Lakers Jordan Clarkson and Nick Young recently played in a Nike Basketball event at the invite-only Air Jordan Hangar
Recently, the Drew League took their talents to a secret Nike Basketball X Air Jordan Hangar event in the heart of Los Angeles. Two games were played but the most popular pitted Team Problems, featuring Lakers’ Nick Young and Jordan Clarkson against Team BB4L (Basketball for Life) starring Toronto Raptors’ guard, Terrence Ross coached by former Clipper, Baron Davis.
Fans, family members and the media all parked in one location, then were whisked away to the secret event on luxury buses. The buzz during the trip was electric, as invitees could not wait to watch the games, a dunk contest which included an Aston Martin as the grand prize, and an added bonus, an Olympic preview with Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler.
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About 200-300 attendees sat in the stands or were free to roam around the court, which was located inside a literal airplane hangar. To add to the ambiance, parked just outside of the hangar was an Air Jordan corporate jet, topped off with a red carpet for tours and picture-taking.
Upon entering the event, fans were able to view walls full of USA basketball uniforms, kicks, and signed memorabilia from past and present Olympians. It was brightly lit with a transparent floor full of white basketballs, an experience that would fill any American with pride.
In terms of actual play, Team Problems struggled to keep up with the fast-paced BB4L squad. You may not have been able to name most of the players on the court on first sight, but you were surely impressed by the intensity and style of play.
One of the biggest highlights of the night was when Nick Young broke Terrence Ross’s ankles.
Clarkson scored 33 points on the night and you could tell losing was not on his agenda from the get go. The 6’4 junior, made the night worthwhile with his dynamic style of play, dunks and more even though his team ended up losing 103-94.
Here are Clarkson’s highlights from the special night, you also get a good feel for what games sound like in The Drew League:
You couldn’t help but feel for Clarkson and Young after the game, as they should have won but that’s what makes The Drew League so special: it draws some of the best players in the world and provides a platform for those not able to make an NBA roster to step up and show they’re worthy of a chance.
The night ended with an interview of Olympians Kyrie Irving and Jimmy Butler, who also served as two of the four judges for the Dunk Contest along with Tyreke Evans and Drew League founder, Dino Smiley. After all, no basketball event is complete without a dunk contest.
Professional dunker, Michael Purdie ended up winning the Dunk Contest, and the Aston Marin, and here is how he did it:
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All-in-all, it was a fantastic event complete with waving American flags, exciting basketball, and famous NBA stars. Stay tuned for more Nike Basketball summer action from the Lake Show Life.