After Kevin Durant and LeBron James made surprise appearances in the Drew League last month, Dino Smiley challenged Kobe Bryant to suit up and put on a show in South Central Los Angeles.
Smiley, the league's commissioner, got his wish on Tuesday afternoon. Bryant arrived at the gym, changed into a purple jersey and delivered one of the most entertaining performances of the summer. Bryant was teamed up with fellow NBA players Ed Davis, Craig Smith and Derrick Williams. The opposing team featured DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Pooh Jeter and, the league's MVP, Casper Ware.
Bryant got off to a quick start, scoring 13 points in the first quarter. Whether he was dunking over defenders or knocking down difficult fade-away jumpers, he dominated in his usual fashion, making everything look easy.
It was around this time that word of Bryant's appearance started to spread. Fans poured into the gym, but the doors were locked once maximum capacity was reached. That didn't stop fans from surrounding the building, while thousands of others around the world watched on the league's online stream.
As the game continued, the match-up between Bryant and Harden didn't disappoint the many onlookers. The two were trading baskets and going head-to-head. Harden would finish with 50 points, but that would be forgotten thanks to what transpired in the game's final seconds.
With the score tied at 137, Bryant walked the ball down the court. The crowd chanted "KO-BE" and Harden stepped up, giving Bryant very little space. After a few seconds, Bryant dribbled left and faded away at the foul line. Harden extended his arm and had his entire hand inches from Bryant's face, but the ball still found its way into the basket as time expired. Immediately after the shot went in, the fans in attendance rushed the court and embraced Bryant, who stood at half court with his arms in the air.
Bryant would finish with 45 points and arguably the most exciting game-winning shot of the summer. It wasn't long before Bryant was a trending topic on Twitter and video of his shot circulated around the internet.
While his performance generated plenty of buzz, there was even more talk about whether or not he would play in the showdown between the Drew League and Goodman League this Saturday.
Yesterday's game was part All-Star game to conclude the pro-am's season and part scrimmage for this weekend's 'Capital Punishment' event that will feature the best players from the Drew and Goodman leagues.
Many of the players from yesterday's game will make the trip to Washington, DC including DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Craig Smith and Pooh Jeter. Ed Davis and Derrick Williams aren't listed on the Drew League's roster just yet, but sources close to the situation expect them to play as well. The fact that Bryant was playing in this game fueled the rampant rumors that he'll suit up for the Drew League at Trinity University.
Sources say that Bryant has yet to decide whether or not he wants to play in the star-studded exhibition game, but he is considering it. Many of the players involved in the game are represented by Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka including Harden, Davis and Williams, which is one of the many reasons that the rumor appears to have legs.
In recent weeks, the Drew League hinted that they would have several late additions to their roster, but they didn't name any specific players. They'll need all of the help they can get as the Goodman League's roster is stacked with notable players such as Kevin Durant, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Ty Lawson, Tyreke Evans, Dante Cunningham, Gary Neal, Donte Green, Sam Young and Josh Selby.
The game will be streamed online at The Basketball Channel for the pay-per-view price of $4.99. If Bryant does play, he'll likely go head-to-head with Durant, which would be worth every penny.
Bryant dominated from start to finish on Tuesday afternoon, but whether or not he'll give Smiley an encore this weekend remains to be seen.
Under Armour Taking Shots: Under Armour is one of the best up-and-coming sportswear companies around and, if you didn't notice, they're having an excellent summer. They signed Derrick Williams and Kemba Walker to endorsement deals while giving Brandon Jennings plenty of exposure. Their brand is growing and so is their popularity.
But in order to be the best, UA needs to challenge the likes of Nike, adidas and Reebok, which is exactly what they're attempting to do in their latest ad campaign.
Under Armour launched a new commercial that takes subtle shots at their competitors.
First, they call out LeBron James and Nike: "We are not royalty. We don't claim crown to a kingdom we haven't earned yet."
The ad also calls out Dwight Howard (adidas), Kobe Bryant (Nike) and Allen Iverson (Reebok): "We don't represent the followers, the ones who get bought. The kings, the superheroes or the snakes that get caught in something so fictional that athletes turn into actors; a legacy reduced to a press conference concerning practice."
The shots don't stop there. Last night, Jennings called out Bryant on Twitter. He challenged the Black Mamba, saying that he wanted to match-up with him individually at some point this summer. To top off the tweet, he included a picture of himself wearing an Under Armour shirt that reads "Nobody Likes a Snake" in purple and gold font. This shirt is currently available exclusively at Finishline stores for $24.99.
