EBC 2006 Celebrity Game By C.Y. Ellis
07.24.2006 - Updated on 07.24.2006
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Ah, the celebrity game: An opportunity for big names to try their hand at another trade…and embarrass themselves. Unfortunately, the EBC celebrity game showcased some surprisingly talented players, denying many the chance to make the tired proclamation “He may have the fame, money and honeys, but I’d ball him up.”
Although there were one or two points at which it looked something like a game of basketball, it wouldn’t do the contest justice to recap it as such. Instead, I’ll run through a few of the game’s highlights.
- Watching Ron Naclerio victimise defenders half his age, you begin to see how Rafer Alston became the player he is under his tutelage. On a transition play in the first quarter, he beat one man after another with crossovers in opposite directions before tossing in a double-clutch lefty layup in traffic. It’s not often a play inspires me to quote Charlie Murphy, but his commentary on Prince’s basketball skills would fit here.
- HoopsVibe favourite Bobbito Garcia showed he could still get it done, throwing countless wacky passes and reaching deep into his bag of tricks to add some flavour to the game.
- Chart-topper Ne-Yo came out to a legion of screaming female fans, only to airball his first two shots by a long way. The first, an off-balance airball from the arc, bounces on the baseline and almost lands in a group of girls yelling for him.
- Michael B. Jordan (of TV’s “All My Children”) had a quiet start to the game, but came out of nowhere with a crossover, hop-step and teardrop that may have been the play of the game.
- Jim Jones hustled hard throughout the contest, showing off the sort of skills that obviously didn’t come by accident. Jones ended up contributing thirty-four of his team’s fifty-nine total points, the majority coming from pull-up jumpers and driving layups.
- With the red team catching up late in the game, Ron Naclerio turned it up a notch, stealing the ball and breaking loose before throwing a mixtape-worthy behind-the-back dime that had the stands going wild.
- Al Cash took a ribbing from both Hannibal and Boobie Smooth throughout the game for his awkward jumper, but made up for multiple bricks with a twenty-five-foot bomb right at the buzzer that shut them up temporarily.
- CYE in NYC
