Nets name Kiki Vandeweghe ‘special assistant to president’

InsideHoops.com NewsWire: The New Jersey Nets have named Kiki Vandeweghe Special Assistant to the President, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today. His duties will include working closely with Thorn in preparing for the 2008 NBA Draft and in the evaluation of current and future player personnel.

“We are very pleased to welcome Kiki to the Nets,” said Thorn. “Kiki has been a mainstay in the league for almost two decades, first as an All-Star player and then as a front office executive. His experience in both areas will be an invaluable asset to the franchise, and we look forward to his contributions.”

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Bucks fan hits half-court shot to win car

We’re not sure if this one even hit the rim, but no matter how it went in, Michael Hall of East Troy, Wisconsin, will trade in his beat-up wheels for a hard earned 2008 Chevy Malibu for sinking a half court shot during halftime of the Bucks vs. Nets game Saturday night at the Bradley Center.

The half-time competition has become a staple at Bucks home games throughout the years.  At each Bradley Center-based contest, two random fans are selected to participate in the Chevy Super Shot 2007-2008 Midwest Airlines Skyshots Competition.  Both contestants are given 24 seconds to make as many free throws as possible.  The shooter with the most made free throws advances to half-court for one shot at the coveted grand prize –­ the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu.

Hall was attending his second Bucks game of the year when he was approached and asked to be a part of the contest. “I usually get to nine or ten games a year,” Hall said.  “The car I own right now is pretty old and beat-up, so this is perfect.”

The Chevy Super Shot 2007-2008 Midwest Airlines Competition is sponsored by Chevrolet, Midwest Airlines and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Hall’s car will be presented to him at a future Bucks home game this season.

Jamison career stat note

With 27 points and 13 rebounds last night in New Jersey, Wizards forward Antawn Jamison increased his career totals to 13,010 career points and 5,180 career rebounds — becoming one of just 11 active players with 13,000+ points and 5,000+ rebounds in his career.  Injured Heat players Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning are two of the other 10 players.  In fact, of the 11 active players with 13,000 career points and 5,000 career rebounds, six of them (Jamison, O’Neal, Mourning, Antoine Walker, Juwan Howard, Rasheed Wallace) played for either the Wizards or Heat at one point during their career.  Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki are the lone active players with 13,000+ points and 5,000+ rebounds that never played for Miami or Washington.

Spurs sign DerMarr Johnson

InsideHoops.com NewsWire: The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard DerMarr Johnson.

The 6-9 Johnson has played for three teams – Atlanta, New York and Denver – during his seven-year NBA career. He was originally selected by Atlanta in the first round of the 2000 NBA Draft, with the sixth overall pick. In his career he has appeared in 339 regular season NBA games, averaging 6.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 17.4 minutes.

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Spurs waive Marcus Williams

InsideHoops.com NewsWire: The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have waived guard Marcus Williams.

The 6-7 Williams was signed by San Antonio on 12/26. He appeared in one game with the Spurs, logging a total of two minutes vs. Chicago on 12/26.

The Spurs selected Williams with the 33rd pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. During the 2007 preseason he appeared in seven games with the Spurs, averaging 3.3 points and 2.6 rebounds. He was waived by San Antonio on 10/27. He then joined the Austin Toros – the Spurs affiliate in the NBA Development League – where he averaged 18.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 35.3 minutes in nine games.

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Trade! Sixers get Giricek, first rounder, Jazz get Korver

InsideHoops.com NewsWire: Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the Sixers have acquired guard Gordan Giricek and a first-round pick from the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Kyle Korver.

“We are excited about acquiring a player of Gordan’s ability, as well as an additional asset in the form of a first-round draft pick,” Stefanski said. “This move will provide us with increased salary cap flexibility this off-season and also allows us to continue our evaluation and development of the young talent we have on this team.”

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InsideHoops.com: Spurs sign Keith Langford

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have signed guard Keith Langford. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

The 6-4, 215-pound Langford has been playing with the Austin Toros, the Spurs affiliate in the NBA Development League. He averaged 23.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 42.6 minutes of action in nine games. Langford has started seven games for the Toros and was second on the team in scoring. He was allocated to Austin by the D-League prior to the 2007-08 season.

Langford spent the 2007 training camp with San Antonio where he averaged 6.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 5 preseason games. He was waived on 10/24.

Langford, who went unpicked in the 2005 NBA Draft, spent last season with Vanoli Soresina in Italy where he averaged 19.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 34 games. During the 2005-06 season he spent time with the Fort Worth Flyers of the D-League and the Kansas Cagerz of the USBL.

The University of Kansas product spent four seasons with the Jayhawks. He finished his collegiate career as the sixth all-time leading scorer in Kansas history with 1,812 points.

Spurs waive Darius Washington

The San Antonio Spurs announced today that they have waived guard Darius Washington.

Washington appeared in 18 games for the Spurs where he averaged 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 8.1 minutes.  He was originally signed by San Antonio on 10/1.

Washington had also played for the Spurs NBA Development League affiliate Austin Toros.  He averaged 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists in six games with the Toros.