Big shot out to Greg Marius.
You want to get a park packed, call the lord of the rings. Kobe Bryant is the first man in streetball history to be escorted to his game with secret service as you can see in the beginning of the video, I brought this video up wondering why has the number of NBA players playing in our tournament’s have depleted drastically. We saw Yi, Jaric & Sebastien at Pro City this year but no one was really impressed, Ron Artest showed his face maybe once this year due to it being the contract year for him so we cant knock his hustle but remember once upon a time in NYC Shawn Marion, Baron Davis, Steve Francis, Allen Iverson etc etc would grace our courts with there talent, it’s time for the next generation of NBA players to stop being scared and walk into the mecca.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
D Ruck says:
I might get flamed for this but…
In my opinion, I don’t think that the current tourneys have as much fear factor for NBA players as it did in the past. Don’t get me wrong, the players are most definitely some of the best in the country but its in a different perspective now. Now a days its more like straight up ballin where as in the past you had players like bone collector, skip, bobbito (just naming some players who come to mind) who had tricks tricks, tricks plus game. I think the fear for NBA players back a few years ago was to not get embarrassed in front of the crowd at the mercy of a rediculous move. I know when I come to Bobs open runs, I’m just waiting for him to hit me or somebody with the “Mango Tango do wop wop”.
When I watch the highlights of the games (at least for this and last summer, I mostly see incredible dunks, sweet crossovers and ridiculous alley’s.
Don’t get me wrong though, I still find the games incredibly entertaining and are an avid NYC fan,
I guess everyone has there own perspective. Maybe im just a fan of the past b4 it became mainstream.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
funkalot says:
I have to agree with D Ruck, the NYC Streeball scene has lost its cache outside of the 212. If you can not get homebread NY NBAers to suit up consistently, why would outsiders come?
First, worry about how to lure local talent back to the crib (top college and NBA wonders). After that scenario becomes solid, it will be fishing time for the Big Kahunas.
I dig the aura of the NYC tourneys and will always make my pilgrimage to Mecca, but do not expect to see Messiahs until the regular disciples appear.
October 13th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Kenny Patt says:
I agree with the 2 above post. Companies like And 1 stripped it down, Making the casual fan think there is no substance. Also, not too many great talents get past scouts nowadays so, NBA players really don’t have too many non NBA players to fear like they use to.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:37 am
illest says:
its just basketball. if you are in the NBA you shouldnt fear anyone in the NBA or any playground. you are SUPPOSED to kill who is on the street. bryant made that look so easy as it should be. the fear of getting embarrassed should never be a worry when playing basketball. if you play enuff it happens to everyone. nba players in nyc tourneys will improve.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Sho-Nuff says:
I think that the cats who used to come play (VC, Baron Davis, Kobe, etc.) got older and the younger heads in the league now are all trying to get money and become an icon like LBJ.
Don’t want to risk getting hurt or bad publicity for a game. Yeah Beasley and Gil and KD still ball in DC, but they’re the exception and not the norm.
Young heads think the streets is watered down And 1 ball and don’t care to come out to play. Plus they are young millionaires and don’t see the need for it. Why risk $3M/year to play streetball when you can workout with NBA players in the summer at numerous gyms around the country.
October 13th, 2009 at 11:17 am
funkalot says:
Oh,
The best league in NYC is the IS8 hands down. They consistently draw the best prep players from NYC, Jersey, Philly, Conn, Delaware and even New England on occasion and always, always lure a top ranked out of area prep to particpate. NYC kids who matriculate at New England prep schools scuffle to get rides and make it back to play in the games, on weekends.
Unlike the pros or top college talent returning or committing to play on the NYC playground circuit, the preps find value in the IS8. The playground leagues should take notice, “if you build it right, they will come”.
October 13th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
illest says:
sho-nuff…..there is only one james. and they all have money. thats not the reason why they arent playing in NYC. one reason that hasnt been mentioned is the respect for NYC. those players like Bryant, B Davis, AI and etc respect NYC basketball. they know the history and what NYC playgrounds means to basketball. these young cats may not appreciate it the same. you would have to ask them.
October 13th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Blk Caesar says:
I am with you on this one Funk.. “if you build it right then they will come”.. When the tourneys here were popping pros and high profile college heads came in droves to hoop. I just think nowadays cats are just finding more places to hoop in the summer with players arguably just as talented as we have here.. I think it will come full circle and heads will come back to NY at some point.. But you guys have to admit the scene at some of the tourneys is not like it was say only a few years ago (i.e. Rucker.. I know I am going to catch heat for saying that)..
October 13th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Sho-Nuff says:
Illest, the young ‘uns have nothing to prove on the courts of NYC. Not about respect. There is an attempt to emulate what LBJ is doing. Sure there’s only one, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t copycats.
The younger kids and the one and done’s in college most likely feel they have nothing to prove.
In the same situation ask yourself “why bother” also, you have Nothing to prove, nothing to gain buy playing. You did your part, made it to the league. Because NYC ball is so great you need to represent and go play? For what?
October 13th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
40 Cal says:
I don’t think any of these pro players got the heart to step on the scene, it’s not about getting hurt, you can get hurt just walking to the store by tripping on a piece of plywood, What would it look like if your playing in the NBA getting ripped by a World Premier or getting dunked on by a Special FX, they have nothing to prove but a lot to lose once they step on the scene in New York, you can get embarrassed by a guy in the Goodman league and no one will notice, no disrespect to the Goodman league they actually ran a better tournament than 80 percent of the tournaments in NYC but if it happens to you in new york it stays with you for life and you wont be able to escape it until a new generation is upon us. Like I said tell the guys from the NBA stop being scared!
