MALIK SEALY Feature-SEALY

21 Jersey Salute. 

By TIM DAVID HARVEY 

“Feel me, I’m loved like the great late Malik Sealy.” - AZ (Nas-The Flyest). 

"Just give me a second man", Kevin Garnett says softly, holding his index finger up like Deke. "Damn." His gigantic seven foot frame leaning forward on his couch as he crouches, head between knees brace like he's getting his wind back after a big play that just takes it out of you. 'The Last Dance' of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls on ESPN and Netflix may be over now, as the tablet passed memes and timelines have tweeted so much like former teammates Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen expressing their disdain about to lock horns, that the G.O.A.T 23 emoji has fallen off the hash-tag trend. But from all the 30 For 30's to 'The Carter Effect' on Netflix like 'Basketball Is Nothing', there's still plenty of hoop documentaries to play in your home hoop cinema like all the X and O movies there actually are. Like one of the best and biggest shots in Boston's own Ben Affleck's career for 'The Way Back' to redemption. One of the best docus simply being 'KG'. The story of Kevin Garnett. Filmed when the Big Ticket punched himself a Beantown stub to the Celtic pride of the NBA's most storied franchise in Boston, en route to a classic career as a champion on court, Garnett wore his new green number 5 on the polo at home with all cameras on him like there were eyes on 'Pac. But the backstory of this life and times knew that just like where he would finish his Hall of Fame career, Kevin's heart belonged in Minnesota with the Timberwolves like the number 21 raised to the retired rafters. But why he wore that number 21 forever means so much more. Stephon Marbury may have been the star like Starbury remade in China, but when everyone was talking about Showbiz and K.G. in the early days of Da Kid, Kevin Garnett's best teammate was also his greatest inspiration. And we aren't talking about one of the big three in Latrell Sprewell or Sam Cassell. No when it comes to Garnett's greatest teammate. The flyest of them all is the star of Whoopi Goldberg's Basketball movie 'Eddie' as a New York Knick. The great Malik Sealy.

"Ah well this is the Bronx. This is where I grew up. Um right here is Valentine Avenue. Basically where everything started for me," Malik tells cameras back in 1995 for his own documentary. Rocking the foundation of his own t-shirt, as he takes us on a playground tour like showing off your new friends to your mom. A place where he honed his skills like Jay-Z the kitchen table. The blueprint of his Basketball career were he would make K.G. believe this s### was real like Jaz-O. St. John's was were this kid would be a pre-NBA star like the late Len Bias, or the last member of that '92 Olympic Dream Team in Barcelona worthy of his own 30 For 30. If you want to talk about Wolves, there's a reason 'I Hate Christian Laettner'. Finishing his time as an alumni with a second all-time point total of 2,401 for John's, Malik named after Malik Shabazz, none other than political Malcolm X would follow in his footsteps of inspiration by any means necessary. Being good enough to be drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the 14th pick in the 1992 NBA Draft and inspire a young kid by the name of Kevin to wear the 21 in his honor, all the way until the day this biggest fan would meet his best friend. A 6 foot, 8 inch, 200 poung, Shooting Guard/Small Forward tweener who would play with the Clippers in Los Angeles and the Detroit Pistons in Motown. Malik rose to the occasion like a San Antonio Spur. But Sealy would truly find his home for his game and number 2 jersey in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis as a Minnesota Timberwolf. Throwing up a downtown prayer against the Indy team that drafted him, like he was pushing everything out his body for an epic experience the same as he clutched like Reggie Miller and hit the biggest ticket of a buzzer beating shot next to K.G. Right on target in the Target Center. Falling to the floor and lying on the court under the trees and pointing to the rafters he'd one day reside like Dikeme Mutombo Simba lifting the Spalding like 'The Lion King' to the ceiling in smiling, eighth wonder Nuggets knocking the top seeded Supersonics out of the first round of the playoffs with a sweep. Better get your brooms as Sealy shimmied like Antoine Walker. A pre-Paul Pierce teammate Kevin Garnett jumping on top of him with the game called on account of hugs.

