Issue 125: This Might Be the Most Cameos in One Place

The NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary this season. And this is issue #125 of Crisp Bounce Pass. Add ’em up and you get 200, a nice round number that’s only 100 less than a perfect score in bowling or a movie from 2007.

In any case, the league released a video in honor of its big milestone, and it is PACKED with cameos.

Michael B. Jordan drives a bus full of children down “NBA Lane,” which is littered with 20 current NBA players, 14 former ones, and seven mascots.

Of course, there are all kinds of Easter eggs and lil’ nods to famous things. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable highlights.

• During his career, Dirk Nowitzki had one of the most unguardable shots in the league: a one-legged stepback jumper. Since he was nearly seven feet tall, he was able to release the ball over almost everyone who guarded him. Perhaps it’s only fitting that he’s learning from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar how to do the skyhook—a similarly unguardable shot.
• Michael B. Jordan says, “this community right here stretches to every corner of the globe.” As he says that, Chris Paul does the incredibly tricky maneuver of transferring a spinning ball from his finger to the finger of a young girl. Then, one of the passengers of the bus calls Jordan out by correctly noting that the globe doesn’t have corners. Deep.
• At a crosswalk, Boomer, the Indiana Pacers mascot, doesn’t cross the street when the NBA logo “walk sign” is up. Boomer only begins to walk when Dikembe Mutombo’s wagging finger appears. Boomer is a jaywalker.
• Devin Booker drives up in his fancy classic Chevy Impala and salutes a mural depicting the late Kobe Bryant while the bus looks on in silent reverence. That’s a cool moment.
• We’ve got a Lil’ Penny sighting! He’s playing chess with Jerry West (who also happens to be the basis for the NBA logo that Boomer so callously ignored).

Click below (or here) to watch the whole video. What stands out to you?

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