2016-17

NBA PREVIEW
2

SLAMONLINE.COM

+Kevin +

DURANT

+Stephen +

CURRY

LEBRON JAMES
RAJON
RONDO
CHANDLER
PARSONS
JEREMY LIN
#SLAMTOP50

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NO. 203 DEC 2016

ROSTER
32 2016-17 NBA PREVIEW
A group of our favorite rappers help us
look toward the coming NBA season.

36 #SLAMTOP50
Kawhi Leonard (right) and the rest of
the NBAs elite are ranked in our annual
list of the Leagues 50 best players.

40 ROOKIES
MOST LIKELY TO...
Like every year, we give some
superlatives to a young, wide-eyed
crop of up-and-comers.

42 F.U.T.W.

48 WIN THE DAY

Remember when JJ Redick was
the most hated basketball player in
America? Neither do we.

52 BACK ON
MY GRIZZY
The ever-stylish Chandler
Parsons next chapter will take
place in Grind City.

56 IN MY MIND
Problem child or troubled genius?
We think of Rajon Rondo as the
latter, and hope the troubled
part disappears ASAP.

60 MOMENT
OF CLARITY
Linsanity is long gone, but
Jeremy Lin is back in New York
and ready to run the suddenly
young-ish BK Nets.

64 MY TIME
Seth Curry nally has a
guaranteed deal and a chance to
prove he truly belongs in the L.

66 YALL MUST
HAVE FORGOT
Shareef Abdur-Rahim is far from
the most legendary member of
the 96 Draft class, but dude had
serious game. Do remember.

6 SL AMONLINE .COM

COVER ATIBA JEFFERSON

Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are

ofcially running the most talked-about
team in the NBA. You ready?

Reuben Reuel New success, marrying

African fabrics with western fashion.

Looking back is part of the ride.

As Reuben Reuel moves forward on the road to the new success,
he knows that sometimes you have to take a backward glance.
Introducing the new 2017 Toyota Corolla, with standard
Toyota Safety Sense P1 and standard Backup Camera.2 Entune
Audio Plus with connected navigation is also available.
Youve got the wheel. Now, do.
Options Shown. 1Drivers should always be responsible for their own safe driving. Always pay attention to your surroundings and drive safely. Depending on the conditions of roads, vehicles, weather, etc., the
system(s) may not work as intended. See Owners Manual for details.2The backup camera does not provide a comprehensive view of the rear area of the vehicle. You should also look around outside your vehicle
and use your mirrors to confirm rearward clearance. Environmental conditions may limit effectiveness and view may become obscured. See Owners Manual for details. 2016 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

NO. 203 DEC 2016

FRONT
COURT

BACK
COURT

12 TRASH TALK

72 KICKS ON COURT

Like it or not, KAT got next.

Rock what the pros rock as the

season tips off.

15 HYPE
Allyson Felix is crazy fast, a Warriors
legend from years past, and Kris Dunn
ofcially joins a dope Wolves cast. Plus
stories on Jordin Canada, Lil Dicky, Tyus
Jones, Norman Powell and more.

28 SLAMADAMONTH
Jaylen Browns career has barely started
and yet the Celtics rook is already soaring.

74 KICKS OFF COURT

Sneaks and boots to prep
for the cold.

75 KICKS EXTRA
The third in Stephs UA sig line,
and fresh socks to wear with
it from Stance.

76 PUNKS
Allow Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaylen
Hands, Jalek Felton, Sidney Cooks
and DeAndre Ayton (above) to
introduce themselves.

80 FROZEN MOMENT
The mid-00s version of our newest
cover wouldve been pretty hot.

8 SL AMONLINE .COM

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2016 Vol.23 No.10

GENERAL MANAGER Dennis Page

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Adam Figman
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Paul Scirecalabrisotto

Editorial
MANAGING EDITOR Susan Price Thomas
SENIOR EDITORS Ryne Nelson, Abe Schwadron
ASSOCIATE EDITORS Franklyn Calle, Peter Walsh
ASSISTANT EDITOR Max Resetar
NEWS EDITOR Marcel Mutoni
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Rajah Allarey, Bill DiFilippo,

Habeeba Husain, Leo Sepkowitz, Alex Squadron

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Ryan Jones, Tzvi Twersky
PRODUCTION MANAGER Jillian Burmeister
BASKETBALL EVANGELIST Rick Telander
SENIOR WRITERS Jake Appleman, Russ Bengtson,

uly 8, 2010. I rode the LIRR into Manhattan and squeezed into a crowded
midtown bar lled with bridge and
tunnel loudmouths wearing oversized
Knicks jerseys and tted Yankee hats. I was
with two friendsone a fellow basketball
obsessive, one a pop-culture rubbernecker,
there simply to witness the spectacle.
And man, what a spectacle it was. Not
even The DecisionIm not here to talk
about the television special that birthed
a trillion takesbut the decision, the fact
that a basketball player could decide to
go do his job in a different city and that as
a result the landscape of the NBA could
be re-arranged so rapidly and with such
force. Its always been fascinating to me that this is even possible. I love it. Its a reason for fans to never get too
comfortable with streaks of big wins or bad losseswhich is totally ne. We get to watch basketball played at its
highest level for a couple hundred nights every single year. Thats more than enough.
I spent the early portion of that summer unemployed and confused, unsure if the music-writing job I then wanted
was in any way feasible. (Entering the workforce in mid-recession 2010 was weird as hell.) At some point that July
I realized I was devoting an unhealthy portion of my days to thinking and reading about basketball, and so, so much
of that was LeBron-relatedif not directly about him, then indirectly so, considering how much he altered the rest of
the NBA. I had of course spent the majority of my preteen, teenage and collegiate years not only thinking and reading but also playing, watching, writing, arguing and dreaming about basketball, but to still be doing so at 22 years
old meant this would likely never stop happening. And all of the madness looked so fun to be involved with. So I
applied for an internship at a popular basketball magazine and never looked back.
The Leagues tectonic plates shifted once again in the summer of 2014, when Bron elected to return to the
state that had raised him. When you factor in that a previous one of these NBA upheavals had also taken place
back in 07 with the forming of Bostons Big Three (that required two moves, but still), it becomes clear that what
we have is a legitimate pattern: Every few years something happens that reignites the energy and spirit of the L in a
perpetually exciting and polarizing manner.
Earlier this summer, while riding a train from DC home to NYC, I was staring at Twitter (this story already checks
out) when I scrolled into the famous Players Tribune link that crashed the internet. The format was different, but it happened again. Kevin Durant singlehandedly took the ingredients that make up todays NBA and shook that shit up.
Im happy for KD, becauseas Pete Walsh writes about in this months cover story (pg 42)he made a decision
that he seems pleased with, which is ultimately all that I believe really matters. But Id be lying if I didnt admit that
Im happy for us, too, both as fans and media members. Maybe the Warriors go on to win Championship after
Championship, or maybe they implode and this goes down as a wild one-year experiment; regardless, the new-look
Dubs have ofcially given everyone a new reason to pay attention, to tune in. To spend days thinking and arguing
about basketball. And to read a season preview issue of a mag like this. Hope you think its a good one.

Michael Bradley, Alan Paul, Khalid Salaam,

Yaron Weitzman, DeMarco Williams, Nima Zarrabi
Mohamed Bamba, Shannon Booher,
Kris Dunn, Anel Ganic, Vincent Goodwill, Holly MacKenzie,
Sam Rubenstein, Eli Schwadron, David Zirin
INTERN Jihad Dennis
CONTRIBUTORS

Art
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Chris Razoyk, John Ueland

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MVP Spiro Maroulis
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Back Issues

OFF THE BENCH

JAMES TIRADO Raised in Flushing, Queens, James will rarely miss an opportunity
to let you know where hes from. A former mens fashion editor, James recently decided to
take a hobby that has captivated him since his teensvideo productionand make a
career out of it. Catch the 25-year-old splitting time between a weekly show for SLAM,
creating videos for his YouTube channel and foolishly getting his hopes up for this years
Knicks who will inevitably break his spirit, again. Being associated with SLAM is still
surreal for him, as he still speaks fondly of all the AND 1, adidas and Dada sneaker ads of
the mid-00s that inspired him to study advertising in college. For more from James, check
out his YouTube channel and nd him on Twitter @jtirado_.

10 S L A M O N L I N E . C O M

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Adam Figman

KATS GOT NEXT

Finally! A new cover. Tired of

seeing LeBrons cover at stores.
KAT and the Wolves should have
a great season this year.
Ronnie Jones, via FB
Im 12 and writing from Kentucky. I
read SLAM every single month. Ive
been reading since 170. I literally
count down the days until the next
SLAM comes out. I play basketball
and love to collect sneakers. It would
be awesome if you guys could put
this in the next magazine. My favorite
players are LeBron and Kawhi Leonard. My favorite throwback players
are Vince Carter and Allen Iverson.
My favorite section of SLAM is the
SLAMADAMONTH. Thanks.
JD Soard, Lexington, KY
Nah dude, thank you.Ed.
Hes got so much potential and
already has a great sense of awareness at his young age, this is the
NBAs next superstar!!
Andrew Ramirez, via FB
I was hoping for the Cleveland
Cavaliers cover like you did when
Miami Heat won back to back.
Allen Dave Novicio Lupena, via FB
Uh, you see SLAM 201?Ed.

Some day I dream of a MinnesotaCharlotte NBA Finals. Some day!

Kareem Moreland, via FB
This is the last call to jump on the
TWolves Wagon.
Sincerely,
Loyal Wolves Fan
Tenzin Phuntsok, via FB
KAT is denitely the future best
big man in this league. He
will only get better under Thibs.
Jason Ejercito, via FB
First off, congrats to King James
and the Cleveland Cavaliers for their
best Finals, coming from behind 3-1
to win the NBA title. We cant forget
the historic season the Golden
State Warriors (73-9) put together,
record breaking and history making.
But Im a Kobe Bryant/L.A. Lakers
fan till my last breath. Cant wait till
my team gets back to the glory and
to being a title contender. Shout
out the best player of my time Black

TWEET OF THE MONTH

12 S L A M O N L I N E . C O M

Mamba. We (the Lakers) have a

good young roster with a lot of
potentialreminds me of OKC. Well,
that was until Durant jumped ship
and went to the GS Warriors (cant
beat them, join them). All KD had to
do is believe everything is possible,
ask Kobe Bryant! They told him he
wasnt gonna win another title after
Shaq left for Miami, but he aint get
one title but two. But all KD did was
create a super team for the ages
(if he stays put). Just know that
this 2016-17 season, the Golden
State Warriors will not win the NBA
title. King James looking good for
a two-peat. Wish the Lakers would
hurry up, shout out to D. Russell,
B. Ingram, J. Randle, A. Brown and
General Manager Mitch Kupchak
(missing piece: Anthony Davis).
Lets go Laker Nation. Thank you
for letting me express my feelings
and telling SLAM Nation about my
prediction for this upcoming season.
Thank you once again, youre the
best sports magazine in the whole

damn planet and Ill be a lifetime

subscriber of SLAM. #GoSLAM
Carlos Abreu, Auburn, NY
Note: Please print this in #203
so the whole world could see my
prediction is on the money.
What it do, SLAM Magazine? Yall
been holding down the No. 1 spot
for awhile when it comes to the
sport of basketball on all levels. Im
glad yall put my dude King James
on the cover of 201 holding his new
hardware with the slogan LeBron:
What More Can I Say? Thats all
that needs to be said. He came
back home and did what he said he
was going to do: bring Cleveland a
championship. Also big shouts out to
Kyrie Irving for his major role he also
played in helping Cleveland make
history, then following up with a Gold
medal in the Olympics. I was in the
hole for almost two years and made
it out to see Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Ive been hearing about Golden
State but never seen them playthey
are a really good team. Theyre the
fastest team I think I ever seen, plus
get open so easy its crazy. But out
of everything I saw this is my one
question for the world: Where is
Kevin Love? Because I dont know
that guy on Cleveland wearing No. 0.
But thank you for the years of lling
me in on my favorite sport while Im in
the hole or in the yard. Keep holding
us down and giving us on an Iron
Vacation a place to talk basketball.
All love,
Damon Williams, Cameron, MO

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(WE MAY EDIT LETTERS TO FIT.)

Whats going on SLAM???

First I want to congratulate you on your
contribution to the basketball world and
you making 200 interesting and motivating
issues. I grew up reading SLAM and I believe
that SLAM shaped who I am today. 2015-16
was one of the best seasons in basketball
history, I cant wait to see what the 2016-17
season has in store for us. Im a subscriber,
so Ill be in tune even though Ill be in the
box for the next two years.
#BALLISFORLIFE
#SLAMISFAM
#ONMYMAXOUT
#2018CANTWAIT
Fresh Lunchiano, Queens, NY
I am 12 years old and a big, big fan. I have
been collecting SLAM for a number of years.
I loved Issue 200, no better cover than the
legend himself MJ!!!!! I recently got KICKS 19,
love the article on Jordan XXXI and Jordan I.
Classics!! I have all your posters hanging up
on my bedroom wall!!! My dad is a big fan of
basketball. He still plays!!!! We live in Ireland.
SLAM you have covered every player over the
years from Magic, MJ, LeBron, KD, Iverson,
Black Mamba, Shaq, Olajuwon and the
Splash Brothers.....
Thanks to the worlds No.1 bball magazine!!
Eli Fitzgerald, Ireland

INSTAGRAM
M
OF THE
MONTH

TAG YOUR
PICS

#MYSLAM

@KINGJAMES
Appreciate you coming and showing
my city love last night and they denitely
returned the favor!! Keep soaring
to places untouched homie and lets
continue to inspire! #King&Yeezus
#StriveForGreatness #RWTW

Was good, SLAM! I want to say that SLAM is

the dopest mag out period! Im locked up right
now up in the woods of New Hampshire and we
dont get much ball updates or news, so I really
look forward to my SLAM coming every month.
Plus Im a super sneakerhead. I buy a pair of kicks
once a month from SLAM KICKS and my wife
saves them for me for when I get out at the end of
the year. And that puts you guys above the rest.

@SLAMonline
SLAMmagazine

I have been reading your PUNKS section every

month. I love seeing our future. Ill stay reading
about their struggles and what they have accomplished already in life. It seems like no other may
care about these things the way I do. And last but
not least to all you LeBron haters out there, what
ya got to say now? What can you say?
Luis M. Carpio
Berlin, NH

THE
OPENING
TIP
always by

H
Jesse D. Garrabrant NBAE via Getty Images

Rick Telander
ey guys, smile! Its
gonna be OK. Well,
its gonna be better
than it was. I mean,
how could it be
worse?
You 76ers have
been through a lot,
including serious soul evaluation,
and that can be painful. But this is
the way the big League works, so
welcome to it: Your team gets lousy,
your owner tanks, you lose game
after game, you get some high Draft
picks because youre bad, some
of them survive and ourish, and
eventually the sky starts turning blue
again instead of Philly blah.
So forget that 0-17 start last
season and the professional sports
record streak of 27 straight losses
(going back to the end of the 201415 season). And forget the 10-72
nal record (the opposite of the
1996 Jordan-led Bulls, for those of
you who are interested), and the

wonderful quote from longtime Philly

AP beat writer Dan Gelston regarding covering the 76ers night after
night: The game stories are identical
and meaningless.
Yes, its hard to throw up just 47
wins in three yearsto go with 199
lossesbut it can be done. And you
did it. So lets move on to sunshineall
these high Draft picks and rebuilding
that comes from sustained ineptitude.
Indeed, here comes the No. 1 overall

pick from this years Draft, 20-year-old

Ben Simmons from LSU, a bouncy
6-10 action-creator who was born in
Australia and should help the Sixers
kangaroo-hop back to relevance.
Oops! Simmons is not exactly hopping, is he? Hes more like staggering,
since he came down on a teammates
shoe in October, underwent surgery
for an acute Jones fracture of the
fth metatarsal of his right foot and
is out for three months or so. Sadly,

that Jones thing is not named for

the resilient Bobby Jones, a bouncy
6-9 former Sixer who was a multiple
All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Defensive
First-Team member and part of the
1983 NBA Champion 76ers.
But please, smile, fellows. Or at
least, grin. Silver linings exist. Golden
rays do follow clouds. Everythings
up from the bottom.
And youve seen the depths of the
septic system.

S L A M O N L I N E . C O M 15

So happy that Ben McLemore is reunited with

his pup Rolex. @matdavis916, youre a hero
SLAM x Mr. Throwback dad hats are in
super limited supply. Go cop!...For anyone
planning on ever placing a bet against her:
Susan likes her coffee iced with just a little milk,
no sugar...Always amazing when its simple
and painless to get a hold of NBA superstars
but wildly difficult to get a hold of guys
who can barely make the LWait, Joe Johnson
is on the Utah Jazz?

