In Harlem, I can walk to 25 outdoor courts all within 25 minutes walking distance from my crib.
In Japan, there are 25 outdoor courts . . . in the whole country*.
In NYC, we call these hallowed grounds parks, playgrounds, and schoolyards.
On my recent trip to Tokyo, I was invited to a run at a spot in Yokohama called the Dogyard.
It is no secret that I’m a fiend to find pick-up where ever I am in the world. Here was my journey–I left my crib at 8am Friday, left on a 13 hour flight out of Newark at 11am, arrived in Tokyo at 2pm Saturday (they were 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time), checked in to my hotel at 5pm, slept for 2 hours, then spun from midnight to 6am with Tony Touch and Crazy Legs for a stupid fun party in Roppongi. Afterwards we ate dinner, and I was finally in bed at 11am Sunday morning. Of course until I got a call an hour and half later about a run in Yokohama that was an hour drive away. Stay in bed and sleep, or forego rest and play ball? You know what I chose!!!
The event was the Nike sponsored Legends 3 on 3 Tournament. It travels to different locations with a portable court. The players are all playground products but they get paid to ball out. ALL DAY Magazine does all the coverage, and there is even a huge jumbo screen commercial that runs in the densely visited Shibuya shopping area (think Times Square foot traffic). Basketball is still growing in Japan, so it was really nice to arrive and see a crowd of 500+. The play was physical and entertaining, couple of cats had handles, and my man Mamushi was on the mic getting everyone amped.
I warmed up and got to play in an exhibition game after their main contests were over. Hit my first three from deep, heard the crowd ooh, then my jumper decided to crawl under a rock and be nowhere to be found, but I was still able to get off some funky no-look passes and one behind my back off the elbow joint in traffic (all respect due to jason williams for pulling that off in the NBA, but I was doing that years before he introduced it to the viewing audience). Afterwards parents and kids asked for my autograph and permission to take pictures with me. It was all kind of surreal. Heads were telling me about the first time they saw Bounce when Junie Sanders and Hook Mitchell were on our covers in ‘04. A teenage female told me how much my Basics To Boogie dribbling instructional DVD has helped her game. This is the other side of the world, yo! Felt amazing to be so well received and appreciated. The love goes right back their way.
For more info on the Legends 3 on 3, hit up ALL DAY MAGAZINE and STREETLEGEND JAPAN.
Zhane!
*according to Ray Yoshimoto’s Bounce issue #2 article back in ‘04.
November 5th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
big ups to mamushi, shuhai, and atsuko for bringing out to yo yo gi park, too!
November 5th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Sean Couch says:
What were the rules of the game out there?
November 6th, 2008 at 10:37 am
ali says:
yeah bob! if we as a country could harness your energy and passion, america would be a better place. keep up the good work as an ambassador for Bounce, ball and the playground.
November 6th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
BX Streetball says:
I would love to travel the world and play ball…25 courts…sounds like Operation: Shut Down to me!!
November 6th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
good lookin’ ali!
sean-
the refs really let these guys play, but too much. i told the organizer that if a game was called so loosely in new york, it’d break out in a riot. the japanese players just took it in stride and were total sportmans with each other, but i’m telling they were hacking the cheerios out of one another! i don’t have health insurance, and was concerned before i got on the court. one kid went at me, but you know my game–matador D and long range 3s, so not much to get fouled on before the shot! hahahaha
November 6th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
love life says:
LLLLLLLLEGENDS!!
in sum ways…..KINDA WHACK!!
in sum ways…..KINDA ENTERTAINING!!
and yeahyeah..MAMUSHI is hilarious!!
but as a brotha that was out there 4 a few years
and helped create a coolass streetball team(www.myspace.com/sundaycrew2)
if ya chillin in JAPAN as a foriegner….ya gets NO LOVE FROM DA REF’s!!
over all..?
BALL IS BALL
and it was ALWAYS enjoyable plannin..gettin with the crowds..shown love back and forth!!
LEGENDS..?
dey doo bee haxxxxin!!
my homie ATSUSHI got slammed into the
$8 basketball support and broke his lower leg back in ‘06!!
i cant front
if i had been in the LEGENDS TOURNAMENT/LEAGUE
i woulda been actin like BARKLEY when he was throwin ‘bows
back in that ALLSTAR GAME!!!
hahahaha
damn i miss JAPAN!!!
November 7th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
love life-
i think mamushi is hilarious too and i don’t understand a word he’s saying! he just seems like he’s saying bugged out stuff, and then he got that ill posture and all. he’s actually not a bad ballplayer himself. we went to yo yo gi park, and he posted me up one time something awful, hit me with the shimmy and bong!
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:32 pm
lovelife says:
“”M AM U S H I”"….?!?!?!?
a true positive character!!
and yeah..he do got a ll game
used to to play in the ALLDAY TOURNY
but ended up gettin PPAAIIDD
2 d his M.C. THANG!!
cant hate at all!!
March 14th, 2009 at 3:49 am
j.boogie says:
What’s good fellas,
Not sure if anyones still checking this thread..
but
Im from L.E.S and am in Tokyo right now staying in Shibuya from what I gather from looking online and reading this post there are the courts over in Yoyogi park by the Olympic stadium. Got my hyperdunks and am planning on checking it out tomorrow…
is there a good time to go for pickup and if so is it gonna be hectic getting on the court like summer weekends in the concrete jungle?
ANyways much love to cucumber slice!! and if you can keep doing ur summer streetball jumpoff on MSG (or was it SNY, always get that ish mixed up.)
March 14th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
j boogie-
i’ve definitely caught some pick-up run at yo yo gi the last two times i was there. i don’t remember what part of the day to go, though–i’m always confused with the time change! rep nyc to the fullest, and yes, hopefully msg will bring back ’summerball.’ peace
March 19th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
love life says:
“”J. BOOGIE”"
waddup bro
ifya can..hit up YOYOGI PARK
on sunday afternoons..about 1230pm or so
will be ballers alrwady there..better 1’s on da way
ESPECIALLY if the weather is dry!!
hit me up on MYSPACE ifya got 1
i can get u in contact with a few of my homies
sum from NYC/BRONX/NJ
holla
March 19th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
love life says:
also
stop by
PLAYERS SHOE STORE
the fellaz at da park will know where it is
but ifya ever at “”TGIFridays”"…….it is ACROSS DA STREET!!