To honor the freshly minted MVP and his magical title run, we’ve put the irrepressible offensive force front and center on SLAM’s annual champs issue – cop it at the SLAM Store today.

While the significance of Gilgeous-Alexander’s season from an individual standpoint (he’s the first player to claim MVP, Finals MVP, Conference Finals MVP and the scoring title in the same season) is no secret, credit belongs equally to the historically dominant team behind him.

The 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder where a stubbornly merciless defensive juggernaut that moonlit as a Top 3 offense, an unrelenting swarm of switchable length and suffocating grit that fed on the souls of opposing offenses when not racking up a 119.2 offensive rating of their own.

Now they’re NBA champions with the youngest NBA Finals squad in nearly 50 years and fascinatingly deep war chest of draft capital that could keep them in position to be back here year in and year out.

But this isn’t about Oklahoma City’s hypothetical stranglehold on the future, this is about the very tangible, confetti-filled present.

Celebrate the moment with all-new champs cover merchandise, the yearly tradition print magazine and special serial-numbered versions of the mag at the SLAM Store while supplies last.

View the Oklahoma City Thunder Champs Issue Collection now.

The post Big Rings: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Graces Champs Issue appeared first on SLAM.

“I mean, if we’re gonna play, why not be as competitive as you can and go as hard as you can? Because if you’re not going hard, to me, it’s not fun. It’s not how the game’s supposed to be played,” she says.

That’s been the mantra the 6-2 wing has played under for her entire hoops career. Pull up the tape and you’ll see.

On the offensive end, Knox gets buckets from all levels, scoring in the post and occasionally letting one fly from deep. Defensively, she locks down opponents on the interior, blocking shots like A’ja Wilson—the player she molds her game after.

But most notable on the tape is Knox’s hustle. She makes timely cuts, sets brick-wall screens and comes down with every 50/50 ball. “Even if other things, like points, aren’t showing, I was taught that other things matter, like rebounding, 50/50 balls, playing defense—and those can really determine the game at the end of the day,” she says. “Just trying to focus on what I’m good at, and I’m pretty athletic, so I think that helps a lot and brings a lot to my game.”

Knox always had athletic talent, originally aspiring to play in the NFL. Once she moved on from that dream, she switched to basketball. With the help of her father, she started seriously working at the game. After hooping in Nevada, Knox transferred to Etiwanda High School in California to better prepare for college and gain higher levels of exposure.

She dealt with nagging back injuries, which sidelined her for her sophomore season, leading to a lengthy rehabilitation process. Throughout that journey, she received vital support from her family and used her goal of playing college hoops to motivate herself to recover. Even from the bench, Knox still improved her game in different areas.

“I think it helped me as well in an IQ way, just learning the floor from a different angle, from a different perspective, and just kind of seeing things that I wouldn’t see if I was playing,” she says.

When she returned to the court, the accolades began piling up.

Playing alongside guard Puff Morris, Knox averaged 17.2 points and 11.9 rebounds per game in her junior season, leading the Eagles to a CIF Open Division state championship. During her senior season, Knox averaged another double-double and was stuffing around four shots a game. She was named a McDonald’s All-American and played in the Nike Hoop Summit.

As if scouts weren’t already turning their heads after the showcases, her final playoff push cemented her status as a top player in the nation.

Knox closed out her high school career in a league of her own, winning her second CIF Open Division state championship in a row.

It’s easy to see why Knox received over 40 DI offers during her recruitment. Powerhouse programs like USC, Texas and Tennessee offered her, but she eventually committed to LSU in November. “I felt like their program in general, their style of play, matches really well with how I want to be able to play and develop along the years,” Knox says. “The culture had a lot to do with my decision as well, just the family welcoming, comfortable culture, just knowing that I’ll be taken care of.”

But more importantly, coach Kim Mulkey’s development program factored into her decision.  The four-time champion’s pipeline goes far. Brittney Griner. NaLyssa Smith. Angel Reese. The talent speaks for itself. Now, Knox is in a prime position to become Mulkey’s next great wing.

Alongside fellow five-star recruits ZaKiyah Johnson and Divine Bourrage, Knox headlines LSU’s No. 2 ranked recruiting class (according to 247sports) for the 2025-26 season.

Her goal for the upcoming season is simple, and one that will have Tiger Nation excited for what’s to come. Knox said she wants to bring home hardware and hang another championship banner in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. “My goal is to eventually become a starter during my freshman year,” she says. “I want to be on the first All-Conference team for the SEC and just [win] as many freshman accolades as I can, just so people know who I am and that I can prove myself.”

Portraits by Sam Muller.

The post Grace Knox, the No. 7-Ranked Player in the Class of 2025, is Poised to Make a Whole Lot of Noise at LSU appeared first on SLAM.

Sure, every prospect who’s reached this point has had to sacrifice something to get here. But Egor’s sacrifice was just…different. Not in the abstract sense, but in the deeply personal kind—the kind that asks a teenager to leave home at 15, cross continents, learn two new languages and carry the weight of not just his own ambition, but his family’s dreams. That kind of sacrifice.

We’re a few days out from the NBA draft, and Egor is on the cusp of hearing his name called, walking across the stage and shaking Adam Silver’s hand. The 19-year-old, 6-9 point guard—yes, point guard—has the vision of a veteran optometrist and the feel for the game of a seasoned pro. But none of that means much unless you understand what it took to get here.

You have to start in Russia.

Egor was born into basketball. His father had a long professional career and represented Russia on the national team. And his mother, who played until she was 18, was the first person to put the battery in his back.

“For me, it was just like, Well, that’s fun, because all my family was doing it,” Demin tells SLAM. “But then I had the moment where I heard my mom saying, Hey, if you really like it, then respect it. Put effort in this. And if you really want to play basketball, then try to be the best in it. And this is the moment when I kind of started to take it serious.”

But while kids stateside grow up with the NBA stitched into their imagination, Egor grew up a world away, where that dream felt distant, if not impossible.

“Growing up in Russia, it was always a dream, and it was always in my head,” he recalls. “But it always felt unreal, because it’s really far, and not many Russian players were in the NBA. It was always a feeling of, Well, how’s it even gonna happen?”

So rather than chase a dream that felt so out of reach, he focused on improvement. Relentlessly. By 15, it became clear he wasn’t just another tall kid with a nice handle. His gifts were unordinary for a kid his age, a kid his size. The way he processed the game. The way he saw space. The purpose he played with.

And with that clarity came a new choice: stay in Russia and hit the ceiling or leave everything behind in pursuit of something greater.

Egor moved to Spain to join Real Madrid’s famed youth system. His parents stayed behind.

Imagine that. You’re a teenager. You live in a new country. You barely speak the language. Your parents—your comfort, your counsel—are more than four thousand miles away.

“It was really hard to move to a different country and spend three years in Spain, really far away from my family and they couldn’t really come visit me. This was the hardest stage of my path,” he says. “When something was frustrating, or if I was sad, I couldn’t just call my parents, because they’d just freak out. So I’m thinking about how I could take care of my mental health, but I also gotta take care of my parents’ mental health.”

But he did it. And in doing so, he learned what it meant to be a pro. Soon enough, the dream no longer felt far-fetched. It felt tangible. And more than that, it felt earned. Now, it was time to take it to yet another level.

Egor could’ve taken the traditional NCAA route. Blue bloods lined up. He fielded offers from the likes of Duke, UConn and more. But like he’s done his entire basketball life, he took the path less traveled. He committed to Coach Kevin Young and Brigham Young University, becoming the Cougars’ then highest-rated recruit in program history.

Some asked, why BYU? The answer was simple: NBA pedigree.

“Who can prepare me better than an NBA coach?” Egor says. “Besides [Young], they had an NBA strength and conditioning coach. They had a nutritionist from the NBA. We had a mental coach from the NBA. Everybody’s like, Provo, Utah, is so boring. I’m like, You play basketball there, man!”

In Provo, he was everywhere. Guarding multiple positions. Running the break. Dishing with touch. Setting screens. Reading rotations. He became BYU’s connective tissue. And through it all, his game spoke louder than he did.

He sees the pass before you see the lane. He anticipates plays before they happen. His frame—long and fluid—lets him make plays few guards can. His basketball IQ exceeds his age, and his character might rate even higher than his game. That might be the most impressive part.

This isn’t a kid who’s been handed anything. He doesn’t see himself as a final product. He sees himself as a piece that can fit in any puzzle. A weapon that can be sharpened. A player who can make an impact now while evolving into something even greater.

His potential is untapped, but he’s eager to make an instant contribution to any organization that takes a bet on him. As for what that contribution may be? He doesn’t care.

“I just want to be helpful. Whatever it takes,” he says. “I want to bring my versatility to any team that takes me, and that’s why I believe I can be a good fit for any team.

“I’m not just a point guard, I’m a playmaker,” Egor continues. “I told every team I was meeting with [during the pre-draft process], Hey, I can be whatever you want me to be. I want to learn.”

Egor envisions himself being one of the strongest, most complete guards in the League someday. He envisions himself being one of the best defenders in the League. He wants to dominate in every aspect of the game. And he’s building the foundation brick by brick.

“I’m not running away from anything. I’m not trying to hide my weaknesses. I know it’s going to be hard anywhere I go,” he says. “I’m ready for the worst, but I’m expecting the best.”

His voice never wavers. You can tell he’s said this to himself in the mirror. During tough nights in Spain. During quiet days in Utah. During the moments no one sees. He isn’t playing for applause. He’s playing for meaning.

Every conversation with Egor eventually comes back to his family. His father, whose dreams stopped short. His mother, who first planted the seed of seriousness. The weight of their faith propels him to stay the course.

“I just talked to my dad a couple of days ago, and he was talking about how crazy life is,” Egor shares, “for bringing his kid dream to life through his kid.

“For me, it’s hard to really understand how big it is for him, because I don’t have kids yet. But I see myself in the future as a really proud father. My parents were living this whole process through me, and it was probably even harder for them than it was for me.”

The draft is days away. There will be cameras. A fresh suit. Green room nerves. And millions of new eyeballs on him. But Egor will walk in with the same mindset that took him across an ocean: gratitude.

“I have a lot of good people surrounding me. The opportunities that I’m getting are a blessing. It’s nothing but gratitude from my part,” he says. “Everything around me is taken care of, thanks to all these people around me. Now I just have to grind. I just gotta give my best to the game.”

There’s something riveting about the long road. The scenic route. The inconvenient path. It reveals more. Demands more. Shapes more.

Egor didn’t come up through viral mixtapes. He wasn’t raised in the AAU circuit. His journey—from Russia to Spain to Utah to the NBA—is the epitome of a tireless pursuit of excellence. And when his name is called on draft night, he won’t act surprised. He won’t act entitled. He’ll simply get ready.

To train. To adapt. To lead. To prove, over and over, that he belongs. He’s not a dreamer anymore. He’s the dream realized.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post BYU’s Egor Demin Breaks Down His Journey From Russia to the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

The journey began in the late ’90s when the Real Run’s founder, Deanthony Langston, kicked off the summer league for graduating high school seniors and local L.A. legends who were home from campus, guys like John Williams, Reggie Theus and Stephen Thompson. Over the years, the pro-am became a revolving door for NBA greats, too; Paul Pierce, Baron Davis, Penny Hardaway and Gilbert Arenas mixed in with Cal State Northridge’s Jason Crowe, UCLA’s Toby Bailey and Washington State’s Dominic Ellison. The competition wasn’t just legit, it was must-see.  

Between working as the athletic director at Verbum Dei High School, heading up the summer league and running his own AAU program, Langston was ingrained across all three levels of hoops in the L.A. area. But he still saw a need, a league dedicated solely to the college players who called the greater Los Angeles area home. And for the past five years, Langston, local rappers and key leaders across the community have filled that need.

For the next eight weeks, the Real Run L.A. College Summer League is providing a platform for the region’s best to continue competing, developing and getting real exposure. And in true West Coast fashion, each of the 10 teams are repped by local hip-hop and R&B artists from BLXST to The Game, Dom Kennedy, Symba, Reason and more. 

The league is back on June 22nd with even more resources for players of new and old. Chase Bank and JP Morgan have partnered with the league to offer financial literacy services, while the City of Carson’s sponsorship is providing connections off the hardwood.

“We’re trying to have more than just a basketball league coming in there, free for the community. We’re trying to give them something that they can really learn from. If somebody taught us like this, a lot of us would be better off right now, foundationally,” Langston says. “There’s so many different things that we can do to help it because Southern California basketball is the best in the country. And the only way that you can say that is by how many pros that we’ve produced and how many are projected out in the future.”

The Veterans Park Sports and Complex in Carson, CA, where the games are held, has been churning out both pros and second chances for years. Just ask Jeremy Dent-Smith, the third-year returner who’s gone from being a CCAA champion with Cal State Dominguez Hills to suiting up for Stanford next season.

“L.A. sometimes is so big that you might not always have the attention of someone else. It’s a lot of diamonds in the rough out here,” Jeremy says. “So just being able to play against them, being able to get good bump and hoop, it’s kind of amazing to me.” 

After being overlooked by the major programs on the West Coast, Jeremy began his freshman year at the Division 2 level in Carson, averaging 6.3 points per game. He could have been jealous, could have doubted himself. Instead, he shifted his perspective to be “thankful and patient for what you have.” And he used the Real Runs as his lab.

The 6-1 point guard proceeded to take home CCAA Player of the Year as a sophomore, win the CCAA championship as a junior and snag back-to-back All-American honors in the process.  

“When I would come into the runs wanting to play against them dudes who went off to college, went off to the DI [that] I wanted to go to, I think that helped motivate me every time I stepped onto the court because I wanted to beat them or I wanted to show that I was better than them. Just being able to play against that every single weekend, every single Saturday, it’s something that not too many people in the world get.”

With two summers in the league under his belt, the Hawthorne native isn’t the only one who’s been using the runs to expand their net of possibilities. Newly signed San Francisco guard Meghan McIntyre’s been suiting up since the Real Run added a women’s league in 2023. 

“Getting to play with other girls that are top-tier talent that you wouldn’t normally play with is such a cool experience,” she says. “It’s something that obviously helps in the offseason. Try new things, kind of showcase what you’ve been working on in the spring and summer to prepare you to go to [the] next step later on in the next year and for other athletes as well.”

Operating with freedom in the runs has given her more reps at balancing the scales of a point guard’s responsibilities. Who needs the rock and when? Who’s on a streak? When can you get yours? 

“It’s a hard balance, but it’s something I love. And I’m passionate about my position as a point guard, being able to make the right read, whether it is scoring or making the right pass,” Meghan says. “So playing in the league allows me to kind of come in and not really think too much. Just get out there and kind of showcase what I’ve been working on and gain that confidence so that, when the time comes for the season, it’s no thinking. It’s just happening.”

The 5-6 Long Beach native has been making it happen for each team she’s been on over the past four seasons, from Golden West Community College and Orange Coast CC to landing at Southern Oregon in 2023. In between seasons, she’s been testing her growth in the Real Runs. And in her first year at the NAIA level, Meghan led the Raiders to the conference regular season and tournament championships. In her senior year, they recorded the first undefeated regular season in Cascade Conference history and advanced to the NAIA Final 8. The confidence built into her game from the past two summers has led to her final college chapter taking place at the DI level and back in her home state, hooping with the Dons.  

“Those stories right there about those kids is the essence of Real Run,” Langston says. “They were All-League in high school, but they were forgotten by USC, UCLA, Long Beach State, Arizona State, they were forgotten. And their redemption is a motherfu**er coming back right here.”

The theme of finding opportunities has been consistent since the college summer league debuted. Los Angeles native Doctor Bradley’s been using the past two summers to make a name for himself following a long and winding path across numerous campuses.

After redshirting with Cal State Fullerton and playing a reserved role in his debut campaign, Doctor transferred to Salt Lake Community College for a season before landing at New Mexico State. It wasn’t until his junior year at Arkansas-Pine Bluff that his game began to blossom. The 6-8 guard went from dropping 5.3 points a game as a freshman to dropping 19.6 with ease as a junior. His breakout season has landed him at Bethune-Cookman for the 2025-26 campaign. 

In between the various stops across the country, Doctor’s been using the Real Runs to fine-tune his confidence as he arrives at each new program.

“I work on my game the whole summer, and then I’m going to my new school, it helps me boost my confidence playing well against top talent in the college community,” Doctor says. “I’ve been working on my jumper this whole summer and [now] I get to try it and work out with the best college players, with the L.A. community, and see how I am now.” 

Doctor’s not just motivated by his ascension, he’s trying to put on for the kids sitting in the stands in Carson. He wants to be an example. He wants them to learn from his story. Just keep going.

“I feel like people get motivated in different ways. Like, if you see somebody go through the worst and make it out, then that could motivate somebody more than somebody just telling somebody, You got it. Keep going. But if you actually see a person going through a lot of trauma and a lot of ups and downs and making it out, then that can motivate somebody even more,” Doctor says. “I feel like even second chances, second chances are different for everybody. The Real Run. The Real Run is a second chance for me because it gives you the opportunity to even get another scholarship. Players make names from there. I can’t just always count down and think negatively. I just have to have that faith and keep going.” 

Every Saturday for the next eight weeks, word of mouth will spread the stories of L.A.’s next undiscovered stars. Scholarships and offers are on the horizon. But this space, built for college hoopers to keep their games sharp in the offseason, is about more than getting to the next stop. It’s about prolonged success afterward. The connections made in the gym. The knowledge picked up during virtual learning sessions. Deanthony Langston and the Real Runs are still fulfilling the need.

Photos courtesy of Real Run L.A.

The post How the Real Run L.A. College Summer League is Giving the Area’s Best Another Chance to Shine in the Offseason appeared first on SLAM.

Four straight state championships at Christopher Columbus High School. Three consecutive Nike EYBL Peach Jam titles on the 15U, 16U and 17U circuits. Two gold medals — one at the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and another at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. Both players are McDonald’s All-Americans and national champions. Cameron’s a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year. Cayden’s the 2025 Chipotle Nationals All-Tournament MVP. And they’re both headed to Duke this fall to helm yet another stacked recruiting class. 

The post Behind the Brotherhood: Cameron and Cayden Boozer Break Down Their College Commitment and Bringing Their Winning Ways to Duke  appeared first on SLAM.

Next thing he knew, Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks was being stretchered off the court to the back of American Airlines Center in Dallas. The injury, which he now describes as a “freak accident,” had occurred during a regular-season matchup between the Jazz and the Mavericks as Hendricks, who was running down the court, seemingly slipped. After athletic trainers rushed over to pop his dislocated ankle back in place, Hendricks thought to himself, OK, I’m probably good. I’ll probably be out for a few weeks. I’m probably straight. But later, X-rays would reveal that his season was over before it had ever really started. Three games in, he was ruled out indefinitely with a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle on his right leg.

“I was like, bro, there’s no way this is happening to me,” Hendricks tells us in late April, six months after the injury went down in October. “You know, you would see it online happen to other players, like crazy injuries, but for it to actually happen to you, it’s crazy.”

Hendricks, whose family was watching the game live on television, remembers his phone immediately blowing up with calls from his mom, Danielle, and his siblings. “They were really distraught,” he remembers. “I was just trying to keep a calm voice, pretty much tell them everything is straight, I’m good…[But] inside my mind, I’m thinking about 100 different things.”

The reality of everything that had happened didn’t really hit him until he got back to Salt Lake City and was laying in his bed with his foot elevated. “That’s probably when it really hit me,” he says. “Like, Wow, I’m really hurt. I can’t do nothing. My season’s over.”

But instead of letting the disappointment consume him, Taylor faced the injury head-on. The journey would go on to shape his character—not just as a hooper, but as a person determined to bounce back.

Hendricks knew he didn’t want to let the injury define him, but in those early months, he also realized that he had a ways to go before even thinking about returning to the court. After undergoing surgery, Hendricks focused on getting stronger and “building up the bricks,” as he puts it. Learning how to rely on others for help, though, was one of the biggest learning curves for him throughout the process.

“I’m the type of person that likes to do things, if I can, by myself. I try not to ask for help unless I really, really need it,” Hendricks says. “So to be in a position like that where you can’t really do anything or you can’t do a lot of things yourself, it was really frustrating.”

With the help of his support system, which includes Danielle, who even moved to SLC to support him post-op, teammates like Collin Sexton and the Utah coaching staff, Hendricks has gone from taking things day by day to almost a full recovery going into the summer. From starting to walk without crutches to without a boot and scooter entirely. Throughout the process, he’s even picked up new approaches to taking care of his body, including icing and wearing barefoot shoes, which help with his strength and mobility. “I really felt myself getting better every week, so that was kind of the motivation, the driving point,” Taylor says.

If the healing process sounds quick, it’s because it was. Taylor’s twin brother, Tyler, also shared what it was like watching Taylor go through this process from the outside. “His healing process was pretty quick honestly. I felt like he healed pretty well. He took it very well, and he did all the right things to get better,” Tyler said. “He wasn’t forcing it to get better. He was just taking his time and doing all the stuff he had to do. So we’re happy to see him out there.”

Now on the other side of his setback, Taylor is focused, driven and ready to elevate his game using everything he’s learned during the recovery process.

“The way this season went, I’m going to keep that in mind,” he says. “Anytime it gets hard, just think about where you were a year ago. You weren’t able to play, you weren’t even able to walk. So I feel like things like that will definitely help me push through. Be grateful and have gratitude for where I am—or where I will be.”

Photos courtesy of Taylor Hendricks.

The post After Season-Ending Injury Utah’s Taylor Hendricks Details His Journey to Recovery appeared first on SLAM.

My roots in Brooklyn go way back. When Liberty CEO Keia Clarke and Chief Brand Officer Shana Stephenson were dreaming up a new mascot for our team to reflect our move to Brooklyn, Keia came across this fun fact of Brooklyn history: Before the Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883, people weren’t sure of its structural integrity. So, what did Mr. P.T. Barnum, the legendary showman, do? He marched 21 elephants across the bridge to prove its strength. That moment was legendary, and now, I get to carry that legacy forward – proudly stomping through Brooklyn with the same spirit of strength and showmanship. Everything about me is unapologetically Brooklyn – my style, my performances, my voice. Like Brooklyn, I contain multitudes – I’m an artist, dancer, performer, and advocate.

My goal has always been to inspire and connect with as many people as I can. Our home games at Barclays Center are such a joy for me. I know that our fans come from near and far to the Liberty and me in action, and I want to give them every second of entertainment and joy that I can. On game day, you can find me everywhere from courtside to the suites and upper levels at the arena. I consider it my mission to welcome and shine love on each and every fan we welcome into our home. These are the things that make the Liberty game day experience unique and memorable – and what I’m most proud of.

Now, a word on the New York Liberty crowd: if you’ve been to a game at Barclays Center, then you know what I’ve always known — New York Liberty games are the best party in the city! Maybe the best party in sports — and don’t call me biased. Under the direction of Senior Director of Entertainment Criscia Long and Senior Manager of Entertainment Shenay Rivers, there is truly no show like Liberty entertainment. We perform for REAL. 

It’s not just the trending moments you see on social media — my team and I believe in giving it our all, every play of every game. Like our fans, I do not play about my team. I am extremely passionate about maintaining a positive atmosphere in the arena so that my sisters on the court feel nothing but positive energy radiating from the crowd.

Watching the Liberty bring home our first WNBA Championship in 28 seasons was one of the most invigorating experiences I’ve ever had. The Liberty are an original franchise of the WNBA, and at that final game, you could feel the determination – the many years of history shifting into victory. New York fans were hungry, and the Liberty finally brought home our city’s first professional basketball championship in over 50 years! While some folks in the crowd might have been sweating those last few seconds, I was thinking about each and every Liberty legend, past and present, who paved the way for that moment – I was more sure than ever that our story was ending with a WIN. Turns out, it wasn’t the end of our story at all. Looking back, it almost feels like the beginning! After the confetti fell, the team launched into a truly surreal couple of days. The New York Liberty were everywhere: morning shows, late night shows, parading through the Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan with thousands of fans, holding the trophy up for New York and the world to see!

Since then, everyone’s been asking me what I’ve been up to during the offseason, which always makes me laugh. One thing you’ll learn about me is I’m never “off.” Being forever “ON” is one of my superpowers – it’s what’s enabled my limitless growth, especially in the last year.

When I’m not courtside at Barclays Center, I’m in rehearsals and training to truly take my brand to the next level. I have been making moves and strategically planning how to bring my Herd an even higher, ELLIE-vatedlevel of entertainment and content for the 2025 WNBA season. While many of my plans have yet to be revealed, I can say that my team and I have been brainstorming new looks, hustling on new deals, and crafting exciting moments on and off the court for Liberty fans. Everyone wants to know what and who I’ll be wearing in the tunnel this year. Trust me: My team has more than a few tricks up our sleeves, and we have our finger on the pulse of what the fashion girlies are loving these days.

Like many Brooklynites, fashion and how I represent myself through style means a lot to me. It’s a goal of mine to be viewed as more than a mascot, more than a dancer – I want to be viewed as an artist, an icon, an extension of the team and the spirit of the Liberty.

I’m not a traditional mascot, so I’m going to have a look that’s totally me. Every detail from nail to tail is intentionally crafted and curated by our team to reflect the culture and essence of Brooklyn. It started with introducing my now iconic braid. Look around Barclays Center on any given game day and you’ll see me – and Liberty fans at every level in the arena – swinging our braids around. Last season, we introduced my jersey dress, or the ‘Herzey,’ as I like to call it. So many people were talking about my new fit that we decided to officially sell them this season! I expect to see a sea of Herzey dresses at Liberty games soon. 

Fashion was a big part of my brand and my story last year, and it still is, but I have my eyes on some other prizes too. My team is already making moves so we can take the Ellie brand to the next level. Maybe you saw the Liberty’s partnership with essie? I got my first manicure and became essie’s first-ever celebrity spokesperson! Remember what I said about looking good from nail to tail? So yeah, I’m thinking beauty, business, and beyond. I’m thinking about how I can really breakthrough in the business world and bring value to our partners, attract brands who vibe with the way we do things at the Liberty, and keep giving our fans the best experience every time they walk through the doors for a Liberty game. Don’t be surprised if you see me and my team in your boardroom talking business sometime soon. I want to continue my ascent to unforeseen heights, and I know that I can and will inspire people and brands to be limitless. I really do believe if you can dream it, you can do it – so just watch what I dream up next.

Can I tell you a secret, SLAM? I put the SLAM cover on my vision board back before the 2024 WNBA season, so to be the first mascot ever to be featured on the cover of SLAM is truly a dream come true. When I saw my girls Stewie, JJ, and Sab on the cover of SLAM 253, I knew it was time to hustle harder than ever before and make my dream a reality.

I’ve been thinking about what this honor means to me, and I created an acronym for what SLAM represents for me: Solidifying Legacy & Achieving Mastery. I’m so honored to be featured by a magazine that has chronicled the greats of basketball, and I am more inspired than ever to keep reaching for the next level of excellence. For me, it’s not about finding contentment in being good – or great, even. It’s about continual refinement, growth, and control over my craft. If I stopped at being a good mascot, I wouldn’t be writing to you all today. I truly believe when you use your gifts, you can redefine any role and bring unlimited value to it – and it all starts with being YOU. To see this come to fruition is a testament to my belief that when you have a vision, make a plan, and apply work to the faith: It. Will. Happen.

I was putting in the work well before my first real viral moment: long rehearsals, running around the arena making sure every fan felt shined on, hustling and preparing for the moment I knew was going to come. It all seemed to change for me when two of my Torch Patrol dancers (shoutout Jocinda and Eileen!) and I did a Cardi B dance challenge that was trending on TikTok. Imagine my surprise when I opened up my phone to see Cardi B herself commented and reposted. The next thing I know, I’m going viral on social media, giving interviews, doing photo shoots, Ciara’s team is calling me up to perform with her, I’m the first professional sports team mascot to have their own float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and before you know it – I’m on the cover of SLAM! Now I’m working harder than ever, and I couldn’t be happier. It brings me such joy to connect with fans – in person at Liberty games, over social media, and on the pages of their favorite magazines. My goal has always been to inspire as many people as I can to embrace life and live authentically.

I’m so excited for Liberty and WNBA fans to share in what we’ve been planning to bring the Ellie-vation to new heights this season. So much has been in the works, and I want everyone on the edge of their seats, so I won’t be revealing too much of my master plan here. If there’s one thing you can be sure of when it comes to Ellie the Elephant: Expect a show! The Liberty have been hard at work this offseason. I’m so excited to cut up with my new and returning Liberty besties, show off my new looks in the tunnel, and continue to share my love of dance and connecting with fans.

To all the Liberty fans out there, to my Herd near and far: I Stomp. You Stomp. We Stomp. Dream big, work hard, and always stay true to YOU. You never know – you may end up on the cover of SLAM one day too.

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

The post Ellie The Elephant Runs the City | WSLAM Digital Cover Story appeared first on SLAM.

On an overcast day in mid-April, Cloud was welcomed to the New York Liberty with a seafoam carpet roll out. “WELCOME TO BROOKLYN” signage filled nearly every LED screen in and around the arena, from the marquee outside to the video board in the team’s locker room, where her Rebel Edition threads were already set up. Coaches, front office staff, the PR department and the social media team huddled around the organization’s star offseason pick-up, capturing every second of her first day. You couldn’t get Cloud to stop smiling if you tried. And after an offseason filled with uncertainty, there’s a genuine joy behind her grin. She’s back on Cloud 9.

“I just kind of thought that I was coming in and just getting my locker. I’ve never had a big kind of reveal like that. So when I came and everyone was kind of outside, it was a shock for me, especially with the way that I was traded. It has been hard to kind of trust in the next process, but I truly am in the place that I’m meant to be,” Cloud told us when she sat down for her SLAM 256 cover shoot in early May. “So I’m just really thankful to be here, be part of this organization and to be in a position to even compete for championships again. That’s really all I want at this point in my career. I feel like I have a lot left to give the game, and this is the best place for me to try and go win a championship with this group of people, with this coaching staff, with this front office. I’m really excited.”

To fully understand how we got to the corner of Flatbush Ave. and Atlantic Ave., we’ve got to take it back to the winter of 2024, when the future wasn’t so certain. With free agency looming at the end of her eighth season with the Washington Mystics, Cloud says she was never offered an extension from the team she helped lead to six playoff appearances and the 2019 WNBA championship. The lack of commitment bruised her ego. So she leaned into the challenges that arose with a new organization and a new city, locking in with the Phoenix Mercury on a two-year deal. “This was, like, my big kind of leap to see if I can spread my wings and fly and be who I was for DC, be that in Phoenix. And so I did that,” Cloud says. 

The crop top papi poured in 11.5 points, 6.9 dimes and 1.4 steals a night, notching her third All-Defensive team selection and leading the Mercury to the first round of the 2024 WNBA playoffs before they were knocked out in two games by a Finals-bound Lynx squad. 

The past few seasons have been, as Cloud puts it, “a whirlwind,” but the 2022 assist champ was feeling good about riding out the rest of her career in the desert. That was until she started scrolling through her social media feed while at Unrivaled in early February and found out she’d been traded, without warning, to a Connecticut Sun organization in rebuild mode. 

“I very much said my piece after those calls, because for me as a player, you asked me to do a few things: to show up, to change a culture, to bring you back to the playoffs. And I did all three things while also having one of my best statistical years,” Cloud says. “So on paper, it doesn’t really make sense, but from the business aspect, I understand. So that’s all for me as a player, telling my truth of the story is just that, the business side of things fans don’t always see, the media don’t always see, but there is still a healthy way of doing business.

“So not only am I being traded in the middle of an offseason, which was not communicated to me, unexpected, didn’t necessarily make sense, but [I’m] having to do it in front of my co-workers and go in the next day with people that I actually was traded for,” she continues. “So emotionally, that was really hard. But the beauty of this game is, it has always been my oasis. So when things got really chaotic and tough for me emotionally, mentally, spiritually, within that trade, I just really dove back into basketball. And like it always has, it kind of saved me, kept my head above water.”

The gym is where Cloud says she can be both vulnerable and comfortable with herself. The frustration and confusion of the past few months were channeled into every drill, every jumper, every lift. She found comfort in conversations with her therapist, the community in the Phantom BC’s locker room and a newly established backcourt connection with Unrivaled teammate Sabrina Ionescu. 

The drive and hunger to compete for a championship were still as strong as when she was a rookie, but Cloud and the Sun knew their timelines to that goal didn’t align, so she asked the front office to do right by her. “I need y’all to help me at this point in my career to just put me in a place that I deserve to be in,” she explains. A week before she was set to leave Miami, Cloud got a call from New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb. She wasn’t just heading to a contender, she was teaming up with the reigning champs.

“I truly feel saved in a lot of ways,” Cloud says. “I know that sounds dramatic, but where my feet are today is truly a blessing. I’m so grateful to be where I am. I’m really grateful to put this Liberty jersey on and excited. Excited to play for this organization. Excited to play for this community. Excited to be in a city that is just like what I’m used to. Nitty gritty. We get everything out the mud. We appreciate hard workers. We don’t put up with no bulls**t. I like to think that I’m the New York menace. I’m going to change my name to that. I used to say, ***hole. I think New York menace is better.”

A new oasis resides in Brooklyn. One where Cloud can facilitate freely, put the clamps on ballhandlers with confidence and drop buckets at will. She’s already locked in with head coach Sandy Brondello on how to be an extension of her vision on the court. And the overwhelming depth the Liberty have entering this season hasn’t been lost on her either. Cloud’s taking ownership in making sure that everybody eats. Sab. Stewie. Jonquel. Leonie. Marine. Nyara. Izzy. Kennedy. Everyone’s getting touches. 

“And then defensively, I’m our dog. There’s going to be a bunch of dogs on defense, but I like to think that I’m the head of the snake of that. So the pressure that I apply will get us going,” Cloud
says. “We get to play with pace and in transition. And that’s where basketball really gets to become fun—when you get to play positionless. And that’s why I’m so excited to be here.”

The main point guard duties will fall to Cloud 9, allowing Ionescu to find even more success off the ball. We’ve already seen the guard-on-guard screening actions play out perfectly in training camp with Cloud whipping over-the-shoulder passes to Ionescu at the three-point line after drawing her defender away. It’s all just a continuation of the chemistry they developed together this offseason. 

“I’m pretty sure Sab probably didn’t like me when we got to Unrivaled,” Cloud says with a laugh. “Mainly because I’m the one who defends her as the opposing player. And for me, Sab is one of the best guards in our league. So when I played against New York, like, I got to get into her s**t. I got to bully her and push her off her places. So, yeah, in turn, I don’t really think she messed with me that much.”

With lockers right next to each other, the bond we’ve come to see across the Liberty’s social channels formed quickly. “I just remember being around her and just being like, Wow, you’re low-key funny. Like, Sab says lowkey s**t all the time that’s hilarious,” Cloud says. “And it just kind of fit. Like, the vibes were immaculate. We really did get along.”

Instead of using training camp to adapt to each other’s play styles, they built on the foundation that was laid in Miami. Cloud knows how Ionescu moves, where her spots are and how to “set her up, get easier shots for her and really just make her life just a tad bit easier.” The preseason has been proof enough with Cloud already building out cerebral connections across the roster, allowing everyone to tap into a new feeling: an oasis of creativity.

These first few weeks in Brooklyn have been a refreshing yet familiar shift. She’s enjoying the pace of Brooklyn, walking to practice every day, interacting with fans and those who “notice my dogs before me, which is low-key cool,” she says. She’s back on the East Coast and more importantly, back to competing for championships. 

“Overall though, I want to be exactly who I said I am. That was the goal with moving from DC to Phoenix. That’s the same goal here in New York,” Cloud says. “I’m going to prove I’m exactly who I said I am. There is not a selfish bone in my body. I will do whatever this team needs on any given night. If that’s scoring, if that’s not scoring, if that’s defending, if not, whatever it is. I’m just going to be that piece, that role player, whatever, every single night. But yeah, I’m going to get into the people’s s**t, too. I’m gonna be the menace.” 

Portraits by Alex Subers.

The post Back on Cloud 9: New York Liberty Star Natasha Cloud Covers SLAM 256 appeared first on SLAM.

Kelsey Plum has never been one to hold back. Not when she was 10 years old and told her mom that she wanted to play in the WNBA. Not in Washington, where she broke numerous records. Not in San Antonio, where, as the franchise’s first-ever No. 1 pick in 2017, she made it clear in her introductory press conference that critics were “good” because they “make skin tough.” And not in Vegas, where the team relocated in 2018 and where Plum would go on to show just how tough she really was by bouncing back from an Achilles injury to win Sixth Woman of the Year and then back-to-back championships. 

The KP that is talking to us now is in Los Angeles. Having been acquired by the Sparks via a three-team trade in early February, her words are a message to the fans regarding what they can expect from her new squad this year. But really, they echo a truth about her entire career, too. Plum has always been about putting in the work. 

“Kelsey’s just elevated our whole organization because of the hard work she does on and off the floor,” says Cameron Brink, who is sitting with Plum, Dearica Hamby and Rickea Jackson inside a gym at El Camino College, where the Sparks are hosting their preseason content day. “She’s been a huge inspiration for me in that sense. We both have the same trainer—I’ve said that before—but she’s the hardest worker I know, and it inspires me to just put in that much more effort every day. So obviously she’s amazing on the floor. She’s one of the best players in our league, but she’s really taking our organization to the next level.”

Long before they were teammates, Cam got a glimpse of just how competitive KP truly was during a workout they had together. Brink was only in high school at the time. “I was very intimidated. She kicked my ass in every drill, everything,” she says.

The way Plum remembers it, Brink dished it right back, too. “You probably don’t remember, but you blocked the s**t out of me in that workout,” Plum says to her.

“Did I?” Brink says, stunned at the memory, as if she isn’t a 6-4 shot blocking machine. Neither of them could have known all those years ago that one day they’d join forces.

The same goes for Plum and Hamby, who played together in San Antonio at the beginning of their careers and now, years later, are teammates yet again. They go way back, too. “I first met D in the hotel lobby. What was that? The Final Four?” Plum asks her. “You had just had Amaya [in 2017], [she] was cute in the baby stroller. I’ll never forget that. You just said, Hi, you’re going to be my new teammate.” 

“She’s been one of my best friends since she came into the league, and I’m just grateful to have her back,” says Hamby. As for when Plum met Jackson, neither of them had talked to each other until the Aces played the Sparks last season. “I just remember looking at her shoes and being like, OK, she’s got swag,” says Plum. 

It’s crazy how things can change in the course of an offseason, but here they are, together, all wearing the purple and gold. The timing couldn’t be any more perfect for the Sparks, who went 8-32 last year, haven’t made it to the playoffs since 2020 and have had three coaching changes since then. But with new head coach Lynne Roberts, a new floor general in Plum to help set the tone and a roster full of ultimate bucket-getters, which also includes Odyssey Sims and Azurá Stevens, to name a few, the team is ready to get back to what it once was: a winning franchise. 

If this were a movie, then Jackson has the perfect title. 

“Baddies and Buckets,” she says. 

Say less. 

Even though they only played one preseason game against the Golden State Valkyries on May 6, that down-to-the-wire matchup provided a glimpse at what the Sparks can do offensively. Plum was shifty with the ball in her hands and facilitated the offense by dishing off plenty of dimes—5, to be exact—to her new teammates, which included one to Hamby right from the jump. Hamby, a three-time All-Star and 2022 champ who had 4 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds, plays with power and poise on both ends of the floor.

“I think D is one of the most underrated players in our league. Plays both ends of the court,” says Plum. “I kind of said this earlier in the press conference, [but] the 4 position is the most difficult in our league because you’re matching up with the best of the best in the world. So what she [has done] on a night in and night out basis throughout her career is, to me, one of the most impressive things. She plays both ends. She plays incredibly hard, she moves well without the ball, almost better than anyone I’ve seen, and she’s very instinctive and plays to that strength. And she’s going to have a great year.”

As a two-time Sixth Woman of the Year, Hamby is ready to add All-WNBA honors to her stacked résumé this season. “I think the next step for me would be to be All-WNBA,” she says. “I think I’ve kind of had every role possible throughout my career, but definitely want to be an All-Star again.”

Then there’s Jackson, who was so silky smooth from beyond the arc, going 2-4 and leading the team in scoring with 13 points. She carries herself with the confidence of a seasoned vet despite being drafted just last year by the Sparks as the No. 4 pick. “I just want us to win, whatever that looks like,” she says, when asked about her goals this season. “Whatever my role is, I’m just ready to contribute and continue to sharpen out the tools in my toolbox.”

“She’s being humble,” KP adds. “She’s an All-Star waiting to happen, but that’s OK. I respect that.” Later, Plum also describes Jackson as “one of the most talented players I’ve ever played with.”

“I’ve played with some talented players, but her ability to create her own shot—and because of her length at her position—she’s really a size big but in a guard body and she can shoot the three, which is incredible,” Plum adds. “I think the sky’s the limit for her. She can go as far as she wants to go in her career.” 

The only player we haven’t seen yet is Cam, who is still rehabilitating from an ACL injury suffered last season. “I think it’s just doing everything I can to be back on the floor with these three amazing women, that’ll be a success for me,” Brink says of her goals this year after averaging 7.5 points and 5.3 boards last season. 

It’s that positivity and resilience that will guide her throughout the process, but when she does return, everyone will be tuning in to see her do what she does best. “I think Cam is a Defensive Player of the Year waiting to happen,” Plum says. “Cam has everything she already needs in her toolbox. She really just needs to be empowered and continue to build that confidence. But the skills are there. God gave her some incredible talents. I have never played with someone who has been able to affect people’s shots and really deter entire plays. And I [would] know, I played against her. I would try to go in there and there’s not a lot of room to go in there. I would foul her.” 

Despite the absence of Brink, the Sparks have their sights set on the upcoming season. They’ll meet the Valkyries again in their first regular-season game and have a packed schedule that also includes the jersey retirement of Candace Parker, who helped bring the City of Angels a WNBA title in 2016. It’s been nearly a decade since then, but expectations are high.

“I think that a lot of people can have statistics, but do you affect winning?” KP says of her mentality. “I think that’s why I chose to come here. The individual stuff ends up happening when collectively you work together and you win games, so that’s my mentality.” 

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson on how LA is finding their SPARK this Season appeared first on SLAM.

1. Be in the WNBA.

“I was always somebody that was driven by goals and that has always remained the same throughout my life,” the Des Moines native told ESPN in March of 2024. Just two months after that interview, a record-breaking 2.4 million broadcast viewers tuned in to watch as Clark was selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever. Dressed in head-to-toe Prada, Clark sat at a table alongside her two brothers, Blake and Colin, and their parents, Brent and Anne, inside the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Right before Clark heard her name called on stage by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, the 6-0 guard looked down. The moment she’d envisioned for herself as a kid had arrived, except now the whole world was in on it.

Clark, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, didn’t just make it to the League. She’s lifted the game to completely new heights. In her first season, the now 23-year-old became the first rookie in League history to record a triple-double. She also set a new record for assists in a game (19), set a rookie record for threes made (122) and received the most All-Star votes in WNBA history (over 700,000). In 2024, Fever games in Washington, Atlanta and Vegas were moved to NBA and NHL venues to accommodate the unprecedented demand to see Clark in action. Ahead of this season, six teams have already announced venue upgrades, including the Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun, that will allow for audience sizes two to three times larger than normal.

“I think what people love the most is the emotion I play with. I think it’s easy to connect with. I think they can feel that I’m real on the court,” Clark said, when asked to describe the effect she’s had on the game at an event celebrating her selection as TIME’s 2024 Athlete of the Year, an award that only one other basketball player—LeBron James—has ever received. Anyone who has watched Clark on the court can attest to the thrill of seeing her effortlessly launch her signature long-range logo threes. From distances where players typically heave desperate attempts to beat the buzzer, Clark regularly pulls up to shoot with intention and ease. In the milliseconds after her wrist flicks, Clark becomes one with the crowd, watching as the ball spins through the air toward its inevitable destination and erupting alongside them if the moment so calls.

In early May, Clark and the Fever traveled to Iowa to play a sold-out preseason game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where her transcendent rise began during her final two collegiate seasons. It was Clark’s first time back since her jersey was retired in February. Permanently marked on the court by a sticker that reads “22 Clark” is the spot where she infamously broke Kelsey Plum’s all-time NCAAW scoring record with a shot several feet behind the three-point line. “I told my teammates, It’s going to be louder than any arena you’ve played in. That’s just the type of energy [these fans] bring every single night,” she told Holly Rowe, as they revisited some of the sites of her most memorable buckets before the game.

Perhaps one of the reasons the connection Clark has with her fans is so strong is because she remembers so clearly being in their shoes. “When I step off the court, I try to be very authentic and genuine and make as much time for people as I can. I never want to big time anybody because I was just that young girl screaming for an autograph,” Clark said. As the all-time NCAA scoring leader knows firsthand, and any fan can attest to, the smallest interactions have the ability to create long-lasting ripple effects.

On the prophetic page her mom saved from her childhood, another dream Clark wrote down was “to meet Maya Moore,” which came true the night she attended her first WNBA game as a kid. Clark’s father drove her from their home in Des Moines to Minnesota and purchased tickets last minute. The box office rep asked if they would like to watch the players warm up before the game. Clark said she remembers sitting courtside and taking a picture with some of the players. After the game, she stayed to watch a post-game question-and-answer segment that featured her idol Maya Moore. Because she didn’t have a sharpie or a phone, Clark simply ran up to Moore and gave her a hug. “There’s no documentation of that moment, but in my brain, it was probably one of the most pivotal moments of my entire basketball career,” she said in a pregame presser last season, on the night Moore’s jersey was retired by the Lynx. “As a young girl loving sports, that meant the world to me.”

During Clark’s senior season at Iowa, Moore surprised the rising star on College GameDay. When the four-time WNBA champion and two-time Olympic Gold medalist emerged into view, Clark’s calm and confident demeanor immediately dropped as she let out a squeal and covered her mouth with both her hands.

“I feel like I’m fangirling so hard,” she said with a smile after embracing her idol. “I still feel like when I was this tall and freaking out and I ran across the court and gave you a hug.” When asked how it felt that the best player in the women’s game was inspired by her, Moore said it was a full circle moment because she too remembers being a 10-year-old girl running up to Cynthia Cooper, one of the legends of the game.

