No Questions Asked: Is Londynn Jones Our Generation’s Allen Iverson?

My hoop friend Fast Freddie asked me “How much do you appreciate Allen Iverson?” OMG, I outta-control love and am inspired by Ive. I told Fred that few other players have been that supremely confident, talented, driven, so mad fearless their drive to the rim.

AI was one for the ages. 100.

I told Fred that Ive’s game at Georgetown, which was featured by Scoop Jackson in 94’ SLAM Mag, was what sparked me to want be a dope writer that very day in 94’.

Me reading Allen Iverson’s No Questions Asked feature got me woke, because I was a terrible writer prior to reading that story in 94’. I sucked, was a sorry writer, D student in prep. I was an at risk youth behind academically in resource classes called RSP.

https://www.slamonline.com/nba/no-questions-asked/

Me reading Scoop’s story on Ive was a MIRACLE turning point in my life, it was like I had taken that crazy limitless pill from the movie with Bradley Cooper. Reading Scoop and Ive changed my brain chemistry, neurons fused.

I went from playing checkers in life to chess, my burning desire to strive and be the best hoop writer ever. Now 600 stories and I’m still grindin’! Definition of patience: It’s waiting 34 years to find a BALLER worthy to compare to Ive from in 94’.

Every time I walk in a gym I’m like, “Will your game light me up like a Christmas tree, like Ive did? You trying to yak out and dunk each play like AI scored majestically each game?”

How serious was I to learn what made AI tick? 11,240 days I’ve been searching for Allen’s Aladdin, that real Genie ish. I invite many ballers to come into my cave of wonders, hoping they the one diamond in the rough to open the cave.

No dice, till this year!

I been beyond obsessed to seek deep knowledge from AI’s teammate George Lynch, who helped with his camp. G-Lynch told me secret sauce how Ive had no stop button, like Russ Westbrook has no off switch.

I’ve talked to Jerry Stackhouse about what greatness is and even my guy Brandon Bowman who played at G-Town helped understand what made AI tick.

I found AI had no fear. He was tireless at training his body and mind, with a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt Rushmore. Yet humbly Ive was just honored to play every game, no managing minutes, dude played injured like Kobe.

You the reader prolly wondering, isn’t this a Londynn Jones story, where is she E? Patience young grasshopper, we’re getting there. lol.

Fred told me E, you need to select Cassius Stanley as our generation’s AI. C-Stanley is just as exciting as Ive he pleaded. Fred challenged me, "Who has more crazy bounce than C-Stanley, don’t you like him, don’t you like Sierra Canyon E-Woods?” I told Fred, “Bro, Cassius and his pops Jerome were gracious to me, love his game. I wrote a hype story on Cassius and Kyrie Walker couple years ago when they young preps.

I explained to Fred that to me Cassius doesn’t seem to fit. AI wasn’t tall, he was like 5-10, which made his accomplishments ALL the more amazing.

Still pressing me, Fred breaks out a YouTube video and shows me Cassius at the Iverson Classic, where C-Stanley actually jumps over Ive to win the dunk competition straight up!

I’m like dude, you showing me the this vid inspired me to imagine the right ultimate baller to rep the AI mantle. I begin to tell him there is this girl I’m knowing, feel she has more juice than any girl baller I’ve seen in like forever.

She employs this most filthy crossover, just like Ive employed. How dirty and nasty are Londynn Jone’s handles I tell Fred.

Me, E-Woods, after I watch Santiago High’s L-Jones get grimy, pushing that rock downhill, pulling the string on her brown leather yo-yo, my smart phone screen is just plain disgusting. I’m verbalizing, “Ughhh” out loud like my guy Master P who used to say, make em go, ugggg!

I have to actually wash off the screen after seeing her highlights. She leaves the screen so nasty from doing the comp like that, beyond Gangsta capital G. That’s the ultimate compliment I can offer the illest of ill guards of our generation, smh!

L-Jones is crazy different because in game she’s shifty like the sands of Saudi Arabia during a sand storm, she hotness like a 120 degree day.

Yet, L has me wondering, she so hot in game yet the chilly blood is coursing through her body at a freaking cold -320 degrees below zero.

Did you know Liquid Nitrogen flows through Londeeezy’s veins? That’s her nickname to friends. Even at that temp, she flares the most determined look in her eyes while ballin’ out.

I tell Fred, “Please play me that vid highlight of Cassius dunking over Iverson one more time bro. He may see C-Stanley as the next Ive but I tell Fred what I see in my mind’s eye during that epic dunk vid is Londeeezy crazy accomplishments. How many prep girl ballers averaged 26 ppg as a freshman? I see her in my mind’s eye and I imagine she’s dunking over Cassius, as Cassius jumped over Ive.

