September 2010 – Page 12 – NBA Blog

Matt Barnes booked on domestic violence charge

The AP reports:

Los Angeles Lakers forward Matt Barnes has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, Sacramento County authorities said Wednesday.

Deputies arrested Barnes after responding to what was termed an incomplete 911 call from a residence around 4:16 p.m., according to sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran.

Deputies found Barnes and a woman both with visible injuries, but took Barnes into custody after determining he had been the primary aggressor, said Curran.

The name of the woman was not released, but she was described as “a woman who lived with him and with whom he had a dating relationship.”

Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register reports (via blog):

The woman would presumably be Gloria Govan, whose wedding to Barnes in Santa Barbara was recently called off although the two told VIBE they were continuing their relationship and would appear again on VH-1’s reality TV show “Basketball Wives.” The two have twin boys together.

Police said Barnes, 30, and the woman both suffered visible injuries and Barnes prevented her from completing a 911 call, prompting investigation. Barnes was therefore also charged with maliciously obstructing the use of a telephone line. Barnes is scheduled to appear in court Monday.

Hornets sign Mustafa Shakur

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed free agent guard Mustafa Shakur. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not released.

“Mustafa will be able to give us depth at the point guard position,” said Hornets General Manager Dell Demps. “He has thrived in the D-League and has great size and vision for a point guard.”

Shakur (6-4, 195) appeared in 47 games (all starts) for the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League last season, averaging 19.2 points, 6.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 37.8 minutes per game. He was named to the All-D-League Second Team and was an All-Star last season for the 66ers. Undrafted out of the University of Arizona, Shakur was signed by the Sacramento Kings out of college in 2007 and appeared in five preseason games with the Kings before being cut. During the 2009-10 season, Shakur appeared in two preseason games with the Minnesota Timberwolves before being cut and was also signed to two 10-day contracts by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but did not appear in a game.

Shakur, 26 years old, spent the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons in Europe. In 2007-08 he played with the Euroleague club Prokom Trefl Sopot where he won the Polish National Championship as well as the Polish Supercup. Shakur played for the Euroleague club TAU Ceramica during the 2008-09 season.

A former McDonald’s High School All-American out of Philadelphia, PA, Shakur and current Hornets guard Chris Paul were widely regarded as the top two point guards in the class of 2003.

Warriors sign Rodney Carney

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent guard/forward Rodney Carney to a contract, the team announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Carney, 26, appeared in 68 games for the Philadelphia 76ers last season, averaging 4.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per contest, while shooting 40.1% (113-282 FG) from the field, 30.4% (41-135 3FG) from three-point range and 82.5% (52-63 FT) from the free throw line. He tallied a season-high 16 points in 20 minutes at Golden State on February 23.

Originally selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft (#16 overall) out of the University of Memphis, Carney was traded to Philadelphia in a draft night deal and has spent three of his four NBA campaigns with the 76ers. Overall, he owns career averages of 6.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 272 regular-season games with Philadelphia and Minnesota.

Carney will wear uniform #25.

Hawks hire Nick Van Exel

Atlanta Hawks head coach Larry Drew has finalized his 2010-11 coaching staff with the hiring of former pro Nick Van Exel to the position of Player Development Instructor, it was announced this afternoon. Van Exel, comes to Atlanta from Texas Southern University, where he served as an assistant coach.

“We’re very excited to add Nick to the staff,” said Drew. “I think he brings a wealth of knowledge to the position, and given his past experiences, he’ll be really vital to the development of our young guards, particularly Jeff Teague and Jordan Crawford. With the staff we currently have on board, I believe Nick will do a tremendous job for us moving forward.”

A second round draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1993, Van Exel brings 13 seasons of NBA experience to the Hawks staff in addition to 76 playoff games and one All-Star Game appearance (1998), having tallied career averages of 14.4 points and 6.6 assists (.405 FG%, .794 FT%). During his career with the Lakers, “Nick the Quick” was known as a flashy player who had the ability to deliver points in bunches and hitting game-winning shots. In five years in LA, he finished with 14.9 points per game and 7.3 assists, finishing in the top ten in the league in that category on two occasions.

He joined Denver prior to the 1998-99 season and spent four years with the Nuggets, raising his scoring average in almost every season. Over that period, Van Exel posted 17.9 ppg and 8.3 apg, averaging 21.4 points through the first 27 games of the 2001-02 season before he was traded along with three others to the Dallas Mavericks.

