JORDAN BRAND CLASSIC PLAYERS RECEIVE ROYAL TREATMENT IN LEAD-UP TO COMPETITION
JORDAN BRAND CLASSIC PLAYERS RECEIVE ROYAL TREATMENT IN LEAD-UP TO COMPETITION
Athletes hear from celebs and tour New York hot spots before Jordan Brand Classic.
The nation’s top high school basketball players arrived in New York City Wednesday for the 12th annual Jordan Brand Classic,. The week started off with inspirational speeches from MTV’s Sway Calloway, Jordan Brand Vice President Howard “H” White and Jordan Brand athlete and NBA champion Michael Finley. The three spoke to the athletes about seizing opportunities and the importance of a strong work ethic on and off the court.
Wednesday night, legendary director Spike Lee hosted the Jordan Brand Classic National team at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Lee showed clips from two of his classic films, “He Got Game” and “Do The Right Thing”, and discussed the process of creating the films.
Thursday morning, the National and International players practiced with their teams for the first time at Basketball City in Manhattan. Following practice, the National Team went to Sports Illustrated headquarters in midtown. Players toured the SI offices and got a hands-on look at the publication’s new production studio, where Jabari Parker showed SI producers his skills at the editing board, while others gave it a try in front of the camera. The athletes capped off their night with a trip to the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center.
Friday started off with another morning practice, followed by a trip to legendary Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn. Jordan Brand athlete and boxing champion Andre Ward spoke to the team and gave them a taste of what it’s like to be in the ring.
The Jordan Brand Classic will be nationally televised live on ESPN on Saturday, April 13. The tripleheader will begin with the International Game at 3:30 p.m., followed by the Regional Game at 5:30 p.m,. and the National Game at 8:00 p.m.
