Hoop Dreams, Life Lessons, and Almost Dunking on Allan Houston (Almost)

So there I was, in New York City, camera in hand, trying not to trip over tiny sneakers as I joined Allan Houston and the incredible FISLL team for a special event with the one and only HoopBus — and a crew of energetic elementary school students who definitely had more stamina than me.

The HoopBus rolled in like the basketball Batmobile, and let me just say — the team running it is top-tier.  They’ve grown so much over the years, and it was awesome to see how they’re using their platform to teach kids the game, run drills, and drop serious life gems along the way. (Also: the kids now probably think layups and leadership go hand-in-hand — which, honestly, they should.)

Photographing inside and outside of the bus made for some truly one-of-a-kind shots.  Where else can you capture a crossover happening under a bus mural of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a child explaining their dream of being “Steph Curry but taller”?

And yes — I briefly considered trying to dunk on Allan Houston… just to see what would happen.  But I also considered my knees, my dignity, and the fact that I don’t have a good health insurance deductible. So I passed. (You’re welcome, tendons.)

Big love to the FISLL family, the HoopBus squad, and all the amazing kids who reminded us that basketball is way more than a game.  It’s joy, it’s community, it’s mentorship — and every now and then, it’s a grown man pretending his camera bag is too heavy to attempt a jump shot.

– Burnell Branch