My 40-year-old knees are worn out. Worn out like the lawn behind my childhood home, and for the same reason. It’s the reason I bought a rim and backboard set with the cash I saved on my 12th birthday. It’s why I had my dad lower the rim after the first week. It’s why I replaced it with a spring-loaded rim a year later. Before that, it was the reason that my Spalding Micro-Mini hoop snapped within an hour of purchasing. The reason the old lady next door complained. The reason why Shawn Kemp was (and still is) my hero. It’s the reason why, even all these years later, the skin on my palms at the base of my fingers is rough. It’s why my 1994 NBA All-Star Weekend VHS tape went fuzzy.

It’s because all I ever wanted to do was dunk.

The problem was that I did most of my growing early so, by the age of 16, my height was just about scraping 5-10 and my fingers just about scraping the rim. Hope, as usual, would be found within the hallowed pages of SLAM. It wasn’t in a frame-by-frame SLAMADAMONTH spread, either (although those were insanely dope). No. It was the ads that provided a solution to my problem with gravity. The range of Jump Higher programs on offer in our first two decades was wild, and within our magazines were scattered a medley of options. It wasn’t just me who wanted more bounce. We all did.

The ad that initially stood out to me was from the late ’90s. What’s crazy is that the program didn’t even have a name; it was just a lot of writing (we had larger attention spans back then…) and a black and white pic. The text implied that someone was giving away some top secret, Area 51 type of info. This, combined with a mysterious photo that was giving “Loch Ness Monster” style vibes had me completely locked in. The pic featured a young-looking kid jumping freakishly high (a trampoline?! definitely not…) with a defender helplessly waiting to have a basketball smashed into his unathletic face. It was significant that the kid featured was white. I was (and still am) also white and, until YouTube and Mac McClung (shout out to Rex Chapman, too) proved otherwise, our destiny was to replicate Larry Bird’s dunk package, if we were lucky. If this program could get a white kid dunking, then there was hope for us all. Surely.

I never did meet anyone who got their hands on that report—it claimed to be free—but the brand name, “Why Almost Everyone is Wrong About How They Train to Increase Their Vertical” was possibly a little long and not too catchy. Others, though, really stayed in the memory bank and, despite being pricey, saw a lot of success.

Jumpsoles and Strength Shoes were the early big hitters. For a long stretch, it would be common to find both brands battling it out in an issue, fighting for our pockets and their share of a bunny-hungry market. While basically the same product, Strength Shoes provided an entire shoe, along with Bob Knight and Bobby Hurley Sr’s approval. Jumpsoles, on the other hand, were strapped onto your existing shoe. This flexibility, as well as an athlete endorsement from the greatest short dunker (at the time) ever witnessed in Spud Webb, made sense. Although he was winning dunk contests almost 10 years before this product hit the market, we didn’t ask questions.

For a short period, we saw ads from imitation products such as Gainers and Skyflex, who apparently didn’t get off the ground (pun intended, always). Jumpsoles and Strength Shoes would hold their solid grip on the market and remain in our pages for a long time. My skeptical assumption, combined with the fact that I didn’t want to risk spending more money than I ever had in my bank account, was that they probably didn’t work. I’d heard reports of Yeah, right moments where a dude who couldn’t touch the rim wore them for five minutes and went on to throw down a windmill, all in an effort to sell units to kids at a camp. Others reported that the shoes would blow out your knees or that just working the calves would never be enough. Still, there have been countless others who claim them to be totally legit, and the fact that both of these brands exist today is perhaps proof of this.

Other equipment-based products available included ankle weights, vests, even a board with bungee straps that promoted itself with the tagline, “INCREASE YOUR VERTICAL BY ACTUALLY JUMPING!” Still, other programs boasted “No special shoes or weights necessary” and products like the Air Alert series began to push plyometrics over physical products. The fact that these brands required no actual equipment (other than books or DVDs) to be shipped, combined with the rise of the internet, meant that this section of the market was even more competitive. Names such as AIRBORNE!, JUMP ON, Mad Bounce and Vertical Leap Beyond Belief would fight for the attention of SLAM readers, all following a similar format. Some would refer to their information being “top secret…until now!” Quotes would be included from happy customers whose lives had been drastically altered by jumping higher. An ad by Leapfrog attempted to hook us in by sending customers a “dunk montage of 75 slams including a 6-1 LEAPFROGGIN’ jam over a 6-3 person.” I would’ve loved to have seen that whole thing. Oh, and they all, of course, guaranteed a specific gain of inches, a claim that was awkwardly comparable to a completely different industry that was spamming our in-boxes at the time. Fulfilling the desire to perform and/or impress is big business.

In the end, I never did invest in a “jump higher” type of program (three-pointers are cooler these days anyway, right?) but I remain fascinated by how synonymous they are with SLAM and, in turn, basketball culture. If I could go back to when I was a teen, I don’t think I’d opt for Strength Shoes or Jump Soles, not even Air Alert (which is still going btw!) for that matter. Too much effort. Instead, I’d give the Vertical Growth supplement pills a go. What could go wrong? If not then the Vertical Blast 2000 would have done the job. They worked for Todd from Phoenix, AZ, (pictured with a female companion no less) so why not Sammy from Erdington? If I wasn’t too late (this particular ad states that it’s only available to the first 125 “athletes” who respond) then a bottle of Adenotrex looked like a safe bet.

If all else failed, then there’s one product that couldn’t. Genuinely. The Slam Station springboard—”a stable but portable ‘mad ups’ producing dunking machine that gets you where you want to be…ABOVE THE RIM.” Incredible.

I barely ever dunked on a regulation rim ( a couple of times, maybe), but my dunking fantasy remains. And sometimes, after bending down to rub my aching 40-year-old knees, I still think to myself, “Why didn’t I send for that top-secret jumping info in SLAM…” 

The post These OLD SLAM ADS Promised to Help You Dunk and Improve Your Vertical—Guaranteed appeared first on SLAM.

There was a time when every hooper wanted to rap, and every rapper wanted to hoop.

Hip-hop and hoops is a marriage that can’t be divorced. In its truest essence, they’ve been partners since the musical genre was first created in the early 1970s. Hip-hop’s rhythm resonated from the Bronx and cascaded over hardwood surfaces and blacktops across the globe. It’s a dance that moves through crowds and invites participants to sing along to the melody of its hook.

This inseparable union is why Shaq featured Biggie, why AI sparked a dress code, why Kobe took Brandy to the prom. It’s Funk Flex DJing the Dunk Contest. It’s Drake’s commitment to the Raptors games. It’s LeBron throwing up the Roc. It’s The Knuckleheads. It’s Stephon Marbury. It’s Jigga bringing the Nets to Brooklyn. It’s an AND1 Mixtape. It’s the Knickstape. It’s why SLAM exists.

It’s why a young rapper named Dame D.O.L.L.A. would raise the bar by rocking a throwback Bill Walton Blazers jersey and a mic around his neck for SLAM 205. It was 2017, and at just one album deep (another would drop later that year), he had proven that music was more than a mere hobby. It had started from childhood when his cousin drove from New York to Dame’s boyhood home in Oakland in the early ’90s, bringing hip-hop with him. Dame just wanted to be in the car. Another family member and gifted MC, Brookfield Duece, would demonstrate that music was in his blood. It would never leave.

Although Drake had broken new ground by joining Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan on a SLAM cover the year before, SLAM 205 was the first time that we’d ever had a solo cover with a rapper front and center. It was “The Music Issue,” a momentous celebration of the basketball/music crossover that was executed with an intentionality that had only been alluded to previously.

Following this introduction to the basketball universe, Dame D.O.L.L.A. would go on to release four more albums and gain ongoing respect in his field. He would work with the likes of Jadakiss, 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne. He would contribute to the soundtrack of NBA 2K and enjoy recognition on the indie album charts. And he shows no signs of putting the mic down.

There was a time when every hooper wanted to rap, and every rapper wanted to hoop. Dame is pretty good at both.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 205 Featuring Damian Lillard From March of 2017 appeared first on SLAM.

It’s hard to believe but there was a time when the Boston Celtics weren’t a top team. You’ve gotta hand it to them, though, they had a solid start—winning almost 11 successive titles from 1957 through the following decade. Following that, if the trophy wasn’t residing in Bean Town, they pretty much remained in the championship conversation until the late ’80s. Despite their rich, dynasty-defining imprint on NBA history, something changed in the early ’90s. The combination of Larry Bird inevitably calling time on his storied legacy, then the tragedy of Reggie Lewis, passing away in 1993 meant that some shaky seasons followed.

