SlamBall
 | This article may contain improper use of non-free material. (November 2008) |
 Gunner Chris Young going in for a slam dunk. | |
| First played | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | Full-contact |
| Equipment | Wilson "Wave" Basketball |
| File:Slamball Logo 51.jpg | |
| Sport | Slamball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002 |
| CEO | Pat Croce |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country |  United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | Slashers |
| TV partner(s) | Versus, CBS |
| Official website | SlamBall.net |
Slamball is a team sport based on basketball. Points are scored by playing the ball through the net, as in basketball, though the point-scoring rules are modified. The main differences from the parent sport is the court; below the padded basketball rim and backboard are four trampolines set into the floor which serve to launch players to great heights for slam dunks. The rules also permit some physical contact between the members of the four-player teams.
Professional SlamBall games were aired on television by Spike TV for two seasons in 2002 - 2003, and the POWERade SlamBall Challenge was aired on CSTV in 2007. SlamBall returned in August 2008[1], and is aired on Versus and CBS.
Rules and regulations
There is no international governing body for Slamball as a sport. Steps are being taken even today as Slamball is reaching the international market.
Scoring in Slamball is achieved by passing the ball into the net at the opponent's end of the court for points, while preventing the opposing team from doing the same at one's own net. The goal is ultimately to have outscored the opposing team when the game ends. A successful score can be worth two points if the ball is thrown through the hoop without the offensive player touching the hoop. Slam dunks are scored three points. All shots outside three-point arc are worth three points as well.
Playing regulations
Games are played in four 5-minute quarters. The game commences with a "bounce-off" in which the ball is bounced at center court. The ball must reach its apex uninterrupted, at which point the players are allowed to "check" each other. Ten minutes are allowed for a half-time break; only one time-out is permitted to each team, which may only be used during the last two minutes of regulation play. A 20-second shot clock is utilized. Teams change ends for the second half. A tie score at the end of regulation time is settled by a series of "face offs" (see Fouls below).
Full body contact is allowed within certain limitations. A player can be hit or "checked" at any time when he is not in possession of the ball. If the player has received the ball, he cannot be hit until he dribbles the ball; at that point he is known as "live" or "hot" and can be hit. Players cannot be hit or checked in the back; doing so results in a foul.
Positions
Each team has four players on the court at any one time. There are three positions:
- Handler: This would be the primary ball handler on the team. It is his job to run the offense and organize the other members while controlling the flow of the game. Typically he would be responsible to set up the gunners to attack the basket while adding in his own offensive threat.
- Gunner: The primary scorer on the team. A team's gunner will be the player on the team that will attack the basket and finish plays against the opposing teams' stopper, comparable to a forward or wing player in soccer or hockey.
- Stopper: This position is for the primary defensive player. He trails the offense only when necessary, and he protects the rim from attacking players by using himself as a shield.
Fouls
Each player can commit just three personal fouls before he is "fouled out" from the match. A coach or player displaying poor on-court behavior (for example, fighting, arguing vehemently against an official) may be charged with a technical foul. Two technical fouls will result in disqualification. In the case a foul is called, the player who has committed the foul, will then take position on the baseline of the lower trampolines while the player who was offended will take up offensive position at center court. This is called a 'face-off'. Upon a signal from the referee the offensive player will be free to mount an attack at the basket, which the defender now must endeavor to stop. The defender must enter the lower trampoline only after bouncing in from the side trampoline. If the offensive player is successful, then points will be awarded depending on the shot converted and the offensive players' team will retain possession of the ball.
Four players from each team (out of an 8 or 9 player roster) may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited and can be done during play as in the game of hockey. All teams have a coach who is responsible for the strategies and overall performance of the teams. Additional staff include assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors, etc.
Team uniforms consist of a shorts and a jersey with the team logo, a number and the player's name on the back. Typically players wear basketball sneakers now but shoes unique to Slamball are in development to fit the needs of this new sport.
The game is controlled by officials consisting of two referees and the table officials. The table keeps track of the score, time, team possessions, fouls and the shot clock.
