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{{Short description|Nickname of University of Houston men's basketball teams}} |
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[[File:Houston Cougars primary logo.svg|thumb|University of Houston logo]] |
[[File:Houston Cougars primary logo.svg|thumb|University of Houston logo]] |
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'''Phi Slama Jama''' was a name given to the men's [[college basketball]] teams of the [[Houston Cougars men's basketball|Houston Cougars]] from 1982 to 1984. Coined by former ''[[Houston Post]]'' sportswriter Thomas Bonk,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/03/sports/13-slam-dunks-fall-from-high-altitude.html|title=13 Slam Dunks Fall from High Altitude|first=Dave|last=Anderson|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 3, 1983|access-date=January 5, 2017}}</ref> the nickname was quickly adopted by the players and even appeared on team warmup suits by the middle of the 1982–83 season. The teams were coached by [[Guy V. Lewis]] and featured future [[Basketball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] and [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History|NBA Top 50]] players [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] and [[Clyde Drexler]].<ref name="akeem">Sehnert, Chris W.. Hakeem Olajuwon. United States: Abdo & Daughters, 1996.</ref><ref name="glide">Drexler, Clyde., Eggers, Kerry. Clyde the Glide: My Life in Basketball. United States: Sports Publishing, 2011.</ref> "Texas' Tallest Fraternity" was especially known for its [[slam dunk]]ing and explosive, fast-breaking style of play. The teams advanced to 3 consecutive [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Final Four]]s, 1982, 1983, and 1984.<ref>[https://www.ncaa.com/video/basketball-men/2015-01-09/houston-cougers-phi-slama-jama-olajuwon-final-four Phi Slama Jama: The greatest team to never win it all]. NCAA Video, January 9, 2015</ref> The 1983 NCAA semi-final of |
'''Phi Slama Jama''' was a name given to the men's [[college basketball]] teams of the [[Houston Cougars men's basketball|Houston Cougars]] from 1982 to 1984. Coined by former ''[[Houston Post]]'' sportswriter Thomas Bonk,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/03/sports/13-slam-dunks-fall-from-high-altitude.html|title=13 Slam Dunks Fall from High Altitude|first=Dave|last=Anderson|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 3, 1983|access-date=January 5, 2017}}</ref> the nickname was quickly adopted by the players and even appeared on team warmup suits by the middle of the 1982–83 season. The teams were coached by [[Guy V. Lewis]] and featured future [[Basketball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] and [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History|NBA Top 50]] players [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] and [[Clyde Drexler]].<ref name="akeem">Sehnert, Chris W.. Hakeem Olajuwon. United States: Abdo & Daughters, 1996.</ref><ref name="glide">Drexler, Clyde., Eggers, Kerry. Clyde the Glide: My Life in Basketball. United States: Sports Publishing, 2011.</ref> "Texas' Tallest Fraternity" was especially known for its [[slam dunk]]ing and explosive, fast-breaking style of play. The teams advanced to 3 consecutive [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Final Four]]s, 1982, 1983, and 1984.<ref>[https://www.ncaa.com/video/basketball-men/2015-01-09/houston-cougers-phi-slama-jama-olajuwon-final-four Phi Slama Jama: The greatest team to never win it all]. NCAA Video, January 9, 2015</ref> The 1983 NCAA semi-final of No. 1 Houston vs. No. 2 Louisville, "The Doctors of Dunk", was recognized as one of the 100 greatest basketball moments at the end of the 20th century.<ref name="Sachare, Alex 1997">Sachare, Alex. 100 Greatest Basketball Moments of All Time. United States: Pocket Books, 1997.</ref> The name is trademarked by the University of Houston.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rooksby |first=Jacob H. |title=University: Trademark Rights Accretion in Higher Education |url=https://www.law.uh.edu/ihelg/monograph/13-01.pdf |publisher=University of Houston Law Center |access-date=29 March 2022 |date=January 2013}}</ref> |
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== Philosophy == |
== Philosophy == |
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== On the court == |
== On the court == |
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The Phi Slama Jama Cougars advanced to the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Final Four]] each year from 1982 to 1984. As underclassmen in 1981–82, a [[1981–82 Houston Cougars men's basketball team|young Cougar team]] lost to the eventual champion [[1981–82 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team|North Carolina Tar Heels]] in the [[1982 NCAA |
The Phi Slama Jama Cougars advanced to the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Final Four]] each year from 1982 to 1984. As underclassmen in 1981–82, a [[1981–82 Houston Cougars men's basketball team|young Cougar team]] lost to the eventual champion [[1981–82 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team|North Carolina Tar Heels]] in the [[1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|national semifinals]]. |
