Month: September 2015

Roy Hibbert slims down for Lakers

Here’s the Los Angeles Times reporting on new Lakers center Roy Hibbert, who may be a bit quicker this upcoming season after reportedly dropping some pounds:

He is more of a practical solution than hailed savior, the latter tag almost certainly bestowed upon LaMarcus Aldridge had he signed with the Lakers in July (it wasn’t close).

Hibbert will try to fix what continually ailed the Lakers last season, an appallingly bad defense that ranked 29th out of 30 in defensive efficiency.

If you tell Hibbert the NBA is phasing out 7-foot centers in favor of 24-foot shooters, he’ll remind you that the Golden State Warriors needed shot-blocker Andrew Bogut to get to the NBA Finals.

On the other hand, Hibbert consulted a nutritionist a few months ago and lost 14 pounds, getting down to 268.

Raptors 905 name coaching staff

Raptors 905, the NBA Development League affiliate of the Toronto Raptors, announced Wednesday it has hired Tim Lewis, Nathaniel Mitchell and David Gale as assistant coaches on head coach Jesse Mermuys’ staff.

“This is an exciting time for Raptors 905 and all three coaches are eager to be part of building this program,” said Mermuys. “The staff we have assembled are proven professionals and committed to doing the right things each day to make Mississauga and the Greater Toronto Area proud.”

Lewis joins Raptors 905 after one season as an assistant coach with the Bakersfield Jam (NBA D-League), which finished second in the Western Conference with a 34-16 record. A native of Great Britain, Lewis has international coaching stops in Spain (Gran Canaria), Japan (Hitachi Sunrockers) and Germany (Ratiopharm Ulm). He spent six years as an assistant coach and performance analyst for the British Senior Men’s Olympic program and served as head coach of Great Britain’s U-20 National Basketball Team.

Mitchell joins Raptors 905 following one season with the Maine Red Claws (NBA D-League). A native of Toronto, Mitchell, along with Red Claws head coach Scott Morrison, of Prince Edward Island, guided Maine to a 35-15 mark, which tied Santa Cruz for the best regular-season record in the League.

In 2013 Mitchell served as a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team at Fresno State. He played collegiately at the University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, KY) where he helped the Patriots to the 2009 Mid-South Conference Championship and an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NAIA Tournament, while earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and human services. Additionally, Mitchell has coaching experience on the international level, having served in Canada’s national program.

Gale has been part of the Raptors organization since 2011 in the role of assistant video coordinator. The Sherman Oaks, California native assisted the Raptors coaching staff with defensive game-plans and identifying opponent play calls from the bench past two seasons. During the summers Gale was based in Los Angeles and helped organize workouts for DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross and Bruno Caboclo.

Prior to joining Toronto, Gale spent four seasons as assistant video coordinator for the Los Angeles Clippers. He played collegiately at Loyola University Chicago and earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management.

Moses Malone funeral will be Saturday

Here’s the Houston Chronicle blog reporting on the late, great Moses Malone:

Moses Malone funeral will be Saturday

The funeral for NBA great Moses Malone will be held at noon Saturday at Lakewood Church, [the] former site of The Summit where Malone built much of his legend as one of the NBA’s greatest players ever.

Moses Malone Jr. said that the ceremony will be a celebration of his father’s life with NBA players from around the country expected to attend.

Malone died Sunday morning in Virginia of an apparent heart attack. He was 60-years-old.

Former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Charles Barkley will deliver the eulogy, Malone Jr. said. Barkley, who called Malone “dad,” often credited Malone for his success as a player.

France and Spain reach 2015 EuroBasket semifinals

France and Spain reach 2015 EuroBasket semifinals

Familiar foes France and Spain will meet once more in the EuroBasket 2015 semi-finals after both prevailed in their quarter-finals in Lille on Tuesday.

The European powers have met eight times at major competitions in the past five years, with Spain winning five of those contests – although France have the more recent advantage, edging their rivals in the EuroBasket 2013 semi-final and 2014 FIBA World Cup quarter-final.

They have also shared the last three EuroBasket titles, although only one will make the 2015 final after Spain clung on for a 73-71 defeat of Greece and France rose above Latvia 84-70…

Pau Gasol led the Spanish once again with 27 points and nine rebounds while his Chicago Bulls team-mate Nikola Mirotic added 18.

— Eurobasket2015.org

Gus Johnson and Marques Johnson join Bucks broadcast team

The Milwaukee Bucks and FOX Sports Wisconsin (FSW) today announced the additions of Gus Johnson and Marques Johnson to the Bucks broadcast team, bringing a pair of nationally-recognized voices to the broadcast booth to join long-time commentators Jim Paschke and Jon McGlocklin, who return for their 30th season of calling Bucks action together.

The additions of Johnson and Johnson mark a pair of homecomings, with Gus returning to the NBA for the first time since 2010 and Marques returning to the Bucks franchise where he enjoyed a storied career during the late ’70s and early ’80s. Gus will handle play-by-play duties for 20 games this season, while Marques will serve as the color analyst on approximately 55 local telecasts. Paschke and McGlocklin, who have been fixtures on Bucks broadcasts for 30 years, will continue to handle play-by-play and analyst duties, respectively, for the remaining FSW broadcasts.

