Hype

T ’ S N O T O F T E N Y O U G E T A G I G A N T I C

Ichangeover in college hoops coaching the way we got one this spring. Maybe there’s never been a whistle-tooting earthquake this big. OK, let me answer myself after some thought. Absolutely, there has never been this huge a college churn.

Think of it: in one swift farewell, Mike Krzyzewski, Roy

Williams, Jay Wright and C. Vivian Stringer all waved goodbye to their coaching careers.

Folks, that’s a combined 159 years of head coaching at the DI level, 3,802 wins, 10 NCAA championships, four members of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and about a trillion players affected by the teachings and wisdom of these people.

This is not the kind of churn that goes by without us noticing. Krzyzewski’s 1,202 wins at Army and Duke are the most ever in DI history, and you have to wonder if young replacement coach Jon Scheyer, a former Duke champion guard under Coach K, can handle the vacuum

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that will haunt Cameron Indoor Stadium. How strange it will be? No black-haired Coach K suffering quietly on the sideline? Indeed, you have to wonder how any of the young coaches taking over for these legends will fare.

There have been so many Coach of the Year awards for the four retirees that all of a sudden the whole college game will feel the void—and the opening for new coaches might actually be, in the end, thrilling. But it’s a bittersweet moment. New always sweeps out old, yet we often rue what we lost, with the nostalgia building gradually as things we depended on disappear. Think how comfortable we got seeing these coaches when big time games were played. Imagine: Stringer coached at Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers for 51 years. That’s almost the history of women’s college basketball right there.

You can’t blame anybody of a certain age for getting out of coaching now, what with the pressure to win, the transfer portals, the NIL deals, the conference movements—all of these things chipping away at the essence of what got each one of them into their job. That is: simply to teach the game they loved as best they could. Oh, we’ll miss the telling little details: Stringer was a coal miner’s daughter, Williams coached high school boys golf for five years, Krzyzewski’s Polish immigrant dad was an elevator operator in Chicago, Wright once scored 69 points for Council Rock (PA) HS.

But most of all, we wish the quartet well. What great times they gave us.

N B PA . C O M / S U M M E R C A M P

DREAMT THIS

After an illustrious career at Michigan, Atlanta Dream rookie Naz Hillmon enters the WNBA poised to bring the same swagger that made her a fan favorite in Ann Arbor.

H E R E I S R A R E LY

Ta single path to success. Atlanta Dream rookie Naz Hillmon is a testament to that. Despite being a third generation college player and a second generation pro—Hillmon’s mom, NaSheema Anderson, played at Vanderbilt and in the American Basketball League, and her grandmother, Gail Williams, played at Bethune-Cookman and Cleveland State—the 6-2 power forward did not make her way into the WNBA on a red carpet; she had to grind for hers.

“I always thought about playing at the professional level, but I didn’t necessarily see it as a reality for me until maybe sophomore year of college, ” says Hillmon. “I think that it took that long because I was thinking about the politics of it. I wasn’t a Jordan or McDonald’s [All American] kid, and for a while I thought that all of that really mattered at the next level. ”

At Michigan, Hillmon’s game trumped all politics. She not only led the team to an Elite Eight appearance, but the two-way star also became the first ever in program history to be named an AP All-American.

Hillmon will face a similar situation in Atlanta as she did in Ann Arbor, with the Dream coming off an 8-24 season and in complete rebuild mode with a new coach and several new players.

“Coach [Tanisha] Wright has told me that my role in helping this team be successful is being who I have been and doing what I’ ve been doing, ” she says. “That’s giving my energy and effort every day. ” —Branden Peters

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Album of the summer?…The KOBE KICKS issue we just dropped is truly special. Go pick up yours at slamgoods.com and relive excellence…SLAM cover No. 2 for Johnny. Another heater…Get well soon, Aaliyah Gayles. We know we’ll see you back on the court soon…We miss you, Ben Collins…

COME #LEARNWITHUS THIS SUMMER!

camps focus on teaching the fundamentals of the game in a fun and competitive environment. these camps are designed to teach kids the skills they need to be a better basketball player by the use of drill and station work, along with full court games. along with nba stars, basketball city’s professional staff will make sure your child has a great time and improves their game. basketball city will be running a full schedule of summer basketball camps in 2022 at our 7-court facility located in downtown manhattan. this year’s camps include current and past nba players and a collaboration with the national basketball players association, as well as 5 star basketball, and our ever-popular basketball city fundamentals camp along with our nba draft/skills challenge camp with future nba talent. all summer camps include small group instruction, comprehensive instruction from professional staff, competitive full-court games and analysis of real game situations, reversible basketball city jersey, basketball city giveaways and prizes, and an awards ceremony on the last day of camp. we have a variety of camps to offer to both boys and girls ages 7-17. S I G N U P A T W W W . B A S K E T B A L L C I T Y . C O M

THE FIRST TIP-OFF

Canada’s ties to the game run deep, so it’s only right that when the

New Brunswick town

of St. Stephen uncovered the oldest court in the world, the community banded together to transform the 1893 relic into a special space for hoops lovers.

