The NBA Top Shot Fantasy 5 on 5
Every basketball fan is familiar with the concept of the “Heat check.” It’s that moment in a game when everything is clicking on all cylinders and you decide to take a chance. To do something or try something a little more aggressive, bold, and outside of your comfort zone.
The #Fantasy5on5 was my NBA Top Shot heat check, and y’all did not let me down.
What started with this tweet thread on July 1st turned into 345 submissions from our global community, all with a custom, thoughtful, and creative lineup submitted via Top Shot Showcase + Twitter.
The rest is history. Members of the community donated unsolicited Moments to be used as part of the prize pool.
10 of my favorite people stepped up to act as two teams of judges to help determine the finalists.
Luke “El Dumbo” and Candi “Rudem00se” reached out to offer 5 Playoff Packs as prizes on behalf of the team at NBA Top Shot.
Within 48 hours, we hit 200 lineups, and when it was all said and done, 345 members of the NBA Top Shot community shared their dream 5 on 5 pick-up game lineups, using only their own collection of Moments and creativity to assemble their teams.
So what happens next? Right now, I’m going to reveal the final 4 contestants eligible to win this whole thing.
I was going to save it for the bottom of the post but know you’ll just scroll down to see if you won, so why not just cut to the most important part. Each of their showcases is immortalized in an original image designed by fellow community member, Matt Houston, and currently being deliberated by our community judges.
Once the final matchup is decided, a 24-hour Twitter poll will determine the winner.
After the Final 4 is revealed (literally right below this blurb), I’ll hand out consolation prizes to amazing options that didn’t make the cut.
All four of the finalists stood out in their respective sub-divisions of “Wicked Smart,” “All-Star Duels,” “The Big Flex” and “College Classics,” and all four just won themselves an NBA Top Shot S2 Drop 2 Playoff Pack!
FINALIST #1: 🧠 WICKED SMART 🧠
The Yellow Demon (TS — TheYellowDemon)
Of all the clever and creative showcases I received, this one truly stood out not just for being a unique idea, but for really seeing the concept through.
This is the showcase of a true collector.
Someone does not just have 10 Moments with the 666 serial. That takes planning, effort, and commitment. In my mind, that deserves recognition.
The one and only game to ever take place in hell, it is a truly wicked smart pick-up showdown.
The idea of each team playing for their souls is like a horror movie spin on Space Jam, and the devilish attention to detail deemed it worth of today’s heavenly reward.
Here is your official #Fantasy5on5 Final 4 Showcase!
Facing off against The Yellow Demon in the semi-finals is…
FINALIST #2: ⚔️ ALL-STAR DUELS ⚔️
Jxoopar (TS — jxoopar)
As you can imagine, a 5 on 5 game is often going to feature a match-up of superstar players. But Janoo took that concept to the next level, not just assembling an epic lineup of players, and Moments representing them, but assembling the ultimate Kobe tribute in the process.
Playing off two of Kobe Bryant’s lessor known nicknames of “Mr.81” and “Vino,” and hosting this star-studded, well balanced machup in the Tenemant Basketball Court in Manila, is the perfect blend of homage and creativity.
As a collector, I have to respect the blend of Cool Cats, Hustle & Show, Seeing Stars, and 2021 NBA Playoffs Challenge Rewards, with ASG Moments sprinkled into the mix.
The level of competition and calibar of basketball in this game would make Kobe proud, that’s for sure.
Here is your official #Fantasy5on5 Final 4 Showcase!
FINALIST #3: 💪🏼 THE BIG FLEX 💪🏼
Shdwmoon23 (TS — Handles4Daze)
Some of the most accomplished collectors participated in the Fantasy 5 on 5, and with their submissions, a series of just absolutely jaw dropping lineups featuring some of the best Moments on Top Shot.
As a sucker for Run It Back and a good narrative, I loved all of the angles taking place in this submission, along with the unique and thematically spot-on location for the game. The one and only Mt. Rushmore submission, plus the only submission to go above and beyond to select worthy coaches for the game, I had to award this collector with a spot in the final four.
Extra credit for having all three Spurs with their TS Debut and Championship badges, my favorite Moment in Dirk, one of the best Moments in the Bubble (Luka’s Game Winner), and the best Moment of the year, Kevin Durant’s MGLE.
Here is your official #Fantasy5on5 Final 4 Showcase!
Facing off against Shdwmoon23 in the semi-finals is…
FINALIST #4: 🎓 COLLEGE CLASSICS 🎓
Belkindg (TS — NBGave)
One of my favorite themes in this contest were people who built-out pick-up games featuring collegiate rivalries, players from the same school, and other ideas in that spirit. We saw Duke v. UNC, the best of Kentucky, and so much more, but Gabe’s lineup really landed for me.
