Inside Hoops – Page 1594 – NBA Blog

Jacob Pullen signs to play in Israel

According to Sportando, “Jacob Pullen won’t play in the Euroleague next season with Serbian Partizan Belgrade but in Israel with EuroCup regular Hapoel Jerusalem, as reported by David Pick. The ex-Kansas State combo guard who spent his pro rookie season in Italy’s Seria A with Angelico Biella, agreed to join Jerusalem over a tempting offer from Euroleague’s Partizan. The Chicago native will enjoy Jerusalem’s two games per week schedule, competing both in the Israeli Domestic League and the EuroCup competition.”

Bobcats working out Josh Howard

Former Wake Forest forward Josh Howard is doing some workouts with the Charlotte Bobcats this week, president of basketball operations Rod Higgins confirmed.

The Bobcats’ interest in Howard is still exploratory, as they consider ways to fill out their roster. The Bobcats would like to have another power forward, and have previously considered Antawn Jamison, Kris Humphries, and Carl Landry, who all signed elsewhere. Howard, 6-7, has played both power and small forward.

— Reported by Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer

Lakers to unveil Kareem statue, will retire jerseys of Shaq and Jamaal Wilkes

The Los Angeles Lakers will hold ceremonies to honor three of their all-time great players during the 2012-13 season, it was announced today.

In the first of these events, on Friday November 16, the Lakers and STAPLES Center will unveil a statue of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at Star Plaza outside STAPLES Center. Kareem’s statue will join those of former Lakers Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Jerry West, former Kings hockey great Wayne Gretzky, boxer Oscar De La Hoya and former Lakers broadcaster Francis “Chick” Hearn.

On Friday December 28, in a half-time ceremony, the Lakers will retire jersey #52 in honor of Jamaal Wilkes, and on Tuesday April 2, will retire jersey #34 in honor of Shaquille O’Neal.

Abdul-Jabbar was a member of the Lakers from 1975-1989. He finished his career as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (38,287) a record that still stands today. His accolades include six NBA Championships (1971, 80, 82, 85, 87 and 88); six-time NBA MVP (1971, 72, 74, 76, 77 and 80); 10-time All-NBA First Team; Five-time All-Defensive first team; Six-time All-Defensive Second Team and 19-time All-Star. Abdul-Jabbar was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.

Wilkes was a member of the Lakers from 1977-1984. Wilkes finished his NBA career as a four-time NBA Champion (1975, 80, 82 and 85); three-time NBA All-Star (1976, 81, and 83); two-time All-Defensive Second Team and Rookie of the Year (1975). On April 2, 2012, Wilkes was announced as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction class of 2012.

O’Neal was a member of the Lakers for eight seasons (1996-2004). During his career in Los Angeles, O’Neal was named NBA Most Valuable Player once (2000), Finals Most Valuable Player three times (2000, 2001, and 2002), All-NBA First Team on six occasions (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004) and NBA All-Star seven times. As a Laker, O’Neal posted averages of 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.49 blocked shots while winning three NBA Championships (2000, 2001 and 2002). The NBA’s sixth leading scorer of all-time (28,596), O’Neal earned a fourth NBA Championship in 2006 as a member of the Miami Heat.

Four Thunder players on Basketball Without Borders trip to Africa

Nick Collison is part of a hefty Thunder presence in Africa this week. Four of the seven NBA players participating in Basketball Without Borders this year are from the Oklahoma City roster. Serge Ibaka, a native of the Republic of Congo, joins Collison, Thabo Sefolosha and Cole Aldrich as camp coaches.

Chicago’s Luol Deng, Milwaukee’s Luc Mbah a Moute and Brooklyn’s C.J. Watson are also participating in the basketball clinic for 60 African boys and girls, and helping life skills seminars and education on HIV and AIDS.

”We’re out here to not only change other people’s lives but also to change ours, to give us a different perspective on other how other people live,” Aldrich said. ”Serge grew up in a totally different lifestyle than any of us did, and we’re learning a little bit of that through this trip.

”It’s been so much fun, there’s a lot of things we’ve got to continue to do and we’re just trying to spread the word of basketball and just help people that need help.”

