|
Done with AND 1 - New streetball tour |
|
|
|
|
Written by Brandon Meachum
|
|
Tuesday, 12 June 2007 |
 Streetball in recent years has typically come to mean a few things: one-on-one play, elaborate dribbling maneuvers, showboating and the traditional basketball rule book tossed into the nearest garbage can. The Ball4Real Tour, a spinoff of the successful And1 Mixtape Tour, hopes to change that perception when it comes to Cox Arena today.
“We're not really looking for the tricks or gimmicks,†said Ryan Williams, who goes by the moniker “Special Fx†on the court. “First and foremost it is about basketball; we want to see who can ball for real.â€
But fans can still expect to see a show, just mixed in with more traditional basketball. TJ “Mr. 720†Fontenette completed a 720-degree dunk in a game last year in Houston. Jamar “Pharmacist†Davis is known for taking off an opponent's jersey while maintaining his dribble...
Davis insists his flashy dribbling is not a gimmick, and says streetball is misconstrued.
“This is streetball, not the Harlem Globetrotters,†Davis said. “It is not just about dribbling; people want to see the bumps and bruises, see us diving into the stands. My game is flashy, but that's just the way that I dribble.â€
The 13 players and coach of the traveling team split off from the And1 Mixtape Tour after last summer's tour, partly to start their enterprise with the players as part owners, but also because they say their former tour had lost focus.
“It became all about the show; we want it to be about ball and the show,†said Waliyy “Main Event†Dixon.
Much like the former tour, the Ball4Real group will give local basketball players the chance to play with the tour members and possibly win a $100,000 contract. Before the tour members play, they will hold a block party, where the team will choose several local players to play against them in Cox Arena. The best player they see all summer will be awarded the contract. In addition to the tryouts, the tour will host a custom car show, a live DJ and food booths.
Fans will recognize the marquee players from the ESPN show “Streetball,†including “Shane the Dribbling Machine,†“AO,†“1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing.â€
Some of the players on the tour played college basketball, but many received their hoops education on the various famed courts in New York.
The players all have nicknames, many that tell the story of their talents on the court. There is “Spyda,†who earned his nickname by catching and dunking seemingly every ball thrown his way, no matter how high. “50†earned his nickname by vertically jumping 50 inches.
The tour started June 1 in Seattle, and by the time the summer is over, it will have stopped in 30 cities. While the focus is on basketball, Ball4Real CEO Lisa Fusco says helping out in the community is just as important. Fusco says the team will make regular stops to Boys and Girl Clubs in each city, along with stops to community centers and cultural hubs in the neighborhood.
SignOnSanDiego.com
Readers have left 3 comments. 3. Untitled
Visitor, Unregistered check out the kid marvin taylor former uconn football player in jersey that kid unreal...i neva seen a muscular guy wit handle and hops like this dude...new brunswick high school all american 2. on the watch
leeball, Unregistered i checked the tour out greeeat!!!.the ballers are sic.check out new comer kasheef mccalla boy got skills,fast like tony parker.scouts take notice he's 4real 1. Untitled
randy, Unregistered this tour is gonna be better than and1 this summer J! Reactions • General Site LicenseCopyright © 2006 S. A. DeCaro |
The Notic: Uncut & Unreleased
And1 vs. ATL All-Stars
