Jared Ebanks
Verified
Social/Editorial @SLAMonline | Prev. @SneakerNews | UIUC Alum | Views and opinions are my own
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Jared Ebanks
Caitlin Clark Breaks Down the Nike Caitlin 1 For the Cover of KICKS 29
This story appears in SLAM KICKS 29. Get your copy now. While her classmates were clacking away at the keys on Cool Math Games, Caitlin Clark was busy using her time in the high school computer lab to master color theory. Nike By You’s former site, Nike iD, was a playground of endless opportunity for the wicked quick guard’s on-court rotation. Personalized numbers, custom lace dubraes and gradient-filled uppers made for a kid-in-a-candy-store type of enthusiasm.
Legacy Laced: Introducing the SLAM x Nike Basketball Collection
This story appears in SLAM KICKS 29. Get your copy now. In the summer, the heartbeat of the city bounces between the cages on West 4th and the painted lines underneath bridges in Brooklyn. It catches a vibe in Uptown with the 1 train in the backdrop. And sways next to the cherry blossoms in Queens overlooking the East River. For over 30 years, SLAM has tracked the pulse of the game with an authenticity that can only be built in NYC.
Darryn Peterson Covers SLAM 263 After Being Drafted by the Utah Jazz
It’s the end of May and Darryn Peterson is scrolling through his notes app while sitting inside the USA Academy in Glendale, CA. After spending the entire summer on the West Coast preparing for the NBA Draft, the 6-5 guard is in search of a very specific list that he kicked off just over four years ago. After just a few swipes, he reads out the title of the note from May 4, 2022: “Trying to Go Pro!” The very first entry wishes for his parents to not work a day past 45 years old. Check.
The NBA's Referee Development Program is Priming the Next Era of NBA Officials
This story appears in SLAM 260. Get your copy now. It takes a lot to make it as an NBA referee. We’re talking years of blowing the whistle in college and the G League before even stepping onto the NBA hardwood. You’ve got to know the rule book and hundreds of terms like the back of your hand. There’s a specific way your eyes scan every movement, and every play. There’s a determined place to stand like an actor hitting their mark, and different responsibilities based on where they do.
Presenting the 2024-25 SLAM KICKS Awards
This story appears in SLAM KICKS 28. Available now. We’re back, and we’re better—just like this past NBA season’s on-court footwear. For years, the KICKS Awards have served as that ultimate stamp of approval for those who are constantly cooking in heaters. And during the 2024-25 season, we saw more diversity than ever. OGs and rooks alike reignited the idea of rocking grails on the hardwood; see Peyton Watson, P.J. Tucker and Ron Holland II for specifics.
Andrew Dutton's Classroom Sneaker Series Bridges Both of His Passions
This story appears in SLAM KICKS 28. Available now. Every day, Andrew Dutton shows up to school with the coldest kicks in his classroom. They’re probably the cleanest across the school district. Actually, scratch that. He might be the most fitted teacher in all of Utah. Hoodies, jeans, graphic tees, cargos and fitted caps, all color-coordinated to complement what he’s got on-foot. Fragment Design x Air Jordan IIIs. Jae Tips x Saucony collabs. “De La Soul” Nike SB Dunks.
Diving into the Design of the Nike G.T. Future
The status quo of basketball is being challenged. Straight up. From the grassroots level to the pros, the game has got one unicorn after another lined up for the spotlight. The next generation is pushing the pace with unconventional rhythm. And Nike’s been studying it. Tracking it. Vibing with it. For over two years, the Nike Basketball design team has been drawing on the distinctive voice of today’s young athletes in search of something different. Atypical. Eccentric.
Behind the Years of Inspiration That Went Into the Air Jordan 40
This story appears in SLAM KICKS 28. Available now. It’s a Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn and Jordan Brand is keeping everything hush-hush. The only semblance of light in the room radiates from the subtle hits of fire red that shine overhead. Thirty-nine sneakers are lined up in order from the inaugural icon, the Air Jordan I, to last year’s evolution, the Air Jordan XXXIX. One fluorescent light shines alone to reveal an unoccupied space. A secret is lurking, waiting to be unveiled.
Westside Story: Christian Collins, Brandon McCoy Jr., Cydnee Bryant
"I think right now, we've got the best players. East Coast people are not going to like that. But it just is what it is." The West has got something to say. “I definitely feel like we have the best players right now,” Inglewood native Christian Collins, the No. 4 player in the class of 2026, says. “I do feel like [the] East Coast plays with more grit. But don't get it twisted, because they think we not tough.
