BOUNCE SPECIAL 2010

NIKEBASKETBALL.COM
2

DOMINATE
WITHOUT
THE WEIGHT.
KD’S GAME IS HEAVY. HEA AVY. SO HIS SHOE’S GOT TO
BE LIGHT. ESPECIALLY ESPECIA ALLY WHEN HE’S REPPING THE
STARS AND STRIPES.
4'81.76+10#4; .+)*69'+)*6 219'4
3

4
EDITOR’S LETTER
From North Carolina. Akron. Chicago. Italy via Philly. No matter where
basketball’s top icons call home, the game will always be synonymous
with New York City. Basketball is rooted in the Big Apple. So many of the
seeds that feed the game are cultivated here, it’s only ⇒ tting that NYC’s
marquee basketball venue is called “The Garden.”
So when the eyes of basketball nation turn to NYC this summer for the
World Basketball Festival, they will experience the soul of the game on
display on its most hallowed grounds.
“In New York, basketball is part of the infrastructure of the city,” says
Kenny Smith, former NBA champion and current TNT announcer, born
in NYC. “Basketball in⇑ uences not only on the sporting end, but the
political end, the fashion end. I mean, baggy shorts came from basket-
ball in New York City. From music to sports, in NYC it’s different from
everywhere else.
“There’s a basket on every corner here,” Smith goes on. “And basketball is
a different game from everything else because it’s the only game where
you get called to come play. Nobody is like, ‘Hey, let’s go run track,’ or
‘Hey, let’s go play baseball.’ But with basketball, people call you. ‘Hey, let’s
go 2-on-2, let’s go 1-on-1.’”
The world witnessed Jordan’s double-nickel here. Kobe’s 61. LeBron’s 52-9-
11. The city witnessed the playground exploits of Dr. J, Pee Wee and Vince
here, then spread the tall tales worldwide.
2010 saw New York City back in the basketball spotlight. Lamar Odom
(Queens) and Ron Artest (Queens) played major roles on the L.A. Lakers’
championship squad, while Carmelo Anthony (Brooklyn) put together an
MVP-caliber season, and Michael Jordan (Brooklyn) made history when
he purchased controlling interest of the Charlotte Bobcats franchise -- the
⇒ rst former NBA player to become a majority owner in the League. The
offseason was also NYC-centric, as the Knicks and Nets were two of the
big-time players in the biggest free-agency summer on record.
And now, the World Basketball Festival. From August 12-15, Nike and USA
Basketball will play party host to a four-day celebration of the game in
the game’s signature city. National teams from the U.S., China, Puerto
Rico, Brazil and France will be in action at Rucker Park and MSG. Play-
ground legends and elite youth talent will showcase their skills from
The Bronx to the bright lights of Times Square. Sneakers, fashion, music,
art ... New York will be all about basketball and its culture for one long
weekend; which is why this issue of Bounce is dedicated to the World
Basketball Festival.
“I think that New York has an electricity,” says Mike Krzyzewski, coach of
the gold medal-winning United States men’s team and the NCAA national
champion Duke Blue Devils. “There’s an excitement about this city, and that
excitement for all the sports is primarily manifested in basketball. And the
Garden has a lot to do with that. But just the history of this city with bas-
ketball. It embraces basketball, it gets turned on with basketball. And it turns
on the basketball people who come here, and that’s why our Duke team, we
like to come up here. We play one of our home games in New York every
year because, one, if you can play in the Garden or the Meadowlands you can
play anywhere. But also I just want them to feel the excitement of whatever
this city has. It has something when you’re walking around it.”
Let’s hear it for New York.
-Bounce

NEW YORK CITY,
AUGUST 12-15, 2010
THURSDAY, 12 AUGUST
TIMES SQUARE
USA BASKETBALL SHOWCASE
4-8 P.M.
THE NATION'S BEST PLAYERS SHOWCASE THEIR SKILLS DURING
A SPECIAL COURT SESSION LED BY COACH K. GOING INTO THE
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, TEAM USA WILL FINE-TUNE ITS GAME ON A
SPECIAL COURT BUILT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF NEW YORK CITY'S
MECCA OF CULTURE AND TOURISM. AFTER THE SHOWCASE, THERE
WILL BE A ONE-OF-A-KIND SPECIAL CEREMONY THAT YOU DON'T WANT
TO MISS...................................................
FRIDAY, 13 AUGUST
RUCKER PARK
WBF COMMUNITY DAY
10 A.M. - 9 P.M
CHAINLINK FUNDAMENTALS BASKETBALL CLINIC & SPARQ TESTING FOR
KIDS AGES 10-17...........................................
NATIONAL TEAM SCRIMMAGE: PUERTO RICO VS. BRAZIL...........
BATTLE OF THE BOROUGHS....................................
FOOD, LIVE MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT...........................
FRIDAY, 13 AUGUST
APOLLO THEATER
AIR FORCE ONE CELEBRATION
6-8 P.M.
INVITATION-ONLY. TO CELEBRATE THE HERITAGE OF THE ICONIC AIR
FORCE ONE, NIKE SPORTSWEAR WILL PREMIERE THE DOCUMENTARY
BEHIND THE "UPTOWNS" AT HISTORIC APOLLO THEATER IN HARLEM.
SOME OF THE CITY'S TOP MC'S AND DJ'S WILL ALSO BE ON-HAND FOR
LIVE PERFORMANCES.........................................
SATURDAY, 14 AUGUST
RUCKER PARK
WBF COMMUNITY DAY
10 A.M. - 9 P.M.
NATIONAL TEAM PRACTICE: FRANCE............................
WOMEN'S SHOWCASE: WEST 4TH ALL-STARS VS. EBC ALL-STARS....
BATTLE OF THE BOROUGHS....................................
FOOD, LIVE MUSIC, FILM, DANCE, ENTERTAINMENT..............
SUNDAY, 15 AUGUST
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
WORLD BASKETBALL
CHAMPIONSHIP EXHIBITIONS
1 - 6 P.M.
TEAM USA VS. FRANCE.......................................
CHINA VS. PUERTO RICO.....................................
5

Shootaround
6
GLØBAL
GAME VERBALS. Rey Jefferson
While the future for USA Basketball certainly looks bright,
what about the rest of the world? Beginning with this summer’s
World Basketball Festival and looking ahead as far as the
2016 Olympics in Brazil, here’s how some other national team
programs shape up.
CHINA
Best Player: Yao Ming
Rising Star: Li Xiaoxu
X-Factor: Yi Jianlian
Even when Yao is healthy, the Chinese team has struggled to make a mark
in international competition. Their big coming-out party at the Beijing
Olympics (‘08) began with a blowout loss at the hands of the U.S., and
ended with a loss to Lithuania in the quarter⇒ nals. This summer, China
⇒ nds themselves in a tough group at the World Championships alongside
Greece, Russia, Puerto Rico, Ivory Coast and host squad Turkey. Yao is
still recovering from the foot surgery that caused him to miss the entire
‘09-10 NBA season, and Yi was just traded to his third NBA team in four
years. Keep an eye on 20-year-old Li Xiaoxu, a 6-9 forward who has already
been playing pro ball for ⇒ ve years.
PUERTO RICO
Best Player: Carlos Arroyo
Rising Star: J.J. Barea
X-Factor: Guillermo Diaz
A second-place ⇒ nish in last year’s FIBA Americas tournament quali⇒ ed
the upstart Puerto Rican team to compete in this summer’s World Cham-
pionships. 30-year-old Arroyo is the unquestioned leader at point guard,
but 26-year-old Barea is the future at the position; the Dallas Mavericks’
backup had his NBA breakout in this year’s regular season, getting crunch-
time minutes next to Jason Kidd and Jason Terry.
FRANCE
Best Player: Tony Parker
Rising Star: Rodrigue Beaubois
X-Factor: Joakim Noah
For all the NBA-certi⇒ ed talent at their disposal, the French team has
seemed to underachieve in major FIBA tournaments. Parker is not playing
this summer, leaving it up to guys like Boris Diaw and youngsters Beaubois
and Nicolas Batum. France has a good collection of athletes who can run.
BRAZIL
Best Player: Leandro Barbosa
Rising Star: Tiago Splitter
X-Factor: Anderson Varejao
Brazil won the ‘09 FIBA Americas quali⇒ er led by Barbosa’s scoring and speed.
Their front line has size thanks to NBA players Varejao, Nene and Splitter,
who will play for the Spurs this season as a rookie. The 2016 Olympics is
obviously huge for Brazil, as they will be the host country. By that time,
Splitter (now 25) could be the face of the team.

