Luis Da Silva
Encyclopedia
Luis Fernando "Trikz" Da Silva, Jr. (born August 3, 1982) is an American
basketball player
and actor
. Luis, who has been referred to as "The World's Best Ball Handler" gained notoriety after headlining the 2001 Nike
Freestyle ad campaign and been the face of Steve & Barry's
Starbury
clothing line tour.
, Luis' rise to fame was detailed extensively in an extended interview. During this interview, Luis explained that he was the first street ball
athlete ever to be signed to an advertising contract by Nike
. Luis' signing with Nike preceded other future street ball players and had an immediate and lasting impact on the sport of basketball as well as sports advertising. Trikz performed with Alicia Keys
, in 2001 in New York City’s Niketown while promoting the well known Nike campaign. He was subsequently mentioned in Scoop Jackson’s main division , titled ‘Sole Provider’, which recognized the best of Nike’s 35 year chronicle. In 2003, Luis was also the youngest player signed to the Harlem Wizards
Show basketball team.
After such great exposure through his endorsements, Midway Games
offered Luis a lead in the newly developed video game, L.A. Rush
, which sold 1 million units internationally. He has also worked with Midway performing the video game motion capturing for NBA Ballers
, NBA Ballers: Phenom
, NBA Ballers: Chosen One
, NBA 2K8, NBA 2K9 and AND 1 Streetball
video games. He has been featured in magazines SLAM
and DIME and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal
and the cover of TIME overseas.
In 2006, Stephon Marbury
and Steve & Barry's announced that Luis "Trikz" Da Silva would hit the road on the Starbury SLAM Tour(SM), with the first of many appearances at Steve & Barry's stores and schools across 120 cities in 60 days to perform his unique style of Hip Hop-themed basketball wizardry in front of kids and parents. Andy Todd, president of Steve & Barry's, said "Trikz is not only a phenomenal performer; he's also a phenomenal guy who kids will enjoy seeing and hearing."
In August 2007, Luis fulfilled a childhood dream when he was invited to participate in a Harlem Globetrotters
mini-camp in Houston, TX and two days into the camp was offered a contract to join the legendary team.
In October 2008, the Maryland Nighthawks announced that they selected Luis "Trikz" da Silva with the 14th overall pick as part of their official "Travel team" of the PBL this year, and are set to tour China and other Asian countries during the season.
In 2009, Da Silva achieved a personal goal of setting a Guinness World Records of 24 consecutive neck catches of a basketball. In 2009, Da Silva became the youngest person ever inducted into the City of Elizabeth Athletic Hall Of Fame.
Da Silva has been working on creating his niche in the film industry in such films as "The Brave One
" (co-starring Academy Award winner Jodie Foster
) and "Pride & Glory
" (co-starring Edward Norton
& Colin Farrell
).
Da Silva has produced and directed an instructional DVD entitled "Freestyle 101" which has been created into a Apple
application available on iTunes and Apple store. This DVD is a streetball tutorial that is devoted to inspiring children, adolescents and adults to use basketball in a creative and challenging way of physical fitness. He also became a vegan in 2010 to set an example for others of living a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise.
Da Silva performed with Sean Combs
because of his hit single, ‘Dirty Money - Hello, Good Morning (NCAA Edition) ’ for the time of the 2010 NCAA Finals half-time Show commercial Da Silva also performed during the 2010 World Basketball Festival, in New York City, during the Jay-Z
performance taking place in the Radio City Music Hall
, all presented by Nike
.
March 2011 marks the release of Da Silva's "Freestyle 101" DVD onto Amazon.com
, which is a full-length 47 minute instructional DVD designed to teach and motivate anyone interested in learning basketball's most extraordinary trick moves. This is exclusive DVD is only available for purchase at Amazon.com
in a collaborative effect with Nightowl Productions and Freestyle Dreams Media.
Da Silva plays a new role in the blockbuster "Fast Five" alongside Vin Diesel
and Paul Walker
released this year . Currently, he is filming alongside Jonah Hill
and Channing Tatum
in the 2012 comedy, "21 Jump Street" .
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball player
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Luis, who has been referred to as "The World's Best Ball Handler" gained notoriety after headlining the 2001 Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
Freestyle ad campaign and been the face of Steve & Barry's
Steve & Barry's
Steve & Barry's was an American retail clothing chain, featuring casual apparel. By mid-2008, the chain operated 276 stores in 39 states. The company was headquartered in Port Washington, New York. The company liquidated all of its stores throughout 2008....
Starbury
Starbury
Starbury, Inc. is an American brand of sneakers and clothing endorsed by CBA player Stephon Marbury, and was marketed by Steve and Barry's. The line was launched in September 2006, as a pair of $14.98 basketball shoes to compete with higher priced products endorsed by celebrity athletes...
clothing line tour.
Life and career
Da Silva was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In a 2001 episode of This American LifeThis American Life
This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass. It is distributed by Public Radio International on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays,...
