Posters Basketball Show

Before Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain, Maurice Stokes was the NBA’s first Black superstar. But after just three seasons, he woke up in a hospital bed unable to move. Stokes blew people’s minds by scoring, passing, and rebounding like a 1950s Nikola Jokic or Magic Johnson. But after a traumatic brain injury during a 1958 playoff run, Stokes was cut by his team and left without income. The people who helped him were other NBA players, specifically his teammate Jack Twyman. This episode of Posters goes back to the 1950s, with appearances by Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Red Auerbach, and a teenage Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It’s the story of how a quiet hospital room and a Catskills charity game built the NBA Players Association, led to free agency, and created some of the awards and massive contracts we now associate with the NBA. Created by James Hamilton and Eric Parrie Host, writer, producer: James Hamilton Executive producer, co-writer, graphics: Eric Parrie Edited by Footage Finesse Producer: Ashish Yamdagni “Posters Theme Song” and music: Jon Lampley Recorded by Alexis Boling Title animation: Bryan Booth

Kevin Garnett's toughest cover was also one of the NBA's most polarizing stars. In 1993, Sports Illustrated called Rasheed Wallace part of a "new species" of big man. Ten years later, Bill Walton called him a "force of ruin." Meanwhile, countless NBA legends said Wallace was one of the most talented, toughest-to-defend players they'd ever seen. Rasheed Wallace was a 6'11" forward with was equally reliable from the mid-range and for cussing out the refs. He set the single-season record with 41 technical fouls and was unstoppable from all over the court. In this episode of Posters, James Hamilton breaks down the complete arc of Rasheed Wallace: tracing how 90s AOL chat rooms, Portland’s 19th-century history, screaming on dunks, a 1-game stint in Atlanta, and the 2004 Detroit Pistons championship team all fit together. Subscribe to Posters for a new pro basketball deep dive each episode. Watch full episodes on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vVJR9ABR7NA Host, writer, producer: James Hamilton Executive producer, co-writer, GFX: Eric Parrie Producer: Ashish Yamdagni Edited by Tyler Ward Theme song by Jon Lampley Recorded at Dude, IDK Studios in Denver, CO

40% of America watched Michael Jordan win his 6th ring in 1998. Eight days later, the NBA shut down. In 1998, the NBA owners and Commissioner David Stern locked out the players. By the time play resumed, 428 games and $1.5 billion had been lost. The Lockout came at a turning point in history, as hip-hop and the internet changed how old fans saw the game and what young fans were excited about. The various divides — between players and owners, old and new fans, and Jay Leno’s struggle to write new material — changed the league forever and made the modern NBA. Host James Hamilton jumps from billionaire owners’ potentially suspect book keeping to Kobe Bryant’s failed rap career, from the exhibition game on Showtime that flopped to the rooms in Midtown Manhattan where the future of the league was decided. Subscribe to Posters for a new pro basketball deep dive each episode. Watch full episodes on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RpBoVqG6bLs Host, writer, producer: James Hamilton Editor, co-writer, executive producer: Eric Parrie Producer: Ashish Yamdagni Filmed at Dude, IDK Studios in Denver, CO Theme song and music by Jon Lampley

Kawhi Leonard is unlike any superstar the NBA has ever seen. He’s the Klaw, the Fun Guy, the league’s most silent star, and, now, wrapped up in some of the most serious allegations in league history. But how much do we actually know about him? Is it possible we’ve been making up stories about Kawhi for years, as a way to describe what exactly we’re witnessing. In this episode of Posters, James Hamilton explores the life and career of Kawhi Leonard as a way to look at why sports fans need tall tales to explain players whose impact and presence is bigger than traditional boxscores. From titles with the Spurs and Raptors, Uncle Dennis, load management, Steve Ballmer, Aspiration, and those huge huge hands. Subscribe to Posters for a new pro basketball deep dive each episode or check us out on YouTube! https://youtu.be/hsxcskZXPHA Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton Executive Producer/Co-writer/GFX: Eric Parrie Producer: Ashish Yamdagni Edited by Footage Finesse Theme song: Jon Lampley Additional music: Dark Ages by MaxKoMusic Filmed at Dude IDK Studios in Denver, CO

Lisa Leslie was unstoppable: four Olympic gold medals, two WNBA championships, and 3 WNBA MVPs. Yet, the specifics of her greatness sometimes get lost in the larger struggle to keep the league she helped built afloat. Episode 5 of Posters travels back to the late 90's and early 2000's, when Leslie was everywhere: The Simpsons, Moesha, the cover of every type of Sports Illustrated. The ep looks at how one of the most dominant players of all time (unguardable post moves, underrated passing, vicious defense) had to spend so much of her time appealing to the casual viewer. And that comes at a cost. Looking for some vintage-style WNBA gear? Use this link to head over to Homage and grab shirts and sweatshirts for your favorite team: https://homage.sjv.io/posters ➡️ Subscribe to Posters for a new deep dive on an iconic player each episode! 🔗 Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YHu9sNpFQYg Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton Executive Producer/Editor/Co-writer: Eric Parrie Theme Song: Jon Lampley Recorded at Taino Studios in Philadelphia, PA Sneaker Head Correspondent: Courtney Fearrington

