By CHRIS PERKINS
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 25, 2007
MIAMI — The Heat filled several deficiencies with one trade Wednesday when it acquired swingman Ricky Davis and center Mark Blount from Minnesota, and sent forwards Antoine Walker and Wayne Simien, center Michael Doleac and a conditional first-round pick to the Timberwolves.
The major components of the deal are Davis and Walker, talented but sometimes troubled players, although neither is considered a bad seed.
Tom Heinsohn, the Hall of Famer, former coach and longtime television analyst of the Boston Celtics, has rare insight on the deal. He saw Walker, Davis and Blount on a nightly basis when each played for Boston. He said the trade reestablishes Miami as a favorite to win the Eastern Conference title, but added everything still rests on center Shaquille O'Neal.
"If Shaq isn't 100 percent they're going to struggle even with Ricky Davis and Dwyane Wade," Heinsohn said.
Heat President and coach Pat Riley was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Davis, a multitalented 10th-year player, likely will start at small forward for Miami, be the No. 3 scorer when guard Wade returns from off-season shoulder and knee surgeries, and serve as a three-point shooter. In addition, he's athletic, can play perimeter defense and occasionally play backup shooting guard. Each is a valuable role for the Heat.
Davis was with the Heat in the 2000-01 season but played just seven games. Last season he averaged 17 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists for Minnesota. He shot 46.5 percent from the field, including a career-best 39.7 percent on three-pointers. He has averaged 16.5 ppg in the past six seasons.
But Davis has served at least two team-imposed suspensions in the past five years because of his conduct and was involved in one of the NBA's most infamous plays in recent memory in 2003 when he tried to complete the first triple-double of his career in what many considered unethical fashion.
Davis, playing for Cleveland at the time, tried to intentionally shoot at the wrong basket so he could grab a rebound and attain his 10th board. Cleveland was leading Utah by 25 points at the time and only six seconds remained in the game. Utah guard DeShawn Stevenson, outraged by the act, wrapped his arms around Davis, preventing the attempted shot.
Said Davis: "They should be mad. Any team that gets beat that bad shouldn't be happy. But I wouldn't do it again. I just wouldn't."
This came a few months after Davis served a two-game suspension imposed by Cleveland coach John Lucas for "disciplinary reasons."
In January, Davis served a team-imposed one-game suspension after he refused to reenter Minnesota's 104-98 double overtime loss against Detroit.
"Ricky is very, very competitive if guided in the right direction," Heinsohn said.
But, Heinsohn warned, "If he feels like he's not part of what's going on he could rebel because he's a strong personality."
Walker, a multitalented 12th-year player, drew Riley's ire twice this year. He served a four-game suspension in January for being over the team-mandated body-fat limit and sat out at least one training-camp practice this month for the same infraction.
The Timberwolves say they aren't concerned.
"Pat's idea of conditioning and the rest of us, I think we're a little different," said Kevin McHale, Minnesota's vice president of basketball operations. "I'd say he's probably in pretty good shape."
Both teams made out OK salary-wise.
Blount, 31, averaged 12.3 points and 6.2 rebounds last season but brings a big contract. He's due $7.6 million this year and $8.2 million next year. There's a player option for $8.8 million in 2009-10, meaning Blount could opt out and become an unrestricted free agent, but it's unlikely because he'd never get as much from another team.
Still, Blount should be an upgrade over Doleac as the No. 3 center behind O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning. And he'll slide in as O'Neal's primary backup when Mourning retires after this season, solving another Heat worry.
Davis will earn $6.8 million this season but he's in the final year of his deal.
Doleac's agent, Glenn Schwartzman, who is based in West Palm Beach, said his client is upbeat.
"It's been good," he said of Doleac's three seasons with the Heat. "When we first signed the deal three years ago he was brought in to be Shaq's backup. Obviously (with center Alonzo Mourning's return), his role has changed. I think he's excited to go to another place and play as a regular like he did his first year here."
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Kings G Mike Bibby out 6-8 weeks with injured thumb
October 27, 2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season after tearing a ligament in his left thumb.
Bibby was injured during Thursday's practice, and an MRI revealed the tear Friday night. The injury could sideline the point guard for two months or longer, the team said.
Bibby averaged 17.1 points and 4.7 assists last season while playing in all 82 games for the Kings, who missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons. The 10th-year pro, a former No. 2 overall draft pick, has been with Sacramento for the past six seasons, missing just two games over the previous four years.
Bibby played through a serious injury to his right thumb last season. With a tendon detached from the bone, he finished with the worst shooting percentage of his career.
The Kings already lost rookie center Spencer Hawes to a knee injury during training camp, and forward Ron Artest is suspended for the first seven games of the regular season after pleading no contest to a charge related to domestic violence.
Quincy Douby, a second-year pro from Rutgers, will take Bibby's place in the starting lineup. He scored 12 points while starting in the Kings' preseason finale in Las Vegas on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby will miss at least the first six weeks of the regular season after tearing a ligament in his left thumb.
Bibby was injured during Thursday's practice, and an MRI revealed the tear Friday night. The injury could sideline the point guard for two months or longer, the team said.
Bibby averaged 17.1 points and 4.7 assists last season while playing in all 82 games for the Kings, who missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons. The 10th-year pro, a former No. 2 overall draft pick, has been with Sacramento for the past six seasons, missing just two games over the previous four years.
Bibby played through a serious injury to his right thumb last season. With a tendon detached from the bone, he finished with the worst shooting percentage of his career.
