From 29 June to 1 July, TORNERIA TORTONA location hosted the NBA CROSSOVER event. An event organized by the US basketball federation in collaboration with Footlocker, Gatorade and Spalding, dedicated to the role of the NBA in pop culture. An exhibition that underlines how American basketball has greatly influenced music, fashion, technology, entertainment and popular culture of much of the world.
Karl-Anthony Towns, the star of the Minnesota Timberwolves, was the testimonial for Nba Crossover. The long Wolves, elected Rookie of the Year in the 2015-2016 season, gave autographs, smiles and different curiosities, answering from the stage to the questions of his fans who have waited and welcomed him warmly.
Torneria Tortona's spaces have been transformed for the occasion, hosting a musical area that has highlighted how basketball and the NBA are now an active part of the music world. NBA players have become real icons in the fashion and lifestyle sector, thanks to appearances in glossy magazines and parades in fashion shows all over the world. Just think that Michael Jordan did not just make the NBA famous outside the national borders. but he also became a spokesman for the Air Jordan, the Nike shoes dedicated to him and became a fashion icon all over the world.
In addition, the exhibition showed how the film industry's celebrities have not been immune to this contagion, (several photos of characters like Spike Lee- who in He Got Game showed very well the relationship between NBA and music-, Denzel Washington and Ben Stiller on the sidelines) proof that the NBA is the
glue between sport and entertainment. An exhibition that, through particular paths, has allowed us to discover how the NBA and its players managed to influence the trends and the different cultural areas and how they themselves were influenced.
Thanks to different installations, Nba Crossover represented a journey through "style" icons: from Russell Westbrook to Dwyane Wade to the trendiest sneakers. Workstations with professional hairdressers have given a touch of style to the younger audience, while a basket where to try free throws has amused the fans.
Not to mention the art and music, especially hip-hop, the soundtrack of many players in the pre-game. Fans of the event were met with rap songs, from Nicki Minaj to Cardi B, from Kendrick Lamar to Schoolboy q. while on the decorative panels have been reported the words of the protagonists Nba dedicated to their favorite rappers like Jay-Z, J Cole, Lil Wayne, G-Eazy, Rick Ross and the Migos. Rap music is not just a kind of accompaniment to games. Many of the NBA basketball players have opened their own recording studios trying to produce artists or recording their own songs.
Also featured were the Nike City Edition uniforms, which debuted last season. Like, those of Davis, Lowry and Gordon. The real protagonist of the show was however the Larry O'Brien Trophy, the trophy awarded every year to the winning team of the NBA championship, with which the visitors were able to be immortalized.
Playstation stations to play NBA 2K19 and virtual reality have enriched the interactive exhibition by immersing fans of the sport in the NBA culture to 360 degrees demonstrating how the Made in USA basketball has influenced and continues to influence everyday life.
