Gunnin' for That #1 Spot is a 2008 documentary made by the Beastie Boys' Oscilloscope Laboratories. Directed by Adam "MCA" Yauch (R.I.P.), the film focuses on eight promising young ball players, following them in their preparation for the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic at Rucker Park. Now that all of these players have been in the NBA at some point, let's take a look at them, and rank 'em from least to most successful.
8. Donte Greene.
Greene gets the bottom spot because he is the only player of this bunch who isn't currently in the NBA. He played for the Sacramento Kings last season, and was moderately productive in sporadic minutes--his per 36 averages of 13.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks are respectable, but his career 40% shooting leaves something to be desired. He started just 7 games in the lockout-shortened season (21 the season before, and 50 before that), so it's apparent the Kings gave up on him, believing he would never pan out and wasn't worth their time. Judging by his current unemployment, the rest of the NBA agrees. He would come cheap though, and he's only 24 (25 in February), so I wouldn't be surprised to see him back in the league sometime soon. Until then, he's stuck at the bottom of this list.
7. Lance Stephenson
Lance has yet to do anything spectacular, but he's helped by the fact that he's only 22 and is starting consistently this season. His 47% shooting is impressive, but the rest of his numbers aren't. He's scoring 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 turnovers in almost 28 minutes per game this season, which means his per 36 numbers aren't much better. Add in his off-court issues (he allegedly pushed his girlfriend down a flight of stairs), and he's not the most likable player or person. He's young enough that he could certainly improve, but right now this seems like a fair ranking.
6. Jerryd Bayless.
The Arizona-native comes in at #6. He's on his fourth team in five year, and he's hoping he can now call Memphis home, but his job there is far from guaranteed. He plays on a great Grizzlies team and backs up a very talented Mike Conley, Jr., which is cool for him, but his numbers aren't astonishing. He plays 18 minutes per game and averages 3.2 assists, 1.5 turnovers, 2 fouls, and 5.3 points on 39% shooting. With all of the scoring options on his Grizzlies team--Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol down low--his assists could certainly be better if he were a true floor general, and his 2:1 assist/turnover ratio is underwhelming. He's showed glimpses of promise, but he's nothing to write home about. For now.
Hook Mitchell is considered by many to be one of the most talented ball players to never make it to the NBA, and this 2003 film covers his tragic story. Mitchell grew up in Oakland, and he balled with a number of guys who would later go to the pros, including Gary Payton, Antonio Davis, Brian Shaw, Jason Kidd, and Drew Gooden. He was only 5'11"--if that--but his being an athletic freak allowed him to jump over anything in his path, from defenders to cars. No one could slow him down, except for himself.
Despite his small stature and the high quality of his competition, Hook could more than hold his own. His game was well-respected and he had all the tools needed to take him far. Future Hall of Famer Gary Payton, a close childhood friend of Mitchell's, says in the following clip that "[Hook] was better than me, he was better than Jason [Kidd], he was better than Antonio [Davis], he was better than everyone." That's two of the best point guards to ever play the game and a big man who survived in the league for 16 years--no easy task. Certainly high praise.
Hook's incredible jams were becoming the stuff of legend, but after a series of bad decisions, not even they could keep his NBA prospects afloat. Unable to escape the drug influences that were far too prevalent in his community, Mitchell's mind was clouded and he lost focus. He let his addiction dictate his actions, and lost sight of his long-term dream of reaching the NBA. He couldn't last on a college team, and was eventually arrested for armed robbery after attempting to hold up a Blockbuster. Hook was sentenced to 51 months in prison, and his chances at making it to the Association escaped him for good.
Hooked is great. It offers a fascinating look at an incredibly talented player who, like the majority of young ballers with dreams of making it to the NBA, never made it to the big time. It is an entertaining watch for basketball fans interested in California streetball culture, but it can also serve as a harsh reality check for young dreamers.
Hook Mitchell was an incredibly gifted athlete who embraced basketball as an outlet and mastered the sport, and he had the luxury of growing up among other NBA-caliber players. Despite this, he was unable to make it to the pros. There are thousands and thousands of kids out there setting their sights on professional athletics--working tirelessly in the gym, shooting jumpers for hours on end, carrying their high school teams to state championships, starting for D1 colleges--but for the majority of these kids, even some of the best, it won't be enough. The NBA draft has just two rounds, which means there are 60 spots for all the players in the world. That doesn't leave a lot of room for error, especially considering only a fraction of these players pan out and actually make rotations, and finding success as an undrafted player is exceptionally difficult.
A top-10 pick in 2006, Patrick O'Bryant played just over a season's worth of games.
While the Association's efforts at globalization over the last couple decades have made it easier for aspiring NBA-ers to find work in leagues overseas, these spaces are also limited, and the door has been opened for international players to come to the ol' U.S. of A. Imagine all of the children--from inner-cities, rural farms, prep schools, small towns in Western Europe--who set their sights on becoming professional cagers, dreaming of finding wealth and fame and being able to provide for their families or live the luxurious lifestyles shown in the movies or on TMZ. You never want to crush a child's dreams of hitting it big and attaining the elusive "American Dream," but isn't it important to be honest with them? We hear the sensational rags-to-riches success stories of athletes like Michael Oher, but we aren't faced with the facts often enough: the odds of becoming a professional athlete are 24550 to 1. These numbers are not promising, so you'd better have a backup plan.
For many though, sport is seen as the ultimate passage to unlimited wealth, an easy pass through life, and school is an afterthought. This is all backwards. Even if you're playing on a prestigious university's team--hell, even if you're a star--there's no guarantee you're going to be successful. And here's where we get back to Hook. He was a truly special player, and it didn't work out for him. Drugs got in his way, but it can take a whole lot less than that to derail someone's rise to stardom. One missed meeting, a few failed tests, a run-in with the law, troubles with anxiety, a twisted ankle during an important game. Heck, I'd bet one or two missed shots has cost at least one person out there an opportunity to take their career to the next level, whether they know it or not. Becoming a professional basketball player is difficult, and it's important to face this fact, even if it's not the most comforting thing to hear. For this reason alone, Hooked: the Legend of Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell is worth watching. Add in the fact that it's entertaining, well-made, and has cameos from Kidd and Payton and friends, and you've got yourself a winner.
Two of Oakland's lucky ones.
Watch Hooked, get hooked, and love it. Just be sure to stay grounded.
