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Tyler Johnson

@basketopia

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🏀 in 🇺🇸🇧🇷🇵🇹🇫🇷🇮🇹.🥇SESC ABPM Champ 2009 🇧🇷. D.C., Florida, NYC, Paris, Brazil & Portugal, now📍Austin, TX. Hoopin’ around the world & back again.

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How it started… how it’s going.

Clip 1. Washington Ethical High School
Clip 2. Capital City Jokers

#basketopia by @basketopia

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3 years ago

taken in Turner-Roberts Recreation Center by @basketopia

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4 years ago

Still a bucket. 😤

What’s good basketball peeps? Seems like people are having a tough time with things, make sure to reach out and check on your people. Even a tiny gesture of solidarity can go a long way if someone is feeling stuck or down.

Won every game today except for the last, went maybe 5-1. We lost the last one to 21 on a game tied at 19, game point. 😡😤 Man I hate that. I anticipated correctly and came under the screen, was with my man, quarter step behind, but instead of his pristine floater, he should have been wearing my foul like an ill fitting suit. That is one of those slow motion moments where you close out no matter what. Get a block, get a stop, foul. I was right with him, but he made the shot. Big shot Bob, well done.

Games were fun, we ran the court for an hour and a half. Good all around attack with solid passing, and we had the toughest player on the court, that also always helps. I was able to facilitate a bunch of good basketball plays with passing, movement, screens, etc. and hit some shots as well. Boxing out, rebounding, defending, I love all the intangibles too.

Main problem was some elbow soreness. Need to figure out what that’s all about. PT and rehab time. Likely caused by too much repetitive graphic design/hunched over a computer all day. And/or needing to get some work for the triceps and tendons and ligaments in the elbow. I put up a three pointer in the last game that felt really tight. Got to listen to our body.

Play of the game, I had an iso on the high block. Seal. Asked for the ball with stretched arm, open hand. We needed a bucket. I got the ball, ball fake, tween, cut hard left, pull up in one motion with a hand in my face, bucket. That was my highlight for today. Had a nice block to help seal a victory early on. And my opponent said “Fuck Tyler’s hands!” 🤣 so I took that as a great compliment, as I cleanly got a hand on the ball as he was driving on me, going out off his leg. Staying low to the ground, active hands is the way.

Ready for the NBA season to start? I know I’m planning on catching a few games. Thanks for reading. I’ve got more games and stories to post.
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#basketopia
#globalbasketball taken in Austin, Texas by @basketopia

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8 days ago

Throwback!
Wanted to share this quick origin story that tries to answer a single question, WHERE did you FIRST become a true hooper? (Feel free to drop your where in the comments.)

For me. It was right here. At the Leland Recreation Center, in Maryland. I lived down the street from this place, essentially lived between the outdoor and indoor courts, full gym rat. Or the gravel driveway hoop in the backyard.* It was also a magnet for good players in the city. All ages, all levels of play. Let’s talk a bit about the culture. Definitely the kind of spot you could get your ball stole, 🏀👀. Definitely tough East Coast basketball, Tuesdays 7pm were tough. Such a massive city DMV, with a broad talent pool. At this court you could build an identity, you could carve out your space. For me back then, I learned to defend the 5, but attack as a slashing 3. Later learned to shoot, that opened everything.

Later, in high school and then for a time after college when the economy was essentially paused post 9/11, I worked there. I had a part-time job at the reception desk, and shutting down any shenanigans. I did a pretty good of that. I remember one guy saying to me, “Nothing wrong with a part-time job.” We had one of the nicest gyms and courts, that’s why all the good players came here to hoop. You had to pay $10 for a year, you’d get a card with your name on it, hoop for a year, $10. I’m telling you I heard EVERY SINGLE side story about, please understand, I forgot my wallet, my dog ate my cash, my girl has my pants, she’s pulling up later, can I play now? Every time! 😆 So I was mostly well behaved, I remember I did get in trouble because I was using the whole sound system to play John Coltrane Love Supreme. Lame.

* Regarding the backyard hoop, congratulations for reading this far! You will be rewarded with this bonus content. ⭐️ Our next door neighbor’s name was Hans Schmidt, and was this super hardcore and non-approachable old german guy, living there with his wife. So one day indeed, our ball went flying off of a missed three ball and smashed his shed’s window. We tried to pay him, but he fixed it right away, & did not accept money.
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#basketopia
#hoops taken in Jane E. Lawton Community Center by @basketopia

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2 months ago

From the Basketopia series:
COME HOOP WITH ME

Went to bed late, woke up late, decided to not bring the camera. Big mistake. Little did I know it, today I would be cooking, as hoopers like to say. Went a well earned 3-1, was not happy about that loss. I ended game one with a tough iso move to seal the game. I was stroking the three ball, hit a bunch. One with someone’s hand right in my face, splash!

All four games were competitive. Play of the game was absolutely this one drive that came later in the session. It wasn’t quite the usual drive hard, finish with the scoop or runner. I went up, I was well into committing my motion and in the air, with limited hang time available (😅), my big defender was right on me hands up, and it was in slow motion, I knew I had to put just the right English on the ball or else it was not going in. Bucket 💪. Also shoutout to Chris who gave me work on the block, also made shots on me, and is one of the few there that is strong enough to just move me out of my spots sometimes. (Me to myself after one play jostling for a loose ball “hey buddy, I’m going to need that arm and shoulder later.” 😂) Only negative on the day is I got mini-scratched in the eye. No ill intent, but never fun. Not bad, just not joyous.