YI JIANLIAN CARLOS ARROYO
ANDERSON VAREJAO J.J. BAREA
7

Shootaround
8
FROM THE LÃB: NIKE
ZOOM HYPERFÛSE VERBALS. Aron Phillips
Like the iconic athletes they’ve become associated with over
the years, Nike never stops looking to improve their game, even
if they’re already the most visible name in the sneaker industry.
After recent innovations like Flywire and Pro Combat, the
next big thing is Hyperfuse. We got up with Nike designer Shane
Kohatsu to break down the newest recipe cooked up in the
Nike Innovation Kitchen.
BOUNCE: You said that everything starts with an athlete’s insight. What’s
the speci⇒ c insight that led you down the path to create the Nike Zoom
Hyperfuse?
Shane Kohatsu: We do a lot of research in China talking to athletes – both
elite and just kind of the everyday baller – and there’s a lot of basketball
that’s being played in China. A lot. But a lot of that is played outdoors. Most
of our products aren’t necessarily built for those conditions, so we want to
go research to see how we can make our products better for that.
What did you see when you were out there?
SK: When we went out there, we saw a lot of kids playing in our shoes,
which is great, but at the same time we were kind of surprised that there
was a lot of non-basketball shoes being used – especially running shoes.
So that’s unusual. We didn’t really expect to see that. So that insight re-
ally became ingrained in our memory when we got back to the U.S. and it
kind of dawned on us that, “Hey, running shoes are perfect for that kind
of condition.” It’s really gritty surfaces, it’s really hot outside and dirty, so
a mesh product makes complete sense. It’s just that they’re using products
that aren’t necessarily designed nor engineered for that kind of use. That’s
kind of where it started. We had to ⇒ gure out a way to see if we could use
mesh – maybe the most breathable material you can use – but make it
functional for basketball.
How long did the whole process take from initial observations
to conception?
SK: It’s a little over two years from the initial insight to where we are today.
It’s a huge endeavor. It’s more than the aesthetics of the product obviously,
so it takes a while to actually ⇒ gure out how to make it and make sure it
works. And then make sure that we can actually make it on mass – and
that takes a while.
Talk about the process.
SK: It’s a very efficient way of constructing shoes. It’s different from
what we’ve done in the past, but we see grand potential for this – be-
yond just the basketball category – so we’re excited for this technology
moving forward.
What’s been the player’s reaction to the shoes. In the playoffs, the ⇒ rst guy
wearing them was Rajon Rondo.
SK: While creating a new process like this, we test repeatedly to make sure
we’re going down the right path. So any of our products are going through
rounds of testing. I think currently the feedback that we’ve been getting is
that, “Yes, it’s incredibly functional and it breathes like no other shoe be-
fore, but also at the same time that it ⇒ ts really well too.” All the feedback’s
been positive.
The amazing thing about this process is that you have an endless range of
color possibilities. What are the plans for the ⇒ rst batch?
SK: We’ll have more than 10 for the ⇒ rst run, which is quite a lot for a ⇒ rst
run. There’s a lot of different color applications we can do with this tech-
nology that wasn’t possible before, so it really does open up the possibili-
ties. I think you’ll be seeing a lot more colorways with this than what we
traditionally do.

Shootaround
10
Q&A WÎTH
TØNY PARKER VERBALS.
BOUNCE: When you’re not playing, who is the leader of Team France?
Tony Parker: I think Boris Diaw is going to be the leader of the team. We have
Nicolas Batum from Portland who’s going to play, and also Rodrigue Beaubois
from Dallas, so we’re still going to have a pretty talented team.
Any prediction?
TP: We’re going to be pretty competitive and hopefully get some good
rest. With Ronny Turiaf (Warriors) and Joakim Noah, we can all come back
for 2011 and have a great European Championships to try to qualify for
the Olympics.
Besides the veterans, who are some of the younger players coming up in
France that you think we should look out for?
TP: Rodrigue Beaubois, the guard from Dallas.
Adam Flomenbaum
Tony Parker is the face of the French national team.
The NBA vet has won three championships with the San Antonio
Spurs — including Finals MVP in 2007 — but his offseasons
are regularly dedicated to playing with the blue and white.
France’s pool of talent is full of NBA names, from Joakim Noah
(Bulls) to Mickael Pietrus (Magic) to Nic Batum (Blazers) to
Boris Diaw (Bobcats) and more. On a recent trip to New York,
where Team France will be this summer for the World Basketball
Festival, Parker talked about his FIBA game and the status
of his national squad.
When you were growing up you saw the ‘92 Dream Team play. Did that
in⇑ uence you at any point?
TP: Oh yeah, de⇒ nitely. I think it in⇑ uenced everybody. Everybody who was in
Europe at the time who didn’t know about basketball knew about basketball
after that. It was the best team ever. You know the Dream Team, Michael
Jordan, and Magic Johnson had so much charisma. I think he in⇑ uenced a
lot of young kids in Europe, and I was one of them.
How does your game differ when playing in the international arena versus
playing in the NBA?
TP: It’s a different game because in the NBA it’s more up-tempo, it goes faster,
you know up and down, fast breaks, transition, stuff like that. In Europe, it’s
a little bit slower, it’s more half court, you have set plays, etc. Defense is
different too because in Europe you can stay in the paint whereas in the NBA
you have the three second rule. You have to make a couple of adjustments
but at the end of the day it’s still basketball.

Need Image

Shootaround
12
Q&A: CÒACH K VERBALS.
BOUNCE: With the Olympics, you’ve coached some of the greatest play-
ers in the world. How is it managing all those egos?
MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: It’s been fairly easy. These guys should have big egos.
They’re asked to do incredible things, so you wouldn’t want somebody to
have a small ego. But when they play for the U.S., you want the overall
ego to be the one for the U.S., and they have no con⇑ ict with that -- they
want that and you have con⇑ ict if you want something and someone else
doesn’t want that. We want the same thing. We wanted a gold medal, we
wanted to represent our country in the right way, so they were terri⇒ c
guys to work with.
Along the same lines, what makes you a good coach is your ability and
desire to teach. Does your approach differ when teaching the college
game versus teaching NBA players who are at the top of their games?
MK: Well yeah, it has to change some because they’re already profession-
als and they’re accomplished in what they do, and you learn from them,
too. Like with Jason Kidd, who’s so terri⇒ c on our team, he’s really got a
good mind for the game like, “What do you think about how to defend
this situation?” “What about the matchup?” “Kobe, how would you guard
this guy?” “LeBron, what about this?” They tell you how they would do
it and you tell them how you were going to do it. You kind of adapt to
one another and you learn from doing that, so it’s not me asking them
to do my thing -- we’re trying to do our thing -- and that’s how I’ll do it
going forward.
Adam Flomenbaum
The last two years have brought nothing but success for Mike
Krzyzewski, better known as “Coach K.” In 2008, he guided the
United States men’s national team to an Olympic gold medal in
Beijing, and in 2010 — on his regular day job — he led Duke
University to another NCAA championship. In between, Coach K
landed some of the top high school recruiting classes in the
country, and is committed to coach Team USA through the 2012
Olympics at least, ensuring the winning won’t stop anytime
soon. Whether working with the pros or the college kids, Coach
K is perhaps the most respected leader in the basketball business.
We got up with him recently during a stop in New York
City, the site of this year’s World Basketball Festival.
If it’s a younger player in the pros, they will not only learn some from our
coaching staff, they’ll really learn from the other players: How to work, how
to prepare, you know, the professionalism that’s involved. I thought that
happened on our team where everybody got better; coaches, players got
better, but we were open to that.
And now going forward we have to make sure that everyone is still open
to that, because if you stop learning then you’re a fool. Whether you’re a
player or a coach, if you think you know it all then you’re a fool, because
you don’t. There’s no way you know everything.
You just mentioned Jason Kidd. After the 2008 Olympics he retired from
international play, so you presumably have a third point guard spot to ⇒ ll.
But with a lot of the new talent and the expanded roster, you have Russell
Westbrook, Tyreke Evans, Derrick Rose ... you really have a lot of options at
the point. How do you go about ⇒ lling that position and what do you look
forward to most about coaching these younger players?
MK: First of all, we have a pool of players. There’s right now about 31. Then
you’re not sure with contracts, family situations, and injury who you will have
available. So to say we only have one spot to ⇒ ll ... We have 12 to ⇒ ll for the
World Championships, and we’ll see how it all falls into place. That’s why
we’re having our minicamp in July in Vegas for about six days. And at that time
we’ll have a better idea contractually and everything. But we’re sensitive to

