The Ultimate Magic 400 is a concept that revolves around the idea of achieving the highest level of magical power. It is believed that by mastering 400 different types of magic, a magician can attain a level of mastery that is unparalleled. The concept of the Ultimate Magic 400 is not limited to a specific type or school of magic. It encompasses a wide range of magical practices, including elemental magic, healing magic, summoning magic, illusion magic, and many others. The idea is to become proficient in as many different types of magic as possible, in order to possess a broad range of skills and abilities. To achieve the Ultimate Magic 400, a magician must dedicate themselves to an intense and rigorous training regimen.
To achieve the Ultimate Magic 400, a magician must dedicate themselves to an intense and rigorous training regimen. This often involves studying under multiple masters and learning from various schools of magic. It requires a deep understanding of magical theory, as well as practical application of different techniques.
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.
The pursuit of the Ultimate Magic 400 is not for the faint-hearted. It requires a lifelong commitment and a relentless pursuit of knowledge and self-improvement. Many who embark on this path spend years, or even decades, honing their craft and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with magic. While the Ultimate Magic 400 is considered a rare and extraordinary achievement, there are some who believe it to be attainable. Legends and stories abound of magicians who have reached this level of mastery and have become almost god-like beings. However, it is important to note that the Ultimate Magic 400 is not the ultimate goal for all magicians. Some may find fulfillment and success in specializing in a particular type of magic or focusing on a specific aspect of magical study. The concept of the Ultimate Magic 400 is merely a representation of the limitless potential of magic and the possibility of achieving greatness in the magical arts..
Reviews for "The Ultimate Magic 400 Card Collection: Must-Have Cards for Every Player"
1. John - 2 stars -
I was really disappointed with the Ultimate Magic 400. The tricks included were very basic and lackluster. This set claims to be for advanced magicians, but I found it to be more suitable for beginners. The props provided were cheaply made and did not hold up well. Overall, it was a waste of money and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging and impressive magic set.
2. Sarah - 1 star -
I purchased the Ultimate Magic 400 for my nephew who is an aspiring magician and he was thoroughly unimpressed. The tricks included were outdated and did not wow anyone. The instructions were also poorly written and difficult to follow. I expected a lot more from a set that claims to be the ultimate magic kit. Save your money and invest in a more advanced and engaging magic set instead.
3. Mike - 2 stars -
I was excited to try out the Ultimate Magic 400, but it fell short of my expectations. The tricks were very basic and could easily be figured out with a quick internet search. The set also lacked variety and creativity. It felt like the same tricks were repeated with minor variations. Additionally, the quality of the props was poor and they broke easily. Overall, I was not impressed and would not recommend this magic set to serious magicians.
4. Emily - 2 stars -
I found the Ultimate Magic 400 to be underwhelming. The tricks included were nothing special and lacked the WOW factor I was hoping for. The set also did not come with any performance tips or ideas on how to make the tricks more engaging. The instructions were confusing and I struggled to understand how to perform some of the tricks. Overall, I was disappointed with this set and would not purchase it again.