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Internet billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will publish a 30,000-word “e-book” focused on business and success, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The e-book, called “”How to Win at the Sport of Business: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It,” will be available for $2.99 through online digital-book retailers, the paper said in an article published to its website Sunday. It did not specify the release date.
— Reported by the Associated Press
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F.C. Barcelona Regal superstar Juan Carlos Navarro on Thursday night became the all-time leading scorer since the Euroleague was founded in 2000! Navarro’s left-handed layup off a Chuck Eidson steal at 5:30 of the third quarter of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague game against Union Olimpija at Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona gave him the record of 2,716 career points, previously held by recently-retired Marcus Brown. And with plenty of time left in this game and the season, he will keep adding to the record every time he takes the court.
Navarro, 31, has played his entire 11-season Euroleague career with his hometown club, F.C. Barcelona. Already a legend of the game, “La Bomba” adds this record to an impressive career haul of achievements. He is a two-time Euroleague champion and was the 2008-09 Euroleague MVP and the 2010 Euroleague Final Four MVP. All told Navarro has played in five Euroleague Final Fours and been named to the All-Euroleague First Team a record five times.
— Reported by Euroleague.net
The National Basketball League of Canada is thrilled to appoint John Kennedy as the league’s first commissioner.
“We’re excited to welcome John to the NBL Canada team,” said President and CEO of NBL Canada, Andre Levingston. “John has an extensive background working in professional sports as a business development manager, strategic planner, event marketer and scout. Over the years, John has developed many important business relationships and the league looks forward to flourishing under his leadership.”
As commissioner, Mr. Kennedy will act as NBL Canada’s governing body and will help raise awareness of the league by building strong business and community relationships in all seven of the leagues markets and across the country.
“I’m excited and honored by the faith shown by the ownership group in my abilities to positively impact NBL Canada as a viable sports and entertainment organization,” said Kennedy. “I look forward to building relationships with the many fans of professional basketball in Canada, and also with prospective sponsors.”
Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Kennedy joins NBL Canada after founding J. Kennedy and Associates nearly twelve years ago. J. Kennedy & Associates is a sports and entertainment marketing company based out of Los Angeles.
Some of Kennedy’s clients included the Los Angeles Lakers, Magna Entertainment, Horse--Racing Television and the Asian and European PGA Tours.
Prior to starting J. Kennedy and Associates, Kennedy worked on a variety of projects dealing with strategic advertising and media sales, integrated corporate partnerships, new business development, event marketing, merchandising and promotions.
The inaugural NBL Canada regular season kicked--off October 29, 2011 in Quebec City. For up--to--date scores, schedules, statistics, and ticket information or to watch live game webcasts, visit www.nblcanada.ca.
Talks aimed at ending the NBA lockout have resumed, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday, with a quick settlement necessary to start the season by Christmas.
The discussions began quietly Tuesday and are expected to continue through the Thanksgiving holiday, the people told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.
The talks between representatives of the owners and players are now centered on settling their lawsuits: The players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league in Minnesota and the league filed a pre-emptive suit in New York, seeking to prove the lockout was legal…
The plan now would be for 66 games if a resolution comes soon. The league played a 50-game schedule in 1998-99 during its last lockout, when a deal didn’t come until January, so there’s still hope of some games this season even if it doesn’t include Christmas.
— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press
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After two days of meetings, NBA officials and players will resume talks on Friday to try to end the lockout and resume play on Christmas Day, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Representatives of the owners and players met in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, as Y! Sports first reported, and discussed the possible settlement of the players’ recent antitrust lawsuits – which would essentially be an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. These are no longer considered collective bargaining talks but rather a settlement of pending litigation.
While the two sides have enough time to negotiate a deal for a shortened schedule for the 2011-12 season, they likely would have to reach agreement no later than this weekend if the league also hopes to save its showcase games scheduled for Christmas. NBA commissioner David Stern has repeatedly said the league would need about 30 days after an agreement is reached before the season could start. The league could still find a way to start on shorter than 30 days notice, but not more than several days, sources said.
Negotiations between the two sides broke off on Nov. 14 after the union decided to disband. Players Association president Derek Fisher(notes) wasn’t in New York for the meetings this week, but could return as soon as Friday, sources said.
— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports
TMZ has learned …”Pawn Stars” honcho Rick Harrison is adamant that he wants to help a struggling, talented, out-of-work NBA player earn a paycheck during the never-ending lockout.
We’re told the job would require the baller to work the counter just like everyone else in the shop. As for salary — we’re told Rick will work out the details depending on who applies for the gig.
— Reported by TMZ
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The Turkish team that features New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams is pushing now to add Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom to its roster, according to sources close to the situation.
And Odom, sources said, is giving the offer real consideration after Minnesota’s Kevin Love turned down the chance over the weekend to join Williams with Istanbul-based Besiktas.
Besiktas has been trying for days to acquire a top-flight big man to pair with Williams, who erupted for 50 points Tuesday in a EuroChallenge game. Yet in that victory over Gottingen of Germany, Besiktas lost Cleveland Cavaliers forward Semih Erden to a thumb injury that only increases its need for a frontcourt boost.
— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com
Second-round pick Jordan Williams became the latest Net to sign overseas during the lockout, announcing through his agent via Twitter over the weekend that he has signed with a team in Poland. It’s a risk for the former Maryland power forward because he has yet to sign an NBA contract, leaving him without a safety net if he gets injured.
But there’s also no guarantee the 36th overall pick would get a spot on the Nets roster, especially if the season is canceled and he joins two draft classes and two free agent classes in what would be a maelstrom of player movement in the summer of 2012.
— Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News
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Indiana Pacers free-agent guard T.J. Ford is headed to Croatia to join KK Zagreb while the NBA lockout drags on.
After playing in a charity game Sunday night in his native Houston organized by John Lucas and son John Lucas III from the Chicago Bulls, Ford told ESPN.com that he’s headed to Croatia to join a team that also employs former Charlotte Bobcats lottery pick Sean May.
The deal includes an out to return to the NBA if the lockout ends.
— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com
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FC Barcelona Regal announced Monday that it has agreed to terms with star guard Juan Carlos Navarro on a contract extension through 2015. Navarro (1.91 meters, 31 years old) will appear with club president Sandro Rosell at a press conference Tuesday afternoon to discuss the signing. The extension comes days before Barcelona’s Turkish Airlines Euroleague Week 6 game against Union Olimpija, which Navarro enters needing just 14 points to become the competition’s career scoring leader. He has spent all but one season with his hometown club with whom he has won the Euroleague twice as well as six Spanish League titles, five Spanish King’s Cups and the 1999 Korac Cup. On an individual note, he was the 2008-09 Euroleague MVP, the 2010 Euroleague Final Four MVP and been named to the All-Euroleague First Team a record five times.
— Reported by Euroleague.net