Cassius, he’s looking up at her like girl like don’t fall on me, you 5-4 young woman, feet don’t fail me now girl. I’m telling Fred, Cassius participated in Team USA activities but he didn’t make TEAM freaking USA as a freshman like she did. How many 5-4 freshman guards ever made Team USA teams, won a gold medal for their country.

None, just Londynn, period.

Londeeezy's long flowing hair whisks in the air as she lifts the ball up to tomahawk style over Cassius as she lifts into flight. She uses her super cut arms to pull the ball back behind her head, Darrell Griffith, Dr Dunkenstein style. Google it people.

Her dope gold nose ring is splitting the air, its aerodynamics and the wind thrust her ever upward defying gravity. Londeeezy's head starts to climb toward the rim.

I’m shouting to Fred, “How many girls ever shot 55% from the field at World Team USA play, 50% connect accuracy, connect, biddy bang from behind the 3 arc?” Only Londynn has I shout!

I yell, “Londeeezy nearly led Team USA with 11 ppg”. I scream to him, “How many prep girls have totaled nearly 1,700 points in less than 2 years of prep? Not many.”

Fred says, “I heard Iverson scored 42 points as a soph.” I laugh and yell back to him, “Londynn scored 42 as a freshman.”

That’s not even fair bro as I see Londynn in my mind snapping the rim back, trying to rip it off its support, she gritting her teeth, ball flying through the net, she seems to have the stats that LIFT her in the air.

Maaaan, Cassius has a 45-50 inch vert, but Londynn’s below the rim skills make her seem to me like she got a 55 inch vert fosho.

In my mind, as she starts to land her graceful feet on the ground, I’m remembering asking Londynn, (this isn’t a daydream part), actually asking her, “You think you could play ball vs. Drew League men?” Without a pause, no hesitation she says “I’m with it.”

I ask her, “You think you could be the first woman in the NBA?” She says “I’m up for the challenge Erik.” Now you know why I see Londynn flying higher than high.

Here is that Cassius vid, imagine L-Jones as some day you will my friends!

(5-minute mark)

You see, my guy Cassius, he’s 6-6, he is supposed to ball up Drew guys. People predict he’ll make the NBA, he supposed to dream that.

Londynn, she dreams the impossible, feels nothing is out of destiny’s grasp. She’s not just a girl, she’s a girl that dares to dream bigger than any and all girls I know.

How much heart does that take, that show? That’s AI, 26 years I’ve waited for Ive 2.0 and now it’s L-Jones. I’ve found my new heroine and she happens to be a cold piece of work like I ain’t never ever, ever seen. Yeah, it’s L-Jones I been waiting 26 years to show up.

Watch some of Londynn’s Team USA footage via Pass Tha Ball, let me know what you feel in your heart.

Enough on boys, now it’s lovely lady time, it’s Londynn’s story. She’s that super humble, yet supremely confident woman-child for the ages! She has won a CIF Chip for Santiago High, won the Wooden Award as a freaking freshman. But L is way more than a top 5 prospect, she is way more than this crazy dominating EYBL player for Elbert Kinnebrew’s Cal Sparks.

Who is she then E-Woods?

Londynn is the epitome of love. How? Londynn is the youngest of 3 truly amazing sisters and I respect this fam to the utmost like my girls the Malbrey sisters of Notre Dame and Virginia Tech fame. I love that Londynn never lets others say she’s the best of all her 3 sisters, no way!

She acknowledges that she stands on the shoulders of giants - she’s good only because she was helped along by her 21 and 22 year old sisters Paris who got down at UCSB, got a freaking MA from my alma mater, and Dalis who runs the point at Cal St. Bakersfield.

Check out L-Jones’ adoring sisters’ comments on their Twitter page, “That’s my baby sister Londynn, she makes us proud, love you, you go girl!” They are her biggest cheerleaders, their faces all together melt your heart. It hurts so good to see love for Londeeezy, it’s supernova bright love.

Want to truly know Londynn? You need to feel her dad’s super involved good presence in her life. Tony, he that dope, dope cool guy that is strict with it, when needed. Londynn has super high expectations set for her, break a rule and Tony will show tough love. Take that cell phone for a minute.

How many more parents I wish were that consistent, kudos to Tony. Dude is beyond supportive and helps train his kids to be an evolution and redefine what is possible in girls hoops.

Tony is is a chill guy off court, on it his training plants that big dream and confidence big-time for his kids to follow. He brought in the ultra dope trainer Brian Hooks from the Inland Empire, next to where the Jones fam lives to help get down in the lab. B is that guy who helps players raise their level WAY UP! I highly recommend B-Hooks.

You have to see L-Jones Twitter page as she celebrates her pops, Tony. She shows him playfully popping his collar, him looking fly wearing his white shirt, Londynn messing with him about his cool earrings look. Love? Look at the dictionary and see the Jones family.

https://mobile.twitter.com/londynnthacutie

Let’s hear from Londynn on what reps her heart and goals, “I will train mind over body and I’ll train hard 5 days a week, sometimes more. For me, being tired isn’t an option. I don’t let adversity slow me down.

