Slamball is back and probably better than ever.
If you’ve forgotten what Hack Slamball is, it’s a form of basketball played with a trampoline underneath the basket with a bit of soccer mixed in.
It was played intermittently in the early 2000s, going out of business on two occasions in the United States – they also tried two seasons in China in 2012 and 2016.
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Steven Julian of Wraith stops Keith McGee of Ozone at Cox Pavilion on July 22, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Ian Maule/Getty Images for SlamBall)
However, last year it was announced that the sport would return to the US after a 15-year absence, and its fifth inaugural season began on Friday, with games on ESPN’s networks.
There are no foul shots in the game – rather it is one-on-one. Under the edge. So as one can imagine, emotions can run high.
The main event of the week between Ozone and Wrath was Test. Remember, they wear pads and head protection because you can tackle each other and make some pretty hard contact on a slam dunk – it’s called a slam ball, after all.
Ozone frontman Donovan Bird collides with Nick Parks of Wrath at Cox Pavilion on July 22, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Ian Maule/Getty Images for SlamBall)
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But the head coaches took exception to what happened, so Ozone’s Trevor Anderson and Wrath’s James Willis got in each other’s faces before the referee and their respective players were separated.
“It’s Slamball, come on!” said an announcer.
“That’s what we came to see. Let them fight, ref, let them go,” said another before quickly walking back.
Several former college players are in the league this year, including No. 1 Slamball draft pick Bryce Morgan, who played basketball at Florida A&M from 2017 to 2022.
Raymond Taylor, a former running back at both Tulsa and Oklahoma State, is also in the league.
There’s also a very famous coach in Ken Carter – he was the head coach of all three first-place slamball teams that won the league championship in 2002. But you may know him better as the subject of the 2005 film “Coach Carter,” which chronicled the coach’s real-life move to suspend his undefeated high school basketball team.
Ty McGee, right, of Wrath hits Keenan Love of Ozone at Cox Pavilion on July 22, 2023 in Las Vegas. (Ian Maule/Getty Images for SlamBall)
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All the league matches are currently being played in Las Vegas.
Source by [Fox News]
