David Stern’s vision for the NBA becoming an international staple has led to the creation of Ene•bé•a, a Spanish-language website of nba.com that informs Latinos about the league in depth with interviews, scores, and stats. For the past few years, the NBA has reached out to the Spanish speaking community by providing broadcasts in their language. The NBA’s Noche Latina acknowledges NBA fans and players of Hispanic origin, providing them with translations of jerseys from teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. This year the NBA has stepped up, attempting to create an Ene•bé•a television and internet campaign that will inform Latinos about current events happening in the NBA. Hopefully this is the beginning of a campaign that unites Spanish and English speaking fans and players across the globe.
To learn more about NBA Spanish initiatives, check out Ene•bé•a. MediaPost also has a wonderful article about the Ene•bé•a.
The PF Flyers Center Hi will be making its return to store shelves this upcoming Holiday season. Released in 1953, the canvas shoe was once a reliable favorite for ballplayers who tangoed on the parquet all along the eastern seaboard. Its playing days might be long behind it, but the Center was recently reintroduced with quilted uppers and textured mudguards, perfect combinations for your off the asphalt affairs.
Today I was jumping rope at the Chelsea Parks & Rec Center, waiting to get some drills in before running. There was an intense 3-on-3 going on, and my homeboy Marv walked in the gym to watch. One of the players scored, and Marv screamed out the defender, “Dag, you let a boxer give you buckets?” Then I’d remembered seeing the kid jumping rope himself when I had walked in. Marv continued, ” . . . And he ain’t won in four fights!” Ha ha ha! That was the best sideline burp I’d heard since the summer. You don’t always need an announcer on the mic to hear something dumb funny. SAY WORD!
What funny moments have you heard in the crowd lately?
Sadat X (formerly with Bran Nubians), AG (former partner with Showbiz), and DJ Jab (CEO/Founder of Fat Beats) have formed a new group called Trinity. Mark Kolintski of 88 Hip Hop fame helped put together the video tribute above to my man, my mellow Roc Raida who passed away recently on September 19th. Some of the footage will give you chills if you knew him personally. Rest In Peace to one of the legends of our culture!
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO — S.K.Y. Streetball Syndicate, a group of the top street basketball players in the world, today announced a 14-stop, 20-day tour of American Armed Forces Bases throughout Asia.
The tour, promoted by Armed Forces Entertainment, will bring nine of the top players from S.K.Y. to play against the top players on each base. The players will compete in Japan, South Korea, and Guam.
“It’s an honor for the team to play in front of our troops,” said Lee Greene, the president of S.K.Y., Ltd. “We have put together an impressive group of individuals that will definitely put on a good show for those serving our country overseas. We are bringing a good balance of dunkers, freestyle passers and shooters.”
Compton born and bred, Rucker Park approved, seasoned in Rome Brandon “The Takeover” Jennings is doing his thing in Milwaukee. The Bucks’ rookie guard almost got a Triple Double in his NBA debut in Philly Friday night (17pts, nine assists and nine rebounds) and came back against the Pistons and dropped 16 straight in the 3rd quarter (finished with 24 buckets). I saw the clip above and got open! Productivity, with playground style. That’s what I dig about him ever since I first witnessed the magic at the inaugural Elite 24 in ‘06. Word.
Everybody knows about Ricky Rubio’s soap opera of the summer. One of the stars of this snarl is Jordi Villacampa, president of Joventut de Badalona, former team of Ricky. Villacampa was a great player in ‘80s and ‘90s in the same team, and a swingman that scores 27 against USA Team in Toronto 94’ World Championship. Read More »
Back in the summer of 2004, current SKY Syndicate Tour member Joseph Vecsey and I found ourselves on the same squad during the AND1 MIXTAPE TOUR open run outside Madison Square Garden. I felt good about how I performed and got love from the crowd, including from a couple of younger cats telling me, “Why do you have to try out to get in the building?” I didn’t get selected, and that was perfectly fine cuz it was a mad fun experience regardless.
The one down moment was captured in the photo above! Courtney Castro, currently with the Harlem Wizards, caught a steal, and I just happened to be the only one back on the break. Thankfully, I wasn’t foolish enough to jump with him, but I did kind of feel helpless in trying to defend when I saw him take off just inside the dotted.
It happens!
Just the other day, I was retelling to Ahmad Hooper of the WEST sneaker shop and our own Ballgurl of the only time I truly got woofed on. It was circa ‘84 at the Highbridge 3 on 3 in the Bronx near Woodycrest Avenue. Hooper didn’t warn me about John Morton’s hops. Dude came down the baseline Read More »