N T H E E A S T B A N K

Oof the St. Croix River sits a small milltown of around 4,500 people. In St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada, a portal to the 19th century lies dormant while a town rallies together to transform some old wooden panels into a basketball experience center. What’s so special about those old wooden panels? They belong to the oldest basketball court in the world.

In 1893, one of James Naismith’s original 18 players, Lyman Archibald, introduced the game to St. Stephen after being hired to run the local YMCA in New Brunswick. Formerly a pharmacy, print shop and thrift store, the building became abandoned and was hidden away for decades before a fire in 2010 forced the former owners to rip up the storage room carpet, revealing strips of faded wooden panels.

Canada First Basketball Inc. was created with the hopes of reinvigorating the space and St. Stephen. Last January, a phase one goal of $1 million in funding was met and the team was one step closer to achieving their dream of building a replica of the 1893 court.

“I was left with the strong impression that it’s not the building, it’s the story about the building and about the game

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Otto

Fulton

that we need to develop and save, ” Richard Fulton, president of Canada First Basketball Inc., tells SLAM.

Featuring the original low-pressed tin ceilings, a 19th century hand crank that provides electricity and peach baskets hanging on opposing walls, stepping into the space brings you back to the era of nine-man teams that played with a leather-bound ball.

With the building secured, the town and organization have set out to develop the story of the center, which includes augmented reality experiences and the original walk that players took to the court.

“This is not meant to be yet another museum. This is supposed to be something that’s ever-evolving, ” Robert Otto, chair of the board of directors of Canada First Basketball Inc., tells SLAM. “It’s supposed to be a space where people can come and be excited by the game of basketball. Front and center, a big part of this is meant to celebrate the Canadian contributions to a game that has immense popularity all around the world. ” —Jared Ebanks

N O Y Z » If we all stop posting videos of fans trolling players during games, maybe fans will do a little less trolling and players won’t constantly be baited into reacting. The relationship between players and fans is a little more complicated than that, but one obvious way to lower the temperature seems easy: stop posting the dumb videos and giving these fans the attention they so crave…

BACK TO THE BASICS

New York native Jah Rawlings moved to Atlanta and brought with him the summer hoops culture the Empire State is known for. Today, his Atlanta

Entertainment

Basketball League is widely recognized as one of the top summer leagues in the world.

H O U G H B R O O K LY N

TTea sits in downtown Atlanta, the quaint shop would easily be at home in Brooklyn’s Park Slope or Dumbo neighborhoods. It’s clean, quiet and keeps the cups of tropical green coming. You can see why Long Island native Jah Rawlings would want to meet there to talk basketball.

“I was born in New York, but Atlanta raised me, ” says Rawlings, who hooped for Georgia Perimeter College before founding the Atlanta Entertainment Basketball League (AEBL) in 2010. “[Atlanta] gave me the opportunity to get my dreams out and flourish and do the things that I wanted to do. That’s why I rep so hard for the city. ”

On this day, Rawlings doesn’t order anything at the tea shop, but he does explain how he’s poured his heart and his wallet into the AEBL, a pro-am summer league he envisioned having the swagger of ATL with the soul of Harlem’s Rucker Park.

“If anyone can do it, I can, ” Rawlings, 39, says. “My mentor was Greg Marius, rest in peace. He started EBC [the Entertainer ’s Basketball Classic tournament at Rucker Park—Ed.]. My uncle, Bob McCullough, created the Rucker [Pro Tournament]. It’s already in my DNA. ”

Rawlings admits that the first few seasons of his outdoor hoop dream were a challenge—light crowds, heavy rains—but he kept at it. A former member of the Atlanta Hawks organization, Rawlings knew the city had a thirst for streetball, he just needed more time for things to simmer.

First step, take the game indoors. Second, ask another “ uncle” for an assist. In 2017, Kyrie Irving was filming Uncle Drew in Atlanta. A friend of a friend invited Irving to come through and the point guard said he would. Rawlings didn’t get his hopes up until he saw the future Hall of Famer walk into the gym. And once he did, a buzz shot through the rafters that still hasn’t cooled.

Over the past few years, a who’s who of Hawks (John Collins, Trae Young), NBA ballers (Jaylen Brown, Montrezl Harrell) and future stars (Auburn’s Jabari Smith) have suited up. And they aren’t out there half-assin’ it. Once vets like Lou Williams and Isaiah Thomas get a taste of the competitiveness and massive crowds, they ’re hooked.

Much like Rucker’s legendary summers, AEBL games are about more than just the action on the court. It’s the energy and the engagement everywhere else. At any given game, 2 Chainz or Tee Grizzley could be in the stands. Halftimes almost certainly turn into mini concerts. In-arena host Bria Janelle is magnetic on the mic. The “E” in AEBL really means something.

