Gunnin’ for that #1 Stunna…

Here’s a forthcoming flick that you’re not going want to miss.

My main man, Adam Yauch, has directed a new documentary called “Gunnin’ For that #1 Spot.” The film will be showcased at the Tribeca Film Festival on Monday night, April 28th. (Check out the scheduled date and program note here.)

Each and every year, the summer activities of elite high-school All-American create buzz and fervor for college basketball junkies. Sure-fire followings from the basketball gods are bestowed upon these stars that last for about a decade ‘s worth of time regardless if the elites become NBA All-Stars, long-time NBA veterans, NBDL Busts, or living legends of what could have been.

Yet, the gods will pass along an immortal following of hype and buzz whether or not you are Lew Alcindor, Tom McMillen, Alonzo Mourning, Marcus Liberty, Felipe Lopez, Kevin Garnett, Tim Thomas, LeBron James, or Kevin Love. With that “Number One Spot,” which labels the best player in the country, you’ll be remembered and followed forever in basketball lore.

For most basketball junkies, you have to catch a major AAU tournament, televised high-school All-Star game, or be in the thick of the camp circuit and recruiting web sites and newsletters to grab scoop. Yet, despite what you observe, the best player in the country is purely an objective call, and after a summer’s worth of play, you can pretty much tell who that player is.

However, with this group of talent in the Summer of ’06, there were a lot of subjective calls upon who was the best. What makes this film unique is that the best were not only assembled to showcase their skills in the form of a playground all-star game, but also the simple fact that the ‘Elite 24 have been assembled for one game at Harlem, New York’s famed and legendary Rucker Park Playground.

Yauch and his crew followed the elite high-school stars of the Summer of 2006; Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Kyle Singler, Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Donte Green, Lance Stephenson, and Jerryd Bayless, through their path to this innaugral ‘Elite 24’ game.

(As a side note, after watching Jennings and Love on the SoCal All-Stars of the AAU circuit, I would have adore the chance to have this duo to reassemble on a NBA team someday…Cruise and bruise, baby…Cruise and bruise.)

The cool thing is that the film should display Yauch’s directorial skills, which has been on display in Beastie Boys videos for quite some time. (Since the fruit shots from the of the ‘Shake Your Rump’, I’ve been hoping that a film would come down the route.) To add more cache to the film, combining the musical tastes of Yauch, who is better known as “MCA” of the Beastie Boys, the film will have a classic banger of a soundtrack to set the tone.

Here’s a preview shot with an intro on Kevin Love. Check out the shout-outs by “Bobbito” Garcia…”Kev Love”, “KevLar”, “Bulletproof”…Too dope. Get that grip-head a megaphone!)

(Note: I’m telling you. Watch that dish from Jennings to Love, as basketball fans, we missed out with Love heading to UCLA and leaving early to the league and Jennings headed to ‘Zona next fall. They would have would have been the best 1-2 punch since Walter Berry and Mark Jackson…Seriously. In terms of basketball play, the speedster and the enforcer…Oh so nice.)

Get Yours,
BD