It is February, and that means the best basketball players in the world have gathered in a random city to play games that do not technically count. Scottie Barnes was there. He seems to be everywhere lately, much like the persistent dampness of a Toronto winter that gets into your socks and stays there until May.
Scottie recently hit a game winning shot in overtime against Team World. It is an interesting concept, playing a game against the entire world. It sounds like something from a movie where the stakes are very high, like the fate of the planet, but in reality, it was just a basketball game (probably in Indiana).
The Sum of All Parts
People often talk about a player's line in the box score as if it were a grocery receipt. Scottie finished with 3 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block. It is a very round set of numbers, almost like he was trying to collect one of everything, which is how my uncle used to shop at the flea markets at Downsview Park.
If you look at the points alone, you might be underwhelmed, but Scottie is not about the points. He is about the presence. He was out there against Brandon Ingram, just existing and playing with what people call joy. I am not sure what joy feels like during a mid-February rotation (usually I just feel a mild craving for a patty), but Scottie seems to have found it.
A New Digital Currency
The internet is currently excited because a new meme format has been unlocked. I am not entirely sure how one unlocks a format. It sounds like something you would need a physical key for, or perhaps a very specific password that you immediately forget.
Regardless, the fans are proud. We are always proud when one of our own does something on the big stage, even if that stage is mostly made of LEDs and marketing partnerships. Scottie hit the buzzer beater, the game ended, and we all went back to wondering if the streetcars would be on time tomorrow morning. They probably won't be, but at least we have the meme.