Sure, some solid draft picks made for potential franchise players (we see you, Toine), and there were a couple of savvy signings (much love, Dana). But chemistry lacked and the newly built TD Garden (then the FleetCenter) felt like an unworthy new address for the banners imported from their old home. Boston’s lack of success would be reflected in their notable absence from the first five years of SLAM covers (not counting iconic gatefold joints), with a worthy face not emerging until 1999—Issue 35, to be exact.

In the 1998 NBA Draft, the Celtics would use their 10th pick to select Paul Pierce. Despite Pierce’s hatred of the franchise (understandable, being from Cali), he would prove to be an excellent choice, putting up numbers that placed him in the Rookie of the Year conversation toward the end of the ’98-99 season.

This conversation was seemingly wide open and crashed into the SLAM offices in what would prove to be a toxic fashion. Some team members chose Vince (the eventual Rookie of the Year), Scoop was counting on J-Will and Tony G had The Truth as his pick. “If we were a band, we would’ve split up,” was how Tony described how real it got at the SLAM Dome. Three dope covers was the compromise and, as a result, the Celtics would solidify their biggest basketball achievement of that particular decade: their first solo SLAM cover.

Boston’s journey to the championship over these past few years has been a long flight with turbulence. I know I speak for the worldwide hoops community when I say that it’s dope to see such a storied franchise continuing to build on its legacy and reclaim its place as the best in NBA history.

No doubt.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 35 Featuring Paul Pierce From August of 1999 appeared first on SLAM.

Seeing Moore grace the front page of SLAM 217 had me scrambling, the problem was, I couldn’t find her cover anywhere. Sold out on SLAM Goods, not a sniff of it on eBay. It was looking as though anyone lucky enough to grab that coveted first retail run was holding onto it tight… and with good reason.

To say that Maya Moore is one of the greatest female players ever witnessed shouldn’t be a statement that’s thought little of. She has been a champion at every level possible. From High School to College to the WNBA, even on the Olympic stage–titles were secured. Not only that, but the list of accolades that accompanied these championships and medals is almost unimaginable. She’s an undisputed Hall of Famer, and if you’re taking her as your basketball GOAT, I’d be reluctant to argue.

There was something more to Maya Moore’s game than hardware, though. Less tangible than trophies, but with more impact, somehow. A trait not so easy to describe. While she was fierce on the boards and had hands so quick that steals felt like camera tricks, her style of play and scoring ability possessed a majestic quality. A magic. The ‘poetry in motion’ type of magic. The type that gives you goosebumps and watery eyes when replayed in slow-mo. The kind that reminds us of the beauty of the game that we once fell in love with.

As MJ is one of a handful to have had this effect on us previously, it was fitting that Maya would be picked up by Jordan Brand before she even stepped foot on a WNBA court – and when she walked away from it in 2018, she did so in a pair of signature Jordan 10s, and as an icon of the Jordan Family.

Stepping away from the game in her prime was far from insignificant, and wasn’t without purpose. Aside from basketball, Moore had been fighting for social justice long before cries for freedom were allowed to be printed on team uniforms. She was a voice for a suffering community during a time when disciplinary action was taken towards players who refused to be silent in their political views. It was her specific commitment to reform in the criminal justice system that saw her forego the 2019 and 2020 WNBA seasons, and ultimately retire in early 2023. If recent history has taught us anything, it’s that some things are bigger than basketball.

In some ways, Maya Moore’s presence on issue 217 was bigger than SLAM. It burst open the floodgates, with a flurry of female hoopers subsequently hitting the cover, and catapulted our coverage of Women’s Basketball into a new era. Some of the dopest covers we’ve dropped since have featured the likes of Candace Parker, Sabrina Ionescu, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. We’ve also seen three rounds of WSLAM specials. Each drop points us back to Maya Moore’s Mona Lisa smile, quietly confident, affecting change without breaking character.

As a SLAM enthusiast with a deep admiration of Moore’s journey both on and off the court, it was paramount that I added her cover to my collection somehow. It would appease the innate notion we have as humans to somehow align ourselves with those whom we respect – like signed autobiographies, game-worn jerseys and signature shoes – this would demonstrate my allegiance to her cause. Eventually, I went in-house, with a member of the SLAM fam (shout out to Peter Walsh) hooking me up with a personal copy. For me, this could never just exist as another spine on a shelf. It had to be framed and placed in a prime position. It’s to be observed, discussed and remembered… and when the inevitable Maya Moore life-story movie is released someday in the future, I’ll proudly point to Maya on SLAM 217 and will let it be known, just like any true SLAM-head should, that I’ve been down since day one.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s Official Archivist Details Maya Moore’s Excellence and Tracking Down Her Illustrious SLAM Cover appeared first on SLAM.

I wonder if my love for collecting comes from the satisfaction gained from knowing that everything is in order and accounted for. That the numbers line up and everything slots into place. The fact that every SLAM issue ever released has a number, and this number represents a date on the basketball timeline appeals to me. I’m a weirdo. Don’t judge me.

In terms of issue numbers, our last milestone was when we hit you with the Iverson/Jordan double whammy on Issue 200, August 2016. In the eight years that have passed since, things have changed—not necessarily in drastic ways, but there are changes nonetheless. By contrast, when we hit our first major landmark, Issue 50, back in 2001, the changes that had happened since our conception in 1994 were wild.

The internet had immensely changed the way we consumed basketball information. Salaries had evolved from weighty to astronomical. Streetball had infested our DVD collections and the baggy fashion era was about to get real. Very real. One thing remained, though. Michael Jordan was our basketball god.

It was fitting, then, that one of the most iconic MJ moments should inhabit the front page of our 50th drop. It was the infamous free-throw line jam, the Windy City version—the White Cements…Only we did it different. I’m not only talking about the three alternate covers, I’m talking about the never-seen-before camera angles. Our short but significant stint in the game meant editors Russ Bengtson and Tony G had built a solid relationship with legendary NBA photographer Nat Butler. Nat has taken (and continues to take) some of the most iconic pictures in basketball history. To put it plainly, you likely rock his pics on tees, post them on your feed and choose them as your background. The (possibly) unlikely friendship that our forefathers made with Nat meant that he granted access to—and permission to use—previously unseen shots of one of the most significant moments in Mike’s career. The result was a fitting cover series for our 50th issue.

The “familiar but different” element of the SLAM 50 covers epitomizes those early SLAM years. Giving you something you thought you knew, but making you look twice. Reminding us that everything changes, while somehow staying the same. All executed chaotically but perfectly. Everything slotting into place. Numbered in the basketball timeline.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 50 Featuring Michael Jordan From April of 2001 appeared first on SLAM.

Down since DAY 1? You’ve probably noticed that we’re celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. Yep, we’ve been handling business since 1994 (quick math) and holding it down ever since.

A dope year for many reasons, 1994 was not only our birth year but hip-hop and fashion were at all-time pinnacles. Nas dropped Illmatic. The Fugees dropped Blunted on Reality. Biggie dropped Ready to Die. In the world of fashion, things were popping off, too—NBA fan gear was a staple for any kid who valued style and popularity, with any article of clothing involving the Orlando Magic or Charlotte Hornets a safe bet for fitting in with the coolest kids in school. Think about it…this was the year that Scottie rocked bright red Air Maestros for his ASG MVP performance. Like I said, it was a dope year! And to top it all off, Larry Johnson was the baddest mofo on the basketball planet (apart from JR Rider…maybe…)

In many ways, LJ would epitomize what this magazine is all about and set the stage for what we would become. His cover was busy and eye-catching, with the OG SLAM logo smacking us in the face alongside a plethora of cover lines, each one pulling us in. Johnson was front and center, “Grandmama” in all his glory—gold tooth, teal pinstripes and throwing down a jam from his underrated Dunk Contest performance. The cover wasn’t watered down but instead added an exclamation mark to a side of NBA basketball that other publications disregarded: the personality of the game.

In a recent interview, Johnson discussed the fact that he’s asked about this cover all the time. Like SLAM, his impact on the League goes far beyond the game itself. The Larry Johnson of 1994 embodied the legacy that would follow for both his career and the future of this publication.

SLAM has been the theme song of many a storied NBA career, celebrating the talent, style and personality of your favorite icons. Shout out to everyone who’s been down since LJ.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 1 Featuring Larry Johnson From Spring of 1994 appeared first on SLAM.

Highly anticipated draft prospects are as old as grandparents. Whether Kareem, Ewing, Shaq or LeBron—the fanfare that has preceded the professional journey of a college (or high school) superstar has rarely proved anticlimactic. In ’97, a modest but significant level of anticipation would almost personify the subsequent career of the San Antonio Spurs’ number one pick: Timothy Theodore Duncan.

At SLAM, we knew the hype wasn’t just hot air. We even collaborated with the trading card company The Score Board to create SLAM cover-style cards featuring TD—10 in total—each one educating the collector on a legit element of his game. All this before he’d even stepped foot on NBA hardwood.