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The [[1982–83 Houston Cougars men's basketball team|1982–83 season]] marked the high point of Phi Slama Jama. The Cougars posted an [[Associated Press]] #1 ranking, a 31–2 record and a 26-game winning streak before losing in the [[1983 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game|national championship game]] of the [[1983 NCAA |
The [[1982–83 Houston Cougars men's basketball team|1982–83 season]] marked the high point of Phi Slama Jama. The Cougars posted an [[Associated Press]] #1 ranking, a 31–2 record and a 26-game winning streak before losing in the [[1983 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game|national championship game]] of the [[1983 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]]. Considered one of the most unlikely upsets in NCAA tournament history, Phi Slama Jama lost a close game against the [[1982–83 NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team|North Carolina State Wolfpack]] 54–52, with the final margin decided on a last-second dunk by Wolfpack [[Power forward (basketball)|forward]] [[Lorenzo Charles]]. The NC State surprise national championship win remains a legendary representation of [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|March Madness]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Dream run | url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/flashback-friday/2015-03-06/dream-run | work=[[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] | date=March 9, 2015 | access-date=March 18, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=State of shock: 25 years later, NC State miracle lives on | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/state-shock-25-years-nc-state-miracle-lives-article-1.290003 | work=[[New York Daily News]] | date=March 16, 2008 | access-date=March 18, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ultimate Tournament Moments: Jim Valvano and N.C. State's upset of Houston in 1983 | url=http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/news/tournament-moments-nc-state-wolfpack-jim-valvano-houston-1983/foqt3dhtfi3z126m2vhnro03p | work=[[Sporting News]] | date=March 25, 2014 | access-date=March 18, 2018 }}</ref> Following the season, the Houston Cougars team met with President [[Ronald Reagan]]. The president was inducted as an honorary member of the Phi Slama Jama fraternity during a visit to Houston on April 30, 1983.<ref>Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. United States: Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, 1983.</ref> |
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Despite the early departure of Drexler after the 1982–83 season, Phi Slama Jama continued its success in 1984. [[Hakeem Olajuwon]]<!--Do not change.--> became the focal point of the team and was selected as a consensus first team [[All-American]]. [[Shooting guard]] [[Michael Young (basketball)|Michael Young]] was also selected to the All-America team and led the Cougars in scoring for the second consecutive year. The Cougars [[1983–84 Houston Cougars men's basketball team|returned to the Final Four]] [[1984 NCAA |
Despite the early departure of Drexler after the 1982–83 season, Phi Slama Jama continued its success in 1984. [[Hakeem Olajuwon]]<!--Do not change.--> became the focal point of the team and was selected as a consensus first team [[All-American]]. [[Shooting guard]] [[Michael Young (basketball, born 1961)|Michael Young]] was also selected to the All-America team and led the Cougars in scoring for the second consecutive year. The Cougars [[1983–84 Houston Cougars men's basketball team|returned to the Final Four]] [[1984 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|once more]], this time losing to the [[Patrick Ewing]]-led [[1983–84 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team|Georgetown Hoyas]] in the final. Olajuwon, with one year of eligibility remaining, declared for the [[1984 NBA draft|NBA draft]] shortly after the loss in the title game. He was selected first overall by the [[Houston Rockets]] in a draft class that included [[Michael Jordan]], [[Charles Barkley]], and [[John Stockton]]. Michael Young was also selected in the first round, chosen 24th by the [[Boston Celtics]]. The departures of Olajuwon and Young after the 1984 NCAA Final, in addition to the loss of Drexler and [[Larry Micheaux]] the previous year, brought the Phi Slama Jama era at Houston to a close. |
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== Notable team members == |
== Notable team members == |
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== Impact on the game == |
== Impact on the game == |
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[[File:Michael Young playing for Houston.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Michael Young (basketball)|Michael Young]] during the Phi Slama Jama era]] |
[[File:Michael Young playing for Houston.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Michael Young (basketball, born 1961)|Michael Young]] during the Phi Slama Jama era]] |
