This story appears in SLAM Presents USA Basketball. Shop now. Twelve circular neon orange portals appear out of thin air. The citrus hues fly off the spheres’ edges in sparkling fashion, rotating in a clockwise direction as the views of various cities from across the U.S. grow wider and wider. Bellowing horns in the background […] The post Gold Rush: Previewing the 2024 USA Men’s National Team Ahead of the Paris Olympics appeared first on SLAM ..read more

Winning never gets old. Boston knows that better than anyone. Hate it or love it, the city’s still celebrating because the Celtics are back on top as the 2024 NBA Champions. To celebrate Boston winning their 18th title, we just dropped SLAM 251, the Champs Issue, featuring none other than the Jays; Jayson Tatum and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. SLAM 251 FEATURING THE CELTICS IS OUT NOW Get your copy of SLAM 251 right now so you can reminisce on the season, whether that’s in Beantown or beyond. And we’ve got Gold Medal Editions on lock, too. Go grab a piece of history and celebrate the champs accor ..read more

Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner are so much more than just partners on the court. They’re the epitome of basketball dominance for the Connecticut Sun. DeWanna’s the fifth-highest scorer in the history of the League. Alyssa is the W’s all-time leader in triple-doubles. They each have their jerseys hanging in the arenas of their respective alma maters. They’ve both won AP Comeback Player of the Year and have each claimed numerous League records. Simply put, they’re the best players on one of the best teams in the W year after year. And if you couldn’t tell by the diamond rock dancing on DeWanna ..read more

There’s something interesting about it. The way some players evolve to match the culture of basketball. It can look like a walk—a sort of swag that manifests as a mixture of unwavering confidence and body-shattering soreness from a seven-hour workout done the night before. But other times, it looks like just straight-up passion, the kind that says “kill or be killed.” Those who live in America are no stranger to the in-your-face sort of culture that surrounds basketball. But for players from abroad, like new Detroit Pistons rookie Bobi Klintman, it’s a completely different world. But it’s also ..read more

It’s June 23rd, we’re in Coney Island, New York, and in the words of Samuel L. Jackson, “I have today’s forecast. Hot!” But amidst the blistering heat of this Sunday afternoon, shaded by trees and buildings that overlook the streets of Brooklyn from a hundred feet above, people line up around the court for a chance to compete in AND1’s Open Run Tour. Hosted by AND1 as they continue pushing the envelope of streetball, the Open Run Tour was jam-packed with high-flying dunks and whiplash-inducing crossovers. Beyond the classic five-on-five matchups, the event featured a dunk contest, electric one ..read more

As the hoops world connects in Phoenix to celebrate a WNBA season for the ages, LeagueFits and Chime will be right there shining a spotlight on fashion and fashion culture. Join us on Saturday afternoon ahead of the weekend’s headline event to get your best look off in an official “Fit Check” Tunnel before bearing witness to a host of on-site activations centered around shopping, thrifting and personal branding. Take in a gallery of items and guess the price, unleash your creativity at an on-site customization station or just enjoy the installation and DJ vibes of the can’t miss event. Finally ..read more

Do you know the real Sophie Cunningham? The honest answer is, probably not. You know of the Phoenix Mercury sharpshooter, who is known for having a competitive fire that, at times, has often been intertwined with a narrative that’s followed her since college. Actually, way before that. In Kindergarten, parents scolded her on the soccer field for being “too aggressive, too rough.” She never wavered, not as a top ranked recruit and former McDonald’s All-American in high school, or at Mizzou, where she emerged into the program’s all-time leading scorer and led her squad to back-to-back-to-back-to ..read more

Growing up in Spain, Sarah Strong’s first introduction to the game was from her mother, Allison Feaster. Feaster, a former standout at Harvard, was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in ’98 with the fifth overall pick, went on to become an All-Star in ’04 and played overseas in France, Portugal, Italy and Spain. Strong remembers going to her mom’s practices and watching her put in work on the hardwood, all while falling in love with the game herself. “She would hustle a lot,” Strong tells us over Zoom in May. “That was probably her main thing. Just energy on defense, hustle and [being] aggressi ..read more

How do you process winning it all? It’s a feeling most of us will never understand, nor experience: only the select few ever win championships, and when you’re playing for a program that’s synonymous with winning, the standard is even higher. For Gamecock standout Tessa Johnson, the then-freshman had heard all about how difficult it was to solidify a ‘chip from former players and even the coaching staff, nevertheless to do so after the team won the year prior. But after posting an undefeated season, holding their own in the 2024 NCAA tournament, they defeated Iowa to win their third title unde ..read more

When DJ Burns emerges from inside a Marriott in downtown Stamford, CT, and steps into the cool morning stillness at 6:15am on Tuesday, May 7, he’s already an hour into his daily routine.  An oatmeal, dairy-free Greek yogurt with frozen fruit, unsweetened almond milk and agave nectar smoothie has already been consumed. Numerous t-shirt and short combinations, along with shower shoes, socks and enormous size 15 low top LeBron’s have been neatly stuffed into his official 2024 Final Four backpack. Ambling, but not with a residual slumber as Lil Wayne’s high pitched helium balloon voice swims ..read more