The Grind: An Overwhelmed Writer's Experience of the Jordan Brand Classic Festivities. (First Day)

Justin Walsh spent the past week in NYC covering the Jordan Brand Classic for BIL. The following account is his look back at the tireless time. Includes player interviews, insight to the practices and whatever crazed thoughts that come from his mind.

Ladies and Gentlemen! I have returned to the crib- and not a minute too soon! I just spent the last week ruining my sleeping pattern, talking to all-americans and causing straight up chaos in Madison Square Garden. Allow me to hit you up with my recap from the city that never sleeps. Scratch that, they sleep, but always with one eye open.

Wednesday, April 15-

After a flight the length of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I arrived in that hole in the wall of an airport in Newark New Jersey. You know how people tell you that Kansas and Oklahoma are boring and have an ugly landscape? That's totally backwards by comparison to New Jersey. You look out that plane window and signal the flight attendant, only to ask something simple... Like "Ma'am, are you sure this is New Jersey? Because this looks a lot like a tent city in southwest Mexico." I had to do a double take on my flight itinerary on the real! But I digress...

So about 30 minutes after I'm off the plane, I get picked up by this eastern European immigrant running a shuttle service to my hotel in NYC- I understood probably 3 words he said, had to ask him to repeat himself probably 5 times the same sentence (he must have thought I was deaf, major respect for his patience). So we get in this 15 person van, chock full of French & German tourists, I feel more foreign than they do- at least they have like-minded folks among them. Only english speaking cat in a bus in America? Picture that. Anyway, we're driving across the bridge into New York City and immediately my eyes are completely drowned in gorgeous, vibrant views of old NYC architecture and culture. When I tell you the city was bleeding beauty, I mean it. I finally understood why Mos Def said all those things about NY in his songs...


So much on my mind that it can't recline
Blastin holes in the night til she bled sunshine
Breathe in, inhale vapors from bright stars that shine
Breathe out, weed smoke retrace the skyline
Heard the bass ride out like an ancient mating call
I can't take it y'all, I can feel the city breathin
Chest heavin, against the flesh of the evening
Sigh before we die like the last train leaving
-Mos Def- Respiration

That's basically what it was like- intoxicating my senses from the insides of a blue and yellow bus with some wack looking "Super Shuttle" logo. Every housing building had those stepways and ladders bolted to the outside of the bricks, many major business buildings had scaffolding on the base, black market cats slangin' designer bags for 10 bucks a pop, food joints only NY could shelve- everything was vibrant, and immediately it was like the shroud over my eyes was lifted, reality sunk in. I took a deep breath & took my first steps out into the concrete jungle.

I must have been walking around NYC with my hands gripping the luggage for 3 hours minimum- there's just so much to look at. First thing people don't realize about the Manhattan borough of NYC is that Times Square, the 34th street area & the upper east side are MAJOR tourist areas. We're talking thousands of cats with wide angle lenses, the russian wife & kids sporting cartoon backpacks on any major cross section. At first I was all "Man these tourists are way too enthralled, takin' all these pictures..." Then I looked up. EVERY building for some reason or another was something that your camera just HAD to take pictures of. Every 5 feet was a kodak moment, every vagabond on the curb was somehow more interesting than any homeless person from your area... Life is just beyond reality there. Every major fast food chain had competition 3 doors down, whether by other fast food joints or local joints with swagger never seen on stages as this. Every fast food place to compete offered free wi-fi. Can you picture a McDonalds or a Burger King in Dallas, Chi-town or Terra-Haute offering free wi-fi? Naw, that just doesn't happen. So I posted up in a Burger King that was three stories tall & checked the schedule. 7:00 PM- House of Hoops on 125th street in Harlem.

I read that again. Harlem. Like Harlem, Harlem?! Harlem. Being the gullible cat that I was, I immediately believed all the stereotypes, freaked out and started planning to straight up run through the streets so I wouldn't get mugged. After I checked into my hotel, I asked a few media guys going to the event how they were gettin' up there. Subway. Real talk, the subway is something I wish every city had. You drive? You wouldn't if you had the subway system NY has. So I bought myself a single ride MetroCard (a cool $2.00 fare) and hopped on the 2 train. 30 minutes & 75 streets later I was at my stop. Clammy palms, sweaty neck & swagger shrunk to a field mouse serving size, I walked out onto what I assumed would be a drive-by shooting.

I was all wrong. I mean ALL wrong. Harlem may not be Irvine, California in terms of safety, but it was chock full of culture, vibrant stores & the weirdest street corner black market tables known to my eyes. Not wanting to annoy the locals with a tourist-esque gait, I slouched a shoulder, popped in the iPod earphones, set the playlist to MF Doom and walked the 5 blocks to House of Hoops.


Krazy world, get it where you fit in
Shoes add a roll of dough there for the pickin
Switch up your stuff telegraphin how you livin
Its all about me, all about you
In the krazy world, get it where you fit in
Shoes add a roll of dough there for the pickin
Switch up your stuff telegraphin how you livin
Its all about me, all about you
-King Geedorah (MF Doom)- Krazy World

6:55 PM, I was early. Take a deep breath playa, it's good. I met with the PR guys for the event, went over a few items for the day & started my look into literally the most exclusive Nike store in the world. We're talking St. Vincent St. Mary's HS button up jackets, Christ the King HS Jackets... The works. Inside I saw the coach for St. Benedicts, the cats from Hot 97.1, all good cats. And the players weren't even here yet! I was in heaven. Did I mention this place was exclusive? The new LeBrons, in colorways I have never seen. Scratch that, I don't think anybody has ever seen these ish. In the middle of my close inspection of the new Kobe kicks in a colorway I never thought Nike had the balls to produce, I hear the rustling of sneaks, the claps of hands together in a hood-handshake and there it was. The top basketball players in the country were here.

Across the store I peep Jordan Hamilton with that sly grin of his. We say whats up, chat for a bit... He's had a chill time so far. Next I meet DeMarcus Cousins and threaten to dunk on him tomorrow- he was fresh and funny as hell. Within 15 minutes I had an official nickname that he, Renardo & Wally called me all week: Andy Milonakis. We were in stitches on the real! John Henson was looking at some straight neon blue and green lowtop dunks- I swear they were the grossest pair in existence (he'd respectfully disagree, he thought that pair was what's good in the streets). A few things I didn't expect- Marcus Jordan might have been the most quiet cat in the building. Royce White is probably the most humble player on the roster.

The crowds piled up- There might have been 100 fans coming in, begging for autographs. Little kids were going up to players asking for pictures; one little boy walked up to Wally Judge, shook his hand & thanked him for visiting his area. Seriously, NYC shows mad love for basketball. It was refreshing like a cold bottle of apple juice on the plane!

Next I interviewed John Henson for the SLAM JBC Diary. He was the funniest dude, on point with his day's review. Check it out to know just what I mean.

The night was done, I hopped on the 2 train back to my hotel- longest, best day of my life. Next up on the slate: Day 2 in New York- Media Day, First Practice, and more! (Interviews with Dominic Cheek, Renardo Sidney, Jordan Hamilton & others to come in next entry)