IN YOUR FACE

TYUS
JONES

Minnesota Timberwolves
6-1, G

16 S L A M O N L I N E . C O M

I STILL THINK
I HAVE A
LOT TO PROVE
THAT I CAN
PLAY AT
THIS LEVEL.

nitely helped with my condence,

Jones says. When I was out there, I
was trying to prove that I can be out
there and make an impact on the
game as best as I could.
After the Wolves season ended,
Jones had his eyes set on Summer
League. With the Wolves drafting
Dunn, Jones denitely had to make
himself stick out, and he did just
that. Jones averaged 19.4 points,
6.3 assists and 4 boards and led

the Wolves squad to the Summer

League Championship game, where
he walked away with the Summer
League MVP.
I just need to keep working. Just
keep trying to improve in all areas of
my game, Jones says. Keep trying
to improve my body. I think just
becoming a better leader and oor
general and then continuing to nd
my niche in the League and on this
team. Anel Ganic

David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

yus Jones has now

made head coach Tom
Thibodeaus job much,
much harder. Coming off
an impressive Summer League
performance, Jones is proving that
he belongs in the L. Now, Thibs
has the problem of deciding among
Jones, Kris Dunn or Ricky Rubio for
who gets the most clock at point
guard.
Still trying to earn my spot in
the League, Jones says. Year Two
compared to Year One, I still think I
have a lot to prove that I can play at
this level.
Jones was fortunate enough to
be chosen No. 24 by the Cavs in
the 2015 Draft, but was then later
traded to Minnesota, and his rookie
campaign was a bumpy ride. He
didnt get much playing time in the
rst half of the season and was
even sent to the D-League for a few
games, but he returned after playing
six games there. After the All-Star
break, however, he was getting
more minutes and was lling in as a
solid role player.
The stint in the D-League de-

ROOKIE DIARY with

KRIS DUNN

VAGUELY LITERARY

DeRozan: Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images; KG/TD: Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images; Dunn: Atuba Jefferson

DEMAR DEROZAN,
THE BOOK FOR YOU IS
INTO THE WILD
BY JON KRAKAUER
DeMar, you have
your Raptors on the
rise, perched at the
top of the East with
the champs. There
was no pressure on
the Raptors as rst-round Playoff fodder the past few years, but you ended
that by going deep, turning what
looked like a foregone conclusion into
an actual series with Cleveland. Youve

come a long way from Compton to

Canada, so you should read Into the
Wild by Jon Krakauer, the story of a
man who ventured farther than anyone
thought he could.
Krakauer tells the journey of Chris
McCandless, who abandoned a
normal life in pursuit of adventure.
He tries to learn from the person he
is studying, and this is the path you
must take if you want to bring the

Raps to the Finals, and perhaps a

ring. For the past half-decade, the
only way to make it to the Finals from
the East was to have LeBron James.
Thats not happening, DeMaryou
must nd another way. It may be perilous, but you will have to nd a way to
make yourself and the team greater.
Others have tried and fallen; Derrick
Rose, the aging Celtics, the toughminded Frank Vogel-coached Pacers,
the democratic Hawks whom you
dispatched. How can you succeed
where those others have failed? You
must study the journey of a courageous explorer like McCandless.
The book follows the trail. One
thing that the author uncovered is
that all of those whom McCandless
told about the plan warn him that he
needs to be better prepared, but his
stubbornness wont allow that, and
its that iron will that can lead the
Raps. Sam Rubenstein

Im getting used to
my apartment. Im living by
myself, doing my own decorating. I have a lot of my jerseys
upMcDonalds, my high school
jersey, and Im going to try to get
some legends, like Randy Moss,
Ray Lewis, KG, AI, Sean Taylor,
RIP, up too. I also have some
SLAMs, of course.

Were working
on getting my wardrobe NBAready. I couldnt pack everything
from home, plus the weather
is different in Minnesota, so I
got to get a lot of big jackets,
peacoats. I also have to get my
suit game up, I have to look
presentable when Im walking in
the tunnel. Right now, Im styling
myselfa stylist couldnt style
me. Haha!

Since I last wrote

LINE OF THE MONTH

LYRICS OF THE MONTH
I rhyme like 94 Keith Murray, mixed with Steph Curry/
Golden State Warrior on a blessed journey, Constant Elevation, Ras Kass, Intellectual Property: SOI2; DeMarcus
Cousins ow, Im a underrated King, Fabolous, To The
Sky, Summertime Shootout 2; Back the fuck up, you too
little/Hit em with three like Im Miller, Young Thug, Pick
Up The Phone, Jeffery; Ever since I went out there and
tapped it/She been sending me tickets to the Raptors,
Juicy J, Plenty, #MUSTBENICE. Hip-Hop and the NBA
any region of the map, any season of the year.
TWIN TOWERS OF THE MONTH
One refused to be called a center. The other refused to be
a 7-footer. One rode perfect franchise synergy for ve titles.
The other had to relocate to understand that anything is
possible. One had the ultimate poker face. The other generated raw volcanic emotion. Both wore 21, and both had
indelible impact on the game of basketball. Tim Duncan.
Kevin Garnett. Legends of the game.

by

Shannon Booher

a survey came out where the

rookies said Im most likely to
win Rookie of the Year. I appreciate they see how hard I work,
but it could have been anybody.
I think now were all just working
to get accustomed to our teams,
and we know its a long season.
I appreciate it, though.

Im filling some free...

time with video games. Im nice
in NBA 2K and I only play with
Minnesota. I play Madden, where
Im a Redskins guy. I also play
Call of Duty, FIFA, Watch Dogs.

Its almost
training camp right now and I
cant wait. I just want to compete
with the guys, get to know their
games, get to know how Im
going to play during the season,
and get to know each other off
court. I think chemistry will be
very important for us.

S L A M O N L I N E . C O M 17

@EveryDamnSlam is still trucking along. Love it

Has a subpar team ever been as polarizing as
the current incarnation of the Sixers?...Were
excited for the world to learn that Jaylen Brown
might be the most interesting guy in the L
Serious question: Whos the best basketball
player/part-time chef in the League?...Congrats to #SLAMFam Alexis Morgan on her new
gig with the Grizzlies. Best of luck in Grind City,
Lex!...You high school basketball heads better
be following @SLAMonline_HS on Twitter

DIME DROP

FAST AF
Olympic Gold Medalist ALLYSON FELIX
just so happens to be a lifelong
Lakers fan with a Nike collection most
sneakerheads can only dream about.
What are your memories?
We had a hoop in our backyard.
Everyone would play at our house.
I started organized basketball from
elementary school through high
school. My freshman year, thats when
I switched over to track.

WORLD-CLASS sprinter Allyson Felix

is one of the fastest humans on the
planet. She won her fth and sixth
Olympic Gold medals this summer in
Rio, to go along with her total of nine
Golds at the World Championships
since 2005. Shes also a xture in
the sneaker community thanks to her
Nike sponsorship and a keen eye for
heat. And even though she eventually
traded in her hoop dreams for track
stardom, the L.A. native grew up playing, watching and falling in love with
basketball and can often be spotted
courtside at Laker games.

Which players did you look up to?

I was into Grant Hill. My rst pair of
sneakers were Gary Paytons. But of
course our idol was Michael Jordan.
He was the focus of everything.

SLAM Whyd you start playing?

AF I have an older brother. Hes two
years older than me. I was pretty much
into whatever he was, and he was into
basketball. Everyone in our neighborhood was. Thats what sparked my
love for it and got me into it. I loved the
game and I was athletic, but I wasnt
the greatest.

Favorite sneaker to play in?

Growing up, we couldnt get the
shoes we wanted, but I played in
the Team Jordans. I think the Jordan
Jumpman Team 1, the black-and-white
and the white-and-blue. My favorite
Jordan is the XI. The Playoff Jordans. I
couldnt get those. I remember taking
a picture of one of my friends who had
them and I put it on my wall. That was
the dream.

Which NBA guys are you close to?

Draymond Green is a friend. Chris
Paul. Andre Iguodala.
Do you watch a lot of NBA?
Im a season-ticket Lakers fan. Im
always watching.
Who are your favorites to see live?
Its tough on my Lakers right now
[laughs]. I enjoy the Warriors. I enjoy

PICTURE ME BALLIN
ZENA EDOSOMWAN, Harvard
This big man caught a lot of people by surprise when he made the decision to
play ball at Harvard University. Zena Edosomwan traveled cross-country from
California to Massachusetts and joined the Crimson, and the 6-9 stud recorded
numbers that put him among the top of the Ivy League as a junior last year.
In addition to his league-leading 9.9 rebounds a night, he posted 13.1 points
(12th in the conference) on 50.3 percent shooting (seventh) and 1.2 blocks
(seventh) per game. With his stats steadily increasing since his Harvard debut,
hell surprise no one when he puts up even better numbers as a senior.

CAITLIN INGLE, Drake

Bulldogs senior guard Caitlin Ingle has so many tricks up her sleeve, shes
earned the nickname Swaggy C among her teammates. The 5-8 Ingle
routinely catches opponents off guard en route to getting buckets, whether
for herself or via an assist. As a junior last season, Ingle nished fourth in the
nation in assists (6.9 per game). She handed out 534 dimes in her rst three
years, already fourth all-time in Drakes history. Pair that with her 9.7 points
per game at 46.4 percent shooting, and its clear the Bulldogs are again in
good hands for the upcoming season. Habeeba Husain

Cleveland. I like good basketball, so

whenever anyone is in town and I
know its going to be good, Im gonna
get there.
Youve been to the last three Olympics. Do you go to those games?
Ive always been a big supporter of
basketball and track is always the
second week of the Olympics so Im
usually sitting back, watching their
games through the rst week. In the
last Olympics, my really good friend
Candace Parker, I got to see her
games. That was cool. I didnt get to
see anything in person this year. There
were a few close games this year, but
typically the USA just dominates so I
just like watching them put on a show.
What are you looking forward to this
upcoming NBA season?
Im just hoping to see good games.
Im interested to see how my Lakers
are going young, see the new pieces. I
know its going to be a tough season,
but Im excited to watch them. Im
interested to see what the Knicks are
going to do. Are they nally going to
get things together? Also with Kevin
Durant to the Warriors, Im excited to
see how he will t.
Do you have a prediction?
It seems like the Warriors are going
to do it. Who knows? But if I were
a betting person, Id go with them.
Max Resetar

18 S L A M O N L I N E . C O M

Felix: AP Photo/Matt Slocum; Edosomwan: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images; Ingle: Baron Cao: Canada: ASUCLA Photography

IN YOUR FACE

JORDIN CANADA
UCLA
5-6, G

llen Iverson and Kobe

Bryant. UCLA junior Jordin
Canada would like to take
a moment to thank the two
NBA legends.
Iverson for playing like [every
game] was his last, and Kobe with
the mental side of the game, she
says. Thats what I got from watching both of them.
Those lessons are paying
dividends for the 21-year-old PG
known for her mixtape-worthy

handle and dizzying quickness.

Coming off a season in which
she led the Bruins in scoring (16.1
ppg), assists (5.6) and steals
(2.3), Canada is now rmly in the
conversation when it comes to the
best point guard in the nation.
But getting to this point did not
come easy.
Canada was thrust into the
starting role early as a freshman
and struggled so much that she
considered quitting during the

season. She found her footing by

the end of the year, helping UCLA
to the schools rst WNIT Championship.
The UCLA star nished the
season with a crescendo, dropping
31 points in the title game on 9-19
shooting and 13-15 from the freethrow line.
At the end of that game, I was
more condent in myself and I
knew I could do this, the 5-6 Los
Angeles native says. It was hard
at the beginning, stepping into a
role that Ive never been in before.
Playing in the WNIT, that just built
my condence even more and I
knew that I could lead this team to
better things.
Better things would indeed
come in 2015-16. Canadas Bruins
nished with a 26-9 record and
advanced to the Sweet 16 for the

rst time in 17 years.

It proved to us that we can do
anything we put our minds to,
she says. If we continue to put
in the work, we can get as far as
we want.
Rest assured, Canada will be
setting the tone in 2016-17 as
she continues to go hard on every
possession and train while most
normal humans are still asleep.
Call it the JC3 Mentality.
Ryne Nelson

IF WE CONTINUE
TO PUT IN THE
WORK, WE
CAN GET AS FAR
AS WE WANT.
S L A M O N L I N E . C O M 19

The MLB Playoffs might tear the SLAM Dome

apartIs Brandblack throwing in the towel
(basketball-wise)? Hope notWere counting
on an @wzzntzz revival when the season
startsBe sure to peep former Bulls guard Craig
Hodges memoir Long Shot: The Triumphs and
Struggles of an NBA Freedom Fighter, coming
out this winter with a foreword by our man Dave
ZirinDJ Stephens can really fly. Heres hoping
an NBA team gives him a roster spot, if only
so we can see him in the NBA Dunk Contest

THROWBACK

CAN YOU
ROCK IT
LIKE THIS

hris Mullin moving to

the Bay was a big
deal. For him, for his
family, for his friends.
In 1985, there was
no internet and there
were no cell phones,
at least not for regular
folk. There was no NBA League Pass.
For a kid who grew up in the deepest
reaches of Brooklyn and attended
college in the heart of Queens, getting
drafted by a team based in Oakland
was akin to being drafted by a team
on Mars. I know, because I was there
(more or less).
Chris Mullin is only a few years
older than me. Kids who grew up in or
around New York City in those days
knew the Celtics, the Lakers and the
Knicks. The hardcore fans also knew
the Nets and the Sixers. If we knew
the Warriors (who were never on TV),
it was as the crazy team with bright
yellow unis and a dude named Sleepy
who took all the shots. Mully didnt
know much more than us, honestly. He
moved all the way across the country
and had to leave most of his famof
the blood and hanging out varieties
behind. He had to get his body on an
NBA level. He had to manage expec-

20 SLAMONLINE .COM

tations of an impatient fan base hed

never even known existed. He had
to manage a predilection for drinking
away his pain that would get worse
before he eventually got treatment and
quit alcohol entirely.
But the saying is truegame
recognize game. And Chris Mullin
had too much of it not to ourish.
There was the shot, of course. Lefty.
Smooth. Pure. His 18-footers (step
off, stat nerds, Mully did his thing in
the pre-analytics days and he did it
damn well) were like putting a knife
through butter thats been sitting out
for a day. Soft. And they went down,
believe. Mullin averaged 14 points on
46 percent shooting from the eld (90
percent from the line) as a rook and
then began a decade-long run where
he rarely averaged less than 15 ppg or
shot below 50 percent from the eld,

mostly on the strength of that shot.

But its like I said beforedude had
game, and that encompasses a whole
lot more than a wet J. He wasnt quick
afoot, but his hands were lightning
fast, making him a menace to sloppy
dribblers or lazy passers, often gobbling up steals to the tune of 2-plus
per game. His court vision was a thing
of beauty, rendering cutters invisible
to the untrained eye the recipients of
a Mully dime that led to a lay-in. He
could also weasel his way into the
lane and steal rebounds from bigger,
better-jumping opponents with his
incredible court sense. Chris Mullin
was a shooting guard in name only.
His real position, at least as a young
Warrior, should have been called,
simply, basketball player.
Eventually, recognition for all this
followed. There were ve All-Star

Games. Four All-NBA selections.

A spot on the original Dream Team.
And induction into the Hall of Fame.
Inspired by his mind-bending feats
on the court, and perhaps a little by
his swag-without-trying buzzcut and
New York accent, Mully was a fan
favorite on both coasts whose appeal
reached Middle America, too, when
he later played in Indy.
The New York accent survives
to this day, which nds him back in
Queens, trying to rebuild a onceproud St. Johns program that actually
has some talent this season. And
dont be surprisedwhether its to gain
cred as a basketball historian, fan of
his coach or just as a dude with great
fashion senseif you see hotshot SJU
freshman Shamorie Ponds walking the
streets of Jamaica in this throwback
Warriors jersey. Ben Osborne

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

New York native

CHRIS MULLIN made
his mark on the West
Coast as one-third of
the Warriors legendary
Run-TMC trio.

S L A M O N L I N E . C O M 21

Stay up, Ben Simmons and Harry GilesYo Johnny

Bounce, thanks for all of the letters, but we cant
read your handwriting and couldnt fit those
novels in Trash Talk even if we could. Edit em
down...The Brooklyn Nets grew on us a lot this
summer. Consider us big fans of the recent BK youth
movement, fr frFirst Kobe, then Timmy, and now
KG? So many legends retired this summer, man.
Were really about to start camping out for that
2021 Hall of Fame induction ceremonyDAngelo
Russells dogs are v dope...#CigarWednesdays

HUSTLE & FLOW

HOW CAN
I BECOME
A BAWLAA

avid Burd, better known as

Lil Dicky, got his rst taste
of mainstream success in
2016. In February, his Fetty
Wap and Rich Homie Quan-assisted
single $ave Dat Money peaked
at No. 23 on Billboards Hip-Hop
chart, and in June he made the coveted XXL Freshman Class cover, a
rite of passage for raps rising stars.
Having accomplished all that, the
28-year-old from Cheltenham Township, PA, says now he has only one
goal in mind.
Ill know Ive made it when Im
being handed the MVP trophy at
the [NBA] Celebrity All-Star Game.
Nothing would make me happier,
Dicky says.
If youve seen the YouTube video
of Dicky playing pickup hoops in
Chicago (the clip is from 2014 but
just recently went viral), youll understand why he yearns for a roster
spot in the annual celebrity event.

22 SLAMONLINE .COM

At one point, while rocking Russell

Westbrooks USA jersey, Dicky
cashed eight three-pointers in a row
from NBA range.
LD says his game most closely
resembles that of fellow sharpshooter Stephen Curry. Comparing
oneself to the reigning MVP is bound
to raise some eyebrows, but Burd
delivers solid reasoning. Steph has
evolved way past the point of my
game, but when I saw Curry
at Davidson, I saw how I played

ILL KNOW
IVE MADE IT
WHEN IM
THE MVP AT
THE CELEBRITY
ALL-STAR
GAME.

when I was really on re.

Surprisingly, Dicky never played
or even tried out at Cheltenham
High, located a half-mile from the
Philly city border. The varsity team
was loaded, and plus, Burd didnt
feel like lifting weights or learning
offenses. So he settled for dominating local rec leagues and summer
camps instead, a career highlighted
by a game of one-one-one with
Jameer Nelson of St. Josephs and
Orlando Magic fame. Dicky lost 3-2,
and afterward, his friends forced
him to rap in front of Nelson and an
entire camp of kids.
Now that Im a rapper, its
interesting, cause one of the key
moments in my rap career literally
happened on the basketball court,
he says.
Burd was 13 when his hometown
Sixers made the Finals, and he says
the Tyronn Lue step-over remains
his favorite memory in the history of

sports (high praise from someone

who once squeezed 40-plus sports
references into a single track).
He also watched AI usher in
the Leagues IDGAF attitude. I
wonder, as a rapper now, how much
that mustve inuenced me as a kid,
seeing one of my main inspirations
be so embedded in the hip-hop
community, he says.
Dicky is keeping an eye on the
Sixers and is currently on tour,
where you can catch him in concert
rocking an ill bball jerseyhes got
60 in his closetlike one of his
most prized possessions, a Jesus
Shuttlesworth Lincoln uni.
Mostly, though, the dude is gunning for a Kevin Hart-like celebrity
game career. First, hes gotta make
the roster.
I dont know what has to happen
to make that happen. By all means,
lets start the campaign now.
Eli Schwadron

Lacy Eakin

If youre paying
attention, you know
2016 XXL Freshman
LIL DICKY drops crazy
basketball references
in his tracks on
the regular. Not to
mention, the Phillybred MC has serious
game of his own.

