Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls
Images: Brandon Lacue (via email and Facebook)
Images: Brandon Lacue (via email and Facebook)
This
month’s “Streetball’s Finest” feature shifts the spotlight to one of the
world’s best dunkers and renowned high-flyer – Brandon Lacue aka WERM.
One
of the most popular players on the AND1 Mixtape / AND1 Live Tour, the Franklin
park, Florida native quips “I’m the type of player that brings excitement to the game.” He is known for his high-flying dunks and
thunderous jams.
Brandon has won the Sprite Slam Dunk Competition four
(4) times and speaks about his monicker “I got it (my nickname) by the way I play. I felt nothing could stop me and I could do
anything in the air.”
Check out a Youtube clip of Werm below (click to play):
Werm
was gracious enough to answer my questions that I sent via his email despite
his busy schedule and tours (he routinely flies all over the world for his AND1
Live commitments and basketball guestings/shows). Here’s what he has got to share:
Flash: Who is Werm as a baller / dunker?
Werm:
“My dunking style is the
same as Guy Dupuy (Easy J) but we do a couple of different dunks that the crowd
loves. What sets me apart though is that
I show so much style and I jump so high.
People be like “what earth are you from”! I think it’s the way I dunk the ball - I
never dunk hard and I never hang on the rim.”
Flash: What is
your trademark/favorite move or dunk when you play?
Werm:
“My trademark
is my hair - everybody knows me by my hair.
My favorite dunk is “The Scoop” because I’m like the only
person that does that dunk. I made it up
in New York with SpecialFX (Ryan Williams) and Elevator (Quentin
Slaughter).”
Flash: Who are
your influences in playing basketball?
Werm:
“My cousin JR is my influence because he was going to be a McDonalds All-American
in high school but he ended up going to jail for murder - so I told and
promised him that I would be a good role model for our family and my kids.”
Check out a Youtube clip of Werm below (click to play):
Flash: If you actually had to pay to watch
one (1) streetballer play, who would that be and why?
Werm:
“I would pay to watch
ALIMOE because I never saw him in person and he was like the first person I
heard about when I was in high school.”
Flash: Name
some of the most memorable NBA players that you’ve played with or against.
Werm:
“I have played with so
many people but the ones that was cool and that gave me advice were Gary
Payton, Nick Van Exel, Horace Grant, and Dennis
“The Worm” Rodman - but Rafer Alston (aka Skip
To My Lou) told me everything about staying humble and don’t go down
the wrong path.”
Flash: How
does it feel to tour around the world and play for AND1 Live? Any plans
of visiting the Philippines soon?
Werm:
“It feels great to travel
with AND1 Live, I get to show my talent and the fans love me because of what I
do. I really do want to come to the Philippines
like ASAP but I have to wait until they call me to go over there.”
Check out a Youtube clip of Werm below (click to play):
Flash: What
was the best AND1 pair you've ever hooped in? Any fond memories of that shoe?
Werm: “The
best pair of And1s was the grey pair back in 2004 - And1 Open Run (in Miami). I
wish i could get them back. The next
best pair is my shoes with And1 - the Guardian Mids.”
You can catch Werm online by following him in
Twitter and Instagram (@wermgothopz, same user profile names), or thru his Facebook account (Facebook.com/wermgothopz). He also has a Youtube channel:
Youtube.com/werm06 or
wermgothopz.
For his parting words, here’s what he
has to say for his fans: “To
all my fans worldwide I just want to say thank you for watching me grow, and for
supporting and watching my videos – there are more to come. If you play any sport, I just want to tell
you to not give up - if you love it, stay with it. Its nothing like playing the sport you love.”
Check out a Youtube clip of Werm below (click to play):
AND1 Ph will continue to feature other local and
international streetball players, so feel free to send an email to and1pinas@gmail.com for your suggestions
on who you want to be seen here next.
Please check out and LIKE our Facebook fanpage (www.facebook.com/and1ph) and follow
us on Twitter (@and1ph) for more news, spotlights, and the latest updates about
the And1 brand in the Philippines
