Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson, a.k.a. Tippy Toe Joe. Photo by Art Streiber for ESPN The Magazine.

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The thief-in-the-night concept for Art Streiber‘s recent ESPN The Magazine photo shoot with Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson derived from the nickname Johnson earned for his sly moves on the court: Tippy Toe Joe. “The moniker is so perfect that we decided to bring it life in the first of a series of homages to those nickname-inspired posters made famous by John and Tock Costacos in the late ’80s,” explain the editors.

They sent Art a rough sketch of Tippy Toe Joe stealing a basketball from a posh gallery, à la Ocean’s Eleven. Then set designer Rob Strauss developed the idea, and Art brought it to life.

“Art was completely enthusiastic about the idea,” says the magazine’s director of photography, Karen Frank, in a behind-the-scenes look at the shoot at espn.go.com. “I chose Art not only because he’s a great photographer but he also loves a challenge and he’s a great collaborator.” Click on the screenshot below to read and see more.

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Click to read about the shoot at espn.go.com.

Tippy Toe Joe on set with (from left) ESPN The Magazine contributor Stacey Pressman; Karen Frank, the magazine’s director of photography; and Stockland Martel photo agent Khadijat Oseni. Photo courtesy Inna Khavison.

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