The Kings already lost rookie center Spencer Hawes to a knee injury during training camp, and forward Ron Artest is suspended for the first seven games of the regular season after pleading no contest to a charge related to domestic violence.
Quincy Douby, a second-year pro from Rutgers, will take Bibby's place in the starting lineup. He scored 12 points while starting in the Kings' preseason finale in Las Vegas on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Griffin autopsy shows alcohol in system when hit by train
October 26, 2007
HOUSTON (AP) -- Former NBA player Eddie Griffin had more than three times the legal alcohol limit in his system when he crashed his sport utility vehicle into a moving train and died this summer, according to an autopsy report released Friday.
The Harris County Medical Examiner's office said the 25-year-old Griffin died of "multiple blunt force injuries." The medical examiner's office performed tests on Griffin's bile and blood from his heart and liver and determined his blood-alcohol level was 0.26. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08.
Tests found no traces of cocaine, amphetamines or any other narcotics.
The 6-foot-10 Griffin was killed about 1:20 a.m. on Aug. 17. His injuries from the fiery crash included two collapsed lungs, a lacerated liver and kidney, four broken ribs and burns over most of his body.
Griffin was born in Philadelphia and was considered one of the nation's top prospects coming out of Roman Catholic High School. He averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks as a freshman at Seton Hall, but he got into a fight with a teammate during the 2000-01 season, a sign of the problems to come.
He was drafted seventh overall in 2001 by New Jersey, and was immediately dealt to Houston. Griffin averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.63 blocks over his first two seasons with the Rockets. In November 2003, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, after a woman claiming to be his girlfriend accused him of punching her in the face and shooting a pistol at her car as she drove away.
Griffin missed practices and a team flight, and the Rockets suspended him, then cut him in December 2003. He quickly signed by the Nets, but he was soon jailed for a violation tied to the shooting incident and linked to a late-night fight at a New Jersey hotel.
Minnesota signed him for 2004-05 season. He occasionally put up big numbers with the Wolves, but also continued to find trouble off the court.
He pleaded guilty early in the 2006-07 season after hitting a parked car while out late one night in Minneapolis. He was later suspended by the NBA for five games in January for violating the anti-drug program and the Wolves cut him in March 2007.
Griffin was living in Houston at the time of his death and talked about making a professional comeback only weeks before the fatal crash.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Former NBA player Eddie Griffin had more than three times the legal alcohol limit in his system when he crashed his sport utility vehicle into a moving train and died this summer, according to an autopsy report released Friday.
The Harris County Medical Examiner's office said the 25-year-old Griffin died of "multiple blunt force injuries." The medical examiner's office performed tests on Griffin's bile and blood from his heart and liver and determined his blood-alcohol level was 0.26. The legal limit in Texas is 0.08.
Tests found no traces of cocaine, amphetamines or any other narcotics.
The 6-foot-10 Griffin was killed about 1:20 a.m. on Aug. 17. His injuries from the fiery crash included two collapsed lungs, a lacerated liver and kidney, four broken ribs and burns over most of his body.
Griffin was born in Philadelphia and was considered one of the nation's top prospects coming out of Roman Catholic High School. He averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks as a freshman at Seton Hall, but he got into a fight with a teammate during the 2000-01 season, a sign of the problems to come.
He was drafted seventh overall in 2001 by New Jersey, and was immediately dealt to Houston. Griffin averaged 8.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.63 blocks over his first two seasons with the Rockets. In November 2003, he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, after a woman claiming to be his girlfriend accused him of punching her in the face and shooting a pistol at her car as she drove away.
Griffin missed practices and a team flight, and the Rockets suspended him, then cut him in December 2003. He quickly signed by the Nets, but he was soon jailed for a violation tied to the shooting incident and linked to a late-night fight at a New Jersey hotel.
Minnesota signed him for 2004-05 season. He occasionally put up big numbers with the Wolves, but also continued to find trouble off the court.
He pleaded guilty early in the 2006-07 season after hitting a parked car while out late one night in Minneapolis. He was later suspended by the NBA for five games in January for violating the anti-drug program and the Wolves cut him in March 2007.
Griffin was living in Houston at the time of his death and talked about making a professional comeback only weeks before the fatal crash.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Houston ends comeback attempt with Knicks
NEW YORK (AP) -- Allan Houston ended his comeback attempt with the New York Knicks on Saturday, saving Isiah Thomas from possibly having to cut one of the top scorers in franchise history.
Houston rejoined his former team late last week, two years after he was forced to retire because of chronic knee pain. However, the Knicks already had the maximum 15 players under contract, and Thomas said he only gave the 36-year-old guard an invite to camp because of his history in New York.
Houston's chances were even slimmer because he didn't join the team until 10 days after practices began. He cited the timing issue in his decision to walk away again.
"While my body and my knees, in particular, feel fine, I know what is required for me to be truly effective in the NBA again, and it involves a timing and progression that would not be fair to Isiah and the Knicks right now," Houston said in a statement released by the Knicks. "With the season opening less than two weeks away, I think it is best for the team to move on without me. I appreciate the opportunity that Isiah and the Knicks have given me, and I wish the team nothing but success."
Houston played only six minutes in his lone preseason appearance Wednesday at Boston, then sat out a game at New Jersey the next night.
Houston spent nine seasons with the Knicks and is fourth on the team's career scoring list. He said upon his return that he didn't think he would try to latch on with another team if he didn't stick with the Knicks.
Houston rejoined his former team late last week, two years after he was forced to retire because of chronic knee pain. However, the Knicks already had the maximum 15 players under contract, and Thomas said he only gave the 36-year-old guard an invite to camp because of his history in New York.
