Friendship is a magical bond that has the power to grow and evolve over time. It begins with a simple connection between two individuals, but as they get to know each other better, the bond deepens and becomes stronger. The magic of friendship lies in its ability to bring people together and create lasting memories. One of the most beautiful aspects of friendship is its ability to grow with us as we navigate through the ups and downs of life. True friends are there to lend a helping hand, offer advice, and provide support during difficult times. They celebrate our successes and stand by our side during our failures.
They celebrate our successes and stand by our side during our failures. Through all of life's challenges, friendship acts as a constant source of strength and encouragement. As time goes on, the magic of friendship continues to grow.
Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon Talk About Their Historic Dunk Contest, Vince, and Getting Props from MJ
Before the start of the dunk contest in the Air Canada Centre last night, the Jumbotron flashed images of the best moments from its 31-year history. It ended on shots of Vince Carter, who, in 2000 as a Toronto Raptor, put on the best dunk contest performance in basketball history—and perhaps one of the most iconic, most remembered events in sports history. The crowd went nuts, and it felt safe to assume it was the loudest it'd likely get all night. Dunk contest since haven't even come close. Vince Carter killed the NBA All-Star slam dunk competition.
Or so we thought.
Read MoreThe NBA just released a gorgeous, high-quality reel of Toronto Raptors-era Vince destroying rims around North America
The show Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon put on last night was breathtaking in that drop-your-beer, food-falling-out-of-your-mouth way that sports moments always have the potential to be, but so rarely are. It felt like it did sixteen years ago, when I was a kid sitting cross-legged on my carpet, wide-eyed and wondering what kind of cereal Vince Carter ate for breakfast. It took two kids born in 1995—who both would have been four when Vince shocked the world—to get us back there. And goddam, are we glad they did. As part of Mountain Dew's Court Vision Virtual Reality Experience, GQ caught up with them separately the morning after their historic showdown.
You get any sleep last night?
If closing your eyes counts. I blinked a lot.
This one has to be sweeter than the first one.
Yeah I feel like it’s better cause I went up against probably the best competition I ever been in. I definitely think it was one for the ages. I felt like it was the Rocky and Apollo Creed scene, where they both punch each other at the same time. Somebody’s getting hit, but both of y’all are getting hit.
Have you watched it back yet?
Nah, I haven’t even watched it yet. I’ve just seen some of the highlights. I was looking at both of his dunks anyway, like, "How do you do that?"
Which one blew you away the most?
The two that were tripping me out were when we went under both his legs over the mascot and then over the mascot between the legs. Professional dunkers do that. He did it one time, one try. And he’s freakin’ 6’10” man, so for him to get up over a mascot on a little hoverboard? [laughs] That’s like 45 inches in the air plus vertical.
Did you think he had you when you saw that?
Hell yeah! I didn’t know what I was gonna do, man. I just kept coming back with jabs. The longer it went, we just had to get creative. He had a 48, I think. [Ed’s Note: It was a 47] I was like, "Okay, how am I going to beat that?" We don’t got that many dunks. But if I lose, man, you can’t be mad at yourself. We just had one of the best dunk contests ever. So I tried a through-the-legs from as far back as I could, got my heel on the back of the line, and called it a wrap.
I saw Drake on Instagram said that you just walked up to him and were like, “I’m just gonna put this through the legs" like it was no big deal. Was that true?
That was true, yeah. Will Barton, the other contestant, was like, "You ever gone between the legs from the free throw line?" I was like, "Nah, man, never tried that." So I was walking up to Drake and I was only thinking about him holding it or him throwing it up to me, get the crowd into it, try to get a high score. And I was like, "You know, man, I’m just gonna try to go between the legs." I thought maybe it was going to be nasty. Was it good?
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It was fucking awesome.
It was crazy? [laughs]
Because we're in Toronto, the dunk contest everybody is talking about this weekend is Vince’s 2000 one. You were born in 1995! No way you remember that, right?
I remember the replays. The first dunk, that 360 windmill. And then T-Mac hit him with the bounce. Puting his arm in the rim. That’s the one that me and Aaron started thinking more. You can’t do dunks that, like, no one can do them but it looks too easy for us. A couple of our dunks we have, it was just like, "Man, how’d he do that?" But it looked too easy. That [Vince's arm in the basket dunk] was one of them. They didn’t give him a 50 on that dunk. And it was like: That dude just put his arm in the rim! No one did that before. A couple of Aaron’s and a couple of my dunks, it was like, "How’s that not a 50, man?! No one’s done that before."
