A year before the original AND1 Mixtape turned him into a grainy VHS legend, SLAM had Skip on the cover. Rafer Alston — who earned the nickname "Skip to My Lou" as for his signature skip when bringing the ball up the court at Rucker Park — helped propel streetball into the mainstream before carving out a solid 10-year career in the NBA.

This cover is one of my favorites because it showcases the bold, independent nature of early SLAM issues. No other major magazine covered a sport with the same spirit — before or since.

Only one copy of this issue has been graded by CGC, an 8.5. Fingers crossed this one scores higher when I submit it next week.