Jack Ryan is an American streetball player from Brooklyn, New York.[ citation needed ] Ryan began playing basketball at John Jay High School, where, as a senior, he averaged 26 ppg. Ryan later took his game to East 5th St. Park in Brooklyn, where he mastered the tricks and shots he became well known for. In his first season in a recreational league at West 4th, Ryan played one game against former Detroit Pistons player Phil Sellers and scored 44 points. [1]
Ryan is most well known for his proficient 3-point shooting.[ citation needed ] According to an article written by Bobbito Garcia about Ryan in Slam Magazine Streetball Special Collector's Issue, Chris Mullin once described Jack as the best shooter he'd ever seen who hadn't played in the NBA.[ citation needed ] The article also states Peter Vecsey got Ryan a tryout with the New Jersey Nets in 1990, but was the second-to-last man cut, ending Ryan's NBA aspirations. In May 2003 Ryan was named as one of "Slam Magazines Greatest Playground Ballers of All Time." [2] Ryan further proved his mastery of the 3-point shot when he won the 2005 City Slam 3-Point Shooting Championships, which aired on ESPN. In a close final, Ryan edged out fellow streetball sharpshooter Deshun "Father Time" Jackson to take the title.[ citation needed ]
Ryan's story was featured on the cover of The New York Times Sports section on December 3, 2003. [3] He was also featured in an episode of the 2019 Netflix documentary series Losers . [4]
A 2020 film Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story , explores Jack Ryan's history and attempted entry into the NBA.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. He played fifteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 1984 and 2003, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. He was integral in popularizing basketball and the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a global cultural icon. His profile on the NBA website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time."
Stephen Douglas Kerr is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is known as one of the most accurate three-point shooters in NBA history. Kerr is a nine-time NBA champion, having won five titles as a player and four as head coach of the Warriors. He was named one of the 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History.
Daniel Ray Ainge is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and professional baseball player who serves as an executive for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his 18-year career as general manager for the Boston Celtics, he was known for making bold moves to help the team rebuild, clearing cap space and tanking for picks. Ainge served as the Boston Celtics' president of basketball operations from 2003 until his retirement in 2021, when he was succeeded by incumbent head coach Brad Stevens.
Julius Winfield Erving II, commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is an American former professional basketball player. Erving helped legitimize the American Basketball Association (ABA), and he was the best-known player in that league when it merged into the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the 1975–1976 season.
Keith Adam Van Horn is an American former professional basketball player. Van Horn played for the New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Rafer Jamel Alston, also known as Skip to my Lou or Skip 2 My Lou, is an American retired professional basketball player. Alston first gained basketball fame playing in the AND1 Mixtape Tour in 1999 before joining the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Milwaukee Bucks. While in the NBA from 1999 to 2010, he played for six teams, including the 2008–09 Orlando Magic team that made the NBA Finals.
Streetball is a variation of basketball, typically played on outdoor courts and featuring significantly less formal structure and enforcement of the game's rules. As such, its format is more conducive to allowing players to publicly showcase their own individual skills. Streetball may also refer to other urban sports played on asphalt. It is particularly popular and important in New York City and Los Angeles, though its popularity has spread across the United States due to the game's adaptability.
Jonathan Clay "JJ" Redick is an American former professional basketball player, podcaster and sports analyst for ESPN. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, winning many individual awards. He was selected 11th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2006 NBA draft and subsequently played for 15 seasons in the NBA, with six different teams.
AND1 is an American footwear and clothing company specializing in basketball shoes, clothing, and sporting goods. AND1 was founded on August 13, 1993. The company focuses strictly on basketball and is a subsidiary of Galaxy Universal.
Kenneth "the Jet" Smith is an American sports commentator and former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in the NBA from 1987 to 1997 as a member of the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Denver Nuggets. Smith won back-to-back NBA championships with Houston.
Jack Wayne Sikma is an American former professional basketball center. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star with the Seattle SuperSonics, who drafted him in the first round with the eighth overall pick of the 1977 NBA draft. In 1979, he won an NBA championship with Seattle. Sikma finished his playing career with the Milwaukee Bucks. He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Charles Rahmel Jones is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), with the Chicago Bulls (NBA) & Los Angeles Clippers (NBA).
Deshun Jackson, aka "Father Time", is an American streetball player from Bakersfield, California who has appeared on two ESPN television shows. He was featured on season 2 of the AND1 Mixtape Tour television show on ESPN, and later on the show ESPN City Slam. Jackson is 6-foot 1-inch tall and plays shooting guard. He is known for his perimeter shooting skills. In 2005, Jackson finished 2nd in the City Slam 3-Point Shooting Championships, losing in a close battle to "Black Jack" Ryan. In 2009, Jackson participated in the SpikeTV show Pros vs Joes, where Jackson and 2 other "Joes" faced off against retired NBA players Ron Harper, Eddie Jones, and Shawn Kemp in a series of basketball related challenges. In the final 3-on-3 contest, Jackson's team was able to defeat the former NBA players in overtime. Jackson attended West High School in Bakersfield.
The AND1 Live Tour, formerly known as the AND1 Mixtape Tour, was a traveling basketball competition and exhibition that existed from 1998 to 2008. It was presented by B-Ball and Company and the basketball apparel manufacturer AND1. A group of streetball players, along with Emcee Rell and B-Ball and Company CEO Linda Hill, travel from town to town and challenge teams composed of local talent. Games tend to be characterized by isolation one-on-one ball handling moves and acrobatic slam dunks and alley-oops.
Jacob Louis Molinas was an American professional basketball player and a key figure in one of the most wide-reaching point shaving scandals in college basketball.
Courtney Lee is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Western Kentucky University.
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules. Basketball is one of the most popular and widely viewed sports in the world.
Linked to the popularity of basketball in Puerto Rico, the recurrence of streetball has become intertwined with the practice of the sport in all of its levels. Taking influence from the grassroots connection of Nuyorican streetballers to the Baloncesto Superior Nacional, the practice is widespread in Puerto Rico, with impromptu games being a highly common occurrence for decades. Organized streetball gained momentum in the early 2000s and soon became involved with the local urban culture, especially the hip hop and reggaeton industries, giving origin to teams like Puerto Rico Streetball and the Puerto Rico Streetballers. Organizations based in Puerto Rico have played against foreign competition, with the results including the first win of an international team over the prominent AND1 Live Tour Team. Teams native to the archipelago are affiliated to the Street Basketball Association and FIBA's 3x3 basketball program.
Ryan Ruocco is an American television and radio sportscaster. He serves as a play-by-play announcer for the NBA, WNBA, and women's college basketball on ESPN, and the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets on YES Network. He hosts the podcast R2C2 with former Yankees all-star pitcher CC Sabathia. He previously hosted the Stephen A. Smith & Ryan Ruocco Show on ESPN Radio 98.7 FM.
Obadiah Richard Toppin Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of National Basketball Association (NBA). A power forward, he played college basketball for the Dayton Flyers.
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