Tha Mobb
Slam|November - December 2019
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…
Alex Squadron
Tha Mobb

IT HOVERS AROUND 90 degrees on a Sunday afternoon in the French Quarter of New Orleans, but the heat isn’t a deterrent. Not on game day.

The Saints are set to host the Cowboys on primetime. Black and gold jerseys flood Bourbon Street as early as 11:00 am. Cigar smoke and the smell of Willie’s Chicken Shack fill the air. Bars are packed hours before kickoff and multi-colored beads fly off second-floor balconies. Bands of trumpets, trombones and other massive horns spontaneously perform on sidewalks. A dance crew outside St. Louis Cathedral has a huge speaker set up and uses a microphone to interact with pedestrians. Groups of little kids bang on buckets with drum sticks.

This is the rich culture of the Big Easy. This is the kind of energy that the people possess—it just hasn’t always, or fully, been directed at basketball.

That’s beginning to change, though. You can feel it.

The new Pelicans core of Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Jrue Holiday is a major reason why. There are several other factors, including a dramatic change in the culture of the organization, from top to bottom. The prospect of winning—and winning for a long, long time—has the city galvanized. Locals are getting behind it. The team has sold more than 12,000 season-ticket equivalents for 2019-20, the highest mark in over a decade. Since the NBA draft, they have seen the second-largest Instagram follower growth (29.5 percent) in the League, compared to merely 6 percent over the same period last year.

“We have an open practice coming up and they’ve had requests for more tickets than the Smoothie King Center has seats,” Coach Alvin Gentry says. “That would’ve never happened a few years ago. That alone tells me that we’re transitioning into something pretty good.”

“Pretty good” is an understatement.

Denne historien er fra November - December 2019-utgaven av Slam.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra November - December 2019-utgaven av Slam.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA SLAMSe alt
The SUMMER THAT WASN'T
Slam

The SUMMER THAT WASN'T

Playground entry fences chain locked. Rims removed. Leagues canceled. Summer basketball just stopped in 2020. And as its effects extended beyond the blacktop, we were reminded why it's so important.

time-read
8 mins  |
June - July 2021
METAMORPHOSIS
Slam

METAMORPHOSIS

The sport of basketball speaks to so many people in so many ways. Dan Peterson, the founder of Project Backboard, has teamed up with artists to use the beauty of the sport to turn local courts into works of art that are accessible to all.

time-read
4 mins  |
June - July 2021
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S Fire
Slam

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S Fire

For former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, the last three years have had their ups and downs. Now that he and the Phoenix Suns are back on the way up, DA wants everyone to know that's where they're planning to stay.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June - July 2021
Now What?
Slam

Now What?

As North Carolina rapper J. Cole transitioned from up-and-comer to full-blown vet, he came to a realization: staying sharp and fighting off complacency ain't easy. Inspired by his love for basketball and his desire to remain on top of the game, the 36-year-old has been treating music like a competitive sport while he readies his next project: The Off-Season.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June - July 2021
ONE STEP AT A Time
Slam

ONE STEP AT A Time

NBA and G League vet Jeremy Lin and Loyola Marymount's Anthony Yu speak candidly about the ups and downs of being Asian American in the basketball world.

time-read
9 mins  |
June - July 2021
THE GARDEN Blooms
Slam

THE GARDEN Blooms

The Knicks are back. Deadass, they're back. A return to the tough, gritty, resilient style that made the teams of the past so dominant has allowed Saba Julius Randle and RJ Barrett and the Knicks an opportunity to compete for homecourt advantage in the 2021 playoffs. Facts.

time-read
10 mins  |
June - July 2021
CITIZEN OF THE World
Slam

CITIZEN OF THE World

Congolese native Yannick Nzosa played for professional teams in Italy and Spain before he turned 17. Now that his name is moving up the 2022 pre-draft boards, the former soccer player has one thing front and center in his mind—succeeding for his family back home.

time-read
8 mins  |
June - July 2021
STRONG Island
Slam

STRONG Island

Mental fortitude and physical toughness are what's helped Long Island's Arella Guirantes make it all the way to the W.

time-read
3 mins  |
June - July 2021
KICK IN THE Door
Slam

KICK IN THE Door

The WNBA, now in its 25th season, is the longest-running women's sports league ever. SLAM sat down with four of the most influential players of all time Diana Taurasi, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Sue Bird to discuss their part in making the League the force it is today.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June - July 2021
Can't YOU SEE
Slam

Can't YOU SEE

It ain't hard to tell that supernatural vision has established Nuggets star Nikola Jokic as a clear candidate for the 2021 MVP Award.

time-read
8 mins  |
June - July 2021