The Red Bulletin US 03/22

BEYOND THE ORDINARY

U.S. EDITION MARCH 2022, $5.99

BEYOND THE ORDINARY

E V LO KETBALL S A B

— D N E G E L A B N N A BE O T D E N I M R E T T R E U D O S C I E N H T W F O F R O B E C JAYLEN O WANTS TO USE HIS VOI B U T H E A LS

THE RED BULLETIN 03/2022

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OUR 5G ISN’T JUST FAST. IT FLIES.

Photo: Christian Pondella / Red Bull Content Pool

T-Mobile’s 5G-powered drone cams delivered a new look at Rampage Red Bull Rampage fans will never look at freeriding the same way again. This year, our 5G drone cams delivered high-definition, first-person angles of the world’s greatest freeriders.

To learn more about the power of 5G, visit T-Mobile.com/Coverage

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Jaxon Riddle, Virgin, Utah Photo: Garth Milan / Red Bull Content Pool

EDITOR’S NOTE

HOPE SCHEMES This issue is anchored by two features about pro basketball players. Both are top talents—All-Stars who know how to take over a game and carry their team to victory. And both are personalities whose stories transcend the game. Consider our profile of WNBA standout Arike Ogunbowale, the subject of “American Globetrotter” (page 36), and ponder her joyful devotion to achieving success and financial stability despite the structural equity issues that still plague women’s sports.

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE

STEPHANIE CHANG

“I’m inspired to photograph people who lift others up while pushing the boundaries of greatness,” says Chang on her cover shoot with Jaylen Brown.

“When he walked in, it felt like a hero protagonist had entered the space.”

The New York–based photographer has worked with such brands as Nike, Levi’s and Estée Lauder. Page 22

SCOTT JOHNSON

Reporting on the firefighters at LAX was a real trip for the Seattle-based writer. “Years ago, my parents were on a plane that crashed and killed several people,” says Johnson, a former staffer at Newsweek and The Hollywood Reporter. “This gave me much more respect for this firefighting crew and the dangers of their world.” Page 56

Stephanie Chang shot Jaylen Brown at a Boston-area studio in December.

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TAMRYN SPRUILL

“Arike Ogunbowale is known for her splash and flash on the court,” says the Boston-based writer about the WNBA star. “But off it she is mesmerizingly low-key, and her selfdescribed homebody existence seems integral to her grounding and wellbeing in pursuit of greatness.” Spruill is writing a book on the WNBA. Page 36 THE RED BULLETIN

STEPHANIE B. CHANG (COVER)

Our cover story, “Eye on the Ball” (page 22), is a penetrating conversation with Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.

Brown wants to be an NBA legend in the usual sense—a guy who wins titles and leaves a mark on the game. But he wants more. Not fame. He embraces his influence to make an impact—on education, equity and other issues he cares about. In that way, he’s not playing games.

Switch to GEICO and see how easy it could be to save money on motorcycle insurance. Simply visit geico.com/cycle to get started.

geico.com/cycle | 1-800-442-9253 | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Motorcycle and ATV coverages are underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company.

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CONTENTS March

FEATURES 22

Eye on the Ball

36

American Globetrotter

Jaylen Brown is an All-Star forward for the Celtics, and off the court, his powerful voice makes him an advocate for change.

No matter where WNBA standout Arike Ogunbowale is in the world, she is on a mission to make a living doing what she loves.

44 The High Life

For years, photographer Andrew Esiebo has captured revelers and some of the biggest names in Afrobeats in Lagos, Nigeria.

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The Disaster Artists

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King of the Hill

The elite fire-fighting team at LAX—one of the world’s busiest airports—is ready to act if the unthinkable happens.

For mountain sports photographer Grant Gunderson, it’s a daily balancing act with his camera, his subjects—and nature.

44 SALAD DAYS

Crowds were an important element of the pre-pandemic party scene in Lagos, Africa’s second-most populous city.

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THE

DEPARTURE

Taking You to New Heights 9 Multisport athlete

Kalen Thorien revs up

12 Ocearch: changing the face

of the great white shark

13 A filmmaker who’s making

robotic eyes a reality

14 Paragliding in Switzerland 16 Riding with a full tank 18 How one man walked from

L.A. to NYC in a bear suit

STEPHANIE B. CHANG, JIM KRANTZ, ANDREW ESIEBO/PANOS PICTURES

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20 Jamaican hitmaker Sean

Paul’s top dancehall tunes

GUIDE

Get it. Do it. See it.

81 Travel: getaway ideas on

three Hawaiian islands

JAYLEN BROWN

84 Shooting coach Chris

“I want to be remembered as somebody who broke the mold,” says Brown, who considers Allen Iverson one of his icons.

88 The best home fitness gear

Matthews’ training tips

86 Dates for your calendar 94 Anatomy of gear 96 The Red Bulletin worldwide 98 Flipping the deck in Czech

56 FIRED UP

The LAFD team at LAX trains with live fire so they can respond to a real disaster with calculated precision.

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LIFE

&

STYLE

BEYOND

THE

ORDINARY

THE

Thorien has carved out a niche with a rare mix of moto- and human-powered endeavors.

FROM MOUNTAINS TO MOTORCYCLES JOHN WEBSTER

After forging a path as a year-round professional outdoor multisport athlete, Kalen Thorien has added two wheels into the mix—and is bridging the gap with ease.

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T H E D E PA RT U R E “Moto, skis, packrafts: They all take you to places where you experience absolute highs and lows,” says Thorien.

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at risk of not graduating thanks to an obscene number of absences—12 alone in the month of January—the jig was up.

“Skiing gave me a sense of identity, especially in high school, when I was figuring things out,” Thorien says.

“I never felt like I fit in, but skiing was the one place where I felt grounded and excited. It was my sanctuary.”

This comical tale of professional beginnings is less than traditional, but Thorien’s persistence in living a life less ordinary has become her calling card. Nearly seven years ago, she rebranded herself as a multisport outdoor athlete when she signed an annual contract with Salomon, an unusual

concept at the time since most professional athletes focus on a single sport. Today, she is tackling a new challenge by creating a symbiotic relationship between two unlikely industries: outdoor and motorcycle. With yearround sponsorships from both Harley-Davidson and outdoor retailer Backcountry, Thorien is walking a path of her own creation—with bike and boots in hand.

“Motorcycles have a parallel with skiing,” she says.

“You’re connected with this tool that gets you from Point A to Point B and often thrusts you into situations that aren’t necessarily comfortable.”

Fortunately, Thorien is comfortable with the uncomfortable. After high

JOHN WEBSTER

I

t was an inauspicious start: skipping class and forging checks stolen from her mom’s purse to pay for the $45 lift tickets at nearby Tamarack Ski Resort in Idaho’s Valley County. Kalen Thorien laughs now when she remembers hiding her ski gear beneath blankets in the back of her car, waving goodbye to her parents as they watched her drive off to high school every day. Only Thorien kept driving, skipping class weekly in favor of ski days at the local hill.

The ruse lasted for a while, but her mother eventually realized hundreds of dollars were missing from the checking account each month. When the school called to tell Thorien she was

THE RED BULLETIN

Seven years ago, Thorien rebranded herself as a multisport outdoor athlete.

“MOTORCYCLES HAVE A PARALLEL WITH SKIING.” school graduation, she hightailed it to Utah to fulfill her ski-bum dreams at Alta Ski Area. Within a few years, she began racking up covers of magazines like Powder and SKI, but she still battled the age-old athlete predicament: money. Clients wanted her to ski and travel for photo shoots but couldn’t pay. So Thorien adopted a new summertime career: wildland firefighting.

She worked all season, banking up cash, and then skied all winter, living off her savings. But after doing this for two years, she arrived at the most lucrative decision of her career.

“I realized I didn’t have the skills or the courage to be the best of the best, like Angel Collinson or something,” Thorien says.

So she rebranded. Thorien took stock of her skill sets: packrafting, canyoneering, backpacking and skiing. Then she put feelers out with various outdoor companies that make products for a variety of activities. “I told them I could be their athlete, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, and not just for a season.” In 2015, Salomon came knocking, and she signed her first four-season THE RED BULLETIN

contract. She remained with the brand until the end of the 2020 ski season. In early 2021, she signed on with Backcountry for her current four-season partnership.

But it was an 18-day, 270mile solo high traverse of California’s Sierra Nevada in 2016 that led her to HarleyDavidson. “I told myself, ‘If I can hike 270 miles, I can ride a motorcycle!’ ” Thorien returned from the backpacking trip, bought her first Harley, and nabbed her motorcycle

license —in that order. Since then, Thorien has become ubiquitous on social media for her unique blend of moto- and human-powered endeavors.

When Harley-Davidson offered her a contract in early 2020, it was literally a dream come true.

On the surface, the two industries mix as well as oil and water, but Thorien bridges the gap with ease. “Moto, skis, packrafts: They all take you places where you experience the absolute highs and lows,” she says. “You’re exposed to all the elements in the same way, for better or for worse.”

Thorien plans to harness this congruency in May for a selfsupported, motorcycle-to-ski journey of the five major volcanoes in Washington.

But the big adventure begins later in the summer when she embarks upon her solo, multiyear quest to ski, paddle and ride her Harley on every single continent. In August, she’ll begin the first leg: riding from the top of Alaska to the southernmost point in Chile.

“It’s intimidating, but I’m hungry for it,” she says. “All the best things I’ve ever done start with this same feeling of nervousness in my gut, so I know it’s going to change my life.” —Heather Balogh Rochfort

In May, Thorien hopes to do a moto-to-ski journey of five volcanoes in Washington.

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TOOTH AND LIES

The film Jaws made everyone scared to go into the water. This group of sharks is changing that—via their social media profiles.

O

ne of the biggest lies Hollywood has ever told is that sharks are murderers to be avoided at all costs. Tell that to Miss May—or, as she’s better known to her Twitter followers, @ MissMay_Shark. The 10-footlong great white, who regularly updates fans from her home in the North Atlantic, is one of hundreds being monitored by Ocearch, a nonprofit organization of scientists and fishermen committed to protecting these predators.

Ocearch is the brainchild of Chris Fischer, a lifelong fisherman and former TV personality. In 2005, while hosting docuseries Offshore Adventures, Fischer learned from biologists the importance of great whites to our oceans’ ecosystem. “They are the system manager of the ocean,

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and the ocean is the system manager of the planet,” he says. “If there are no big sharks, there’s no future for mankind—it’s that simple.”

Threats to shark life include “finning”—harvesting the dorsal fin (shark fin soup is a delicacy in eastern Asia) and then dumping the shark back into the sea to die.

No need for a bigger boat: A great white shark undergoes quick tests onboard the M/V Ocearch (top); a bird’s-eye view of the oceangoing laboratory (below).

THE RED BULLETIN

ROBERT SNOW

Ocearch Shark Tracker

Fischer began his research work in 2007, converting his fishing vessel into the at-sea laboratory M/V Ocearch. There are three expeditions a year, during which every shark caught is hydraulically lifted from the water for a series of quick tests. “The scientists in the team work like a pit crew,” says Fischer. “We’re constantly trying to drive our time down so we make less impact on the animal.” Each shark is given a smart position and temperature (SPOT) transmitting tag, and whenever it breaks the water’s surface its location is pinged to Ocearch’s Shark Tracker app, where users can “favorite” and follow it via an interactive map.

The aim is to learn enough about the sharks’ mating, feeding and migration patterns to conserve the species more effectively, and alter public perception. “We launched our tracking app and people poured in, falling in love with these 4,000-pound animals,” Fischer says.

Ocearch’s work has sparked controversy, however. Some researchers say its method of hooking, lifting and tagging the sharks is invasive, and its use of chumming—scattering bloodied bait as a lure—has drawn criticism for altering the animals’ feeding patterns and endangering swimmers.

Fischer has his own take: “We decided to help study fish because we’re good at catching and releasing them.

Scientists are not people who live on the ocean. We collect data faster and let the animals go in good shape. From our work, we’ve learned we were fishing in their bathing areas.

We don’t see much bycatch [accidental snaring in fishing nets] of them any more.”

But there’s still more work to do. “The Jaws mindset is fabricated,” says Fischer. “We need everyone to change theirs around sharks.” ocearch.org

LOU BOYD

T H E D E PA RT U R E

Eyeborg

SHARED VISION

Great filmmakers let us see life from new perspectives.

This Canadian is sharing his own unique worldview— from inside his eye socket.

R DAVID VINTINER

LOU BOYD

ob Spence is a 49-year-old filmmaker from Ontario, Canada, who has made a documentary about cyborgs—mechanically augmented humans. Cyborgs are of special interest to Spence, because he is one.

Equipped with a robotic eye fitted with a camera, he calls himself the “Eyeborg.”

At the age of nine, Spence was playing cowboys with a shotgun at his uncle’s house in Ireland when he pulled the trigger and the gun kicked back, splitting his right eyeball.

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He went blind in the eye and then lost the organ itself in his 30s. By this time, Spence was making documentaries, and he saw potential beyond a standard glass eye.

Spence sought the help of Phil Bowen, a local maker of ocular prosthetics; Californian scientist Kosta Grammatis, who had worked with MIT on a revolutionary eye test for developing countries; and Martin Ling, a British electrical engineer with expertise in miniaturized sensors. Together, they built Spence’s first “bionic eye” on

his kitchen table, using a wax mold of his eye socket, a tiny camera, a transmitter and a switch triggered by magnets.

The team went on to create two newer updates. “Most recently, we made a silver eye with a glowing red LED light that we call ‘the Terminator,’ ” he says. However, Spence has no interest in creating one that matches his remaining real eye: “There’s always that ‘uncanny valley’ thing. It’ll never look right, so I go for the robot look.”

The Eyeborg Project provides the world’s first literal point-of-view video recording. The prosthesis isn’t connected to Spence’s brain through his optic nerve; instead, the footage—with a maximum recording time of 30 minutes—is viewed on a handheld receiver. “The resolution’s not great,” he admits. “If I whack my head, it improves the quality sometimes, but it looks a bit like the hologram of Princess Leia asking Obi-Wan for help in Star Wars.”

Spence is conscious of privacy issues—something big tech companies such as Google have also faced with their smart glasses. “When you’re speaking to a person, you look in their eyes,” he says. “It’s a sacred contract, a window to the soul, not to video footage.

[I feel] it’s not a great idea to video all the time.”

In an effort to share his vision—literally—Spence has teamed up with Polish ophthalmologist Marcin Jaworski, who’s devised a process for 3D-printing artificial eyes. Their plan is to create camera-ready prosthetic eyes for anyone who needs one. And, as the company guinea pig, Spence will never stop evolving his own eye.

