Photo via NIBC/Wasatch Academy

The post Isiah Harwell is Ready to Reach the Highest Level at Wasatch Academy in Utah appeared first on SLAM.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos via Getty Images.

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

Wearing his favorite player’s number during his days playing for the Mid Queens Fresh Meadows league, the Queens native grew up in the easternmost borough religiously watching every Knicks game with his father while the walls of his room lay rife with posters of Doc Rivers, Derek Harper, Hubert Davis and Greg Anthony, his “OG heroes.” Whether it was the ’94 Finals run or Larry Johnson’s legendary 4-point play against the Pacers with time expiring, “These moments were bigger than basketball to me,” Fieg says. “They defined my youth.”

As the founder and owner of the lifestyle brand Kith, Fieg and his ever-extensive collection of collaborative installments continues to be informed by the brands that formalized his adolescence—such as the company’s Coca-Cola branded apparel pieces and its redesigned BMW vehicles. But just one has been able to include both New York City and its hometown Knicks, making Fieg’s newest position as the organization’s Creative Director that much more sacred.

Yes, you read that right. The man who brought you the past two years of sleek City Edition uniforms while continuing to cohabitate with the biggest sports and fashion brands on the globe—The Swoosh, Versace, Bergdorf Goodman and Asics, just to name a few—is now leading the creative direction of the New York Knicks.

At age 7, Fieg’s father gifted him a Knicks t-shirt that he quickly became obsessed with. He recalled exactly how upset he was when his arms and torso grew out of its youth size. Still, he didn’t want to give it up. There was too much history, too much nostalgia stitched into its seams. “That’s the same feeling I want to give people today when I design Knicks product,” he says.

Fieg says the landmark opportunity came by way of his work on the team’s City Edition uniforms and subsequent Kith collections from the past two seasons. The brand’s special projects and marketing efforts in collaboration with the organization led to Fieg and the Knicks’ relationship growing to the point of this next step making sense for both parties.

“I think they saw the passion I have for the team, and they wanted to take what we were doing together to the next level,” Fieg says. “We shared long conversations about what the Knicks not only mean to the League, but to the world. Through these conversations, as well as the Kith partnership, they understood my vision and we began to shape this opportunity to do some very special things.”

In Fieg’s eyes, New York remains the most aspirational city on Earth, with both he and his brand’s roots tied to its nostalgic ’90s aesthetic. When asked about his favorite elements of the Knicks jersey during his childhood, he notes that the specific jersey—with its vibrant orange and blue accents and piping—didn’t change between 1983 and 1997, so that’s the one he goes back to as the OG.

During Fieg’s high school years, the team’s jersey—with a thick jet black stripe down the top and bottom—was worn from 1998 to 2012, so you can expect that period to heavily influence his coming work as well.

“Whatever you love during that era is what you’ll love for the rest of your life,” Fieg adds. “So many incredible memories were made with those jerseys that make their design coveted forever.”

The immediate work, however, doesn’t call for an immediate jersey overhaul or redesign of the hallowed MSG hardwood. Rather, he’s opting for building out the consistency of the way the general public views the Knicks’ brand. “It’s going to be my responsibility that they also love the brand the same way I do,” he says.

The franchise is equally excited to have Ronnie on board.

“When Ronnie created his first Knicks City Edition uniform during the 2020-21 season, the organization knew we had something special, and each year’s design has been more innovative than the last. We are honored to have him join the Knicks as Creative Director,” says David Hopkinson, President and Chief Operating Officer of MSG Sports. “Ronnie’s position will help provide a distinctive look and feel across marketing, content and merchandise initiatives. Given Ronnie’s life-long Knicks fandom, creative vision and New York City roots, we are extremely excited for our continued and expanded collaboration.”

The 2022 Kith for Knicks collection is “a combination of products that really speak to the best of what Kith has to offer as a brand,” Fieg says. “The first two collections were in collaboration with Nike, and that called for a more athletic approach. This time around I wanted to go super luxury with the product and feature the team in ways we’ve never seen before. Knits, Manteco Wool jackets, leather varsities, new sweatshirt bodies, etc.”

The collection includes a collared varsity jacket in royal blue and a beige leather version that Fieg describes as his “favorite piece yet.”

What can fans of both Kith and the Knicks look forward to?

“Expect there to be tender loving care applied,” Fieg says. “I’m a tough critic of my work, so New York and I have that in common. I hope I can make fans proud of what they speak on and wear to represent the team and brand.”

The post EXCLUSIVE: Ronnie Fieg on Being Named the First-Ever Creative Director of the New York Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

“My dad instilled that in me at a young age. If I haven’t found a place, he’s probably already found five,” he tells SLAM with a laugh. 

As one of the newest faces on the Kansas Jayhawks roster, Dick has been residing in Lawrence, KS, since mid-May and joins our Friday morning Zoom call from the stairwell of the Forrest and Sally Hoglund Practice Facility. Not a hint of fatigue can be found in his voice despite the team having just wrapped up their morning conditioning workout. After our call, he’ll run to get changed for a 9 a.m. practice, a hint at a schedule rife with constant movement and few breaks. If you’re privy to Kansas’ style of play, you know it’s fitting. Cutting, screening away, initiating dribble-handoffs, there’s never a stagnant body on the court. 

“It’s a lot of stuff you gotta actually be in shape for from day one,” Gradey says. 

Over the dog days of summer, the 18-year-old’s typical schedule on The Hill consisted of an hour and a half of lift followed by practice, then immediately transitioning to getting his allotted amount of makes for the day. 

But, Gradey’s father, Bart, adds over Zoom: “I think Monday morning got real.” 

On September 12th, the program’s inaugural two-week bootcamp began. It consisted of less than a handful of drills that involved an actual basketball. Physical exhaustion is the goal. The coaching staff set on preparing their roster for the mental fortitude required when an inevitable wave of fatigue hits down the stretch. 

“It started off more in my mind that the toughest thing was just the physicality of a college workout in the weight room and then going from that straight into the gym,” Gradey explains, plagued by all hoopers’ fear of noodle arms post-lift.

Instead, the opposite took hold. “It got my body ready for practice and helped in my favor.” 

The 6-7 forward has found comfort within his role rather swiftly, saying Kansas coach Bill Self sees him mirroring the scoring roles of now-Utah Jazz rookie Ochai Agbaji and Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun. It’s an exciting sentiment for Dick to relish in, but he knows his early struggles are bound to surface soon enough. 

“They’re always gonna come no matter what stage I’m at in my career, but just [got] to remember that it’s going to get better and I’m just doing what I do,” Gradey says. 

Ranked the No. 14 recruit in the Class of 2022 by ESPN, the Naismith POY semi-finalist is more than seasoned when it comes to being tested and overcoming obstacles. The John Lucas Camp in Houston, Dallas Pro Stars, Compton Magic, Atlanta Celtics, Junior adidas Gauntlet and Jr. NBA World Championships are all well-versed in the scintillating shooting and pure scoring ability in Gradey’s game. Mind you, the aforementioned teams were all lit up before he reached 
high school. 

From the minute he woke up to the minute he went to bed, a young Gradey was constantly filled with energy, his mother Carmen recalls. With three older siblings—separated by 10, eight and four years—“he had to keep up, and he did,” she says. In order to succeed in scoring over his towering brothers and their collective friends,” Carmen says. “He couldn’t get inside, so he had to learn to hit the longshots.” 

“To fit in, he had to be creative,” Bart adds. 

Going up against the duo of Kennedy Chandler and Kendall Brown in practice every day in his junior year at Sunrise Christian in Wichita, and Mark Williams thereafter, helped further strengthen Gradey’s game for the next level. 

In his senior season, he averaged 18.3 ppg and 5.2 rpg while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from beyond the arc. A sharp shooter indeed. 

Creativity on the hardwood flows through the family’s bloodline. Gradey’s lanky frame comes by way of his mother, who played at Iowa State and subsequently a year overseas. Where his natural shot-making ability comes from is well-known, but Bart continues to hype his wife up, who would often go 15-15 from the stripe and shoot a clean 63 percent from the field.

“She’s very focused, and I think Gradey gets that from her,” says Bart. “She takes a few things and does them crazy well, and I think that’s where Gradey got that.” 

A 1980 graduate of KU—after pursuing football and baseball in his early college years—Bart sewed the roots for his family’s connection to the Sunflower State. The two-hour drive from Wichita to Lawrence was a regular occurrence when Gradey was a kid, especially when his oldest sister was on the rowing team. Now as the fourth sibling to attend the school, he’s determined to make his own mark. 

“He’s not gonna shy away from anything. And he gets determined when something happens, it’s like a light goes off and he goes to a different level,” Bart says. 

Coach Self also had his own plans for the freshman once he got on campus, telling KJ Adams to make his life hard, Bart tells us. And while the physicality of the college level took a bit of adjusting to, as far as KU’s social media footage shows, that period has come and gone. 

When Gradey was 7 years old, Carmen was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The youngest of four picked up a multitude of responsibilities around the house as he watched his mother battle through chemotherapy and numerous rounds of radiation that diminished her strength. Gradey’s maturity and discipline fostered rapidly at a young age, witnessing his mother’s strength and courage as the two read bedtime stories back and forth each night. 

“I think that molded Gradey in some different ways to not take things for granted,” Bart says. “I don’t think that’s lost on him.” 

Among a constant stream of NIL opportunities, an Olympic Gold medal and most recently joining the reigning champs officially in May, his experience when his mom was sick is just one of the many reasons why he’s focused on investing in the futures of kids who’ve shared his same situation. To that end, Gradey chose the South Central Kansas Boys & Girls Club as the location to announce his signing with WME Sports for representation. And when he won the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year award, twice, he chose to give the award’s donation to the local Boys & Girls Club he visited back in May. 

“It’s a pretty special thing to think that your child can help make someone’s life a little better,” Carmen says. 

“[God], He gave me these blessings, so I’m gonna do my best to make Him proud, my family proud and make Kansas proud,” Gradey says. 

“He’s not afraid to be himself, and he’s just there as a freshman,” his father continues. “And he can be goofy as all getup,” Carmen interjects. 

With over 85,000 Instagram followers and a TikTok page boasting an additional 54.5K, Gradey’s already poised to succeed amidst the NIL era, allowing him the space to tap into his exuberant and uplifting nature around the team, as well as to connect with Jayhawks fans. 

Are the fruit reviews, dance trends and Michael Myers chasing videos a little goofy? Maybe. But, “It’s smart in the way that we go at it because we understand it’s going to draw attention if we do something sillier than usual,” Gradey explains. Over 2.2 million likes on his page validates that beyond belief. 

Dick, along with redshirt junior Jalen Wilson, roommate MJ Rice and the rest of the squad that pack into the 16:9 frame of the video, the Kansas basketball team is providing—scratch that—inviting Rock Chalk Nation to engage with them in a fresh and interactive way. 

“I like making people feel better, laugh and most of them make me laugh when I make ’em. So, yeah, I’ll incorporate a little basketball stuff into them, but at the same time it’s more so of an escape,” Gradey says. 

Tucked away in the main verse of Rod Wave’s opening track to his third studio album, SoulFly, are five words Gradey Dick has kept at the forefront of his mind as he moves into the next chapter of his journey. 

“…play the hand you dealt.” 

Carmen and Bart’s sacrifices, getting beat up on the blacktop by his siblings, his circuit-tested nature and naturally his proven ability to pour it in the cup among the best of them, been part of the hand that Gradey’s been playing his entire life. 

“I was given, fortunately, all these blessings in my life, and that’s kind of my hand, and I’m trying to do the best I can do with it and glorify God while I’m doing it,” Gradey says. 

During his official dorm move-in in June, he received one last offering of motivation. In the top drawer of his dresser lay a note written by former Jayhawk Ochai Agbaji. “Whoever takes over this room, be great,” he read aloud to his parents. 

One of the most famed courts in college is about to see it. 

Photos courtesy of Getty Images, Sunrise Christian and the Dick Family.

The post Gradey Dick is Ready for the Next Step in His Journey at Kansas appeared first on SLAM.

94 feet of uneven asphalt is one of the most intimate environments that hoopers find themselves in. Barely visible three-point lines. Cracked and shifted baselines. Sun-faded half-court circles. Weeds sprouting from the sidelines. Chipped backboards with rusted chainlink nets. The basketball court is a ravishing display of creative geometry meeting human erosion, a concept Kevin Couliau has been obsessed with for years. 

The co-director of the critically acclaimed and award-winning pick-up ball documentary Doin It In The Park—what’s good Bobbito!—has long since captured and given voice to the beauty that resides within the game from behind the lens. 

Having spent the last 20 years searching for the perfect basketball court, the near-impossible task has taken the hoops fanatic to some of the most heralded environments in the basketball ecosystem. We’re talking from The Mecca’s Rucker Park to Uganda and Ghana. 

Enlisting stills of outdoor courts to discuss our abstract interaction with the local asphalt and its presiding colors, Couliau has retraced through decades worth of personal archives for his first published work titled Blacktop Memento: fragments of erosion.

“There’s something really sensory about it when you step on the court and you look on the ground, you feel that in your shoes and your soles,” Couliau tells SLAM. “It’s sort of a tribute to what we have under our feet for so many hours during our lives. And I like the idea of showing the human erosion, the passage of man without showing any photos of people playing.”

Blacktop Memento: Fragments Of Erosion is available now.

Growing up playing at a massive public park in his hometown of Nantes, France, Couliau’s inspiration for photography began with John Huet’s celebration of the game through images and voices captured in “Soul of the Game” – the ultimate reference for basketball photography, he adds. 

The greyscale arrangement in tribute to the urban playground sent Couliau on his own journey that’s spanned over 20 years, documenting the social impact of outdoor basketball and its place in both urbanism and urban planning. 

At first, the empty aesthetics of barren basketball courts stood out most notably while a Hasselblad 305 CXI—a medium format camera that he watched his older brothers and friends create skate films with—was kept on hand for extremely close-up stills.

“All these small details that us ballplayers kind of see, but the rest of the world doesn’t see because we step on these courts every day,” Couliau explains over Zoom. 

It wasn’t until the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that the artist had the opportunity to reflect on the amount of images and work he’d amassed thus far. In total, over 200 textiles were accumulated from around the World, creating the dream Couliau always held of centering his first published book on courts and hoops from across the globe. 

Wrapped in a burlap hardcover, 76 photos of courts from over 20 different countries and provinces fill the 160-page art book boasting titular shades that pop amidst an immense use of white space. Utilizing traditional binding techniques, each book is assembled and fashioned by hand at Atelier Bulk in Bordeaux, France.

The pictorial tale additionally pays homage to Couliau’s obsession with how the architecture of various parks and asphalts are integrated into the surrounding landscape. There’s a science to it, and China – he adds – is a master at it. 