Rather than promoting their products the traditional way, Under Armour is going after their competition to make headlines and generate more interest. It's working.
Smiley, the league's commissioner, got his wish on Tuesday afternoon. Bryant arrived at the gym, changed into a purple jersey and delivered one of the most entertaining performances of the summer. Bryant was teamed up with fellow NBA players Ed Davis, Craig Smith and Derrick Williams. The opposing team featured DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Pooh Jeter and, the league's MVP, Casper Ware.
Bryant got off to a quick start, scoring 13 points in the first quarter. Whether he was dunking over defenders or knocking down difficult fade-away jumpers, he dominated in his usual fashion, making everything look easy.
It was around this time that word of Bryant's appearance started to spread. Fans poured into the gym, but the doors were locked once maximum capacity was reached. That didn't stop fans from surrounding the building, while thousands of others around the world watched on the league's online stream.
As the game continued, the match-up between Bryant and Harden didn't disappoint the many onlookers. The two were trading baskets and going head-to-head. Harden would finish with 50 points, but that would be forgotten thanks to what transpired in the game's final seconds.
With the score tied at 137, Bryant walked the ball down the court. The crowd chanted "KO-BE" and Harden stepped up, giving Bryant very little space. After a few seconds, Bryant dribbled left and faded away at the foul line. Harden extended his arm and had his entire hand inches from Bryant's face, but the ball still found its way into the basket as time expired. Immediately after the shot went in, the fans in attendance rushed the court and embraced Bryant, who stood at half court with his arms in the air.
Bryant would finish with 45 points and arguably the most exciting game-winning shot of the summer. It wasn't long before Bryant was a trending topic on Twitter and video of his shot circulated around the internet.
While his performance generated plenty of buzz, there was even more talk about whether or not he would play in the showdown between the Drew League and Goodman League this Saturday.
Yesterday's game was part All-Star game to conclude the pro-am's season and part scrimmage for this weekend's 'Capital Punishment' event that will feature the best players from the Drew and Goodman leagues.
Many of the players from yesterday's game will make the trip to Washington, DC including DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Craig Smith and Pooh Jeter. Ed Davis and Derrick Williams aren't listed on the Drew League's roster just yet, but sources close to the situation expect them to play as well. The fact that Bryant was playing in this game fueled the rampant rumors that he'll suit up for the Drew League at Trinity University.
Sources say that Bryant has yet to decide whether or not he wants to play in the star-studded exhibition game, but he is considering it. Many of the players involved in the game are represented by Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka including Harden, Davis and Williams, which is one of the many reasons that the rumor appears to have legs.
In recent weeks, the Drew League hinted that they would have several late additions to their roster, but they didn't name any specific players. They'll need all of the help they can get as the Goodman League's roster is stacked with notable players such as Kevin Durant, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Ty Lawson, Tyreke Evans, Dante Cunningham, Gary Neal, Donte Green, Sam Young and Josh Selby.
The game will be streamed online at The Basketball Channel for the pay-per-view price of $4.99. If Bryant does play, he'll likely go head-to-head with Durant, which would be worth every penny.
Bryant dominated from start to finish on Tuesday afternoon, but whether or not he'll give Smiley an encore this weekend remains to be seen.
Under Armour Taking Shots: Under Armour is one of the best up-and-coming sportswear companies around and, if you didn't notice, they're having an excellent summer. They signed Derrick Williams and Kemba Walker to endorsement deals while giving Brandon Jennings plenty of exposure. Their brand is growing and so is their popularity.
But in order to be the best, UA needs to challenge the likes of Nike, adidas and Reebok, which is exactly what they're attempting to do in their latest ad campaign.
Under Armour launched a new commercial that takes subtle shots at their competitors.
First, they call out LeBron James and Nike: "We are not royalty. We don't claim crown to a kingdom we haven't earned yet."
The ad also calls out Dwight Howard (adidas), Kobe Bryant (Nike) and Allen Iverson (Reebok): "We don't represent the followers, the ones who get bought. The kings, the superheroes or the snakes that get caught in something so fictional that athletes turn into actors; a legacy reduced to a press conference concerning practice."
The shots don't stop there. Last night, Jennings called out Bryant on Twitter. He challenged the Black Mamba, saying that he wanted to match-up with him individually at some point this summer. To top off the tweet, he included a picture of himself wearing an Under Armour shirt that reads "Nobody Likes a Snake" in purple and gold font. This shirt is currently available exclusively at Finishline stores for $24.99.
Rather than promoting their products the traditional way, Under Armour is going after their competition to make headlines and generate more interest. It's working.
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