“Because unlike you puny humans,” he says, “I can.” robspence.tv 13

T H E D E PA RT U R E

Disentis, Switzerland

If there were rush hours in the paragliding world like those experienced on terra firma, this is what they might look like. Much more attractive than an earthbound gridlock, we think you’ll agree. This uplifting image—a Red Bull Illume semifinalist in the “Playground by WhiteWall” category—was captured

by Andreas Busslinger at the start of the Paragliding World Cup Superfinal last August. “Many people ask me if it is not dangerous to fly with so many paragliders in the same thermal,” admits the Swiss photographer. “It is demanding indeed, and often stressful. I’m constantly busy looking in all directions to avoid the risk of collision.” andreasbusslinger.ch

ANDREAS BUSSLINGER/RED BULL ILLUME DAVYDD CHONG

FLIGHT ATTENDANCE

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T H E D E PA RT U R E

Dubai, UAE

RIDING WITH A FULL TANK British rider Sam Sunderland’s prep for this year’s Dakar Rally reached a whole new level. The 2017 winner was given the keys to his adopted home city, Dubai, and took the chance to race to the top of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, via many other local landmarks. “It was challenging,” says the project’s photographer, Naim Chidiac, of shooting in the Dubai Aquarium at the Dubai Mall.

“The light was very low, the divers could only communicate via hand signals, and the fish—they didn’t respond to direction.”

Watch Sunderland’s ride to the top of Burj Khalifa on the Red Bull YouTube channel

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NAIM CHIDIAC

DAVYDD CHONG

T H E D E PA RT U R E

Bearsun

across the country? It gave me the opportunity to discover something new about myself.

GRIN AND BEAR IT

What did you learn?

I discovered there are a lot more good people in the world than bad. People were really kind.

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Showing myself creates a sense of separation.”

So successful was Larios’s art that he now has more than 137,000 followers on Instagram and has become as much a public figure as an adventuring inspiration. “I do it to make people happy and smile,” says Larios, who worked “a series of dead-end jobs” before landing on Bearsun as an extension of his artistic interests.

But as he admits that Bearsun is “devouring” his own existence, how does Larios separate himself from his alter ego, and what’s next for the pair? the red bulletin: Where did you get the idea for Bearsun? jessy larios: I’ve always loved animation, and I wanted to create my own unique character.

I worked with a friend who’s an illustrator from Japan, and this is what we ended up with. The inspiration came from my old dog, who I’d call Bear.

You’ve walked from Los Angeles to New York, and starting in January 2022 you’re trekking—as Bearsun again— from Miami to Seattle. Why? I wanted to challenge myself mentally, physically and spiritually. I wanted to do something outrageous. I just thought it would be fun, and at the same time it seemed like a huge challenge. How many people get to say they’ve walked

What were the most uplifting moments of your journey?

A lot of people offered to take me into their homes. The Native Americans of the Navajo Nation would not take no for an answer.

I was in the Navajo Nation for almost 400 miles. They walked with me and shared their stories.

Where does Jessy Larios end and Bearsun begin?

Good question. He doesn’t have a mouth, because animals can’t talk. He’s more active than verbal, but I can’t stop talking.

The rule is that I can never take the suit off; I have to live as my creation. The character has pretty much devoured my whole personality now.

What’s next?

I want to make an animated film. But in terms of adventures, when I go to Seattle I want to run the whole way. I want to do anywhere between 60 and 80 miles a day. I’m not an athlete, but I’ve learned I have more in me than I thought. I want to keep creating, pushing myself and helping others.

Instagram: @iambearsun THE RED BULLETIN

TOM WARD

I

t’s not every day you find yourself talking via Zoom with a giant bear. But, in November 2021, this is the situation this reporter was in, staring into the hollow brown eyes of Jessy Larios, the 33-year-old Californian who made a name for himself walking from Los Angeles to New York dressed in a giant anime-style bear suit of his own design. Or, to be more accurate, peering into the eyes of Bearsun, the persona Larios adopted for his grand perambulation, an entity whose identity, he says, is increasingly superseding his own.

Last April, Larios (as Bearsun) garnered headlines with a twoweek trial trek from L.A. to San Francisco. Then, three months later, he set out from L.A. on a longer, more epic trip to New York, arriving there on November 14. Along the way, his legend grew, and Larios has used this increasing notoriety to raise money for various charities.

During the walk, hundreds of well-wishers joined Larios along the almost 2,800-mile route. All encountered Bearsun, but very few—if any—met the man behind the bear. “I would only take off [the suit] if I was completely alone with the windows shut and doors closed,” he says. “I could be anybody under the suit. Age, race, religion don’t matter. I want to bring people together using art.

LUIS RODRIGUEZ

Jessy Larios walked from L.A. to New York dressed as a huge cartoon bear to “make people happy.” But as Bearsun’s fame grows, where does the man end and the character begin?

What was the toughest part of the trip, bear suit aside?

There was a lot of pain, mentally and physically. As I walked, my body was eating itself. I was burning too many calories and I didn’t know how to combat that because usually I don’t really eat a lot of food. I had to force-feed myself. I was also carrying a 70-pound suit. My shoulders would start to bleed because all the weight was on them. Thank god I had the suit on and people couldn’t see my facial expressions. They saw happiness, but inside I was miserable!

“BEARSUN HAS PRETTY MUCH DEVOURED MY WHOLE PERSONALITY.”

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T H E D E PA RT U R E

Playlist

RIDDIM AND DUES

Jamaican hitmaker Sean Paul on the dancehall cuts that shaped the genre and his own career.

D

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BUJU BANTON “BOGLE” (1992) “Dance moves are a big part of dancehall culture and this was the first time I heard a song someone made about a dance. It’s inspired by a guy called Bogle [Gerald Levy], who created this strange and crazy dance [moving the body in a wavelike motion and the arms up and down] that’s influenced our genre massively.

The first time I saw it, I was like, ‘What is everybody doing?’ The next thing I knew, it exploded.”

LOUIE CULTURE “GANGA LEE” (1994) “This was quite unique, because at the time dancehall tracks were mostly about partying, and it was a conscious song on a party riddim. Louie Culture was talking about wanting to be free from anything that tied you down. As kids, we didn’t know exactly what a ‘ganga lee’ [rebel/freedom fighter] was, but we understood the message: It’s about being your own person, forging your own path. It’s a very powerful track.”

BEENIE MAN “OLD DOG” (1996) “Riddim sections in dancehall are what really get me going, and this one is prolific. It’s a really fun record that laughs at those who take issue with men having a lot of ladies: ‘Old dog like we, we haffi have dem inna twos and threes.’ I remember being at a dance once when this song was played and the three selectors got down on all fours and started walking like a dog. It was a good lickle [little] vibe.”

THE RED BULLETIN

CHARLOTTE RUTHERFORD

LITTLE TWITCH “RESPECT DUE” (1987) “ ‘Respect Due’ came out a few years before the golden era of dancehall. The riddim is more of a one-drop reggae style, with a heavy bass line and crazy phrases over it. It highlights the importance of respect and manners and being honorable, which was a big thing when I was in high school. I’ve always been a respectful person, and when I first heard this song I knew I was on the right path in life.”

WILL LAVIN

ancehall music first emerged from Jamaica in the late 1970s, but it was in the late ’80s and early ’90s that this subgenre of reggae really took off, as digital production transformed its sound with faster rhythms and a strong focus on instrumentals or “riddims.”

One of its most successful exponents is singer/songwriter/producer Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques, better known as Sean Paul, who broke through in 2002 with his Grammywinning second album Dutty Rock.

The 49-year-old Jamaican has popularized the dancehall sound with his innovative style, eye-catching music videos, and collaborations with the likes of Beyoncé, Sia and Nicki Minaj. Here, he shares four dancehall tracks that showed him the way.

Sean Paul’s latest single “Dynamite,” featuring Sia, is out now; allseanpaul.com

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EYE BALL ON THE

Jaylen Brown is an All-Star forward for the Boston Celtics, and off the court, his powerful voice makes him a natural leader and advocate for change. Whether he’s fighting racial injustice or empowering kids, he’s redefining what it means to be an NBA star.

Words IVIE ANI

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Photography STEPHANIE CHANG

Jaylen Brown, 25, was photographed for The Red Bulletin on December 14, 2021.

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THE RED BULLETIN

JAYLEN BROWN

has a lot on his mind. In a photo studio on the southern outskirts of Boston, the NBA All-Star forward for the Celtics is curiously quiet. Seeming even taller than 6 feet 6 inches, Brown’s subdued presence clashes with his physical form.

Ask him a question and what follows is an intentional pause. This doesn’t come across as a compulsory habit of media training, but rather an indicator that he’s in perpetual deep thought.

Some media have misinterpreted Brown’s demeanor as stoic or emotionless, but a conversation and a few hours of observation reveal many layers to his personality. On set with the photographer, Brown nonchalantly spins a basketball on one finger, then mugs for the camera with a series of chameleonic expressions, gaping his mouth in feigned surprise or stretching it into a cheesy grin. He seems at ease with members of his tight crew in tow.

“He just has that spirit,” shares his older cousin Malcolm Durr, who doubles as the creative director of Brown’s apparel line, 7uice. “He sees something new—even if it’s something he has no

THE RED BULLETIN

understanding of—but if it catches his eye, he wants to learn about it, extract what he can and apply it in his own life.”

It’s late morning in the middle of December, and the night before the shoot, the Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks, the reigning world champions.

After missing five games in a row due to a tight hamstring, Brown returned to the lineup and scored 19 points. It’s just hours after the victory, but Brown is alert and collected.

It’s the same winner’s temperament he’s maintained throughout his short but notable career. When he was just 21, Brown became the youngest player in Celtics history to nab 30 points in a playoff game. Now at 25—and still a young, hungry talent—Brown’s strengths lie in his adaptability and ability to keep getting better. During the 2021 season opener for the Celtics, Brown poured in 46 points—setting a Celtics franchise record for points on an opening night— in a 138-134 double overtime loss to the New York Knicks. As a player, he has a commanding presence on both offense and defense on the hardwood.

Off the court, his interests mimic the résumé of a star student with a robust roster of extracurricular activities. He’s currently learning Spanish, diving into meditative healing and studying history and philosophy. Soccer is his other sport of choice, and he fancies himself an anime aficionado and avid chess player.

Brown spent a year at the University of California, Berkeley before joining the Celtics as the third overall draft pick in 2016. But as he refined his game in Boston,

he was also crafting more of a leadership role inside and outside of the league. At 22, he became the youngest elected vice president of the National Basketball Players Association. He’s a vocal advocate for the value of education and technology, and he’s participated in high-profile discussions about this topic at his alma mater, Harvard and MIT. Three years ago, he became an MIT Media Lab fellow, and since then, he’s worked with the university to create the Bridge Program, which mentors local high school students of color who are curious about STEM. And his own 7uice Foundation is centered around energizing youth through athletic, social and educational programs.

Although the NBA leadership has been more supportive of their players taking stances on social issues than other pro leagues in the U.S., Brown thinks the next level of action needs to extend beyond protests. He’s looking for more poignant and tangible changes across society that address systemic inequalities, especially when it comes to education.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Red Bulletin, Brown glides from topic to topic with the oratorical ease of a professor, whether it’s his exegesis on America’s education crisis, the dissection of his own mental-health journey or the weight of responsibility that comes with fame and influence. It’s a surprising turn for someone who’s often deemed “too quiet.” But his ability to translate complex concepts and communicate with precision has the power to inspire belief in what he’s saying—and it’s clear he hopes the next generation is listening.

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the red bulletin: How would you summarize your past year? jaylen brown: If I could describe 2021, two words come to mind: “Love” is the first one, and the second one is “transformation.”

Talk about the first word, “love.”

In 2021, the kind of the energy I got is that if you were putting love into your career, into things that you wanted to do, into yourself, your neighborhood, your community, then I feel like you were getting it back from the universe.

And transformation?

[In 2020], everything I was doing kind of got raised. I had a career year. But also, I grew a lot. I feel like my frequency went up a level, my understanding, my clarity, things that had been right in front of me for forever, I started to see different. My vision changed. I transitioned into the next phase. Transformation is important for me, and I think that’s what [this past] year was.

You mentioned clarity about yourself.

What would you say is one major misconception people have about you?

If I’m being honest, I have no idea what conceptions people have of me, and I could care less, too. I wonder what those things are. I’ve heard one that I’m quiet, especially on the basketball court, I keep a straight-faced kind of demeanor.

People don’t see me show a lot of emotions, so they think, “He’s intimidating,” or “quiet” or “stoic.” But the people who know me know I like to laugh, I like to smile, I like to dance, I like to tell jokes, I like to hear jokes, I like to make people happy.

Is it only close people who get to see that side of you?

Yeah, you can’t show that with everybody. I’m a firm believer. But sometimes, this world can be so draining.

Sometimes I’m so focused on not letting somebody else affect me that I just kind of keep this normalized body temp, or I’m just the same for the most part

because I’m trying to not let somebody else’s BS rub off on me.

I’m so focused on my own energy that I don’t always share it or spread it the way I probably should. But I’m getting better at it. Maybe this year, 2022, I’ll spread my light a lot more.

Do you think people want to see you be more personal?

I’m not sure what people want to see. I’m still kind of figuring it out.

What about fame? Have you found balance between your personal life and being visible?

Yes, and no. I think I have attempted to find balance between fame and personal life—and balancing all the other emotions and things that come along with it. For the most part, I think I’ve done a good job because I ain’t crazy yet!

A lot of people think that because you’re in the position you’re in, there’s no adversity that comes with it. But regardless of your platform, regardless of

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Brown dribbles downcourt during a home game against the Atlanta Hawks on February 17, 2021.

In the 2021 season opener in October, Brown ended the night with 46 points.

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At any moment, Brown might be casually spinning a ball on his finger or explaining his take on the education crisis in America.

As a player and a person, Brown says the past two years have transformed him: “I feel like my frequency went up a level, my understanding, my clarity,” he says.

“I’M NOT BIG ON FAME. BUT WITH FAME COMES INFLUENCE, AND THAT WORD, ‘INFLUENCE,’ MOVES ME. THAT’S DOPE.” who you are, every human has adversity that they deal with to whatever extent.

Nobody’s exempt. You may be thinking somebody’s situation is ideal, but you have no idea what people are going through in their lives. Balance is the keyword, trying to keep everything kind of in line. There are ups and downs.

Sometimes, I get overwhelmed.

Sometimes, you get anxiety and get stressed out. But I’ve figured out ways to help that process.

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If you had a choice to do everything you do and not have to deal with fame, would you go back out?

I’m not big on fame. That doesn’t move me. But I think with fame comes influence, and that word, “influence,” moves me. That’s dope. I’m more in line with that than I am with fame. I think the ability to inspire, motivate, spark different ideas is fantastic. Sports, entertainment, music—all of those things are super influential. I take my platform seriously and try to challenge the next generation because they’re the ones who are going to carry the torch; they’re the ones who are going to have an input on the future.

