SLAM Magazine Review - April 1997

An all-time hot take headline, Dr. J, and a Randy Brown slam!

Jun 26, 2025

It’s April 1997! The Crocodile Hunter debuts, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 is released in beta, and Tiger Woods wins his first of five Masters, aaaaaand this issue of SLAM is out on newsstands! To the hoops!

Just like Mike. Only Better.

Quite a headline in 1997! Tony Gervino explains his thought process on this in The Sixth Man a little later on.

News & Notes

Seeing anyone in a #21 Spurs jersey other than Timmy Duncan, even if it is someone as prolific as Dominque Wilkins, is bizarre

Grant Hill is the man. And oh my god, I’ll never stop fawning over those Pistons jerseys

Really good piece on Isiah!

LOVE this Dr. J Interview

Say whaaaaat?!?

The Sixth Man is the best part of SLAM. When I read the cover of this issue (in the year of our lord 2025, mind you) I thought it was ludicrous. Just Like Mike. Only Better??? But Tony Gervino fully defends his choice here, and I’m ok with it.

A LOT of thoughts on the Rodman piece in the previous SLAM (not one that I’ve reviewed, but will get to in short order!)

Posterized!

This is my third straight review of an issue that did not have a poster. Kind of a drag, but the SLAM posters are so dope, I’m not surprised that they’re not in the issues I buy on eBay.