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 Beyonc�. 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.