EDO BALL — SEASON THREE
江戸球
“Edo” (“江戸”), the former name for modern-day Tokyo, and “Ball” (球) are the names I’ve chosen to represent my two passions, basketball and Japanese art. The third season of Edo Ball is a melting pot of culture and people, east and west all wrapped into a series of 10 new artworks. Each artwork in the new season has an expanded story behind it and draws inspiration from Japanese mythology, players’ nicknames and basketball pop culture and lore.
To many the game of basketball is more than just a sport. It’s a movement, a culture and an art form in itself. To me, the richness of the game represents the world and its people perfectly. Players from all backgrounds, social classes and countries come together for the game and put everything aside to share a singular focus, to commune for forty-eight minutes at a time on the court.
Enjoy the new season.
THE GRAVEYARD
墓場
Allen Iverson “The Answer” was a polarizing figure in the NBA and there was no denying his godly ability to ball. Generously listed at 6ft tall what he lacked in height he made up for with an unmatched competitive drive to win. Iverson had many great ankle breakers in his career and has left many players ankles stuck in their place at his personal graveyard, the basketball court.
JAMES GARDEN, BONSAI HARDEN & THE MASK
盆栽 & 面頬
James Garden, Bonsai Harden - The time and craft put into the Japanese art of Bonsai planting is only comparable to the dedication and grooming of the beard and his game. Like a seed grows in soil, Harden and his team have slowly grown a special team which finished as the #1 seed in the 2017-2018 season. As his beard grew so did his game and in 2018 he was awarded the league’s MVP trophy.
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Samurai Kyrie is an assassin on the court. His lightning quick handle and reaction time has defenders out of position at every turn and myth has said that his speed is even faster when he is equipped with The Mask. The combined result of Samurai Kyrie and his Mempō mask was an unstoppable warrior who drove fear and despair into defenders all over the league.
THE GREAT GAME
波
The flex of the hardwood, the bounce of the ball, the power of The Great Game. Nobody can deny the game and the energy it creates. Teams flow through the regular season and hope to crash into the playoffs like a wave hitting the shoreline.
SHOGUN JAMES II & MT MUTOMBO
大名 & 山
Every great shogunate can easily crumble under the pressure and conflict caused within the Imperial Edo Ball association. Like Japan’s capital moved from Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo) in 1868, Shōgun James also moved his shogunate from Cleveland to Los Angeles on July 10, 2018 in search of greater lands and warlords to conqueror.
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Standing at 3,289 blocks tall, Mt. Mutombo is one of the toughest climbs in the association. Only a handful have ever reached the summit and many expeditions have been turned back at Finger Wag base camp.
FAN OF THE GAME
扇子
扇子
The street ball court was always surrounded by lush overgrown trees. Like an oasis in a desert the court attracted people from all over the city throughout the summer. Everybody came together for their love of the game, the people and the community it created. As a Japanese sensu fan would create a subtle summer breeze the foliage would fall, and the buckets would fall too. We were there for the basketball, as fans of the game.
THE WINDMILL & THE BROW
風車 & 一本眉
North of the border the Raptors were gifted one of the greatest leapers of all time in Vince Carter. A high flying performer with some of the greatest vertical leaps of all time, Vince was given the nickname Air Canada after his home court arena in Toronto, Canada.
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There’s a handful of young new leaders in the NBA and none who look more ready than Anthony ‘The Brow’ Davis. Davis has quietly been perfecting his game and physical attributes in preparation to lead his Pelicans into the spotlight of the Western prefecture.
THE DAMIYO
大名
The Daimyō (大名) refers to Japanese lords who ruled over the country from the 10th to mid 19th century subordinate only to the shogun. Dame like the Daimyō has risen to prominence after often being overlooked early on in his NBA career. With a relentless work ethic and dedication to the game Damian Lillard is looking to expand his rule from the Northwest Division ward to the Western Conference Prefecture and finally the entire NBA.
