History ShoutOut / SlamDunk

* Soichiro Jin is probably Kainan's closest analog to Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar. He might not share Kareem's position (center), but they share the same tall, thin body.[[note]]Despite Jin's height, he wasn't made a center because he lacked the strength and build needed to face off against beefier centers like Akagi, Uozumi, and even Hanagata. So he instead practiced his threes until he became even more [[ImprobableAimingSkills accurate and consistent]] with the shot than Mitsui.[[/note]] Jin's ability to do consistent threes as a shooting guard is also reminiscent of how unstoppable and accurate Kareem's [[SignatureMove Sky Hook]] is. He could also be considered a [[CompositeCharacter hybrid]] of Scottie Pippen[[note]](TheLancer and foil to Michael Jordan's [[TheHero protagonist status]] as TheAce of the Chicago Bulls)[[/note]] and Clyde "The Glide" Drexler[[note]](the actual [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrdKLg30_Mk Michael Jordan Expy]] in terms of [[SuperReflexes high-flying athleticism]] before either Penny Hardaway or Kobe Bryant even entered the league, but he lacked Jordan's [[TheDeterminator killer instinct]])[[/note]] in terms of team position.

* Speaking of which, Kazuma Takasago seemingly serves more as Kainan's [[{{Expy}} version]] of Akagi (plus his NBA influences) as well, just like with the Kiyotaka and Sakuragi parallel.[[note]]This becomes a major plot point, with Sakuragi accidentally passing the ball to him instead of Akagi at a critical juncture of the Kainan vs. Shohoku game.[[/note]]

Shoyo is likely based on the Boston Celtics (of whom they share jersey colors with) under Larry Bird's leadership.

Kainan University Affiliated High School, meanwhile, shares the gold and purple colors of the L.A. Lakers.

As for Ryonan, they share jersey colors with [[Creator/ShaquilleONeal Shaquille O'Neal's]] Orlando Magic.[[note]]The same Orlando Magic that managed to beat Jordan's Chicago Bulls in 1995 during the playoffs with a score of 108-102.[[/note]]

Because of the Toyotama players being [[VictoryByEndurance physical]] and [[UnnecessaryRoughness rough]] with their play, the team is mostly based on "The Bad Boys" era of the [[GangOfBullies Detroit Pistons]] led by Isiah Thomas.[[note]]They stymied Jordan's early dreams of championship wins with their [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GYKrcM1k0U "Jordan Rules"]].[[/note]]

The [[DefeatingTheUndefeatable Sannoh/Sanno/Sannou Industry Affiliated High School]], the defending National Champions for three years straight, has jersey colors and a logo reminiscent of the San Antonio Spurs.

If Kainan is the Lakers and Shoyo is the Celtics, then naturally the [[EnsembleDarkHorse Dark Horse]] of Kanagawa, Shohoku, is the ''Slam Dunk'' equivalent of the Chicago Bulls under UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan.

[[AC:Team Line-Up]]