these guys, you know, they need to take care of their business. We’re OK if
they don’t play when they’re taking care of their business. And then that may
open up more than one spot, you know, there will be opportunities.
Kevin Durant HAS TO BE on a team. Whether everyone comes back or not. ...
Some people explode on the scene. Kevin actually, he was there for all the
Select team stuff – he almost made the team last time so that’s an interest-
ing -- it’s an evolving process. It’s not like ⇒ lling in one spot for a particular
team, so that’s why Jerry Colangelo came up with this concept of a pool.
So that when 12 guys are selected, it’s not like somebody didn’t make the
team -- these are the 12 we’re taking from the pool.
In the gold medal game you faced a really tough team in Spain, but also
behind them you’ve got Greece, Argentina, Australia, even Turkey. All
these teams are really getting much better – who should we look forward
to in the World Championships?
MK: Well, a lot of it depends on who shows up. You know, because I think
what’s happened now is 20 percent of the NBA is international, so that
means that a complete international team might be all NBA players. Not
just the U.S. team or the top eight, so they are making the same decisions
as our guys – contractually, injury, personal. If everybody showed up, you
know Spain has to be right in there. Argentina has their guys ... Brazil ...
Greece doesn’t have NBA players, but they have the same guys over and
over so their continuity is there. Teams like Slovenia have an incredible
number of NBA players.
Goran Dragic...
MK: Yeah. I mean, when these guys play for their country they’re even
better. As good as Pau Gasol is with the Lakers, when he’s with his country
he’s even better. He’s one of the Top 10 players in the world. So the World
Championships will be interesting. We’re going to be back here in New
York for four or ⇒ ve days before we go over and we’re actually going to
play France here and we’re going to scrimmage China and do some things
here (in New York) in preparation, and hopefully by that time we’ll have
about 15 guys. I don’t know who those guys will be, but they’ll be good
and they’ll all want to be playing for the U.S., which is a good thing.
Do you feel that the desire wasn’t there before? Because there have been
some disappointing World Championship showings…
MK: I don’t think there’s been the organization that there was before. Even
when we just took over, we lost in the World Championships. We weren’t
ready yet. But now at least we’re ready and prepared. We were going
into those competitions not prepared to the level of our competition.
It’s different if you have this talent differential that’s so much you might
not have to prepare to win. But the talent differential is not that -- we’re
still the best, the most talented -- but the differential isn’t that great to
where you can just not prepare. That’s where it is right now, that’s why
the (‘08 Olympics) gold medal game was so exciting.
13

Shootaround
14
THE FRÀNCHISE
VERBALS. Mark Smith, Creative Director, Jordan Brand
As the Creative Director for the Jordan Brand, Mark Smith is
basically in charge of what you see on the feet of Chris Paul,
Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and all the rest of us who
rock the Jumpman logo like an ID badge. Smith talks about the
creative process behind the Air Jordan 2010 Outdoor, which
drops in August:
It’s fantastic being the Creative Director of Jordan, because you get to have
fun and do cool stuff. We really talked about how Michael approached the
game and life, tried to put those two things together to obviously put the
best basketball shoe on the court, and also to tell a great story.
The shoes and products that you’ll see out in New York are actually unique
to this time, but it’s also a window into some of the stuff you’ll be seeing
in the future from the Jordan Brand – kind of bold, iconic, moment-driven
and deep storytelling. Michael’s involved throughout the entire process of
designing any of the game shoes and much of the footwear, apparel and
rest of the line. But this one in particular, we kept going back and forth
with them when we did samples and started showing him things along
the way. Obviously making sure performance was key to the product and
then secondary was being able to tell the story in a number of ways. I think
back to basics was key to making just a great, great basketball shoe that
we wanted to see on court.
In Carolina when he actually ascended to being on the scene, we thought
color was so signi⇒ cant to this moment for him as he ascended into who
he was and who he was going to be, we decided to just tag the color on
everything for the festival. It’s actually a brand relevant story for us, brand
relevant color and obviously around the man himself. Putting the heart
and basketball together kind of signi⇒ cant story telling device. Even on
the inside there’s the script, “For the Love of the Game.” It all combines to
give a shout out to why we’re out there playing basketball.
We picked a great partner in getting this product on court, I think the
best way you do that is putting an athlete in the product who can au-
thenticate it in performance. Dwyane Wade was the perfect athlete at the
perfect time.
We really wanted to make this shoe a product that our players are out there
playing basketball all year long, but this time in the summer you’re out there
playing you’re taking an extra beating and wanted it to ⇒ t the way the Game
shoe did on the indoor court actually on the outdoor court, but also just
make sure it was appropriate for the outdoor player.
We really took the 2010 outsole and ⇒ rst thing on the ground we just made
it a little bit more durable for the outdoor game. It’s bottom loaded zoom.
It’s a very simple outdoor platform. It’s got a little bit thicker rubber for
durability and obviously the ⇑ exibility and torsion is right there. We added
toe protection as well, for a little bit more out there game. Free ⇑ oating ⇑ ex
cover in the forefoot, again just for durability. The straps we kind of went
back into the archives and we kind of brought that back in more of a modern
way. Very simple dynamic, not a lot of tricks on this one. We just wanted to
keep it basic. Very breathable, a lot of perfs on the outside. Fit unit around
the collar, back to how things ⇒ t against your feet. Great sock liner. Overall,
just a nice durable version of the 2010 Game shoe. The outdoor game gives
you an opportunity to play rougher and I think we addressed that here in
this product.
In the summer of 2010, New York is going to become the home and heart
of basketball and we wanted to use that as a great, great opportunity to
highlight some of best products for some of our best athletes out there.
The best athletes being everyday heroes out there on the courts, beating
up these products, beating them up in our products. Using a great color
device, a great statement from MJ to tie it all together. I think the Uni-
versity Blue is going to be a great color to see, and any time you see it
out on the courts you’re going to know it’s performance, it’s going to be
Jordan and it’s for the real reason kids are out there playing, because they
love the game.

Shootaround
16
THE BALLROOM
Can the history of the game be told through sneakers? Once you visit
The Ballroom, an interactive gallery and museum-like space open this
summer in New York City, you can only answer “Yes.” An exhibit of his-
toric products and stories highlight over 100 years of innovation of Nike,
Jordan Brand and Converse -- from Chuck Taylors to Jordan 1’s to original
Air Forces and more -- The Ballroom will be open from July 15
to September 12.
BLVD 134
The sneaker and apparel game is becoming more and more about
customization. While collectors, fans and ballplayers will always ⇑ ock
to retail spots to cop the latest product on store shelves, they’re also
more into literally creating their own style. BLVD 134, the latest go-to
spot in New York City, is all about customization. The store features
NIKEiD Air Force 1 stations as well as t-shirt and apparel customiza-
tion labs, plus limited offerings of exclusive Nike, Jordan and Converse
footwear. Open July 15 to September 12.
MON: 11 A.M. - 7 P.M.
WED-SAT: 11 A.M. - 7 P.M.
SUN: 11 A.M. - 5 P.M.
MON: 11 A.M. - 7 P.M.
WED-SAT: 11 A.M. - 7 P.M.
SUN: 11 A.M. - 5 P.M.

GRASSROOTS
CONVERSE OPEN GYM & CHAINLINK
As much as the World Basketball Festival is about celebrating the creativity, inspiration and attitude re⇑ ected in basketball’s past and
present, you can’t forget about the future.
Each week leading up to the WBF, Converse Open Gym and Chainlink Fundamentals will provide outlets for kids ages 12-18 to have
access to the game and instruction from a host of highly-trained coaches and trainers. Every Monday (Chainlink) and Wednesday (Open
Gym) during the summer, the events will take place at P.S. 92, at 133rd Street & Frederick Douglass Blvd. in Harlem.
CHAINLINK FUNDAMENTALS
July 12 (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
July 19 (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
July 26 (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
August 2 (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
August 9 (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
CONVERSE OPEN GYM
Register online at www.converse.com/opengym and www.chainlinkfundamentals.org
July 14 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
July 21 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
July 28 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
August 4 (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
17

18
DOMINICAN POWER VS. DA YOUNG ONES
Visuals. Dorothy Hong
“All Day. Every Day.” At Manhattan’s Dyckman
Park, that’s the code by which they play the
game. On any night during the summer season you
can make the trek to 204th Street and witness
the crowd pushing the park past capacity, but
things are especially serious when local
juggernauts Domincan Power and Da Young Ones
go head-to-head.

