Ex-NBA Star to Plead Guilty For Shooting His Driver: Retired NBA star Jayson Williams has agreed to a plea deal that would send him to prison for up to three years for accidentally shooting a driver at his New Jersey estate in 2002

posted by texpat to basketball at 08:40 AM - 0 comments

The Memphis Grizzlies are looking to sign Jamaal Tinsley: Less than 2 weeks after Iverson left the team for personal reasons, the Memphis Grizzlies are negotiating a contract with Jamaal Tinsley.

posted by lilnemo to basketball at 03:18 PM - 4 comments

LeBron James: Honor Jordan By Giving Up No. 23: LeBron James has called on all NBA players who wear No. 23 to choose another number as an homage to Michael Jordan. "I feel like no NBA player should wear 23," he said. "I'm starting a petition, and I've got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it." There are 12 other 23s in the league in addition to James: Marcus Camby of the Clippers, B.J. Mullens (Thunder), Stephen Graham (Bobcats), C.J. Watson (Warriors), Jodie Meeks (Bucks), Devin Brown (Hornets), Toney Douglas (Knicks), Lou Williams (76ers), Jason Richardson (Suns), Martell Webster (Trail Blazers), Kevin Martin (Kings) and Wes Matthews (Jazz).

posted by rcade to basketball at 12:09 PM - 38 comments

New Orleans Hornets Fire Coach Byron Scott: After just nine games, the New Orleans Hornets have fired head coach Byron Scott, a move that caught star player Chris Paul off guard because he wasn't consulted beforehand. Scott's team suffered several ugly double-digit losses this year and were beaten by the winless New York Knicks. His record with the team was 203-216. General manager Jeff Bower, who has never been a head coach, takes over the job.

posted by rcade to basketball at 07:11 AM - 7 comments

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Treatment for Rare Leukemia: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 62, was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia last December, he has revealed. The NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points, Jabbar said he's doing well in treatment and hasn't cut back his schedule as a Lakers' assistant coach. "There is hope," he said. "This condition can be treated."

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:45 AM - 7 comments

Allen Iverson Leaves Grizzlies: When Allen Iverson signed a contract with the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason, you just had a feeling it wouldn't end well. If most reports from Saturday night are true, you were right.

posted by BornIcon to basketball at 08:37 AM - 47 comments

Will a Woman Ever Coach an NBA Team?: Nancy Lieberman has become the first woman to coach an NBA D-League team, taking the reins for the new team the Dallas Mavericks are starting in Frisco, Texas. "How many current D-League coaches are enshrined in Springfield, Mass., which is interestingly where Lieberman broke down barriers 23 years ago?" asks Chris Tomasson on AOL FanHouse. "That would be zero."

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:55 AM - 4 comments

Marcus Jordan Costs College Team Endorsement : Adidas has cancelled their contract with the University of Central Florida's basketball program over Jordan's refusal to wear their shoes. Jordan instead appeared on the court for Wednesday's game in his father's trademark Air Jordans.

posted by Tinman to basketball at 11:13 AM - 11 comments

Manu Ginobili Makes Bat-sketball History: After a bat twice interrupted play in the first quarter, Manu Ginobili swatted it out of midair during the San Antonio Spurs' Halloween night game against the Sacramento Kings and carried it offcourt. "I guess in Argentina, bat hunting is part of everyday life," Kings center Spencer Hawes said. "Somebody had to do it, and it wasn't going to be me."

posted by rcade to basketball at 08:36 AM - 17 comments

Publisher Drops NBA Ref Tim Donaghy's Tell-All: Random House, the publisher of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy's book Blowing the Whistle: The Culture of Fraud in the NBA, has dropped the book shortly before its November release, citing "a close legal review of the final manuscript ... and our independent evaluation of some of the author's sources and statements." Donaghy was convicted in 2008 of gambling-related charges including game-fixing and sentenced to 15 months in prison. On Wednesday, Deadspin ran excerpts of the book in which Donaghy claims that refs routinely manipulate games to benefit star players and get a desired outcome, most notably in game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers. "As soon as the referees for the game were chosen, the rest of us knew immediately that there would be a Game 7," writes Donaghy. "[I]t was a shameful performance by [Dick] Bavetta's crew, one of the most poorly officiated games of all time."

