In the summer of 2018, a quiet time bomb exploded in the kingdom of SLAM. Maya Moore achieved history-making status with a three-part cover series that concluded issue #217. Notably, she was only the second woman to do so; the first was in 1998, when we asked the NBA if they were ready for Shamik Holdsclaw (they weren’t, and apparently neither were our readers). But where our efforts to challenge the status quo with Shamik cracked the glass ceiling, Maya shattered it all.
When I saw that Moore was on the cover of SLAM 217, I panicked. The problem was, I couldn’t find her cover anywhere. It was sold out at SLAM Goods and I never saw it on eBay. Those lucky enough to get their hands on the coveted first retail version seemed to be holding on to it… and for good reason.
To say that Maya Moore is one of the greatest female athletes of all time is no slight. She was a champion at every level. She won titles from high school to college to the WNBA to the Olympic stage. Not only that, but the list of honors that came with those championships and medals is almost inconceivable. She is an undisputed Hall of Famer, and I wouldn’t argue if you consider her the GOAT of basketball.
But there was something more to Maya Moore’s play than trophies. Less substantial than trophies, yet somehow more impactful. It’s a trait that’s hard to explain. She was fierce on the boards, and had quick hands that made steals seem like camera tricks, but there was a majestic quality to her style of play and her scoring ability. Magic. Magic like “poetry in motion.” Magic that gives you goosebumps and makes your eyes water when you replay it in slow motion. Magic that reminds you of the beauty of the game we once fell in love with.
MJ is one of the few athletes to have ever had such an impact on us, so it was only natural that Maya was welcomed into the Jordan Brand before she even stepped on a WNBA court. And when she left the WNBA in 2018, she left as an icon of the Jordan family, wearing her signature Jordan 10.
Her departure from the game in her prime was by no means inconsequential or purposeless. Beyond basketball, Moore was fighting for social justice long before cries for freedom were printed on team uniforms. She was a voice for suffering communities in an era when players who refused to express political views were disciplined. Her particular focus on criminal justice reform led her to opt out of the 2019 and 2020 WNBA seasons and ultimately retire in early 2023. If recent history has taught us anything, it’s that there are bigger things than basketball.
In some ways, Maya Moore’s presence in Issue 217 was bigger than SLAM’s, and it launched a new era of women’s basketball coverage with a flurry of female basketball covers. Since then, some of our coolest covers have featured Candace Parker, Sabrina Ionescu, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese, as well as three WSLAM features. Each issue takes us back to Maya Moore’s Mona Lisa smile, quiet confidence, and ability to make a difference without breaking character.
As a SLAM aficionado with deep respect for Moore’s journey on and off the court, it was crucial for me to add her cover to my collection. It would appease our innate need as humans to somehow associate ourselves with those we admire, whether that be a signed autobiography, a game-worn jersey, or a signature shoe, and would demonstrate my allegiance to her cause. Ultimately, I worked internally with a member of the SLAM family (thanks Peter Walsh) to personally arrange for a copy. To me, this wasn’t just another spine sitting on a shelf. It needed to be framed and placed prominently. It was something to be observed, discussed, remembered… and in the future, when a movie about Maya Moore’s life is released, I will proudly point to Maya in SLAM 217 and let her know that I was crazy about it from day one, just like any true SLAM fan would.
Photo via Getty Images.