[[AC:Individual Team Members]]
* Even Kaede Rukawa himself is reminiscent of a young, brash, and ball-hogging [[TheAce Michael]] [[InsufferableGenius Jordan]] in terms of his [[JackOfAllTrades all-rounder]] [[SpotlightStealingSquad yet selfish]] play-style where he can [[RenaissanceMan literally]] [[JackOfAllStats do]] [[MasterOfAll anything]] on the basketball court[[note]](occasionally attack from outside by shooting threes, steal balls, master feints and fakes, have underrated passing abilities, drive through a tight defense, do flying dunks from across the free throw line, or score in the paint)[[/note]].
** Aside from play-style, Rukawa also wore Jordan's signature left armband. Like Jordan, Rukawa's character development came about when he learned the value of [[TeamSpirit team play]] and [[BoringButPractical passing the ball]].
** Also, in a case of LifeImitatesArt, Rukawa passing to Sakuragi to get the game-winning buzzer beater in 1996 against Sanno High actually happened for real when Jordan passed to Steve Kerr to get the game-winning buzzer beater in 1997 against the Utah Jazz during the NBA Finals.
* Takenori Akagi is probably based on [[LargeAndInCharge Patrick Ewing]] from the New York Knicks because they have the same [[{{Expy}} physical]] [[CaptainErsatz appearance]] and the [[GeniusBruiser same position]] in the court. However, Ewing possesses better mid-range shooting, something that Akagi doesn't have.[[note]]Akagi started off very raw and had a terrible free throw percentage until his second year in high school. In contrast, Ewing's free throw percentage is respectable amongst centers (74% all time). Akagi's angst in being the only good player in his team in his first two years of high school also mirrors Ewing's frustrations of never being an NBA champion despite winning Rookie of the Year in 1986 and being an 11-time NBA All-Star.[[/note]]
* [[InconsistentSpelling Ryota/Ryouta]] Miyagi is likely based on former NBA player [[WeakButSkilled Muggsy Bogues]], particularly during his stint with the Charlotte Hornets.[[note]]Miyagi's shortness in height yet amazing ability to use his quickness to get past his defenders is quite Bogues-like. Bogues is still the Hornets' franchise leader in steals. Unlike Bogues, Ryota can steal the ball [[HeroicAmbidexterity left-handed]], and has a more accurate left-handed layup despite shooting right handed.[[/note]] Arguably, Miyagi could instead be comparable to [[SuperSpeed Kevin Johnson]] of the Phoenix Suns based on the timing of Miyagi's first appearance, among other factors.[[note]]They have the same jersey number, same speed and agility, same play-style that's even more accurate to Johnson than the Bouges comparison, and same impressive stamina. Like Kevin Johnson's face-off against Magic Johnson, Miyagi also ended up facing the Kainan Team Captain Maki in a duel to see who's Kanagawa's Number One point guard.[[/note]]
* Hisashi Mitsui is likely based on former NBA player [[ImprobableAimingSkills Craig Hodges]] during his run with the Bulls.[[note]]They both wore the No. 14 jersey and were [[CripplingOverspecialization three-point shooters]].[[/note]] There's also [[BrokenAce Jeff Hornacek]] of the Phoenix Suns/Philadelphia 76ers.[[note]]This is due to him also wearing the No. 14 jersey and having [[DentedIron left knee]] [[GameBreakingInjury problems]]. Like Mitsui, Hornacek also wore a knee brace as his knees deteriorated from the strain of shooting practice.[[/note]] According to [[https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=1364780 several]] [[https://www.reddit.com/r/RealSlamDunk/comments/fsexzv/nba_2k20_slam_dunk/ websites]], Mitsui might also be based on gold medalist shooting guard [[CombatPragmatist Reggie Miller]] of the Indiana Pacers.
* According to [[WordOfGod Takehiko Inoue]], Hanamichi Sakuragi is based off of NBA All-Star Charles Barkley in terms of rebounding acuity and dunking power.[[note]]They even share a gift of gab in terms of [[BoisterousBruiser trash talking]] to boot.[[/note]] From there, Sakuragi[[note]]after Shohoku's defeat against Kainan (where he had his ImportantHaircut in penance for the loss) [[/note]][[CharacterDevelopment "became"]] more like [[CrazyIsCool Dennis Rodman]] from the "Bad Boy" [[GangOfBullies Detroit Pistons]] and San Antonio Spurs.
** Rodman and Sakuragi share the same rough play-style that results in many fouls, [[BoisterousBruiser strength]] and [[EnduranceDuel stamina]], pure athleticism, [[InASingleBound jumping height]], and ability to get [[TheDeterminator endless rebounds]].[[note]]However, unlike Sakuragi, Rodman is a hassle-play defense specialist who can lock down anyone in the NBA, including Michael Jordan (with some help from the "Bad Boy" Pistons and their [[LoopholeAbuse "Jordan]] [[UnnecessaryRoughness Rules"]]).[[/note]]The fact that Rodman ended up with the Bulls in 1995 is probably [[LifeImitatesArt a]] [[HilariousInHindsight happy]] [[AccidentallyCorrectWriting coincidence]].
** Like Charles Barkley, the newbie Sakuragi tends to be a bad outside shooter (especially prior to his 20,000 jump shot training from Coach Anzai).[[note]]Both Sakuragi and Barkley tend to get shouted down by their angry teammates whenever they attempt sure-to-fail jump shots instead of close-perimeter lay-ups or slam dunks. Infamously, Barkley made only 538 of his 2,020 attempts at 3-point shots in his entire career (26.6%).[[/note]]