“What motivates me is to find the cultural differences of each place and analyze how the game is played and see the global picture of basketball throughout the world,” Couliau tells SLAM. 

For each disparate atmosphere he’s found himself in, one constant remains; no other sports field, pitch or rink is as graphic as the lines and symmetry filling the court and hoop. 

“It’s something that is so rich because of the structure of the hoop, because of the hoop itself, the backboard, the rim, the chains or the net. There are so many varieties of hoops and I think it’s the same for the court itself,” Couliau says. 

When he initially sat down to assess the collection of over 200 images, the basketball documentarist was immediately overwhelmed, unsure of how to organize each image. That’s when graphic designer Charlotte Carlier came up with the idea of using each photo’s primary color as a connecting thread throughout the book.

Utilizing Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black printing inks, stripes of the aforementioned palette line the binding of each page so the narrative of the work is segmented by color while the back cover features line drawings of the up-close courts found within its pages. 

When Couliau first announced the work via his Instagram on June 3rd, the initial reaction to each page’s immense amount of color was that it was done so by paint and brush as opposed to the natural tint of each court captured via the seconds-long click of his camera. Quite the compliment.

The evocative use of casts and geometry doesn’t just paint a thematic connection to each country in the world, the art book is yet another contribution to the culture from a man that’s given so much already. 

“It’s pure love for the game,” he says. “That’s what I was searching and aiming for mainly, people from our community realizing the importance of these holy, sacred grounds,” he says. 

Couliau’s first and latest physical tribute to the culture is available now on SLAMGoods.com site and CommonPractice.com.

The post French Photographer Kevin Couliau Explores the Social Impact of Playground Hoops in New Art Book, ‘Blacktop Memento’ appeared first on SLAM.

What happens when you look to blend the best of speed and flight? Jordan Brand asked that question, and the answer was the Air Jordan 37.

Jayson Tatum and Satou Sabally are what we call, in the new age of positionless hoops, the ultimate hybrid. The Prince of Boston coupled with that suave demeanor is smooth yet shifty. He’ll cross you with ease and bully you on the block with his 6-10 frame, fresh out of bed.

Sabally, third-year forward for the Dallas Wings, is brilliantly versatile; her game reads like poetry. The J? Silky. Handles? Filthy. Spin cycle? Gracefully elegant. Chase down blocks? Loads of ’em. 

Two of the most multifaceted hoopers on Jordan Brand’s expanding roster of basketball brilliance not only have the type of games that general managers salivate over, they’re leading the Brand into a new era of sustainability and peak performance.

Built for the future of the game and its athletes’ multi-directional play, Jumpman has always kept the visceral sense of rising through the air with blistering speed at the forefront of its discussions when dropping one of the most coveted performance sneakers on the market. The 37th iteration of Jordan’s signature line isn’t any different in that respect. 

“We wanted to create this pretty much one-of-one system that really no other basketball player could feel other than in the shoe; that really celebrates the best of speed, and the best of flight,” Chad Troyer, Senior Product Line Manager at Jordan Brand, tells KICKS.

And with a roster featuring players of nearly every build in men’s and women’s professional basketball, the 37 needed to be able to blend a myriad of properties to support their athletes; from the debut of a Jordan-only foam, evolving the Leno-weave upper and delving into the three phases of a jump, all while maintaining their commitment to sustainability (but more on that later). 

Nearly four decades of basketball history and heritage reside in Jordan Brand’s upcoming hybrid. So when constructing a lightweight support system that functions with the natural movements of the foot, Troyer and the Brand swung their gaze straight to the Air Jordan VII’s interior make up. 

While serving as a wink to the VII during its 30th anniversary, the buffed-up ankle collar, underlying forefoot pattern and familiar geometric color blocking on the outsole all seek to evoke 1992 nostalgia. 

Bam Adebayo, Rui Hachimura and Dearica Hamby all need both distinctive and effective support while wreaking havoc on the block and drawing defenders out to the midrange. The Leno-weave upper takes direct inspiration from the exoskeleton construction of the famous Nike Air Huarache and the targeted areas of protection of ankle straps and tape. 

Blending Tinker Hatfield’s past innovations with modern-age performance served as an empowering anchor of inspiration throughout the 37’s process. “We’re just wanting to make it newer and better now,” Troyer adds.

From the inner paneling of the VII to the carbon fiber shank’s return for the first time since the 32, the new aesthetic created by merging the structural design with the Leno-weave upper has excited Troyer the most.  

Yet the evolution of the upper is seen in a whole new space with the 37, “allowing the structure to be very strong where you need it,” says Troyer, “and then opened up and lightweight and flexible when you don’t.”  

Allowing varying light and colors to poke through the panels of the forefoot, the introduction of a specialized TPE yarn amidst the tooling of the zoned upper– crafted out of a single fiber of monofilament called Arkema—pays direct homage to the meticulous craftsmanship displayed in West African basket weaving.

“You can really see inside, you can see your sock, you can see the insole. It’s just going to become a unique aesthetic where we haven’t been before,” Troyer adds.

We’re not talking about picking and pulling random ideas and influences just to be sorted 
out later down the line here, we’re talking going into the deepest depths of the bottomless bag of Jumpman’s creative and technological capabilities.

The bevy of His Airness’ insurmountable athletic feats on the hardwood provide Nike’s Sport Research Lab in Beaverton with a scientific treasure trove of jumping sequences to dissect and translate toward designing footwear for the future. The result was an amalgamation of modern sports research and a contemporary treatment of reductive layering. 

The basis of Jumpman’s newest modernization is rooted in NSRL’s study of the three stages of jumping: load, launch and crash. So while the ultimate goal is to create lightweight products, Troyer and the Brand knew in order to achieve their ultimate realization, a little bit of additional weight and structure was necessary—enabling them to remove copious amounts of weight from the upper by way of the Arkema threads. 

The Load Phase acts as a conduit for transferring motion from the heel through the forefoot. By way of the AJ XI’s staple carbon fiber shank underneath the midfoot and the inclusion of Formula 23 foam, which is being debuted in the Jordan Luka 1, the users’ second-long movement of loading is instantaneously softened. 

“It’s more responsive, more comfortable, and also more sustainable than any foam that we’ve been able to use,” Troyer tells KICKS. “So it has performance properties that are great just to provide new solutions.”

The Launch Phase may mistakenly feel like the final stage of the process, but by creating additional protection for the heel and landing, athletes are much more inclined to “engage the rest of the system and ultimately jump higher,” Troyer says. 

Affixed with full-length Zoom Strobel alongside an additional Zoom Air unit in the forefoot for increased responsiveness and the sensation of a double-stacked propulsion, the inserted rebound technology is placed as close to the foot as possible.

The Crash Phase, the instantaneous deceleration of the jump, is an aspect rarely traversed within performance sneakers, but no longer. 

“It’s really integrating those aspects and creating the system based on the insights and asking if we can help athletes crash harder, meaning protecting their heel and allowing them to put more force into their jump, then they’re going to be able to engage the rest of the system and ultimately jump higher,” Troyer says.

The sleek and structured heel features a TPU mold that encases the Brand’s proprietary foam technology, ultimately acting as a crash-landing pad for the energy and force the wearer exudes when striking the court. 

“It’s totally a balance,” Troyer adds.

His Airness was the ultimate hybrid on the court. Just like his game, his 37th signature is a quintessential blend of strength and grace, of dominance and modernism. 

Beefing up their roster with the additions of Paolo Banchero, Rhyne Howard and Isabelle Harrison this summer, the Brand is able to bring their young athletes behind the curtain of crafting the model early in their careers. “They’re really along with us on the journey throughout, before it’s even done,” Troyer says. 

And among the first few flavors of the silhouette to drop—including “Beyond Borders” in September and “The Hare” this Fall—are both Tatum’s and Sabally’s PEs. 

“Now that we have this new roster of young exciting talent,” Troyer says, “we’re really learning from them as well to help inform what the ultimate hybrid means.” 

Photos courtesy of Nike.

The post Light Show: An Exclusive Look at the Air Jordan 37 appeared first on SLAM.

Will Barton is on an adventure. Reflection, sedulous hard work and his quiet self-confidence are his guides. His family, though, provides him with reminders of his achievements, ones that only a select few humans could ever attain.

But now we’ve come to the portion of the journey where, according to Barton, “It’s time to reflect.”

The 10-year NBA vet will be the first to tell you that a five-game first round exit was nowhere near what the Denver Nuggets expected to accomplish in the playoffs last season. The early exit, however, did provide Barton more quality time with the family and friends who aid in his mental fortitude throughout the season.

“It’s a grueling process over here during the season, you don’t have much time for anything or anyone to the level that you want,” Barton tells us over Zoom, just days after getting bounced from the playoffs, which ultimately became the end of his time with the Nuggets after he was traded to the Washington Wizards right before the start of free agency this summer.

Back home in Baltimore, being constantly surrounded by the voices of his loved ones, Barton is in better spirits. Working out has been easier, training just miles from his home while his kids watch him net jumper after jumper from the sidelines.

Last season, coming off three years as a solidified starter in the Mile High City, Barton only continued to excel in his transition off the bench, averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

As one of the most consistent pieces for a Western Conference favorite year after year, Barton’s ability to rain down buckets in bulk was ever more apparent during his two 11-game streaks of double-figure scoring. Or maybe it was when he lit up the Lakers for a 25-piece, including six threes, while missing just four shots. Or maybe it was when he became the Nuggets’ all-time leader in three-pointers last season—but we’ll get to that later. 

Amidst his success, Barton admits that as a professional athlete who constantly sets lofty goals, the result is more often than not him being self-critical. “Now it’s about me mastering it mentally and being able to dominate the game in that way,” Barton says. His inner circle, however, is always reminding him to take a step back in order to appreciate and assess the entire body of work. Rumination can be a powerful tool.

“It was a good season for me. They helped me realize that because they know how hard I am on myself, they know how much I want to win and how much I’m always looking to do better. So you need that balance,” Barton adds.

For Will “The Thrill” Barton, reflection comes in many forms. Dabbling into a new lane last year, he launched his own YouTube channel fitted with videos detailing his 2021 summer workouts, including a 26-minute short film on his offseason in Baltimore. When we ask if the channel will be making a comeback this summer, he alludes to something bigger in the works, having just taken a break from working on his upcoming documentary.

Over the past five years, Barton has enlisted the services of videographers to document the highs, the lows and everything in between, on and off the court. “At first, it just started off as getting various moments of my life. I didn’t know I was going to do a documentary at first,” Barton tells SLAM. 

From entering free agency in 2021, to eventually signing a two-year, $32 million deal with Denver, to various celebrations with his family and even capturing how he prepares in the lab, Barton has established another pathway to capturing his journey. He’s reminded of it each day when he sits down to churn out the day’s to-do list.

As a former second-round pick who bounced around between the Portland Trail Blazers, the Idaho Stampede (now the Salt Lake City Stars) and Denver during his first three seasons in the League, Barton’s not only built to be resilient, but also with an insatiable desire to never settle after reaching the next rung on the ladder.

“I’ve done a lot, but there’s still things that I haven’t achieved that I think I could. That’s how I got to this point in my career,” Barton says. “I’ve gotten good at chasing things, whether they happen or not, because greatness comes with that.

“I’m always putting something in my mind to keep me going, to keep me wanting to better myself and become a better player.”

A decade into his career in the Association, Barton’s still just as hungry as when he was selected with the 40th pick by the Blazers in 2012, scratching and clawing to make an impact. The fuel to that insistent desire is rooted in his family’s reinforced perspective, allowing Barton to attack his goals with clarity.

He’s still challenging himself, still setting goals, still looking to evolve.

As the 2012 C-USA Player of the Year at Memphis, Barton knew that in order to “survive in the NBA,” consistent shooting from three was essential in a League that was continuing to favor the deep ball. Yet in his breakout sophomore year—when he averaged 18 points, 8 boards and 1.4 swipes a game—he shot just 34.6 percent from beyond the arc.

But “hard work, dedication and confidence can take you a long way,” he says.

On March 4, with 2:47 left in the third quarter of a home game against the Houston Rockets, Barton’s adventure reached another milestone: the Baltimore native became the Nuggets’ all-time leader in threes made.

Initiating a dribble hand-off into a pick-and-roll with JaMychal Green on the left wing, Barton effortlessly stepped back behind the arc and knew as soon as the ball fell through the net that he’d just hit three No. 769.

“No one forced me to get in the gym and become a better shooter,’’ Barton says. “It was just something that I wanted to do for myself to better my game and take my game to the next level.”

Despite his early shooting struggles, Barton has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Standing amongst the raucous applause at Ball Arena after becoming the Nuggets’ new three-point king, it was more than a full-circle moment for him.

“To go from that—knowing I had to work on it that much, to now it being a strength in my game, a reliable point and something that makes me very tough to guard, and then being able to translate all of that into the franchise leader—is special, very special,” Barton reflects. “A lot of people don’t get to do things like that.”

As our Friday afternoon call begins to wrap, our conversation transitions into his current views on the rap game, given that we’re speaking with a fellow spitter who’s got some current tracks in the works.

Future’s I Never Liked You has been on repeat every day since its late-April release, he says.

“I can take a little bit [from] anyone doing great at anything in life. Whether that’s basketball, music, someone working a 9-5. Greatness respecting greatness, that’s what I always say,” Barton adds. “You gotta respect greatness no matter what field it is. So I try to find inspiration from anything that I see that’s great. And then from there, try to dissect my own game and figure out my strengths and weaknesses and what I need to get better [at], being brutally honest with myself and learning.”

Harkening back to his days as a young hooper who was still trying to solidify his name within the League, a particular lyric from Future Hendrix’s DS2 album was in constant rotation in his mind, still ringing true to this day.

“My hard work finally catching up with perfect timing,” Barton playfully recites.

As we dish on one of the best rappers in the game, Barton says the multi-platinum emcee still doesn’t get his credit, that his genius still isn’t truly realized, that his impact is still partially unmeasured. Another trait the two may share. Consistent hard work, self-confidence and the role of remembrance have emboldened both. But as Barton puts it, “The people that know, they know.”

Washington Wizards fans will soon know, too.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Will Barton Reflects on His NBA Journey Thus Far, Becoming the Nuggets’ All-Time Three-Point Shooter appeared first on SLAM.

So, last October, when the now recently turned 18-year-old inked a deal with PUMA, he became the first American high schooler to sign with a global footwear company. The sentiment wasn’t just solidified—it was written in stone.

“When my family and I made the decision to join PUMA, we knew that PUMA had been in the game a long time,” Williams tells SLAM. “I just wanted to be with a brand that was going to let me be myself, take my input, help me perform on the court, and I wanted a chance to be different and do things differently.”

Signing on to a roster loaded with bucket-getters and larger than life figures—like two-time WNBA champion Breanna Stewart and Charlotte Hornets Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball—not only felt like the right move for Mikey’s journey en route to the League (he becomes eligible for the NBA Draft in 2024), but it also allowed him to remain unapologetically himself.