Following two seasons with Mavericks, Van Exel played for three different clubs over the next three years (Golden State, 2003-04; Portland, 2004-05; and San Antonio, 2005-06) before calling it a career.

Named to the NBA’s All-Rookie second team in 1994, Van Exel played his final two collegiate seasons at the University of Cincinnati, where he led the Bearcats in both points (18.3 ppg) and assists (4.5 apg) as a senior. He led UC to an NCAA Final Four appearance and earned third-team All-America honors (AP, Basketball Times and Basketball Weekly) in addition to being selected as a finalist for the Wooden Award.

Nick Van Exel was born November 27, 1971 in Kenosha, WI.

Angel McCoughtry scores WNBA playoff record 42 points

The AP reports:

Angel McCoughtry scored a WNBA playoff record 42 points to win a high-scoring duel with Cappie Pondexter as the Liberty fell to the Atlanta Dream, 105-93, Tuesday night.

With the win, the Dream completed an unlikely march to the league finals.

Pondexter led the Liberty with 36 points, her postseason high, and nine assists.

The Dream, the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, swept Washington in the first round before also winning two straight over the Liberty in the conference finals.

Magic name Adonal Foyle director of player development

The Orlando Magic have named Adonal Foyle as director of player development, President of Basketball Operations Otis Smith announced today. In his role, Foyle will provide support for the overall development of the players, act as a conduit between players and management, and give assistance to the basketball operations department.

Originally selected by Golden State in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1997 NBA Draft, Foyle (6’10”, 270, 3/9/75) appeared in 733 regular season games during his 13-year NBA career with Golden State, Orlando and Memphis, averaging 4.1 ppg., 4.7 rpg. and 1.63 blkpg. in 17.8 minpg. Foyle remains Golden State’s all-time franchise leader in blocked shots with 1,140. He spent the final three seasons of his professional career with the Magic before retiring in August 2010.

Born on March 9, 1975, Foyle grew up on the small island of Canouan (population 1,000 and 3.5 x 1.25 miles in size) and did not play organized basketball until the age of 16. During his time in the NBA, he was extremely active off the court. In the summer of 2001, Foyle founded “Democracy Matters,” a non-profit political organization that encourages grass-roots involvement in the campaign finance reform movement. Democracy Matters currently has more than 70 chapters on college, university and high school campuses in 23 different states. In 2006, he established the Kerosene Lamp Foundation, named after the type of light Foyle used to study at night on an island with no electricity, with the goal of empowering youth of the Eastern Caribbean and the United States to take control of their future. All of Foyle’s off-the-court activities can be found on his personal website – www.adonalfoyle.com.

Foyle has been inducted into both the Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America Hall of Fame. He also served as first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association.

Nets waive Sean May

The New Jersey Nets have requested waivers on forward Sean May, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today.

“During a basketball workout last week, in preparation for the upcoming training camp and season, Sean May suffered a stress fracture to his left foot,” said King. “This injury has a four-eight week rehab period, which would not provide Sean a legitimate chance to make our team.”

May, who signed with the Nets on August 9, 2010, is a four-year NBA veteran with career averages of 6.9 points and 4.0 rebounds over 119 career games with Charlotte and Sacramento.

Due to MSG renovations, NY Liberty playing next three seasons in Newark

The New York Liberty announced today that the team will play the next three seasons at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey during the Madison Square Garden transformation. Madison Square Garden is currently undergoing a $775 – $850 million transformation that will turn “The World’s Most Famous Arena” into the world’s most state-of-the-art arena. The building will close for the next three summers for work on the transformation to be completed. The Liberty will be temporarily relocated to the Prudential Center during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons. Prudential Center is a convenient 15 minutes away from The Garden by train.

“The Rock is the best possible location for the Liberty to play during the next three summers of the MSG transformation,” said Scott O’Neil, president, MSG Sports. “The venue will allow our fans and partners the opportunity to continue to support the team at an arena that is a short 15 minute train ride from The Garden. It isn’t just a coincidence that New Jersey is called the Garden State and we are fortunate to have a strong fan base there for the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. We see this as an exciting opportunity to broaden the Liberty’s New York metropolitan presence.”