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:58 AM - 6 comments

Antoine Walker broke, arrested for writing bad checks: Antoine Walker entered the NBA's maximum-contract financial elite in 1999, the year Boston signed him to a six-year, $71 million deal. As Rick Pitino, then the Celtics president and coach, put it, Walker "will never have to worry about money again in his life." Pitino's prediction, like so many things about his tenure with the Green, proved way off the mark.

posted by dusted to basketball at 06:15 PM - 31 comments

Basketball Player Attacks Fan in Stands: In the Philippine Basketball Association, Wynne Arboleda of the Burger King Whoppers went into the stands and punched a fan several times during Friday night's win over Smart Gilas. Fan Alain Katigbac said that he yelled "Arboleda, matanda ka na hindi mo na kayang abutan si Casio!" and "P--- bakit sinahod mo, p--- bakit sinahod mo!" -- which of course would make anyone mad -- and he's filed a criminal complaint against Arboleda. "I now endure not only physical suffering, but mental anguish, uncontrollable fright, serious anxiety, a besmirched reputation, wounded feelings, moral shock, social humiliation, and other similar emotional and psychological injuries," he said. That's not all. Katigbac's attorney told the Philippine Star, "His parents, who are both in their senior years, had elevated blood pressure after seeing the incident. His wife, who is six months pregnant, shook violently after seeing the incident on television and on the internet and continues to have chills as a result."

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:05 AM - 17 comments

"I'm really hurt, and I really feel taken advantage of for all these years,'': is Isiah Thomas's reaction to multiple allegations in "When the Game Was Ours" a new book written by Larry Bird, Jackie MacMullen, and Magic Johnson. Surprisingly, the allegations in the book are made by Magic, Isiah's former friend.

posted by lilnemo to basketball at 01:24 PM - 13 comments

LeBron James Discusses Cancer Scare: LeBron James had a cancer scare last season because of a potentially cancerous growth in his parotid gland over his right jaw. Testing revealed it was benign and he had it surgically removed. "It was a nerve-racking experience," James said in his first public comments on the matter. "I was on edge for those few days, I was lucky the season was going on and we were playing really well so I could concentrate on basketball."

posted by rcade to basketball at 11:49 AM - 0 comments

LeBron and teammates being treated for swine flu: LeBron James and two of his Cavaliers teammates, Coby Karl and Darnell Jackson, are being treated as if they have the H1N1 virus, after testing positive for Influenza A. The H1N1 virus, or swine flu, is a strain of Influenza A. The Cavaliers are awaiting the test results for the virus while the trio receives treatment. What, King James couldn't heal himself?

posted by cletus7777 to basketball at 08:09 PM - 6 comments

Celtics Hang Blank Championship Banner: The Boston Celtics have hung a blank banner in the rafters of the team's practice facility alongside the one that reads "2008 World Champions." The Celtics added Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels in the off-season. "Blame it on Red," Doc Rivers told the Boston Herald about the banner.

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:39 AM - 21 comments

The Sporting News names Kobe Bryant NBA 'Athlete of the Decade': Even Shaq has a few nice things to say.

posted by lilnemo to basketball at 07:14 PM - 4 comments

Russian Billionaire Reaches Deal to Buy Nets: Russian billionaire Mikhail D. Prokhorov has signed a $200 million deal to become the principal owner of the New Jersey Nets and an investor in the team's arena planned in Brooklyn. Prokhorov, 44, is an industrialist with a net worth of $9.5 billion who is 6 foot 8 inches tall. According to a translation of his blog, one of Prokhorov's goals is that "Russia will receive an equal place in the elite world of basketball."

posted by rcade to basketball at 05:44 PM - 11 comments

NBA Guard Delonte West Arrested with Three Guns: When Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West was arrested Thursday while speeding on a motorcycle in Upper Marlboro, Md., he was carrying a loaded handgun in his pocket, another in a pant leg and a loaded shotgun in a guitar case strapped to his back. West, who lived nearby, has not said what he was doing. My guess: preparing for the zombie apocalypse.