20
STÄY SHÍNIÑG
The Next Generation of Team USA
plans to keep the gold safe at home
VERBALS. DANIEL MARKS
In 2008, the United States presented the basketball
world with the “Redeem Team” at the Beijing
Olympics. The team was comprised of the most
talented basketball players in the world, and
unlike their 2004 bronze-medal predecessors, this
team came home with gold. Members of the Redeem
Team included Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron
James, and Dwyane Wade. But while every USA
Basketball fan would like those guys to wear the
red, white, and blue forever, ultimately there will
come a day when they no longer can represent Team
USA. When the time comes for the 2008 team to pass
the baton to the next generation, there are an
ample amount of young stars who should continue to
keep USA Basketball on top of the world.

DERØN WILLIAMS

22
POINT GUARD
CHRIS PÄUL
AGE: 25
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2008 Olympics, 2006 World Championships.
Jason Kidd was technically the starting PG on the ‘08 Redeem Team,
but Paul was the primary playmaker. He led the team in assists
and ⇒ nished one steal behind LeBron James for the lead in that
department. Paul is one of the quickest end-to-end players in the NBA,
with incredible court-vision and an uncanny ability to make those
around him better. He’s also an exceptional defender and an intense
competitor who will do whatever it takes to win.
DERØN WILLIAMS
AGE: 26
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2008 Olympics, 2007 FIBA Americas.
D-Will is a very smart player who has been well-coached by Jerry
Sloan in Utah. He is more of a scoring guard than Paul and has a better
outside shot, but otherwise their games are very similar. They both
love to run, possess game-changing speed, and are unquestioned
leaders who will battle it out for the crown of NBA’s top point guard
for yaears.
DERRÎCK RÖSE
AGE: 21
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Rose isn’t just the NBA’s best athlete at the point guard position -- he
might be the best athlete in the League, period. But as he grows into
his role as the Bulls’ leader, Rose is learning to harness his incredible
speed and vertical and play a more complete game. He’s already put in
a lot of work improving his oft-criticized jump shot, and will only get
better each year.
RÙSSELL WESTBRÖOK
AGE: 21
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Westbrook, like Paul and Williams, is quick. His speed is his biggest
asset, as is his ability to play lock-down defense. Westbrook still is not
a true point guard, as his scoring instincts are hard to suppress, but
with experience his ability to become more of a natural distributor
should increase. Westbrook is also Kevin Durant’s sidekick in Oklahoma
City, so their chemistry together should bene⇒ t Team USA since Durant
is likely the next marquee face of USA Basketball.
RÙSSELL WESTBRÖOK

Ö.J. MÅYO
SHOOTING GUARD
TYRÈKE EVANS
AGE: 20
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
While he plays point guard for the Kings, Evans role on Team USA will
be at the two. He is a dominant scorer who can create his own shot at
will. Evans also has the strength to overpower weaker defenders and
get to the foul line frequently. Not only is Evans a scorer, but he also is a
solid rebounder and passer for his size, averaging 20 points, ⇒ ve boards
and ⇒ ve assists in his rookie year.
ERIC GØRDÕN
AGE: 21
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Gordon (6-3) is like a smaller version of Evans. He is a natural scorer who
has good range and is incredibly strong for his size. He can provide a
bench spark for the team because he is the kind of guy that can provide
instant offense immediately upon checking into the game, or he could
ful⇒ ll the “designated shooter” role previously given to Michael Redd on
the Redeem Team.
STÊPHEN CÜRRY
AGE: 22
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2007 U-19 World Championships.
Just one year into his NBA career, Curry might already be pure shooter in
the League. He has incredible range, and an incredible ability to get his
shot off in an instant. Like Evans, he plays point for his NBA team, but his
role on Team USA probably won’t involve much ball-handling. Curry will
come in off the bench to make threes when Team USA is behind, and has
the ability to stretch the opposing defense.
O.J. MÃYO
AGE: 22
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Another guy who can play both backcourt positions. Mayo is a good
scorer with pretty decent shooting ability. His shot selection is
questionable at times, though, and if he wants to truly ⇒ t the team-⇒ rst
mold of USA Basketball these days he will have to signi⇒ cantly improve
in that area.
23

24
POWER FORWARD
ÅL JEFFËRSØN
AGE: 25
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Jefferson is one of the premiere young post players in the NBA.
He has an ability to put up 20 and 10 on any given night, and
combines strength and skills on the block. While Jefferson’s
talents are undeniable he has been injury prone at times, and
his durability issues could prevent him from taking part in Team
USA summer camps.
KÊVIN LÖVE
AGE: 21
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Jefferson’s teammate in Minnesota is an outstanding rebounder
(especially on the offensive glass) and his vaunted outlet passes
will start many Team USA fast breaks.
LAMÁRCUS ÅLDRIDGÊ
AGE: 25
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Aldridge is a scorer from the four position. He has inside-out ability
that allows him to be an effective pick-and-roll player with Brandon
Roy in Portland, and will allows him to do so for Team USA. Aldridge
is also the quickest and most athletic of the fours on the USA
Basketball program.
ÅL JEFFËRSØN

SMALL FORWARD
KEVIN ÐURANT
AGE: 21
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Durant brings versatility to Team USA. He is 6-9 with incredible shooting
ability, an ability to post up smaller defenders, and draws fouls at a
high rate. Not only does he provide skills few others can, but Durant is
already becoming the face of USA Basketball. He was their spokesperson
at the debut press conference for the World Basketball Festival, and
is one of the most likable guys in sports today. With Kobe, LeBron and
Wade possibly skipping this summer’s World Championships, Durant will
likely be the go-to guy for Team USA. He is the centerpiece of the
next generation.
RUDY GÁY
AGE: 23
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2005 U-21 World Championships.
Gay is probably the most athletic player among USA Basketball’s
younger class. He can run, jump and dunk with the best of them, and will
bring highlights to Team USA. Gay is also a very solid defender who can
score, but like his Memphis Grizzlies teammate Mayo, his shot-selection
is suspect, and that will need to improve before he has a featured role
on the national squad.
RUDY GÁY
25

26
ÂMAR’E STÖUDEMÍRE

CENTER
DWIGHT HØWARD
AGE: 24
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2008 Olympics, 2007 FIBA Americas, 2006 World Championships.
The reigning two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year could lead
the League in blocks and rebounds for the next decade straight. He
is the best true center in the world currently, even without a re⇒ ned
offensive game.
BROÖK LOPÉZ
AGE: 22
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: None.
Lopez is one of the most promising young big men in the game. He is
an incredibly gifted offensive player who has a nice set of post moves,
while also possessing the ability to hit a jumper from up to 18 feet.
Lopez’s shooting ability also allows him to be a great pick-and-roll
partner for Paul and Williams, and he is a very good rebounder.
ÂMAR’E STÖUDEMIRE
AGE: 27
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2004 Olympics, 2007 FIBA Americas.
The new face of the New York Knicks has been largely absent from
Team USA in recent years due to various injuries, but he’s coming off
a fully-healthy season (82 starts, plus playoffs) in ‘09-10 and is still
one of the best bigs in the business. Amar’e is probably the NBA’s best
⇒ nisher at the pick-and-roll, which makes him even more dangerous in
the international game, plus he’s a threat to step out and hit mid-range
jumpers.
27

28
THË CØME ÙP
In his breakout NBA season, Kevin Durant led the
League in scoring and led the Oklahoma City
Thunder to a strong playoff showing. Now that he’s
been called upon to lead Team USA this summer,
KD is one step closer to total takeover.
VERBALS. SEAN SWEENEY
D.J. Augustin knows his former Texas teammate better than most. They
played college ball together -- Augustin running the point, his buddy on
the wing -- and were drafted into the NBA twelve months apart. Augustin,
now with the Charlotte Bobcats, admits they are like brothers.
“He doesn’t know when to stop,” Augustin described his friend. “I’ve never
seen anyone (like that). I think we all love basketball. Every basketball
player loves basketball, but I’ve never seen somebody love it the way
he does.”
NBA scoring champion. Prince of Barry Farms. Cover subject of video
games and national magazines. Olympic savior. 21 years old .
This is the life of Kevin Durant.
Could all this attention, all this love and respect be coming too soon?
Name another kid his age who can handle it.
His college coach, Rick Barnes, says Durant can’t walk past a basketball
without scooping it up. The Next Big Thing is too busy slaying former
Defensive Players of the Year to be sidetracked. Since when did the NBA
-- hell, the entire country -- pin its hopes for global basketball domination
on a kid who is 14 months younger than Wesley Johnson? Well, since that
kid, err, man, was a machine so well-oiled, so mathematical in his quest
to improve, and such a perfectionist that he makes this art comical.
Durant remembers, “Ever since I was growing up I had to wait my turn,
and it’s no different here. My time has come, I guess.” It has, Kevin. There
wasn’t much to the wait, though.
April 30, 2010. Durant and his Oklahoma City Thunder
teammates, sauntering off their home ⇑ oor amidst a
standing ovation, had ⇒ nally succumbed in a surprisingly
competitive ⇒ rst-round playoff series against the eventual cham-
pion L.A. Lakers. Durant spent the series locked in a tussle, probed and
goaded by Ron Artest for all 231 minutes he played. Call it an education
in wartime linguistics. During the decisive Game 6 loss, Durant made
only 5 of 23 shots,
Still, all of that was a long ways from his rookie year.
That year saw Durant stumble around at the two-guard spot surrounded
by no-namers like Mickael Gelabale and Johan Petro. He was getting 20
a night, but doing so with frigid shooting numbers on a team dancing
the line between irrelevant and unwanted during their ⇒ nal season in
Seattle.
That irrelevancy wasn’t going to last. Durant already possessed a work
ethic honed as a kid by hundreds of one-on-one full court games and
thousands of sprints up “Hunt’s Hill” in Washington D.C. Some days he
was Michael Jordan. Others, he was Vince Carter.
“I think that really did help, because I would go back and watch what
those guys do, and try to do it the next day when I was playing one-on-
one with my friend,” he recalled. “Basically, I was watching ⇒ lm when I
was younger, and slowly but surely, it kind of got into my game. Each
player I was watching, I was trying to steal bits and pieces of their game.

