Don’t miss out on Episode 6 of Streetball: The Untold Stories of Basketball Stars! Be sure to check out all the segments on Ballislife’s main YouTube Channel. Exclusive to members, this documentary is one of the most highly produced projects Ballislife has ever crafted.
Streetball: Ballislife Episode 6 East vs. West Coast
Released every weekend, episodes one and two explored the history of streetball, along with the trials and tribulations of the East Coast Squad. Episode 3 dials in Kyrie Irving’s “More than a Run” invite in New Jersey, featuring Nasir Core and the East Coast Squad. Episode 4 highlighted Irving’s 1v1 tournament for $5,000! In Episode 5, which dropped last week, Ballislife East and Brandon Boss “BodyBag” being tested at an Alabama takeover.
Episode 1: The history of streetball— watch here!
Episode 2: East Coast Squad— watch here!
Episode 3: Nasir Core + East Coast at Kyrie Irving’s New Jersey event—watch here!
Episode 4: Kyrie Irving’s 1v1 5k tournament—watch here!
Episode 5: Ballislife East Coast squad gets tested in Alabama–watch here!
East Coast vs. West Coast Rematch
The entire streetball series has led to this very moment: the East vs. West Coast rematch in Venice Beach. Taking place in September 2023, not only is the East up for redemption, but bragging rights and a $10,000 prize are also on the line.
Ballislife co-founder Arek Kissoyan initially thought this clash would be a prime opportunity to showcase content. It turns out that this showdown became deeply personal for both sides—when I say deeply, I mean deeply.
Right off the bat, the two sides are seen getting physical, setting the tone for the entire episode. The segment frames the lead-up to the event and the atmosphere of streetball, including fans, high-energy crowds, an MC, and nonstop hype. Fans often crowd the corners of the court during high-stakes streetball matchups. At times, the crowd even storms the court.
Chaos, emotion, tension, and physicality—Episode 6 shows it all.
East Coast Squad
All eyes are on the East Coast team, which has largely rebuilt to match the West Coast team. Refusing to go down without a fight, Nasir Core is healthy and ready for the matchup. Stating that Game 1 sets the tone for everything, is Nas predicting the future?
Austin Mills knows what to expect from the West, having matched up with them before. While the East was once disconnected, players like Debaji Walker have become vocal leaders, providing defensive energy and two-way prowess.
Expressing the need for unity, Timothy Carter (ClampGod) says it’s “us vs. Cali.” At the end of the day, the East is entering uncharted territory in the trenches of Venice Beach. Is it fair that the West gets a rematch on its home turf?
Marcus “Monstar” Bell at the Center
Episode 6 fully focuses on West Coast squad member Marcus “Monstar” Bell. Barely 10 minutes into the segment, Monstar is seen practically putting Nas in a chokehold. The situation escalates so seriously that director Janine Sides shows Monstar clips of the altercations.
Trash talk and staredowns are expected, but this is next level. While the West has always been a dominant team, Ballislife co-founders Kissoyan and Matt Rodriguez didn’t mince words, stating that the West Coast squad “showed no class” outside of BodyBag and Bionic.
Game 2 Gets HEATED!
At the center of the action, Monstar reacted after being scored on by Walker. Moments later, he was seen throwing a player to the ground. Both benches cleared, igniting a massive fight.
The physicality at this point turned chaos into something far more dangerous. With Ballislife security present, Monstar was assessed a technical foul. While the referees gave him a warning, it apparently didn’t register.
Repeatedly testing the boundaries of what streetball tolerates, the situation continued to escalate, intensifying after a loose ball. Monstar jumped on Nas, throwing elbows while players were on the floor. This prompted another fight, and Marcus was ultimately ejected. As Bionic said, this had become an MMA fight, not streetball.
Rodriguez called Monstar’s actions “unacceptable” and criticized the two cheap elbows. He also insinuated that this may not be the first occurrence, admitting he didn’t know “if it’s out of character” for the West.
Despite the turmoil, the East stayed composed. Nas sealed the game with a free throw, putting the East up 1-0 over the West. While the West was seen as the favorite, Bionic admitted that his squad was outmatched by the East’s positive mindset, eagerness, and hunger. Usually, this is a West Squad that wins games 3-0, but the East’s confidence conquered them.
Streetball: The Untold Stories of Basketball
Defending Monstar
Marcus later admitted he “blacked out” and felt targeted. In his defense, he believes players shouldn’t drop to the ground on purpose to get the ball.
Nicknamed “Monstar,” Marcus says everyone attempts to bully him. Admitting he’s the bully, he says he’s that way everywhere, from streetball to the Drew League. Angered by provocation, Monstar often points fingers at others.
The series doesn’t focus solely on the game—it also takes a deep, personal look at the players’ lives. Monstar’s actions may not be warranted, but Ballislife captures his backstory. Disclosing his rough upbringing, Marcus talks about strained family relationships, although he remains in contact with his sisters today.
Calling life “dysfunctional,” it hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows. A father of four, he calls his kids his “therapy” and is very involved in their lives. His goal? To be a successful dad—a role model for his children.
Matt Rodriguez often talks about the stigma of marijuana in the NBA, and Marcus was affected by the previous strict cannabis laws in the league. He cites Kevin Durant, widely regarded as one of the purest scorers in NBA history, as a role model. Durant hasn’t shied away from his cannabis use and remains one of the elite players in the league. Over time, these laws have relaxed, but for Marcus, the restrictions shaped his career.
Eventually banned from FIBA and even tryouts, Marcus never had the chance to pursue his NBA dreams. While that was always the goal, he says there are opportunities and money elsewhere.
He calls Ballislife “a dream come true.” Like so many others, the brand continues to change lives.
Game 2 is in Full Force
The East Coast heads into the second game with the poise they need, but will it be enough?
East came out swinging in Game 1, which the West did not expect. Mills says the team has the right mentality, which is everything in sports. BodyBag threw down a slam, giving the West a blazing 2-0 lead in the second game. Shortly after, Mills drives to the basket, sparking another point of contention.
This time, Ty Glover (West Coast) and Timothy Carter clash after some trash talk following a hard screen. Marcus heads to the bench, but the incident fires up the rest of the squad.
As trash talk continues, Episode 6 leaves viewers on the edge of their seats, with the outcome of the rematch unresolved and tension running high between both squads.
Stay tuned for Episode 7 next week….
Follow Sara Jane Gamelli on X: @SaraJGamelli.
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