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Randy is the
author of three novels and is currently working on a fourth about love
and football.
Click here for more
on the four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist.
Top Hoop Jocks of 2003
By Randy Boyd
For Outsports.com
 VH-1 does
it. The E! channel does it. SportsCenter does it.
The world
is full of lists. Most Outrageous TV Moments. Best Rock Albums All
Time. Biggest Celebrity Oops. Best Dressed on a Tuesday Night When
It’s Raining in Hollywood.
They do it
because they have airtime to blow. We do it because they don’t talk
about what we jock supporters want to hear about. So without further
delay of game violations, here now: Ballin’s Top Hoop Jocks of 2003.
(Criteria: these studs in baggy shorts had to perform on the court in
the past year and look damned good doing it.)
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10.
Baron Davis, Hornets. His personality and cool quotient more
than make up for any doubts in the looks department. Plus, he puts
New Orleans on the basketball radar and was way studly and sexy on
MTV’s Cribs. |
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9.
Jason Kapono, Cavaliers. The rookie from UCLA is only
averaging 10 minutes and two buckets a game, but he makes the cut
for one simple reason: as a pro, he’s finally growing into his
6’8” king-size body and transitioning from awkward geek-kid to one
hot-looking young man. |
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8.
Vince Carter, Raptors. Always a looker, he’s a playa again in
the midst of one helluva comeback, throwing down 22 per night and
putting Toronto in the playoff mix. |
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7.
Jason Richardson, Warriors. The former Michigan State Spartan
is breathing life into the long dormant Golden State franchise and
is a slam dunk hottie. Of course, it’s not that difficult to shine
in both the looks and talent department when you’re playing
alongside Cherokee Parks, Avery Johnson and Brian
Cardinal. |
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6.
Allan Houston, Knicks. Front office blunders and media
frenzies swirl around his team like a basketball version of ESPN’s
hyper-drama Playmakers. And yet Houston (who gets slightly
better looking with age?) manages to come out every night and be a
damned good ball player (top 15 in the league in scoring). Let’s
see you do this good in a job that’s that bad. |
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5.
Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Hawks. Another very good player toiling
away in relative obscurity in a city that barely cares about its
winning teams, let alone their losing ones. With the right reality
show career makeover, this guy could be doing national Sprite
commercials. |
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4. Pau
Gasol, Grizzlies. Now that GM Jerry West’s master plan
is beginning to kick in and the franchise is actually alive,
we’re beginning to see more and more of this hottie from Spain.
Here’s hoping they make the playoffs and ESPN the Magazine
does a Wally Szczerbiak-like spread on him, complete with a
full-page shot of Gasol shirtless in his driveway. |
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3. Kyle
Korver, Sixers. Opie Cunningham can jump! And shoot the
trey. This 6’7” blond rookie stud looks as if he should be on the
surf circuit, but instead continues to shoot the lights out from
behind the arc, just as he did at Creighton where he set a
Missouri Valley Conference record. Keep this up and he could
become Steve Kerr, only good looking. |
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2.
Tracy McGrady, Magic. Never mind the lousy Magic and their
errant decision to fire Doc Rivers. T-Mac puts out every
single night and wants to top, er, come out on top. More exciting
than Kobe—certainly this year—and better looking and more
personable, too. Were it not for the downtrodden franchise, he
would be The League right now. |
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1.
Lebron, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, Cleveland Cavaliers.
Just the listing of the two teams he played for in 2003 is
stunning enough. Then throw in the icing: he’s hot; he’s only
going to get better looking as he becomes a man; he seems to have
a very mature, stable, alluring personality; his head doesn’t seem
too big; and he’s backing it all up on the court. On any list—TV
Guide, CNN, the Weather Channel, Hotjockstuds.com—LeBron was da
man in ’03. |
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