“I engage in taking care of myself to the utmost. If I need cryo deep freeze cold treatment to recover after training, I’ll do it. I’m into staying healthy and fit. One has to power the body, your hopes and dreams on court rely on your body.

“I’m proud to be a spiritual person, I believe God has a plan for us all. I’m going to be an instrument of God to help others in life.

“Seeing my sisters, I know my goal is to be a business or communications major in college, play overseas, and finding a place in the WNBA is my goal for the future.

“But truly I want to open up a gym, a business and call it PDL, named after all us sisters. It’ll be a place where kids can come to learn from us, we’ll be there for them. I’m proud to keep my gpa high (4.0), it’s all about time management.

“I’ve been taught you have to work very hard, sacrifice, and give it your all. Ever since I got serious and switched from soccer to hoop in 4th grade, I’m about this life. That’s what my sisters did.”

Watch out my readers, back up, E-Woods is fixing to take the gloves off and fire up my crystal ball to predict just how successful Londeeezy is going to get down in college.

Peep it, Scoop J in 94’ said these amazing words to describe how great UNC’s Roy Williams thought AI was. How nice was Ive? Back in high school, Kansas University coach Roy Williams, formerly Michael Jordan’s UNC assistant coach, said Iverson “Might be the best guard I’ve ever seen.”

You the reader might be saying saying, what you know about Roy Williams E-Woods, what are you trying to say? Hah! In 05’ I used to write for the Rivals UNC site. Me? l bleed Tar Heels blue, gave Roy and his coaches recommendations to pick up Cali prospects Alex Stephenson, Deon Thompson, Larry Drew II in the mid 2000s, a few kids to scholly up.

I’m proud Roy Will laced em, got em to Chapel Hill wearing UNC colors. I even gave em contact info to help UNC with 7-3 HaSheem Thabeet, who was a freshman in Tanzania.

What broke my heart about UNC? But even still love Tar Heels?

It’s that I hoped Roy would offer my guy Mario Chalmers of Miami Hear fame. M-Chalmers grew up in NC and badly wanted to ball for UNC. But oh well, UNC passed on him, me pleading and all, what can we do. Super Mario went all super nova in college, you could say he single-handedly brought home a NCAA chip for Kansas. My oracle game is strong!

I looked deep into M-Chalmers eye in prep, as I have Londeeezy, noticed behind his pupil my dude had a gold NCAA trophy staring back at me.

What’s the point E-Woods? Who also has that rarest of rare gold NCAA chip trophy hidden behind their pupil? You guessed it, Londeeezy. I also saw it in the eyes of my girls Arike Ogunbowale and Marina Malbrey of Notre Dame.

And, Londynn is wise. She realizes that life can be fleeting. After Kobe passed, Londynn retweeted these dope and wise words Jan. 29th, “Lauren London said, you better love the people God loaned you because he’s going to want them back one day, and I felt that.”

How much do I believe my girl L? I’m going to see her get invited to Hometown Fav Clinics coming up this summer. I told my girl who writes for SLAM come out see Londeeezy ball out vs. my NBA guys.

Told my SLAM peeps to look for a girl wearing #3 that’s about to dunk over Cassius Stanley for a dunk. My peeps always laugh.

Londeeezy and AI? Same jersey number, same game swagga. Need get L-Jone’s some special gear that reads above her #3, maybe a nickname for her, J-Lo Problemo, because you want Londeeezy on your side fosho-sho. I’ve been telling so many people that, they laugh, but also know it’s dang true.

Whitney Houston was a songbird that gave way to our generation’s gold standard Alicia Keys who carries that mantle of a pure voice in music. L-Jones does her singing with her crossover, less song-bird, more ball-hawk with rip yo face off D.

We should call L-Jones a bird of prey, she’ll swoop down and drop 35 in a game on you. Did you know scoring 35 points for a female is like scoring 50 for a guy as a quantitative comparison?

Londynn’s fellow prep players love her as a person. She never acts mean - her personality, it’s really sweet, she’s just so humble, so gracious, quick to share a hug. But I’d be lying if I didn’t recall a convo with a prep girl who balls vs. L-Jones sometimes. I’m close to many kids, but some of them actually dread playing vs Londynn.

This one girl who is a junior, we’ll call her Q, need keep her anonymous. She told me that Londynn has no tired-factor, it’s too exhausting to try and keep up with her. Londynn stays constant all game; from beginning to end she has the same energy with no drop off and just can’t be contained.