I always try to leave traces, little bread crumbs for people to find down the line. If I don’t influence you in basketball, maybe I influence you with my lectures I’ve done, my fashion, my brand that I started or some of the things that I’ve done in modern technology, etc.

I wish that influence and fame, especially in our society, could be separate. But with influence comes fame, so I don’t run away from it.

Sports entertainment is one of the most influential fields in American culture. Why do you think people invest so much of their time in sports?

There are many reasons sports is such an important platform, but a lot of times, it distracts people from the BS that’s going

on in their everyday lives, having to go to a job, to wake up. Who came up with all this stuff? Why is this the way we choose to live life as humans? This system or matrix that’s been in place. I think sports is a way to keep you not so focused on that. It’s an outlet for spectators and for people who play. It’s an outlet, a distraction, a part of how to keep everybody kind of in line, in a sense. And I’ve said before I think sports is a part of a mechanism of control.

The words “control” and “distraction” could be considered opposites. How is basketball both of those things for you?

Basketball is a great distraction.

Personally, if I didn’t grow up playing basketball and have a platform to learn discipline, to learn how to work together with a team, etc., who knows what I would’ve been doing? Who knows where that energy would’ve gone if sports wasn’t in place to focus that energy?

Beyond sports, you have other interests, like your apparel line and foundation, both named 7uice. What does 7uice mean to you?

7uice is energy. That’s all it is. It’s activism. That’s what my brand stands for, trying to put positive energy, rebellious energy into the world.

Through my foundation, I’ve partnered with a lot of people to do so, and a lot of the proceeds go to great causes.

Everybody needs energy. Energy is everything.

You also founded the Bridge Program at MIT for Boston’s inner-city kids, which encourages their interest in science and technology. Why did you create Bridge?

Educational inequality is probably the most potent form of racism on our planet. If you don’t like me because of the color of my skin, then that’s racism, prejudice and stereotyping, but I think there are levels. Systemic racism is a lot more detrimental to people than meets the eye. It’s beneath the surface. It’s subliminal. And education is the most aggressive form of that, where starting at an early age, you get put on a certain path and may never reach your potential because the government issues these standard curricula that basically spin you in a circle.

We think it’s just about police brutality and stuff we see in the media, 29

“I WAS BORN TO PLAY THIS GAME. I LOVE BASKETBALL. MY MOM WILL TELL YOU I LEARNED TO WALK BY CHASING AFTER A BALL.”

Through his work with MIT and his own 7uice Foundation, Brown has taken a strong interest in tackling education.

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but educational systemic inequality has done far more damage than any amount of police brutality we’ve experienced— led so many people to the prison industrial complex, led so many people to crime and violence based upon their educational trajectory.

That’s why I started the Bridge Program. I feel like there are so many people of color, so many Black people who have so much to offer to the world.

But because of how much money their parents make, the color of their skin or whatever, their potential will never get maximized. It takes twice as hard for somebody to slip through those gaps. I disagree with that. [With Bridge] I select the kids who have a sense of community,

who have an intelligence about themselves, who want to do something to help change the world. I align with all the resources to make them fulfill their wishes. That’s really it.

If America’s education system is broken, do you see a way to fix it?

The system is very flawed. It doesn’t have to be. In other places, people are changing the curricula. But people aren’t as privy to that form of racism, so they don’t challenge the mayor of their city or the governor who is implementing or signing off on this stuff. They’re not going outside and protesting those offices for signing off on it.

Some people are fighting for those

things, but we need more people to be aware of how our future’s being dictated behind closed doors. They shout out the crime rate in every Black city, but they don’t shout out the amount of resources being allocated for education, they don’t shout out how much money is going into places that already have it versus places that need it the most. It’s designed that way. It’s been the foundation. And that’s why I try to use my platform to bring attention to that.

How do you reconcile your passion for education knowing the system is flawed?

Education and learning are not necessarily the same thing. Life is the

“Emotions, mental health and spiritual health all go together,” says Brown, who admits he’s been learning to deal more with his emotions since turning 25. “You can’t really separate them.”

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In 2021, Brown was named an NBA All-Star for the first time. Here, as part of Team LeBron, he shoots during the 70th NBA All-Star Game at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta on March 7 of last year. The 2022 NBA All-Star Game will take place on February 20 in Cleveland. At press time, the roster was still pending.

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best teacher, right? You get great experiences from just going through life, seeing ups and downs, going through adversity. You’re always learning whether you think so or not. Education doesn’t just apply to books. It’s spiritual, it’s emotional, it’s physical.

What’s something you’ve learned about yourself recently?

To deal with my emotions. Since I turned 25, my emotions have been so much more intense than they’ve ever been in my entire life. I’ve always been the type of person to try to suppress my emotions and just handle my business. I’ve got people relying on me, so I compartmentalize and keep moving. The biggest lesson I’ve learned since my birthday is that your emotions are such an important part of existing, being a human. Your emotions are connected to your physical [being] as well. I think I got hurt because my emotions were out of balance.

Emotions, mental health, spiritual health and physical health all go together. You can’t really separate them.

They are connected. Sometimes, you’ve got stress in your body, not from stress in your body, because you’re going through something. Somebody just passed away, somebody broke your heart, somebody THE RED BULLETIN

let you down. You’re going through stress at work, and then your body starts to feel it afterwards. I’m learning more about the emotional side and how that connects to everything else.

What do you think was making you suppress your emotions?

I feel like heavy is the head that wears the crown. I always looked at it as a responsibility to put my best foot forward all the time. I’ve got people looking up to me in different communities. And it doesn’t matter about me, I just want to influence the next generation. I’m human, I go through the same things everybody else goes through. I make mistakes just like everybody else; I do dumb things like everybody else. But if I’m going to have a platform, this is what it’s going to be about. I want them to see, “OK, he’s about his family, he’s about his community, he’s about activism, he’s about learning, education.”

All these kids are probably watching, and I want them to know that it’s cool to be a man of your community, to care about learning, to be an activist. You don’t have to be all about cars, clothes, X, Y and Z. You can be about stuff that actually matters, and it’s still cool.

Do you feel pressure to be a good role model?

No pressure for me. I feel, if anything, an obligation or responsibility. It’s just who I am at the end of the day. I think the reason I got to this point is because of the things that I believe in. I feel like if I don’t continue to use my platform in those regards, some of my superpowers might get taken away.

I just feel like the idea of the athlete—I want to be a part of that change. Over time, athletes have changed, but there’s still a certain dynamic that athletes should be clean and cookie-cutter, don’t say anything political, don’t say anything confrontational, don’t create conflict in any regard. Why not create some conflict? Why not be political and controversial? Why are you trying to take my voice away? If you’re always putting a microphone in my face, now you’ve got to listen to what I’ve got to say. That’s your fault. But you’re not going to tell me how to wear my clothes, how I should cut my hair, what I should say.

Who do you look up to?

One of my icons is Allen Iverson. [The NBA was] trying to fine Allen Iverson for braiding his hair, wearing the clothes he wore, and he just took the fine. He was 33

“I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEBODY WHO BROKE THE MOLD.”

like, “Y’all just take the money. I’m not going to change who I am.” And during that time period, that’s so iconic, so dope, and that’s why he is who he is to this day.

So often in this society, they tell especially people of color and young Black girls what they need to wear, how they should have their hair. “You’ve got to wear a suit to be professional,” “You’ve got to look and dress this way.” Man, that’s BS. That’s conformity. And I don’t agree. I’m not saying you should just come crazy and have no type of organization whatsoever, but you’re not going to strip my culture, you’re not going to tell me to be more like you.

That’s not about to happen. Y’all get that through your heads now. I ain’t going.

“You trying to tell me to shut up and dribble just represents society as a whole. I’ll never shut up and dribble,” Brown says.

Iverson was a zeitgeist player of his time. What’s been the biggest cultural change for this era of players?

A lot more culture existed in the NBA back then. And a lot of it needed to be cleaned up because some of it was leading to violence. But nowadays, you see this mold that everybody’s supposed to be—how you’re supposed to talk, how you’re supposed to dress, be politically correct, don’t say anything controversial as an athlete or bring too much attention to yourself because you should have a fear of losing your endorsements. I see so much more of that now. I feel like in this space that we live in now, it isn’t as encouraged to be your authentic self. It’s a level: “You could be yourself, but stop right here. Don’t go past this amount of Blackness. This is enough we can handle, Jaylen. You want to go any further? I don’t know about that. That’s too much for us.” That’s my personal opinion.

People may disagree with it. I don’t care.

I definitely want to see that shift where it’s even more accepted to be an athlete with a voice—an athlete who wants to do something else out of sports, whether it’s music, business, venture capital, fashion, whatever, and it to be respected. Yeah, it’s our day job to play basketball, but we’re also humans.

Y’all have a day job and y’all watch sports in your off-time. Some of y’all probably watch more sports than you do your job.

For me, my day job, what I put a lot of effort into, is playing basketball. But I also have other outlets. You trying to tell me to shut up and dribble just represents society as a whole. I’ll never shut up and dribble.

Are your other interests more exciting to you than basketball?

No. I was born to play this game. I love basketball. My mom will tell you I learned to walk by chasing after a ball.

I feel like the ball chose me, I didn’t choose the ball. Before I knew right or wrong, basketball was already my comfort blanket. Still to this day, despite all the BS and stuff you go through throughout the sport, I love this game in its entirety. I can’t imagine myself without it in my life. Basketball still excites me like no other. And it reminds me when I get hurt, how much I love this game.

But all the other stuff is exciting as well. With education, it warms my heart to see kids start to break outside the box of what they tell you education is: “It’s boring. It’s not for you.” There’s so much more beyond math, language arts, science and English. There’s artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, DNA and RNA structures, coding. There are so many dope things to learn about that you don’t necessarily learn about going through school.

What do you think is your greatest strength?

My greatest strength is growth. I think I’ve displayed that on the basketball court, where every year, I don’t only get better, but my mentality grows. And I think that’s where people get confused.

They’re like, “His skills got better.” I’ve always had skills. You develop those skills, but it’s only a certain amount that you can continue to grow. This is a sport where if you weren’t born with it, you ain’t going to have it. You can’t develop some things that God didn’t put inside you. I already had skill, and over time, I’ve refined it. But what grew the most for me was my mentality and my mindset, the growth in my maturity, which allowed me to continue to get better in my career every single year.

How do you want to be remembered as a player and as a person?

As a player, I want to be remembered as a fighter, as a winner, competitive, tough. Obviously, a Hall of Famer. A legend. Somebody who broke the mold, shifted the culture, things of that nature.

A champion. A trailblazer.

Off the court? In the same way, as creative, revolutionary, thoughtful, humble, loving. Somebody who helped make this world a better place.

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American Globetrotter During the WNBA offseason, Dallas Wings point guard Arike Ogunbowale heads to Russia to compete in the EuroLeague. But no matter where she is in the world, this standout player from Milwaukee is on a mission to make a living doing what she loves.

Words TAMRYN SPRUILL Photography SEAN BERRY

Arike Ogunbowale, 24, was photographed at the Singing Hills Recreation Center in Dallas near the end of the WNBA’s regular 2021 season.

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rike Ogunbowale was in her bag. It’s December 15, and the Dallas Wings guard and Milwaukee native was on the road in Istanbul, Turkey, playing a EuroLeague Women game against Galatasaray.

Ogunbowale’s Russian club team, Dynamo Kursk, trailed most of the game.

But the five-foot-eight sharpshooting phenom helped Kursk narrow the deficit— one high-arching, step-back three-pointer at a time. When she had to, Ogunbowale bulldozed her way to the rim. And with under six minutes left in regulation, Kursk eclipsed Galatasaray for its first sizable lead of the game and then clamped down defensively to ensure an 80-70 win.

Ogunbowale contributed 22 of those points, plus eight rebounds and six assists.

A dogged competitor with the will, preparation and mindset to win, the 24-year-old Ogunbowale had it in her mind that day to elevate Kursk in the EuroLeague Women’s Group B standings.

Then again, she could have been powered by a solid chicken burger and the rice she loves in Turkey—her favorite country to visit while playing abroad. “I love Turkey,” she says over FaceTime.

“Istanbul, especially,” Ogunbowale adds. “It’s amazing.” She loves the “toptier” Turkish food, the culture, the people, the vistas and the shopping. “It’s just good vibes,” she says.

But when a road trip comes to an end, Ogunbowale returns to Kursk, a small city in Western Russia about 325 miles south of Moscow—and nearly 6,000 miles from Dallas. Kursk is the place she calls home for several months of the year during the EuroLeague Women season (and the WNBA offseason).

Ogunbowale takes her globe-trotting existence in stride. For many female basketball players, toggling between the WNBA and the EuroLeague is how they make ends meet. That’s true even for someone like Ogunbowale, who won a college national title while at Notre Dame, led the WNBA in scoring in 2020 and was the All-Star Game MVP in 2021.

As she enters her fourth season with the 38

Ogunbowale won a college national title at Notre Dame, led the WNBA in scoring in 2020 and was the AllStar Game MVP in 2021.

WNBA’s Dallas Wings, she hopes to help her team nab its first title in Texas. But what’s clear, both on and off the court, is that Ogunbowale is a hustler in the best sense. Whether she’s raising her game through mind, body or spirit, Ogunbowale lives and breathes basketball, no matter where she is in the world. And she is on a mission to make a real living doing what she loves.

I

n her Kursk apartment, Ogunbowale looks relaxed amid the ornate oldworld architecture. It looks like a spot where Villanelle, the voguish Russian assassin on Killing Eve, might lounge about in between nailing targets. And in a true sign of pandemic times, Lysol wipes and other cleaning products are plentiful and placed throughout the apartment.

Ogunbowale is a self-described homebody, so it’s easy to imagine her reclining on her deep-orange sofa while streaming the shows she’s into right now, like Money Heist and True Story.

Or perhaps she’s listening to the latest albums by Adele or Summer Walker.

That’s because slower jams are Ogunbowale’s jam. “Even though I have a serious face on when I’m warming up, I’m pretty much listening to sad love songs,” she says dryly.

That solitary nature helps Ogunbowale cope with being thousands of miles away from her family in Milwaukee and her fellow Wings in Dallas. It also helps that her coach in Russia speaks English, as do some of her foreign teammates. And more than anything, modern technology makes her feel more connected to home. Long gone are the days when the first WNBA players in the late 1990s had to place international calls on landlines, racking up exorbitant phone bills. “I probably wouldn’t have survived back then,” Ogunbowale says. “Thank god, I skipped that generation.”

But Ogunbowale’s biggest coping mechanism is her ability to adapt and roll with the punches in Russia—or anywhere. “Luckily, I played a lot of USA

Basketball growing up, so I was going to different countries,” she says. “I think my first USA Basketball trip was when I was 16. I went to Mexico, Indonesia, China, Japan, so going overseas [as a pro] wasn’t that big of a deal to me, honestly.”

