How did the last NBA Media Day go?

Another first day of school in the NBA has been archived, with traditional class photos recorded for posterity and presentations to fans and insiders of the great innovations coming, both on and off the court. Just days away from the start of the Preseason (October 5) and less than a month from the opening night of the 2024/25 Regular Season (October 23), the usual Media Day organized by each of the league's thirty teams provided a first taste of the next nine months of basketball, offering interesting insights of a technical nature but also, if not especially, off-court elements. An integral part of the event is the interviews with players, coaches, and executives, with particular attention to those who changed teams over the summer, such as Paul George and Klay Thompson; however, it is also the day when photographs are taken and clips are recorded that will be used throughout the season by the NBA and its partners for graphics and various commercial content. Thus, considering the opportune time of year and the visibility of the event, Media Day has transformed over time into a factory of memorable snapshots - more or less serious - and into a showcase particularly appreciated by sneaker enthusiasts.

This year, the last two franchises to win the title, Boston Celtics (defending champions) and Denver Nuggets, kicked off the festivities a few days early. The presentations of Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, and their teammates took place during last week's trip to the United Arab Emirates, where the third edition of the NBA Abu Dhabi Games was held. The other 28 teams, on the other hand, paraded one after another in their respective arenas - including the brand new Intuit Dome of the Clippers - on September 30, just hours after the tragic loss that shook the basketball world: the passing of Dikembe Mutombo. Thus, all Media Days opened with touching speeches and tributes to a legend and ambassador of the game recognized in every corner of the globe - especially in Africa - for both his sports achievements and his significant human qualities. “Today is a sad day, for the whole world and especially for us Africans,” said Joel Embiid, the Cameroonian center of the Philadelphia 76ers, in memory of “a person I admire who is an example of the impact he had on and off the court.”

As often happens in a league made up of athletes who are more than athletes, there were also political endorsements and social messages. Stephen Curry, for example, reiterated his support for the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the race for the White House, and “for the freedom of women to choose” - referring to abortion policies - which he had already expressed in previous months. Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, appeared in front of the cameras wearing a bracelet that said "Free Palestine" - and in his case, this was not a surprise, especially in weeks when the Middle Eastern crisis is becoming increasingly critical. Returning to basketball, however, we must start with the one who this year, in his twenty-second as a professional, grabbed a spot on the event's cover: LeBron James.

Father and Son

In the presentation of the Los Angeles Lakers, despite the many novelties including the presence of coach JJ Redick, the focus was monopolized by the duo formed by LeBron and Bronny James. Father and son, on the same team, yes: another incredible milestone in the career of one of the greatest athletes of all time, who enters the new season as the oldest player in the NBA but still holds a primary role in the California organization. Both on the court, where he has renewed his challenge to Father Time in recent months, and in the decision-making choices of the purple and gold team, as confirmed by the choice of his son with the 55th pick in the 2023 Draft. “Having Bronny here with me is incredible; I don’t want to take it for granted. I would call it pure joy: having the chance to come to work with your son and see his growth up close. It extends my life,” he said.

In the presentations of the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs, a couple of photos were taken that, ironically speaking, seem to resemble family snapshots, due to the gap in physical sizes of their protagonists. Specifically, the photo of Zach Edey (2.24 meters tall) and Yuki Kawamura (1.73), which offered a reinterpretation of the historic shot of Manute Bol and "Muggsy" Bogues; and that of Victor Wembanyama (2.25) and Chris Paul (1.83), the new connection under Gregg Popovich.

The Usual Gags

An indispensable protagonist of Media Day, now for several years, is Jimmy Butler, who with his extravagant hairstyles had provided surprises and laughs in the last two occasions. In 2022, the star of the Miami Heat showed up with long dreadlocks, and last year with what was described as an "emo" look. Approaching his appearance on Tuesday, the NBA world was wondering what surprise Butler would bring this time, with betting odds available on Anglo-Saxon bookmakers regarding his hairstyle (if you're curious, the options favored by bettors were: shaved bald, bright colors, and improbable mohawks). And instead, none of that: Jimmy surprised everyone by showing up with a "normal" hairstyle, the one we are used to seeing him with on the court. It can be said that in a certain sense it will be almost strange to watch the graphics during timeouts, where Butler will really seem like Butler.

Surely, however, the words of the MVP Nikola Jokic, who has always been just the right amount enthusiastic about participating in such media events, did not surprise anyone. His novel "Goatee" beard received more than one compliment in the press room, but the flirt with the present journalists stopped there. “Every year, Media Day is always the same thing; I don’t even know why we keep doing it,” said the Serbian. If nothing else, he will be glad he didn’t have to take pictures with a snake, as some players from the Dallas Mavericks did...

New Year, New Sneakers

As mentioned, Media Day is an opportunity that many players and brands use as a showcase to unveil the new releases in the basketball shoe market. If Tyrese Haliburton curiously chose to pair a pair of Prada Square-Toe Slip-On loafers with the Indiana Pacers uniform, many took advantage of the cameras present to launch their signature shoes. Stephen Curry, for example, showcased the new Under Armour Curry 12, and staying within his brand, De’Aaron Fox was also seen wearing the Curry Fox 1. Furthermore: Giannis Antetokounmpo released a new colorway of the Nike Zoom Freak 6, as did Ja Morant with the Nike Ja 2 "Induction", Anthony Edwards with the adidas EA1 "Chrome", Damian Lillard with the adidas Dame 9 PE, and Luka Doncic with the Jordan Luka 3 "El Matador"; then, the second line of the Puma Scoot Henderson was unveiled, along with the new Haribo x adidas D.O.N. Issue 6 collaboration by Donovan Mitchell, and the imminent arrival, anticipated by Devin Booker, of the Nike Book 2 and new color variations of the previous line.

Even in the case of sneakers, however, it was the James family that stole the scene. LeBron showed up with a new pair of Nike LeBron 3, and the next day he arrived at practice with the new Nike LeBron 22 "Blacklight". Bronny, on the other hand, posed in his first Media Day with two of his player editions - before stepping onto the court for the first time, not exactly a usual practice for a second-round draft pick - of the Nike LeBron NXXT Gen PEs.