SLAM Magazine has announced the release of its first ever Canadian issue, with athletes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kia Nurse and Steve Nash on the cover.

Gilgeous-Alexander is a Toronto native currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA. Nurse hails from Hamilton, Ontario, and plays for the Phoneix Mercury in the WNBA. Nash, who grew up in British Columbia, played in the NBA for 18 years, most notably for the Phoenix Suns as a two-time league MVP. Currently, he is the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA.

The new issue also teases other notable figures in Canadian basketball, including Vince Carter, Natalie Achonwa, Drake and “Superfan” Nav Bhatia.

Each cover issue comes with a QR code that, when scanned, activates a virtual reality cover. Users can then ‘play’ the cover issue where the magazine and athletes come to life. 

SLAM is an American basketball magazine founded in 1994 that produces bimonthly issues. The initial magazines incorporated the intersection of sport and hip-hop culture.  

The SLAM Canada Issue 1 releases on Friday, May 20.