Three years later, Tim Duncan had become a household name. He’d found a perfect fit in the Spurs’ winning culture, humbly taking on the position of protégé to the great David Robinson. Not only had TD collected ROY honors, but he’d also made the NBA First Team, become a staple at All-Star Weekend and won a title with a Finals MVP cherry on top. When he took a seat on the cover of SLAM 47’s George Gervin homage masterpiece (shout out to Russ Bengtson), we were presented with an image that articulated what we already knew—Timmy D is cold.

This year’s number-one draft pick has us on board the hype train for sure. I’m riding first class with popcorn and free Wi-Fi. In other words, I’m invested in traveling this journey with Victor Wembanyama. Not only is he joining a franchise that specializes in producing elite players who win titles, but he also possesses the physical and skill attributes that the NBA has been evolving toward for the past 20 years. Wemby is the fulfillment of basketball prophecy. Not that I’m getting carried away or anything…

In the words of Yasiin Bey: “The kids better buy my rookie card now, ’cause after this year the price ain’t comin’ down.” I’m assuming you copped the rookie card already—so let me make one last bold statement: You need that Wembanyama Issue 240 and 247 cover. Gold Metal Edition. Do it for the grandkids.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 47 Featuring Tim Duncan From December of 2000 appeared first on SLAM.

Think for a moment about what our beloved game of basketball will look like in the year 2041. Sounds far away, right? Yep. Eighteen years. Now, hit rewind. It was 18 years ago (from when I’m writing this) when SLAM slapped us across the face with a cover for the ages. SLAM 93. King James had begun his NBA reign just two years earlier, and he carried the pressure of a world that often longs to see the mighty fail. And yet, two years in, he still hadn’t broken under the hefty weight of a crown. While most were considering draft eligibility, he’d already established himself as the League’s superstar. The throne was his.

At this point, LeBron had formed enough of a relationship with SLAM that we had his trust. Trust enough to rock a sword and crown, as well as a flimsy- looking cape and know that we’d make it look incredible. Add the King of Diamonds playing-card cover design, the look of nobility in King James’ eyes and incredible was indeed the result.

SLAM 93 was the dictionary definition of dope. The top 10, probably even top 5, covers ever type of dope. But perhaps even more striking than that, is that the cover still makes sense now. When this issue dropped, 2023 seemed like a long way off, and it was. During the decades that have passed, LeBron has led three different franchises to NBA championships. He’s stayed in the MVP conversation consistently and been an undisputed All-Star. His 2K rating from 2005 is only 7 points lower than this year’s. Boom.

Even us older heads are becoming progressively less dismissive of hearing his name mentioned in the GOAT debate. As each year goes by, the consistency of his sway becomes more difficult to ignore. Less disputable. A lot has changed since 2005, but when LeBron steps on the basketball court or graces a SLAM cover, a lot of things haven’t. The King still reigns.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 93 Featuring LeBron James From December of 2005 appeared first on SLAM.

What beats a classic SLAM solo cover!? An iconic duo cover, for sure. Think about it: Showbiz and KG, C-Webb and White Chocolate, Shaq and Kobe—all more than 20 years old, all still rockable on a cover tee (shout out SLAM Goods!). Players tag-teaming on a SLAM cover has been popping off recently, too—even Stockton and Malone finally got their joint on the All-Star Weekend special edition earlier this year! The chemistry is tangible and the shots are unforgettable. Duo covers are sick.

The fact is that a superstar can rarely win it all alone. Let’s think some more: Kareem needed Magic, Mike needed Pip (awkward!), Bron needed Wade, Curry needed Klay. When you think of a championship team, what comes to mind is usually plural.

When the Nuggets lifted the trophy this year, the sentiment was the same. The Joker—former League MVP in 2021 and 2022—is far from a one-man show. Murray, Gordon and Porter Jr are all appropriate counterparts in nailing a solid one-two punch with Jokic. But this isn’t the first time we’ve witnessed a championship caliber duo in Denver.

Back in 2006, NBA vet Allen Iverson joined a young but established Carmelo Anthony on a fresh and exciting Nuggets squad with high aspirations. Two years later, SLAM 115 dropped. Denver’s shot at a title wasn’t too far-fetched. However, it was yet another year where Kobe Bryant had his sights set on NBA greatness and the Lakers swept the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. Worse than that, the Melo and AI combination drew to a close. Of course, we wish it would’ve lasted longer, but judging by the smiles on this iconic cover, those dudes are as happy as we are that it ever even happened. Although relatively short-lived, this moment being immortalized on a SLAM cover means that it will last forever. We got another dope duo cover in our collection, and the Nuggets—eventually—got their chip.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 115 Featuring Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson From March of 2008 appeared first on SLAM.

The cover of SLAM 8 captured an iconic moment in time. Picture this: in March 1995—March 18, to be exact—Michael Jordan announced his highly anticipated comeback. A few days later, on March 24, he would step on to the court at a sold-out United Center with Air Jordan Xs on his feet and 45 on his back to face a young and swaggy Orlando Magic squad. These were hallowed moments.

Orlando’s Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway was unfazed. It was just his second season in the NBA, but he had already established himself as a superstar. Forget the “what ifs” for a moment—Penny was one of the most exciting players we’d seen. He was a Magic Johnson remix. You could’ve compiled a top-10 highlight reel for every game he played. He already had a signature shoe and one of the dopest ad campaigns of all time to match (a campaign that this very cover would later appear in). Let me explain it this way: when my closest friend, Neil Stansbie, copped the black pinstripe Hardaway Magic jersey that spring, I asked no questions. Not one. It was a no brainer.

The Bulls won this matchup, but as I said, the image on the cover of SLAM 8 captured something significant. It was MJ in the frame, but instead of denting somebody’s ego, he was on the other end of things. At that moment, Penny had us wondering if Mike was regretting turning his back on those batting cages in Birmingham. A student was getting the better of a basketball master.

Recent interactions have demonstrated that you should avoid talking smack to the greats, but there’s still something in us as basketball fans that loves to see a young dude giving an OG a run for his money. Ultimately, for Anfernee Hardaway, it didn’t turn out great in terms of ever surpassing the exploits of MJ—and there were reasons for that. For me, though, this moment will always represent what should’ve been had the basketball gods been kinder to Penny. There’s so much that we’ll never know, but I do know this: These young dudes need to keep the OGs on their toes, never back down and not be afraid to put a legend on a poster. Or, if you’re truly special, a SLAM cover.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 8 Featuring Penny Hardaway, Michael Jordan From November of 1995 appeared first on SLAM.

Do you have a favorite SLAM cover? Of course you do. Many of us take it a step further—we have a top 5 list. A list that we keep stored away for barbershop discussions or comments sections. Our GOAT list usually ticks a few criteria boxes: 1, how iconic the cover is; 2, the impact of the player’s career; and 3, the cover’s concept.

One of the dopest concepts in recent years was SLAM 222. It was the second year SLAM dropped “The Future Issue,” this time with a Back to the Future theme that saw each cover athlete rocking a SLAM cover tee—of the cover they were on. It. Was. Sick.

Not only did the concept hit very different, the choice of ballers was perfect. The first cover featured Zion Williamson, the No. 1 draft pick (already on his second SLAM cover). The second cover featured 2020 draftee LaMelo Ball. They both had enough hype from their pre-NBA careers to make them household names in the basketball universe.

But it would be Ja Morant who would make this trilogy truly complete. The discussion around the other two names meant that the 2019 draft prospect got comparatively little airtime, so the casual hoops fan might have been forgiven for not knowing who he was. Like any classic SLAM issue, though, its iconic status would develop as a player’s career gained traction. Ja’s reputation as one of the most spectacular players in the L grew quicker than his locks, putting dudes on posters early.

Zion’s cover probably goes the hardest in this set, but the fact that Ja is fast becoming your favorite player’s favorite player means that his SLAM cover debut has secured its place in SLAM cover history, and all three versions of SLAM 222 on your top 5.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 222 Featuring Ja Morant, Zion Williamson and LaMelo Ball From July of 2019 appeared first on SLAM.

If you’re a true SLAM head, then you’ll have keenly observed that we drop team/multiple-player covers with a consistent frequency these days. Sure, some of our most iconic covers have been solo joints, but love simply has to be shown to our first duo.

Leading up to 1995, the Warriors were a team who’d had some great players, from the backcourt trio of Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin (aka Run TMC) to No. 1 draft pick Chris Webber, who would win Rookie of the Year. Which leads us to the cover of SLAM 5, and the unforgettable personalities of Tim Hardaway and Latrell Sprewell.

Spree was a ferocious dunker. He threw it down as though the rim owed him money, insulted his mother and looked at his girl all at the same time. Tim Hardaway was the OG ankle-breaker, putting dudes on skates and then telling them about it. As a duo, they should’ve been primetime, top-10 plays of the week type of stuff, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out that way.