SLAM Presents JORDANS Vol. 3 is on sale now (or will

be soon!). Go get thatRIP to the Twitter handle
@m23jumpman911 (we wont miss you, TBH)
#ProtectTheBrand!!!!...This years Media Day caused
more Wait, that player is on THAT team? moments than any in recent memoryShouts to our
guy Skyzoo for rolling through the Dome last month.
Go cop his new joint The Easy Truth with Apollo
Brown now!...Stacey King almost literally turned
Antetokounmpo into Ay Caramba! Definitely
the highlight of the preseason

HOMEMADE

TO THE CORE

SLAM What are your earliest

basketball memories?
NP The earliest memories I have of
playing basketball are with my uncle.
He always used to take me to Balboa
Park [in San Diego]. We called it
Muni. Wed play one-on-one and Id
shoot around with him. He would
always beat me, but Id get so upset
and competitive that Id never leave
the court until I won, so hed let me
win a couple of games.
You were a Lakers fan from the
start, right?
I became a Lakers fan watching old
gamesit was Larry Bird against
Magic [Johnson], those matches. I instantly fell in love with the Lakers and
then I had a deep connection with
Kobe, just seeing his passion, grit and
determination to be the best.
Is it crazy that your rst year in the
League was Kobes last?
Looking back now, its crazy. People
keep asking me if Im going to change
my number back to No. 4 since
[Luis] Scola isnt here anymore, but
nah. Im keeping No. 24. It means
something to me. Especially having
a picture with Kobe where we both
have No. 24 on. I cant even put
that into words. Knowing you played
against him in his last season and
played against him in his last game in
Toronto is crazy.
Did you know that DeMar
DeRozans No. 10 was for
Kobes Olympic number?
Im sure that if that was a guess on a
multiple choice I would have selected
that just because of how much of a

24 SL AMONLINE .COM

follower of Kobe he is. Just being in

L.A. you can see, Kobe is L.A., DeMar
is L.A. I look up to DeMar; DeMar
looks up to Kobe. We all look up to
Kobe. Its fun that Im wearing No. 24
and hes wearing No. 10 and it all had
something to do with Kobe. Even my
numbers growing up had something to
do with him. I started wearing No. 4,
because in high school you couldnt
wear No. 8 so I wore No. 4 because of
that. My travel ball team in AAU, No. 8
was taken, so I wore No. 16. Theres
just always a connection to Kobe. Hes
just a transcendent player. Everybody
can nd something to relate to him
and make you love the game.
Do you think work ethic is something you learn or something
some people just understand
instinctually?
I think its both. Youve got to watch,
youve got to be able to be a good

YOURE NOT
BORN WITH
THIS. ITS
SOMETHING
YOUVE GOT
TO WORK ON
EVERY
SINGLE DAY.

observer of the things around you

and youve got to be taught. People
say, Oh, youre just born with it.
No, youre not born with this. Its
something youve got to work on every single day. People think Michael
Jordan was just gifted and was
meant for this. No, he worked at it
every single day to become the player that he was. Watching my mom
struggle [when I was younger], really
continue to ght, work to achieve
the things she wanted, taking care
of the family, getting to where she
wanted to be with her career, pushing us with track-and-eld, even on
days when we didnt feel like running, talking to us and teaching what
it takes to be successful on and off
the court or eld, that was instilled in
me at an early age. My uncle, being
a father gure in my life, he did that
as well. I think it was natural for me
to be that type of player and have
that type of focus.

Y h
You
have a ttattoo
tt on your arm ffor
your uncle who passed away when
you were in high school. When
youre out there on the oor now,
do you think back to those days at
Balboa Park?
Every time, before I step on the court,
I thank him and I thank God. The national anthem is where I talk to myself
about the game. When its over I look
up in the stands and visualize him
being there, tell him I love him, I miss
him and this is for him.
Holly MacKenzie

Raptors: Dave Sandford/NBAE via Getty Images; Courtesy of Powell Family

After a four-year career at

UCLA, NORMAN POWELLs
hoop dreams came true
on Draft night when
Toronto selected him with
the 46th pick in 2015.
Back when Powell
was growing up in San
Diego, those dreams
were shaped by Kobe
Bryant and the Lakers.

LOUDER THAN A BOMB

MESSAGE
Its not a question of if, only how
NBA players will follow the NFLs
Colin Kaepernick in protesting during
the national anthem before games
this season. When they do, make sure
youre not missing the point.
always by

Dave Zirin

hen Victor Oladipo says

the words, you can hear
the excitement in his voice.
Oh, no question. he told
Complex Sports. I truly believe [protests will come to the NBA]. Because
at the end of the day its a sport, and
people are gonna be looking at some
guys in the NBA to see what theyre
gonna do as well.
The OKC Thunder guard is one of
many NBA players who are excited
for the season because theyre anxious to extend the movement started
by San Francisco 49ers QB Colin
Kaepernick into the NBA. Their thirst
to be a link in this chain is partly driven by a sense of social responsibility
and outrage over the police killings of
unarmed black men and women, but
also by a sense of competitiveness.
The NBA has always been the league

26 SLAMONLINE .COM

that has been seen as the socially

conscious corner of the sports world.
Players take pride in the fact that they
are the league of Jason Collins, the
league of I Cant Breathe shirts and
the league that told Donald Sterling
to take his ball and go home.
Now here is Colin Kaepernick,
who by just taking a knee, expressed
what he has also spoken aloud,
which is: I am not going to stand up
to show pride in a ag for a country
that oppresses black people and
people of color. To me, this is bigger
than football and it would be selsh
on my part to look the other way.
There are bodies in the street and
people getting paid leave and getting
away with murder. Dozens, by my
count, of NFL playerssome famous,
some anonymoushave taken a knee
or raised a st during the anthem.

We have seen the protest spread

from middle schools in Beaumont,
TX, to high schools in places like
Seattle, Oakland, Denver and Prince
Georges County, MD. We have seen
it at colleges. We have seen members of school bands, cheerleaders
and Team USA soccer player Megan
Rapinoe all take a knee and say that
there is a gap between what that ag
represents and the reality of police
violence in this country.
We know the NBA has players
who are more than conscious about
todays issues. The League also has
teams in Oklahoma and Charlotte,
two places where the recent deaths
of Terence Crutcher and Keith
Lamont Scott are sending shock
waves through those regions. This is
truly one of those moments where if
a playerparticularly a starchooses
to say nothing, it will be seen as
political an act as them saying
something. Already the Leagues two
most prominent coaches have made
clear that they have no problem with
players speaking out. Steve Kerr said,
No matter what side of the spectrum
you are on, I would hope that every
American is disgusted with what is
going on around the country...Unarmed black people are being killed
indiscriminately around the country.
And thats what happened two days
ago. Thats the message. Thats what
matters. Everyone should be trying
to do something, whatever is in their

power, to help in that regard. Gregg

Popovich told me, Our players are
well aware they are engaged citizens
who must make their own decisions
based on what they deem to be relevant, valuable and appropriate.
The only outstanding question
is how the League and fans will
respond. Adam Silver and union chief
Michele Roberts put out a joint statement that did not mention the anthem
protests, but seemed to strongly
suggest that players contact them
if they want to do any activism; in
other words, keep it off the court. The
League has rules prohibiting players
from protesting during the anthem,
but that didnt stop the WNBAs
Indiana Fever from all taking a knee
before a playoff game, and they were
not ned. My guess is that Silver will
not punish anyone for any demonstrations. If the NFL isnt doing it, then the
NBA has to accept the fact as well
that these are the times we are in.
The fans are a different story. The
NBA is a majority black league with a
majority white fan base. The hope is
that white fans will make the choice
to support players who are risking endorsements and inviting death threats
by taking a stand. Thats the hope.
If you are reading this, argue with
your white friends that the moment
calls for solidarity, not ignorance and
certainly not hate. If your NBA players
are good enough to cheer, then they
should matter enough to hear.

Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP

A huge shout out to #SLAMFam Cheo Hodari Coker

for showing us some love in the first episode of
Marvels Luke Cage. Show is dope, go watch it on
NetflixThe Warriors are loaded with superstars,
but none are cooler than our man Raymond
RidderThe Nuggets have a lowkey fire squad that
could make a little noise out westWe like Bob
Hurley way more than Mike Pence, but they
do look exactly alike, no?Bill NunnMarcus
MondaineJose Fernandez.Arnold Palmer
Anthony RiosDeSean Welch

TIME OUT

WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES

As a teenage prodigy, some touted
DEMETRIUS WALKER as the Next LeBron.
After a long-winding journey, the 26-year-old
is back coaching JV ball at his old high
school, sharing his story with the next generation.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

rst realized I was nice in hoops

when I was about 8. I remember
I was playing on a middle school
hoop with a low rim when one of
my guys threw me an oop and I went
off two feet and just dunked it. I was
like, Im actually pretty good.
When I was 10, I went from
playing at the Boys & Girls Clubs
to playing on the top AAU team, the
Inland Stars. Our coach, Joe Keller,
took us to a bunch of tournaments.
I think people in the standsthe
recruiterslooked at me as the best
player on the best team. They decided to make me the No. 1 player in
the country by the time I was 12.
Then the whole Sports Illustrated
Next LeBron thing happened at 14.
The experience itself, like the photo

shoot and all that, was amazing.

Afterward, I gained a lot of notoriety.
When I would walk into gyms, kids
my age would ask me for autographs.
At the time, it was mind-blowing.
On the outside looking in, people
maybe had different expectations for
me in high school. For me, though, I
was happy. In my sophomore year at
Fontana (CA) High, I embraced who
I was and realized I was a Division I
player. I made the decision to transfer
to JSerra for my junior year, where I
got to play against the Wear twins,
Klay Thompson and a bunch of D-I
players. After my junior year, I transferred to St. Marys in Phoenix and
nally won the state championship I
wanted my entire high school career.
In college everything happened so

fast, but I can pinpoint growth every

year. When I was at New Mexico, a
book was published about my childhood development and really put me
back in the spotlight. While there,
I graduated with a degree in Mass
Communication and Psychology.
Then I went to Grand Canyon University, played on their rst D-I team and
got my Masters in Management and
Leadership. I was the rst person in
my family to get a college degree, so
to do it once was amazing, but to do
it twice was surreal.
Right now, Im the JV coach at

JSerra, the same school I attended.

I was never a part of a JV program,
so this is a great opportunity and
a great way to pass on knowledge
from my experiences. In that sense,
I hope to start speaking to teams at
all levels about everything that has
prepared me and can prepare them
for life. In the longer run, I hope to
get my doctorate degree in business
and I want to become a D-I coach.
After all my years in the game, Im
happier and hungrier than ever. This
is the next chapter of my story.
As told to Tzvi Twersky

 2016 Comedy Partners. All rights reserved.

EXCLUSIVE POSTER INSIDE!

EXCLUSIVE POSTER INSIDE!

TH PARK

TH PARK

WEDNESDAYS AFTER SOU

& ON THE CC APP

WEDNESDAYS AFTER SOU

& ON THE CC APP

28 SL AMONLINE .COM

Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images

Russ Bengtson

earing a single-digit number with the

Boston Celtics is not only prestigious,
its actually getting more and more
difcult to even do. Numbers 1, 2, 3
and 6 are retired, 5 likely will be, and numbers 0,
4 and 8 were already taken by vets. This left 9 and
7, which went to rookies Demetrius Jackson and
Jaylen Brown respectively.
Brown becomes the 20th Celtic to wear
No. 7, last seen on Jared Sullinger and also worn
by Hall of Famer Tiny Archibald toward the end of
his career. Kenny Anderson wore it, as did
Al Jefferson. The most famous Celtic to wear
No. 7, however, was also named BrownDee
Brownwho, as a rookie, won the Dunk Contest
while simultaneously inventing the dab. He played
seven and a half seasons with the Celtics, never
becoming an All-Star but remaining a fan favorite.
Jaylen Brown, just 19, wasnt even born when
Dee won his Dunk Contest crown. And this preseason jam against the post-Process Sixers will
obviously never supplant Dees no-look in Celtics
lore. But if the 6-7 rookie can play up to his potential, eventually that No. 7 Celtics jersey may be
remembered for a different Brown instead.

JAYLEN BROWN on SHAWN LONG

OCTOBER 4, 2016
MULLINS CENTER
AMHERST, MA

Rather than rank every NBA team

from top to bottom, we enlisted the help
of some of our favorite rappers
to recap the biggest moves from the
summer and predict how the
2016-17 NBA season will play out.

32 SL AMONLINE .COM

ILLUSTR ATION JOHN UEL AND

EAST

BIGGEST
FREE
AGENT
MOVE

WEST

LIL DICKY SAYS

KID INK SAYS

I think the Knicks will

improve. I actually do think
Derrick Rose is gonna be
All-Star Derrick Rose. Maybe
not MVP, but really good.

Its a major play at a ring for KD

to make that move, but I feel bad
for Westbrook, being a fan of his
game. Hes gonna have to carry
that Thunder team now by himself.

SLAM SAYS

SLAM SAYS

Respect to D-Wade, but Horford

was the best player to change
teams in the East this summer,
giving Boston a punchers chance
of knocking off the Cavs.

Adding Durant to a lineup that

already includes Curry, Thompson,
Green and Iguodala is easily the
scariest free-agent acquisition in
the history of the NBA.

ROOKIE
OF THE
YEAR

WORST

SKYZOO SAYS

Z-RO SAYS

DERRICK ROSE TO
THE KNICKS

AL HORFORD TO
THE CELTICS

KRIS DUNN
I love Kris Dunn. I think the
Wolves hit a home run in
the Draft being able to get
him. Theyre going to get
Rookie of the Year three
years in a row.

KEVIN DURANT TO
THE WARRIORS

KEVIN DURANT TO
THE WARRIORS

LOS ANGELES
LAKERS
Because of Kobes absence and
lack of a deep bench, the Lakers.
The main reason is, theres no
Black Mamba. Hes gone, and I
dont want to make fun of nobody,
but they have a mediocre bench.

SLAM SAYS

BRANDON INGRAM

SLAM SAYS

Luke Walton will give the

No. 2 pick enough minutes to
shine on a Lakers team that
desperately wants to foster
its young talent. Word to the
Rookies Most Likely...(pg. 40)

The Nets would be honored in

this space were it not for the Ben
Simmons injury, which throws a
wrench into what was supposed
to be an improved Sixers team.

34 SL AMONLINE .COM

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

TEAM

Previous spread: Jason Miller/Getty Images; Dicky: Easton Schirra; Rose: Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images; Kid Ink: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for
BET; Durant: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images; Skyzoo: TK; Dunn: David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images; Z-Ro: Touch; Russell: Harry How/Getty Images

BIGGEST
FREE
AGENT
MOVE

EASTERN
CONFERENCE

WESTERN
CONFERENCE

JADAKISS SAYS

MONTY SAYS

If your brain works, you would

have to say Cleveland. Off free
agency, Indianas gonna be
stronger this year. So are the
Knicks, Detroit, Washington and
dont sleep on the Bulls. The East
will be good, but the King is always the
top tier to come out of the East.

Im going with the

Warriors. That team is
like a Dream Team right
now, I know theyre going to
have a crazy season this year
over there in Golden State.

CHAMPS
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

CHAMPS
GOLDEN STATE
WARRIORS

Jadakiss: Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images; Irving: Jason Miller/Getty Images; Monty: Leon Dash; Thompson: Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images; ASAP Twelvvy: Justin
Hogan; Westbrook: Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images; Camron: Courtesy of Reebok: James: Michael J. LeBrecht II/NBAE via Getty Images

SLAM SAYS
SLAM SAYS

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

GOLDEN STATE
WARRIORS

As Jada points out, wed be fools not to

pick the Cavs, who are still the cream
of the crop in the East, with LeBron and
Kyrie leading the Wine & Gold.

Whos stopping this team?

Seriously. The Spurs? Blazers?
Clippers? Come playoff time, the
Dubs just have too much sauce.

NBA MVP CHAMPS

ASAP TWELVYY SAYS

CAMRON SAYS

The 2016-17 MVP will be

Russy Westbrook. Nobody
can stop a madman with
vengeance in his heart.
Dont hate on the brodie.

Cavaliers, denitely.
Golden State has all
these names but
I dont know how their
chemistry is. Im not
going against LeBron
until proven differently.

RUSSELL
WESTBROOK

SLAM SAYS

LEBRON JAMES
The Warriors may be the NBAss
new super team, but theres
still only one basketball, and
LeBron will once again post
eye-popping stats for
the defending champions.

CLEVELAND
CAVALIERS

SLAM SAYS

GOLDEN STATE
WARRIORS
A third consecutive Cavs-Warriors
Finals feels inevitable, and our $ is
on GSW to take back the crown.

SL AMONLINE .COM 35

What more needs to be said? LBJ solidied his

place among the ve best of all time while once
again proving that hes the single most dominant
player on the planet. Hes now only chasing MJs
legacymore than enough motivation to stay on top.

2 STEPHEN CURRY
Curry only needs a millisecond to get a shot
off, and regardless where it comes from, its
probably going in. No matter what anyone says,
he truly is the most dangerous shooter to ever
play the game.

3 RUSSELL WESTBROOK
Westbrook will be singing Lil Uzi Vert all season
long: Now I do what I want. With OKC shifting the
weight of the franchise squarely on his shoulders,
its quite possible well see Russ average close to
a trip-dub and in the running for MVP.

4 KEVIN DURANT
While it was as awkward ranking KD at 4 as it
probably is reading it, we stand by this statement.
A new system, new teammates...he wont always be
the main guy in GS. But he wants to win, and if that
means taking a backseat some nights, he gladly will.

5 KAWHI LEONARD
Last season, Kawhi nished second in MVP
voting, third in three-point percentage (44.3) and
won his second straight Defensive Player of the
Year award. Not a bad year. The scary thing is,
Kawhi still has room to improve.

6 ANTHONY DAVIS
The hype is subdued surrounding AD and the
Pelicans, and that may be a good thing. With the
spotlight elsewhere, they can build without the
pressure placed on them last season. And
remember: AD can do things that video games cant.

7 JAMES HARDEN
Capable of getting hot in a second or getting your
best big in foul trouble, Harden is focused on
winning more than ever. As long as he has shooters
to space the oor and a center to set screens, hes
going to be damn near impossible to stop.

8 PAUL GEORGE
Hes back. Playing 81 regular-season games and
a seven-game playoff series, PG-13 alleviated
questions about his durability. Hes making smarter
decisions with the ball and taking better-quality
shots, and of course, is still a defensive menace.

