Summer is serious. And Kevin Durant is not nice. Okay so those are both Nike slogans, but they were proven to be 100% truthful yesterday at the Nike-sponsored Drew League in Compton, CA.
The high-school sized gym was filled from wall to wall, with media cramming the baseline under each basket to witness some of the most start-studded summer basketball in Drew League history.
For those of you who don’t know, the Drew League is touted as the most famous rec league in the world today. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this season, the Drew has hosted names such as Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, James Harden and Kevin Love. Once July 1st passes and NBA players are allowed to participate in off-season basketball activities, you can find a handful of them at the Drew weekly.
This weekend may have been the most star-studded in the history of the Drew. Headlining the line-up of NBA players was All-World SF Kevin Durant. Suiting up for the three-time defending champion LAUNF, KD put on a show. With an array of dunks and the shooting-touch he is famous for, Durant dropped 35 points almost without trying.
But KD wasn’t the only NBA-er on the court. His LAUNFD team also included Baron Davis aka the Godfather of the Drew. Davis shocked the crowd by returning to the court for the first time since badly injuring his knee in the playoffs two years ago. Albeit in limited action, Davis showed flashes of the player that made him a fan favorite in the Association for years.
However, Durant and Davis came out on the losing end of their game against Money Gang. Money Gang is known for two things, being run by multi-platinum rapper The Game, and bringing out some of the most NBA-filled rosters from week to week. Following their first loss of the season rumors ran rampant about who Game would bring out and he did not disappoint.
First Stephen Jackson walked into the gym, followed by Demar Derozan and Shannon Brown. While the crowd was buzzing about that group as well as Durant, Metta World Peace walked in shortly before the opening tip and the gym exploded. Fans gave Metta a standing ovation, and boy did he ever deliver.
World Peace put on a power show, showcasing his quick hands and post-strength and completely dominating the game from the tip (while also crashing into yours truly going for a loose ball). While many Laker fans may wonder where that type of performance has been for the past couple of seasons, Metta showed that he still can very much play going up against other NBA stars.
Overall it was a great day of basketball. Other games throughout the day included NBA players such as Javale McGee (who followed up an air-balled free throw with ten push-ups in the middle of a game) and Brandon Jennings.
Once again, the Drew delivered a great day of basketball for the hundreds of fans who lined up for an opportunity to watch some hoops. There are not many places that you can go to watch NBA players from 15 feet away, for free. And there is nobody who brings the star-power and professionalism that the Drew does on a weekly basis.
Belal is a sneaker-head and sports fanatic who has written for BSO in the past and is currently a writer for LakerNation. You can follow him on twitter @ItsBelal_A