出典 : Amazon.co.jp

In anime and manga, it’s common knowledge that there are real-life models. Even in “Slam Dunk,” “Is this guy a model? There are many theories floating around the internet, including.

With all the different theories out there, the author of Slam Dunk & NBA Mania has thoroughly researched the 12 most promising model players!

Knowing the actual models and the background of the models makes Slam Dunk more interesting and allows you to see it from a different perspective. ‘Huh? This guy? What a thing to do, so if you want to learn more than anyone else and brag to your friends, check it out!

1、Kaede Rukawa【Michael Jordan】

出典 : Amazon.co.jp

It is said that the model for the Rukawa is Michael Jordan, the basketball god. I’m sure many of you may be looking at the quicksilver and thinking, “He looks like Jordan”.

・Armband for the left elbow
・Number 23
・Free throws with your eyes closed
・Same red uniform（Shohoku and Chicago Bulls）
・I specialize in offense
・The shooting form is similar
・Good at playing in the air
・unyielding

The two have very much in common. Ryukawa wears the number 23 at practice, and you can see his admiration for Jordan. There is a very famous story that he wears the number 11 because the number is only 18 in official matches.

2、Hanamichi Sakuragi【Dennis Rodman】？

出典 : Amazon.co.jp

Dennis Rodman ist ein Spieler, der im selben Team der Chicago Bulls spielte wie Michael Jordan. Die Ähnlichkeiten in Spielstil und Aussehen machen ihn zu einem erstklassigen Kandidaten für ein Modell.

・Unparalleled rebounding power
・An obsession with loose balls
・Red hair
・Same red uniform（Shohoku and Chicago Bulls）
・Number 10
・A style of play that never gives up
・I’m not good at shooting

However, the model for Sakuragi Hanamichi is not Rodman. The reason for this is because the author, Takahiko Inoue, has stated publicly that there is no model for Hanamichi Sakuragi.

In 1990, when Slam Dunk began serializing, Rodman’s hair color was black. Considering that Hanamichi had red hair first, I think it makes sense that he’s not a model.

There’s another potential model

Takahiko Inoue has publicly stated that if there is a model, it’s Charles Barkley, which makes him more of a model than Rodman.

Barkley was an NBA superstar who was called the greatest power forward of all time and was nicknamed “The Flying Refrigerator”.

There are few similarities to Hanamichi in both appearance and style of play, but the physicality and the fact that they are the same power forward at the position are factors that make sense.

If you read “Slam Dunk” while thinking it’s based on Barkley, you might get a different kind of enjoyment out of it.

3、Ryota Miyagi【Kevin Johnson】

Ryota Miyagi was the captain of the Shonhoku cutout team and proved that he could play basketball despite his short stature. The model for Miyagi is said to be Kevin Johnson, who played for the Phoenix Suns for a long time

・Cropped haircut
・Number 7
・Point card
・A style that cuts inside the gun
・A great pairing with Charles Barkley

There are a lot of similarities in their looks and playing styles, and there are a lot of factors that make them convincing as models. He was said to be a great pairing with Barkley, a potential model for Hanamichi.

If you look at the usual communication between Hanamichi and Miyagi and the “surprise alley-oop” right after the start of the game against Sanno, would you agree that they are a great duo?

There are not many players in the NBA with Johnson’s style of play, so it’s very easy to understand.

4、Hisashi Mitui【Mark Price】

Hisashi Mitsui, a.k.a. Mitchie, is famous for his famous phrase “Anzai Sensei, I want to play basketball…”. There’s no reason why his character, a former delinquent with a beautiful shooting form and a threesome, shouldn’t be popular.

His model is said to be Mark Price, who, despite his small stature (182cm), is an accurate 3-point shooter. He’s not a household name, but he’s good enough to be selected for the U.S. national team.

There are many other famous players in the NBA who have excelled at the 3-point mark. So why Price? It’s because he doesn’t have a high level of ability outside of the 3P.

Mitsui’s ability outside of the 3P isn’t outstandingly high either, in fact, it’s low. I think that maybe Mr. Takahiko Inoue wanted to highlight the awesomeness of the 3P by making his other abilities lower.

・Beautiful shooting form
・I have a knee injury
・I played on a team with Kevin Johnson, the model for Miyagi, for a year

The above similarities are probably why Price is considered Mitchie’s model.

5、Takenori Akagi【David Robinson】

出典 : Amazon.co.jp

湘

The model for the northern mainstay, Akagi, is David Robinson, who played for the San Antonio Spurs.

If you look at the haircut and the bold, boose-handed dunks, I think it’s easy to see why he’s called Akagi’s model. The face is also very similar, and I wonder if the author, Takahiko Inoue, pulled together quite a bit to write it. I think.

Robinson was known by the nickname Admiral because he served in the military as an officer in the U.S. Navy before joining the NBA. Redwood’s straightforward personality may have come from the Admiral.

On the other hand, some say that Patrick Ewing was the model for him, but the most popular theory is that he was modeled after Jun Uozumi of Lingnan.

6、Akira Sendo【JUN】

JUN’s real name is Jun Suzuki. As some of you may have noticed, he is Japanese. The only character in Slam Dunk that is modeled after a Japanese is “genius” Akira Sendo.

A streetballer who played in the Streetball League LEGEND, JUN was very popular for his height and all-rounders.

・Same height, 190cm
・From Kanagawa
・Number 7
・They look like each other
・The Streetball League introduced him as the model for “Slam Dunk”

There are similarities between the above, especially in their appearance, such as their hair and silhouettes, which are very similar. If you want to see the only Japanese who modeled for Sendo, go see JUN.