SLAM Hardwood Classics Youth Cover Tee - Jason Williams (SLAM 35)

Faster than he ever cracked a defender’s ankles—and his crossovers were dumb fast—Jason Williams captured fans’ hearts all around the NBA as a rookie. He had the craziest dimes that the League had seen in a long time. They were so crazy that nobody else ever saw them until he did. The impossible became possible with him. He would lace the ball through spaces so minuscule that it felt like he had superhuman eyes. These were no chest passes either. These were behind-the-back, over-the-head, no-look bullets seamed up and on the numbers into the shooting pockets of teammates who were wealthy with open looks. The way he could bounce the rock, too… It’s not just that nobody else was doing it at that time, it’s that nobody else had done it. Period. The dribble package was exclusive, a club of one that always seemed to be expanding.   

SLAM 35 came out towards the end of his rookie season. The Rookie of the Year award was being tossed around by him, Vince Carter and Paul Pierce. On any given night, it looked like any one of that trio would ultimately snatch it away from the others. But then one of them would hit a game winner. Or kiss the sky. Or drop a dime through seemingly indomitable defense. It was a ROY race for the ages.

So SLAM 35 marked the first triple cover in our history. All three of these impressive rookies got their own cover and they were all a part of the same story inside the magazine, a debate between three of our writers that concluded with our editor-in-chief declaring the winner. Go hit up our digital archive to read it. But only one won the award…

Though Williams didn’t end up winning the award, he did end up passing into hoops legend with a highlight tape so brilliant that it’s still being watched today by millions and a dime so iconic that it has its own name; the elbow pass. Though the pass only appeared one time in the League, its mythic status has become the height of passing showmanship and a reminder of just how genius Jason Williams was on the court. He left no doubt.

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