, Luis' rise to fame was detailed extensively in an extended interview. During this interview, Luis explained that he was the first street ball
Streetball
Streetball or street basketball is a variation of the sport of basketball, typically played on outdoor courts and featuring significantly less by way of formal structure and enforcement of the game's rules...
athlete ever to be signed to an advertising contract by Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
. Luis' signing with Nike preceded other future street ball players and had an immediate and lasting impact on the sport of basketball as well as sports advertising. Trikz performed with Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
, in 2001 in New York City’s Niketown while promoting the well known Nike campaign. He was subsequently mentioned in Scoop Jackson’s main division , titled ‘Sole Provider’, which recognized the best of Nike’s 35 year chronicle. In 2003, Luis was also the youngest player signed to the Harlem Wizards
Harlem Wizards
The Harlem Wizards are a basketball team whose history goes back to 1962 when it was created by sports promoter, Howie Davis. Unlike most basketball teams, the Harlem Wizards are not primarily focused on winning matches - instead, their aim is to entertain the crowd using a variety of basketball...
Show basketball team.
After such great exposure through his endorsements, Midway Games
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
offered Luis a lead in the newly developed video game, L.A. Rush
L.A. Rush
L.A. Rush is the 4th installment in the Rush series of video games. It was released in North America for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles on October 10, 2005 and on October 21 in Europe. The PC version was released on November 4 in Europe. PlayStation Portable version was released on October 30,...
, which sold 1 million units internationally. He has also worked with Midway performing the video game motion capturing for NBA Ballers
NBA Ballers
This article is for the original game, for the sequel see NBA Ballers: Phenom.For the PSP version see NBA Ballers: ReboundNBA Ballers is a streetball game which is similar to AND 1 Streetball and gameplay similar to the NBA Jam series. The game features fictional NBA analyst Bob Benson and MC...
, NBA Ballers: Phenom
NBA Ballers: Phenom
For the sequel see NBA Ballers: Chosen One.NBA Ballers: Phenom is a video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is the sequel to NBA Ballers, which featured Stephon Marbury and Chauncey Billups. In this game, celebrities such as Jin, Ludacris, Trikz, Hot Sauce, and Chingy can be played. The main...
, NBA Ballers: Chosen One
NBA Ballers: Chosen One
NBA Ballers: Chosen One is a video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to NBA Ballers: Phenom.NBA Ballers: Chosen One allows players to live the life of an NBA superstar. The game features competitive combo and super-move systems.-Gameplay:When playing, your performance...
, NBA 2K8, NBA 2K9 and AND 1 Streetball
AND 1 Streetball
AND 1 Streetball is a streetball video game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, developed by Black Ops Entertainment and published by Ubisoft. The game was released on June 6, 2006, in conjunction with the AND1 Mixtape Tour...
video games. He has been featured in magazines SLAM
SLAM Magazine
SLAM Magazine is an American basketball magazine in circulation since 1994, published by Source Interlink. SLAM publishes nine issues a year to its circulation of over 500,000 readers worldwide.-History:...
and DIME and on the front page of the Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
and the cover of TIME overseas.
In 2006, Stephon Marbury
Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury is an American professional basketball player.The , point guard was selected out of the Georgia Institute of Technology by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 4th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly thereafter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.He was an NBA...
and Steve & Barry's announced that Luis "Trikz" Da Silva would hit the road on the Starbury SLAM Tour(SM), with the first of many appearances at Steve & Barry's stores and schools across 120 cities in 60 days to perform his unique style of Hip Hop-themed basketball wizardry in front of kids and parents. Andy Todd, president of Steve & Barry's, said "Trikz is not only a phenomenal performer; he's also a phenomenal guy who kids will enjoy seeing and hearing."
In August 2007, Luis fulfilled a childhood dream when he was invited to participate in a Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
mini-camp in Houston, TX and two days into the camp was offered a contract to join the legendary team.
In October 2008, the Maryland Nighthawks announced that they selected Luis "Trikz" da Silva with the 14th overall pick as part of their official "Travel team" of the PBL this year, and are set to tour China and other Asian countries during the season.
In 2009, Da Silva achieved a personal goal of setting a Guinness World Records of 24 consecutive neck catches of a basketball. In 2009, Da Silva became the youngest person ever inducted into the City of Elizabeth Athletic Hall Of Fame.
Da Silva has been working on creating his niche in the film industry in such films as "The Brave One
The Brave One (2007 film)
The Brave One is a 2007 crime-drama/psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan, produced by Joel Silver, and starring Jodie Foster. It was released in the United States on September 14, 2007...
" (co-starring Academy Award winner Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
) and "Pride & Glory
Pride and Glory (film)
Pride and Glory is a 2008 crime drama film directed by Gavin O'Connor. It stars Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, and Noah Emmerich. The film was released on October 24, 2008, in the United States....
" (co-starring Edward Norton
Edward Norton
Edward Harrison Norton is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and producer. In 1996, his supporting role in the courtroom drama Primal Fear garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor...
& Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
).