It’s demoralizing for this girl, of course I won’t out her name. She told me while kind of breaking down emotional crying a lil into my shoulder, “E-Woods, I don’t circle the game vs. Londynn, I just call in sick. I just can’t handle trying to guard Londynn in game yet maybe in college I’ll be big enough, well conditioned enough to guard her.

"That’s my dream to be able to guard her, maybe in college will be my time, maybe then I’ll be ready for that challenge.”

That’s raw truth given to you the reader, me trying to be real offering real talk that is told to me E-Woods, bearer of secret talk I guess. Much respect to those grindin’ to guard L-Jones, it’s most def not an easy assignment, my fist up to ya!

#L is the sandman whose lullaby puts you to sleep

Let’s hear from Londynn a lil more, on which musicians and ballers she appreciates, how she feels in game, “There are so many great players I love to watch, try to emulate, even though my journey will be different than theirs was.

“I appreciate Skylar Diggins-Smith, A’ja Wilson, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore. I also love watching Lebron, Jason Tatum, Damian Lillard, of course Allen Iverson and Kyrie Irving for their handles they show.

“I try to emulate them but it’s more than a dribble, it’s how they handle themselves. I draw energy from how hard they go. It’s more than just these players’ skill sets, they are that dawg on court. I see them be unstoppable, that’s what I try to feel when I get going.

“I want to lock in that rhythm of a ‘I can’t be stopped feeling.’ For me, it all begins with inner discipline. Start in practice, maintain that good habit, because in prep I’m out to make a name for myself, be a real dawg in each and every game I play.

“I felt honored and excited to play for Team USA as a freshman but I have big plans for college, to improve so many aspects of my game, improve myself in so many ways as a person. It’s all about growth, evolution to be honest.”

A thing should be known, something dope I learned from Chris Hansen’s Prospect Nation story on L. She hopes to be a model after her playing days are over. It’s easy to visualize her being a success at that.

Londeeezy is fashionable like her fellow Santiago High alum Mo Billings. Londeeezy radiates that tuff yet classy swagger, she just hotness on and off court, like scalding water sitting next to ice cubes, then mixing up in a pot of water, that’s crazy, right?

L, her aura is like Jordan Canada’s, same presence fosho. She’s just as fashionable as J-Canada, who is the gold standard for inner/outer dopeness, you can’t be more fire than J in the dope department.

Don’t forget Londynn is about this game, it’s a lifestyle, hasn’t been a hobby since 4th grade. Now? She’s a killa’s killa, yet so bubbly off court, photogenic no doubt. Meeting her changes you.

How? When L told me her fav singers were Nipsy Hussle, Jhene Aiko, J. Cole, I went to listening to them all, to feel their rhythm, beats, vibe.

Londynn educates me in what is dope, her being real to me, to the game, fam, friends, school. I’m just blessed to feel connected to her as a friend. Now I present a real world challenge to you the reader, can you spend time hearing those artists, not just listen to them, but feel them?

Then go watch a girl on fire blasting out the musical notes via jumper, crossover, hesi takes to the rack. Can you? Londynn J needs your support, your behind sitting up in those stands, occasionally get up to cheer mad love and clap, what you waiting for people?

Londynn designed her life, put in this Mt. Everest huge heaping effort, building her life, rock by rock, as she pushes that rock, 100 mph in life and in court.

Simply put, she lives her life like her fav song, J. Cole's Love Yourz, because she not jealous of others’ lives, she made just that perfect life she always wanted for herself.

What is an echo of The Answer? It’s the Londeeezy The Question, Allen Ive’s nickname no doubt. You want to see deja vu all over again with Ive? Hit up my girl Londeeezy, she’ll show you what’s up inside those 4 lines.

I’m trying to go see L ball for Santiago High ASAP, or see her rep the Sharks like her sisters before her, like Mo Billings too. I can’t wait to meet her big sisters, meet her mom Elise who balled at Cerritos JC, thank her for bringing a child into the world that I been waiting 34 years to feel inspired by.

I heard L-Jones prep team and coach are great people. That’s what’s up! When’s the next time I see Londeeezy ball for Nike’s Cal Sparks AAU, when it’s EYBL Takeover Time?

Imma ask my guys Elbert Kinnebrew and Will Hailey to sit on either side of me, put their pinky and ring finger over my eyes to cover my face because I’m so scared to watch L get down.

Why? It’s been 34 years since I saw a movie in which I’m daaaaang close to the edge of my seat, scary ish, me, not knowing who’s get done up next on the next play, as I try to follow the plot of whose gon get crossed over, cut up, turned out like the 13th to the 6th letters in the alphabet.

Flavor Flav said, “Don’t believe the hype, it’s a sequel.” But sometimes it’s real Flav, because Ive used to light it up in 1994, Londeeezy turns and carries the torch in 2020. Is she only giving 99% in 20’? Nope, as Lebron says, L-Jones is giving One Buck!