9 DEMARCUS COUSINS
Boogie has the size and talent to be the most
dominant player on the court every night. What he
doesnt have is stability on the sidelines or among
his supporting cast. With some direction and
coaching, he could be top-ve in years to come.

10 DAMIAN LILLARD
Last season, Dame proved that he was not
only capable of leading a team, but he could lead
a team well into the Playoffs. There arent
many players youd rather have with the ball in
their hands in a close game.

James: David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images; Curry: Jack Arent/NBAE via Getty Images; Westbrook: Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images; Durant: Jack Arent/NBAE via Getty Images; Leonard: Chris Covatta/NBAE via Getty Images;
Davis: Tyler Kaufman/NBAE via Getty Images; Harden: Troy Fields/NBAE via Getty Images; George: Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images; Cousins: Steve Yeater/NBAE via Getty Images; Lillard: Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images

Our Top 50 list isnt the only one out there, but its the only list that really matters.
Heres how we see the NBAs best shaking out this season.

1 LEBRON JAMES

Paul: Troy Harvey/NBAE via Getty Images; Irving: David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images; Thompson: Jack Arent/NBAE via Getty Images; Grifn: Troy Harvey/NBAE via Getty Images; Anthony: Darren Carroll/NBAE via Getty Images; Darren Carroll/NBAE via Getty Images; Green: Jack Arent/NBAE via Getty Images; Wall: Ned
Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images; Aldridge: Chris Covatta/NBAE via Getty Images: Butler: Ken Carl/NBAE via Getty Images; Towns: Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images; Lowry: Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images; Drummond: Rick Osentoski/NBAE via Getty Images; Jordan: Troy Harvey/NBAE via Getty Images; DeRozan: Ron
Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images; Thomas: Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images; Antetokounmpo: Tom Lynn/NBAE via Getty Images; Horford: Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images; Gasol: Brandon Dill/NBAE via Getty Images; Millsap: Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images; Wade: Ken Carl/NBAE via Getty Images

11 CHRIS PAUL

21 KYLE LOWRY

Hes driving the ball less and taking more midrange jumpers, but CP3 is still CP3. Hes the
best facilitator in the game by a longshot, and his
competitive drive makes him a player you love to
play with and hate to play against.

Scrappy, focused and hard-working have

always described Lowrys game. Armed with a
deadly three-point shot, devastating handle
and bulldog mentality, he can compete with
any point guard in the L.

12 KYRIE IRVING

22 ANDRE DRUMMOND

The PG solidied his rep as one of the baddest

players on the planet by averaging 25.2 points on
47.5 percent shooting through the Playoffs. And he
hit the biggest shot of the season to give the Cavs
a permanent lead in Game 7. Hes a certied star.

After averaging almost 15 rebounds per game and

getting his rst rebounding crown last season, Dre is
hungry for more. His ability to anticipate and box out,
plus his agility and size make him the favorite to lead
the NBA in rebounding for the foreseeable future.

13 KLAY THOMPSON

23 DEANDRE JORDAN

Thompson has one of the purest jumpshots ever.

His ability to go crazy in a quarter is rivaled only
by his fellow Splash Bro. In addition to proving
himself capable off the dribble, he never takes a
possession off on defense. Hes a complete player.

As freakish an athlete as they come, DJ knows

his role and performs it to perfection. Catching
lobs, setting screens, swatting shots and
anchoring the Clipper defense, Jordan is a
menace on the court.

14 BLAKE GRIFFIN

24 DEMAR DEROZAN

With injuries behind him, Grifn is ready for a

major reclamation season. We may not be treated
to quite as many dunks as were accustomed to,
but Grifn will be putting up his usual 20, 8 and 5
before kicking it up a notch for the Playoffs.

One of the elite scorers in the game, DeRozan gets

to the line at will and puts the ball in the hoop from
anywhere within the three-point arc. He may never
be a great three-point shooter, but the eight-year
vet simply knows how to get buckets.

15 CARMELO ANTHONY

25 ISAIAH THOMAS

Melo quietly just had one of the best seasons of his

career. His ability to score has aged like ne wine
while his ability as a playmaker took a quantum
leap. Whether hes facilitating the offense or
creating it by himself, hes a very dangerous player.

After Thomas was named an All-Star and led the

Celtics to 48 wins, the so-called doubters have
been very quiet regarding this 5-9 PG. Hes a gifted
playmaker who can always get to the basket. One
All-Star selection isnt enough for this sixth-year pro.

16 DRAYMOND GREEN

26 GIANNIS
ANTETOKOUNMPO

After a magical regular season, at least a few things

will have to recalibrate before GS can make their
title run in 17. One is Greens role in the offense.
The Warriors will have to nd a way to keep Dray
involved if they want to be raising the trophy in June.

Year 4 for the Greek Freak should be a wild and

exciting ride. Giannis thrived as the Bucks PG
toward the end of the regular season, and with his
length and athleticism, hell continue to do so.

17 JOHN WALL

27 AL HORFORD

Wall could be pain-free for the rst time in a few

years and hes excited to prove that hes more
than just a very good PGhes an elite one. A fully
healthy Wall will get everyone uncontested looks in
Washington and be breaking ankles in the process.

Horford left the Hawks after nine years to pursue

a Championship in Boston this season. Make
no mistake, Brad Stevens will have a lot of fun
deploying Horford in a bevy of small-ball lineups that
should rival the Warriors Death Lineup in efciency.

18 LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE

28 MARC GASOL

As talented a big man as weve seen, Aldridge

t in seamlessly with the Spurs last season.
A silky jumper and post moves for days are big
reasons why Aldridge will continue to dominate
for years to come.

Gasol missed 30 games last season with a broken

right foot, but he looks on track to be 100 percent
by the start of the regular season. When healthy,
hes one of the most gifted passing centers in the
game and one of the best defenders out there.

19 JIMMY BUTLER

29 PAUL MILLSAP

Butler famously bet on himself during the summer

of 14, and ended up becoming an All-Star and the
NBAs MIP. Jimmy Buckets earned a max deal from
the Bulls and has since solidied his rep as one of
the premier two-way players in the game.

Millsap has carved out an incredible career for

himself after being selected 47th overall in the
2006 Draft. The three-time All-Star will once again
be one of the Leagues most underrated players,
doing it all for the Hawks with little to no fanfare.

20 KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS

30 DWYANE WADE

Towns makes his #SLAMTop50 debut as one of

the 20 best players this season, deservedly so. He
defends centers and wings, plays with his back to
the basket, shoots threes and runs the oor. Its said
hes the prototype big, and who are we to argue?

Wade surprised the world by calling Pat Rileys

bluff and signing with the Bulls. No matter the
jersey, though, he will be the same old Wade oncourt. He doesnt take over like he used to, but he
wont have to as often with Jimmy Butler around.

SL AMONLINE .C OM 37

41 PAU GASOL

Elite athleticism, excellent defensive instincts, a

developing post game and an outside shot are the
tools weve seen in Years One and Two. Its time
for Wiggins to put all the pieces together and make
the leap in 2016-17.

The quest for another ring continues in San Antonio

next season for Gasol. He may not have the same
All-Star output during the regular season for Pops
Spurs, but rest assured, Gasol will still be schooling
youngins in the post and the pick-and-roll.

32 MIKE CONLEY

42 CJ MCCOLLUM

One of the rst players to taste the riches of the

NBAs new TV deal, Conley now has the largest
contract in the NBA. The textbook PG certainly
deserves the contract and likely wont be one to rest
on his laurels now that hes signed through 2021.

If you watched CJ destroy Duke in the 12 NCAA

Tourney, you knew it was only a matter of time
before he made noise in the NBA. After patiently
waiting his turn, now he and Dame Lillard form one
of the highest-scoring duos in the NBA.

33 GORDON HAYWARD

43 SERGE IBAKA

One of the most solid wings in the game, Hayward

can put the ball on the oor, knock down the outside
shot and get to the line with ease. He says he wants
to be an All-Star this season, which sounds like a
worthy and attainable goal for the seventh-year pro.

Ibaka has changed his game completely over

the past couple seasons in OKC. While hes an
invaluable defender on the pick and roll, wed like to
see him closer to the basket, where he thrived in the
early part of his career. Perhaps Frank Vogel agrees.

34 HASSAN WHITESIDE

44 ERIC BLEDSOE

Once an unknown commodity who was a bit of

a loose cannon, Whiteside became the Heats
anchor. A freakish athlete able to swat away any
shot, Whiteside has a sneaky mid-range game that
complements his thunderous rolls to the basket.

E-Bled has suffered several season-ending injuries

over the years, but when hes 100 percent, hes
more than a handful on the court, able to nish
through all kinds of trafc and completely lock
down guards on the other end.

35 DWIGHT HOWARD

45 BRADLEY BEAL

Howard made the right move and brought his

talents back to where it all began. The home crowds
will present the perfect place for Howard to regain
condence and go back to what he does better than
almost anyone in the League: Dominate the paint.

Beal got his max deal over the summer. Now

its time for the 23-year-old to show and prove.
He has all the potential to become one of the
premier two-way players in the Leaguehe just
needs to stay healthy.

36 KEMBA WALKER

46 CHRIS BOSH

Walker is making his #SLAMTop50 debut, and

its about time. He played at an All-Star level last
season, guiding a banged up Hornets squad to
within one game of the second round. Hes as
clutch as they come.

Is Boshs career over? Something tells us CB will

be suiting up again this season. Whether it will be
after Christmas or the All-Star break is anyones
guess, which is why we ranked him much lower
than his actual value.

37 KRISTAPS PORZINGIS

47 DEVIN BOOKER

What a difference a year makes. One year ago,

Porzingis was the laughingstock of the 2015 Draft
class. Now, hes the Knicks franchise player and heir
apparent to Carmelo Anthony. We cant wait for a
few more monstrous putback dunks this season, too.

Entering his second season at just 19, Booker is

the youngest player on this years #SLAMTop50.
With a scorers mentality, a picture-perfect jumper
and the ability to put the ball on the oor, hes got
All-Star Games in his future.

38 DIRK NOWITZKI

48 DERRICK FAVORS

The last player on the #SLAMTop50 who played

in the 90s, Nowitzki will certainly go down as a
paradigm-shifting big man. For now hes content
with getting as many buckets as he can and
leading the Mavs to yet another postseason.

The past two seasons, Favors has averaged 16

and 8 with more than a block per game. Hes as
consistent as they come. The Jazz will rely on
Favors to be their rock as they make a serious
playoff push.

39 KEVIN LOVE

49 DANGELO RUSSELL

Sure, he wasnt great in the Playoffs, but he came

through when it mattered most, stopping Stephen
Curry in the nal minute of Game 7. Dont plan on
him turning into a defensive ace, but you can expect
more big plays and an increased role in the offense.

With Byron Scott out and Kobe Bryant retired,

Russell will get a chance to remind everyone
why the Lakers took him No. 2 overall in the rst
place. As L.A.s starting point guard, the future of
the Lake Show is in his hands.

40 RUDY GOBERT

50 STEVEN ADAMS

After an injury-plagued 15-16 campaign, its easy to

forget the incredible hype surrounding Gobert after
Utah promoted him to starting center in 15. Hes a
shot-blocking, alley-ooping machine with a standing
reach just inches from the rim. Whats not to like?

He proved in the Playoffs what OKC fans have

known: The 23-year-old, 7-footer is the modernday centeragile enough to switch on pick-androlls, tough enough to bang for boards and quick
enough to keep up with small-ball lineups.

38 SL AMONLINE .COM

Wiggins: Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images; Conley: Brandon Dill/NBAE via Getty Images; Hayward: Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images; Whiteside: Oscar Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images; Howard: Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images; Walker: Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images; Porzingis: Darren Carroll/
NBAE via Getty Images; Nowitzki: Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images; Love: David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images; Gobert: Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images; Gasol: Chris Covatta/NBAE via Getty Images; McCollum: Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images; Ibaka: Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images; Bledsoe: Anthony
Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images; Beal: Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images; Bosh: Oscar Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images; Booker: Anthony Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images; Favors: Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images; Russell: Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images; Adams: Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images

31 ANDREW WIGGINS

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Brandon Ingram

2 AVERAGE 20 POINTS

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3 AVERAGE 10 ASSISTS

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5 UNFAIRLY GET
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40 SLAMONLINE .COM

Cheick Diallo

ILLUSTR ATION JOHN UEL AND

Ingram: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images; Hield: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images; Dunn: Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images; Embiid: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images; Valentine:
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42 SL AMONLINE .COM

All eyes are on

Golden State, where
championship or bust
is the motto this
seasonbecause with
KEVIN DURANT and
STEPHEN CURRY
on the same roster,
the 2016-17 Warriors
are one of the most
loaded teams in
the history of the NBA.
Let them be great.
BY P E TE R WAL S H

PORTR AITS ATIBA JEFFERSON

Media Day is an odd way to celebrate the start of the NBA season.
Instead of partaking in on-court
action, players are whisked through
a cycle of media responsibilities
and peppered with questions that
range from bizarre to silly toon rare
occasionthought-provoking. Since
no basketball has been played
in months, guys are often asked
to weigh in on hot topics in the
national conversationthis year, San
Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin
Kaepernicks peaceful protest during the national anthem is discussed
with nearly every playeror how they
spent their summers, or what they
hope to accomplish over the course
of the next six months.
The process itself is jarring.
Cameras ash everywhere as
players go through a gauntlet of
TV interviews, press conferences,
photo shoots, radio hits, podcast
spots, Snapchats, tweets and icks
for the gram. There are strong rst
day of school vibes.
Out in Oakland, the calendar
reads late September but it feels like
mid-July as the temperature creeps
into the mid-90s. Though players
arent scheduled to show up for
another few hours, the Warriors
training facility is already starting
to ll up with camera crews, media
and team staff members waiting
to get a glimpse of two of the
games biggest stars side-by-side
as teammates for the rst time.
By our estimation, it is the
highest-attended Media Day across
the League (perhaps in history even),
and for good reason. Not since
LeBron joined the Heat in the summer of 2010 has a basketball team
captivated the country to this degree. The team, which has been cast
as the NBAs new villain, will be the
Leagues most coveredmaybe the
most covered in all of sportsand
Warriors PR guru Raymond Ridder

44 SL AMONLINE .COM

is going through an exhausting list of

beat reporters and national writers
who will be covering the squad on a
day-to-day basis.
As you make your way through
the very top oor of the Oakland
Convention Center, massive photos
of Warriors greats like Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Chris Mullin and
Al Attles line the walls. Any minute
now, a group of young millionaires,
many of whom will join the aforementioned legends on the wall when
their respective careers are over, will
enter the building.
Once Stephen Curry and Kevin
Durant show up and start to pose
for portraits, a small hysteria takes
over the gym, as everyone tries to
get a look at the back-to-back MVP
and his new running mate. Despite
the crowd that has surrounded
them, Curry and KD are at ease,
joking and laughing together. Spirits
are high, as they should bethe
greatest regular-season team of all
time just added one of the ve best
players in the League, and one of

the most prolic scorers in NBA

history.
Even in person, its hard to
fathom.
Dark Knight feelin,
die and be a hero
Or live long enough to see
yourself become a villain
I went from the favorite,
to the most hated
Jay Z, So Appalled
KD was the
the NBAs darling.
While LeBron dominated over
the past decade, Durant became
the peoples champ. A humble kid
with unbelievable talent, Durant was
a pillar in the Oklahoma City community and wasnt scared to publicly
nudge James for leaving Cleveland
for Miami while he quietly signed
his own extension with the Thunder
back in the summer of 2010.
His success and popularity
peaked during the 2013-14 season,
when he won the MVP award and
won fans hearts with a teary-eyed
dedication to his mother during his
acceptance speech.
This past season, Durants future
and the Warriors chase for 73 wins
were the biggest storylines in the
NBA. Little did anyone know that
the two were on a collision course
that would shake up the entire landscape of professional basketball.
As the season wore on, a February report from Adrian Wojnarowski
of The Vertical suggested
Durant was considering leaving
OKC and the Warriors had a real
shot at getting him. The thought
seemed so outlandish that other
high-prole media members laughed
it off and doubted the legitimacy of
the report, even calling it idiotic.
[Never doubt Woj!Ed.] In most
peoples eyes, there was no way
KD would leave the franchise
he was so integral in building,
especially with a player like Russell
Westbrook as his P.I.C.

NOT THAT LONG AGO,

Ima be WHO I AM
every single DAY.
Im gonna APPROACH
the GAME the same
way Ive ALWAYS
approached it.

NOTHINGS CHANGED
except MY JERSEY. KD

In the Western Conference

nals, Durant, Westbrook and the
Thunder held a 3-1 lead over the
Warriors. They were on the cusp
of facing LeBron and the Cavs in
the Finals. And then, thanks to Klay
Thompsons heroics in Game 6 and
36 points from Curry in Game 7, the
Thunder were sent packing. It was
another disappointing end for Durant, an outcome that was becoming
frustratingly routine in OKC.
During his exit presser in June,
KD was asked about his future
and where he would sign in a few
weeks. While he deected most of
the prompts, he did reveal what he
was looking for during the decisionmaking process:
Most important thing for me is
the type of people Im around every
day and if I enjoy playing basketball,
he said. Thats what Ill center
everything around...Winning a championship is what we all want to do.
But at the same time, you want to
be around good people, you want to
be around a good environment and
good coaching. Thats whats most
important to me.
After the Warriors and Cavs
duked it out in an all-time great
Finals matchup, Durant dipped to
the Hamptons in Long Island for a
little R&R and to set up shop for
meetings with potential suitors.
The visiting teams pulled out all the
stops.
The Celtics brought along Tom
Brady. The Heat came strapped with
master salesman Pat Riley. The Warriors pitched Strength in Numbers
with Curry, Thompson, Draymond
Green and Andre Iguodala all present for the meetingand a chance to
win championships immediately. It
was everything Durant said he was
looking for.
On July 4, 2016, the basketball
world came to a screeching halt.
The primary mandate I had for
myself in making this decision was
to have it based on the potential
for my growth as a playeras that
has always steered me in the right
direction, Durant wrote in The
Players Tribune. But I am also at a
point in my life where it is of equal
importance to nd an opportunity
that encourages my evolution as a
man: moving out of my comfort zone
to a new city and community which
offers the greatest potential for my
contribution and personal growth.
With this in mind, I have decided
that I am going to join the Golden
State Warriors.
The immediate backlash against
Durant was intense. Popular media
gures took shots at him. Former
players blasted him. Local Oklahoma City rappers made diss songs.
The internet ran wild with memes
and jokes. When a Thunder fan
used a Durant jersey as a target for
his assault rie, the backlash went
to a dark, scary place.

