Summer vacation for the NBA means it’s time for A-list appearances at various Pro-Am tournaments around the country. While most of the focus is on the long-established Drew and Goodman leagues, Jamal Crawford has quietly put together a high-caliber tournament in Seattle. The games take place every weekend at Seattle Pacific University, and you never know who will show up (Crawford makes a point of not announcing appearance schedules). However, this summer’s confirmed participants include Blake Griffin and Kevin Durant, among others (my sources also say Chauncey Billups will be appearing).
Over the weekend, newly-minted New Orleans Pelican guard Tyreke Evans showed up to wow the crowd. Although, the teams might have been a little unfair, as, opposite Evans, was a slow white man by the name of Mike McGinn. McGinn also happens to be the mayor of Seattle, and the biggest proponent of bringing the NBA back to Seattle. Evans faced up the mayor, who, ironically, had recently made the push to acquire Evans’ former team, the Sacramento Kings.
Evans proceeded to do the famous God Shammgod, leaving McGinn in the dust on a nasty crossover. Not to be totally embarrassed, McGinn, who fancies himself an avid cyclist, also has a little hoop game in him, and responded with a nifty no-look dish on the other end. McGinn is up for re-election this fall, and appearances such as this can only help his campaign, which now includes hordes of die-hard Sonics fans.
About John Ferensen