Ballot Initiatives

LAST YEAR Raptors forward Chris Bosh courted NBA All-Star voters with a YouTube video that spoofed used-car salesmen. It worked—Bosh started—and spawned these campaign spots.

Amar'e Stoudemire (vote4amare.com)

Strategy: Celebrity endorsements. In a series of spots the Suns' forward (left) gets props from, among others, Michael Jordan and Beyoncé. Well, they're portrayed by Stoudemire's buddy Jay (the Super Fan) Johnson, who holds up cardboard masks of the stars.

Electability: Stoudemire is amusing, but Johnson, who does a funny Shaq, outshines him.

Devin Harris (YouTube)

Strategy: Or should we say strategery? Harris's homage to George W. Bush's press conference in Iraq has the Nets' guard at a podium, dodging shoes thrown by teammates Vince Carter and Yi Jianlian.

Electability: Of the two shoe dodgers, Bush looked more nimble—which kinda calls Harris's All-Star candidacy into question.

Joe Alexander (seejoedunk.com)

Strategy: Stick to a single issue. The Bucks' forward, an aspiring slam dunk contestant, has a series of videos that shows just how obsessive he is about dunking—be it balled-up scrap paper, a Ping-Pong ball or an Oreo.

Electability: Alexander comes off as hyperintense. That didn't work for Ralph Nader, but it makes Alexander's campaign hilarious.

Rudy Fernandez (nba.com)

Strategy: The Clinton-on-Arsenio thing. The Portland swingman (right), another dunk hopeful, sings a bilingual ballad imploring fans to "vote for me, vótame," while strumming nonsensically on a acoustic guitar.

Electability: Here's hoping he dunks better than he sings.

PHOTO

NOAH GRAHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES (FERNANDEZ)

TWO PHOTOS