Luis Da Silva

Luis Fernando "Trikz" Da Silva, Jr. (born 3 August 1982) is an American basketball player, actor, and author. He gained notoriety after headlining the 2001 Nike Freestyle ad campaign.^[1]

Personal life

Da Silva was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He became a vegan in 2010.

Basketball career

In a 2001 episode of This American Life,^[2] Da Silva explained that he was the first street ball athlete ever to be signed to an advertising contract by Nike.^[1] He 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.^[3] In 2003, Luis was also the youngest player signed to the Harlem Wizards Show basketball team.^[4]

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.^[5] 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 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."^[6]

In August 2007, Da Silva 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.^[7]

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.^[8]

In 2009, Da Silva achieved a personal goal of setting a Guinness World Record of 24 consecutive neck catches of a basketball.^[9] In 2009, Da Silva became the youngest person ever inducted into the City of Elizabeth Athletic Hall Of Fame.^[5]

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.^[10]

Acting career

Da Silva began appearing in such films as The Brave One and Pride & Glory in the late 2000s.

Da Silva has produced and directed an instructional DVD entitled "Freestyle 101" which has been created into an Apple application available on iTunes and Apple store.^[11] 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.

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.^[12]

In 2011, Da Silva played in Fast Five and in the 2012 comedy, 21 Jump Street, gaining increasing exposure. With the release of 2013's Dead Man Down, Da Silva had his biggest role yet, as Terrence Howard's righthand man, Terry.^[13] This was followed up by a role in the 2013 summer hit The Heat featuring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.

In 2014, Da Silva completed filming roles for several upcoming films, like Convergence, Aztec Warrior, American Heist, American Project, Triple Nine, and Mr. Right. Da Silva is working on many guest star and co-star roles on episodic series like Graceland and Person of Interest.

Filmography

Writing career

Da Silva published his first children's book titled, A Boy Named Boo, which he wrote and illustrated.

References

http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000941843

External links

• Luis Da Silva at the Internet Movie Database
• Official website
• Freestyle 101 DVD website. Retrieved on 2011-05-04.