Two years ago, we decided to put Lance Stephenson on the cover of our June ‘06 issue. He had already won a PSAL Championship as a freshman at Lincoln H.S., and made the ‘05 Kingdome Men’s Summer Tournament All-Star Team. Some felt it was too early for a cover, but it turned out to be a good call. That August, he was awarded the EBC America Championship Game MVP while going against Knick guards Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson. He’s now a two-time PSAL champ, and a top-five All-American for any class. While announcing the inaugural Elite 24 Classic @ Rucker Park ‘06, I nicknamed him “Born Ready!” Well, turns out he took to it, as did the production team covering his rise to excellence who decided to title his feature Born Ready.

He’s still got two years left of high school in Brooklyn, and has yet to declare a college. You can follow the whole story and see tons of bananas highlights at http://www.bornready.tv/, only if you’re ready.