Babb’s Feud with the Backboard

Highest-flying Rainier Beach Viking assaulted by Tacoma Dome equipment

Mar 11, 2026

Rainier Beach’s Kam Babbs boinks his head on the bottom of the backboard after an attempted lob for dunk. (Photo by Glenn Nelson)

Kam Babbs jumps so high, his Rainier Beach Vikings just love to lob the ball so he can catch and dunk it. They did it all the time in practice.

All … the … time …

Tyran Stokes even launched lobs virtually the length of the court — during games.

Everyone loves watching Rainier Beach’s Kam Babbs dunk a basketball. (Photo by Glenn Nelson)

But there are consequences to such high-altitude theatrics. Air sickness isn’t one of them; the forays don’t last that long. Neither is oxygen deprivation; Babbs doesn’t get that high.

The problem: Babbs isn’t fixed in space, but the equipment on a basketball court is. Especially the backboard. And, if a teammate’s aim is even a little off, Babbs can encounter turbulence, real hard turbulence.

Kam Babbs had to duck under the backboard on a teammate’s errant lob. (Photo by Glenn Nelson)

Babbs’ battles with the backboard were observed during the state 3A semifinals and finals. He lost one, but he emerged from the tournament a champion — and relatively unscathed.

Kam Babbs otherwise remains one of the most grounded Rainier Beach Viking.