Just Another Day In Akron: Playing 5-On-5 With LeBron
The next stop on the tour was to Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School to meet with LeBron’s high school coach Dru Joyce and wear-test the new Nike Air Max LeBron VII. Let’s just say we got hooked up.
When we walked into the locker room, the same place were LeBron and Co. won three state championships, all of our names were listed above our lockers with a SV-SM jersey and shorts hanging above our crisp new pairs of LeBron VIIs. Once we laced up, Coach Dru Joyce came into the locker room to give us a pep talk before we hit the hardwood.
We had to wait a minute once we got out there so LeBron, Little Dru, Romeo Travis and J.J. Hickson (who looked in the best shape of his life) could finish their workout, but once it was our turn it was go time. After 15 minutes of warming up, stretching and layups, we split into six teams and really tested out the new kicks.
Now what I’m about to tell you is 100% true and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. After losing our first game, and waiting our turn for the next game to end, we hit the court once again - this time taking on The King. LeBron had jumped in to our game and I couldn’t have been more excited. Being a fellow Class of 2003 member, you could say our lives have gone a bit differently.
So sitting out the first two minutes of a four minute game, I knew exactly who I was checking when I came in. I picked up LBJ full court and forced him left. He got by and pushed the ball up the court. I dropped back and could have taken a charge, but decided against it: a) because it would have hurt, and b) if anything happened, I would be the Steve Bartman of basketball.
So LeBron ends up dunking that ball alongside me and I knew I had to come down the floor and make some noise. Dribbling to my right, I pull up off the dribble and drain a three. Not bad, not bad. Had to get on the board. LeBron gets the inbounds pass and takes it down the floor, this time slicing through our double team and throwing down another hammer dunk.
I get the rebound and push it up the floor. This time I decided to drive but LeBron was camping out on the right block, just waiting to block me like he had one of my teammates two minutes earlier. So I take it down the lane and before I commit I dish it to the left for a layup, telling LeBron as I landed that there was no way I was going to let him block my shot. We’re up one.
So last play of the game with the clock winding down, LeBron decides to hold for the last shot. I decide to D him up (to the best I can), and as he elevates for the game-winning jumper, I may have pulled a Jordan and tapped him on the elbow. Whether or not the foul would have been called in a real game, LBJ did miss the jumper. Nonetheless, the crowd at SV-SM loved every second of it.
August 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Halo says:
Sounds like you in your own mind made more noise, then you did in the NRF.
Your a legend AP…
Halo
August 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
utahJZZ says:
HOW MANY LEHYPE JAMES ARTICLES CAN ONE WEBSITE HAVE?
FUKIN RIDICULOUS
August 10th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
utahJZZ says:
HOW MANY LEHYPE JAMES ARTICLES CAN ONE WEBSITE HAVE?
FUKIN RIDICULOUS
August 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Big Freeze says:
Cosign utahJZZ. Dimemag.com has turned into lebronmag.com lately. Are there any other players in the NBA?
August 10th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
YOUNGFED says:
That guy with the jersey looks like a cornball
August 10th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
DaKid says:
Please tell me that dude in the picture isn’t the same guy that graduated in 2003. Did he start school at 40? Is that Greg Oden’s dad? lol
August 10th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
quest???? says:
lmfao hahahaha the guy in the pic is Aron
August 10th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
c-low says:
LMAO…After seeing the pic I don’t even know if I can read your atricles anymore & I loved Dime…SMDH
You had to be class of 2003 for a doctorite or something..You’re at least 40 from the looks of the pic
August 10th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Dime Magazine says:
Haha. That was after playing for two hours!
-AP.
August 10th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
goonther says:
AP - you make it sound as if you’re a 6-6 giant forward checkin LBJ …. then we find out you’re patty mills… lol
August 10th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
goonther says:
no hate tho - i’d give my left sack to drop any buckets on NBA talent…
August 10th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
bam to y says:
Jesus, it seems like lebron wrote this article. Why would you even poke him on the elbow? You know lebron is goin to miss the game winner. hands down.
August 10th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
jryu says:
where’s the video of AP playing lockdown D on the last play to beat lebron at his own alma mater?
haha if there actually was one and it got confiscated, DIME would get lots of free publicity
August 10th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
srb says:
This site needs more Paul Pierce, less Lebron
August 10th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Claw says:
No way he will block your shot? Really?
He wouldn’t even have to jump and was probably checking you like he does his 5 year old, but still that does have to feel good hitting the 3 even if LBJ was probably playing in his socks and ready to go home.
Grew up in Akron and played league ball at Balch Street right next to St. Vs, anybody from A town know if Balch street is still around?
Used to have Jerome Lane and Alvin Robertson playing there, and his brother Kenny (need a South Park quote).
August 10th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
foolio_iglesias says:
as soon as I read the first sentence,I became insanely jealous…
August 11th, 2009 at 9:14 am
matt says:
That’s pretty sick. How did the shoes feel though?
August 11th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Chicagorilla says:
AP, i know they all clowning you about the pic (you should just go bald or low fade BTW) but you did something that all these haters would love to do. You got to kick it with Lebron and even better play ball with him. Congrats on the hack too, I would have done the same thing.
August 11th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Chicagorilla says:
Also, how fast does Lebron look when guarding him. He looks like a 4.4 40yrd dash when watching him on a fastbreak on TV.
August 11th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
POPPI GEE says:
These comments are classic lol. So how does Dime decide exactly who goes to these events to play, cause isn’t CGF the real baller out the crew?
AP you should have just left that pic off, would have been better with pics OF THE REAL GAME.
I can believe this article till the part of the game.
Classic comments lol.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:37 am
ian says:
Tight beard, AP