August 2011 – Page 5 – NBA Blog

Police to interview Kobe Bryant about sprained wrist of fellow churchgoer

Police said Tuesday they were seeking to interview Los Angeles Lakers all-star guard Kobe Bryant over allegations he sprained the wrist of a man possibly trying to take his picture at a San Diego church.

The man said Bryant, who has won five NBA championship rings with the Lakers, grabbed his wrist and took his phone away, only to give it back when he found no photos of himself or his wife inside, San Diego Police Detective Gary Hassen told Reuters.

“Detectives have the case and are hoping to talk with Mr. Bryant,” Hassen said of the incident at Carmel Valley Catholic Church on Sunday.

The man, who was not identified by authorities, was treated for a sprained wrist at a local hospital, Hassen said.

— Reuters

Members of Nets given OK to attend Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries wedding

The New Jersey Nets can accept their invitation to Kim Kardashian’s wedding.

A team official says the Nets have been granted permission to attend the reality star’s marriage to forward Kris Humphries on Saturday in California.

General manager Billy King and other members of the Nets’ basketball operations department are expected to attend the ceremony of their free agent forward, the official told The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the guest list was to remain private.

— As reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Hornets continue drive for sponsorships, ticket sales despite NBA lockout

The NBA’s current lockout has not hindered the Hornets’ push to solicit more support from area businesses and fans.

Entergy, the lone Fortune 500 company in the metro area, agreed Monday to become the Hornets’ fourth major Crescent City Champions sponsor, joining Cox Communications, 7-UP and Ochsner Health System.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but each Crescent City sponsorship deal is estimated to be about $1 million, sources said.

“Building strong corporate support for the Hornets in New Orleans is fundamental to our mission to keep the team in this great city and to ultimately find local ownership,’’ Hornets president Hugh Weber said.

— Report by John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

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Eddy Curry is losing weight, allegedly

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports:

Center Eddy Curry is increasing his chances of generating serious interest from the Heat. Respected Chicago-based trainer Tim Grover said last week that since Curry’s workout with Miami in late June, he has lost another 28 pounds and is now at 300. Curry weighed 350 when he auditioned for Miami in March. Curry intrigues Pat Riley, who might offer him a minimum deal postlockout if he loses another 12 pounds or so. His skills “are there, no question,” Grover said.

Nuggets guard Ty Lawson will play in Lithuania during NBA lockout

Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post reports:

The reality of the NBA lockout is hitting home as the Nuggets’ point guard Ty Lawson — one of the team’s top players — said today he has signed to play with a team in Lithuania called Zalgiris Kaunas.

Lawson said agreed Sunday to play for this team, which also features former Nugget teammate Sonny Weems.

“It’s the best situation for me to go out there,” Lawson said by phone. “Being at home, I’m not saying I’m a lazy person, but I want to be in the gym. And plus, it’s a new experience going out to Lithuania, so why not? It was a no-brainer.

“And as soon as the lockout ends, I can come right back and be with the Denver Nuggets.”

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Milwaukee Bucks name Sidney Moncrief assistant coach

General Manager John Hammond announced today that Sidney Moncrief has been added as an assistant coach to the 2011-12 Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff. Moncrief, who played 10 seasons with the Bucks, most recently ran his own consulting and motivational training practice for businesses and corporations, in addition to consulting with international basketball teams. Moncrief joins Jim Boylan, Joe Wolf, Bill Peterson and Anthony Goldwire on the coaching staff of Head Coach Scott Skiles.

Moncrief, 53, won the league’s first two Defensive Player of the Year awards (1983 and 1984), is a five-time NBA All-Star (1982-86) and was named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams five times in his career. He is among the franchise leaders in points (11,594, third), games (695, second), minutes (22,054, second), field goals (4,000, eighth), free throws (3,505, first), rebounds (3,447, seventh), assists (2,689, second) and steals (874, third). Moncrief’s jersey #4 was retired by the Bucks in a Bradley Center ceremony on January 6, 1990.

In addition to his individual success, Moncrief’s teams won seven consecutive division titles starting with his arrival in 1979 and also won 50-plus games in seven consecutive seasons. The Bucks were 522-298 (.637) while he was with the team and advanced to the playoffs in each of his 10 seasons, including three trips to the Eastern Conference Finals.

A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Moncrief played collegiately at the University of Arkansas and was selected by the Bucks in the first round (5th overall pick) of the 1979 NBA Draft. He finished his playing career in 1990-91 with the Atlanta Hawks, after not playing in the 1989-90 season. Moncrief’s coaching career began as head coach at the University of Arkansas – Little Rock for the 1999-2000 season. He was an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks (2000-2003), head coach of the Fort Worth Flyers in the D-League for the 2006-07 season and an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors from 2007-2009.

Moncrief replaces Kelvin Sampson, who took a coaching position with the Houston Rockets.

Tulsa Shock lose 17th straight WNBA game

The AP reports:

Seimone Augustus scored 16 points and the Minnesota Lynx handed the Tulsa Shock their WNBA record-tying 17th straight loss with an 82-54 victory on Sunday night.

In a matchup of the teams with the best and worst records in the league, the Lynx (18-5) won their 11th in 12 games, while Tulsa fell to 1-22.

Lindsay Whalen chipped in 12 points and nine assists for Minnesota.

Sheryl Swoopes scored nine points for the Shock, who will try to avoid setting a new league record for consecutive losses when they face the Los Angeles Sparks at home next Sunday. Tulsa is tied with the Atlanta Dream, who lost the first 17 games of their inaugural 2008 season.

Kendrick Perkins arrested in Texas night club

The Chicago Tribune reports:

Authorities have charged Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kendrick Perkins with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and public intoxication after an altercation early Saturday morning in South Texas.

A statement from police in Beaumont, Texas, said officers saw a large crowd outside The Ticket night club just after 2 a.m., and received complaints of fights and pepper spray inside.

An officer saw about 50 people inside around Perkins, who police said was attempting to fight the club’s manager. The statement said the crowd pushed Perkins out the back door of the club, where he continued to yell obscenities and start other fights.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Kendrick was probably scowling at some point during the evening.

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Former Nets star Jayson Williams to be moved to Rikers Island

The AP reports:

Retired NBA star Jayson Williams is preparing to move from a prison in New Jersey’s farmlands to New York’s Rikers Island.

Williams will be transferred from Mid-State Correctional Facility in Wrightstown next Friday after he finishes an 18-month sentence for aggravated assault. From there, he’ll begin serving a one-year sentence for driving while intoxicated in New York City.

Former Fab 5 star Jimmy King arrested

Naomi R. Patton of the Detroit Free Press reports:

Fab Five star Jimmy King was in jail today after his arrest by agents from the Michigan Attorney General’s office, charged with failure to pay child support.

King, who turned 38 on Tuesday, was arraigned in Oakland County Circuit Court and charged with one count of failure to pay support, a felony carrying a maximum four-year prison term, according to John Sellek, state Attorney General spokesman. He said King owed $17,209 for one child, from 2008 to 2011.

Sellek said King was arrested without incident at 5 p.m. Tuesday at New St. Mark Baptist Church in Detroit, after agents saw a flyer about a basketball camp that advertised King’s involvement. Sellek added that agents had tried to reach King about outstanding child support by phone and by leaving notes at his home for six weeks.

A judge set a cash bond of $3,500 for King, but as of this evening, he remained in Oakland County Jail, according to its Web site.

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