Ogunbowale is clearly a seasoned woman of the world. But sometimes she has to get creative with spices, as she did this past November to celebrate Thanksgiving in Russia. “You definitely have to bring your own,” she says.

Culinary palates in Russia are blander than what Ogunbowale is used to, so before shipping out she packs Old Bay, onion powder, seasoning salt, garlic powder. With these flavors from home and the help of her two American teammates—point guard Epiphanny Prince (Seattle Storm) and power forward Natasha Howard (New York Liberty)—she was able to enjoy the holiday.

“We’re not really big cookers, but we figured out a way to make some Thanksgiving foods,” she says. “Mac ’n’ cheese, yams, greens, salmon. Some cupcakes, some Oreo balls and chicken.

It was good. The greens were definitely canned, though.”

No one seems more capable of transforming a holiday far away from home into an experience of joy than Ogunbowale.

seen people’s basketball dreams plummet through the cracks of the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) system. In 2015, when Ogunbowale was a high school senior, the MPS four-year graduation rate was only 58.2 percent. “The public school system is not where it needs to be,” Ogunbowale says. “It’s growing, but it definitely needs to be better.”

As of March 2020, the four-year graduation rate had climbed to 69.1 percent. But Ogunbowale wants to help at-risk youth the way NBA players Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole, both Milwaukee natives, are doing. “I’ve been blessed, with my parents, to help me get to where I am,” she says. “But I definitely want to give back to the city because they need it.”

But before she can start making a difference in Milwaukee, Ogunbowale first needs to get herself “set” financially, and it is her intention to be well on her

way by the time she retires from the WNBA. For Ogunbowale and other players in the league, long-term financial stability hinges on overcoming the limitations of their historically low—and sometimes unlivable—salaries.

She categorically tags the WNBA rookie salary as “terrible” and says she is working toward her financial goals by “maxing out” any venture that comes her way: “Just using all my resources and really making enough money to set myself up for the future.”

When Ogunbowale joined the Dallas Wings in 2019, the WNBA rookie salary was only $41,965. She looks forward to the day she will become eligible to sign a max contract. But until then, she will play overseas because her Dynamo Kursk salary roughly quadruples what she gets in the WNBA. Ogunbowale says she also retains a higher percentage of her Kursk salary

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rowing up in Milwaukee, Ogunbowale credits her parents for the emphasis they placed on getting an education and making her basketball dreams possible.

“It’s hard for kids to make it out because there’s just so much going on in the city,” Ogunbowale says of her hometown. “The city is bad—like it’s a lot of stuff going on that’s not good for kids.

It’s definitely hard when kids are from the city; their minds seem to be focused on other things.” And those other things would often involve violence.

In late 2020, Milwaukee was named the 10th most violent city in America, with 1,332 incidents of violent crimes per 100,000 residents. And in December 2021, the city officially broke its 2020 record of 190 homicides.

“I was lucky enough to have two parents who are educators, she says.

“My dad was a principal, and my mom’s a teacher—she still is—so they were big on school for us.”

College is required for women basketball players—and most men—if they want to turn pro. But Ogunbowale has 40

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Ogunbowale drives to the basket during the Dallas Wings’ final game of the regular season against the Los Angeles Sparks on September 19, 2021. The Wings won, 87-84.

because of differences in U.S. and Russian tax laws. In 2021, the federal tax rate in the U.S. for earners of incomes between $40,526 to $86,375 was 22 percent. That means Uncle Sam might take more than $10,000 of a WNBA rookie’s salary, leaving her with a take-home pay of less than $40,000—and that’s before state taxes and other deductions.

By comparison, Ogunbowale’s male counterpart (the fifth overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft) was guaranteed a salary of $5.6 million his rookie season. Even back in 1997—the year Ogunbowale was born and the year the WNBA played its first season—the fifth-overall pick in the NBA draft received a rookie salary of $1.9 million. The minimum salary for WNBA players in 1997? A measly $10,000 a year, give or take.

For these reasons, WNBA players must seek other sources of income to earn a living wage—and Ogunbowale does them all. “By the time I retire in the THE RED BULLETIN

WNBA, I want to be super set,” she says.

“That’s why going over [to Russia] is not really a big problem for me because I see what’s going to happen in the future.”

That future involves more visibility, which Ogunbowale believes can help improve equity for female players. “Put more games on TV,” she says. “When you put more games on TV, more people are tuned in, and sponsors [will follow].”

As to why gender inequity persists in sports, Ogunbowale points to society’s lazy devotion to the status quo. “It’s just people being stubborn and not really getting with it,” she says.

Yet, in recent years, the increased support for women’s sports has her hopeful that more investment will flow into the WNBA and create a better model of financial stability for players in the league. If that happens, it would give young girls more female role models.

“All of my basketball idols were mostly NBA players,” she says. “I liked Maya

Moore and Diana Taurasi, but other than that, it was mostly just NBA players that I watched. That’s why it’s good to put more women’s games on TV because girls want to watch people that are like them.

Hopefully, younger girls can see us as role models along with the NBA players—and see us as equals.”

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utside of the money, there is no upside to playing basketball in both the WNBA and an overseas league. Competing in two leagues means playing basketball year-round, which takes a toll on players’ bodies and the quality of their play in the WNBA. Without ample time for rest, recovery and rehabilitation, players are more prone to ailments such as ankle instability, osteoarthritis, strains and sprains that can become chronic.

In Ogunbowale’s rookie year, injuries to WNBA players reached a crisis point, with at least one star or starter on each of 41

After her time abroad, Ogunbowale looks forward to the 2022 WNBA season: “I definitely want to bring a championship to Dallas.”

the league’s 12 teams missing all or most of the 2019 season due to issues such as ACL tears, knee problems and back injuries—many of which required surgery followed by a lengthy and arduous rehabilitation process. According to a trainer working for a title-winning team who wished to remain anonymous, these issues will not improve until players are compensated in a way that precludes their need to play overseas. Sleep deprivation from travel, anxiety and depression also make players more susceptible to injuries, which is why it’s important for players to also have access to a team psychologist.

After turning pro, it didn’t take Ogunbowale long to realize she needed to take better care of her body and mind.

Spending time with the league’s elders and legends, especially during her time with USA Basketball, provided Ogunbowale with an up-close view of the requirements for caring for an aging basketball body.

“My rookie year, I didn’t do nearly enough,” she says. “Now I get a massage at least once a week. Stretching, ice baths, all that stuff. There’s a lot that goes into being just a good player, a healthy player.”

But to be an all-around healthy player, Ogunbowale focuses just as much on her mind as she does her body. Since her college days back at Notre Dame, Ogunbowale has worked with sports psychologist Julie Amato, increasing her time with her in the past year. While she is playing overseas, Ogunbowale videoconferences with Amato once a week. Ogunbowale says that she is unfazed by high-pressure moments on the basketball court, so her work with Amato revolves around improving concentration and focus.

“I’ve personally been blessed to not have to get that deep with it,” she says. “[Amato] has always been a resource, but now I’m really locking into it and making it as if I was going to the gym. Like, this is just as important as me going up and getting shots.”

The insights she gleans from her sessions with Amato transcend basketball.

“We talk about a lot of different stuff,” she adds, “just handling situations and things thrown at me. I’m definitely able to apply that to my life outside of basketball.”

Ogunbowale wishes she had embraced sports psychology sooner, during her rookie season, while going through the drastic transition from being a college basketball star to turning pro. “It’s a lot,” Ogunbowale says of the many unknowns players face when they sign their names

to professional contracts. “You just never know what’s going to happen and what the league is gonna bring,” she says. “I’m still young, so I’m glad I’m doing it now.”

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ll of Ogunbowale’s efforts, whether financial, physical or spiritual, are in service of her budding basketball legacy. In just a few years, she has accomplished what many WNBA players never could. But winning a national title for Notre Dame left a honeyed taste in her mouth, and Ogunbowale wants nothing more than to savor the sweetness of championship victory for the Wings. “I definitely want to bring a championship to Dallas,” she says.

But with every WNBA team stacked with talent, she knows it won’t be easy.

That said, she likes how her team of young hoopers is jelling and the possibilities that can come from having fun together. “That was my most fun year,” she says of her most recent season.

After the pandemic forced the WNBA to play its 2020 season inside a bubble in Bradenton, Florida, the Wings returned to their home arena at College Park Center in 2021 and increased their fan base with their gutsy and brazen style of hooping.

Her teammates include the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in the 2021 WNBA Draft—Charli Collier of Texas and Awak Kuier of Finland, respectively—as well as her best friend, Marina Mabrey, with whom she won the NCAA national title in 2018. Collectively, they are known as “Marike,” a dynamic duo that is hard for opponents to match. “We’re close,” she says. “We know each other’s games, we know each other’s lives. Basically, we’re like sisters.”

Ogunbowale says she looks forward to reuniting with Mabrey and her teammates for the 2022 WNBA season. When she returns to Dallas, it will be under very different conditions than her rookie season, when she lived in an apartment.

Today she is a homeowner, and that means she has adequate space for Kobi, a 3-yearold goldendoodle who spends the WNBA offseason with her mother, in Milwaukee.

But until that reunion with her Wings, her family—and Kobi—she’s embracing her time abroad. Ogunbowale views cultural immersion as one way to mend divisions between people. “It just broadens your eyes and lets you appreciate the world and everybody that’s in it,” she says.

And as a worldly woman with an otherworldly hoop game, Ogunbowale is off to a great start.

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The High Life Lagos, Africa’s second-most populous city, is home to almost 15 million people. Among them are some of the biggest names in Afrobeats, making for a pre-pandemic party scene like no other.

But for revelers in this Nigerian hub the wealth gap is vast. From gated compounds to shantytowns, photographer Andrew Esiebo has captured it all over the years.

Words and photography ANDREW ESIEBO

“I attended this party in a neighborhood called Lagos Island. At the end of each year, they have block parties playing loud, heavy music; they’re full of energy but also tension, because everyone wants a space in the crowd. Everyone is in groups with their own tables, sitting with others from their street. I try to be invisible to my subjects, but this woman was posing in such a way that she wanted to be seen. Her body language is empowered, even though she’s not giving eye contact.”

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“Lagosians love to party hard” Andrew Esiebo is internationally renowned for his photography examining gender politics, sport, culture and social struggles within Africa. But the 43-year-old Lagosian learned his craft by capturing the people of his hometown more than two decades ago.

“Lagos has been, and maybe still is, notorious for crime,” says Esiebo. “When I see stories about the city, they focus on that, or congestion and infrastructure. I rarely see the global media highlighting the vibrant culture, tradition and nightlife.”

Esiebo was inspired to document Lagos’s parties after one night at a DJ set in the city. “It made me aware of the power of DJs and Afrobeats,” he says. “With the arrival of democracy [in 1999, after decades of military rule], and as the economy keeps booming, there’s more money in the hands of people.

One way to express this wealth is through parties—and Lagosians love to party hard.” More than merely celebrating Lagos’s nightlife, Esiebo’s photos show the effect of rapid urban development on its people. “There’s a growing middle class and more opportunities for young people, but the bid to improve their lifestyle has led to a high level of inequality.

Some parts of Lagos feel like totally different cities. But whether rich or poor, people want the same things. Even a guy who has no money wants to buy champagne.”

Right: “We drink a lot of champagne in Nigeria.

In 2016, Lagos was the world’s second-biggest consumer of champagne after Paris. I see people at parties holding their champagne bottles till the very end of the party, even though they’re empty. This guy with a big bottle is in Ikeja—not really a poor neighborhood, but also not one of the richest.

In this VIP section, the more expensive the bottle you bought, the more privileged the space they gave you. I find people do this more often at working- and middle-class parties because it’s an aspirational act—they want to be like the big guys. The upscale parties actually don’t consume as much.”

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BAPTISTE DE VILLE D’AVRAY

“This is the entrance to the club/restaurant Spice Route in the upscale area of Victoria Island. I took this photo because I loved the door—it has this ethnic design, and it showcases some of the city’s aesthetic. I also wanted to capture these doormen. It used to be that only high-end clubs had bouncers, but now I go to places and find there’s always someone at the gate. They’ve become a more typical element of parties across the city, and I wanted to show that.”

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“Jimmy’s Jump Off is an annual party supporting hip-hop music in Nigeria.

Before the explosion of Afrobeats, hip-hop and reggae were the most popular styles of music here, and at that time hiphop DJ Jimmy Jatt made his name. Now he continues the spirit of the genre through this party. This is a photo of DJ Nana. It’s important to me because the DJ space in Nigeria is very macho; there are not many women at all­—of the top DJs, there are no more than four or five. I wanted to show how women are breaking into that space.”

“Felabration is a week-long festival that celebrates the late Fela Kuti, founder of Afrobeat [the West African music genre born in the 1960s, not to be confused with Afrobeats]. It takes place every year at the New Afrika Shrine, a warehouse-like music space set up by his son. It’s intense, with thousands of people. Sometimes you can’t even get in, so they put large screens outside for people on the street.

Crowds are an important element of Lagos life; everything we do is always in a mass of people. To understand the true scale and energy, whenever you look at a photo of someone partying in Lagos you need to remember that they’ll be part of a much larger crowd.”

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“This is a picture of aspiration.

The guy’s T-shirt looks like a Versace, but you can tell it’s a knockoff. Still, he’s confident. On one hand, this shot is talking about fashion—people want to wear Versace, but it’s not affordable, so the one way to feel like you’re wearing the label is by having a fake. On the other hand, the guy’s gaze and the way he’s holding his body have a sense of connection, and there’s a feeling of power emanating from him.”

“Cigars are not a common commodity that you’d find on the street, but people smoke them because they aspire to be what they see on TV and in hip-hop. You see Jay Z and others blunting the cigar, and guys [in Lagos] like to reenact it. I’m drawn to documenting this.

For me, this guy smoking the cigar talks not only about consumption at parties but also how people reimagine themselves socially.”

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“This photo was taken at a party on Ilashe Island, a neighborhood that’s popular for beach houses.

A lot of luxury drinks companies sponsor high-end parties, and this one was courtesy of Hennessy. It was called the All White ‘Privilege Party’—you took a boat from the island, the theme was privilege, and you had to dress all in white. It was not a party for the poor people. I wanted to show the people there, the dancing and the tensions between them.”

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Left: “This was the earliest stage of my work on this project, when I was first trying my hand at this theme.

These women at the Jimmy’s Jump Off party were twins, and they looked like they were wearing a party uniform. The matching clothes, the high shoes—their style was so unique. People in the city will dress like this, with bright colors, patterns and accessories, but I’d never seen them matching it before.”

Top: “I don’t usually do wedding photography, but I wanted to explore these spaces for the project.