Game felt great today, lots of assists, rebounds, buckets. I helped spread the floor, when you are hitting from outside they have to respect your jumper and you can use that for shot fakes and playmaking with drive and kick out creating opportunities for teammates, and I had some midrange and plays attacking the basket. If I’m ever attacking inside and hitting threes, that’s always when I’m at my best. You just have to read the court, and learn to know where to be and when. To all the young players, learn when to A) move towards the ball, B) when to move away from the ball, and C) when to cut to the basket.

Another great day of basketball.
Looking forward to sharing more hooping sessions with you all shortly.
Peas,
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#basketopia
#basketball
#baloncesto
#goodvibesonly
#blackalicious taken in Austin, Texas by @basketopia

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2 months ago

So many courts; such little time.

A collection of pics from the past 3 or so years, all taken in Austin, TX. Some semipro teams, some city league teams, some private runs, and some “we’re talking about practice” shots. All pics credit Basketopia, taken with an iPhone 12. Shoutout to all the teams, including @capitalcityjokers @marvodagreat @nicholas715 @fc138_ and @mistad78702 Holiday Hoopz and Birthday buckets runs.
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#photodump
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#hooper
#baloncesto taken in Austin, Texas by @basketopia

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2 months ago

Till the wheels fall off. 🔥
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#Basketopia
#BetterEveryDay
#Highlights
#Basketball
#Over40Hooper taken in Austin, Texas by @basketopia

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2 months ago

A couple buckets from today. Was locked in, ready to rumble. Man, I love this game of basketball so much. No mercy on the defense! Ha! We went at it. Such a great way to release energy in a healthy physical way, and feel connected and thankful, at more peace after playing, Always a lesson to learn after every game. Battle on the hardwood! Today we had battles indeed, took some Ls and Ws. Speaking of buckets, here are a few of mine from today. More in sequence. by @basketopia

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2 months ago

Hand down, Wo/man down. A clip from a fun SSC season a couple years back. With teammates Ashley, Darrell, Lauren, Al and Barrett. taken in Austin, Texas by @basketopia

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2 months ago

Game 1 yesterday against Dhruv at Dottie Jordan Park. It was a cool triple digit degrees out, which is pretty much why I don't hoop outdoors much these days in TX during the summer 🥵, but on the positive, my shoes didn't melt into the court, so there is that.

My full plan was to get some shots up, test some camera angles and settings, and that would be that. The universe had other plans, so thanks for the run Dhruv, I sold a ton of shots, but that was fun, and welcome to Austin! We have a great hoop community here. @dhruvshrotriya

Thanks for reading, [ahem], I mean watching. /Basketopia loading. 🏀
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#Basketball
#Baloncesto by @basketopia

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2 months ago

Still got it. We ran 4x4 full court with no subs. We had all the bigs on our side, so gave up one in a swap for a PG to even out the height factor.

Game 2 was my play(s) of the game, about halfway through the game, I got red hot and did not let up. I started playing far more aggressive, and hit all my shots. A triple to start the run. Followed by 3 makes in a row, iso, then traffic, buckets, just getting to my spots and putting in work. My teammates fed me the ball and I got the job done with a rebound put back turnaround game winner. 💪

All day I tried to use triple threat in midrange that often turned into a screen, pick and pop three ball or post attack. (Missed most of ‘em today 🙈) Shot and missed a couple hooks. A play I totally sold was when I split the defense, wound up alone in the lane, in front of the cup, finger roll… still with me?…. totally sold the clip and missed the lay in 🤦‍♂️. Would have been nice… oh well. (Sigh.)

Other than that one excellent half session, aka, 6 minutes of glory, [Mamba mentality 🐍♾️] my game was pretty so/so. Shot was off, but I played aggressive. Body felt good. Got some strong rebounds and some put backs or kick outs for assists. Need a second run of the week to get back in full hoops speed, but today was fun! Shoutout to the other hoopers, several other players on the opposing team played well and they got me holding mostly Ls today 😞. Going to keep pushing, hope everyone has a good weekend. Also shout out to Steve, for switching over to defend me after I went off. I think you gave me 11pts. Three 3s and a lay, ouch.

Keep an eye on this space for some new updates coming soon. 👀📷🏀✌️

P.S. Your mind is not bugging. The image is 2 different photographs put together.

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#atxballers
#stillgotit
#baloncesto taken in Austin, Texas by @basketopia

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3 months ago

Basketopia alert line pinging: It’s my birthday today 🎈🍰🎇(!), and I got buckets this morning as well. Played hard. Three ball was off, but made a couple. Lost a couple close games that I did not want to lose 😤, I think we finished 2-4, which is not bad considering they had one player that we had literally no answer for. Play of the game, nothing crazy, maybe a couple clean hook shots in the paint. “Too little.” Jk, my opponent played well. A good fun competitive bunch of runs. I’ve been doing some extra work with plyometrics and strength training. Looking forward to the next time I get to hoop! About to do some celebrating and cake consumption. Bonus photos, crazy Texas sky from pancakes & booze art show in Austin, murals and art in Peru, a cloudy beach in Brazil, and a bunch of courts and runs. Enjoy your day! by @basketopia

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3 months ago