Full Circle

"Make me remember you, like you remember me..." - The Weeknd

The 1996 NBA Draft was one of the best ever, and last night the 13th-pick from that year continued to prove the doubters wrong.

I Told You So

Kobe Bryant was the first guard to successfully make the jump from high school to the pro ranks. People didn't believe he could survive with the Lakers, and the experts said that he did not have what it takes to have a long career. They were wrong.

The Bryant family hails from Philadelphia, and it was Joe Bryant who introduced Wilt Chamberlain to his 8-year old son Kobe. 26-years later, the saga continues as Kobe passed Wilt Chamberlain to become the 4th all-time leading scorer in league history.

Hollywood couldn't write a better script. The things Bryant has done, and is currently accomplishing on the basketball court is surreal.

The lesson in this is to never give up on your dreams, because they can and will come true.

Words: @axgilbert

Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

Love and Basketball

"The same streets that raised you, can age you..." - Common - U, Black Maybe

Sports are a metaphor of our everyday lives. It's the reason why some people will defend their teams tooth and nail, or an athlete will push themselves to become the best they can be. My first love was and always will be basketball. Even now long after my playing days, I still find joy in the game that taught me a wealth of life lessons.

Live and Learn

A picture is worth 1,000-words, and while I'm not going to write that many things about the photo above, allow me if you will to shed some light on the subject. When Kobe Bryant declared for the NBA, he unexpectedly received a ton of backlash and hatred. Everyone felt that a 17-year old wasn't able to make such a bold decision, and that he should attend a major college or university like most high school graduates.

Bryant remained determined and on June 26, 1996, he was selected with the 13th-overall pick. Five-years later the Lakers defeated the 76ers in Philadelphia, and not only was Kobe right in following his heart, he emerged an NBA champion, to silence his critics.

As I look at the image, it reminds me to be totally honest with myself and everyone around me, stay the course, and remember that sports have and will continue to take me far.

I'm thankful for the game, the experiences, and the people it has bought my way.

Life is good.

Words: @axgilbert

Photo: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE

A Rasin in the Sun

Optimistic

"Kill that he say, she say...still VA, but right now I'm on that Philadelph Freeway..."

Skillz - Don't Act Like You Don't Know

Allen Iverson returned to Philadelphia as a member of the 76ers...restoring what has been lost in the time since he was traded on December 19, 2006.

Homecoming King

I didn't know what to expect in the aftermath of Iverson's retirement...however I had a feeling that he would once again don the jersey that made him a household name...as the speedy combo guard for the Sixers.

"I always felt that it was strange having another uniform on..."

This morning after checking the Dow, I ventured over to philly.com to check the Philadelphia Daily News, and upon scrolling down a few notches, I saw a report that AI's press conference was at 4:30PM....and with that notice I knew that it was my duty to attend, ask good questions, and soak up this landmark moment in Philly sports lore like a wet mop to a cup of spilled juice.

Immediately Iverson began to express his zeal to return, and in an instant his tears took over...striking him with sincerity rarely seen from a professional athlete...nevertheless I waited patiently for my opportunity to participate, and when the moment arrived...I was prepared.

AXG: When you left Philadelphia...in essence you never left because it was in your heart, and the fans never let you go. Talk about your influence on this city, now that you have returned:

AI: You know people here watched me grow as a basketball player. They came in and cheered for me night in and night out, gave me everything that they had. That's why it was easy to give them everything I had. I think all of that was a blessing...they let me grow as a person, and they watched me go through my ups and downs. This is one of the realest places in the world. They're passionate about their sports and I gave them everything I had and that's why they responded to me they way they did.

I believe that this is an appropriate conclusion to the legend of Allen Iverson as Philadelphia is his legacy, and as the saying goes...there is no place like home.

Just click your heels.

By Any Means Necessary...

Carmelo Anthony and AG. in DC

Telling it like it is

Boys to men

"Thangs done changed on this side...remember they used to thump, but now they blast right..."

Dr. Dre - Lil' Ghetto Boy

Basketball is a game of passion, that when taken seriously it can have a positive, long lasting result. In the ‘hood it’s widely known as a way to not only deliver yourself, but your family to a new life and tax bracket. However basketball isn’t about the money, it’s about the love, and in the end that’s all that matters.