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Dunking was banned in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] 1967 to 1976.<ref name=tdicbk>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jScRAAAAIBAJ&pg=6173%2C148880 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=The dunk is coming back |date=1 April 1976 |page=1C}}</ref><ref name=lvdnrml>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FalfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3140%2C199232 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |last=Doney |first=Ken |title='They'll love dunk' – Miller |date=1 April 1976 |page=2B}}</ref> Many people have attributed this to the dominance of the then-college phenomenon Lew Alcindor (now known as [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]);<ref name=sldmwi>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FqlfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3306%2C652808 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Slam dunk: most welcome it |date=2 April 1976 |page=2B}}</ref> the no-dunking rule is sometimes referred to as the "Lew Alcindor rule."<ref>time.com, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060819171816/http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,836963,00.html Lew's Still Loose]. Retrieved 15 April 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Caponi | first = Gena | title = Signifyin(G), Sanctifyin', & Slam Dunking | publisher = [[University of Massachusetts Press]] | location = Amherst | year = 1999 | isbn = 978-1-55849-183-0 |page=4}}</ref> Many others have also attributed the ban as having racial motivations, as at the time most of the prominent dunkers in college basketball were African-American, and the ban took place less than a year after a [[1965–66 Texas Western Miners basketball team|Texas Western team with an all-black starting lineup]] [[1966 NCAA University Division Basketball Championship Game|beat]] [[1965–66 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team|an all-white Kentucky team]] to win the national championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/20140323_Giving__Em_Fitz__When_college_basketball_outlawed_the_dunk.html|title=When college basketball outlawed the dunk}}</ref> Under head coach [[Guy Lewis]], [[Houston Cougars men's basketball|Houston]] (with [[Elvin Hayes]]) made considerable use of the {{nowrap|"stuff" shot}} on their way to the Final Four {{nowrap|in [[1967 NCAA University Division |
Dunking was banned in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] 1967 to 1976.<ref name=tdicbk>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jScRAAAAIBAJ&pg=6173%2C148880 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=The dunk is coming back |date=1 April 1976 |page=1C}}</ref><ref name=lvdnrml>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FalfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3140%2C199232 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |last=Doney |first=Ken |title='They'll love dunk' – Miller |date=1 April 1976 |page=2B}}</ref> Many people have attributed this to the dominance of the then-college phenomenon Lew Alcindor (now known as [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]);<ref name=sldmwi>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FqlfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3306%2C652808 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Slam dunk: most welcome it |date=2 April 1976 |page=2B}}</ref> the no-dunking rule is sometimes referred to as the "Lew Alcindor rule."<ref>time.com, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060819171816/http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,836963,00.html Lew's Still Loose]. Retrieved 15 April 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Caponi | first = Gena | title = Signifyin(G), Sanctifyin', & Slam Dunking | publisher = [[University of Massachusetts Press]] | location = Amherst | year = 1999 | isbn = 978-1-55849-183-0 |page=4}}</ref> Many others have also attributed the ban as having racial motivations, as at the time most of the prominent dunkers in college basketball were African-American, and the ban took place less than a year after a [[1965–66 Texas Western Miners basketball team|Texas Western team with an all-black starting lineup]] [[1966 NCAA University Division Basketball Championship Game|beat]] [[1965–66 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team|an all-white Kentucky team]] to win the national championship.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/20140323_Giving__Em_Fitz__When_college_basketball_outlawed_the_dunk.html|title=When college basketball outlawed the dunk}}</ref> Under head coach [[Guy Lewis]], [[Houston Cougars men's basketball|Houston]] (with [[Elvin Hayes]]) made considerable use of the {{nowrap|"stuff" shot}} on their way to the Final Four {{nowrap|in [[1967 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|1967]].<ref name=hccad>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3qdVAAAAIBAJ&pg=6945%2C4757654 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Houston cage coach advocates stuff shot |date=24 March 1967 |page=3B}}</ref>}} An invention by Arthur Ehrat to create the breakaway rim with a spring on it led to the return of the dunk in college basketball.<ref name="breakaway">Keilman, John and Tribune staff reporter – [https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2005-04-04-0504040109-story.html This gadget really was a slam-dunk]. Chicago Tribune, April 4, 2005</ref> |
