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Sparkling Bright with UNC Superfan Alex Koszeghy

Check out @marchmadness’ Instagram story to see Alex and other college basketball fans gear up and support their teams.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill senior Alex Koszeghy’s (@alexkosz) commitment to sparkle (and glitter) bursted out of struggle. “For the majority of my life, I really struggled with a lot of insecurities and self-esteem problems. These, along with my desire to be liked and accepted by others, led to me developing anorexia as a teenager — which I then struggled with for many years. Thankfully, I was able to push through and find recovery and freedom,” says Alex, now 23. “It is amazing how different life starts to become when you really love yourself. I have stopped trying to hide who I am and have just let the world see my sparkle!”

Last year, Alex attended a UNC Tar Heels game painted up in glitter for the first time. “I will never forget that day for as long as I live, and I realized that there was no going back. There is nothing that compares to the feeling of being covered in paint alongside other Heels cheering on the team!”

photography, NCAA, March Madness, basketball, fans, sports, UNC, Chapel Hill, Tar Heels, Alex Koszeghy, glittergirl, eating disorders, anorexia, instagram,

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Staying on Top of the Game with Basketball Player Pau Gasol

To see more of Pau’s adventures in Rio, follow @paugasol on Instagram.

Pau Gasol (@paugasol) is set to embark on his 17th NBA season this fall, but right now he is focused on representing Spain at the Rio Olympics. “I am extremely proud to be able to represent my country — it’s a privilege to compete for everybody supporting us back home and to play basketball with this amazing group of people that are like a family to me,” Pau says. The 36-year-old, who is competing in his fourth Olympics, helped lead Spain to the silver medal in the past two games. Pau’s professional career spans three decades and includes two NBA Championships, and he credits his longevity to hard work and focus: “There’s also a lot of dedication that goes into being able to compete at this level at this stage in my career. I work very hard and I am very disciplined. I also have a great team around me that takes care of every detail of my training regime and my nutrition, and I would not be able to do it without them.”

photography, rio2016, olympics, basketball, spain, nba, pau gasol, instagram,

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Meet Olympian Elena Delle Donne and Her Number One Fan

#BeyondTheGames is a series that spotlights inspiring women athletes in the Instagram community who are telling their Olympic story. To learn more about Elena, follow @de11edonne on Instagram.

Reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player Elena Delle Donne (@de11edonne) will be traveling to Rio this summer representing the United States in the Olympic Games — her biggest fan Wrigley (@thewrigleydelledonne) will be watching from home. “He’s an avid TV watcher,” Elena says of her Great Dane. The 26-year-old is looking forward to teaming up with players she’s been competing against since being drafted by the Chicago Sky three years ago. Prior to the WNBA, Elena became a star playing at University of Delaware, a school close to home, so moving to Chicago was a big change. “It was my first time really being away from home, so I decided to get a puppy,” she says of Wrigley, whose namesake is the baseball stadium where the Chicago Cubs play. “I got him a couple weeks after I threw out the first pitch at the Cubs game.”

photography, olympics, rio2016, basketball, wnba, Chicago Sky, Elena Delle Donne, instagram,

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Kobe Bryant’s Final Game with Longtime Photographer @adbphotoinc

To see more of Andrew’s photography, follow @adbphotoinc on Instagram.

When Andrew D. Bernstein (@adbphotoinc) takes his final photo of Kobe Bryant tonight, it caps a 20-year run of covering the NBA (@nba) All-Star’s career. “I’ve literally been with him since day one,” Andrew says of Kobe, who plays the last game of his NBA career tonight. “I took his first professional photo as a Laker. It was his headshot on media day in 1996.” Seeing Kobe evolve from a teenage phenomenon into a basketball great has been a gift, says Andrew, who has photographed the Los Angeles Lakers since 1982. Capturing crucial action moments on the court doesn’t magically happen — for Andrew, it’s all about planning. “The elements of composition, focus, timing and a little bit of luck all has to come into play,” he says. “Preparation is the utmost precursor to creating great images.”

photography, NBA, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, basketball, Andrew D. Bernstein, sports photography, instagram,

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Gearing Up for the Final Four with Basketball Legend @reggiemillertnt

To see more of his #SidelineSelfie photos and courtside adventures, follow @reggiemillertnt on Instagram.

“My favorite memories from UCLA really have nothing to do with on the court,” NBA legend Reggie Miller (@reggiemillertnt) says. “It was walking the campus and enjoying the collegiate life. Those memories stay with me.” Reggie played for 18 years on the Indiana Pacers, then set out on a new path, covering huge basketball moments, like NCAA #MarchMadness on television. “We’re all so close having played with and against one another. It’s like a big ol’ fraternity,” he says of his fellow game analysts. Reggie loves all the fanfare attached to the tournament, including the battle of the bands and the team mascots, as you can see in his #SidelineSelfie collection. The best part of the gig? “I will always have the best seats in the house — center court!”

photography, ncaa, finalfour, sidelineselfie, reggie miller, basketball, instagram, march madness,

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Slamming and Jamming with NBA Dunk Champ @zachlavine8

To see more of Zach’s life on and off the court, follow @zachlavine8 on Instagram.