Nigerian weddings are huge and super over-the-top, and this is a high-end example of this. I love that it shows how people get into a state of ecstasy through music and dance. People wear traditional clothing at weddings as well as to church. Some offices let you wear it to work on Fridays. Nigeria is a multicultural society, and Friday is the day to express all our different cultural identities.”

Bottom: “Wedding parties in Nigeria are also known for people spraying money all over the dance floor. They want to express that they’re rich, and anyone who comes to the wedding can do it.

Annoyingly, the government are trying to enforce a new law to stop it—they say it’s abusing the currency. This photo shows a small example compared with what a lot of people do at these parties.

Sometimes the whole dance floor will be covered in money.”

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THE

DISASTER With cutting-edge equipment, relentless training and an intense family bond, the elite firefighting team at LAX—one of the world’s busiest airports—is ready to act if the unthinkable happens. Words SCOTT JOHNSON Photography JIM KRANTZ

The firefighting team that protects LAX trains in San Bernardino, California, on November 2.

ARTISTS

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HOURS BEFORE DAWN BROKE ON AUGUST 19, 2020, MICHAEL FLORES SAT IN THE FRONT

seat of a fire truck and watched a Boeing 767 make a low pass 300 feet above Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Around 2:30 that morning, the plane’s captain had informed air traffic control at LAX that his left wheel gear was malfunctioning and he might need to make an emergency landing. Hoping the firefighters on duty that night might be

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able to see from the ground what he, in the cockpit, could not, the captain decided to bring the plane in for a lowaltitude flyby.

From his vantage point on the tarmac, Flores strained his eyes, trying to detect the wheel well—but he couldn’t see a thing. “Uh-oh,” said the firefighter sitting next to Flores. “This isn’t good.”

The Boeing 767, part of the FedEx cargo fleet, was en route from Newark, New Jersey. With all the freight on board it was pushing 750,000 pounds.

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And it was still dark outside. If things went wrong, a plane that size could become an inferno on one of the busiest runways in the world. To make matters worse, the aircraft was running low on fuel and had to land. Flores, a 30-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), was at that point a relatively new member of the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) unit— an elite squad of firefighters based at LAX whose core mission is to protect planes and their passengers and cargo from catastrophic fires.

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Many years earlier, Flores recalled, a JetBlue flight headed from Burbank to New York had been forced to make an emergency landing at LAX with its front wheel gear stuck at a 90-degree angle to the runway; by the time the plane stopped, the front wheels had burned off and the landing gear was little more than a smoldering metal stump. In that case, the landing gear held long enough to bring the plane to a safe halt. But now, Flores wondered, what if there was no landing gear at all? A grim picture began to take shape in his mind, and he

Firefighters who defend LAX base their operations at Station 80 on the edge of the nation’s secondbusiest airport.

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watched with growing alarm as the 767 made its final approach toward the 12,923-foot-long runway 25R, one of the longest in the United States. As the plane touched down, the left engine slammed onto the tarmac. A trail of brilliant sparks lit up the darkness as the aircraft began to screech down the runway.

Flores and the rest of the ARFF team at Station 80 sprang into action. Six huge firefighting vehicles—$1 million limegreen behemoths called Panthers, custom-built for LAX by the Austrian firm Rosenbauer—had been prepped, and now they raced onto the runway.

More than a dozen firefighters swarmed

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the plane. One team moved toward the cockpit with a set of movable stairs to extract the captain, who was unhurt.

But on the other side of the cockpit, the first officer had already opened his window and tossed a knotted nylon rope to the ground. Yelling “Are we on fire?” he tried to lower himself to safety.

Suddenly, his bare hands slipped off the rope, and he tumbled to the cement below, injuring his leg.

In the end, the FedEx plane didn’t catch fire—but it very well could have.

It was exactly the kind of nightmare scenario that Flores and the other members of the ARFF squad train for day

after day: a calamitous wreck that could kill hundreds of people and cause billions of dollars in damage. Whereas other firefighting units in the vicinity— there are two other stations in close proximity to LAX—are tasked with running point on medical emergencies and fires inside the airport’s eight terminals, the members of Station 80 have just one core job: to help protect the roughly 700,000 planes that pass through LAX each year. Fuel spills, smoke in a cockpit, an unexpected or strange odor—seemingly small mechanical issues could in seconds become life-threatening conflagrations.

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Incidents don’t happen often, but when they do, the response requires a combination of teamwork, equipment and experience.

Captain Leonard Sedillos, who comes from a family of firefighters, carries the responsibility for the preparedness and safety of his team. “Your whole career could be judged on one incident,” he says.

Even the most experienced members of the LAFD team from Station 80 participate in regular training with live fire.

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In a normal year, about 1,900 planes take off and land at LAX every day—more than one departure or arrival per minute. Many are large commercial jets; some, like the two-level Airbus 380, can hold several hundred people and more than 80,000 gallons of highly flammable jet fuel.

With such an immense array of potential threats, this elite crew is prohibited from leaving the airport perimeter. Instead, they patrol it relentlessly, navigating the mazelike corridors of runways, ready to intervene at a moment’s notice. “It’s a whole ecosystem,” says Captain Leonard Sedillos, a veteran firefighter whose mellow disposition belies a fierce commitment to his team. One of several fire captains who oversee Station 80’s operations at LAX, Sedillos watches over his teammates with the devotion of a mother hen. “Your whole career

could be judged on just one incident.”

Incidents don’t happen often, but when they do the response requires a precise combination of teamwork, equipment and experience. With such high stakes, it’s no wonder the ARFF team takes its work so seriously. Armed with the most up-to-date training protocols and the best equipment, the team is able to harness decades of experience in the most demanding environments in order to prevent the kind of mass-casualty disaster that could scar a city or a country for generations. Working largely out of sight, and with a focus on prevention as well as response, the members of the LAX ARFF squad are the tip of the spear in the daily fight to keep America’s airline passengers and cargo safe.

They spend their lives training for the thing that they hope never happens. But if it does, they are ready.

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A

RFF units have been around since 1937, when a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers team first demonstrated the firefighting capabilities of a high-pressure fog device, a revolutionary concept at the time. Later, in 1953, the U.S. Coast Guard ordered the first ARFF vehicle for use in the United States from a company called Oshkosh.

Since then ARFF teams have been deployed around the globe. ARFF teams require months of specialized training in airplane layout and technology, night driving, fuel dynamics and special airplane firefighting protocols. A major incident involving an airplane is, thankfully, a relatively rare occurrence these days, happening only once every 20 years or so.

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But every day at LAX presents a new set of challenges, and so, much like soldiers, the team trains for the very worst. Collectively, these seasoned veterans have a few centuries’ worth of experience between them on city and metro crews across the greater Los Angeles region. But inside the nearly 3,000 acres of LAX, all of that experience is channeled into a narrow and intense beam. “It’s a whole different strategy in here,” says Flores, who joined ARFF in 2016 after 20 years in the city. “Coming here from the outside, it’s basically like you’re starting a new career.”

LAX, which served an astounding 88 million passengers in 2019, is a little like an island within Los Angeles, a city within a city. While the airport is managed by an entity called Los Angeles

World Airports, the safety protocols and standards are set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration, whose tolerance for slippage and oversight is minimal to nonexistent. In the event of an incident, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are immediately called. If all this sounds like a bureaucratic morass where multiple municipal and federal jurisdictions collide, that’s because it is.

But these administrative entanglements seem to vanish the moment you set foot on the tarmac itself, a mesmerizing tableau of color-coded lanes and angles that hums like a carefully tuned clock. The airport runs on a tight schedule; there is a place for everything—and everything is in its place. The symmetry of runways, service roads and taxiways reflects this delicate THE RED BULLETIN

One incident at LAX can throw the entire country’s air traffic control patterns into disarray for days.

dance. The weight of a passenger-less, fuel-less Boeing 747 is just over 412,000 pounds; fully loaded, it’s close to double that, and once the giants are moving, they won’t stop, even on a 200-foot-wide runway. A never-ending stream of cars, people, buses and fire trucks weave around, in front and behind them, taking care to stay out of their way.

When night falls, LAX turns into a miasma of inky blackness; the only lights visible are those on the ends of a plane’s wings and occasionally in the nose gear.

“As big as these planes are, at night they kind of disappear,” says Flores. Fog turns the airport into a nearly impenetrable murk. Flores can remember nights when the only way he knew a plane was close was because he could hear the roar of the engines.

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For this reason, the firefighters have a rule book for driving around the airport. Special badges demarcate where people can and can’t go. On a recent day, a firefighter driving a Panther slowed down as he pulled into a curve to exit the tarmac. Top-heavy and laden with bulky machinery, the Panthers can reach 75 mph, but if driven incorrectly they can also topple while going 15 mph.

A single incident here at LAX can break like a wave, throwing the entire country’s air traffic control patterns into disarray for days. “If we have an incident and they have to close the runway for a little bit, it changes the system in the whole country,” says Flores. All of which gives the dance of the tarmac a heightened elegance.

Admiring plane spotters flock daily

Keeping LAX safe is no joke.

A staggering 88 million passengers can pass through the airport annually, traveling on planes that can hold up to 82,000 gallons of jet fuel.

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The LAFD team from LAX trains with live fire so they can respond to a real disaster with calculated efficiency.

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(and nightly) to a nearby overlook on Imperial Highway just to watch it unfold. And yet despite the tension inherent to this ceaseless balancing act—or perhaps because of it—the airport is by and large an oasis of relative calm, free of the thrum of human chaos. It’s one of the reasons, in addition to Station 80’s bright limecolored Rosenbauer Panthers, that these veterans refer to LAX as “the green world.”

They call the tumult outside “the red world”—a stream of homeless encampments, car crashes and police chases. “It’s fucking horrible in the red world,” says Flores’s colleague, firefighter Billy Barnes, a self-described “airplane nerd” who clocked 21 years fighting blazes on the streets of L.A. before transferring to LAX in 2021.

“All my buddies out there want to be in here,” he says. Born in Queens, New York, Barnes moved to L.A as a boy,

graduated high school and then joined the Air Force, serving in Operation Desert Shield. After watching the regular beat of mayhem on the nightly news, he realized he wanted the action that city firefighters were seeing. “I’m gonna do that!” he said to anyone who would listen.

His first assignment took him to LAFD’s Station 94, in the so-called Jungle, where he began to rack up stories. Like the time the survivor of a car collision came limping toward him with his foot dangling by a few spindly tendons beneath a protruding bone; or the 3-year-old girl who died in his arms, her warm blood soaking his gloves. As many firefighters do, Barnes deploys black humor to help blunt the trauma.

He’ll never forget the motor-vehicle crash in Venice Beach that killed multiple people, including a man whose body he discovered bent backward over itself three times.

In the middle of 2021, Barnes landed at Station 80, where he plans to spend the rest of his professional life. An African American who looks at least 10 years younger than his actual age, he is the station’s in-house amateur documentarian and historian. Barnes spends his off-time on various firefighting-related activities: building mock-up planes and runways for use in tutorials about safety and best practices; framing black-and-white photos of old fires and the people who fought them; or quietly erecting memorials to the worst aircraft crashes of the past, like the collection of photos that adorns the corner of the conference room, alongside a newspaper clipping that’s now 31 years old: “Pilots Dead, Many Missing in Fiery Los Angeles Crash.”

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ony Guzman was a rookie firefighter back then, with only three months under his belt. It was a February night in 1991, right around dinnertime, when the call came in. A major incident was underway at LAX. By the time his crew, which was stationed just outside the airport at the time, arrived, a giant plume of black smoke was curling skyward from the tarmac. Two other crews were already laying down fire-suppressing foam on the inferno that was consuming U.S. Airways Flight 1493, a Boeing 737-300 carrying 89 people.

Guzman was suited up already and was one of the first firefighters to breach the plane. He entered through a door just behind the cockpit and was surprised to discover a giant hole in the plane’s roof that had created a kind of tunnel through

which hot gases and heat were escaping, leaving the rest of the plane’s cavity relatively clear. The fire was still blazing, however, and Guzman watched the flames move forward through the cabin toward the first-class area and the cockpit, where he was standing. He saw charred bodies burned beyond recognition “like mannequins,” the victims still seated, killed by smoke inhalation. Everyone else had either escaped or died—except for the pilot, who, though still alive and moaning, was close to death, crushed by the force of impact. For 10 minutes Guzman and his colleagues sawed through the plane’s thick metal, trying to extract him. But despite their efforts, the pilot could not be saved.

Only then did Guzman’s radio crackle to life with more disturbing news: There

The cockpit of a Panther is filled with extensive tech for comms and firefighting.

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Typically, crews have about 90 seconds before a fire burns through all the air on a plane.

Kevin Steward, who played basketball at USC, has been with the LAFD since 1998. Only firefighters with many years of experience are accepted to join the elite team at LAX.

had been another aircraft involved in the crash. Guzman and the other firefighters began digging through the wreckage, looking for signs of a second plane. Soon they found a small wheel and a propeller that clearly didn’t belong.

As they would soon learn, the U.S. Airways flight had rear-ended a smaller SkyWest Airlines commuter plane carrying 12 people and taxiing for takeoff. An air traffic controller had unwittingly cleared the smaller plane for takeoff on the same runway that the larger plane was using to land. Together, the two planes had collided with a small structure and caught fire. During the crash, the bigger plane crushed the smaller one, killing all 12 on board. All told, 35 souls perished that day—the single worst accident in LAX’s history.

Thirty-one years have passed since the 1991 crash, but the specter of the tragedy still looms. The work of THE RED BULLETIN

preventing a repeat is a kind of quiet war; the enemy is the ever-present possibility of human error. Michael Flores spends hours logging and detailing intricate lists of equipment and inventory, making sure his colleagues have the tools they will need when disaster strikes.

Quiet and unassuming, Flores is a stocky, dark-haired native of East L.A.’s El Sereno neighborhood. He grew up just down the street from a fire station. In those days, engines were huge and noisy, and you could hear them “rumbling, rumbling” in the distance, he says. Today, they hum along like killer whales, silent and huge. When Flores was 17 years old and still a senior at St. Francis High School, in La Cañada Flintridge, located north of L.A., he participated in a student mentorship program at LAFD, working at the maintenance facility where tools and machinery were repaired. He began learning how to put ladders up and do 67

The tarmac is a mesmerizing tableau of colorcoded lanes and angles that hums like a carefully tuned clock.

Firefighter Eric Johnson during a quick break in training in San Bernardino. During a full day practicing tactical exercises around live fire and high heat, such moments of reflection are rare.

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hose-lays. Flores’s father was a diesel mechanic and ran his own business, and Flores felt comfortable around the oily machines and big engines of the trucks.

His first real fire was a residential blaze in Boyle Heights, near downtown L.A. More than the fire itself, he remembers the “overhaul”—the cleaning up and taking stock of what remained. It left a vivid impression, “like a snapshot,” of loss. “It could have been my parents’ house,” he says. “You’re basically salvaging what’s left and covering stuff up.”

