you can read more articles by Sam at http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/

Streetball vs the NBA
by Sam Rubinroit

photo by Seth Rubinroit
Jerry "The Assassin" Dupree throws it down at the AND 1 Tour streetball tournament.

Most basketball players start on the streets or playgrounds, playing pickup games with their friends, calling their own fouls, and making up rules as they go along. Some go on to play organized ball in high school, college and, for a lucky few, the NBA. However, many stick with the less formal pickup game without rules dictating their style, playing solely for the love of basketball.

While the NBA has a list of rules covering everything from court dimensions to a dress code, the AND 1 Tour, which consists of a group of streetballers going city to city playing the best streetballers in the country, has a “rule book” that is just three pages long (double spaced!). It starts with, “This is not your typical basketball game.”  And it certainly is not.

AND 1 is a basketball shoe and clothing company founded in 1993, but rather than focusing on producing products for fans of all ages, AND 1 focuses more on the devoted streetball players, who play basketball for the love of the game rather than for fame and fortune. To promote its products, AND 1 puts on a national streetball tour.

I had the opportunity to go to Long Beach when the AND 1 tour came here in August and talk to a few of the players about what separates streetball from the NBA. As an NBA fan myself, I had never seen professional streetball before.  I expected the play to be very sloppy, with lots of turnovers and for it to be confusing to watch (especially if you do not know the rules of streetball).  Seeing it firsthand really changed my perspective. 

I expected to see a huge court with fancy seats, security everywhere and numerous food vendors—the norm for an NBA game. However, it was quite the opposite. The court consisted of two hoops in the middle of the Queen Mary parking lot, with only free-throw, three-point, half-court, and out-of-bounds lines spray painted over the parking spaces. The court was separated from the bleachers by a mere three-foot high wall, with fans throwing the ball back to the players when it bounced over.  The feeling of almost sitting on the court made me feel closer to the action, as if I had a part in the game. The bleachers seat about 1,000 fans at $20 a ticket for open seating. The locker rooms were tents with chairs against the walls, separated by only a fence from the Porta-a-Potties shared by fans and players alike.  A DJ played rap/hip-hop music during the game. The music made the game more interesting, with players dancing during timeouts and fans standing in their seats to dance when they were put up on the big-screen.

The facilities are not as plush as Staples Center, but the real attraction is the game. The players started warming up 10 minutes before game time, periodically pausing to sign an autograph or take a picture with the fans lining the wall. When the game started, four out of every five baskets scored were dunks—after each the crowd went nuts. The referees get argued with on every call, although there were hardly any, and there was definitely no penalty for hanging on the rim. Every time a player brings the ball down the court, the players show off their ball handling skills, going around their backs, bouncing the ball off their opponent’s head, or lobbing a half court alley-oop for a reverse dunk. All the while, MC Duke Tango narrates the play running up and down the court as players try, sometimes not too hard, to avoid colliding with him on their way to the basket. Even a non-basketball fan can enjoy the up-tempo style of play and amazing showmanship the players display.


Kenny "Bad Santa" Brunner drives to the hole. They call him "Bad Santa" because he makes amazing passes

To add to the connection between the fans and players, every player has a nickname identifying their style of play printed on the back of their uniform instead of their last names. The AND 1 roster consists of the Assassin (he kills his opponents), Bad Santa (he dishes out assists like presents), the 8th Wonder (for his amazing all around skills), Hot Sauce (because he has so much sizzle), the Professor (he schools opposing players on the court), Helicopter (he’s always in flight), Baby Shack (for his rebounding ability), Escalade (he trucks down opponents), Go Get It (for his ability to catch any lob), Silk (he’s so smooth), and Springs (for his jumping ability). The nicknames are well deserved, with Bad Santa making amazing passes, and the Assassin making amazing plays knocking his opponents back.

Some critics say that AND 1 disregards the fundamentals and teamwork stressed so much in the NBA and organized basketball. This is true, with players traveling so often the refs don’t even call it. However, Kenny “Bad Santa” Brunner says teamwork is just as important in streetball. “People think that most of streetball is one-on-one, but you’ve got to have guys on the team willing to sacrifice for guys like The Professor, Silk, and Hot Sauce who are there for their one-on-one skills. It’s a one-on-one game, but without the five of us working together, it wouldn’t really work.”

Watching a game, I can see what Brunner’s talking about, because for every spectacular dunk and amazing trick a player does, there are just as many amazing passes and defensive blocks. The constant showboating may be excessive to some, but for fans like me who are used to NBA play where the most exciting part of the game comes from a few dunks each quarter, the AND 1 Tour puts the fun back into basketball.

All of the players made it to the Tour by their love of the game, but many still dream of one day making it to the NBA. Although the AND 1 Tour is a great experience, nothing matches up to the fame and money a player can make in the NBA. However, if the salaries were the same, nearly all of the players told me that they would rather player streetball.

Streetball is more interesting for the players because it allows them to have free reign on the court without their coaches dictating every move. Still, this style of play is hard to maintain for an entire game, because it so intense and requires complete concentration. “Some of the top NBA players can play the style of basketball we play with the fancy dribbling and the dunking, but they couldn’t do it all the time,” Bad Santa said. “Streetball is a freestyle affair, where the objective is to put on a show at all times, yet still win.”   