Still, the cover of SLAM 5 remains historic for a couple of reasons. It was the first non-solo cover. In addition, Tony Gervino, SLAM’s editor at the time, once told me that the two weren’t on speaking terms when the cover was shot. Mean-mugging became a staple for players on SLAM covers after this, but in this case, the disgruntled faces were real. The cover was a trendsetting blueprint for covers in the years to come—namely, players not smiling. [FYI, we’ve never directed players to not smile! It’s just always been how they wanted to be photographed.—Ed.]

It’s crazy to think of the Golden State Warriors as a bottom-of-the-League team, but this is what they would be for the (almost) 10 years that followed this cover (an apparent SLAM curse was whispered about during this era, too). Both Warriors and multiple-player SLAM covers are common these days, as are Dubs championships. I hope that conversations between Spree and Hardaway happen more often than they used to do.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 5 Featuring Tim Hardaway, Latrell Sprewell From May of 1995 appeared first on SLAM.

My name is Sammy, and I’m a collect-aholic. It’s an addiction—more like an obsession. My pursuit to possess every SLAM cover ever released is something that I act upon daily. It’s the eBay search that I’ve saved and the hashtag that I follow. It has me empathizing with the hoarders documented on TV shows. Like them, I want to hold on to something and store it away to capture a moment. It’s a nostalgic task to complete.

Collecting back issues of SLAM is cool (at least I think so; my wife, not so much…), but it’s not unique. Although they’re not as commonly collected as sneakers, trading cards or jerseys, old SLAM mags are widely available, with a community of us who carry a vulture-like quality when it comes to pouncing on a 30-something-year-old hoops fan who happens to be clearing out their parents’ garage. There are small pockets of basketball collectors, however, who obsess over items that are not so common…

Simon Jackson, Autographs

When Simon Jackson (@dallasmavsautos) began collecting Dirk Nowitzki trading cards in 2008, he was quickly impressed by Dirk’s speedy responses to fan mail, specifically autograph requests. His commitment to building a Dirk card collection soon got weighed down by a ton of Dallas Mavs cards. 

“I realized that I’d gained a surplus of Mavericks trading cards by searching for Dirk, which got me thinking…” he says.

Now a Mavs fan, and putting his cards to good use, Simon has made it his mission to get an autograph from every player who has ever stepped on the court in a Mavs uniform. He says there have been 358 players in total (at the time of this writing) and he has 325 of them.

This is some achievement—as an Aussie living in Australia, he acquires autographs by sending stamped envelopes to former players with cards for them to sign and return. He reaches out via Instagram, Twitter and emails. The fact that he has an autograph from Randall Jackson, a man who played 39 seconds for the Mavericks, confirms what I already knew: Simon Jackson isn’t playing around.

Chris Jungwirth, Armbands

When Chris (@nbagameworn_chris) was 14, he noticed players throwing armbands into the stands at the Target Center in Minneapolis. It was the early 2000s—prime KG era—and Chris would sneak from the cheap seats down to the court to grab a grail band from Garnett, or from the visiting Paul Pierce or Vince Carter. He even caught a Rookie LeBron James headband when the Cavs came to town in ’04. Before armband customization was banned for a few years in ’06, players would rock them with short messages, tributes and nicknames.

Chris made note of the ones he needed by studying the SLAMUPS posters on his bedroom wall. Waiting by the team bus, getting to know equipment managers, befriending ball boys and even getting to know players while hanging out by hotels—all of these tactics helped his collection grow.

In more recent years, Chris has splashed a little cash acquiring some of the big names of the past: the iconic “Pip” armband that Scottie rocked while winning hardware, the Reggie Miller finger sleeve that he wore while tearing the beating hearts out of our chests (Yes, I’m a Knicks fan…). He’s also got the unmistakable “Mailman 32” band that Karl Malone rocked while racking up countless buckets. Chris recently dropped $300 on a Jayson Tatum one and has seen a rare Penny Hardaway go for $1,000. I’m still trying to figure out how he managed to talk a Lakers locker room “source” into parting with some Kobe No. 24 finger sleeves for just $150! 

“There are only about five of us continually looking for armbands,” he says. “It gets competitive at times. I’ve been offered $3,000 for my LBJ rookie headband.”

Chris’ collection is currently at 130 armbands and rising. I didn’t even mention the signed PE sneaks he has…

Gerard Starkey, Sneakers

Arguably, basketball sneaker collections are only truly worth discussing if they’re game-worn, and not only that, but worn by the greatest player ever to step onto a basketball court. Gerard Starkey (@gerard_og_vi) had been buying Jordans since he was a 9-year-old skateboarder but when he was 15, he took a leap, figuratively of course, when he got his hands on a pair of Michael Jordan PEs (“Carmine” Jordan VIs). His previous collection suddenly eclipsed by the glow of an MJ exclusive, Gerard set his sights on the shoes that told stories. 

“If you just collect stuff, you end up boxing it and not really enjoying it,” he says. “If the items have a story, then they have context and meaning. If you don’t just have the VIs, but you have the VIs that MJ cut his toe on, then it means a lot more. I started off trying to collect a PE in every style he wore, and then it snowballed.”

He forged a network through his skateboarding and basketball communities. Before social media tied the whole world together, Gerard became tied in with a few of the OG basketball sneaker collectors, guys who’d built up deep catalogs before the market went crazy. He’d help them sell stuff and even claim a pair of game-worn Js in exchange—gathering items that he adamantly says he’ll never let go of. “I don’t sell stuff,” he says. “I don’t sell stuff ever.”

Not only has Gerard built up one of the best MJ sneaker collections in the world, but he’s also built a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable in the game. From offering advice and photo-matching to confirming that a pair has been laced by Mike himself, Gerard provides a service used by Christie’s Auction House as well as high-end collectors who need help sourcing legit items. If there’s a top-tier item sold that has touched Jordan’s feet, it’s usually been through Gerard’s reliable hands.

The game has changed drastically since Gerard started collecting, with the current market allowing millionaire collectors to build a viral-worthy arsenal of MJ PEs in six months. Gerard, though, is unfazed: “They bought their collections. I built mine.”

Ferran Salavert, Jerseys

Hoops hoarders often set out on one path, but become sidetracked by a different obsession. Spanish native Ferran Salavert (@fibawhatelse) initially began collecting FIBA jerseys, primarily from teams in Spain. His favorite, Club Joventut Badalona, produced the likes of Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernández, and his love for the team prompted Ferran to hunt for game-worn jerseys of Joventut Badalona players who made it to the NBA.

“I like the NBA,” he explains, “but my roots are in European basketball.” 

This mission then expanded to Spanish NBA players, which eventually led him to expanding to jerseys of NBA players who hooped in Spain. Needless to say, this has created one of the most beautifully eclectic collections—“The European focus of my collection is what makes it unique”—of game-worn jerseys around. His collection currently stands at 250 jerseys, with his most valuable ones being the Gasol brothers and Ricky Rubio gamers.

Marcin Wójciuk, John Starks Gear

Even though he’s in Poland, Marcin Wójciuk (@john_starks_3) found himself collecting jerseys of each New York Knicks player who took the floor in the ’94 and ’99 NBA Finals. The collection grew, but so did his focus on John Starks. Marcin loved Starks. He could relate to the passion, the hustle and the sporadic nature of his game. This new focus on Starks led to a condensing of the initial collection. Quality over quantity was his new goal—game-worn jerseys and sneaks, the rarest trading cards, signed photos, but only the highest quality Starks items would suffice. 

“The first Starks jersey I bought was a fake,” Wójciuk says. “I waited three months for it to arrive in Poland from the States. I keep it as a reminder of where it all started.”

At the last count, he has 460 pieces. Marcin is still on the hunt for the adidas Intruders (rocked on the cover of SLAM 4) and has a friend who owns the pair that Starks wore in the ’94 Finals. If he’s reading this, I hope he sees sense and sends them to the place where all John Starks-related items can find their true home.

Leo Klein, All-Star Weekend Basketballs

The beauty of basketball collections is that most are never truly complete. New items are released, fresh players join the League and the hunt for another must-have grail item continues. One of the most complete collections I’ve ever seen, however, belongs to long-time NBA fan Leo Klein.

Like others, Leo has some of the more commonly collected items—jerseys and signed photos—only his are in mind-boggling quantities and presented beautifully in a man-cave-style basement to die for. The centerpiece of his incredible collection, though, is something much less common: a full run of NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest money balls dating back to when the competition began in 1986. There are 35 in total, all displayed in custom Lucite cubes. Leo has been to every All-Star game since 1994, picking up much of his collection in person. 

“I was often in the right place at the right time,” Klein says, “and so got handed things that someone in the regular crowd wouldn’t be privy to. Traveling to 25 All-Star games was part of the catalyst in why I decided to see if I could collect a full run of money balls.”