According to Clark, her biggest skill is the ability to block out the noise, an imperative one for any athlete to perform at the highest level, let alone one who gets as much attention as she does. However, as much as she’d like it to, the conversation around Clark and her place in the game hasn’t always remained focused on basketball. As a white cis-heteronormative woman in a league of predominantly Black women, Clark has found her name in the center of hot button debates, such as the off-court privileges her identity affords her, and at times weaponized in racist and anti-LGBTQ narratives. When Clark was initially asked last season if she was bothered by this, she mentioned her focus was solely on basketball before expanding further: “I think it’s disappointing, it’s not acceptable…everyone should be treated with the same amount of respect.”

Clark acknowledged the role race plays and her privilege in last year’s Time Magazine cover feature. On stage at the TIME event, Clark said that the only opinions she really cares about are of the people she loves: her teammates, coaches, the people inside their locker room, the people she sees every single day. “I feel like I’m just scratching the surface of what I can accomplish,” she said. In the current unstable and polarized climate of the country and world, maybe the greatest luxury Clark has is this—the privilege of realizing her childhood dreams and continuing to pursue them.

It’s clear that the WNBA and women’s sports are having their long-awaited moment, at a time when the excitement of the game is needed more than ever. Heading into her second season, Clark has her sights set on championship glory and etching her name among the greats, as she inspires the next generation of hoopers alongside the more than 140 women who comprise the League.

Clark said that a lot of people have asked her where she thinks the growing popularity of women’s sports is headed, a question that she doesn’t have an answer for. “If you would’ve told people this is where the WNBA is going to be five years ago, people probably wouldn’t have believed you,” she said. “They never thought they’d buy tickets. They never thought we’d play on ABC or ESPN. They never thought there would be sold-out arenas.” The smartest thing, Clark advised, is to get in now because the price is only going up.

The biggest thing Clark said she’s learned about herself throughout her journey thus far is that dreams can come true. While she admits that her dreams were not at the magnitude of success she’s currently experiencing, Clark said. “I was always somebody who dreamed and wanted to achieve things.” Her parents encouraged her to go after the things she wanted, whether it was to keep up against her older brother and his friends or to follow her goal of making it to the WNBA. “They probably knew at times I would fail and they let me fail, but I think that taught me a lot of lessons about myself and life in general.”

While the increased value and attention the Indiana Fever superstar has brought to the sport has been clear, it may be that her greatest impact will be immeasurable by numbers. Perhaps her lasting legacy won’t be apparent for another decade or two when the next face of basketball shares their encounter with Clark, whose rise will be discussed as one that accelerated the momentum that was already building and brewing long before she ever stepped into the League. It’s hard to project where all this growth is headed but as the world has seen, in the hands of players like Clark, who possess a pure love, joy and competitive fire for the game, the only way for it to go is up.

Portraits by Alex Subers

The post What Noise? Caitlin Clark STAYS DIALED IN | SLAM 256 Cover Story appeared first on SLAM.

With 7:17 left in the first quarter, Young, one of the best scorers in the W, drove right at the 6-0 guard and former UConn star. “[DiJonai] was there to get the jump ball so I could catch my breath for a second, but that was no joke. The slide to contain, stay in front on a closeout, just get checked. Yeah, that was real,” says Bueckers, who had 10 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist, with a smile. It’s May, and Bueckers is here with us at the University of Texas Arlington gym, where she and her new Wings teammates, Arike Ogunbowale and DiJonai Carrington, are posing for their first SLAM cover together.

Individually, they each have a swagger that’s undeniable. Arike, who was drafted by the Wings in 2019 at No. 5, is their captain and the second-longest tenured player on the team with a game so flashy and clutch it’s earned her All-Star and All-WNBA honors. Then there’s DiJonai, who was last year’s Most Improved Player and is bold and confident in everything she does, from guarding the best player on the floor to scoring over everybody and then hitting ’em with the seatbelt celly. As for the rook, Bueckers exudes an aura so captivating, she’s become beloved—from gracing our cover in high school to winning a national championship at UConn just two months ago to reinvigorating the Wings as the No. 1 pick. There are even hundreds of TikTok edits and fan pages obsessed with her every (dance) move. But like the braid she once wore in college, she’s leaving the hype in the past and embracing her new role as a rookie.

“It’s crazy, I went from being the oldest and I guess the vet on the UConn team to being the youngest here, or one of the youngest,” she says. “I’m [continuing] to stay humble, stay hungry and working to be the best teammate, best leader I can be, [and] working to find my voice. Obviously, I don’t have as much experience, but I still feel like I have a lot of knowledge and wisdom for the game and a lot of love for it.”

It’s here in Dallas that she’ll learn how to compete in the pros. And it’s together as a unit that she, Arike, DiJonai and their squad of standouts will look to show the entire League that the Wings can hold their own, too.

“New” is the theme this year for the Wings, who are now led by first-year head coach and former defensive coordinator Chris Koclanes, who, per the Dallas Hoops Journal, is emphasizing “playing fast…playing smart. Every action has to have purpose.” New is also the word Arike uses when asked about the team so far ahead of the season. “It’s just new, there’s a lot of new, [which is] something that I’ve wanted to happen and something that’s needed to happen for the city,” she says. “I think the front office did a great job bringing in the players they brought in, drafting the players they drafted, the trades that they made happen in free agency. So now I feel like this team is really ready and willing to compete, and we’ll have fun while doing it.”

Last season, the Wings were 9-31 and didn’t make the playoffs. But this year, they’ve got their sights on changing that. For Arike, who averaged 22.2 ppg and has experienced all the ups and downs over the years, including losing in the semis to the Aces in 2023 and three head coaching changes since she first arrived, her goal is to make everyone around her better. “Last year, Year 6, it was tough in the win column,” she says. “[My goal now is] just being better than last year, getting my teammates involved, going higher in every statistical category. But definitely more wins is the main thing for me.”

Her teammates will look for her to guide them. “She’s been a leader for the team, she’s captain of the team and she’s your voice,” Bueckers says. “She’s a bucket, of course. Everybody knows that. Just being around her, she’s super selfless, super welcoming.”

While it’s only been a few weeks since training camp started in late April, it’s obvious that the key to the Wings’ success this season will be their ability to develop chemistry quickly in a short amount of time. It’s all happening before our very eyes—from Carrington helping fix Bueckers’ hair mid-photo shoot to attending the SZA and Kendrick concert as a team (the Wings even got them a suite, says Arike). “We’re still finding our chemistry,” Arike says. “I think it helps that we like each other off the court. We’ve been to a couple dinners together, we’ve been to a concert together, we’ve hung out these last couple of weeks more than I think I have in the past couple of years, which is good. To build that type of chemistry and relationship off the court, it’s gonna transfer to on the court.”

In the Wings’ most recent exhibition game against the Toyota Antelopes at home, fans got a glimpse of just how flashy, energetic and most importantly, connected, their team can be on the floor—from Bueckers dishing a crisp, overhead dime to Ogunbowale that was so on target, you’d think they’d played together for years, to Ogunbowale’s buzzer-beater and Carrington’s ability to finish at the rim. The three of them, along with Myisha Hines-Allen, all finished the game in double digits. 

“We’re all uptempo,” says DiJonai. “We like to play fast and just get out and have fun. It’s never too serious, which I like.”

For the 5-11 guard, the move from Connecticut, where she averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.0 rebounds last season, to Dallas serves as an opportunity to be in an entirely new environment that’s unlike anywhere she’s ever been before. “There are no similarities, actually, between here and Connecticut or here and Waco,” she says. Carrington also brings a level of competitiveness, energy and leadership to the team, as well as a fun-loving attitude, which is especially apparent in the way her teammates talk about her.

“Nai/DC/DJ, she doesn’t like DC or DJ [as nicknames], she only likes Nai…she’s great,” says Paige. “She’s like a baby vet because she’s still young. She’s just a fun time to be around. I’m always trolling her, making fun of her, annoying her. That’s been fun. She just has a heart and a passion for the game that you can tell.”

When asked about her first impressions of Arike and PB, Carrington dishes it right back. “Paige is God punishing me for how I bothered my vets when I was a rookie,” Carrington says, lovingly. “Rike, she’s cool. She’s a vibe. I already knew that, though.”

And just like that, the building blocks of a team are already in motion. As for what the Wings will accomplish this season, we’ll all have to wait and see, but as for what we can all expect: a lot of buckets, elite dimes and plenty of LeagueFits-worthy tunnel fits. It’s never been a more exciting time to be a Dallas sports fan.

“I’m sure big money NIL Paige will come correct and DiJonai as well, I know she’ll be fitted,” says Arike.

“I don’t know what they got going on, but I’m coming trim, Game 1,” says DiJonai, hinting at the looks she has planned. “I can’t tell y’all yet. Just know it’s gon’ be tea. I can’t spill it.”

“I do think we’ll have the best dressed team in the League,” adds Bueckers. “I’ll say that.”

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

The post With Paige Bueckers, DiJonai Carrington and Arike Ogunbowale, the Dallas Wings are Ready to FLY this season appeared first on SLAM.

DT was the franchise’s first-ever No. 1 pick in ’04, and from the moment she arrived until she retired 20 years later, she was the franchise’s centerpiece, the iron at the core of their offense. Taurasi played a style of basketball tougher than the element itself: the spin moves, the fadeaway pull-up jumpers, the crisp dimes, all that attitudeand fire. Everyone’s got a DT story, a moment they’ll never forget: the trash talk, the kiss, that selfie she took after getting ejected (“Got tossed, lol.”), the door. Early on, the Mercury played a fast-paced, run-and-gun offense under then-head coach Paul Westhead, known as the “The System,” that allowed DT to evolve into a scoring machine. By ’06, she averaged a career-high 25.3 ppg; by ’07, she was a champion. Just two years later in ’09, the Merc’s legendary trio of DT, her now-wife Penny Taylor and Cappie Pondexter won another one.

In 2013, the Mercury drafted a 6-9 anomaly from Baylor named Brittney Griner as the No. 1 pick. BG opened up the team’s spacing, dunked on their competition and helped bring another title back to the Valley of the Sun in 2014. The rest is…

History. No one could have imagined that last season would be the very last time we’d ever see those two in the purple and orange. This past February, the franchise as we know it changed forever: Griner signed with the Atlanta Dream in free agency. Right around the same time, the Mercury made a four-team trade to acquire Alyssa Thomas from Connecticut and Satou Sabally from Dallas, as well as center Kalani Brown and guard Sevgi Uzun (from the Wings). As for Taurasi, it was a matter of if she was going to retire or return for Year 21. On February 25, she announced in TIME that she was retiring from the game. The end of an era.

Now, for the first time in a very, very long time, the Mercury are starting over. Under the helm of head coach Nate Tibbetts, the Mercury have a vision for how their squad, led by the new Big 3, will compete this season. Everyone’s calling it positionless basketball.

The term isn’t one Tibbetts came up with directly, but it is one he’s embracing. “I don’t know who has termed it ‘positionless,’” he said, via Desert Wave Media. “I love the term. We’re just trying to figure it out and play with space.”

For the past decade, the Mercury relied heavily on DT’s scoring ability and BG’s defensive dominance, but Tibbetts has reimagined the Mercury’s system entirely. They’ll still play fast and aggressive defensively, but he’s emphasizing way more versatility. “Us going in and getting [Thomas] and [Sabally] is just going to give us more size. Maybe just not at the center position, but just positionally,” Tibbetts continued. “Like [Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren] said, let’s make this our own path. We’ve got different ideas.”

By utilizing each player’s individual skill set and not limiting them to the confines of their traditional positions, Tibbetts is going to let his stars unleash their creativity while creating opportunities for others. For a player like Sabally, who earned the nickname “Unicorn” because of how dynamic and unique her game is (in Dallas, she averaged 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and a career-high 5.0 assists last season in just 15 games due to injury), it’ll allow her to play with the freedom she hasn’t had before. “Positionless basketball is what we’ve all been doing as individual players,” Sabally said to the media on May 8, while sitting alongside Copper, Thomas and Tibbetts. “Now we’re put into a system that will really enhance that and will let us be free.”

As she spoke, Thomas, who is one of the best facilitators in the League and a six-time All-Defensive superstar, nodded her head in agreement. During her time in Connecticut, AT broke the WNBA single-season record for assists (316) and double-doubles (28) in 2023 and remains the franchise’s leader in almost every major category, including games played, rebounds and assists. “[Thomas is] a basketball wizard,” Tibbetts told the media, via TheNext. “I’ve been super happy with how she’s been willing to speak up and use her voice in situations. You can say a lot of things about [Thomas], but the number one thing is, she’s a winner. Her teams win, and they win at a high level. That’s what we want, to win at the highest level here, too.”

With 11 years of veteran experience, Thomas can now tap into all the different layers of her game, from running the point to also playing center and forward. “AT starting the break, imagine a 4 trying to pick her up full court? That’s tough,” said Copper.

As for Kah, who averaged a career-high 21.1 points per game while earning her fourth All-Star appearance last year, she’ll be expected to drop buckets, play aggressive defense and bring that same intensity, grit and Philly-bred attitude she’s always played with (who could forget the in-your-face staredown she gave Sophie Cunningham in Game 2 of the Finals in 2021?). But her impact this season, specifically, will go way beyond just the Xs and Os. Kah is undeniably one of the team’s leaders, and having played with greats like Candace Parker, whom she won a title with in Chicago, as well as Griner and Taurasi last year, this is now her time to lead a squad of her own.

“Playing with great players is a great thing,” Copper said earlier this month, via AZcentral. “You learn different leadership styles. Just going back to my 2020-21 season [in Chicago], winning the championship, that team was full of leaders, but leaders in their own way. And I think you’re able to be your best, most authentic and genuine self when you do it your own way.”

While it’s only been a few weeks since training camp started in late April, it’s Copper who will “set the tone” every single day, according to Tibbetts. “[Copper] is special,” Tibbetts said, via TheNext. “She means a lot to me and what we’re trying to do, and her growth over the course of the year, like, a year ago, she and I, we had just met for the first time, and our conversations, our relationship, our trust, is at the ultimate level…My whole challenge to her this year is lead. And it’s not just with what you say, it’s what you do…And every day she has set the tone.”

Her presence is already being felt by her teammates, too. “We’ve already had a conversation… she was like, I’m gonna demand a lot from you,” says Sabally. “We looked each other in the eyes and we were like, Yeah, good. I want that. I know her drive as a player. That’s where I want to be.”

As for what happens next, all eyes will be on Phoenix to see how exactly they rise to the occasion this season, which officially starts May 16. Still, it’s obvious that the Mercury are not looking to rewrite the past, but pen their own chapter. No one can replicate what Taurasi and Griner brought to the organization, but with a new roster, a new training facility, a new philosophy and a ton of new additions—including sharpshooter Sami Whitcomb from Seattle, overseas standouts Monique Akoa-Makani, Anna Makurat and Shyla Heal, and new signees like Alexis Prince and Kitija Laksa, to name a few—the opportunities are endless. “I anticipate I’ll get some of the most open looks I’ve had probably in my career, because people will leave me to guard them,” Whitcomb says of the Big 3. Adds Kalani Brown: “Nate has given me a green light, and he wants me to evolve. So I’m very happy about that. It’s very uncomfortable at first, but I think once I get it down, it’s gonna be better.”

Without the present, there’s no future, and right now, the Mercury are locked in on just that. Exactly how it’ll all come together, only time will tell.

“In the end, it’s still basketball,” says Satou. “The ball has to fall in the hoop, and we’re pretty good at that.”

Portraits by Erik Isakson.

The post The Phoenix Mercury—and their New Big 3—are ready to RISE to the Occasion This Season appeared first on SLAM.

That’s what Agot Makeer would think to herself wherever she watched South Carolina play. The five-star recruit and the No. 4-ranked player in the class of 2025 recently committed to the Gamecocks in March, but even before that, she’d always felt drawn to the program. “Seeing the crowd, seeing the energy, seeing the joy they all have playing with each other, it’s just like, I want to be part of that,” Makeer tells us over the phone a few weeks after the news became official. 

As the latest signee, along with Cypress Springs forward Ayla McDowell, who committed in November, the Gamecocks now have a top-25 recruiting class (according to ESPN). At 6-1, Makeer is a versatile wing who can knock down shots, cross up opponents and get buckets against anyone who tries to guard her. When it came time for the Montverde senior to make her college decision, she narrowed it down to three very important factors: Who do I want to be surrounded by? What school will give me the best chance to win a national championship? What school will help me become a better woman in every aspect of my life?  

For her, South Carolina was that answer. 

With an undeniable talent and the ability to play multiple positions, Makeer, who is originally from Canada and attended Crestwood Prep before transferring to Montverde for her senior season, has averaged 10 ppg and 5.7 rpg for the program. While she’s been battling a hip injury and most recently tore her PCL in January, Makeer says she’s hoping to bounce back in time so she can still play in the McDonald’s All-American Game and compete in the Chipotle High School Nationals. 

Her faith and her family keep her going. Her two older brothers inspired her to play sports in the first place; as the younger sis, she just wanted to do what they were doing. First it was soccer, and then by second grade, she started playing basketball.

Now the game is about to take her from Florida to South Carolina. When asked how she envisions her game evolving under a visionary like Dawn Staley, Makeer speaks with a sense of confidence that’s sure to get Gamecock fans hyped. 

“I think right now, I’m kind of a two-way player who can have an impact both on offense and defense,” she says. “I can also score the basketball at all three levels. So I think that makes me even harder to guard because you have to respect me at all parts of the court. Towards the end of my senior year at South Carolina, I feel like my body will be a lot different. You might not be able to see it, but I feel like I’ll be stronger, even mentally and emotionally.” 

Portraits by Trenton Junior. Follow him on IG, @mindofjr.

The post Agot Makeer is Ready to Bring Her Versatile Game to South Carolina appeared first on SLAM.

In a world where talking sneakers embark on adventures, SNEAKS follows a pair of high-end sneaker siblings, Ty and Maxine, voiced by Anthony Mackie and Chloe Bailey. When Maxine is stolen before Edson’s (Swae Lee) high school game by the nefarious Collector (Laurence Fishburne), Ty journeys throughout New York City to find her.

Deadstock kicks collectors, hoopers wanting the latest heat and even replica endorsers are all represented. You’ve got original music by Mustard, Ella Mai, Roddy Ricch and more. You’ve got Chris Paul. Keith David plays a pair of Chuck Taylors, Martin Lawrence voices a scuffed-up sneaker named JB and Olympic skateboard phenoms Rayssa Leal and Sky Brown conduct the Borough Board Express as a pair of Nikes.

With a flick that follows sneakers running around the streets of Harlem and playing pick up at the park, writer-director Rob Edwards and the producers behind SNEAKS—including SLAM’s sister studio, RTG Features—brought in Bobbito Garcia, the legendary outdoor hoops historian (and baller), DJ, radio Hall of Famer, filmmaker and sneaker culture icon, to put that authentic stamp on it all.

For decades, Bobbito has contributed and chronicled NYC’s cultural rhythm and heartbeat, even rocking out with us in these pages since our inception in ’94. And with his memoir, Bobbito’s Book of B-Ball Bong Bong!, arriving in July as a historical documentation of NYC’s outdoor hoops scene from the 1960s to now, the multifaceted aficionado sat down with SLAM to discuss how his years of experience in various lanes aligned to serve as the film’s Sneaker Culture Ambassador.

SLAM: Over the years, you’ve had a hand in nearly every cultural avenue that stems from the game. How did you get involved with SNEAKS?

Bobbito Garcia: SNEAKS became, like, this culmination of almost everything that I’ve contributed to the culture in one project. Because they reached out to me basically based on, You’re an icon, sneakers, you’ve done designs for Nike, adidas, Pumas, Pro-Keds. You wrote the book [Where’d You Get Those? New York City’s Sneaker Culture: 1960–1987]. You hosted the first TV series in media history, It’s the Shoes, with ESPN. They knew what I had done. They wanted that authentic name attached to the project. I don’t think they knew how much they were getting when they brought me on board, though.

SLAM: When did you start consulting on the project?

BG: This whole process has been five years in the making. They first hit me up in 2020. I did most of my script consulting in 2021, 2022. I did the voice-overs in 2023. You know, animated features, it’s a big project. But ultimately, I don’t need to be on a basketball court uptown to be able to evoke the electricity that seeps out of the asphalt. Case in point, when I did NBA Street Vol. 2, I was in Vancouver, bro. I was in a studio in Vancouver, 3,000 miles away from Manhattan. But I brought that flavor within the chain link. When I was reading the script and working with Rob, anytime they stepped on the court, it was like, Oh yeah, that’s my life. That city shit is still inside me. It’s a part of all my organs; it’s a part of my brain, a part of my heart, a part of my liver, a part of my blood. I just tried to kind of let my ideas flow, and I’m grateful to their team for [lending the] ear.

SLAM: What kind of notes did you provide on the script?

BG: They kind of did really well with the sneaker stuff. Truth be told, I didn’t have to change too much in that world. But what I did do was, the film is based in New York, up in Harlem, and in certain scenes, [I was like,] This word is not really used. This slang would be better. And then I started tinkering, particularly with the basketball scenes, too. And here I am, this f**king indie filmmaker who’s done docs. I’ve got no representation. I’ve got no agent. I’m not a CAA. I’m not Hollywood. Rob Edwards has done Disney movies, sold millions at the box office. I’m in a Zoom with, like, five producers and yo, they are listening to everything I say! It was trippy. Here’s this Puerto Rican from 97th Street telling these big box office people, like, Nah you should do it like this. And they’re giving me no pushback. They’re like, OK, yeah, OK, cool, cool, cool. And I see the next script revision. And bro, everything I told them to do, they did. So that was empowering. It was like this culmination of, all right, cool, I’m not just a sneaker dude. I’m a ballplayer, first and foremost. And I’m a DJ. And I’m a filmmaker. And I’m a storyteller. And I’m an author. So I’m looking at the script, and I’m not looking at it like, Well, you know, this sneaker didn’t come out until ’77. It’s like, no, I’m looking at it from a storytelling aspect.

SLAM: You also voice yourself in the film. How was your character created?

BG: They were so happy with me during those sessions that they were like, Yo, we want you to be a character in the film, to voice-over one of the characters. I was like, Cool. I don’t think they knew what they were getting themselves into, because I don’t think any of them have played NBA Street Vol. 2 or Vol. 3. But even before that, I did 12 years on the radio in New York, and in 2023 I got inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Not only that, I did like 40 commercials for Nike. So, I’ve got, like,  30 years of voice-over experience that they’re unaware of. They’re just thinking like, Yo, this dude is sneakers. He’s authentic. He’s credible. He’s going to add energy to the cast. So we start recording. It wasn’t an audition. It was like a test. And I remember [producer] Robyn [Klein] hitting me up: I knew you were going to be good. I didn’t know you were going to be that good. I kind of tore that shit up. And then she came back and she was like, We want to make the character you. We want the character to be Bobbito. You’re going to play yourself. And then it was like, the guardrails were off.

SLAM: How did your past voice-over experiences compare to voicing your character in SNEAKS?

BG: When I did NBA Street Vol. 2, it’s not a knock on EA or a knock on the NBA, the League, but there were guardrails. The League represents a lot to a lot of people, and they have checks and balances. So even though I went nuts in the studio and was going off script, the NBA came back and was like, Well, we can’t say this, we can’t say this. But with SNEAKS, because I was already consulting the script, I could handcraft what I was going to say. And because I’m portraying myself, you’re getting full unabashed me straight from the court. That’s me on the court. That’s me at the Goat, aka Rock Steady Park on 99th and Amsterdam. That’s the character that you’re getting with crazy flavor.

SLAM: There’s so much inspiration to pull from with the movie based in NYC. Where does that authenticity shine?

BG: I told [Rob], You’re going to have a smash film. But there’s going to be a small community of people who enjoy this film on another layer that’s going to go over the heads of the mainstream public. And that is what’s going to make this project have longevity. And they clearly understood that. It’s something that I really didn’t have to explain to them. And it wasn’t something that they were apologetic about either. They knew. They were like, Yo, if we’re going to do this, we’ve got to do it right. Let’s get Bob. Let’s get Chris Paul. Let’s get Mustard. Let’s get people who are loved [across] different generations, different subsets and everything.

SLAM: Your memoir chronicling your journey on outdoor courts across the globe comes out this July. How much of an impact have these two recent projects had on you?

BG: In my memoir, I’m talking about [how] I was a scrub, going to the Goat, looking up to Mario Elie, the legend Earl Manigault, and how I’m inspired by these people and trying to work on my game. I’m still that 14-year-old who’s mystified by all of this. I worked so hard for decades and decades, committing myself to become a better ballplayer and helping out others and providing platforms for unknown up-and-coming MCs, players, poets, writers, you name it. I’ve done so much to give back. And then for this to happen. Time will tell, but this could very well be the biggest shit I’ve ever been a part of. And for it to happen at this stage of my career, yo man, that’s crazy. That’s crazy.

SNEAKS hits theaters April 18th. Get your tickets here.

Photos via Briarcliff Entertainment.

The post Behind the Scenes of SNEAKS With the Film’s Sneaker Culture Ambassador Bobbito Garcia appeared first on SLAM.

“It was hard losing so many games. Always seeing myself as a winner growing up, always having won, basically in all sports, to have a streak like last year and to have a year that was as tough as it was, I definitely learned a lot about myself and my mental fortitude,” Cade says. “Also, just staying in the grind, not leaving it. Trusting the work, trusting the path that I always believed I was on. I think that was the biggest thing that helped me get through it.”  

Cunningham didn’t just get through it—he’s evolved in the midst of it. He’s averaging the most points (25.6) by a Piston since the 2000-01 season. He’s averaging a career-high 9.3 dimes a night, which ranks third in the L, on top of pulling down 6.0 boards a game. He’s on pace to become the seventh player in League history to average at least 25/9/6, and his eight triple-doubles this season are the third-most by a Piston since Grant Hill’s 13 in ’96-97 and 10 in ’95-96. Oh yeah, and he’s got the Pistons sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with their sights set on moving up. 

You’re looking at the Motor City’s first All-Star since 2019. The former No. 1 overall pick who built out the foundation that has Detroit back to sitting above .500 for the foreseeable future. At 38-31 as we go to press, the on-court architect of the Pistons’ resurgence has done more than get them back into the mix; they’re turning into the team that the rest of the League doesn’t want to see. And it began with first-year head coach J.B. Bickerstaff asking his star orchestrator what he wanted out of this season. 

A clean slate. 

“I wanted to take the step forward towards playoff basketball, not knowing if that was going to mean we were going to make the playoffs or if we were just going to see growth and be a more competitive team,” Cunningham says. “Team-wise, more than anything, just winning. Competing in games, being in all games that we play. We’ve been there. We’re doing that now. We’ve definitely lived up to everything that we were talking about [doing] for sure.” 

This season’s turnaround wasn’t a leap of faith. In reality, the Arlington, TX, native has been brimming with confidence since spending all of this past offseason training at 100 percent. He knew the phrase “taking things day by day” intimately, from missing training camp as a rookie with an ankle injury to sitting out for a majority of his second season after undergoing surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left leg. He knew the process back to the League’s competitive ranks would be a mirror to his journey thus far—a test of will. But four straight Ls to start the season didn’t shake what the previous four months in the gym had envisioned. If anything, it just made Cade and the Pistons lock in even more. 

If you were to ask No. 2 when he started to feel the vibes of the season shift, he’d point to the Pistons’ first West Coast trip that ignited more than a few win streaks. From Phoenix to L.A. and Sacramento, Cade and the Pistons rattled off several wins in late December. By early January, they had strung together a five-game win streak and won eight of their last nine. Little Caesars Arena has been lit ever since. 

“That West Coast trip, like I said, was a huge trip for us. I think that really helped get our momentum going in the right direction,” Cunningham says. “Beating some really good teams in a row, I think that was a huge confidence booster for us. I think that was one of the big differences where we all saw change. Like, Aight, we’re in the mix now. We’re playing in big games. We’re playing for wins every night. We hadn’t been doing that before.” 

The before times featured shouldering the blame and expectations of an entire organization. Losses used to be tough, demoralizing. They aren’t as much anymore. Instead of blowouts, today’s losses are determined by single digits. The present sees a retooled confidence and deeper connections with teammates and coaches. Cade’s no longer doing it alone. As the head honcho of a squad with equal amounts of youngins and veteran wings, they all look to him as much as he does to them. 

The past two draft classes have brought both Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II to the squad. And first-year president Trajan Langdon has infused a hunger throughout the front office that resulted in the acquisitions of Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr and Malik Beasley this offseason. In the background, Cade and third-year center Jalen Duren have constructed the NBA’s latest lob duo threat. And Jaden Ivey’s making his way back from injury for next season. 

All those dimes, dots and assists are just as much a result of Cade snaking around screens and biding his time as they are Beas or Tobias knocking down a corner drift three or Duren trailing
down the lane, anticipating the mid-air connection. Whether he’s looking off defenders with his eyes or hesitating ever so slightly to open up a gap, Cade’s got a counter at all times.

With a newly constructed, bolstered roster that places him squarely as the face of the franchise, Cade is excelling. Everyone is. 

“That made my life so much easier—having guys, one, as professional as they are. The way that they approach every night, coming to play, coming to compete,” he says. “And then having all those guys that we just named come in and bring their own confidence and their own swag to the table has really helped us put a product together with a lot of the right ingredients.” 

His new vets have been committed to pouring their experience back into the roster. They’ve shared with Cade the ins and outs of different coverages. How he can attack them. Beat them. Outsmart them. “Things that you don’t necessarily see on the stat sheet, but make the game a lot easier whenever you understand them,” Cunningham explains. “All three of those guys have a different understanding of those things. They’ve taught me a lot since they’ve been here, along with the fact that they put the ball in the rim, which we all need. I’ve been lucky to have them here. We all have been. It’s been fun playing with them, for sure.” 

As he sits inside the practice facility in mid-March for his second SLAM cover shoot, Cade says there’s a collective chip across the roster, from those who have lived through the franchise’s struggles to those inheriting the responsibility of the change as it unfolds. And like he’s always done dating back to his days at Bowie HS and then Montverde, Cade is analyzing moment by moment what type of leader he needs to be. In games. In the locker room. In practice. During film sessions. Learning what pushes his guys and what makes them fall back. What are those triggers? Is it sounding off vocally or quietly being the first in the gym? On top of methodically breaking down defenses and pulling defenders out to the three-point line with an improved range this season, Cade is constantly searching for ways to empower everyone.  

“And then in that, making sure that the knowledge that I do have, I’m sharing it as much as I can. When I feel like I know something, I put it out there,” Cunningham says. “And then being able to be led as well. I was always told great leaders have to be great followers. And to be able to lead, you have to know how to follow as well. So I think making sure that I’m being as great of a follower as I can for Coach J.B. I think that helps the rest of the team set the tone as far as ways to receive his coaching. And then I try to do the same as far as, like I said, just being forward with what I think I see and what I think I know.” 

The chemistry has been on full display this season. Pull up the team’s socials for an inside look, from Duren and Beas crashing Cade’s postgame interview with All-Star praise to the team’s pre-game handshakes in the tunnel, which reflect the antics and camaraderie of a close-knit group. There’s a scrappiness on defense that hasn’t been felt for decades and the offense hums to the beat of everyone getting touches. Cade’s confidence in himself—and the group—has only grown as he continues to lean on others. 

“Seeing the turnaround from where we’ve come from to where we are now, having the fresh start that we had this year with all the new people coming in, everything like that [brought confidence]. The work that I had put in up to that point had given me all the confidence already, as far as what I can bring to the table individually,” Cunningham says. “But then being able to lean on guys like Tobias, Malik, Tim, Coach. All those guys that have that experience, that brings a lot of confidence as well.” 

The 2024-25 season is just the beginning of Detroit’s new identity. There are more goals to reach. More accomplishments to share. More wins to be had. And yeah, Cade admits that this season has been a great start. Competitive hoops is back in the 313. And as he maps out the next phase of the Pistons’ persistent rise, he can’t help but take in the change in the air. There’s a different level of satisfaction that has come with truly putting in the work. And he’s finding it each time he glances into the home crowd at Little Caesars Arena. 

“I’ve enjoyed watching the fans enjoy watching us play more than anything,” Cunningham says. “I can remember last season so many times, we’d mess up, you look in the crowd and everybody’s shaking their head. It was just sick. Now we have a big play or something, I look around and there’s so much laughter. You can really see people having a good time. And that was one of the main things that I wanted to do coming to Detroit: start us getting back to winning.” 

Portraits by Matthew Coughlin.

The post Cade Cunningham Has His FOOT ON THE GAS: SLAM 255 Cover Story appeared first on SLAM.

After buzzing in at the front door and ascending the carpeted staircase, you’ll find one of the most intimate hardwood settings in New York City. Warm wooden hues and distinct hits of evergreen along the wall padding illuminate the space that, in late March, was engulfed by the sounds of New Balance TWO WXY v5s striking the court. Klutch Athletics by New Balance had completely taken over the space, stamped by the appearance of their star-studded athlete roster.

The trio of five stars stood out immediately at the youth clinic, and not just because they were decked out in either lime or yellow woven Klutch Athletics gear and towering over the kids they were swinging the rock to during drills. Aaliyah Crump, Isiah Harwell and Caleb Wilson represent more than a collection of elite high school-level talent; they’re the embodiment of the ethos that the sportswear brand has envisioned for the future. 

“At the highest level, we want to inspire and enable those that have an athlete mindset to be their best selves. Klutch is more than a brand, it’s about coming together for positive change,” says Pat Cassidy, President at Klutch Athletics by New Balance. “We want everyone in the communities we touch to feel empowered to achieve whatever goals they set out for themselves. There are a number of ways we can do that, from product to community engagement to providing tools to succeed, and we have no shortage of ideas of what’s to come from us—stay tuned.”

Community was at the center of that Friday afternoon with the soon-to-be incoming freshmen at the forefront. Aaliyah (heading to Texas), Isiah (playing at Houston) and Caleb (going to North Carolina) descended on the gym with the mindset of giving back. With the youngins at one basket and the older kids shooting at the other, the three athletes split their time between the two halves, coaching the kids up during drills before sharing their insights and advice during a panel discussion. And with as much as these three have already accomplished—most recently being named McDonald’s All-Americans—there were mad amounts of wisdom to take in. 

Aaliyah made history in December 2023 when she became the first female athlete and high school player to join Klutch Athletics by New Balance. The No. 5 player in the class of 2025, (according to ESPN) was quickly joined by Caleb (No. 7) and Isiah (No. 13), who announced their signings later that summer. And for the past year, all three have been cooking at their high schools while setting the foundation for the brand’s mission to uplift and empower athletes across gender and sport. And when they’re not dropping buckets on the opposing team, they’re getting their own games right in the brand’s elevated performance pieces, a number of which were on display throughout the gym that Friday.

A sea of black and white Klutch Athletics t-shirts and gray tricot shorts filled the confines of the court while Aaliyah, Caleb and Isiah sported a preview of the Spring ’25 collection. With an assortment of pieces arriving at retail on April 10, we sat down with Klutch Athletics’ athlete roster to learn more about their journey with the brand, how they’re giving back and the future of their partnerships.

SLAM: It’s been a minute since each of you signed with the brand. How would you sum up your experience as a Klutch athlete thus far? 

Aaliyah Crump: Basketball is really important to me, but they’ve allowed me to kind of venture off into different parts of it. And I think they just really care about me as a person and care about all the things that I have going for me. So, I just think it’s been really cool to be a part of Klutch. And obviously this is one of the first NIL things that I did. I think they’ve just been supportive through it all, supportive through community give back and whatever things that I’m trying to do to help my community and give back to people that care for me.

Isiah Harwell: It’s amazing. I get to talk to everybody. They’re all just friendly, a friendly vibe. It’s been great. They’ve helped me, on and off the court. They give me motivation and advice, because I got hurt before, to get through stuff, surgery. They talked me through it and helped me get stuff done.

Caleb Wilson: My experience has been great with Klutch. We’ve been partners for a long time. They’ve asked to help me in different ways, and they’ve also helped my team. That was something that was really good for me, being able to give some Klutch Athletics by New Balance gear to my basketball team in my high school, and they were really appreciative of it. Also, when I went down to Boston for Hoop Hall, I was also able to give some gear to my team then. They’ve definitely been supportive, and I appreciate them very much for this new partnership that we have. 

SLAM: You’re all rocking pieces from the new Klutch Athletics by New Balance collection. From fit to materials and overall feel, what has been your favorite aspect of training in the brand’s performance essentials?

AC: I think it’s really versatile, the colors that they choose. I think they’re colors that us athletes and just kids these days love to wear. I love that I can wear them on the court, wear them off the court. Like I said, it’s a versatile product that I can really wear wherever and whenever. So I’m loving it.

IH: I ain’t going to lie, I like it a lot. All the shoes feel good, clothes fit good, they feel good, too. Everything’s breathable, it’s actually nice to hoop in it.

CW: I’m a guy that has always liked color, so coming up with more diverse colors, especially from New Balance, is really cool. But it’s really comfortable, lightweight, you can do a lot of stuff in it. You can wear it as a style. You can wear it to work out in. It’s really versatile. Also, it looks good. It’s layered really good with the colors. That’s all that matters.

SLAM: Aaliyah, you had the opportunity to surprise your Montverde squad with some Klutch Athletics by New Balance gear mid-season. What did that moment tell you about the brand’s commitment to spotlighting the next generation? 

AC: They really care about the family feel. And I just think that’s really important. Like, us athletes, we want to give back to people that care for us the most and support us the most. And I think it means a lot that they’re willing to support me in that and give me the tools and gear and stuff to help out those people.

SLAM: Isiah, when you look toward the future of this partnership, what are some ways that you’re hoping to give back and put your hometown of Pocatello, ID, on the map?

IH: Mostly building up myself so I can be in a position to help other people. Being able to give back is a really good blessing. It makes you feel good inside when you get to help other people. You wish you had somebody helping you as you did growing up.

SLAM: Caleb, last summer you got to tour the New Balance headquarters after you signed. What was one thing that you were surprised to learn about the brand?

CW: Just how much they have going on. Coming to New Balance, we’re up and coming on the basketball side. But just going to that track and seeing how big they are in the track and field market…soccer, with the football cleats, tennis, all huge sports. And just showing that they’re all intertwined between all these sports and have a relationship with all the top athletes throughout these sports.

Photos via Klutch Athletics.

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Just like that, all the pieces came crashing down. 

Latson was ruled out with an injury and missed both the ACC and NCAA tournaments. FSU eventually lost to Georgia in the first round. 

“That really just changed my perspective on a lot of things, like, the game can be gone in an instant,” Latson, who is currently leading the country in scoring as a junior, says on the phone in March. In just a few days, the Seminoles will play George Mason in the first round of the NCAA tournament. “Basketball isn’t the end all be all for me, I have to have a backup plan. I have to be somebody outside of basketball.”

During the time she was out, she missed the competitiveness of being on the court the most. The rush of a big game and the chance to experience it on the biggest stage like the NCAA tournament. “That’s something that I’ll never take for granted again,” she says. 

Latson’s first game back to the court happened to be at USA tryouts over the summer, which proved to be even more of a mental challenge. Thoughts of, Will I be the same? and How’s my body going to react to this? raced through her mind. 

What she needed was an escape. It was last year that Latson, who bounced back for her sophomore season and matched her scoring average, found herself picking up LEGOs as a hobby again. Growing up in Miami, she always loved to play with them, but her parents weren’t able to afford the sets, so eventually she stopped. 

Now that she’s able to cop her own, it’s a different story. Lately, Latson has been creating entire LEGO masterpieces; she’s currently building a Marvel box, which features the iconic logo and characters popping out from the sides, as well as a radio that’s 906 pieces. She tries to find time when she can and works on them either before or after practice, with a majority of her building getting done on her off days. 

“I have to be dialed in when I’m building these LEGOs,” she says. “And it just takes me to another place. The creativity part of it is just beautiful to see that you can do something from scratch.”

She’s channeling her artistic side—which also includes journaling and wanting to learn to play the piano—in her game, too. On the court this season, Latson moves with grace and precision. Her shot is a work of art in itself. Perfect release. Perfect arc. A perfect swish through the basket every time she launches from three. 

This offseason, Latson worked with her trainer in Atlanta on refining every little detail of her approach when it came to shooting. She watched film on the greats, too, from Stephen Curry to Kyrie Irving, and studied how they placed their feet and shot the rock consistently the same way every single time. 

All that work is evident across the stat sheet this season; Latson is currently averaging a career-high 24.9 ppg, as well as 4.7 apg. Her name is being mentioned in the National Player of the Year conversation, too, which has always been a goal of hers. 

“Coach Brooke [Wyckoff], we had a conversation before the season started about my goals for myself and things like that. Obviously, I wanted to be nominated for National Player of the Year this year, [and I] knew that I needed to improve on my passing. That was something that was really important to me.” 

As the team’s captain, leader and the orchestrator of the offense, what helps her stay grounded throughout the ups and downs of the season is the advice Wyckoff has given. “She always tells me to just stack days and take things day by day,” Latson says. 

That’s another thing she’s building toward, too. As Latson continues to become a household name at Florida State ahead of her senior year, she has her sights set on turning her game into a real-life masterpiece, too. When asked what exactly that looks like, she breaks it down for us like it’s a new LEGO set she’s just discovered. We can only imagine what the final outcome will be. 

“[I want] to just continue to build off what I did this season [and] to be consistent. I always pride myself on that,” Latson says. “And [also] improving in areas like turnovers, that’s something that I want to limit as much as possible. I want to average more assists. I want to get more rebounds, and just to continue to grow my leadership.” 

Action photos via Getty Images and LEGO photos courtesy of KLUTCH SPORTS.

The post BUILT FOR THIS: Ta’Niya Latson’s Ascension into Stardom at Florida State and as the NCAA’s Leading Scorer appeared first on SLAM.

The two have built a big brother, little brother type of bond ever since Simon invited Shai to his nightly dinners with Tristan out in the Philippines. “We immediately connected over laughter,” Simon says. Fast forward nearly 10 years, and Simon and Shai still share that same brotherhood, only now in a more official capacity, as ISLA MANAGEMENT represents the All-Star.

“When Shai got drafted to the NBA, we had already started ISLA on the music side. As both of our careers progressed, we organically found an amazing way for our businesses to intersect,” Simon says. “And the rest is history.”

Alongside his partner EK, Simon founded ISLA MANAGEMENT in 2018. It is one of the few companies that operates in the music and basketball industries simultaneously. ISLA doesn’t recruit its clients. The relationships, both working and personal, materialize naturally, from discovering R&B artist Giveon to representing Boi-1da, OZ, Jahaan Sweet and more. Shai brings yet another multidimensional layer to the company’s roster of hitmakers. And Simon knows this is just the beginning.

“What excites me most is knowing this is the tip of the iceberg for Shai. He is honestly just getting started,” Simon says. “I don’t see a boundary or limit to where Shai can take it. Maybe I’m being biased, but I believe he can be one of the greatest ever, on and off the court.”

Photo credit Jim Poorten.

The post After Managing Music Heavyweights, Founder of ISLA MANAGEMENT Simon Gebrelul is Making Waves in Sports appeared first on SLAM.

Over the past few years, many brands have tried their hand at collaborations with the HBCU community, but oftentimes, these partnerships fall flat, feeling forced and opportunistic at a time where HBCUs have begun to garner more recognition. While AND1 isn’t Black-owned, they’ve maintained their stake as an integral player in hoop culture and Black culture since first taking the world by storm in 1993. That’s what separates AND1 from the pack and has led to this “passion partnership” with Wilberforce, as AND1 brand director Dexter Gordon likes to call it.

“Wilberforce is an NAIA school, but we wanted them to feel like a DI,” says Gordon, referring to the abundance of apparel and product they supplied the teams with, in addition to a high-major-
esque preseason media day. And this is only the beginning of AND1’s commitment to their expanding HBCU footprint. 

“We’re looking at other schools [to partner with],” Gordon says. “If opportunities from bigger schools come, then cool. But our mindset is that we want to start with the smaller HBCUs and shine a light on them.”

The post Wilberforce University and AND1 Partnership is History in the Making appeared first on SLAM.

The 6-7, 235-pound forward knows about top-10 national rankings—Peat has been a fixture in that spot in the 2025 class for years now. At press time, he was arguably the top remaining undecided senior in the country, with Baylor, Houston and Texas vying with in-state rivals Arizona and Arizona State on his list of finalists. “I’m still figuring it out, so I don’t have a timeline,” he said. “I’m just taking it day by day.”

It’s a healthy approach, and it speaks to the confidence with which Peat operates on and off the court. Growing up surrounded by high-level athletes probably has something to do with it. The son of former NFL lineman Todd Peat, he came up the youngest of seven and watched his older brothers star in football—among them Andrus, a 10-year NFL vet who spent last season with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Keona, currently at Arizona State—while his sisters Leilani and Maya both hooped in college. All of that had an effect.

“Obviously my parents supported me in whatever I did,” Koa says, “but as a competitor, watching my brothers and sisters since I was little inspired me.”

Football’s in his blood, of course—he played with Keona and their cousins, and his size made him a promising tight end prospect—but hoops became his focus in middle school, and the timing of the pandemic coincided with his decision to fully dial in. “Over Covid, I started training really hard, getting a lot better, and I could see those strides,” he says. 

“I just fell in love with the work—that’s all it takes, hard work. That’s when I knew I could go far with this.” A growth spurt got him to 6-6 by the end of ninth grade, further solidifying his path on the court.

He pairs size and athleticism with a skill set that is looking increasingly complete. Asked about his strengths, Peat says, “I’d say I’m a winner first.” And then? “I’m versatile—I feel like I can play 1 through 5, I can guard 1 through 5. I’m a leader—I’m gonna make sure my team’s locked in. I’m unselfish, and I’m a team player.” His college choice will come down to the right fit of coaching staff and style of play, a program that can appreciate all he brings and hone those strengths. 

“I’m definitely looking for coaches who are going to play me in a position where I can do everything on the court, let me play free, develop me as a player that has no flaws,” he says.

If that sounds overconfident, Peat’s résumé backs it up. In addition to those three state titles and the last two Arizona Gatorade POY awards, Peat also owns three USA Basketball gold medals, winning multiple U17 FIBA World Cups and the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in 2023. For his efforts in that tournament—he averaged a team-high 17.2 points and 8.3 boards en route to gold—Peat was named the 2023 USA Basketball Male Player of the Year.

“You dream of stuff like that,” he says now. “The numbers I had, winning the tournament, being a leader on that team, I didn’t feel like I didn’t deserve it. To have your name by all those greats that won the award just shows that if you work hard and keep focusing on your craft and work, you can do anything.” 

Portrait by Thomas Ingersoll

The post Koa Peat is Writing His Own Legacy as a Top-Ranked Star at Perry HS appeared first on SLAM.

