Black History Month Reading.

“Most people get it wrong. History isn’t about showcasing the differences between us and those who lived before us so that we can feel superior; it’s about revealing the similarities so we can feel gratitude and humility. – Forward written by Quincy Jones in the book: On the Shoulders of Giants.

I grew up in the same projects that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar lived in during his teenage years. Kareem’s importance as a player is obvious as the All-Time Leading Scorer in NBA history but it is his writing talent as a “MC” of African-American history that makes the book published a few years back titled On the Shoulders of Giants a must read. The book is written in the code of African-American communication – one that calls for a response from the crowd it addresses. Sounds like Streetball to me!

Jazz-inspired Kareem developed his famous hook shot from a never-duplicated inspiration that started with James Couch, his first playground coach. Ask him (At 78, still able to display the pristine hook shot form.) one day to shoot a hook shot and see what I mean.

I highlighted Jabbar’s importance in a piece I wrote in Bounce 23 called From the Dotted Line is Whack…?? Kareem’s dominance caused the NCAA to ban the dunk in ‘67 and the energy of the dunk became an after school project playground experiment back in the day. High School players expressed themselves in the air and at the rim after their seasons finished with a new creative style inspired by the R&B and subsequent Disco craze that swept the nation in the ’70s. Dr. J and David Thompson were children of that generation. That all turned into the greatest of all music phenomena – Hip Hop.

The creativity of the sample and scratch was the inspiration for one of the principle GrandMasters of the Air – Michael Jordan. Bounce 23’s article is a tribute to Kareem’s basketball talent and strong jazz background and shows the connection to the subsequent aerial explosion the NBA saw mature into a beast with Air Jordan.

So all you hip hop heads, feel Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Caz, DJ Hollywood, Jammaster J and DJ GrandWizard Theodore – men who gave RUN DMC, Jay Z, P. Diddy and the rest a way to eat well – as my inspiration for this article if you press Read More »

From Streetball.com.

One of the players scheduled to appear is Joe Vecsey’s man Pat Da Roc. Check Pat’s site for further information on him at www.patdaroc.com.

Most Outstanding 7th Grade “Doonkie” for Nettleton.

New York’s top middle school prospects got together for drills and scrimmages at the Nike Junior Elite Camp last week at Gauchos gym. After the work, 20 players were rewarded with an All-Star game invite last Thursday. Among the most talked about was point guard Cheyenne Nettleton.

Nettleton is a left-hander with serious floor game. He has good quickness in transition and makes good decisions on the break. Cheyenne’s developing jump shot will propel him into a top 20 prospect in the country. While the national rankings have Jerron Love ahead of him, young Cheyenne’s showing should move him up. Bishop Loughlin H.S., Rice H.S. and St. Anthony H.S. have all shown interest. Read More »

I was super tough in transition, ask former NBA All-Star Mark Jackson about his “D” against me at King Towers back in the day…

“The business.” It’s a term used when a player starts to flame broil his opponent on offense. Many players left like “cooked beef” from our gym back in the day, grilled and handled with a spatula by NBA pros, but real appreciative of having a place to test their skill. I truly remember how the comp helped a city get its rep as the breeding ground of the NBA hardcore player that willed their respective teams to the championship round. I miss that charcoaled flavor. During this All-Star Weekend, I reminisce about men like Mark Jackson, Kenny Smith, Anthony Mason, and Tony Campbell, all NBA All-Stars and championship round players who made NYC’s Jim Couch Foundation Open Gym a Pro Experience… Read More »

Brandon talking like a panther before the draft…

Back is the latest installment of the Grime – For the G.O.A.T. – LL Cool J – you’re still Todd to me!

…Imagine if the Knicks could go back in time. Do you think they would draft Brandon Jennings or take David Lee, Chris Duhon and ride with first rounder Jordan Hill again and get funky with the pick?