You think you guys beat the Vince dunk contest?
Man, I think so. There’s 12 dunks in there that probably go down in the top 50 dunks ever. It’s crazy.
So what was your night like?
I went out last night, to the NBAPA party with Future. I just went with my family and we got food in the lobby. And ESPN was on the big screen in the back, and they were just re-running and re-running and re-running the dunk contest. It was really cool. Really cool.
Talk to me about your phone situation.
Oh yeah, its blowing up. I can’t even—I texted my Day Ones, my boys. But other than that, I can’t really respond to everybody. It’s like 200 something.
On your introduction video, you were saying your brother used to dunk on you every day, and you wanted to bring this back to show him what’s up. You didn’t win, but still, did you at talk to him and be like, "Dude, you see what I did?"
[laughs] The thing about my brother is he’s gonna be like, “Yeah. But you didn’t win. Where’s the trophy.” Ah! Maybe next year.
Do you feel like you lost? Still kind of made a pretty big impact.
I did six dunks that have never been done in the NBA dunk contest before. Six. So I’m completely proud of myself. That was the ultimate goal. I just ended up not getting the trophy.
Have you talked to [Magic Mascot] Stuff the Magic Dragon? Is he doing okay?
Stuff is doing okay. [laughs] I’m gonna have to get Stuff a Rolex or something like that. He put me on.
Did you say anything to him?
I just gave him a hug. Me and Stuff are like good friends now. Weird as that sounds.
How did you come up with the under the legs dunk?
I was going to try to go under both my legs and reverse it on the other side. But it just didn’t look very good. It didn’t look all that clean. And then I was going to try and do a Scorpion: you jump up, you reverse and you finish on the other side and come back. It’s another dunk that just wasn't very clean. I knew I wanted to go under both my legs. And it kinda just came together. It took me awhile to get it. But once I got it the first time, I was like, "Oh. That’s a wrap."
Have you watched it back?
Not yet. The WiFi in my hotel is not good enough.
The other NBA guys watching right there on the sideline, were you talking to them?
Yeah, yeah. When I jumped over Stuff the first time, they kind of came up to me and were like, “Whoa. Respect, man. Respect.” But really I was talking to Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Mario Hezonja, cause they’re my teammates. I knew they were in my corner from the jump. They knew I could win.
And who’s the one guy you’ve gotten props or dap from in the last 12 hours that blew your mind.
Mike. MJ.
What did he say?
He said I need to make my jumper.
If you could have one dream guy to dunk on, not in a disrespectful way, just as a prop, who is it?
It would have to be MJ.
And if you could have a 1-on-1 dunk off with anybody?
Zach. That was the best thing. Zach is an incredible dunker and we both pushed each other.
We’ll see you next year then.
Quite possibly.
These interviews have been edited and condensed.
This one has to be sweeter than the first one.
Yeah I feel like it’s better cause I went up against probably the best competition I ever been in. I definitely think it was one for the ages. I felt like it was the Rocky and Apollo Creed scene, where they both punch each other at the same time. Somebody’s getting hit, but both of y’all are getting hit.
Friends become an integral part of our lives, and their influence extends beyond our immediate circle. They introduce us to new experiences, challenge us to step out of our comfort zones, and broaden our perspectives. Through their friendship, we are exposed to new ideas, cultures, and ways of thinking, making us more accepting and open-minded individuals. The magic of friendship also lies in its ability to create cherished memories. Whether it's a road trip, a shared hobby, or simply spending time together, friends create moments that we carry with us for a lifetime. These memories are a testament to the connections we have made and the experiences we have shared. Friendship also has the power to inspire and motivate us. When we surround ourselves with positive, supportive individuals, we are more likely to strive for success and pursue our dreams. Friends provide a constant source of encouragement, pushing us to be the best versions of ourselves. In conclusion, the magic of friendship continues to grow and evolve throughout our lives. It brings people together, provides support and strength, exposes us to new experiences, creates cherished memories, and inspires us to reach our full potential. As we cultivate and nurture our friendships, we are reminded of the beauty and power of this magical bond..
Reviews for "The Art of Friendship: Cultivating Connections that Last"
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