Equipment
A regulation Slamball court surface is 100 ft by 62 ft (30.4 m by 19 m.). A series of highly engineered articulating floor panels float on a bed of spring flooring to create a shock absorbent playing surface. The spring floor lies adjacent to two sets of four trampoline or spring bed 'quads' which dominate each end of the court. Each trampoline surface measures 7 ft by 14 ft (2.1m by 4.2 m.) The shock absorbent panels pair with the competition bed trampolines to create a unique playing surface that both launches players to inhuman heights and cushions their landing upon returning to the floor. Specifically engineered pads are designed to cover the frame rails and their tapered design allows for maximum safety for on-court play. This entire playing surface will be surrounded with an 8 ft (2.4 m) plexi-glass wall much like in a hockey rink. Players wear protective cups and special equipment to protect all areas of the body. This consists of knee and elbow pads, and an optional Slamball-specific helmet.
History
Slamball is the creation of Mason Gordon, who wanted to create a combination of sports that approximated a real-life video game. Upon developing the concept, he approached Mike Tollin, a TV and film producer of Smallville, Wild Hogs, and Coach Carter fame. After giving it some thought, he agreed to help Gordon. Painstaking thought was put into the development of the game. Many different ideas and concepts encompassing everything from court construction to team strategies were addressed. Six months after their first meeting, a court was constructed in a warehouse in East Los Angeles.
Gordon then tried to convince street basketball players to test his new idea; he wanted to find skilled, strong players who could compete comfortably while launching off trampolines and crashing into each other in mid-air.
Five recruits - James Willis, Sean Jackson, David Redmond, Michael Goldman and Jeff Sheridan - trained with Gordon to produce the first games. These original six players were part of the first two teams, the Los Angeles Rumble and the Chicago Mob. These two teams played an exhibition series in 2001, which the Chicago Mob won. Soon, more players were brought in, including Stan Fletcher, Rob Wilson and Dion Mays.
First played in Los Angeles, California, the game gained attention from street basketball players in the area. Within a year, 400 people had been enlisted as potential players. Open tryouts were held and the selection of players based on athletic ability, body control and court awareness started. Reducing numbers to about 60 players, the first ever SlamBall combine was held where players and coaches learned safety, the game and basic strategy.
In 2002, SlamBall made its television debut, on The National Network (now Spike TV), soon after former Philadelphia 76ers owner Pat Croce had signed on as a partner. Six teams (the Bouncers, Diablos, Mob, Rumble, Slashers, and Steal) played in the inaugural season. SlamBall also aired on the British television station Trouble and ESPN aired a feature on the new league.
The first SlamBall draft in 2002 saw Canadian Robert Wilson drafted as the first #1 pick ever in the sport.
Prior to the launch of the second season more than 20,000 online applications were submitted by potential players. Before the second season of SlamBall debuted on the newly-renamed Spike TV, two expansion teams (the Riders and Bandits) were added and a new court was built at Universal City, California.
In 2007, the "POWERade SlamBall Challenge" took place at Hoop City, a fan interactive event, at the 2007 Final Four in Atlanta, Georgia, and aired on CSTV in April 2007.[2]
In Italy SlamBall made its debut on Italia 1 on July 16, 2007 gaining impressive ratings and media fervor. Plans for a new season are in motion with an International model as the basis for the new league structure.[3]
In 2008, SlamBall began planning for a new season, to be financed by IMG. The league accepted applications through its website for new players and coaches, and tryouts were held in three U.S. cities in April, 2008. A training camp for the 2008 season of SlamBall was held at IMG Academies[4] in Bradenton, Florida from April to June 2008. Over 100 potential players participated in tryouts, eventually leaving 64 players after an 8-team draft. The league was cut to the 6 current teams. Some well-known figures associated with the new season of SlamBall include: Commissioner Pat Croce and Coaches Kenny Anderson, John Starks, Raghib Ismail, & Ken Carter. In summer 2008, SlamBall played its first season since 2003 at Universal Citywalk in Universal Studios, California. These games aired in a "Game of the Week" format on Versus beginning August 31st and led up to the finals on CBS on November 2nd, 2008. Slamball will return in 2009 with 8 teams in different cities. The league will let 4 teams have owners and the rest will be owned by the league.