Houston's chances were even slimmer because he didn't join the team until 10 days after practices began. He cited the timing issue in his decision to walk away again.
"While my body and my knees, in particular, feel fine, I know what is required for me to be truly effective in the NBA again, and it involves a timing and progression that would not be fair to Isiah and the Knicks right now," Houston said in a statement released by the Knicks. "With the season opening less than two weeks away, I think it is best for the team to move on without me. I appreciate the opportunity that Isiah and the Knicks have given me, and I wish the team nothing but success."
Houston played only six minutes in his lone preseason appearance Wednesday at Boston, then sat out a game at New Jersey the next night.
Houston spent nine seasons with the Knicks and is fourth on the team's career scoring list. He said upon his return that he didn't think he would try to latch on with another team if he didn't stick with the Knicks.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Jason Kidd Accused Of Grabbing Women's Crotch In Club - NYDaily News
Jason Kidd's idea that he can do whatever he wants to women has not ended, it seems.
Model claims Jason Kidd molested her in club
BY MIKE JACCARINO, ALISON GENDAR and TINA MOORE
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU
Thursday, October 18th 2007, 8:40 AM
A 23-year-old aspiring model who came to the city to find fame has instead found herself embroiled in a scandal with a big-time sports star.
The woman told cops New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd groped her crotch at a Manhattan club on Oct. 10 and then grabbed her a second time when she complained, a police source said.
"This is a young girl and she is very shaken by this, and I have to let the justice system run its course," said the woman's lawyer, Russell Adler. "The DA is working on the case right now."
A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office said she could not confirm whether her office was investigating. Adler, of Fort Lauderdale, refused to provide further details about his client's allegations.
"This isn't a regular person," Adler said of Kidd. "This is a basketball player, so you have to be very careful."
The complaint says Kidd was partying at club Tenjune on Little West 12th St. when he walked up to the woman and grabbed her crotch at about 2:30 a.m., a police source said.
The woman said she and Kidd got into an argument and he grabbed her a second time, the source said. Bouncers broke up the spat. Kidd was not ejected from the club, the source said.
The woman filed a complaint against the NBA All-Star the following day, the source said. The Daily News does not publish the names of alleged sexual assault victims.
A police source said cops hadn't talked to Kidd as of yesterday afternoon.
Kidd has had a stormy relationship with his ex-wife, Joumana Kidd, for years. Kidd pleaded guilty in a domestic-violence incident six years ago while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
In January 2001, Kidd was arrested after his wife alleged that he slapped her in the face during an argument.
Kidd pleaded guilty to spousal abuse, was fined $200 and ordered to take anger-management training.
He claimed in divorce papers earlier this year to be the victim of spousal abuse himself. The filing came a day after a court issued him a temporary restraining order against her.
tmoore@nydailynews.com
Model claims Jason Kidd molested her in club
BY MIKE JACCARINO, ALISON GENDAR and TINA MOORE
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU
Thursday, October 18th 2007, 8:40 AM
A 23-year-old aspiring model who came to the city to find fame has instead found herself embroiled in a scandal with a big-time sports star.
The woman told cops New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd groped her crotch at a Manhattan club on Oct. 10 and then grabbed her a second time when she complained, a police source said.
"This is a young girl and she is very shaken by this, and I have to let the justice system run its course," said the woman's lawyer, Russell Adler. "The DA is working on the case right now."
A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office said she could not confirm whether her office was investigating. Adler, of Fort Lauderdale, refused to provide further details about his client's allegations.
"This isn't a regular person," Adler said of Kidd. "This is a basketball player, so you have to be very careful."
The complaint says Kidd was partying at club Tenjune on Little West 12th St. when he walked up to the woman and grabbed her crotch at about 2:30 a.m., a police source said.
The woman said she and Kidd got into an argument and he grabbed her a second time, the source said. Bouncers broke up the spat. Kidd was not ejected from the club, the source said.
The woman filed a complaint against the NBA All-Star the following day, the source said. The Daily News does not publish the names of alleged sexual assault victims.
A police source said cops hadn't talked to Kidd as of yesterday afternoon.
Kidd has had a stormy relationship with his ex-wife, Joumana Kidd, for years. Kidd pleaded guilty in a domestic-violence incident six years ago while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
In January 2001, Kidd was arrested after his wife alleged that he slapped her in the face during an argument.
Kidd pleaded guilty to spousal abuse, was fined $200 and ordered to take anger-management training.
He claimed in divorce papers earlier this year to be the victim of spousal abuse himself. The filing came a day after a court issued him a temporary restraining order against her.
tmoore@nydailynews.com
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
LeBron James Looms Large in Shanghai for NBA and Nike
By STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports Writer
Posted Oct 16 2007 6:07PM
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 16 (AP) -- LeBron James looms large in Shanghai.
He hovers over a basket in billboards around the city leading to Wednesday's NBA exhibition game between his Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic and another game Saturday in the former Portuguese territory of Macau.
"For me, growing up, I never thought about having a billboard anywhere,'' James said Tuesday, slipping off a white NBA headband and replacing it with a Cleveland Indians cap.
"You see them (billboards) locally, and then you start seeing them a little bit nationwide. And now worldwide. It's like, wow. It's like extra credit. It's unbelievable. You would never think that you could have your face somewhere else where you don't even live.''
James' shoe sponsor converted a Shanghai art gallery into a LeBron James showroom. Dubbed the "LBJ Museum,'' the promotion this week includes a freshly shellacked basketball court, aimed at pitching James in China, where 300 million people - the population of the United States - play basketball.
