Troy Jackson—better known as Escalade on the And1 mixtape circuit—wasn't your typical streetball player. Standing 6'10" and weighing just a shade under 400 pounds, he couldn't move as quickly as Hot Sauce or throw down unbelievable dunks like Spyda. But that didn't mean that he couldn't play—and play well. It also didn't mean that he couldn't use his larger-than-life personality to become one of the most popular players on And1's annual tour. And back when he joined the tour in 2002, that's exactly what he did. So it's a real shame to hear that over the weekend, Escalade—who was just 35—passed away in his sleep in Los Angeles. R.I.P., big fella. [via Long Island Press]
