Players flock to Venice Beach to honor Kobe Bryant, street ball

Venice Beach brought all the features of a party on Sunday evening: R&B tunes of the 90s of DJs, social influencers – with trailer tripods – presenting themselves to have a view of basketball terrains to discover what it was and enough flashing lights to attract the attention of any European tourist.

A large part of what you would have found during the weekend of legends in Venice-celebrating the 20th anniversary of basketball culture and community-had the classic characteristics of the buffoonery found on walks, to the crowd surrounding artists such as “2K the Clown” and its dancing dancing at the Clown at the half-terrain logo.

Marcus Henry turns the golden ball he received after winning the three-point competition during the 20th “Legends weekend” from Veniceball to Venice Beach on Sunday.

In the center of all madness, an honest weekend Kobe Bryant – who once broke his wrist in 2000 by trying a dunk in the courts – and many other late icons on the street which had their impact on the promenade was Nick Ansom. Ansom, who drove from top to bottom on the basketball field with a high -end plastic hat at the top of his head, is the founder and chief executive officer of Veniceball.

Ask the legends-who play physical basketball in hard nose on the grounds for half a century-or to basketball players who have made their own Venice with their smooth style on short, Ansom is the heart and soul of modern Venice basketball, the man who kept the mission-basketball and family-moving and growing the year after year.

“It is the kindness of people here,” said Ansom, before the Venice Basketball League final begins on Sunday evening. “Look where we are. We are a legendary place, the most emblematic basketball courts in the world. I call it the paradise of the Hoopers. “

Hoopers Paradise started with Ken Hicks, who helped start Venice basketball in the 1970s. Hicks, who seized the microphone to share Wisdom Words on Sunday, received his literal flowers from Ansom halfway through the events of the day. Venice, said Ansom, represents a basketball culture that remembers its past while honoring its present as well.

The players compete in the last match of the “Weekend of Legends” of Veniceball at Venice Beach on Sunday.

Ansom, who is French, moved to Venice de France at the age of 13 in 2000. He learned English on the walk, finding comfort on basketball courts, making his way in a community he hoists on his shoulders today.

“Basketball is a universal language from around the world, and we are biding here 365 [days]”Said Ansom.” I was here at midnight, playing yesterday evening and playing with someone from Australia, some drunk guys living in Venice, and it’s just the beauty and magic of basketball that unites us. It transcends the colors. It transcends borders. »»

Sunday’s events included a basketball stars match for young people, a five game against five Venice legends, a vertical jumping competition, a three-point competition, a Dunk competition, a celebrity game and finally, the VBL men’s final. Each event provided its own flair.

Rasheed Smith, a Venice basketball player who played in the Legends match on Sunday, has been overflowing on the walk for 48 years. Two months ago, Smith stopped in a service station and saw a Limousine Black Cadillac Black 1989. He approached the owner and held his phone number to him, asking him that if he thought he was selling, Smith wanted to be the first call.

Two weeks later, the owner called. Smith bought limousine. There was a goal. He knew it was the best adjustment for one of the high -flying dunkers in Venice to jump to create a new Dunk Signature for Legends Weekend.

“Doesn’t that seem great?” Smith said before the Dunk competition.

Indeed, the Dunk has become a show, just as Smith predicted it. Chris Staples, a basketball social media star known for his external dunks, took Smith for the challenge – winning the Dunk competition with a jump and slams the limousine.

In the hourly direction at the top left; A participant takes off in the air of the Slam Dunk competition; The judges mark the Slam Dunk competition; The dancers occur in the 20th annual weekend of the legends of Venice Basketball League; And fans take all the action.

“I did not think it was the plan,” said Staples when he was asked if he imagined that a limousine would be part of his Dunk repertoire on Sunday. “But [Legend’s Weekend] Always bring out adrenaline, energy, and I just want to be able to make my fans and supporters are a live show. “”

The Dunk of Staples has won 10s all around the judges, Josiah Johnson, Rafer Alston, Craig Smith and the former Lakers Cedric Ceballos, who is also the commissioner of the VBL.

Johnson, the former male basketball player of the UCLA and son of brands Johnson, which was presented in the shorts of Los Angeles in the 1992 film “White Men Can’t Jump” with Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, said that Venice is the closest to street basketball in New York.

“There is this atmosphere of West Coast Rucker Park,” said Johnson, who sponsored Legend’s weekend with his short-term comedy program 2016, “Legends of Chamberlain Heights.”

The players participate during the Veniceball “Legends Weekend” competition in Venice Beach on Sunday.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Alston, who obtained his nickname “Skip to My Lou” during the basketball races at Rucker Park in adolescence before embarking on an 11-year NBA career, recognizes the culture exposed in Venice.

Like Smith, who praised the physical nature of the courts that built a competitive atmosphere while building a family, Alston understands how basketball promotes camaraderie.

“I grew up around this type of community, so I know what it means for a community like this, guy,” said Alston. “It’s a day every time they have this event. Everyone has a good time. Everyone is happy when we are all together here. ”