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Though it was pioneered largely in the ABA, Phi Slama Jama is widely credited with popularizing the athletic "above the rim" style of play that pervades college basketball to the present day. Phi Slama Jama achieved its greatest prominence at a time when the overall popularity of basketball was burgeoning. Their entertaining style of play appealed to a broad audience, and helped to bring many casual fans to the sport. Olajuwon's international origin foreshadowed the worldwide explosion in the popularity of basketball in the 1980s and 1990s.<ref name="akeem"/> In light of his unprecedented success, college basketball recruiters fanned out across the globe in search of the next undiscovered superstar.<ref>Marshall, Jane. Going for the Gold—Hakeem Olajuwon. United States: Demco Media, 1996.</ref> The legacy of Phi Slama Jama has remained at the fore of basketball discourse thanks in large part to the long and distinguished professional careers of Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.<ref name="akeem"/><ref name="glide"/> |
Though it was pioneered largely in the ABA, Phi Slama Jama is widely credited with popularizing the athletic "above the rim" style of play that pervades college basketball to the present day. Phi Slama Jama achieved its greatest prominence at a time when the overall popularity of basketball was burgeoning. Their entertaining style of play appealed to a broad audience, and helped to bring many casual fans to the sport. Olajuwon's international origin foreshadowed the worldwide explosion in the popularity of basketball in the 1980s and 1990s.<ref name="akeem"/> In light of his unprecedented success, college basketball recruiters fanned out across the globe in search of the next undiscovered superstar.<ref>Marshall, Jane. Going for the Gold—Hakeem Olajuwon. United States: Demco Media, 1996.</ref> The legacy of Phi Slama Jama has remained at the fore of basketball discourse thanks in large part to the long and distinguished professional careers of Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.<ref name="akeem"/><ref name="glide"/> |
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Having already helped to popularize college basketball with "[[Game of the Century (college basketball)|The Game of the Century]]" in 1968, the Cougars' captivating 1983 postseason run again helped college basketball in its drive to join the first rank of major sports. The #1 vs. #2 clash of titans between Phi Slama Jama and Louisville's "Doctors of Dunk" in the Final Four served as an enthralling preamble to the dramatic title game.<ref |
Having already helped to popularize college basketball with "[[Game of the Century (college basketball)|The Game of the Century]]" in 1968, the Cougars' captivating 1983 postseason run again helped college basketball in its drive to join the first rank of major sports. The #1 vs. #2 clash of titans between Phi Slama Jama and Louisville's "Doctors of Dunk" in the Final Four served as an enthralling preamble to the dramatic title game.<ref name="Sachare, Alex 1997"/> Phi Slama Jama's title game loss to North Carolina State is widely considered their most immediate contribution towards putting NCAA basketball on a par with college football in terms of television viewership and revenue. The Cougars' last-second loss in the final was an iconic moment in the history of "[[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|March Madness]]" that helped to establish the NCAA basketball tournament as a major television event. The CBS broadcast of the 1983 final between Houston and NC State drew 18.6 million households and the Houston-Louisville national semifinal attracted 14.8 million, both records at the time for national final and semifinal games. |
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== ''30 for 30'' == |
== ''30 for 30'' == |
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The Phi Slama Jama era at Houston was a focal point for an ESPN ''[[30 for 30]]'' documentary of the same name. Directed by Chip Rives, the film premiered on October 18, 2016 and featured several former members of the Houston basketball team from the Phi Slama Jama era. Included in the film were [[Clyde Drexler]] and [[Hakeem Olajuwon]], who would go on to Hall of Fame careers in the NBA and win a championship together on the [[Houston Rockets]] in {{nbafy|1995}}; role players [[Dave Rose (basketball)|David Rose]], [[Reid Gettys]], [[Cadillac Anderson]], and original Phi Slama Jama team captains Lynden Rose and Eric Davis. Media members who participated included original Phi Slama Jama coiner Thomas Bonk, Curry Kirkpatrick, and [[Brent Musburger]]. While exploring that larger narrative, Rives also focuses on the disappearance of enigmatic role player Benny Anders and the lasting brotherhood that compels teammates and 1981–82 co-captains Eric Davis and Lynden Rose to try and find him after more than two decades of mystery. UH alum [[Jim Nantz]] also appears in the film as he was a member of the student body at the time.<ref>[http://www.espn.com/30for30/film?page=phislamajama ESPN 30 For 30: Phi Slama Jama] ESPN, October 18, 2016. Directed by Chip Rives</ref> |