“My mom just signed me up in kindergarten,” she tells us after practice in January. “She was like, You’re tall. Let’s try this. So, she signed me up for rec basketball in kindergarten and I met some of my best friends through basketball.” 

It’s a good thing Jazzy stuck with it, because she’s transcending high school hoops right now as the No. 3 ranked player in the nation. The three-time Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year averaged 26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 2.6 assists per game through 25 games last season at Clackamas, and she knows that what truly separates her from the competition is her versatility on both ends of the floor. That’s exactly the word she uses when describing her game. “I play really well off my teammates without the ball in my hands, so that’s something that I feel kind of separates me a little bit from other top players,” she says. “Also just playing both sides of the ball. Defense is a huge thing for me, and I feel like I get a lot of my offense off of defensive rebounds and pushing it in transition.”

The USC commit will look to refine her game once she gets out to Cali and suits up for head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. What stood out to her most during the recruitment process was how close-knit and “family-oriented” the Trojans, currently ranked fourth in the AP poll, are. She has her sights set on elevating her game in college and winning “a few national championships” at USC, but she knows that in order to get there, she has to put in the work first. And her main focus will be on consistency.

“I know I have a lot of work to do to get there,” she says. “Personally, I feel like I kind of do a little bit of everything, but I can always be more consistent and get better at all the little things that I already do. So, just consistency offensively. And then defensively, just making sure I’m locked in every possession, whether I’m on the ball or off the ball. [I just need to keep] fine tuning things and getting them to be more consistent.”  

Portraits by NASHCO Photography

The post Jazzy Davidson, the No. 3-Ranked Player in the Class of 2025, is Ready to Ascend Her Game at USC appeared first on SLAM.

The 5-11 freshman took a different route than most peers in her position would. Ranked as the 37th best prospect in the nation in the class of 2024 by BlueStar Basketball, she committed to the underrated Temple University. Now she’s a key player in reviving the winning culture on North Broad Street. Greatness doesn’t happen overnight, though, and Savannah is taking her journey one step at a time.

“I’m not really thinking too far ahead because we still have little steps [to climb] along the way,” Savannah says.

All the noise surrounding the Owls’ eight-year March Madness drought or any other external distractions don’t bother her. Achieving smaller goals is more important, and she’s focused on building from within to make that happen.

“I think it starts with the little tournaments we have leading up to it,” Savannah says. Since we spoke in December, Temple has been crowned the inaugural Big 5 Classic Champions, a tournament centered around Pennsylvania area schools. It seems Savannah’s future-looking words came to fruition.

“I’m not worried about other teams. I’m kind of just focused on everything that we have going on,” she says. “It’s not about everybody else, it’s about us and what we need to do to get ahead. I have great teammates, so it’s really fun to hang out with all of them.”

As one of three true freshmen getting minutes on a nightly basis, Savannah isn’t comparing her game to anyone else. When opportunity calls, she answers, whether it’s dropping 12 points off the bench against Georgetown or snagging a team-high 3 steals at Florida Atlantic. Throughout her first season, pressure has become a privilege, and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to help her team succeed. Until then, it’s a turtle race, and Savannah is moving at her own perfect pace. 

Portrait via Savannah Curry

The post Savannah Curry Details Her Freshman Year and Contributing to the Winning Culture at Temple appeared first on SLAM.

“I feel like people kind of forget that it’s normal to lose, you can’t win them all,” MiLaysia Fulwiley said to us in February. “I mean I wish we could, but it’s been a year. It’s coming. It’s been years, like, we just keep winning so easily. These losses ain’t gonna do nothing but prepare us more for when it matters the most.” 

Prior to winning the SEC Championship, we sat down with MiLaysia Fulwiley, Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards to talk about this season, their preparation, the meaning of legacy and so much more. Because really, who better to speak on where this team is at right now? And if the Gamecocks can win another national championship and go back-to-back, they’ll be the ones to say I told you so…

WSLAM: From the first time y’all got to play on the court together, what kind of growth have you seen from then to now? 

Joyce Edwards: It’s just surreal, kind of full circle. You play these girls in high school—you think you’ll never really see them again. They’re gonna go their ways [and] you’re gonna go your way. But the fact that we’re all on the same team, and we’re literally three McDonald’s All-Americans—we’re so tough. Like Lay said, I just feel bad for our opponents because it’s crazy to think about.

MiLaysia Fulwiley: Definitely. Everything she said.

WSLAM: When did you realize this team was ready for this season? When did it all click? 

Chloe Kitts: I feel like we knew right away. Some workouts this year were really good. Everyone was hooping. We were like, Dang, we’re gelling really good. Because last year, we didn’t really see that, but it ended up working out good for us. But this year, from the beginning, from the get-go, everyone was ready, everyone was excited. You can see everyone’s main focus is winning. You can just see it.

MF: I agree, because last year, some workouts was pretty bad. We had a lot of hard days, and I
feel like this year, it was completely opposite. We came in knowing what we wanted to do and what we wanted to execute. I feel like we did that every practice, and that helped us grow into who we are now. We’re still trying to find us as a team, as a whole. So I also feel like our freshmen played a big role in that. They came in ready to hoop. Joyce Edwards, Maddy McDaniel, they came in ready to dominate, ready to fill in. And Joyce did a great job with just being confident in herself and remembering who she is as a player. Because coming into college, that can be the hardest part about it, and having a freshman that plays like a senior is really good for us. That really gels us together, helps us be confident and believe who we are.

JE: For me, I wasn’t really here last summer. I came late from [Team] USA, but this is by far the best team I ever played on, so I can’t say if I knew we [were] ready for that, because I didn’t know what we were getting ready for exactly; I never experienced it before. I just knew that everybody on the floor had a huge impact on what we did in practice, and we were all talented. So I knew that anybody who’s going to face this is gonna have a hard time beating us—that was really my mindset.

WSLAM: What does South Carolina mean to each of you?

MF: To me, it means a lot. I came from South Carolina, born and raised in South Carolina.
Growing up here, it means a lot to me, but not only me, with my family and my friends, putting
a jersey on for any college level, it means a lot. So just saying that I can be able to represent my hometown, my home state, it means a lot to me, and I love it. I appreciate [Coach] Dawn [Staley]
and the University of South Carolina for giving me the opportunity to play here.

CK: For me, growing up, South Carolina is your dream school. I’m from Seattle, and everybody’s like, That’s a dream school, South Carolina. I mean, South Carolina, and UConn, but it was just different, and it just means a lot. Coming here and playing in front of 18,000 fans, and you go into the grocery store and people ask for pictures, you’re walking down the street and people are like, Can I get your autograph? I mean, that’s really cool. A lot of people don’t get to experience that in college, so I appreciate that a lot. And of course, winning. I mean, South Carolina, we’re winners over here, and we get held to a higher standard. 

JE: South Carolina is really just home. You know, I feel like my basketball career really took off in South Carolina, just from high school to college, being able to do what I wanted to without any limitations. And having the support of people from South Carolina being there—my family being there for me—to grow up in South Carolina and play basketball here. Like they said, playing for Dawn Staley, who’s the embodiment of head coaches in women’s basketball. South Carolina is this school [that] every female basketball player wants to come to because we’re just winners, our culture. Being in South Carolina, it’s like being a part of a big family, not even just in university, but outside as well.

WSLAM: What do you all think is the “it” factor that makes this place what it is?

JE: Us people, literally us three, the whole team. It’s the people that make South Carolina, South Carolina. We want the best for each other. We literally love each other, we support each other and everything. I feel like that’s the it factor, because you can have statues anywhere, you can have championships anywhere, but it’s really all about the people. 

CK: I also feel like a lot of us come from different backgrounds. Everybody’s kind of different. We all are one big family, and we all want to learn about each other, their culture and everything like that.

WSLAM: What’s one word to describe this team at the beginning of the season, one word to describe the team right now and one where you hope to be at the end of the season?

JE: I want to say anxious, but not in a bad way, like, we were just itching to play, wanting to show the world what we could do. We just wanted to play, like, just anxious. We just wanted to play. 

MF: Determined. Everybody is so determined.

JE: That’s perfect. We had our setbacks in the season, but the way that we come out of them
is crazy.

CK: It’s just the early season. I think at the end of the season, hopefully we can say winners.

MF: Champs. 

CK: It’s exactly what we want.

MF: I also feel like people kind of forget that it’s normal to lose, you can’t win them all. I mean, I wish we could, but it’s been a year. It’s coming. It’s been years, like, we just keep winning so easily. I feel like these losses ain’t gonna do nothing but prepare us more for when it matters the most. 

JE: The way that we come out of losses, it’s really insane. We go on, we just destroy everybody else in our path. 

CK: I mean, we’d rather lose now than later on. People try and play their best game against us, people scout [us] forever just to play against us because they want to beat us so bad. I mean, it’s
OK to lose. We’re not going to lose when it matters, and that’s all that matters.

WSLAM: This team carries a lot with them: the pressure of everyone watching, people rooting for you, people rooting against you. How do you keep your composure through the season?

CK: You have to realize that you go through highs and lows. Everyone goes through highs and lows. You might have a good stretch of games, you might have a horrible stretch of games. You just have to find a healthy balance and know that everything’s gonna be OK. That’s for me, especially because you can’t get too high with the highs [and] too low with the lows. Just try your hardest to stay consistent. 

MF: I agree. When you’re playing basketball, it’s a mental thing, and if your mental is not there, then your game, your play, isn’t going to be there. I feel like it’s very important for all of us to keep our mental together. Just always remember that the main goal is winning a national championship, and you win some, you lose some, but we just all need to be locked in on that one goal. And I feel like that’s what keeps us together and keeps us able to get through the pressure.

JE: I feel like we’re composed because we have to be. I mean, you get uncomposed after the season, after you win the end goal. But the end goal is still the end goal, and you haven’t reached that yet. So there’s no need to be happy or sad because you haven’t reached that yet. You have to be composed, because every team in the SEC is there trying to kill you every single time. You don’t have time to get high with the highs or get low [with the] lows, because at the end of the day, nobody’s gonna care about your emotions or how you’re feeling. You have to stay composed to get to the end goal. And if you’re not, then you’re not gonna succeed.

WSLAM: Can you talk about legacy and what it means to you individually, for each other and for the future of this program?

MF: I feel like we’re doing a great job of creating legacy. Last year was a historical year. I don’t think no team in South Carolina history has ever went undefeated and won a national championship. Things like that would be how we create our legacy. Every single person who’s on that team last year has now created a legacy just because of that. So doing things like that, just being great people, not only on the court but off the court, too, helps create legacy. It’s not all about what you do on the court or what we do as a team. 

CK: What you do in the community…

MF: We did a whole lot of community things, giving back, donations and stuff, and I felt like that helped play a big role in the legacy that we created not only last year, but this whole past decade.

JE: We understand legacy is important because it inspires the next generation of little girls who want to play basketball. So we uphold ourselves to a certain standard on and off the court that we have to be consistent with. And that’s what we do. So every day we go out there, we work hard on the court. We donate, like they said. We do charities and stuff, because we want to uphold that legacy, to inspire the next generation.

WSLAM: Playing for a national championship, the path to back-to-back, what does it mean to you? How do you prepare for the big stage, and how do you make sure the whole team knows what’s about to happen?

CK: We have to all be on the same page, like we kind of just talked about before. We’re gonna go through highs and lows, and that means wins and losses. But we’re gonna win when it matters and try and get through this hump, and we’re gonna come out as strong as we can.

MF: Yeah, and I feel us as a team, we do a great job with understanding—everything she just said—and actually understanding, not just hearing it. And the freshmen, they seem to catch on very quickly, and they understand that assignment, from what I see. They know that we really want it and how much it will mean to us if we have it. It’s all up to us now. 

JE: We prepared for the national championship game in the beginning of the season. So the preparation isn’t necessarily any different than it was for the first week of the season. It’s all about being consistent, all about having that same mindset and that same goal, and all about all of us being determined.

WSLAM: In 10 years, when you look back at your cover, at everything you all have been able to accomplish at South Carolina, what do you hope to see?

CK: I hope I reached my goals, everything I wanted to do since I was younger, since I was at SLAM in high school. And hopefully I can look back then in New York, when I played [at] Rucker Park in the SLAM Summer Classic, and hopefully I can see in 10 years how far it came.

MF: Hopefully I can be proud of my younger self and basically tell my younger self that I did everything that I work hard for.

JE: Yeah, hopefully, it seems I’m still playing—I’ll be 29— I probably wouldn’t look back that early, but let’s say I retired, something happened. I don’t know if I look back, I want to know that I’ve reached my potential. Looking back at all the things I did when I was younger, I want to look at myself and not be disappointed in what I did when I was older. That makes sense, because I was younger, I was ambitious, I worked hard. I got the goals that I wanted. I got the goals that I wanted to get to. So to me, I just hope that I don’t disappoint myself.

Get ready for March with exclusive South Carolina women’s hoops merch.

Portraits by Diwang Valdez.

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It’s in everything he’s done so far in his career: from being the Celtics’ No. 26 pick in the 2020 draft to, in just five seasons in Boston, inking his name in the record books by hitting multiple buzzer beaters in the Finals, winning a championship and now leading the Sixth Man of the Year race. Whenever the guard has the ball in his hands, he’s like a magician in his bag of tricks. The court vision and dazzling dimes. His ability to create plays off the dribble. The efficiency at which he shoots the ball, unafraid to let it fly whenever, over whomever, from wherever. Doesn’t matter if it’s 50 feet. 

Pritchard’s impact on the Celtics is evident in his ability to perform and deliver, especially when they need it most. But to do all of that while coming off the bench? That takes sheer confidence. 

“I definitely wanted to be considered in the conversation for one of the best players off the bench,” he tells us after shootaround one day. “I mean, obviously, with our team [and] the way we’re built, we are very talented. And our starting five, obviously it’s a lot of big names. So I felt like for myself to make a jump and be considered one of the best bench players in the League, that would only help our team. And I thought I was very capable of that.”

As of mid-January, Pritchard is leading the NBA in total points off the bench (895), which puts him above last year’s Sixth Man of the Year, Minnesota’s Naz Reid. Look up and down the stat sheet and you’ll see career-high numbers in almost every category: minutes played (28.2), field-goal attempts (10.6), an ability to shoot at a more efficient clip than in years’ past. He’s averaging 14.4 ppg—double what he averaged as a rookie (7.7)—on a career-high 47.9 percent shooting from the field and 42.4 percent from behind the arc. 

During the offseason, Pritchard dialed in on refining those very aspects of his game. What we’re all witnessing now is everything coming into motion. “Just being able to shoot off the move and shoot off the dribble from three more, that’s definitely added levels to my game,” he describes. “I thought my mid-range and finishing was always really good and just continued to be good, but [I try to] just continue to be a complete ballplayer. Defensively, being more active.” 

At just 6-1, Pritchard is crashing the boards and averaging 3.8 trb and 1.4 offensive boards.

“It really just comes down to confidence, honestly,” Pritchard says, when asked what’s been the difference maker for him this season. “I’ve just been confident every time I step on the floor. That’s what I’m capable of doing, and I’m capable of helping [us] win at the highest of levels.” 

You know it’s real when you are who you think you are, and no one can deny Pritchard’s innate ability to be a spark for the Cs whenever he’s out there. In a win against the Pistons, Pritchard’s impact was everywhere en-route to a 27-point, 10-assist performance, from 27-foot pullup threes to assists to Queta to easy layups and big rebounds. “I thought he made big-time plays whether it was the offensive rebound, whether it was the play at the end of the game or just pushing the pace. You know, he kinda just has the ability to impact the game in different ways,” said head coach Joe Mazzulla after the game. 

Just last night against Portland, he dropped a career-high 43 points and knocked down a best 10 threes. Alongside teammate Derrick White’s 41-point performance, they’re the first Celtics duo ever to score 40 or more points in the same game.

The type of energy that he brings is what White called the “Payton Effect” on The Young Man and the Three podcast.

“I think it has something to do with the energy that it gives people,” Pritchard tells us, when asked about White’s comments. “The excitement, just the momentum swings and just me coming off the bench to come in with a spark and this new life of energy and the pace of play. The crowd gets behind it, too.”

In other words: he is just on a different wavelength. It’s when he’s playing freely and creatively that Pritchard does things that leave the crowd in total awe. Take for instance what happened in the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic. With the Cs already up 112-89 in the fourth, Pritchard didn’t hold back when matched up against Wendell Carter Jr, who played solid defense but was no match for P’s artistic dribbling combos and elite footwork. Plus the step-back jumper he drained immediately after. 

“It’s definitely an art form,” he says about his approach to shooting. “I feel like there’s such a rhythm piece to it. It’s just allowing your body to be all in one motion when you shoot. That definitely helps.” 

His mindset is simple: Don’t think, just shoot. Whatever happens on the floor—including some of the craziest half-court buzzer beaters we’ve ever seen, which, might we add, he doesn’t practice but has obviously perfected—is all the result of just how much time and dedication he’s put into every aspect of his craft. What we’re witnessing now is someone just straight up hoopin’. “I’ve practiced and I’ve worked so many hours at it that I feel like when I shoot, the worst is when I start to think about my form, start to think about certain things, rather than just letting all the work I put in just come naturally,” he adds. “I try to harp on, Just let it fly. Don’t think. Be in the flow of shooting.”

Keep in mind, he’s doing all of this while on a championship squad that’s currently leading the NBA in threes. Not only is Payton shooting the lights out, but the Celtics are leading a three-point resurgence across the League, one that’s drawn a bit of criticism. But, in his opinion, if this is just one of the many things that makes them so lethal, why switch up now? “We have eight dudes on our team that could go off and hit five threes in the game very easily,” P explains. “We have eight dudes that are high-level shooters that make us very difficult, so you have to worry about every one of us. Now, a lot of teams don’t have that, and I think that’s what makes us different from most teams. You just have to worry about all of us when we’re on the court.” 

As a reigning champion, Pritchard knows there’s something bigger they’re all playing for, too: going back-to-back in the Finals and raising Banner 19. But when he looks back at how he’s gotten here and solidified himself as a key piece in their rotation, it all comes down to his ability to find balance. In the good and the bad. In the clutch performances and big-time plays. This is what he would tell a young Payton just coming into the League:

“[Don’t] ride the waves of the lows and the highs. Try to be balanced through it all,” he says. “I’ve learned that now, and I’m still learning that at times, but I’ve definitely gotten a lot better at it. But I feel like the thing that’s hardest for young players, especially in the League, is just the ups and downs. There could be a lot of nights where things just don’t go your way, or a lot of things are out of your control, but not letting it mentally affect you. But then obviously you’re gonna have a lot of good nights, but not riding that high too high either. Just maintaining that balance.”

To have his name be part of the Sixth Man conversation is an “honor,” he says. While it might come as a surprise to many, what it means to him is that all of those hours are paying off. Now it’s about keeping that same energy and more, every night.

“It means I’ve elevated to another level, which is from the work and stuff like that,” he says. “But we’re almost halfway through the year, so I got another halfway to go and show what I’m capable of. I’m just worried about game by game now [and] showing [that] every day.” 

The post The Payton Pritchard Effect appeared first on SLAM.

After an 18-point comeback win over No. 5 Iowa State and dropping both No. 12 UNC and Memphis by double digits, Auburn walked away trophy in hand and with a lei around head coach Bruce Pearl’s neck. That’s when National Player of the Year candidate Johni Broome said, “Everybody was like, Yeah, we’re legit.”

SHOP THE AUBURN COLLECTION

Not just legit but purely dominant. So dominant that they’ve been the No. 1 team in the country for over two months straight. They’ve played the strongest strength of schedule in the country while serving up nonstop Ws in a conference that’s projected to send 13 teams to the Big Dance. After amassing the nation’s most Quad 1 wins (16), the Tigers sit at 27-3 with a season’s worth of tests and challenges etched into their résumé. 

They’ve got students pitching tents outside of Neville Arena five minutes after an away game. And the night before the Auburn faithful are let in, you can catch the guys handing out pizzas and sandwiches to their fellow students while Johni and Miles Kelly sneak in a few games of poker. 

Bruce Pearl hasn’t just returned Auburn to prominence, he’s built a spectacle in the SEC. The sheer amount of toilet paper cast across Toomer’s Square is more than enough evidence. And just moments after our early February shoot with the team’s star forward and eccentric freshman point guard, Jay Bilas walks into the practice gym looking to film one of his iconic 94-foot-long interviews with Johni. Twenty minutes later, the two are walking through the sea of tents in Pearlville. All eyes are rightfully centered on The Plains this season. 

Broome falls into more Top 10 rankings than MF Doom’s Madvillainy. No. 4 presides over the SEC with an iron fist and has 17 double-doubles on the season. No one has found an answer for his 18.1 points, 10.7 boards and 2.4 blocks a night. The freshman phenom standing to his side is putting on for a long lineage of New Jersey-bred ballers, unafraid of the moment, the challenge and the deep ball on broken-down plays. Alongside the brilliance of Chad Baker-Mazara, Miles Kelly, Denver Jones, Chaney Johnson, Dylan Cardwell and a cast of other contributors, each night is a confirmation that we’re looking at one of the best teams to ever step across campus. 

“We know the situation we’re in. We just try not to dwell on it, focus on it. We just take it day by day,” Tahaad says. 

For the past two seasons, two-time All-SEC selection Johni Broome has been doing just that. After transferring from Morehead State for his sophomore season, the 6-10 Florida native has been steamrolling the limitations placed upon him ever since he was in high school, now ranking top 10 in the nation in blocks, rebounds and double-doubles. 

“I always had that chip on my shoulder, that edge. Growing up, I just had the utmost confidence, because where I’m from you’ve got to have confidence or you’re gonna get eaten alive,” Johni said. “I just grew up and I took it wherever it went with me. I went to college, my mindset was to kill whatever was in front of me. And that just carries on today, because the person I’m playing probably had more exposure, had more offers than me. So each and every night I go in looking to dominate.”

He led the team in scoring in his first season. He became the program’s 18th All-American in his second. The 2024 SEC Tournament MVP catapulted the last few years of momentum into one of the best individual campaigns this collegiate season. Twenty-six and 16 boards at LSU. Against Ohio State: 21 and 20. And twenty-three and 19 against North Carolina. On top of collecting double-doubles like vinyls, he’s swatted away four or more shots in four games.

With one of the best players in the nation back for his senior season, Coach Pearl says it was all about empowering his returning players with a “less is more” approach. Instead of going out and collecting as many five-star recruits and transfers as possible, Coach Pearl asked for more from his guys.

Johni’s managing more minutes (nearly 29 a night) and starting alongside Dylan for the first time in their careers. And freshman Tahaad Pettiford’s dropping haymakers off the bench on a nightly basis. Instead of backfilling the departure of graduate senior Jaylin Williams, Chaney Johnson and Chad Baker-Mazara are finding—and delivering—even more opportunities to shine. The staff was selective when it came to the portal, too, offering the opportunity to win championships instead of promising playing time. SMU transfer Ja’Heim “Turtle” Hudson was more than game. So was Georgia Tech transfer Miles Kelly. “And the pieces fit really nicely together,” Coach Pearl said. 

The No. 1 team in the country for eight weeks straight knows that everyone is gunning for them. They’ll willingly walk into your trap and then take it over, shouts to the BankRoll Fresh song that’s blasted after every dub on the road. All the while, the goals remain the same; SEC Championship followed by confetti in March. 

“You can’t get complacent. You can’t get comfortable because each and every night they’re coming. We have a target on our backs,” Johni said. “Obviously everybody wants to beat the best. We know that, we’re aware of that, so we’re going to bring it every night. So you better bring it, too.”

That sense of confidence stems from each player’s belief in the guy next to them. As Johni and Tahaad acknowledge their ranking, they’re adamant that the contributions from the entire team are the reason Auburn’s enjoying the success they’ve had.

“I just feel like we have players that don’t get enough recognition,” Tahaad says. “We have players that without them, we wouldn’t be in the position that we are now. If they didn’t come here, we might not be No. 1 because of what they do for us. I just feel like their time is going to come, and when it comes, I feel like they’re going to be ready.” 

Guys like Denver Jones, one of the best defenders in all of college basketball whose name is beyond deserving of being in the Naismith All-Defensive team convo for locking up the opposing team’s best bucket-getter. Guys like Miles Kelly, the Tigers’ go-to sharpshooter who will pull out the team-wide “Call God” celly after draining a step-back three. Guys like Chad Baker-Mazara, the Dominican Republic native who’s posting 13.1 points and 1.2 steals a night and on the Julius Erving Mid-Season Award watch list. Guys like Chaney Johnson who’s scored in double digits for five straight games for the first time in the Auburn blue and orange. Guys like Ja’Heim Hudson, Chris Moore and true freshman Jahki Howard coming off the bench, injecting the right amount of energy whenever they check-in.

The roster is loaded with experience between the portal and returning players who experienced last year’s SEC Tournament Championship. But the squad isn’t built solely off seniority. As one of two true freshmen on the roster getting tick, Pettiford has quickly become one of the most impactful point guards in the nation.

The Jersey native torched Georgia in mid-January for his career-high, 24. He dropped a 21-piece in just his second game of the season, against No. 4 Houston no less. He’s fearless in every regard. Pull up the clips from his 20-point performance at Duke if you’re curious. Or his bombardment of last-second threes that routinely find the bottom of the net. 

“Growing up, to be honest, I always played with older people. So coming in, I kind of expected it to be the same to how it’s always been, just being around guys that are more experienced, played the game, played in the tough games. Just having their energy behind me, knowing they had my back in the low times, I feel like that just gives me confidence,” Tahaad said. “And without them, I feel like my season wouldn’t be going the same as it is now.”

Windmills and no-look drop-offs to the post are complimented by 11.3 points, 2.9 assists and nearly a steal a night. He’ll skip up court into a pull-up three during the biggest game in SEC history, silencing the crowd with a smile. The 6-1 freshman lives for the road. The entirety of the team does. 

“We care about being No. 1 in the nation, but, like, we don’t really feel like that,” Johni said. “We’re normal. Every day we come in, having fun. We’re just being us. Everybody else sees us as a fun team to be, but we’re just acting how we normally act. I think we’re just embracing the moment with each other, and instead of feeling pressure to be No. 1, I think we’re just embracing the journey of being No. 1.”

If there’s anything more certain than Auburn’s locks on the No. 1 ranking, it’s their commitment to joy while doing it. And they often find it on the road, sitting at 7-0 in SEC play after defeating No. 2 Alabama inside Coleman Coliseum on February 15. 

Surrounded by hostilities and the Crimson Tide faithful, the inner state rivalry was turned to a 10 as the first-ever No. 1 vs No. 2 matchup to take place in the SEC. Through the 40-minute battle, the thousands in attendance did everything they could to disrupt Auburn’s chemistry. Instead, the Tigers tightened the screws on the brotherhood that they’d constructed, coming together for a 9-point win. As the final buzzer sounded, they reminded everyone why you don’t poke the bear, waving goodbye to the opposing fans and doing the Crimson Crane in unison right on the cursive A logo. Even a brown leather belt made an appearance in the locker room. 

“Knowing that when we get the chance to come to your spot, dominate and do what we do, I just feel like that just gives us more confidence, more energy that we need,” Tahaad said.

In practice, in the film room, on the court, off the court, that’s just who they are. At the end of the bench, after a blocked shot, following a top 10 win, “We’re like that all the time,” Johni says. They know they’re cold and they know everyone’s watching them enjoy the hell out of the journey, from Tik Toks to the end of the bench. They know they’re the favorites, and they know the Maui Invitational isn’t the only trophy they want resting in The Plains this season.

“I know this, we can be excited to play, and with the schedule that we still have, we’re gonna lose some games. I get that, but this team’s been ready to play, I think because they got something to prove,” Coach Pearl says. “This team’s got a chip on its shoulder. I don’t look at us as where we’re ranked right now in the country. I look at us as who we are, [a] collection of who we are.”

Portraits by Diwang Valdez

The post Johni Broome and Tahaad Pettiford on Auburn’s Dominant Run, Taking Over the SEC and What It Takes to Win it All appeared first on SLAM.

The Cyclones, up by 2 points, went crazy with excitement after the play, from the bench to head coach Bill Fennelly to sophomore guard Kelsey Joens and forward Addy Brown, who gave a smiling Crooks a celebratory chest bump.

Through the highs and lows of this season, Crooks has been the force propelling the Cyclones forward when they’ve needed it the most. The previous time Iowa State played K-State, in late January, Crooks had a double-double of 28 points and 11 boards in a down-to-the-wire OT thriller, with Iowa State coming out on top, 79-87. This time around, she finished with 36 and 10 in the 85-63 upset win.

“If we throw it in there, we know it’s going up and it’s going in,” sophomore forward Addy Brown told us earlier this season. “That’s a good thing to have inside, and we kind of play around her.”

Crooks has been dominating in the post since her high school days at Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona, IA, where she led her squad to back-to-back state titles and inked her name in the state record books. She broke the tournament record by dropping 49 points in the state championship game, doing so while ducking the haters who tried to call her a one-hit wonder, like she does her defenders. “The critics say sometimes that all I do is get baskets right under the basket,” she told The Gazette in 2023. “I mean this in the most humble way: It works.”

It’s at Iowa State that Crooks has perfected the art of posting up. The minute the Cyclones get possession of the ball on the offensive end, Audi is always right there, scheming under the basket and boxing out or dancing with her defenders. Sometimes she’ll take a few dribbles and then either push right past her opponent or go right under them for a smooth layup finish. 

What’s even scarier for everyone is that this season, Crooks has been challenging herself to knock down jumpers from the mid-range, too. After earning All-Big 12 honors as a freshman, she locked in on it during the offseason. “I took the time to appreciate what I did my first year, but also improve,” Crooks tells us. “[I] focused a lot [on] turning up [on] the defensive end of the floor, being a better defender, being a better shot blocker, and then also coming out of the paint a little bit [with my] mid-range game, trusting myself with the rock and trusting myself to be able to handle the ball.” 

It’s that trust—in herself and from her squad—that’s led Crooks to emerge into a college basketball star as just a sophomore. “I chose Iowa State because it made me feel cared for as a person, not just for what I do on a basketball court,” Crooks told us when asked about her decision to play for the Cyclones. During her recruiting process, Fennelly and his staff worked hard to make sure she felt that way, from dining at her favorite restaurant, Cinco De Mayo, a local Mexican spot in Algona, to sending her a picture of her future locker. They even defended her against the aforementioned critics, including on the night that Crooks led her high school squad to a state title. 

As a disgruntled fan questioned whether she could play at the next level in college, Fennelly remembers snapping back at them then. “We’re not recruiting somebody to sit on the bench,” he told them then per The Des Moines Register. 

That so-called fan, and really anyone who has doubted her ability to compete in college, couldn’t have been more wrong. As a freshman, Crooks played in every game, and by the fifth, became a starter. She then broke records, became the first Cyclone freshman ever to be named an All-American and captivated the world while leading the Cyclones to the NCAA tournament, where she had a monstrous 40-point performance in the first-round win against Maryland. Then Crooks held her own in the paint against future WNBA first-rounder Cameron Brink when Iowa State played Stanford in the second-round. Despite the loss, it was the first time the Cyclones had made it that far in the postseason since 2020-21. 

Now in her sophomore campaign, Crooks has upped her numbers across the stat sheet and is currently averaging a career-high 23 ppg on an even more efficient 60 percent from the field. Anytime she’s on the floor, you can see she plays with joy—and an ever-present smile—that her teammates feed off. It’s been the case from the moment she arrived, recalled senior guard Emily Ryan. 

“I just remember when she came on and [visited] the first time, just her personality stands out right away,” Ryan explained. “She’s a light, and she lights up every room she walks into.”

That energy has been needed, especially this year as the Cyclones have had to grind their way through a tough season. By the time this SLAMU digital cover appears on your feed, their record is 21-10. Expectations are high, especially coming from Fennelly, now in his 30th season coaching in Ames. “He’s going to be tough on you,” Crooks told us, adding: “But at the end of the day, you know that he loves you and that he supports you.”

While the Cyclones have yet to make it past the second round of the tournament, they’ve got all the pieces to make a run this March. Their top three scorers include Ryan, a poised and elite veteran leader who helps set up the offense, as well as Brown, who is averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds a game. They have plenty of other experienced bucket-getters, too, and just two freshmen on their entire roster. 

Audi is their anchor, though, and where she goes—or posts up—they all follow. As the Cyclones gear up for the BIG 12 conference tournament, they’ll all need to show up for every possession and every match up.

”She just dominates,” Ryan said of Crooks. “It’s what she does, and being able to have that enforcer in the paint is huge for us both on the floor. You know what to expect from her every day. She’s super consistent.” 

For No. 55, consistency is “key,” she says, not just right now at Iowa State or in the tournament, but throughout her playing career. When asked how she wants to elevate her game, Crooks elaborated: “I think a part of my game that I like to elevate is not necessarily going to show up on the stat board. I’d like to be a better communicator. I’d like to be a better leader and just more consistent overall, whether that be in the paint, at the mid-range, setting screens, whatever it is, even on the defensive end,” Crooks said. “After Iowa State, I would like to play professionally somewhere. We’ll see.” 

It’s with those words that a smile appears on her face yet again. Only time will tell whether she’ll be the one having the last laugh…

Portraits by Matthew Coughlin

The post Iowa State’s Audi Crooks is the CENTER OF ATTENTION | SLAMU 6 Digital Cover appeared first on SLAM.

The breakout forward touting a 7-5 wingspan has taken over the A-10 with a quickness. As of this writing, he’s the only DI player this season to record 20 dunks and 20 threes, netting more than 40 percent of his shots from downtown. He collected back-to-back 26-pieces in December and posted 16 points, 20 rebounds and 3 steals in a single-digit loss to the Texas Longhorns. On any given night, he’s putting up 16.1 points, 9.1 boards, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks. 

The development has been on full display since Rasheer was battling for playing time on a stacked Camden roster and with the New Jersey Scholars on the EYBL circuit, where he picked up his Saint Joe’s offer during warm-ups for a Philly Live tournament. He’s been churning out double-doubles ever since.

“They always saw the potential in me, so they’ve always talked about developing me into the greatest player that I could be,” Rasheer says. “The vision for the team as well, winning a national championship for sure. That was the main vision going into the program, and they’ve always talked about that with me. And I can see it now.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The Emergence of Rasheer Fleming into a Double-Double Standout at St. Joseph’s appeared first on SLAM.

Miles McBride has lived a lot of lives.

From starring under the Friday night lights in Cincinnati, OH, as a high school quarterback to walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week, his journey at only 24 years old has taken him around the world and landed him here: on the court at Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks.

“Coming from Ohio and West V, they’re big-time sports places. If you’re an athlete and if you’re good, people are going to know who you are. New York is like a whole different spotlight,” McBride says. “When you’re good, everybody loves you. When you’re not playing as well, people are throwing shade. The way I grew up, I always wanted to rise to the top, so I feel like I was made for it.”

And that seems to be true. He dropped 22 points in just 26 minutes off the bench in the Knicks’ season opener. After being drafted by the team in 2021, McBride, otherwise known as “Deuce,” has consistently proven his dedication to the game—and the lifestyle. This year, he is putting up his biggest numbers yet. 

“He’s evolved so much since moving to New York. The city and his team have really helped elevate him as a person,” explains Chantelle Thach, his stylist of two years. “ I’ve been trying to grow his style where it reflects the way he plays on the court, too.  He’s more serious now.”

“I feel like as I get a little older, I might have to tap more into suits,” McBride says with a laugh, as he sifts through piles of embellished jackets and collared shirts strewn across the cream sofa in his living room. “More of an official look. A tailored look.”

But for now? He’s in experimentation mode. 

There are a few things to know about McBride: his favorite brand is Chrome Hearts. His pregame hype artist is Lil Durk. His doorman still ties his tie (something McBride admittedly has never been good at). Perhaps most notably, he has an abnormal collection of hats. And by abnormal, we mean extensive. So it seems like a natural occurrence for him to be standing here in front of his full-length mirror, tucking his braids beneath a maroon Aimé Leon Dore and a vintage Cincinnati Reds hat in deep contemplation. He switches between the two, asking Thach for her opinion before nodding in satisfaction at the latter (declaring that either way, his face card “never declines”) and taking the elevator down to the Chelsea streets below to shoot his third and final look of the night. 

“Being expressive is really important. I want to try things. For me, it shows that I’m more than a basketball player,” McBride says about his style. 

For Deuce, whose shy smile and deep laugh give way to a much more playful personality than seen on camera, being serious about his game has never held him back from a life of ventures. It’s no surprise he’s one of the few NBA players who can say they walked an international runway. 

“Right before the show, I could see the models getting into a different mindset, and I was kind of comparing it to going out before a game,” he says, reflecting on his experience modeling for NAMESAKE at Paris Fashion Week in July 2023. “ Obviously their job is serious, but I didn’t see how prepared they really got. It was interesting seeing that and talking to them and relating to it.”

As for the NBA, McBride credits Dwyane Wade with being his fashion mentor in the League, referencing their many conversations about individual expression. He also rocks with Tre Mann’s style (“He’s definitely bringing back an early 2000s look”) and even hyped up Jericho Sims for gifting him a blue Avirex jacket during the team’s Secret Santa. “Asking my teammates what they’re wearing [before games] is a whole other conversation starter,” he says. “It’s cool to see how fashion has evolved so much in the League.”

Now, with the Cavaliers/Thunder game as background noise next to a large window perfectly framing the Empire State Building, McBride grabs the handle of a monogrammed Louis Vuitton roller bag before heading out the door for a look that he describes as his “private jet style,” a last-minute decision that proves his affinity for both experimentation and refinement.  

“I have a mindset of, if I like it, I’m gonna rock it. If I’m doing my thing, it gives me more confidence,” he says. “And I bring that to the court.” 

Portraits by The Hapa Blonde

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The one-of-a-kind operation is the NBA’s first and only music record label and entertainment division, producing music, films and cultural activations with a focus on local artistry. Teaming up with the region’s most creative minds, they’ve made everything from in-game arena anthems to entire documentaries.

Now, Golden State Entertainment is in position to make a splash as this year’s All-Star Weekend takes place right in their backyard.

“We want to maximize the integration between music, culture, sports and film. It’s natural here
[in the Bay Area] and easier than trying to do it someplace else,” says Kelly, who grew up in Chicago. “That’s why you get the innovation. The Bay moves different.”

In November, the team announced its partnership with P-Lo, a Filipino-American rapper and lifelong Warriors fan, to launch For The Soil. The six-track collaborative album and series of live performances aims to highlight the Bay Area’s wealth of cultural output leading up to the NBA’s 74th All-Star Weekend festivities.

The project’s debut single, “Players Holiday ’25,” dropped to heavy fanfare in December. The video features a cast of Bay Area All-Stars like Larry June, G-Eazy, Kamaiyah and LaRussell gathered at San Francisco’s most iconic basketball court in Chinatown, showcasing the region’s ethnic diversity and intergenerational unity. Other tracks include established artists like Symba, Too $hort and the Bay Area’s de facto ambassador and Dubs superfan himself, E-40. Rising talents like Seiji Oda, 24kGoldn and Michael Sneed also get their shine on.

“It’s important to put on Bay Area artists,” Kelly says. “It’s great for the Bay and people coming for All-Star Weekend who have never traveled here. Maybe they have some sights they want to
see but don’t really understand Bay Area culture. This is an entry point.” 

Photos courtesy of Golden State Entertainment.

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It all started in Baton Rouge. Flau’jae “Big 4” Johnson and Mikaylah “12” Williams are on campus at Louisiana State University for a visit when they enter the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (PMAC). They both look up into the rafters. The winning heritage and history of LSU can be felt throughout the arena, where legends like Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Joyce Walker and so many others set the foundation. 

“We’re gonna be here together, and we[’re] basically gonna take over,” Williams, who is a year younger than Johnson and from Boosier City, remembers them saying to each other at the time. Williams committed to the Tigers in June 2022, and by that August, Johnson unveiled her college decision, too. In her music video for “All Falls Down,” which featured Lil Boosie and Mikewillmadeit, Flau’jae announced that she too would be suiting up for the Tigers. 

The post Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams on Expectations, Growth and What it’ll Take to Run it Back in the Tournament appeared first on SLAM.

Nika Mühl doesn’t follow the rules. 

With a stack of awards, hundreds of thousands of followers on social media and a personality just as fiery as her game, the 23-year-old Seattle Storm guard is in her own zone. After claiming GQ’s title of Most Stylish WNBA Player back in October—narrowly beating out fellow rookie and fan favorite Cameron Brink—the former UConn point guard, who was also on the LeagueFits First Team and named LeagueFits Rookie of the Year, has perfected her pre-game style just as much as her warm-up routine.

“ I like to think of fashion as a set of rules that I don’t like to follow,” Mühl tells LeagueFits. 

And it’s true. On the court, she’s a powerhouse; in the tunnel, she’s a trendsetter. A seamless blend of subtle glam and bold femininity define Mühl’s distinct look. Characterized by sharp tailoring, rich hues and plenty of accessories, Mühl carries her best-dressed title well, embracing experimentation while remaining steadfastly herself. The one thing you’ll never find her without? A pair of statement sunnies. “If I could wear sunglasses at my wedding, I would,” Mühl says with a laugh. The air was cool and the sky grey as Mühl pulled up to her shoot on a Friday in early January in her hometown of Zagreb, Croatia. Born to Roberta and Darko Mühl, two former hoopers, Nika credits her parents with inspiring all avenues of her career, from fueling her athletic ambitions to ideating and designing some of her most iconic looks. 

After missing the first four games of the 2024 season due to a delayed work visa, Mühl popped out in the tunnel for her pro debut at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena sporting a graphic tee complete with a photo of her paperwork with a giant “approved” stamped across the front, a bold statement created by her father. “I knew I wanted something that would turn heads for the first time I was going to play,” Mühl explains. “He helped me design the whole thing in one day. It’s one of my favorite looks.” She styled the tee atop an acid-washed denim mini skirt, deep green knee-high boots and an oversized black handbag, a pairing that is quintessentially Nika.

Aside from the stylistic talents of her father, Mühl credits her mother with instilling in her the confidence necessary to embody such bold choices with ease. “It has always been about confidence for me,” Mühl says as she reflects on her style evolution. “Whether I had to fake it or not, I just knew I wanted to look different. I don’t like to blend in.”

Blending in has never been an issue for Mühl, who was named Big East Defensive Player of the Year twice and broke UConn’s all-time career assist record before becoming the 14th pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. That June night not only jumpstarted her professional basketball career, but a career in fashion, too.  

“ I wasn’t expecting to be invited to the draft. Never in a million years,” Mühl recalls. “The invite came five days before, and I had nothing in my closet that was worthy of being worn.” That’s when she took to Instagram and DM’d her now-stylist Brittany Hampton to help curate a look that quickly became one of the most buzzy fits in the League: a tailored cropped suit jacket, midi slit skirt, Gentle Monster x Mugler sunglasses and an icy grill with the letters ZG, an homage to her hometown. “ I trust [Hampton] with my life. Every vision that I have, she puts a little bit of her magic onto it and it turns out better than I even thought,” Mühl says.

A visionary herself, Mühl takes a similar collaborative approach to the way she pieces together her Insta-worthy tunnel fits. “ I love to mix styles and eras to make them cohesive,” she says, describing her personal taste as multi-dimensional and slightly androgynous. “I don’t like being in my comfort zone.” And although she has solidified her place as one of the WNBA’s leading faces of fashion, it will never come in between her love of ball. ​”​ I don’t think what I’m wearing that day influences how I’m approaching the game at all. I keep those two things very separate,” she says. “Fashion takes up a little bit of my day, basketball takes up 80 percent of my day. It’s really just a bonus for me to feel good.” 

As for what’s next in her career, Mühl says it’s only just begun. As fans eagerly await her return to the court after a torn ACL and meniscus in early October, her undeniable grit has led her past recovery efforts and into a multi-faceted career, one that is unmistakably authentic and rapidly growing. 

“I’m really embracing this journey,” she says. “ I don’t think I’ve even touched the surface of where I can be when it comes to fashion.” 

Portraits Karla Jurić & Ive Trojanović, 925STUDIO

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If you know LeagueFits, you know that Jordan Clarkson has been doing this for a minute. The Utah Jazz point guard has influenced players in the NBA and WNBA, college and high school, and plain old casual fans of the game worldwide. 

We sat down with the perennial LeagueFits All-Star to get his thoughts on how NBA fashion has evolved, where he gets his unique pieces and what’s next.

LEAGUEFITS: When you joined the League, fit pics as we know them were just becoming a thing for the first time. You had the kilt, which was one of the first-ever internet viral looks from the basketball world. The LeagueFits Era [of NBA fashion] is really just the internet era, right? How has the NBA fashion scene evolved in your eyes since you were drafted? 

JORDAN CLARKSON: I think it’s just a lot more attention paid to it. Guys have been, you know, putting on different stuff, different looks and illustrating their own vibe when they come to the arena. Like you said, with the internet and these outlets that are covering the NBA, it’s like…I’ll never say I’m the first one to do something, because I think guys have been legendary through this whole period. You look at guys like Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan—who’s, like, iconic to me—I say that a lot of times when I speak on lifestyle because that was him. Dennis Rodman, like, all down the line, but [the internet] was the turning point for us because I feel like everybody is paying attention to what they’re wearing and how they come to the game now. 

LF: In that early era of LeagueFits, there were, like, 25 guys who dressed. When we did our end of season awards, only, like, 10 cool guys were getting left off. Now, everyone is dressing up and it’s impossible to pick these awards. You have 12th men on rosters who are LeagueFits regulars knowing they will get attention. In your early days with the Lakers and Cavaliers, the attention and media wasn’t quite there yet. Why were you dressing up? 

JC: My thing was, I just always wanted to be fresh. I’ve been this way since I was a kid, just always trying to be the first to wear something different, finding a way to express myself in my love for fashion and clothes. That’s been there forever. So I think I came into this organically…I’m really what I’m about, and that’s looking fresh, looking clean. That’s why people, I think, sh-t, I think that’s why a lot of people are f-cking with me, because it’s organic, honestly. 

LF: So it started from a point that’s lowkey kinda wholesome, but now, it’s grown so much, right? You have endorsement deals. You’re going to Fashion Week. Brands are paying you to wear pieces. Was there a moment when you realized that not only did you care about what you were wearing, but a lot of other people did, too? 

JC: I would say after Paris Fashion Week. For me, that was super eye opening. 

LF: Your first? 

