Remember the glory days of And 1 Streetball? If not, I guess I’m showing my age as I had Vol. 4 on VHS. Ballers like Hot Sauce, Spyda, Escalade (RIP) and Skip To My Lou (also known as former NBA guard Rafer Alston) stepped to the court in style bringing flashy moves, rhythm and street swagger to a game the league has been trying to tone down for years. They did everything in style until…they stopped.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Streetball at it’s finest, and the people bringing it to us are probably not the brand you’d expect. This is a Red Bull affair, ladies and gentlemen. Of course, if that’s what the fellas will be drinking instead of actual sports drinks, the games and subsequent fights should be very interesting to watch.

Don’t get all nostalgic about the glory days of And 1 Streetball just yet, though. Those were teams. Red Bull’s King of the Rock is a whole different type of tournament. Basically, it’s an all-out one-on-one tourney where anything goes. Well, almost anything. They have a few rules. What makes this particular tournament really special, though, is that there will be four half-court games played simultaneously. The winners have to immediately start a new game, and this process continues until it’s down to one King of the Court for that day/location. The winners advance, and the losers go home.

The tournament gets its name from its location. While qualifiers will be held in major cities across the U.S., the final tournament will be held at the island of Alcatraz. Yes, that Alcatraz that once housed a prison (which you can still tour if you’re ever in San Francisco) and served as a stomping ground for some of the nation’s most notorious criminals. The legendary prison was nicknamed “The Rock” no Dwayne Johnson and serves as the inspiration for the tournament.

The best thing about this tournament is that only two qualifiers have been held to date. That means that there is plenty of time for anyone who’s interested to get on board and go head-to-head for a chance to compete in a one-of-a-kind tournament. Hell, I might even lace up my sneakers and take somebody to the hole for this one. With Red Bull joining up with such partners as 24 Hour Fitness, Skullcandy, and Dime Magazine, the winner’s prize has got to be worth it.

For more information about the tournament and how to qualify, visit redbullusa.com.

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