Others weren’t so easy. Despite knowing many of the top NBA personnel, grabbing any of the pre-1990 balls presented a difficult task, primarily because so few were produced. Klein contacted sponsors of the competition, tracked down collectors via auction houses and even placed an ad, specifically to find the balls from ’86 and ’87. 

Leo’s commitment to such a specific item, the way the collection was acquired and the fact that the last ball in his collection was the end of Spalding’s NBA era, make it all so unique. The collection has been valued at anywhere between $150,000 to $500,000, and to the right buyer, he might just consider selling. 

Photo credit Nathaniel S. Butler.  

The post The Most Elite Hoop Collections Out There: From NBA Jerseys to Rare Jordans Game-Worn by Michael Jordan appeared first on SLAM.

Remember when we used to call Steve Nash “Nashty Nash?” Probably not. Partly because we rarely/never called him that, but also because we didn’t talk about him enough at the time to realize that we should have.

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking—the dude won 2 MVPs back-to-back, we were obviously talking about him, right? Nah. In 2005 we were talking about Kobe, we were realizing that NBA 2K was legit, we were whining about LeBron not winning a title after two seasons in the League. Meanwhile, Nashtradamus (we didn’t call him that?) was a legitimate nightmare for teams stepping into the heat of the Phoenix desert. Nonetheless, the murmur of haters seemed to hum in the background of Nash’s success. It’s easy to see why; his hair was unique but his numbers weren’t.

Although Steve “Cash” (how was that never his nickname?) had one of the best jumpers in the League, he rarely went for buckets. He was a pass-first point guard with a stupidly high basketball IQ. This, paired with the fearlessness of a hockey player—and the chipped tooth and bloody nose to prove it—saw him drawing double teams, attacking the lane and slicing passes to Amar’e Stoudemire or Shawn Marion to finish the job at the rim. These League-leading assists were a thing of beauty, too, behind-the-back, no-look dishes served with precise excellence on a nightly basis.

On the November 2005 issue of SLAM, before he secured a double MVP award, Nash would hit a double cover. This was one of the only times that the same player would be featured on both alternate SLAM covers, and it dropped in the dopest way. One had an ’05 flavor, and the other looked like it had dropped in ’95. Honestly, prime Steve Nash would’ve been an MVP in either year.

Captain Canada (that one’s legit) traveled a bumpy road as a coach in recent months, but he’s no stranger to the grind (see: the bloody noses, the chipped tooth and the murmur of haters). Like SLAM 92 said: “Steve Nash is no joke.” His name deserves respect.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 92 Featuring Steve Nash From November of 2005 appeared first on SLAM.

Time flies.

This summer marked 25 short years of SLAM KICKS. These days, as an adult, it feels like the annual issues drop monthly, with each year coming around faster than I can keep up. When you’re a kid, though, time moves in slow-mo. Years dragged, NBA seasons felt never ending and KICKS releases took a lifetime to come back around. A kid named Kobe Bryant soared onto the cover of KICKS 3 back in 2000. Despite being just 21, he had achieved more in the four long years that he’d been in the League than most NBA vets had in a 16-year stint.

From high school to The Forum, from The Forum to STAPLES Center, from skin-fade to ’fro, from classic showtime Laker jerseys to millennium-worthy Nike joints. Rookie to All-Star. Elden to Shaq. From learning from Mike to doing what Mike did; winning stuff. A lot changed in those early slow-mo years.

It’s only by reflecting through my adult-years mindset that I can soberly look back and appreciate just how quickly Bryant evolved from dunk contest participant to a franchise dynasty builder. Things moved so fast for Kobe from 1996-2000, it’s as if the world had to hit the accelerator pedal to keep up. The rise of the internet playing the biggest part of all, and (among other things) profoundly impacting the way that we discovered and copped sneakers.

Although the internet was gaining crazy traction, sneakerheads looking for a forecast on any upcoming heat would still lean on KICKS as their expert guide and, thanks to Russ Bengtson, KICKS 3 was stacked. It announced the Air Jordan VI “Olympic” drop and broke down how the Audi TT influenced the design of Kobe’s latest adidas sneaker. (Does it get more 2000 than that?!) It showed the upcoming on and off-court drops for each brand and reflected on the best shoes worn by key players around the League. Kobe on the cover was fitting. KICKS put in some serious work and on their way to building a dynasty.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM KICKS 3 Featuring Kobe Bryant From 2000 appeared first on SLAM.

Like undersized icons Spud Webb, Muggsy Bogues, Earl Boykins and Nate Robinson who went before him, Isaiah Thomas’ NBA journey is one that die-hard and casual fans alike have taken to. We’ve fed off of the unlikely nature of their success and received a fresh dose of inspiration while observing their highs and lows. IT would surpass his short-guy predecessors, though, with 30+ games becoming the norm. When he joined the Boston Celtics in 2015, he was far from a novelty act and would comfortably step up to the role as the team’s key player.

Isaiah Thomas was never supposed to be on the cover of SLAM, just like he was never meant to get drafted, become a deadly scorer or establish himself as a superstar on a storied franchise like the Celtics. The cover of SLAM 208 was a defiance of all these odds and an image that every fan of basketball could appreciate.

His journey has been epitomized by hard work and a refusal to give in. Despite battling serious injury, devastating personal tragedy and crushing trades that had him bouncing around the League in recent years, he kept on grinding. And he continues to…

For me, Boston was always the best fit for Isaiah, regardless of how things ended. There’s something in that Celtic tradition of grit and hard work that equated to success that suited what he was all about. That same grit saw some serious progress made by the young Celtics team in this year’s pursuit of a championship. Although they were beaten to the title by a team building on a new, 21st-century dynasty for the ages, they were damn close. Don’t rule out the Celtics reclaiming that dynasty, though. And don’t rule Isaiah Thomas out either. I have a feeling that his NBA journey isn’t finished yet.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 208 Featuring Isaiah Thomas From June of 2017 appeared first on SLAM.

Basketball tells stories. 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 binge-able 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 represents, 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.

The post Lakwena Maciver’s ‘The Jump Paintings’ Captures the Beauty of the Game by Reimagining Basketball Courts appeared first on SLAM.

Hip-hop references have permeated the pages of SLAM since our premier issue hit newsstands back in ’94, from cover lines, spine lines and story titles to Drake being the first rapper on the cover (SLAM 198). But Issue 214 was something different.

Back when old guys like me used to go to physical stores to buy music, album covers meant everything. We would flip through CD racks and search for the joints that weren’t just what the billboard charts told us were hot. Where the opportunity to listen before you buy was often scarce, a project would be judged by its artwork instead of its content. Records that consistently stood out more than the rest were usually the work of Shawn Brauch, founder and head designer of Pen & Pixel. His distinctive style characterized the style of hip-hop coming out of the south. The designs were bold and flamboyant and captured the themes being communicated through the music, namely: women, cars and bling.

When DeMarcus Cousins joined Anthony Davis in New Orleans in early 2018, something of that southern exuberance felt like it was being recaptured. The South had something to say and pulling Pen & Pixel out of retirement was the perfect way to express it. The cover of SLAM 214 stood out on newsstands (like they usually do!) in the same way Cash Money and No Limit Records did in the year 2000. It was the perfect way to celebrate this collaboration of premier big men.

As fate would have it, Cousins tore his Achilles the day after this cover came out and the duo never quite brought what the city was hoping for. Even so, this remains one of our most iconic covers. Kevin Durant even crowned it his favorite in a recent interview.

The Boogie and AD link-up may not have created historic basketball memories on the court, but it did produce what is arguably one of our greatest covers of all time. I’m still waiting on the mixtape…

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 214 Featuring Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins From March of 2018 appeared first on SLAM.

But before I decide where to call home, there’s something else to think about: How and where could SLAM exist in another dimension? That question has been answered, a few times over. 

The biggest world, a universe really, where SLAM has a presence is the Marvel Universe. Luke Cage series creator Cheo Hodari Coker—who also wrote SLAM 24’s cover story on Kobe Bryant—showed some love to his SLAM Fam by including a fictional excerpt of the PUNKS column (our former HS section, now called The Come Up) in the first episode of the Netflix show. Fast forward to a scene in Pop’s Barbershop, and some of the article’s finer details can be seen in the freeze frame. I strained my eyes to read more about “RUN-DSC…”

You’ll also find SLAM in the world of comedy, thanks to Shea Serrano and Arturo Torres, the bestselling writer and illustrator of a ton of New York Times’ hits like Basketball and Other Things, who immortalized fictional Sixers fan Jim Halpert from The Office on a cover that I’d happily buy multiple copies of. There’s also a rumor going around the SLAM Dome that the publication’s fine literature can be found in STARZ’ Survivor’s Remorse. Any world with a character played by Mike Epps could be fun. 

