The 2010 NBA Mix Tape Tour
Terrence Williams (photo. Nicky Woo)
Late in the first half of last night’s Cavs/Celtics felony, when Cleveland was still in the ballgame, Mo Williams hit a three at the same time Big Baby fouled Anderson Varejao under the boards to set up an unconventional four-point play.
While the refs were sorting out the call, the ball landed in the hands of Jamario Moon on the Cavs bench, and he suddenly broke into a little AND 1 Mix Tape, Harlem Globetrotters-style series of ball tricks. At the time I texted one of my boys: “Was that J.Moon’s future flashing before our eyes?”
But since the Boston blowout gave my mind too much time to wander, I kept thinking about it. Jamario Moon actually would be a great addition to the AND 1 squad with his ridiculous hops and athleticism, plus a TV-friendly personality. (LeBron has said Moon is the funniest guy in the Cavs locker room.) But in case you didn’t already know, there hasn’t been an AND 1 Mix Tape team since 2008. The mainstream streetball market kind of fell off around then, plus the bad economy, and the brand losing some of its signature guys no doubt played a role.
Anyway, as the Boston/Cleveland game got even worse, I started thinking about who would make up the best Mix Tape-style team out of current NBA guys. To make it as close to the real-life tour as possible, it can’t just be any collection of talent. These players either have to posses crazy hops, a crazy handle, crazy range — something that gives them more than a little “playground” in their game. Something that makes them stick out. And a personality that would go over well on TV also helps. Here’s my NBA Mix Tape Tour squad, never coming to court near you:
GUARDS
Chris Paul, a.k.a. “CP3”
Jamal Crawford, a.k.a. “The Difference”
Gilbert Arenas, a.k.a. “The Sixth Sense,” a.k.a. “Hibachi”
Jason Williams, a.k.a. “White Chocolate”
Brandon Jennings, a.k.a. “Young Money”
Rafer Alston, a.k.a. “Skip To My Lou”
Nate Robinson, a.k.a. “Nate The Great,” a.k.a. “Hefty Smurf”
FORWARDS
LeBron James, a.k.a. “King James,” a.k.a. “Jake Sully”
Tyrus Thomas, a.k.a. “Smiley”
Josh Smith, a.k.a. “J-Smoove”
Andre Iguodala, a.k.a. “Andre 3000”
Terrence Williams, a.k.a. “T-Will”
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May 12th, 2010 at 10:27 am
eyeused2b says:
LOL @ Hefty Smurf. Marv Albert needs to start using that one.
May 12th, 2010 at 10:29 am
haslem says:
not to nit pick but shouldn’t moon make the team simply because we established in the first half of the article he’d be a great fit?
Interesting list though, would the NBA ever go for it? it could be fun. I think it’d be cool to showcase guys we don’t associate with having amazing handles but probably do because they are NBA players.
http://thesphericalstudies.blogspot.com/2010/05/in-another-place-im-really-sorry-about.html
May 12th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Yep says:
No Deron Williams??
May 12th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Kevin says:
Baron Davis gotta be in that mix somehow
May 12th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Soopa says:
Wade should make the team for completely clowning Pavlovic with that sideline dribble a few years ago.
How about having Dwight Howard touching the top of the backboard while dunking or picking dollar bills off the top? Im guessing that would attract a crowd!
May 12th, 2010 at 11:11 am
Kermit The Washington says:
LOL @ “Jake Sully” wow…that should be his new nickname for sure…I’ve never heard that one before
May 12th, 2010 at 11:36 am
marcus the great says:
shannon brown. his main (only?) talent is jumping really high
May 12th, 2010 at 11:42 am
sxrs says:
JR “dont call me earl” smith
May 12th, 2010 at 11:48 am
datdude says:
Vince shut down the whole UNC GYM over there summer’s Alumni Game..with a crzy off da backboard windmill..plus sat on his azz 86 ft from the rim, and made a shot one handed.plus I havent seen a better dunk since Vince smashed on Alonzo is 06′…anyway my startin lineup is
PG Rondo
SG Vince
SF Lebron
PF Amare
C Dwight
May 12th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Alex "Robocop" Murphy says:
you forgot:
Eddy Curry aka E-City or Escalade
and
Jerome James aka Garbage
May 12th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Joe says:
Yea, definitely add Wade and JR Smith. DWill and B. Dizzle should have a spot too. Great call on including Crawford.
I’d also throw in:
Rondo
OJ Mayo
Derrick Rose
Shannon Brown
Joe Alexander (white boy with hops PLUS an easy target for the opposing team)
and probably about a dozen others.
May 12th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
sh!tfaced says:
More white boys with some hops…
Manu Ginobili aka “Bronson Pinchot”
Andrei Kirilenko aka “Dolph Lundgren”
Bob Sura aka “James Bond”
-even if he’s out of the L. because he kinda looks like 007
May 12th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
IP says:
Moon did play for the Globetrotters for an year.
May 12th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
The Other Aj says:
@#6 Yes “Jake Sully” is hilarious and should be LBJ’s nickname going forward…
Do you hear that Dime…?
May 12th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
dagwaller says:
Steve Nash – best handles/best shot in the League?
May 12th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Mateen says:
You do know that Moon played for the Globetrotters right?