Yesterday’s all-star weekend hoopla centered on Blake Griffin’s showmanship in the final round of the slam-dunk contest. And though I hate to agree with bitter-ass Charles Barkley, it was an overrated dunk that was flashier than it was amazing. A 6’ 10” man-child dunking over the hood of a car? Back in the day a 5' 9" Oakland playground legend named Hook Mitchell did a 360-degree dunk over a Volkswagen. Now THAT was a dunk worthy of accolades.
Unfortunately Hook's legendary talent was lost to Oakland's streets, leaving players like Jason Kidd and Gary Payton to carry The Town's torch. Mitchell's sad story is told in a documentary entitled Hooked: The Legend of Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell. An excerpt is below.
Griffin's attempt at Hook's glory wasn’t the only homage to Oakland in this year’s dunk contest however. The Raptor’s DeMar DeRozan remixed another local classic, the East Bay Funk Dunk, originated by Isaiah “JR” Rider. Rider debuted the oft-imitated between-the-legs slam in the 1994 dunk contest. Unfortunately this rookie feat was the highlight of his NBA career, as he soon was tagged a problem player and became a journeymen who's drug habit and off-the-court problems overshadowed his talent.
It’s sad that two local hoop icons have longer rap sheets than stat sheets, but that’s the nature of life for many in Oakland, CA. JR at least made it to the show, but Hook never got his shot. Renowned by many as better than both Jason Kidd and Gary Payton, his addiction to drugs and penchant for crime has left him in dire straits. While we can’t celebrate the successes of these two men, it’s good to see that their legends and legacies are still alive today thanks to players like DeMar DeRozan and Blake Griffin.
Bonus: Here is "Funk In The Trunk," Rider's contribution to a 1994 NBA mixtape entitled B-Ball's Hidden Secrets. It's light on the lyricism, but heavy on the shit that would eventually get him caught up. Talking about smoking weed on an NBA mixtape? Good job JR. smh.
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