“Hard work pays off, and staying in the lab and working on my game is the most important thing,” Williams says. “Staying true to who I am created this opportunity, and I want to encourage other young kids to do the same. At times the road is hard, but the rewards can be worth it.”

Nine months removed from that historic announcement, those rewards are being realized, as Mikey took an official visit to the University of Kansas in June. This summer, however, his premium is coming by way of spearheading PUMA’s latest innovation for the hardwood, the TRC Blaze Court, which just hit Hibbett Sports this summer.

From dropping defenders into a blender to suiting up in a matching teal puffer and Versace Trainers, Mikey isn’t the only member of his family keen to the outspoken articulation of fashion on the court. When the then-17-year-old had made his decision to sign on the dotted line, Mikey’s father Mahlon Williams—who was an All-CIF-SDS selection in his own day—began reminiscing back to the days of Walt “Clyde” Frazier’s fedoras, slick velvet suits and the many variations of his suede signature, The Clyde.

In his fullest form of expression, Mikey is dicing cats up along the perimeter in a pair of TRC Blaze Courts before slicing through help defenders for throwdowns that send spectators in slides and bulging backpacks into hysteria on the baselines.

Years of inspiration and history seep through the seams of the upper’s stitching as PUMA’s latest premier hoops silhouette draws upon both its fashion and concrete jungle origins by way of its legendary streetwear predecessor, the 2006 Blaze of Glory. Fans of one of the finest running silhouettes will appreciate the similarly constructed lacing system of the mid 2000s model that displayed a distinctive and significant lockdown fitting. And for the first time since its inception back in 1990, the brand’s staple cushioning system TRINOMIC, replicated from the honey bee’s honeycomb home, makes its debut on the hardwood.

PUMA set out to harness three fundamental concepts in the technological realization of the silhouette, directly aiming for cushioning, stability and flexibility. They then added a lightweight ProFoam + midsole for enhanced comfort alongside additional Pebax foam inserted in the heel for instant responsiveness. While the geeky tech aspects of the kicks aren’t his bread and butter, “The first thing that caught my eye was the color blocking,” Williams says.

Most recently appearing on social media pages rocking a dominant Neon Citrus colorway that’s reminiscent of the flesh of a ripe cantaloupe, the latest innovation for the court includes both black and white silhouettes contrasted with cherry tomato, sky blue and neon green accents.

Entering the final chapter of a more than dominant high school career, Williams announced back in April that he was returning to his hometown high school, San Ysidro, in San Diego. After spending the prior season expanding his skills against the country’s best at Vertical Academy in North Carolina, the Border Boys are back for one last run.

With time comes change, and as Williams prepares for his senior year, his squad has graduated eight seniors. But as the go-to option and head honcho on the court for what seems like his entire basketball life, leadership will be the furthest thing from a problem.

“I feel like I have been a leader my entire career,” Williams explains. “But as a senior, it will be my responsibility to really be that coach on the floor and help the young guys learn our system and how Coach Tuck [San Ysidro head coach Terry Tucker] likes to do things ASAP.”

Admittingly, Mikey knows everyone in the conference and state will be “gunning for us,” but that ain’t nothing new to a teenage hoops sensation with 3.7 millions IG followers who’s signing brand partnership deals left and right.

The pressure. The standards. The expectations. The responsibilities. Mikey’s been handling them for years, and like a vet, at that. Alongside guys like G-League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, who joined Williams by signing with PUMA this June, the youth movement isn’t just budding in PUMA’s North American HQ in Somerville, MA. It’s blooming to its fullest and ready to take the basketball sneaker ecosystem by storm.

As Mikey continues his voyage both on and off the court, he’ll do so with the TRC Blaze Court on his feet.

The post Mikey Williams on Signing With PUMA and Standing Out in the PUMA TRC Blaze Court appeared first on SLAM.

As the children of Nigerian immigrants who grew up in Virginia Beach, the kids took to hoops at a young age. Elizabeth started at age 9, and by the time she was 11, she’d fallen for the rhythm and beauty of the game while sending the ball out of bounds left and right at AAU tourneys. She started working with current Rutgers assistant Nadine Domond around that same time and by 13, she was putting down dunks with ease.

Years spent in the gym honing her bag with Domond culminated in a life-changing letter from one of the best programs in the country—a scholarship offer to join the Tennessee Lady Vols.

“It was like, Whoa, like, this is legit. Like, this is for real. And everything that we had talked about was kind of coming into fruition,” Elizabeth tells SLAM on a late-April call from Turkey, where she’s playing for Fenerbahce Safiport.

When it came time for her college commitment, Elizabeth wanted 9-year-old Mark to be a part of the process. She knew that she didn’t want to take the traditional route of announcing her pick by selecting a hat, so she instructed her younger brother to wear a Duke shirt underneath his hoodie.

After she said those six magic words, “The school I’m going to is…” Mark would unzip his jacket to reveal the school of her choosing printed across his chest. Both of them flash that signature grin as soon as the memory is refreshed in their minds.

“He was so excited to do it. He was like, Yes, this is perfect! He was so hype,” Elizabeth recalls. “And so, as soon as he stood up, his face lit up. And I was like, Yes. Because I just wanted that moment for him.”

When it was Mark’s time to choose his next destination after finishing up at IMG, where he was ranked as the nation’s sixth-best center, the outside pressure for him to follow his older sister was persistent, but E stayed neutral, pushing her brother to make the decision for him, for his game and his legacy. This was his journey.

“She didn’t do too much persuading,” Mark says. “She really let me try to figure it out on my own.”

The likelihood of playing on the same court that your sister once dominated is slim to none. But Mark earned that reality as ESPN’s No. 32 overall ranked recruit in the Class of 2020 and a McDonald’s All American after years of seeing his older sis display the best ways to contribute to a team’s success. “Whether it’s scoring, whether it’s blocking shots, whether it’s rebounding, whatever it was,” Mark adds.

Hooping under his sister’s retired jersey at Cameron for the past two years (Elizabeth played at Duke from 2011-15 and had her jersey raised in 2016), Mark brought the same defensive flair and dominance to Durham that Elizabeth did.

Behind a conference-best 110 swats, Mark enacted one of the most dominant displays of interior mastery in recent memory, averaging 11.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and a fifth-best in the nation 2.8 blocks per game, while shooting 72 percent from the floor.

Things weren’t always peaches and cream as a Blue Devil, however, as Elizabeth remembers Mark embracing the struggles of fighting for playing time on a stacked roster as a freshman. She was tactical in her advice, trusting the teachings of legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff, but also providing insight into how his vulnerability with the program could yield the results he was looking for.  

“Sometimes it takes a little bit of time and a little bit of getting through the dirt. And I think even having conversations with him, seeing his mindset change his sophomore year, and being more consistent and trusting that his work was paying off, I think that’s what was cool to see,” Elizabeth says.

At 28 (Elizabeth) and 20 (Mark), the eight-year age gap that once separated their interests has since fostered more mature, impactful conversations about the situations the two now find themselves in. “I can ask her about a bunch of stuff that applies to her now that I haven’t really experienced yet,” says Mark.

One constant, however, has never faded: the siblings’ love for snatching the ball out of the air in the blink of an eye.

Considered one of the best post players to ever play in the Bull City, Elizabeth—the 2015 National Defensive Player of the Year—was drafted fourth overall in the WNBA Draft that same year. While the siblings struggled to find their footing in the first year within their respective spaces, the Williams family isn’t one to lull around in any predicament they find themselves in.

Months before her sophomore season, Elizabeth was dealt to the Atlanta Dream, where she began her resurgence—ranking sixth in the W with 41 blocks, averaging a career-best 11.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and ultimately being named the 2016 Most Improved Player.

Four years later, she’d finally be named to her first All-Defensive team  despite ranking sixth in the W’s history and third among current players with a career average of 1.7 blocks per game.

“Whenever my brother gets a block, too, I get so excited because I’m like, Yes, this is you! This is your pride! It’s such a big part of the game. A block can change the game just as much as a big three, so I love that,” says Elizabeth.

As Elizabeth sits in her hotel room in anticipation for her club’s semi-final matchup

in the KBSL playoffs, how far her team advances will determine the end of year bonus she receives—a vital aspect to the everyday W players’ overseas arc. While she hasn’t been present at her new team’s training camp yet—signing with the Washington Mystics in February—she’s stayed in close contact with coach Mike Thibault and teammates like Alysha Clark on the team’s progress.

A seasoned vet when it comes to balancing the responsibilities of a WNBA hooper, the 2021-22 Euroleague Defensive Player of the Year often found herself staying up till 3 a.m. to catch her brother’s games, matching the energy of the Blue Devil bench when No. 15 sent a shot into the third row.

Two weeks after helping propel Duke to its 13th Final Four appearance under Coach K, Mark announced he’d enter his name into the 2022 NBA Draft. He had  soared up first-round boards thanks to his stellar low-post play throughout March: 13.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and a staggering 3.2 blocks in five tournament contests. Currently residing in Miami during the pre-draft process, he’s sharpening his game while refining his outside shot for the upcoming combine. Elizabeth’s guidance on being present in every moment has helped shape her youngest sibling’s perspective on the journey he’s taken so far.

“I like to really just take a step back,” says Mark, “and realize the position I’ve put myself in and really be appreciative of that.”

While an 11-hour plane ride separates them, their individual maturation apart has yielded undeniable growth, as the bond between the siblings has never been stronger.

“Just seeing how much we’ve grown and connected these past couple years has been just really fun, honestly, and I’m grateful for it,” Elizabeth says. “He knows he could text me whenever, I’ll answer.”

As two siblings who fell in love with the smooth pebble grain of the ball at an early age, Mark says the conversations as of late have been filled with hoops. With Mark’s dream of becoming an NBA player just weeks away, E can’t help but prod her baby bro about how he sees himself indulging in the lifestyle of a professional athlete. From the first whip he’s gonna buy to the fit he’s gonna be wearing on draft night—expect a suave look with some flair from the 7-footer—the fun part of the siblings’ next chapter is starting to be realized.

“Like, how cool is it that my brother is about to be drafted to the NBA? Like, that’s freaking dope,” says Elizabeth. “I watch the NBA, [and] he’s about to be in there. And I’m in the W [and] he’s watching me. Like, what is this? It’s kind of mindblowing.”

“I don’t think it’s gonna hit me ’til draft night but, yeah, it’s crazy,” Mark adds. “Now that I’m a part of that, it’s special. It’s pretty cool to be able to say, Yeah, my sister’s a pro, too.”

Photo credits to Getty Images

The post How Mystics’ Elizabeth and NBA Draft Prospect Mark Williams are Turning Basketball into a Family Business appeared first on SLAM.

In 1893, one of James Naismith’s original 18 players, Lyman Archibald, introduced the game to St. Stephen after being hired to run the local YMCA in New Brunswick. Formerly a pharmacy, print shop and thrift store, the building became abandoned and was hidden away for decades before a fire in 2010 forced the former owners to rip up the storage room carpet, revealing strips of faded wooden panels.

Canada First Basketball Inc. was created with the hopes of reinvigorating the space and St. Stephen. Last January, a phase one goal of $1 million in funding was met and the team was one step closer to achieving their dream of building a replica of the 1893 court.

“I was left with the strong impression that it’s not the building, it’s the story about the building and about the game that we need to develop and save,” Richard Fulton, president of Canada First Basketball Inc., tells SLAM.

Featuring the original low-pressed tin ceilings, a 19th century hand crank that provides electricity and peach baskets hanging on opposing walls, stepping into the space brings you back to the era of nine-man teams that played with a leather-bound ball.

With the building secured, the town and organization have set out to develop the story of the center, which includes augmented reality experiences and the original walk that players took to the court.

“This is not meant to be yet another museum. This is supposed to be something that’s ever-evolving,” Robert Otto, chair of the board of directors of Canada First Basketball Inc., tells SLAM. “It’s supposed to be a space where people can come and be excited by the game of basketball. Front and center, a big part of this is meant to celebrate the Canadian contributions to a game that has immense popularity all around the world.”

Photos via Canada First Basketball Inc.

The post The Oldest Basketball Court in the World is Being Transformed into a Basketball Experience Center appeared first on SLAM.

Five days after the news dropped that he’d be taking over as just the 10th head coach in Alabama A&M men’s basketball history, Otis Hughley is in the gym surrounded by the blows of whistles and screeches of bright colored kicks striking the court, taking part in a process he learned long ago to master: preparation.

It’s a Sunday afternoon and Hughley is scouting a 6-9 French prospect who just recently committed to the Bulldogs and Hughley’s vision of the HBCU program. He can shoot, the coach adds.

“I’m probably a stranger to sleep and just casual rest. That’s obsolete now,” Hughley later says over Zoom with a chuckle. “When you get into this, you already feel like you’re behind, especially when you know what it takes. And by God’s grace, my experience has taught me the hard way, how to know mostly what it takes.”

Hughley shares the same tutelage and passion of the program’s past historic coaches—including the great L. Vann Pettaway—by bringing over 30 years of experience across the entirety of the coaching landscape. His resume is more than extensive, it’s outrageously detailed and traveled.

As a 19-year-old college football player, Hughley learned early on “that proper preparation prevents poor performance.” After transferring and graduating from the University of West Alabama, he began his coaching career as the head men’s and women’s coach for Wallace Community College – Selma, before spending a season at both Wright State and Liberty University as an assistant. A year after the turn of the century, he studied under legendary coach Ben Jobe, who has amassed 500 career wins, as an associate head coach at Southern University. 

Growing up between Jersey City and Harlem, the game has not only broadened his perspective, but it’s placed him in the middle of cultures and townships thousands of miles away from the East coast, including a decade with the NBA China program. Hughley most recently led the resurgence of the Nigerian National Women’s Team as head coach, winning three Afro-Basket championships and claiming the No. 1 ranking in Africa.

“To watch those young women be finally recognized for who they are—you have to see [us]. There’s no more mitigating [our] existence. There’s no more marginalizing my achievements. I am who Maya Angelou wrote about,” Hughley tells SLAM of the women’s success. 

Several years ago, Pettaway began encouraging Hughley to come take over the program he’d spent 25 years guiding. Having operated as a scout and assistant for NBA teams throughout the early 2010’s, Hughley found comfort in the commitment to winning at the professional level. That same commitment has been brewing on The Hill for the past few years and now Hughley has a chance to combine his savant-like knowledge of the game with what’s considered to be the HBCU Harvard of the South’s resources. 

There’s a direct, historic connection that draws Otis Hughley to Alabama A&M. Not many coaches in the game can trace their basketball lineage back to the game’s forefather in James Naismith. 