JC: It was right after Covid had ended [2022] and I went to [Paris] Fashion Week. I had done Milan before, but yeah, the first time I went to Paris, I was just, like, “This is crazy.” I didn’t personally think that people f-cked with what I was doing to that point of everybody just f-cking with me. So I thought it was cool. That was my first time seeing it. People cared about what I had on. Now I know people are paying attention. So, you know, I’ll never be trying to get caught slipping on my fits, that’s for sure. 

LF: That wasn’t that long ago. You had been going viral for years. What was it specifically in Paris that made you realize fashion wasn’t just a hobby but something bigger? 

JC: It was being with designers. I sat down after the John Elliott show—[I’ve] been cool with John Elliott for a long time, but just getting a chance to talk to him was next level, and seeing his process, how he did his runway show. It was a love of the art, seeing how deep it goes and [it] made me have better insight and gave me more reason to love it and go out there and do my stuff. 

LF: I’ve always wanted to ask about this. The first viral moment in LeagueFits history was when y’all pulled up in the Thom Browne suits [the 2018 NBA postseason]. I feel like it was the moment that introduced a lot of casual fans to NBA fashion. Everyone had the same suit, but a lot of you put your own twists on them. How did that happen? 

JC: So we have Bron and K-Love and got everybody together and they were doing the suit thing, got the custom suits from Thom Browne. We would all have a set we wore to each game, and when we got to The Finals, we were wearing the same suit. I was like, “Man, let’s switch it up. We are on the West Coast. Like, I’mma just cut my pants, is that cool?” But I’m still going to wear the suit because I didn’t want to make it too different from the team. Next thing you know, Bron cuts his [shorts], everyone starts cutting theirs. 

LF: So you were the first one to cut [the suit pants into shorts] then?

JC: [Laughs] Yeah, yeah. 

I’m really what I’m about, and that’s looking fresh, looking clean. That’s why people, I think, sh-t, I think that’s why a lot of people are f-cking with me, because it’s organic, honestly. 

LF: Did you realize it was a big moment as it was happening? 

JC: Nah, I feel like, when you’re in it, you don’t really know what’s really going on, especially during the playoffs. But after it all, I saw the media coverage and everything that was going on, it was pretty dope for sure. 

LF: You’ve been doing this for basically the entirety of the LeagueFits and internet era. I won’t say names, but there are a lot of guys who have been in your position, and they’ve flamed out of the fashion stuff a bit. They’ve hit a wall. Planning 82+ outfits a year at minimum plus Fashion Weeks and other events created burnout. That hasn’t been the case for you. 

JC: I can’t stop myself from doing it. I’m organically doing this. Like you said, on an NBA team, you now have 15 guys coming in fresh. But me, I’ve been doing it a long time. This is just me. This is who I am. I don’t care if I’m going to the grocery store, I’m putting something on like if I were getting photographed. If I went to CVS or Walgreens to get a bag of chips, or a corner store, I’m in something. Even when I’m wearing sweats, majority of the time, they might be different than what your normal sweats are. I’ll cut them in a different way, just trying to make something out of nothing.

LF: You realize that’s unique, right? Like, even guys with stylists who are dressing up all the time, they take the occasional day off to wear team-issued gear or whatever. 

JC: Yeah, yeah. That’s just me. I just do it because it’s me going somewhere. I change three, four times a day and forget. “Oh man, baby, let me try this. I’m going to throw this jacket on.” My boys know I keep clothes everywhere. There’s clothes in my trunk, my whole house is a closet. I don’t have a little area sectioned out, clothes is everywhere. 

LF: Your collection has got to be in the hundreds or thousands. How are you getting all this stuff?

JC: I’m always looking for different brands, designers, seeing how they make pieces different than others. This is art at the end of the day. I don’t scroll on Instagram…I’m scrolling through people’s sites and seeing what they have. 

LF: So you’re saying the way people casually scroll social media on their phone, it’s the same for you, except you’re scrolling, like, retail sites? 

JC: Yeah, I’m for sure on Grailed, just seeing what people are seeing or what people are reselling stuff for. Like, seeing if somebody’s selling something for the low, just trying to get off of it, I’m like, “Oh man, that’s kind of fresh.”

LF: Do sellers on Grailed know they’re interacting with Jordan Clarkson?

JC: Yeah, they do. Sometimes they hit me up, like “Yo, we about to send you some more stuff,” and I’m like, “Alright, that’s cool.” 

LF: Do you have any pieces that you had to take a tough route to get, something that was tougher than liking a mannequin’s look at H Lorenzo?

JC: It’s my [Marithé + François] Girbaud jeans. I found those on Grailed, for, like, $20. I was trying to find Girbaud jeans for the longest, and I was waiting because people were selling them for crazy prices on Grailed. Then I saw one that was right there, and I was like, “Nah, no way you’re selling them for this cheap,” and just snagged them. Snagged ’em. Got two pairs now. 

LF: I’ve seen your closet in San Antonio, and it was insane, and I know that was just a sneak peek. I haven’t seen Utah, the trunks of your cars, etc. Some guys wear things once and that’s it, but you’re not afraid to wear pieces you love. Like, I know exactly which Girbaud jeans you’re talking about. So you have pieces you get attached to and aren’t afraid to wear over and over?

JC: Yeah, for real. I’m the king of recycling. I’m gonna get a cool 100 different looks off this one jacket, pants, whatever it is. I’m able to piece different things together. People go, like, full designer, and I throw in vintage pieces with it, switch it up. And like you said, I do get attached to pieces. Right now, I’m super attached to my Balenciaga bomber with the hoodie stitched in. I’ve worn that for like two years still, and I switch it up with so much different stuff, I don’t even think people notice it. 

LF: I’ve noticed it, but I guess that’s my job to notice it. 

JC: [Laughs] Right! 

LF: You’ve done Paris, Milan and New York Fashion Weeks. You have hundreds of tunnel pictures, millions of likes, big endorsement deals. Have you beaten the game? Or is something up next? 

JC: My own brand. It’s called Seventy-Eight Studios. Seventy-eight is the address of the street I grew up on. As the owner and creative director, I’m super hands-on with [the brand], we’ve been working on it for three years now, you know, finding the factories, putting my foot in that door, understanding what it is to make a brand and have these clothes. It’s a lot tougher than people think. I’m on phone calls, random texts late at night with people that are going to the factory the next day. I’m all the way locked into it. I’m always changing something, looking for something new to put in. Like, we ain’t only just doing clothes. We’re getting into furniture stuff, different every-day stuff. There’s pottery, different creative stuff that’ll fall under Seventy-Eight Studios. 

We took pictures with some of the stuff we’re gonna have coming out soon, so that’s probably my biggest focus in terms of clothes: giving people a product that’s for me and a brand that’s for me…I love who I work with, but being able to curate my own brand, design, that’s the next step. 

Portraits Jalin “Hype” Morgan

Assisted by Bryan Chow 

Creative by Jordan Clarkson and SeventyEightKen 

The post Jordan Clarkson Talks NBA Fashion, Wearing Thom Browne Suit Shorts (First) and Starting Seventy-Eight Studios appeared first on SLAM.

Barely 12 hours after an emotional win vs Marquette, the head coach and three best players on the No. 12-ranked St. John’s Red Storm strut into their classic on-campus venue, Carnesecca Arena, and suit up for, as some of the other St. John’s athletes walking around say excitedly, “a SLAM cover shoot!”

The wild disconnect in the whole scene and story of St. John’s basketball is that to some of the old heads on the scene (*writer most definitely included), the old coach (72-year-old Rick Pitino) and even the players (in this case, the uber-talented and tough trio of Zuby Ejiofor, RJ Luis and Kadary Richmond), St. John’s is supposed to be good. Top-15? Favorites to win the league regular season? To win the conference tournament on the program’s other home court, Madison Square Garden? Expecting a deep run in the NCAA Tournament? What’s the big deal? This is one of the 10 winningest programs in the history of men’s DI hoops. The home of legends like Chris Mullin, Mark Jackson and Malik Sealy. Being in the mix for the aforementioned achievements feels like it should be commonplace. 

And then you look at the banners on the far side of the court and the reality of things out here in Queens hits you in the face. The program’s last conference title was *squints* 2000! The last regular-season title was *shakes head in disbelief* 1992!! These players were literally not even alive for any of that.   

We don’t need to re-litigate what has gone wrong with the Johnnies over the past quarter century—especially since they had enough dope players, compelling coaches and high-profile Garden games to somehow seem more relevant than they were, anyway—and will instead focus on the positive of this campaign: a well-coached crew of tough ballers who could probably blow your doors off with an offensive output if they weren’t so busy putting the clamps on you on defense to make the offense feel almost unnecessary.

“I can’t wave my magic wand and suddenly shoot the ball like Steph Curry, so you have to go with what you have,” says the peripatetic Pitino, now in his second year with SJU and his ninth head coaching job. “We wear these shirts that say PHD, which stands for Passionate, Hungry and Driven to succeed. I’ve coached some great three-point shooting teams in my time, but if that’s not your forte, you go with the areas where you can win.”

The previous night’s battle with Marquette encapsulated the season in many ways. The Garden wasn’t quite sold out, but the 16,521 in the building made it sound more than packed. The Red Storm shot 3-16 from distance and 17-31 from the free-throw line. And still won by 6! The defense was fanatical, as evidenced in a viral clip of the Johnnies chasing Marquette all over the court so that the visitors could not even get a clean shot off, despite being down 7 with less than two minutes to play. After the game, Marquette coach Shaka Smart said SJU had played with “incredible violence,” and he meant it entirely as a compliment.

The offensive struggles were real, but as has typically been the case, the Red Storm got enough from Richmond (18 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists), Luis (17 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals while playing all 40 minutes) and Ejiofor (13 points, 13 rebounds) to grind out the win.

It’s a trio that merges pedigree, experience and skills with visibly great chemistry and, paired with a supporting cast we’ll get to in a minute, should be enough to freshen some of the banners. Ejiofor is a 6-9, 240-pound junior (“he could be a stretch-4, but he the 5 for us,” Luis says with a smile) who was heavily recruited out of the Dallas area in high school and spent one season at Kansas before transferring to St. John’s for Pitino’s first year. His two most defining characteristics are probably his motor and his smile, both of which are on display even in this interview setting. Asked what his job on the team is, Ejiofor says, “bringing the toughness to the group. One thing you could say about me is that I play with a high motor and a lot of passion. And I play for my teammates. This is who I do it for—my teammates, my family, this whole community—that’s why I go hard every single day…getting offensive rebounds, some nights it’s scoring, some nights it’s defending—every night, actually—is bringing the defense and doing whatever it takes to win.”

Richmond, a 6-6, 205-pound combo guard out of Brooklyn, is the most “famous” player on the team, especially in this part of the country. He was the Big Apple’s Public School Player of the Year at South Shore in 2019, then spent a year at Brewster Academy before starting his college career at Syracuse. Richmond transferred to Seton Hall and led the Pirates for three seasons, earning all sorts of Big East honors along the way. A graduate student with one year of eligibility left, he was the prize of the transfer portal and chose to stay close to home, wrapping up his college career in the city that made him. “Kooks,” as he’s known, is on the quiet side with reporters but is clearly the heartbeat of the team, especially on offense. “He’s a silent killer,” Luis says. “A facilitator. Makes plays for others.” Richmond is the de facto 1 on this team, but his size and versatility speak to an NBA future pretty much wherever a team might need him. He’s averaging 12.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2 spg and 1 bpg playing a team-high 32.5 mpg and shooting 50 percent from the floor in the process. Get this guy on your fantasy team yesterday! 

“I try to be the best person I can be, on and off the court,” Richmond says calmly. “Getting the best shot available for us as a team. Moving the ball. Getting the other guys confidence. Be able to make plays. Score, pass it and just bring whatever I can to the game to get a win.”

Luis is a 6-7, 215-pound swingman out of Miami who spent one season at UMass before arriving in Queens in 2023 alongside Ejiofor, who is now his roommate. Luis is the team’s leading scorer at 17.4 ppg, defends to the tune of 1.5 spg and has taken the second-most threes on the team, though he’s about as confused as everyone else about why more aren’t going in. “I try to come out every night with the same energy, the same intensity and taking pride on defense,” he says. “I feel like we’re hitting every aspect of the game except for three-point shooting. The energy’s there, the hustle’s there, we’re playing defense as a whole, collectively. It’s really just trying to work on getting better shots for everyone on the team, and when we get the shots, knock it down.”

This big 3 is complemented primarily by guards Aaron Scott, Deivon Smith and Simeon Wilcher, with additional support from international big men Vince Iwuchukwu and Ruben Pray (one downer in a mostly charmed season was the season-ending injury suffered by sharp-shooting forward Brady Dunlap, who could have helped with the long-range shooting problem but is now just being counted on for more of his great sideline celebrations.) Having a team with talent and size does not always equal good results, though, especially when squads are built on a season-by-season basis. How did this particular group mesh so quickly?

Ejiofor explains: “Our focal point this year was getting to know each other a lot sooner than we did last year, cause we got off to a slow start last year. So our main thing was try and get to know each other off the court a little bit and then on the court as well…we went to the beach and did beach workouts together. We went to the field and did workouts there. We’ve gone out to eat as a group. Just getting to know each other a lot more and a lot sooner than we did last year.”

FWIW, the influx of transfers turning into key players, while a newish phenomenon at many programs who didn’t traffic much in transfers in the pre-portal days, is actually a nod to St. John’s past as well. For every Malik, Mark or Mully who balled out here for four years, there was a Walter Berry, Michael Porter, Bootsy Thornton or Marcus Hatten who quickly won the hearts of SJU fans after transferring in mid-career from JuCo programs.

Whatever the mix or the reason, it’s working just like Pitino confidently predicted it would when he was hired less than two short years ago. “When you’re 72 years of age and you’ve coached for 50 years and you’ve coached the Celtics, the Knicks, Kentucky, Louisville, Providence, I think your confidence is established from the players you coach,” Pitino explains. “Coaches don’t win games; players win games. We had confidence going in that we could recruit the players necessary to win and, also, history repeats itself. If you have the right culture, be it Kentucky, be it Louisville, be it Providence, you’re gonna turn it around. It’s not false confidence, it’s confidence you’ll bring in the right players to fill the culture you want to present.”

One interested and excited observer to all this is Jackson, a native New Yorker who is St. John’s all-time assist leader and played for Pitino with the Knicks when they both entered the League for the first time. “I love Coach Pitino!!” Jackson tells us over text. “Absolutely genius!! He calls me his Rookie of the Year. I call him My Coach.”

Luis offers a lovely summary of where things stand right now for his team. “We got a nice, talented group. Very athletic. We just got some dogs, we just trying to win,” he says. “I feel like we’re waking up the city of New York, and we’re gonna keep on doing it. Playing under Hall of Fame coach, Rick Pitino. It’s pretty sweet.”

Portraits by Royce Paris.

The post St. John’s Trio and Rick Pitino Talk Establishing Confidence, Building Through Transfer Portal and the Red Storm’s Resurgence appeared first on SLAM.

Their SLAM 254 cover story details how they’ve ascended in the West, first impressions of each other, becoming a defensive powerhouse and more.

The post Houston Rockets Cover SLAM 254 appeared first on SLAM.

A’ja Wilson has been on an insane ride for the past few years. 

In May 2024, she announced her inaugural Nike signature collection had been in the works for over a year. The ensuing “Of Course I Have a Shoe Dot Com” campaign completely took over the Aces’ preseason contest against the Puerto Rican National Team from the tunnel to the Jumbotron. 

A little over a month later, Nike revealed her signature logo. And in December, she announced a six-year extension with the Beaverton brand featuring photos of her on a private jet decked out with the same insignia from the plane’s hull to blankets and tumblers that awaited inside. That brings us to February 2025, the reveal of A’ja’s signature sneaker, the Nike A’One.

While she was winning a WNBA Championship, the regular season MVP, the Defensive Player of the Year award and an Olympic Gold medal, A’ja was simultaneously building out the foundation of her signature line, a foundation centered around her family.

When Nike Basketball senior footwear designer Ben Nethongkome and team met with A’ja for the first time, they learned of her family’s deep connection with pearls. 

At around 10 or 11 years old, A’ja’s grandmother gifted her a pearl necklace. As she navigated the highs and lows of finding herself, her voice and who she wanted to be, the pearls were a persistent symbol of strength. 

“She was, like, You know, these pearls are going to make you beautiful, it don’t matter what you look like, no matter how you’re growing into your height and leveling yourself,” A’ja says. 

“I wore those pearls forever. I dressed it up, I dressed it down because it gave me that sense of confidence. So, when it came to pearls, I just instantly thought of confidence and being your true self. And that’s something that I carry on, not just the tangible pearls, but little pearls of mental aspects to my game or to life that I hold are those pearls. And so we kind of wanted to implement that, especially when it came to my shoes so I can then share my pearls with the world.” 

At its core, the Nike A’One revolves around the two-time WNBA Champion’s connection to pearls, and the design team began their research with how the gem was created in the wild. 

To understand where pearls come from, here’s a quick lesson from the field of malacology, the science of mollusks. (Stay with us…) The process starts when a grain of sand gets caught inside a mollusk, which coats the irritation with layers and layers of crystalized calcium carbonate. Over the years, one layer forms after the other into a hardened sphere of beauty. Nike’s team of designers instantly pulled on that thread, inspired by the potential applications of the stacked appearance that’s found at the cross-section of a pearl.

Stamped with a raised satin-finish Swoosh, the “Pink A’ura” colorway sees a pink gradient take over the upper’s breathable mesh panels, spreading from soft pink at the center to a collection of more saturated shades that outline the silhouette at the outsole, heel, tongue and inner lining.

“From an expression standpoint, her energy is so infectious. She walks in the room, you feel it. And we wanted to bring that vibrancy into the product. So the echoing of color from being very vibrant to neutral was something that we wanted to capture onto the product as well that really speaks to her style,” Nethongkome says.  

The pearl motif extends to the structural integrity of A’ja’s signature silhouette, too. Underfoot, the low-cut model sits atop a bed of Cushlon ST2 foam that peaks through the lateral midsole with a pearlescent finish. That’s all surrounded by a firmer support carrier and a bright white TPU frame that acts like a clam shell protecting the treasure inside. And the monochromatic pink layers boast varying levels of support, with a firmer feel near the base and more wiggle room where you need it. 

Through numerous design meetings and wear testing sessions, A’ja’s journey gave the design team a neverending assortment of inspirations and potential storytelling opportunities. Eventually, they stumbled upon a hidden IG handle that A’ja had left dormant: @motherofpearl. And suddenly, the inspiration for the outsole was born. 

“The idea of the mother of pearl [is] it harnesses the pearl. It’s a shell, the clamshell around it, and there’s these really cool lines that reverberate out,” Nethongkome says. “And so the grip does have that idea of the Swoosh being the prominent detail, and then this grip element reverberates out from the Swoosh.”

In keeping with A’ja’s request to keep the silhouette as light as possible, each traction element across the outsole is decoupled, allowing for a higher deflection rate and quicker cuts. 

“He [Ben] really kind of brought my vision to life. And I think that was from the first day, when I’m entering into a room when I’m a visual learner, so I’m surrounded by colors and pearls and choices, and Ben’s like, Alright, here’s the keys, like, Do your thing. And I’m just like, Oh my gosh. So it was a big, big moment,” A’ja says. “And I think when you get to finally see the shoe and the hard work that was put behind it and in it, it just brings all those feels and emotions back of just pure happiness and joy.”

The visual storytelling of the A’One is as concrete as its muse’s résumé of accolades. Yet A’ja admits that she was surprised at how often the design team would defer to her opinions. “They’re actually looking at me like, What do you want to sell? You have the pen to your notebook. What do you want to do?” A’ja says. 

“There were moments in meetings where she was, like, What do you guys think? And then we’re looking around like, No, you’re the tastemaker in this room. And she’s like, Well, I love it, I don’t care if you guys like it or not, but I love it. And that’s what we needed to hear. We need that confidence. She puts the seals and authenticated [that] the shoe was great,” Nethongkome says.

While A’ja balanced her love for the design with how the consumer would eventually react, the newest member of the Nike Basketball signature family entered her very first design meeting with a crystal clear picture of what she wanted the A’One to look and feel like. A sleek, low-top silhouette that evoked speed with the necessary amounts of comfort. 

“I constantly, always had in the back of my mind, What would I want as a player? But also, What is something that the audience would want?” A’ja says. “I feel like I always remembered the buckets of being versatile, whether you want to jump, whether you wanted speed. And I was like, I want all three. Like, How can we make it all three? Because I didn’t want to just feel like I was excluding one particular thing, because I feel like I don’t exclude anything from my game, in a sense. So when it came to those meetings, I wanted to make sure that we got the best of all worlds.”

For the design team, crafting a sneaker that echoed versatility, speed and cushioning posed more than a few challenges as they shifted between multiple different paradigms. Historically, fast-looking kicks require a low-profile tooling that keeps the wearer close to the ground. Prioritizing comfort reverses the process, lifting you further off the court with additional pockets of air or foam. A’ja challenged the team to capture both at once. 

Thinking about the silhouette didn’t stop when the meetings ended. After each design session, A’ja received a recap notebook that held all the information, insights, sketches and designs that were covered so she could ruminate over the updates and progress. No. 22 was locked in. 

“I think the biggest thing that I tried to share was storytelling. And I think that’s one thing that makes Nike who they are and what we are. It’s because of the ability to tell stories through clothing, through sport,” A’ja says. “When it came to our first meeting and talking about What do we want? It was really breaking down to truly, What do you want? What do you want to tell? And when it came to storytelling, I wanted it to be a shoe for everyone. I wanted the shoe to be fun, low, sleek but also very comfortable.”

Rounding out the A’One is A’ja’s signature logo, inspired by the star that she draws inside the “A” of her signature. The staple trademark that’s already been spotted on tees and private jets emerges proudly at the tongue while A’ja’s hand-drawn signature appears at the heel, both gleaming with a metallic finish.

And her stash of iconic quotes paved the way for a litany of details that her true fans will immediately connect with. 

A sentence from a 2021 Player’s Tribune essay is an engraved at the heel: Weakness? Weakness? We don’t have time for that.

The words her grandmother repeated to her as a young girl—As a matter of fact, the best is yet to come—arrive along the outsole. Even her Celtic tattoos that pay homage to her parents can be seen on the backside of each tongue.

“We wanted people to really feel those words and believe those words, and then hopefully translate that over into their life, or whatever they’re doing in the shoe,” A’ja says. “And I think that is why it’s so special to me, because those words, they aren’t just words, they’re stuff that I live by. They’re stuff that I meant when I said, and I hope that people can see that and feel that as well.” 

This coming May doesn’t just mark the launch of a signature sneaker; A’ja and the Swoosh have been up to much more than that. Whether it’s her signature one-leg sleeve or pulling up to the arena sporting a jersey dress and heels, A’ja’s always kept it authentic with her distinctive style, an aesthetic that the brand looks to capture through the A’One Signature Collection. 

Complete with a hoodie, tee, shorts and an A’Symmetric leg sleeve that A’ja helped make iconic across the game, the collection was tailored to the often overlooked needs of the modern hooper, implementing pieces of A’ja’s life and what she does even further into the collection. “You really kind of have to think about diving into your closet,” A’ja says. “What is something that you wear often? What is something that you love?” 

Gone are the days of taking a pair of scissors to tights. A sateen-lined hood makes a bonnet optional on travel days. Matching pink Nike Calm slides keeps the energy consistent from the bleachers to the hardwood. And a redesigned waistband makes folding down your shorts feel natural instead of bulky. 

The platform that’s been built leading up to this moment has been carefully curated to the very last detail. Teasers tweeted, announcements made and logos unveiled. Themes, stories and inspirations ring true of pure collaboration. After spending the last two years in the lab, A’ja’s debut signature collection will be released this May in adult and youth sizing. 

“I want that shoe, and whoever’s wearing that shoe, to feel like they’re top tier in all that they do, and know that they have a shoe and people behind them that’s going to be with them along the journey, every step of the way. Because that’s how I got to this point. That’s how I’m able to even say that I’m a signature athlete,” A’ja says.

“I didn’t get here by myself. And I hope that people understand that in that shoe. When you put this on, you are top tier. You’re empowering. You’re trying to help the next generation or the next person that’s looking up to you.”

SLAM 247 COVER TEES

Images via Nike.

The post Behind the Design of A’ja Wilson’s Nike Signature Collection and the Nike A’One appeared first on SLAM.

But the Good Book also says God’s plans are to give you hope and a future. And safe to say, the future is looking brighter than ever for the perennial All-Star, who has taken his game to an otherworldly level and is in the middle of arguably his best season as a professional.

As we go to press, the sharpshooting big man is averaging a 25.4 points and 13.9 rebounds a game, with exceptional shooting splits of 55%/45%/84%. And just in case you’re wondering, the Knicks are sitting comfortably as a top-3 seed in the East. And what’s even more noteworthy than these gaudy numbers is the humility and gratitude that KAT continues to walk with on his path to basketball immortality. The Knicks gained much more than a franchise cornerstone when he came to town.

The gentle killer pulled up to SLAM HQ on a blistering cold winter evening to chop it up about how he’s managed the transition back home, representing for his fellow Dominicans in the city and abroad, celebrating his 10th year in the League, what it’s gonna take for these Knicks to make a deep postseason run, what he expects of himself when he puts on that blue and orange and much more.   

SLAM: You grew up not too far from here, right across the river in New Jersey. It’s now been a few months since the trade, and you’ve had some time to process this move. How’s the transition been?

Karl-Anthony Towns: It’s crazy you say it’s been a few months; it feels like yesterday. It’s awesome to be back home, to be with my family, see my grandmother and my aunts—a lot of my Dominican family still resides here in New York, so it’s really cool to be able to see them more often than I was able to when I was in Minnesota.

SLAM: You’ve always been vocal about how much your Dominican background means to you. New York has a large Dominican population; how has that full-circle moment been, being able to represent for your culture front and center in a place where the Dominican population is so concentrated?

KAT: It means a lot. My mother immigrated from the Dominican Republic to New York. And like you said, it’s a full-circle moment to go from playing basketball with my cousins in the backyard in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and just hoping to be an NBA player one day, to now being here in Madison Square Garden. Playing for and representing my heritage means a lot to my family, especially my Dominican side, and I’m just proud that I get to go out there every night and represent for them.

SLAM: I read that you had been working on building a youth facility down in the Dominican Republic. 

KAT: Oh yeah, I was able to work with Go! Sports, GO Ministries and World Youth Clubs, and we will be making a whole sports facility out in Santiago, in the Dominican Republic. It’ll have four basketball courts, a full soccer turf field, three baseball fields—about to be a fourth—we’re building a track and field and we also have two volleyball courts. Being able to give this to the kids in the Dominican Republic has been an awesome opportunity.

SLAM: Another full-circle moment you experienced coming back to New York is reuniting with Coach Tom Thibodeau. Can you speak to how it’s been getting back together with him and your relationship with Thibs in general?

KAT: Like you said, me and Thibs are at different points in our lives, especially as men. I have more years of life under my belt and more experience in this game and business. I have a different outlook on life and a different outlook on my profession. I’ve always had tremendous respect for Thibs, even back in Minnesota, and my respect for him has only grown more as I got older and played more games in the NBA. You see the determination he has to win and the sacrifice he makes every single day to prepare his team with the best opportunity to win. That’s something that you don’t take lightly in my position. And for him to be that kind of guy to really sacrifice so much of his life so that we can have the best opportunity to take care of our families—I got nothing but respect for that.

SLAM: Not to say you weren’t already proving your greatness in Minnesota, but as an observer, it seems there’s just a different spark you’ve been playing with since the trade. What about playing for New York has allowed you to shine the way you have?

KAT: I mean, it’s just a different role. And I always talk about being a superstar in my role, and my role here is different than it was in Minnesota. I just wanted to be the best I could be for my teammates, and New York presented a new role for me to fulfill.

SLAM: What about this year’s Knicks squad is different from other teams you’ve been a part of?

KAT: I’ve been very fortunate to be part of some amazingly talented teams, and this team is just…different. I think we’re as talented a team I’ve ever played for, but it’s just a different team. We’re not the tallest team, and I’m used to being around a bunch of 7-footers. That’s probably the biggest physical difference. But the talent is here, and it’s abundant. I love the professionalism the team brings every day. I love the humor Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson bring fasho’, and especially when you add Mikal Bridges, too. I still think OG [Anunoby] is the funniest on the team, though. I love our grit—that New York grit. The culture is about leaving it all on the floor for the fans and respecting their time. And I just love that.

SLAM: From an aerial perspective, how would you assess the season so far as we head to the midway mark?

KAT: I think we’ve done a great job putting ourselves in position to win, even the games we’ve lost—to be in position to win is the most important thing, and we’ve done a great job of finding different ways to win. I see ourselves growing every single day as a team. I also think it’s great that we’re learning hard lessons early on in the season rather than later when you can’t afford them. I’m really proud of our team. The way we came together, the way that we find ways to win and the way we continue to fight regardless of the outcome speaks volumes to the characters in our locker room.

SLAM: What do you think it’s gonna take to make a deep run this postseason?

KAT: When I think of my Minnesota team last year, God was good to us with health. So it’s gonna come down to just staying healthy and playing our best basketball at the right time, and just executing. From my experience, we just have to be the best versions of ourselves when we need to be the best version of ourselves. We’re gonna use this time to continue to learn, continue to build our team and continuity and continue to find ways to impact the game in many different aspects.

I always talk about being a superstar in my role, and my role here is different than it was in Minnesota.

SLAM: Speaking of experience, you’re celebrating your 10th year in the League. How do you reflect on this when you’re thinking about the ups and downs and lessons you’ve learned on this journey?

KAT: I look back at the 19-year-old boy I was coming into the NBA, and how life has made me a man. It grew me up, whether that was the losses on the court or the losses off the court. It’s changed me, and it’s made me a stronger, more resilient, better version of myself. And some of those hardest lessons came with the steepest price, and I’ve paid them. I’m 10 years in, still standing strong, still got a great support system, still blessed to have my father, my sister and have my mother’s [presence] still with me every day. I’ve been blessed to still be inspiring the next generation of basketball players, to continue to find success in this League and, more importantly, to continue to impact change and positivity into my communities. I’m very happy with my first 10 years in the NBA, and I know my next 10 are going to be some of the most impactful years of my life, and I’m excited. I’m blessed with whatever I get. I’m happy to be in this situation, because not a lot of people can say they are. 

SLAM: You speak of inspiring the next generation, but what’s inspiring you to keep chasing greatness?

KAT: Again, it starts with my support system and family…It really does mean a lot to me when I see little kids—and I’m not just talking about them being fans of me—respecting the game at a higher level just by watching me play. That drives me to be a positive reinforcement of why the game of basketball is so great. Those little things in life wake me up in the morning and put a smile on my face. And I really appreciate the fans and my family for making this experience so enjoyable, so rewarding and, most importantly, so humbling.

SLAM: You’re already in the conversation as one of the most talented big men to ever play the game. But building on that, what are your expectations for yourself, especially coming back east to New York?

KAT: Take nine years of amazing experience I had in Minnesota, take the year in college and all those years I had in high school here in Jersey and cash in all that experience and that time and work put into the gym, and just hope to bring wins here to New York. That’s all I’m thinking about every single day. I just want to utilize all that experience and find ways to bring wins to Madison Square Garden and to the fans here. That’s what keeps me up at night—finding different ways to help this team, help my teammates be the best version of themselves and working on myself so I can be the best version of myself for my team. 

THE SLAM 254 KAT COVER COLLECTION

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

The post Karl-Anthony Towns Opens Up About His Dominican Roots, Expectations and What It’ll Take for the Knicks to Make a Postseason Run appeared first on SLAM.

This is Volunteer country. Where Uber drivers pull up proudly rocking their Tennessee orange and where stripes are always in season. Where high schoolers peek through the tempered glass of a closed-off gym trying to catch a glimpse of three of the best guards in the country. Where the Tennessee men’s basketball team has instilled a different type of energy throughout the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. That’s in part due to the dominant backcourt trio that led this year’s squad to tie the best start in program history, when it stormed out the gates to 14-0.

One member of that trio is leading the SEC in dimes with 7.6 a night. Another’s dropping 18.4 per game on anyone silly enough to drop back from the three-point line. And the third’s got a knack for silencing student sections and ending games with the flick of his wrist. Zakai Zeigler, Chaz Lanier and Jordan Gainey have got the Tennessee Volunteers sitting at No. 6 in the AP poll as they venture deeper into a stacked SEC conference lineup.

For the past two and a half months, they’ve been stitching their contributions to the cultural fabric of Tennessee hoops under the direction of legendary head coach Rick Barnes. The chemistry and connectivity that’s been witnessed through 19 games didn’t just click one day. The program’s star guards have been building toward this since the summer, featuring months and months of 1 on 1s. 

“Oh, me and JG, every single day in practice,” Zakai says. “I’m telling you, people don’t understand, we go at each other like we don’t know each other. Like, we be talking trash, we be talking crazy to each other. Start fouling, we’ll start doing stuff outside of basketball. But you know, just being that competitor, we understand that when we go against each other like that, when we go out on the court and play against somebody we don’t know, it’s gonna be like, Oh this ain’t nothin’.”

The runs are competitive. “Like very competitive,” Zakai says, while reflecting on the outcomes of their past intensity. The Vols are living by the mantra “iron sharpens iron.” The results are in the 17-2 record they’ve established and their respective moments of brilliance. Jordan’s game-winning layup on the road in Champaign. Chaz’s 29-piece against then-No. 23 Arkansas. Zakai’s 6 steals against Georgia. 

Alongside the commanding presence of both Igor Milicic Jr and Felix Okpara, with Jahmai Mashack, Darlinstone Dubar and Cade Phillips bolstering the rotation, the Vols are laser-focused on reaching the national championship. And to get there, the SEC’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year knows that his team’s energy starts with what he brings to the floor. For Zakai Zeigler, that’s baseline to baseline, surveying and attacking across all 94 feet of the hardwood.

“I feel like if I’m bringing that energy in the backcourt, picking up guys and slowing the ball down, it gives everyone else confidence on the defensive end and it just picks the energy up,” Zakai says. “I would say yeah, I put a little pressure on myself and expectations, but I wouldn’t even consider that as pressure. I would just say it’s something that I do every day and that I’m used to doing. I know if it’s going to help my teammates out, help my brothers out, then I’m gonna do it for sure.” 

The Long Island, NY, native has been orchestrating both sides of the ball for the Vols since the tail end of his sophomore campaign. Ever since then, it’s been a flurry of defensive masterclasses, perfectly timed passes and the necessary amount of heroics with the rock in his hands as the starting point guard. He can heat up instantly, like when he willed the Vols to a 4-point win over Texas after posting 6 points in the final minute of the game. He beats opponents to their spot with a single slide, picks their pockets and then flies past with ease before setting up a teammate for a wide-open look. 

Tennessee’s two-way stalwart is averaging 12.2 points. 7.6 assists and 2.1 steals a game. But the influence and leadership that exists through his play can’t be quantified, only felt.

“I would say Syracuse, that was a game where my energy was really high. I remember one point in time in the game, I told JG, Yo, I’m turnt up right now. I’m active right now. He remembers what I’m talking about,” Zakai says, while Jordan affirms. “Facts.” 

“Just moments like that I know I’m picked up or I’m turnt up whether I’m making a shot or not, it’s going to pick everybody else around me up,” Zakai adds.

Empowering his teammates extends to every aspect of the game, especially from the bench. Case in point, a mid-December slugfest against Illinois in enemy territory. Widely remembered in Knoxville as “the Jordan Gainey game.”

Chaz had put up 17 but fouled out with a little over three minutes remaining, while Zakai sat next to him after also fouling out. Nerves and stress didn’t exist, even with the score tied at 64 apiece with just 5.7 seconds left in the game. The two guards felt nothing but confidence as Jordan inbounded the ball and instantly received the rock back, going coast-to-coast in just four dribbles before laying it off the glass as time expired with a mob of Tennessee orange surrounding him on the baseline. Twenty-three on the night, 18 in the final 14 minutes. 

“Having moments of success like that, I look back at the first time I stepped foot on a college campus. My freshman year, I was at USC Upstate; just being able to see the journey that I’ve had and how I’ve come here. The path that I’ve gone through has helped me in moments like that,” Jordan says. 

The 6-4 former All-Big South First Team honoree spent the first two years of his collegiate career out in Valley Falls, SC, leading USC Upstate in points (15.1) and steals (1.9) as a sophomore. And for the past two seasons, he’s found a home in Knoxville as the sixth man off the bench playing starter minutes. The transfer portal’s been good to Tennessee. Like, real good. New means of buckets continue to be discovered, including the reliable scoring punch of fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier. 

After dominating the ASUN conference at North Florida last season, the former Tennessee Mr. Basketball finalist found his way back to his home state this past summer. The portal was chaotic, Chaz admits. But once the Vols got involved, the Nashville native knew the situation he was waiting for had arrived. 

“I knew the opportunity was going to be special. And then on my official visit, when I came to Tennessee, all the guys were surrounding me in the locker room. We had a good little celebration. I just knew it was home.” Chaz says. “I knew that I’d be joining something that was bigger than me.” 

We haven’t even hit the midway point of conference play and No. 2 has already cemented himself as one of the best scorers in the country. Less than an inch of space is needed for the 6-5 guard to have the confidence to launch it. Miami caught a clinic featuring 22 points strictly off jumpers. Baylor got scorched by seven of his threes. Fading one dribble pulls off the pick-and-roll are automatic. The averages: 18.4 points, 3.2 boards, 1.2 steals. Yup, he locks up too. 

“The standard for this team is definitely toughness,” Chaz says. “Knowing they’re in the foxhole with you and that you’ll do anything for your brother.”

The established feeling of a brotherhood is shared throughout the roster. It’s felt inside the gym of Farragut High School where Chaz, Jordan and Zakai pose for flicks and fall into bouts of laughter as they reminisce on their memories from the season. The scene is just a snapshot of a much larger picture that hangs 17 miles down the road. In between the soul food dinners, endless battles during practice and the countless 1s played afterward, they’ve laid the foundation for the team’s ultimate goal. Toughness and perseverance will light the way. 

“When the season’s closed, I want [us] to be remembered as a national champion and nothing less than that,” Zakai says. “Yeah, we want an SEC championship. We want an SEC tournament championship. But we’re going for the big trophy. We made history already with starting off the best in over 100 years, but we’re looking at something bigger than that.”

Portraits by Horizon Media Group.

The post Light the Way: Tennessee’s Star Guards Talk Building Confidence and Chemistry En Route to Matching Best Start in Program History appeared first on SLAM.

In the heartland of Ames, IA, a basketball symphony is reaching its crescendo. The Iowa State Cyclones, long overshadowed in the national spotlight, have emerged as a legitimate powerhouse, their sights set firmly on college basketball’s highest honor, a national championship. While every team in the country began the season with the dream of walking up the ladder and cutting down the nets in front of a sold out crowd in San Antonio on April 7, Iowa State is on a short list of programs with the means to actually do it. Orchestrated by head coach TJ Otzelberger, this year’s squad embodies a culture of resilience, camaraderie, toughness, discipline, authenticity and above all else, confidence. But to understand how this year’s Cyclones have gotten to within an arm’s reach of the pinnacle, you must first understand where they’ve been.

Last year’s Cyclones won the team’s most conference games since 2001, finished second in the Big 12 standings and capped it all off with a blowout win over the then-No.1 ranked Houston Cougars in the Big 12 Tournament Championship. Then came the NCAA Tournament. They’d make easy work of their first two opponents, before losing a nail-biter to Illinois in the Sweet Sixteen. Alas, it was back to the drawing board.

The scars of last season’s abrupt exit from the Tournament still linger. For many, such a setback could be the harbinger of decline, but not for Iowa State. Under Coach Otzelberger’s vigilant eye, the Cyclones turned disappointment into a silver lining. Every summer workout, every film session, was imbued with a singular purpose: the get back. And anybody who knows anything about college basketball knows this one thing: If you want to make a deep run with a chance to win it all, it starts with your guards. Luckily for Iowa State, they’re led by a pair of killers in Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert, who are proving to be one of the best backcourts in the nation.

Jones, a Minnesota native, is the epitome of what this Iowa State program represents. The 6-4 do-it-all swingman has a knack for putting the ball in the rim with his feathery touch and plays with a contagious joy and spirit that permeates the whole squad. He didn’t have a single offer coming out of high school and would end up starting his college career at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, IA. After one standout season, he’d take his talents to Buffalo University, where he’d play for two years, en route to becoming an All-MAC player, before ultimately transferring to Iowa State last year.

Jones’s backcourt partner, Gilbert, was similarly underrated coming out of high school, ranked as a 3-star recruit. He enjoyed modest success in two years at UNLV and would also enter the transfer portal after the ’23 season and become a Cyclone. The 6 -4 lead guard made his impact felt right away in his first season in Ames, leading the team in scoring on his way to earning a handful of honors: All-Big 12 Second Team, Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team and Big 12 Championship MVP. Simply put, he’s the engine that makes this team go.

Along with Jones and Gilbert, this year’s team had a couple of key pieces come back from last year’s Sweet Sixteen team—their All-Big 12 junior guard Tamin Lipsey, and their sophomore forward Milan Momcilovic, who earned a spot on the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team. This year’s roster also saw another talented transfer class into the fold: former All-Missouri Valley guard Nate Heise (Northern Iowa), Joshua Jefferson (St. Mary’s), Brandton Chatfield (Seattle) and Dishon Jackson (Charlotte).

We’re halfway through this season with conference play well underway, and Iowa State has been flat out excellent. And if you don’t believe me, just ask Baylor’s Hall of Fame coach Scott Drew, who recently called them “one of the best two teams in the country” after suffering a blowout loss at the hands of the Cyclones. 

The AP polls are slightly less generous; as we go to press today, the AP Top 25 polls have Iowa State ranked third. Yet, somehow, the Cyclones still seem to be flying under the radar.

“That’s been a chip on our shoulder since before we got here. I don’t feel like me or [Jones] ever got the recognition we deserve,” says Gilbert. “But that’s just more motivation. That just puts more fuel in the tank, and adds more fuel to the fire. So, it is what it is.”

“You get the recognition when you win,” says Jones. “Whatever comes with winning, we’ll take it. We’re not really in it for the recognition, but that’s what comes with it.”

If anyone’s surprised by how dominant they’ve been, you can bet it’s not anyone in their locker room. They expected this. 

“Coming into this season, we knew how good we could be. Me and Keshon were always talking about what we were going to do and what we felt like we could do,” says Jones. “The results are coming now, but it all started because of how last year ended. We got to it right away this year; we already knew what it was.”

And if you let them tell it, they’re only just beginning to scratch the surface of their potential. Nevermind them convincingly winning the majority of their games thus far by double digits. 

“We ain’t even really playing our best. I’d say we’re playing good, we’re playing solid, but we still have improvements to make. And that’s exciting, because we’ve still been winning handily. But we have room for improvement, even in that. And that’s what great teams do. They find where they can improve and not just be content with winning games. We won the last two by like 20, but we wanna make that 30,” says Jones.

It’s not farfetched to envision Iowa State pulling off a few 30-point victories before the season’s out. Well, a few more 30-point victories I should say. They had a handful of wins by at least that much from their early non-conference slate, which goes to show that these Cyclones aren’t playing with their food. They know what’s at stake, and they’ve embraced everything it takes to reach their ultimate goal of a natty. Not a single moment can be taken for granted when they’re trying to do something that’s never been done in program history. To wit: Gilbert and Jones say they can’t even think of a time that Coach Otzelberger has even mentioned a Big 12 Championship, let alone the national championship; he makes it a point to take it game by game, brick by brick. 

The star backcourt makes clear that they’re keeping “the main thing the main thing.” They embrace the notion that their personal goals will be much more easily attainable if they take care of winning first. 

Every team who’s ever climbed that ladder as the last team standing has at least one thing in common: they ran toward the work, not away from it. In that regard, the Iowa State program, helmed by Coach Otzelberger, is well on their way. And we know the old saying: Nothing worth having comes easy.

“I ain’t gonna lie, Iowa State isn’t for everybody—if you don’t really love basketball, you ain’t gonna like it. You ain’t gonna fit here, because basketball is all it is,” says Gilbert. “We work hard as hell, so we know everything’s gonna fall into place.”

Portraits by Matthew Coughlin.

The post Led by Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert, How Iowa State Ascended on to College Basketball’s Radar appeared first on SLAM.

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

Standing amongst the seasoned collegians was an 18 year-old straight out of high school, confidently holding the official Spalding game ball on the cover shot. It would be the first of 19 SLAM covers that Kobe Bryant would grace. 

As SLAM celebrates its 30th anniversary throughout 2024, we’ve teamed up with brands around the industry to celebrate the most iconic covers, athletes and sneakers from throughout the magazine’s three decades through a series of new collaboration designs. 

It was in those early days that Kobe Bryant and Adidas created some game changing sneakers in the late 90s heading towards the turn of the millennium. His signature series went to another level in 2000, when Adidas took design inspiration from Audi coupes and brought a new look to the game entirely. 

As we highlight that Issue #15 cover and Bryant’s start with Adidas, we’re also looking back on Kobe’s final signature model with The Three Stripes. 

SLAM is bringing to life one of Adidas’ most forward-thinking and polarizing designs in company history — the Crazy Two — which is getting the full retro treatment for the very first time. 

“Really, it was all about just doing a new look,” original designer Eirik Nielsen had told me a few years back. 

With the brand looking ahead to the 2000s, design legend and Adidas executive Peter Moore put together a team that aimed to define the futuristic design language that was expected for the new millennium. Bryant would be the vehicle to push Adidas forward into new territory. 

Of the fourteen voters from SLAM’s staff that each named their rookies “Most likely to…” in fifteen different topics, Kobe Bryant was only mentioned three times in that 15th issue of the magazine. Once as an ambitious Rookie of the Year pick — twice as most likely to “piss off Jordan.” 

By 2000 though, he had become a global icon. 

Bryant was on the cusp of helping lead the Lakers to a three-peat, and he was the face of Adidas Basketball around the world. To try and level up, the brand teamed up with Audi designers at the car company’s creative studio in Malibu to concept his next signature sneakers. 

Drafting off of the Audi TT roadster for inspiration, it was an entirely different way of designing a shoe. Shoes were first modeled in clay and sculpted, like a car. The results were proportions and sharp lines that gave the silhouette a stance unlike anything before it. 

“They were very, very different,” joked Nielsen.