Back in 1998, two universes almost intertwined for real, for real. Filmmaker Spike Lee was working on his next masterpiece, He Got Game, and the film’s lead character, Jesus Shuttlesworth, was (at the time) about to be an even bigger deal than Ray Allen. By then, SLAM was kind of a big deal too. Spike shared SLAM’s love for the Knicks, the playful hate of Reggie Miller and understood that the magazine’s readers were his viewers. Our mutual audience would be flooding movie theaters to watch Denzel Washington rock a pair of Jordan XIIIs and battle Ray one-on-one. He also understood that (in the basketball world of the late ’90s) a SLAM cover was as big of a promo as anyone could get. SLAM Ed. Tony Gervino also saw it as a chance to pull just about any stunt necessary.

A plan was formed. Spike wanted a Jesus Shuttlesworth cover and SLAM was the only mag who could legitimately pull it off. The movie was in production, yet no one knew about it or Allen’s involvement, so the idea was to drop the Jesus cover as the ultimate April Fool’s prank in the spring of 1998. It would make history as the first SLAM cover featuring a fictional character. But it didn’t happen. An irritating leak meant that the element of surprise was gone and the concept was void.

While the Shuttlesworth cover may not have entered our galaxy, fans of Spike’s classic movie will have observed that “Coney Island Jesus” did in fact get a cover. It sits in pride of place above the TV of Jesus’ humble abode…and in Spike Lee’s office in Brooklyn.

Before emails and comment sections in social media, SLAM’s Trash Talk section was made up of physical letters. Not only would fans complain to the editors about stories, yell at readers who made up the previous issue’s Trash Talk and vent about their team’s losing streak, some would also submit carefully crafted pieces of art. Sometimes it was a sketch of an older cover, sometimes their favorite player, sometimes just their own version of the SLAM logo. One such submission came from a storyboard/design team based in L.A. who happened to be huge fans of SLAM. In writing, they requested back issues, t-shirts and even offered content suggestions. Those letters were from the team who worked on a little up and coming animated series called South Park.

The crew at South Park sent SLAM a few letters in the early days, but the one that really caught the staff’s attention was a reworked SLAM cover sent in the form of a greeting card. It featured  Kobe’s Issue 24 joint, only with Kenny’s head replacing the Spalding ball under Bryant’s arm. They wanted to work it into a story that would be aired, but (in true South Park style) would take it a step further, with Kobe holding an AK-47.

World events in the spring of ’99 led to this cover never happening—it’s probably better that it didn’t—but we’ll always remember when Kobe was hanging out in South Park.

Seeing the magazine immortalized in animated form is wild. It was Christmas 2020 when we were once again reminded of that feeling. The pandemic had me, my wife and our 1-year-old daughter stuck in our tiny flat in London on Christmas Day. It wasn’t all bad. We bought some fancy food and drinks, didn’t need to travel anywhere and Pixar was premiering a movie called Soul that gave us something to look forward to. We loved the film and appreciated the finer details of the world that the lead character, Joe Gardner, called home.

One such detail was something I’d missed completely. It sat—of course—in the barbershop scene, on the table by the lollipops. A copy of SLAM. It was instantly recognizable as a rework of Issue 106, LeBron’s logo cover, with a fictional baller from the Pixar universe. No one at SLAM knew about it ahead of time, but everyone thought it was dope.  

The movie was the work of Kemp Powers, a writer from Brooklyn who understood the cultural importance of SLAM. Soul’s release capped off a year marred with tension, yet Pixar’s world felt like a place of solitude. 

These SLAM covers may be fictional, but they provided a hint of familiarity and were a nod of appreciation from the designers of alternate universes. For those of us who need to escape, even for a moment, they’re as real as it gets. 

The post From the Marvel Universe to Spike Lee, SLAM’s Connection to Film Runs Deep appeared first on SLAM.

Was the hype too much?

LeBron had yet to play a single NBA game when he appeared on his second SLAM cover. It should’ve been his third. We’d missed an opportunity a couple of years prior and weren’t about to play it cool for SLAM 71. Former Ed. Ryan Jones had invested in the LBJ tokens early, forging a relationship with The Chosen One and his family that would lead to open doors for the SLAM Fam in the years to come. Not least, this opportunity to capture the globally anticipated dawn of James’ NBA career. Iced out, Bron rocked an MJ All-Star jersey, requested a SLAM headband and held the poise of either an established vet or a high school kid who somehow knew the future. The moment was immortalized by legendary photographer Jonathan Mannion, the genius who shot images for your favorite rapper’s greatest album.

Was it too much? Was he ready?

At just 18 years old, Lebron James was not only built like a super-human adult, but he also held a maturity and determination that enabled him to face the fiercest of battles, the toughest of these battles (perhaps) being off the court. The steady drone of unrelenting criticism has played on throughout his basketball career. Even so, he has repeatedly demonstrated an incomparable ability to ignore negativity and surpass the mindless demands for failure.

Studying this cover, and observing a certain Super Bowl commercial had me reflecting on what is possibly the biggest achievement in his storied career: resilience.

I think LeBron will hang up the sneaks at some point in the next few years. When we reflect on the last two decades, we will of course discuss his sensational rookie season, his multiple playoff appearances, the Olympic golds, the Heatles, the return to Cleveland, the L.A. years, the MVP seasons, the All-Star Games, Space Jam 2: A New Legacy and the rest that we are yet to witness. The GOAT discussions, the heated debates…they’ve already been going on for a few years now. And the fact that all of this derived from a high school kid with the world on his shoulders, not to mention an immeasurable amount of haters, is nothing less than remarkable.

Was the hype too much? Not even close. Was he ready? Incredibly, he was.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 71 Featuring LeBron James From July of 2003 appeared first on SLAM.

It was back in March 2009 when Stephen Curry’s name first ran through the pages of Issue 125. A short piece by Bonsu Thompson reported on a fresh-faced kid out of Davidson. Curry was noted for his “well-honed” basketball skills, as well as his cool, calm demeanor. He appeared skinny and short. He looked forgettable, not dominant. If not for Bonsu’s credibility and reputation for writing about legit ballers, I wouldn’t have paid any attention to Dell Curry’s son.

I fell in love with basketball while playing NBA Jam. The game dominated arcades in the early ’90s and its winning strategy reinforced a concept reflected in the League that big, strong players owned the sport. We wanted athletic dunkers and shot blockers, post-up killers who would occupy the paint. Small players were just the facilitators and sharp-shooters might be helpful in the clutch. Occasionally.

In hindsight, I’d underestimated Stephen Curry. By the time he calmly took a seat on the cover of SLAM 173, “The Can’t Miss Kid” had not only established himself as one of the League’s premier three-point shooters, he was also shifting the way the game was played. Kids were no longer being scolded by coaches for ambitious dunk attempts; instead, they were being benched for pulling up from the logo in the second quarter. Why? Because Chef Curry was cooking up half-court buckets on a nightly basis. He made it look easy. His combination of exquisite ballhandling, lightning-fast release and unparalleled accuracy meant that he was a deadly scoring threat as soon as he reached 40 feet from the nylon. Teams were switching up their whole strategy. This was cheat code basketball. This was, and is, history being carved out right before our very eyes.

Nine SLAM covers and 3 titles later, and the journey isn’t over. I watched Stephen light up MSG in December, surpassing the sharp-shooting legacies of Reggie and Ray, who graciously (even joyfully) crowned him as the greatest shooter ever. This short pause had me reflecting in admiration, but also considering what lies ahead. He’s still cash from the logo. He still has the rock on a string. He’s still as calm as they come. This isn’t NBA Jam anymore, even so, as the SLAM 173 spine-line pointed out, he’s (still) on fire.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 173 Featuring Stephen Curry From December of 2013 appeared first on SLAM.

In 1997, Allen Iverson was tough. He had to be. Not only was he fearlessly navigating lanes with 7-footers, but he was also driving against the NBA’s resistance to change. Whether on the hardwood or in the media, AI was familiar with being knocked down.

The iconic cover of SLAM 18 is mild by today’s standards, mild in the sense that we wouldn’t notice anything unusual. The braids, the tats, the chain…all common in 2021. In the mid-’90s though, not so much. Not in the clean-cut mainstream. Like this cover, Allen Iverson was radical. Corporate America wasn’t enamored with him. His wasn’t an image that many powers that be wanted to promote. So to answer the semi-rhetorical question posed: Who was afraid of Allen Iverson? If I may take it there, it was much of White America and most of the suits in power. So while other publishers would one day airbrush out his tattoos and attempt to mute the volume on AI’s increasingly influential voice, we were turning the up volume. This was a watershed moment for the League and the individuals who competed in it. It separated the poster boy athletes from the legit icons who kids were replicating on the playgrounds and (in the case of AI) in their wardrobes.

As this current New World issue of SLAM points out, our world has changed a lot over the past couple of years, and basketball, like most things, has been affected. Thankfully, the shift hasn’t all been about COVID. We’re discussing racism, sexism and homophobia more than ever, fueled by people willing to take a stand and often inspired by those who’ve gone before.

Almost 25 years ago, it took just one tough individual to change the cultural rhetoric of basketball. Allen Iverson’s influence broke down racial and cultural barriers, helped popularize hip-hop culture and challenged societies’ stereotype of young Black men. He also happened to be one of the most phenomenal basketball players I have ever seen. AI was often knocked down, but he always got up. He was tough, and his SLAM 18 cover is one of the toughest there is.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 18 Featuring Allen Iverson From June of 1997 appeared first on SLAM.

It was all a dream—a championship dream—when Shaquille O’Neal left Orlando for the Malibu sea-breeze in 1996. He kicked in the door rocking the 3-4 and a solid list of accolades. In just a few years he’d achieved Rookie of the Year honors, a scoring title, multiple all-Star Games and an NBA finals appearance. The sky was the limit but a ring was the goal.

Initially, some lost chips on Lakers, gassed off Shaq. It was easily done, although Shaq was sicker than your average NBA superstar, the team still needed to form. They would need to gel and to mature, to gain playoff experience and to develop a collective hunger to win. It would take time. Trades were made, rookies and sophomores became vets, Kobe became Kobe, and by the time the ’99-00 season rolled around, they were unbelievable.

An O’Neal SLAM cover was always memorable. The “Shaq Daddy” cover line of SLAM 3, the mean muggin’ shot on SLAM 34. And when he pointed to his ring finger on the cover of SLAM 43, all we could do was relax and take notes as we watched the inevitable unfold. Here’s another one—SLAM 45, the victorious League and finals MVP had begun forging his Lakers dynasty and his championship mission was complete. This cover was perfect. Champ covers would become a SLAM staple and this one, for me, served as a benchmark. The Lakers colorway was dope, Shaq’s victory pose was iconic and the cover line is an unmistakable reference to the greatest rapper of all time. It was all good baby (baby).

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominant players we’ve ever seen, and although he had many nicknames, Shaq has been notoriously unwilling to part with his “Superman” title. As our 2021 champ cover drops, the League and finals MVP featured is the only player Shaq has deemed worthy of carrying this mantle. Giannis’ style and grace has given the center position a new lease on life, and one more chance for us to remember when the big men ruled the game. Although no one will ever do it quite like Shaquille, Giannis has got a story to tell.

…And if you don’t know, now you know.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 45 Featuring Shaquille O’Neal From September of 2000 appeared first on SLAM.

We can’t count on much these days, but in SLAM’s early years you could count on baggy shorts, Shawn Bradley cameos and some beautifully wild cover lines. Issue 25 featured (almost) all of these elements, and while the “Champs by 2001” coverline wasn’t the craziest thing we’ve ever put out there (sorry, Grant Hill), it sure felt bold and somewhat far-fetched in 1998.

The reality was that this young and dynamic Nets squad had pulled together a team with depth and experience. They were a legit playoff bet in an NBA on the brink of change—bracing itself for the dominant Michael Jordan/ Chicago Bulls dynasty to draw to a climactic close, and opening the door for Eastern Conference hopefuls to dream big once again.

The cover line was provocative, and the team pic characterized the playful arrogance of its words perfectly. It was the first time a starting five had collectively hit the cover, capturing a moment which compelled readers to react, preempted the scoffs and demanded that we consider a team that we previously hadn’t.

These Nets weren’t champs by 2001, but hey, a readjusted team made back-to-back NBA finals appearances in ’02 and ’03 and saw multiple All-Stars play some of their best years in Jersey. The Larry O’Brien may not have been lifted, but 1998 was the start of a dope trajectory and—in hindsight—SLAM 25 wasn’t such a questionable cover after all.

Champs by 2021? A new home and an unexpected emergence of a super team in BK had many of us counting on it. It would’ve been dope if SLAM’s prediction was realized a neat 20 years later, but untimely injuries, a two-time League MVP on a championship mission and KD’s “big-ass foot” put it on ice for another year at least.

We may not see so much of Shawn Bradley in our pages these days, even baggy shorts seem to be a thing of the past. But be sure of this: for as long as this magazine exists, we’ll be putting out historic covers and some of the dopest cover lines you’ll ever read. Count on it.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 25 Featuring the New Jersey Nets From April of 1998 appeared first on SLAM.

Was the NBA ready for Chamique Holdsclaw back in 1998? Sadly, I doubt it. The sports realm was yet to be shaken up by the likes of Serena Williams and the issue of gender equality had barely been addressed generally in wider society. As for the basketball world, we were still getting used to the idea that the WNBA—still in its infancy—was here to stay.

Perfect timing then, for the In Your Face basketball magazine to challenge our ignorance by putting Holdsclaw— WNBA ready, a threepeat NCAA champ—in a Knicks uniform on SLAM’s cover. A move which—according to former SLAM editor Tony G—could’ve cost Holdsclaw her draft eligibility (since she was rocking a professional uniform) and subsequently, cost him a verbal beatdown in a heated phone call from legendary Tennessee Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt (RIP).

The cover was a risk worth taking and posed a question worth asking, but Holdsclaw’s presence represented something more. Chamique was known as a tough, physical player who had honed her game playing against the guys in Queens, NY. Having her on SLAM’s cover—the most coveted magazine cover in basketball—sent a message that was ahead of its time.

This message was that women play with passion and aggression. That female achievement would not be secondary to the achievements of men. That women had their own place in a sport that most people (allegedly) preferred to watch men compete in.

Thankfully, many female ballers have graced a SLAM cover since Chamique Holdsclaw rocked the orange and blue on issue 29. They’ve continued to represent something more powerful than basketball alone. I’d also like to hope that our perceptions of female athletes continue to be shaped by the skills of those playing the game, not the haters in the comments sections.

SLAM wasn’t suggesting an integrated league when we put out one of the illest covers of all time in October 1998. Why would we? The WNBA pioneered their own culture, their own game. I can’t lie though, the Knicks could’ve really used Chamique’s help in the ’00s…

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 29 Featuring Chamique Holdsclaw From October of 1998 appeared first on SLAM.

What does a Canadian basketball player look like?

Ten years ago, the answer to that question would’ve probably involved picturing Steve Nash who, in some ways, affirmed some of our stereotypes. I can still see rookie Nash skating around a hockey rink holding a stick and wearing his full Suns uniform.

Yep. That happened.

As a player, Nash was tough, not too flashy and quick to pass before taking a shot. For a while he was our point of reference (in terms of both his appearance and playing style) for Canadian ballers, and this was difficult to shift. Oh, there was Bill Wennington too, and I also heard a rumor about Rick Fox…

What does a Canadian basketball player look like? When SLAM 189 came out in the summer of 2015, Andrew Wiggins had already begun breaking the image we had lodged in our fickle minds. Remarkably, Wiggins was only the second Canadian to be picked No. 1 in the draft and was already doing significantly better than his predecessor (respectfully), by taking home Rookie of the Year honors. This would not be an award earned through assists and long-range jumpers alone (although there were plenty of those). Wiggins was swatting shots, catching lobs, posting up and hammering it down on defenses regularly. Don’t let the haters fool you, Andrew Wiggins has game.

At only 25, Wiggins is just getting started. While he may not be the superstar that some expected (yet), his numbers are solid and he continues to improve steadily. Perhaps bigger than that, though, he has paved the way for a new wave of Canadian basketball players to make their mark in the League. So much so that when we realize the likes of RJ Barrett and Jamal Murray hail from The Great White North, hopefully we aren’t surprised anymore.

What does a Canadian basketball player look like?

The type of dude who might just drop 50 on you.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 189 Featuring Andrew Wiggins From July of 2015 appeared first on SLAM.

In 2012, the Summer Olympics came to London, where I live. For basketball fans like me, the chance of getting a ticket to witness Team USA live up to their usual hype was a fictional concept. It wasn’t going to happen. I took some work out of town, trying to forget the fact that one of the best men’s USA basketball squads was catching lob passes on my doorstep, and I wouldn’t be a part of it.

My brother-in-law, a world-class barber, got in touch with the crazy news that he’d been asked to trim the US men’s basketball team while they were in town. Word?!? There was no possible way that I’d be able to tag along, but he’d keep me posted about how it all went down.

Phone calls followed. He talked about Bron being mad chill, Kobe being mad focused and how DWade (who wasn’t on the squad) showed up one day and got a fresh cut. Another dude who stood out was a young kid, the first draft pick that year. Yet to play an NBA game, he was a boy among men at the Olympics. “They were all talking about his eyebrow,” my brother-in-law said. It had to be Anthony Davis.

We’d previously seen The Brow on the cover of SLAM 149. At that point, he was a stand-out SLAM HS All-American. A year later and AD was called up to the Olympic squad. He was fresh out of breaking records and winning a title at Kentucky. He’d made headlines for his insane defense and had gained a reputation for leading a new breed of big men. The three-point shooting, fast-break finishing (while still shotblocking) kind. He was another product of Chicago’s prestigious basketball history, and his NBA career was about to go off.

In that summer of 2012, SLAM put Davis on the cover of Issue 160. Like so many times before, SLAM saw his future. The All-Defensive, All-NBA and League-leading block seasons, the All-Star Game MVP honors. Sadly, I passed on the opportunity to get a signed copy of his cover that year. I slept on his potential for a moment. This year, Anthony Davis has made me regret that decision more than ever.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 160 Featuring Anthony Davis From August of 2012 appeared first on SLAM.

The cry of injustice has been drowned out for a long time. Recent events have suspended basketball and life as we know it. As one normality has been interrupted, another more uncomfortable truth has continued and the world has had time to notice. The pause has been necessary. For Maya Moore, it was her awareness of injustice that caused her to suspend basketball long before we did.

When she hit the cover of SLAM back in 2018, Moore was just 29 and overwhelmingly accomplished. Four-time champ, six-time All-Star, League MVP and far from slowing down. Still, away from basketball, there were far bigger things to achieve. Off the court, as her community suffered, she joined her WNBA colleagues in refusing to be silenced in their political protests. At the time, they were threatened with disciplinary action by the League, but they fought and won. Her biggest battle has been against the justice system itself, being so committed to criminal justice reform that she stepped away from the game to commit to fighting for one man’s freedom. It was a big deal. She missed two seasons while arguably in her physical prime, turning down another opportunity to play in the Olympics. Basketball wasn’t her priority. Instead, she was invested in fighting for justice for a man she believed was unjustly imprisoned. It would be a long and challenging process. Earlier this year, he was released.

Maya Moore’s SLAM 217 cover isn’t easy to find. [It sold out quick on SLAM’s online store, and it’s not readily available on eBay…yet.—Ed.] When I finally track it down, I’m going to frame it and put it on my daughter’s wall. When she’s old enough to understand who she’s looking at, I’ll want her to know that she can ball like Maya, and if she works hard enough, maybe her hands can be as quick and her shot as sweet. More than this, I hope she’ll understand that some achievements are bigger than basketball and that justice is worth fighting for.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 217 Featuring Maya Moore From September of 2018 appeared first on SLAM.

As a kid, I had a basketball sticker album, and working on it, in ’94-95 got me connected to the NBA. I learned every team and all the players, the rookies and the superstars, the championship contenders and the teams who would rarely make the playoffs. It was my encyclopedia. On the opening page of the book, there was an introduction to two teams who were “coming soon.” The teams were the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies. The Raptors logo was cool, if not a little childish, but the Grizz looked insane…chunky bold letters, sick Turquoise colors and a ferocious looking bear holding a basketball. My 10-year-old mind was blown.

Although both Toronto and Vancouver were considered small-market expansion teams, tackling a country where hockey fans rule, it would be the Grizzlies who would struggle the most. Their consistently poor performance led to their eventual relocation in 2001, but there was one player who was willing to stick it out in Vancouver. When Shareef Abdur-Rahim hit the cover of SLAM 39 in January 2000, he was already averaging over 20 points a game and lighting up highlight reels, later giving Mitchell & Ness a solid reason to retro that now-iconic ’90s Grizzlies uniform. While others were refusing to play in Vancouver (much love Stevie Franchise), Reef was weathering the snowstorm and putting in work for the team who drafted him back in ’96.

In the headline of his cover story, writer Michael Bradley highlights the fact that Abdur-Rahim was grinding quietly, without the hype of TV cameras or superstar teammates. He became one of the league’s best all-around ballers, and he did so modestly. Shareef eventually moved cities at the same time that the Grizz did, going home to ATL, but he’ll always be remembered in the city of Vancouver.

The Grizzlies have had stronger squads following their move to Memphis (word to SLAM 165) and some basketball icons have enjoyed some of their best years there (shout out to J-Will), but for a long time, Shareef was the only Grizzlies player in history to have a solo SLAM cover.

Until now.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 39 Featuring Shareef Abdur-Rahim From January of 2000 appeared first on SLAM.

Carmelo Anthony knows about questions. When he entered the NBA as part of the greatest draft class in recent years, his name was already synonymous with LeBron James. Cue the questions. Who’d be better? Who would be ROY? Others questioned whether he should’ve been picked second instead of third. Could he have won a championship with the Pistons his rookie season? Questions. By the time he hit his fourth SLAM cover in November 2009, Melo had carried the previously laughable Denver Nuggets to a winning record. The team now dripped with an appeal based on performance, as well as their baby blue jerseys.

Melo was a walking bucket, but could he become the two-way player that he needed to be? Could he take the Nuggets deeper into the playoffs? Even when he was joined by The Answer in 2008, there were still questions. When SLAM asked Carmelo to rock the cover of Issue 132, he (according to former SLAM Editor at Large, Lang Whitaker) asked to do so in a director’s chair to show that he was in charge of his life and career. He went on to have elite Olympic performances, which earned him three gold medals. He would join the chaotic Knicks and bring them something they hadn’t experienced this millennium: hope. But could he win a championship? Would he take a lesser role on a better team or would he always want to be “the guy?” More questions. The NBA is a better place with Melo in it, so I ask the question that rings out on Issue 132: Why are you still hating on Carmelo Anthony?

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 132 Featuring Carmelo Anthony From November of 2009 appeared first on SLAM.

Before this season’s Clippers excitement, there was Lob City. Before Lob City there was that time when Mark Jackson dunked off a bounce pass to himself…and shimmied. Apart from that, the team’s (more recent) history had mostly consisted of jokes about how bad the city-sharing, playoff-missing, draft busting Los Angeles Clippers were. But with the turn of the century came the first glimmer of hope. Back in 2002, Elton Brand joined point forward Lamar Odom and a knucklehead named Darius Miles on the cover of SLAM 57.

It’s in every SLAM historian’s top 10 cover list. The flipped and reversed jerseys spoke of a brotherhood; the headwear connected with a streetball-crazy fan base and the hip-hop culture affiliated with it. The entire aesthetic reminded us that regular dudes play in the NBA, that sometimes sick players are on wack teams, and that even the worst of teams have a future. Out of nowhere, the Clippers were now dominating highlight reels. The cool kids were digging that unmistakable script font on the chest (or back) of their red and white knee brushing 3XL jerseys. Once you realize that the 2002 Clips L.A. Familia also included Q-Rich and Corey Maggette, you understand where this team could’ve gone. They may not have achieved the success that they arguably could have, but as a wise man (and former SLAM Ed.) named Russ Bengtson once said, “Maybe this was what they were supposed to be, what they were supposed to do.” True. Winning is cool, but legacy, like this cover, is forever.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 57 Featuring the Los Angeles Clippers From February of 2002 appeared first on SLAM.

Twenty-five years ago Shaq released his second rap album, Patrick Ewing was releasing his own shoes, ’Rap Jam Volume One’ cartridges were being crammed into Super Nintendos around the world, and a young “Vincent Carter” got his first mention in SLAM No. 3. Vince got some more love from SLAM 6 and 7, and by Issue 26 he was featured in one of the dopest concept articles of all time. It included a Compact-Disc/Dolby Digital style theme (you kids wouldn’t understand). By the time he hit the cover as a rookie on SLAM 35 in ’99, we were talking mainly about one thing: his dunks. I waited for the VHS cassette tapes to arrive in the mail; Vince waited for the SportsCenter highlights in the backseat of his limo. I’d hit rewind on grainy footage of baseline reverse double clutch two-handers over the Pacers, while questioning if I’d just seen what I thought I just saw. In 2000, his participation in the previously anticlimactic Dunk Contest meant that Shaq purchased new tapes for his camcorder, and Vince’s name became so synonymous with dunks that in the ensuing SLAM issue, SLAMADAMONTH temporarily changed its name to VINCEADAMONTH.

SLAM is here to stay, but VC’s career must end. As he enters his final season, I’m praying that his knees have some juice, just enough, so that he can throw down one more off-the-glass, full extension reverse 360 windmill, elbow in the rim one last time. Preferably on (or over) Dikembe Mutombo…or Frédéric Weis. If that’s too much to ask, I’ll settle for a simple tomahawk. And I’ll have my 4K Smartphone ready.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 35 Featuring Vince Carter From August of 1999 appeared first on SLAM.