Vine is dead. For reasons we can't comprehend, Twitter has decided to pull the plug on everybody's favorite 6-second sports highlight app leaving us all to wonder how we'll ever enjoy the game of basketball again without Russell Westbrook's next posterizing dunk or Draymond Green's next kick in the balls on a loop for all of eternity.
It's a shame that this news broke just as a new NBA season got underway because there truly is nothing better than those highlights popping up on your twitter feed while all of the games are going on but we will prevail.
In honor of Vine's demise, we're taking a look back at 10 NBA players who we wish had the opportunity to play during the Vine Era.
There are obviously more than 10 former NBA stars whose highlights we would've loved to see on an endless loop every night, so hit us with some of your suggestions in the comment section.
Allen Iverson
The crossovers. Give me all of the crossovers on a loop for the rest of my life and again in the afterlife and again in the after-afterlife. If Iverson were playing during the Vine Era the MJ cross would've been the most looped Vine of all-time by the time the fourth quarter started.
And that goes double for the Antonio Daniels homicide.
Shawn Kemp
The ReignMan. The original mayor of Lob City.
Steve Nash
The beauty of having Steve Nash around during the Vine Era is his dual threat potential. The first portion of the vine is his dizzying handles and the next 3-seconds is the jaw dropping no-look alley-oop to whoever wants it.
That’s what you call getting the most bang for your buck. 6-seconds, jam packed with Nashty NBA action. I whole heartedly apologize for that last part.
Dominique Wilkins
If we’re talking about NBA players who would be a perfect for Vine, and I’m pretty sure that’s exactly the point of this blog, you can’t be taken seriously unless you include Dominique Wilkins.
His nickname is The Human Highlight Reel. Vine was invented for guys like that.
Vine is the only social media platform that Magic Johnson simply can’t fail at. For as awful as his tweets are, his Vines would’ve been at the completely other end of the spectrum.
He wouldn’t be posterizing anyone a la Blake Griffin but his ridiculous assists, on an infinite loop, would even put a smile on the face of Celtics broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn.
Tracy McGrady
T-Mac was a FREAK. Unlike most of the guys on this list he could go viral with a quick vine for a variety of different reasons.
He could break someone’s ankles, throw a sick no-look pass, or dunk on a guy’s entire family. The rare Vine triple threat extraordinaire.
Pistol Pete Maravich
I’d be remiss if I did all this talking about ball handling and basketball sorcery without mentioning the OG Pistol Pete. First Ballot Vine HOF’er and there’s no debate.
People say ‘no debate’ a lot, but this needs to be taken in the literal sense and if you can’t agree with that kindly log off your computer and delete all of your accounts.
Jason Williams
There might not be another guy who would’ve benefitted more from the Vine Era than Jason Williams. White MF Chocolate.
His career numbers aren’t anywhere near the other guys on this illustrious list but that’s the beauty of Vine. He could easily provide 6-seconds of viral content on a nightly basis and that’s all that counts when it comes to the green app.
Julis Erving aka DR. J
Like some of the players on this list, I never got to see Dr. J play but I’ve seen the dunks and that blasphemous revers layup enough times to know that this guy would have thrived in the Vine Era.
Bryant "Big Country" Reeves
Kidding.
Because, of course.