Inspired by the vivid shades of teal and yellow on Kobe’s first-ever cover, this new SLAM edition of the Crazy Two comes in two separate base color pairs, all wrapped in suede. 

SLAM’s signature Three Stars are embroidered along the tongue of each shoe — with brick graphic insoles highlighted by SLAM’s 30th Anniversary crest on the heel, tying back to the cover backdrop. 

The sneaker was every bit as boundary pushing as it was polarizing when it originally launched in 2001, and still looks just as futuristic and unique today as it did more than twenty years ago. Adidas is expected to also re-release some of the original colorways as we get into 2025.

As SLAM closes the chapter on its 30th Anniversary series of sneaker collabs to cap off 2024, we’ve looked to celebrate the eras, players and covers that helped to shape the magazine into the Hall Of Fame-awarded definition of basketball culture all these years later. This friends and family retro edition of the Adidas Crazy Two honors one of the most impactful players in SLAM history and one of the most storied magazine covers, all through the lens of an equally forward-thinking and defining sneaker.

The post SLAM’s Adidas Collab Welcomes The Return Of The Crazy Two For The First Time  appeared first on SLAM.

My 40-year-old knees are worn out. Worn out like the lawn behind my childhood home, and for the same reason. It’s the reason I bought a rim and backboard set with the cash I saved on my 12th birthday. It’s why I had my dad lower the rim after the first week. It’s why I replaced it with a spring-loaded rim a year later. Before that, it was the reason that my Spalding Micro-Mini hoop snapped within an hour of purchasing. The reason the old lady next door complained. The reason why Shawn Kemp was (and still is) my hero. It’s the reason why, even all these years later, the skin on my palms at the base of my fingers is rough. It’s why my 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend VHS tape went fuzzy.

It’s because all I ever wanted to do was dunk.

The problem was that I did most of my growing early so, by the age of 16, my height was just about scraping 5-10 and my fingers just about scraping the rim. Hope, as usual, would be found within the hallowed pages of SLAM. It wasn’t in a frame-by-frame SLAMADAMONTH spread, either (although those were insanely dope). No. It was the ads that provided a solution to my problem with gravity. The range of Jump Higher programs on offer in our first two decades was wild, and within our magazines were scattered a medley of options. It wasn’t just me who wanted more bounce. We all did.

The ad that initially stood out to me was from the late ’90s. What’s crazy is that the program didn’t even have a name; it was just a lot of writing (we had larger attention spans back then…) and a black and white pic. The text implied that someone was giving away some top secret, Area 51 type of info. This, combined with a mysterious photo that was giving “Loch Ness Monster” style vibes had me completely locked in. The pic featured a young-looking kid jumping freakishly high (a trampoline?! definitely not…) with a defender helplessly waiting to have a basketball smashed into his unathletic face. It was significant that the kid featured was white. I was (and still am) also white and, until YouTube and Mac McClung (shout out to Rex Chapman, too) proved otherwise, our destiny was to replicate Larry Bird’s dunk package, if we were lucky. If this program could get a white kid dunking, then there was hope for us all. Surely.

I never did meet anyone who got their hands on that report—it claimed to be free—but the brand name, “Why Almost Everyone is Wrong About How They Train to Increase Their Vertical” was possibly a little long and not too catchy. Others, though, really stayed in the memory bank and, despite being pricey, saw a lot of success.

Jumpsoles and Strength Shoes were the early big hitters. For a long stretch, it would be common to find both brands battling it out in an issue, fighting for our pockets and their share of a bunny-hungry market. While basically the same product, Strength Shoes provided an entire shoe, along with Bob Knight and Bobby Hurley Sr’s approval. Jumpsoles, on the other hand, were strapped onto your existing shoe. This flexibility, as well as an athlete endorsement from the greatest short dunker (at the time) ever witnessed in Spud Webb, made sense. Although he was winning dunk contests almost 10 years before this product hit the market, we didn’t ask questions.

For a short period, we saw ads from imitation products such as Gainers and Skyflex, who apparently didn’t get off the ground (pun intended, always). Jumpsoles and Strength Shoes would hold their solid grip on the market and remain in our pages for a long time. My skeptical assumption, combined with the fact that I didn’t want to risk spending more money than I ever had in my bank account, was that they probably didn’t work. I’d heard reports of Yeah, right moments where a dude who couldn’t touch the rim wore them for five minutes and went on to throw down a windmill, all in an effort to sell units to kids at a camp. Others reported that the shoes would blow out your knees or that just working the calves would never be enough. Still, there have been countless others who claim them to be totally legit, and the fact that both of these brands exist today is perhaps proof of this.

Other equipment-based products available included ankle weights, vests, even a board with bungee straps that promoted itself with the tagline, “INCREASE YOUR VERTICAL BY ACTUALLY JUMPING!” Still, other programs boasted “No special shoes or weights necessary” and products like the Air Alert series began to push plyometrics over physical products. The fact that these brands required no actual equipment (other than books or DVDs) to be shipped, combined with the rise of the internet, meant that this section of the market was even more competitive. Names such as AIRBORNE!, JUMP ON, Mad Bounce and Vertical Leap Beyond Belief would fight for the attention of SLAM readers, all following a similar format. Some would refer to their information being “top secret…until now!” Quotes would be included from happy customers whose lives had been drastically altered by jumping higher. An ad by Leapfrog attempted to hook us in by sending customers a “dunk montage of 75 slams including a 6-1 LEAPFROGGIN’ jam over a 6-3 person.” I would’ve loved to have seen that whole thing. Oh, and they all, of course, guaranteed a specific gain of inches, a claim that was awkwardly comparable to a completely different industry that was spamming our in-boxes at the time. Fulfilling the desire to perform and/or impress is big business.

In the end, I never did invest in a “jump higher” type of program (three-pointers are cooler these days anyway, right?) but I remain fascinated by how synonymous they are with SLAM and, in turn, basketball culture. If I could go back to when I was a teen, I don’t think I’d opt for Strength Shoes or Jump Soles, not even Air Alert (which is still going btw!) for that matter. Too much effort. Instead, I’d give the Vertical Growth supplement pills a go. What could go wrong? If not then the Vertical Blast 2000 would have done the job. They worked for Todd from Phoenix, AZ, (pictured with a female companion no less) so why not Sammy from Erdington? If I wasn’t too late (this particular ad states that it’s only available to the first 125 “athletes” who respond) then a bottle of Adenotrex looked like a safe bet.

If all else failed, then there’s one product that couldn’t. Genuinely. The Slam Station springboard—”a stable but portable ‘mad ups’ producing dunking machine that gets you where you want to be…ABOVE THE RIM.” Incredible.

I barely ever dunked on a regulation rim ( a couple of times, maybe), but my dunking fantasy remains. And sometimes, after bending down to rub my aching 40-year-old knees, I still think to myself, “Why didn’t I send for that top-secret jumping info in SLAM…” 

The post These OLD SLAM ADS Promised to Help You Dunk and Improve Your Vertical—Guaranteed appeared first on SLAM.

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.

The post Chris Cenac Jr Has a New Home at Link Academy and His Sights Set on a National Championship appeared first on SLAM.

Ever since he was a teenager, LaMelo Ball has been SLAM Fam. 

He was doing full-scale SLAM photoshoots with his brothers throughout his high school run at Chino Hills in California. First covered at just 13-years-old, his starpower and basketball journey have taken him around the globe ever since, even before entering the NBA in 2020. 

“I felt like I could play in the League when I was 14, 15,” Ball told SLAM years back. “I probably couldn’t have, but that’s just how I thought.”

After his Rookie of the Year start in the League, the face of Puma Hoops saw the launch of his first signature shoe coincide with his first All-Star Game appearance the following season in early 2022.

It was on Issue #237 that he pulled up for his SLAM cover shoot in his unlaced infrared MB.01s, hitting the league’s longtime logo pose in a custom LaFrance jersey from his own clothing line.

“It’s a little bit of a reach to say he’s already achieved ‘NBA Logo’ face-of-the-League status, but he’s on his way there, and we’re not afraid of a bold call,” SLAM Ed. Adam Figman wrote at the time. “Consider this our prediction that one day we’ll all look back and realize that this cover made perfect sense.”

As we continue to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of SLAM this year and look even just a few years back — it did make perfect sense. 

Highlighting the most iconic covers, players and sneakers over the last 30 years to tell the story of SLAM’s impact on the basketball world, we teamed up with PUMA for this special edition pair of LaMelo’s latest signature shoe, the MB.04. 

In a loud infrared and metallic silver upper inspired by that Issue #237 cover and his “Out Of This World” game, Melo’s 4th signature model features blue accents throughout, and custom SLAM logos along the heel and tongue label. 

It was in that cover shoot that Melo debuted his iced out UFO chain, with the graphic coming to life once again here on the insoles of each shoe, and on the bottom of the MB.04 model. 

The packaging itself is crazy, featuring a SLAM cover-inspired outer sleeve with a portrait from that 2022 photoshoot, along with custom logos along the metallic shoe box. These joints are as loud as it gets — pure Melo. As he’s shown over the years, being subtle is never his style.

“From the beginning, I always felt like no one was really fucking with me,” Ball said in the cover story. “I just always had that attitude.”

As SLAM continues to celebrate its 30th anniversary, the magazine has been there for every step of LaMelo Ball’s rise. Now, it’s only right that SLAM is officially teaming up with Melo to bring things full circle.

This limited edition SLAM x PUMA MB.04 will be dropping in exclusive quantities on both SLAMgoods.com and puma.com this Friday, December 27 at 10 AM EST.

SECURE YOUR PAIR OF SLAM x PUMA MB.04 HERE

The post SLAM’s PUMA MB.04 Collab Celebrates LaMelo Ball’s “Out Of This World” Game appeared first on SLAM.

Those were the exact words that Corey “Homicide” Williams said the day he called me in 2015 to let me know that he had just landed a TV broadcasting job in Australia’s National Basketball League.  

The New York playground legend hadn’t even finished his playing career (played in Australia, Sweden, China, Germany, France, Lebanon and Iraq, among many other countries) when the NBL approached him to be a commentator for the league. Despite not having any previous experience as a broadcaster, Homicide’s larger-than-life personality was suited to be in front of a camera, an infectious energy that then General Manager of the NBL Jeremy Loeliger understood was missing from Aussie television screens. 

I was working for ESPN Australia based in New York when Homicide rang me at my Queens apartment from Melbourne to tell me he’d just been made an offer by the NBL. In typical Homicide fashion, he’d already mapped out his 5-year plan for making the transition from the court to television and leaving his mark on the NBL. 

He officially became a full-time media personality with the NBL prior to the 2017-18 season and it came as natural to him as Steph Curry pulling up from the logo. His opinions on topics, infused with a touch of his New York braggadocio, endeared him to the Australian public from the very jump. 

He figured that to get the people going, you needed to be provocative. 

Homicide interacted with fans—and haters—on social media. His weekly power rankings, which he posted on his Instagram page, became a motivational tool for players wanting to prove him wrong, or, in some cases, correct. 

Once the league started gaining traction globally, he coined the now famous phrase, “this ain’t no cupcake league.” It let import players know that the NBL was to be taken seriously, and if you didn’t, you’d would be out of a job real quick. 

As his career flourished, Homicide decided he wanted to do his own podcast, giving listeners an insight into his world beyond basketball and the NBL. He wanted a platform to voice his opinion on his life, basketball, music and culture. I was back in Australia by this time, and he reached out to me to co-host with him. 

“There’s nobody else I wanna do this with, b,” he said. 

When it came time for us to record the first episode of “UPFRONT with Corey Williams,” he hammered home the point that this was a joint venture. He didn’t want me to take a back seat, even to him. 

“I want the people to know your story, too. This [show] won’t work if it’s just me,” he emphasized. Homicide never wanted the spotlight to himself. If he shined, you shined, too. 

He wasn’t afraid to tell it like he saw it, and no player or coach was safe if they were underperforming. Even as he battled cancer, he was still unafraid to speak his mind on our podcast, calling out Melbourne United head coach Dean Vickerman during the 2024 NBL Grand Final series. 

He connected with Australians because he was unashamedly himself. His love for the game, and desire to see the NBL grow, shone through. Attending NBL games with him meant at least a thirty-minute detour before you could get to your seat, as fans stopped and asked him for selfies. 

He galvanized NBL fans, and in the end, even the ones who may have hated from a far can’t deny that the NBL was better for having had him champion it. 

A legend of the game, on and off the court, and across opposite ends of the hemispheres.

Photos courtesy of Nick Metallinos and Getty Images.

The post From NBL MVP to Becoming a Renowned Broadcaster: the Legacy of Corey “Homicide” Williams appeared first on SLAM.

Penny Hardaway has never forgotten the first time he saw the Foamposite. 

Nike designer Eric Avar was meeting with him to talk sneakers and show him some upcoming samples, as usual, when a sneaker tucked inside of a Nike duffel bag caught his attention. 

“I was just like, ‘Oh my god! What is that?’” Hardaway told me years ago. 

On the spot, it became his next signature shoe. The molded neon royal shoe was groundbreaking then and ever since, and became an instant classic, stamped by Penny in 1997. 

Even all these years later, the Foamposite One, with its subtle Swoosh along the toe and One Cent logo hits along the heel and tongue, has been one of the most beloved sneakers of all time.

“It was just a crazy shoe,” he added. “And I had never seen anything like it in my life.”

As SLAM celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, we’re looking back on some of the most iconic issue covers and most impactful players throughout the Hall of Fame-inducted magazine’s history. We created some fire collabs for the occasion. 

The 30th issue of SLAM in late 1998 featured Penny Hardaway, just as he was looking to make his return from a series of repeating knee injuries in Orlando. The feature was graced with a Scoop Jackson-penned cover story that perfectly captured his immediate rise with the Orlando Magic and his mission to stay on top of the game that he poured everything into. 

The cover story featured lyric laden bridge paragraphs between the candid Q&A — yet another Scoop masterpiece that broke the mold for formatting. 

“Leave you black & blue like a pair of Penny’s / or Foamposites” 

Even before that first sample made its way to the meeting with Penny, we must first go back to the fall of 1995, when Avar was sketching away in Beaverton, Oregon. It is completely insane to consider the time and era in which the Foamposite was first conceived, as the shoe not only had a viral-before-there-was-social-media $180 price point, but required an all-new manufacturing process entirely. 

The shoe was decades ahead of its time — and still is.

While the “Galaxy” Foams in 2012 instantly shut it down and created an entire era of graphic-printed sneakers, it was years ago in ’95 that Avar actually first imagined a printing process atop the shoe’s Foamposite material. One of his earliest sketches incorporated shaded hues of blue along the upper.

This SLAM collab, for the first time ever, brings that sketch to life.

The Eric Avar sketch, from the fall of 1995.

The SLAM edition’s molded Foamposite upper features a printed graphic inspired by Avar’s concept sketch, with the details dialed in from there. For the first time, there’s a Swoosh along the shank, just as Avar had originally sketched it. 

The tongue and heel logos alternate between Hardaway’s sleek 1 Cent logo and the SLAM logo, inspired by Penny’s longtime insistence to keep his logo in place on collaborative designs. To this day, it’s one of the greatest signature logos ever created, that he instantly approved of when he first saw it.

“Right away I knew that they had done an amazing job with this logo,” he told me. 

“Back to back 40s. Miami Heat. Unforgettable.”

Along the insoles, the graphics from the Scoop Jackson cover story are recreated throughout, along with SLAM’s 30th Anniversary logo crest. The packaging integrates the original Avar sketch, and lyrics from Jackson’s prolific penmanship.

Three vertical stars found on every cover throughout the magazine’s 30 years are woven into the heel tab, while a number 30 honors Penny’s cover and SLAM’s 30th Issue. 

As the magazine turns 30, and the legend of the Foamposite lives on, this Friends & Family limited edition of Penny Hardaway’s most memorable sneaker brings the original design concept full circle.

The post SLAM’s Foamposite One Collab Celebrates Penny Hardaway’s Iconic Original Design appeared first on SLAM.

Back when FILA was a major player in the basketball space and Grant Hill was at the forefront of its marketing efforts, SLAM featured bold, wild and hella fun ads throughout the magazine. Over the past 30 years, we’ve had everything from a Jordan perfume ad to brands that marketed products that allegedly helped increase your vertical jump or even helped you grow taller.

In honor of all those timeless classics, we’re hyped to announce SLAM Presents OLD SLAM ADS.

In this exclusive special collector’s issue, you’ll get to peek behind the curtain and hear from those members of the brand partnerships team who were tasked with selling ad space at SLAM throughout the years, as they offer up some behind-the-scenes gems of how many of these ads ended up in the pages of the publication.

You’ll also find a couple of other features that dive deep into the phenomenon of the aforementioned jump higher/strength category of ads that ran in SLAM throughout the decades, as well as a look back at the legendary D-Band headband product of the early 2000s and more.

The post The Best, Boldest and Wildest Ads Ever Published in SLAM appeared first on SLAM.

You already know this was a must. 

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

“I AM SLAM.” 

“I say I AM SLAM because together — with me living it and SLAM covering it — we made it OK to be you, to be authentic, in the NBA,” Iverson writes. “Shit, we made it OK for athletes to be themselves in all of sports. Now that might sound cocky, but it’s not. It’s just facts.”

The bond and timeline of the two have been linked ever since Iverson was first featured on the mag’s ninth cover in early 1996, while still in college. When Issue #32 dropped though, the impact reached beyond basketball. 

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

“In SLAM in the beginning, we would just cover the culture,” founder Dennis Page recently told Iverson. “But after ‘Soul On Ice,’ I like to think that we became part of the culture, because of that cover. Allen gave us the credibility.”

Throughout the detailed Russ Bengtson feature interview with The Answer, there’s a layout graphic featuring Iverson that’s centered around “The 3 of Diamonds.” As we all know, there isn’t much explanation needed to explain Allen’s affinity for ice. 

The throwback “PHILA” jersey he’s wearing in early 1999 was custom made by a local nearby manufacturer named Mitchell & Ness, to highlight the history of the league in an “Old School Issue” as the NBA was dealing with a lockout that year. It was the chain, the tats, the bracelet, the watch and the earrings that let you know this was a modern icon of the next millennium. 

“I fell in love with that magazine,” Iverson told Page. “Just the loyalty, and the way y’all had no problem with letting me be me. It was no situation to where I had to deal with being on the cover and my tattoos are airbrushed off. All authentic. It was, ‘You be you, and we’ll take care of the rest.’”

To celebrate the original cover and the magazine’s 30th anniversary this year, SLAM and Reebok teamed up on a limited edition pair of Iverson’s iconic first signature shoe. 

Throughout Iverson’s career, diamonds were often incorporated into anniversary moments or celebratory launches, like the time Reebok put a $65,000 diamond-laced Question up for sale on Eastbay. When Iverson celebrated his 10th anniversary with the company, Reebok gifted him with a diamond-laced pair of Answers from his MVP season. 

Inspired by “frosted” diamond watches, the midsole of the SLAM x Reebok Question Low features a metallic frosted texture that extends up into the shoe’s unmistakable toe cap. 

The SLAM and Reebok logos alternate on the tongue and heel, while the lettering up the eyelets have been switched out to read Allen’s longtime nickname among his closest friends: “Bubba Chuck.” 

“SLAM was everything to my career,” added Iverson. “Still today, I walk past a magazine stand and I see that magazine — I’m grabbing it.”

Along the insoles and the box, Iverson is featured in alternate portraits from the era where he left a mark on the game for good.  

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

“It was an honor for all of us to be able to embrace the cover, be in it and have our story told, the way that we wanted it to be told,” Iverson reflected. “It was so great for the culture, and so great for basketball. And it’s going to live on forever.”

The post SLAM’s Reebok Question Collab Celebrates Allen Iverson’s Iconic “Soul On Ice” Cover appeared first on SLAM.

A popular saying created by the younger generation emphasizing the transition of eras. Basketball has gone through a massive culture shift. It’s definitely easy to forget how we got to where we are now as the memories and styles of years ago grow older. But some things remain timeless. Time for a quick trip down memory lane.

Baggy shorts and buzz cuts. These two ruled the ’90s. That era had some of the sickest swag the sport could offer. The Memphis State Tigers and Runnin’ Rebels are proof.

In honor of their upcoming matchup, which will only be the sixth time they’ve ever faced off (UNLV is leading the series 4-1), we’re paying tribute to the foundational elements of college hoops: the gear. 

The Memphis State Tigers have been around for a long time and their style has inspired plenty. They possessed a clean look that stood out, much like the players who came through the program (and notably their head coach, the late Larry Finch). But it was the 1991-92 season that those in Memphis still reminisce about. The glory days. Their home unis were crisp white. Striking blue accents lined the waist and trim while their away uniforms flipped the script with a sea of dominant blue and sharp white details. Thick grey block letters stitched above and below the numbers. The loose-fitting shorts, labeled with an MSU patch, were illuminated with their iconic tiger logo just above the knee, capping off the perfect blend of simplicity and style.

On the other side of the aisle, the Rebels were Runnin’ rampant in the ’90s with a timeless aesthetic. Black kicks, knee-length shorts, team huddles on the floor. When you see red, you think bold, tough and rigid. When you see UNLV on your schedule, the exact same feelings come to mind. Their jerseys evoked as much chaos as their open court offense, featuring a predominantly white home design with fresh red accents that extended onto the shorts that fans in Nevada still rock to this day. The away unis were just as fire; a powerful red with white details, creating a fierce and intimidating look. The baggy fit of the shorts with the stripes bleeding down the side and small UNLV logo completed the audacious yet encapsulating aesthetic of the era. This cohesive and fearless look mirrored the Rebels’ aggressive and high-energy play. Just ask Larry Johnson how formidable Las Vegas was.

As these two teams prepare to meet tomorrow, we can’t forget their past. The resurgence of the two programs this weekend doesn’t just exemplify the diverse landscape that continues to expand across the game, it’s cementing the eras that got us here. The ’90s brought flashy individualism both on and off the court, which we still see in today’s game and tunnels. The baggy styles we witness across the NBA and the high school ranks may look different now, but they originated from decades’ past. So respect the OGs for paving the way.

Still done with the ’90s? We thought so…

From the iconic shorts to throwback logos and gear, head over to the SLAM Store to rep your school, whether you’re runnin’ with the Rebels or rocking with the Tigers.

Action photos via Getty Images.

The post Timeless Threads: How Memphis State and UNLV Helped Pave the Way For Today’s ’90s Obsession appeared first on SLAM.

Now that we’re back, it’s only right that we predict what this insane rookie class will achieve. Some of the most versatile players of the new generation have arrived and we suggest you buckle up for the ride.

So check out our official Rookies Most Likely To list, which appears in SLAM 252. Get your copy and cover tees here.

Houston, we solved your problem. After averaging 20 points in Summer League, Reed definitely proved he’s got that shooter’s touch. He’s our pick to take home ROTY honors.

Greatness flows through his veins. Since he was young, Bronny’s always had some of the best feets on the court, and nothing changes now.

That massive poster dunk Matas Buzelis had against the Warriors in Summer League was just a preview of what he’ll do to opposing players this season. If anyone’s going to end the 36 year dunk contest win drought for the Bulls, it’ll be this guy. The last winner in Chicago, who we all know, went on to have a pretty good career…

The 7-foot Duke product is underrated and we don’t really know why. When he wakes y’all up and starts balling with the Jazz, we told you so.

The shiftiest rookie in the class will be a walking highlight reel. Scary hours coming soon from the Timberwolves…

There aren’t many players with a smoother shot than Risacher. The number 1 pick will put the League on notice as he and Trae light it up from downtown.

Zach Edey is a walking double-double and he’s our lock to average 10 boards a game. Being one of the tallest players in the league will undoubtedly help.

Jared McCain is a man of many talents. The social media star is always turning heads with the latest trends and he’ll be turning heads on the court this year as well.

Already one of the best dressed players in the League, Cody Williams is always going to put that ish on. Don’t be surprised when you see that same swag on the court…

Arguably the hottest shooter in the class, Reed Sheppard is a certified scoring machine and he’s going to prove that this season.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s Official 2024-25 NBA Rookies Most Likely To List: Rookie Superlatives and MORE appeared first on SLAM.

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.

What would you do if you could bring a star down to eye level? What if you were just an arm’s length away? Would you try to recreate its shine? Or would you stare into its beauty, both incomprehensibly bright and painstakingly supernatural?

Being that close to greatness would make the average person’s eyes pop out of their head, like a scary gimmick in the windowsill of a Halloween store. However, for recent BYU freshman Kanon Catchings, he’s been holding onto stars since the time he was born.

The legacy begins in the fall of 1974 with Harvey Catchings, who made his NBA debut with the Philadelphia 76ers. In the middle of what would be an 11-year career in the L, Catchings became the basketball equivalent of Serena and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams Jr. Harvey’s daughters, Tamika and Tauja set the stage for a family-wide takeover on the hardwood.

If you were wondering what it would be like to touch a star, you’d have to either ask someone on the 2002-2016 Indiana Fever, or her own nephew to truly understand how bright of a star Tamika Catchings is.

“I looked up to her a lot,” Kanon reminisces. “She was one of the first basketball players I really knew.”

Tamika Catchings, despite an under-the-radar hearing disability, kick started her legacy winning three high school state championships in two different states (Illinois and Texas). Stepping into her college career, she made her presence known on the court, helping the Tennessee Lady Vols to an undefeated season and NCAA championship in 1998 under legendary coach Pat Summitt, paving the way for recent college stars like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.

Spending her entire career with the Fever, Catchings led the team to a championship in 2012 and racked up a long, decorated list of accomplishments, including WNBA MVP (2011), 10 All-Star selections and five Defensive Player of the Year awards. Not to mention, four consecutive Olympic Gold medals (2004-2016) and holding the all-time WNBA record for steals (1,074).

A unique star, Catchings transcended familial expectations, and set the precedent for what greatness moved like. “I wanted to be just like her,” Kanon explains. 

The next closest star in Kanon’s orbit was Tamika’s sister and Kanon’s mother, Tauja, who led her high school team to two state championships (’95-96), and was named Illinois’ Ms. Basketball in 1996. At the University of Illinois, Tauja became the first player in Illini history with more than 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists and 200 steals, earning her All-Big Ten honors and the status of one of the best players in Illinois history.  

Almost a decade later, another branch of the Catchings family tree has emerged with Kanon. Standing at 6-9 and known for his athleticism, the youngest Catchings has stepped into new beginnings at Brigham Young University (BYU) where he’s quickly made a name for himself.

“An aspect I’d like to show a lot of people is that I can guard every position on the court,” he explains. Being able to be anywhere on the court is where Kanon feels like he has a leg up on other recruits.

Dating back to his junior season in high school, Kanon averaged 17.5 points and 4.8 rebounds before joining Overtime Elite (OTE). There, he maintained his collegiate eligibility, playing at a high level and averaging 14.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Kanon’s decision to suit up for the Cougars had a lot to do with a lot to do with his former OTE coach Tim Fanning.

“That was a big drawing point for me when I came to BYU,” he explains. “It means a lot to have somebody that knows you and has coached you before on the staff.”

At BYU, Catchings hopes to refine his shooting and physicality, notably looking forward to improving on his skill set in a way that transcends the expectation that comes with his family name. His defensive instinct—a hallmark of the Catchings family—is something that he wants to showcase, and with his Hall of Fame aunt as a mentor, he’s looking forward to growing all parts of his game.

“I feel like I’ve improved a lot,” he says. “In ballhandling, passing the ball, [and] defense especially, but also, just ripping out shots—[I’m] just trying to be as consistent as I can in everything that I do on the court.”

In the wake of what could potentially be a breakout freshman season, the four-star recruit has every bit of pressure on his shoulders come November. But, with that transcendent familial stardom looming in the background, Catchings has all the guidance and tools he needs to add to the legacy—perhaps not only reaching for the stars, but becoming one himself. 

Portraits via BYU Athletics.

The post Family Ties: The Beginning of Kanon Catchings’ Journey and The Continuation of the Catchings Legacy  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.

The post Smooth Operator: Class of 2025 Highland Park Star Nate Ament Details How Family and Competitiveness Shaped His Journey appeared first on SLAM.

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.

Non-New Yorkers might think the Big Apple seems like one compact unit where everyone is familiar with the boroughs and neighborhoods, but that is definitely not true. Especially for a teenager who lived in The Bronx’s Mitchel projects in the 1980s.

“I never came to Brooklyn,” chuckles Long Island University’s men’s basketball coach Rod Strickland, a New York City Point God who spent 17 years in the League and more than a decade on high-level college staffs before getting this, his first head coaching job, in the summer of 2022. “I came here a couple of times to play, but I was so young I barely remember… I played in The Bronx, obviously, and we played in Harlem.

“So when I first got the job here, it was a whole different environment. I just had to get adjusted to that, which was fine. At the end of the day, it does look like The Bronx and Harlem. I just hadn’t been here. Now it feels like home.”

And isn’t that lovely for the LIU Sharks? If you’re doing a double take on what one of your favorite point guards ever is doing at a school you may not have even heard of…let’s take a step back.

LIU, formerly known as the Blackbirds, were a national power going back to the 1930s, when legendary coach and author Clair Bee led them to undefeated seasons in 1936 and ’39 and NIT championships in ’39 and ’41. The program crumbled in the 1950s after a point-shaving scandal and did not resurface in DI until ’68. The only reasons fans under 50 might be familiar with the program are the dope ’97 and ’98 teams that featured New York City ballers Mike Campbell, Charles Jones and Richie Parker or the ’10-13 teams that made three straight NCAA Tournaments.

Since that time, the university’s Brooklyn and suburban Brookville locations officially merged and the school has officially been known solely as Long Island University. What’s more, the sports teams are now the Sharks.

Rod Strickland, who in 1998 led the NBA in assists (he ranks 13th all-time in career assists) and was subsequently named second-team All-NBA, has been coaching the LIU Sharks for two years and we’re just getting around to covering them? Well, that’s OK with him, because it took about 24 months for him to get fully comfortable. “I had to get the experience and feel things out,” says Strickland (whose teams went a combined 10-48 in his first two seasons) from the comfort of his office in LIU’s Steinberg Wellness Center. “As of today, I feel like I have a great understanding of the environment. Now it’s a clean slate. These are my recruits. Whole new staff. It feels good.”

OG NYC hoop heads should consider this team a must-watch on the strength not only of Rod but his newly hired assistant Derrick Phelps, who starred at Christ the King in Queens before a stellar four-year career at UNC. But we get it; that demo is aging. Why should a modern hoop fan tune in to see the Sharks? Because they’re gonna be good!

The newcomers LIU fans are most excited about include freshman Roc Lee, a highly touted shooting guard from Atlanta considered a contender for NEC ROY, and Malachi Davis, a senior transfer wing from the Toronto area by way of Power 4 program Arizona State who has NEC POY potential. We find Davis overlooking the Sharks’ court from an office across the hall from Coach Strickland. “The important thing is building the LIU brand,” Davis says. “We’re trying to change the culture. We’re trying to change the environment. And bring the community together and do something real special this year.”

Sophomore forward Jason Steele, a Queens native who played his high school ball at Our Saviour Lutheran in The Bronx, is one of a select group of returnees for the Sharks. “The realistic goal for us is to win,” Steele says firmly. “We have people who want to compete. I would refer to them as straight dogs. Everyone here wants to work and everyone wants to win.”

The de facto team leader is another returner with a very familiar last name: senior point guard Terell Strickland. Terell had a great high school career in the Tampa-St. Pete area (Dad used to coach at South Florida) before playing in 50 games for James Madison University between ’20-23. Rod got the job too close to the ’22-23 season for Terell to get up here, but there was no doubt he’d arrive for the ’23-24 season. Terell had a solid junior campaign at the point, averaging 7.2 ppg and 3.6 apg, and everyone expects an even better performance this year.

“There was no debate about me coming to play for him,” Terell says. “I really enjoyed my time at James Madison, but this was just too special of an opportunity to pass up. Not only is he my dad, but he’s an NBA player who’s played the game at a high level. The chance to learn from him was something I couldn’t pass up.”

As Rod says, “I was quoted as a player as saying I never wanted to coach because I wouldn’t want to coach five of me. But when I was done playing, I needed a job. I called my guy at Memphis—William Wesley—and he got me with Cal [John Calipari]. Cal was so forward-thinking; he knew I was a point guard, and he got Derrick Rose, Tyreke [Evans], J-Wall.”

Strickland followed Cal from Memphis to Kentucky and then did stints at South Florida and with the NBA G League. “I wasn’t ready to be a head coach at first. But after being in it—at a high level at Memphis and Kentucky, playing for national championships—I don’t know exactly when, but it just got to a point where it was like, the next step. I played. Then I was an assistant coach. Then the next thing was to be a head coach.”

It’s an all-around, feel-good New York story that just needs some success on the floor to reach the happy ending everyone in the building seems to think is inevitable.

When asked about his father, who is obviously the key to the whole LIU hoops rebuild, Terell says, “I’m really happy for him. Very proud of him. It really is an amazing opportunity for him, especially for him to be back in New York to do it, surrounded by his family and a big group of supporters.”

Action photos via Getty Images and David Patalano.

The post Shark Sighting: How the Legendary Rod Strickland is Leading Long Island University Back to Prominence appeared first on SLAM.

Brickley initially named the runs “BlackOps” because he wanted the workouts and open runs to be discreet. Here, he gives us his breakdown of another year of BlackOps Basketball and his award picks.

The 2024 SLAM x BlackOps Awards

Breakout Season: Paolo Banchero

Photo by @kees2life

This was the fourth summer I worked with Paolo. His energy was laser-focused! We would go 60-75 minutes, and he did every drill at game speed. Coming off his first All-Star season and playoff run, he wanted more. I believe we will see Paolo in many more All-Star Games and many more playoff runs. The Magic will be very good this year.

Best Summer Shooter Award: Klay Thompson

Klay came in this offseason looking like a completely different player. He seemed a step quicker, and he shot incredibly well all summer. He literally broke every shooting record this summer. But, in CJ McCollum’s defense, Klay locked in with me in August/September, while CJ held many records and worked with me in May/June.

Best Middle Schooler I Have Ever Worked With: JJ Crawford

During the workout, JJ’s father (Jamal Crawford), Jordan Clarkson and Boardroom’s Nick DePaula were watching. Ju was hitting NBA three-pointers at a high percentage, picking up the ballhandling drills I was giving him and getting buckets on my interns! The internet always gives the interns a hard time, but they can really defend. After the workout, Jamal and I talked hoops for about an hour, and it was one of my favorite conversations of the summer. Jamal is a true student of the game. I’m calling it now: JJ Crawford will be a top-five pick one day!

Draft Day Award: Matas Buzelis and Tyler Kolek

I believe both of these guys will have long NBA careers. Matas will be a name we see on ESPN’s Top 10 plays many times this season. Tyler Kolek is my sleeper from this past draft. The Knicks got a great playmaker and scorer at No. 34. I think he’ll bring great energy with the second unit.

NCAA Award: lan Jackson

The best thing that happened to Ian Jackson was that to start his senior season, he dropped in the rankings. His entire workout approach changed at that moment, and Ian became a man on the basketball court. He worked out with me five days a week—sometimes twice a day—and went hard! I put him in situations where he played 1-on-1 with NBA players, and he more than held his own—he was wowing everyone in the gym. I can’t wait to see what he does at UNC this season.

High School Award: Kiyan Anthony & Chris Cenac Jr.

I’ve seen Kiyan Anthony develop from a little kid running around MSG to getting buckets in the NBA BlackOps runs. He is constantly texting me, showing his urgency to get in more workouts and keep improving. Chris Cenac played in the Brickley Invitational and shocked me during the workout portion. At 6-10, he can shoot the three, finish around the rim, play in the mid-post and try to dunk on you by the rim. It’s no surprise he’s skyrocketing up the rankings!

Chris Brickley Invitational Award: Tyran Stokes and Jasper Johnson

Tyran Stokes is ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2026 for a reason—he’s a matchup nightmare. He can shoot and find his teammates, and his motor is always on 100. Jasper Johnson went crazy in the game, hitting tough shot after tough shot. He really reminds me of D’Angelo Russell. Kentucky is producing high-level prospects right now.

Mentor Award: Russell Westbrook

People can say what they want about Russ, but the reality is he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the Top 75 NBA players of all time. This was the second offseason in a row where he took the time to mentor a younger player. Last summer, it was Azzi Fudd from UConn, and this summer it was New Jersey legend Isaiah Briscoe. Russ invited Briscoe to a few of his 6 a.m. workouts and shared some gems. Russ and I have developed a genuine relationship over the years, and I’m thankful to have him as a friend.

GOAT Award: LeBron James

I was blessed to help prepare LeBron for his Gold medal run. His work definitely paid off, as he ended up getting MVP of the Olympics at 39 years old! Aside from his great workouts, toward the end of the summer, I was offered a lot of NBA coaching positions, and I needed someone to talk to who knows the game and the business. I reached out to LeBron with no expectations—if he didn’t respond, I wouldn’t have been upset at all, knowing he has a million things going on. But he sent me some great advice, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. So, thanks to the GOAT for taking the time to do that.

Best Group Workout of the Summer: Kevin Durant and CJ McCollum

There was something special about the energy at The Summit, with music blaring through the Bose speakers. Normally, players gradually work up to game-speed actions, but this workout was different. KD caught the ball in the corner, ripped through hard with two dribbles and hit a beautiful pull-up–just like he was in a playoff game. Then I passed the ball to CJ, and he did the same thing. For the next 65 minutes, both players gave it their all. That was awesome.

Best Rapper Basketball Player: Russ

Russ decided to take basketball seriously and came to me after training with his Atlanta trainer. He became a knockdown shooter. The transformation in his game was insane. He had dribble moves, was hitting NBA threes with consistency and just played with confidence. I think Russ became the best rapper-shooter l’ve ever worked with.

Best BlackOps Matchup: Jalen Brunson vs. Immanuel Quickley

Immanuel Quickley, fresh off signing his $175 million deal with the Raptors, was playing with supreme confidence against All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson. There was definitely a sense of major competition. Quickley backed up Brunson for the Knicks before being traded to the Raptors, so it felt like Quick was playing with a chip on his shoulder. Watching these two go at it for almost two hours was super entertaining. It was like watching a great boxing match. They were giving it their all and not letting up. Man, that was a great run!

Photos by @nextsubject.

The post The 2024 SLAM x BlackOps Awards: LeBron James, Jalen Brunson and More appeared first on SLAM.

There’s nothing quite like being drafted into the NBA. A decade’s worth of blood, sweat and tears has all led up to that surreal, life-affirming moment when one’s name is called to the stage. But even in a place where one’s wildest dreams come true, rarely do the stars align like they did for a then-18-year-old Carlton “Bub” Carrington.

Mere minutes after being selected 14th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers, Carrington was informed that he’d be traded to the Washington Wizards. He couldn’t believe it. He recounts thinking, “There is no way … Wait, what is happening right now?” Because, to Carrington, there’s more to repping the Wizards than individual pride; he’s repping his home state, too.

Take a 40-minute drive northeast of Capital One Arena, and you’ll arrive at Carrington’s childhood roots in Baltimore, a city that exudes its own grimy, uber-competitive basketball culture. However, compared to the abundance of opportunities in cities like New York or Los Angeles, there are only so many spots to be filled in Baltimore. “You’re trying to make that one team, you’re trying to go to that one school, trying to be in that one area,” Carrington says.

Point-blank, if you want to make it in Baltimore, you have to earn it. Carrington is no exception to the rule, and it’s not far-fetched to presume that’s where the battle-tested guard developed his pedal-to-the-metal tenacity. Just ask the man himself. “In some way, shape or form, [you’re] a product of your environment,” Carrington says. “On the court, it’s always been that one mode for me: you got to kill that person in front of you. Figuratively, of course.”

As Carrington puts it, it doesn’t matter if your opponent is someone you’ve never played before or someone you’ve been rivals with for as long as you can remember, every ball game is a battle. For Bub, some of his most formative memories came from those long-standing rivalries. Those battles became his statement to the city that he’s got the drive and game to back up his merciless mode of playing.

One battle stands above the rest, however.

When Bub first arrived at St. Francis Academy, one of the city’s most well-known prospects, Jahnathan Lamothe, was also there. 

“He blew up big,” Carrington says. And for the rest of high school, whether it was the final minutes of practice or the AAU circuit, an overlooked Bub made it a point of emphasis to earn his stripes through his battles with Lamothe. “I wasn’t, like, talked about, or anything … [so] he was on my list. He was on me and my dad’s list, telling me you had to go at him every day. [My dad would say] wherever you see him, you got to go at him.”

Those are words you don’t take lightly. Bub’s father, Carlton Carrington II, is a revered local AAU coach, and his insight into the sport allowed Bub to stay one step ahead of his contemporaries. “You see the game from a different perspective, from a coach’s perspective. A lot of kids see from a coach’s perspective for an hour, for however long you’re in practice…I see it every hour of the day,” he says.

That father-son, coach-player dynamic is unique. It’s a high-wire balancing act for them both, and sometimes, when players are younger, those lines are blurred beyond comprehension. “When I was younger, I used to think there was no switch,” Carrington recalls. But once Bub matured, he began to see the fruits of his labor as his understanding of the people around him started to crystallize. “I stopped trying to think I’m smarter than him. He knows what he’s doing…[and] it’s always a good thing to have someone that knows what they’re talking about.”

All this culminates in the player he is today: a 6-4 guard who’s a magician pulling up from the mid-range and a smooth operator from the pick-and-roll; a player who, in an effort to be the best player he can be for his team, embraces the little things and the not-so-glamorous aspects of basketball.

But, with all of Baltimore’s unrelenting competitive spirit, there is also a cherished sense of community. Ask any basketball player from Baltimore, and they’ll tell you everyone is trying to be nothing less than the best in the city. But when that once-in-a-generation player reaches the top, and their sky-high aspirations carry into college and beyond, the whole city relishes in their success.

That pride only intensified with Carrington playing so close to home, and to Bub, it’s only right to give back to a community that shaped him into Washington’s guard of the future. So, while the NBA eagerly waits for Carrington’s first game, he hasn’t wasted any time putting his charitable activism into effect. He’s already taking part in local back-to-school and annual Thanksgiving food drives while also conceptualizing community-oriented projects with fellow teammates.

“I’m trying to be a voice. I’m trying to actually be active in the community,” Bub says. “I like helping people. I help people because I was helped.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Washington Wizards Rookie Carlton “Bub” Carrington Reflects on His Baltimore Roots and Playing Close to Home appeared first on SLAM.

A year after being selected #1 overall in the 2020 WNBA draft, SLAM stamped New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu as “The Next Queen of NY” for the mag’s Future Issue.

Two years after SLAM #231, Sabrina was launching her very own signature shoe with Nike — just the 12th player in W league history to have her own namesake sneaker — a distinction both historical to reflect on, and aspirational to look ahead towards.

“I know the numbers — only 11 players in 27 years have come before me,” she beamed after the launch. “It’s one of the highest honors in our game and something beyond humbling to be a part of.”

The moment immediately took Ionescu’s starpower and impact on the game to yet another level. 

An All-Star and All-WNBA PG in each of the last three seasons since, the 3-Point Contest record setter is once again running point for a loaded Liberty squad that reached the WNBA Finals a year ago, and aspires to yet again this year. 

Her debut signature model broke barriers and saw adoption at all levels of the game, inspiring “anyone, anywhere,” just as she had hoped. 

“It’s crazy to think about now, but the vision that Nike and I had together has really come to life,” she added.

The momentum around her second sneaker made it one of the most anticipated models of the entire year. It’s led to players of all positions, at all levels and from all backgrounds feeling inspired whenever they’re lacing up their pairs of Sabrinas. 

“That’s been something that we’ve been able to see happen, from NBA players to college players and now young boys,” said Ionescu. “They’ll be able to put these shoes on and feel like they can go out and accomplish anything.”

With the expectations rightfully high as Sabrina entered her fifth season this summer, there were also equally high expectations for her follow-up signature shoe, the Nike Sabrina 2.

Returning a sleek silhouette and versatile colorblocking options along the upper, her second shoe has offered up both a lighter weight sneaker and a more responsive cushioning platform. The recognizable Swoosh placement on the inside of the first shoe returns yet again, angled upwards through a shattered glass graphic to signify Sabrina’s barrier breaking series.

To highlight her impact in the sneaker game and on the signature shoe business, SLAM teamed up with Nike to create a Sabrina 2 that will be unmistakable on court — flooded out in all seafoam.

As SLAM celebrates its 30th anniversary and the magazine’s upcoming induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, we collaborated with a batch of brands to highlight the most memorable covers, most impactful players and defining sneakers that made their mark during the past three decades of SLAM. 

Amplifying the bright seafoam teal throughout, the SLAM x Sabrina 2 features a variety of additional details throughout. The heels of each shoe incorporate SLAM’s logo along with a nod to the 30th anniversary, while the insole also includes our celebratory 30th banner icon. 

The Swoosh logos are elevated throughout, standing out with a mirror finish that speaks to the young girls and boys that can take inspiration from the shoes and “see themselves” in Sabrina’s path.  

“My favorite detail is the Swoosh and being able to see your own reflection,” said Ionescu. “I want everyone to see themselves, what it is that they want to create and what it is that they want to dream — to be able to go out and do that in my shoe.”

As SLAM turns the literal page, with not only 30 years of impact and a Hall Of Fame designation cementing the legacy of “the basketball bible” into hoops lore for good, it’s the future of the game of the game that the magazine is also centered on celebrating and highlighting going forward.

A future that Sabrina Ionescu is helping to define. Both through her play, and the impact of her signature series with Nike. 

“I know what some people might think: ‘It’s just a shoe…’

“But really,” she continues. “I think signature shoes like this can help continue to push the game forward, for all.”

As SLAM celebrates 30 years in the game, our newest Sabrina 2 collaboration looks ahead to The Future, linking back up with one of the magazine’s iconic cover athletes that is sure to continue to pave the way for the next generation of the game. 

The post SLAM’s Nike Sabrina 2 Collab Celebrates The Future Of The Game appeared first on SLAM.

Everything he needs is here, including a state-of-the-art gym, where we’ve set up to shoot the cover of SLAM 252. Behind one basket, stretching the entire length of the wall, is a blown-up image of Lillard’s series-clinching three-pointer against the Rockets in 2014; behind the other, the unforgettable shot that knocked out the Thunder in 2019. Other photos marking significant moments in Lillard’s life and career surround the court—of family and friends, of award ceremonies and celebrations, of dunks and game-winners. “All part of the story,” he says.

SLAM 252 featuring Damian Lillard is available now.