Nike also unveiled the latest version of James' signature shoe on Tuesday. It's the second time it's picked China - ahead of the U.S. - to show off James' newest offering. The "limited edition'' shoe was selling Tuesday for almost $200.
Nike's newest TV spot featuring James also kicked off this week in China, several weeks ahead of its U.S. premiere.
James is a hot property in basketball's most dynamic marketplace. And the NBA and Nike know it, both looking toward next year's Beijing Olympics, where James would surely capture world attention if he leads the beleaguered American basketball team to a gold medal.
Several hundred Chinese reporters and photographers showed up for Tuesday's practice at the Lu Wan Stadium. They engulfed James at the far end of the floor when he stopped shooting. He squatted on a low-slung bench, back against the wall, and stared up to answer questions, cutting deep furrows across his forehead.
"Every time I'm here it's the same response: It's great, the fans love us, the kids are great,'' James said. "The spirit the Chinese have for the game of basketball is great. Nothing surprises me now.''
He was asked whether the Cavaliers will reach the NBA finals again and the pressures facing him as another season awaits.
"I don't believe in pressure,'' he said. "So it's not hard to reduce it when you don't believe in it.''
James is one of the four most popular NBA players in China. Kobe Bryantis probably No. 1, with China-born Yao Ming, James and Allen Iverson jousting for the next spots. At 22, James is the youngest and - get this - might be more popular than Yao.
"The Chinese are looking for individual heroes,'' said Huang Risheng, a reporter with the Chinese-language Titan sports newspaper. "We are not open enough, not extroverted enough. We like the individual effort, just one man saving the whole team like James.''
"I think those three are more popular than Yao Ming. It's a contradiction. Maybe I should say we like their style of play better.''
Like the NBA, Nike's business is soaring in China. The country could generate $1 billion next year, up from about $100 million just five years ago. The NBA's does about $50 million annually and should follow Nike's growth pattern.
Nike has fashioned the preseason games in China around James, who reportedly has a seven-year deal with the shoemaker worth $90 million. Shoe rival Adidas is also promoting the games, stringing up its ads on Huaihai Road, a swanky street that includes many of the city's high-end boutiques.
Adidas' main star is the Magic's Dwight Howard, whose thundering dunks carry the company's pitch.
Nike doesn't liken James to Michael Jordan, but others have. That included at least one Chinese reporter.
"It's great to be compared to one of the greats, but my game and his game are totally different,'' James said.
The "LBJ Museum'' - it's unclear how many people recognize the initials as those of a former U.S. president - is aimed at drawing young fans. It is located near the historic French Concession area in central Shanghai. The museum offers 3-on-3 games in the run-up to this week's exhibitions and introduces James with childhood photos, jerseys from high school and shoes he's worn with Nike.
There's also a history of his NBA career starting with a photo alongside NBA commissioner David Stern from June 22, 2003, when James was chosen No. 1 in the draft.
"The idea is to help Chinese youth understand who he is, his career, his history and his personality,'' Nike spokesman Alan Marks said.
The museum also displays a copy of James' birth certificate: Dec. 30, 1984, born in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria James.
"For the first years of his life LeBron is raised by his mother and grandmother, Freda, on Hickory Street in Akron,'' reads a caption. "A milk crate hung on a telephone pole serves as the neighborhood basketball hoop attached by a few nails at whatever height the tallest available boy can reach.''
Teammate Drew Gooden said James' popularity hinges not on charm or athletic skill but on being genuine and delivering.
"He came into the league as a superstar, but for him to fill those shoes makes it all that much better,'' Gooden said. "When you live up to the hype people respect that, especially fans.''
That includes Chinese fans.
Posted Oct 16 2007 6:07PM
SHANGHAI, China, Oct. 16 (AP) -- LeBron James looms large in Shanghai.
He hovers over a basket in billboards around the city leading to Wednesday's NBA exhibition game between his Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic and another game Saturday in the former Portuguese territory of Macau.
"For me, growing up, I never thought about having a billboard anywhere,'' James said Tuesday, slipping off a white NBA headband and replacing it with a Cleveland Indians cap.
"You see them (billboards) locally, and then you start seeing them a little bit nationwide. And now worldwide. It's like, wow. It's like extra credit. It's unbelievable. You would never think that you could have your face somewhere else where you don't even live.''
James' shoe sponsor converted a Shanghai art gallery into a LeBron James showroom. Dubbed the "LBJ Museum,'' the promotion this week includes a freshly shellacked basketball court, aimed at pitching James in China, where 300 million people - the population of the United States - play basketball.
Nike also unveiled the latest version of James' signature shoe on Tuesday. It's the second time it's picked China - ahead of the U.S. - to show off James' newest offering. The "limited edition'' shoe was selling Tuesday for almost $200.
Nike's newest TV spot featuring James also kicked off this week in China, several weeks ahead of its U.S. premiere.
James is a hot property in basketball's most dynamic marketplace. And the NBA and Nike know it, both looking toward next year's Beijing Olympics, where James would surely capture world attention if he leads the beleaguered American basketball team to a gold medal.
Several hundred Chinese reporters and photographers showed up for Tuesday's practice at the Lu Wan Stadium. They engulfed James at the far end of the floor when he stopped shooting. He squatted on a low-slung bench, back against the wall, and stared up to answer questions, cutting deep furrows across his forehead.
"Every time I'm here it's the same response: It's great, the fans love us, the kids are great,'' James said. "The spirit the Chinese have for the game of basketball is great. Nothing surprises me now.''