"Malik had me wanting to go to St. John's", Garnett tells it. As in a news report a decade ago on the ten year anniversary, the late, great anchor Stuart Scott continues that in 1999 these two men bonded forever would become teammates. It started with dinner and then blossomed into a big brother mentorship to confide in and open up to. Idol to ally. Inseparable. Inspirational. "Malik and Kevin were brothers. Best friends," former teammate, future coach and always friend Sam Mitchell concurred. Adding a shy Kevin didn't want to go out much, until Malik coaxed him like, "screw that man let's go." Similar to what Steve Nash did for Dirk in Dallas, fresh off the flight from Frankfurt. Bringing him out of his shell, Mitchell believes Malik "taught Kevin how to be a superstar", giving him the seal of approval. In the new millennium 2000 night of number 21's 24th birthday Da Kid, Kevin Garnett felt on top of the world. SURPRISE! A party for the young star had everyone in attendance as Kevin, Malik and Sam snapped a beautiful photograph to mark the night. When Kevin got home and to bed he just thanked God for this beautiful day and night. But then what seemed like an incredible night would be marked for life in another way we would all never forget, even though we wish we could go back to before all that. Kevin's aunt almost kicked his door down. What's the matter? "You've got to get up!" Something happened to Malik. Sealy's SUV was hit by a pick-up truck going the other way on Malik's journey home. The driver drunk. Who years later would be arrested for another DUI. Sealy perfectly sober passed away that night as his life was cruelly taken by the fickle twist of tragic fate. "I just seen him" Kevin told his aunt in disbelief as time stopped for the man. Innocence gone with his friend. "That's what that was" he tells the documentary camera crew in the same disbelief as the weight of his arm gives out like the one that doesn't leave his shoulders. Shortly after Garnett's 24th, he and Sealy were meant to leave for vacation together, instead Kevin was a pallbearer for Malik's funeral. Carrying his best friends name and number above his locker for life. Like a Jerry West jersey we celebrated Da Kid, Kevin Garnett's 44th (WHAT?!) birthday yesterday. But one that is always bittersweet because of what he woke up to the next day. As today we mark the 20th anniversary of Malik Sealy's passing with a piece we should have wrote more than 10 ago. "I think everybody goes through something in their life that makes them who they are in the present. And that's what Malik was for me." Sealy like Charlotte Hornet Bobby Phills and the New Jersey Net superstar who started the European revolution before Dirk and Doncic and could have even given M.J. a run for his money (yeah I said it Mike...and you know it), Drazen Petrovic all lost their lives tragically to automobile accidents. And over the last year we have lost even more of our NBA family from Commissioner David Stern to and it's still so hard to believe and write this, Kobe Bryant. This year in Springfield when Kevin Garnett puts on that Naismith orange jacket like Tiger Woods does August's green one with Tim Duncan in the Hall of Fame, his friend Kobe Bryant should be with him like throwing it off the glass in the All Star game for the West. And as Kevin takes to the podium to make a speech as stirring as his play was passionate like no other. Like his late, great coach Flip Saunders, the man who wore number 2 for Sealy in Brooklyn like he does inked always in his arm only wishes his best friend Mailk could be there to introduce, or at least watch over him. But don't you know...he will be. Tragedy touches us all, but friendship is forever. Pick up the phone. Two decades gone and if they still wrote a book on his life, do you think anyone would read it? No f###### doubt! 20 years ago we lost Malik Sealy. Two decades later he's still the flyest. Stillmatic.

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: THE LAST DANCE

5/5

The Last Waltz. 

10 Episodes. Starring: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Phil Jackson & Chicago Bulls. 

Come fly with he. Let's fly, let's fly away. He being the G.O.A.T. The greatest of all-time like Sinatra. The chairman of the board. Sorry King and with all due respect to the late, great (what is this fate?) Kobe. But they all wanted to be like Mike. Hear it from forever 24 himself in one of the most sobering, emotionally blindsiding moments of this whole series (so thankful I was coincidentally cutting onions at the time) when talking about the original 23. M.J. a thriller like the other Mike, Jackson. Now who's bad? At its purest you best believe Basketball is an art form and Michael Jordan made the Spalding (whoops. Wilson now like Tom Hanks' best friend. WoW!) his instrument. 'The Last Dance' his symphony. All in a shrugs work (and wait until you see the real master of this). And now you can play it in every household he became a name in like the game in your backyard, throwing up shots like you believed you could fly, now shouting, "KOBE" in tribute. You better make it. Mamba mentality remember. Never out like the rumoured documentary footage from his last waltz we can't wait, or would love to see. As ESPN's latest top ten, 30 For 30 has been made available everywhere (i.e. Netflix) as chilling at home in lock down we no longer have to scroll through the streaming service for a show or movie to watch with cinemas closed. We have our top pick now...and we aint talking about Sam Bowie. Top ten across the world as our days go round in circles like the globe, or the spinning Spald...Wilson this guy owned and honed like he was from Harlem...close. This New Yorker made Madison Square Garden the World's Most Famous Arena like the Delta Centre or Byron Russell, (that push off move on the headline intro, 'Dark Knight' scored that we will never skip Netflix like the 'Stranger Things' one straight looking like a Bruce Lee move. After I wrote this news of his 39 For 30 'Be Water' came). When Money had the ball it was more than cash and profits for the post Bird and Magic golden era of hoop dreams which Netflix are about to see why and just how much for a show that even people that don't like Basketball are finding compelling due to this man's court creations. Remember those Converse you wear...Basketball shoes. Everytime you post a "Throwback Thursday"...that's a hoops reference. If you want to get better at something you should always study the greats. Jordan, Kobe, Ali, Prince, Springsteen, Scorsese, De Niro, Pacino and so on. The Beatles. The Chicago Bulls. And the most sought after, greatest thing on Netflix since 'The Irishman' is one of the only saving graces of this quarantine, like the BBC bringing forward their signature series, 'Killing Eve' starring Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh. But forget Eve. This is all about Mike and his last Bull run out the Bullpen. Because nobody had a killer instinct like Mike. The ultimate Villanelle like Jerry Krause the villain of this. This is history for our generations like world wars. But no one had a fight like this. You can see it in his eyes when he cries. No meme. "Break!"