A year ago, Lillard wasn’t sure where the next chapter of that story would unfold. After requesting a trade in July, his summer plans had to be altered. He couldn’t play competitively—couldn’t train as rigorously as he likes to—knowing that an injury would compromise negotiations. He waited three months until the deal with Milwaukee was done, leaving him with just a few days to pack his bags and adjust to his new situation before training camp began. It was all so hectic.

This summer has been a refreshing change. Less business, more family. Less uncertainty, more peace. Less waiting, more action. Lillard has been able to focus on his training, embracing a holistic approach that includes a strict anti-inflammatory diet. He even spent four days in Las Vegas working out with retired Navy SEAL David Goggins.

As the 2024-25 season looms, Lillard is prepared in a way that wasn’t possible last September, both physically and mentally. Here, he reflects on the past year, his transition to Milwaukee, building chemistry with Giannis Antetokounmpo and much more.

SLAM: What was it like to work out with David Goggins and how did that come about?

Damian Lillard: We had had many conversations over the last two-and-a-half years about getting together and training. And he would always tell me, like, ‘Man, I could take you to the next level as far as your conditioning and your mind.’ And I wanted to do it. It was just a matter of finding the time and opportunity that fit both of our schedules. And that time came this summer.

It was definitely a challenge physically. A lot of those exercises and conditioning drills that he pushes you through are a challenge. It pushes you past your limits. But I think it was more of a mental thing than anything. You realize how hard it is to do those things, and then he’s constantly demanding more. I walked away from it just understanding myself a little bit better, as far as like what you have to give. There were a lot of moments [where] I was ready to quit. And he didn’t say, ‘Just give me a little bit more.’ He was demanding a lot more when I had nothing left. He kept saying, ‘Don’t just survive, you gotta conquer it.’ And the fact that I was able to do that, I think it did change something for me mentally as far as when I feel like I’m breaking down and wearing down.

SLAM: Reflecting on last season, what are the challenges that come with adapting to a new team that people on the outside tend to overlook?

DL: I think the number one thing people don’t understand is the change that it is for the person—the change that comes with picking up and going into a new environment. Sometimes you leave one job for another job and you might have to relocate, but a lot of people go job to job locally. They don’t have to pack up their lives and go to a completely different place. And that’s not something that everybody experiences the same as us.

The number two thing is having to learn to work with somebody new. And not just having to—being expected to work together and figure it out right away. And I think that’s something people don’t understand. They just look at, This player’s great, that player’s great, you got this, you got that, and they just think it’s supposed to work. But you gotta figure out how it works for everybody. Me playing with Giannis is one thing, but we have to figure out how we work best and how that works for everybody, because there are a lot of guys that have to be able to do what they do best and be in a position to succeed for the team to succeed. So I think a lot of people look at two [people], and they don’t look at the big picture of the entire team.

SLAM: Now that you’ve been able to get settled a bit in Milwaukee, is there a level of comfort and peace that you think will translate to the court?

DL: I definitely think there is. Like I said, being able to come back and do everything to prepare myself to the best of my ability is the first thing. I know that when this summer ends and I get ready to go back to Milwaukee, I’m gonna go back prepared, not just because of what I did for my body, my PT, my strength and conditioning and my diet—all of those things are great for me physically but being able to come here and I didn’t say, All right, this summer I’m gonna take off and go on all these vacations and do all these things. I spent a lot of time with the people that I really care about and that I want to be around, and that’s my kids, my mom, my nephews, my sister, my brother, my cousins. We didn’t do a whole lot, we just spent a lot of time around each other. And I think that that did me very well this summer. So going back knowing that I’m physically prepared and I’m mentally prepared and it’s a more familiar situation. We gained some stability with [head coach] Doc [Rivers]. Knowing who I’m gonna go play for, having a much better understanding of the team, knowing guys now—I mean, it’s just different. And all of those things give me a different level of peace going into it than I ever could’ve had last year.

SLAM: You talked last year about the challenge of figuring out who you are on the Bucks. With a year under your belt, have you figured it out?

DL: I think I definitely have a much better idea coming off of last season and only getting to know the staff better. Even over the summer, spending time around them, talking to them, and also being able to step away and look back, I have a much better idea what is necessary for me. I know that I don’t need to play the same type of game that I played for the first 11 years of my career, but I think my mentality has to be what my mentality has always been. Instead of trying to come and overly fit in, I think I was brought in to be who I am. I spent too much time trying to ease my way into, What does it look like?, instead of just asserting myself and being who I am. Looking back now and also being there for some time, I think my understanding of that is much better.

SLAM: How has your relationship and chemistry with Giannis evolved and where is it at now?

DL: I think it developed great over the course of the season. He’s not a super talkative person and I’m not a super talkative person myself. Over time, I’ve become [more outspoken] the more that I start to build relationships with people, especially on the team. And I think as the season went on, me and him definitely started to talk more and more, and I started to come to his house to do conditioning or work out together. We’re on the phone. I’m sending him clips and stuff like that. And this summer, we’ve been in constant communication. We both know that we need each other. I think he’s excited coming into the season just like I am, because we became a lot closer as the season went on and we started to learn [about] each other a lot better. So having a full offseason of being connected to each other and being able to go into this next season, I think we’re both going to be ready. And we’re both excited to do what we gotta do.

SLAM: Can you talk specifically about building pick-and-roll chemistry with Giannis? How has that developed?

DL: To start the year, we just weren’t in a lot of pick-and-rolls together for a long time. We were playing in transition, or I was in ISO, or he was in ISO. It just wasn’t a lot of pick-and-rolls. The best way to get chemistry in pick-and-rolls is to be in a lot of pick-and-rolls together. And I think it got to the point with Doc where he was having us in practice, just, Set it. Throw it to Giannis. Giannis, give it back to Dame. All right, Dame, throw it back. All right, Giannis, uphill DHO. It was almost like the team was laughing at us, just repping it out over and over.

Then in games, we ended up being in a lot of those actions together a lot more the second half of the year. I started to see what he was thinking, and I think he started to see what I was thinking, and then we would talk about it. Once you start to build chemistry, then I can start directing a little bit more because we are more connected, instead of me just trying to tell him what I want him to do [when] we haven’t even really worked together on it. [I was] wanting to give him the respect of, like, he might have something that he wants me to do a little bit different, but it’s hard to figure that out when you’re not in a lot of pick-and-rolls together. And as the season went on, I started to see how I can make the game easier for him, and I think he started to see what I needed from him to be free out of the pick-and-roll. And from here, I think it’ll continue to just get better.

SLAM: Do you feel like people are overlooking the Bucks heading into this season?

DL: Yeah, I think people are definitely [doing that], and that’s how the league is. It’s like, on to the next thing. There are younger teams on the rise, you have teams that made big free agency moves, teams that made trades, all types of things took place. So obviously that’s going to be what’s sexy. When I got traded to Milwaukee, it was like, Oh, the Bucks gonna win! Everybody just jumped on it, you know? So when something major happens or something big happens for a team, especially if it’s already a good team, like of course [that’s the reaction]. Rightfully so, all of those types of teams are going to be mentioned at the top.

SLAM: On the Club 520 Podcast, you talked about how consistency tends to get boring for people, to the point where it starts to go overlooked. Can you elaborate on that a bit and how you’ve seen that play out during your career?

DL: I think early in my career, I always felt like I was underappreciated. I had an underdog mentality. Sometimes even when I was getting credit, I felt like I wasn’t getting enough credit or they were ignoring what I was doing. And then I think I reached a point in my career where I started to get acknowledged how I felt I should be acknowledged. And then fast forward to being named to the 75th Anniversary Team, [that was] like, the ultimate nod to what my body of work has been and how consistent I’ve been since I stepped foot in the NBA.

But on the podcast, I was really just saying, like, I’m not loud and I’m not saying too much and doing all these things, but I’m always productive. Even in a season like last season where I feel like I could have been better in a lot of areas, I still had a productive season, and we were still a successful team throughout the season—a two-seed for pretty much the entire season. I think people just kind of look past it because of what they think we should be or whatever their personal opinions are. But the fact of the matter is, I’ve always been productive. This is gonna be my 13^th season, and I continue to just show up and be productive. And my team is always a good team. Over time, people are just like, Yeah, you don’t have a ring. What’s next? But I think they get bored with the fact that I just do it over and over and over and over and over. It’s like, Do something else. When it’s really, like, I’m showing up, putting my best foot forward.

SLAM: We see how much fun you’re having with your kids today. Can you describe the motivation that you get from them?

DL: I get a lot of motivation from being a dad and from my kids because how I was raised—like, the principles and the values that my parents raised me with—having my own kids, now I got even more pride about those things. There are some mornings where I gotta work out at 6:30 and I’ll get my kids up and bring them in here. They might have a tablet or whatever it is so they’re entertained and not getting in the way, but they’ll sit over there while I work out because I want them to be able to see, like, this didn’t just come out of nowhere. You gotta work hard for stuff. You gotta do stuff that you don’t want to do. A lot goes into the life that you guys have. And I want them, from a young age, to understand what it means to work hard for things and sacrifice. I say that to say, they have to see me be the ultimate example of what I preach to them.

And the motivation comes in where, if I’m being criticized, or if I’m struggling, or if something makes me uncomfortable, I think about my kids when I’m having to respond to those types of situations. I know that, especially with the internet and cameras being everywhere, there’s gonna come a day where my kids will be old enough to understand like, This was happening to my dad or, This was what people were saying about my dad, and there will also be evidence of how I responded to those things. Whatever the situation is, I’ll be the example for my kids and my nephews and nieces, where they’ll be like, He’s not just telling us this, there will be proof of, like, This is who I am. I think that’ll give them a sense of pride, because they’ll see it with their own eyes. And I feel that way because that’s how I feel about my dad. He said all this stuff to me and I see him walk that out. So that’s the kind of motivation I have. It’s not about—if I win a championship, that’d be great. That’s a cherry on top. But how you represent yourself and what you stand on as a human, I think that’s most important. So I get a lot of motivation from the opportunities to show that even when it’s a tough or a bad situation.

Portraits by Gabe Pineda, Victory Creative Group.

The post Home Team: Damian Lillard Talks Offseason, Building Chemistry with the Bucks and How His Family Motivates Him 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The header text was straightforward:

“The Greatest Show On Earth” 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First Team

DeMar DeRozan

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

P.J. Tucker

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

Devin Booker

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

Stephen Curry

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

Tyrese Maxey

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

SECOND TEAM

LeBron James

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

Paul George

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

Malik Monk

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

Jayson Tatum

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

Trey Lyles

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

MVP: P.J. Tucker

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

Most Improved Player: Devin Booker

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

Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

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

Photos via Getty Images.

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Whether you’re a longtime basketball junkie who already knows everything there is to know about Hoop Dreams, the cinematic masterpiece about Arthur Agee, William Gates and their families, or a young buck just learning about the film for the first time, you have to understand how utterly improbable it was that the single best movie of any year was a basketball doc. Quadruply so back in ’94, when there was no such thing as 30 for 30 and you were lucky if you found a documentary on any subject anywhere other than PBS. In fact, filmmakers Steve James and Frederick Marx originally set out to make a 30-minute piece they hoped would make it to PBS and on the back end, well, there’d be no such thing as 30 for 30 if Hoop Dreams didn’t show the world how powerful a documentary rooted in sports could be.

It was no short-lived phenomenon, either. Hoop Dreams has appeared in numerous lists of the greatest documentaries of all time and tends to be passed down from one generation to another in basketball families like a treasured heirloom. “I think the biggest impact is knowing folks in my generation are watching with their kids. I just saw a clip of Carmelo Anthony saying Hoop Dreams is a film his son needs to watch,” says Gates, who during the film commutes 90 minutes from the Cabrini-Green Homes in Chicago out to the private St. Joseph High School in Westchester and eventually overcomes a knee injury to earn a scholarship to Marquette. “At the core of it, the film is as relevant today as it was then because the issues still remain…You’ve still got kids who have the dream of making the League, and there’s two elements of the story. There’s injuries, there’s grades, there’s lack of opportunities. These issues still exist. Just change the faces.”

Says James, who directed Hoop Dreams as his first major project and subsequently worked on numerous successful films with Chicago-based Kartemquin Films, “I’m shocked and surprised how many people still talk about it. It’s not every day, but I do get approached about Hoop Dreams a lot. It helps that it’s out there and available—people can still watch this film.”

While James and Marx had the idea for Hoop Dreams and started the work on it, Peter Gilbert came on shortly thereafter and served as the Director of Photography and a producer. Gilbert has also gone on to produce many movies and remains prolific to this day—but nothing has hit quite like Hoop Dreams did.

“It’s an interesting thing. I’ve made 30 or 40 other films, including one about the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Innocence Project films about people who were wrongly convicted, all different kinds of stuff, as well as narrative stuff,” Gilbert says. “But Hoop Dreams is the thing that people define me by. [It’s] not a bad film to be defined by.”

Where Gates, James and Gilbert have all branched out since Hoop Dreams came out three decades ago (the former as a pastor and motivational speaker who moved to San Antonio and the latter with all their subsequent movie projects), Agee is, effectively, “Mr. Hoop Dreams.” He’s got his Classic HD Basketball Clothing Co. and is working on Hoop Dreams 2. He also teams up with Gates on Agee and Gates The Podcast: What’s your Hoop Dream? Asked over text if Hoop Dreams feels like a daily part of his life all these years later, Agee doesn’t hesitate. “It’s never ending, it’s always there no matter where I’m at,” he types back quickly. “It’s just a real cool thing to live every day.” Dreams are real, indeed. 

SLAM has and would celebrate a film such as Hoop Dreams no matter how old we or the film might be, but there’s special resonance that the movie is turning 30 this year just as we are. In February, we brought the guys together at the first annual SLAM Film Festival to celebrate the 30th anniversary, which kicked off a year-long celebration of the film.

Now, Alamo Drafthouse will be re-releasing the film in theaters this week as part of their 1994 look back series, Project Backboard is refurbishing the court at Garfield Park on Chicago’s West Side as part of JDS Sports’ Play With Purpose initiative, with a court unveiling this weekend, and SLAM will be dropping a capsule collection this Friday. You can join the stars and filmmakers of Hoop Dreams for an exclusive 30th anniversary panel at the prestigious Chicago Humanities Festival on November 9th. For more details and tickets, visit chicagohumanities.org.

Photos via Kartemquin Films.

The post Hoop Dreams: The Iconic Basketball Documentary Remains as Powerful as Ever 30 Years Later 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.

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

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

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

Call it the Caitlin Clark Effect.

SLAM 252 featuring Caitlin Clark is available now.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And it has extended beyond just her individual game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buckle up.

Photos via Getty Images.

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

SLAM 252 featuring Jewell Loyd is available now.

Before Jewell fell in love with basketball, her world revolved around tennis. She was exposed to basketball because her older brother, Jarryd, played, but tennis was her thing, and she was destined to be a pro. During her early years growing up in Lincolnwood, IL, a suburb outside of Chicago, she played tennis “every single day, for six hours a day,” she says. And chances are, if she had stuck with tennis over basketball, she’d probably be competing in the same US Open match she was heading to watch after shooting her SLAM cover at our office on a cool and sunny September morning.

But one day at the park changed her outlook forever. 

Loyd played at the park all the time as a young kid. “Of course, after my homework,” she’s sure to add. But on this particular day, when she was about 7 years old, two older boys wouldn’t let her play on the basketball court. Jarryd, about 15 years old then, saw what was happening and offered a solution: We’ll play you for the court. So, it was game on. Two-on-two. The first to 10 points wins. It was Jewell and Jarryd’s first time teaming up together.

With the game on the line, the boys double-teamed Jewell, who was inches away from committing a turnover. In doing so, they left Jarryd wide open near the basket. Throw it up, throw it up! Jewell recalls her brother saying.

In dramatic fashion, she tossed the ball backward over her head and toward the rim, and Jarryd caught it for a game-winning flush. “Jarryd was just flying in the air, and it’s the first time I [had] ever seen my brother dunk. We won, and in that moment,” Jewell says, “I knew that basketball was something that I wanted to be a part of.”

She spent the next few years making a name for herself in the parks around the neighborhood. In many ways, this is what shaped her approach to the game.

“You started at Drake Park, and that’s where you play 21, knockout—it’s kind of the beginners’ court. Then you go to Columbia Park and play three-on-three. And then, once you get a squad, you go to Proesel Park and you represent and play five-on-five. So, you kind of have to move your way up.

“Growing up in Lincolnwood was a privilege,” she continues. “Being in an environment like that allowed me to just be myself, and it challenged me in a lot of ways because I was one of four or five girls to play with the guys, and that was a great experience for me.”

By the time she was in high school, Loyd developed into one of the best players in the country. She was a four-year starter at Niles West High School in Skokie and essentially broke every school record, averaging 24.8 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.2 steals and 2.2 blocks for her career.

While in high school, she had the opportunity to be a practice player for the Chicago Sky. Jewell says this experience is what really put her untapped potential in perspective. She had a front-row seat to observe what it takes to play at the highest level. “Seeing their routines and their lifestyle and the games up close opened my eyes to really be like, Wow, I think I could really do this,” she says.

She committed to play for Notre Dame and joined an already-loaded roster led by All-American guard Skylar Diggins. It didn’t take long for Jewell to adjust to high-major hoops; she was ready from the jump. She understood that she wouldn’t be the strongest and most athletic freshman, so she focused on what she could control.

“A lot of it is your body’s still growing and developing. I knew I wasn’t going to be the strongest right away, so I focused on conditioning,” she says. “When I got to college, I was making sure I was in the best shape, and that’s something that’s been with me since leaving college and going to the pros.”

At Notre Dame, Loyd etched her name in the history books as one of the best players in program history. She was a two-time All-American, two-time All-ACC selection, two-time ACC All-Defense selection, two-time NCAA All-Tournament selection and the 2015 ACC Player of the Year. For good measure, let’s not forget she also has a 2013 Big East Freshman of the Year under her belt (before Notre Dame moved to the ACC her sophomore year).

She accomplished all of this in only three years, and in a move not so popular in women’s basketball, decided to forgo her senior year and enter the 2015 WNBA Draft. And to nobody’s surprise, the Seattle Storm drafted her with the No. 1 pick.

Loyd arrived to the W with enormous expectations, not only because of her pure dominance dating back to her high school years, but also because she was tabbed with the nickname “Gold Mamba” by the Black Mamba, the late great Kobe Bryant himself. Now, that’s a lot to live up to. But if there was anyone built to carry that weight, it was Loyd. She embraced the lofty expectations head-on. It’s extremely hard for a No. 1 draft pick to meet expectations; she has exceeded them.

“Throughout [my rookie] year, it was just about understanding who I am, the belief that I could do something, the belief that I could stay in the League and be part of this League and grow the League. I really thought I could do that,” she says.

“And I’m the kind of person where, if I really believe I can do something, it’s probably going to happen. I’ve always been that person since I was young. I’ve never been afraid to say what I want to do, believe it and write it down. And I don’t dream small. I always dream big, and that’s something no one can ever take away from me.”

The Gold Mamba is cut from the same cloth as her namesake. She’s naturally gifted, has a relentless work ethic and is simply willing to do what the average aren’t. But the similarities run deeper than that. Like Kobe, Jewell has an unquenchable thirst to learn.

“It’s pretty cool as a professional athlete to still be learning and building your game up. For me, the best part about the game is that I’m still learning so much about it,” she says. “That’s the best part about life in general—you constantly learn and build, and you don’t know until you make mistakes and you can learn from those mistakes. A lot of people go to the next level, nervous to make mistakes. But you need them; you need a lot of experiences to help you grow and get better.”

Now, it’s Loyd’s turn to pay it forward. As eager as she is to continue learning and acknowledge those who paved the way for her, she understands the importance of mentorship and is now in a position to help guide the next generation of hoopers. She’s been seen working out with USC star Juju Watkins; she’s been very supportive of Seattle Storm rookie Nika Mühl and the exceptional 2024 rookie class; and she makes herself available to any of her younger peers seeking wisdom or advice.

“I understand that I’m here because people helped me. I didn’t get here by myself,” she says. “If it wasn’t for my family, if it wasn’t for the people in my circle, I don’t know if I actually would have been able to go to the next level.”

The honors are plentiful: two-time WNBA champion, six-time All-Star (and 2023 All-Star Game MVP), three-time All-WNBA selection, the 2015 Rookie of the Year and a two-time Olympic Gold medalist, her most recent coming this past August at the Paris Games. And from the looks of things, all of these accolades, aside from Rookie of the Year, of course, should probably be qualified as “and counting.”

The 2023 WNBA season was a contract year for Loyd, and she played like it, averaging a career-best 24.7 ppg (which was also a League-best that season) and 4.7 rpg. Yet, the Seattle Storm struggled as a team and finished with an underwhelming 11-29 record. 

Instead of jumping ship to team up with other All-Stars, she signed a contract extension with the Storm in the offseason, and bet on herself that other players would be interested in joining her in Seattle and building a championship contender. It seemed like Seattle was heading for a rebuild until a pair of elites, Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, hopped on board.

As we go to press, Loyd is averaging 20.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.5 spg. More importantly, the Seattle Storm have clinched a playoff berth and are looking to make a deep run. And while they may not be the odds-on favorite, trust us when we say that nobody is looking forward to matching up against them.    

Loyd doesn’t have an in-your-face type of personality but rather a sort of quiet confidence that’s felt by her mere presence more than her words. She doesn’t ask for extra attention, though her game demands it. She isn’t typically the loudest in the room, but when she speaks, you want to listen. She has a wealth of knowledge and insight and is one of the most eloquent and thoughtful people—let alone athletes—you could come across.

Since she was a freshman in high school, Loyd says she’s been asked about the legacy she hopes to leave, and she says her answer constantly changes. This time, though, her answer has nothing to do with the game she loves, one that’s defined her life for the past 23 years, ever since that day at the playground with her brother.

“I just want my legacy to be that I’m a really good person, honestly,” she says. “I’m here to serve. That’s what I want people to understand about me. As much as I receive from the world, I’m going to give that back. And you don’t have to take it, but I’m here to let you guys know it’s all love here.” 

Portraits by Luke Schlaifer.

The post Jewell Loyd Discusses Her Journey to Becoming The GOLD MAMBA | SLAM 252 Cover Story 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.

Cam Thomas has always gotten his buckets in bunches…a lot of buckets in bunches.

He led the entire Hampton Roads area in scoring as a freshman at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, VA. He left Oak Hill Academy as the program’s all-time leading scorer despite having only played there for his junior and senior seasons. He then led all NCAA DI freshmen in scoring during his sole season at LSU. It didn’t matter who Cam played with or against. His responsibility was always the same: score, score and score some more.

That all changed when he fell into the Brooklyn Nets’ lap at pick No. 27 in the 2021 NBA Draft. Not only would he be joining an organization with championship-or-bust expectations, but he was also joining a roster that wasn’t hurting for scoring. Do the names Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden ring a bell?

On one hand, Cam had first-class access to work with and learn from three of the best offensive players in hoops history. On the other, he had to wait his turn and deal with inconsistent playing time, something he’d never experienced at that point in his young career. Even then, Cam never lost even the smallest bit of confidence. It was tested, but that confidence is what got him here. And there’s a tad bit of “crazy” mixed in there, too. All the greats have it. But we know how the phrase goes: It’s only crazy until you do it.

In the sparing minutes he was given, Cam showed flashes of his scoring brilliance. Yet, on any given night, he could play anywhere from four minutes to 17 minutes or even have a DNP. It was like this for most of his first two years in the League.

And then, in February 2023…he erupted. Amidst the Nets moving on from their big three of KD, Kyrie and Harden and trying to figure out what direction they’d move in, Cam got a few more windows of opportunity. And he took full advantage. With Harden long gone, Kyrie just traded to Dallas and KD in trade rumors, Cam was unleashed. It all came together as he made history, becoming the youngest player to score 40-plus points in three straight games. And these 40-pieces were efficient, the works of a true professional scorer.

This past ’23-24 season, it started to slowly but surely all come together. Cam started in 51 of the 66 games he played in, averaging 22.5 points in about 31 minutes per game, a 12-point increase and 15-minute increase from the season prior.

And now we’re here. The Nets just completed a massive trade, and there are many questions about which direction the team is headed. There’s also an entirely new coaching staff, including Jordi Fernandez at the helm. But even with all the questions, there’s one thing that is for certain. The Nets have a more than capable number one scoring option in Cam Thomas.

It’s a warm Friday afternoon in July at SLAM HQ in New York, and the 6-3, 22-year-old combo guard who sits across from us is on the brink of what will be, one way or another, a defining season in his career. He sat down to discuss his offseason, proving doubters wrong, his love for Kobe Bryant and more.

SLAM: How’s the offseason been going?

Cam Thomas: It’s been good. Just laying low, resetting, getting ready for next season. It’s been real good.

SLAM: Have you developed some sort of routine, or do you approach each offseason differently?

CT: I usually try to go with a clean slate because you never know. Stuff changes from year to year, like coaches, schemes, etc. This summer was probably the longest I took off—about two or three weeks. Then I got right back to it.

SLAM: You’re mostly known for your ability to score at the highest level, and you’ve improved as a scorer each year since entering the League. Are there any specific things you’re focused on improving for next season?

CT: Nah, not really. I just want to keep working on everything. Last summer, I tried to put more emphasis on catch-and-shoot shooting, and I think I was way up in the League percentage-wise on catch-and-shoot [this past season]. So, just continue to work on that and fine-tuning the skills I had coming into the League, like my off-the-dribble stuff and finishing around the basket, [while] still improving on catch-and-shoot, trying to have the best percentage in the League.

SLAM: The Nets were part of one of the biggest moves this offseason when Mikal Bridges went across the bridge to the Knicks. This positions you for the biggest role of your career thus far. How have you begun to approach and prepare for this increased role, not only physically but mentally?

CT: Just knowing that and embracing it. Attacking it head-on. I’ve kind of been having those roles [as the leader of the team] ever since I was in high school and college. So, I’m not really worried about it. I’m just excited to get it going and to try to do it in the League. I’m not really worried about it at all; I’m just ready.

SLAM: You’re on a short list of the most talented young guards in the NBA. What do you think you need to do to get to that next level?

CT: Just doing everything—doing it consistently. I had the biggest jump in points from my second year to my third year. I was at 22.5 [points per game], so I think trying to get into that 25 ppg range, upping the playmaking and just trying to keep improving my all-around game. And hopefully, it leads to wins.

SLAM: Are you inspired by the doubters, or would you say you’re completely self-motivated?

CT: It’s a little bit of both…I don’t really worry about the doubters because I’ve always had them. Nobody really believed in my talent and scoring ability—even at Oak Hill, and even in college, and even in the League. So, I’m used to it. Now, it’s really just self-motivation. Even down to sliding in the draft all the way down to pick 27. I still carry that chip on my shoulder. And even with the Nets, not playing consistently my first two years. I have that in my back pocket so I can keep growing and keep improving…to show why you should have played me in my first two years.

I’m not focused on trying to prove myself anymore. Everybody knows I’m one of the top young scorers—top young guards—in the League now. So, it’s really just trying to maximize my ability, see where I can take it and become the best player I can be, this year, and for years to come.

SLAM: There’s clearly a lofty confidence you must have to be an elite scorer in the League, let alone as an undersized guard. What do you think is the main source of that mentality?

CT: I’d probably say growing up in [the Hampton Roads area]. It’s physical there. Everybody’s fighting for the same goal, sports-wise. I feel that helped me in a way. And really…Kobe Bryant. Just reading his mentality and idolizing him, that’s a part of it, too. That’s really how I shaped my mentality: Kobe and my hometown. At the same time, that’s just in me.

SLAM: Do you have any specific individual or team goals for next season? Are you concerned with All-Star, All-NBA and those types of individual accolades?

CT: Individually, I just try to stay in the moment. Whatever happens, happens. If I get it, I get it. If I don’t, I don’t. I just want to keep improving. As far as the team, the goal is to be better every day and try to win as many games as we can. Honestly, we don’t know what our team could look like going into next season. But whatever it looks like, we just want to be the best team we can be and try to put a good product on the floor for Brooklyn.

SLAM: What should Nets fans and Cam Thomas fans expect next season?

CT: Excitement. Entertainment. [I’m] hoping everything leads to wins at the end of the day. We’ll see. It’s different in the League. But I’m prepared, not worried at all. I’ve done it in the League, but I want to take it to another level, for sure.

Portraits by Marcus Stevens. Action photos via Getty Images.

The post Moment of Clarity: Brooklyn Nets Guard Cam Thomas Discusses His Offseason, Staying True to Himself and Proving the Doubters Wrong 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.

June 26, 2024. NBA Draft Night. We’re in NYC, where else? AJ Storr is on a Zoom from… Athens, Greece!?! We’ll explain all that in a second. More importantly, he knows the meaning of tonight as a prelude to his future.

“Literally one year from tonight, is it crazy to think you will be up on the stage…” we say before Storr interjects excitedly, “…in a suit and tie!”

Ten points for honesty with this one. Storr, now a rising junior for the world-famous Kansas Jayhawks and a projected 2025 NBA Draft pick, is not dancing around a topic many college players with eligibility remaining play hot potato with. “Yes,” Storr confirms, “I’m planning to be in the draft next year.”

Now that we have that very logical business decision covered, let’s backtrack and share one of the most unique and thoroughly modern basketball journeys of any high-profile player in the world.

We’ll start with the world business. Storr is in Greece at the moment because the Bahamian national team, of which he recently made the roster (pending some lingering paperwork), is playing a couple of exhibition games before an Olympic qualifying tournament in Spain that will determine if the small island nation with the increasingly outsized basketball talent advances to Paris.

The 6-7 Storr, a smooth-shooting, scoring guard tied to The Bahamas because his father was born there, is excited to be in Greece. Partly for the experience of what he calls his “world tour,” but even more so for the chance to play with folks who have gotten where he wants to go. Bahamas basketball has quietly built an explosive roster featuring current NBA players Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon, Buddy Hield, Kai Jones and Isaiah Mobley, as well as other talented college and pro players. The squad is coached by longtime Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco.

“It is a really great experience to be out there with all these pros,” Storr says, a day after scoring 15 points (on 7-9 shooting) in a 93-80 loss to Montenegro. “I played a couple of games with them last summer and then we had training camp in Houston earlier this month, and now I’m playing real games with them. It’s great to be around all this talent.”

Whenever The Bahamas’ run ends, the world is on notice that it’s a program to watch out for in the future, and then Storr will have more time to spend in his latest “home”—Lawrence, KS. And what a home it is. Perhaps the most storied program in all of college basketball—“I hadn’t known that James Naismith founded the program here. That’s who founded basketball!” Storr exclaims—and a program with typically high expectations for the ’24-25 season. As ESPN’s Jeff Borzello put it in his recent “Way-Too-Early Top 25,” the Jayhawks are No. 1 after Bill Self responded to a disappointing ’23-24 “with the most loaded roster in the country. He went into the portal and landed AJ Storr (Wisconsin), Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) and Rylan Griffen (Alabama); then, All-American big man Hunter Dickinson opted to return for another year.”

It says here that Storr, with a shooting touch that the Jayhawks sorely missed last season, may be the biggest piece of the puzzle. As for all the places he’s been before Kansas, that unfolds like a bit of a puzzle in its own way.

This young man is in the sweet spot for a proper SLAM profile because he’s “big” enough—thanks to playing one year in New York City and another year going viral as the athletic leading scorer for B1G power Wisconsin—to be heard of but without his full story being known because he was not a super high-profile recruit. We’ll tell you the story now so you’ll be in the know when he blows up even more at Kansas and then flies into the NBA in 12 months.

Storr grew up in Rockford, IL, a city of nearly 150,000 about 90 minutes west of Chicago. It’s most relevant in modern hoops as the home of current Houston Rocket Fred VanVleet. AJ came up alongside one older sister, Ambranette, who scored more than 2,900 points in her high school career before playing in college, and five younger brothers, raised primarily by his mother, Annette Brandy—a former Chicago high school star who played in college as well—and his stepfather.

AJ attended Rockford Lutheran as a high school freshman, showing promise as a hooper who was still just 6-1. After that, a ride started that has yet to end. The family moved to the South Chicago suburb of Kankakee when his mom, a teacher, got a better job offer, and AJ spent his sophomore and most of his junior year at Kankakee High. Then Covid hit. As Brandy explains, it was time to make some decisions. “The whole state of Illinois shut down. He had some offers—Chicago State, IUPUI—but he still hadn’t gotten major looks. We knew he was a Power Five kid, he just hadn’t been seen,” she says. “His dad lived in Vegas, and AJ was hesitant about it, but I convinced him to go. Build a relationship with your dad and put yourself out there with basketball.”

It worked. Storr started playing for Vegas Elite and Bishop Gorman High School and his exposure—and ranking—skyrocketed. He was set to play his senior season for Bishop Gorman and then…Clark County, NV (which includes Las Vegas) announced there would be no winter sports due to Covid. “After Vegas shut down, he transferred to AZ Compass and they made it all the way to the GEICO Nationals,” his mom says. “By then he had gotten a lot of offers, but I thought he needed to mature a bit.”

So it was off to renowned IMG Academy in Florida for a post-grad year that went great. In the end, AJ had attended five high schools in five years, albeit for reasons that were outside his control. When the time came to make his official college choice, Storr enrolled at St. John’s, firmly hitting the (admittedly biased) radar of the #SLAMfam’s college fans by putting together a Big East All-Freshman campaign highlighted by 40 percent shooting from three-point range, 9 ppg and an exciting style of play. Alas, the Johnnies fired Mike Anderson and Storr decided to transfer back to the Midwest, putting together an All-B1G Second Team season (17 ppg, 4 rpg, 1 apg) in Madison and establishing himself as a future pro. Storr flirted with entering this year’s draft before instead deciding to transfer one more time. To the best team in the county. 

“Playing for all the different teams has really helped my IQ. I’ve learned different plays, different coaches, different cultures,” Storr says, explaining the benefits of his journey. “Off the court, every school has welcomed me and made it like a family. I’ve got friends from every school.”

In Storr’s mind, the ascension from unknown high schooler to likely first-round NBA pick is not because he recently got good at the sport. For better or worse, exposure still matters. “I’ve been pretty good at basketball my whole life, but I had to get around the right platform and coaches and take advantage of the opportunities,” he says. “St John’s is in a great conference. Then I went to the Big Ten and the Badgers, who have made Final Four runs and are known worldwide. Being there helped me a lot. Now I’m looking forward to taking my game to another level at Kansas.”

Storr describes himself as very coachable and has learned bits and pieces from all the coaches he’s played for, but none of them have been around him consistently enough to have developed a deep mentorship. For daily support as he pursues his dream, Storr points to the people who have been around the longest. “I’ve got a team with my mom, my sister, my management,” he says. “It takes a team to accomplish your dream. You can be the most talented player, but if you don’t have the right people around you, you’re not going to make it.”

For her part, Mom could not be prouder. “I’m so excited for him,” says Brandy, who recently got a new job—and bought a house—back in Rockford. “He has put in so much work to get here.”

And to reiterate, Storr himself views his varied experiences as a positive. “My game translates to a lot of different places,” he says. “I know how to buy into a program. I respect all my coaches. I’m a great teammate. Once you step on that court or in the weight room, you become brothers. Where I’m trying to go, you gotta be prepared. In the NBA, guys get traded all the time. So this could be an advantage.”

Portraits via Missy Minear Kansas Athletics.

The post From Undiscovered to Unrivaled, AJ Storr Has His Sights Set on the League After Transferring to Kansas 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.

In its fifth year, the Red Bull Half Court, with 8,000 men’s and women’s players from 21 different countries, are bringing the World Finals to Brooklyn Bridge Park where qualifying teams from countries around the world including Australia, Belgium, Egypt, India, Japan, Serbia, the Philippines, Italy and the UAE, will play for the right to be crowned world champions.

For the USA, the path to the finals begins with the men’s and women’s qualifiers on August 17 in Atlanta and New York City at Happy Warrior Playground. We’ve assembled our own squad for the occasion with a stacked women’s roster set on moving to the US finals on October 18. The winner of the New York City qualifiers will face the winners from Atlanta, with the USA champs moving on to the World Finals on Oct. 19-20 where a surprise awaits.

In collaboration with Project Backboard, Red Bull will unveil a new court at Brooklyn Bridge Park, courtesy of their court design contest. From now until September 1, local designers, street art lovers and basketball fans have the opportunity to design the basketball court of their dreams for a chance to have it brought to life at the Red Bull Half Court World Finals in October. The winning court will be chosen by a jury of NYC and basketball tastemakers, including Alex Taylor of Hoop York City, Brian Kortovich of Smokin’ Aces, Project Backboard, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Project Backboard and your very own here at SLAM.

At last year’s Red Bull Half Court World Finals held in Belgrade, Serbia, the hometown heroes Team Serbia beat Team Poland in a nail-biting overtime thriller. On the women’s side, Team Egypt took home their first-ever women’s title after beating the defending champs, Team Japan.

This year, the competition is introducing a new flair to the sporting rules. A three-point shot, marked by two circles with a three-foot diameter drawn 6.5 feet behind the arc, will add a new level of intensity within the tournament.

“The art of shooting continues to be the most critical skill set for a player at every level of competition,” says shooting coach Chris Matthews, aka Lethal Shooter, who coaches numerous NBA players. “With the new three-pointer coming into Red Bull Half Court, every team from every country will have to hone this shot to secure a bid to the World Finals at Brooklyn Bridge Park.” As Team SLAM gears up to take care of business this weekend, all eyes are on the City of Dreams.

Photos via Red Bull.

The post Red Bull Brings the Half Court World Finals to New York City to Crown a New 3on3 Champion This October appeared first on SLAM.

When asked how this story should start, Sienna Betts was a little taken aback as she prepared her answer. She emphasized how important one specific year was to her journey. In 7th grade, Betts decided to walk away from soccer and focus on her true passion for basketball. “Something switched, and I realized what I wanted to do,” she says. The eagerness to be better pushed her to understand what was needed in order to be one of the greats. “If I want to succeed in basketball, I need to focus.” It was a pivotal moment that would define the next year for her as she began training.

All it took was for her to be in the right place with the right people. Sienna’s trainer, Derek Griffin, saw potential in her at an early age, challenging her to see that her dream school, UCLA, was more than possible. “He made me realize what I could possibly become in the future and he brought me to that,” she says.

During the pandemic, Betts would stay in the gym day in and day out, working on her game from every angle. As an 8th grader, she was practicing with Colorado royalty: Raegan Beers, Sam Crispe and, of course, her older sister Lauren.

The amount of accolades Sienna and Lauren have brought to their home state is remarkable. At Grandview High School, they delivered two state championships and four Gatorade Player of the Year awards. With Lauren currently at UCLA and Sienna committed to the program, the future duo is bound to do incredible things together in Westwood.

How does Sienna scout her own game? “I would describe my game as versatile, high IQ, and specialized,” she says. “My whole goal [in the game] is I don’t care about my stats or anything like [that]. Whatever I can do for a win, that’s what I’m going to focus on.”

From the development of her handles to her strong footwork, Sienna has found her rhythm and has yet to let up. The recipe for success has been to keep her feet planted in the moment and maintain her confidence—because she has prepared for this. In a year’s time, Sienna went from a role player off the bench to leading in every statistical category for the Hardwood Elite club team.

Speaking about the year Sienna went all-in on basketball, Michelle Betts, her mother, says, “She wanted to do it, so she did it.” Painting the picture of that moment back in 7th grade, Michelle remembers Sienna saying, I don’t want to just be the girl who goes in to play defense and blocks shots. I want to be a great player.”

She became just that. “All of a sudden, all the things she said she wanted to do, she could do them and then some,” Michelle says. “She went and grinded and became all the things she wanted to become, which I think is incredible.”

The outpouring of support for Sienna has fueled her. “My dad sends me a reminder text before every game,” she says. His most recent text before the FIBA AmeriCup Championship was: Just run the floor, rebound, I love you so much. You’re amazing. The impact of the text was huge. “I repeat this to get it in my head, and throughout the game and halftime, I repeat it to myself,” Sienna says.

As a gold medalist, two-time Gatorade Player of the Year and state champion, the 7th grader who made the decision to take basketball seriously and is now the top post player in the country is simply “just playing my game.”

“I’ve worked to be here,” Betts says. “I should have confidence in what I do.”

Portraits via Garrett Ellwood.

The post The Rise of Sienna Betts: The No. 2 Player in the Class of 2025 Talks Accolades, Her Work Ethic and What’s to Come Next Year at UCLA appeared first on SLAM.

Like any young hooper, Caleb Wilson tended to look to the most obvious sources for inspiration. “When I was younger, I used to only look at the stars—LeBron, Kobe, the big names,” he explains. “But my dad brought it to my attention that there were a lot of people I didn’t know about.”

A willingness to accept his father’s guidance helps explain how, when asked to name some of the players whose games he admires, the 18-year-old rattles off a list of guys who would impress any hoop-savvy dad—and probably a lot of grandfathers, too. “I watch Tracy McGrady, Penny Hardaway, John Stockton, Steve Nash, David Thompson, Alex English. I watch Clyde Drexler, Rick Barry, Chris Mullin and Run TMC, Nique, young Shaq in Orlando, and then the Lakers—I could go on and on about Magic and Kareem…”

He smiles. “I can keep going. I know a lot about basketball.”

Of course, his appearance in this magazine means Wilson is more than just a well-informed fan. The 6-9, 205-pound forward at Atlanta’s Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School is also a consensus top-10 prospect in the 2025 class, with a game informed both by that multigenerational collective of NBA greats and current stars like Nikola Jokic. With the game’s positionless revolution firmly entrenched, it only makes sense that a dude like Wilson would look far and wide for inspiration. “I feel like every player has aspects you can learn from,” he says, “especially the great ones.”

Wilson has a long way to go before he hears his name mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned All-Stars and Hall of Famers, but then he’s already come a long way. He was a relatively late bloomer compared to most of his peers near the top of the rankings, and the memories of how far he felt from the game’s elite provides ample motivation now that he’s among the best high schoolers in the country. “I feel like a lot of younger kids look up to me because of that, so I want to talk about my humble beginnings, my struggles as a young player,” he says. “I remember not being the best player—it sticks with me. Just because you’re not good at something now doesn’t mean you can’t be good at it later.”

Wilson’s rise is proof of that, as evidenced by his production at Holy Innocents (he averaged 21 points, 15 rebounds and over 4 blocks last season) and on the Nike EYBL circuit, as well as his invite to this summer’s USA Basketball U18 junior national team camp. Of course, big-time programs have noticed. As we went to press, Auburn, UNC, Stanford and Duke were among the favorites to bring him to campus in 2025.

Low-key off the court—“I like to play video games, I watch a lot of TV, especially anime, and sometimes I do Legos,” he says—Wilson is committed to the game and usually in the gym. Still somewhat raw offensively, he’s athletic and savvy enough to still get his points or get teammates involved, and as those blocked-shot numbers attest, he’s got the potential to be a game-changer on D. Talent and motivation go a long way, of course, but ultimately, Wilson says the foundation of his game comes down to nothing more complicated than holding himself accountable and putting in work.

“I feel like it’s just discipline and commitment,” he says. “Once you tell yourself, I’m gonna do something, and you follow through with it, you build trust with yourself. I became true to myself about that: Caleb, you’re going to dribble every single day for 30 minutes, you’re going to do push-ups, you’re going to do sit-ups every single day. It allows for belief that you can do better. You’re competing with yourself.”

Portraits via Omar Rawlings.

The post Caleb Wilson Studied the Legends of the Game, Now He’s Channeling Their Wisdom as He Makes His Own Mark as a Top 10 Player in the Class of 2025 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.”

SLAM PRESENTS USA BASKETBALL IS AVAILABLE NOW

Photos via Getty Images.

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

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

SLAM 251 FEATURING THE CELTICS IS OUT NOW

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos via Getty Images.

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

Hosted by AND1 as they continue pushing the envelope of streetball, the Open Run Tour was jam-packed with high-flying dunks and whiplash-inducing crossovers. Beyond the classic five-on-five matchups, the event featured a dunk contest, electric one-on-one matchups, shootarounds and a women’s three-on-three game. By bringing back some OG mixtape legends as judges, the Open Run built an atmosphere and energy that starkly contrasts that of the League; it’s physical, expressive, and most importantly, requires a completely different mindset.

“It’s a physical thing, but I think it’s also a mental thing. I think with streetball, as well as the NBA, you have to have a lot of mental toughness, you know?” says AND1 Brand Director Dexter Gordon. “It’s no blood, no foul. It toughens you up, and that’s the whole thing. … You’re gonna get knocked down, you’re gonna have the fans talking trash shit. … You get bumped around, [but] you know what, you learn a lot.”

Dating back to the days of Julius Erving and Wilt Chamberlain playing at Rucker Park, New York City has been the Mecca of streetball. The parks are where hip-hop meets basketball, where people come together through the power of sport. And though most will immediately think of Rucker Park when they hear the word “streetball,” it’s Coney Island that holds a special place in the hearts of many, including AND1’s. “It’s just good to get back out in the community. The first [NBA Ambassador] we ever signed, Stephon Marbury, was born and raised in Coney Island,” Gordon says. While Marbury and the history of his inaugural AND1 signature sneaker were felt from afar, another Coney Island native and longtime member of the AND1 family, Lance Stephenson, pulled up to the runs.

And in the decades since its humble origins in the parks of New York, streetball has forever permeated itself into basketball culture. Not only for what ensued on the court—with Shane “The Dribbling Machine” Woney, Leaky Roof, Whit3 Iverson, The Pharmacist, Skip 2 My Lou, Aaron “AO” Owens, Duke Tango and Hot Sauce selling tens of thousands of mixtapes, racking up millions of views on YouTube and leaving a mark on every streetball event they attend, including this year’s Open Run at Coney Island—but off the court, as well. Whether that’s the two headbands, the high socks or the big baggy shorts, those fashion sensibilities had ’00s hip-hop and NBA circles routinely rocking the infamous AND1 aesthetic.

Nevertheless, a lot can change in over a decade, and it’s no understatement to say the basketball landscape has radically shifted in a post-Mixtape Tour world. Dexter Gordon encapsulates this sentiment, saying, “We really kind of started the mixtape, but now look, every kid has a mixtape.” And when everyone’s playing catch-up, you have to stay one step ahead.

But Gordon isn’t too concerned with acclimating to the age of social media; quite the opposite. “As big as AND1 was in the ’90s and early 2000s, think about this: there was no social media. But we still reached other countries with the Mixtape Tour and the VHS mixtapes, and then they went to the DVDs, but now everything is online,” Gordon says. “So I think social media is a great tool, you know?”