For understandable reasons, the firefighters often skirt around the issue, but the subject of trauma intrudes. Barnes, for instance, recalls the July 6, 2013 Asiana Airlines crash at San Francisco International Airport, which killed three and injured 187 after the plane’s tail struck a seawall THE RED BULLETIN

The $1 million Panthers used at LAX hold 4,000 gallons of water and chemical fire suppressants.

and the plane broke in two. Word got around that the firefighters on duty that day had somehow overlooked a survivor who had wound up on the tarmac.

A fire truck driver, believing the victim was already dead, ran her over. An autopsy later determined she had still been alive at the time.

“When you hear about one of us finally taking our lives or going into a bad depression, those are guys who knew the decision they made wasn’t exactly the best one,” says Barnes.

“That could very well happen here, but it’s not going to because we have a lesson learned.” Still—if you add in a collision with another plane, a strong onshore wind and a secondary vehicle, suddenly, the nightmare scenario that keeps Captain Sedillos awake at night begins to take a menacing shape.

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he only hedge is training. One hot, cloudless day in November 2021, several members of the Station 80 ARFF team make their way 75 miles east to the fire station at San Bernardino International Airport for a mandatory “live fire burn.” A haze covers the nearby San Bernardino Mountains. Fire teams from countries around the world— Nigeria, Canada and Germany, to name a few—often come here to train.

On a vast cement tarmac, near two massive warehouses for FedEx and Amazon, sit many rows of decommissioned planes, waiting to be dismantled for spare parts. Behind a dun-colored single-story office building sits the stage for the day’s training: two empty plane shells wrapped in black paneling—mock-ups of the real thing.

The larger of the two sits within a giant circular stone-filled pit 50 feet in

diameter, equipped with 78 gas pipes.

The firepit is connected via the underground pipes to a 30,000-gallon liquid propane tank.

On cue, the pit bursts into flame as the day’s test engineers set it alight.

Around the plane’s shell, a 20-foot wall of flame turns the air into a furnace, consuming the plane inside. Firefighters wearing fireproof suits and breathing apparatuses form a column six men deep and grasp a large hose connected to a Rosenbauer Panther. They advance steadily on the blaze, dousing it with huge arcs of water.

On this day they’re spraying water, but in the event of a real fire they might use polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, sometimes called “forever foam,” a chemical fire suppressant that consumes vapor, the lifeblood of fires. In rare cases, they will deploy an expensive and highly 69

toxic compound called Halotron, which is particularly useful for putting out cockpit fires without damaging sensitive electrical equipment like a plane’s auxiliary power unit. Each one of the six green trucks at Station 80 carries 3,000 gallons of water and 1,000 more of PFAS. Perched on top of each truck like a scorpion’s stinger is a roughly 60-foot-long extendable turret that can strike a hole through metal and puncture an airplane’s exterior, opening up a cavity that allows the firefighters to insert water or foam.

In addition to constant physical training, the LAX firefighters are continually learning about the complexities of aircraft. Airbuses are different from Boeings; commercial transporters from private jets. How many exit rows? How many seats and aisles? How accessible is the cockpit?

Planes used to be made of aluminum; now they’re made of composites, whose behavior in a serious crash or fire remains a disconcerting unknown.

Every bit of knowledge can translate into faster action, and as Guzman tells his younger teammates over and over: Mere seconds make all the difference. Typically, crews have about 90 seconds before a fire burns through all the air on a plane. If the team is not ready for everything at any moment, people might die—the old, the infirm, the disabled first. And sometimes firefighters. While the training at San Bernardino is just that—training—it’s not without its risks. A few years ago, a firefighter had a heart attack while breaching one of the mock-ups used as part of a regular exercise. Luckily, his teammates saved his life.

Among the leaders of the group participating in the burn in San Bernardino is Captain Sedillos. Raised in a family of firefighters, Sedillos knew for a long time that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. Back in his father’s era, firefighters didn’t have the sophisticated equipment they do now, like the three-layered suits with their names stitched in fluorescent type on the back and headscarves made of fireretardant fabric. In the old days, you could tell a firefighter because often their ears were half-melted from excessive exposure to heat. They didn’t have breathing apparatuses or fireproof suits. They wore regular boots instead of the steel-toed kind that contemporary firefighters wear.

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But despite all these improvements in equipment, the ethos remains the same: duty, honor, community. Sedillos spent his childhood around his father’s station, where colleagues were family, sharing tragedies and successes alike. These days, Sedillos often finds himself pulling all-nighters in both the “red” and “green” worlds. With his twin daughters in college, Sedillos’s overtime is helping put them through school.

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wo weeks later, I visit the crew back at LAX. Today, the mood is calm but ready. The times have changed, but the team Sedillos manages now remains a family. They work in shifts of 48 hours, which means that at the end of the day they’re spending a third of their lives with each other, inside the station. The firefighters take turns cooking during their weekly shifts. On this day it’s pulled pork sandwiches, fresh fruit and chocolate cake. “You can get lulled into a false sense of security because of creature comforts here,” says Sedillos. “A lot of what you’re doing is just having to be constantly prepared for the ultimate disaster.”

Flores, who played football in high school, finds comfort in the camaraderie.

Barnes cracks jokes, his laughter lighting up the room, but like most everybody else here, he has saved lives, revived the dead, and cut survivors and dead alike from burning wreckage. “I wanted some and I got plenty,” says Barnes. “I’m staying here until the day I retire.”

Outside, the planes come and go, the hum of jet engines fading into a pleasant background din.

Flores digs into his sandwich. “When somebody is calling us, it’s usually not just because they want to call us to say, ‘Hey, come on over and visit,’ ” he says. “It’s because they have an issue, and you get there to help them with whatever problem that they may have. It’s a good feeling.”

Guzman, one of the oldest members of the team, is ready for what might come. When Guzman talks to the younger members of the ARFF team, he often tells them that things won’t always work out the way they hope. He finds himself thinking back to that February day in 1991. “I know how important time is,” he says. “Every second really does count. Lives depend on it.” It’s a sentiment all these firefighters share.

And it’s an obsession that makes LAX safe for another day.

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The ARFF squad trains obsessively for the disaster they hope never strikes at LAX. But if it does, they’ll be ready.

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King of the Hill

Grant Gunderson is one of the world’s greatest mountain sports photographers. The role requires not only skiing talent but also a healthy working relationship with three capricious collaborators: his camera, the athlete and nature itself.

Words TRISTAN KENNEDY Photography GRANT GUNDERSON

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Previous page: Bryce Phillips in Alta, Utah, March 2008 “This photograph was all done in-camera, combining flash—for the split-second action of the skier —with a three-hour exposure to get those star trails. It was shot for the Ski Salt Lake Shootout contest, where photographers from across the country were invited to take photos at resorts near Salt Lake City for a week.

This shot won and became a gatefold cover for SKI magazine.

The challenge with a photo like this is that you only get one chance. You’re standing there for three hours, in very cold temperatures, and you don’t know if you got it right.”

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orn and raised in Washington state in an area renowned for its heavy snowfall, Grant Gunderson learned to ski almost before he could walk.

So when he picked up a camera as a teenager, the mountains became inevitable subject matter. Today, at 42, with more than 250 magazine covers to his name, he still finds them eternally fascinating. The reason is simple. “No two days are ever the same,” says Gunderson.

“To shoot skiing is dependent on the weather conditions.”

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But the founding photo editor of The Ski Journal and senior photographer for Powder magazine also likes to mix up his technique—dragging studio flash setups into unforgiving alpine environments, or braving angles that other photographers wouldn’t dare—in a bid to create images as unusual as they are arresting. “I like to try ways of shooting that haven’t been done a lot before,” he says. Sit back and let this master of his craft take you through some of the most distinctive mountain moments ever caught on film.

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Mattias Evangelista at North Cascades Heli-Skiing, Washington, March 2016 “There are these really cool couloirs [steep gullies] in the North Cascades, and here Mattias is chasing his buddy down one. There was no good angle to shoot it from, so I took my Canon [EOS] 1DX and strapped it to his chest. I skied behind, triggering [the camera] remotely. You see similar video angles with GoPros, but I’d never seen a good still photo like this—at least not one at the resolution I’d want. The 1DX is pretty heavy [3 pounds, plus lens] so it’s more weight for the athlete than a GoPro. It’s also more of an investment for the photographer—you’ve got to trust the athletes not to fuck it up.”

Joe Schuster in Whistler, British Columbia, December 2012 “Sled skiing [using a snowmobile to access otherwise unreachable backcountry] on a rare bluebird powder day in the Northwest. We don’t get many days like that here, but they’re spectacular. Because we’re close to the Pacific Ocean, we have this maritime snowpack, with a lot of moisture in it—snow will stick to steeper things here than anywhere else. You can get away with skiing stuff you’d never dream about in Europe or the interior [of the U.S.].”

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“I’ve lost a few friends to avalanches over the years. It’s always in the back of my mind.”

Amphibious approach in Portillo, Chile, September 2012 the red bulletin: What first drew you to ski photography? grant gunderson: I started shooting my friends skiing in high school, back when I was 16 or 17. What got me then is what still gets me today. Every time I go out, even if it’s a ski run I’ve shot a thousand times, it’s always different.

The snow’s different, the wind’s different, the temperatures are different, so it’s always a new challenge.

How does being a skier shape the way you look at your subject?

I’m a firm believer that you need to be an active participant in what you want to shoot. I look at the mountains as a blank canvas: The athletes, with their skills, are the paintbrushes, and the photography is more of a collaboration than anything.

You need a lot of trust between athlete and photographer, especially as a lot of the time the athlete is sitting on a cliff or slope and doesn’t know where they’re going—they’re blind. They have to trust the photographer to line them in and not put them in a spot that’s going to get them hurt.

“Portillo is high in the Andes, right on a pass between Chile and Argentina. The previous year, the lake was frozen, so we could access all that ski-touring terrain in the background. But this year there was no snow, and the lake wasn’t frozen, so we had zero access anyway—until we talked the resort into loaning us kayaks. When I took that photo in the morning, it wasn’t so bad, but coming back was sketchy. It had warmed up and there were big slides coming into the lake, creating waves. I was just thinking, ‘Don’t roll the kayak with your camera bag in it.’”

Have you had any narrow escapes?

I was caught in an avalanche a few years ago. It was the opening day of the season at my local hill, Mount Baker. I was helping the ski area with their setup, and I got out onto a cliff edge and the whole thing gave way beneath me— I went for a pretty good ride through cliffs and rocks, about 100 feet or so. I was only buried up to the waist, but I broke my ankle in seven places.

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Did that experience change your attitude to risk?

It’s a stark reminder of the dangers. I’ve shot skiing for so long that I’ve lost quite a few friends to avalanches over the years. It’s something that’s always in the back of my mind. When I look at the risks I take now versus when I started out, it’s a lot easier now to say no and walk away from something. It’s also easier for me to tell the athletes, “No, we’re not doing it.”

How has your method of working changed over the years?

When I switched from film to digital, I couldn’t get the same effects as I had been able to with my “cookbook” for film, so I started dragging these studio flash units into the backcountry.

I probably started doing flash photography in the backcountry THE RED BULLETIN

before anybody else. I really enjoyed that, but the way the market’s changing it doesn’t really pay to do it as much as it used to.

You mean tastes have changed?

Yes, but also the market itself. When I started out, as long as I got one or two really good photos a week, I’d do well, because it was high-end advertising for magazines. Now it’s shifted to volume— I’m selling more photos than ever, but it’s a couple hundred dollars for social media versus a couple thousand for a magazine ad.

Has that shaped how long you spend on a shot?

Yes, and also the quality. Back in the day, if I picked up a magazine I could remember almost every single photo in it. Now, if I’m going through Instagram,

I’ll scroll past 1,000 photographs and I don’t know if I’ll remember even one. Curated content is always good, because it separates out the crap.

That’s why a lot of people get burned out from social media—because you’ve got to shift through a lot of stuff to see anything that, to my mind, is worth seeing.

Are there ever days when you wish you could just ski and not worry about getting the shot?

Yes! I try really hard to have days when I just leave the camera bag in the truck, but it doesn’t happen as often as I’d like. I can’t really complain. When someone asks me what’s the worst part of my job, I say, “I have to ski with a camera bag.” But the first part of that is, “I have to ski,” which is pretty good. grantgunderson.com 77

James Heim and Michelle Parker in Bariloche, Argentina, August 2012 “On this day, our whole game plan was to just hike up to this cool mountain hut, but the clouds parted and I thought, ‘I’ve gotta take a photo.’ The perspective of James and Michelle, the mountain and then the resort with the tiny skiers on the slopes below is what makes it.

I like ski resorts, but what’s even better is using them to access other areas—to get away from the crowds.”

Mark Abma at Mount Baker, Washington, February 2011 “Every snowboard crew builds a kicker at this spot, and a lot of ski crews do it now, too.

The area is usually called ‘Grandma’s,’ but every time a new batch of college kids move in, the names get changed.

We built this jump a week prior and went off to do a stormchasing trip. We were across the other side of the state when we saw it was set to go clear at Baker, so we beelined back and rolled up right as the sun was going behind the mountain. I pretty much took just this one photo, but the next day was just epic.”

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KC Deane at Mount Baker, Washington, April 2011 “I duct-taped my camera to my buddy KC’s hand, sent him over the Mount Baker road gap and triggered it remotely. He stuck the landing, but his hands went forward and clipped his knee brace, so it cost me a lens.

It was about 800 bucks to replace, but that didn’t stop me trying it again. KC is also a pro mountain biker, and I did a similar thing with him and [British mountain biker] Sam Pilgrim jumping the castle at the Nine Knights contest [in Austria]. This was a magazine cover in Europe, but it never ran as a photo in the U.S. I was surprised, but I think magazines in the U.S. didn’t like all the branded stickers on his helmet.”

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guide Get it. Do it. See it.

If you want to take off on a tropical vacation, try paragliding near Makapuu Point in Oahu.

GETTY IMAGES

PARADISE FOUND

Whether you want to hike, surf, soar, party or maybe make the world a better place, here are sweet getaway ideas on three Hawaiian islands.

Words DAVE HOWARD

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Do it Near Kona on the Big Island you can swim with manta rays during the day—or even at night.

The hiking at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park can vary from lush jungle to a graphically bleak expanse of geothermal drama.

Glowing Things on the Big Island

Not for nothing is the island of Hawaii known as the Big Island—it’s nearly twice as large as the state’s seven other isles combined. And when it comes to outdoor adventure, no place is quite as extra: It’s a land of wild jungles, snowtipped mountains, crashing waterfalls and multicolored beaches (white, black and even green sand).

And most prominently, there’s Kilauea, the world’s most fidgety volcano. On several hikes at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you can check out the geothermal phenomena the cone

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unleashes. Things aren’t nearly as volatile as they were in 2018, when the volcano erupted and spewed lava from May through August, wiping out more than 700 homes.