posted by rcade to basketball at 02:59 PM - 20 comments

"They don't know Luol Deng is Barack Obama's favourite basketball player. They don't even know that he is British.": A great piece from the summer basketball camp Deng has hosted for the past five years, reflecting on his ability to inspire young Britons while remaining a relative unknown to the sporting press of his adopted home country.

posted by etagloh to basketball at 11:47 PM - 1 comment

Jordan's Night to Remember Turns Petty: Anyone expecting a thrilling, motivational, historic trip down memory lane from Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame induction speech instead listened to a bitter ex-star attempt to settle old scores.

posted by dyams to basketball at 08:38 AM - 50 comments

Allen Iverson Signs with Memphis Grizzlies: The Memphis Grizzlies have signed veteran guard Allen Iverson to a one-year, $3.5 million contract, a slight drop in pay from the $21 million he earned last season. Career timelinefor the the four-time NBA scoring leader, expected to come off the bench in Memphis.

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:28 PM - 4 comments

Ron Artest Reaches Out to Beer Thrower: Almost five years after "Malice at the Palace," Ron Artest reached out to long distance beer thrower John Green, the fan he charged into the stands to beat up during an Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons game. Artest got his number through friends on Twitter and called him at home. "It was like immediately we kinda vibed," said Artest.

posted by rcade to basketball at 11:37 AM - 6 comments

Rubio inks deal to stay in Europe until 2011: The Wolves are out of a high draft pick after Ricky shuns them to play basketball outside of the NBA for two more seasons.

posted by sgtcookzane to basketball at 12:42 PM - 9 comments

Memphis to vacate Final Four season: Memphis comes up smelling like a Rose, Derrick Rose. Memphis will be forced to vacate the record 38 victories from its Final Four season of 2007-08 under former coach John Calipari because of NCAA violations, The Commercial Appeal reported.

posted by irunfromclones to basketball at 02:59 PM - 15 comments

Louisville Basketball Coach Had Sex with Extortionist: University of Louisville coach Rick Pitino told police he had sex in 2003 with Karen Sypher, a woman who was arrested earlier this year on charges of trying to extort money from him. He later paid her $3,000 to have an abortion. After her indictment, Sypher accused Pitino of raping her, but no charges are being pursued against him because her claims were not credible, according to prosecutors.

posted by texpat to basketball at 08:37 AM - 21 comments

'Reggie Miller Stop Pursuing Married Women': Former NBA star Reggie Miller was reportedly the subject of a banner flown over Southern California beaches this weekend. There's no word yet on who bought the banner, but a neighbor of Miller's in Malibu requested a restraining order against him in June for allegedly stalking his fiancee and harassing her with text messages, according to Deadspin.

posted by rcade to basketball at 01:54 PM - 14 comments

Basketball's Bertuzzi? : In an international friendly tune-up match between Canada and Italy, Stefano Mancinelli responds to a little loose-ball contact with a vicious elbow to the back of Aaron Doornekamp's head. Two Toronto Raptors, Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli were forced to play peacekeeper.

posted by Spitztengle to basketball at 12:08 AM - 4 comments

Rasheed Wallace wants to be a team player in Boston next season.: In what will be an interesting test of chemistry, the Celtics will have Rasheed Wallace on the floor for them next season. Does this create a Fantastic Four? A permanent sub for Kevin Garnett? What is undeniable are the stats. The Celts had two of the top 30 3-point shooters last season (House and Allen), a top 20 scoring leader (Pierce) a top 20 rebounder (Garnett when he's healthy) a top 10 assist and steals leader (Rondo). So how will Wallace fit in? His famous temper aside, is his body simply breaking down, and is this why the Celts could get him for roughly $8mil less than his last year in Detroit?

posted by jeremias to basketball at 07:02 PM - 4 comments

Dallas Mavericks Acquire Shawn Marion in Four-Team Trade: The Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic have agreed on a trade that sends Shawn Marion, Kris Humphries and Greg Buckner to the Mavericks; Devean George, Antoine Wright and Hedo Turkoglu to the Raptors; Jerry Stackhouse, Quincy Douby and cash to the Grizzlies; and a $7 million trade exception to the Magic. Marion arrives with a five-year contract worth $39 million. Turkoglu's inclusion in the trade changes his free agent signing to a sign-and-trade deal. Stackhouse will be bought out with the cash, becoming a free agent. I challenge anyone to summarize this deal in fewer words. My sports blogging moves are unstoppable.