Chris Paul has been the NBA's constant, brilliant, and divisive force through the cinematic universe era. From Lob City and the vetoed trade to the Lakers, to his MVP-esque run with the Hornets to his patented rip-through, this episode looks at everything that might be left out on Chris Paul's farewell tour. Episode 4 of Posters connects the dots between his career-long competitive fire, his role in the recovery of a city, and how his role as a labor leader and CEO changed what it means to be an athlete forever. What is your favorite (or least favorite) Chris Paul memory? Let us know in the comments! Looking for some vintage NBA gear? Use this link to head over to Homage and grab shirts and sweatshirts for your favorite team: homage.sjv.io/posters ➡️ Subscribe to Posters for a new deep dive on an iconic player each episode! 🔗 Watch to the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PostersBball Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton Executive Producer/Editor/Co-writer: Eric Parrie Theme Song: Jon Lampley Recorded at Big Couch New Orleans Fan Correspondents: Madison Allen-Fisher, J.P. McDade, Raj Sivaraman

NBA fans spent decades adoring the larger-than-life enigma that was Dikembe Mutombo. Mutombo spent his career dominating the paint and responding with one of the most iconic gestures in sports: the finger wag. But what fans often couldn't see was that the Finger Wag was one of Mutombo's tools for achieving a bigger vision. This episode explores the full legend of of Mutombo: the competitive fire that led to four Defensive Player of the Year awards, the life mission that began before he ever picked up a basketball, and the way he used his fame to eventually funded his home country's biggest hospital. Where does on-court greatness end and legendary status begin? What responsibility do on-court greats have to being great off the court as well? This episode looks at how a reluctant medical student who was pulled to basketball by chance became one of one. What athletes do you think transcended their sport and changed the world? Let us know in the comments! Looking for some vintage NBA gear? Use this link to head over to Homage and grab shirts and sweatshirts for your favorite team: homage.sjv.io/posters ➡️ Subscribe to Posters for a new deep dive on an iconic player each episode! 🎥 See full video episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PostersBball Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton Executive Producer/Editor/Co-writer: Eric Parrie Music and "Posters Theme Song": Jon Lampley Fan Correspondents: Kojo Asamoa-Caesar, Adam Cayton-Holland, Courtney Fearrington, and Denver's Mayor Mike Johnston

Jayson Tatum is the NBA's paradox. He's one of the league's most accomplished superstars, but fans often have the same take on him: he's boring. In Episode 2 of Posters, we explore why we think that, what Tatum could do about it, and why we might be wrong. Jayson Tatum grew up on YouTube. We can look back and see every success, failure, and thought process going back to a school project where he used a PowerPoint to teach how to tie a tie. In other words, Tatum has "shown his work" on his path to superstardom, and it seems like a lot of people don't like that. How much has social media changed what we want from superstars? At what point does on-court greatness stops being enough to be the face of the league? And what do reality dating shows have to do with the NBA? It's all here, in episode 2. Find more deep-dive basketball essays on the Posters YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PostersBball Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton Executive Producer/Editor/Co-writer: Eric Parrie Theme Song: Jon Lampley Fan Correspondents: Justin Lamb, Casey McGowan, Kofi Thomas

Anfernee 'Penny' Hardaway was a fixture in the golden era of the 90's NBA: a regular All-Star, a face of Nike, and the best pick to follow in Michael Jordan's footsteps. But how much our fandom was about basketball, and how much was just the product of exceptionally good marketing? This week on Posters, we explore Penny's short reign at the top of the league and how another golden era— of NBA marketing, commercials, and merchandising— led a whole generation to buy into the league. The episode has a ton of gems: • Old commercials, from Lil Penny to Kareem singing about a candy bar • the movie Blue Chips • the story of Penny's grandmother, Louise • the one known NBA player to collect pigeons Check out the visuals for the ep and clips on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PostersBball We're also on IG: https://www.instagram.com/postersbball/ And on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postersbball Posters is a fan’s history of professional basketball, exploring a new player's career, societal impact, and our relationship to the game as fans. (If you follow House of Highlights AND watch every "30 for 30," this show is for you.) Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton Executive Producer/Editor/Co-writer: Eric Parrie Theme Song: Jon Lampley Fan Correspondents: Courtney Fearrington and Charlie Vergos

Welcome to Posters: A Fans' History of Professional Basketball. Each episode of this new video podcast does a deep dive on a new player: their story, place in culture at the time they played and what they show us about our fandom to the game. Posters is a show for the modern basketball fan. The one who loves a good sports documentary but also follows House of Highlights. The one whose social feeds are full of NBA and WNBA news, but are also interested in bigger questions: How much of our love of the game is a product of brilliant marketing? How has social media transformed what we demand from our sports stars? And what can a forgotten commercial tell us about a changing league? Posters is hosted by two-time Emmy-winning writer and comedian James Hamilton, who brings his signature blend of sharp joke writing, deep research and cultural curiosity. Executive producer Eric Parrie brings a trove of archival footage to create a fast-paced, one-of-a-kind show about where basketball meets culture. Subscribe to the "Posters" podcast and never miss an episode! Listen to "Posters" wherever you get your podcasts or watch the full video version of this trailer and all episodes on YouTube: ➡️ www.youtube.com/@PostersBball Connect with us! @postersbball on IG and TT Music: "Ladies First," John Runefelt via Epidemic Sound