As a rookie, Zach LaVine (@zachlavine8) had a reputation as a dunk artist, and after the first round of the 2015 NBA slam dunk contest, he became a worldwide sensation. Zach took the floor in his Minnesota Timberwolves jersey, only to shed it in favor of a Michael Jordan Space Jam uniform and fly under the rim, passing the ball between his legs and slamming it home, backward, with one hand. “My favorite movie is Space Jam. That movie and Michael Jordan inspired me to dunk,” Zach, now 20, says. “I would watch the movie and then go outside and try to re-create the moves, so it was only fitting.” This weekend, Zach defends his title at NBA All-Star Weekend (@nbaallstar) in Toronto and vows he’s not feeling any pressure: “I’ve just been practicing like I did last year and hope to impress the fans.”

photography, NBA, nba all star, Basketball, Slamdunk, sports, zach lavine, timberwolves, spacejam, instagram,

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twoi, the week on instagram, 7 seconds, photojournalism, wardell curry, sierra leone, ecuador, photography, instagram, norway, music, sports, basketball, bear,

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Hoop Dreams in the Philippines with @pinoyhoops

To see more photos of basketball culture across the Philippines, follow @pinoyhoops on Instagram and check out the hashtag #pinoyhoops.

If you ask Michael Olave, better known as Mike Swift (@pinoyhoops), Filipinos love basketball the same way Brazilians love soccer. “It’s the air we breathe,” he says. “It is one of the things that keeps everyone busy, occupied and healthy. Regardless of what level, expect Filipinos to know how to play.”

Raised in New York and now living back in his birth country, the Philippines, Mike is a director, writer and rap artist who shares images that reflect Filipinos’ ingenuity for creating homemade basketball courts. “You can find a hoop in just about any setting you can think of,” he says. “Whether it’s on land, by the water, up in the mountains, backyards, streets — we make hoops out of anything.”

photography, sports, basketball, philippines, manila, mike swift, pinoyhoops, User Feature, instagram,

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The NBA Tip-Off 2013 on Instagram

Tonight, the National Basketball Association’s (@nba) 68th season tips off with three games. In the first match up, the Indiana Pacers (@thepacers) face the Orlando Magic (@magicnba). Then, the defending champions Miami Heat (@miamiheat) take on the Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls). The final game pits the Los Angeles Clippers (@laclippers) against their in-town rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers).

To tune in to photos and videos from players in tonight’s games, be sure to follow them on Instagram:

  • LeBron James, Miami Heat Forward — @kingjames
  • Chris Paul, LA Clippers Point Guard — @cp3
  • Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers Shooting Guard — @kobebryant
  • Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls Small Forward — @luoldeng9
  • Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat Guard — @dwyanewade
  • Paul George, Indiana Pacers Small Forward — @paul_george24

nba, basketball, current event, User Feature,

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March Madness’s Final Teams Compete

Watching from home? Share your viewing party photos with #marchmadness!

After a week and a half of grueling competition, the pool of 64 teams in the NCAA Tournament has been whittled down to just eight teams on the men’s side and 16 on the women’s.

Tonight, the first of the men’s “Elite 8” and women’s “Sweet 16” teams will compete for the right to advance. For the men, the winning teams will earn a trip to the pinnacle of college basketball, the Final Four, which will be hosted in Atlanta this year. For the women, the winners of today’s Sweet 16 will become the Elite 8 and be one step closer to their Final Four in New Orleans.

To get a behind-the-scenes peek at the final games on Instagram, be sure to follow these participating players, teams, and broadcasters:

Players:

  • Trey Burke, Michigan Men’s Basketball – @tr3yburke
  • Mason Plumlee, Duke Men’s Basketball – @masonplumlee
  • Russ Smith, Louisville Men’s Basketball – @im_basedking
  • Davante Gardner, Marquette Men’s Basketball – @davantegardner
  • Bria Hartley, Connecticut Women’s Basketball – @breezyyy14
  • Chiney Ogwumike, Stanford Women’s Basketball – @chiney321
  • Brittney Griner, Baylor Women’s Basketball – @brittney4griner
  • Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame Women’s Basketball – @skydigg4

Teams and Schools:

Media:

  • ESPN, Sports Television Channel – @espn
  • Bill Simmons, Sports Columnist – @sptguy33
  • Dick Vitale, Basketball Sportscaster – @dickiev_espn

You can also browse photos from the arenas where the final games will be held. The men’s Final Four will be at the Georgia Dome (@georgiadome) and the women’s will be at the New Orleans Arena.

current event, elite eight, Basketball,