History ShoutOut / SlamDunk

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.

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* 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.

* [[SpellMyNameWithAnS 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]]

** A rivalry between him and Hanamichi [[WhatCouldHaveBeen would've been interesting]] in light of the fact that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fZH60pqLWw Shaq himself admitted]] that Rodman was the only guy who [[https://www.sportsmanor.com/nba-how-a-severely-undersized-61-dennis-rodman-was-able-to-stop-the-most-dominant-71-shaquille-oneal-is-something-fans-are-still-wondering-after-all-these-years/could guard him]].

Because of the Toyotama players being [[VictoryByEndurance physical]] and [[UnnecessaryRoughness rough]] with their play, the team is mostly based on the "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]]

* 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 [[RatedMForManly 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 [[{{Determinator}} 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]].

* 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 [[Determinator killer instinct]])[[/note]] in terms of team position.

* 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. Jin's consistent threes as a shooting guard is also reminiscent of how unstoppable and accurate Kareem's [[SignatureMove Sky Hook]] is.[[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]] 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 [[Determinator killer instinct]])[[/note]] in terms of team position.

!Real-Life NBA Team Models

!Miscellaneous

* The Shohoku [[FiveManBand starting five]] also looked like the all-star line-up of the 1992 Olympic DreamTeam.

** The way Fujima served as the player-coach of Shoyo, meanwhile, is reminiscent of how Bill Russell fulfilled the same role for the Celtics from 1966 to 1969.

* 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 after Shohoku's defeat against Kainan[[note]](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 [[RatedMForManly San Antonio Spurs]].

* The Shoyo playbook[[note]]involving tall players in the paint stifling the other team's offense, getting all the rebounds, or scoring at will while supported by an unselfish point guard who could pass to any of them at anytime or shoot from the perimeter with accurate twos and threes[[/note]] is quite reminiscent of the play-style of the 1980s Celtics as well.

** If Maki is Sendo's Magic Johnson to his Larry Bird, then Rukawa must be his Michael Jordan in turn. The heated rivalry between the rookie Rukawa and the veteran Sendo is highly reminiscent of the heated rivalry between Bird and Jordan in the 1980s for sure.

** He could also be based on [[CompositeCharacter Magic Johnson]] like Maki in light of the points above and the fact that they both wear Converse Conquest Mid.[[note]]Speaking of Maki, his acknowledgement of Sendo as a WorthyOpponent could also give more weight to the Bird/Johnson comparison. Coincidentally, in 1996, a [[PassingTheTorch similar]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4cP5BYSHXg meeting]] happened between Magic Johnson and Penny Hardaway.[[/note]]

** Like Charles Barkley, the newbie Sakuragi tends to attempt and fail to do jump shots (even prior to his 20,000 jump shot training from Coach Anzai). 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.[[note]]Infamously, Barkley made only 538 of his 2,020 attempts at 3-point shots in his entire career (26.6%).[[/note]]

* In turn, Akira Sendo may likely be based on NBA legend [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter Larry "Legend" Bird]] too, just like Fujima (and despite Shoyo being the Boston Celtics analog).[[note]]This is mainly because of Sendo being a scoring forward capable of playing point guard. Sendo also has more of Bird's [[ImpossiblyGracefulGiant imposing height]] and [[AllOrNothing clutch]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEXcN5gK7IU mentality]] compared to Fujima, as seen in the Shohoku practice game.[[/note]]

* 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. Jin's consistent threes as a shooting guard is also reminiscent of how unstoppable and accurate Kareem's [[SignatureMove Sky Hook]] is.[[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]] 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 [[Determinator killer instinct]])[[/note]] in terms of play-style.

* 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 (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).

* 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]](attack from outside by shooting threes, steal balls, drive through a tight defense, do flying dunks from across the free throw line, or score in the paint)[[/note]].

** Like Charles Barkley, the newbie Sakuragi tends to attempt and fail to do jump shots even prior to his 20,000 jump shot training from Coach Anzai. Both Sakuragi and Barkley tend to get shouted down by their teammates whenever they attempt jump shots instead of close-perimeter lay-ups or slam dunks.[[note]]Infamously, Barkley made only 538 of 2,020 atempts of 3-point shots in his career (26.6%).[[/note]]

** 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 [[{{Determinator}} endless rebounds]]. 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]].[[/note]]
** Like Charles Barkley, the newbie Sakuragi tends to attempt and fail to do jumpshots even prior to his 20,000 jump shot training from Coach Anzai. Both Sakuragi and Barkley get shouted by their teammates to stop whenever they attempt jump shots instead of close-perimeter lay-ups or slam dunks. Infamously, Barkley made only 538 of 2,020 atempts of 3-point shots in his career (26.6%).