SL AMONLINE .COM 45

46 SL AMONLINE .COM

In the dog days of the offseason,

old heads like Charles Barkley and
Reggie Miller took verbal shots
at Durant for heading West. But
for better or worse, NBA legacies are dened by rings. Its the
reason Robert Horry is considered
a potential Hall of Famer and not
remembered for being a mostly
marginal role player who bounced
around the League. Its the reason
Kobe spent the last 20 years
obsessively chasing Michaels six
rings. Its the reason why Curry,
Green, Thompson, Iguodala and the
Warriors brass traveled across the
country to meet with Durant.
Durants decision wasnt about
money, MVP awards, sneaker deals
or publicity. It was about putting
himself in the best position to win
a ring (or rings, plural) and enjoy
himself along the journey.
As the vitriol hit its peak, Durant
found solace in Rio de Janeiro, of all
places, as Team USA made the trip
for the Olympics. Not only did we
see KD loosen up and smile as he
cheered on his fellow Olympians at
their respective events, basketball
fans got a glimpse of how dominant
a player like Durant can be on a team
surrounded by star players. The entire
experience was therapeutic for KD.
I think it was a blessing in disguise for him just to be away, says
basketball lifer and the architect of
Team USA, Jerry Colangelo. I think
there would have been a great deal
more attention had he been in the
States. I think that was a little bit of
refuge for him. He was very happy,
he was very excited and he was
happy to get away.
When I met him for the rst time,
he was a freshman at the University
of Texas. I was at the Final Four in
Atlanta and getting out of a car in
front of the hotel and Kevin was
walking up to the front of the hotel
with a couple buddies, continues
Colangelo. We stopped them and I
introduced myself and he knew who
I was and he had this wide-eyed look
on his face. I said, Kevin, I dont know
what your plan is for staying in school
or going to the Draft, but it doesnt
matter to me, I want to invite you to
our USA Olympic camp. And he was
excited. He said, You can count on
me! Ill be there. And that was my
rst introduction to Kevin Durant.
Durant certainly isnt that wideeyed kid anymore. Hes developed
a bit of an edge over his time in the
NBA. At Media Day, though, its
obvious that being around a new
team has him feeling refreshed and
energized.
Its becoming more and more
realistic with each day that goes by,
says Durant. Now that Im here at
Media Day with my jersey on and
with all my teammates, its real.
Im excited, man. It was a fun, fun
summera different summer than I
ever experienced, and for the most

part it was good to go through. Im

ready to go, Im ready to play and
Ive been anxious to play.
I dont know what the fuss is,
my career is illustrious
My rep is impeccable,
Im not to be fucked with.
Jay Z, Success
CURRY, a 6-3 baby-faced assassin,
overcame worrisome ankle injuries
that plagued him early in his career
and proceeded to take the NBA by
storm with unreal handles, unlimited
range and a playground-type game
so rened that on some nights, Warriors games looked more like NBA
2K than real life. His stature and story from an under-recruited prospect
to two-time MVP resonated with kids
who arent 6-10 superhumans, and
made him beloved in gyms and living
rooms across the globe.
In 2014-15, he went toe-to-toe
with LeBron and won, becoming
a global icon in the process and
ipping the NBA on its head with
never-before-seen three-point barrages.
Leading up to the 2015-16
season, most assumed that Curry
had peaked.
Nah, son. In the very rst game
last season, he dropped 40. Four
days later, he put up 53. He followed
that up by smashing the singleseason record for three-pointers,
leading the Dubs to a regular-season
record 73 wins and becoming the
rst unanimous MVP in League history. Not a bad encore.
In the 2016 Playoffs, everything
fell apart. Hampered by injuries,
Curry wasnt himself. And while he
displayed some ashes of brilliance,
he limped to the Finals for a rematch
with LeBron and the Cavs.
As exhilarating as it was to
bounce back from a 3-1 decit in
the conference nals, blowing a 3-1
lead in the Finals will haunt Curry

and the Warriors forever. Golden

State learned rst-hand how slim
the margin is between immortality
and failure, and its not a eeting
feeling.
The truth is, thats a pain youre
never gonna forget for the rest of
your life, says Green. Whether you
use it for motivation or not, I mean, in
this organization we want to win, so
we dont need any other motivation.
In the Playoffs, Curry and the
Warriors popularity dissipated.
Once praised for his hard work
and hustle, Green was now being
dismissed as a dirty player for his
below-the-belt shots that resulted
in a one-game suspension during
the Finals. Curry, arguably one of
the most beloved players in League
history, wasnt spared, either. The
two-time MVP was criticized for his
shaky defense and his celebrations
after hitting big shots.
It didnt bother me much at all,
says Curry. You talk about how
the Finals ended, it obviously didnt
go our way, it didnt go my way.
What are you going to do about
it? Whats next? Thats how I feel
about it. I never got too wrapped up
in the praise, either. Its obviously a
much better feeling but I dont feed
off that. It doesnt change the way
I play, it doesnt change who I am.
The criticism, you hear it, you have a
human emotional reaction to it and
you move on. It doesnt really bother
me or affect my daily life, or how I
play the game.
Curry, who looked to be noticeably bulked up at Media Day, has a
lot to prove after the way the Finals
went. Whats scary for the rest of
the League is last season may have
been a warmup. With Durant in
tow and Klay and Draymond now
reaching superstar status, Curry will
see more one-on-one defense than
he did all of last season, making
his potential stats absolutely mind
blowing.

The CRITICISM, you

hear it, you HAVE
a human EMOTIONAL
REACTION to it
and you MOVE ON.
It doesnt really
BOTHER ME or affect
my DAILY LIFE, or how
I PLAY the game. SC

First they love me,

then they hate me,
then they love me again.
Jay Z, Meet the Parents
the Warriors are
the NBAs new villains. Unfortunately, thats often what comes with
greatness. It wasnt until the end
of LeBrons run in Miami that fans
began to appreciate just how amazing those Heat teams were. From a
purely basketball-viewing standpoint,
though, the Dubs will be an absolute
joy to watch.
On any given night, texts
between basketball junkies will be
ying. Oh shit, Steph is going off!
followed by, Yo, and KD has 40!
Never mind the fact that a hot Klay
Thompson can give a team 30-plus
in a quarter and Draymond is a walking triple-double.
The team will miss the contributions of ll-in coach Luke Walton
(now the Lakers head coach),
Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes
(both with the Mavs), Festus Ezeli
(Blazers) and Leandro Barbosa
(Suns), but a player like Kevin Durant
makes up for any and all losses.
There were some holes and
weaknesses that we had and we got
a monster that lls them all, says
Iguodala. We got a monster on our
team now, and its going to be really
fun to see him play. We dont have
too many weaknesses with a guy
like that.
All eyes will be on the Warriors.
And every move they make will be
dissected and broken down ad
nauseam. Golden State is must-see
TV. The Dubs know that with the
addition of Durant, their team will
be under a microscope the whole
season.
Theres no more pressure than
there was last year, Curry insists.
Coming off a Championship, trying
to defend that, the regular season
we had, getting to a Game 7 of the
Finals, that was so much fun. Thats
what you live for, thats what you
play for. This year, were as condent as we were last year, but it will
be a different journey. Our expectations are really, really high, as they
should be...Every year on [Media
Day] you cant fast forward to April,
you have to stay in the moment. For
us, thats even more important with
the changes we made. Take each
day as an opportunity to get better.
His media duties fullled, Curry
grabs a ball and hoists the rst and
only shot hell take today before he
leaves the court. Swish. The rst of
hundreds of three-pointers that hell
drain over the next six months while
wearing a Warriors jersey. As Steph
heads for unseen quarters, Durant
makes his nal statements: Ima be
who I am every single day. Im gonna
approach the game the same way
Ive always approached it. Nothings
changed except my jersey. S

FAIR OR NOT,

S L A M O N L I N E . C O M 47

Ten years ago he was the most

hated kid in college basketball.
Today, 32-year-old JJ REDICK is
the ever-steady starting shooting
guard of the Clippers. Howd
he get here? Its all in the details.
BY YAR O N WEITZMAN
48 SL AMONLINE .COM

Workout complete, JJ Redick is on

his way to a local Whole Foods when
he answers his phone. Picking up
dinner for the next few nights, he
says as he searches for a spot to
park his black Chevy Tahoe. Its been
a busy afternoon, and offseason, for
the Clippers shooting guard. Such is
life when your wifes impending labor
thrusts you into the role of Mr. Mom.
Take today, for example. Up at
6:30 to watch Team Umizoomi and
Blaze and the Monster Machines
and other Nick Jr. shows with his
2-year-old son, Knox. Then three
hours at the Clippers practice
facility. Afterward there was a trip
to the bank to deposit a check from
an escrow account followed by
a visit to a local bike shop to x a
busted tire on Knoxs stroller. That
repair, dad was told, would take 45
minutes, which is perfect because he
wanted to swing by the grocery store
anyway. Knox needs more yogurt and
Redick needs some ingredients for
the pork tacos he plans on whipping
up tonight.
When he gets home, Redick
will strap Knox on to the back of
his bike and peddle to the park.
After that hell make dinner, put my
boyalways my boyto sleep,
say goodnight to his wife, check out
some watch websites (Im really into
Daytonas right now), scroll through
Twitter, Business Insider and
HoopsHype, prepare for an episode
of his podcast that will feature former
New York Times writer William C.
Rhodena man he describes as a
hero of hisclean the kitchen, put
away all of Knoxs toys, perhaps give
in to his OCD and rearrange his
watch box or his impeccably kept
closet where clothes are organized
by type and color, then continue his
deep dive into the world of nancial
markets. That started because he
recently watched the History Channel documentary The Men Who

Built America, which triggered a

JP Morgan obsession, which led to
Redick wanting to know everything
he possibly could about the Federal
Reserve, and now hes reading about
xed income securities and is midway through the book The Physics
of Wall Street but wont stay up later
than 9:30 reading it, or anything else,
because tomorrow is another day.
My offseason is like Groundhog
Day, Redick says. Every day is
exactly the same. I love it.
Listening to Redick is inspiring
because he makes you feel like you
can do anything and everythinguntil
you realize that you actually cant,
and that Redick is clearly some
sort of alien or machine, and youre
exhausted just hearing about his
schedule. Hes not only one of the
worlds best shooters and an All-Star
level guard, but also the type of dad
and husband that other dads and
husbands hate because he makes
them look so bad. Hes a better
podcast host than many professional
broadcasters. Hes so smart and so
articulate and so genuinely curious
about the world around him that hes
been able to become an unofcial
spokesman for athletes, and hes
done all this while making sure that
the job that gave him this platform
and those expensive watches and
fancy clothes continues to receive
ample attention.
So, whats his secret? Also,
where the hell does he get the time
and energy?
My thing is, I have a standard for
myself and thats what Im always trying to reach, Redick says. I certainly
fall short frequently, but my standard
is my standard. I want to reach it for
myself, my family and the people I love.
I dont do it for anyone else.
I dont give a fuck about proving
doubters wrong or anything like that.
Im 32 years old, have my second kid
on the way. [That second kid arrived

My OFFSEASON is like
GROUNDHOG DAY.
EVERY DAY is exactly
the same. I LOVE IT.
since this interview was conducted.
Congrats, JJ!Ed.] In terms of a
public imageI guess I just literally
dont care at all about what other
people think.
ONCE UPON A TIME everyone
hated JJ Redick. Everyone hates the
preppy white shooters from Duke,
right? He also had a sweet jumper
and a ceaseless motor, though,
and a bit of an attitude, all of which
allowed him to graduate as the
ACCs leading scorer in 2006 but
also transformed him into the most
loathed athlete in the country.
Back then opposing fans would
regularly lob verbal grenades at him.
Theres literally nothing you can say
about me or any member of my family
that I havent heard before, Redick
says. Much of the venom was unwarranted, though Redick wasnt perfect
either. JJ could, and sometimes
would, have beers the night before a

game in college, says Redicks friend

and former Duke teammate Shavlik
Randolph. And yet hed still be the
best player on the court the next day.
Redick, by his own admission, entered the NBA brash and cocky. He
and others say he was unprepared
for the League, both physically and
emotionally. He was arrested and
charged with driving under the inuence in June of 2006, weeks before
being drafted by the Magic. He spent
more time on the bench than the
court in his rst three professional
seasons. On offense he was too
easy to guard. On defense he was
too easy to blow by. It took him until
2010 to nd his place in the League
as a sharpshooting role player who,
on defense, could use his IQ to make
up for his lack of lateral quickness.
In 2013 he signed a four-year, $27
million contract with the Clippers
to become one of the Leagues top
2-guards as well as an irreplaceable

SL AMONLINE .COM 49

cog on a contending team.

And, yes, Redick believes the
Clippers are a contender. Every offseason he has a thing that he works
on. Im not trying to add lots to my
game, Redick says. Instead Im
always looking to become a better
shooter, and add one more weapon.
Last year the thing was runners
and oaters. This year its shooting
off the dribble, especially going left
off screens. All of it, of course, is
mapped out beforehand.
The day I speak with Redick, for
example, is a Tuesday. Tuesdays in
the offseason are catch-and-shoot

50 SL AMONLINE .COM

days. On Wednesday the focus will

be dribble hand-offs. Saturday is
all about spot-ups; he has to knock
down exactly 342 shots before leaving the gym.
The way I look at it, he says,
is if I can add one little thing to
my game, and that thing gives us
one or two additional wins over the
course of the seasonwell, that
means it was worth it.
Forget basketball for a moment,
though. Sure, Redick is a career 41
percent three-point shooter and coming off a season in which he drilled a
career-high, League-best 48 percent

of his shots from deep, even though

he now draws so much attention that
the majority of his looks come over
outstretched arms. If youre reading
this magazine, then youre already
familiar with Redicks picturesque
stroke and basketball reinvention,
so lets move on to some things you
might not know about JJ Redick.
Hes a really good rapper, Randolph says. We were at Duke around
the time 8 Mile came out and so wed
have battles around the dorms all the
time. Talk to Redick and his friends
and youll quickly learn that movies
play a major role in his life. In college

Previous spread: Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images; This spread from left: Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images; Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

The way I LOOK AT it is if

I can ADD ONE LITTLE THING
to MY GAME, and that
thing gives us ONE OR TWO
ADDITIONAL WINS over the
course of the seasonwell,
that means it was WORTH IT.

he earned the nickname Redick and

Ebert. Quotes from Swingers, The
Waterboy and Wedding Crashers
routinely make their way into his
conversations. One of the many
childhood friends whom hes still
close with, Daniel Payne, made sure
to quote the lattertrue love is the
souls recognition of its counterpoint
in anotherwhile giving a toast at
Redicks engagement party.
But that was before he traded in
the baggy sweats for tight dark jeans
and other items from the Russell
Westbrook Collection, Payne says.
If I made a speech today Id be sure
to mention his new wardrobe. Not
surprisingly, Redicks new love for
tted pants and exotic shirts has
drawn the attention of those who
have known him for years.
The jeans have denitely gotten skinnier and darker, says Tom
Hagan, another longtime friend.
Adds Chris Collins, the current
Northwestern head coach and former
Duke assistant who recruited Redick
to Durham, Its especially funny
because hes a kid who grew up in a
log cabin in Roanoke, VA, and now
hes dressing like a model.
For a moment, though, lets use
the new and improved wardrobe as a
metaphor, one that perfectly sums up
who JJ Redick is and how hes managed to morph from borderline NBA
player into Championship-team-levelstarter, from despised college kid into
the NBAs equivalent of Prom King.
Think of it like this: When Yahoo!
reporting wizard Adrian Wojnarowski
was looking for an NBA player to
host a podcast on his new network/
website, The Vertical, Redick was the
one he tabbed. When Bill Simmons
wanted an NBA player to come on
his new HBO show and talk about
Kevin Durants decision to sign with
the Warriors, it was Redick who
garnered the invite. Its not just highpowered media members, either.
Redicks Twitter mentions are lled
with messages from former antagonists confessing that their former
hatred has given way to love.
And really, who can blame them?
The tabloids are littered with examples of individuals whove sold their
souls in pursuit of riches. Redick, on
the other hand, is the rare L.A.-based
famous person whos managed to
successfully toe that ever-so-thin
line. Think of his clothes: They might
have changed over the past halfdecade as both his fame and bank
account have grown. But the core
of the man wearing them, well, hes
still the movie-quoting, book-reading,
hard-working, fun-loving person
who goes to bachelor parties with
childhood friends and perks up when
asked about subjects like parenting
and a college Anthropology class.
Of course, none of this fawning
matters to Redick. He doesnt care
what we think about him. Men worthy
of such praise rarely do. S

S L A M O N L I N E . C O M 51

DEVIN BOOKER
Phoenix Suns

Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images

After signing a max contract

in Memphis this summer,
CHANDLER PARSONS is
determined to prove hes fully
healthy and worth the big
investment for a Grizzlies
team thats ready to transition
from sleeping giant
to legitimate contender.
BY F R ANK LYN CALLE

52 SL AMONLINE .COM

The clock strikes a quarter to 7 p.m.

local time when he emerges from his
very rst team meal as a member of
the Memphis Grizzlies. With training
camp kicking off tomorrow morning,
Chandler Parsons has a lot on his
mindbasketball and beyond.
You know, trying to paint walls,
change the oors, furnish it all,
says Parsons, who is heading into
camp while staying at a downtown
hotel for another two weeks as
he puts the nal touches on his
soon-to-be suburban home. Its a
whole process. On top of dealing
with that, theres nishing rehab,
team meetings and lm. Its a lot
and it gets stressful. But I got good
people on it.
Despite having only arrived in
Memphis a little over a week before
we speak, the vibes Parsons says
hes felt in his short time in town
have been enough to give him a
much-needed positive outlook
after spending his summer in Los
Angeles recovering from seasonending surgery for a second
consecutive year.
Its an exciting time, he says. I
think change is always good. Its a
fresh start. Ive been here 10 days
total and you can just tell these
fans are so passionate. Theyre so
welcoming. Theyre legitimately the
nicest people Ive ever met. Theyre
so excited about this season
theres excitement everywhere you
go downtown.
Parsons experienced his share of
highs and lows through his rst ve
seasons in the NBA. Selected by
the Houston Rockets with the 38th
overall pick in the second round of
the 2011 NBA Draft, the 6-10 small
forward came into the League with a
high level of uncertainty surrounding his future. Not only because the
odds of a second-rounder sticking
around and making a career in the
NBA werent on his side, but also

because the NBA lockout meant no

actual basketball was being played.
Fresh off an SEC Player of
the Year season when he led the
Florida Gators to the Elite Eight
in the 2011 NCAA Tournament,
the Casselberry, FL, native opted
to begin his professional career
in France while the NBA players
union and owners worked on a new
CBA. It was a short stint in which
he participated in just three games
and averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds
and 4 assists. But even after the
NBPA and the League reached an
agreement in late November and
training camp started on December
9, Parsons was still waiting to sign
a contractbecause the Rockets
were exploring free-agency options
and also because FIBA needed to
provide clearance after his time in
the French league.
Nine days into training camp,
a deal materialized that nally allowed Parsons to join the team at
practice. In retrospect, the lockout,
and the rushed free-agency period
that came of it, was a blessing
in disguise, at least according to
Grizzlies associate head coach JB
Bickerstaff, who at the time was an
assistant with the Rockets.
There were trades that were

supposed to happen [and] there

were free-agent signings that we
were going to try to make, recalls
Bickerstaff. It ended up working
out where he did come back [from
France] and we didnt sign the
free agents. And so he was thrown
into the re. And in the re, he
stole minutes and then stole the
job, basically.
A second-round pick who arrived
late to camp, Parsons leapt into the
starting lineup by the seventh game
of his rookie season. He hasnt
looked back since.
As a rookie, Parsons proved he
could score in the open oor, pull up
from distance, attack off the dribble
and share the ball effectivelya prototype wing of modern day hoops,
if you willand it earned him NBA

These FANS are so

PASSIONATE. Theyre
so WELCOMING.
Theyre legitimately
the NICEST people
Ive EVER met.