30
YOU HAVE TO BE
HUMBLE AND WØRK
HARÐ FOR EVËRYTHÎNG
THAT YOU GET.
Two years later, Oklahoma City is a 50-win team. Not only do they have
the best scorer in the League, but also a future star in point guard Russell
Westbrook. Durant has them believing, fast becoming one of the most
revered players in the League.
“You can’t just wake up (like that),” Augustin said. “You can say you want
to work hard but to actually do it, it has to be in you. It’s in him. He’s built
like that and his parents raised him great to be a humble kid.
“He’s always saying, ‘You have to be humble and work hard for everything
that you get.’ He just goes every day to the gym and plays like that and
works like that. Like I said, that aspect to go along with his ability at his
size and with his skill level, he can be unstoppable.”
Everyone always considered Durant a pleasant guy. During a Dime photo
shoot in 2007, Durant refused to pose on the cover unless his Texas team-
mates were there with him. Ask the dude a question about how he could
possibly get better and you get satirical remarks on how he couldn’t
improve. If he hears someone elevate him to the Kobe, LeBron level, he’s
scolding them. That gravity-affected demeanor has always masked the in-
ner drive to dominate that has seeped into and around his body. Without
an extraordinary belief in himself, Durant could never have dropped 25.8
points a game at Texas. He wouldn’t be the youngest scoring champion
the NBA has ever seen. He couldn’t be Now. He would just be Next.
Each summer, Durant returns home to the Washington D.C. area, looking
to dig up those roots that made him who he is. That journey inevitably
leads him back to the blacktop behind the gates, the Goodman Sum-
mer League. This is the same league Gilbert Arenas used to frequent to
test himself. Maybe the best summer league in the country, Durant has
been lacing the nets at Barry Farms since he was a 185-pound teenager
at Montrose Christian Academy. He connected with the scene before he
was a college superstar or high school All-American.
To Durant, he’s only doing what he’s always done: ⇒ nd where the talent
is so he can get better.
“You never wanted to be the guy that’d bring a basketball, and everyone
would use it while you just sat on the sideline,” Durant said about the
blacktop growing up. “I didn’t want to be one of those guys, and I always
worked on my game and when I got out there, I started to get mean and
that’s how I developed into the player that I am today.”
At Barry Farms, Durant is still the NBA All-Star with the crowd, bringing
an aura of excitement every time he comes walking through the gates.
But to the local players, he’s just another dude, albeit a 6-10 one. Already
this summer, Durant was on the receiving end of a 37-point performance
by playground star Omar Weaver.
“(There are) a lot of dudes like that in D.C. that could’ve been great, but
one or two things may have held them back,” Durant said. “I think play-
ing outside made me into the type of player that I am today. You never
wanted to fall on the ground, and you never wanted to leave the court
on a loss.”
Miles Rawls, the emcee at the Goodman League, never wavers in his praise
of the homegrown talent.

34
“The crowd loves him,” Rawls says. “He loves the up-close vibe and loves
that microphone when I’m announcing the games. Nobody gives him that
‘NBA star’ treatment. Everybody goes at him and tries to play him like he
is a regular guy. He takes that challenge.”
Last summer, Durant went head-to-head in an epic, two-game battle
against former Loyola (MD) University player Gerald Brown. Rawls called
it the best matchup he had ever seen. Durant ⇒ nished with 62 points.
“He loves it here inside the gates, and the gates love him right back,”
Rawls warned the crowd after one game this June. “Enjoy him while you
can because he’s gone come August. He got some things to take care of
overseas.”
Ah yes, the real highlight of Durant’s summer. His ⇒ rst memory of USA
Basketball was Vince Carter’s mind-altering dunk in the 2000 Olympics
over Frederic Weis. One of his latest memories is failing to make the
2008 national team roster.
That summer, he was more a casualty of numbers. Everyone could see
the talent; Durant played so spectacularly in the pre-Olympic camp
that he had superstars like Kobe and Carmelo wondering aloud how
he was so good. The kid was 18 at the time.
The next summer, Durant found himself back in Vegas again, this
time competing with the younger group of Team USA hopefuls
at the national team mini-camp. Up until that point, Durant
was considered perhaps the best young scorer in the league,
the second coming of George Gervin. He was an interesting
talent, the type of cat someone could win a championship
with someday. But, he was still just a youngster. Then it all
changed. He took himself to another level and was clearly
the best player in the gym. USA coach Mike Krzyzewski
concluded that Durant looked like he was on a mission
at the time. And he was.
By the end of the mini-camp, Durant was no longer the NBA’s
next big thing. He was now.
After witnessing the complete domination by Durant over the course of
three days of drills and scrimmaging, longtime NBA scribe Sam Smith
was heard saying that maybe this string bean of a kid could one day
be better than LeBron.
With Bryant likely out this summer for the World Championships
because of health concerns, and with James and Dwyane Wade tak-
ing the summer to sort out more pressing matters like where they
plan on living for the next ⇒ ve years, Durant will be the one people
look to.
And he’s been waiting on this opportunity for a long time.

HE LOVÊS IT HERE
INSIÐE THE GÅTES,
ÃND THE GATES LÖVE
HIM RÍGHT BÂCK
“Hearing about and reading about the Dream Team, I wanted to be a part
of something like that,” he said. “I’ve seen how much players sacri⇒ ce to
be on teams like that, how they minimize their roles, how they play like
a team and egos go out the door.”
Durant wants to usher in the same aggressiveness that the Redeem
Team owned.
“In ‘08, I was there for a week practicing against those guys, and it was
like they weren’t friends or even teammates,” Durant recalled. “I like to
be competitive like that, especially during practice.
“That’s only going to make me better as a player and make our team
better. That’s when we’ll really see who wants to be a starter and who
wants to be a 6th man. I’m excited to just get in that gym and play for
USA Basketball and it’s going to be a great challenge.”
Kevin Durant is a killer, forgive the cliché. It’s why Augustin can only
admire him, his combination of skills so incredible that only names like
Kobe and Michael can be used in comparison. It’s how an All-Star making
millions ends up at Barry Farms in D.C. going at dudes named Omar and
Gerald who don’t cash NBA paychecks. Thunder head coach Scott Brooks
may not like it, but that doesn’t matter. It’s why Jerry Colangelo and the
rest of Team USA are sending him in to general them through the world
⇒ eld this summer.
“It’s a dream come true for me to be a part of something like this, and I’m
so blessed and I’ve just got to continue to be thankful for it and continue
to keep working,” Durant said about the Team USA opportunity.
“Hunt’s Hill” knows. Augustin knows too. He saw it last summer back at
Texas. Durant would get up earlier than everyone else for a daybreak
workout. Then by the afternoon, when fellow former Longhorns like T.J.
Ford and Royal Ivey were ⇒ nished, Durant would still be going. Shot after
shot after shot. Repetition. Perfection.
The fate of this year’s USA Team is in his hands. So maybe it’s a good thing
when Durant unrepentantly points out, “I’d rather win a Gold Medal than
an NBA Championship.”
- MILES RAWLS
KÐ
35

36
HEÁRT ÓF
THE CÏTY
Like no other place in the world, the spirit
of pickup basketball’s past and future lives in
the top tournaments around NYC.
Verbals: Sean Couch
Visuals: Kevin Couliau & Jon Lopez