Ja Morant Goes Behind the Design Process of the Nike Ja 3
The Nike World HQ is home to advancements far beyond what the eye can see. More than 75 buildings house the ideas and revolutions that will bear fruit in the near future. A top-secret archival department spanning over seven decades of history remains undisclosed. Highly advanced research labs and testing facilities consume entire floors. And somewhere within the sprawling 400-acre campus in Beaverton, OR, resides the space where Ja Morant devised the focal point of his third Nike signature sneaker.
Trust the Process: Natalie Nakase
"It sounds cliché, but every time I walk into the practice facility or the Chase Center, I'm literally living my dream." The Bay Area is home to people of all backgrounds who lay the groundwork for others to thrive, shaping the city into what it is today. Whether you're born and raised in the Bay or found your way here later, that impact leaves a mark. It’s the essence of the Yay Area.
Tyran Stokes - SLAM 257
"Any other city that y’all see me in, state, whatever it is, that’s not me. I’m strictly from the 5-0-2." Tyran Stokes has known that he’s really like that ever since he was in first grade dicing kids up at third grade tryouts. He wasn’t technically trying out, knowing the restrictions in place only allowed students who were in the third grade and beyond to make the cut. But Tyran didn’t care. If there was good bump, he was there.
A Tale of 2 Cities: Ausar and Amen Thompson
Every game against each other features the opposing benches yelling "YOU'RE NOT THE REAL AT" Outside of the three games where they've matched up against each other on the hardwood, today is the first time that Amen and Ausar Thompson have been in the same space rocking their respective NBA threads. Amen in the Rockets' red. Ausar in the Pistons' blue. So it's only right that the moment occurs in the same gym that they first stepped into as 6-4 eighth graders.
How Real Run L.A. is Bringing Opportunities and Offers to College Hoopers Original
From April until November every year, college basketball players don’t have a spotlight to shine in. Once March Madness wraps, it’s nothing but crickets for the thousands of players from the NAIA to DI. That’s eight months of not being seen. No crowds. No scouts. In an era where being visible to the right program means major NIL deals on the table, the Real Run L.A. College Summer League has become so vital.
Cameron and Cayden Boozer
Cameron and Cayden Boozer may be twins, but they've spent their entire lives SETTING THEMSELVES APART Cameron and Cayden Boozer may have been born fraternal twins, but they’ve spent their entire high school careers setting themselves apart, not just from each other, but from the whole class of 2025.
Back on Cloud 9: New York Liberty Star Natasha Cloud Covers SLAM 256 Original
Natasha Cloud wasn’t expecting this type of welcome. The Philly native who grew up just a few hours from the Brooklyn borough she now calls home practically leapt out of the black SUV she was riding in once it pulled up to Barclays Center. On an overcast day in mid-April, Cloud was welcomed to the New York Liberty with a seafoam carpet roll out.
SLAMU 10 Duke | SLAM
Skip to content SLAMU 10 Duke | Featured | SLAMU 10 Duke | Featured | SLAMU 10 Duke | Featured | SLAMU 10 Duke | Featured | SLAMU 10 Duke | Featured | SLAMU 10 Duke | Featured | Featured SLAMU 10 Duke Story
Darius Acuff Jr Looks Ahead at Arkansas and Cal's Vision For His Game | SLAMU
Darius Acuff Jr. doesn’t have too many vivid memories from when he was really young—we’re talking 2 or 3 years old. But he does remember running around the ACC’s gym that sat just down the street from his childhood home in Detroit while his older cousin’s team tried to practice. All of his memories with the game began in that gym with striped royal blue walls. Since 2003, the father of Darius’ uncle Rashad has taken care of that very gym.
Bobbito Garcia Dives into the World of SNEAKS as Sneaker Culture Ambassador
Remember when you got that pair of kicks to play in? You know, the ones you were begging for. Hoping for. Praying for. And then that anxious, exhilarating feeling that led up to that first time lacing ’em up? Then you’ve probably got something in common with our guy Edson, one of the characters from the new sneaker-themed animated film, SNEAKS.
Cade Cunningham Has His FOOT ON THE GAS: SLAM 255 Cover Story Original
There’s a saying about the past…Forget that. We’re not here to focus on what was. And at this moment, neither is Cade Cunningham, as he leads a renaissance in Detroit. Yes, the first few years in the League for the Pistons prodigy were tumultuous. Those losses have been well documented: 192 over three years while tying the NBA’s all-time losing streak last season with 28 straight. But in 2025, Cunningham has the city of Detroit envisioning hoops through late April for the first time in six years.
