Tricked Out

While the Florida Pit Bulls of the American Basketball Association (ABA) have provided a stage for B-list ballplayers to show off their talents, they have also given a stage for A-list ballers like Trick Daddy to fire up the home crowd with pregame performances. Half of the ABA is made up of youngsters who can stick to their dreams of playing in the NBA but can't stick an open jump shot. The other half is made up of washed-up journeymen who have played professionally in every continent and can find an open bar anywhere from Saratoga to Sao Paulo but can't find an open man against the half-court trap. So you'd be hard-pressed to find fans willing to drop 15 bucks to see them play. The Pit Bulls know this; that's why they have tricked out Tuesday's game with the sounds of South Florida's favorite thug.

Best-known for his trademark gold-grilled grimace and sick Scarfaceobsession, Trick Daddy has had Miami's club scene bouncing and banging since 1997 with rowdy records like "Nann Nigga" and "Shut Up." With his raucous rhymes and bass-heavy beats, Trick quickly became a Dirty South favorite. In 2001, Trick (born Maurice Young) broke out and introduced himself to the rest of America with the monster hit "I'm a Thug," which featured a hook so catchy that soccer moms in Minnesota knew the words. The Miami native followed up that success one year later with the upbeat "In Da Wind," a chart-climbing single that featured the phrase "Trick love the kids."