Budweiser raised a message in a bottle to toast Dwyane Wade today ahead of his ‘One Last Dance’ in Miami back home with the Heat. This Bud was for 3 in a special commercial event and jersey swap to go along with all the shirts he’s signed this year for his basketball contemporary alumni of peers. An autograph dedication we simply can’t spoil like having one too many. We’ll just say we’re about to say goodbye to a very special basketball player, but this is his legacy that will live on. More than the game. Bigger than Basketball. Just pop a cold one in front of the T.V. and watch it like tonights game. One last time.
And as a 82 season that has been anyone but regular Winter to Spring changes to the passion of the playoffs, it looks like this will be the last time for a lot of things. Like Anthony Davis hilariously wearing a t-shirt that reads ‘That’s All Folks’ in his last game this season with the New Orleans Pelicans like he was trying to warn a brother. But it’s not players only who are about to leave their cities for pastures green. Even whole teams look to do so too.
Alaska Airlines and the Uninterrupted have teamed up with 42 Ventures and Kevin Durant to rack up the air miles of some slick and savvy video itinaries from NBA players of their favourite hotspots in the cities they play. Like Net D’Angelo Russell showing us around Brooklyn like he hopes to do F.A. K.D. Or what would have been D Lo’s teammate Kuz, crusin’ round L.A. Durant’s own one however crosses that Golden State, Golden Gate to San Francisco. Just like the Lakers hope he and purple and gold great Mychal Thompson’s son Klay on that Summer day in July will do, further than that bridge in the gold of the King’s crowning California for all the infinity jewels like Thanos with the stones in this free agency Endgame.
Smartphones out. This social media digital age of the game looks to see the Warriors swipe their way past to Silicon Valley like a Tinder date with destiny.
Baron Davis dunked on Dirk’s dome like a lighting bolt a decade back. As B. Diddy’s eighth seed Warriors upset the top billing Dallas Mavericks, akin to those Dikembe Mutombo, Spalding in the air like Simba Denver Nuggets did to the Payton and Kemp Supersonics of Seattle back in the Key Arena day. Back then Golden State was famous for getting Hollywood actors like Owen Wilson to come to games from the other side of California. Back then that throwback, new millennium jersey was you best believe better known for the Spalding that went between the legs of doubled up Slam Dunk contest champion Jason Richardson twice.
This weekend the classic Mitchell and Ness look was brought back to the hardwood for the ten year anniversary and last home dance for an Oakland team who went from the lottery to the modern age dynasty since the last time Steph Curry wore that jersey. All to the flowers in their hair days of San Fran that will come tomorrow. Like the faith.
But from Fruitvale Station (respect to M.J., Michael B. Jordan and ‘Black Panther’ Ryan Cooler) to the great day in Oakland SLAM fold out cover of Curry in those ’09 logo shorts, alongside G.S.W. legend Al Attles, Bay Area hip-hop God E-40 and the whole city put on, the Warriors in throwback tribute testament will always statement say, “We Believe” in the Californian Golden State of Oakland. Even from the Golden Gate views of San Francisco for these basketball giants.
This in perfect symbolism synchronicity is what happens when you lock up the number one seed out west with a 131-104 win against Los Angeles at Oakland’s Oracle for the Tribune’s clippers.
“Oaktown, Oakland definitely in the house”.
2Pac, California Love.
Forever.