— Reported by Jeff Latzke of the Associated Press

Orlando Magic hire James Borrego, Wes Unseld Jr, Brett Gunning, Laron Profit, Luke Stuckey

The Orlando Magic have named James Borrego, Wes Unseld Jr. and Brett Gunning as assistant coaches, General Manager Rob Hennigan and Head Coach Jacque Vaughn announced today.

In addition, Laron Profit and Luke Stuckey have been named assistant coaches/player development, while Gordon Chiesa has been named special consultant to the head coach.

“Each coach brings a unique skill set to the staff,” said Vaughn. “Collectively, this staff possesses a diverse basketball background. We are truly fortunate that these men have decided to join our Magic family.”

Borrego spent the last two seasons (2010-12) as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Hornets. Prior to joining New Orleans, he spent seven seasons with the San Antonio Spurs from 2003-10. Borrego started as an assistant video coordinator in the summer of 2003 and finished his tenure as an assistant coach. During those season seasons, he was a part of two NBA World Championship teams in 2005 and 2007.

Borrego began his coaching career at the University of San Diego, where he was an assistant coach for two seasons from 2001-03. During the 2002-03 campaign, San Diego captured the West Coast Conference Championship and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Borrego played three seasons at the University of San Diego, and during his senior season (2000-01), was named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic Team. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in leadership studies from USD.

Born and raised in Albuquerque, N.M., Borrego led Albuquerque Academy to a pair of state championships.

Unseld spent the 2011-12 campaign as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. Prior to joining Golden State, he spent 13 seasons with the Washington Wizards, including six seasons as an assistant coach from 2005-11. Unseld played a key role in player development for the Wizards, helping Washington to four consecutive playoff appearances from 2004-08. His scouting reports were also vital in the team’s game planning and preparation.

Unseld began his NBA career in 1997, just four days after graduating from John Hopkins University, as a professional and college scout for Washington. He was promoted later that same year to advance scout. In addition to his nine-year tenure as advance pro scout for the Wizards, he also spent three seasons (1998-2000) as an advance scout for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics. In 1998, Unseld spent part of the season serving as an assistant coach for the Mystics.

A native of Maryland and the son of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld, Unseld Jr. played on the men’s basketball team at John Hopkins for three seasons.

Gunning spent the last four seasons (2008-12) in various capacities with the Houston Rockets. He began with Houston in 2008 as the team’s director of player development, where he was responsible for improving player performance through on-court, one-on-one skill development and the use of video analysis. Gunning was then named an assistant coach prior to the 2011-12 campaign.

Prior to joining the Rockets, Gunning spent seven seasons (2001-08) as a member of the coaching staff at Villanova University under Jay Wright. During his time with the Wildcats, Gunning played a vital role in recruiting and developing a unit that secured four straight NCAA Tournament berths and made three trips to the Sweet 16. He was named associate coach in 2005 and was recognized following the 2007-08 season as one of the top 25 assistants in the nation by Rivals.com. Gunning’s responsibilities with Villanova included on-court teaching, recruiting and scouting.

Gunning was also a member of Wright’s staff at Hofstra University for seven seasons from1994-2001. He was a part of a staff that turned Hofstra into an American East powerhouse, posting a 72-22 (.766) record from 1998-2001. Gunning, who assisted with recruiting, individual instruction, scouting and film analysis at Hofstra, was also instrumental in the development of the Pride players.

A native of Broomall, Penn., Gunning graduated from Malvern Prep in 1990 and spent two years as a team manager during his undergraduate studies at Villanova, before accompanying former Wildcats Head Coach Rollie Massimino to UNLV in 1992. He then served as a student assistant for two years with the Runnin’ Rebels, earning his bachelor’s degree in 1994.

Profit played in 135 regular season games during his four-year NBA career with Washington and the L.A. Lakers, averaging 3.3 ppg., 1.5 rpg. and 1.2 apg. in 11.4 minpg. He was originally selected in the second round (38th overall) of the 1999 NBA Draft by Orlando, but was traded to Washington prior to the 1999-2000 season and never played for the Magic. Stuckey has served as varsity head coach at San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas, CA, a suburb of San Diego, for the last four seasons.