All-Rookie Second-Team honors. By

the following year, he was averaging
over 15 points and 5 rebounds a
night. He upped his numbers to
16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0
assists by his third season.
They took me with their third
pickthey took Marcus Morris and
Donatas Motiejunas in the rst
round, recalls Parsons of that Rockets rookie class. But coach [Kevin]
McHale just believed in me enough
to give me that opportunity and not
send me down to the D-League. To
then basically starting me after the
team got off to a slow startI think
it was a huge step for me, knowing I
belonged and knowing he believed
in me. Ive been a starter ever since.
While his talent and skill set have
certainly played a huge role, theres
a lot to be said about Parsons competitiveness and condence, both
of which Bickerstaff experienced
rst hand when the two met in the
spring of 2011.
The rst interaction I had with
him was in a draft workout in Minnesota, says Bickerstaff, who was
working as an assistant coach for
the Timberwolves before moving to
the Rockets bench that summer. In
the workout, there was another player that played the same position as
Chandler and that was supposed to
be ranked higher than him. Chandler
came up to mehe didnt actually
know me from anyoneand asked

SL AMONLINE .COM 53

54 SL AMONLINE .COM

well as from behind the arc (41.4

percent). After going through that
grind, working extremely hard to
get back to being an even better basketball player than I was
before[the torn meniscus] was
obviously devastating.
And then there was also the
fact that he had the option to
become an unrestricted free agent
this past summer for the rst time
in his career.
So then it wasis it career
ending? Is it not career ending?
And is this going to affect my

contract this summer? Thats

what was going through his head
this spring, he says. So just having to deal with that and letting the
team down and not being part of
the Playoffsworrying about the
contract, worrying if I could ever
be the same player againall of
that hit me at the same time.
I think going through these
struggles have made me appreciate
the grind more, he continues. It
has made me appreciate the work
more and its going to make me
appreciate this year because of all

I think going through

these STRUGGLES
have made me
appreciate the GRIND
more. Its going to
make me APPRECIATE
the WORK more
and its going to
make me appreciate
this YEAR.

the time and dedication I put into

working my way back.
In the end, the unfortunate events
of the past two seasons didnt
seem to have much of an effect on
his value and interest this summer
when he opted out and became a
free agentevident in the four-year
max-deal contract he ultimately
received from the Grizzlies (an offer
the Portland Trail Blazers reportedly
also put on the table).
In Memphis, he joins a veteran
core group made up of Mike Conley,
Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and
Tony Allen, and he strengthens a
Grizzlies team thats already known
as one of the most disciplined in
the League.
I think hes a perfect complement to the core of this team, says
Bickerstaff. You rst have to look
at the job those guys have done.
They have a long track record of
success. Theres a need for the
skill set that Chandler has because
Chandler doesnt have to dominate
the ball to be effective. And I think
thats what this team isa bunch of
unselsh superstars. And Chandler
ts in that mold. Hes a guy that
can bolster without interfering or
stepping on toes because naturally
that is not his game.
CPs against-the-odds success
story has translated into a plethora
of off-the-court opportunities for the
swingman, who will turn 28 on the
eve of the 2016 season opener.
Hes become known as one of the
best-dressed players in the League,
and brands have taken notice. In
2014, he partnered with Stance to
create his own signature line
of socks.
I think you can rock whatever
you want to rock as long as youre
condent, says Chandler of his
fashion mantra. Im very hands-on
when it comes to pressing the buttons for the socks line. I was very
involved in the process, emailing
back and forth with the guys, doing
different designs and colorways
for Stance. Its just something
I enjoy. Its fun and just another
hobby of mine.
Heading into training camp,
Parsons is already back on the
hardwood, running and taking jumpers, although he hasnt been
cleared to play 5-on-5 yet. And
while he aims to be ready to go by
opening night, he isnt rushing it.
He understands why hes in
Memphis and the long-term plans
of the franchise.
Basically, what it came down
tome being a priority for them and
basically [new head coach David]
Fizdale explaining how hes used
the wings that hes had, like Joe
Johnson in Atlanta and LeBron and
D-Wade in Miami. He sees me in
a similar-type role as those guys,
which is obviously attering. Im
ready for that challenge. S

Left: Stance socks; Previous and right: Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

me to put the matchup so that he

could go up against this other player
that was supposedly a better player
than him, so that everyone that was
watching the workout could see
that he was better than him. And
Chandler, in the workout, proved to
be better.
Parsons became a restricted
free agent in the summer of 2014,
and the Rockets ultimately decided
not to match an offer sheet from
the Dallas Mavericks. But his two
years in Texas would be riddled with
unfortunate circumstances.
His rst season was cut short
after he suffered a microfracture
injury in his right knee in early April.
He missed the rest of the regular
season, and though he tried to suit
up in the Playoffs, it turned out hed
need an arthroscopic surgery to address the cartilage injury and then
a long rehab process. As if that
wasnt enough, last season was cut
short once again, this time in March
due to season-ending surgery to
address a torn meniscus in the
same knee.
Going through a nine-month
rehab process where I learned how
to walk again after the microfracture to then playing the best Ive
ever played in my career for three
months to now having to miss the
Playoffs again for the second year
was probably the toughest thing I
ever had to go through as a player,
recalls Parsons, who last year produced career-highs in overall eld
goal percentage (49.2 percent) as

SL AMONLINE .COM 55

The unique genius of RAJON RONDO

hasnt always made for perfect fits with his
teammates or perfect relationships with
his coaches. But hes confident that a union
with Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler
means he can help the Bulls win right away.
BY V I NC ENT G O O D WI L L

56 SLAMONLINE .COM

I cant turn it off.

Bulls point guard Rajon Rondos
engine is always running hot. His
brain is always racing, processing,
assessing. Hes accepted that its a
gift and a curse.
Its hard to turn it offeverything
you gotta deal with, he says. Im just
wired that way. I cant not be ahead
of the curve.
Rondo is the curve. Think Rosie
Perez in White Men Cant Jump, rattling off more foods that start with the
letter Q than any other human knew
existed. Rondos mind holds more
than the minds of his peers, his mind
reasons quicker than the minds of his
superiors. And thus, hes perceived
as an NBA enigma.
The straight-A student who
doesnt get straight As because hes
sleeping in class, bored out of his
mind of the monotony, so craving a
challenge that he becomes one himself. That was Rondo. In high school,
he used to look so unenthused with
advanced math that his teacher actually thought he was cheating.
I was looking at his tests and
these long, drawn-out problems that
only me and people in my department can do with no work. I said, Yo,
hes cheating off somebody, Doug
Bibby recalls.
So next time around, Bibby gave
Rondo a different test than the 29
other students in his class. The result
was the same.
Dude gave me the test back, no
work with just answers. And guess
what? Every problem was right. The
kid is just brilliant.
Bibby, rst cousin of former NBA
player Mike Bibby, was also Rondos
basketball coach at Louisville Eastern
High in Kentucky. The two clashed,
but Bibby eventually became
Rondos biggest advocate and mentorhis big brother, so to speak.
He became my assistant coach.
We were similar. From the classroom

to the basketball court [to] the

perspective he looked at the game. I
saw that at an early age, Bibby says.
You have to let him be himself.
Muzzled and suppressed after
being traded to Dallas, then hidden
among the constant instability in
Sacramento, Rondo knows hes
been somewhat forgotten by the
general public. He seems more
amused than bemused by it.
I set individual goals that I accomplished last year and I was in
Sacramento, Rondo says. If I was
on TV and I was in the East, Im
pretty sure leading the League in
assists wouldnt be swept under the
rug so much.
Only the drama gets mentioned
when talking about the Kings, and it
can affect even the most decorated
of guys.
I wouldnt say it was chaos, but
the media portrayed it as chaos,
Rondo says. We had ups and
downs, we went through certain
situations. Publicly talking about ring our coach, didnt re our coach.
It was a lot of distractions versus
what we were able to do as a team.
The list of players whove led
the League in assists at least three
times in this millennium all have
tickets punched for the Hall: Jason
Kidd, Steve Nash, Chris Paul.
And Rondo.
Three years ago, you couldnt
have a conversation about the best
point guards in the NBA and not
have Rondos name on the tip of
your tongue. There was no better
big-game player at his position, no
more feared competitor in a winnertake-all environment. Then, only
Pauls mastery could touch Rondos
wizardry.
In 2016, how far do you have to
go before mentioning Rondo?
His answer says little but speaks
volumes: Im not fueled by that. I
just want to be the best.

I was able to
QUARTERBACK with so
many future HALL OF
FAMERS. I learned how
to keep guys HAPPY.
Rondos physical gifts are undeniable. His long arms can leave those
foolish enough to try grasping for
airgo nd the Vine of Rondo toying
with Trey Burke. But the narrative on
Rondo changed from being the difcult but worth it type to problem
child seemingly overnight, and hes
self-aware enough to know exactly
where it comes from. Even if you
stumble through your words trying
to nd the right way to phrase the
question about his reputation, Rondo
sees mercy and helps you out.
We can say it: Rick Carlisle,
he says bluntly. It was a learning
process in itself.
It didnt take being traded from
Boston to Dallas for Rondo to appreciate a coach not being threatened
by him, but it certainly highlighted the
fact that he needs freedom, and that
genius is not always embraced.
Rick ran things differently,

Rondo says. In Boston, I could

call a play on one side of the oor
and ip it on the opposite side to
confuse the defense. In the beginning [in Dallas] I just had to bite my
tongue with how things were run
because they won there and I won
[before].
The incident that everybody
blew up, Rick and I were on different
pages on that particular day.
The two had disagreements in
the Playoffs a couple years back,
a situation both parties should nd
regrettable. But the reputation has
followed only Rondo. Has it affected
him negatively?
Absolutely.
THE NEW POINT guard for the
Chicago Bulls looks around at his
surroundings, his third team in three
years, hoping hes found a place
that will accept his genius the way

SL AMONLINE .C OM 57

58 SL AMONLINE .COM

Previous: Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images; This page: Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images

When you can THINK

multiple STEPS ahead,
sometimes that
SCARES PEOPLE. I think
he has a GIFT and he
uses it well. Thats
why hes one of the
BEST at what
he does. KIDD

he himself has learned to over the yearswith

patience, not frustration.
Doc [Rivers] would tell me not to get bored
with the process. Things would be monotonous going over the same thing over and over
again, he says. At times I got frustrated early
in my career but over time I grew to understand
everybody has their own learning curve and
everybody learns differently.
Wide-eyed rookie Denzel Valentine marvels
when Rondo tells him he cant watch basketball
just for the sake of entertainment value, as his
mind wont stop him from scouting and taking
notes of opposing players tendencies, even if
theyre not on the upcoming schedule.
It takes time to understand the brilliance
of Rondo. If the Bulls exceed the .500 ball
most analysts see for them in 2016-17, itll be
because Rondo manipulates seemingly ill-tting
chess pieces to his advantage. Itll be because
Rondo gures out a way to make the grouping
of himself, Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade (aka
the Three Alphas) mask some roster ills and
coaching inexperience.
I was able to quarterback with so many
future Hall of Famers. I learned how to keep
guys happy, Rondo says, referring to his days in
Boston. I had to laugh about itmyself, Jimmy
and D-Wade not getting along. Ive seen it
rst-hand with the Big Three. Three guys with
different backgrounds and they were able to
come together.
He kept Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray
Allen lathered by counting touches and shots
in his head, and hell have to do that with Wade
and Butler to ensure things work as harmonious
as possible.
Before signing with the Bulls, Rondo
watched lm with Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg for
hours on end, the two bonding over Rondos
intellect, chemistry developing over Rondos
immediate grasp of a complicated offense.
A lot of things were said about Fred, a lot of
things were said about me, Rondo says. Its
denitely been refreshing to come in a situation
and not be judged. You get a great fresh start.
Listening to Rondo rattle off the names of
former teammates like Boogie Cousins and
Monta Ellis, its clear he gravitates to players
whose passion can be misunderstood, whose
intentions can be misinterpreted.
Its how the perception is. You cant judge
a guy, seeing him 82 games, Rondo says,
perhaps transitioning from describing them to
describing himself. He might be ery some
games and hes not a yes man [who does]
everything hes told to do and not know whats
going on. Explain it to me, let me understand
why were doing certain situations. Im not going out there and doing it for no reason. It has
to make sense.
And of his new star teammate Butler,
Rondo says, I wanted to play with guys who
competed, and Jimmy was at the top of the list.
Jimmys not afraid to punch a guy in the mouth,
guratively speaking.
RONDO WALKS through the United Center after
a morning shootaround, hoping to get some
extra shots up in his new home. But a curtain
blocks off the court. He turns and asks, Theyre
supposed to be gone by now, right?
Inside, a fellow genius is at work, a man
who was gifted and cursed in the same way as
Rondo. Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason
Kidd has his teams shootaround running a little
longer than expected.

The two men later nod and exchange

pleasantries as members of an exclusive kind of
brotherhood.
It can be hardyoure a competitor and youre
trying to win, Kidd says a few moments after,
looking in Rondos direction. When you can
think multiple steps ahead, sometimes that scares
people. I think he has a gift and he uses it well.
Thats why hes one of the best at what he does.
Rondos clairvoyance is on display a few
hours later in his rst preseason game in a Bulls
uniform. His dart-like passes often escape the ngertips of his teammates or, in some cases, miss
the mark altogether. He isnt dishing to where
his teammates are or where theyre goinghes
throwing passes to where they should be, where
they better be, and where, in time, they will be.
Hes reprogramming them from past habits, one
pass in the face at a time.
His voice cuts through a building lled with
nearly 20,000 people just as it does in one with
30. Hes the man who stops Bulls practice because too many people are talking who shouldnt

bea player who knows that while the Bulls were

too quiet last season, it doesnt mean hell allow it
to be a free-for-all just because. I feel like everything in life happens for a reason. Me being here
now with those two guys, with all these young
guys, which I was [once], thats how life works.
Kidd, who overcame the nickname Ason Kidd
(no J) by sinking the fth most three-pointers
in NBA history, knows a little about dealing with
a reputation and believes public perception of
Rondo should change immediately.
We label everybody and labels tend to not
be easily erased, Kidd says. The perception of
cant shoot can follow you, not coachable follows you. Its the unfortunate thing. I think Rondo
is one of the best at what he does. What always
comes up: Is he coachable? Hes a basketball
player and does what he does at a high level.
Hes a champion. It shouldnt be a question.
Until then, Rondo will be listing off those foods
that begin with the letter Q, because the mind of
a genius doesnt have an off switch.
Quail, Quince, Quiche S

Its been years since Linsanity

took New York by storm,
but JEREMY LIN is back. This
time, hes the starting point
guard and leader of the
young, new-look Brooklyn Nets.
BY AB E SC HWAD R ON

PORTR AIT TOM MEDVEDICH

S L A M O N L I N E . C O M 61

Jeremy Lin is standing on the

corner of Kent and West Streets in
Greenpoint, Brooklyn, waiting for
his longtime friend and trainer Josh
Fan to arrive. The two were supposed to roll together, he explains,
but plans changed once the Nets
kept Lin and his teammates for a
mandatory orthotic insole tting
after this mornings workout. Its
a drizzly Monday afternoon in
September, and Lin is wearing

er East Side apartment. He was,

before what ultimately became one
of the most memorable individual
stretches of basketball in the history of the NBA, an anonymous
New Yorker. The night before his
Linsanity phenomenon began,
Lin famously slept on Knicks
teammate Landry Fields sofa.
What unfolded thereafter, for the
last two months of the 2011-12
season, established him not only
as a full-time pro, but as one of the
most popular basketball players on
the planet.
Im denitely glad to be back,
says the 28-year-old, who after
stops with the Rockets, Lakers
and Hornets from 2012 to 2016,
signed a three-year, $36 million
contract with the Nets this summer.
I obviously have a special connection with New York fans because of
everything weve been through, so
to be back here playing in front
of them again is...to me, I wish it
happened earlier.
During our faux bank heist in
Brooklyn, Lin immediately takes
charge. Hes responsible for solving most of the puzzles to unlock
each new clue and he instinctively
directs everyone else to pick up
items well need along the way. Its
corny as hell to say, but he really is
point guard-ing the shit out of this.
When we emerge victorious with
26 minutes to spare, Lin admits
that hes done this before. In fact,
its his eighth or ninth time escaping the room, and he shrugs once
we get back outside to daylight
this wasnt as challenging as the
versions he played in Charlotte
and Los Angeles. Then again, dude
went to Harvard.
J-Lins regular guy vibe is
disarming, and yet there are brief
moments when his status as an
international superstar smack you
dead in the face. As we casually
talk hoops on the walk back to his
car after wrapping the interview
portion of our shoot, for example,
Lin points out that its kinda
hard for big men to look cool in
highlights, because nine times out
of 10, Stephen Curry breaking a
defenders ankles and raining a
three is more entertaining to watch
than LeBron James muscling in 2
points in the post. Its not an earthshattering observation for a person
to make until you consider the
two players being compared are
among just a small handful whose
global following eclipses that of the
person who made it.
But this story isnt about Linsanity. Because that storys already
been written many times over. And,
if youre reading this magazine,
you already know what happened.
The night it all started with Lin
dropping 25 on Deron Williams
and the Nets at MSG. The 38 and
7 he put up against Kobe and the