Looking forward, AND1 is undergoing a balancing act of sorts, introducing streetball to a new generation of fans while preserving its decorated roots. “We’ll never stop celebrating our past, our legacy, our culture. … [But] moving forward, we kind of have to meet the younger kids where they are. So, of course, some things have to change, [and] you have to adapt to what’s going on,” Gordon says. And that starts with finding new talent to represent the culture, with current Globetrotter and former national champion Alexis Morris—AND1’s first female athlete—being one of their key additions.

This isn’t just basketball; it’s about creating a community and giving out opportunities. And nothing captures that better than streetball.

When asked about the impact the Open Run holds off-the-court, Dexter Gordon had many things come to mind—whether that’s the gratitude people expressed towards the OG Mixtape Legends or young NBA players recounting memories of watching Hot Sauce. But one stood above the rest: “We were going to the communities and, you know, for that day and that time of that event, man, there was no violence. You had gang members, guys that had beef with each other that would come together in this park [and play ball].”

Portraits by Evan Bernstein.

The post AND1 Celebrates Decades of History With The Return of The Open Run in Coney Island 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.

The epic showdown drew 18.9 million views, making it the most watched basketball game since 2019. The world saw not only how undeniably dominate the Gamecocks are, and have always been, but got a glimpse at just what to expect from the future of the game: with a talented roster that included a future first-round WNBA draft pick in Kamilla Cardoso, they were also equipped with a core group of freshman and sophomores, including Johnson, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Raven Johnson and Chloe Kitts, they could’ve easily faltered under the pressure. As Staley told us for the cover of SLAM 250, rather than having “balked” for minutes or playing time, they carried themselves with grace, were guided by veteran leadership and showed up every game with a can’t-lose mentality that, eventually, became a reality.

“It got harder every level in the competition,” Johnson told us in May, just a month after the title game. “We played Texas A&M twice, probably, and in the regular season, compared to in the SEC tournament,  that was a whole different team. So just, the competition, and the fact that everyone was either winning or done—I think the level of competition grew a lot it was way more physical. You had to be on your A game. The preparation is key and I think our coaches did a good job of mentally preparing us as well as physically preparing us. And also, the leaders on my team, the older people, they told us what to kind of expect. MiLaysia [and I], they told us just to play our game, forget the big stage or whatever.”

As the entire world watch Staley’s squad power their way through the NCAA tournament, the National Championship was the pinnacle of must-see TV. And when the lights were the brightest, Johnson, who played the most minutes (25) for a freshman, shined like the star that she is and led her squad with a career-high 19 points off the bench. To say that she was clutch would be an understatement, Johnson was pure perfection whenever the moment called upon her, which was quite often. In the second, she was out there knocking down silky-smooth midrange jumpers and finishing at the rim with ease, and by the third, she was dishing dimes to teammates like Bree Hall and hitting clutch threes that had everyone in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on their feet.

Not only was she the most efficient on the floor, shooting 63 perfect from the field, but she was absolutely fearless.

Fearless is a word the Minnesota-native resonates with on an even deeper, spiritual level.

“Before the games, I pray because I play for God out there. Besides the fact that I play for South Carolina, my family and my teammates, I really play for God. I represent Him on the court and so I pray to just ease my mind, give me peace, and I pray for the other team, [too]. [For] no injuries and stuff like that. That calms me down when I get on the court. I was also thinking of the word fearless, because, when I was younger, I would play fearless. [I’d think], Why am I afraid to make mistakes? Like, everyone’s gonna make mistakes out there on the court.”

It’s a pregame practice that Johnson’s always had as part of her routine: during warm ups, she sits in the fourth chair from the end. The number four is a symbolic one for her: a four-star recruit, Johnson wore No. 4 throughout her high school career as a star at St. Michael-Albertville. It also reminds her of her sister, Rae, who rocked it as her jersey number while hoopin’ at Iowa State, and in the Bible, the number also represents the creative work of God, specifically in creating all of life in a four-day span.

“I just prayed [for] what I felt in my heart,” Johnson adds. “If I remember correctly, I was praying for guidance, for peace [and] for strength on the court.”

All season long, Johnson says her mindset was to just trust the process, especially given that she was new to the team and felt that she had a lot to learn in terms of comfortability on the hardwood. “I’m a beginner, I’m not as comfortable on the court, I haven’t played with them before, so just trust the process, trust my coaches, and trust myself out there. Because, at the end of the day, like I’ve worked, I don’t know how long, I don’t know how many years, but I’ve worked for it, and just to trust myself out there, and have confidence out there.”

Then there’s the trust that Staley had in her. Revered for being a “player’s coach,” Staley has credited her coaching style as wanting to be a “dream merchant” for young people. What she saw from Johnson, and others on the team, was just that: an unwavering confidence and willingness to learn and be guided. “Tessa [Johnson could’ve been like], I could play with the best of them. Let me get some of Breezy’s time. Let me get some of Raven’s time. [But] they didn’t,” she told WSLAM. “Actually, the youngsters just allowed the older players to guide them to the point where they were so confident entering the basketball game that they knew that they were going to make an impact.”

It’s that type of support that drew Johnson to South Carolina in the first place. Growing up, Johnson was always ultra competitive—her mom, Danielle, who was us in our office when Johnson stopped by for a photoshoot—admits that she’s always had a yearning to be the best.

“You always wanted to be a dawg,” she chimes in and says to Tessa during our interview. “The best at whatever they were doing. When you worked hard, you wanted to be the first one done with something. You wanted your journaling at school to be better than the other kids. Not in a bad way, but just that she wanted to always do her best.”

Despite having a bubbly, upbeat personality, plus a sense of humor that’s unmatched (go watch our latest video with her, the 6-0 guard is so charismatic on camera, she absolutely needs her own television show one day), Johnson’s ability to tap into that level of competitiveness whenever she’s on the court is part of what makes her a star on the hardwood. “I didn’t care what it was, I just wanted to do better than them. And then, after doing it, another competitive piece of me is, I want to do better than what I just did. So, like, always getting better every day is what motivates me.”

Johnson saw herself being able elevate her game to that level in Columbia. After averaging 6.6 points in her first year, she’s now focused on not just elevating her game physically this summer, but is even more focused on her mental health. It’s always served as a key component of her breakout success, even dating back to high school when she missed her sophomore season due a broken leg injury. Johnson returned as a junior and helped her team emerge as runner-up to the state title, and by her senior year, she led her squad to its first state title since ‘09, dropping a double-double in the championship game. “I feel more like, powerful out there because I went through that and I’m back now,” she told Kare11 News in 2022.

Even as an NCAA champion, Johnson feels like she can approve her mental approach even more. “Yes, I need to work on all my physical stuff and just my skills and fundamentals but I think basketball is a very mental game,” she says. “Me being able to overcome all my mistakes and just having a growth mindset and being able to listen to whoever’s trying to help me. I think that’s what I need to get better at.”

How exactly does she plan on going about that? “That’s a good question. Getting deeper into my faith,” she explains. “I think that always helps and that’s what I do every day. I try to build a better relationship with God. But, going about it, I think I just need to always take moments out of my day and just reflect on myself  and think of what I need to do better and what I have overcome in general because you have to think positive. I know for me sometimes that’s hard because I have such high expectations for myself. And so when I don’t reach it, I’m like, I just get a little negative with myself. Like, the fact that I want to be better than my yesterday self. That helps me.”

As for how life’s been since winning the ‘chip, Johnson admits she’s still processing. It was a legendary moment, one that’ll go down in not just women’s basketball—but all of college hoops—history, but that doesn’t mean that the grind is over. As the Gamecocks look to embark on the “Repeat Tour” for the 2024-25 season and run it back, they’ll have to bring that same energy and then some.

“[The recognition], it’s good, but then I’m thinking of next season because that’s what we have to do,” she says. “We can take all the moments and enjoy the moments. But now, we’re on to summer. And school is over, so we’re thinking of next season, just working out and getting better because teams are going to scout us harder and play us tighter. [They’ll] know more of the little things that we do. So, that’s kind of the mindset.”

Photos via Getty Images. Portraits by Evan Bernstein.

The post The Emergence of Tessa Johnson: South Carolina Star Reflects on Winning the Title, Mental Approach and Being Guided by Faith appeared first on SLAM.

An oatmeal, dairy-free Greek yogurt with frozen fruit, unsweetened almond milk and agave nectar smoothie has already been consumed. Numerous t-shirt and short combinations, along with shower shoes, socks and enormous size 15 low top LeBron’s have been neatly stuffed into his official 2024 Final Four backpack. Ambling, but not with a residual slumber as Lil Wayne’s high pitched helium balloon voice swims through his headphones, he folds his immense 6-foot-10 frame into the passenger seat of the waiting gray Toyota Highlander with red leather interior. 

The day’s work beckons. 

At 7 AM, he begins the first of his scheduled workouts, this one at the OverDrive Elite facility in New Canaan, pushing himself through strength and conditioning drills that stress speed, lateral movement and the loosening of the hips along with lateral, forward and vertical explosion. 

Within minutes he’s drenched in sweat. Throughout the day he consumes copious amounts of water.

Two hours later he’s devouring a savory egg white breakfast bowl with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and rye toast, between gulps of coconut water as the Highlander eats up the road and the scenery transitions from the bucolic pleasantry of Connecticut to the suffocating congestion of lower Manhattan.

Burns was the third ranked prep prospect coming out of his home state of South Carolina, behind Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, the top two picks in the 2019 NBA Draft. 

A bright student, he earned enough credits to graduate after his junior year at York Preparatory Academy and accepted a scholarship offer from Tennessee, where he redshirted.  

After transferring to Winthrop, he tore through the Big South and was named the conference Player of the Year as a junior in ‘21-’22.

“We were looking to get older and I knew he would be a great addition to our program,” says Wolfpack head coach Kevin Keatts. “I like underdogs, kids that have innate leadership skills and unique personalities.”

“DJ comes from a great family,” Keatts continued. “He wasn’t as valued as much as he should have been. What he does can’t be replicated. And his vision is extraordinary. I really liked the kid and his game was completely different from anyone I’ve ever coached.”

That March Madness success had long been marinating, going back to when his parents watched in wonder as their two-year old son danced and glided around a roller skating rink with his much older cousins. 

“DJ was a very active child who was always physically advanced for his age,” says his mother Takela Burns, a longtime educator and assistant middle school Principal in South Carolina. “He was this hyper ball of energy and inquisitive. If he wasn’t running around these country acres somewhere, he was talking me and my husband’s ear off.”

One of the things he internalized was the family tradition of sharing and giving. His grandmother was a foster parent that also adopted kids from challenging circumstances and with various disabilities. His parents took in a number of children from unstable homes, some of whom lived in the Burns household for years. 

Takela, who played ball in high school, was DJ’s first basketball tutor at the age of six. His father took over the coaching responsibilities when his son began playing rec ball at eight.

That unselfishness, vision and passing acumen on the court that had television announcers like Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas, Ian Eagle and Grant Hill gushing during the NCAA Tournament—pronounced spontaneous combustions of “His footwork’s incredible!”and “Is there anything he can’t do out there?”—were present from Day One.

“Little DJ was such a happy kid who’d give you the shirt off his back,” says his father, Dwight Sr., a South Carolina probation and parole agent who can be seen on fall Saturday afternoons sprinting beside Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney during halftime and post-game jogs to and from the locker room. 

“DJ loved being in the gym. He played guard, center, forward and was very skilled at a young age,” Dwight Sr. continued. “He had a soft lefty shooting touch and a sweet handle. The thing he loved most was passing. He’d celebrate more when his teammates scored than when he did. The only thing he cared about was winning.”

When the coaches would assemble to pick their squads, 8-year-old DJ served as his father’s de facto scout and general manager. “He’d be like, ‘Daddy, pick him!’ and he’d be pointing to a kid that wasn’t very good but was hungry, willing to hustle, unselfish and a good person,” he adds. “I’d ask him about a kid that was scoring a lot during tryouts and he’d be like, ‘Nah, we don’t want him. He’s selfish, doesn’t pass and travels all the time.’ I always listened to him and our teams always won.”

—

At 10:45am, Burns saunters onto the basketball court inside the high-end waterfront condominium One Manhattan Square building located on 225 Cherry Street. The wide grin splashed across his robust face immediately brightens the sleepy atmosphere. 

He stretches while listening to the playlist he’s cultivated that now fills the gym, with his favorite artists Lil Wayne, G Herbo and Lil Tony in heavy rotation.

“Lil Wayne is obviously the GOAT!” he playfully shouts to no one in particular before starting his workout under the direction and watchful eye of his trainer Nate Brown, who has previously worked with Malik Monk, Derrick White, Brandon Ingram, Tobias Harris and Jamal Murray, among others, during their pre-draft preparations. 

For the next 90 minutes, he pushes through a high-tempo, dizzying array of full court dribbling drills while handling two balls simultaneously. He then transitions to shooting every conceivable shot off pick and rolls, pick and pops and screen and catches. 

The angles while smooching the rock all over the backboard are reminiscent of a pool shark’s english. 

“This summer, our objectives were to sharpen up an overall skill set that he could showcase in an NBA setting,” says Brown. “We elaborated more on stretching the floor because in the pro game, you have to be able to knock down that deep ball.”

Back in the Highlander, he relaxes while heading towards Greenwich Village for a well-deserved lunch break. Stalled in traffic near Union Square as food options are being discussed, the conversation shifts to what his favorite movie is. 

Burns excitedly scoots forward in his seat and straightens up. Through a thin smile, the words burst gently out of his mouth.

“Yo, fo’real, I love Paid in Full with Mekhi Phifer, Wood Harris and Cam’ron,” says Burns. “The dialogue, the cinematography, the music, the Harlem scene in the ‘80s, the wardrobe, the acting, the slang, the story arc, the message and the fact that it’s based on a true story? Maaaaan, I love how all of that comes together. That’s my favorite movie of all-time!”

The driver, stuck at a red light, turns with a mischievous smile to meet Burns’ steady gaze. “Oh, word?” he says to his oversized passenger. “Cool. Change of plans, we’re going to Harlem right now then.”

As the vehicle idles in midtown traffic on the sun-splashed, pleasant spring afternoon, Burns glances out the window at the teeming sidewalk while his ears are assaulted by honking horns. 

“Why is there so much traffic at lunchtime? Why is everyone honking their horns? Why is everyone so angry looking and walking so fast? Man, all of these folks just need a massage,” he says while shaking his head.

As the street arteries become uncongested and the glass skyscrapers of multinational corporations give way to the opulent billion dollar apartment buildings inhabited by wealthy celebrities and business tycoons, Burns notes to himself, “Oh, this is where the rich folks live. I need to come back here sometime and do some shopping.”

When they pass 96th street and creep a little further uptown, as the previous decadence gives way to the Spanish Harlem version of Park Avenue, with its sagging, depressing, brown brick housing project facades, Burns is amazed at the dichotomy. 

He’s told that this neighborhood forged Alpo, the real-life teenage drug lord that inspired Cam’Ron’s character, Rico, in his favorite movie. “This is amazing,” he says softly. “To experience this neighborhood and these streets, to see these people and the real culture behind Paid in Full. Maaaaaan, this is awesome.”

While exiting the Slutty Vegan takeout restaurant on West 135th Street with his order of a plant-based burger and fries topped with vegan beef and cheese, jalapenos, onions, lettuce and diced tomatoes, along with a large raspberry lemonade, he looks up and down the wide bustling thoroughfare and says, again to no one in particular, “Maaaaaan, I love Harlem! There’s so much Black history here.”

His meal is consumed while double-parked with the windows down. As the laughter and rhythms of the street pour in, the crew heads back toward the FDR Drive en route to lower Manhattan.

 As the banter turns toward his musical tastes, he casually mentions that he plays the piano, standup bass, tuba and the saxophone.

—

Burns sneaks in a quick cat nap before arriving at the Basketball City complex at Pier 36, 299 South Street. 

He walks gingerly into the mammoth complex, where all seven regulation courts are empty. The silence is soon replaced by his curated playlist once again when he pairs his iPhone with a nearby speaker device. Armed with the knowledge of his proficiency as an instrumentalist, as he works out with another of his trainers, Mike Collins, it’s now evident that he moves and plays to an inner biological symphony. 

There are elements of Jazz, Hip Hop, Trap, New Jack Swing, smooth R&B, Rock and Roll, buck nasty Funk and a taste of heavy metal in his gait and body language during the hour-and-a half workout that stresses the long ball off the dribble and the catch-and-shoot from the corners, wings and straight away.

“We started working together after the Final Four run, and I was pleasantly surprised by his humility, hunger, and ability to work at a high level with an attention to detail,” said Collins. “DJ enjoys the hard work. I know he’s tired and sore by the time he gets to me, but he has never complained. Not once.”

“People see how big he is, but they don’t understand how quick he is in tight spaces. He has a nice, smooth release and he’s banging in 200 to 300 long-range jumpers a day during our sessions alone, making over a thousand a week. He’s going to show folks some things they never saw from him in college.”

At 5:00 PM, Burns is back in Stamford at the Haute Healing Oasis Whole Body Wellness Center for an hour and a half of massages and non-steam infrared sauna treatments that soothe his joints, ligaments and muscles. 

After a short rest, he’s back at the Overdrive Elite facility from 8 to 9 o’clock for rigorous stretching exercises and medicine ball work to reduce his upper body excess and strengthen his core. 

From there, he’s off to grab a small dinner portion of baked fish and vegetables before being dropped back off at the Marriott, where a comfortable bed and a good night’s sleep await.

The next morning, around 5:15 AM, he’s up and eager to do it all over again. It’s a routine that he’s been following for six days a week over the last month.

—

Burns, who received his Bachelor’s Degree from Winthrop in Sociology and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Psychology at N.C. State, has yet to fully reflect on his spectacular nine-game postseason run. 

His mind will invariably wander toward the 24-point, 11-rebound, four-assist gem against Oakland in the NCAA Tournament, where he converted an absurd 75 percent of his shot attempts. 

And then there’s the monstrous performance against Duke in the Elite Eight, scoring 29 points, snagging four rebounds and dishing out three assists in the 76-64 victory that propelled the Wolfpack into the Final Four. 

He quickly turned the page to address the next challenge, proving those who relegated him to an afterthought as the NBA Draft approaches wrong.

At the pro day organized by 4Life Sports Management, the agency that reps him, at the Lakers training facility in El Segundo on May 21st, NBA reps in attendance were shocked at his body transformation. The buzz at the combine centered on his surprisingly accurate three-point shot and the fact that he’d shed approximately 50 pounds after his Final Four appearance. He has since been invited in for private workouts with the Cavaliers, Nets, Bucks and Rockets, with others calling to express interest. 

When Burns recently returned home for a brief visit, he even kept it real while trying on an expensive Gucci shirt that he purchased during the NCAA Tournament.

“When it first arrived, I couldn’t fit into it. Maaaan, those buttons were screaming at me” says Burns. “When I got back from New York, that beautiful butter soft thing fit me perfectly.”

In essence, that’s all he’s searching for moving forward, the perfect fit. “I just need one general manager, one organization, one coaching staff to believe in me and take a chance on me,” says Burns. “It won’t bother me if I don’t get drafted. When I get to Vegas for summer league, they’re gonna see what I can do. And the one team that gives me a shot will not regret it. I’ve been a winner every step of the way. I see no reason for that to change now.”

Photos via Getty Images. Exclusive photos by Kim Toledo and Brandon Christopher Hyman.

The post The Behind The Scenes Story of How DJ Burns Transformed His Body Heading Into the NBA Draft 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.

We connected with Coby to speak about his offseason plans, becoming the go-to guy in Chicago, staying in the moment and more.

SLAM: How’s the offseason been so far?

Coby White: It’s been quiet, bro. I really haven’t been doing much because of how long the season was. I’ve been taking it easy—really just been in the weight room, tryna lay the foundation down before I get back on the court. I usually give myself two weeks [of rest], but this year I played a lot more minutes, so this offseason is a little different for me. I’m taking three to four weeks, and then I’ll really get back to it.

SLAM: You’re coming off the best season of your career so far—we’ll touch on that in a minute—but I want to take it back to last year. Was there anything you did differently last offseason in preparation for this season, or was it just a matter of everything finally coming together?

CW: I think last year, as far as on the court and in the weight room, the physical aspect of it was pretty much the same. What really changed for me was that I took the mental side of it differently; I took a different approach. Coach [Billy] Donovan really put it on my mind to transform myself mentally. He felt that was the next step for me. So, I started trying to grow mentally, doing little things such as reading more, meditating, putting myself on a set schedule, praying multiple times a day and things of that sort. And then Coach Donovan took me and a couple of the young guys to Colorado last year. We met with a mental coach, and he gave us little exercises. I just wanted to carry that to my summer training and into the season.

SLAM: You only started two games last year, but early on this season, it was clear you’d have a much bigger role. How was the transition for you establishing your role as the team’s lead guard?

CW: It was challenging at first, but it was fun. Obviously, things changed over the course of our season. Going into the year, I knew I was gonna have a big role, but by the end of the year, it was even bigger than I thought it was going to be. I just embraced the challenge. My teammates and coaching staff were supportive of me and patient with me. It was a learning experience. There was definitely a learning curve at the beginning. But once I got the hang of it and became accustomed to using my voice and being a leader, that’s when things just kind of clicked and I took off from there.

SLAM: Unlike many other lottery picks, you weren’t given the keys to your franchise right away. Can you speak to what staying the course looks like for you and how you stayed ready for the inevitable moment when you’d get the opportunity?

CW: It was hard at first, especially as a rookie. You kind of look around the League and see all your counterparts who were drafted around the same area as you, and you see a lot of guys playing 36 minutes, starting, leading their teams to wins and playing [in] those crunch-time moments. For me, I was coming off the bench, playing, like, 18 minutes a game. I think the mental part was the toughest for me. I’ve always been a hard worker and always worked on my game. I just wanted to show them that no matter what position you put me in, I’m going to continue to be myself and work how I always work in the gym. I just had to understand the mental part—it was a different type of adversity I had never been through in my life. But once I accepted the fact I was gonna have to work for this and be patient, I got a lot closer to God, especially his plan for me. I felt it in my spirit for the longest that my time was gonna come; I just had to be patient. This year, it finally came and I just thank God for allowing me to be in this position.

SLAM: Was there a moment early in the season that you could point to where it was like, This year’s going to be different?

CW: I think training camp just felt different. I just knew I couldn’t fail. I had the support of my teammates and my coaching staff, and I was more outspoken and the leader out there. Then, as the season started, I wasn’t very good—the first month, I was OK. I wasn’t myself the first month, but I remember talking to my brother, telling him I had this gut feeling that it was just all going to come together. Then, in December, things just clicked, and the confidence kept rising. Then, you know, you get comfortable [in your role], and you get the sense like: I belong here. This is who I am. And then I just kept getting better as the season went on.

SLAM: You finished second for the Most Improved Player Award; even though you didn’t win, is there any satisfaction in knowing that other people and your peers are considering you among the young stars in the League?

CW: You couldn’t go wrong [with any of the finalists for the MIP Award], but for me, it’s like—I lost. There isn’t really any gratification. Like, you either win or you lose and that’s just kind of how I see it. For me, it’s extra motivation, extra fuel—but it’s not animosity. Any one of us could have won it. In terms of being in conversations and people starting to recognize who I am—I try not to pay attention to it because I try not to get too high or too low. I enjoy the moments as they come. And then, after they go, it’s behind me. I had a great season, but I have to continue to build a foundation and continue to grow in every aspect of my game.

SLAM: Y’all fell just short of making the playoffs after losing in the play-in; what do you think is the next step for you to become the lead guard for a team that’s a consistent playoff contender?

CW: I think just continuing to build as a leader and use my voice. One of the hardest parts is the emotional aspect. There are so many emotions that go into one game, let alone the entire season. I’m an emotional guy; I wear my heart on my sleeve. When it comes to basketball, I care so much, and I’m emotional about it, and sometimes it’s affected me to the point where I’m not being the leader I should be. I have to be that rock for the team—that foundation for the team. I have to be the one to reel everybody back in. I’m learning in that area.

And I think this summer, I have to do a lot more conditioning. I can’t let fatigue play a factor [in] if I play well or not. I didn’t know I was gonna come in and play damn near 40 minutes a game. The role I had coming into the season, I was like the fourth option. By the end of the season, I was the first or second option. Towards the end of the season, when teams started adjusting to me and making things a lot harder for me, I feel like fatigue played a huge part in some of the games in which I didn’t play as well. I feel like taking a step in my conditioning and physicality will help me take the next step to where I want to be.

I’ll also work on being more creative on the ball. I’m learning how to get to my spots, learning how to play through physicality, because now, every night, I’m getting the first and second best defender on the team.

SLAM: Looking ahead to next season, what are some goals you’re aiming to accomplish?

CW: I think winning truly takes care of everything. But for me, individually, I think that next step is just becoming an All-Star. This past summer, I had one goal, and that was to prove to everyone that I deserve to be a lead guard in the NBA and that I can be a starting guard in the NBA. The one thing I want to do going into next year is just prove that I can sustain this level of play and also take a leap and become that All-Star. I feel like if I continue to work and be on the trajectory that I’m on, I think winning would make it an easy choice. For me, winning always comes before anything.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Bulls’ Coby White Talks Offseason, Staying the Course and Goals of Becoming an NBA All-Star appeared first on SLAM.

“I think that is a lot of where I found a love for the game,” Taylor tells us. “Just seeing them compete and get after it every night–as I got older, [it was] Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray. [I was] able to see women be really successful in their profession.”

For Taylor, the reality that she’s playing in the same League as those she’s always admired is surreal. The former 2023 ACC Defensive Player of the Year–who averaged 10.1 points and 3.4 assists after transferring to Ohio State for her fifth year–knows she has a lot to learn if she wants to elevate her game at the next level. “The first thing that comes to mind is just how crazy it is, and how crazy it will be to see people that you saw playing when you were little right in front of you. To either be playing next to them or against them, I mean, it’s just really exciting and cool, honestly.”

When asked if she’s ready to hold her own, Taylor doesn’t hesitate. “I am.”

Photos via Getty Images. Portrait by Evan Bernstein.

The post From New York to Indiana, Fever Rookie Celeste Taylor Talks Adjusting to the WNBA and Playing Against the Stars She’s Always Admired appeared first on SLAM.

An actress then in her seventies, Allison peered out at the group and saw one figure towering above the rest. 

His name was Rueben Chinyelu.

He was 14 years old and stood around 6-8.

Allison couldn’t believe her eyes. What was this boy doing here? Why was he selling clothes? She maneuvered through the crowd to find him. 

“Do you play basketball?” she asked Chinyelu.

He smiled and laughed, as he did every other time someone asked him that question. 

“I’m serious,” Allison said. “You could go to school playing basketball. You could further your education.”

This caught Chinyelu’s attention. The idea of playing basketball had never been framed to him in this way—as a possible ticket to a better education. And for some reason, it struck a different chord coming from Allison. Chinyelu had never played basketball before in his life. But suddenly, he felt compelled to pursue it. “I just think everything happens on God’s timing,” he says.

That was the summer of 2018. Six years later, Chinyelu is a 6-11 rising sophomore at the University of Florida. He transferred from Washington State University, where he played in all 35 games last season and finished fourth in the Pac-12 in blocks.

Growing up in the eastern region of Nigeria, Chinyelu was six years old when he lost his father. His mother raised him and his three older sisters, emphasizing discipline and education above all else. Chinyelu didn’t play any sports as a kid—not even soccer, which is by far the most popular sport in Nigeria. Instead, he focused entirely on his schoolwork and dreamed of one day becoming a doctor.

Everything changed that afternoon in 2018 when Allison, whom Chinyelu now refers to as his grandma, walked into his brother-in-law’s shop. Less than a week later, Chinyelu went to the National Stadium to register to join Raptors Basketball Academy. Despite his inexperience and rail-thin frame, he made an immediate impression on his new coach, Charles Ibeziakor. 

“I saw something that was different from the other boys that come to learn basketball,” Ibeziakor says. “I saw that this guy is going to be a potential player, a prospect, because of his hard work. He did not relent.”

Chinyelu’s discipline carried over from academics to basketball. If I’m doing this, I’m all in, he told himself. The team practiced Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon during the summer, but Chinyelu would come to the court at 6 a.m. for extra work. He trained individually with Ibeziakor every Sunday and watched tutorials on YouTube to tackle the fundamentals. Soon, his dream was to make it to the NBA.

Within a year, Chinyelu was picked to represent Nigeria in the 2019 FIBA U16 African Championship. He averaged 12.3 points and 17.6 rebounds (best in the tournament) to help his team place third. “He was one of the best,” says Ibeziakor. “From there, I knew that this guy was going to go places.”

Even before his debut for the junior national team, Chinyelu received interest from high schools throughout the United States, but his request for a visa was denied by the embassy. Eight times. And Chinyelu never really found out why. He was hurt, but undeterred. He just had to find a new path. “If I cry or get mad about it, I’m just doubling the problem,” he says. “I just never doubted myself.”

Coach Ibeziakor is also a scout for NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal. The Academy was established in 2017 to provide top high school-age prospects from across the continent with the tools necessary to pursue a future in the sport. Chinyelu arrived in 2021, having gotten much stronger after working out at home during the pandemic. He now had access to state-of-the-art facilities and was surrounded by the best young players in Africa, all of whom shared his ambition to reach the next level. In the school’s multi-purpose room, where the students eat, watch TV and socialize, pictures of African players who have made it to the NBA adorn the walls—a constant reminder of the goal they are all chasing.

With expert guidance from staff members such as technical director Roland Houston and head coach Alfred Aboya, Chinyelu improved dramatically at the Academy. “They have plays. Back home, we don’t have plays,” Chinyelu describes. “Just go play basketball, catch the rebound, pass the ball, make baskets. It was different getting breakdowns, extra workouts, when to work out, how to maintain your sleep. In the Academy, they didn’t just teach us about basketball—they taught us how to be a basketball player and also how to be a man. Because it all works together.”

Chinyelu founded the “6:00 a.m. Club” with Coach Aboya, a morning workout ritual that his teammates, who typically reported to the gym closer to 7:00 a.m., eventually joined. “He’s a tireless worker,” says Aboya. “He will bug you to work him out.”

The Academy competes in exhibitions and showcases across the globe, and Chinyelu also participated in the 2022-23 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season, averaging 5.4 points and 7.9 rebounds for Stade Malien. Since he started so late, his game—particularly on offense—is still being polished, but Chinyelu always brings energy and intensity. He becomes “a different person” on the court, according to former Academy teammate Seifeldin Hendawy. “Rueben’s game is so emotional,” Hendawy, an incoming freshman at Loyola Chicago, continues. “Super aggressive. When he comes between the lines, he just forgets everything. He doesn’t care. He’ll be dunking on people, destroying rims.”

Hendawy remembers one game of full-court two-on-two when Chinyelu “just went crazy” battling against fellow Nigerian and current Louisville big man Emmanuel Okorafor. The trash talk was flowing and the match-up was becoming increasingly physical. At one point, Chinyelu threw down a vicious dunk and let out a scream so powerful that it startled Hendawy and other spectators. “The gym was shaking,” Hendawy recalls with a chuckle. Houston eventually had to interject to settle things down a bit. “I’m him, Coach!” Chinyelu hollered at Houston, pounding his chest. “I’m him!”

That image stands in stark contrast to Chinyelu off the floor. He is soft-spoken, polite and eloquent, his comments peppered with the same sort of inspirational phrases that are taped up in classrooms at the Academy.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“The easy road is not always the way.”

“The only thing I can control is the present.”

“I know that something that is meant to happen is definitely going to happen.”

He has a calming presence that one could easily foresee translating into an excellent bedside manner. While his main objective remains to make it to the NBA, Chinyelu is also studying to become a dentist and plans to take summer classes to finish school should he leave early for the draft. 

Chinyelu joins a talented Florida squad (slotted at No. 20 in ESPN’s current rankings) and should assume a much bigger role this season after averaging just 13.8 minutes per game for Washington State. The Gators have several solid frontcourt options, but Chinyelu is projected to start at center. He arrived on campus at the beginning of June following a brief trip back to Africa, during which he visited family in Nigeria and caught the BAL Finals in Rwanda.

Watching him today, his first coach, Ibeziakor, is not surprised by the player Chinyelu has become. “Because I know the kind of person that Rueben is,” he says. “I know that Rueben will work extra to get there—to play in the NBA. And I believe that he will play [there] one day.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post From Nigeria to Gainesville: The Improbable Journey of New Florida Big Man Rueben Chinyelu 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.

The view provides a calmness effect after the ruckus from the previous hour, when both players found out the short list of teams that are most likely to end up drafting them in June. It’s been quite the journey for this duo—one that will have them stamped in college hoops history for eternity.

SLAM 250 featuring Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle is available now.

Clingan, a 7-2 center, won back-to-back national titles in his only two seasons at UConn. He averaged 13 points, 7.4 boards and 2.5 blocks per game this past season, earning him a spot on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Midseason Watch List, the 2024 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team and a ’24 NCAA East Region Most Outstanding Player nod.

Meanwhile, Castle, a 6-6 freshman wing who averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists while becoming a top perimeter defender for the Huskies, made his own imprint in the history books. He set a new Big East record with 11 Freshman Conference Player of the Week honors, surpassing Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. He was also the first Huskie since Rudy Gay in 2005 to win Big East Freshman Player of the Year.

We sat down with both projected top-10 picks after our shoot to discuss their historic run, their chemistry and their NBA outlook, among many other topics.

SLAM: It’s been a few weeks since you guys cut down the nets and made history, going back-to-back as national champs. Now that you’ve had some time to process it all, how do you put into words the accomplishment?   

Donovan Clingan: To win back-to-back, you know, for me personally, was something really special just because there’s not too many people that could go around saying that they’ve done something that special. We did it in such a historic program that has a lot of history, and it’s a place where it’s hard to make history. But to go out there and do some of the most historic things that have happened in the program was something really special. I think UConn is a special place that will always be home to me. I know Steph will say the same thing. I’m just super, super blessed to be able to have accomplished what I’ve accomplished, and I’ll be forever grateful for my two years at UConn.

Stephon Castle: I mean, honestly, it really still doesn’t even feel real to me. I only won once, I can only imagine what it feels like for DC. Just the whole experience was super, super fun.

It really was a blessing just to be out there with the great group that we had. We had a real special group. Like [DC] said, it’s definitely a second home for me.

SLAM: At what specific point in the season do you remember feeling like y’all had a really good chance to run it all back?

DC: I feel like when we went on our trip to Europe [UConn played in Monte Carlo and Spain last summer—Ed.], we saw the potential we had. To be honest, I feel like I didn’t know if a national title was a possibility again, just because I realized how hard it was the year before, and we were going to have a big target on our back, but when we got back from Europe, we had like two weeks off and we came back in for the start of practice in the regular season. And you could just tell the energy and the will of everyone on the team, everyone on the staff, everyone in the building, really, just wanted to go out there and win every game, every night.

SC: Early in the season, I didn’t know how good we were. I mean, we always talked about going back-to-back and chasing a national championship, but I feel like every school talks about going for a national championship. I feel like it was about the midpoint of the season, probably like where the Big East [season] really kicked off, when I kinda knew, like, we really had a chance at winning the whole thing over again.

SLAM: Donovan, your freshman season, you only averaged 13 minutes per game but played a major role in the rotation on the 2023 national championship team. What did you learn from that group that you were then able to apply to this past season, when you became a major focal point?

DC: Just realizing everything I had to give every single day. I played [in practice] against the most dominant big in the country in Adama [Sanogo], who went into practice and into workouts every single day knowing that he’s gonna get better and knowing that the team was gonna need him that year to make a big jump [and] lead us to where we wanted to go. I feel like that was something for me, coming into the season—I have to make a big jump. I have to be a leader. I have to dominate the floor on the offensive and defensive end. I just gotta give my all, day in and day out, just to make sure that this team wins.

SLAM: Steph, you got thrown right into the fire despite being a freshman—you were a starter from the very first game, and only came off the bench a few times due to an early season injury. What was the early challenge like for you?

SC: I mean, it was definitely hard at first. Definitely something that you have to really adjust to and really just embrace. But I feel like my teammates, they had a lot of confidence in me this year and they instilled a lot of confidence in myself. So, just going out there, just trusting my work that I put in and just knowing that the coaches believe in what I do.

SLAM: Donovan, you decided to return to college without even testing the NBA waters in 2023. A reporter afterward said that NBA scouts believed you could have been selected anywhere between 25 and 40 in the draft that year. Why did you think it was important to return?

DC: I knew I had to mature as a person, as a player. I had to expand my game in many ways. I only played 13 minutes a game last year. I wanted to go out there and be a starter, try to lead the team to another national title and I just wanted to go play for UConn. I love Coach [Dan] Hurley, I love that staff, I love the school, and I just wanted to try to be part of something really special and to be able to say that I did that means a lot to me.

SLAM: Steph, do you remember the moment when you realized that despite being a freshman who’s starting for the reigning national champs, you had what it took to hold your own at an elite level?

SC: I don’t remember the exact practice but I know I was frying though, that’s the only thing I do remember. I think I was on the second team at the time, too. So, that definitely gave me a lot of confidence going into it, especially coming back from an injury.

SLAM: Are there parts of your game that you didn’t get a chance to showcase in college because the team didn’t need you to, that you’re now excited to be able to show at the next level?

DC: Yeah, to be able to step out, shoot the three ball a little more, play off the dribble, really just working that midrange game and setting the pick-and-pops and just roll to the rim, lobs. You know, Coach Hurley had a great game plan for this team. He always put us in the best position possible and my team didn’t need me to shoot threes to win games. That’s something I didn’t have to do. [But] that’s something I’m gonna have to do to take my game to the next level and succeed at the highest level.

SC: I mean, probably just being on the ball more, taking more shots, like off the dribble and stuff like that. I feel like Coach had a great scheme for us and he asked specifically what he needed for us to win a championship. And I thought we got it done. But if there was anything, I’ll say shooting off the dribble, playmaking a little more on the ball and, you know, stuff like that.

SLAM: Steph, you set the Big East record for most Conference Freshman of the Week honors, and in doing so, you surpassed Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. What did that historic feat mean to you?

SC: It meant a lot, just to put my name next to those high-level type of guys. You know, I feel like that meant a lot for my career and what my legacy was at UConn for that short time. But a lot of that credit goes to my teammates and my coaches. I feel like they put me in a great position to be successful in those games. I just had to go out there and just be myself. I feel like a lot of credit goes to them.

SLAM: You also became the first UConn men’s player since Rudy Gay in 2005 to win Big East Freshman of the Year.

SC: I wouldn’t say it was regularly just a goal for me, but it’s definitely in the back of your head as you’re playing. It’s something that you kind of shoot for. So, like DC said, it’s a pretty historic school. There’s been a lot of great names to come out of there, so just to have my name beside those guys and instilled in that history forever, it’s super special to me.

SLAM: Donovan, do you have an off-the-court story of Stephon that you’d say perfectly reflects his personality when the cameras aren’t rolling?

DC: I mean, Steph loves to nap. He loves to sleep. When we were on the way back from Europe, I remember before we left out of Barcelona—like, I don’t think everyone was even on the plane yet—he was already asleep, and he didn’t wake up until the lights turned on when we landed in Boston. It was like an eight-hour flight, and he did not wake up once. Not even to use the bathroom. Nothing. And I was just like, That’s Steph! Like, when he’s sleeping, he’s sleeping. But when he’s up, he’s just hooping. But he just loves to nap. Every time I see him, he’s napping. On the bus, on the plane—he’s napping.

SLAM: What about you, Steph—any good Donovan stories?

SC: So, it’s one day in practice—I think [Donovan], he wasn’t having the best practice. He was kind of mad at himself. I want to say he kicked something or he punched the backboard or it was something crazy like that, but he hurt himself. And we had a game coming up. I mean, we always called him “Cling Kong,” so I feel like that was one of his moments. He ripped his shirt in practice, punched the backboard, he started screaming. He was going crazy.

DC: I want to win [shrugs with a smile].

SC: It’s practice, though [laughs].

DC: It’s OK, I don’t lose.

SC: I don’t remember the whole story. I know you can tell the story.

DC: I mean, I get upset sometimes with how I’m playing, and if I’m not doing what I’m supposed to do on the floor, I take it out on myself. And I put a lot of pressure on myself. I do just get frustrated at times—

SC: [interrupting Donovan] You ever seen somebody punch the backboard without jumping?

DC: I just want to win [laughs].

SLAM: When people talk about the 2023-2024 UConn Men’s team 10, 20 years from now, what do you hope they say in terms of your legacy?

SC: I think we might be up there as one of the best college basketball teams ever, because if you think about it, our only games we lost were away games, and one of them, we didn’t even have our full team. [Actually], two of them—one game I was hurt and then one game [DC] got hurt.

DC: Just to be remembered as one of, if not the best college basketball team ever. There was a bunch of guys who gave it their all every single day for 11 months of the year. It’s a special group. We were a brotherhood. Everyone loved each other, and that’s going to be a special team. There’s no one that’s going to be left out forever. We’re all going to stay in touch, we’re all gonna be brothers for life, and that’s just something that’s really important to me.

Portraits by Joe Pinchin. Action photos via Getty Images.

The post After Winning Back-to-Back Titles at UConn, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle are Ready to Make Waves in the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Campers receive mentorship from current and former NBA players and follow an advanced training regimen designed to prepare them for the next level. In addition, every camper participates in group discussions and classes centering on topics such as stress management, recruiting pressures and more. 

Since ’94, hundreds of NBA players have come through the Top 100 Camp. This year’s event is set to take place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, FL, from June 8-13.

But first, to celebrate 30 incredible years, we’re looking back at the top 30 NBPA members who have hit the court at the Top 100 Camp.

30. Zach LaVine 

Of all the high-flyers on this list, Zach LaVine might have the craziest hops. At 6-5, 200 pounds, he somehow makes zipping past defenders, soaring through the air and punching a nasty jam over a seven-footer look effortless. His jaw-dropping highlights and incredible performances in dunk contests—like his legendary duel with Aaron Gordon in 2016—alone make him a suitable candidate for this list, but LaVine is also a two-time All-Star and an elite all-around scorer who has averaged over 20 points per game for his career. 

29. Zion Williamson 

It’s rare for a high school player to land on the cover of SLAM. But then again, it’s rare for a high school player to be like Zion Williamson was in 2017. The kid from Spartanburg, SC, demanded our attention, regularly going viral on social media for his unfathomable dunks and blocks. The eventual cover line: “He’s 16. He’s 6-7. He’s explosive like Russ. He dunks like LeBron. Are you ready for Zion Williamson?” No lies told. In fact, at the Top 100 Camp in 2016, he was named MVP. Unfortunately, the Zion experience has been limited in the NBA due to injuries, but when the New Orleans Pelicans star has been healthy, he’s been an unstoppable force who still lights up social media.

28. Bam Adebayo

In an interview with SLAM in 2019, Jimmy Butler described his teammate Bam Adebayo—now a 3x All-Star—perfectly: “He works super hard and he’s everywhere on the floor. You need him to pass it, he can pass it. He rebounds, he handles the ball, he sets great screens. You can’t take him off the floor. He’s a key part to what we want to do and what we will continue to do. [Head coach Erik Spoelstra] knows—in order to win, you gotta have Bam out there on the floor.” That all still applies today.

27. De’Aaron Fox

Don’t blink—you might miss De’Aaron Fox do something spectacular. The lightning quick guard was a McDonald’s All-American in high school, ranked as one of the top recruits in the nation. He went to the University of Kentucky for one year, starring alongside Bam Adebayo and Malik Monk, before entering the 2017 NBA Draft, where he was picked fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings. Slowly but surely, Fox has developed into an All-Star and made the Kings exciting and relevant for the first time in a long time. 

26. Karl-Anthony Towns

We have seen very few big men in the history of the NBA with the versatility and skill set of Karl-Anthony Towns. That’s to say: We have seen very few big men in the history of the NBA who are just as comfortable behind the arc and in the mid-range as they are in the paint. KAT, now 28, stands seven feet tall, has averaged 10.8 rebounds per game over his nine seasons in the League and is a career 40 percent three-point shooter. And he just helped lead the best Timberwolves team in two decades all the way to the Western Conference Finals.

25. DeAndre Jordan

During those peak Lob City years, DeAndre Jordan owned the paint for the Los Angeles Clippers. He controlled the glass, averaging 13.1 rebounds per game from 2013-18. He protected the rim, averaging 1.8 blocks over that same span. And occasionally, he threw down a dunk so vicious, so powerful, so unbelievable, that teammates and fans were left wondering what the hell just happened (please go rewatch his poster on Brandon Knight). Jordan now brings veteran leadership to the Denver Nuggets, where he helped the franchise capture its first championship in 2023.

24. Donovan Mitchell

Twelve teams passed on Spida in the 2017 NBA Draft. Twelve. Mitchell, who hails from Elmsford, NY, and went to college at Louisville, made most of those teams regret that decision almost immediately. He averaged 20.5 points as a rookie and was an All-Star by his third season. He’s now made five straight All-Star Games, including in 2023 when he was named a starter. Very few players in the League possess Mitchell’s combination of athleticism and skill. To put it plainly: the explosive guard—currently on the NBPA Executive Committee—is impossible to stop. And at 27 years old, he’s just entering his prime.

23. Al Horford

For the past 16 years, Big Al has been a big presence in the NBA. The reliable center is still playing a pivotal role for a historically good Boston Celtics team that just tore its way through the Eastern Conference. Horford was a star at Grand Ledge High School in Michigan, won back-to-back national championships at the University of Florida (2006, 2007) and has been named an All-Star five times during his lengthy NBA career (four times with the Hawks, once with the Cs). And he ain’t done yet. 

22. Kyle Lowry

When he entered the League in 2006, Kyle Lowry didn’t take off right away. In fact, it wasn’t until his fifth season in the NBA that the 6-0 point guard, who had been traded by the Grizzlies to the Rockets in ’09, became a permanent starter. Lowry hasn’t looked back since, guiding teams in Houston, Toronto, Miami and Philly with his hard-nosed, aggressive, energetic style of play—a style that has made him a fan favorite and earned him six All-Star selections. In the North, where he won a championship in 2019, Lowry will always be known as Mr. Raptor.

