Hoops wizards work magic on the Ball 4 Real tour

Written by Otis Taylor

Monday, 06 August 2007

Forgive Main Event if he sounds more than a tad like Jay-Z, the rapper, record label mogul and entrepreneur. You see, Main Event (Waliyy Dixon), who is one of the most popular basketball players on the Ball 4 Real tour that stops at the Colonial Center tonight, manages the players and also is the tour spokesman. Main Event talks fast, as if he is battle rapping. That might be because, to get Ball 4 Real on the court, he had to tussle with AND 1, the former company home for many of Ball 4 Real’s players. The AND 1 Mixtape Tour, popularized in the mainstream by ESPN’s reality-style “Streetball” series, brought streetball’s greats to arenas and living rooms across the world. Main Event, whose family is from Dalzell, was one of the players featured at AND 1’s 2005 tour stop at the Colonial Center... But the AND 1 groove wilted, and Main Event led a group of players who severed links with the sneaker company. (Mountain Dew is the primary Ball 4 Real sponsor). “We had a lot of internal problems that people didn’t know about,” Main said. “It was time to separate. We’re trying to save the true value of streetball.” Several of AND 1’s key players, including A.O., Spyda, 50, ½ Man ½ Amazing and Pharmacist, followed Main Event off the AND 1 court. (AND 1 still retains showstoppers The Professor, Hot Sauce and Go Get It). “All my guys are here,” Main said. “We’ve got guys that have resumes. “I’ve got a good group of guys that listen and know that ‘Main ain’t going to tell me nothing wrong’.” Streetball contains all the flair and dazzling showmanship that makes basketball coaches grimace. The behind-the-back dribbles, no-look passes and outrageous dunks have made streetball tours more of an entertainment event than a basketball game. It is very much like a concert. Main Event wanted to change venues so he could maximize value — of the players and the game. Sound a little like a rapper turned label president? “I came into the game with a business mind looking 20 years from now,” said Main, who has his own theme song. “I opened that avenue. Nobody was thinking about making money off ball before me.” Dunks and sleight-of-hand dribbling and passes sell tickets, but the mid-range jumper, what some might call a lost basketball art, keeps players on rosters. Many of the AND 1 and Ball 4 Real players have tried professional leagues, only to hear — or learn — that they weren’t disciplined enough to earn playing time. Main Event said Ball 4 Real is bringing “rawness back into the streetball game,” which includes a collaboration with sportskool.com. Main is featured demonstrating basketball techniques such as crossover and between-the-legs dribbling. Main said he’s heard about kids getting cut from middle school teams and parents claiming that streetball’s proliferation was the cause. “Kids forget about the skills and get caught up with the entertainment,” he said. “That’s exactly what we’re bringing back. “We’re showing every aspect of the game.” Even defense. TheState.com No one has commented on this article. Please login or register to post comments. J! Reactions • General Site License Copyright © 2006 S. A. DeCaro

 

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