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Forward Chris Bosh became the Raptors’ all-time career leader in blocked shots Dec. 21 at Seattle when he broke a tie with Vince Carter.
Earlier this month, Bosh became the franchise leader in rebounds (December 18, 2007) when he passed Antonio Davis’ mark of 2,839.
Bosh is already the team’s all-time leader in doubledoubles and defensive rebounds. Bosh is also closing in on the franchise’s all-time marks for free throws made and attempted.
WNBA President Donna Orender announced today that a select group of Seattle businesswomen and civic leaders has secured an exclusive option to purchase the Seattle Storm.
“Today is a great day for Storm fans. Seattle is a terrific WNBA city and I’m thrilled for Storm fans who have been so supportive of their team over the years,” Orender said. “What this group of women is doing is yet another example of that famous Seattle civic leadership. I have no doubt that this group of women, with support from the public, business community and elected officials, will be able to make a strong case for this sale to be approved by the Board of Governors.”
“We are pleased to be able to step forward to ensure that Seattle will be the Storm’s home,” said Anne Levinson, who led the negotiations and is part of the new ownership group, Force 10 Hoops, L.L.C. “This is something we wanted to be able to do for Storm fans and the community. I want to thank Clay Bennett for working with us on this.”
“In the time we have been a part of the WNBA we have consistently been impressed by the very loyal fan base and broad community support the Storm enjoys. We believe the Storm can continue to be successful in KeyArena. We are pleased we have been able to negotiate a transaction with an extraordinary group of highly accomplished women. Through our extensive negotiations we have become convinced that their commitment to the community and passion for the game will result in a secure and promising future for the Seattle Storm. We knew the right thing to do for Seattle was to work with Anne’s group to see if we could make this happen. We will assist them in any way we can to ensure a smooth transition and wish them the very best,” said Clay Bennett, Chairman of the Professional Basketball Club, LLC that owns the Seattle SuperSonics and the Women’s Basketball Club of Seattle, LLC, owner of the Seattle Storm.
In addition to Levinson, other members of the new ownership group are philanthropists and businesswomen who also have deep roots in Seattle and a history of civic involvement. Ginny Gilder owns an investment business and is president of one of her family’s philanthropic entities, which invests in projects throughout the world that seek to level the economic playing field and promote social justice. She was the founding Executive Director of Washington Works, a local non-profit dedicated to supporting welfare recipients in obtaining and retaining livable-wage employment. A rower, she won a silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.
The Golden State Warriors have signed guard CJ Watson of the NBA Development League to a 10-day contract, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.
In 16 games with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers this season, Watson averaged 26.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.38 steals in 38.1 minutes per contest, while shooting 50.6% (128-253 FG) from the field, 40.0% (18-45 3FG) from three-point range and 89.9% (149-166 FT) from the free throw line. He currently ranks third in the D-League in scoring, having scored 20-or-more points 14 times with six 30-plus efforts and one 40-point performance, while also ranking fifth in assists. He was named the NBA Development League Player of the Month for December.
Watson, 23, is the 10th GATORADE Call-Up of the 2007-08 NBA Development League season and the 100th overall call-up (among 68 players) since the D-League began play in November 2001. A 6-2, 180-pound second-year professional, Watson went undrafted out of the University of Tennessee in the 2006 NBA Draft before playing last season in Italy and Greece.
Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has recalled rookie guard Morris Almond from the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League).
Almond, a 6-6, 225-pound guard out of Rice has appeared in three games for the Jazz, playing a total of 12 scoreless minutes. Almond was selected by the Jazz in the first round (25th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft.
Almond was assigned to the Jazz’s D-League affiliate on December 6 and appeared in 10 games (all starts) for the Flash, averaging a league-leading 29.8 points, along with 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 37.6 minutes per game. He was named D-League Player of the Week (Dec. 17-23) after averaging 43.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals while shooting 32-of-68 (.471) from the field. During that week, Almond scored a D-League record-tying 51 points in a win over the Austin Toros on December 21.
Almond will join the Jazz for its game vs. Indiana tonight.
Mikki Moore, the Sacramento Kings’ back-up center, knows all about persistence. He is in his 10th NBA season, and with his ninth different team. Job security was never something he took for granted. Last season, with the NJ Nets, he averaged a career-high 9.8 ppg and 5.1 rebounds, and became the only undrafted player since 1976 to lead the league in field goal percentage.
Over the years, he has gotten to know Isiah Thomas, the Knicks’ coach.
“Me and Isiah, and Joe Dumars, have been talking for years. My first team was Detroit. He has been wanting me on his squad for a long time, ‘cause he respects my hard work, and how I play –old school. No lay-ups. Foul, if you have to, but not to end someone’s career. That’s how I was raised –on old school basketball. And he likes that.”
Imagine that. A big man who defends the paint.
“Me and him see eye to eye on a lot of things. I’ve told him, “Keep your head right. Don’t let this crowd get you out of your element. All this picketing, and all that stuff -you turn these boys around, [the fans will] be kissing your butt by the end of the season. He already knows that. That’s just how it is.
“You have hard times, and you struggle. Just keep on trying hard. Don’t look at what happened yesterday. Think about tomorrow.”
Perhaps, had Thomas made a play for Moore during the off-season, he would’ve had more tomorrows to pursue his vision of a championship.
InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner reports that Tuesday morning the WNBA will make a major announcement regarding the future of the Seattle Storm.
Word is, the team is being sold to another owner. This isn’t confirmed yet.
The Los Angeles Clippers today waived guard Richie Frahm.
Frahm, who was signed as a free agent on December 14, appeared in ten games (2 starts) and averaged 4.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.
The Clippers roster currently stands at 14 players.
The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has recalled rookie forward Demetris Nichols from the Iowa Energy of the D-League. The team also assigned rookie guard JamesOn Curry to the team’s D-League’s affiliate.
Nichols (6-8, 216), claimed by the Bulls on waivers on Dec. 7, appeared in nine games with the Energy and averaged 18.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.00 bpg in 36.9 mpg and shot .414 from the field, .333 from the arc and .800 from the line. Prior to his arrival with the Bulls, he also spent time this season in New York and Cleveland, having appeared in three games with the Cavaliers.
Nichols was originally selected by Portland in the second round (53rd overall) of NBA Draft 2007 after a four-year standout career at Syracuse.
Curry’s assignment to Iowa marks his second stint with the Energy. In nine games with the D-League affiliate, he averaged 21.9 ppg, 5.8 apg, 3.6 rpg and 1.00 spg in 41.4 mpg. He shot .473 from the field, including .378 from three-point range, and .774 from the free throw line.
Curry was selected by Chicago in the second round (51st overall) of NBA Draft 2007 after three years at Oklahoma State.
InsideHoops.com NewsWire: The Memphis Grizzlies waived guard/forward Jeremy Richardson, club General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.
Richardson, a 6-7, 195-pound swingman, was signed on Dec. 20 and appeared in three games, totaling one rebound and one assist in 15 minutes played.
Prior to his GATORADE Call-up from the NBA Development League, Richardson was averaging a league-high 28.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.63 steals in 41.5 minutes in eight games this season for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
The current roster now stands at 13 players.