“The entire City of Newark is excited about the news that the WNBA’S New York Liberty will be playing its next three seasons at the state-of-the-art Prudential Center. From the WNBA to the NBA to the New Jersey Devils and the NFL Alumni Association, Newark, New Jersey is emerging as one of our country’s biggest sports towns. This is another slam dunk for the Brick City,” said Mayor Booker.

The interim relocation to Prudential Center will provide a homecoming for New Jersey native Essence Carson and her former Rutgers teammates Cappie Pondexter and Kia Vaughn. A rich history of women’s basketball in New Jersey, both at the high school and collegiate level, makes the State a fitting home to the WNBA. The Liberty will host numerous community events during the offseason in Newark and throughout New Jersey leading up to the 2011 WNBA season.

“We are excited to embrace the Newark community during our next three seasons at the Prudential Center,” said Carol Blazejowski, president & general manager, New York Liberty. “The Liberty will continue to provide a fun, affordable and interactive game day experience for our loyal and passionate fans as we compete for the WNBA Championship. We look forward to welcoming our great fans back to The Garden when the transformation is complete.”

Added Jeff Vanderbeek, chairman and managing partner of the Prudential Center: “We are so pleased the New York Liberty will call the Prudential Center home for the next three seasons. To have the WNBA’s best known team add their name to the list of professional sports franchises now home at “the Rock” is great for our arena, Newark and New Jersey. We look forward to showcasing our Major League City and welcoming WNBA fans to Newark.”

“The move for the Liberty to the Prudential Center will provide an amazing venue for the team’s dedicated and loyal fanbase, while providing an opportunity for new fans to experience the excitement of the WNBA,” said Donna Orender, WNBA President.

Located in the heart of downtown Newark, just blocks from Newark Penn Station, Prudential Center is accessible via New Jersey Transit, PATH, Newark Light Rail service and Amtrak and situated at the crossroads of six major highway access routes including the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike, Route 280, Route 78, Routes 1 & 9 and Route 21.

Prudential Center boasts some of the most advanced technology in arena and in-game entertainment in the country. With over 700 flat screen TV’s located throughout the building, fans are guaranteed to not miss any of the action. An exterior marquee measuring over 52 feet high, as well as 100 50’ plasma screens, will make the Liberty in-game experience at Prudential Center first class.

Madison Square Garden is currently undergoing a comprehensive, top-to-bottom transformation that will provide a significantly enhanced experience for customers, athletes, entertainers, fans, suite holders and partners. It will provide the best of both worlds for customers, a new state-of-the-art building within the iconic exterior of The Garden, while also maintaining the famous ceiling. The lower level transformation is expected to be open by Fall 2011, the upper level transformation to follow by Fall 2012, and the addition of new signature bridges and a brand new 7th Avenue entrance by Fall 2013.

James Singleton leaves Wizards for China

Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports (via blog):

James Singleton determined that he would have more to gain (such as money and playing time) in leaving the NBA than sticking around for another shot next season. Singleton, a throw-in from the Wizards’ trade deadline deal with Dallas last February who emerged as a regular rotation player, said on Monday that he signed to play next season in China with the Xinjiang Gyang Hui Flying Tigers.

The Wizards had some interest in bringing back Singleton, an undersized but energetic, high-flying forward who averaged 6.1 points and 6.9 rebounds in 32 games — including three starts — after arriving in Washington. Singleton had seven games with at least 10 rebounds, including a career-high 21-rebounds in a loss to Indiana last March.

Hedo Turkoglu is all business in Turkey

Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun reports:

Hedo Turkoglu did all his talking on the floor Sunday night.

Had he taken that approach in his season in Toronto not to mention an off-season spent slagging the organization that brought him there, Turkoglu might still have a few fans left in Canada.

As it is, he’s probably not missing any of you.

Not when he’s the biggest sporting entity in his home country of Turkey. That spot of honour was only further solidified after leading the Turkish team into the quarter finals of the FIBA world championship with a 20-point evening that included going 4-of-7 from three point range as Turkey demolished France 95-77.

This was not the Turkoglu Torontonians witnessed. The goofy smiles and clowning around with opponents that marked his time in Toronto was replaced by a game-faced Turkoglu ready to do what needed to be done.

If Turkoglu actually takes Turkey to a world championship title, a distinct possibility with the combination of tight defence and team-play on offence they are showing, bronze statues of Turkoglu will likely begin popping up all over the country.

April 12, 2010: Toronto Raptors' Hedo Turkoglu (26) during the NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Piston at the Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan.