Links: NBA Friday
Fri-Day! Yes!
Maybe I missed something, but is this 1985 again? The Lakers and Celtics are both contenders again…there’s a young kid tearing up the midwest (Bron)…David Stern doesn’t seem to have aged…what’s going on here?
Anyway, it’s time for another edition of NBA Friday, in which the official illustrator of The Links, Joel Kimmel, blesses us with another original drawing.
This week, in honor of the upcoming All-Star Weekend, Joel decided to flip the script a bit and draw a dunk he invented. As I promised Joel, I’m gonna make sure Rudy Gay takes a look at it.
“Here is the ‘how-to’ illustration of my dunk,” Joel says, “which I call The Dirty Jersey. I’ve never seen this performed before but I thought it up about a year ago after last year’s dunk contest. It is essentially a between-the-legs dunk with a twist — literally! I was inspired by the dribble move where the dribbler bounces the ball upwards into his jersey, slaps it and sends the ball twisting around his body where it falls out of the jersey in front of the dribbler. I imagined this being pulled off in the air and turned into a through-the-legs dunk. It can all work pretty seamlessly, as diagramed in my illustration.
Step 1: The player throws the ball into the air and chases after it.
Step 2: As the ball is about to bounce, the player begins to jump.
Step 3: While jumping, the player opens his jersey to allow the ball to enter off the bounce.
Step 4: The player catches the ball in his jersey.
Step 5: With his left hand, the player slaps the ball to send it spiraling clockwise around his body beneath the jersey.
Step 6: As the ball exits on the left side, the player takes the ball with his left hand and moves it under his right leg.
Steps 7-10: The hardest part is over and the player completes the dunk.
The dunk I diagrammed is the more difficult version, with a lot of the difficulty coming with getting the timing right to get the ball into the jersey off the bounce. The slightly simpler version would be for the player to place the ball under the jersey and then attempt the dunk. Either way, if Rudy can complete this dunk I’d be honored and proud. Good luck, Rudy!”
Here’s Joel’s diagram…
Next week Joel’s going back to drawing a team a week, and next week’s team is the Sacramento Kings. Give him your suggestions below.
64 Responses to “Links: NBA Friday”
Feb.8 at 3:28 pm
rgeezy says:
i believe i can fly…
Feb.8 at 3:30 pm
Noah D says:
whaaat?! thats impossible
Feb.8 at 3:30 pm
RiseKing says:
Might have to try that playing dunk hoops this weekend.
Feb.8 at 3:31 pm
Rasheedionics says:
This would be pretty amazing dunk but margin for an error in this dunk is slim to none. It would have to be someone with crazy hang time. I don’t think any of this years contestants can pull it off.
Feb.8 at 3:32 pm
Rasheedionics says:
I can see Video Game Rudy Gay pulling this off. Real life, not so much.
Feb.8 at 3:33 pm
white hot eboy says:
In my time growing up in NJ, I once knew a girl who’s nickname was “Dirty Jersey”. She neither wore a jersey of any sort that was dirty and really never gave off the appearance of being unclean. Hmmmm……………………
Feb.8 at 3:35 pm
andacagar says:
looks like Artest to me. I’m not feeling the pre-dunk antics. I feel like the in the air antics and dunk is more important than the dribbling leading up to the dunk.
Feb.8 at 3:44 pm
Joel Kimmel says:
If Rudy does this dunk and wins, do I get a percentage of the winnings?
Feb.8 at 3:46 pm
white hot eboy says:
A percentage, a mention if he wins and a 2:00 minute piece on the preshow outlining how Rudy got the dunk idea seems more appropriate, Joel.
Feb.8 at 3:47 pm
Captain America says:
heh, that dunk, been there done dat
Feb.8 at 3:48 pm
Joel Kimmel says:
I’d be more than happy with that, eboy. For him to even do the dunk would be great enough.
Feb.8 at 3:57 pm
white hot eboy says:
The dunk try would be great, though. Like the pigeons making an appearance, too.
Just saying, Joel, capitlize where you can.
Feb.8 at 4:01 pm
Joel Kimmel says:
Eboy, maybe we could get that girl you knew to throw the lob for Rudy as well.
Feb.8 at 4:02 pm
Jeronimo says:
Joel, the player has to be in the air like for 3 seconds to do that - that’s crazy. As for the Kings’ illustration, I’d like Mike Bibby and Ron Artest hitchhiking their way out of town, holding a “To any destination” sign.
Feb.8 at 4:06 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Nate Robinson could totally pull it off if you gave him 745,076,041,493,420 tries.
Feb.8 at 4:08 pm
white hot eboy says:
I doubt she could raise her arms above her waist to get the ball in the air, Joel. She was thick then, today, 20 years on, I imagine she’s closer to Shaq than AI.
Feb.8 at 4:12 pm
Mike C says:
Maybe Vince could have done it 7-8 years ago.. But I can’t think of anyone else even going close to pulling it off…
Feb.8 at 4:19 pm
Rasheedionics says:
and NBA jersey are not roomey enough. The ball would just get stuck there. They would need to wear one of those real huge streets jerseys.
Feb.8 at 4:31 pm
Bigi says:
He should try the dunk with those Nike-Pigeons…http://www.freshnessmag.com/content/features/files/0205/pigeon_dunk_stpl/
Feb.8 at 4:43 pm
a-ron says:
this is an nba live dunk, cos like rasheed said, too much hangtime is involved…i think gay can probably pull the jersey part, followed by a 180 reverse…
Feb.8 at 4:58 pm
Blue says:
James White did that in practice once. Popovich cut him after that…
Feb.8 at 5:05 pm
G Diesel says:
I’d like to see the Birdman reinstated and attempt this dunk. I bet he can pull it off after x number of tries!
Feb.8 at 5:19 pm
Dizzle says:
I think Candace Parker could do it. After all she did win that McDonalds All American dunk contest a few years back. HAHAHA (sorry Canadace)
Feb.8 at 5:21 pm
Dizzle says:
Can Rudy have one of those mini basketballs? It’s a great idea Joel, but I don’t think it’s be possible. What about a guy going up with the ball, putting it around his back (left to right), brings it to the front with his right hand, lifts his left leg up, puts the ball under and then dunks it. Has that been done before?
Feb.8 at 5:25 pm
G Diesel says:
For next week, I’d like to see Ron Artest waving good bye to the Sacramento Queens.
Feb.8 at 5:31 pm
Ryan Jones says:
I’m gonna do this all over my kid’s Little Tyke’s hoop this weekend.
Feb.8 at 5:49 pm
Joel Kimmel says:
Ryan, that may be the only way it can be done!
With a mini ball and a Jordan Jammer.
Hopefully Rudy can prove us all wrong.
Feb.8 at 5:53 pm
Cub Buenning says:
Kings, baby blue/last name on bottom of jerseys, either Otis Birdsong or Reggie Theus.
On the current tip, Mitch Richmond. I missed this very same dunk in my men’s league game last night.
oh no. I actually missed a wide-open, two-hander and I think I might have strained one of my _CL’s upon landing. Feelin’ real old these days.
Feb.8 at 5:57 pm
Mike D says:
Jamario Moon could do it!!
Feb.8 at 6:05 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
Joel, I forwarded this link on to Rudy’s people. I’ll let you know if I hear anything…
Feb.8 at 6:16 pm
dma says:
douby smoking a doobie. come one!
Feb.8 at 6:20 pm
Paps says:
Great work! Best one yet.
Feb.8 at 6:28 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
yo joel where tha hell do u want rudy 2 jump from halfcourt?
Feb.8 at 6:29 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
its a sick dunk tho!
Feb.8 at 6:29 pm
Joel Kimmel says:
Thanks Lang, that would be great.
I picked a tough week to do Sacramento. Any of those guys could be traded by the time I finish the painting.
Feb.8 at 6:32 pm
Joel Kimmel says:
@Bubba Chuck: Ha ha, Rudy can jump from wherever it is that makes this dunk possible. A trampoline even. It does look more impressive with him taking off from halfcourt though.
Feb.8 at 7:06 pm
Paps says:
FYI. Raptors 1000th game tonight.
Feb.8 at 7:22 pm
Bubba Chuck says:
@ joel: haha dats wut it looks like
Feb.8 at 8:00 pm
FLUXLAND says:
The man you are looking for is Apollo33! He may offer to hold a cookie in his mouth or have a sandwich while he’s up there near the Moon performing that dunk for you.
Feb.8 at 10:44 pm
john says:
woo sound like some nba street v.3 dunk. how is he going to finish that dunk.
Feb.9 at 1:20 am
boobie_gibson says:
Yo have any of you seen Jamario’s dunks on NBA.Com the preview, he dunks from about a foot back from the free throw line
Feb.9 at 1:56 am
AZ says:
yeah almost two feet behind the foul line.. i duno what to say about that.. its ridiculous
Feb.9 at 4:14 am
Kevin says:
never thought i’d say this, coz i love Joel’s art.. but this is a bit of a letdown for me somehow
Feb.9 at 4:15 am
Kevin says:
and i’m talkin bout graphics-wise, not the idea.. jus to clarify
Feb.9 at 10:07 am
Adam says:
Idea for the Kings picture next week:
Kevin Martin on a throne pointing(in banishment)to Ron Artest and Mike Bibby!