But Kilauea is still highly tempestuous, often belching up gases and fiery magma, and on the Crater Rim Trail you can witness the destruction wrought by the eruptions. Hike from Uēkahuna to just past Keanakākoʻi Crater; from Waldron Ledge, you’ll take in a view of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater, which spectacularly collapsed in 2018. For a tougher challenge, add on the Kilauea Iki Trail, which descends into lush jungle and

offers a glimpse into a steam vent that erupted to a height of 1,900 feet in 1959. You’ll also have the option to add on the Thurston Lava Tube.

Afterward, head over to Kona for a different kind of eerily powerful incandescent experience: night snorkeling with manta rays. Outfitters use spotlights to attract plankton that feed on the light, after which reef mantas turn up to feed. Floating among them is like a stellar acid trip minus the actual hallucinogenics.

For sustenance, settle into a table at the Feeding Leaf Kitchen and Okazuya, a Japanese hand-food restaurant in Kona that backs local farmers, ranchers and producers. Go early for the loco moco (a hamburger, fried egg, and brown gravy sitting atop white rice) and other tasty morsels; Feeding Leaf closes at 1 p.m. or whenever the food runs out. Equally backyard-focused is Ola Brew, a business that turns locally sourced ingredients into the likes of the tasty Mo’ Hazy IPA. Or try the Next Level Lau Lau (that’s the way it appears on the menu) at Umekes Fish Market Bar & Grill; the pankocrusted fish comes with fried rice, brown gravy and a tempura-poached egg. For lodging in artsy Holualoa, 10 minutes away, book the Holualoa Inn, situated at 1,400 feet on a working coffee farm and fruit orchard. The fresh coffee beans go into the morning brew, and the 30acre property includes a pool and hot tub.

Surfing Maui

Maui has waves for everyone— whether you’re looking for a spot to watch the world’s best go big or a break for regular mortals to paddle out. For the former, light out for legendary North Shore spots like Peahi, aka Jaws, where film crews capture pros being towed by jet ski into the behemoth barrels.

To access waves appropriate for the rest of us, set up a base of operations in the centrally located boho town of Paia and hit up beaches like Kihei and Lahaina.

There’s plenty more happening beyond the surf action. Head to Hookipa Beach, also on the northern shore, to check out the windsurfing capital of the world. It’s equally ideal for getting a lesson in catching breezes or a lazy afternoon sitting under a hau tree watching for the hona

The legendary Road to Hana has 59 stone bridges and 619 hairpin turns.

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Hawaii

(finches) and Hawaiian green sea turtles that frequent the area. Or head to uncrowded Tavares Beach for snorkeling or boogie boarding. There’s also the Sacred Garden of Maliko, the funky property where Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix reportedly stayed when he shot the movie Rainbow Bridge; the experience appropriately includes outdoor labyrinths.

And anyone hunkered down on Maui can always navigate the legendary Road to Hana, with its 59 stone bridges and 619 hairpin turns.

Tuck into the blackened sashimi or grilled ono at Paia Fish Market, a decidedly chill local favorite with communal tables. Or try Nuka, a 50-seat izakaya-style restaurant where the chef has 30-plus years’ experience making sushi on Maui. For food more on the fly, stop in on the food trucks

at the Haiku Market. Crash at the Inn at Mama’s Fish House, a property near Paia that’s tucked into a coconut grove on a beach that borders Hookipa Beach; it’s a diametrically opposite experience from the bustling resort scene. Or, for a larger property where you can also study up on meditation and the healing arts, try Lumeria Maui, a retreat center in upcountry Maui.

Doing Good in Oahu

Much of Hawaii’s magic lies in its location in the South Pacific—but that positioning also leaves it vulnerable to masses of plastic that oceanic currents sweep to its shores.

You can help push back against the trash by collabing with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii on a beach cleanup.

You’ll make a tangible difference by spending a day ridding an otherwise idyllic

The Road to Hana on Maui is a drive of bucket-list quality.

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For an anthropological adventure, consider an afternoon immersion in the cultures of Tonga, Samoa and four other island nations at the Polynesian Cultural Center near the North Shore of Oahu.

shoreline of debris and microplastics, then memorializing your progress on a data sheet. Volunteers can register for small group efforts online or borrow DIY kits to put together a selfdirected cleanup. For a different, historical perspective on how Hawaii’s location helped shape its destiny, head over to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

There you can stand at ground zero of one of the nation’s most infamous attacks by taking the free boat ride out to the site of the sunken USS Arizona, where 1,177 U.S. servicemen lost their lives.

For a deeper dive into Polynesian culture, sign up for a sail with Kamoauli. The expedition aboard an allwood, double-hulled, traditional canoe includes demonstrations and explanations of local history and mythology. The boat, known as a wa’a kaulua, is the only U.S. Coast Guard– certified Polynesian watercraft of its kind. For a more adrenaline-driven experience, head to Makapuu, on the

southeastern end of the island—the epicenter of the island’s paragliding scene.

First-timers can tandem jump off a cliff 647 feet above the sea; experienced guides are available throughout the area.

It may feel a bit over now that it’s a chain, but the Original Roy’s in Hawaii Kai is still banging; the misoyaki butterfish, marinated in ingredients like white miso, sake, mirin and sugar, is a potentially life-changing experience. The Surfing Pig in Honolulu is also worth a visit; the much-beloved street tacos come with three sauces and perfectly complement the truffle fries. Start your visit there with a smoking pig, the local version of a classic oldfashioned that uses baconinfused bourbon and is smoked and served tableside.

Crash at Surfjack, a hotel with a groovy retro vibe in the heart of Waikiki where each room bears the curated touches of local artists. At the hotel’s Swim Club, show up for the “adult swim,” an in-pool happy hour from 6 to 9 p.m.

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Do it “You know what it’s like on your first Christmas—when you came downstairs and saw your presents?” Matthews asks. “That’s how happy I am every time I see a client win.”

TRAIN LIKE A PRO

“STAY LOCKED IN”

Chris Matthews, shooting coach to the NBA elite, shares his secrets to draining jumpers every time.

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etter known as Lethal Shooter, Chris Matthews is perhaps the most sought-after shooting coach for NBA players. Watch nearly any pro game—the odds are good you’ll see his clients sinking big three-​ pointers. Mathews calls his approach “the art of shooting,” a philosophy that emphasizes consistency, repetition and mental focus.

Growing up, Matthews fell in love with basketball. “I could shoot really, really good,” he says. That’s how he earned the nickname “Lethal” from his dad. “He would always tell me, ‘Don’t pass the ball, shoot every shot,’ ” recalls Matthews. “That’s where the love came from.”

A standout shooter in college, Matthews played pro ball in Europe, South America and elsewhere for seven years before a series of injuries ended his career. “I did it at an elite level, so teaching it is second nature,” he says.

“Every single day, I’m trying to master it myself.” To stay sharp, Matthews might sink 300 shots in a session.

In his reinvention as a coach, Matthews has found deep gratification.

After helping a few NBA friends, Matthews’ reputation as a coach spread quickly. “It’s just so satisfying to see that with hard work, consistency and dedication, it can all pay off,” he says. “Because it’s true not just with basketball, it’s in life.”

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Fitness

R E PETITI O N

“You want to start close to the basket” “To be the best shooter, you have to do it every day. Your body gets used to something you do every day. It’s muscle memory. Some people try to shoot from too far out too early. That’s not good, because you’ll have bad form.

You want to master each step before you step back. I think form shooting is really good when you shoot from close.

You’re learning the feel for the ball, the feel of your body, the feel of how to breathe. To warm up, I’ll go to the free-throw line and try to make 40 to 60 shots in a row. Then I’ll step back.”

STR E N GTH

KOURY ANGELO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

JEN SEE

“You need strong legs for a good shot” “As a shooter, you have to make sure your legs are tight. The art of shooting comes from the core of your legs. I’ve gotten away from squats, because I’m not hooping anymore and I try not to put so much pressure on my knees. I have a NordicTrack inside, and riding a bike is the best way to build up the muscles around your knees. Bike riding was one of my passions that I got from my dad. That bike life is really good for you. As a hooper, try not to overlift, and make sure you’re lifting light.”

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FOC U S

“You have to learn to block things out” “Everybody is different. Once I see what your trigger points are, I will keep bothering that trigger.

That way you understand that nobody can distract you from your greatness but you. There’s certain things in basketball that you can’t control. You have to learn to block them out. When you can do that, you’ve mastered the art of shooting.

If you can shoot like that, it means when you go shoot in front of 17,000 people, and you have to hit a game-winner, you aren’t bothered that people in the stands are saying your mom is this or that.”

N UTR ITI O N

“Eating the right way impacts your shooting” “I have a team that helps my athletes with nutrition. If I’m trying to help someone with shooting and they’re not eating the right way, they won’t shoot the basketball the right way. I might have moments where I’m like, ‘Let me just eat some Skittles.’ But I have been focused on eating the right way, and I notice it in my shooting. I try not to overeat before workouts. I’ve been eating toast with peanut butter, and that’s definitely been holding me down to be satisfied but not full. Just like two pieces of toast, and I put banana on it.”

“TO MASTER SOMETHING, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF” “Whenever you’re trying to master something, it takes the mindset to understand that the only person who can stop you in life is you. It’s not your neighbor, not your mom or dad, not some person on social media. It’s you. It’s you telling yourself every day that you can be successful.

It’s like my saying, ‘Stay locked in.’ It’s doing it every single day, being consistent, never being satisfied.”

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See it

20 February

NBA ALLSTAR GAME

Available Now SNOWMADS: A FOREIGN NATIVE For professional skier and adventurer Fabian Lentsch, his 2020 journey to Iran took a very different route when military activity ramped up and COVID-19 shut down the borders in February of that year. This feature film follows Lentsch as he breaks out of his bubble as a pro athlete, learns to play the tanbur (a traditional Persian instrument) and forms a deeper bond with a local friend during lockdown. Together, they finally go on a trip to explore southern Iran and dive deeply into an adventure that overcomes divisiveness and helps them find similarities and connections in one of the most diverse countries in the world. It’s a trip that challenges Lentsch’s own Western perspectives and expands his appreciation for the culture. redbull.com

For its 71st edition, this exhibition game heads to the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and will be broadcast on TNT. Although the lineup wasn’t finalized as of press time, it’ll likely be a sea of familiar faces: Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James all surpassed 2 million votes after the first round of fan voting in early January.

LeBron is already on the tail of tying Kobe Bryant's record (18 times) for the second-most All-Star selections, after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19).

Legends are being made in real time. redbull.com

11 March SXSW

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FLORIN BREITENBERGER, SXSW

After a devastating last-minute cancellation in 2020 and a virtual-only run in 2021, the organizers of Austin’s revered film, music and comedy festival are planning an IRL return in 2022, provided another supervariant doesn’t emerge. (Looking at you, Omicron.)

For the film fest, the genre-bending A24 film starring Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once, will have its world premiere on opening night. Thru March 20; sxsw.com

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Calendar

Available Now LIFE OF KAI: SEASON 2 You’d expect world-famous waterman Kai Lenny, born and bred in Hawaii, to always be on the lookout for the next big wave.

This second season of his show would prove you right, following the charismatic and fearless 29-year-old as he tackles the 2021/2022 Big Wave World Tour. But it’s more than fun and games, as a behind-thescenes glimpse at his punishing training regime reveals. It’s a test of the limits of human performance, both physically and mentally. redbull.com

27 March

PAT NOLAN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, AMY JIMMERSON/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

ACADEMY AWARDS Hollywood continues to struggle to get butts in theaters, but thanks to streaming services and film fests offering virtual passes, there’s more access to amazing cinema than ever before.

Last year the Oscars were delayed due to the pandemic, and the reenvisioned format— with the Best Picture winner, Nomadland, getting announced earlier —made for a weird viewing experience. But in a feat that was long overdue, Chloé Zhao became the first woman of color to win for Best Director. Here’s hoping more of those moments happen this year. oscars.org

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Available Now RBTV LIVE: KINGS AND QUEENS OF CORBET’S Top skiers and snowboarders from around the world compete at a one-day event within a week-long weather window in Wyoming, where athletes attempt to land double backflips and other wild tricks as they drop into the imposing Corbet’s Couloir at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. redbull.com

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HOME IMPROVEMENT Here’s the best new gear to deck out your home fitness studio for on-demand virtual classes and old-school workouts. Words JOE LINDSEY

KEMTAI

Kemtai’s app offers tons of home fitness workouts without a hardware purchase.

This app delivers the experience of subscriptionbased home training with no hardware purchase required. You’ll need a few accessories, but many workouts require only body weight. Kemtai guides you through workouts on your phone, tablet or computer, as it uses your device’s camera to track your movement. Pick classes from a library of cardio, yoga, HIIT and other genres, or use the Workout Wizard to guide you based on your goals. $20/month; kemtai.com

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STAGES SB20 SMART BIKE

If you want more capability than a platform like Peloton can provide, this might be your new ride. It has a realistic ride feel, with simulated electronic shifting and a 50-pound flywheel and belt drive system that deliver smooth, silent resistance. The sturdy platform stays stable under the hardest effort. It has built-in power measurement and ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity for pairing to apps like Zwift and Rouvy. $3,150; stagescycling.com

W O R KO U T

TEMPO MOVE

The compact, interactive Move might be the best bang for the buck in connected fitness. To start, plug your supported iPhone into the Move, which is connected to a TV via HDMI cable. Select one of over 1,000 workouts in the Tempo library and get moving with the adjustable weights and other included equipment. Your phone’s camera provides motion tracking for instant feedback on workout form and guidance. $495 ($39/month membership); tempo.fit

G E A R

NORDICTRACK VAULT: COMPLETE

There’s a lot to love about this versatile home gym. The full-length mirror lets you monitor workout form and features a 32-inch HD touchscreen that slides to reveal resistance bands, yoga blocks, dumbbells and more. The heart of the Vault is the iFIT library of workouts, which range from weights and HIIT to cardio and mindfulness sessions. An iFIT membership works across all connected NordicTrack devices. $2,999 (iFIT starts at $180/year); nordictrack.com

ERGATTA ROWER

For a full-body workout that’s easy on your joints, it’s hard to beat rowing. Ergatta’s hightech approach ranges from solo sessions set in gorgeous locations to live multiplayer races with the Ergatta community. The workout library is regularly refreshed, and the intensity is calibrated to your fitness profile. The unit is big, but it does store upright—and the cherry wood frame makes a major statement. $2,199 (plus $29/month membership); ergatta.com

TITLE BOXING CLUB ON DEMAND

Get fighting fit with these on-demand workouts.