If you’re brushed up on your basketball factuals, the name John McLendon might sound familiar: he’s the man who revolutionized the game at Tennessee St. with a never-before-seen fastbreak style of hoops while establishing the full-court press. McLendon was the first African-American to graduate with a physical education degree from the University of Kansas, where Naismith taught and mentored him.  

Legendary head coach at Southern, Ben Jobe—who hired Hughley as his associate head coach for the 2001-2002 season—was mentored by McLendon before going on to make four NCAA tournament appearances. When Jobe was lured away from The Hill to Southern in ‘86, he promoted his then-assistant Van Pettaway as the head honcho. During the hiring process, Pettaway served on the search committee that announced Hughley’s hire last week.  

“There’s a direct lineage to where I am and why I’m there,” Hughley tells SLAM. 

Hughley is inheriting a 12-18 program who made a late push last season to go on a six-game winning streak and snag a SWAC tournament win over FAMU. In order to build upon the achievement and excellence of his new squad, Hughley has to be utterly and unapologetically himself. 

“I can be pretty decent at impersonating other people, or trying to adopt this craft or that craft, or trying to assimilate a strategy or any type of personality,” he admits. “But, man, I’m great at being who I am. And who I’ve been made to be is a sacrifice and an ambassador for truth. Giving kids what they need in the context of what they want. They need to know their purpose.” 

“More is caught than taught,” Hughley continues. “People listen more of what they say when they view what you do. So if I can be the person that God intended me to be, man that’s going to be something to witness.” 

At Alabama A&M, Hughley is planning for an uptempo, in your grill, style of play that pushes you to collapse under their pressure. 

“It’s organized chaos,” Hughley describes as he embraces one of his players on campus with a dap and hug. “We want to shoot it and we want to keep shooting it. We don’t believe in Mo-tion, we believe in More-Shoot.”

His squad is amped to make a comeback in the SWAC and return to the same level of prestige as Pettaway and Jobe’s former squads. With three of the team’s top scorers expected to return, Hughley is already feeling motivated after just one workout with the team. 

“The energy in the building, if you could’ve plugged an extension cord into it, it might’ve lit up a night in any dark city. It was electric,” Hughley says. “And that was just the beginning.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Otis Hughley Jr is Ready to Carry on Alabama A&M’s Legacy as Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

However, President of basketball operations Daryl Morey said on Friday that the organization will have him back as head coach next season.

Daryl Morey says Doc Rivers will be back as coach next season.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 13, 2022

Over his career, Rivers has lost three series in which his squad initially had a 3-1 lead but lost. With Joel Embiid’s facial fracture and James Harden’s continued integration into the Sixers system, the playoffs were rocky for the fourth best team in the East (51-31).

After Thursday’s loss, Rivers was asked about his comfortability with his job security having repeated shortcomings in the postseason.

“I think I do a terrific job and if you don’t, then you should write it. Because I work my butt off to get this team here. When I first got here, no one picked us to be anywhere, and again this year the same thing,” Rivers told reporters.

Doc Rivers response about his job security. Question is from Howard Eskin. pic.twitter.com/EBHupc2j11

— David Grzybowski (@DavidGrzyTV) May 13, 2022

Morey continued today saying that his belief is that the Sixers will and can win a title with Doc as their head coach.

“I just think he’s a great coach. I love working with him,” Morey said, via CBS Sports. “I feel like I’m learning from him. I think Elton [Brand] and I and him make a great team and we’re going to see where this journey takes us. But we feel very good about where it’s going to take us. It’s going to be where we have a very good chance to win a title.”  

The post Daryl Morey Says Doc Rivers Will Return as Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

“We didn’t forget about her,” Diggins-Smith said of Griner via ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss. “We think about her every day. We love her and we’re gonna continue to carry her legacy, her voice and play in her honor until she gets back here with us.”

#Mercury G Skylar Diggins-Smith on Brittney Griner #WNBA pic.twitter.com/xbYn1gFKqN

— jeffmetcalfe (@jeffmetcalfe) April 28, 2022

This season, the WNBA is featuring “BG” floor decals and her No. 42 decals in all 12 arenas. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert says the League will keep Griner “at the forefront of what we do” throughout the season.

The U.S. recently reclassified Griner as “wrongfully detained” by the Russian government. Back in March, her detention was extended to May 19.

The post Skylar Diggins-Smith and Mercury Dedicating Season to Brittney Griner appeared first on SLAM.

In addition, the Lynx released forwards Rennia Davis, Nina Milic and guard Yvonne Turner from their hardship contracts yesterday.

Just this afternoon, the Lynx announced a few more signings under hardship contracts, picking up Evina Westbrook and Moriah Jefferson while re-signing Milic, Turner and Hannah Sjerven to hardship contracts.

NEW: The Minnesota Lynx have signed Moriah Jefferson and Evina Westbrook, the team announced, while re-signing Nikolina Milić, Hannah Sjerven and Yvonne Turner to hardship contracts.

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) May 13, 2022

The aftermath leaves the Lynx with eight active players for their Saturday evening contest against the Chicago Sky (1-1).

The post Minnesota Lynx Release and Sign Multiple Players to Hardship Exemption Contracts appeared first on SLAM.

Our 𝙼𝚅𝙿
Your 𝙼𝚅𝙿
Everyone’s and everywhere’s 𝙼𝚅𝙿 @kahleahcopper pic.twitter.com/AbSd4ZsTMe

— Perfumerías Avenida (@CBAvenida) May 12, 2022

Just in April, she took home Euroleague MVP after leading her team with 21.4 points per game. Copper is coming off her first W season as an All-Star, having averaged a career-high 30.8 minutes per game for the championship-winning Chicago Sky.

Now Copper heads back to the States to reintegrate with the Chicago Sky (1-1) and any possible changes to the system she helped cultivate with their next contest against the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday night.

The post Kahleah Copper Wins Spanish League Championship, Named MVP appeared first on SLAM.

Up by a whopping 46 points with 8:40 left in the fourth, the entirety of FedEx Forum was bumping as DJay’s ‘Whoop That Trick’ blasted overhead, and fans directed their towel swinging and chanting toward the six-time All-Star, who playfully threw a jab at the cities rallying cry.

It’s safe to say Memphis didn’t take too kindly to Curry’s comments and returned in kind with a 134-95 blowout to force a Game 6. But that didn’t stop Draymond Green from reveling in Wednesday night’s playoff atmosphere.

As break dancers filled the court to toss out shirts and encourage the crowd, Green was dancing right along with them from the Warriors sideline, whipping his towel around his head and mimicking the Memphis fan base.

Steph Curry watching the PA play ‘Whoop that Trick’. Draymond Green enjoying it. pic.twitter.com/R2TP1AFnHT

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 12, 2022

With a 3-2 series lead in Western Conference semi’s, the former Defensive Player of the Year was asked about his response to embracing the chants where Curry stood with a gleaming smile taking in the fanbase’s retort to his comments.

“They not going to whoop that trick alone,” Green said postgame. “We going to whoop that trick together if we going to whoop that trick.”

Draymond explains why he was having fun with the fans in Memphis while they chanted “Whoop That Trick” pic.twitter.com/M38AsQ8WPk

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) May 12, 2022

“One thing I don’t respect is people who only bring it when they’re winning, embrace crowds when you’re winning. We call those frontrunners,” Green elaborated. “We’re not frontrunners. We got our ass kicked, and that’s all right. It happens, but you don’t be frontrunners. When you spew it out, you got to be willing to take it, not hide from it, not duck it, not run from it, embrace it. So I appreciated the crowd tonight and the energy they brought to the game. If they want to whoop that trick, we’re going to whoop it together.”

The Warriors will get another crack at putting the series to bed and advancing to the Western Conference Finals against Memphis at home on Friday night.

The post Draymond Green Explains Why He Was Dancing Along to ‘Whoop That Trick’ after Game 5 Loss appeared first on SLAM.

“A lot of it comes to us making shots,” Butler said. “We make shots; we tend to play defense. When we don’t, we don’t. We’ve got to get back to being a defensive-minded team, and then our offense comes to us second.”

“We’re gonna take the same shots next game, and they’re gonna fall.”

Jimmy Butler remains confident after the Heat’s Game 4 loss with the series headed back to Miami tied at 2…#HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/BafGRh2x3P

— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) May 9, 2022

While his 40 points, six assists, two steals, and two blocks helped keep Miami alive, James Harden carved up their defense late with a 16-point fourth-quarter performance that stripped away any hope of getting a stop.

As a team that averaged 110 points per game in the regular season, putting up just 79 points in their Game 3 loss to Philly was a shock for a team that’s capitalized off of turning turnovers and defensive pressure into offense all season long.

“I think every shot that we shoot we think is going in. And we’re going to take the same shots next game and they’re gonna fall because that’s the way we’ve been playing all year long,” Butler said.

The Heat will face off against the 76ers at home for Game 5 on Tuesday before traveling back to Philly for Game 6 on Thursday.

The post Jimmy Butler Says the Heat Need to ‘Get Back to Being a Defensive-Minded Team’ appeared first on SLAM.

James Harden finished with 31 points in Sundays win against the Heat.

It snapped a streak of 15 straight games with fewer than 25 points (reg. season & playoffs).

That was his longest such streak since 2011-12. pic.twitter.com/OwueutbiGk

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 9, 2022

The eight-time All-Star’s 16-point fourth quarter propelled the Sixers to a tied series in which he’s averaged 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.2 dimes per game. His 31-point performance marked his 45th playoff game with 30+ points, becoming just the 12th player in the League’s history to record that many games.

James Harden was a floor general in Game 4, operating as a facilitator for the first 3 quarters and taking over with his scoring late! @JHarden13: 31 PTS, 7 REB, 9 AST, 6 3PM

Game 5: Tue. 7:30pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/mB3kiFThs6

— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2022

With Joel Embiid making steady progress back out on the court since Game 3, the Sixers will be riding their momentum into Game Five in Miami on Tuesday.

The post James Harden Snaps Streak of 15 Games with Fewer Than 25 Points with 31 in Game 4 Win appeared first on SLAM.

Per the Seattle Times, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert plans to address the increasing number of talented players vying for rosters each May by adding two expansion teams over the next few years.

“I don’t think it’s about rosters per team,” Engelbert said. “It’s about more opportunities to play for more players to play.”

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert says that the WNBA is looking at adding two expansion teams in the next few years, per @seattletimes. pic.twitter.com/HCQyxdHCEm

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 9, 2022

Over the past few weeks, the stars of the W have been sharing their thoughts and ideas on how the League can adapt to the growing pool of talent. Amidst the roster shuffling last week, Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart shared her perspective on the obstacle that the hard cap creates for front offices across the league, suggesting teams keep rookie contract players on the roster by way of being a practice player.

I hate seeing so many great players being cut from WNBA teams. Salaries went up, but a very restrictive hard cap has put teams in a bind. We need to soften it to allow of our league to grow. The WNBA needs to adjust ASAP (before the next CBA).

— Breanna Stewart (@breannastewart) May 4, 2022

Sparks forward Chiney Ogwumike mirrored Stewart’s ideas of exploration while expressing her concerns surrounding the roster moves. The two-time All-Star suggested the W implement a developmental league similar to the NBA’s G League.

“In no circumstance should we have a league when high draft picks aren’t on a roster,” Ogwumike said.

In the background, cities and investors have been plotting and strategizing for the opportunity to cast a bid like four-time All-Star Alana Beard, who’s leading the city of Oakland’s bid for expansion.

The post REPORT: WNBA Commissioner Looking to Add Two Expansion Teams Over Next Few Years appeared first on SLAM.

Al Horford on Robert Williams: “All the off the court stuff is what has really impressed me with him. He’s taken a huge leap just in this year” pic.twitter.com/QcSfh7Fyl4

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 6, 2022

“All the off-the-court stuff is what has really impressed me with him. He’s taken a huge leap just in this year,” the 15th-year veteran said. “So it’s a lot of credit to him, and the time he’s put in, and the work he’s put in is showing.”

In his fourth year in the L, Williams averaged a career-high 10 points, 9.6 boards, and 2.2 blocks per game. While he’s only played in four games since returning from a surgically repaired meniscus, Williams has been highly successful in shutting down the dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo, holding the Greek Freak to 0-for-5 in Game 1.

“Just trying to do as much as he can to help us. He knows how much we need him, and I was just really impressed with his consistency. And that just speaks to him all year; he’s been that consistent,” Horford continued.

The Time Lord and the Celtics will face off against the Milwaukee Bucks for Game 3 in a 1-1 tied series in Milwaukee on Saturday.

The post Al Horford Explains the ‘Huge Leap’ Robert Williams III Has Made Since Returning From Injury appeared first on SLAM.

On First Take on Thursday, Brian Windhorst reported that it is highly likely that Harden will opt-in to his player option.

In the event that Harden signs a super-max contract with the Sixers in the 2023 offseason, Philly would be paying the former MVP $61 million in his final year at the age of 37.

Trailing 0-2 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals to the Miami Heat, Harden has averaged 18.8 points, 9.4 dimes, and 5.4 boards on 40.2 percent shooting from the field. With Joel Embiid remaining out for tonight’s Game 3 despite clearing concussion protocols, the Sixers will rely on Harden’s playmaking and increased shot production to climb back from their series deficit.

The post REPORT: James Harden Highly Likely to Opt Into $47.4M Player-Option appeared first on SLAM.

Smart was sidelined for the Celtics Game 2 win after suffering a quad contusion in the team’s Game 1 loss last Sunday. In his weekly local radio interview, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens spoke on Smart’s progression toward a potential Game 3 return.

“Marcus was in the gym yesterday on an off day for the rest of our team,” Stevens said. “He got some work in the weight room. It looked like he had a little better bend. That was the thing, he had enough swelling in his quad that he didn’t have the ideal ability to really get low and bend.”

“It looked like he was doing a little bit better yesterday. I don’t know what he’s going to be cleared to do in practice today but we’ll see as the days go on. We’re hopeful but not certain (about his Game 3 availability).”

After practice today, Smart told the media his quad had started to feel better while swelling had been subsiding slowly.

Marcus Smart says he’s starting to feel better and that some of the swelling has gone down around his quad: “Just taking it day by day.”

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 5, 2022

With the series tied one a piece, Smarts return for the Celtics could heavily aid potentially snagging Game 3 on Saturday night.

The post Brad Stevens ‘Hopeful But Not Certain’ on Marcus Smart’s Return for Game 3 appeared first on SLAM.

After Wednesday nights 119-103 loss, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers reiterated his uncertainty surrounding the five-time All-Star’s return to the court.

“I really don’t know. We talked [Tuesday], and we talked [Wednesday],” Rivers said in his postgame press conference.

“He looked good, as far as talking. But he’s got so many steps to go through, and I don’t think he’s cleared any of them right now. So we just have to wait and see.”