The Phi Slama Jama era at Houston was a focal point for an ESPN ''[[30 for 30]]'' documentary of the same name. Directed by Chip Rives, the film premiered on October 18, 2016, and featured several former members of the Houston basketball team from the Phi Slama Jama era. Included in the film were [[Clyde Drexler]] and [[Hakeem Olajuwon]], who would go on to Hall of Fame careers in the NBA and win a championship together on the [[Houston Rockets]] in {{nbafy|1995}}; role players [[Dave Rose (basketball)|David Rose]], [[Reid Gettys]], [[Cadillac Anderson]], and original Phi Slama Jama team captains Lynden Rose and Eric Davis. Media members who participated included original Phi Slama Jama coiner Thomas Bonk, Curry Kirkpatrick, and [[Brent Musburger]]. While exploring that larger narrative, Rives also focuses on the disappearance of enigmatic role player Benny Anders and the lasting brotherhood that compels teammates and 1981–82 co-captains Eric Davis and Lynden Rose to try and find him after more than two decades of mystery. UH alum [[Jim Nantz]] also appears in the film as he was a member of the student body at the time.<ref>[http://www.espn.com/30for30/film?page=phislamajama ESPN 30 For 30: Phi Slama Jama] ESPN, October 18, 2016. Directed by Chip Rives</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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*[http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=jamfest83 Jamfest for the Ages—2007 ESPN.com article comThis imemorating Phi Slama Jama] |
*[http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=jamfest83 Jamfest for the Ages—2007 ESPN.com article comThis imemorating Phi Slama Jama] |
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{{Houston Cougars men's basketball navbox}} |
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{{Houston Cougars men's basketball navbox}}This is a statement of post information on the creation of Phi Slamma Jamma purporting on the origination of claims made by the said coining by printed sources. The coining of something is an long time intellectual method past on through personal attempts not true in gaining worth for creation of that something. Phi Slamma Jamma fits this position in its origination. The purporting of Phi Slamma Jamma in , clear statement, through the said person(s) of its creation is not by the printed sources stated in various forms. This may be true that the said person "coined" Phi SlammaJamma however it was 'not' created in name or thought. Phi Slamma Jamma was creation by two Black Basketball Student players(African Americans) attending an University in 1964 (Wyoming) on the meaning of starting a Fraternity at the School. This creation of Phi Slamma Jamma through the formation to file for an Fraternity at the said School was transferred to Houston University Black Basketball Players by the 'Culture'. The Phi Slamma Jamma main theme was pointed to 'Dunking A Basketball '. The media picked this sports action and "Coined" the Houston's Basketball Players "Dunking the Basketball " during the game as a sport spectacle. The purporting claim of the said person of creation can and have shown increasing and verbal statements of Phi Slamma Jamma as indication of non creation in thought and like 'Culture' as their intellectual deliverance based on their said creation is not true.. This is a post awareness, to say the knowledge of the creation of Phi Slamma Jamma was announced on an radio program in Chicago, Illinois (1980's) by a Police Officer and a sport club counselor involved in Sports did discussed that Phi Slamma Jamma was created at Wyoming University in 1964. This post is to refute any claim that "Coining Something " does not mean the origination or the creation. |
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[[Category:Houston Cougars men's basketball]] |
[[Category:Houston Cougars men's basketball]] |
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[[Category:Nicknamed groups of basketball players]] |
[[Category:Nicknamed groups of basketball players]] |
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Latest revision as of 21:30, 20 February 2023
Phi Slama Jama was a name given to the men's college basketball teams of the Houston Cougars from 1982 to 1984. Coined by former Houston Post sportswriter Thomas Bonk,[1] the nickname was quickly adopted by the players and even appeared on team warmup suits by the middle of the 1982–83 season. The teams were coached by Guy V. Lewis and featured future Hall of Fame and NBA Top 50 players Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.[2][3] "Texas' Tallest Fraternity" was especially known for its slam dunking and explosive, fast-breaking style of play. The teams advanced to 3 consecutive NCAA Final Fours, 1982, 1983, and 1984.[4] The 1983 NCAA semi-final of No. 1 Houston vs. No. 2 Louisville, "The Doctors of Dunk", was recognized as one of the 100 greatest basketball moments at the end of the 20th century.[5] The name is trademarked by the University of Houston.[6]
Philosophy[edit]
Phi Slama Jama played a frenetic, playground-influenced style of basketball that was in near diametric opposition to the fundamentally polished and methodical style espoused by basketball traditionalists like John Wooden, who disapproved of dunking.[7] Guy Lewis not only condoned his players dunking, he "insisted on it", with dunks being what he called "high-percentage shots."