Media Exposure
On television, the sport has been seen on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, King of Queens, Method & Red, CW's One Tree Hill, ESPN's SportsCenter, The Best Damn Sports Show Period and Fuel TV. In print, Slamball has been featured in the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Time Magazine and European editions of Maxim, GQ and FHM.
Athletes & Training
Slamball and the athletes involved, include a variety of sports, thus a broad scope is considered in the recruitment of the players. New players for the League will come primarily from four areas:
Basketball
Slamball has recruited players directly from college and pro basketball programs across the country. To date Slamball is able to point to the following athletes as examples:
- Anthony White : played at USC, Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year, played professionally in France and Venezuela
- George Byrd : played at Virginia Commonwealth and played professionally in Brazil, Portugal and Iceland
- Jelani Janisse : played at University of Kansas for two-time Big 12 championship team
- Sam Jones : played at Northwood University and professionally in Netherlands (league MVP 2004), Belgium and Poland
- David Jackson : played at Virginia Tech for 1995 NIT Champions
- Martice Moore : played at Georgia Tech (ACC Freshman of the Year) and University of Colorado
- James Lee : played at University of San Francisco (WCC First-team honors) and professionally in the ABA
- Arthur Agee Star of the Movie: Hoop Dreams.
- Myree Bowden : played at University of the Pacific
- John Thomas : plays professionally in Germany and Chile
- Anthony Drejaj : played at St. Louis University; plays professionally in Finland
- Rob Wilson : played at University of Toronto, named as All-Canadian basketball team, played professionally overseas for ten plus years in Sweden, Belgium, Portugal, France, Iceland, England, New Zealand, Lebanon and Israel.
Football
These athletes are used to the full-contact, up-tempo style of play. Many of the better players of Slamball find their origins on the gridiron:
- Chris Robbins : played receiver and quarterback for Clemson University
- Al Jones : played receiver and special teams for University of New Mexico
- Robert Grogan : All-American receiver for Hofstra University
- LaMonica Garrett : played linebacker for Central Ohio
- Ray Ross : All-American free safety for West Texas A&M
- Trevor Anderson : played receiver for the Orlando Predators Arena Football team
- Ameer Ismail : All-American linebacker - Western Michigan
Multi-Sport Athletes
While many of the skills necessary for success have been clearly identified in Slamball’s short history, part of the opportunity that Slamball presents is that the primary skill set has yet to be determined. Skill sets from sports like track & field, gymnastics, volleyball, baseball and action sports have the potential to impact the development of the sport. The following are multi-sport athletes that have made an impact in Slamball:
- Chris Young : ran track & field for Cal State LA
- Marcus Reed : ran track & field for UCLA
- Jeff Sheridan : competitive gymnastics, Chicago, IL
“Unstructured” Athletic Programs
Prior to Slamball, "unstructured" athletes were not looked at as a realistic source of professional athletic talent. The development of Street Ball makes athletes from outside the college and pro ranks an exciting addition to the talent pool. In the sport’s early development, many of the most recognizable players came with a lack of structured athletic credentials. Sean “Inches” Jackson, Stan “Shakes” Fletcher and Dion Mays are among the most popular and capable players in the sport. This is not to say that the league will be dominated by unstructured athletes, but rather that Slamball creates a forum where these “blacktop skills” can be incorporated into the game in a very meaningful and constructive way.
Teams
Current
| Team Name | Championships | Former Names |
|---|---|---|
| Bouncers | ||
| Hombres | Diablos | |
| Maulers | Steal | |
| Mob | ||
| Rumble | 2002 | |
| Slashers | 2008 |
Defunct/Inactive
| Team Name | Championships | Former Names |
|---|---|---|
| Rousties | Bandits | |
| Riders | 2003 |
Notable Players
Defensive players include:
Dion Mays (Height:6'7" Weight: 245lbs): During the second season also played Gunner due to his power, and first year playoff MVP for the Rumble, averaged 10 stops and was instrumental in the Rumble capturing the first ever Championship. His brand of physical play combined with his on court antics has led him to be a fan favorite. Originally hailing from California he is a basketball player first but his physical style of basketball made him an instant success with his transition to this full contact sport.