Mid-way through the third quarter of Game 2, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that Embiid had told him he’s feeling better, but Tuesday was the first day since the injury that he was able to use his phone as the brightness of the screen was causing discomfort.

This was a great piece of reporting by @ChrisBHaynes at the Sixers game. Says Joel Embiid could not even look at the screen of his cell phone without it irritating him as of Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/2s7sp1BUsm

— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) May 5, 2022

On Tuesday, Rivers added that he didn’t want to provide any “false hope” toward his star big mans’ return. But with Game 3 back at home in front of the Philly fans on Friday night, the fourth year coach for the Sixers third-year coach said, “That’s what the film is for, and that’s what adjustments are for.”

The post Doc Rivers and Sixers to ‘Wait and See’ On Joel Embiid’s Return For Game 3 appeared first on SLAM.

Warriors star Draymond Green’s Flagrant Foul 2 in Game 1 will not be reduced by the NBA, league spokesperson tells me and @anthonyVslater.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 2, 2022

Later that afternoon, Green set up an emergency episode of his podcast ‘The Draymond Green Show’ in his Memphis hotel room to set the record straight on his hard foul and reaction to the ejection.

“If we went through the definition of a flagrant 2 foul, I’m not sure that that play would quite fit the definition of a flagrant foul; I’m not sure if it’ll meet that criteria,” Green said.

The former Defensive Player of the Year reiterated during his postgame press conference and via the pod that his reputation as a player was the reason he was ejected, saying “tonight was probably a reputation thing.”

The penalty for Green’s ejection has yet to be disclosed while the Warriors prepare for Game 2 of their Western Conference Semi against the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night.

The post REPORT: Draymond Green’s Flagrant 2 Foul Will Not Be Reduced appeared first on SLAM.

That’s been Victor Oladipo’s mantra since undergoing two major surgeries to repair a right torn quadricep. 11 months ago, Oladipo couldn’t walk, let alone bend his leg. But in Miami’s Game 5 win over the Atlanta Hawks last Tuesday, Oladipo was more than ready; he was itching to remind the world of the type of player that he is.

After pouring in a team-high 23 points, three dimes, and three steals, Oladipo reveled in his performance with the Miami crowd as his resurgence as a critical piece in Miami’s lineup can’t be denied.

I’m just trying to ball and live. How can I lose when we the who’s who’s? pic.twitter.com/XlaJD69cBp

— Victor Oladipo (@VicOladipo) April 27, 2022

On Monday, Oladipo sat down with Stadium’s Shams Charania to chop it up about his road to recovery, his return to the court, and how he views his game today compared to his All-Star years.

“I would be a fool not to feel like I’m still there,” Oladipo said about being an All-Star talent. “That’s my goal is to show everyone that I’m still elite.

Heat’s Victor Oladipo sits down with @Stadium: “From why me, to giving up, what do I do next, to should I just stop. Go through every single emotion…then look yourself in the mirror and say: Man, keep going.” On revival, goal to regain All-Star status, new album, more. pic.twitter.com/TeMYcqLRVb

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 2, 2022

While the unknown still lingers as to how often Oladipo will be inserted into lineups and the length of time he sees on the hardwood, in just two playoff appearances so far, Oladipo is focused on “controlling the controllable” while averaging 17.2 points, 4.5 boards and 1.5 steals per game.

“I know it’s going to be a process. I know it’s not always going to be easy, but I’m willing to put in the work. I don’t shy away from it, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the future brings,” Oladipo said.

The post Miami’s Victor Oladipo is Ready to Show He’s ‘Elite’ in Return appeared first on SLAM.

Entering the second half of the Celtic’s Game 4 win over the Brooklyn Nets, Brown said he was experiencing some hamstring problems while noticeably grabbing at the back of his right leg in the fourth quarter, an injury that previously sidelined him for eight games in November.

In his postgame interview, Brown said, “I’m alright. I think I’m alright. I’m going to go get checked out, and I think I’ll be fine for next one.”

Udoka said Jaylen Brown (hamstring) is fine and Robert Williams is also good after playing in two games. #Celtics

— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) April 27, 2022

However, Udoka remained steadfast this morning that Brown and Robert Williams – who underwent surgery in March for a torn meniscus – are fine. The first-year coach admitted that his Center’s conditioning isn’t back to playoff level shape as the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn reports that the Celtics’ goal is to utilize practice to get the fourth-year center’s wind back.

Udoka said RWilliams’ wind wasn’t there the last two games, goal in practice is to get him back to complete shape. #Celtics

— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) April 27, 2022

Less than five weeks removed from surgery, Williams added that he has been pain-free since returning to the court in Game 3. The next few days provide Williams and Brown with the necessary rest to return to full strength as they look toward the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls opening-round series for an Eastern Conference semifinals matchup.

The post Ime Udoka on Jaylen Brown’s Injury and Robert Williams Return to the Court appeared first on SLAM.

Two seconds later, a 25-year-old Pierce side-stepped to his left and launched a trey ball to the back of the rim and through the net as TD Garden exploded.

Coming off the heels of a first-round sweep against the Brooklyn Nets, Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum dished out some commentary on Pierce’s clutch step-back bucket.

Jayson Tatum shares his thoughts on this big-time Paul Pierce shot from this day in 2003! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/qiVVdgk4Nl

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 27, 2022

“I felt like he told him what he was about to do. Talking to him, side-step trey ball in the Garden. Something I might do,” Tatum said.

Tatum’s duffy has been on full display since hitting a game-winning layup in Game 1 against the Nets at home, while the side-step trey ball has been a staple in the young star’s bountiful arsenal of offensive weapons. In their sweep against Brooklyn, Tatum averaged a team-high 29.5 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting a scintillating 41.9 percent from beyond the arc.

He’s taken the step as a two-way superstar against one of the game’s best scoring threats, holding Kevin Durant to just 12 points and 3-18 shooting as his primary defender throughout the series.

With Milwaukee entering Game 5 tonight against the Chicago Bulls with a 3-1 lead, the Celtics and Tatum might soon find their matchup for the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The post Jayson Tatum Shares His Thoughts on Paul Pierce’s Clutch Three 19 Years Later appeared first on SLAM.

Simmons has remained sidelined throughout the season since being traded from Philadelphia to Brooklyn while mending a back injury. Windhorst reported that while Simmons hasn’t begun five-on-five scrimmages, the hope is that he would be able to progress to that stage by the end of the week.

While this is the most solidified timeline Brooklyn has had on Simmons’ return to the court, both Durant and Nash expressed their plans to prepare for Boston regardless of Simmons’s timeline after practice on Thursday.

“I’m not expecting him to play,” Durant said. “That’s easier for me. I’m not putting any pressure on Ben to come out there and hoop. So I’m not expecting him to do anything but just to get his body right and get healthy as fast as he can. So in my mind, I’m preparing as if we’re playing with the team we have.”

Even though the three-time All-Star hasn’t played in almost a year, the defensive prowess and knack to find the open guy would be increasingly influential for Brooklyn in the postseason.

“There’s a chance Ben comes back; there’s a chance he doesn’t come back. So I think for us, we got to focus on the group; support Ben and his journey to get back on the floor, but at the same time we don’t have time to lose focus on the group that’s playing,” Nash said after practice.

The focus is on the here and now for the Nets as they prepare for Game 1 of the first round against the Boston Celtics Sunday night in TD Garden.

The post Ben Simmons Reportedly Eyeing Late First Round Return for Brooklyn Nets appeared first on SLAM.

“If you watch my game and watch the way I play, you could appreciate all things that I do on the floor. What makes me Rookie of the Year is me being able to do so many things at such a high level,” Cunningham wrote in the diary.

Why should @CadeCunningham_ be the 2022 #NBA Rookie of the Year? The #Pistons star explains in his Rookie Diary in @andscape. https://t.co/EkseeKba2U pic.twitter.com/tmOW5rPWkH

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) April 13, 2022

The former No. 1 overall pick has led first-year players in scoring – dropping 17.4 per game – and ranked second in assists per game with 5.6 dimes, leading to his ranking as the best rookie in the 2021-22 class according to ESPN’s 25 Under 25.

The ’22 Rising Stars MVP continued to garner accolade after accolade throughout the season despite missing a portion of the season with a lingering ankle injury, becoming only the sixth rookie since the NBA merger to average 20-5-5 after the All-Star break.

On Monday, the remaining ballots were filled by NBA Media on their finalists for League awards with the announcement of the awards to take place at the NBA’s award show sometime in June.

The post Cade Cunningham Believes His ‘High Level’ of Play Stamps Him As the Rookie of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

While addressing reporters after practice on Wednesday, Tatum said Irving had expressed how he would have gone about the situation differently.

Jayson Tatum on his time with Kyrie Irving in Boston: “Obviously we’ve talked and there’s some things that he probably told me he wish he could do (or) would’ve done differently.”

— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) April 13, 2022

“Obviously, we’ve talked, and there’s some things that he probably told me he wish he could do (or) would’ve done differently,” Tatum said on Wednesday.

The three-time All-Star and former third overall pick in 2017 discussed how Irving’s approach to the game rubbed off on him as a second-year player.

“Just kind of watching a superstar. I got to see him every day, see how he worked, worked on his body, and prepared for games and things like that,” Tatum said. “He’ll be the first to tell me that I can just learn from the encounters that we had.”

Tatum and the No. 2 seeded Celtics’ will face off against the No. 7 seeded Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of the first-round on Sunday.

The post Jayson Tatum Shares Conversations He and Kyrie Irving Have Had Since His Departure appeared first on SLAM.

It was a reminder to both Williams—the youngest VP of the National Basketball Players Association—and women across the sports landscape of why the efforts of organizations like the NBPA are so vital. 

“We have to support our players because we want the best products on the court,” Williams tells us via Zoom. “See how it goes and see that the value of not only the W but how the value of the brand of the WNBA will grow.”

From the moment Williams stepped into the League out of Tennessee, the 23-year-old has been devoted to making the landscape easier to traverse for future players while growing their individual brands at the same time. 

As a rookie during the Players Association’s annual winter meeting during the 2019-20 season, Williams ran for a VP role in the executive committee against Karl-Anthony Towns and Kyrie Irving. Ultimately losing out to the now Brooklyn guard, Williams’ run planted the seeds within the minds of the Board of Representatives of the unique vision he could bring to the role. 

CJ McCollum, Andre Iguodala and Chris Paul all came up to Williams at the end of the meeting, expressing their support for the youngster and for his passion. “Don’t stop running, we would love to have you on this exec committee,” he recalls them saying.

Next thing he knew, Paul’s three-year term had come to an end, with McCollum consequently filling his shoes as the PA’s next president, leaving his VP seat vacated. 

This time around, Williams received five nominations: CP3, CJ, Andre, Jaylen Brown and one other vote. 

Since last August, Williams has been directly involved with the setup and installation of the social justice committee, which came out of the 2020 Bubble’s social movements and protests. Grant’s focus isn’t on what he can do for the players now. “It’s, What can I do for you when your career is done? What can I do for you when you first get into the League?”

“I’ve just been trying my best to learn and absorb all the information possible, but also impact and speak on my opinion and voice the issues of not only the younger players, but also players who are not in a position of the superstars, and the ones that make millions of dollars already,” Williams adds. 

He’s relatively new to the inner workings of the NBA, like dealing directly with the League office and the players he doesn’t yet have relationships with, but this new landscape has provided Williams opportunities to grow as a leader.

“If I can’t figure it out myself, I’m gonna find someone who can,” he says. “If I can’t help you out today, I’m gonna find a way to help you tomorrow. I feel like servant leadership. I feel like as a man, I’ve really embraced it.”

“Whether it’s the NBA, whether it’s mentoring, I feel like these are all things that are very valuable for the next generation. Because we’ve set ourselves up well as NBA players to make generational wealth,” Williams says. “Now it’s about helping those around us to do the same.” 

Photo Credit Richard Brooks NBPA and via Getty Images.

The post How Celtics’ Grant Williams is Making His Voice Heard as VP of the NBPA’s Executive Committee appeared first on SLAM.

Maybe it was the 62 points he averaged in China’s National Basketball League, or the 81 he dropped with Luoyang in 2017. But mostly, as Russ tells us over Zoom, it was the time he spent alone that allowed him the needed headspace to fall in love with a new craft, bourbon.

“It allowed me to really take in what I was doing and just be happy again. My first three years as a pro, yeah, I was getting paid pretty well, but I was unhappy,” he says. “I want to be respected for my craft. And I think that means more to me, my craft being appreciated, my creativity being appreciated.”

​​After captivating the college basketball world at Louisville, the 47th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft bounced around from the Pelicans and Grizzlies to the G League—and even a short stint in Turkey—before reinventing himself once again in China’s NBL.

The 32-game season over the summer was coupled with an immense amount of downtime, in which Russ thought to himself, When I get home, what am I gonna work on?

As someone who meticulously mastered each craft he fell in love with, the 6-0 guard’s passion for creating, innovating and acquiring new skills blossomed into Mr. and Mrs. Bourbon, founded, owned and operated by Mr. Russdiculous himself.

Seeing how 50 Cent, Hov and Diddy executed different partnerships with alcohol brands inspired Russ to one day launch his own liquor company. But he also always knew that he was going to do things a little bit differently, just like he does on the hardwood.  

The Brooklyn native set college basketball ablaze at Louisville, leading the program to the 2013 NCAA national title while averaging 18.7 points, 2.9 dimes and 3.3 boards a game as a junior.

With a nickname just as cold as his illustrious career—and floater-game to match it—it was only a matter of time before his jersey was raised into the rafters. On January 22, during halftime of the Cardinals’ home game against Notre Dame, the program’s fifth highest-scorer (1,908 points) and all-time steals leader (257) was honored as Louisville’s fifth retired jersey.

As Russ leans back on his egg-shell white desk chair, he talks about how that night was as full circle of a moment as anyone could find. The videos of Rick Pitino, Peyton Siva and Luke Hancock on the jumbotron talking about their favorite Russdiculous moments was a nice surprise, too. 

“There was a point in time where it was hard for me to get on the court. So, just doing whatever they [Kyle Kuric and Peyton Siva-Ed] said, listening, following instructions,” Smith says. “I guess that’s the best memory because if you don’t listen, you ain’t gonna get nowhere.”

Now surrounded by barrels of bourbon, flasks and tasting glasses, he did more than listen when his passion for bourbon whiskey started to take form: he examined, picked brains and soaked up knowledge from the industry’s best. 

His obsession with bourbon started two years after his career at Louisville, as he continued to foster connections with donors and supporters of the program. The college-shelf stuff that he was used to drinking at the Ice House was worlds away from the brown colored spirits he was now dabbling into. 

The notes, hints and avenues of flavors that filled his nostrils and palate piqued his interest and soon he was having conversations with the top liquor companies in the world—Brown Forman, owner of Jack Daniels, master distiller Drew Kulsveen and the folks at Peerless Distilling Co. Having direct ties to the whiskey-bourbon capital of the world by way of the rock paved the way for a deep-dive master class into the industry. 

