SLAM PHL PRESENTS: KICKS

I finally got my copy of SLAM PHILIPPINES PRESENTS: KICKS (published by Titanomachy Publications, Inc.) last weekend. There were two covers for the first-ever KICKS magazine to be published in the country, Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics and Monta Ellis of the Golden State Warriors. Added attractions were special PHL hoops articles covering the PBA draft, UAAP and NCAA. Plus write-ups on Kemba Walker, Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin, Yao Ming, Eric Gordon, Ray Allen, Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson, Shawn Kemp and of course, the 400 on-court, off-court and limted edition shoes. SLAM’s Ben Osborne talks on the emergence of cover boy Rondo as the “Big One” in Beantown, according to SLAMONLINE.

“On the court last season, Rondo averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 11.2 assists and 2.3 steals (the latter two each good for second in the League), firmly establishing that in terms of Boston’s MVP, the “Big Three” now all take a backseat to the “Big One.” And that’s exactly what Rondo is: a big 1, blessed with long arms, serious athleticism and a fine-tuned court sense that allows him to complete plays at both ends of the floor that most PGs wouldn’t even try. As well as LeBron and Wade played at the end of last spring’s Eastern Conference Semis, Celtic fans rightly wonder if things might have gone differently if Rajon hadn’t suffered that gruesome injury in G3.”