Lakers less than a week later. The

game-winning three on Valentines
Day in Toronto.
The memories wont soon
fade. Walk the streets of New York
City and youll still occasionally see
his No. 17 Knicks jersey every so
often. But the next chapter for Jeremy Lin will play out across town,
where Brooklyn head coach Kenny
Atkinson is handing him the keys.
(Lin says Atkinson, who mentored
him as a Knicks assistant during
the Linsanity season, is the only
reason why I really considered the
Nets in the rst place.) This year,
on this team, Lin comes in as
the starting point guard, not just
some ash in the pan. With all
due respect to former All-Star
center Brook Lopezwhom Lin
rst met a decade ago on a
serendipitous midnight visit to an
IHOP during a high school tournament in Californiaits Lin who
will be looked at as the face of
the franchise, from the inside and
out. And hes denitely ready for
the challenge.
To have this role, Im so excited
I cant even really explain just how
happy I am, says Lin. Theres days
where after we work out or play
pickup or whatever, Im just like,
Man, it feels natural. Im a leader.
Im a starting point guard. I run the
showand thats something Ive
done my whole life on the court. So
the last few years playing in a backup position, to me, thats not who
I was created to be as a player,
thats not natural. I feel like I wanna
be the guy in the front. I wanna be
the guy leading the charge, and
I feel that here.
Walking around Brooklyn, the
vibe that I get is that they havent
had a product that the people
have been proud of, he continues,
noting the teams 21-61 record
last season. I can tell theres that
disappointment from the past.
No disrespect or no offense to
anybody else who was here
before, but thats just the vibe that
I get. So for me its just another
challenge: How can we turn this
thing around?
Perhaps due to all the same lazy
stereotypes that have been used
to doubt Lin at every other stop
throughout his career, its still hard
for some to picture him in the role
of the veteran leader. Time to get
over it. The reality is, almost all of
his new Nets teammates really do
look up to him, and almost all for
different reasons.
Like 21-year-old Nets rookie
Isaiah Whitehead, who remembers
watching every game of Linsanity
as a sophomore at Lincoln HS in
Brooklyn: I was right in front of my
TV watching every one. Or Sean
Kilpatrick, another New York-bred
guard, who looks at Lin as a model
of D-League-to-NBA-starter suc-

Left: Nathaniel S Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

adidas sweats from head to toe,

with a matching snapback thats
keeping his man bun, or braids,
or whatevers under there hidden
from view.
In a few minutes, well descend
into a dimly lit, dungeon-esque
basement to do one of those
trendy new escape the room
adventure games. You know,
where you have an hour to collect
clues and solve riddles as a
team in order to, well, escape the
room. (In our case, pulling off a
Mission Impossible-themed bank
robbery before the ctional cops
catch us committing the heist.)
While we wait, we bullshit about
the Nets fancy new practice
facility in Sunset Park, about how
Lin scored his new apartment
near the Barclays Center after
refreshing Zillow for days on end,
and about the upgrades he still
needs to make to his car, including
tinting the windows and replacing
the rims. As a jackhammer pounds
away at a construction site across
the street, Fan nally appears,
panting. Turns out, he took an Uber
to Kent Avenue, not Kent Street,
and had to run the last three-quarters of a mile here, which draws a
laugh from Lin.
The last time he played professional basketball for a team in
New York, Lin was crashing on his
brothers couch in a cramped Low-

Tom Medvedich

cess. Hes one of the hardest

workers Ive ever seen, Kilpatrick
says. Hes always talking to me
about staying hungry.
Even Greivis Vasquez, who will
be pushing Lin for that starting PG
spot every day in practice, respects
Lin for being a ghter who fears
nothing on the court. We want him
to lead, says GV, and we want to
win games with him.
Meanwhile, Lopez isactually,
Lopez is just envious that Lin is
being featured in a special edition
of Marvels Totally Awesome Hulk
comic book. I was so jealous
when I saw that, Lopez laments.
He didnt even tell me about it.
Apparently its no big deal to him.
I had to read about it on my comic
book sites.
Despite never having been
an All-Star, Lin can sell comic
books as a superhero thanks to
his universal appeal. A week after
our photo shoot in Brooklyn, at
Nets Media Day, Lin is predictably
swarmed by reporters despite
playing on a team that beyond
his presence is of lukewarm (at
best) interest to the rest of the
world. And, not unlike his teammates, Lin says his fans are as
diverse as they are loyal.
My story is so unique, and
so there are people that always
support different parts of my story.
It might be that Im Asian, or it
might be that I went to Harvard,
or it might be that I grew up in an
immigrant family or the underdog
story or the Ivy League, he says.
For me its just something I want
to be grateful for every day. I used
to take my fans more for granted,
and now Im really thankful for
them and I think I do a better job of
showing that.
On the court, Lin insists hes
shored up a lot of the parts of his
game that were suspect during
his rst go-round under the bright
lights of New York, including his
jumper, his ability to go left and his
defense. Last season in Charlotte
he averaged 11.7 points, 3 assists
and a career-high 3.2 rebounds
per game in a Sixth Man role for a
Hornets team that won 48 games
and made the postseason. With
increased minutes, expect to see
his numbers jump across the
boarda lot.
Lin, though, says hes matured
as a person as much as he has
as a player.
Probably spiritually and mentally more than anything. I think
when everything rst happened I
was a little scared and jaded, just
because a lot of friendships and
relationships and the way things
worked out, I felt like maybe people
betrayed me. I felt that sense of
like, I dont know if I can trust
people, Lin says. Having gone
through the last four years, Im

Im not so CONCERNED
WITH what everyone
else has to SAY
about me anymore,
whether its REPORTERS
or OPPONENTS
or ANYBODY, really.

really in a different place. Im not

so concerned with what everyone
else has to say about me anymore,
whether its reporters or opponents
or anybody, really.
The Nets surely dont have
championship expectations in
2016-17. Competing for a playoff
spot in a suddenly crowded
Eastern Conference is probably a
stretch, too. But Jeremy Lin is at
long last comfortably stable, both
in spirit and in his situation.
I have a lot more fun through
each day, he says. I smile a lot
more. S

SL AMONLINE .COM 63

Though often (and understandably)

overshadowed by his MVP brother,
SETH CURRY has quietly carved out a
place for himself in the NBA. With
a freshly inked two-year contract in Dallas,
its time to see what he can really do.
BY LEO SEPKOWITZ

64 SL AMONLINE .COM

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

On April 11, Rajon Rondo and Darren

Collison rested for the Kings, and
Seth Curry started at point guard.
Curry had impressed in recent
games, but did so at shooting guard,
and had hardly played at all before
that. You wouldnt know any of this
from watching that nights tape,
thoughCurry dropped 20 points and
15 dimes in 38 minutes, as the Kings
picked up a road W.
That gameand a handful of
others late last season, when
few were watchingtransformed
Currys career.
I knew I had it in me, he says of
his sizzling stretch. During the year,
I wasnt playing consistently, but
when I got in, I played well. Id play
ve minutes here, six minutes here,
12 minutesbut I felt like I was effective, that I could help the team out.
In July, Curry, 26, parlayed a nice
run into a two-year deal with the
Mavericks for $6 million. It is not a
sexy contract (in a summer full of
them), but it is two guaranteed years
with one of the Leagues steadiest franchises. Thats a big deal
for Curry, who has spent the past
three seasons bouncing between
the East and West, the majors and
minors. All the while, of course, his
career has existed in the minds of
many as a sort of footnote to that
of his brother, Stephen. We have
viewed Seths game with our Steph
Goggles on: Wow! Sweet play! He
almost looked like his brother there!
Maybe thats inescapable at this
point. Or maybe itll change when
Seth breaks through.
I showed a lot at the end of last
season with Sacramentothat I can
play on the ball and make plays,
says Seth. Over seven games in
April, playing both guard spots,
he averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 dimes
and 3 boards per. His sharp-shooting (3.3 threes at 49 percent)
and his low turnover rate suggest

he can truly compete (and thrive) at

the NBA level.
Obviously, people know me
for my shooting. But [head coach
Rick Carlisle] was talking about
being versatile here. The good
thing about this system is that he
never really labels his guys point
guards or shooting guards. He just
plays guards who can do a lot of
different things.
A combo guard himself, Curry
makes for an easy t with the Mavs,
a team eternally starved for young
talent. Dallas has a fairly crowded
backcourt, as Deron Williams, JJ
Barea, Devin Harris and Wesley
Matthews will return this season.
But Williams, Barea and Harris are
all 32 or 33 years old, and none is a
particularly good three-point shooter.
Beyond some ashes from Justin
Andersons rookie campaign, there
is little depth behind Matthews on
the wing. This is a dream scenario
for an up-and-comer with some
polished skills.
Says Carlisle, We have to get
younger, and hes the right age where
we feel like hes young enough to still
take a quantum leap, and hes experienced enough to help us now.
That sort of faith in Curry is new.
Three years ago, he went undrafted
out of Duke. Golden State signed
him to play for its D-League afliate
in Santa Cruz. Memphis picked
him up, then cut him. Cleveland
picked him up, then sent him to the
D-Leagues Erie Bayhawks. Orlando
picked him up, then waived him.
Phoenix picked him up for 10 days
to play a total of eight minutes.
Every time I was let go, I was
disappointed because I felt like I
never got on the oor to show what
I could do, Curry says. Its tough
coming into a team that you werent
with in training camp, trying to establish yourself on a 10-day contract
situation when theres a lot of odds

Whether youre
GETTING MINUTES or
not, you gotta GO IN
and DO YOUR JOB
and play FOR THE FANS.
against you. I dont blame them for
not giving me those chances, but I
felt like I deserved them.
Even last year, on a guaranteed
(minimum) deal in Sacramento, Curry
dealt with major problems. DeMarcus
Cousins and George Karl feuded in
November. The Kings nearly red Karl
midseason, then didnta non-move
that Caron Butler called deating.
Rondo labeled it the most tense
locker room hed ever seen. The
team won just 33 games. On July 3,
Sacramento effectively cut Curry to
make room for Matt Barnes.
But Curry just kept his head up,
focusing on the good stuff.
It was a great learning experience, he says of his time in Sacramento. I liked everybody in the locker
room as a personthere were just
some headlines and some problems.
But that taught me a lot about profes-

sionalism. Being around Caron was

huge. Even at this point in his career,
hes still in the gym with me early
in the morning, getting his work in,
putting the time in, staying positive.
Whether youre getting minutes or
not, you gotta go in and do your job
and play for the fans.
That shouldnt be difcult to
do in Dallas, where Curry will nally
nd stability.
The past few years Ive been in
the League, Ive really noticed how
important that structure and direction
is for a team, Curry says. Going to
a place thats already established,
where I can just come in and get
better and keep doing things the right
way, its gonna make it a lot easier to
win. I dont want to take what I did
last year and then take a step back.
I want to move forward, grow from it
and be a consistent NBA player. S

SL AMONLINE .COM 65

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68 SL AMONLINE .COM

of 96 studs like Allen Iverson, Steve

Nash and Kobe Bryant. Abdur-Rahim,
Antoine Walker and Jermaine ONeal
were certied talents, no doubt, but
for myriad reasons, they remain largely
in the shadows to this day, at least
compared to their cohorts.
In some ways, Shareef says now,
you try to keep up with those guys
and the success that those guys had.
Ive always believed that really good
players are either competing against
themselves, pushing themselves to
different limits, or theyre competing against really good players. That
collection of guys is who I battled.
I wanted to keep up with them or
surpass them.
Unfortunately for Abdur-Rahim, he
only tasted the Playoffs twice, both
toward the end of his career when he
played with Sacramento.
Im at peace with my career,
the time I had playing basketball,
says Shareef, who for the rst seven
seasons of his career averaged a
Millsap-esque 20, 8 and 3. If
anything, I would have liked to have
played on some better teams, teams
that were further along. Had that happened, then maybe that wouldnt be
the sentiment.
But just when you think the levelheaded Abdur-Rahim will nally let off
some steam, he adds, but Im thankful for the opportunity I had to play
at the level I did. I was an All-Star. I
played with some really good people.
I played with some really good
coaches. I cherish all of that.
Damn, almost forgot who we were
talking to for a second.
I dont know if young people
understand the hard work and the
focus and the determination [it takes
to succeed], Bozeman says. KG has
it. Shareef didnt have the outward
demonstration [of Kevin Garnett], but
he was just like that.
Abdur-Rahim, a father of two, has
been so busy post-retirement that he
simply hasnt had the time to worry
much about legacies. After hanging it
up in 08 with Sacramento, Shareef
almost immediately stepped into the
role of Kings assistant coach. A shock
to no one, the heady Reef (education
is a priority to me, he says) shot up
the Kings hierarchy, becoming the
assistant general manager and then
the director of player personnel.
It kind of just happened, Reef
says. The people that were running
the Kings when I retired, they asked

I was an All-Star. I played

with some really good people.
I played with some really good
coaches. I cherish all of t hat.

me to stay on to coach some younger

players. I did that for a while and
that kind of evolved into me joining
the front ofce. It was all a good
experience. I was around some good
people[GM] Geoff Petrie, [vice
president] Wayne Cooper, [assistant
coach] Pete Carril. I was around a lot
of smart basketball people.
After some personnel changes and
conicting views on the direction of
the team, Abdur-Rahim parted ways
from the organization two years ago.
There are a lot of new people there
with the ownership and management,
Abdur-Rahim says of the current state
of the franchise. A lot of time when
that happens, you dont have the
same connections. But I pull for them
and I want the Kings to do well.
Again, no time to harp on the
negativeReef was recently named
the NBAs Associate VP of Basketball Operations. One thing about
sports is that it gives you an appetite
for achievement, he says. It allows
me to still have goals, still learn and
still achieve.
Folks in Atlanta, where AbdurRahim played for three seasons, have
known about the mans business
acumen for some time now. For years,
locals passed a building in East Point
with the name Reef House out front.
With little fanfare, the organization
quietly helped at-risk teenagers with
their homework and life-building skills.
Abdur-Rahim and his teams mission
remains set on bettering the prospects for Atlantas youth, only now
its evolved into an overall enrichment
program called Future Foundation.
Im a product of people spending
time with me, Reef says. It just makes
sense to do the same. I feel very fortunate to have achieved the things that
I have achieved. I had a platform to be
able to [return the favor]. Im thankful
in my neighborhood weve been able
to establish the Future Foundation and
different programs to try to help young
people and be a resource for them to
reach their goals.
Adds Bozeman, None of this
surprises me. Hes always had that
focus.
By the time Coach hangs up the
phone, hes exhausted every glowing
word in the English language to
describe Shareef. But we totally get
itBozeman wants to remind the
world that Shareef Abdur-Rahim was
one helluva basketball player.
Three minutes after the call,
though, Bozeman is calling back. As
fate would have it, in all the discussion about a player the basketball
world has seemingly pushed to the
back of its memory, Coach himself
forgets something. I just want to say
that he was the consummate studentathlete and pro, he adds.
Honestly, the second call was so
quick that we didnt even bother putting on the recorder. Didnt need to.
We wouldnt dare forget.
Neither should you. S

Previous spread, from left: Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images; Andy Hayt/NBAE via Getty Images; This spread: Scott Cunningham /NBAE/Getty Images

Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap

comes in at a respectable No. 29 on
the #SLAMTop50 players list for this
NBA season. If theres a more standup guy who can consistently knock
down big buckets, we dont know him.
But for all the 18 and 8 nights
he has, Millsap just isnt that sexy
to mainstream fans. Hes never had
crazy outbursts on IG. He doesnt
have wacky on-court mannerisms. He
rocks the calmest goatee in the game.
In 20 years, when your kids are
talking about the NBAs best players
of the past few decades, Millsaps
name may not come up. It wont be his
fault, of course; itll be a awed systems. The ashy guys get the glory.
But players as gifted as Paul
Millsap should not suffer the same
fate as Netix passwords and old
girlfriends phone numbers.
The same goes for another
forward, Shareef Abdur-Rahim,
who quietly displayed an incredibly
underrated (but unbelievably steady)
game in the early 00s for those same
Hawks, and three other teams.
A high school phenom back at
Atlanta-area Wheeler HS, Shareef
was named Georgias Mr. Basketball
in 94 and 95. The do-everything
Abdur-Rahim went on to the University of California and didnt miss a
beat. The rst freshman to ever be
named Pac-10 Player of the Year,
Shareef averaged over 21 points and
8 rebounds a game.
Though Abdur-Rahims lone collegiate season ended with a disappointing rst-round loss in the NCAA
Tourney, he went on to have a stellar
NBA career that spanned 13 years,
leaving a permanent mark on those
closest to him.
Like Todd Bozeman. How could
he forget Reef? The two are intertwined in Cal basketball lore. The star
on Coach Bozemans last Golden
Bears squad in 96, Abdur-Rahim
doesnt hesitate to admit Bozeman
was the main reason he chose to attend Cal over legendary ACC hoops
institutions like Georgia Tech and
North Carolina.
Bozeman reciprocates the praise.
The presence that he had on the
court and the focus stood out to
me, says Bozeman, who was an
assistant at Cal from 1990-92 before
becoming the head coach in 93. It
was almost like he was the only kid
out there.
Twenty-plus years later, their rela-

tionship is still solid. Coach recalled a

moment not too long ago when Benji,
a 30 for 30 special on Ben Wilson,
the Chicago hoops icon who was
tragically murdered in 1984, aired on
ESPN. I texted Reef, he remembers.
I was sitting there watchingI had
never seen [Wilson] play. I said, Man,
he looks like you, Reef! He said,
Coach, Im sitting here with my son
watching this right now. When you
watch that thing, thats Reef! Im telling
you. Thats what he looked like. The
straight-up running, graceful and could
really score.
Reef, a devout Muslim, was always
focused. Instead of getting sidetracked with things off the court, he
kept his head down and his eld-goal
percentage up (a Pac-10 fth-best
51.8 percent).
Reef would work and work and
work, says Bozeman. He would just
put that time in. One of the stories
that epitomizes that workit probably
has something to do with his religion,
toowas when we were playing a
game against USC or Washington.
It was in the middle of Ramadan. He
wouldnt drink water. He wouldnt do
nothin. Every timeout, Id go, Reef,
you good? Hed say, Im good, Boze,
Im good. His mom was sitting behind
the bench and she kept saying, Tell
Reef its OK if he drinks water. I said,
Reef, your mom said you could drink
water. He said, Im good, Boze, Im
good. He must have had 30 and 15
[that game]. It was inspirational.
A smooth, hard-working forward
for the Grizzlies, Hawks, Blazers and
Kings, the 6-9, 225-pound AbdurRahim made the All-Rookie Team in
97 and made his lone All-Star appearance in 02. You know how Draymond
Green goes 100 percent every night
in the paint, the perimeter and at all
points in between? That was Shareef
way before Dray was out of diapers.
I denitely dont think he gets
the recognition he deserves, admits
Bozeman, head coach at Morgan
State University since 2006. He had
serious numbers. You can compare
his numbers to a lot of people and
theirs dont stack up.
We cant say unequivocally what
the reason is that more people dont
know about Abdur-Rahims 50-point
game in 01, or that his 15,028
career points are more than Alonzo
Mournings and Kevin Johnsons. But
it likely has something to do with the
fact he was drafted alongside Class

SL AMONLINE .COM 69

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74 S L A M O N L I N E . C O M

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP
As required by Title 39, Section 3685 United States Code below is the Statement
of Ownership,Management, and Circulation of SLAM.