“Being here, I felt like it was almost like a calling,” Russ says.

From legal paperwork to calls with the dry goods department, to sourcing out his own lawyers and taking part in each step of the tasting process, Russ is involved in every single aspect of his company. 

His hands-on approach and unrelenting desire for more knowledge made it clear to vets in the industry that Russ was indeed ready to break in the same way he broke out on the collegiate hoops scene—with a little bit of grace and a whole lotta flair.

As he and his team narrowed down the staple flavor of the brand, Russ picked up batches from the warehouse and sent them around to friends and family, still looking to balance the sensational notes a bourbon connoisseur would appreciate while fulfilling that burn that his boys desired from spirits like Hennessy. That’s when his peculiar palate and excellent understanding of a well-finished bourbon came into play.

Russ keeps all of his ideas, critiques and feedback from his journey thus far in a small leather-bound notebook. Its purpose serves as more than a collection of recorded notes, it’s a symbol of the goal for his brand, creating a flavor profile that lasts much longer than a lifetime. 

Finalizing that long-standing flavor took years of tasting, experimenting and countless trips to different distilleries around Kentucky, settling on four different labels of bourbon.

Having just recently returned from a tasting a few days earlier, the notes and hints from Mr. and Mrs. are fresh in Russ’ mind as he breaks down the differences between the four different labels for us. 

He starts with the black label, the brand’s premium product, aged 12 years straight out of the barrel with no cut, and finished in a cabernet sauvignon cask. Notes of licorice and cherries fill your nostrils while it sits like honey on the palate. 

The red label is “incredibly hot,” sitting at a 125 proof with initial notes of vanilla and a jalapeno-peppermint finish that’s accompanied by a state staple, the Kentucky Hug. The blue label is cut to a 110 proof and is accompanied by heavy vanilla notes, while the green label fills its consumers with wafts of butterscotch, candy corn and honey, incorporating the brand’s signature jalapeno-mint finish. 

In the land of whiskey and horse racing, Russ says he’s connected most with the pace of becoming a Kentuckian. The state’s pastimes and passions have rubbed off on the former Louisville guard, as Russ has immersed himself in the world of bourbon, reveling in sharing experiences over honey-colored liquor. 

He needed it too.

Most recently, Smith joined the G League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants, proving yet again why he should be on an NBA roster, dropping 43 points off the bench in his January 6 debut. He still holds the G League all-time record for most points in a single game (65). In just seven appearances, the Brooklyn native averaged 16.4 points in 20.1 minutes before announcing he’d miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

“It’s like, damn, another time, another time. This is gonna be the fourth time,” Smith says. “I want it to go well, but to have people around me that care about me, that show me a lot of love, that support me, that means a lot.”

With a shoulder on the mend and basketball dreams still as bright as ever, Smith’s new passion serves as a homage to the state and the people that have supported him ever since he touched down as a college freshman in 2010. 

Constantly thinking about how they can all win, Russ knows he’s not just selling a spirit, he’s selling himself to consumers and to the community he’s come to call his own. 

As our conversation begins to wrap, his passion for longevity in this space is crystal clear—he begins to talk about the monumental figures in the industry: Brown Forman, Pappy Van Winkle, E.H. Taylor. Real people, hundreds of years old, whose names continue to remain relevant thanks to the legacy they built ages ago. 

“It’s like having a legacy in real time,” Smith says. “That’s how I want to treat my brand, and that’s how others look at myself. So there’s no better way than to have a spirit that we can all share in that experience.” 

Photo courtesy of Russ Smith and via Getty Images.

The post Louisville Legend Russ Smith Launches Bourbon Brand appeared first on SLAM.

Charlotte has been increasingly mentioned by league insiders as a team to watch on the Russell Westbrook trade front, per @TheSteinLine

(Via https://t.co/VLnvss1q1X) pic.twitter.com/NwN6opDBiq

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) April 7, 2022

The former League MVP will receive more than $47 million for the 2022-23 season if he decides to pick up his player option with the Lakers. After the Lakers’ 121-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns, Westbrook expressed his interest in returning to the squad for the 22-23 season.

Westbrook’s insertion alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis didn’t pan out as most expected, with the Lakers failing to advance to the postseason. The all-time triple-doubles leader averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 boards, and 7.1 dimes on 44.4 percent shooting from the field.

The post REPORT: Charlotte Hornets Team to Watch in Potential Russell Westbrook Trade appeared first on SLAM.

The Pistons have real interest in Jalen Brunson, sources tell @JLEdwardsIII.

The 25-year-old is an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

More: https://t.co/BkqIhniINH pic.twitter.com/2cAKwkwFKI

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) April 7, 2022

The former NCAA Champion and Naismith Player of the Year has blossomed in his fourth year in the League, averaging a career-high 16.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from downtown.

As an upcoming unrestricted free agent, Brunson’s ascension this season has many teams vying for his offensive capabilities and floor general mentality, with the Knicks reportedly in the mix back in late January. An effective secondary ball-handler who can consistently knock down catch-and-shoot treys, the fit of Brunson next to the 6’6 Cunningham could be lethal over the next few years.

Brunson and the Mavericks (50-30) have been clicking on all cylinders as they finish out the regular season, sitting at fourth in the West, facing off against the Trail Blazers on Friday and the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

The post REPORT: Pistons Eyeing Jalen Brunson For Free Agency appeared first on SLAM.

Center Greg Monroe will sign a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the remainder of the season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Monroe had productive stints in Minnesota, Washington, Utah and Milwaukee this season, completing a 10-day with the Jazz on Wednesday.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 7, 2022

Monroe recently finished up his 10-day contract with the Jazz – in which he averaged 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 8.7 minutes through three games of the team’s five games – Monroe joins the Timberwolves with two contests remaining before the start of the postseason.

Currently seated comfortably as the seventh seed in the West and two games removed from the sixth seed, the Timberwolves could slide out of the Play-In with wins over the San Antonio Spurs (34-45) tonight and against the Chicago Bulls (45-35) on Sunday.

The 6’11 center had a productive stint with the organization in December when he signed his first 10-day of the season, appearing in three games while putting up 6.7 points, 7.0 boards, and 3.7 assists in 21.0 minutes per game.

Monroe’s leadership in the locker room and familiarity with the postseason – he has appeared in 27 playoff games throughout his career – will be an added benefit as the Timberwolves’ final roster spot heading into their first postseason appearance since 2018.

The post Minnesota Timberwolves Sign Greg Monroe for Remainder of Season appeared first on SLAM.

In signature fashion, Green responded, “That I’m a bucket, and I just need to stay confident in myself.”

A bucket might be understating the ascension the No. 2 overall pick has taken since the All-Star break, becoming the latest rookie since Allen Iverson in his 1996-97 season to average a 30-piece in four-straight games. He capped off the scoring spree with a 31-point performance on 12-for-18 shooting in the Rockets’ 139-132 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jalen Green is the first rookie since Allen Iverson to have scored 30+ in four consecutive games.

— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) April 4, 2022

“I mean, that comes with playing in games and seeing it right in front of you. And it’s going to eventually slow down. It’s going to come down to work,” Green added.

The former McDonald’s All-American had been on a scintillating shooting streak ahead of their Sunday night matchup, pouring in 29 three-pointers over his last five games. The most by a rookie in a five-game span in League history, according to ESPN Stats & Info. On 12.0 three-point attempts per game over his last six contests, Green is knocking down a sensational 45.8 percent while averaging 29.0 points.

Sitting in last place within the East, Green and the Rockets will travel to Barclays Center to face off against the Brooklyn Nets in the third-last game of the season.

The post Jalen Green on What He’s Learned About Himself in his Rookie Season: ‘I’m a Bucket’ appeared first on SLAM.

While he participated in light shooting at practice today, Steve Nash said the three-time All-Star would remain sidelined for the rest of the regular season and the play-in tournament. While Nash remains hopeful for a Simmons return down the line in the playoffs, he would be “shocked” if he returned for the play-in.

“He’s doing some increased strengthening, some increased mobility stuff, a little bit of shooting, and that’s it,” Nash told reporters.

With only four more games left in the regular season, Simmons hasn’t arrived at the point in his rehab process where he’s participating in 1-on-1 or 3-on-3 workouts, indicating a return during the final stretch of the regular season seemed improbable. The 2017-18 Rookie of the Year has been f in street clothes since the organization announced in March that he had suffered a herniated disk in his back.

On Simmons, Steve Nash also said he doesn’t see the Nets skipping some high-intensity workouts to get him in a game given the long layoff he’s had. If he had played for most of the season it’s a different story.

— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) April 4, 2022

“I think in this situation, we got to put his health and safety first and make sure that we’re certain he’s ready to play and contribute,” Nash added. “And the other part is he hasn’t played basketball, so you don’t know what kind of Ben you get. And he hasn’t been in an NBA game for, you know, nine to 10 months.”

Currently sitting at 10th in the East, the Nets (40-38) would likely matchup against the Charlotte Hornets (40-38) in the play-in unless they secure two wins to capture the eighth seed, currently occupied by Atlanta (41-37). The Nets, at this point, can finish no higher than eighth in the East.

The post Ben Simmons Sidelined For Remainder of Regular Season and Play-In Tournament, Steve Nash Says appeared first on SLAM.

Roster Update: We have assigned Patrick Williams to the @WindyCityBulls. pic.twitter.com/58P7O2mftq

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 17, 2022

Williams remained in Chicago to train with the G-League affiliate as the team made its West Coast trip, losing to the Utah Jazz 125-110 on Wednesday night.

“I was optimistic that he would be able to get back before the end of March. He’s moving in that direction, but a lot of it’s going to now depend on how it goes once he does that and what medical feels is an ample amount of time for him to get comfortable actually going into a game,” Donovan said via Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune.

In October, the second-year forward underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left wrist. After five months away from playing, he received clearance to participate with limited contact last week.

The earliest Williams could make an appearance for the Windy City would be this Sunday against the Westchester Knicks.

The post Patrick Williams Assigned to Windy City Bulls in Anticipation for Regular-Season Return appeared first on SLAM.

That woman is Sister Jean, a 102-year-old religious sister from Loyola Chicago. She initially gained national prominence during the Ramblers’ historic run during the 2018 NCAA tournament, making their first Final Four appearance since 1963, in which she attended each tournament contest.

The basketball superfan will reportedly continue her tradition of traveling with the team for their Friday morning matchup against the Ohio St. Buckeyes in Pittsburgh.

Sister Jean spotting in first class on Air ‘Bler One.

Chicago Pittsburgh. #OnwardLU pic.twitter.com/TthAR6yYmi

— Austin Hansen (@AustinHansenTV) March 16, 2022

Sister Jean has accompanied the Ramblers to their past three NCAA Tournament births, witnessing school history once again after they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen following an upset win over top-seeded Illinois in last season’s tournament.

Loyola Chicago earned their second-straight automatic bid to the tournament with a 64-58 win over Drake in the Missouri Valley championship in the second week of March, in which Coach Drew Valentine dedicated the win to their longtime supporter.

“For Sister Jean.” #WIF | #OnwardLU pic.twitter.com/vtI28Tar64

— Loyola Men’s Basketball (@RamblersMBB) March 9, 2022

Loyola Chicago will face off against Ohio State in the first round of the South region at 12:15 p.m. EST on Friday.

The post Sister Jean to Travel to Pittsburgh for Loyola’s First Round Matchup appeared first on SLAM.

Although Indiana Pacers guard TJ Warren has recovered from consecutive stress fractures in his left foot and returned to full basketball activities, he will sit out team’s final 12 games and prepare for the 2022-2023 season, sources told ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 17, 2022

“After thoughtful conversation with T.J. and his representatives, it has been determined that the most beneficial course of action at this point is to allow him to focus on the 2022-23 season,” President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard said.

While only playing four games during the 2020-21 campaign, the former 14th overall pick in the 2014 draft has remained sidelined for the entirety of this season despite fully recovering from the stress fractures.

Wojnarowski reports that conversations between Warren’s representatives and the team led to the understanding that returning to a Pacers roster that will miss the playoffs makes little sense – sitting at 13th in the Eastern Conference standings – opting to prepare for the 2022-23 season.

Warren’s sample size with the Pacers is small, averaging 19.8 points while shooting 40.3 percent from deep in the 2019-20 campaign, however, the return of a sharpshooting guard next to recently acquired second-year guard Tyrese Haliburton could provide for a shakeup in Indiana and the Eastern Conference.

The post Pacers Announce T.J. Warren Will Miss Remainder of the Season appeared first on SLAM.

However, the organization remains hopeful – mirroring Steve Nash’s sentiments on Tuesday – that Simmons will get some game reps in before the regular-season wraps.

ESPN reporting with @RamonaShelburne: Brooklyn Nets All-Star Ben Simmons has remained sidelined with an irritation of the L-4 disc of the lower spine and hope remains he can return for a “couple” of regular-season games prior to the Eastern Conference playoffs. Story soon.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 16, 2022

According to Wojnarowski, the potential targeted return date of this Friday’s game against the Portland Trailblazers had been nixed due to Simmons’ inability to go longer than a day or two in rehab without pain flaring up in his lower back.

In part with Simmons rehab process, which has included one on zero settings in practice, Steve Nash told assembled media on Wednesday afternoon that the former Rookie of the Year had received an epidural shot when the Nets were in Orlando last night during Brooklyn’s 150-108 win.

Steve Nash says Ben Simmons got an epidural while the Nets played in Orlando: pic.twitter.com/VW3aKPq5Py

— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) March 16, 2022

Sitting in eighth place with a 36-33 record – 2.5 games behind the seventh-place Toronto Raptors – Wojnarowski reports the organization is hopeful Simmons recovery bodes well enough to return for a “couple” of regular-season games. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving becoming the first pair of teammates to record consecutive 50+ point games last night, Brooklyn could very much use Simmons’ abilities as they fight for playoff seeding down the stretch of the regular season.

The post REPORT: Ben Simmons Remains Sidelined with Irritation of Lower Spine appeared first on SLAM.

The seven-footer’s rookie campaign was cut short in early April of last year when he underwent surgery for a torn right meniscus. Initially cleared to practice back in November, Wiseman underwent a second cleanup surgery on the same knee in mid-December – slowing the comeback of the former Memphis product.

James Wiseman’s most powerful moment from the first half. Putback dunk of his own miss. pic.twitter.com/FGM995BCL4

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 11, 2022

Wiseman had previously been assigned to the G-League three times throughout the season; however, he hadn’t stepped foot on the court until March 10, when he saw his first action in around 11 months. Starting in all three of his appearances, Wiseman averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks on 56.0 percent shooting on 21.0 minutes per game.