Klutch Athletics by New Balance Highlights Their Athlete Roster During Youth Clinic
At first glance from the corner of Rivington and Columbia, the Masaryk Community Gym looks like it’s hidden behind a giant white brick wall. That’s kind of because it is. Home to the collaborative project of Aimé Leon Dore and New Balance, the building juts out onto the sidewalk as a beacon for the Lower East Side’s hoops community. The colorless bricks that face the pavement are illuminated by a painted mural that depicts the action taking place on the second floor.
The Greatest Game Ever Played
Alright, let’s take a collective moment and rummage through the memories. Think of the greatest game you’ve ever seen. Michael Jordan’s “last shot” over the Utah Jazz for the 1998 Finals? Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals? How about Syracuse and UConn’s six-overtime bout in 2009? The question is honestly subjective. These are all fair responses, but if we’re talking star power and buzzer-beaters, it’s got to be the 1992 Elite Eight matchup between Duke and Kentucky.
After Managing Music Heavyweights, Founder of ISLA MANAGEMENT Simon Gebrelul is Making Waves in Sports
ISLA MANAGEMENT founder Simon Gebrelul vividly remembers being in the Philippines for the 2016 Canadian national team’s Olympic qualifiers, joining the three week trip as Tristan Thompson’s longtime manager and close friend. It was in Manila where Simon met current style icon and frontrunner for NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was then just a 16-year-old playing for Hamilton Heights Christian Academy.
Johni Broome and Tahaad Pettiford On Auburn's Dominance This Season
Like most hoopers during the holiday season, Johni Broome, Tahaad Pettiford and their Auburn teammates grew up watching college basketball’s best at the annual Maui Invitational. Winning it all on national television inside the Lahaina Civic Center during Thanksgiving break was the dream. Last November, it became the Tigers’ reality.
The Emergence of Rasheer Fleming into a Double-Double Standout at St. Joseph's
Rasheer Fleming is a self-proclaimed “late bloomer,” but that doesn’t mean the work started recently. Nah, the 6-9 junior out at Saint Joseph’s has been grinding away at his craft since he was moving from Tennessee to Kentucky to New Jersey as a kid. Consistency has been the key no matter the scenario.
Reebok Returns to the Court For the First Time in a Decade with the Engine A
We’ve seen them across the W alongside Angel Reese. We’ve seen ’em in the League, courtesy of Matas Buzelis. First looks at PEs are circulating across the G League at the behest of Dink Pate. The Reebok Engine A is everywhere. Following months filled with teasers and an on-court unveiling, the Boston-based brand is bringing its latest construction to the masses this Thursday, February 13.
A'ja Wilson Details Her Debut Signature Sneaker, the Nike A'One
She’s collected every single award that’s up for grabs across the basketball landscape. She’s inspired countless women and young girls to be their authentic selves along the way. She’s an author, an Olympian and now, she’s ready to unveil her signature sneaker. A’ja Wilson has been on an insane ride for the past few years. In May 2024, she announced her inaugural Nike signature collection had been in the works for over a year.
A'ja Wilson Details Her Debut Signature Sneaker, the Nike A'One
She’s collected every single award that’s up for grabs across the basketball landscape. She’s inspired countless women and young girls to be their authentic selves along the way. She’s an author, an Olympian and now, she’s ready to unveil her signature sneaker. A’ja Wilson has been on an insane ride for the past few years. In May 2024, she announced her inaugural Nike signature collection had been in the works for over a year.
Tennessee's Star Trio on How They're Leading the Vols to National Prominence
SHOP THE TENNESSEE COLLECTION This is Volunteer country. Where Uber drivers pull up proudly rocking their Tennessee orange and where stripes are always in season. Where high schoolers peek through the tempered glass of a closed-off gym trying to catch a glimpse of three of the best guards in the country. Where the Tennessee men’s basketball team has instilled a different type of energy throughout the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
Chris Cenac Jr Has His Sights Set on a National Championship
For a senior in high school, Chris Cenac Jr’s already got an above-average résumé. Louisiana high school state champion. Gold medalist with the USAB U17 Team. Number one player in the state of Louisiana. Five-star recruit. NBPA Top 100 Camp MVP. And in the past year, he’s leapfrogged up every rankings board from outside the top 50 to comfortably presiding among the top 10.