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:53 AM - 8 comments

Nike Confiscates Tapes of Jordan Crawford Dunking on LeBron James: Xavier college guard Jordan Crawford dunked on LeBron James during a pick-up game Monday at the LeBron James Skills Academy. There's no video of the event because James directed Nike to immediately confiscate the tapes of the photographers shooting at the event, according to Gary Parrish of CBS Sports. "I'm kind of pissed," freelance photographer Ryan Miller told Parrish. "I lost my tape." Another player, Michael Gilchrist, had this to say of the dunk: "It happened, and it was bad. That was something to see."

posted by rcade to basketball at 07:43 PM - 16 comments

Lakers Get Artest: Shaq can have LeBron. Ron Artest says he'll take Kobe. Artest, whose versatility and toughness have made him one of the most coveted and combustible players in the NBA, told CBSSports.com Thursday that he's signing with the Lakers. "I'm definitely going to L.A. -- to sign, yeah," Artest said in a phone interview. "Lakers, Lakers, Lakers. I'm in L.A. right now." CBSSports.com

posted by Ron_Karate to basketball at 07:53 PM - 10 comments

Detroit Pistons Fire Coach Michael Curry: The Detroit Pistons have bounced head coach Michael Curry after just one year in the job. Curry was 39-43 with the Pistons, who were swept in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The firing makes a liar of team president Joe Dumars, who said unequivocally in late April that Curry would return next season.

posted by rcade to basketball at 04:06 PM - 7 comments

Shaq Challenges YouTube Trick-Shot God to Game of Horse: After seeing the YouTube video of Bruce Manley shooting trick shots, Shaquille O’Neal challenged him to a game of HORSE for $1,000. Manley accepted and they'll be playing in July. More Manley shooting.

posted by rcade to basketball at 11:12 PM - 7 comments

Orlando Magic Trade for Vince Carter: The Orlando Magic have traded Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie to the New Jersey Nets for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson. This is a homecoming for Carter, who grew up in Daytona Beach 45 minutes' drive from Orlando and won a state championship for Mainland High School. He was teaching at his basketball camp in Orlando when the news broke.

posted by rcade to basketball at 02:21 PM - 6 comments

Shaq traded to Cavs on eve of draft: In exchange for the 37-year-old, 15-time All-Star, the Suns will get about $10 million in savings by acquiring Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic and then releasing Pavlovic, who has only $1.5 million of his $4.95 million salary guaranteed. Phoenix also gets the 46th pick in Thursday night's draft and $500,000. Phoenix and Cleveland have discussed an O'Neal deal since before the February trade deadline. O'Neal was a third-team All-NBA pick this year after playing in 75 games and averaging 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds with career-best 60.9 percent shooting.

posted by tommytrump to basketball at 01:26 AM - 9 comments

The San Antonio Spurs send three players to Milwaukee, get Richard Jefferson in return.: The Bucks receive Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, and Kurt Thomas, all of whom are entering the final year of their contracts.

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 03:43 PM - 11 comments

One Area Where Hockey Has It Right: The NBA Draft should take a page from the NHL, says New York Daily News writer Elliot Olshansky.

posted by TheQatarian to basketball at 10:25 AM - 4 comments

Lakers Win NBA Championship: The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 99-86 Sunday, giving the franchise its 15th NBA championship, Coach Phil Jackson his 10th championship, and star Kobe Bryant his fourth.

posted by rcade to basketball at 10:44 PM - 26 comments

How Johnny Kerr's Streak Ended at 844 Games: The late Johnny "Red" Kerr held the consecutive game streak in the NBA, playing in 844 consecutive games from 1954 to 1965, until it was broken by Randy Smith in 1983. Bob Greene tells the story of how it ended -- Baltimore Bullets Coach Paul Seymour intentionally held him out for one game. "[C]an you conceive of Lou Gehrig's manager letting him sit on the bench while his streak was still going, and not even telling him he wouldn't be getting into the game?" Greene asks.

posted by rcade to basketball at 12:20 PM - 5 comments