WISEMAN SLAM pic.twitter.com/lauEbIRzf9

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 11, 2022

In his G-League debut against the Stockton Kings, Wiseman dropped 18 points in just 21 minutes of action while pulling down six boards.

The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported that the second-year center remains out for tonight’s matchup against the Boston Celtics but will practice with the team over the next few days before making his regular-season debut.

The post Former No. 2 Pick James Wiseman Set to Make Regular Season Debut for Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

After hanging up the phone with Stony Brook’s Director of Athletics Shawn Heilbron, Ashley Langford couldn’t help but let out a stream of joyful tears before calling up her pops to break the news that she had just become the new head coach at one of the best mid-major programs in the country. 

“You visualize it, but when it actually happens, you’re like, Man, it’s amazing. I made it,” Langford recently told SLAM of becoming head coach last April.

Langford, who grew up in Harrisburg, PA, was a standout at Tulane University and graduated in ‘09 as the program’s record holder in assists (722), games started (119) and minutes played (4,162). Pouring in 1,047 career points while setting Tulane’s single-season assist record twice, the 5-5 former guard could have easily pursued professional opportunities overseas, but the chance to help young women carve out a life after basketball, all while establishing a competitive program, spoke to her. 

Langford began her coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Auburn women’s basketball program, all while completing AU’s MBA program in 2011. She then continued to hone her craft as an assistant at Old Dominion, the U.S. Naval Academy, Bucknell and Denver before joining the coaching staff at James Madison in the summer of 2017. In four seasons, Langford helped lead the Duke Dogs to a 91-31 overall record and three Colonial Athletic Association regular season titles. She was promoted to assistant head coach prior to the 2020-21 season. 

In Harrisonburg, VA, Langford says that she had found that “fit” within a program that every coach yearns for. “I had a chance to really just, I think, thrive,” Langford says of her time at JMU. “I’m really big on fit. And I think when you find your fit, it’s a beautiful thing because you can maximize your potential.”

And now, as head coach at Stony Brook, that fit has allowed Langford to not only strive for excellence, but to want that out of her players both on and off the court. 

“I tell our team all the time, knowledge is power,” Langford says. “That’s been instilled in me from a young age, it’s also been instilled in me to just be the best that you can be, at whatever you’re doing.” 

“So, to me, it’s no different than [how] we want to win every game—well, I wanted to compete in the classroom, too. I was trying to be the best. And that’s just how I’m wired.”

With four seniors and three graduate students on the Seawolves’ roster this season, Langford wants her players to have a multitude of options once their collegiate careers wrap. “I gotta be able to succeed and be successful in this life. And so do young women. We’re already at disadvantages. So you got to be ahead,” Langford says.

“We’re playing basketball, yes, that’s paying for your school, that’s paying for your undergraduate degree. That can also pay for your master’s degree. Continuing your education is key to me,” Langford continues. “And at the end of the day, I want my players to graduate and then be able to actually be successful in society.”

Stony Brook finished the regular season 23-5 overall and ranked No. 2 in the America East. The team boasts a conference-best 68.1 points per game with five players averaging nearly double figures; all while holding teams to the third-least points in the conference on 36 percent shooting from the field. 

Langford is a player’s coach through and through. From the moment she was announced as the 10th head coach in Stony Brook’s history on April 28, 2021, her staff has poured themselves into strengthening the team’s already immense potential on the court, all while making connections off the court; in the coaches offices, they’ll chop it up about life, family and a little bit of X’s and O’s. 

The player development, relationships and investments made since April has paid off exponentially this season—Stony Brook has wins over Rutgers, St. Johns and Washington St. With water flying throughout their locker room and dousing Langford after Stony Brook’s 53-44 win over the Scarlet Knights, it’s evident that her expectations, and the work the team is putting in behind the scenes, is paying off. 

“I’ll be honest, I’m pretty tough in terms of my expectations, because they’re capable. And when you’re capable, I got to get you there. I got to get you there. That’s my job to do that,” Langford explains. 

That genuineness, her realness, has resulted in not only one of the most lethal rosters in the country, but also in helping empower her players, especially Black women. She even plays Lift Every Voice and Sing before every home game and has had important conversations with the team regarding the inequalities they’ve faced. 

“They need to understand that we should be praised, that we should be valued. They should be proud to be a Black woman,” Langford says.

When the America East announced earlier last month that the school was ineligible for the upcoming conference tournament because of its decision to join the Colonial Athletic Association next year, Langford had to break the news to her team that they would have to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tourney the day of their game against Binghamton.

The news weighed on them for several days until Langford and her staff held a gratitude circle before practice. Langford says that at halfcourt, 11 of the 15 women in the circle were emotional and cried. As she heard her players’ stories and watched them open up, it finally hit her that she and her staff have continued to create an environment that supports, loves and plays for one another.

“That moment for me, we’re doing the right thing here. We’re really creating lifelong bonds and connections with these players, and they are too with each other. And that’s what it’s about to me. And that is going to result in a win. That is going to result in success once they graduate. And that is going to keep us all connected for a lifetime.”

Photos courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics.

The post Stony Brook HC Ashley Langford is Building a Successful Program and Empowering Players for Life After Ball appeared first on SLAM.

Statement from New York Knicks President Leon Rose on Kemba Walker pic.twitter.com/n0dpbJd2zl

— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) February 23, 2022

After Tom Thibodeau removed him from the rotation in late November – sidelining him for 10 days – Walker struggled to find a solid footing in New York, continuing to slide in and out of the Knicks’ lineup in January after injuries and COVID-19 cases persuaded Thibodeau to reinsert Walker into the rotation.

The 31-year-old guard will be on an expiring contract this summer. At the same time, the move allows him to train in anticipation of playing in a new city come the 2022-23 season, while management and Walker’s agent work through trade scenarios for the upcoming offseason.

The Bronx native had averaged 11.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.5 dimes in 37 games this season before being sidelined, including a 44-point performance in the Knicks’ loss to the Washington Wizards just days after being reinserted into the lineup.

Following two months on the sidelines recovering from ankle surgery, the Knicks expect Derrick Rose to return to the lineup soon, while Quentin Grimes, Cam Reddish, and Ryan Arcidiacono’s minutes and production as the primary ball handlers will surely increase in Walker’s absence.

The post Kemba Walker and Knicks Agree on Sidelining the Guard For Remainder of the Season appeared first on SLAM.

One of, if not the most important connection that resides on the court lies between the point guard and his big man down low. Being able to effectively read one another’s movements, eyes, even predicting each other’s decisions before they’re made, all heavily contribute to the depth of a team’s offensive repertoire. In Cleveland, the offensive depth between the trio of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is otherworldly. 

“I mean, they do it all for me,” Garland tells SLAM of Mobley and Allen over Zoom. “They’re setting all the screens and stuff, so [I’m] just trying to keep the connection with them going and with my teammates as well.”

The chemistry the three have built is unlike any other guard/big pairing in the League. A little under eight times per game, the 6-1 Garland will snake around a neck-jerking screen set by either the 243-pound, 7-6 wingspaned Allen, who has had beef with the rim all season, or by the mobile 6-11 newcomer Mobley, who will snatch the ball out of the air and slam it down on your head with ease. Or, you could drop down and take away both options, and leave a 37.7 percent three-point shooter open at the top of the key, waiting for the ball to drop through the net. 

It’s a pick your poison situation in Cleveland, and one of the youngest cores in the NBA is beginning to realize just how lethal of a connection they’re building. 

In his third year in the League, Garland is averaging career-highs across the board, good for 19.7 points, 8.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, as of late January. The Gary, IN, native’s ability to score with ease has been on display ever since he was picked 5th overall by the Cavs back in the 2019 Draft. His continued ability to make the players around him better has made waves across the League. 

In 10 out of 11 games played in December, Garland dropped five or more assists, gathering three double-doubles, including back-to-back 30-pieces against the Wizards and Jazz in the first week of the month. Within this world of hyper-proficiency resides the imposing forces of Mobley and Allen, who have received more than half of their buckets via Garland’s hand. DG’s assisted on 81 for Allen and 73 for Mobley. His career and team-high 8.2 assists has him on pace to rank in the League’s top 20 in assists per game for the second-straight season. 

The 22-year-old knows that as the team’s leader on the floor, he needs to make his voice heard. 

“I’m starting to become more vocal, talking to a lot of the guys and trying to put them in the
right situation where we can be successful,” he says. “So that’s just changed over my last couple of years, for sure.”

After Collin Sexton underwent left knee surgery for a torn meniscus in late November, DG took the reins of a team with a 9-8 record and whose identity was slowly being chiseled out behind head coach JB Bickerstaff. Two things were for sure, though: lobs and threes were plentiful, and Garland went to work with both, averaging two more shots from beyond the arc with defenders dropping underneath top of the key screens in order to take away easy toss ups at the rim to Mobley and Allen. 

“My teammates and coaching staff, they give me the confidence to shoot the ball. And even if I don’t shoot it, my teammates are on me, talking about, Shoot the ball, and stuff like that,” he says. “So they’ve definitely forced me to shoot it a little bit more than I want to, but as long as the teammates want me to and the coaching staff wants me to, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

The ascension of DG’s control over the flow of the game, coupled with the immeasurable wingspan taking up the paint, has given way to lots of excitement for hoops fans in Northeast Ohio. Lobs, threes and blocks are bountiful and the rest of the League has been paying attention.

On November 5, with 4.8 seconds left in the game, Garland calmly walked to the stripe, down one to the Toronto Raptors. Cool, calm and collected, the former Vanderbilt guard sank both free throws, snapping the Raptors’ five-game winning streak, and scoring 17 of his 21 points in the second half. In the locker room, Garland’s composure was doused by the water bottles of his teammates, as he wiped his soaked face with a towel, looked around the room and let out a series of barks, the team’s unique celebratory cheer. 

From grabbing every 50/50 ball and finishing each possession to knocking down clutch free throws down the stretch, Garland has proven this season that his continued progression and connection with the Cavs young core is built to disrupt the fabric of the League for years to come. 

The Cavs’ 102-101 November win over the Raptors may not have been the teams’ first realization of their dog mentality, but it was certainly the start of many instances in which Garland and the Cavs put everyone else on to it. 

That mentality has resided in the Cleveland organization for a minute now—a young team with a scrappy spirit and with the game to back it up. “Just being a pest, really,” Garland says of the team’s character.

“I think we’re starting to put the League on notice that we’re not just any slouch anymore. Like, you just can’t come into Cleveland and roll over us. I think we definitely deserve our respect.” 

SLAM Presents All-Star Vol 2: The Land is available now!

Portrait by Jimmy Longo/Cleveland Cavaliers and Getty Images.

The post Darius Garland’s Elite Play Has the Cavs Ready to Disrupt the Fabric of the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

When Daniel Arsham was told that he would become the creative director of the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was such a historic move that even he wouldn’t be able to tell you that he dreamt of it. The opportunity had never existed until he and the Cavs made it one. 

The genre-bending artist, who is most well known in the world of art galleries and museum exhibits, and has produced collaborations with Porsche, Dior and KITH, to name a few, became the first creative director in franchise history in the fall of 2020. 

Arsham was most recently contracted by recording artist Gunna to design the album cover for his latest project, Drip Season 4, which he brought to life via a casting of the College Park native’s face adorned with an iced-out chain and black angular sunglasses and sky-blue diamonds jutting out of the sculpture’s shoulders, forehead and face. 

Drippy https://t.co/Uy8MIeHzPQ

— Daniel Arsham (@DanielArsham) January 5, 2022

Arsham’s love and admiration for hoops is reflected in some of his most well-received pieces, including Moving Basketball, which was featured as the centerpiece of the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse Public Art Collection, launched by the family of Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert. 

After his installation at the arena, Arsham says numerous conversations with director of brand strategy Grant Gilbert is what led to the brand-new role, placing the contemporary artist in command of the organization’s visual identity. 

“I mean, frankly, I sort of just kept telling [Grant], like, You guys need to change this, you need to change that. The jerseys this season are a little bit lacking. You know, court designs. I had comments about a lot of different things, more so just as a fan of the team,” Arsham tells SLAM. 

“And at some point, he sort of jokingly said, Why don’t you work for us and, like, fix it? Arsham says with a laugh.

The 41-year-old fine artist grew up watching the navy blue and orange Cavalier uniforms jet up and down the court. Arsham, his father and grandfather were all born in The Land. His personal history with the city and the team is more than rich, it’s historic, making this year’s All-Star Weekend even more special. 

When conversations surrounding the organization’s plans for the weekend began, Arsham was told that teams are typically given the option between handing the responsibility off to the League or designing the logo themselves. As soon as he heard the latter, Arsham knew this would be something that would definitely be completed “in-house.”

Alongside the Cavs’ design team, Arsham led the creative direction for this year’s All-Star logo, which features the team’s wine and gold coloring. Most noticeable is the fifth tip of the star, which morphs into Terminal Tower, the landmark skyscraper of downtown Cleveland. 

“The game itself is not really about the team, it’s more about the city. And in some ways, I think that’s also my job—really not only to highlight the Cavs themselves, but it’s such a team that’s ingrained within the city,” Arsham says.

A city whose working-class history often overshadows its modern evolution, Cleveland has seen quite the revitalization on the court, thanks to the continued growth of Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Now it’s Arsham’s turn to convert the grind, the wins and the growth into the next set of ground-breaking pieces. 

From collaborations with StockX, pop-up team shops and art exhibits to highlighting local designers and artists, Arsham and the city of Cleveland will be putting on a show throughout All-Star Weekend. 

“Cleveland, it’s a midsize city,” says Arsham. “So, for it to be able to host an event of that scale, and have all those people in town and everything, it’s obviously a moment for us to show what we’ve got.” 

SLAM Presents All-Star Vol 2: The Land is available now!

Photos courtesy of Daniel Arsham.

The post Daniel Arsham’s Creative Vision is All Over This Year’s All-Star Weekend appeared first on SLAM.

𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡.@alliequigley and @Sloot22 are staying in #Skytown!

: https://t.co/Sba1eMInZa pic.twitter.com/NW4dK1BdbD

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) February 17, 2022

The three-time All-Star has signed a one-year deal with the team while the terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. Quigley and Vandersloot’s return solidifies a roster and starting five itching to repeat as W champions. The organization’s all-time leading scorer returns for her 14th season in the league and 10th in Chicago.

“I’m so excited to be back with the Sky,” Quigley said. “I love this team, and I love playing at home. Wintrust Arena was unbelievable last October, and I can’t wait to get back to that feeling with our fans.”

The pair of guards rank first and second in the organization in all-time in points scored (Quigley: 3,337, Vandersloot: 3,295), assists (Quigley: 2,180, Vandersloot: 586), and three-pointers made (Quigley: 454, Vandersloot: 296).