Still, Rawlings is as proud of his league’s ability to prepare young staffers for careers at Nike and in the front office with the Atlanta Dream as he is about seeing ’21 MVP Kevon “Cheat Code” Harris ball out in the G League. Additionally, AEBL participates in community initiatives, donates to local athletic programs and volunteers at shelters over the holidays.

“I want young kids to know that I made it pro as a CEO, ” says Rawlings. “I’m still in the game. I’m actually a major player in basketball. I’ ve never stepped foot on an NBA court, but look at what I’ ve done. My mentors are like, Man, we see you being a GM. I’m like, I got my own NBA. ”

AEBL’s 2022 season kicks off with a bang on July 4th weekend. In addition to the men’s action (former Hawk Joe Johnson is debuting a squad), the calendar will include a dope women’s league and other events. With adidas as a sponsor, AEBL is also dropping a Trae Young 1 sneaker, draped in the league’s logo and stylings.

“AEBL is bigger than basketball, ” says Rawlings, who spearheads an HBCU-focused camp and a program aimed at elite high schoolers throughout the year, too. “We’re culture. We’re community. We’re entertainment. We’re mentorship. When people look at us now, they ’re like, Oh, this is bigger than just some NBA guys playing on the court. ” —DeMarco Williams

IN THE PAINT

London native Lakwena Maciver is a renowned artist whose paintings have graced murals around the world. Her latest series reimagines what basketball courts would look like if they represented the individual journeys and personalities of some of the biggest names in the sport.

A S K E T B A L L T E L L S

Bstories. Some are of joy and triumph, others of struggle and pain. These anecdotes are written in books and magazines, they ’re made into blockbuster movies, video games and bingeable documentary series.

London-based artist Lakwena Maciver—whose compelling, distinct murals have been seen on the Wynwood Walls in Miami and The Bowery Wall in NYC— caught a glimpse of basketball’s narrative while working on a court in Arkansas back in 2020. Taking inspiration from poet Maya

Angelou and a viral video from Arkansas state senator Stephanie Flowers speaking about social justice, Maciver’s designs echo emotion while capturing the powerful beauty of the game.

The basic layout of a basketball court has provided the canvas for Maciver’s most recent hoops project, “The Jump

Paintings. ” Each court in her series is an abstract portrait of the player it rep-

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mag coming soon…And WSLAM has a new podcast, too. Listen to “Get With It” anywhere you get pods…The 1-on-1 list we dropped online this month (it’ll be in print in our next issue) spawned some crazy debates in the virtual office. We’ll leave it at that…Our new office opens this [???]...

resents, cryptically alluding to their personalities, journey and character. Unlike her previous blacktop designs, these courts hang vertically on gallery walls and are the exact size of the player who inspired the creation, with “Tyrone” (top right, based on Muggsy Bogues) standing at 5 feet, 3 inches and “Manute” (top left), based on Manute Bol at 7 feet, 7 inches.

Maciver sees the game and its history through new eyes. Her refreshing vantage point, combined with her extensive research of the players featured, provides a contemporary and unique interpretation. She embraces the cultural importance of the game with dignity and respect, and her enjoyment flows throughout. “The Jump Paintings” series is unlike any other basketball/art crossover project seen before.

It would be dope to see the NBA bring on Maciver to design their All-Star Game court one day. Until then, the fact that she’s building a bridge that brings the stories of the playgrounds to art galleries around the world is a big deal. Long may the stories continue. —Sammy Gunnell

THE PLAYBOOK

Michael Jordan defied physics, ended careers and transcended the hoops landscape en route to six rings. We can all learn a thing or two about greatness from The GOAT in Life Lessons From His Airness.

E A L L T O O K ,

Wand are still taking, aspects of Michael Jordan’s life and applying it to our very own individual journeys. His unrelenting competitive desire. His dissatisfaction with settling for anything less than what he was destined for. His continuous pursuit of greatness even after reaching what some considered the top. GOAT status.

Starting as far back as the 1982 NCAA title shot that laid the roots for his ascension in the game and the rise of his billion-dollar kicks empire, Michael Jordan: Life Lessons From His Airness takes readers behind the scenes of Mike’s meteoric rise in the League and dominance off the court.

Written by former SLAM managing editor David H. Lewis, Life Lessons gives hoops fanatics 139 pages of insights, quotes, wisdom and knowledge to apply toward their own path to greatness.

The original geometric style pop art by digital artist Gilang Bogy gives the reader the feeling of viewing His Airness’ life through a kaleidoscope— beautiful and breathtaking while incorporating the inspiration of Bogy ’s native Indonesia.

Ten chapters filled with 43 life lessons. The excellence has been cemented. How we use the blueprint is up to us. —Jared Ebanks