Wanted to see the future of the “L,” so catching Nate Robinson’s first start against the player Bobbito dubbed “The Take Over” was a must see. Both are possessors of premium playground ball style with Nate showing his skills at EBC America in 2006 and Jennings earning the 2007 co-MVP at the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Game.

Robinson’s first start at the point yielded some solid results. He involved his teammates and got the rock to Lee, who ended with a season-high 32 points and 15 boards.

The Knicks were down five with a minute and change left in the third quarter when Nate hit the bench. Duhon came in with an immediate turnover, which led to a vicious one-step-inside-the-extended-dotted-line cram Read More »

From Lou Richie in Oakland, California:

Lend a hand by donating shoes today. The earthquake in Haiti is a reminder of just how fragile our world is. In response to the devastation that affected so many, Triple Threat Academy’s ‘Project Shoe Assist’ is partnering with Soles4Souls and Sports Chalet to lend a helping hand.

Starting today, our Bladium (Alameda) and 24 Hour Fitness (San Ramon) locations will be accepting gently worn men’s, women’s & kids’ shoes until Saturday, January 30th. We only have 10 days, so please act fast. Please tie all shoes together before dropping off. Read More »

After the battle: My man got the MVP/First Place Grip.

Dedicated to the Gladstone family. Every kid who plays ball in America deserves a trophy and fresh “doonkie” kicks to play in’…

US basketball tradi-tion… chip shine-in’… talk ’bout it when your 44 to 59-in’…retire 1/2 life to young boi first light-talk-inn’…

’bout the first metal and marble-base kill-in’…pick-up after game to tournament asphalt life-livin’…trophy grip-in’…little bro-look-in’…hard rock-in’… feeling like a big-face hamilton….

Feeling like 10 to 100 million Shaq diesel-in’…Kobe turntable-in’, half-spin, dj on court-wax-in, Jordan ring-in’, Fat Joe, Jay and Puff go EBC-in’… Bounce to this and see me grip-in’, kicks on ‘ kicks-in’, army grip-in’ army-grip-in’.

I feel the pain of the left to right correct-in’…but the end, the end, in the end to non-trophy-in’…seventh nation’, seventh nation,’ army grip-in’, army grip-in’, kicks-on’, kicks in’…

Shorties deserve at least one-to-two-in’, the four-foot to five-foot trophy-in’, playground shy to shine-in’, asphalt ball-in’, asphalt ball-in’…seventh nation army grip in’, army grip in’ kicks-on’, kicks-in’…

Peace to every playground announcer, every playground fan, and every playground player worldwide.

To my fam: the2cyntaylokolbeedevin, Ces Co. the Girl Wonder, Nells, BlackNat the Joker, 2M’s the female %, Dyckman Park, FordLincolnMercury the tri-masters, Jaybo the Sexton, ToniRockiHorror the show*, K-Robstarr the first, Brother Escoreddingstop, SamBowleggedness, Renzothehustler, Fox V, K-GottiScotti, McMurdo, FunkFlex, Pep the Bandit and Salt Doonkie, Tifah the Signal, Berry World Premier, King Magazine Dashington, Al-no, Nia-mindfreeze, and RicktheBrooklynphenom…

Man, it happened…we got Bounce 23 off!! It was a lot of blood, sweat, and tears on this, but I’m personally feeling like Kobe after winning a chip with Shaq (understand what I’m saying)…Legendary Rucker Coach Antonio “Mousey” Carela rocks the cover and talks about his interaction with Fat Joe, Puffy and the NBA stars he recruited to play uptown…”Street Dogma” explores the American National Dunking Ban caused by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and my pops Jim Couch, back in ‘67…our “How We Do “column features one of Philly’s finest – Mike Keyes – who demonstrates the KOBE TURNTABLE…get into it! The new comic strip – GAME FACES – tells the story of a young player on his quest to build his basketball FOCUS under pressure, a combo of metaphysical western urbanism with eastern morals and values. As the ball leaves his hands and rotates through the air the forces of the playground go into action… Read More »