Oklahoma City Signs Kyle Weaver
The Oklahoma City NBA franchise signed free agent guard Kyle Weaver to a multi-year contract, it was announced Wednesday by the team's General Manager Sam Presti.
Trail Blazers Sign Luke Lackson, Steven Hill and Jamaal Tatum
The Portland Trail Blazers signed forward Luke Jackson, rookie center Steven Hill and rookie guard Jamaal Tatum, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today. Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Jackson (6-7, 215), a four-year NBA veteran, has appeared in 73 career games, averaging 3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 9.9 minutes.
Lakers Sign Second-Rounder Joe Crawford
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Joe Crawford, it was announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
Selected by the Lakers with the 58th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Crawford, a 22 year-old native of Detroit, Michigan, played four seasons at the University of Kentucky, averaging 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 127 games (76 starts).
Warriors' Ellis Undergoes Successful Surgery, Out Three Months
Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis, who suffered a Grade 3 high ankle sprain, a torn deltoid ligament and a syndesmosis disruption of his left ankle last Thursday, underwent successful surgery today to repair the ligament and will be sidelined a minimum of three-plus months, it was announced today. Ellis informed the team that he suffered the injury while working out in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.
The Future of Team USA
On ESPN.COM, Henry Abbot writes "redemption. It is so sweet. It means all the world in 2008. But does it mean that the United States is once again established as clearly the best basketball team in the world? Not so fast. If we learned anything in that thriller of a gold medal game, it's that the competition is excellent, and no team will waltz to any titles. Proving you're the best, in a global basketball environment, means proving you're the best again and again. Ironically underscoring that point is the reality that after this summer's stellar performance the U.S. has dropped to second in FIBA's bizarre world rankings, which account for several years' performance.”
Hammon Reflects on Olympic Journey with Russia
From the ASSOCIATED PRESS, "back in the U.S. with a gleaming bronze medal in hand, Becky Hammon said the controversy surrounding her decision to play basketball for Russia in Beijing has given her fresh perspective on life and humbled her. She also said the medal, which she compared to a "gigantic penny," was a bonus to a long personal journey. ‘This is the game and I think it's important to keep perspective,' said Hammon, back at practice with the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars on Tuesday. ‘And if this is the toughest thing I have to face in life I think I'll have a very easy life. There's bound to be more peaks and valleys along the way and but I think this has helped prepare me for those peaks and valleys that I'll face further in life.'”
Blazers Mourn Duckworth, Who Considered the Team His Family
In the PORTLAND TRIBUNE, Kerry Eggers writes "Kevin Duckworth, the center on Portland's NBA finalists in 1990 and ‘92, died Monday night in the Lincoln City area. He was 44. ‘I'm numb,' said former teammate Jerome Kersey, who flew back from Virginia, where he was visiting family, to Oregon after learning of Duckworth's death. ‘All through last night I kept waking up and thinking, ‘Did I dream that? It just can't be.'‘ The Blazers had a 10 a.m. staff meeting Tuesday at the Rose Garden. ‘Just a chance to talk about this, to talk about Kevin,' Portland General Manager Kevin Pritchard said. "Everybody's in shock right now.'”
NBA China Games to Feature Bucks and Warriors
The NBA China Games will return to China in October with two games featuring the Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors in Beijing and Guangzhou, it was announced today by the NBA and the Chinese Basketball Association.
Luol Deng Insurance Doubt for London 2012
In THE TIMES, Ian Whittell reports "Great Britain Basketball [GBB] officials fear that the insurance problems that are preventing Luol Deng, the Chicago Bulls forward, from playing for his country will rule him out of the 2012 Olympic Games in London and even put Britain's involvement in the tournament in doubt. The sport's governing body has seven days to find $500,000 (about £272,000) for an additional insurance premium if Deng, who is an ambassador for London 2012, is to take his place in the qualifying campaign for next year's European Championship A division finals, starting against Israel in Tel Aviv a week today."
Former Trail Blazer Kevin Duckworth Dies at 44
Kevin Duckworth, 44, a two-time NBA All-Star who starred on Western Conference Championship teams in Portland in 1990 and 1992, passed away Monday evening in Gleneden Beach, Oregon. A member of the Trail Blazers from 1986-93, the 7-footer - affectionately known to Trail Blazers fans simply as "Duck" - also played for San Antonio, Washington, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Clippers during his 11-year NBA career. "Today is an extremely sad day for the Trail Blazers family," Trail Blazers President Larry Miller said. "Kevin will be remembered by fans as one of the most popular and recognizable players to ever wear the Blazers uniform, but to people who knew him, he'll be remembered as one of the warmest and biggest-hearted."