There are over 500 playgrounds in New York City,
but only a chosen few host strong tournament
basketball. And on these courts, the echoes
of the true spirit of city ball – keeping your
“next” – strongly reverberates from times ago.
In the 1940s, the spot was the crowded sandy Riis
beach courts in Far Rockaway, Queens, which featured Bob Cousy and
Floyd Lane, two All-City high school players who held their next into
the dusky night.
The fully packed Battlegrounds on Sugar Hill in Manhattan was notori-
ous for its no-foul rule, and men like Isaac “Rabbit” Walthour, a.k.a
“The Rab,” became legends, holding their next in the ‘50s and ‘60s.
The legendary pick up on 128th Street and St. Nicholas at the original
Rucker Park was equally strong, where Pro Rucker co-founders Bob
“The Whip” McCollough and Fred Crawford held ground, along with
Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins and Tiny Archibald.
During this time period, the greatest of all NBA scorers, Kareem Abdul-
Jabbar, was being pushed around up at Manhattan’s Dyckman Park
by NYU All-Star Russell Cunningham and the area’s best playground
performers – Andre Harris and Peter Rivera, who both participated in
the Holcombe Rucker League but never played a game of college ball.
“Kareem didn’t dominate but he blocked a lot of shots,” Harris said.
“He got pushed around by guys older than him and didn’t score much.
He de⇒ nitely was not the ⇒ rst pick when we chose up sides.”
Downtown in Manhattan, the West 4th Street cage, which began as a
pick up court, gained fame throughout the early ‘70s as a place where
city ballers could get together and play on a neutral court. Manhattan
and the Bronx’s ⇒ nest would play tough games against the best of
Brooklyn and Queens with bets placed on the outcome.
37

38
In the biggest borough in the city,
Brooklyn’s notoriously tough run was likened to being in the oven with
the stove on full blast. The spots throughout the decades were the
St. John’s Recreation Center Park, the Pit in Brownsville and Foster Park
- locations where the run was so hard, primo players that played on
D-1 rosters didn’t keep their next against grown men who knew the
courts like their kitchens. A long line of Brooklyn stars like Fly Williams,
Jacko Jackson, Larry Fogel, World B. Free, Jerry “Ice” Reynolds, Sam
Worthen and Pearl Washington played off-the-whistle games and
if your game wasn’t ready, you waited a very long time for another
chance to run. In the ‘90s that energy transferred to the network of
Coney Island housing project parks that birthed a group of NBA players
– Stephon Marbury, Sebastian Telfair and Lance Stephenson – that
won nine New York City public highs school championships
between them.
The South Bronx area was dominated by Patterson and Mitchell Project
parks and was the hub of pickup ball in the borough and the birthplace
of the Gaucho AAU organization. Nate “Tiny” Archibald grew up in
Patterson and was the ⇒ rst Gaucho coach, while Rod Strickland, from
Mitchell Houses, honed his famous ⇒ nishing skills against the rock-
hard comp of the area. To the north in the upper Bronx, the Gun Hill
projects had strong run along with the Edenwald Houses, where AND 1
original Shane “The Dribbling Machine” Woney grew up.
I.S. 8 Park, Ajax Park, the Lost Battalion Hall and the Queensbridge
housing project courts were Queens’ premier blacktops in the ‘70s and
through the ‘90s. The seminal guard trio of Mark Jackson, Kenny Smith,
Kenny Anderson, and rugged Ron Artest played on these playgrounds
creating runs that built all four into NBA stars.
From these pickup courts, prime tournaments arose throughout the
boroughs. Far Rockaway, Queens, birthed the Nicklelodean Tournament at
Riis Beach along with the I.S. 8 Tournament, while Manhattan’s Pro Rucker,
EBC and Holcombe Rucker Memorial tournaments became immortalized
in the ⇒ lm /Above the Rim/ and the award-winning documentary /On
Hallowed Ground/. Brooklyn’s /Soul in the Hole/ documentary captured
the borough’s love for ball and earned critical acclaim, cementing a place
in hoops ⇒ lm history.
Now in 2010, the greatest amateur playground basketball circuit the
world has ever seen exists in New York City. There are over 100 basketball
tournaments today on the old-school black pavement with the yellow
lines and metal backboards, but the chosen few, those with the rep, have
evolved into playing surfaces that rival the acrylic hardcourt of Arthur
Ashe Stadium, home of the United States Tennis Open, with basket
systems and scoreboards like indoor college arenas.
Find the old Riis Beach game spirit at the Hoops in the Sun tournament
at Orchard Beach, the ⇒ rst to have a 24-second clock outdoors. Check
the battleground mode at West 4th Street, Pro City and on the hallowed
ground of EBC at Rucker Park. Feel the frenetic, man-up, hard knock scor-
ing pace of the Dyckman Tournament, and the BK oven of comp at Dean
Street Playground’s Conrad McCrae youth tournament along with the
All-City Nike Swoosh League. All capture the day-in and day-out essence
of the pick up game spirit and are presently the best tournaments in New
York City.
Bounce takes you on a tour of the top three tournaments in the city, their
legendary pick up players, and the players that now dominate and those
who are expected to in the future.

Rucker Park
Greatest Pickup Players:
Alfred “Butch” Lee
Holder of an 1977 NCAA chip with Marquette University and a 1980 NBA
championship with the Lakers. Played in the 1976 Olympic games with
Puerto Rico after getting cut from the US team. Scored 35 points against
the United States and almost pulled off one of the greatest upsets in
basketball history, losing in the last seconds 95-94.
Bob McCollough
The legendary disciple of Holcombe Rucker was drafted by the
Cincinnati Royals in 1965. “The Whip” was a feared mid-range shooter
with game like Magic Johnson. Bob once scored 51 points in a college
game and was the second-leading scorer in the country as a junior.
He was the ⇒ rst MVP in Pro Rucker history and also won a Rucker All-Star
MVP in 1967 in a game that featured NBA All-Star Connie Hawkins and
others. Formed the Pro Rucker League with Fred Crawford and spear-
headed NBA professional involvement on the playground for a decade.
Fred Crawford
Former New York Knick who was a consensus College All-American as
a sophomore at St. Bonaventure. New York City playground historian
Butch Purcell says that “the player that most reminds me of Crawford’s
skill level was a young and healthy Tracy McGrady.” Crawford was the
leading scorer of the Pro Rucker league in 1967.
Entertainer’s
Basketball Classic
Bob McCollough’s Pro Rucker made the 155th Street playground the
most respected in America but Robert “Gusto” Wells and Greg Marius
built the Entertainer’s Basketball League into mecca of street basket-
ball. Built on the notion that the party club atmosphere mixed with
strong basketball would attract the capricious city basketball fan, the
founders invited the biggest stars of the hip hop generation to the
park and they haven’t left. On any day, a hip hop or R&B star could
walk though the gates and the park this year is the host of the biggest
outdoor tournament playground event in New York City history –
The World Basketball Festival.
With young NBA talent playing more outdoor tournament ball and
upgrades to the park, which include seats with backs and a new
electronic scoreboard that shows game highlights, the future of the
EBC looks bright.
Top Players
Pookie Wilson, “Master” Rob Hockett, Ron “Terminator” Mathias,
Steve “All Day” Burtt Sr., Kareem “Big Game” Reid, Antawn “Anti-
Freeze” Dobie, Larry “Bone Collector” Williams, Darren “DP”
Phillips, Adrian “A-Butter” Walton, and Corey “Homicide” Williams.
39

40
Dyckman Park
Greatest Pickup Player:
Carl “Wayne” Wilson
Wayne Wilson was an All-City guard at Kennedy H.S. and attended
Delaware State University during his college career. He presently
is the top coach of the Dyckman-Jim Couch Foundation teams
and has worked tirelessly as a role model for the kids in the pro-
gram. While Kareem is the greatest scorer in NBA history and
I (Sean Couch – Editor of Bounce) was the last NBA-drafted player
from Dyckman (60th pick Indiana Pacers in 1987), Wayne Wilson’s
respect in Dyckman is legendary. His lights out release and his
cool demeanor made him the parks best shooter and during one
pick up game under the lights, he hit six consecutive long-range
jumpers on a player who many in the projects believed was the
second best player from the park, my brother – Chris Couch.
It was one of the few times I ever heard him say that he couldn’t
stop a player as a defender.