Already a prominent member of the FOX Sports family as lead play-by-play announcer for college football and college basketball, Gus Johnson returns to his NBA roots with his new Bucks play-by-play duties. From 1994-2010, Johnson served as the primary radio voice of the New York Knicks for Madison Square Garden Network (MSG), while also filling in on TV roles for both the Knicks and WNBA’s New York Liberty. Prior to joining FOX Sports, Johnson was one of CBS’s top play-by-play voices for the network’s college basketball coverage from 1996 to 2011. Clips of his dramatic, enthusiastic calls in the deciding moments of NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games became part of the fabric of the event and were the foundation of Johnson’s rise as a YouTube sensation.

“I am overjoyed and so looking forward to calling the games of a great young team with an exciting young coach in one of my favorite cities. It’s an honor to get back into the NBA with a franchise truly on the rise,” Johnson said. “I also look forward to working with Jim Paschke, someone I have known and admired for many years as one of the best in the business, and Marques Johnson, one of the all-time great Milwaukee Bucks. This is a unique opportunity to be a part of one of the best broadcast teams in the NBA.”

Marques Johnson’s NBA career began in Milwaukee when the Bucks selected the 6-7 forward with the third overall pick in the 1977 NBA Draft. Johnson would go on to play seven seasons in Milwaukee, leading the Bucks to the playoffs in six of them while earning four All-Star and three All-NBA Team selections. Johnson averaged 21.0 points per game during his time with the Bucks, the fourth-best mark in franchise history, and also ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders nearly every statistical category. Following his playing career, Johnson served as an analyst on Seattle SuperSonics broadcasts in the late ’90s, as lead college basketball analyst at Fox Sports for 15 years, as studio analyst for the Lakers and Clippers broadcasts, and most recently hosted a morning sports show on the Clippers’ flagship radio station in Los Angeles.

“I loved my time in Milwaukee and was part of some truly memorable teams, so it’s an honor to be coming back home to this fantastic franchise,” Johnson said. “This young and talented team has a very bright future, and I’m thrilled to have a front row seat alongside two of the best announcers in the business in Gus and Jim for what promises to be an exciting season.”

“I have a lot of admiration and respect for Gus and Marques – two of the all-time greats in their respective fields – and look forward to the energy and expertise they’ll bring to Bucks broadcasts this season,” Paschke said. “In my 30 years of calling Bucks action I’ve been a part of many incredible broadcasts, but I honestly believe the best is still to come. Bucks fans will have plenty to look forward to this season, both on the court and on TV.”

“I am honored to continue to be a part of the Bucks broadcast team as I start my 40th season behind the mic,” added McGlocklin. “It has been a blessing and a privilege for me and my family to have been a part of the Bucks organization since its inception in 1968. Gus and Marques are both outstanding talents with extensive basketball experience who bring unique and special skills to our broadcast.”

The 2015-16 regular season Bucks TV schedule tips off on Wednesday, Oct. 28, when the Bucks host the New York Knicks.

Hornets sign Sam Thompson and Jason Washburn for training camp

Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed forward Sam Thompson and center Jason Washburn to its training camp roster.

As a senior at Ohio State last season, Thompson, a 6-7 forward, averaged career highs of 10.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Over his four-year career at Ohio State, he appeared in 146 games (83 starts), averaging 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 22.9 minutes per game. Thompson went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Washburn, a 7-0 center, has spent the last two seasons playing professionally in the Ukraine, Belarus and Belgium. During the 2014-15 season, he played 27 games (six starts) for Basic-Fit of the Belgium-Scooore League and posted averages of 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 18.7 minutes per game. As a four-year player at the University of Utah, he appeared in 123 games (70 starts) and averaged 8.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 22.4 minutes per game. Washburn went undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft.

The training camp roster now stands at 18.

Lakers sign Robert Upshaw

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed center Robert Upshaw to a multi-year contract, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

According to the Los Angeles Times, “only $35,000 of Upshaw’s $525,093 is guaranteed for the 2015-16 season, according to a person with access to the NBA’s salary database. The second year of his contract, worth $874,636, is non-guaranteed.”

In five games for the Lakers’ entry in the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Upshaw averaged 1.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 11.5 minutes per game, highlighted by three blocks in just 12 minutes in his debut on July 10th against Minnesota.

Undrafted as an early entry candidate for the 2015 NBA Draft after his sophomore season at Washington, Upshaw led the nation with 4.5 blocks per game in just 24.9 minutes in 19 appearances in 2014-15. In addition, the 7-0 center averaged 10.9 points on 59.3% shooting and 8.2 rebounds for the Huskies in his final collegiate campaign, to go along with six double-doubles.

Bucks extend contract of GM John Hammond

The Milwaukee Bucks have extended the contract of General Manager John Hammond, the team announced today. The agreement will keep Hammond in his position with the Bucks through the 2016-17 season.

“A great deal of our team’s success and progress is due to the vision and hard work of John,” said Wes Edens, Bucks owner. “He’s assembled a talented and competitive roster and we’re very pleased that he will continue to lead basketball operations. With John and Coach Kidd at the helm, our young team has a very bright future.”

Hammond was hired by the Bucks on April 11, 2008, and was awarded the 2009-10 NBA Executive of the Year Award, voted on by his peers in the NBA, following the team’s 46-36 season. He has more than 30 years of coaching and administrative experience, including seven seasons with the Detroit Pistons that included an NBA Championship (2004), another NBA Finals appearance and three other Eastern Conference Finals appearances.