Sun Yue: China's Next Rising NBA Star
In the CHINA DAILY, Zhao Rui writes "so which basketball star have NBA scouts had their eyes on in Beijing? His name is Sun Yue. The point guard played a key role in China's advance to the Olympic quarterfinals. He didn't score much, but his ability to run the team's offense has made him an important player for Team China, which has longed for a decent guard for a while. His performance has also driven up his stock as a future NBA player. 'I want to show myself to the world,' said Sun, who averaged 8.1 points and the team-high 2.3 assists in China's six games at Wukesong Olympic Basketball Arena. 'I tried to do my best and play my part on the court. For me, every second counts at the Olympics, so I want to take the chance to let people know me.'”
World Will Be More Like NBA
In the NEW YORK TIMES, Howard Beck reports "winning Olympic gold in Beijing depended partly on Team USA's ability to cope with the unfamiliar geometry of the international game: a trapezoidal lane, a shallow 3-point arc and a contorted array of driving lanes. But in two years, the trapezoid will be dead, the arc will be a little deeper and the international game will be a bit closer in style to the NBA's. The lane will become a rectangle, emulating the United States model. The arc will move to 6.75 meters (22.1 feet) — closer to the NBA standard of 22 feet 9 inches — from 6.25 meters (20.5 feet). The changes were among several adopted, to little fanfare, by the International Basketball Federation, known as FIBA, in April. The new rules take effect after the world championships in 2010, so they will be in place for the 2012 Olympics in London."
WNBA: Storm's Cash May Miss Second Half of Season
In the SEATTLE TIMES, Jayda Evans reports "Monday was supposed to be the golden return for Olympian Sue Bird, who won her second gold medal with Team USA, and Brazilian Kelly Santos, who showcased her game in Beijing. Instead, there was news about the uncertain status of forward Swin Cash. Cash, 28, has been dealing with a herniated disk in her lower back since last season, needing a cortisone shot during the WNBA's Olympic hiatus to relieve the pain. Cash has received a second medical opinion, and she alluded to the possibility she might not be able to play out the season. Her agent recently mentioned surgery as a possibility. Cash plans to have another discussion with her agent and family about her basketball future.”
NBA Star Shows Basketball Skills to Indonesian Orphans
From XINHUA, "Danny Granger, guard-forward from NBA team Indiana Pacers, teamed up with coaches from Indonesian club Satria Muda Britama (SMB) on Tuesday here to show orphans their basketball skills. The event, a joint U.S. Embassy-NBA Cares basketball clinic, was held in the United States Embassy's basketball court. SMB head coach Fictor and assistants helped to coach 30 orphans on basketball fundamentals. "This is an incredible opportunity to bring our two cultures together with a unique combination of celebrity, volunteerism and leadership," the Ambassador Cameron R. Hume told reporters on Tuesday. During the event, girl orphans from one of the largest Islamic organizations Muhammadiyah looked a bit awkward than boys orphans, so Granger and SMB were more careful in giving coaching to the girls wearing Moslem veils.”
Suns Acquire Sean Singletary
The Phoenix Suns announced Monday that the club has acquired rookie guard Sean Singletary from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard D.J. Strawberry.
NBA Players Grab Up Plenty of Medals in Beijing
The U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team defeated Spain in Sunday's gold medal game in Beijing, bringing the total to 24 current or former NBA players who earned medals at the 2008 Olympic Games.
Dreamy: Leslie Says U.S. Women Have Earned Name, Too
In USA TODAY, Erik Brady writes "maybe the U.S. women, Olympic champs for a fourth consecutive time, have earned a moniker of their own. 'I don't know how (the men) got tagged that name and we are not the Dream Team also,' Lisa Leslie said, ‘or some other name — the Dream-ettes.' How about the Supreme Team? ‘OK,' Leslie said. ‘We'll take that.' If Team USA is the Supremes, then Leslie is its Diana Ross. She is the link between gold in Atlanta and Sydney and Athens and now Beijing. ‘It is a blessing to play in this many Olympics and have all my medals be gold,' she said. ‘I played in a few world championships as well and I do have one bronze medal. And I hate it — I don't even know where it is.'”
U.S. NBA Stars Ready to Sign Up for Another Run at Gold
From AFP, "expect America's NBA heroes to continue sacrificing their summers in quest of Olympic gold, even after returning the United States to global supremacy. Smiles were still locked on the faces of the US NBA superstars after their 118-107 triumph over Spain in Sunday's gold medal game when USA Basketball general manager Jerry Colangelo said half of them were ready to return in 2012. ‘We'll celebrate and then we will talk about going forward,' Colangelo said. ‘Five or six of these guys have said they want to be part of us going forward. But now it's time for a rest' ‘I think so," James said. ‘It has been a great experience for all 12 of us. Not all 12 of us are going to be together again 2012, but we can tell other guys this is one of the best experiences I ever had in my life.”
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