TITLE is light on equipment needs; many workouts are shadowboxing and body-weight based. If you need a heavy bag, TITLE’s freestanding HydroFlex H20 ($350) is ideal for smaller spaces. TITLE also offers a range of strength, core and recovery workouts. Accessibility is flexible, with apps for major platforms like AndroidTV, Roku and AppleTV, mobile apps and even browser-based login. $20/month; titleboxingclub.com

Rowing offers an all-body workout that’s easy on your joints. Ergatta does it beautifully.

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A N A L O G

CORE HOME FITNESS ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELL SET

Dumbbells are a great addition to any home gym, and adjustable sets solve space problems. This set goes from five to 50 pounds in five-pound increments with the twist of a handle for quick weight changes between sets and exercises. The contoured, textured soft-grip handle offers confident control, even when you’re working up a sweat. The aluminum weight cradles provide secure storage. $430; corehomefitness.com

W O R KO U T S

MANDUKA RECYCLED FOAM BLOCK

Most yoga blocks are made of foam, which is light, stable and comfortable. But it’s terrible for the environment. This block features 50 to 75 percent recycled EVA foam (from sources like old running shoes) refreshed into a durable, upcycled block. At 4x6x9 inches, it’s the perfect size for a little extra support for achieving difficult poses. The block has rounded edges for comfort and comes in eight colors. $18; manduka.com

JADE YOGA HARMONY MAT

Whether you need extra grip to hold a downward dog or a bit more cushion under your hip for half pigeon, a good yoga mat helps you get the most out of your practice. This outstanding ³/16"–thick mat provides just enough give for comfort, and the natural rubber material—a renewable, nonpetroleum resource—has unsurpassed traction.

It’s available in two lengths and 10 colors, and at 24 inches wide is sized to support you for all poses. $85 (68-inch length); jadeyoga.com

BOWFLEX XTREME 2 SE HOME GYM

If you’ve got the space, a dedicated home gym is a convenient way to build fitness. This unit has up to 210 pounds of resistance across a range of more than 70 upper- and lower-body exercises. The multiple-pulley cable system lets you shift seamlessly between exercises in fast-paced circuit workouts. It doesn’t fold for storage but—by home gym standards—has a small footprint. $1,499; bowflex.com

TRX FULL BODY WORKOUT BUNDLE

For versatility and portability, it’s hard to beat a good suspension trainer. The straps offer a freeweight-like workout and are compact enough to travel with. This bundle is as good as it gets. The kit includes the Home2 straps with a door anchor and four exercise bands for resistance moves like lateral band walks and clamshells. You also get a 30-day trial of Training Club, a new TRX service with a library of on-demand classes and daily live sessions. $230; trxtraining.com

The TRX suspension trainer is versatile for home workouts. And portable enough to travel with.

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A P PA R E L If it’s not practical to join a local climbing gym, build one at home with Eldorado Climbing’s workout walls.

ELDORADO WORKOUT WALL

You could join a climbing gym—or just build one at home. Eldorado Climbing helped invent indoor climbing, and this plug-and-play solution fits almost any home. Six climbing slabs (totaling 10.5 feet wide by 7 feet tall assembled) feature a grippy, textured surface and easily mount to wall studs. A full 17 sets of color-coded holds, from jugs to crimps, let you create endless variations for routes: as many as nine at a time. $4,602 (plus shipping); eldowalls.com

WHOOP ANY-WEAR SPORTS BRA 4.0

WHOOP’s Body Wear line is ideal for people who don’t like to wear watches when exercising. This looks and performs like any high-quality sports bra; the stretchy, comfortable fabric offers good support and compression. Padded cups are removable for breathability. The small pocket on the side fits a WHOOP 4.0 sensor, giving you tons of workout data without a watch. $79; whoop.com

It looks like any good sports bra, but WHOOP's entry in the category cleverly holds a sensor that can basically replace a sports watch.

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A P PA R E L

NIKE METCON 7

Gym rats know the Metcon is one of the best cross-trainers. The new Metcon 7—available in men’s and women’s versions—is even better.

A wide, flat sole and inner heel plate offer edgeto-edge stability for support when lifting. Superbouncy React foam provides cushion for highintensity cardio work, and a lace lock means no untied shoelaces. And the lightweight mesh will keep your toes cool during even the most intense workout session. $130; nike.com

HOKA KAWANA

If your workouts range from gym to cardio to running, you need shoes that can keep up.

HOKA’s new Kawana is a lightweight trainer built for any activity. The modified heel crash pad has an extended swallowtail for smooth heel-strike landings when running. The broad, flat sole and grippy rubber tread offer a stable platform for cardio and lifts. And just like any HOKA shoe, it has plenty of bouncy midsole foam. In men’s and women’s styles, from size 5 to 13. $140; hoka.com

A N D

F O O T W E A R

PEARL IZUMI QUEST STUDIO

If you’re buying spin shoes, buy from a company that knows cycling. Pearl’s Quest adapts the features of its outdoor riding shoes for the studio experience. The ultralight mesh and generous sole venting offer breathability for high-intensity rides. The stiff nylon outsole offers efficient power transfer and comfort and will accept all clipless pedal platforms. The simple three-strap closure offers quick adjustment. Sizing goes from 36 (Euro) up to 52. $110; pearlizumi.com

TRACKSMITH TWILIGHT QUARTER ZIP

Shoulder season calls for running apparel that can ward off morning chills and help regulate your temp as the sun climbs. This shirt is made with Tracksmith’s Bravio fabric, a soft, feathery stretch-knit synthetic that’s made with tiny holes to speed sweat evaporation. Thoughtful seam placement reduces chafing. It’s light enough to wear on its own or layered, and it comes in men’s and women’s styles. $74; tracksmith.com

BROOKS CARBONITE TIGHT

Spring is all about dawn-patrol runs. Stay visible and comfortable with these new tights.

The stretchy synthetic fabric offers ideal compression and warmth. Human vision is highly sensitive to motion, so the high-viz color blocking on the legs enhances conspicuity in low light, while reflective strips keep you visible before sunrise. A zippered back pocket is just large enough to hold a phone and ID. In men’s and women’s styles. $130; brooksrunning.com

If you run, lift and do cardio at the gym, the plush HOKA Kawana is versatile enough to keep up.

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A N ATO M Y O F G E A R Two innovative fitness products, deconstructed.

Words PETER FLAX

ASICS M E TA S P E E D SKY $250 asics.com

LONG GAME

With a tall, heavily cushioned rear, the shoe is optimized for runners who increase their stride length and decrease their cadence when picking up the pace.

LIGHT SPEED

The Metaspeed Sky weighs only 7 ounces per pair, thanks to an ultrathin upper, ASICS’ lightest midsole foam ever and a minimalist tongue.

UPPER ECHELON

The spacious mesh upper, made from 100 percent recycled polyester, is designed to be breathable, cool and secure at speed.

SOFT SELL

THIS ULTRALIGHTWEIGHT RACING SHOE IS LOADED WITH TECH TO PROPEL YOU TO THE FINISH LINE AND A PERSONAL BEST.

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EXTRA FIBER

The shoe has a stiff, fulllength carbon-fiber plate, which provides stability and a springboard-like push forward.

The new FlyteFoam Blast Turbo midsole has a plush and responsive feel without sacrificing energy return once you get up to race pace.

THE RED BULLETIN

G U I D E

JAXJOX KETTLEBELLCONNECT 2.0

T R A C K S TA R

The kettlebell is equipped with six-axis motion sensors that track the quality and output of every rep and set you do.

$249 jaxjox.com

SCREEN TIME

C O M PA C T PERFORMER

The elegant design packs the functionality of six kettlebells into the space of one—a plus for home gyms that are tight on space.

AN ADJUSTABLE, DIGITALLY CAPABLE KETTLEBELL WITH REAL BRAINS.

If you sync with the JAXJOX app, you can see real-time data on your reps, sets, weight, workout duration and average power.

SWITCH IT UP

Using a bullet weightstacking system, you can go from 12 pounds to 42 pounds (and four weights in between) in seconds with the push of a button.

PERSONAL TRAINER

For an extra $12.99 a month, you’ll get unlimited access to an extensive series of expertguided workouts with the premium version of the JAXJOX app.

THE RED BULLETIN

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GLOBAL TEAM

THE RED BULLETIN WORLDWIDE

The Red Bulletin is published in six countries. The cover of this month’s French edition features British BMX legend Sebastian “Bas” Keep, who is known for his tricks in competition and his groundbreaking videos.

For more stories beyond the ordinary, go to redbulletin.com.

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Head of The Red Bulletin Alexander Müller-Macheck, Sara Car-Varming (deputy) Editors-in-Chief Andreas Rottenschlager, Andreas Wollinger (deputy) Creative Directors Erik Turek, Kasimir Reimann (deputy) Art Directors Marion Bernert-Thomann, Miles English, Tara Thompson Designers Martina de ­Carvalho-Hutter, Kevin Faustmann-Goll, Cornelia Gleichweit Photo Editors Eva Kerschbaum (manager), Marion Batty (deputy), Susie Forman, Tahira Mirza, Rudi Übelhör Digital Editors Christian Eberle-Abasolo (manager), Marie-Maxime Dricot, Melissa Gordon, Lisa Hechenberger, Elena Rodriguez Angelina Head of Audio Florian Obkircher Managing Editors Ulrich Corazza, Marion Lukas-Wildmann Publishing Management Ivona Glibusic, Bernhard Schmied, Melissa Stutz, Anna Wilczek Managing Director Stefan Ebner Head of Media Sales & Partnerships Lukas Scharmbacher Head of Co-Publishing Susanne Degn-Pfleger Project Management Co-Publishing, B2B Marketing & Communication Katrin Sigl (manager), Katrin Dollenz, Thomas Hammerschmied, Sophia Wahl, Teresa Kronreif (B2B), Eva Pech, Valentina Pierer, Stefan Portenkirchner (communication), Jennifer Silberschneider Creative Services Verena Schörkhuber-Zöhrer (manager), Sara Wonka, Julia Bianca Zmek, Edith Zöchling-Marchart, Tanja Zimmermann Commercial Management Co-Publishing Alexandra Ita Editorial Co-Publishing Raffael Fritz (manager), Gundi Bittermann, Mariella Reithoffer, Wolfgang Wieser Executive Creative Director Markus Kietreiber Senior Manager Creative Elisabeth Kopanz Art Direction Commercial & Co-Publishing Peter Knehtl (manager), Erwin Edtmayer, Simone Fischer, Martina Maier, Andreea Parvu, Carina Schaittenberger, Alexandra Schendl, Julia Schinzel, Florian Solly, Dominik Uhl, Sophie Weidinger, Stephan Zenz Subscriptions and Distribution Peter Schiffer (manager), Marija Althajm, Nicole Glaser, Victoria Schwärzler, Yoldaş Yarar Advertising Manuela Brandstätter, Monika Spitaler Production Veronika Felder (manager), Friedrich Indich, Walter O. Sádaba, Sabine Wessig Repro Clemens Ragotzky (manager), Claudia Heis, Nenad Isailović, Sandra Maiko Krutz, Josef Mühlbacher Finance Mariia Gerutska (manager), Simone Kratochwill, Klaus Pleninger MIT Christoph Kocsisek, Michael Thaler IT Service Desk Maximilian Auerbach Operations Alice Gafitanu, Melanie Grasserbauer, Alexander Peham, Thomas Platzer Assistant to General Management Sandra Artacker Project Management Dominik Debriacher, Gabriela-Teresa Humer Editor and CEO Andreas Kornhofer Editorial office Am Grünen Prater 3, A-1020 Vienna Phone +43 1 90221-0 Web redbulletin.com Published by Red Bull Media House GmbH, Oberst-Lepperdinger-Straße 11–15, A-5071 Wals bei Salzburg, FN 297115i, Landesgericht Salzburg, ATU63611700 Executive Directors Dkfm. Dietrich Mateschitz, Dietmar Otti, Christopher Reindl, Marcus Weber

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THE RED BULLETIN Austria, ISSN 1995-8838 Editor Wolfgang Wieser Proofreaders Hans Fleißner (manager), Petra Hannert, Monika Hasleder, Billy Kirnbauer-Walek Publishing Management Bernhard Schmied Media Sales & Partnerships Thomas Hutterer (manager), Michael Baidinger, Franz Fellner, Ines Gruber, ­Wolfgang Kröll, Gabriele Matijevic-Beisteiner, Alfred Vrej Minassian, Nicole Okasek-Lang, Britta Pucher, Jennifer Sabejew, Johannes Wahrmann-Schär, Ellen WittmannSochor, Ute Wolker, Christian Wörndle, Sabine Zölß

THE RED BULLETIN France, ISSN 2225-4722 Editor Pierre-Henri Camy Country Coordinator Christine Vitel Country Project M ­ anagement Alexis Bulteau

THE RED BULLETIN Germany, ISSN 2079-4258 Editor Maximilian Reich Proofreaders Hans Fleißner (manager), Petra Hannert, Monika Hasleder, Billy Kirnbauer-Walek Country Project Management Nina Hahn Media Sales & Partnerships Thomas Hutterer (manager), Michael Baidinger, Franz Fellner, Ines Gruber, ­Wolfgang Kröll, Gabriele Matijevic-Beisteiner, Alfred Vrej Minassian, Nicole Okasek-Lang, Britta Pucher, Jennifer Sabejew, Johannes Wahrmann-Schär, Ellen WittmannSochor, Ute Wolker, Christian Wörndle, Sabine Zölß

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THE RED BULLETIN United Kingdom, ISSN 2308-5894 Editor Tom Guise Associate Editor Lou Boyd Chief Sub-Editor Davydd Chong Publishing Management Ollie Stretton Advertising Sales Mark Bishop, mark.bishop@redbull.com

THE RED BULLETIN

DO YOUR

PART

Do Your Part to keep motorized trail access open, healthy and Do Your Part to keep motorized trail access open, healthy and beautiful. That means riding responsibly, leaving the trail better beautiful. That means riding responsibly, leaving the trail better than you found it and volunteering with organizations that are than you found it and volunteering with organizations that are proactively working to improve trail access, like Tread Lightly! proactively working to improve trail access, like Tread Lightly!

To learn more and “do your part” by becoming To learn more and “do your part” by becoming a member or donating, visit treadlightly.org. a member or donating, visit treadlightly.org.

I RIDE, I DRIVE, I OFFROAD, I TREAD LIGHTLY! I RIDE, I DRIVE, I OFFROAD, I TREAD LIGHTLY!

Action highlight

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The next issue of THE RED BULLETIN is out on March 15.

THE RED BULLETIN

JAN BURKERT/RED BULL ILLUME

During lockdowns over the past two years, photographers like Jan Burkert have had to get creative under the constraints of being indoors. Having shot skater Michal Suchopár in his tiny studio, the Czech had to pull out all the stops in post-production. This image was a semifinalist in the “Creative by Skylum” category of Red Bull Illume. Instagram: @burysss

DAVYDD CHONG

Decked in light

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