The cool has arrived; 2015 NBA All Star Weekend has officially commenced.
Rappers, athletes, groupies, and more have infiltrated NYC for the next few days for what is sure to be an unforgettable moment in NBA history — never before has All-Star weekend split events into multiple venues like it has this year. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when it began, but the anticipation has been palpable for a minute now. Maybe it was Thursday night when NBA TV began showing Dunk Contests from years past (Fred Jones, really?). Or maybe it was the new Drake mixtape that set things off (dropping in the middle of a Diddy/’Ye concert btw, ouch), or even Kanye’s fashion show that set the tone.
Whatever it was, we’re eager to celebrate. So in honor of this year’s All-Star Weekend, we decided to explore the early days of some of your favorite NBA players. From Kobe’s pre-draft workout with the Celtics in ’96, to Dirk’s goofy start in Würzburg, Germany, we put together a gallery of legendary players from before they were recognizable on a first-name basis.
Peep the gallery below for some photos we’re sure you’ve never seen before.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