Let's dance! The Bowie (not Sam) sampling classic 'Been Around The World' by Diddy ("if this is our last dance we need to practice our steps." Guess the song with Brandy) when he was the Puff Daddy and the Ma$e, Notorious B.I.G. Family plays like you just know this show is going to be a classic like the soundtrack that needs to be a Spotify playlist if it isn't already a number one, one. All to lay the Chicago town scene and introduce us to all the untouchable characters like Capone or Elliott Ness. Just like introducing Scottie Pippen and that iconic dunk over Patrick Ewing to the subwoofer of your speakers with all that bass in his voice. A man who was more than a Robin sidekick to Jordan's Batman, but maybe one of the most underrated and greatest ever. Even of at the time he was the 122nd highest player in the league. Do you know who the 122nd highest paid player in the association is today...exactly! And how about Dennis Rodman..."wassup!" Need we say anymore? The introduction takes care of all that. Is it because he's different? More entertaining than trying to find your best friend in Vegas after 'The Hangover'. BOOM...he's here. And then BOOM! He's back there. He's everywhere. And then of course there's the man who orchestrated this all in this last season for a team in search of it's soul, the Zen master Coach Phil Jackson. But is it bad that this Laker fan wanted a Ron Harper and Horace Grant episode in a laundry list of famous and not so teammates (but I'll settle for Harp's "f### this bull####" when as a Cav he couldn't get M.J. for the shot and Horace's Cosby like reaction to Magic teammate Nick "Choke" Anderson saying "45 isn't the same as 23" for that jersey change. Or how about Mike's friendly joking banter with Grant and a referee during the playoffs that he doesn't see Horace that much at this time of the year. Straight savage)? Or his interaction with the Hollywood G.O.A.T. A young Leonardo DiCaprio (I want to see a M.J. so petty that when DiCaprio corrects his "The Man With The Iron Face" comment he hops in a DeLorean, takes it back to '95 and hangs 63 on Leo's character from 'The Basketball Diaries'. "Okay, you want to correct me. That's fine, no problem." Imagine building a DeLorean just to go back 3 years. Hash-tag, "petty"). From big shot guards like Paxson and B.J. Armstrong. To some of the best courtside contributors in this documentary that has everyone from Nas comparing copping Jordan's to having a lightsaber off 'Star Wars' and some former Chicago resident called, Barack Obama (not to mention Bull, Bad Boy and our man John Salley amongst all the Ahmad Rashad's and David Stern's (Rest Peacefully) in Bill Wennington and Jud Buechler (who if they ever do a 'Last Dance' movie needs to be played by Ryan Reynolds himself). And who could forget Warriors coach Steve Kerr (but when they get to his episode and past, prepare yourselves. This guy really is the bravest beyond the game on the line. Which makes his trademark humour and heart that much more in the face of tragedy inspired) and his hilarious response to the reason why the Bulls are so good and maybe the big-three's real third man Toni Kukoc? One of the first and groundbreaking Euro players that have made the game what it is today. Word to the name on the back of Kevin Durant's black Bulls jersey. Seeing the forgotten outcome to when he was given the last shot instead of Pip has the nail biting excitement of watching a real live game during this lockdown were there's a chain on the gym like 'Coach Carter'. And then there's the love story that started in Paris without a hug and ended as the G.O.A.T. of friendships in Scott Burrell. But back to the music in this dance like the shifting time lines. Forget Oreo's, there's LL Cool J's 'Bad' whilst crushing the Celtics like a building on pink plastic for 63 like it was God disguised as Michael Jordan. 'Partyman' by the purple one like The Joker, Prince off his 'Batman' soundtrack for the King before the purple one. There's so many more classics like Chicago's own Alan Parsons project introduction dance that we don't want to spoil for this scoring soundtrack of a series like KRS-One and Eric B. and Rakim paid in full for a show that ain't no joke. But we know whose going to have the last laugh on 'The Last Dance' like handing an iPad to the greatest and showing him that the glove of Gary Payton (and how about David Aldridge talking about how we should save the Sonics (don't skip this. Or Breanna Stewart of the Storm's teacup reaction to Joe Budden saying Seattle needs a Basketball team...and that's the tea) thought he could fit when it came to his trash talking, Hall of Fame defence. It was all O.J. for M.J. No doubt about it. No one did it like Mike. The only one who really had a hold on him was his mother...and of course his father, James Jordan. One of the best and most beautiful moments of 'The Last Dance' (especially for this writer a thousand miles away from home in Japan) is where Michael lovingly watches his Mum read a letter he sent from college, apologising for the phone bill and asking her for money and stamps...you know typical student stuff from a man who could retire off one Jordan shoe alone (left or right). There won't be a dry eye in the house as it's all smiles. But then it becomes all too tragically heartbreaking. 