“The NBA has canceled the Rising Stars Challenge for the 2021 All-Star break, according to Mark Medina of USA Today. The annual event showcases the top rookies and second-year players in the league, but the game will be cut this year amid changes because of the COVID-19 pandemic.” — Bleacher Report
Anyone who was involved in Top Shot for Rising Star and All-Star Weekend remembers it well, for better or for worse. The Rising Stars game promo was our first taste of NBA amplification of Top Shot, but unfortunately, the marketplace was in maintenance mode for the majority of the weekend, dashing our hopes of a surge of new collectors and activity. The Rare Rising Stars drop was full of great Moments, but without the actual game happening, it lost some of its luster.
“The Rising Stars Game” in Atlanta, GA that never was really clicked with me, and feels like a perfect encapsulation of a signature moment in our shared Top Shot history.
But that’s not all. Gabe treated the game with the respect and dignity it deserves, pivoting away from the USA v. World setup they attempted this year and shifting towards a more traditional and superior Rookie v. Sophomore model, stuffing his lineup with the best of the best Rising Stars Moments, plus an MGLE and Rookie Debut, creating the best possible game with all Rare Moments. KPJ, Morant, RJ, MPJ, and Zion v. Lamelo, Tyrese, Ant-Man, Patrick Williams, and Wiseman would be incredible to watch.
We’ll never have that chance, but this is a great alternative to the real thing.
Here is your official #Fantasy5on5 Final 4 Showcase!
Congratulations to our 4 finalists!
One of you will win another Playoff Pack, a Rare Montrezl Harrell Throwdown Moment, a Common Duncan Robinson TS Debut Moment, and a 1/1 NFT commemorating your victory in The Fantasy 5 on 5!
Now for the honorable mentions and consolation prizes.
- If you want to browse all 345 lineup submissions from the NBA Top Shot community, the best way to do that is on Twitter. Start here and scroll your heart out.
- If you want a peak behind to curtain to see my 120 favorite submissions across our 7 core categories, welcome to the chaos of my Google Doc.
- Here are 11 Honorable Mentions. Don’t worry, more prizes are coming this week for a lucky few of you…
Honorable Mention: Upside’s Big Flex of Top Shot Debut’s at Dapper HQ
(Prize: Derrick Rose /40000 provided by R_Chungster)
Honorable Mention: Brandon Sowle’s Unique New York of First Team All-NBA studs against First Team All-Thunder at Carmelo’s NYC Gym
(Prize: Giannis /40000 provided by Rare Dope Dunks)
Honorable Mention: Jeremy Williams’ All Star Duels Seeing Stars Showdown at the Louvre in Abu Dhabi
(Prize: James Harden /40000 provided by Jon Boy Beats)
Honorable Mention: Sam Welk’s All Star Duels Teammate v. Teammate Battle in Assembly Hall, Indiana
(Prize: Cole Anthony /40000 provided by Mcguirkna, the Coach!)
Honorable Mention: The Moment Nerd’s College Classic Michigan v. Michigan State at Yost Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan (Go Blue!)
(Prize: CP3 /40000 provided by Lucky Calvados)
Honorable Mention: Rob Kotzer’s Around the World Team Canada vs. Team USA in the Disney Bubble (Using only S1 Team USA Moments)
(Prize: Kevin Huerter /40000 provided by Handles 4 Daze)
Honorable Mention: NBA Top Shot Talk’s Around the World Current Raptors vs. Former Raptors + Team USA vs. Team World Duel-Threat Showcase in the Air Canada Centre!
(Prize: Rudy Gobert /40000 provided by Handles 4 Daze)
Honorable Mention: Tux Cat’s Wicked Smart Fibonacci Numerology Masterclass of “Littles” aka Guards with Jersey Numbers Matching the First 5 Fibonacci Numbers vs. “Bigs” aka Post Players with the Next 5 Fibonacci Numbers in Digitopolis
(Prize: Danny Green /40000 provided by Big N8ive)
Honorable Mention: Bored Jesse’s Wicked Smart NBA Titans vs. Balkan Boys Showdown in the Balkan Mountains
(Prize: Willy Cauley Stein /12000 provided by Top Shot Gumby)
Rob PT’s Wicked Smart Name Train vs. Number Trian at The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York
Chris Paul George Hill Cole Anthony Davis vs. Number 0, 1, 23, 4, 5
(Prize: Bradley Beal /35000 provided by Big N8ive)
B-Rando’s Space Jammers Seeing Stars vs. Reward Stars Showdown at Tune Stadium
(Prize: Kyle Kuzma /40000 provided by Bayus)
Thank you to everyone who participated in this contest. Truly, it means a lot that you took the time and effort to have a little fun with your NBA Top Shot collections. Please vote for the winner when we launch that contest on Monday night.
Enjoy the rest of the NBA Playoffs and best of luck at the “And Then There Were Four” pack drop!