Precious Achiuwa is Giving Back to Nigerian Youth Through His Nonprofit
Back in high school every one of Precious Achiuwa’s social media captions ended with #whatif. After coming to the States from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in 8th grade to pursue basketball, the hashtag served as a constant reminder that every decision he’d make was just another opportunity waiting. Ever since 2021, the What If Unlimited nonprofit that the New York Knicks forward founded has been providing those same opportunities to thousands of kids in Nigeria.
Koby Brea Talks Dreams of Playing at Kentucky as the Best Shooter in College
This story appears in SLAM 252. Get your copy now. Following a four-year career at Dayton, where he led the nation in three-point percentage last season, Washington Heights native Koby Brea is heading south to the school of his dreams, the University of Kentucky. It all started at those courts on Nagle Ave. In the heart of Washington Heights, a neighborhood north of Harlem, tucked behind the hallowed main court of Dyckman Park, lies a smaller half-court lined with a singular black fence.
This story appears in SLAM 251. Get your copy now. A little over 24 hours before being drafted 17th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, Dalton Knecht was in our office getting up shots on the mini hoop. While the SEC’s scoring average leader from last season made his way around to the 10 designated shooting spots we’ve laid out across the floor, we realized that the final sticker got swept up in the hustle of the day.
Class of 2025 Nate Ament on How Family and Competitiveness Shaped His Journey
This story appears in SLAM 252. Get your copy now. Growing up the youngest of four siblings, Nate Ament did everything his brothers did. It’s why when it comes to sports, soccer was the first thing he gravitated to. His older brothers played it, so he did, too. And when his third oldest brother Frederick started to pick up basketball, Nate was more than game. By the time he was 10, the rapidly growing Manassas, VA, native realized that he was going to be too tall to stay on the pitch. So hoops it was.
Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey Talk Teaming Up at Rutgers
It’s a gloomy Thursday afternoon in late September as Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper descend the steps of the RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center—Rutgers’ still-new sparkling practice facility. The campus, tucked away in Piscataway, NJ, is quiet, but only for a moment. The freshman duo cross the street and arrive under the sky bridge that connects the practice facility to the Business School’s (also new) building.
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday Talk Olympic Gold Medals and NBA Championship
The 2023-24 NBA season started out a little competitive, internally speaking, for the Boston Celtics. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday made it known they were hosting a block contest. Inside a studio that lies just a few steps away from the parquet practice court in the Auerbach Center on an early September afternoon, the friendly competition from last season is the first topic of discussion. Jrue immediately points to Derrick, the winner. “I won the blocks, I think Jrue won the steals.
Undeniable Heat: Presenting The 2023-24 SLAM KICKS Awards
In anticipation of the upcoming season, we’ve brought back the illustrious SLAM KICKS awards. There’s a few new faces, so tap in. This story and so much more sneaker coverage is included in latest issue of SLAM KICKS 27. Grab your copy now. First Team DeMar DeRozan No one else has the range that DeMar possesses when it comes to Kobes. This has been firmly established, especially on our page. And if we’re being real, DeMar’s collection on its own is enough to make this list year after year.
Ja Morant Takes Us Behind the Design of the Nike Ja 2
Where do you go once you’ve found gold? Is the haul satisfying enough? Or are there further depths to discover? The hunt for more, for greatness, is all-encompassing, from the hardwood to the design studios and testing labs in Beaverton, OR. Ja Morant’s first signature sneaker set the standard high. Clean colorways and a smooth, comfy ride stamped the low-top sneaker’s wide-spread adoption from the high school circuit to college and NBA arenas.
4 Ever: Looking Back at the Return of the Iconic Nike KD 4 in Retro Form
This story appears in SLAM KICKS 27. Get your copy here. It was everything we could have dreamed of. One by one, the 2024 NBA All-Stars from the East and West made their way from the tunnel to the court. It was February 18, 2024. Everybody was suited in their best. The King debuted a hybrid Nike LeBron 21 fused with Deion Sanders’ monochrome Nike Air DT Max. Stephen Curry was rocking his titular Curry 4 Low FloTro. The digs were clean.
Detailing the Ingenuity behind Devin Booker's Debut Signature, the Nike Book 1
This story appears in SLAM KICKS 27. Get your copy now. Devin Booker is different. The way he approaches the game is different. His obsession with decades past, definitely different. His extensive classic car collection, different. His Arizona home decked out with tastefully placed vintage furniture, different. His historian-like knowledge of basketball sneakers, mad different. How he’s approached the life cycle of his debut signature shoe—the Nike Book 1—has been emphatically different.
