When Jordan Brand announced the Class of XXXII “Like Mike” Invitational, it was only right that it took place in Chicago. In the renovated Aon Grand Ballroom, the inaugural tournament featured six of the top high school basketball programs in the country (Hillcrest, Fenwick, Morgan Park, Monsignor Scanlan, Whitney Young and Findlay Prep). Taking advantage of the iconic Navy Pier, Jordan Brand made sure to make the experience a memorable one.
The talent that was on display did not disappoint. Fans got to see DJ Steward, Javon Freeman, Xavier Castaneda, Adam Miller, Ayo Dosunmu and Bol Bol.
The two-day invitational also included dope off-court events that took place in the Windy City. Hosted at Jordan Brand’s Chicago flagship store Station 23, which boasts a state-of-the-art training facility, players were introduced to Gatorade’s new Gx technology. The new development is a digital ecosystem that provides athletes with unique solutions to help them fuel their performance. Each team also received customized banners that they signed with their favorite Michael Jordan quotes.
To commemorate the tournament, Jordan Brand also introduced never-before-seen jerseys for each school (excluding Findlay Prep). In addition, the players rocked the Air Jordan XXXII “Russ,” “Win Like Mike,” and “Like Mike” silhouettes on the court.
Fans in attendance also had the opportunity to purchase items from the Jordan Brand x Gatorade “Like Mike” collection which celebrates the iconic “Be Like Mike” Gatorade campaign from 1991.
The tournament was highlighted by the play of Findlay Prep’s star Bol Bol. The son of former NBA player Manute Bol, the 18 year old dropped 30 points and 8 rebound with a broken pinky.
Morgan Park and Hillcrest also took home victories in Sunday’s action.
To conclude the night, PnB Rock and MadeinTYO hit the stage and performed hits from their respective catalogs.
Scroll through the gallery above to see what went down this past weekend in the Chi.
Photos by Joseph Sherman