"Starts off with hard work, ends in champagne," says the man who was back like two words and how much that all means like reading more into this philosophical quote that should belong in his history like the rings and the book of Basketball accolades as more than a footnote for a documentary that's the perfect partner to Roland Lazenby's biography on 'The Life' of this man. Here comes the ball towards Michael Jordan. Its travelling faster than usual. Like a Magic past from a man he went to the Olympics with, making jazz like Bird in Barcelona '92 for something that was all a dream like B.I.G. said it was. But Pop! Mike still catches it...with a glove. And we ain't talking about Gary Payton. The ball comes back to Mike and this time he SLAMS! He slams it with a bat. Knocking it out the park like Wrigley Field. Wait...what?! Before 'The Last Dance' a Michael had one or his own a few calenders before as he walked away from the game and rightfully so after his father, James Jordan went missing and was later found brutally murdered. And whilst in mourning and trying to grieve in private the media were out trying to pin the murder on Michael's gambling addiction and false claimed debts. Now imagine what that would be like today in the cruel world of Twitter trolls and keyboard "warriors" who are about as brave as Trump. Mike took his ball home and picked up sticks, trying out for Baseball as that was what his father always wanted to see his son do. Now how beautiful is that? Changing his body Jordan earned his 45 and time on the diamond, asking for no special favours (the ESPN '30 For 30') goes into much greater detail. But still critics chose to hate like the time he came back for one last swan song as a Washington Wizard because this still scientist of the X and O lost a step of fresh air. Little did they consider that the man who said he was 99.9999% sure he wasn't coming back in 2001 played for free and donated his whole playing salary to the 9/11 relief fund (it's about time we mention he's not getting paid for this either. Donating his money made of this series (4 mill after just Episode I) to the Coronavirus relief fund) and you still want to talk about his "republicans buy sneakers too" quote. Michael could have made the majors with his baseball swing, going for the fences. But the only reason he "came back wearing the 4-5" like Jay-Z was because baseball was trying to exploit his name whilst he was standing up for the little men of the league going on strike. That was number 3 and M.J. was out of there (again little is made of that whilst a lot is made out of why Basketball's G.O.A.T. wasn't the greatest of all time trading the roundball for rounders). Not because he had a game to play with Bugs Bunny. But after 'Space Jam' Jordan came back and won it all again...on father's day. But face down crying on the floor, cradling the ball like a newborn child wasn't the last indelible, inspirational image of influence we'd have for the man with the gold necklace and cut cigar in a coffee cup as he swung a bat in a Bulls warm up. How about when "sidekick" Scottie really had his back in the "flu" game? Which we now know was 'The Food Poisoning Game'. When Michael sliced everyone up for 38 after some bad pizza. Or Slam Dunk Contest taking off from the free throw line and the human highlight film of Dominique Wilkins to all the air of Nike up there as he came and flew. No Michael would save us one last dance like you shouldn't in your Netflix list. Continue watching right now like all those treasure trove, golden age YouTube highlight videos that show you we can still wait for one of the best NBA seasons in recent memory to return...and this is a Lakers fan saying this. And it ain't over. Even if the dynasty was (their death coming premature. Imagine if the NBA never came back from COVID-19. No LeBron. Or Giannis. It was kind of like that would be). On the 20th of May ESPN will treat you to the curtain call of 'Game 6: The Movie', filmed on 'Last Dance' documentary cameras, to be seen for the first time. 'The Last Dance' represents the good ole 90's, pre-Trump cynicism of the American Dream that everyone wanted like Obama coming back wearing the 4-5. This is the greatest basketball documentary of all-time about to take home Oscar like Larry O'Brien. Dear Basketball. It doesn't get much better than this. Dance with me. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Come Fly With Me', 'Jordan Rides The Bus', 'Celtics/Lakers: Best Of Enemies'.