We know Snoop Dogg is a man of many talents, from being a beast on the mic, to helping young kids reach new heights in his youth football league, SnoopyFL. Did you know of his affinity for basketball?
I remember watching the Up In Smoke Tour VHS, when I was way too young for all the boobies and weed smoking depicted, and they had a basketball hoop that they carried around from city to city. The video went through a highlight reel of each rapper shooting hoops. Ice Cube could hit baseline 3s all day, he shot about 7-8 in a row. But Snoop Dogg, he had game, his highlight reel was him dominating on the court. He became one of my idols after that day. Maybe I could smoke weed and play basketball like that?
Since then Snoop has gone on to has participated in many basketball exhibitions, including the 2014 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game. This past weekend, Snoop along with former Toronto Raptors star Morris Peterson, hosted a basketball fundraiser called Hoops 4 Water, a celebrity basketball game in Flint, Michigan to raise money and further awareness for the water crisis taking place in the city, for which other artist including Pearl Jam, Vic Mensa and Beyonce have also announced donations.
All of the proceeds were being raised for the Morris Peterson Jr. Foundation to assist with relief efforts amid the city’s water crisis. Snoop and Peterson was also given the key to the city of Flint.
Other celebrities and sports stars who participated included Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron, Harlem Globetrotters guard Carlos “Dizzy” English, Detroit rapper Trick Trick, pro boxer Anthony Dirrell, Pat The Roc, and former NBA player Mateen Cleaves. Sway Calloway, from Sway In The Morning served as a coach. MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo was also in attendance.
“I wish I could’ve played for Izzo,” Snoop Dogg said. “When I watched Mo [Peterson] and them back in the day and how they had so much fun out there I like his spirit of how he knows how to coach.”
“The first thing he said to me was that ‘I was down in Michigan back in 89, why didn’t he recruit me?'” Peterson said. “I need that scholarship to State.”
On the first play of the game Snoop “Baby Magic” drove to the basket for a finger roll layup but Morris Peterson’s team came away with a 104-99 after Peterson’s deep 3 point dagger to seal the game.
“We do want to make sure that the mission is to fix this problem and don’t forget about it,” Snoop said. “We’re not here just for fun and games, we’re here for a bad situation that the media and America tends to sweep under the rug but we’re here to pull the rug up. We want to fix this.”
In case you are having trouble picturing Snoop playing ball, check out his half court shot during warm ups. The whole event must have had Snoop in a good mood as he didn’t seem to mind being served with a nasty crossover. Snoop, what were you thinking going full court press on Pat The Roc AKA The World’s Greatest Ball Handler?
Image: MLive