He was asked whether the Cavaliers will reach the NBA finals again and the pressures facing him as another season awaits.
"I don't believe in pressure,'' he said. "So it's not hard to reduce it when you don't believe in it.''
James is one of the four most popular NBA players in China. Kobe Bryantis probably No. 1, with China-born Yao Ming, James and Allen Iverson jousting for the next spots. At 22, James is the youngest and - get this - might be more popular than Yao.
"The Chinese are looking for individual heroes,'' said Huang Risheng, a reporter with the Chinese-language Titan sports newspaper. "We are not open enough, not extroverted enough. We like the individual effort, just one man saving the whole team like James.''
"I think those three are more popular than Yao Ming. It's a contradiction. Maybe I should say we like their style of play better.''
Like the NBA, Nike's business is soaring in China. The country could generate $1 billion next year, up from about $100 million just five years ago. The NBA's does about $50 million annually and should follow Nike's growth pattern.
Nike has fashioned the preseason games in China around James, who reportedly has a seven-year deal with the shoemaker worth $90 million. Shoe rival Adidas is also promoting the games, stringing up its ads on Huaihai Road, a swanky street that includes many of the city's high-end boutiques.
Adidas' main star is the Magic's Dwight Howard, whose thundering dunks carry the company's pitch.
Nike doesn't liken James to Michael Jordan, but others have. That included at least one Chinese reporter.
"It's great to be compared to one of the greats, but my game and his game are totally different,'' James said.
The "LBJ Museum'' - it's unclear how many people recognize the initials as those of a former U.S. president - is aimed at drawing young fans. It is located near the historic French Concession area in central Shanghai. The museum offers 3-on-3 games in the run-up to this week's exhibitions and introduces James with childhood photos, jerseys from high school and shoes he's worn with Nike.
There's also a history of his NBA career starting with a photo alongside NBA commissioner David Stern from June 22, 2003, when James was chosen No. 1 in the draft.
"The idea is to help Chinese youth understand who he is, his career, his history and his personality,'' Nike spokesman Alan Marks said.
The museum also displays a copy of James' birth certificate: Dec. 30, 1984, born in Akron, Ohio, to Gloria James.
"For the first years of his life LeBron is raised by his mother and grandmother, Freda, on Hickory Street in Akron,'' reads a caption. "A milk crate hung on a telephone pole serves as the neighborhood basketball hoop attached by a few nails at whatever height the tallest available boy can reach.''
Teammate Drew Gooden said James' popularity hinges not on charm or athletic skill but on being genuine and delivering.
"He came into the league as a superstar, but for him to fill those shoes makes it all that much better,'' Gooden said. "When you live up to the hype people respect that, especially fans.''
That includes Chinese fans.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Lakers owner Jerry Buss says he'd consider trading Kobe Bryant
October 12, 2007
AP - Oct 12, 12:52 am EDT
HONOLULU (AP) -- Jerry Buss has already shown that he'll part with superstars. Yet upon hearing that the Los Angeles Lakers' owner would consider trading Kobe Bryant, even Shaquille O'Neal was shocked.
"I guess it's business before loyalty. But, wow. He said that?" O'Neal said Thursday in Miami after learning Buss told reporters he would trade Bryant under the right circumstances.
Buss indeed did, telling three Los Angeles-area beat writers covering training camp in Honolulu on Wednesday that he "would certainly listen" to trade offers for the two-time NBA scoring champion.
"At any time, I think you have to do that with anybody," Buss said, discussing Bryant publicly for the first time since the often-frustrated Lakers' star asked to be traded at the end of last season. "It's just part of the game, to listen to somebody who has a dissatisfied player that you think is going to fit.
"You can't keep too many loyalties. You've got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it."
Buss made his comments to reporters from the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Before Thursday night's exhibition game against Golden State in Honolulu, some members of the Lakers said they weren't aware of Buss' comments.
"I didn't hear them," Lamar Odom said. "For us, we're players so, you know, I didn't hear the comments myself so I wouldn't know why there would be a different mood or a different feeling at shootaround today."
Forward Ronny Turiaf agreed that the reports did little to affect the team.
"We just play basketball. I really have nothing to say, that's between Kobe and management," he said.
The Lakers won three championships and reached the NBA finals four times in five years before O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in July 2004. They haven't won a playoff series since O'Neal left, and O'Neal has since helped the Heat win the 2006 NBA title.
"Anyone can be traded, but mine was different because I walked into the office and demanded a trade," O'Neal said. "I don't take loyalty lightly. If you tell me you're going to do something, I expect you to do it. And then when you change your mind without telling me, that means you're disloyal so we can't be down anymore."
Bryant has four years worth $88.6 million left on the seven-year contract he signed a day after O'Neal was traded, but can terminate the deal in two years. That would leave $47.8 million on the table.
"I tend not to think in basketball terms that many years down the road because things change so dramatically, but he could test the waters at that point," Buss said. "If he still is in that frame of mind, then hopefully we can do a sign-and-trade and get some comparable talent. I would like to think that we win between now and then so it doesn't come up."
Following his trade request, Bryant kept a low profile regarding the Lakers until reporting with his teammates Oct. 1 on media day -- before the team left for Hawaii. Bryant told reporters that frustration led to his blowup. Otherwise, he said the time had come to move forward.
Buss recalled an offseason meeting in Barcelona when he tried to talk Bryant out of the trade request.