The young players who made up Phi Slama Jama had been influenced by the freewheeling style of play pioneered during the 1970s by the defunct ABA and its most famous player, Julius Erving. In this paradigm, athleticism took precedence over fundamental skills, fast breaks were preferred to set plays, and dunking trumped the jump shot. In an interview with Thomas Bonk, Clyde Drexler succinctly espoused the Phi Slama Jama philosophy, saying, "Sure, 15-footers are fine, but I like to dunk." The Phi Slama Jama teams were notably poor at free-throw shooting, with some critics attributing their 1983 NCAA Final loss to this deficiency.
On the court[edit]
The Phi Slama Jama Cougars advanced to the NCAA Final Four each year from 1982 to 1984. As underclassmen in 1981–82, a young Cougar team lost to the eventual champion North Carolina Tar Heels in the national semifinals.
The 1982–83 season marked the high point of Phi Slama Jama. The Cougars posted an Associated Press #1 ranking, a 31–2 record and a 26-game winning streak before losing in the national championship game of the 1983 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Considered one of the most unlikely upsets in NCAA tournament history, Phi Slama Jama lost a close game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack 54–52, with the final margin decided on a last-second dunk by Wolfpack forward Lorenzo Charles. The NC State surprise national championship win remains a legendary representation of March Madness.[8][9][10] Following the season, the Houston Cougars team met with President Ronald Reagan. The president was inducted as an honorary member of the Phi Slama Jama fraternity during a visit to Houston on April 30, 1983.[11]
Despite the early departure of Drexler after the 1982–83 season, Phi Slama Jama continued its success in 1984. Hakeem Olajuwon became the focal point of the team and was selected as a consensus first team All-American. Shooting guard Michael Young was also selected to the All-America team and led the Cougars in scoring for the second consecutive year. The Cougars returned to the Final Four once more, this time losing to the Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown Hoyas in the final. Olajuwon, with one year of eligibility remaining, declared for the NBA draft shortly after the loss in the title game. He was selected first overall by the Houston Rockets in a draft class that included Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. Michael Young was also selected in the first round, chosen 24th by the Boston Celtics. The departures of Olajuwon and Young after the 1984 NCAA Final, in addition to the loss of Drexler and Larry Micheaux the previous year, brought the Phi Slama Jama era at Houston to a close.
Notable team members[edit]
The team members during the Phi Slama Jama era are listed below, along with the nicknames for which some came to be known.
The team included:
- Rob Williams (1979–82)
- Lynden Rose (1980–82)
- Larry "Mr. Mean" Micheaux (1979–83)
- Clyde "The Glide" Drexler (1980–83)
- Dave Rose (1980–83)
- Michael "Silent Assassin" Young (1980–84)
- Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon (1981–84)
- Benny "Bomber from Bernice" Anders (1981–84)
- Reid Gettys (1981–85)
- Alvin Franklin (1982–86)
- Renaldo Thomas (1982–86)
- Sean “Stretch” MacRitchie (1982–86)
- Gregory Wayne "Cadillac" Anderson (1983–87)
- Rickie Winslow (1983–87)
- Gary Orsak
Impact on the game[edit]
Dunking was banned in the NCAA 1967 to 1976.[12][13] Many people have attributed this to the dominance of the then-college phenomenon Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar);[14] the no-dunking rule is sometimes referred to as the "Lew Alcindor rule."[15][16] Many others have also attributed the ban as having racial motivations, as at the time most of the prominent dunkers in college basketball were African-American, and the ban took place less than a year after a Texas Western team with an all-black starting lineup beat an all-white Kentucky team to win the national championship.[17] Under head coach Guy Lewis, Houston (with Elvin Hayes) made considerable use of the "stuff" shot on their way to the Final Four in 1967.[18] An invention by Arthur Ehrat to create the breakaway rim with a spring on it led to the return of the dunk in college basketball.[19]
Though it was pioneered largely in the ABA, Phi Slama Jama is widely credited with popularizing the athletic "above the rim" style of play that pervades college basketball to the present day. Phi Slama Jama achieved its greatest prominence at a time when the overall popularity of basketball was burgeoning. Their entertaining style of play appealed to a broad audience, and helped to bring many casual fans to the sport. Olajuwon's international origin foreshadowed the worldwide explosion in the popularity of basketball in the 1980s and 1990s.[2] In light of his unprecedented success, college basketball recruiters fanned out across the globe in search of the next undiscovered superstar.[20] The legacy of Phi Slama Jama has remained at the fore of basketball discourse thanks in large part to the long and distinguished professional careers of Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.[2][3]
Having already helped to popularize college basketball with "The Game of the Century" in 1968, the Cougars' captivating 1983 postseason run again helped college basketball in its drive to join the first rank of major sports. The #1 vs. #2 clash of titans between Phi Slama Jama and Louisville's "Doctors of Dunk" in the Final Four served as an enthralling preamble to the dramatic title game.[5] Phi Slama Jama's title game loss to North Carolina State is widely considered their most immediate contribution towards putting NCAA basketball on a par with college football in terms of television viewership and revenue. The Cougars' last-second loss in the final was an iconic moment in the history of "March Madness" that helped to establish the NCAA basketball tournament as a major television event. The CBS broadcast of the 1983 final between Houston and NC State drew 18.6 million households and the Houston-Louisville national semifinal attracted 14.8 million, both records at the time for national final and semifinal games.