Last season, Chiesa served as a consultant for the NBA Development League. He is best known in NBA circles from his time as an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz, a position he held for 16 seasons from 1989-90 to 2004-05. During his tenure, he helped guide Utah to two Western Conference crowns, three Midwest Division championships, a regular season record of 809-471 (.632) and 14 consecutive postseason appearances, including 149 playoff games. Chiesa has also been an assistant coach with Seattle and Memphis, and was the Grizzlies’ director of pro scouting.

Eddy Curry reportedly worked out for Nets

Seeking to fill the lone remaining hole on their roster — a backup center behind Brook Lopez — the Nets could give Eddy Curry a second-chance in New York.

Curry, along with Hilton Armstrong, worked out for the Nets Wednesday, according to Yahoo! Sports. Curry, the much maligned former Knick, spent last season with the Heat, playing 14 games and averaging 2.1 points while riding the coattails of LeBron James to his first NBA title.

Curry, 29, played a combined 10 games in his final three seasons with the Knicks before his contract was used as salary ballast in the Carmelo Anthony deal in February 2011.

— Reported by Tim Bontemps and Fred Kerber of the New York Post

Andrew Bynum should do big things for Sixers

For the first time since the days of Moses Malone, the Sixers have a true scoring center in 24-year-old Andrew Bynum.

To be clear, Malone is a Hall of Famer. Bynum has been an All-Star once in his young career. Still, Bynum opens a world of offensive opportunities for a team that struggled to put points on the board a year ago.

The 7-foot center commands a double team in the low post. Since his rookie season, when he shot 40 percent from the field as an 18-year-old, Bynum has never shot below 56 percent.

But Bynum wasn’t the focal point of the offense in Los Angeles. The Lakers were – and still are – Kobe Bryant’s team. That didn’t change when Bynum was selected 10th overall in the 2005 NBA draft.

Last year, when Bynam averaged a career high 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds, he was the team’s second-leading scorer and his 13 field goal attempts per game were third on the team behind Bryant and Pau Gasol.

— Reported by Dei Lynam of CSN Philly

Curtis Jerrells signs in Turkey

Turkish champs Besiktas JK Istanbul announced on Wednesday the addition of point guard Curtis Jerrells for the upcoming season, in which the team will make its Turkish Airlines Euroleague debut. Jerrells (1.85 meters, 25 years old) arrives from UCAM Murica of Spain, where last season he averaged 7.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 2 games just before breaking his foot and missing the rest of the season. However, Jerrells had started the season with Fenerbahce Ulker also of Turkey, as he averaged 8.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 14 Euroleague games.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

Shelden Williams signs overseas in France

Elan Chalon fortified its frontcourt with the signing of big man Shelden Williams. Though this will be his first season playing in Europe, Williams (2.06 meters, 28 years old) has the right people to fall back on for knowledge; His brother-in-law is three-time European champion and two-time Euroleague MVP Anthony Parker. Williams has spent his entire professional career to date in the NBA, where he has totaled 361 regular season games over six seasons with seven teams. Last season he averaged 4.6 points and 6 rebounds over 58 games with New Jersey. He was a college basketball star at Duke University, where Williams remains the Blue Devils’ career leader in rebounds (1,262) and blocked shots (422). He was named Atlantic Coast Conference defensive player of the year and to the All-ACC First Team in both 2005 and 2006.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

Darius Songaila signs in Ukraine

BC Donetsk made veteran big man Darius Songaila its third addition to its frontline in the past week with the announcement that the sides signed a one-year contract. Songaila (2.06 meters, 34 years old) joins D’or Fischer and Kaloyan Ivanov as the newest Donetsk players. His contract is guaranteed for two months, after which both sides have the option to terminate the deal. With the Ukrainian champs, Songaila will attempt to navigate the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Qualifying Rounds for the second straight season. Last season he helped Galatasaray Medical Park win three straight games to qualify for the Euroleague regular season and then averaged 6.5 points and 2.8 rebounds over 15 minutes in 10 games as the club reached the Top 16 for the first time. He finished the season in Spain, where Songaila averaged 9 points and 4 rebounds in 10 games for Valladolid.

— Reported by Euroleague.net