21. Baron Davis 

Baron Davis was an artist with the basketball. Ridiculous dribble packages, flashy assists, monster posters—the 1997 Gatorade National Player of the Year and two-time NBA All-Star always put on a show. After starring at UCLA, Davis was the third overall pick in the 1999 Draft and helped lead a formidable Hornets team for the first stretch of his pro career. He later joined the iconic “We Believe” Warriors squad that advanced to the second round of the 2007 playoffs as a No. 8 seed. Injuries robbed us of more years watching him play, no question, but when the electrifying guard was at his best, that was some of the most entertaining ball to watch.

The post NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 30 Players: 30-21 appeared first on SLAM.

We’re commemorating Luka’s unbelievable run to the 2024 NBA Finals with this cover of SLAM 250, which is also available in an exclusive orange and gold metal edition. Tap in.

The post The World is Mine: Luka Doncic Covers SLAM 251 appeared first on SLAM.

When the legend herself walks in wearing an all-white fit, her aura and energy is mesmerizing. Her presence commands the entire room. This is the same visionary who just led her team to an undefeated season and the program’s third national championship, a feat very few expected them to accomplish. This is the very trailblazer who is the highest paid Black coach in all of women’s basketball. This is the Dawn Staley, the dream merchant who has led not just a program, but the culture, into a new day where no one can deny what she’s done and no one can doubt that she is one of the greats. It’s written in the banners, in the stars, and on this very cover. She is in charge. The CEO of excellence. 

SLAM 250 featuring Dawn Staley is available now.

With her right hand man, Champ, prancing a few steps behind her, Staley exudes calm, cool and collected as she walks onto set. Biggie is blasting through the speakers in the background, serving as the perfect anthem for what we’re trying to capture: her aura, her energy and all that damn swaggggg. Not only is this Dawn’s first-ever solo SLAM cover, but it’s the first time ever that any coach has had their own cover for the magazine. Today is about capturing the legacy of someone who is way bigger than the box scores—but, if we are talkin’ hoops, a legacy that includes 38 straight wins this past season. The Gamecocks were out here destroying teams by upwards of 50, 60, nah, 80 points per game. 

As legendary photographer Diwang Valdez snaps away, Staley, who is now wearing the team’s 2024 National Champions tee, effortlessly poses in front of the camera. Just when you think the flicks couldn’t get any more fly, Dawn turns things up with another outfit change. This time she’s rocking a black blazer, tearaway joggers and, of course, a crisp Louis Vuitton tee. She goes from giving soft smiles and playful banter to transforming, as she leans back into the chair she’s now sitting in, crosses her legs and rests her elbow on a basketball. She stares into the lens, giving the same look that we’ve seen from her on the court. It’s deeply methodical, poetic even. Right now, Dawn means business. 

This is the face of someone who has personified strength, resilience and authenticity for decades. Here, she gives us a glimpse into her mind and her magic—a conversation that is as much about basketball as it is about how she sees people, her legacy, and—with true sincerity—herself. 

SLAM: You’ve mentioned in the past how you didn’t really have an interest in coaching, at least early on. Can you bring us back to when you were playing in the WNBA and coaching at Temple at the same time?

Dawn Staley: One of the most gratifying moments of my life was to be able to play and then be able to coach all at the same time. Because it played on both sides of my brain and the passion was on full display. If any of the younger players in the WNBA ever have the opportunity to do both, they would find that it’s so fulfilling. You’re able to get out the aggression of playing while also being a dream merchant for younger players and giving them an experience that you are actually living. A lot of coaches have to go back in time to that place when they were playing, but when you’re able to do it in real time, it is an automatic respect from your players because they know you’re doing the very thing that you’re asking them to do and to be disciplined at.

SLAM: You often refer to yourself not just as a coach but a “dream merchant.” Can you elaborate on what you mean?

DS: Anybody that is coaching this game, that’s what you are. I know we try to figure out our purpose in coaching, and it’s just that: being a dream merchant for young people. Helping young people find their passion [and] work towards that. It’s not always basketball—it’s not. For 90 percent of them, it’s not basketball. It is figuring out what you want to do, because I want people to work in their passion. It is a lot easier to work in your passion if that’s what you do on a daily basis. The real world really is taxing. It pulls you in a lot of different directions and if you’re not passionate about it, you are not going to give it your full effort. And maybe half of you is good enough in some instances, but for you as a person, your fulfillment is most important. 

So, what does a dream merchant do? That person guides, that person helps to navigate, that person is a listener [and] an observer. That person is someone that is trustworthy of not only the student-athlete but everybody that touches that student-athlete, because it’s not just a one-way street. All young people have people in their lives that impact them. I find that young people talk to their parents every single day…I think back to when I was their age, I probably talked to my mom or my dad maybe twice a month. And you know when that was? When the funds were low. But they talk to them every day, so I’m like, OK, well, I may have to change my style. I may have to pivot a little bit because I want to be the biggest voice in my players’ heads, and if it’s the parents that have access in that way, in talking to their daughters every day, [then] I gotta talk to the parents. 

GET YOUR COPY OF SLAM 250 + COVER TEE

SLAM: Who were your mentors? And did any coaches inspire you?

DS: I really didn’t have coaching mentors. I’m more of a private person. I don’t like to show weakness, and that’s probably a downfall of mine, but it’s the very thing that keeps me going, because it has me working. It always has me preparing for the worst, and I don’t like to take my problems to anybody else. I will say I have people in my life that I bounce things off that [are not] as close to the game as probably some other coaches, and I like them to give me feedback from the outside looking in, because when it’s all said and done, I like to be covered. My mind works as a basketball coach most of the time, so I’m always looking for basketball things to teach lessons to our players because I believe that sometimes they learn better from that standpoint. 

And then, if I get advice from somebody that’s not in the basketball world, I can balance that and make sure that I’m giving our players what I see, as well as what somebody else may see that I’m not covering. 

SLAM: Has your approach to coaching changed at all over the years? Are there things that worked early in your career that may not work now and vice versa?

DS: We’re in an era where we have to pivot. What worked 24 years ago will not work today. I’ll say this: The core principles of who I am as a person and coach doesn’t change. [The] battles I fight? They change. Take for instance this year—my approach was entirely different than my approach in just the recent years. In recent years, we had a group of players that got it. They understood the assignment and what they needed to do and they executed on and off the court, so they gave us no issues. I was just able to be a basketball coach. 

This year, they were different. They were younger, their approach was different. They were lackluster, they didn’t really have a plan as individuals—they may have thought they had a plan. Their plan was just to play more. You can approach it that way, but it’s shallow, so you gotta put something behind it. We worked from a place that we hadn’t worked from in a long time, which was, Hit the ground running. We couldn’t [even do that] because they couldn’t run, they were outta shape. They came in just thinking, I wanna play. I sat for a long time. It’s my time. Well, their time, and who they thought was taking their time, [the] approach was a lot different. Zia, Aliyah, Brea [Beal], they all came in shape. Every time that we had to come back in the summer, so we could hit the ground running…It was more of creating better discipline and habits, because they hadn’t formed it to the degree of them being ready to rock and roll. So, I looked at it as a challenge, and once I looked at it [as that], I got more passionate behind it because I’m drawn to challenges. It was cool because they did teach me [that] there are a number of ways to be successful and a number of ways to approach things.

One of the battles that I did not fight that I normally fight: if everybody had the same sweatsuit on, and one person didn’t, I knew that they spoke to that person. I knew it. I could see it, I’m looking at [it] and it looks strange to me…I approached it as a mistake that had been handled. But that’s one of the things I didn’t fight, because I knew this team had a way of delivering the message that I would deliver. 

SLAM: As you mentioned, the start of the season was a little different for you. What do you attribute this year’s success to? 

DS: We’ve had the best team in the country prior to this year, I would say for years. The best team in the country and this one ended up being the best team in the country by way of default, so to speak. But it was a way that was formed by them and I will give them all the credit because they could’ve balked, they could’ve said, I should be starting—for a while, they could’ve said, I’m the It. I should be starting. Tessa [Johnson could’ve been like], I could play with the best of them. Let me get some of Breezy’s time. Let me get some of Raven’s time. [But] they didn’t. Actually, the youngsters just allowed the older players to guide them to the point where they were so confident entering the basketball game that they knew that they were going to make an impact. And they kept holding each other accountable. Ashlyn [Watkins] found her superpower, and her superpower is on both sides of the basketball, but it was also leading. Her voice was prevalent in huddles, and it got to the point where they didn’t want to lose. It wasn’t even being undefeated, they just didn’t want to lose. It was nothing about winning each and every game, but in the moment of each game, they didn’t want to lose. So, they would listen to each other and they were very coachable, and then we just got momentum. We kept pushing through and then when we got to the Final Four, they were like, We gonna win this thing.

Before the national championship game, they were talking major cash ish. The coaches’ locker room is connected to the big locker room, and we don’t go in there [to] let them have their space. I’m too close to the situation, I don’t want to hear them, [but] they’re like, We’re going to kick their A, and I’m like, Lord, they don’t know what they don’t know. Either we’re going to get blown out, or we’re going to blow somebody out because they were talking. And I know they’re hyping themselves up, but as coaches, you know, we gotta go out there and face Caitlin [Clark] and them. Like, they got themselves here, they got momentum. 

As coaches, too, we would ask each other, You drinking the Kool-Aid? We would literally ask each other. So, for the most part we were like, Nah, we ain’t drinking it. Towards the end of the year, we asked, How about now? You drinking the Kool-Aid? I’m like, I’m sippin’. I ain’t taking a big gulp, but I’m sippin’. Because they’re putting it on display. I think, just overall as I reflect, it was a super cool journey and environment to be around them. They just played loose. I told this to a friend, I said, “They played free.”…So, I think that was really kind of cool for them to take us coaches down their journey. It’s usually, like, our journey—how we want to direct them and guide them. Nah. Nah, we got on their train and we rode their coattails. 

SLAM: Now that you’ve accomplished it all—going undefeated, winning your third chip—how does it feel?

DS: It feels great, like seriously. It’s unbelievable to me…[The] 2022 [team] looked the part. They looked the part, they played the part. They played just freer, but with pressure. And then this group was just unlike any of them. I don’t think anybody saw it coming. We didn’t see it coming, so that’s what I like about it. I’m sitting [here] and I’m happy…I want to share our story. I want to share the good, the bad, the ugly but also the likelihood of someone else doing what we did—I want to give them hope, because we didn’t look like a national championship team at the beginning of the season. We looked like most of the teams in the country, so we’re relatable to most of the teams. If we could do it, anybody could do it. 

SLAM: Your legacy reaches far beyond Xs and Os, wins and losses. We could go on and on, but what do you, Dawn Staley, want your legacy to be? 

DS: I want my legacy to be an “odds beater.” I am an odds beater. The odds said that I wouldn’t be an Olympian, I wouldn’t be the head coach of an Olympic team. To have coached 24 years in this game, I know that I don’t care about a personal legacy. I want to let my players talk about the legacy that they were able to feel every day from our coaching staff. I don’t have to say anything, they say it. Historically speaking, you don’t really hear my name as being a great coach, whether it’s X-ing and O-ing. I’m probably known to be a player’s coach, whatever that means. But to win three national championships, to not be an X and O coach and only be a player’s coach, I think we’re doing pretty good. If the X-ing and O-ing coaches aren’t winning national championships, I know they would probably flip it and be a player’s coach, if it produces national championships. I really don’t care about any of that, but what I do care about is our players, their experiences [and] their legacy, because the more of a legacy they have, it comes back. I just want to do right by our players. 

SLAM: You’ve seen women’s basketball skyrocket from a business standpoint, starting from your playing days to what it is today. What has it been like to see this transformation in real time?

DS: Women’s basketball is super cool, now. I would say now. It was super cool to me when I was growing up playing it and going to college because I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Now that I know what I know about our game, one, we’ve been intentionally held back. I know that because it just doesn’t come out of nowhere. It seems like our game has just come out of nowhere and now everybody is falling in love with it, when we know different. We know that back when I was playing in ’88, in college, in ’89, people were watching. They would tune in. I know it because I know when I go to different places, I’m more known for playing at Virginia than anything. So, they were watching it. 

So, what happens between then and now? Decision makers are making some really good calls when it comes to our game…They know that women’s basketball is a mainstay. So, the biggest difference now is we are being treated like a real sport. The good, the bad and the ugly because in sports you have storylines, like a Caitlin Clark. In our game you have storylines of us being undefeated, winning a national championship. You’ve got Juju [Watkins], Hannah [Hidalgo], MiLaysia [Fulwiley], all of these storylines that are being played out now because the fans want more and more and more. And now, finally, and maybe, it’s the new negotiated TV deal that is allowing us to continue to grow. Maybe there’s somebody in the room that’s making sure that we have different people telling our stories. You got Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike, Aliyah Boston, [Andraya] Carter, Carolyn Peck…I thought that whole crew broke basketball down like no other. Wasn’t biased, because we gotta get the bias out of our game. So, you saw what happens when it’s unbiased. It was absolutely beautiful.

SLAM: You don’t seem like the type to chase milestones or history, it just sort of finds its way to you. With that being said, is there anything that you have your eyes set on before you bow out of coaching?

DS: Selfishly, it’s just one thing that I wanted out of this game: I wanted to be a Hall of Famer. So, I went in [to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame] in 2013 as a player. Now, I do want to go in as a coach. 

Portraits by Diwang Valdez. Action photos via Getty Images.

The post The Excellence of Dawn Staley: South Carolina Head Coach Talks Championship, Being a ‘Dream Merchant’ and Growth of Women’s Hoops appeared first on SLAM.

He was in class that morning when the text came through. It was John Calipari: I’m coming to the game today. Knowing the guy who had just recruited him would be in the building, the Arkansas commit suddenly had even more motivation for that night’s game. “My family was there, my future head coach was there—and just for him to pop up like that was very special,” Fland says. “I just wanted to put on a show.” 

It all hit even harder at the gym that night. “I was tearing up before the game, and then once I saw they were honoring me for making the McDonald’s All American Team, the tears came running down,” he says. Once the game tipped, Fland immediately made clear that the emotion of the occasion wouldn’t derail him from performing at the level that has made him a top-20 recruit and arguably one of the top point guards in the 2024 class. The line: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals to lead his Archbishop Stepinac (NY) squad to a senior-night dub. 

His only slight disappointment afterward? “Man, I was trying to get 50,” Fland says. “I was locked in.”

It was a dominant but not at all surprising showing from Fland, the 6-3, 175-pound, Bronx-born guard who checks all the boxes for an elite floor general. Explosive and in-control, he dictates pace as a scorer and playmaker, a skill set made clear by the players whose games he works to emulate: everyone from LeBron and SGA to Ja Morant, Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley. That includes working to perfect one of the game’s most unstoppable shots.

“If you go on YouTube and search my name, you’ll see a step-back as the thumbnail. Just watch how many step-backs I do,” he says. “I’m so quick, they try to play the shot and the drive, and when I see that they’re playing the drive, it’s easy for me to snatch back and step back.”

The path that took Fland from the Bronx to White Plains (where Stepinac is located) and will see him in Lexington leading a typically loaded Wildcat recruiting class next winter has included plenty of stops that allowed him to show his skill set and sky-high potential. He’s been among the best hoopers at his age level since anyone can remember. “When I was in, I think, second grade, we were ranked top 25 in the country,” he says of his AAU squad. “Yeah, second grade, but it was something to us.”

A few years later, he led his AAU team to the national championship game, where he missed what could have been a game-winning shot. “That moment taught me that, you know, there’s going to be lows,” he says now. “I was so used to winning. That was an eye-opener for me. That taught me I gotta get better.”

The improvement really hasn’t stopped, as he’s shown time and again against elite competition. He was a member of the U17 US national team that took gold at the 2022 FIBA World Cup and was selected to join the stacked US roster for the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit. With that résumé, where can he still improve? “Before Coach Cal left on senior night, he said I need to talk more, be more vocal—it helps everybody on the floor, and it helps me.”

That shouldn’t be too difficult. Fland brings the same energy to every court he steps on, with his Bronx roots always on display. 

“New York is different. When people say that, it definitely is true,” he confirm emphatically. “You gotta have some swagger to you. You can’t be stiff. When you walk in the gym, they gotta know, Oh, he’s from New York.”  

Portrait by Marcus Stevens.

The post Stepinac’s Boogie Fland is Ready to Put on a Show at Arkansas appeared first on SLAM.

30 YEARS OF SLAM fully chronicles our history in 256 beautiful pages and includes a forward written by Allen Iverson.

The post The 30 Years of SLAM Book is OUT NOW! 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.

NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal, had been founded in 2017, roughly a year before one of its coaches, Joe Touomou, began recruiting Chomche. At first, the answer was no. Chomche’s parents had been reluctant to let him play basketball in the first place, so this was out of the question. “My parents didn’t want me to do any activities except school because my family values education a lot,” Chomche tells SLAM. In order to join the local team, he had struck a deal with them: Chomche could play, but if his grades suffered at all, he would have to quit.

So far, Chomche had not slipped up. But this was a much bigger ask. Basketball was new to the Chomche family. None of Ulrich’s 16 siblings played, instead gravitating to soccer, by far the most popular sport in Cameroon. Ulrich grew up helping out on the family farm—not dreaming of a future in the NBA. 

Initially rejected, Touomou returned to Cameroon to meet with Chomche’s parents again. He outlined just how much the Academy could benefit Ulrich, both on and off the court. Not only would he work with topnotch coaches to improve as a basketball player—he would also receive a first-rate education and have the chance to travel the world with his new classmates. This time, Touomou was able to convince them.

Not long after, the kid from Bafang arrived at the impressive campus in Saly. Everything had changed in a blink. Chomche was shy, quiet and surrounded by strangers, many of whom he struggled to communicate with. Courses were taught in English—a language that the French-speaking Chomche didn’t know. He was set up with a tutor, while also adjusting to a strict new basketball regimen. At his size with his agility, Chomche certainly had the tools to become a dominant big man. But he was still learning the basics of the game. 

“When Ulrich came, he did not know basketball,” says Franck Traore, Head of Basketball Operations for NBA Africa. “He could move [well], we evaluated him properly, and the coaching staff at the Academy obviously worked with him every day. We believed in him.”

Chomche’s team back in Bafang had practiced just a few times per week; at the Academy, he was practicing multiple times per day. He trained with experienced basketball minds like Touomou, who played four seasons at Georgetown University (1995-99), served as an international scout for the Indiana Pacers and is a longtime camp director at Basketball Without Borders Africa (where he coached NBA stars Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam). 

“What really [made Chomche] take off was the mentorship piece,” Traore explains. “He needed that. As soon as we had that in place, his mindset shifted. He believed in himself—that he could do it. And his game took off.”

From the beginning, Chomche displayed an incredible work ethic. His current schedule at the Academy sees him report to the gym around 5:30 am every day for an individual workout, followed by a team practice and an hour of weightlifting—all before morning classes start at 10:00 am. For a while, Chomche was also taking night classes (after a second team practice from 5:30-7:30 pm) so that he could graduate early (which he did).

“What I like about the Academy is that they don’t only teach you how to play basketball, they teach you how to be a man, too,” Chomche says.

Every time he took the floor—whether it was in practice, a global exhibition game, the Basketball Africa League, or a premier scouting event—Chomche looked less lost and more confident. Less clumsy and more polished. Over the past five years, he has matured from a complete novice into one of the most promising international prospects. 

Last week, Chomche, who now stands 6-11 with a 7-4 wingspan, officially entered his name in the 2024 NBA Draft. He is expected to become the first NBA Academy Africa graduate to be picked. Given the rise of basketball across the continent, there will be many more to come. Chomche’s close friend Khaman Maluach, a 7-2 center from South Sudan headed to Duke in the fall, is projected to be a top-three pick in 2025. The two proudly represented the Academy in the recent Nike Hoop Summit, an annual high school showcase held in Portland, OR.

“It’s a good thing that I have my brother with me because every time we practice in the Academy, we say we are preparing for a war,” Chomche says of Maluach. “Every time we practice, we are competing. And I’m very grateful to have him with me because he helps push me every time.”

Together they have been a dynamic duo for the Academy, often carrying the team. In December, they led their squad to two impressive victories at the G League Winter Showcase, starring in front of hundreds of NBA executives and scouts. Chomche flashed what makes him such a special prospect: mainly, his defensive versatility. He possesses both the athleticism to protect the rim and the mobility to switch onto guards on the perimeter. At the 2022 Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo, Egypt, Chomche won the Defensive MVP award.

“His biggest strength is defense,” Traore says. “First of all, his size and length—you cannot teach that. He was born with it. It’s a gift. Great rebounder. Great shot blocker. The timing is exceptional. And his lateral movement, being able to defend, that’s already a gift for him. I think that’s half the battle for him. He’s adding a nice three-pointer. He can shoot from the corner and make them consistently. During the games, when we need it, he’s able to make those shots.”

Chomche is still developing his offensive game and will need time to adapt to the NBA. He’s just 18 years old—the youngest player eligible for the 2024 Draft. Training at the Academy over the next few months, Chomche is focused on improving his ball-handling, shooting and finishing around the basket. He has shown signs of being able to spread the floor—during Basketball Africa League qualifiers in November, he shot 38 percent from behind the arc (8/21), while also averaging 13 points, 9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks.

Marshall Cho, who coached Chomche at the Nike Hoop Summit, says the Cameroonian center has “some of the most elite feet for a guy that size.” Cho points to Chomche’s help defense and screen-setting as evidence. “Those are two things that he can do that don’t require shooting,” Cho stresses. “So all the criticism of his touch around the rim or whatever it may be—that he’s raw—he has a base that the League needs right now. Beyond that, if you’ve seen him shoot the three, he can actually really shoot it. He has that in him.”

Above all else, Chomche is “a winner,” says Traore. He does the little things and always finds a way to make an impact, even if it doesn’t show up in the box score. “I would be surprised if Ulrich went his entire career in the NBA without a championship,” Traore continues. “Having some of the best coaches in the world work with him every day, Ulrich will be a starter in the NBA for over a decade. That’s who he is.”

Regardless of what the future holds, Chomche is already one of the Academy’s best success stories. How far he’s come since joining the program is validation that the initiative is working—that leaving Bafang was definitely worth it.

“He comes from a very humble background,” adds Traore. “He’s representing his family very, very well.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The Remarkable Journey of NBA Academy Africa Star and 2024 Draft Prospect Ulrich Chomche appeared first on SLAM.

Even when he turns his camera off, and despite being in the middle of a vacation, you can hear the passion in Noah’s voice when he begins to excitedly talk about the different community initiatives he’s currently working on, whether in Chicago or in Africa. It’s been years since he’s hooped on an NBA court, but the enthusiasm the former NBA All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year was always known for remains intact.

SLAM: Are there any new passions or hobbies that you’ve found during retirement that maybe you did not discover during your playing years, or just didn’t have the time to dedicate to while in the NBA?

Joakim Noah: Well, I’m not gonna lie to you, I’m on the top of a mountain right now overlooking—I’m on a ski slope right now. I just did three hours of skiing with my kids. My nephew just came for the first time from Maui. It’s his first time seeing snow. When you’re playing basketball in the NBA, you’re not allowed to do things like [skiing]. You don’t want to put yourself in a position to get hurt. So, I’ve been picking up skiing, that’s a good one. And just being able to travel and take time and not being rushed into getting back in playing shape. It’s a different kind of training. [Now] you train for health. Training for health and training for championships are two completely different things. I think that my nervous system appreciates it.

SLAM: Where’s your skiing skill level?

JN: Skill level, I would say I’m not comfortable going down heavy duty stuff. I’m not going down any black slopes. Or even blue slopes. I’m very comfortable staying in the green. You know, that’s seven feet, 260 pounds going down the slope. That’s a different animal.

SLAM: What new business endeavors have you been getting into?

JN: Being able to be an investor in the NBA Africa league, the BAL, has been a real blessing, because I’ve been able to travel all around the continent and just really learn from the best in the business with [President of the Basketball Africa League] Amadou Gallo Fall and [NBA Deputy Commissioner] Mark Tatum. You know, taking a leadership role in NBA Africa, and just really starting from scratch on the continent, and just watching this league flourish. We just came back from South Africa. It was packed, it’s a different energy. And we’re just getting started on something that I’m really excited about.

SLAM: What is your ultimate goal with the BAL? Where do you see it in 10 years?

JN: My ultimate goal is when you see African kids, like, doing a tween-tween hesi, then you know that we did something right. You haven’t really seen the African kids do the hesi-hesi yet, and that’s coming!

SLAM: It sounds like there’s a lot of untapped basketball potential in Africa, plus also a business model structure to enable the league to flourish.

JN: There’s definitely a business model structure. But the continent is 54 different countries and the fastest growing youth population in the world. So, the math adds up. But it’s also understanding that when you’re playing in systems in America, you get to play in a beautiful gym, you have your school’s high school rival, you have your little girlfriend that’s coming to watch you play, mom and dad are coming to watch you play. Like, these are all things that places around the world don’t have. So, the problem with Africa is the lack of—this isn’t a sport that’s part of African culture. So, it’s really starting from scratch. And understanding that the issues are lack of infrastructure and lack of basketball education, even when it comes to refereeing, when it comes to coaching.

A lot of people are putting in the time and making long trips and teaching, [running] basketball and coaching clinics, clinics for the referees. Just to see how far the growth has come in the last five years is just astounding, but we still have a lot of work to do.

SLAM: How did you end up connecting with the BAL?

JN: I think, for me, it was having a relationship with the president of the BAL, Amadou Gallo Fall, who was a dear friend of mine throughout my career. Even though he was the guy who was a scout for the Dallas Mavericks, [and] I never played with the Mavericks, [he] was just somebody that I always connected with. And I think that that’s something that I realize now that I’m done playing. You realize that when basketball is over with, all you have in the end is just your relationships and your memories. So, I think that’s just important to sometimes [remember], there’s so much money involved, and it’s so easy to get caught up in the business. Just make sure that you go out on your terms, and that you make solid, solid relationships and solid bonds.

SLAM: Are there some non-basketball endeavors that you’re into that you might want to put on people’s radars?

JN: I think that most of the work that I’m doing right now is basketball-oriented. The other endeavor that I’m really excited about is this One City Basketball League that we created in Chicago. We’re working with 28 violence prevention groups all around the city and having at-risk youth playing basketball against each other, getting state funding and being able to build a basketball league that’s much bigger than basketball. We have financial literacy courses, job education, job training, and all this. Things are moving fast. I’m really excited with the development of our One City Basketball League. We’re doing special things. We’re really hoping to be able to grow it in other cities, and hopefully other guys around the League get inspired and want to do things in their neighborhoods. I really feel like the future of this league can be a national program. I think that’s very important in our communities in America.

SLAM: You mentioned fatherhood earlier. How has fatherhood changed you as a person after retirement? What is Joakim Noah, the father, like these days and what have you learned from your kids?

JN: It’s teaching me that it’s not about me, ever, especially when the kids are around you. When you’re playing, sometimes you feel like it’s about you, and the lights are on you. But my kids, I can be watching my favorite show on TV, and they’ll turn that right off [and] put on Moana. They don’t care.

SLAM: What do you think about the current state of basketball? What are some trends or things you like about the game today? And what are some things that you feel could be improved upon?

JN: Well, I think that the game is definitely more skilled. I think one through 15, even the guys who are just coming into the game, are just so good at basketball. I think that, obviously, the spacing is different. A lot of people are putting an emphasis on [saying that] there’s no defense and stuff like that, but I don’t think it’s the players’ fault. I think it’s just the way that the game is ref’d, the way that the game is, it’s completely different. They’re not letting you have any contact with guys. The game is a lot softer because that’s just the way the game is called. It’s just less physical. And I think it’s just putting a lot of pressure on the defense when you can’t use your hands, these are all things that were part of the game even 10 years ago that they’re not letting guys do anymore. So, I don’t think it’s a question of guys not wanting to play defense. I think it’s just the way it is officiated.

SLAM: Is there one thing you didn’t get a chance to do or try, or maybe you just were
apprehensive about, during your playing days that you look back on now and regret not doing?

JN: I think that my mind would say that I wish that I had developed a three-point shot. I think that would have definitely helped. But, you know, at the time, I was a rolling big—you set screens and you roll, and that was my role. That’s just the way the game was played. And what I tell the young guys all the time is, it’s about being as effective as possible and trying to affect winning. And when your mindset is trying to score points for yourself, I think that takes away from the ultimate goal, which is to win the ball game. I don’t really talk about Xs and Os too much, I don’t talk about technique, because that was never my strength. My strength was always being as available as possible for my teammates and being a good teammate, and doing whatever it takes to help win a basketball game.

Photo via Getty Images.

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Jimmy Butler is everywhere these days.

There he is at the US Open, serving as an honorary ball boy for an exhibition match between Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe. There he is in the new music video for Fall Out Boy’s “So Much (For) Stardust,” sporting his now-legendary “Emo Jimmy” look. There he is in ads for Hulu, Alo, State Farm and Hotels.com. There he is sampling products for BIGFACE, his budding coffee brand, and at the first-ever Reserve Cup, a padel competition that he helped bring to Miami. There he is at the Kaseya Center, soaring for lobs and knocking down threes.

And here he is at ZZ’s Club Miami, singing and dancing along to Lloyd’s “You,” breathing energy into the club’s swanky sports bar. He is, after all, five cups of coffee in, and it’s just 2:30 p.m. (he drinks 10-12 cups a day, by the way). A wide-ranging playlist booms through a handheld speaker—everything from “Let Me Love You” by Mario to “Jamming” by Bob Marley & the Wailers to “Loop Hole” by Tee Grizzley featuring 21 Savage. In between posing for photos, the Heat star snacks on sushi and sips an old fashioned.

Welcome to Jimmy Butler’s SLAM cover shoot, and welcome, more broadly, to his ever-growing universe, where you’re invited—err, encouraged—to be your authentic self at all times. To follow whatever passions you may have.

SLAM 249 featuring Jimmy Butler is available now. Shop here.

Butler is a man of many interests: coffee, wine, country music, tennis, padel, soccer (which he calls football), dominoes, spades, UNO, traveling—the list goes on. He is always up to something, always surrounded by family and friends. His house in Miami doesn’t even have TVs. Instead of binge-watching shows, Butler does things like chase tennis balls around Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, NY, because, well, it’s fun and he felt like doing it. He is currently working on his own country album; right now, it features 62 songs (!) and Butler, who has played a DJ Khaled-like role, is debating whether to hop on one.

“He loves to get into a whole bunch of stuff that you wouldn’t think he would enjoy doing,” says Butler’s teammate Caleb Martin. “He’s just super active, man, whether he’s doing something on an off day or meeting up with certain types of artists or playing dominoes or going to tennis matches. He’s definitely a dude full of surprises.”

Surprises like…starring in that aforementioned Fall Out Boy video in an all-purple cowboy outfit. 

“Anything to shake up anything on the internet and continually be myself, be happy and love my life and what I’m doing, I’m down,” Butler says. The video was shot over All-Star break and it dropped less than two weeks later. And yes, it shook up the internet.

Butler strikes a difficult balance: he doesn’t take life too seriously, but he is also extremely competitive. He cracks jokes, but often leaves people wondering…was that really a joke? 

“Don’t be fooled because you see me on TV or a commercial or a billboard, I do a lot of the same stuff y’all do,” he says, before adding with a grin, “I’m probably just better at it than all y’all…but I can’t help that.”

The truth (and irony) is, Butler engages in many extracurricular activities, such as tennis and songwriting, “to humble” himself. He wants to experience firsthand the challenges of other professions. Of course, he is also certain that if he keeps working at something, he will excel at it. He has a burning desire to be the best at everything he does. 

To win at everything he does. 

Take spades, for example. The Heat like to play on the team plane during long road trips. “When I say he does not lose, he does not lose,” forward Jamal Cain says. “Me and Haywood Highsmith beat him once and he was kind of shitty after that. I kind of saw it in his face. He’s very competitive. He does not like to lose.”

Or take dominoes, which might be the game Jimmy is best at (including the one he’s famous for). “He’s a top-five, top-10 dominoes player in the world,” claims Chris Brickley, Butler’s trainer. “I know this because he and [Colombian singer] J Balvin have flown in the top dominoes players in the world, like, world champions. And he’s beat them.”

“That’s some Jimmy shit,” Martin remarks with a laugh. He and his twin brother, Cody, are a rare duo that have actually beat Jimmy in dominoes. “And we ain’t played since,” Martin says. “On and off the court, he doesn’t like to lose. He’s ducking me, for sure. Ever since we played him, he tells me and my brother, ‘Y’all are The Funky Brothers.’ Me and Cody play funky, so it messes him up.”

Butler brings that same competitive mindset to his brand, BIGFACE, which he is very dedicated to building. Along with the BIGFACE team, he has visited Colombia and Ecuador on a quest to find the best coffee. He is even trying to master latte art and how to make the perfect cappuccino. 

“People can see this on the court as well—his dedication to something and to knowing everything there is to know about it translates from basketball to coffee,” says Britt Berg, Chief Operating Officer at BIGFACE. She and Butler text about coffee almost every day. 

BIGFACE is set to open its first brick-and-mortar shop in Miami later this year, a milestone that Jimmy is eagerly awaiting. “When I’m not practicing, when I’m not with my kids, when I’m not in a game, I can tell you where I’m gonna be, and that’s in this coffee shop, meeting all the fans of myself and of coffee,” he says. “Because I do love coffee, I do want to bring the best coffee to Miami. I don’t think there’s a spot like that here yet, and I want the first BIGFACE café to be that, so that’s where I’m gonna be. And we need that. Miami needs that…along with a championship!”

Ah, yes. We should probably talk a bit about basketball. It’s mid-March when we shoot this cover—or, as Butler calls it, “that time.”

Allow him to elaborate: “It’s the time where people really gotta think about going up against the Miami Heat and myself. I know what I’m capable of. I know what my squad is capable of. And don’t nobody want to see us in a seven-game series anyways. We know that.”

We do.

Miami finished eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 46-36 record. But, then again, the Heat entered last year’s playoffs as the No. 8 seed before going on an epic run to the Finals. In 2019-20, the League’s bubble season, Miami reached the Finals as the No. 5 seed.

“Nobody can tell you anything right now,” Jimmy says. “There are three things that you gotta have in order to win a championship: you’ve gotta be playing your best basketball at the right time, you gotta be healthy, and you gotta be lucky. That’s just the way that it is. So can’t nobody tell right now who’s going to have all three of those things.”

Butler quietly had another stellar year, posting 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game and shooting a career-high 41.4 percent from behind the arc. Don’t expect him to be launching more threes in the postseason, though. “I just don’t like shooting threes because I want to run into you,” he says. “I want to hit somebody. You can’t hit nobody if you shoot threes. I want to see who’s going to quit first. I’m gonna keep running in there, I’m gonna hit you, and I’m gonna hit you again, and I’m gonna hit you again, and we’re gonna see who’s gonna quit.”

That sounds like something the fabled and fearless “Playoff Jimmy” would say, doesn’t it? Only thing is, Butler continues to deny that Playoff Jimmy exists. 

“That’s not a thing for the hundredth time,” he insists. “Playoff Jimmy is not a thing. Emo Jimmy, thing. Football Jimmy, thing. Tennis Jimmy, thing. Daddy Jimmy, thing. Zaddy Jimmy, thing. But Playoff Jimmy, not so much.”

OK, fair enough. But worth noting: over a four-season stretch, Butler has led Miami to the Eastern Conference Finals three times and to the Finals twice, averaging 24.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.9 steals through 64 playoff games. During the 2020 Finals, he registered two triple-doubles, including just the third 40-point triple-double in Finals history. In Game 6 of the 2022 ECF, he hung 47 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals on the Celtics to force a Game 7 (one of four 40-plus-point performances he had that postseason). He set a franchise playoff record with 56 points in Game 4 of last season’s first-round series against the top-seeded Bucks, then followed it up with 42 points in Game 5 as his team pulled off one of the biggest upsets ever. 

Butler will admit that things “ramp up a notch” this time of year. Amid the last few weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs, he and Brickley start working out the night before every single game. They study the defense Miami is about to face and try to replicate the exact situations Butler will find himself in. What spots on the floor will be open? What shots will be available? What switches might occur? Butler’s basketball IQ is “probably the highest IQ out of any player I’ve worked with,” says Brickley.

Martin, who has been with the Heat since 2021, notices a “mental shift” in Jimmy as the playoffs loom. “I think him having the experience of going through this phase so many times, he knows how to time stuff up with his body, and then [there’s] the mental part of it, too, him just being so steady mentally,” Martin explains. “He’s very strategic. He knows when it’s time to ramp up. He knows what games probably hurt more than others or whatever the case is. Everything he does, he thinks about.”

The added reps in the gym help, as does Butler’s very calculated approach. But if there’s one reason to believe Playoff Jimmy is real, and that other teams should fear his impending arrival, it’s this: Jimmy Butler is fully confident in who he is and what he’s capable of. There’s a comfort in that, a peace. Any feelings of self-doubt and pressure are gone. He doesn’t care one bit what others think about him—what others predict he and his team will or won’t do.

That type of confidence has a way of rubbing off on the people around him: friends, colleagues, teammates. 

“When you have a leader like that, it gives you a sense of confidence in your abilities and what you’re doing,” says Berg.

“The first thing I noticed with Jimmy, he’s very comfortable being in his skin. He doesn’t care what anyone thinks about him,” Cain adds. “Seeing how he carried himself and how confident and comfortable he was in his skin only made me more comfortable being who I am.”

Cain remembers one game day when he and other members of the Heat huddled up to pray before taking the court, as was their ritual, and requested that Jimmy turn down the music he was blasting. “Y’all need to be praying to me!” Butler responded. “He said it in a joking manner, but just the fact that that was the first thing on his mind, I was like, Wow, this is Jimmy in a nutshell,” Cain recalls with a chuckle.

It’s no coincidence that Butler describes the Heat as being “overly confident in a good way.” In large part, that identity stems from him. Despite the ups and downs of the regular season, Butler has no doubt that his team has what it takes to make another deep playoff run. 

Why? 

“We just have a different way of going about things,” he says. “Our coaching staff cares and they’re constantly studying how we can make everybody on our roster stick to their strong suits and stay away from the weak points of their games. Ownership cares—they’re at every practice, they’re on the plane. We’re talking to one another. We really fuck with one another, which is a good thing. And, um…” 

He pauses for a moment and flashes a sly smile. 

“I’m on the team. So, I’m taking my chances every time.” 

Portraits by Alex Subers

The post The Undeniable Realness of Jimmy Butler: Heat Star Talks Leadership, Staying True and the Playoffs appeared first on SLAM.

These guys are friends. 

Sounds obvious, right? For sure. Easy to acknowledge it sounds obvious. But SLAM is celebrating its 30th anniversary. We’ve been around NBA players for a while now. We’ve seen that a ton of them are colleagues, not friends. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. These guys spend months on the road together. Their team responsibilities pull them away from their families. So most players keep it cordial with each other, but in the same way that you leave your work environment, they do, too. 

We’re not here to burst any bubbles. You should still believe in Santa Claus. Hell, hopefully one day the Loch Ness monster and Bigfoot finally emerge. But we regret to inform you that most NBA players don’t kick it with each other outside of practice, even if they make it seem so when they’re in public. 

That’s why the genuine laughter of this trio, all three of them former Villanova Wildcats, was a much welcomed surprise. They seem to be friends off the court. There’s a ton of history between them, which we will get into. But you just never know what’s for the internet and what’s for real. 

SLAM 249 featuring the Knicks is available now. Get your copy here.

Josh pulled up first. He was early. He and one of his agency reps sat in the corner of the gym, with windows displaying the amazing manicured lawns outside the gym. It was the first day of March and the sun was reminding us it existed after a long winter. Finely-kept evergreen trees couldn’t block the natural light, so Josh, with his perfect braids and fresh white Ralphie tee, was illuminated. 

He deserves some of the spotlight. He’s the one who does the dirty work for Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. Deflections, switches, backside call-outs all fall under his list of responsibilities. He also plays a lot of minutes. Like, a lot. As we go to press, he’s averaging 41 minutes a game over his last 22 contests. He even played the entire 48 against the Golden State Warriors on March 18. Hart’s role increased when the Knicks suffered injuries to two of their best players; he was called on to essentially be a 6-4 power forward. He has to get bruised up down low, fly around on rotations, jet back down to the paint and then grab rebounds. Over that same 22-game stretch, he pulled down an average of 11.3 boards a contest, way up from his career average of 6.5. Recently, his rebounding numbers have been major. In a stretch from late February to mid-March, he’s had one game of 18 rebounds and two with 19. And to make those two 19-board moments even more impressive, they were both part of triple-double performances. Triple-doubles are portraits of desire and technique—they require reading the game on a serious level. Hart has had five triple-doubles in his seven-year career. They’ve all happened in this current season. 

Hart’s a serious competitor on the court, which, according to Brunson, is the only time he’s ever serious at all. The two were roommates at Villanova and know each other very, very well. For example, Hart knows that Brunson’s favorite childhood player was Steve Nash. Brunson can counter that knowledge by adding that Mike and Ike is Hart’s favorite candy. Brunson, who was named an All-Star this season, says plainly that besides being about his business in basketball, Hart loves to joke around. There’s no arguing from Hart. In fact, Brunson and Hart only communicate in one way throughout the entire shoot.  

Brunson and DiVincenzo arrived together at the gym in Connecticut. It was starting to get dark when they walked in. No more individual spotlight on Hart. Instead, the three of them were the center of attention. Right from the jump, Brunson and Hart speak to each other through veiled inside jokes and outright insults. Sly smiles followed everything they said. Whenever Hart did or said something ridiculous, Brunson would look around helplessly, praying somebody else noticed the insanity. DiVincenzo, the youngest of the trio, consistently cracked up with laughter no matter what. 

DiVincenzo has had a winding road since making it to the League in 2018. The Bucks picked him 17th overall, but he didn’t get a ton of burn in that first season. To go from the height of winning the 2018 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player to only appearing in 27 games (a nagging heel injury can be blamed, too) is a fall off that would take the heart of most. That speed bump, however, gave us the first look at DiVincenzo’s resiliency. He came back the next season, played 66 games and averaged 9.2 ppg. The following season, he started every game he appeared in and upped his points average yet again. He would have been a huge part of the Bucks’ NBA Finals-winning group if not for an ankle injury that needed to be surgically repaired. 

Still, he has a ring. 

The Bucks traded him to the Kings in February ’22, where he suited up in only 25 games for then-coach Alvin Gentry. His next stop, the Warriors, reminded the NBA of how he plays when healthy. More resiliency. After fighting back from injury, he showed that he can run the 1 or play the 2. The Dubs had him dishing the ball to their Hall of Fame shooting duo. They had him filling the slots on cuts. He was one of the very few guards in the NBA allowed to crash the offensive glass (in this age of otherworldly athleticism and aerial acrobats, most teams prefer to send guys back for transition defense). When given the opportunity, he showed the ability to create his own shot off the bounce. 

He’s doing all of that now for the Knicks. This season, his three ball goes down nearly 40 percent of the time, above the League average. He has four games of more than 30 points this year, too. He had never had a 30-point game in his NBA career before this season. In his last 21 games, he’s going for 20.8 per. Big jump. Big, big jump. 

As most basketball players know, being on the same team as your friends usually increases production. There’s a foundational layer of trust that underlies everything when hooping with the bros. A portion of the stresses that come from playing with strangers get replaced by the fun of running around with your boys. Taking crazy shots or throwing stupid passes are usually followed by choice words from teammates. But sometimes those bad shots or wild passes result in strokes of genius. Genius is more likely to happen with brothers than it is with strangers, when people trust in those choices, when you really know the guy who has something to say after those shots and passes. And defensively, that trust shows up in the form of big rotational swings—a gamble in the passing lane getting covered by that dude who really enjoys Mike and Ike. 

Playing alongside friends is a treat. Winning alongside friends is a special privilege from the basketball heavens. 

These guys won together on the biggest collegiate stage. 

Hart was a junior by the time DiVincenzo and Brunson got to Nova. Though DiVincenzo didn’t play much in that 2015-16 season, Hart and Brunson were two of the Wildcats’ leaders. Along with Kris Jenkins and Ryan Arcidiacono, they guided the Wildcats to the 2016 national championship. They conquered close games, raced back from big deficits and survived the gauntlet together. Together is the key here. 

It’s a fact that the bonds we as humans form get deepened by stressful environments and heightened situations. When you’re 18-21 years old and the entire nation is watching your every step, giving you all their opinions, placing their hopes on your shoulders, that’s a stressful environment and a heightened situation. 

Then when Hart was playing for the Lakers in 2018, Brunson and DiVincenzo won the natty again. More stressful environments and heightened situations. 

So, of course these guys are actually friends. Their bond began in college, where young minds are shaped and formed without nationally-televised basketball games. Add in the games on TV, the thousands of screaming fans, the legacy of a Hall of Fame coach and that would’ve made for a deeper bond together. Now fast forward a few years and add the layer of Madison Square Garden, the generations-deep Knicks fandom and the pressure of possibly playing in May or June…that’s a lifelong bond. 

The three of them hit the bathroom together to change into their uniforms at our shoot. When they come back to the gym, Brunson’s no longer wearing DiVincenzo’s jersey. But they’re all still laughing. And they continue laughing. Hart is the ringleader. Brunson is the seemingly-innocent-but-actually- devilish instigator. And DiVincenzo uncontrollably laughs at it all. 

None of this happens without Brunson, by the way. He’s the All-Star, he’s the Knicks’ best player. He’s their floor general. He’s their clutch scorer. He’s the heartbeat of the Garden. All the numbers point to this being his best season yet. Those numbers actually become redundant because they all make it clear that he’s an elite player. One number, however, sums it up. Five. 

He’s fifth in the NBA in scoring, as of this writing. 

Nobody thought that the 33rd overall pick in the 2018 Draft would one day lead the Knicks’ franchise revival, be an All-Star or be near the top of the League in scoring. But the game is easy when playing with friends. 

Especially with friends who love to compete. All three of these guys are physical. They hustle hard. Hart hits the glass, DiVincenzo recovers from injury after injury and Brunson goes down into the land of trees despite his height. They relish the big moments. They love the challenge. It’s obvious they love playing together because they play together. 

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau spoke about them after a big road win over the Golden State Warriors in March.

“Josh’s role expanded,” Thibs said at his postgame press conference. “Donte’s role expanded. And Jalen just keeps rolling. It’s a team, and that’s what we prioritize. We want guys to sacrifice and put the team first, but there has to be that belief. I think when your best players have that belief, then your entire team ends up having that belief.”

Even when they’re making fun of each other and laughing at each other, they do it together. After about an hour in front of our cameras in that Connecticut gym, they leave, together. 

Portraits by Marcus Stevens.

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