30 for 30[edit]
The Phi Slama Jama era at Houston was a focal point for an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary of the same name. Directed by Chip Rives, the film premiered on October 18, 2016, and featured several former members of the Houston basketball team from the Phi Slama Jama era. Included in the film were Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, who would go on to Hall of Fame careers in the NBA and win a championship together on the Houston Rockets in 1995; role players David Rose, Reid Gettys, Cadillac Anderson, and original Phi Slama Jama team captains Lynden Rose and Eric Davis. Media members who participated included original Phi Slama Jama coiner Thomas Bonk, Curry Kirkpatrick, and Brent Musburger. While exploring that larger narrative, Rives also focuses on the disappearance of enigmatic role player Benny Anders and the lasting brotherhood that compels teammates and 1981–82 co-captains Eric Davis and Lynden Rose to try and find him after more than two decades of mystery. UH alum Jim Nantz also appears in the film as he was a member of the student body at the time.[21]
References[edit]
- ^ Anderson, Dave (April 3, 1983). "13 Slam Dunks Fall from High Altitude". The New York Times. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ^ a b c Sehnert, Chris W.. Hakeem Olajuwon. United States: Abdo & Daughters, 1996.
- ^ a b Drexler, Clyde., Eggers, Kerry. Clyde the Glide: My Life in Basketball. United States: Sports Publishing, 2011.
- ^ Phi Slama Jama: The greatest team to never win it all. NCAA Video, January 9, 2015
- ^ a b Sachare, Alex. 100 Greatest Basketball Moments of All Time. United States: Pocket Books, 1997.
- ^ Rooksby, Jacob H. (January 2013). "University: Trademark Rights Accretion in Higher Education" (PDF). University of Houston Law Center. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ Heisel, Andrew (February 12, 2015). "The Plot to Kill the Slam Dunk". sports.vice.com. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ^ "Dream run". National Collegiate Athletic Association. March 9, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "State of shock: 25 years later, NC State miracle lives on". New York Daily News. March 16, 2008. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "Ultimate Tournament Moments: Jim Valvano and N.C. State's upset of Houston in 1983". Sporting News. March 25, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents. United States: Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, 1983.
- ^ "The dunk is coming back". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. 1 April 1976. p. 1C.
- ^ Doney, Ken (1 April 1976). "'They'll love dunk' – Miller". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. p. 2B.
- ^ "Slam dunk: most welcome it". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. 2 April 1976. p. 2B.
- ^ time.com, Lew's Still Loose. Retrieved 15 April 2007.
- ^ Caponi, Gena (1999). Signifyin(G), Sanctifyin', & Slam Dunking. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-55849-183-0.
- ^ "When college basketball outlawed the dunk".
- ^ "Houston cage coach advocates stuff shot". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. 24 March 1967. p. 3B.
- ^ Keilman, John and Tribune staff reporter – This gadget really was a slam-dunk. Chicago Tribune, April 4, 2005
- ^ Marshall, Jane. Going for the Gold—Hakeem Olajuwon. United States: Demco Media, 1996.
- ^ ESPN 30 For 30: Phi Slama Jama ESPN, October 18, 2016. Directed by Chip Rives