Captain America

As I talk about the greatest game that has ever happened to me, it’s only fitting that I write this as I watch the ‘06 NBA Draft…and speaking of the draft…in June, 2003 Carmelo Anthony was selected as the 3rd overall pick out of Syracuse. Four months later Sole Collector magazine would debut with issue 1, and the NBA and the magazine industry has not been the same since.

Now that I’ve given a little background, it’s imperative that I fill in the blanks a little and explain my theory. 2003 was a launch pad for Carmelo Anthony as he won the NCAA Championship, an ESPY Award, and he went on to sign with the Jordan Brand and Denver Nuggets. Coincidentally, it also marked the rise of a little known writer to the national scene, named Anthony Gilbert from Temple University.

Other than the fact that we are both named Anthony, and we are former student athletes, I have always found it interesting how much he really loves collecting sneakers. It is always good to see how much a like people are, no matter what race, color, or creed.

I first met Carmelo Anthony in Los Angeles during the 2004 NBA All Star Weekend, and we have been good friends since then.

I have had an opportunity to write a few stories on him…and to chronicle a player of his caliber is not only an honor, but as a journalist I would not have even thought this were possible, when I first saw him at Syracuse one Saturday afternoon on CBS versus Georgetown. Since then Anthony has emerged as a team leader and while he hasn’t gotten the recognition in years past, it’s his peers around the league that know his props are way overdue.

‘Melo and I had a chance to sit down and talk for a spell this past summer before the Olympic games, and after we caught up with one another, I interviewed him…here is the final score on our conversation:

How important is it to be active in the community?
“That’s my number 1 goal. Every time I get a chance to give back and serve the community that is what I’m going to do. The community is very important and whenever I can get involved in something positive, I’m going to give it my all and participate.”

What do you like so much about sneakers?
“We have to have…people like myself, you know…I love sneakers, so when I look at you, and magazines and I see all the old, or exclusive sneakers that nobody can get…it keeps me focused to where I want to be, and collecting is what I’m going to keep doing.”

What does the Jordan Brand have in store for the upcoming season?
“Man I can’t tell you...but knowing you, I’m sure you already have an idea [laughs]…”

Most basketball players are really into sneaker collecting and the culture, because from the day we began playing, you always needed something on your feet not only for the obvious reasons but also to show some of your personality and style. When I began playing in 1989, my mother took me to Marshall’s department store and I got my first pair of Nike. They were hi-tops…white and royal blue Sky Force, and even though the team uniforms were green and gold, and my shoes didn’t match them, it was all about my shoes, my game, and the love.

The Dark Knight

All Star Saturday Night 1997

"Show me a hero, and I will write you a tragedy." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Kobe Bean Bryant is the story of how a child from West Philadelphia, grew into a man of worldwide acclaim. It has been 12 years since the fabled NBA Draft of 1996. Within that class are the likes of Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, and Jermaine O'Neal, however none of them are as intriguing as the enigma that is Bryant.

Over the years, the experts spewed venom saying that he was everything from an elitist without street creditably to a bad teammate. The only thing he ever was as a 17-year old high school student, straight to the professional ranks of the NBA, is misunderstood. In his naivete he didn't even read all of the crazy things the Los Angeles and national media wrote about him. His main focus was making the transition from competing against boys, to men.


Basketball is, was, and always will be something that drives him.


The goal is just as it was during his youth in Italy to become the BEST basketball player he could be. If it were not for the guidance and support of his family, this story had the potential to go awry way before 2003.


We all make mistakes, especially as a teen or young adult, however not many of us, have had to grow up and make choices in a fish bowl for all the world to see.


I write this as a friend of the Bryant and Cox families, so my words are tainted with loyalty. Nevertheless, if you had a sneaker contract worth six-figures when you were 17, or if you wanted to make a decision that went against what your parents wanted, just remember that you didn't have to do it with complete strangers and the media looming. For some reason or another Kobe has been painted as everything that is wrong with professional sports.


Allow me if you will to venture back to the early 1980's. Joe "Jellybean" Bryant was playing for the San Diego Clippers, and made his native Philadelphia the off-season home. The family lived in the Overbrook section, directly around the corner from the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. By this time Kobe had started to emulate his father, playing basketball in the living room while watching Jellybean on TV.


These were the building blocks of the MVP you see today.

They who endure, conquer.