“This is a big day for our franchise to bring back two of the biggest cornerstones in our team’s history, and they make every single player around them better,” Sky general manager and head coach James Wade said. “Both Allie and Sloot have done so much for our team and for the city to arrive at the level at this level, and it speaks so much about their character and talent.”

The W’s reigning three-point champ averaged 13.2 points, 2.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds on 45.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc before joining UMMC Ekaterinburg overseas, where she averaged 15.6 points per game.

The post Allie Quigley Joins Courtney Vandersloot in Re-signing With Chicago Sky appeared first on SLAM.

Denver Nuggets rookie Bones Hyland has been selected as an injury replacement for the NBA Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 17, 2022

Mitchell has ruled out the game due to right-hand soreness, which caused him to miss last night’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls in a 125-118 loss.

Hyland becomes the second-consecutive Nuggets player to be named to the Rising Stars after Michael Porter Jr. and Facundo Campazzo’s appearance last year in Atlanta. Appearing in 46 games in three starts, the 21-year-old from VCU is averaging 8.8 points, 2.7 boards, and 2.0 assists on 18 minutes per game. Over his last 10, he’s upped his averages to 10.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 40.7 percent from beyond the arc.

The 26th overall pick in 2021 ranks third amongst rookies in free-throw percentage (88.5), third in total threes (79), and 13th in points per game. Against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 15, Bones dropped a career-high 27 points, 10 rebounds, and two dimes while shooting 6-for-10 from distance, becoming just the third Nuggets player ever to post 27+ points and 6+ threes off of the bench, joining Wilson Chandler and Will Barton.

Hyland joins head coach Gary Payton’s team alongside LaMelo Ball, Scottie Barnes, Ayo Dosunmu, Chris Duarte, Scoot Henderson, and Jaden McDaniels in this year’s new format, featuring four teams of seven players.

The 2022 Clorox Rising Stars team rosters pic.twitter.com/d8d4jjpQ9s

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 4, 2022

The 2022 Rising Stars game will kick off All-Star weekend on Friday night.

The post Bones Hyland Replaces Injured Davion Mitchell in Rising Stars Game appeared first on SLAM.

The defending BAL champion Zamalek (Egypt)—who defeated US Monastir, 76-63, last May—and four other teams will be returning from the 2021 season. According to the League, teams will be divided into the Sahara and Nile conferences where they’ll compete in a 15-game group phase.

The season’s opener will see Senegal’s Dakar Université Club (DUC) take on Guinea’s Seydou Legacy Athlétique Club (S.L.A.C).

“We are thrilled to welcome seven new teams and four new countries into the second season of the BAL,” says BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall via an official press release. “Defending Champion Zamalek will anchor the five returning teams, after representing the BAL in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup this month in Cairo.  The competition to bring home the 2022 BAL Championship Trophy is heating up, and we are excited that more fans will have an opportunity to watch the games live in three world-class African cities.”

In order to qualify for this season’s league, teams residing in Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia had to win out their respective national leagues while the remaining six teams from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Mozambique, South Africa and South Sudan earned their participation by way of the Road to BAL qualifying tournaments that ran from October to December of 2021.

The Sahara conference’s play will run from March 5-15 in Dakar while the Nile’s will run from April 9-19 in Cairo with the top four teams from each conference advancing to the single-elimination BAL Playoffs from May 21-28.

“The Road to BAL 2022, which was successfully completed at the end of last year, provided fans with some exciting close games and captivating action. We are optimistic that this expanded BAL season will be a huge success,” says FIBA Africa and BAL Board President Anibal Manave.

Photo via BAL/Getty Images.

The post Basketball Africa League Announces 12 Teams and Game Schedule For 2022 Season appeared first on SLAM.

The Clippers are trading Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and future second-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Norman Powell and Robert Covington, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2022

Powell and Covington’s pure shooting prowess and defensive capabilities will aid Ty Lue’s undermanned Clippers roster with Paul George sidelined with a torn UCL and Kawhi Leonard’s rehab from a torn ACL. The 6’3 guard from UCLA is averaging a career second-best 18.7 points per game while shooting a scintillating 40.6 percent from beyond the arc.

At the same time, Covington’s three-and-D ability off the bench provides the eighth-seeded Clippers with another solid rotational player.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski later reported that the emergence of Anfernee Simons’ game in the absence of Damian Lillard had given the Blazers the confidence to move on from Powell’s long-term five-year $90 million deal, providing George and Leonard with a proven two-way bucket getter.

For Portland, the terms of the deal allow them to slip under the luxury tax bill and create a $6.5 million trade exception that is good for a whole year, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. In comparison, Los Angeles’ tax bill increases by approximately $19 million.

Both players dealt by Portland were brought in over the past two seasons, trading Trevor Ariza and two first-rounders to the Rockets for the 6-foot-9 Covington at the start of the 2020-21 season. The Blazers acquired Powell from the Toronto Raptors during last season’s trade deadline for Gary Trent Jr.

Alongside Dame and CJ McCollum, Powell has started out of position at the three despite being one of the Blazers’ most consistent offensive threats.

The post REPORT: Clippers Send Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow to Blazers for Norman Powell, Robert Covington appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex Antetokounmpo (Raptors 905) are “strongly considering” joining forces in this year’s Skills Challenge in Cleveland.

Sources: Three Antetokounmpo brothers – Giannis and Thanasis of the Milwaukee Bucks and Alex of the G League’s Raptors 905 – are strongly considering participating together in the Skills Challenge at NBA All-Star. A revamped competition is expected to have teams of three players.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2022

Due to the League’s recently announced revamped competition, the Skills Challenge will host teams of three players competing against one another instead of individuals duking it out.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge will kick off Saturday night’s All-Star festivities on February 19th, followed by the 3-Point Contest and the Slam Dunk Contest.

The participants for the 2022 Skills Challenge have yet to be announced.

The post REPORT: Antetokounmpo Brothers ‘Strongly Considering’ Team Up for All-Star Skills Challenge appeared first on SLAM.

The W’s leading scorer in 2021 is taking her talents to Phoenix after the team announced Tina Charles is signing a one-year $108,000 deal with the Mercury.

Tina Charles signed with the Phoenix Mercury for one-year, fully protected contract of $108,000 @Winsidr is informed.

— Rachel Galligan (@RachGall) February 4, 2022

“For us, this move is about adding absolute top-end talent into our frontcourt, which already features what we consider the most dominant player in the game in (Brittney Griner) and the league’s best defender in Brianna Turner,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said. “We expect to be able to play all three fewer minutes, which should benefit us in the playoffs.”

The former 2012 league MVP is coming off of arguably her most outstanding season in the W to date, averaging 23.4 points, 9.6 boards, and 2.1 dimes per game with the Washington Mystics last season.

An imposing force in the paint, Charles not only shot 44.9 percent from the field last season but also drastically improved her outside shot, shooting 36.5 percent from deep as opposed to just 18.6 percent the year prior.

Alongside the recent addition of Diamond DeShields, the Mercury is also rocking with five Olympic gold medalists from the 2021 Tokyo Games in Charles, Brittany Griner, Diana Taurasi, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Kia Nurse.

Entering her 12th season in the W, Charles and the Phoenix Mercury will look to avenge their 2021 championship hopes with a retooled, star-studded roster.

The post Tina Charles Signs One-Year Deal With Phoenix Mercury appeared first on SLAM.

Stephenson’s initial 10-day, which he signed on January 11, expired this morning, prompting the organization to use Stephenson’s final 10-day before being faced with the decision of signing him for the remainder of the season or letting him walk.

Like numerous other former NBA veterans looking to get back into the League, Stephenson has signed multiple 10-days – becoming the first player to sign a fourth 10 day- first signing with the Atlanta Hawks. After appearing in six games for the Hawks, Born Ready then signed his first of three 10-days with the Pacers on the first of the new year.

Typically, a player is restricted in signing more than two 10-day contracts with a single team. However, due to the COVID-19-related hardship exemption, that restriction only applies to standard-10-day agreements. Stephenson is now on his second such deal.

In 11 games played for the team that originally drafted him back in 2010, Stephenson averages 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field in 19.5 minutes a game.

Beat the game clock, bust out the air guitar

Lance Stephenson drains the triple on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/L8Rrlv9ZoR pic.twitter.com/Ib1kCKv8VR

— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2022

It didn’t take long for the Brooklyn-native to fall back into his groove while rocking the yellow and navy blue; in his third game back in Indiana, Stephenson dropped 30 points, five dimes, and a few air guitars in the Pacers’ 129-121 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. In the Pacers’ next game, Stephenson was back to firing from all cylinders against the Utah Jazz, scoring 16 points while dishing out 14 assists in the Pacers’ win three days later.

Through Stephenson’s fourth 10-day, the organization has provided more flexibility as his contract will expire a week before the February 10 trade deadline.

The post Pacers Sign Lance Stephenson to Final 10-Day Contract appeared first on SLAM.

Source: Jazz C Rudy Gobert is out tonight vs. Suns due to calf strain suffered late in last night’s loss to Warriors. The strain is considered mild and isn’t expected to sideline the All-NBA big man for an extended period. Jazz are also without Donovan Mitchell (concussion).

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 24, 2022

MacMahon reports that the strain is currently being considered mild and isn’t expected to sideline the three-time Defensive Player of the Year for an extended period of time.

Before Sunday’s game, Gobert had been dealing with soreness in his left ankle but was listed as available and decided to give it a go before exiting last night’s contest with a little over two minutes left in the game.

“We’re gonna be cautious. I felt something right away–not a tear, but–like a slow tear. I tried to play through it, but I knew I wasn’t moving right,” Gobert said of the injury after Utah’s loss.

The All-NBA center is posting 16.0 points, 15.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game for the Jazz this season.

The post REPORT: Rudy Gobert Out Against Suns with Calf Strain appeared first on SLAM.

The Connecticut Sun are finalizing a multi-year deal with Jonquel Jones to officially bring back the reigning MVP, sources tell @justwsports

— Rachel Galligan (@RachGall) January 24, 2022

The 28-year-old was nearly named unanimous MVP in last season’s race, receiving 48 of the 49 first-place votes. Her MVP season, and fifth in the W, accounted for a career-high 19.4 points, 11.2 boards, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game in 31.7 minutes on 51.5 percent from the field. The League’s leader in rebounds finished fourth in scoring while serving as the defensive anchor for the League’s best defensive team.

After entering the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the League, the Sun (26-6) were defeated in four games by the eventual WNBA champions, the Chicago Sky (16-16).

The news of Jones’ resigning comes less than 24 hours after Khristina Williams of Girls Talk Sports reported All-Star Courtney Williams was expected to finalize a deal to return to the Sun for the upcoming season.

The post REPORT: Reigning MVP Jonquel Jones Finalizing Multi-Year Deal with Sun appeared first on SLAM.

Nygaard replaces Sandy Brondello, who was hired as the New York Liberty’s head coach in early January after her contract expired following the 2021 season.

On Monday, Jennings reports that the Mercury will officially name Nygaard their head coach.

The Phoenix Mercury will announce Vanessa Nygaard as their head coach on Monday ahead of the Suns’ game, sources tell @TheAthleticWBB.

— Chantel Jennings (@ChantelJennings) January 21, 2022

Nygaard’s resume on the court is just as extensive as it is on the sidelines, playing in three Final Fours for Stanford and in the WNBA for five seasons. The Scottsdale, AZ native began her coaching career as an assistant at Long Beach State and Pepperdine before heading to the W in 2008, joining the San Antonio Stars coaching staff and then the Washington Mystics in 2009.

During that same 2009 season, Nygaard began coaching at Winward High School in Los Angeles, CA, before joining the team full-time as the head coach in 2012. At the helm, Nygaard led the women’s program to three state titles in 2013, 2017, and 2018.

Most recently, Nygaard returned to the W as an assistant coach on Bill Laimbeer’s Las Vegas Aces staff for the 2020-2021 season while also coaching the Team USA U16 team in 2017 and the U17 team in the 2018 FIBA World Cup.

Jennings reports that Nygaard’s next step is to fill out the rest of her staff next week.

The post REPORT: Phoenix Mercury Hire Vanessa Nygaard as Next Head Coach appeared first on SLAM.

Sweet Syl has confirmed via Instagram she’s returning to Minnesota next season…. IT’S LIT@SylviaFowles @minnesotalynx pic.twitter.com/vm3s4PBdMG

— WSLAM (@wslam) January 20, 2022

“HOME” is all the two-time champion wrote as the caption of her announcement to return for her 15th season and 8th in Minnesota. However, a deal is still looming as Fowles is technically still a free agent, with teams not announcing signings until February 1.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sylvia Fowles (@sylvia_fowles)

Despite their second-round elimination at the hands of the 2021 champion Chicago Sky, Fowles averaged 16.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and a career-high 1.8 steals per game, leading to her fourth Defensive Player of the Year award and second while with the Lynx.

The WNBA’s all-time leader in rebounds and backbone of the Lynx franchise since her trade from the Sky in 2014 is poised to make yet another run at DPOY honors and a WNBA All-Team behind her 6’6 frame, innate shot-blocking ability, and a bountiful amount of experience as one of the League’s best centers.

The post Sylvia Fowles Announces Return to Minnesota Lynx Via Instagram appeared first on SLAM.

The King is now just 93 assists away from becoming the first 30,000/10,000/10,000 player in NBA history.

Not normal to be doing this on year 19…(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/mK3doPAhEi

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 20, 2022

With just 4:11 remaining in the fourth, James chased after a missed three by Torrey Craig to notch the landmark board. In 37 minutes of action, the four-time MVP dropped 30 points, 12 boards, and five dimes alongside two steals, becoming the 42nd player in the League’s history to reach 10,000 rebounds, joining fellow teammates Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan as the only active players to reach the milestone.

After their fourth loss in five games, James and the Lakers will look to find their groove once again against the Orlando Magic on Friday.

The post LeBron James Notches Another Career Milestone, First Player to Record 30,000/10,000/9,000 appeared first on SLAM.

Bamba came out the gates scorching hot, exploding in the first half for 28 of his 32 points while simultaneously hitting a career-high seven threes in just 18 minutes played. The former 6th overall pick in the 2018 draft grabbed four rebounds and swatted away three shots while shooting 12-for-15 from the field in the game.

Career high night in the 1st half. Congrats Mo (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/wHZ7LkHmUh

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 20, 2022

Bamba, whose previous career-high was 22, shot 7-for-8 from deep before fouling out of the game midway through the fourth quarter.

“I credit it all to my teammates. They were able to find me in different situations – whether it was pindowns, or trail threes, just different types of action. They really just embraced it. They embraced me. Without them, I don’t think I would have a career-high,” Bamba said postgame.

The Magic and Bamba will be back home in Orlando Friday night to face the Los Angeles Lakers.

The post Mo Bamba Records Most Threes Made in a Game By a Center in Magic History appeared first on SLAM.