Although streetball may not be the game many people are used to seeing, I think it is more fun to watch than the NBA. Jerry “The Assassin” Dupree talked about the difference between streetball and NBA. “Streetball’s got more action. It’s faster, and we don’t think as much, we just go out there and play our game,” Dupree said. “We’ve got the different moves you won’t see in the NBA, so that’s a big difference.”

While the NBA draws fans based on its competitive nature where games can come down to the last .4 seconds, streetball has a more constant, up-tempo style. Rather than the pressure of playing well throughout a long season, AND 1 lives more in the present.  The Professor weighed in, adding, “There’s no question it’s more exciting than the NBA because you’ve got the best ball handlers in the world and some of the best dunkers in the world. In the NBA they’re trying to make buckets and win championships, while we’re trying to put on a show for the people there that day.”

The players all know that it is important to play to the fans, and go out of their way to help them enjoy the game. They know that without the fans, they would be nothing. As Hugh Jones, aka Baby Shack, says, “I’m just a regular, so don’t hesitate to ask me for a picture or an autograph. I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for [the fans].”  If you go to an NBA game, you would be lucky to get the third-string guard’s autograph.

But the NBA is still the NBA. People around the world tune in to watch the games because of its history and the amazing athletic ability the players have to be able to sustain nearly every day during the season. While the game not be as fast as streetball, its style of play has more finesse and is much harder to perfect. NBA players practice by shooting hundreds of shots a day, running drills and going over their plays to outmaneuver the other team.

The AND 1 Tour may not have the same nationwide appeal as the NBA, but it’s slowly getting there. Streetball is on the rise, with more of a focus on fans, and a game that is more exciting and flashy than the NBA, yet keeps a competitive edge. Although it may be hard for streetball to reach the level of popularity that the NBA has, I think that as it catches on and more people find it as a diamond in the rough, it may be seen as just as fun to watch as the NBA.  However, I wonder if as streetball becomes more and more popular, will it be able to keep its street style attitude it holds today?

originally published by LA Youth -- October 2007 issue
http://www.layouth.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issue&action=IssueArticle&aid=2150&nid=74

Kareem's perspective
By Sam Rubinroit, Senior writer, 14, Malibu HS
originally published on LA Youth -- http://www.layouth.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Issue&action=IssueArticle&aid=2003&nid=70

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of the elite basketball centers of all time. Here in L.A., he is known best for his stunning Lakers career, during which he helped win five championships, as well as having been one of UCLA’s greatest players, leading the Bruins to an 88-2 record and two NCAA championships. Standing 7’ 2’’, he was the first overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft, and later that year won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Over his career, he racked up six Most Valuable Player awards, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995. He is currently an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, and has served as an inspiration for many of today’s top centers.

Not only is Abdul-Jabbar a basketball player, but he’s also a historian and author. His newest book, On The Shoulders of Giants, is his sixth. Most of his writings tap into the expansive history of some of the most influential African-Americans, and many of the unsung heroes of the past.

In On the Shoulders of Giants, Abdul-Jabbar connects today’s hip-hop generation with its roots in Harlem and the music’s jazz forefathers. He leads us through his childhood where he encountered the giants of the Harlem Renaissance, a period when blacks in the art and music world demonstrated that they are just as competent as whites, and paved the way for much of today’s writing, music and lifestyles.

Each chapter of the book is divided into two parts. First, Abdul-Jabbar discusses a historical aspect of the Harlem Renaissance. Then he shows how it influenced him and the world today. He describes how the accomplishments of some of Harlem’s musicians and authors helped blacks flourish in sports, music, literature and business. He explains the immense struggles that those before him endured to provide him and other blacks with opportunities many take for granted today.

Along with discussing the history of Harlem, Abdul-Jabbar talks about how he developed a love for sports, and also who influenced him most. He speaks of how his first love was truly baseball, and how he only used basketball to escape bullies who tormented him. He describes the origination of the “sky hook:” he was surrounded by defenders, and using his height, he put the ball above his head and let it fly. The shot didn’t go in the first time he tried, but it eventually became his most popular move.

This book really affected me. I am a rabid basketball fan, and being from L.A., naturally I’m a Laker fan. Since I was never able to see Abdul-Jabbar play, this book gave me insight into his life. He discusses in depth how he was affected by the early basketball team the Renaissance Big Five, and how they fought as blacks to break through in a white sport.

He also talks about how many see him as aloof, but he feels the press should judge him on how he played on the court, not after the game. He explains that he became like this because at the time when he played, blacks were supposed to be grateful that whites allowed them to play, and gush thankfulness, but he wasn’t going to stoop to their level.

Even someone who isn’t a big basketball fan will enjoy this book for the insight it gives into black history and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s first-hand account of how it made him the man and author he is today.

Along with my brother Seth, I spoke with Abdul-Jabbar about his new book, and his life on and off the court.
In your newest book, On the Shoulders of Giants, you say, “Basketball never defined me, it gave me an opportunity to define myself.” How would you define yourself?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:I’m attempting to be a Renaissance man. That would be my easiest definition.