EXTRA

MORE
HEAT

Get familiar with the new

fire STANCE socks youll
see on-court during the
2016-17 NBA season.

WHEN STANCE TOOK OVER as the ofcial on-court sock provider of the NBA before last season,

no one knew what to expect. But with a year in the books, reviewsfrom fans and most importantly, the
playershave been overwhelmingly positive. Like, I need bout four pair ASAP positive. The combination of design and comfort have established the brand as the go-to sock choice for serious hoopers.
So it comes as no surprise that Stance is ready to up their game this year, with a new slate of styles
youll see when the NBA season kicks off. Last season, every team had several options: a team jerseyinspired edition and a team logo edition, plus standard solid colorways like the classic white and black
base socks. But this season, in addition to those 60 unique styles, Stance has cooked up even more.
Every team is getting new looks, thanks to eight brand-new striped styles across the League. Not
only that, but a handful of teams are getting updated alternates, like stars and stripes for the Wizards,
old-school pinstripes for the Magic, Fear the Deer joints for the Bucks and more. Most notably, the
Knicks and Lakers have NY and LA above the heel on the backs of their new socks, all of which will
be available in quarter and crew height, at Stance.com, the NBA Store, Foot Locker and other retailers.
As in the past, Stance will have some special editions for key moments in the 16-17 season,
too, including Hardwood Classics designs (shouts to the Toronto Huskies!) and even a Kevin Garnett
retirement tribute sock. Now thats real. Abe Schwadron

3 IN A ROW

From top: Stance socks; Courtesy of Under Armour

Two signature sneakers, two MVP

seasons. Under Armour is banking
on the CURRY 3 continuing the
overwhelming success of Stephen Currys
signature performance line.
STEPHEN CURRYS partnership with Under Armour has already produced some tough silhouettes.
And for the third iteration of the two-time MVPs signature shoe, Senior Sneaker Designer Kort
Neumann and his team hit the lab to develop the best basketball sneaker they could.
Inuences for the 3 include Stephs cars, home and family, but Neumann zeroed in on F-22 ghter
jets as a main source of inspiration. We were looking at that and how you can apply the dynamic
beauty behind that plane to the shoe, Neumann says. In terms of style of the shoe, a majority of that
came from the ghter air craft. We presented that to Steph and he was on board.
The sneaker features two new pieces of brand-new tech. UAs adaptive Threadborne material on the
3s upper is made of high-tension threads woven together, providing freedom of movement, along with
support and breathability. Its hot off the UA presses and will soon be making appearances across different categories. It took a while to gure out how to get, in Neumanns words, the best of both worlds,
in terms of performance and aesthetics, but UA believes theyve found it. The versatility of the Threadborne is complemented by the other new feature of the 3: two carbon ber wings on either side of the
sneaker, pulled straight from the F-22s. What those tail wings do is stabilize a plane, Neumann says.
We took that concept and applied it to the shoe. Its a stabilizing mechanism for your subtalar joint.
What your subtalar joint does is stabilize your foot from left to right on an even surface. If youre cutting
really hard, your subtalar joint is involved in keeping you stable while youre doing that movement.
The combination of Threadborne and the carbon ber Meta-Wing tech got the Curry seal of approval. And dont worry, Neumann promises re colorways for the 3 are on the way. Max Resetar

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Publication Title: SLAM

Publication Number: 1072-625X
Filing Date: 10/01/2016
Issue Frequency: Monthly except January & October
Number of Issues Published Annually: 10
Annual Subscription Price: $19.97
Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication:
261 Madison Ave., 6th fl, New York, NY 10016-2303
Contact Person: Brian Laboe; Telephone: 212-915-4182
8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters
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TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC
831 S. Douglas St.
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9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher,
Editor, and Managing Editor:
Publisher: Dennis Page, 261 Madison Avenue, 6th fl, NY, NY 10016
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10. Owner: TEN: The Enthusiast Network, Inc
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x Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months
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14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: December 16
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation:
Average No.
No. Copies
Copies Each Issue of Single Issue
During Preceding
Published
12 Months
Nearest to
Filing date
a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run)
161,714
156,565
b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside
the Mail)
(1) Mailed Outside-County Paid
Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541
(Include paid distribution above nominal
rate, advertisers proof copies, and
exchange copies)
54,210
55,090
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on PS Form 3541 (Include paid
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advertisers proof copies, and
exchange copies)
0
0
(3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails
Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers,
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(4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of
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0
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c. Total Paid Distribution
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d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By
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(1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County
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11,860
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(4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside
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70
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e. Total Free or Nominal Distribution
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84,831
g. Copies not Distributed [See
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h. Total (Sum of 15f And 15g)
161,714
156,565
i. Percent Paid
(15c divided by 15f times 100)
80.5%
86.0%
16. Extent and Nature of Circulation:
Average No. Copies
No. of Copies of
Each Issue During Single Issue Published
Preceding 12 Months Nearest to Filing Date
a. Paid Electronic Copies
29,360
30,401
b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + 101,267
103,372
Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16A)
c. Total Requested Copy Distribution (Line 15F) +
Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16A)
118,685
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d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic 85.3%
89.7%
Copies) (16b divided by 16c x 100)
x I Certify that 50% of all my distributed Copies (Electronic & Print) are paid
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2016-17

EVERYBODY
LOOKING

Ignore the rumors. Ignore the criticism.

Ignore the noise. Theres a reason Arizona
commit DEANDRE AYTON has been ranked
as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2017
for the last three years: So far, no ones
been able to stop the 7-foot beast.

ust a month after announcing

his college decision live on
SportsCenter, DeAndre Ayton
sits back and thinks about
his journey. Since his arrival to the
United States from the Bahamas
in 2011, hes emerged as the top
recruit in the Class of 2017a title
hes held for the past three years.
Leaving his mother and siblings
behind at the time was extremely
tough. But in the grand scheme of
things, living in the States without
his family hasnt even been the
toughest part of the process. As his
game continued to blow up, so did
his name.
The biggest challenge was
blocking everybody out of my mind
when I play, Ayton says. A lot of
tweets go around saying, Hes not
eligible for college, stuff like that.
Ive had to overcome that. On the
court, though, theres no challenge,
to be honestother than just focusing. I adapted to it. Ive heard a lot
of criticism in my life, ever since I
moved out here to the US, but that
type of stuff doesnt bother me. I use
it as motivation.
In an age when misinformation
and rumors spread easily (and
quickly) through social media,
high-prole recruits nd themselves

WORDS FR ANKLYN CALLE

having to cope with the constant

drum of outside noise. And while its
one of those it comes with the territory situations, Ayton seems to have
embraced the chatter with ease.
A 7-foot center armed with
explosive athleticism and an insideoutside game that extends out
to the perimeter, his skill set has
drawn comparisons to the likes of
Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan. Last
season, as a junior, he averaged
29.2 points, 16.7 rebounds and 3.8
blocks per game at Hillcrest Prep
in Phoenix while playing a national
schedule against Americas top prep
programs.
Aytons road to becoming the
countrys top prospect began in
San Diego, where he enrolled at the
Balboa School in 2011. He remained
there until the summer of 2015,
when he relocated to the Valley of
the Sun to join Hillcrest. The different environments have provided the
versatile big with some valuable life
lessons.
Growing up in the Bahamas,
I really learned how to appreciate
things more when I moved out to
Cali, Ayton says. Moving to Cali,
the program really helped me to
be humble. I was a very lowkey
prospect. And moving to Arizona,

PORTR AITS L AYNE MURDOCH

IVE HEARD A
LOT OF CRITICISM, BUT THAT
TYPE OF STUFF
DOESNT BOTHER
ME. I USE IT AS
MOTIVATION.
I made it home.
Last year, his mother Andrea
relocated to the US to join him in
Phoenix. His siblings followed. Their
arrival couldnt have come at a more
perfect timethe noise surrounding
his recruitment is louder than ever.
My mom is my rock, Ayton
admits. She is my shield. She
keeps all my sharks away. I can go
anywhereshe has to be with me.
Everything goes through my mom.

Of course, making Arizona his

home turned out to be more than
a high school decision. Its where
he plans to suit up for college, too,
after giving the Wildcats a verbal
commitment in September. His
slated arrival in Tucson wasnt just
about choosing a top-ranked program within close proximity. Whittling his options down to Arizona,
Kansas and Kentucky, he realized
that only one of those coaches had
yet to reach a level that the other
two had, and he really wanted to
change that.
The second unofcial visit, we
went up to Arizona and I told my
mom, You know? I really like this
program, Ayton says. Coach Sean
[Miller] has never gone to the Final
Four, and I was really thinking about
that. I really intend to help him get
thereand then lead em to a National Championship. I told my mom,
I just want to make history. S

S L A M O N L I N E .C O M 77

2016-17

CATCH
THESE HANDS
JAYLEN HANDS
San Diego (CA) Foothills Christian
6-3, G
JAYLEN HANDS had a pretty good
summer, and theres a decent
chance youve already seen one of
the highlights. This was June, when
Hands was dominating the adidas
Eurocamp in Italy. Running the break
in a game against the Ukrainian U20
team, the 6-3, 170-pounder nished
with a poster-perfect dunk over a 6-7
defender. That mightve been my
best ever dunk in a game, he says
now. One, because someone got
it on video, and two, it was in a real
game where it actually mattered.
Indeed, the Class of 2017
standout at Foothills Christian HS
outside San Diego says it was only
the second-best moment of his
summerthe rst came when he
claimed MVP honors in leading Team
Harden to the title at the adidas

Nations camp. Its been that kind of

run lately for Hands, who will look to
wrap his high school career in similar
fashion this winter before suiting up
for UCLA next year. And as a future
Bruin who prides himself on his
versatility and explosiveness, its no
surprise that former Westwood star
Russell Westbrook is the guy whose
game he most admires.
If Hands game is very much in the
present, his on-court fashion sense
is bringing the old school back. I like
to wear short shorts when I play, he
says with a laugh. Not short short,
but short enough. I just feel more
comfortable. Between his game
and his fearless fashion streak, were
guessing the admiration between
Hands and Westbrook will be mutual
soon enough. Ryan Jones

MOTIVATION
JARRED VANDERBILT
Houston (TX) Victory Prep
6-8, F
JARRED VANDERBILT wants his spot back. After suffering a foot injury that
sidelined him for the majority of the summer, the 6-8 big man from Houston is
back on the court and motivated to climb back up the Class of 2017 rankings
after sliding out of the top-10.
I denitely want to get back up there in that top-5, top-10 conversation, he
says. Since my injury I fell out of the loop a little bit. I want to get back to 100
percent both mentally and physically and lead my team to victory and prepare
for the next level.
Vanderbilt, who is getting ready for his senior season at Houstons Victory
Prep, grew up around the gamehis father was an assistant at Prairie View
A&M and all ve of his older siblings hooped. A ball was put in his hands at a
young age and backyard games at the Vanderbilt house helped mold him into
the player he is today. Pickup games used to be intense, but they dont really
play me no more, he says. It used to get to the point where we almost fought
when it came down to the last bucket. Thats where a lot of my toughness
came, playing with them every day. Thats pretty much where I learned to play.
The highly touted recruit has the likes of Arizona, Baylor, UNC, Kansas, Kentucky and Texas hoping for his services. Before he hits campus, Vanderbilt has
visions of being a McDonalds All-American and partaking in the Jordan Brand
Classic. No matter where the game takes him, though, hell put family rst.
Since a young age I realized that I can make a lot of money doing this one
day and provide for my family, he says. Thats what drives me: That Im so close
to getting there and have the opportunity to give back to my family. Peter Walsh

78 S L A M O N L I N E . C O M

FAMILY MATTERS

BASKETBALL DIARY

JALEK FELTON
West Columbia (SC) Gray Collegiate
6-3, G
THE EXACT specics of the memory might be a little blurry, but Jalek Felton

Hands: Kelly Kline; Vanderbilt: Kelly Kline; Felton: Kelly Kline/Under Armour; Cooks: USA Basketball; Bamba: Chris Razoyk

remembers the most important part: He was there.

The only thing I remember is Carolina BlueI dont remember anything
but Carolina Blue, says Felton of attending the 2005 NCAA National
Championship game in St. Louis as a 6-year-old. I remember people going
crazy and singing the [ght] song. Thats all I can remember.
Unfortunately, missing among the parts he cant quite recall from that
night is his uncles performance, former Tar Heel point guard and current
NBA veteran Raymond Felton, who dropped 17 points and 7 assists (on
4-5 shooting from behind the arc) to help give the Tar Heels the national
title in a 75-70 dub over Illinois.
Rays gone on to a decade-plus career in the League, while Jalek
has grown up and emerged as a ve-star recruit and one of the top-25
national prospects in the Class of 2017, touted for his explosiveness and
scoring prowess.
When interest from college coaches began owing, the 6-3 guard
didnt see the point in dragging things out. He committed to UNC as
a sophomore.
People at UNC are predicting and really looking forward to me doing
the same thing he [Raymond] did there or beyond what he did there, says
Jalek, referring to his uncle, whom he trains with during the summertime.
And I feel like I can live up to the standard. Im taking on that challenge
myself. Franklyn Calle

NO I.D.
SIDNEY COOKS
Kenosha (WI)
St. Joseph
6-4, F

AS A THIRD grader, Sidney Cooks

towered over her opponents. Her
height advantage accelerated
her game at a rate other parents
werent buying.
My mom got me an ID showing
my age, Cooks says, thinking back.
Whenever someone would say
something, wed pull it up and show
Im a 5-10 8-year-old. Sorry, Im in
the right grade.
In hindsight, her rapid growth may
be a slight exaggeration.

But only slight.

I know for sure by fth grade,
I was 5-10, 5-11, the current HS
senior claries. Now Im 6-4, 6-5.
Whatever the exact number,
Cooks height put her closer to
the basket and began her journey
as not only a dominant forward
but a skilled player at any spot
on the oor.
I shoot the three when I need
to, she says. Thats opened up a
lot of opportunities for me to not
be stuck in one place.
Last year, Cooks shot 56.9 percent from the arc and 65 percent
overall. She averaged 23.1 points,
12.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 3.7
blocks per game.
She does everything for the
St. Joseph Lancers, and soon
shell do the same for a collegiate
program.
My top ve schools are the
ones who had seen me in middle
school, she says. Its a loyalty
thing for me.
On November 9 shell sign with
a school that saw her game develop from the beginning. And she
wont need that ID card to prove
her age anymore. Habeeba Husain

SLAM (ISSN:1072-625X) December 2016, Vol. 23, No. 10 is published monthly except January and October by TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC,
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MOHAMED
BAMBA

chool has been great. This

year more than any other, I
was eager to get back.
My favorite class right
now is Designing & Engineering.
When I was younger, I used to
think about engineering, but it kind
of faded as my plate became full
with basketball and all the other
life obligations that go along with
being a high schooler. But this class
has triggered some memories and
the learning experience has really
been fun. My two group members,
Brandon Randolph and Cole Berger,
and me, were working to invent a
prototype that improves a players
jumpshot. We put a circular sensor
around the rim and that tracks
misses and it uses the data we
collected to hit more shots. I cant
go too much deeper into thatwe
might be patenting something here!
Were still in the process of guring
out the program and the coding, but
I think its something that will be
awesome.
Ive also been updating a binder
I put together over the summer
with les on each school in my
recruitment. Some might see me
as being nerdy about it but this is
the best way to go about it. This
is one of the biggest decisions
Im going to make. If you saw how
big this binder was, youd be like,
Who are you?! Ive named it THE
BLUEPRINT.
The categories in the Excel
spreadsheets under each school
measure success in various majors, total university endowment,
number of Fortune 500 CEOs,
total enrollment, living alumni
worldwide, percentage of alumni
in management positionsthings
important to me for my business
career that will hopefully extend
beyond the basketball court.
On the basketball side, Ive
looked at how many rst-round
picks each school has had over
the past ve years, how many were
one-and-done, the number of NBA
owners and managers that are
alums, etc. A big part of the binder
has information about compliance
and Ive added articles and case
studies to it along the way. Every
week theres something to add.

SL AMONLINE .C OM 79

WARRIORS DUOS

2003-2009

Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

A decade or so ago,
our new cover
wouldve looked
very different.

80 SL AMONLINE .COM

Presents

SPECIAL COLLECTORS ISSUE

STEP INSIDE THE GREATEST LINE OF ALL TIME

VOLUME 3
COMING SOON!

12 03 16