BIG STEPPER

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, EVERYTHING ABOUT CLASS OF 2021 STAR CHET HOLMGREN HAS BEEN GROWING: HIS HEIGHT (7-1), HIS SKILL SET, HIS LOVE FOR THE GAME. AND OF COURSE, THE HYPE.

Brand New

IT MIGHT BE JUST THREE YEARS SINCE HE RETIRED, BUT ELTON BRAND IS ALREADY DOING BIG THINGS AS THE GM OF THE SIXERS. HIS LATEST MOVES MIGHT LEAD THE FRANCHISE TO REACH THE GOAL THEY’VE BEEN CHASING FOR SO, SO LONG.

Mighty Duck - Sabrina Ionescu

Future no. 1 pick Sabrina Ionescu has all but promised to deliver a national championship to Oregon this season. Don’t doubt her.

My Name Is

JUST OVER A YEAR AGO, KEVIN HUERTER DIDN’T THINK HE HAD A REALISTIC SHOT AT BEING DRAFTED. NOW HE’S A MAJOR PIECE OF THE ATLANTA HAWKS’ BRIGHT FUTURE. AND IT’S ONLY UP FROM HERE.

Intro

HE WON TWO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, GATORADE NORTH CAROLINA PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND A GOLD MEDAL IN HIGH SCHOOL. IF YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT DUKE FRESHMAN WENDELL MOORE, LET THIS BE YOUR WARNING.

Tha Mobb

A NEW ERA OF NEW ORLEANS BASKETBALL IS UPON US, HEADLINED BY THE EXCITING CORE OF ZION WILLIAMSON , LONZO BALL, JRUE HOLIDAY AND BRANDON INGRAM . IN A CITY FULL OF ENERGY AND PASSION, THE BUZZ AROUND THE PELICANS HAS NEVER BEEN LOUDER. THE CELEBRATION HAS ALREADY BEGUN, AND IT COULD GO ON FOR QUITE A WHILE…

The Perfect Storm

Standing 7-feet tall, the Timberwolves’ Karl Anthony Towns can bang in the post, shoot from deep, run the floor and defend inside and out. He’s got one of the best personalities in the League, too. What more could you possibly ask for?

The Opening Tip

I don’t know when music first became embedded in basketball, but I know for a fact the rhythm section has always been there like the clickety-clack of steel wheels for trains.

Imani Boyette

Chicago Sky 6-7, C.

Josh Richardson

Yaron is the Heat beat writer for SLAM…We’re about to find out how mean Figman really is…Will Adam, when seeing Darren Rovell at a participatory industry event, hope that a shoe, ball, weight or something else falls on his head? Hopefully yes…Steph Curry’s horrible fourth-quarter around-the-back pass attempt to Klay Thompson would have looked awful in a SLAM run. And we play at Washed Arena…Lock #1: Chauncey Billups will be an awesome head coach…Lock #2: The increased adidas x Kanye partnership will be a MASSIVE success…

For the Land

Down 3-1 to the defending champion Warriors, no one gave the Cavaliers a shot. But behind all-time great performances from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, the Cavs made history and finally brought a Championship to the long-suffering city of Cleveland in what will go down as an epic 7-game Finals rematch.

The World is His

Harlem’s MOHAMED BAMBA is a top-3 prospect in the Class of 2017, and though he’ll likely sign with a traditional powerhouse, he hasn’t ruled out Harvard. We caught up with our new high school diarist at his home court, the Kingdome, to find out what makes him so unique.

Think Big

After transforming his body—and his life—Purdue’s CALEB SWANIGAN is the most dominant force in college basketball.

Mr. Basketball

A first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Bullets in the 1960s, TAL BRODY could have followed his NBA dreams. Instead, he brought basketball to Israel, where the game has flourished ever since.

The Opening Tip

Sometimes you get nostalgic for a time or a thing that is long gone, and it doesn’t matter that you wish it were still here, that time had never moved on— because it was that cool and that pure. Sure, you’re a sentimental sap, but Michael Jordan kissed the raging red bull on the center of the floor at the ancient Chicago Stadium on Friday, September 9, 1994, and it was something to see.

The Playmaker

A Hall of Fame wide receiver with the Dallas Cowboys and one of the most animated NFL analysts on TV today, MICHAEL IRVIN was once a two-sport HS star whose love for hoops remains strong.

Take This 4 Granted

His more explosive peers get the lion’s share of the headlines these days, but don’t forget the truth: The Clippers’ CHRIS PAUL has been the League’s most reliable star PG for a decade.

Picture Me Rollin'

Finding motivation has never been difficult for ISAIAH THOMAS. Now, as the face of one of the League’s most storied franchises, the Celtics PG is the NBA’s most unlikely superstar and on the cusp of joining the list of all-time basketball icons in the city of Boston.

Ambassador Of The Bay

You could spot rapper E-40 courtside at Oracle Arena every step of the way during Golden State’s back-to-back Finals appearances. Don’t expect him to give up his seat anytime soon—he’s been a Warriors fan since before he can remember.

The Champ Is Here

Given his lack of significant minutes on the floor, it would be easy to call veteran Cavs swingman JAMES JONES “lucky.” In reality, his three NBA titles are no coincidence. Meet the man LeBron James calls his favorite player of all time.

Whole New Ball Game

Love ’em or hate ’em, this much is fact: the ball family has bum-rushed the world of basketball with such force that they’ve become impossible to ignore. Here, lavar ball, the captain of the ship, writes about how their independent brand came together and the motivation behind the movement.

No Label

The ball family’s big baller brand has taken advantage of today’s media landscape to provide Lonzo ball with an alternative to the usual major sneaker company endorsement deal. If BBB succeeds, is the next big trend going to be prospects ditching the usual shoe companies in favor of the independent route?

The Marathon Continues

Chicago rookie-to-be lauri markkanen has a lot riding on his shoulders after he was drafted seventh overall, but the sweet-shooting 7-footer out of arizona is the perfect piece for the bulls as they begin to rebuild.

Tomorrow 'Til Infinity

Coming off a historic playoff stretch and their second finals win in three years, the golden state warriors are just now hitting their peak. And we have a feeling they’re going to be staying at the top for a while.

Ville Mentality

Blessed with a 48-inch vertical, Dallas Mavericks rookie Dennis Smith JR is the latest hyper-explosive point guard to hit the NBA. And unlike some of his counterparts, he doesn’t give a damn what the naysayers think about him. 

OG Mike B

Five years removed from the league, former NBA point guard Mike Bibby has made a seamless— and successful—transition into the high school coaching ranks, where he works with kids to ensure they’ll be ready for the next level. 

Turning Point

Already one of the biggest stars in the NBA, a switch to PG has pushed Houston Rockets star JAMES HARDEN to the front of the 2016-17 MVP race.

My Name Is My Name

Shareef O’neal Knows He Has Big—like Size 22 Big—shoes To Fill. And Yet, The Wise-beyond-his-years Ucla Commit Doesn’t Care Much, Tbh. He Just Wants To Do Him.

Pop Out

Georgia Native Collin Sexton Brought The Fire During His One Season Playing College Ball. Now He's Taking His Hard-nosed Mentality Straight To The League.

Call Out My Name

Point Guard Anfernee Simons Is Armed With Unwavering Confidence And A Skill Set Relatively Similar To His Namesake—both Of Which Will Be Needed As The Florida Native Heads Straight From Img Academy To The Nba Draft.