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USA Hoop Stars Hit The Street in China |
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Written by Administrator
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Sunday, 03 September 2006 |
ElevationMag.com recently caught up with the USA Hoop Stars co-founder, star player and West Coast Streetballer of the Year, Jay “Boogie†Brantley who is just back from a 22 day tour in China. With the apparent basketball invasion occurring in Asia, we wanted to discuss the Hoops Stars’ China tour and what we can expect from Jay ‘Boogie†and the USA Hoop Stars in the future.
The USA Hoop Stars is a team created by HazenSports international, a company based out of Guangzhou, China along with Los Angeles based Asia Sports and Entertainment and Jay “Boogie†Brantley to be the modern day hip hop version of the Harlem Globe Trotters. Comprised of American college, professional and streetball stars, The 22 day China tour wasn’t about money for the sponsors or the team, it was more so about spreading the American basketball culture and sport to other places in the world while developing a friendship between China and the United States through this great sport. For many of the Chinese fans it was also the first time they've ever seen foreigners, let alone 6-10 American basketball players...
Here’s what Jay had to say to ElevationMag about the tour.
ElevationMag: Was this your first time showcasing your streetball talents internationally?
JB: “Yes and it was great fun. We learned a lot and realize now how detailed this process is. It is about entertainment and representing America. As we got a grip on those two elements we did better and better. It is like being in a spotlight every second and it is importnt even when dropping in to a KFC for a meal. People stop and stare and want to interact with us. Every opportunity is a chance to hand out our player cards, give autographs and pose for pictures. When we did that with a positive attitude we realized that we were promoting ourselves re ticket sales but also in making friends for America. We began to grasp the significance of acting as citizen ambassadors and it was cool. You learn to stand taller & act more professional.â€
ElevationMag: How popular is streetball in China?
JB: “Streetball is becoming very popular in China. Kids have access to the internet and are checking out sites about streetball. Chinese kids dig the Black American lifestyle. They have their own take on 'sagging' and such that often comes out looking kinda strange but new strokes for different folks. They are also into hip hop and there are some hip hop bands in China and Hong Kong.“
ElevationMag: Do you feel that this tour has helped promote the street game in China?
JB: “Yes. Teenagers got to interact with our team in a way that loosened them up a bit to play a bit more freestyle than before. They tend to play the game in a static & mechanical way with a lot of outside shooting a la Europeans without driving the lane. Most of them are too small to slam-dunk. Even the Chinese pro teams we played follow this same pattern with 7' guys afraid to take the rock to the hole. We came across one 19-year-old in Ling Chuan who could slam with ease but he was in the minority and did not seem to have favor with sports officials or coaches. We wanted to let him play some with us but they forbid it. Too bad because he could have gained valuable experience in a few sessions with us. “
ElevationMag: The USA Hoop Stars played against several teams comprised of the area's top amateur players. How was the competition overall?
JB: “With some exceptions they were rather weak. They could score points but if they lost to us by 35 to 40 they seemed happy. Chinese athletes do not have any emotional involvement. They grow up in a government controlled sports-scene and end up practicing their life away instead of learning through competition.â€
ElevationMag: Did you lose any games or were any games even close?
JB: “We never lost and the closest game was the first one we played and won by only 11 points. Mostly that was due to jet lag and no chance to practice after we arrived. The lighting and the backboards were less than perfect in their gyms so it took us a while to adjust. Had we played that team again no doubt that we would have also beat them by 35.â€
ElevationMag: Did you happen to run into the next Yao Ming out there? Any players who you felt could play and make an impact in the United States?
JB: “Not at this moment but we did see a few guys who with better coaching could be of some interest. But that's not going to happen overnight. Our China tour promoter is an American guy who has spent 5 years there studying the sports industry from A to Z. He is an expert in how sports work in China and how the system operates. His name is Hazen MacIntyre and he is both the sports adviser in Guangzhou and CEO of his own sports firm called CSPN. He is a former pro baseball player (minor leagues - Braves organization) who really understands and relates to athletes in all sports. He and his Chinese wife, Mable made our tour work. They can really open doors that no one else can and we hope to work with them again in the future. In fact, I don't think I'd go to China again if not under the guidance of Hazen and Mable.â€
ElevationMag: How were the games promoted in China?
JB: “TV coverage, radio, etc. CSPN co-organized our tour in association with Tianhe Sports Center-Guangzhou. The Director is a man named Yang Ben Pei and we all got to call him Ben as an English name. He was a cool guy who at one time was a top national wrestling coach who brought teams to the US various times. TSC is a 125 acre site in the middle of China's third largest city in South China. It attracts over 5 million people a year to participate in sports in one form or another. TSC also features 19 outdoor courts on a site called Basketball City that is managed by a man named Oh. We participated in a 3-day clinic there involving 500 high school on 27 teams. We gave them instructions on various fundamental skills in a few sessions and then guided them through a tournament-style competition. They employed many of the things we taught them and played with more flare because of that but in the end we could see that there system took over and they only cared about winning today rather than in getting better for tomorrow. “
ElevationMag: Is there a hip hop culture within the provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi?
JB: “There are examples of many western aspects affecting Chinese lifestyles. Some kids are into hip hop and others heavy metal and still others into country-western music. It kinda blows your mind because in every case it is a poor imitation of the original. At first you want to dismiss it all but then you lolok closer and see that all this evolution is related to the internet and music videos. The expression that imitation is the purest form of flattery comes to mind and you begin to appreciate that what they are doing is cool. Different but cool. In their way they are being original so it doesn't matter that when they wear their caps like we might in L.A. that they add sequences to the material. Their t-shirts are still worn inside their pants and both are too tight but give them time and they will develop their own style. Good for them.â€
ElevationMag: What's up next for the USA Hoop Stars? Are there anymore tours in site?
JB: “That depends on what CSPN decides. I think that I and our players bonded well with Hazen and Mable and that we will do something more in the future but it will be under different & more positive circumstances. We trust these folks and feel good about whatever gets reorganized in the future. Whether we return as the USA Hoop Stars or under a different name it will be better because more advance planning will go into it and the result will be even more dramatic. As it was we played in many cities and interacted with a lot of people. We also got good media coverage. CSPN is planning to create a more detailed & comprehensive long-term plan that will grow more effective each time out. We care excited by the future possibilities.â€
ElevationMag: What's the future looking like for Jay "Boogie"? – We’ll wait and see, but with Jay’s drive and heart, his next move is sure to please.
by Mark Slane
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