The Dyckman
Tournament
Now in its 20th year, Dyckman Playground’s basketball history is
unparalleled. Before the tournament began, the Holcombe Rucker
Memorial League played in the park and many ⇒ rsts occurred. Un-
der the direction of Jim Couch Group W Cable, which is now the
Time Warner Company, aired the ⇒ rst televised playground game
in 1973. The park became a Pro Rucker rainout site and the Rucker
tournament played its ⇒ rst night game in Dyckman in 1975.
When former Dyckman player Kenny Stevens started the tourna-
ment named after the area in 1990, the court and the park had no
tournament ball for three years. He quickly made the tournament
into a must play with several innovations, introducing running
time play and a “no zone” rule. Break-away rims, AND 1 uniforms
and True Bounce backboards were donated by the Jim Couch
Foundation and soon the entire city came to see the games with
rapper Fat Joe a regular at the games. Friday nights at Dyckman is
“Dominican Power Night” now a tradition for the Dominican fans
of the neighborhood.
Top players
Patrick Mitchell, Kenny Stevens, Sean Wise, Sean Couch, Omar
Booth, Luis Flores, Eric “El Presidente” Opio, Adris “2 Hard 2
Guard” DeLeon, Kemba “Prince of Zamunda” Walker, Corey
Fisher, Andre “3000” Barrett, Keydren “Wett Those” Clark, and
Jason “J-Hi” McLeish.
41

42
West 4th Street
Greatest Pickup Players:
“Black” Jack Ryan
The 49-year-old Ryan is still dropping numbers against competition
half his age. In June of this year, he scored 39 points in a tournament
game after being called from the fence to play a game by Pro League
commissioner “Arizona” and based on that performance got instantly
selected for the 2010 All-Star game. Called by many as one the best
outside shooters in New York City history, Black Jack’s played pick
up ball at the “Cage” on a consistent basis for close to 30 years and
watched future NBA player Smush Parker grow from a kid who sat and
watched the games to a regular afternoon pick up running mate.
William “Smush” Parker
Parker sat on the fence of West 4th Street as an 8-year-old kid watch-
ing the action, grew up not playing a high school basketball team. He
cut his teeth point guarding in the park on teams with regular park
players like Black Jack and Sherman “the of⇒ cial king of West 4th
Street pick up ball” on a daily basis. To this day, Smush still supports
the league as a player

BÂTTLE ÖF THÈ
BORØUGHS
IN NEW YORK, THEY SAY YOU CAN TAKE ONE BOROUGH AND
PUT THEIR BEST SQUAD AGAINST THE ELITE TALENT FROM
ANOTHER WHOLE CITY AND IT WOULD STILL BE ADVANTAGE
BIG APPLE. SO WHEN THE BEST OF EACH BOROUGH IN NYC
SQUARE OFF, THE STAKES ARE HIGHER THAN ANYWHERE
ELSE. AT THE WORLD BASKETBALL FESTIVAL, THE BATTLE
OF THE BOROUGHS WILL PIT TEAMS OF THE AREA'S BEST
HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS FROM BROOKLYN, QUEENS, HARLEM
AND THE BRONX AGAINST EACH OTHER IN A WINNER-TAKE-
ALL FORMAT. ON THE LINE: BRAGGING RIGHTS ON ANY
SUBWAY TRAIN FROM A TO Z.
BROOKLYN
COACH: Sid Jones (United Brooklyn)
ASST. COACH: Mike Campbell
KEY PLAYERS:
Omar Calhoun - 6-5, Guard, Christ the King H.S.
Mike Taylor - 6-3, Guard, Boys and Girls
Kimmari Murphy - 6-8, Forward, Lincoln
Darryl Lucky - 5-10, Guard, Roberson
Even among NY's ⇒ nest, Brooklyn is known for its toughness and at-
titude. Kids here grow up grinding it out on unforgiving blacktop that
produces point guards who are just as grimy and strong as centers.
QUEENS
COACH: RAH (SEAN BELL ALL-STARS)
ASST. COACH: B.J. MCFARLAND
KEY PLAYERS:
JERMAINE SAUNDERS - 6-6, Guard, Rice
RYAN RHOOMES - 6-8, Forward, Cardozo
COREY EDWARDS - 5-10, Guard, Christ the King
MOE HARKLESS - 6-8, Guard, South Kent Prep
To the mainstream, playground ball in Queens only became famous
when Ron Artest made "Say Queensbridge" one of the quotes of
the 2010 NBA playoffs, but QB has been putting out ballplayers for
decades. From the herky-jerky smash-mouth style of Artest to the
smooth versatility of Lamar Odom, Queens is a New York basketball
hotbed.
HARLEM
COACH: Mousy (Dream Team)
ASST. COACH: God Shammgod
KEY PLAYERS:
SIDIKI JOHNSON - 6-9, Forward, Oak Hill Academy
SHAQUILLE STOKES - 5-10, Guard, Lincoln
ANGEL NUNEZ - 6-9, Forward, Notre Dame Prep
DEVON BROOKS - 6-2, Guard, St. Raymond's
Point guards. From the top college ranks to the NBA, Harlem is known
for producing ⇑ oor generals. In the same borough where the Apollo
Theater and art forms like jazz and hip-hop have thrived, Harlem PG's
are natural conductors of the symphony that is the game.
THE BRONX
COACH: Bingo
ASST. COACH: Kenny Satter⇒ eld
KEY PLAYERS
DENNIS GREEN - 6-3, Guard, St. Patrick's
DANIEL DINGLE - 6-6, Forward, St. Raymond's
DEONTE HOUSTON - 6-2, Guard, Wings Academy
MUSSA KONE - 6-8, Forward, Frederick Douglass Academy
Typically having to travel the longest distances to ⇒ nd runs around the
city, ballplayers from The Bronx are dedicated and don't take this game
lightly. The famed Gauchos gym is the basketball Mecca of The Bronx,
which has perennially produced dominant AAU teams and been the
site to some of the city's iconic playground moments.
43

44
Fresh
Dipped
AIR JORDAN ALPHA I OUTDOOR
A revamped version of the shoe that started it
all, the Air Jordan Alpha I Outdoor is both a high
performance basketball shoe, as well as a cultural
icon. Its design also celebrates the 25th Anniver-
sary of the legendary franchise.

Fresh Dipped
46
AIR JORDAN IX RETRO
Michael Jordan took the game of basketball global
in his run as one of the NBA’s greatest players
of all time. The Air Jordan IX Retro reflects His
Airness’ powerful reach around the world and his
status as the game’s biggest ambassador. The shoe
is a reengineered classic, inspired by Japanese in-
fluences and the reach of MJ’s legendary status.
From the outsole and its depiction of international
languages, to the University Blue colorway, the Air
Jordan IX Retro reflects MJ’s competitive nature,
his approach to the game, and his unending influ-
ence on the sport.

CONVERSE FREE AGENT
For Fall 2010 comes the Converse Free Agent shoe,
mixing modern style with a touch of Converse hoop
history. Overall, a great shoe for serious off-
court play. Part of the Malden collection (named
for the East Coast city where Converse all began),
the Free Agent reverently reflects some of the most
iconic Converse basketball footwear ever made.
Think wildly popular ’80s shoe, the Weapon, but
with a modern profile, clean style and rich leath-
ers. Add the ultra-iconic Star Chevron logo and
this shoe has timeless Converse attitude, with a
fresh, sleek design.
47

Fresh Dipped
48
CONVERSE SICKS
The Converse SICKS shoe blurs the line between pro
and pick-up and brings independent style to the
court. A member of the Converse Evo performance line,
the SICKS shoe is built with full-length cushion-
ing of CB technology and features an adjusted Y-bar
for ankle support and ample range of motion. The
perforated leather of the upper gives it enhanced
breathability and fit, and the outsole tread design
adds increased on-court grip. The SICKS shoe not
only performs, it shines.

CONVERSE STAR PLAYER EVO
Built on heritage, crafted for performance, the Con-
verse Star Player Evo shoe is the next step in Con-
verse basketball footwear. The first Converse Star
Player shoe hit the courts in the 1970s, worn by the
likes of Dr. J and other greats; it had the silhou-
ette of the Chuck Taylor All Star shoe, but with a
fresh performance-attitude and the iconic Star Chev-
ron logo. Today, Evo stands for further evolution.
The Star Player Evo takes core elements of the origi-
nal and builds upon them from the ground up. Addi-
tionally, Converse adds principles of breathability,
performance, superior cushioning and impact protec-
tion and gives the shoe a lightweight EVA midsole,
breathable air-mesh upper-quarter panel and bootie.
It’s topped off with a toe cap for durability and the
overall result is a shoe that performs and looks hot.
49

Fresh Dipped
50
JORDAN PRE-GAME XT
“For the Love of the Game.” It’s Michael Jordan’s
motto and powerful words for anyone who steps onto
a court. And that includes training. The Jordan
Pre-Game XT is a revolutionary basketball training
shoe that offers lightweight cushioning and flex-
ibility. Designed for helping athletes become more
agile, this shoe works with the athlete to excel in
their demanding footwork-focused basketball drills.

