It may seem Today’s Game One of the NBA Finals is taking forever to begin. To fill the time, consider the ultimate gift for the basketball nut on your gift list. Father’s Day is coming. That also means uncles, siblings, elders.
You will never find better NBA highlight segments. We will blow the whistle on YouTube hoops videos that are not matched to the music, not in the same way that these 13 baker’s dozen segments are on the 42-minute spool. Plus it’s free, so you can still buy him a tie or a Kangol cap or some socks, whatever.
- Magic highlights (Earvin, not the Orlando team)
- Bird (Larry, not Sue)
- Jordan (These were made before MJ won his six rings.)
- Overall highlight interlude to “Rockit” by Herbie Hancock
- Dream
- Chuckster
- Nique
- Zeke
(Am trying to be cool, like an insider, by going with nicknames here. Dominique Wilkens also was “The Human Highlight Film.” And if we need to explain that “Zeke” is the original Isiah Thomas, then you may not get into these highlights. )
- More general star plays to hard rock, “Tuff Enuff.”
- Kareem
- More to “Teddy’s Jam,” which we thought would be all dunks but includes other great plays.
- Doc (Erving, not Rivers)
- Closeout with the 1988 dunk contest, with Spud Webb in there with his 5-foot-7 slams.
These videos were made by NBA public relations, which means the tape-makers had plenty of time to match the music selections.
They’re all good, but we especially like the first one with Magic (the way he slow walks into pregame), in the middle part with Isiah (at the end with his mom’s love) and near the close with Doctor J (the childhood stuff dunking on a Playschool rim).
At the same time, we wonder about the “I’m So Happy” theme for Kareem. In older age he’s become more public-friendly, but during his playing days his demeanor was about as cheerful as Lt. Castillo on Miami Vice. How many hours of video did the producer need to search to find those smiles from Captain Sky Hook?
(My personal note is 30-some years ago, found this exact video as an eight-track at a rummage sale for 50 cents and after watching a few times for myself in the VCR era, gifted it to someone who was also a huge fan. Since this historical gem is free to view and share, am offering a moneyback guarantee, no questions asked.)
