Boston Celtics veteran Blake Griffin has always had an eccentric life away from the basketball court. He’s dabbled in acting, in philanthropy, and in stand-up comedy since joining the NBA in 2009. Helping bring back SlamBall, however, might be some of Griffin’s most exciting work.
According to Front Office Sports, Griffin is among the initial investors resurrecting SlamBall this summer. A form of high-impact basketball played on trampolines, professional SlamBall was a cult favorite in the early 2000s. Though it aired for just two seasons between 2002 and 2003, SlamBall was a captivating and dazzling spectacle. And thanks in part to Griffin, it’s back.
A strong social media campaign helped launch the reboot, according to league co-founder Mason Gordon. He told FOS fans’ collective excitement for bringing SlamBall back informed the new venture. “This is a true Cinderella story — only with helmets, pads, and trampolines.” Gordon said.
ESPN analyst and former NBA player Tim Legler on why he has the Celtics ahead of the 76ers in the East. https://t.co/kntbIsl6lg
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The league will launch (pun intended) this July. There will be a six-week regular season and a one week of playoffs. Gordon’s partner, Mike Tollin, operates Mandalay Sports Media, the same company which produced the Michael Jordan docuseries “The Last Dance” As such, television deals are still being discussed, but a series is expected to be made around the reboot of SlamBall.
Griffin isn’t the only big name involved here. FOS reported SlamBall raised $11 in Series A investment, earning funding from Philadelphia 76ers co-owner David Adelman, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, and several others.
The original version of SlamBall featured NBA All-Star Reggie Theus serving as color commentator for the league. It’s unclear if Griffin will serve any role beyond his investment, but his unique brand of charisma and humor would be a nice touch.
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