Summer SLAM Showcases Talent And Teaches Kids

Chris Chandler
Mirror Contributing Writer

Tourists strolling along the boardwalk Saturday enjoyed a surprise treat: NBA point guard Jaque Vaughn, and two teams of locally recruited playground legends, including Freeman Williams, filled the famous Venice Beach Basketball Courts, in the All Star Summer Slam, an event sponsored by the Converse shoe company and SLAM Magazine.
   Although it was billed as "a tribute to the local legends that have developed their skills on local playground courts," the game was actually one stop on a tour conceived to promote Converse's new line of "Chuck Authentics Bball" apparel and shoes. Its reasons for being aside, participants and fans still jumped on the opportunity to honor what many consider the 'real' game of basketball— the one played on the hardtops, with borrowed balls and metal nets in the nation's public basketball courts.
   The tour, which also stops in Chicago, Houston, Detroit and New York, includes free basketball skills workshops for children run by NBA Players. "I think what Converse is doing is great—giving something back to the fans and to the game," said Utah Jazz point guard Jaque Vaughn, who ran the workshops before the game. "It's a relief for me to be able to give of myself for kids. They are so genuine, and in my business I don't get to deal with that many genuine people."
   In addition to teaching fundamentals like dribbling and chest passing Vaughn says he has a something more important to teach kids who are serious about hoops. "I always try to start and end workshops with the same message," explains the former all-American from Kansas, "to tell the kids basketball will not be there for you forever, but your education will be. I may tear an ACL or ligaments in my wrist, but I've got a degree in business from Kansas that will help me through the rest of my life and nobody can take that away from me."
   After the clinic, Vaughn stepped aside, and gave the court to the playground stars who have been wowing spectators locally for years. Basketball fan and beach goer James Martin, watched the exhibition with interest, "I come down here every weekend to watch the guys play It's great to see them get their time in the sun." The shoes may or may not represent your idea of street-authenticity, but who cares? The free all-star game and free clinic provided great value for the Venice boardwalk crowd—and the fun was real enough.