"He listened very carefully for 30, 45 minutes," Buss said. "I tried to explain to him how much the city of Los Angeles loved him, and that to leave 10 million sweethearts for unknown territory might not be the right thing to do. But when I was finished, he said he basically felt the same way. And I said, `OK. With that, I will proceed to see what's available."'
Buss didn't elaborate other than saying he might have acted on a trade offer that was "within reason."
"You have to get comparable value when you make a trade," Buss said. "It's very hard to trade somebody like him because people who have enough material to make it worthwhile are usually contenders and they don't want to make the trade."
Buss also said he occasionally told Bryant of certain offers, none of which he found fair to the Lakers, and acknowledged frustration at losing out to Boston for Kevin Garnett's services.
"I told him that I would try my best to accommodate his wishes, but that I could not afford to let him go unless we got comparable talent -- if there was such a thing," Buss said.
The 29-year-old Bryant is about to begin his 12th NBA season -- all with the Lakers.
"Dr. Buss's comments today provided more insight to a conversation we shared in Barcelona earlier this summer," Bryant said in a statement issued Thursday. "I have touched on this conversation and other conversations within the Lakers' organization during the recent months and again at the Lakers' media day. I have nothing further to add and look forward to the upcoming season with my teammates."
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said if Kobe stays, he must put the distractions aside.
"My message to Kobe was that if you could play with your heart in this game, on this team, you'll be fine. If you can't, if you have divided loyalties, then you can't do it."
When asked if Bryant is focused, Jackson said, "No, he's not. He's distracted, obviously."
However, Jackson acknowledged Buss must keep to his word to Bryant.
"His first initial statement was that we're not interested in trading Kobe Bryant, but when you have a disgruntled player, an unhappy player or whatever, you have to consider you made that gentlemen's agreement with Kobe and I think that's appropriate," Jackson said.
AP - Oct 12, 12:52 am EDT
HONOLULU (AP) -- Jerry Buss has already shown that he'll part with superstars. Yet upon hearing that the Los Angeles Lakers' owner would consider trading Kobe Bryant, even Shaquille O'Neal was shocked.
"I guess it's business before loyalty. But, wow. He said that?" O'Neal said Thursday in Miami after learning Buss told reporters he would trade Bryant under the right circumstances.
Buss indeed did, telling three Los Angeles-area beat writers covering training camp in Honolulu on Wednesday that he "would certainly listen" to trade offers for the two-time NBA scoring champion.
"At any time, I think you have to do that with anybody," Buss said, discussing Bryant publicly for the first time since the often-frustrated Lakers' star asked to be traded at the end of last season. "It's just part of the game, to listen to somebody who has a dissatisfied player that you think is going to fit.
"You can't keep too many loyalties. You've got to look at it as a business. He looks at it the same way I look at it."
Buss made his comments to reporters from the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Before Thursday night's exhibition game against Golden State in Honolulu, some members of the Lakers said they weren't aware of Buss' comments.
"I didn't hear them," Lamar Odom said. "For us, we're players so, you know, I didn't hear the comments myself so I wouldn't know why there would be a different mood or a different feeling at shootaround today."
Forward Ronny Turiaf agreed that the reports did little to affect the team.
"We just play basketball. I really have nothing to say, that's between Kobe and management," he said.
The Lakers won three championships and reached the NBA finals four times in five years before O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat in July 2004. They haven't won a playoff series since O'Neal left, and O'Neal has since helped the Heat win the 2006 NBA title.
"Anyone can be traded, but mine was different because I walked into the office and demanded a trade," O'Neal said. "I don't take loyalty lightly. If you tell me you're going to do something, I expect you to do it. And then when you change your mind without telling me, that means you're disloyal so we can't be down anymore."
Bryant has four years worth $88.6 million left on the seven-year contract he signed a day after O'Neal was traded, but can terminate the deal in two years. That would leave $47.8 million on the table.
"I tend not to think in basketball terms that many years down the road because things change so dramatically, but he could test the waters at that point," Buss said. "If he still is in that frame of mind, then hopefully we can do a sign-and-trade and get some comparable talent. I would like to think that we win between now and then so it doesn't come up."
Following his trade request, Bryant kept a low profile regarding the Lakers until reporting with his teammates Oct. 1 on media day -- before the team left for Hawaii. Bryant told reporters that frustration led to his blowup. Otherwise, he said the time had come to move forward.
Buss recalled an offseason meeting in Barcelona when he tried to talk Bryant out of the trade request.
"He listened very carefully for 30, 45 minutes," Buss said. "I tried to explain to him how much the city of Los Angeles loved him, and that to leave 10 million sweethearts for unknown territory might not be the right thing to do. But when I was finished, he said he basically felt the same way. And I said, `OK. With that, I will proceed to see what's available."'
Buss didn't elaborate other than saying he might have acted on a trade offer that was "within reason."
"You have to get comparable value when you make a trade," Buss said. "It's very hard to trade somebody like him because people who have enough material to make it worthwhile are usually contenders and they don't want to make the trade."
Buss also said he occasionally told Bryant of certain offers, none of which he found fair to the Lakers, and acknowledged frustration at losing out to Boston for Kevin Garnett's services.
"I told him that I would try my best to accommodate his wishes, but that I could not afford to let him go unless we got comparable talent -- if there was such a thing," Buss said.
The 29-year-old Bryant is about to begin his 12th NBA season -- all with the Lakers.
"Dr. Buss's comments today provided more insight to a conversation we shared in Barcelona earlier this summer," Bryant said in a statement issued Thursday. "I have touched on this conversation and other conversations within the Lakers' organization during the recent months and again at the Lakers' media day. I have nothing further to add and look forward to the upcoming season with my teammates."