October 13th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
D ruck says:
I dont think that dudes are scared to come to NYC anymore. They definitely have the heart as well. I just dont think that they think that it is worth it as much as it was before. Dudes are just not getting embarrased like they use 2.
Lets take it back to around 1999 when the EBC mixtapes (just as an example) were still underground and video taped in black and white with the killa Wu-tang and Beat Nuts sound track. This era in ball was rediculous! !
Dudes featured on these tapes were Killin It. Compare a 1999 streetball tourney to a 2008 tourney and you tell me which game you would rather play in.
Granted Im mostly talking about an era after the legends like Dr J and the Goat were playin but this was also an era when you definitely had to bring your A game plus some heart. Im sorry but you just dont get that same feeling when you come out to the parks for some of these tourneys anymore. Yeah there are more places to hoop at than there were before and no dudes dont have to come to NYC to prove themselves, but in reality, we all know the history of streetball and where the big stage was made.
Just my 2 cents.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
kenny Patt says:
Top NBA dudes aint too worried. It sure didn’t seem to affect Jerry Stackhouse or Jason Richardson after they had bad street games. So called “street” players are mostly former div 1 players or was recruited and didn’t go for whatever reason. They question is, can a streetball player do it on a regular basis?
October 14th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Elliot Rosado says:
What’s the big deal, With the exception of Ron Artest most of these players come to play “ONE” game out the year anyway Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, They all played one time and that was it.
October 14th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
40 cal says:
They played 1 time but they played didn’t they?
October 14th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Casey Lee says:
Don’t count on big name NBA players to grace the park as much in recent years but look forward to the young talent of NYC!
They are coming up!
October 15th, 2009 at 10:38 am
uh huh says:
I think everything comes full circle. In time some legitimate pros will come out. Beasley, Brandon Jennings coming out last yr was pretty big. Believe if Kemba,Sosa and a few other make it. They’ll be out to play. It has to come from the networking circles. I’m pretty sure If Gil hadn’t got hurt he’d play. Chris Paul would come out. Steve Nash would play. The pros will come out. They love NYC to much not to. Dre Barret alone coming back to play is pretty big. I think he’d be a hell of a back up guard in the league. Smush playing every summer is big. Ron Ron/Al Harrington/ If Skip,Charlie,Ben Gordon,R.Foye,Will Bynum,JR Smith,F.Garcia,Q.Douby,E.Clark just to name a few played a few games each summer. We’d be in great company. The players around. It’s just giving them a roster spot and not having them all on 1 team. There are some players in the league from NY who could bring H.O.F. talent out to the parks and tournaments if they wanted. Trust Me. If they bring them to clubs they’ll come to the games. Last yr alone i could tell 5 legimate pros wanted to play in NY scene. N.Robinson is hella big coming out. Will Bynum/Sheron Collins would come out. E.Maynor & CJ Miles wanted to hoop. Durant would lace them up. Call & ask the right ones. Hell someone know W.Wesley # LOL. He’d bring out Jordan and Isiah & Lebron/A.I. Now. Then what. I’d probably faint. LOL. For the love of the game. Anything is possible.
October 15th, 2009 at 10:53 am
uh huh says:
Let me not forget Yi Jinlain. That’s like Yao. He is immensely talented for such a big guy. Omar Cook coming back after signing that well deserved contract. N.B.A. you guys are stupid for that miss. Kevin Ollie seriously(hiccups). Even Lindsey Hunter could mentor from the sideline. I heard Allan Houston is giving in another shot. I’m suprised Reggie Miller isn’t back. All the young talent that is wasted in some league they shouldn’t. It’s a travesty. A lot of fans don’t know all the talent that’s missed out on yearly. You can make anybody a star in today’s media. Man for a second you would have thought Hot Sauce created Streetball and was the best player ever. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
raymond says:
so in essence, what are the most attractive venues (of all the summer t’ments in NYC) for NBA’ers to come out and play?, that’ll make an NBA’er say “i definitely wanna play there”
October 15th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
uh huh says:
@raymond
Pro setting: Hunter Pro City or H.I.T.S,Fireball
Street Tournament:Tri State,Watson,Dyckman(HEART REQUIRED)
West 4th.
October 15th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
40 cal says:
Tri State, Watson, EBC, Dyckman like uh huh says(heart required), Kingdome, Pro City, HITS & Fireball would be the best places for a NBA Pro, west 4 is to small and chances are you will get hurt as a pro if you don’t play it safe. Watson is a great tournament don’t get me wrong I am one of the biggest endorsers on that tournament but like west 4 it’
October 21st, 2009 at 2:20 am
"NBA player" says:
One reason why these NBA players don’t come to NYC is because the EBC is constantly being down-played as a washed-up tournament. This tournament (EBC) is the only tournament that any NBA player wants to play in. We all grew up either wanting to play in the Rucker or just go to watch something special. What yall may not understand is that the EBC is the biggest streetball tourney in the world. It’s the lock that keeps NYC on top of the streetball world. All NBA players wants to play in the EBC. They definitely are not coming out to NY to play anywhere else except maybe Pro-City at Hunter College. All them other tourneys don’t mean “jack-squat” to NBA players. If you want to see these NBA players come out, then yall gotta support the tourney that will bring these players to NYC which is the “EBC” point blank period. And when ballers say ain’t nothing like playin in the NYC summer league, they mean the “EBC”. The president Bill Clinton was there along with NBA commissioner David Stern. R U Serious? NY is willing to let this go, thats crazy.