You discussed a lot about how jazz influenced you growing up. What do you think of the effect of rap today and the violence behind it?
Well, rap hasn’t always had a good record because of the people that have been involved with it. Some of the people involved with it have great reputations; I think Mos Def is someone who has used that format to encourage people. But other people have glorified violence, misogyny [hatred of women] and criminal enterprise, so it all depends on who’s talking.

How much do you think the Harlem Renaissance did to show that blacks are as talented and as capable as everyone else?
The Harlem Renaissance enabled black people to show America and the world that they had unlimited potential. It did a great job of getting that message out to people. In those years there was a burst of production that has been unparalleled in American history in terms of one ethnic group.

Do you think there is any significant racism in America today?Yes.What kind?The traditional kind. The racism that was here when the founding fathers were still here. There are still traces of it and people have work to do to eliminate it, but I think we’ve made a lot of progress in America, and that’s very important. Sometimes, people lose sight of the fact that we have been able to change and make it a better place.

In your book you talk about how you would see your favorite jazz musicians in town and getting groceries just like everyone else. Do you think that athletes and musicians have a responsibility to be role models for kids?
Well, I think there is no way you can escape being a role model … People are going to look at you that way whether you want that to be the case or not. You don’t really have any choice.

Do you think players should be judged more on how they play on the court or how they play out in public?
I think it should all come into the picture. Sometimes great players are a little nutty, and you need to understand that that’s the way they are.

How do think you would have fared if you had gone in the direction of baseball rather than basketball?
Well, I think I could have been the early Randy Johnson. When I was in the eighth grade the scouts knew who I was and they put the gun on me and I pitched like 95 miles per hour.

This book establishes you as a historical writer. Do you want to be remembered more as an author/historian or a basketball player?
I’m proud and happy that I’ve been able to distinguish myself as both. I can’t be the athlete that I want anymore but I’m still able to be a writer, and I’m glad to have that opportunity.

Your shared love of poetry bonded you with Coach John Wooden. How much did John Wooden and your UCLA experience help prepare you for life?
I think my experience at UCLA really helped me to round out my education. I think UCLA was a great academic institution when I went there.

If you were playing today, how different do you think your career would have been?
Who knows? There aren’t very many good centers left, so when I played, there were some really good centers. But that’s not the case anymore. People just don’t play the game like that.

Do you think that can change in the future?
Yeah, I think it will probably end up being a cyclical thing. When people realize that that’s an effective way to play the game, people might get into it.

You’re working with one of those centers in Laker Andrew Bynum. How are you enjoying working with him?
I’m having a good time working with Andrew. He has a good attitude, he works hard, and he has the physical talent so it’s about him learning and developing.

If someone like Shaq had a work ethic like yours, how great do you think he could have been?
Well, he would have made a lot more free throws (laughing). He wouldn’t have been hurt as much, because I don’t think Shaq trains to the point where he can run all season. That’s a difficult thing to do. He has such an overwhelming advantage in terms of size and strength, but he relies on that too much.

 Do you think players today are losing the love of the game making millions of dollars?
There are a lot of players today that don’t understand the extraordinary opportunity they are being given, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t love the game. I see a lot of them who do love the game. But it is difficult to keep everything in perspective, it is very hard to be able to play the game, all the preparation you have to do in terms of training. It really takes a lot out of you. So I think over a long period of time a lot more of them will appreciate what they’ve been able to do. Sometimes you have to go through it and realize the opportunities that everyone else got that don’t compare, and you understand the opportunity you’ve been given.

What do you think the biggest lesson from your book should be?
That a whole lot went into making the NBA what it is today. If players from today had to play basketball in the 1920s or 1930s, they’d be very shocked. They don’t realize how good they have it.
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 Excerpt from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s On the Shoulders of Giants: ‘Harlem Renaissance leader Marcus Garvey said, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” This has been my guiding principle in choosing what to write and how to approach the material. For some, history is a drab and dusty subject; for me it is a powerful stimulant, arousing our passions about past injustices and infusing us with strength to fight present ones. The only way I know how to share my passion about history and its power to affect our lives is to write these books.’

Who's News November 16, 2006
Happy Feet Taps to the Top
Kid Reporter Sam Rubinroit gets the scoop on the animated movie from writer and director, George Miller

What are black and white and dance all over? The penguins in George Miller's new movie Happy Feet. The film stars the voices of Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Brittany Murphy, and Robin Williams, and the feet of renowned tap dancer Savion Glover.

TIME for Kids Kid Reporter Sam Rubinroit spoke with director George Miller about the movie. Mumble (Elijah Wood) may be the worst singer in the world but he sure can tap dance.

For the complete interview, go to: - http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kidscoops/story/0,14989,1560261,00.html

Who's News September 26, 2006
Meet Funny Man Martin Lawrence
Kid Reporter Sam Rubinroit chats with the actor and comedian about playing a bear in his new movie

to read Sam's interview with Martin Lawrence go to http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kidscoops/story/0,14989,1539077,00.html