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said if Kobe stays, he must put the distractions aside.
"My message to Kobe was that if you could play with your heart in this game, on this team, you'll be fine. If you can't, if you have divided loyalties, then you can't do it."
When asked if Bryant is focused, Jackson said, "No, he's not. He's distracted, obviously."
However, Jackson acknowledged Buss must keep to his word to Bryant.
"His first initial statement was that we're not interested in trading Kobe Bryant, but when you have a disgruntled player, an unhappy player or whatever, you have to consider you made that gentlemen's agreement with Kobe and I think that's appropriate," Jackson said.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Lakers Star Arrested In Georgia DUI Incident
Problems continue to mount for the troubled Lakers center. If he was so active and involved on the court as he has been off the court his team would be in a much more productive situation.
VALDOSTA, Ga. -- Los Angeles Lakers center Kwame Brown faces misdemeanor charges in south Georgia following a weekend incident in which his cousin was charged with driving under the influence.
Valdosta Police Department Lieutenant Bobbi McGraw says police pulled over Charles Warren Junior early Saturday morning for driving the wrong way down a one-way street. McGrawn says officers began questioning Warren about the strong smell of alcohol in his vehicle.
McGraw says Brown approached the officers and told them he was Warren's cousin and that the vehicle belonged to the basketball player.
McGraw says Brown became disruptive and tried to interfere with the officers' investigation, which led to his arrest. Police charged Brown with disorderly conduct and inferring with an officer after his cousin was charged with DUI.
The 25-year-old Brown was released shortly after his arrest. McGraw says jail officials had no record of how much he paid in bond.
Brown attended Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick, Ga. and was the High School Player of the Year his senior year. He was set to play for the University of Florida, but decided to go directly to the NBA after high school in 2001.
Lakers officials told the Los Angeles Times they are aware of the charges but declined to comment further.
Brown, the top draft pick in 2001, was accused of sexual assault in May 2006 by a college student, but prosecutors rejected the case because of a lack of evidence.
Copyright 2007 by WSBTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
VALDOSTA, Ga. -- Los Angeles Lakers center Kwame Brown faces misdemeanor charges in south Georgia following a weekend incident in which his cousin was charged with driving under the influence.
Valdosta Police Department Lieutenant Bobbi McGraw says police pulled over Charles Warren Junior early Saturday morning for driving the wrong way down a one-way street. McGrawn says officers began questioning Warren about the strong smell of alcohol in his vehicle.
McGraw says Brown approached the officers and told them he was Warren's cousin and that the vehicle belonged to the basketball player.
McGraw says Brown became disruptive and tried to interfere with the officers' investigation, which led to his arrest. Police charged Brown with disorderly conduct and inferring with an officer after his cousin was charged with DUI.
The 25-year-old Brown was released shortly after his arrest. McGraw says jail officials had no record of how much he paid in bond.
Brown attended Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick, Ga. and was the High School Player of the Year his senior year. He was set to play for the University of Florida, but decided to go directly to the NBA after high school in 2001.
Lakers officials told the Los Angeles Times they are aware of the charges but declined to comment further.
Brown, the top draft pick in 2001, was accused of sexual assault in May 2006 by a college student, but prosecutors rejected the case because of a lack of evidence.
Copyright 2007 by WSBTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Jury: Isiah Thomas harassed executive, but the team should pay
Isiah Thomas is a complete disgrace and embarrassment to the Knicks organizations and should be relieved of his duties immediately.
By TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer
October 2, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- In an end to a salacious three-week trial, a jury ordered the owners of the New York Knicks to pay $11.6 million to a former team executive who endured crude insults and unwanted advances from coach Isiah Thomas.
The jury of four women and three men found Thomas and Madison Square Garden sexually harassed Anucha Browne Sanders, but it decided only MSG and chairman James Dolan should pay for harassing and firing Browne Sanders from her $260,000-a-year job out of spite.
The result: The Garden owes $6 million for condoning a hostile work environment and $2.6 million for retaliation. Dolan owes $3 million. Though Thomas is off the hook for any damages, he leaves the case with a tarnished image.
Outside court, a beaming Browne Sanders insisted her victory was more about sending a message than the money.
"What I did here, I did for every working woman in America," she said. "And that includes everyone who gets up and goes to work in the morning, everyone working in a corporate environment."
Earlier, Thomas emerged from the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan with his trademark smile but flashed anger as he reasserted his innocence amid a crush of reporters and cameras.
"I'm extremely disappointed that the jury did not see the facts in this case," he said. "I will appeal this, and I remain confident in the man that I am and what I stand for and the family that I have."
MSG said it will appeal, also denying wrongdoing in a case widely viewed as a public relations disaster for a franchise struggling to regain credibility. The team hasn't won a playoff game since Thomas was signed as president in December 2003 and has wasted millions this decade on a series of free-agent busts.
The verdict also amounts to another blemish on the resume of Thomas, a two-time NBA champion whose post-playing career has been marked by one failure after another.
Jurors, who needed roughly two days to decide on the allegations but only about an hour to determine damages, declined to talk about the verdict or how they came to their decision.
In a lawsuit filed last January, the 44-year-old Browne Sanders sought $10 million in punitive damages, but the jury was free to deviate from that figure. The verdict also means the judge will determine and award compensatory damages in the coming weeks.
The harassment verdict was expected after the jury sent a note to the judge Monday indicating it believed Thomas, the Garden and Dolan sexually harassed Browne Sanders, a married mother of three and former vice president for marketing.