Feb.9 at 10:26 am
flo rida evans says:
No, man take out the east bay funk part of the dunk.The jive turkey wrap(tm) will be enough for a 48.
Feb.9 at 11:48 am
pete says:
bibby or mikki moore. sick dunk though
Feb.9 at 3:59 pm
Phila says:
KMART!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats my boy, you gotta do Kevin Martin
Feb.9 at 3:59 pm
Colin says:
How about a drawing of Kevin Martin? As long as it is not Ron Artest.
Feb.9 at 5:32 pm
DannyW_UK says:
What about a few of the Kings taking class from Reggie Theus, with the Kings in Deering High Uni’s? Or Deering High Players in Sacto Kings Uni’s? That’s be off the chain.
Feb.9 at 7:02 pm
Glen says:
If your worried about players getting traded, go with Martin there Joel. One kid the King’s AREN’T going to trade…
Feb.9 at 7:29 pm
DannyW_UK says:
Actually scrap my last post about Deering, THeus has really proved himself as a Coach this season. For the Kings to have their record after starting John Salmons and Cisco Garcia most of the season, he’s a candidate for 3rd place in Coach of the Year votes.
Feb.10 at 1:20 pm
gerardo says:
the only player that could pull that off is the 2001 version of vinsanity
Feb.10 at 1:49 pm
Galo says:
I thought about a similar dunk, without the “through the legs” part. And it’d be a reverse, coming from the sideline. But f*ck, if the dude pulls this off, JRich will look bad in comparison.
–
By the way, nobody thought of a “two times between the legs” dunk? It’s easy! Hold your R1 button, move with the L3 to the hoop, press O two times and voilà!
Feb.10 at 10:54 pm
jose says:
That dirty jersey dunk Without the between the legs would be pretty nice like that even
Feb.11 at 11:45 pm
jc says:
mr. 720 could do it
Feb.11 at 11:47 pm
jc says:
yo boobie i saw that, if he really puts that down it would be crazy
Feb.12 at 11:21 am
daniel says:
this is physically impossible. you would realize that if you tried to do that yourself
Feb.12 at 5:43 pm
Gerber says:
i was waiting for someone to mention Mr. 720…he might be able to do it if he almost got the double between the legs…(CRAZY!)…but if any one in th econtest can do this dunk…it Rudy Gay…
Feb.12 at 5:44 pm
Gerber says:
Oh and i agree with the idea of just pulling of the first part of this dunk could be a great starting dunk…
Feb.13 at 2:31 am
ToRaptorFan says:
I can see this dunk working if he catches the ball in his jersey and flips it around before he jumps. If he jumps just before he flips the ball between his legs there’s a possibility. Other than that, I can’t see this working. I hope I’m proven wrong, though
Feb.13 at 3:39 am
david says:
Ha!! Joel. this is absolutely stupendous! just clicked your name on the nba.com dunk comp blog. it does the heart very good to see you are the preeminent basketball illustrator on the planet. -clearly we need some sort of shopping metaphor when it comes to sacramento.- best of luck dude..
david.
Feb.14 at 5:44 am
Shift says:
Man u have to be crazy! No body could pull that S¤#¤t off. I just went to my backyard and tried that,,,, if i cant do it, then homie it cant be done. Wait a minute isnt that from a song ^-^ p.s. i just remembered i cant dunk, wait skratch that i cant tocuh the rim, wait skratch that too, i just remembered i cant jump. Sick idea though
Feb.15 at 5:52 am
mr.gorgeous says:
The jersey thing… I don’t know, especially as it’s off the bounce… man the timing and the concentration on jumping as high as you can + getting the ball under your jersey at the same time is impossible, cause you should hit the ball pretty hard off the floor so it gets high enough, but then again the ball will be much faster than you could ever jump + the knees would be in your way. Impossible but doable without the bounce.
If somebody could do that kind of sickness it would be Kadour Ziani. That guy has hangtime and vertical leap like nobody in the world! Figure this: under 6ft, jumps, kicks the rim with his foot and then dunks… 6ft guy!!!
A simple spin behind the back and a spin between the legs would be totally impressive and doable, add to it a 180 or even 360 rotation and you’ll get 51 points
Check that guy out on youtube! The NBA should invite him for the contest, would be fun