Dunking is perceived to be a young man's game. Just ask David Stern and the NBA who even tried to put an age limit on the NBA Dunk Contest. I remember hearing about Ricky Davis calling the league office and they told him no because he's been in the NBA for more than 3 years. When an ex "dunker" now in his 30s like Vince Carter or Kobe Bryant throws down in a game now we have to hear the announcers yell "Vinsanity" or "afro Kobe" referencing the early NBA days of the player's career.
In the amateur dunk world, all you have to do is browse through the countless dunk videos on YouTube to see high flyers in their early to mid 20's defying gravity. I even see videos of 16 year old kids doing dunks that used to get you straight 50s in past NBA dunk contests. If you follow the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown summer tours than you have seen any and every great "amateur" dunker show off in front of NBA players and legends and most of them are also in their early to mid 20s.
There is one exception. A 29 year old dunker that is not only arguably one of the top 3 dunkers in the world but he continues to get better every year and that's why he's been a Showdown All-Star and judge for the past three years of the Showdown tour. Myree Bowden better known to the dunk world as Reemix has not only been defying gravity but age too.
Dunk fanatics (and women) first took notice of Reemix in the 2004 NCAA dunk contest where he showed off his windmill, dance skills and cowboy hat. His other skills took him on a journey everywhere from a spot with the Harlem Globetrotters to the TV show SlamBall before landing him in a seat next to LeBron James at every NBA Allstar game where they judged the Showdown finals.
I caught up with Reemix and asked him a few questions about his journey and his new Training program and Online Series, Project Prep, where he tracks the progression of future athletes and dunkers.
You first caught the attention of the dunk world, women in particular, for your NCAA dunk contest performance.
LoL, I have to say that the 2004 NCAA dunk contest was my debut to the world. I had been dunking on people for a while before I was blessed to participate in the dunk contest. Although I lost by a hair...cough..cough...robbed, it was the best dunk experience of my life.
Do you still have the hat?
As for the hat, lets just say that was the beginning and the end of that lol.
Where did you get your dunk inspiration from? Any specific player or dunk contest performance?
I was a major fan of Stephon Marbury! When he caught that lob with his head at the rim I went crazy, but my real inspiration for dunking came when I was told that I was too small to play on the varsity team. That ignited a fire within me to not only play with the big boys but play head and heels above them. Every level I played of basketball I was considered undersized on paper but I made sure once you've played against me your scouting report changed.
Right out of college you joined the Harlem Globetrotters. How did you get involved with them?
During my senior year I sustained a stress fracture in my foot that sat me out for 17 games. The chances of a pro team taken a chance on me was slim to none. So I did what I knew to do for the remainder of my college career. I worked out! I strengthened my foot, the exercises I was doing also increased my jumping ability and that led to my passion. Jumping!
The Globetrotters recognized my talent during the NCAA dunk contest and offered me a contract. It wasn’t the NBA or overseas but it was a basketball history lesson. I traveled the world and experienced things I wouldn't have even imagined all from dunking.
What is a misconception people have about the Globbies?
People will appreciate the Globetrotters more when they know that those are real players that can actually ball but were dealt a bad hand at a certain point in their career but didn't give up their dream to play the game and entertain.
You also played in the Slam Ball league for a bit.
Slamball was to the extreme. I love the fact that it was a human video game literally. I got involved with that by taken a leap of faith. It wasn't basketball, but it was competitive and a lot more fun lol… you could actually hit someone and it wasn't a foul.
I went in with 300+ other athletes that tried out and came out rookie of the year, 3rd in the league in scoring and making the playoffs but loosing in the semi-finals. The season didn’t continue the next year but I got some great jumping exercises to ad to my arsenal lol.
In 2009 you had what maybe the best 1on1 dunk match ever at the Sprite Showdown contest when you went against Guy Dupuy.
Guy is an elite dunker if not the best in the world close to it. It was fortunate to compete against him but unfortunate that it was fresh off of two broken chins. Big ups to Guy, not taking anything away from him. He did his thing!
In the video that was released by BIL you said you were gone for a bit but Reemix is back. Where did you get the name Reemix and what did you mean you were gone.
Reemix actually came from a good friend of mine. Although we played ball and that was the time he named me that, it had nothing to do with basketball. I got my degree in mass communication. We used to host a campus radio station and he came up with the Ree-mix hour… I used to spin well back then it was switch cassettes lol but it stuck. And There you have it lol… In the Video “Reemix is back” It was my come back from what physically was two stress fractures in both of my shins but spiritually it was God grounding my and helping me grab ahold on life and realize what my purpose was and to get my priorities straight. Once I came too I went back into the lab. Back to my workout regiment and this time it was for a purpose and that purpose was Keep God first and he will give you the desires of your heart.
You lost that contest but you became a touring Sprite All-Star for the next 3 years. I got to work with you during those tours and personally think you became the face and voice of the events and in many cities you, along with guys like Los, G-Smith and Sir Issac, ruined the events by putting on a better show than the dunk contestants.
I drink Sprite lol! I had the pleasure of working with some of the most amazing people. Joe Sapps. Matt Mr. Ball is life, Arek K. you and the rest of the ball is life family and myself have been in this streetball game together since we started. Those are my right hand mans. Pause. We made it!
Joe and I worked on the biggest stage in the dunk world with the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown and now Uncontainable and we saw talent like T-Dub, Guy, Gsmith, Sir Isaac, Air Dogg, Young Hollywood, the list goes on, that people only viewed online, but most importantly I accomplished my dream. I wanted to make it to the NBA when I was younger. Even though my road was different and sometimes seemed impossible it happened. I am working with the NBA! Dreams do come true if you don’t give up and fully commit yourself.
So what are you up to now?
And now I want to share my blue print of becoming an elite dunker. Which is why I was able to continue pursuing my dream. I have released my own personalize workout that I have been doing for years. Exercises that are proven and a regiment that works. Its not free for two reason. This information is was not given to me it was earned by hard work. And lastly anything that you purchase holds more value than something that was just given. So the Project Prep vertical leap Program, ten years in the making, is finally complete to my satisfaction.
I have been picking the minds of the many strength coaches I've trained with during my career of dunks and spending countless hours in the gym to find out the specific exercises most effective in my explosive vertical. I am proud to release a program that I have witness first hand to be 100% effective. It was once exclusive information to local athletes I have trained 1 on 1 but with the results and many inquiries over the social media, I have gave the world access to my secrets.
Many vertical leap programs you see over the net are put together by people who have never experienced actually going through the workouts and obtaining an elite vert. That is what makes Project Prep so unique! It is my own personal workout put together from a series of workouts I have accumulated over the years of my career. I am a product of the Product and Guarantee results.
The following is the first video in the Project Prep Vertical Leap Project. Each week, Reemix will post an update on Trenton Robertson to see his progress with the jump program.