Da Silva has produced and directed an instructional DVD entitled "Freestyle 101" which has been created into a Apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
application available on iTunes and Apple store. This DVD is a streetball tutorial that is devoted to inspiring children, adolescents and adults to use basketball in a creative and challenging way of physical fitness. He also became a vegan in 2010 to set an example for others of living a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise.
Da Silva performed with Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
because of his hit single, ‘Dirty Money - Hello, Good Morning (NCAA Edition) ’ for the time of the 2010 NCAA Finals half-time Show commercial Da Silva also performed during the 2010 World Basketball Festival, in New York City, during the Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
performance taking place in the Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
, all presented by Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
.
March 2011 marks the release of Da Silva's "Freestyle 101" DVD onto Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, which is a full-length 47 minute instructional DVD designed to teach and motivate anyone interested in learning basketball's most extraordinary trick moves. This is exclusive DVD is only available for purchase at Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
in a collaborative effect with Nightowl Productions and Freestyle Dreams Media.
Da Silva plays a new role in the blockbuster "Fast Five" alongside Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel is an American actor, writer, director and producer. He became known in the early 2000s, appearing in several successful Hollywood films, including The Fast and the Furious and xXx...
and Paul Walker
Paul Walker
Paul William Walker IV is an American actor. He became well known in 1999 after his role in the hit film Varsity Blues. He is also known for starring in the surprise summer hit The Fast and the Furious. His other films include Joy Ride, Running Scared, Into the Blue and Eight Below...
released this year . Currently, he is filming alongside Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill
Jonah Hill Feldstein , known professionally as Jonah Hill, is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, and comedian. Hill is best known roles for his roles in Superbad, Knocked Up, and Get Him to the Greek. He made his theatrical debut in I Heart Huckabees, alongside Jason Schwartzman and Dustin...
and Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum
Channing Matthew Tatum is an American actor and film producer. He began his career as a fashion model and appearing in television commercials for Pepsi and Mountain Dew before turning to film roles...
in the 2012 comedy, "21 Jump Street" .
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama... |
Marvin | TV - 1 episode |
| 2007 | The Brave One The Brave One The Brave One can refer to:* The Brave One , a 1956 American drama film directed by Irving Rapper* The Brave One , a 2007 crime-drama/psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan... |
Lee | |
| 2008 | Pride and Glory Pride and Glory Pride and Glory is Zakk Wylde's first self-fronted album. It has more of a Southern rock sound than Zakk Wylde's other albums incorporating the likes of banjo, harmonica and mandolin.... |
Dominican Bodega Customer | |
| 2009 | Clear Lake, WI | Jason | |
| 2010 | Mercy Mercy Mercy is broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts.The concept of a "Merciful God" appears in various religions from Christianity to... |
Burned Prisoner | TV - 1 episode |
| Southern Fried Stings Southern Fried Stings Southern Fried Stings is an American television series where ex-state trooper Jay Russell and his "Jay Team" portray sting operations throughout the Southern United States. The series consists of scripted "re-enactments" and videotaped in a cinéma vérité style in southern cities... |
Guy | TV - 1 episode | |
| America's Most Wanted America's Most Wanted America's Most Wanted is an American television program produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode... |
Various | TV - 3 episodes | |
| Burn Notice Burn notice A burn notice is an official statement issued by one intelligence agency to other agencies. It states that an individual or a group is unreliable for one or more reasons... |
Prison Gang | TV - 1 episode | |
| 2011 | Loving the Bad Man | Alejandro Garcia De La Paz | |
| The Mortician | Benny | ||
| Fast Five Fast Five (film) Fast Five is a 2011 action film written by Chris Morgan and directed by Justin Lin. It is the fifth installment in the Fast and the Furious film series. It was released first in Australia on April 20, 2011, and then in the United States on April 29, 2011... |
Diogo | ||
| Treme Treme Tremé is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Mid-City District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are Esplanade Avenue to the north, North Rampart Street to the east, St. Louis Street to the south and North Broad Street to the west... |
Brazilian Foreman | TV - 1 Episode | |
| Remnants Remnants Remnants is a science fiction book series authored by K. A. Applegate between July 2001 and September 2003. It is the story of what happens to the survivors of a desperate mission to save a handful of human beings after an asteroid collides with the Earth... |
Russ | Post-Production Also Associate Producer |
|
| In a Pickle | Latino toughs | Post-production | |
| CO2 | Latino gang member | Post-production | |
| 2012 | Dragon Eyes Dragon Eyes Dragon Eyes is an upcoming martial arts film featuring Cung Le and Jean-Claude Van Damme. In New Orleans, a mysterious man looks to unite two warring gangs against the lawmen who have been using them to advance their corrupt agenda.-Cast:... |
Dash | Post-production |
| 21 Jump Street | Luis | Filming | |
| BayTown Disco | Large Vato | Filming | |
| Hound Dogs | Orlando | Pilot Episode Filming |
|
External links
- Freestyle 101 DVD website. Retrieved on 2011-05-04.