The jurors had heard Browne Sanders testify that Thomas, after arriving as new team president, routinely addressed her as "bitch" and "ho" in outbursts over marketing commitments. He later did an abrupt about-face, declaring his love and suggesting an "off-site" liaison, she said.
Thomas, while admitting to using foul language around the plaintiff, insisted he never directed it toward her.
Degrading a woman in the workplace "is never OK," said Thomas, a married father of two. "It is never appropriate."
Dolan and a string of other executives also took the witness stand to deny they tolerated or witnessed sexual harassment. They testified Browne Sanders was fired because she was incompetent on budget matters, and because she later sought to undermine an internal inquiry into her allegations against Thomas.
The trial also made headlines with its testimony about an admitted tryst involving star Knicks guard Stephon Marbury and an MSG intern, an encounter the plaintiffs' attorneys argued demonstrated the organization's frat house mentality.
At the Knicks training camp in South Carolina on Tuesday, Marbury and other players said it was time for the team to move past the off-court controversy. Thomas was expected to arrive Wednesday.
"It's a tough situation and the only thing we can do now is go forward," Marbury said.
Forward Malik Rose predicted the team would rally behind Dolan and Thomas.
"We all know what kind of guy 'Mr. D' is," he said before the jury awarded punitive damages.
"We all know what kind of guy Isiah is and how they treat us. I'm sure all you guys agree this is a first-class organization."
MSG is owned by Cablevision Systems Corp., based in Bethpage, N.Y., and Dolan is Cablevision's CEO. Shares fell 35 cents, or 1 percent, to $34.71 in afternoon trading.
Associated Press writers Larry Neumeister in New York and Bruce Smith in Charleston, S.C. contributed to this report.
By TOM HAYS, Associated Press Writer
October 2, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -- In an end to a salacious three-week trial, a jury ordered the owners of the New York Knicks to pay $11.6 million to a former team executive who endured crude insults and unwanted advances from coach Isiah Thomas.
The jury of four women and three men found Thomas and Madison Square Garden sexually harassed Anucha Browne Sanders, but it decided only MSG and chairman James Dolan should pay for harassing and firing Browne Sanders from her $260,000-a-year job out of spite.
The result: The Garden owes $6 million for condoning a hostile work environment and $2.6 million for retaliation. Dolan owes $3 million. Though Thomas is off the hook for any damages, he leaves the case with a tarnished image.
Outside court, a beaming Browne Sanders insisted her victory was more about sending a message than the money.
"What I did here, I did for every working woman in America," she said. "And that includes everyone who gets up and goes to work in the morning, everyone working in a corporate environment."
Earlier, Thomas emerged from the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan with his trademark smile but flashed anger as he reasserted his innocence amid a crush of reporters and cameras.
"I'm extremely disappointed that the jury did not see the facts in this case," he said. "I will appeal this, and I remain confident in the man that I am and what I stand for and the family that I have."
MSG said it will appeal, also denying wrongdoing in a case widely viewed as a public relations disaster for a franchise struggling to regain credibility. The team hasn't won a playoff game since Thomas was signed as president in December 2003 and has wasted millions this decade on a series of free-agent busts.
The verdict also amounts to another blemish on the resume of Thomas, a two-time NBA champion whose post-playing career has been marked by one failure after another.
Jurors, who needed roughly two days to decide on the allegations but only about an hour to determine damages, declined to talk about the verdict or how they came to their decision.
In a lawsuit filed last January, the 44-year-old Browne Sanders sought $10 million in punitive damages, but the jury was free to deviate from that figure. The verdict also means the judge will determine and award compensatory damages in the coming weeks.
The harassment verdict was expected after the jury sent a note to the judge Monday indicating it believed Thomas, the Garden and Dolan sexually harassed Browne Sanders, a married mother of three and former vice president for marketing.
The jurors had heard Browne Sanders testify that Thomas, after arriving as new team president, routinely addressed her as "bitch" and "ho" in outbursts over marketing commitments. He later did an abrupt about-face, declaring his love and suggesting an "off-site" liaison, she said.
Thomas, while admitting to using foul language around the plaintiff, insisted he never directed it toward her.
Degrading a woman in the workplace "is never OK," said Thomas, a married father of two. "It is never appropriate."
Dolan and a string of other executives also took the witness stand to deny they tolerated or witnessed sexual harassment. They testified Browne Sanders was fired because she was incompetent on budget matters, and because she later sought to undermine an internal inquiry into her allegations against Thomas.
The trial also made headlines with its testimony about an admitted tryst involving star Knicks guard Stephon Marbury and an MSG intern, an encounter the plaintiffs' attorneys argued demonstrated the organization's frat house mentality.
At the Knicks training camp in South Carolina on Tuesday, Marbury and other players said it was time for the team to move past the off-court controversy. Thomas was expected to arrive Wednesday.
"It's a tough situation and the only thing we can do now is go forward," Marbury said.
Forward Malik Rose predicted the team would rally behind Dolan and Thomas.
"We all know what kind of guy 'Mr. D' is," he said before the jury awarded punitive damages.
"We all know what kind of guy Isiah is and how they treat us. I'm sure all you guys agree this is a first-class organization."
MSG is owned by Cablevision Systems Corp., based in Bethpage, N.Y., and Dolan is Cablevision's CEO. Shares fell 35 cents, or 1 percent, to $34.71 in afternoon trading.
Associated Press writers Larry Neumeister in New York and Bruce Smith in Charleston, S.C. contributed to this report.
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