At every media event, the journalist basketball game goes the same way: It’s one of the highlights of the weekend, perhaps the only time everyone gets a chance to truly vent, and after spending so much time watching, talking and writing about basketball, it all comes pouring onto the court in a wave of reckless energy, frenetic excitement and predictably ugly basketball.

I’ve seen it happen in Miami, seen it in L.A., seen it in New Jersey, seen it just about everywhere. Where does all that energy come from? I’m assuming it’s because we always get laced with the hottest new gear, bags and lockers with our names on them, and most importantly, the new kicks we are there to wear test. Normally, that’s enough. But recently at the World Basketball Festival, Nike had us test out their newest technology, the Nike Hyperdunk+, the shoe that could transform future generations of sneakers, and for two solid hours on a Monday morning in Washington, D.C., it turned us all into first graders in front of the Christmas tree. Read More »

The highlight of this year’s World Basketball Festival, for me, might’ve been wear testing the craziest technology I’ve ever seen in a sneaker (the Nike Lunar Hyperdunk 2012), sitting front row along the baseline for Team USA’s intrasquad scrimmage or perhaps even chilling in a suite with the people at Nike for the USA/Brazil exhibition game. Or, I could just say it was watching Justin Darlington aka Jus Fly dunk because honestly, that might’ve topped everything. Read More »

Technically, I spent my entire weekend working. But when you’re going to Team USA practice to catch the best players in the world in their element, attending Converse block parties to see The-Dream and Stalley perform and checking out 20 years worth of Nike and Jordan footwear design and technology, you can take it. This really wasn’t work. And the people at USA Basketball, Nike, Jordan and Converse didn’t want it to be. It was a celebration of the game, the Olympics and our men and women who will be going across the sea to represent us on the hardwood. Read More »

Sitting in section 106, gray suede Converse Pro Leathers on my feet, a roast beef panini on a plate in my hand, peering down at the Verizon Center court to check out Team USA nearly blow an anticipated exhibition against Brazil, it hit me. This is weird…this doesn’t make any sense. I really shouldn’t be here. I had a media credential hanging from my neck, and yet… I wasn’t all that interested in covering the game, a Team USA game. Much of that had to do with no locker room access, and very limited postgame interview opportunities (international rules). But it also had to do with the fridge stocked with drinks, the hot plates holding hot dogs, the elaborate vegtable and sandwich platters, the shrimp, the flatscreens and the view of the court. Read More »

It wasn’t easy, but a W is a W. Team USA struggled early against Brazil and were down by as many as 10. A struggle? They were having problems just converting layups. Russell Westbrook was missing breakaway lay ins; the rest of the team couldn’t make a shot in the lane. At the end of the first quarter, it was 27-17 Brazil, and we thought Coach K might break a blood vessel. Everything was going wrong for the USA early, even the Kiss Cam. Barack Obama and Michelle were in the building, and they were put on the Kiss Cam. Michelle refused the president twice, even after he went in for the kill, and the crowd wasn’t feeling it. Obama was swagging out all night in Under Armour – at a Nike event – but it took him a second try at the Kiss Cam to give his woman a smooch. Read More »

This weekend, the best of USA basketball has converged in Washington, D.C. for a four-day celebration of the sport. So far at the World Basketball Festival, we’ve seen Team USA practice, Washington, D.C., L.A., New York and Chicago all take each other on for bragging rights in the City Tournament Of Champions and today, the Nike Global Challenge pits some of the best high school players in the U.S. against foreigners from the same age group. But before all of that, we took it to the streets, to what’s probably the best playground atmosphere in America: the Goodman League at Barry Farms. Read More »

GM Billy King is calling them “the best backcourt in the NBA.” We’re calling them a probable playoff team. Joe Johnson just calls them “definitely” better than the Knicks. The venue: Borough Hall. Who: about 1,000 screaming fans. What: a rap cypher. Okay, so the last part isn’t really true. But that’s what it felt like. Someone should’ve just given Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz a mic because the dude was throwing more haymakers at the crosstown “rivals” than Eminem on “The Sauce.” At the rally to celebrate the new stars of Brooklyn, Markowitz instead took the chance to say: “For nearly 40 years the Manhattan Knicks have shown they can’t bring a championship to New York, so it’s going to take the Brooklyn Nets to get the job done. Read More »

The World Basketball Festival has officially taken over Washington, D.C. Nike and USA Basketball have brought the 2012 Men’s and Women’s National Teams to D.C. for a four-day celebration of the performance and culture of the game.

WBF features the Nike family of brands – Converse, the Jordan Brand, and Nike Basketball – as well as elite youth players from around the world.

The piece of WBF that we’re most looking forward to is the Converse Block Party that goes off today. Read More »

Yesterday Jordan brand dropped its World Basketball Festival three-pack, incorporating the new and the old into its look for this summer’s international basketball. Today its cousin under the Nike umbrella, Converse, came out with its own styles to celebrate worldwide hoops. Hit the jump to check out the Pro Leather collection. Read More »

Among the stops of Nike’s World Basketball Festival this month, the shoe giant is paying homage to its Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and Barcelona destinations with two signature shoes for each. Specifically, Jordan Brand is debuting Jordan Super.Fly and Air Jordan 1 Retro packs that you can see here. The WBF will have players from the USA Basketball men’s and women’s national teams train in Washington D.C. on July 13-16 before ending with games against Brazil on July 16 at the Verizon Center. Read More »