Adam Hooker (Height: 6'6" Weight: 240lbs): In the second season he joined the expansion team the Slashers and was astounding by stopping more than 24 shots per game for the season two runners'-up. As a basketball player first and baseball second, Hooker's style of play was not labeled as particularly physical, his fantastic sense of timing and the ability to seemingly be 'in the right place at the right time' vaulted him to the forefront of defensive players. The 2008 season saw Hooker capture the MVP as the Slashers defeated the Rumble in the championship 48-46.
Anthony White (led Diablos in blocks and scoring), a PAC-10 product who played basketball at USC, Kevin "Buffalo Bill" Cassidy, a player who made the transition from the mix of hockey and baseball backgrounds, and the particularly large and aggressive George Byrd (6'9", 290lbs), who continues to play international basketball where he has been named as the best center in the Express Professional league of Iceland.
Offensive players include:
Stan "Shakes" Fletcher (Height: 6'3" Weight: 180lbs): Nicknamed "Shakes" (sometimes abbreviated Sh8ks) for his many moves, he is arguably the most flamboyant and original gunner in the game today. Basically invented the self-pass which allowed him to travel from trampoline to trampoline without a bounce violation. Played professional basketball with an ABA franchise and has been invited on the AND1 tour on several occasions. Won the 2003 SlamBall Dunk Contest and the 2007 POWERade SlamBall Challenge Dunk Contest.
Chris "The Ghetto Bird" Young (Height: 6'4" Weight: 180lbs): Was not drafted on his initial application to the 2002 SlamBall Draft. Picked up as a free agent by the Bouncers and quickly became one of the best gunners in the league. Another player from a predominantly basketball background he starred at college for Cal State LA with his same brand of relentless attack that he has transferred to the Slamball court.
James "Champ" Willis (Height: 6'5" Weight: 198lbs): The only player to win back to back championships. Captured the 2002 title with the Rumble. Left unprotected at the expansion draft in 2003 and was quickly snapped up by the Riders whom he guided to a championship in their first year of competition. Was one of the original five players that Mason Gordon approached to test his new concept of Slamball.
Sean "Inches" Jackson (Height: 5'10" Weight: 170lbs): Was one of the originals and invented the 'Mc-Nasty' dunk which is a 360 dunk cutting the ball between your legs. Also of note is that he spins against the normal rotation for a dunk of this nature.
Jelani Janisse (Height: 6'3" Weight: 225lbs): Named the MVP of the inaugural season of SlamBall. Known for his extreme strength and deadly defensive capabilities. Named to the All-American team as he led his JUCO Los Angeles City College to the state title before going on to play major Div1 basketball with the Kansas Jayhawks.
LaMonica 'The Machine' Garrett (Height: 6'3" Weight: 220lbs): Emerged as one of the best offensive threats and hardest hitting players in the league. This is no surprise as he is from a football background where he was an outstanding performer at Central St in Ohio. Led the Mob to capture the CSTV POWERade SlamBall Challenge in April 2007.
Whitney 'Take Flight' White, Dave Jackson whose mentality made him a ferocious attacker off the trampolines, Calvin Patterson who won the MVP for Championship game in 2003, James Lee who was a college basketball player at USF, Josh Carlson known for his on court hustle and season two scoring champion Gerrie 'Crucial' Herring.
Past Champions
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 SlamBall Season | Rumble | 46-41 | Diablos |
| 2003 SlamBall Season | Riders | 66-60 | Slashers |
| 2008 Slamball Season | Slashers | 48-46 | Rumble |
In Popular Culture
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (January 2009) |
- “Stuttering" Craig Skistimas of ScrewAttack also played Slamball professionally
- In the episode "Knee Jerk" of the King of Queens (2006), Doug Heffernan lies to his wife Carrie about having a knee injury but is ultimately caught when she finds him playing slamball with his friends.
- In the episode "Choosing My Own Way of Life" on One Tree Hill, Nathan is offered a position on a slamball team. The storyline ran through five episodes in the 2008 One Tree Hill season and featured several of SlamBall's top players.
- SlamBall was covered on VH1s "BEST WEEK EVER" show on the Saturday, Nov 8th episode.
Notes
External links
- Official Website
- POWERade Slamball Challenge Official Site
- Tollin/Robbins Productions
- IMG Programming Official Site - Slamball
- Lithuanian Official Website
- Slamball Videos
- Slamball Fansite