by Courtney Seymour / @MsSeymour
My first All-Star weekend was amazing. Meeting writers, executives and even interviewing celebrities is what most people can only dream of doing.
After flying into Orlando from my hometown of Indianapolis late Thursday, I used Friday as a day to relax before hitting the town Friday night. I went to the Dwight Howard’s adidas party, where I got to see Fabolous, Young Jeezy and DMC perform, as well as having the pleasure of meeting Bulls small forward Luol Deng and partying it up with him on his first All-Star appearance. The night ended on a high note with a visit to local Waffle House with the SLAM staff who made the trip.
Saturday was another great day, as I attended All-Star Saturday night at the Amway Center, where I watched the three-point contest–don’t let the looks fool you; I was a 5-10 shooter at Pike HS in Indy, where Jeff Teague also went–and dunk contest before hitting the town again.
It wasn’t just a vacation, though. As you can see, I got an exclusive, one-on-one interview with League MVP Derrick Rose Sunday morning after his adidas meet-and-greet with fans at a Foot Locker (the fans were going crazy) at an Orlando mall. I was really nervous, but it was an incredible experience and he was so soft-spoken and down to earth. My only regret was not getting to ask him about his new contract with adidas, which I actually found out about late Friday night.
After the interview, I visited the adidas media suite at the Peabody Hotel, which was filled with new apparel, including a few items that I got to take home. Later that evening, I attended the All-Star Game, which, in my opinion, was a little disappointing because of the lack of defense (told you I was a baller! I played D in high school), although I appreciated the opportunity and even met the famous “Worldwide Wes” before going to a Playboy party on my final night in town.
Overall, it was a priceless experience and one that I’ll never forget. Hopefully you guys will see more of me soon on SLAMonline (maybe a Pacers game?), but for now, follow me on Twitter and check out my site for more on this up and coming model with an appreciation for hoops!