NIKE AIR FORCE 1 FOAMPOSITE
It’s a dream come true. This Fall, Nike resur-
rects the out-of-this-world technology of 1997’s
Foamposite matching up with a true footwear icon.
Originally found on the feet of NBA superstars as
well as forward-thinking East Coast urbanites,
Foamposite utilized a then groundbreaking two-mold
process, delivering an unprecedented upper shape,
color and feel giving the shoe a truly futuristic
look. It delivered on a new level of performance
durability, support and protection. To satisfy the
craving that’s persisted since the end of the twen-
tieth century, Nike brings back Foamposite, com-
bining it with the Air Force 1, for an absolutely
seamless new slice of basketball footwear.
The legendary AF1, created in 1982 when Bruce Kilg-
ore introduced Nike Air to the game of basketball,
is a classic hoop shoe, adopted for the streets
and for its style. It’s the sneakerhead’s sneaker,
and has been evolving ever since. This evolution
sees Nike bring together the best of both worlds.
Significant creative thinking and new engineer-
ing to create a three-mold process that eliminates
the seams on the upper. The shoe also draws on the
original Foamposite design, utilizing a midsole
that allows consumers a window into the soul of the
shoe. Seamless Foamposite, in an Air Force 1.
51

Fresh Dipped
52
NIKE HYPERDUNK 2010
Combining lightweight explosive speed with full
lateral support, the Nike Hyperdunk 2010 elevates
superior lightweight performance to new levels on
the basketball court. Nike Basketball injects next-
generation Flywire technology into the Nike Hyper-
dunk for the ultimate in speed without sacrificing
support and comfort. Proven Nike Zoom cushioning
offers responsive cushioning for every launch and
landing. And with a size 9 weighing in at only 11.8
ounces, it’s one of the lightest mid-top hoop shoes
Nike offers.

NIKE TRAINER 1.2 MID HYPERFUSE
Nike’s innovative new Hyperfuse technology has been
applied to the Trainer 1.2 to create a strong, light-
weight, breathable, training shoe for all seasons and
all surfaces. The Nike Trainer 1.2 Mid Hyperfuse fus-
es three layers of support together in a breakthrough
unibody design. The futuristic Hyperfuse composite
provides support where it is needed most, without the
traditional stitching that is more vulnerable to wear
and tear. This shoe ushers in a new era of training
shoes for a new era of athletes.
53

Fresh Dipped
54
NIKE ZOOM HYPERFUSE
Drawing on the abuse that basketball footwear takes
on the rugged outdoor courts in China, Nike offers
the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse, constructed with Nike’s
innovative new technology that delivers a strong,
breathable, and lightweight structure for explosive
on-court performance. The Hyperfuse composite is
comprised of a superior stability layer, a breathable
mesh layer, and a durable outer skin layer all fused
together into a unibody composite design. Hyperfuse
also revolutionizes the way shoes are built by “fus-
ing” its distinct layers into an engineered composite
to provides a level of precision unattainable with
traditional cut-and-sew construction. With Hyperfuse,
additive overlays are eliminated and engineered
zones of support are placed precisely where they are
needed. The Hyperfuse seamless unibody design helps
eliminate potential hotspots and wear points in foot-
wear. And at roughly 12.5 ounces for a size 9, the
shoe truly embodies superior lightweight performance.

AIR JORDAN 2010 OUTDOOR
New York City – the heart of aggressive outdoor
basketball, the home of legendary blacktop play.
It’s a fitting place to drop the new Air Jordan
2010 Outdoor. Michael Jordan’s passion for bas-
ketball infuses every facet of this shoe, and pegs
the durability-and-comfort needle. It’s lightweight
and durable, offering flexibility, breathability,
comfort and superior structure and stability. It’s
footwear designed from the ground up to meet the
demands of rugged blacktop play.
With its University Blue colorway, the shoe rever-
ently reflects MJ’s personal motto, “For the Love
of the Game,” and the six-row stitch across the
forefoot commemorates his six championship rings.
The Air Jordan 2010 Outdoor is also designed under
Nike’s Considered Design ethos of combining sus-
tainability with performance and innovation.
55

56
NIKE HYPER ELITE
Nike Hyper Elite Revolutionizes Uniform Design
with Innovative Lightweight, Strong and Breathable
Fabrication
Back in the day, basketball uniforms were marked by
heavy knits, heft and the feeling of fabric strength
– all seemingly signs of apparel quality, despite
the high-absorption and retention of body sweat and
general bulk.
Those days are done. In development for nearly
two years, Nike introduces Nike Hyper Elite, an
innovative uniform fabrication that provides superior
comfort and breathability, in a design that is much
lighter than conventional team kits.
“This is a fundamental shift in fabrication, allowing
us to look at basketball apparel in a totally
different way,” says Ryan Aanderud, Design Director
for Nike Basketball Apparel.
In today’s game, some 95 percent of basketball
players are wearing base layers (like Nike Pro
Combat) for support, compression, protection
or comfort. This trend compelled Nike designers
to completely rethink the outer shell, or what
is historically the uniform itself. With
compression base layers tight against an athlete’s
skin, the outer shell can provide other performance
functions beyond traditional moisture management.
“The Nike Hyper Elite short is designed to help
keep an athlete cool and dry by providing more
airflow between the uniform’s two layers,” says
Aanderud. “As the base layer gathers sweat, air
is ventilated over the surface through the outer
shell’s perforations, keeping the player cool. The
outer shell becomes less critical for moisture
management.”
Nike Hyper Elite is a super-lightweight fabrication
that has a lower moisture absorption capacity.
“Throughout a game, the new uniform absorbs less
moisture,” says Tracy Teague, Nike Basketball’s
Global Creative Director. “It means players are
carrying around less weight, and that’s important
at the end of hard play and competition when an
athlete’s fatigue rate is at its highest.”

58
WINNER TAKES ALL...
1992 DREAM TEAM
VERBALS. Rey Jefferson
When you hear the word majestic, what comes to mind?
For the late, great Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly,
it was the team he coached in 1992: The most memo-
rable collection of talent ever put together on one
roster, the United States “Dream Team”
Olympic squad.
“You will see a team of professionals in the Olym-
pics again, but I don’t think you’ll see another
team quite like this,” Daly was quoted after the
U.S. smashed Croatia by 32 in the gold-medal game.
“This was a majestic team.”
The numbers are amazing on their own. The Dream Team
beat its competition by an average of 44 points on
their way to gold. The roster -- Michael Jordan,
Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Chris
Mullin, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Charles
Barkley, David Robinson, John Stockton, Karl Malone
and Christian Laettner -- consists of 10 individual
members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall
of Fame. The team itself was also elected to the
Hall of Fame as a unit.
In a 2007 interview with Dime Magazine, a couple
of years before he passed away due to cancer, Daly
shared a couple stories:
“Michael played golf, 36 holes, every single day in
Barcelona. Our games were at 10:30 at night, so he’d
play golf all day, the went out and played basket-
ball at night.”
“We only practiced one day. Clyde Drexler brought
two left shoes to practice. He tries to deny it, but
we still talk about that to this day.”
Those two quotes show exactly how phenomenally
talented the Dream Team was on and off the court.
And for MJ to get his PGA on prior to dominating
the Olympics is insane. But going beyond just those
games in Barcelona, the Dream Team helped to influ-
ence the way in which the game has evolved.
Back in ‘92, as much as the Dream Team had the
talent advantage, it was clear other teams were in
awe of them. As Drexler said in a 2008 Dime inter-
view, “We knew it was going to be like clubbing
baby seals.”
Basketball wasn’t yet a truly worldwide sport, but
the Dream Team changed that. Even today, if you
ask some of the NBA’s top international stars, most
of them will tell you watching the Dream Team as
a youngster had some influence on their basketball
development and on basketball in their home country
in general.
As we get ready for the World Basketball Festival
in NYC this August, we reminisce the Dream Team be-
cause without them we wouldn’t have today’s brand of
basketball. Countries like Spain, Argentina, Greece,
even Puerto Rico have become more than formidable
challengers for the U.S., even as USA Basketball
continues to send the best players in the NBA into
international tournaments. As dominant as the Dream
Team was, they also sparked a competitiveness in
other countries after the reverence had worn off.
“What happened,” Daly said, “was that the European
and Asian counties have developed their game by
bringing people from this country to conduct camps
and clinic, and they’ve gotten better in the last
15 years.
“That’s the reason you have more parity now,” Daly
added. “Other nations got better, and the United
States stayed the same.”

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