Tajh Ariza Talks Transferring to His Dad's Alma Mater and Taking the Family Name
The first time Trevor Ariza noticed his son was different was in a fourth-grade basketball game. After breaking down a poor 8-year-old with a single move, Tajh Ariza drove into the paint and kicked the rock out to an open shooter with a seamless behind-the-back pass. “The timing was perfect. It was in stride. It was just a perfect pass,” Trevor says. It’s a typical sunny day on the west side of L.A. and Trevor, Tajh and Tristan Ariza are trying to see who can hit a half-court shot first.
Paolo Banchero Talks Maturity and His Connection to the Air Jordan 39 in KICKS 27
The interior is thumping. The backpack that sits at his feet shakes from the vibrations pouring out the car door speakers. CD cases rattle in the console below his left elbow. It’s 2011 and Paolo Banchero is riding around in his dad’s car on a gloomy Seattle afternoon. They could be heading to practice, grabbing a bite to eat or simply running errands. But no matter what, one constant remains. It’s Jay-Z’s 2006 album, Kingdom Come.
Lakers Rookie Dalton Knecht Tells His Story From Junior College to the NBA
A little over 24 hours before being drafted 17th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, Dalton Knecht was in our office getting up shots on the mini hoop. While the SEC’s scoring average leader from last season made his way around to the 10 designated shooting spots we’ve laid out across the floor, we realized that the final sticker got swept up in the hustle of the day. So instead, we gave him the option to shoot from anywhere on the floor.
Sienna Betts Talks Her High School Domination Before Heading to UCLA Next Year
When asked how this story should start, Sienna Betts was a little taken aback as she prepared her answer. She emphasized how important one specific year was to her journey. In 7th grade, Betts decided to walk away from soccer and focus on her true passion for basketball. “Something switched, and I realized what I wanted to do,” she says. The eagerness to be better pushed her to understand what was needed in order to be one of the greats.
Detailing The Story Behind StatMuse and the Rise of the NBA Muse Network
Every basketball friend group has at one point fallen victim to this conversation: name the most random NBA players you can think of. It’s a fun and endearing exercise that brings about all forms of nostalgia and historian-like knowledge. So what do Isaiah Joe, Jakob Poeltl and Julian Champagnie all have in common besides being heralded by small market fan bases? They’ve all got their own fan accounts. Believe it or not, every single player in the NBA does.
Detailing The Story Behind StatMuse and the Rise of the NBA Muse Network
Every basketball friend group has at one point fallen victim to this conversation: name the most random NBA players you can think of. It’s a fun and endearing exercise that brings about all forms of nostalgia and historian-like knowledge. So what do Isaiah Joe, Jakob Poeltl and Julian Champagnie all have in common besides being heralded by small market fan bases? They’ve all got their own fan accounts. Believe it or not, every single player in the NBA does.
The Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Covers SLAM 251
Two words. Naz Reid. SLAM 251 featuring Naz Reid is available now. The name of the reigning Sixth Man of the Year represents more than just a name at this point. Naz Reid has become a greeting between Minnesota Timberwolves fans outside of home games. It’s turned into a consistent stream of car horns outside of Parkway Pizza in Northeast Minneapolis with the now famous “Honk If You Love Naz Reid” sign sitting right outside.
Previewing the 2024 USA Basketball Men's National Team
This story appears in SLAM Presents USA Basketball. Shop now. Twelve circular neon orange portals appear out of thin air. The citrus hues fly off the spheres’ edges in sparkling fashion, rotating in a clockwise direction as the views of various cities from across the U.S. grow wider and wider. Bellowing horns in the background build to a crescendo. You’ve probably seen this scene before, in a movie theater in 2019.
Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner Talk Success with the Sun
Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner are so much more than just partners on the court. They’re the epitome of basketball dominance for the Connecticut Sun. DeWanna’s the fifth-highest scorer in the history of the League. Alyssa is the W’s all-time leader in triple-doubles. They each have their jerseys hanging in the arenas of their respective alma maters. They’ve both won AP Comeback Player of the Year and have each claimed numerous League records.
Darryn Peterson Is The Smoothest Scorer in the Class of 2025
There are a few hardwood memories that are engraved into the psyche of Darryn Peterson. Stephen Curry’s illustrious 54-point Master Class in Madison Square Garden, check. LeBron James’ chase-down block on Andre Iguodala is in there for sure. Kobe Bryant’s last game against the Jazz is automatic.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Jared
Contact Jared, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack