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


'Cause I'm easy... Easy like Sunday mornin'. BALL IS LIFE! Yesterday I gave you the nitty gritty on my first day in New York; You were told about Harlem, a bad shuttle service & my new nickname (Andy Milonakis). Here comes the Second Day!

Thursday, April 16-

BEEP BEEP! I was awaken by the extremely annoying alarm clock/life saver at a time far too early for my work ethic- we're talking in the range of 6:30 in the morning ladies and gents. Clearly, I was not cut out from this by god given gifts, I would be grinding it out the entire weak with the help of Dunkin Donuts and pure hype.

Just outside of our hotel is a local food joint (I say local as in available only to NYC, obviously it's local if it's just outside the hotel...but I digress) run by some straight Jamaican cats on 27th street and 7th avenue. Picture the most ghetto name, something like "the food joint", placed on a weak sauce banner that must have been made in a makeshift garage. Anyway, like I was saying, if you looked at it, you'd shake your head and be all "Naw y'all, this just ain't happening today- I'm not trying to kill my colon." But I was drawn to it for some weird reason, you know as a tourist, you want to visit these quaint locations and live like a local... So I walk in, order two chili-cheese dogs and a lemonade. The second I pull out my credit card the dude shakes his head, and pulls the most sketch line in the history of food ordering- "Cash only." Just two words. So I paid in cash, stared down those meaty bad boys & prayed to every god I possibly could in any religion language or dialect in order to save my digestive system from the food equivalent of napalm.

The teeth part, my tongue moves, the food goes in. The jaws close. I'm going to be honest- I probably had a look on my face during that first bite that was like "I got a bad feeling about this..." And... I'm pleasantly surprised. This was like a hood Weinerschnitzel. Best 3 dollars I ever spent in NYC. That's right- two full size chili cheese hot dogs with a 32oz lemonade for three singles. I can dig this...

So I'm walking along the city, strutting my step early in the morning in my leather jacket/Jordan attire combo (I must have looked absolutely ridiculous that early in the morning all hyped) when I get a call. "Yo, the first practice starts in 30 minutes." Uh oh, time for that speed grind. Subway? Name's Justin- nice to meet you.


The summit, the peaks
The plains and the valley
The ballad, the fog, the bank with the alley
The waking hour, the moment, the dream
The moaning, the murmur, the laughter, the scream
The filling beginning, the quiet finale
Eh eh eh eh lifetime, lifetime
Keep keeping on
Maintain the rock, keep up the rock
-Mos Def- Lifetime

The Sport Club/LA. It's one outrageous sports club. It's got just about everything. Picture a 24 Hour Fitness if it was built for the rich & famous. Do you have the marble counter-tops in mind set up in the lobby? Do you see the guy in the elevator, pressing which floor you're going to for you? What about the freshest staircase ever, and at the base of it is... Alas, the media check in table. Sitting at the fold out table is the prettiest girl I've ever had to sign my name for on paper- we're talking that "Are you a model" stuff! So I get my press kit, sliiiide on into the freshest elevator my middle class self has entered my whole life & told the operator "Ninth Floor Chief. Let's do this!" Check that Prince of Bel-Air swagger right there.

Check it! I have the strut down pat- shoulders set, face on point. I walk out the elevator, greeted by none other than... Jooooordan Haaaamilton. J-Ham is that dude, he's loyal to people that treat him right, nice to strangers and humble to his peers. We exchange the obligatory "what's good?" and we're off to the races. Gatorade for the Press, all white box lunches for the players (I don't mean that as a 'that's wack' line... I mean it looks like the boxes were designed by Jordan... It was real). I'm seated next to Patrick Stanwood, one of the best basketball talent scouts you'll ever meet. Practice begins. We'll begin with a few of my first impressions.

1. John Wall athletically is not Derrick Rose. He's Rajon Rondo. He's almost the exact build as Rajon with one minor difference- Wall doesn't have the bigger than Flippers hands. Wall does have the long arms, he does have the 6'4 height, the broad shoulders... He has Rondo speed, Rondo athleticism, Rondo change of pace in the open court. But with that same token, his jump shot is just as bad as Rondo's at the same stage in their careers. I think their games are uncannily similar in every which way.

2. No offense to DeMarcus Cousins, but he's probably the worst "practice" guy ever. He is outstanding in games, but he looks awkward in drills, clunky during wind sprints, out of shape during shooting workouts. The minute they start playing actual basketball, however, he becomes one of the best players in the country. This tells me just how natural his ability is. It also tells me that for him to make vast improvements throughout his career, he's going to need very inventive drills and workouts.

3. Jordan Hamilton, without playing any basketball this entire season, has improved somehow. He isn't a top 10 player in the country, not even. He's top 5. It's not even up for discussion. At 6'7, he's the most skilled player for his size since Paul Pierce. To be completely honest (and without attempting to seem overeager), Jordan could possibly be a new and improved Paul Pierce. This may seem daunting, but when you watch him play in person; my goodness.

4. Xavier Henry might have the most NBA ready body in the country. 6'7, 255. All muscle. I mean that. He's Ron Artest body. His tenacity on offense rivals Ron Ron's tenacity on defense. It's scary. Kansas just got a grown. ass. man. Period.

After practice, we had media day. Picture two full size gyms side by side, one makeshift television interview session at mid court, another on the wing on the far three point arch, a few others on baseline. Here's some of my grind out work on media day:

Renardo Sidney-

JW: Renardo, are you excited to play your last amateur basketball event?
RS: Why you need to call it amateur? Man, this dude right here [laughs]! No, you know it's a great opportunity to show my talent and I can show everybody that not only am I fat, but I can still move you know, just because you're fat doesn't mean you can't play. I'm just here trying to get all these haters off my back and try to do what I do.

JW: How do you feel about USC's chances for next year?
RS: We will be good, we have a lot of great players coming in. Me personally, I'm trying to get to college early. I want Tim Floyd to work the mess outta' me- get me in better conditioning, get my weight down. We're going to try to win that national championship.

JW: Do you think that Tim is going to prepare you for the NBA as he did OJ & DeMar?
RS: Yes, there's not a doubt in my mind. I mean think about it, he's a great coach- he's had success on every level. He was a coach in the NBA! What can I say, he's had success in HS, college, the NBA... I really think he can help me get to the place I need to be at to reach my potential.

JW: You've already mentioned your shortcomings and what you need to work on, what do you feel you can offer USC from day one?
RS: I'm going to be offering leadership, and hard work. I'm going to go in there from day one, hit the weights, get my body right and try to get our team to a national championship.

JW: If Taj does stay in the draft, are you ready to step in his shoes?
RS: I'm ready to step in anybody's shoes they need me to step in! Like I said, I'm just there to get 'SC a national championship.

Avery Bradley-

JW: How do you feel about getting moved up to number 1 in the nation in ESPN's rankings?
AB: It's a blessing.

JW: No I mean the real answer!
AB: No, seriously, I feel good about it, I'm excited. There's a lot of high level talent in this class, and for someone to say "Yo, he's the best player in the country," that's just an honor to me.

JW: UT's recruiting class just stepped it up a little.
AB: Honestly, I think our class this year is better than last year! You got Jordan Hamilton, who's here- he's a baller. You have myself into the mix... And you got Shawn Williams- all he does is shoot, and it's wet. And he has size! I think we're going to be good.

Dominic Cheek:

JW: What are your thoughts on this year's recruiting class for Villanova?
DC: We have the top recruiting class, I think, in the country. Other people don't think that, but I think so. And we all have a great chance of coming in from day one and playing meaningful minutes.

JW: Are you excited to be with Coach Wright?
DC: Oh, I'm very excited. He produces guards and develops players into their top potential. He gets them to the next level. Look at all the top guards Villanova has had in the past few years. Allen Ray, Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Kyle Lowry... That's just a few solid players, just off the top of my head. And coming in you have myself, Malik for the outside talent... Then inside we have MOUPH- That's Mouphtaou Yarou and Isaiah Armwood on the block. That, with Taylor King being eligible next season after his transfer? Man we're set.

JW: What goals do you have for this week?
DC: For the Jordan Brand Classic? I just want to come out with the win. I want the team to play hard and everything, because at McDonalds, a lot of people said we didn't play hard.

JW: This is the last time you're going to be with all these players...
DC: Yeah man... Next stop is college! So, we gotta make the best of it.

JW: What do you think you're going to do as a freshman?
DC: I just have to come in and try to get better every day. I know a lot of players say that to people when they're asked, but that's just the mindset you gotta have. I just need to play to the best of my ability. If I am supposed to play at such 'n such a level, then I need to play at that level all the time.

Jordan Hamilton-

JW: What did you do yesterday bro?
JH: Yesterday? Man, I came in on a long flight (like six hours), finally got to NY, got picked up & went to the hotel... We chilled a bit, settled in. Then we went to the House of Hoops, signed some autographs, went back to the hotel & got some rest. After a long flight & a hectic day? Gotta get the food in, then get that rest!

JW: [Sarcastic tone] Then what Jordan?
JH: [laughs] Man, then it's day two! We just got finished practicing, it was a good time. Guys, they're throwing that thing up man.

JW: Everybody playing harder than they did at McDonalds, because word on the street said they didn't play hard at all.
JH: I think it was because they ate too much McDonalds! You know what I'm saying?

JW: Oh no he didn't!
JH: And I wasn't there, John Wall wasn't there, Royce White wasn't there, Daniel Orton wasn't there... This squad is loaded. We're here to do work. This is business mindset.

JW: You tired?
JH: Yeah bro, I'm sore all over.

JW: [sarcastic tone again] Why bro?!
JH: I fell man! I saw this cute girl that works at Nike, I smiled and waved... then I tripped and fell!

JW: Jordan said he's not ready for the cute lady!
JH: Haha, not even!

JW: Really though, are you pumped to finally be back on the court?!
JH: Yes. It's my first senior game on the big stage! I have to make a good impression. I'm an all-american, and some people are sleeping on me. I need to wake 'em up. I'm going hard all week. 110% no matter what!


If you couldn't tell, Jordan Hamilton might be the coolest cat on the planet. Always joking around, always making people laugh. I usually don't go on like this, but I'll just say it. I am proud to be friends with Jordan Hamilton, he's that dude.

After that, you know a brother did get some rest of his own! Tune in next time for the latest and greatest at Jordan Brand!