NBA fans spent decades adoring the larger-than-life enigma that was Dikembe Mutombo. Mutombo spent his career dominating the paint and responding with one of the most iconic gestures in sports: the finger wag. But what fans often couldn't see was that the Finger Wag was one of Mutombo's tools for achieving a bigger vision.

This episode explores the full legend of of Mutombo: the competitive fire that led to four Defensive Player of the Year awards, the life mission that began before he ever picked up a basketball, and the way he used his fame to eventually funded his home country's biggest hospital.

Where does on-court greatness end and legendary status begin? What responsibility do on-court greats have to being great off the court as well? This episode looks at how a reluctant medical student who was pulled to basketball by chance became one of one.

What athletes do you think transcended their sport and changed the world? Let us know in the comments!

Looking for some vintage NBA gear? Use this link to head over to Homage and grab shirts and sweatshirts for your favorite team: homage.sjv.io/posters

➡️ Subscribe to Posters for a new deep dive on an iconic player each episode!

🎥 See full video episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PostersBball

Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton

Executive Producer/Editor/Co-writer: Eric Parrie

Music and "Posters Theme Song": Jon Lampley

Fan Correspondents: Kojo Asamoa-Caesar, Adam Cayton-Holland, Courtney Fearrington, and Denver's Mayor Mike Johnston

Jayson Tatum is the NBA's paradox. He's one of the league's most accomplished superstars, but fans often have the same take on him: he's boring.

In Episode 2 of Posters, we explore why we think that, what Tatum could do about it, and why we might be wrong.

Jayson Tatum grew up on YouTube. We can look back and see every success, failure, and thought process going back to a school project where he used a PowerPoint to teach how to tie a tie. In other words, Tatum has "shown his work" on his path to superstardom, and it seems like a lot of people don't like that.

How much has social media changed what we want from superstars? At what point does on-court greatness stops being enough to be the face of the league? And what do reality dating shows have to do with the NBA? It's all here, in episode 2.

Find more deep-dive basketball essays on the Posters YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PostersBball

Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton

Executive Producer/Editor/Co-writer: Eric Parrie

Theme Song: Jon Lampley

Fan Correspondents: Justin Lamb, Casey McGowan, Kofi Thomas

Anfernee 'Penny' Hardaway was a fixture in the golden era of the 90's NBA: a regular All-Star, a face of Nike, and the best pick to follow in Michael Jordan's footsteps. But how much our fandom was about basketball, and how much was just the product of exceptionally good marketing? This week on Posters, we explore Penny's short reign at the top of the league and how another golden era— of NBA marketing, commercials, and merchandising— led a whole generation to buy into the league.

The episode has a ton of gems:

• Old commercials, from Lil Penny to Kareem singing about a candy bar

• the movie Blue Chips

• the story of Penny's grandmother, Louise

• the one known NBA player to collect pigeons

Check out the visuals for the ep and clips on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PostersBball

We're also on IG: https://www.instagram.com/postersbball/

And on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postersbball

Posters is a fan’s history of professional basketball, exploring a new player's career, societal impact, and our relationship to the game as fans. (If you follow House of Highlights AND watch every "30 for 30," this show is for you.)

Host/Writer/Producer: James Hamilton

Executive Producer/Editor/Co-writer: Eric Parrie

Theme Song: Jon Lampley

Fan Correspondents: Courtney Fearrington and Charlie Vergos

Welcome to Posters: A Fans' History of Professional Basketball. Each episode of this new video podcast does a deep dive on a new player: their story, place in culture at the time they played and what they show us about our fandom to the game.

Posters is a show for the modern basketball fan. The one who loves a good sports documentary but also follows House of Highlights. The one whose social feeds are full of NBA and WNBA news, but are also interested in bigger questions: How much of our love of the game is a product of brilliant marketing? How has social media transformed what we demand from our sports stars? And what can a forgotten commercial tell us about a changing league?

Posters is hosted by two-time Emmy-winning writer and comedian James Hamilton, who brings his signature blend of sharp joke writing, deep research and cultural curiosity. Executive producer Eric Parrie brings a trove of archival footage to create a fast-paced, one-of-a-kind show about where basketball meets culture.

Subscribe to the "Posters" podcast and never miss an episode!

Listen to "Posters" wherever you get your podcasts or watch the full video version of this trailer and all episodes on YouTube: ➡️ www.youtube.com/@PostersBball

Connect with us! @postersbball on IG and TT

Music: "Ladies First," John Runefelt via Epidemic Sound