Inside Hoops – Page 2507 – NBA Blog

Monta Ellis out 3+ months after ankle surgery

Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis, who suffered a Grade 3 high ankle sprain, a torn deltoid ligament and a syndesmosis disruption of his left ankle last Thursday, underwent successful surgery today to repair the ligament and will be sidelined a minimum of three-plus months, it was announced today. Ellis informed the team that he suffered the injury while working out in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Angus McBryde of the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

Ellis, 22, is expected to have the ankle immobilized for approximately six (6) weeks and spend approximately the following six (6) weeks undergoing off-court rehabilitation. Based on his progress, the 6’3” guard will be cleared to begin on-court rehabilitation after the successful conclusion of the first two steps in the process. A potential return date (to play) cannot be estimated until the initial 12-week period is completed.

A three-year NBA veteran, Ellis averaged a career-high 20.2 points (25th in NBA) and shot .531 from the floor (14th in NBA) last season.

Luol Deng insurance doubt for London 2012

The Times of London (Ian Whittell) reports: Great Britain Basketball [GBB] officials fear that the insurance problems that are preventing Luol Deng, the Chicago Bulls forward, from playing for his country will rule him out of the 2012 Olympic Games in London and even put Britain’s involvement in the tournament in doubt. The sport’s governing body has seven days to find $500,000 (about £272,000) for an additional insurance premium if Deng, who is an ambassador for London 2012, is to take his place in the qualifying campaign for next year’s European Championship A division finals, starting against Israel in Tel Aviv a week today.

Garcia Reneses quits as Spain basketball coach

The AP reports: Aito Garcia Reneses has quit as Spain’s basketball coach after leading the national team to a silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Games. Garcia Reneses made use of a clause in his contract which allows him to vacate the position after the games, the Spanish basketball federation announced Tuesday. “I don’t want to coach only for two months a year. At present, I prefer to be active throughout the season,” said Garcia Reneses, who is expected to take over at Spanish club Unicaja.

Wayman Tisdale has part of leg amputated

The AP reports: Former NBA player Wayman Tisdale had part of his right leg amputated Monday because of bone cancer. Tisdale, 44, revealed on his Web site that the surgery was scheduled for Monday. His wife, Regina, told The Associated Press on Tuesday night the surgery had taken place as planned. “Everything went well,” she said. Tisdale, a 6-foot-9 Tulsa native who played for Oklahoma before spending 12 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, first learned he had cancerous cyst below his right knee after he broke his leg in a fall at his home in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2007.

Kevin Duckworth dies at 44

Kevin Duckworth, 44, a two-time NBA All-Star who starred on Western Conference Championship teams in Portland in 1990 and 1992, passed away Monday evening in Gleneden Beach, Oregon.

Two recent pictures of him are here. Also join in fan reaction here.

A member of the Trail Blazers from 1986-93, the 7-footer – affectionately known to Trail Blazers fans simply as “Duck” – also played for San Antonio, Washington, Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Clippers during his 11-year NBA career.

“Today is an extremely sad day for the Trail Blazers family,” Trail Blazers President Larry Miller said. “Kevin will be remembered by fans as one of the most popular and recognizable players to ever wear the Blazers uniform, but to people who knew him, he’ll be remembered as one of the warmest and biggest-hearted.”

Duckworth remained in the Portland area after his playing career ended, where he was an avid fisherman & outdoorsman, and a skilled carpenter. He was on the Oregon Coast representing the Trail Blazers as a Heritage Ambassador on the team’s 19-city Statewide Summer Tour. The cause of his death is unknown, and will be determined by a Lincoln County Medical Examiner.

A second-round draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs out of Eastern Illinois University in 1986, Duckworth was only 14 games into his NBA career when he was acquired by the Trail Blazers from San Antonio in exchange for Walter Berry.

One season later, the 7-foot center was thrust into the spotlight because of injuries to Steve Johnson and Sam Bowie. Duckworth responded by averaging 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, establishing himself as a pivot presence instrumental in Portland’s emergence as one of the NBA’s dominant teams.

Duckworth remains the 10th leading scorer (7,188) and rebounder (3,327) in Trail Blazers history, compiling averages of 13.6 points and 6.3 rebounds in 527 games with Portland. During his tenure, Trail Blazers teams compiled a record of 356-193 (.648). In 684 career NBA games, Duckworth scored 8,085 points (11.8 ppg), grabbed 3,945 rebounds (5.8 rpg) and shot 46.8 percent from the field.

“This is a devastating loss,” said Traci Rose, Trail Blazers Vice President of Community Relations. “To this day, Duck is adored throughout this state and remains a brother to his teammates and to Trail Blazers staff. We will forever miss our beloved 00.”

Information on memorial services will be announced as it becomes available. Duckworth is survived by his mother and sister.

Shaq and wife staying together

The Miami Herald (Joan Fleischman) reports: It’s official: Shaq and Shaunie will remain a team. NBA star Shaquille O’Neal’s attorney Ira Elegant wrote to Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Roberto Pineiro: “The parties have reconciled.” Pineiro signed the dismissal order on Friday. ”A happy ending,” says Shaunie’s lawyer, Marsha Elser. Elegant agrees. “An excellent result.” Shaq filed last September, when he played for the Miami Heat.

Airline loses Ginobili’s luggage

The San Antonio Express-News (Mike Monroe) reports: After more than an hour on a runway in Beijing, another 12 in the air, an hour clearing customs at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and three more waiting for a connecting flight, Spurs star Manu Ginobili arrived at San Antonio International Airport late Monday night and discovered the truth about heroes. When it comes to lost luggage, Olympic medalists get no special favors. Missing were three of the four bags he and his wife had checked in Beijing, where Ginobili collected a bronze medal as the leading scorer for the Argentine Olympic team. “I actually got 25 percent — three out of four (were missing),” Ginobili said.

International basketball court to Americanize

The New York Times (Howard Beck) reports: Winning Olympic gold in Beijing depended partly on Team USA’s ability to cope with the unfamiliar geometry of the international game: a trapezoidal lane, a shallow 3-point arc and a contorted array of driving lanes. But in two years, the trapezoid will be dead, the arc will be a little deeper and the international game will be a bit closer in style to the N.B.A.’s. The lane will become a rectangle, emulating the United States model. The arc will move to 6.75 meters (22.1 feet) — closer to the N.B.A. standard of 22 feet 9 inches — from 6.25 meters (20.5 feet). The changes were among several adopted, to little fanfare, by the International Basketball Federation, known as FIBA, in April. The new rules take effect after the world championships in 2010, so they will be in place for the 2012 Olympics in London. The intent is to sharpen the international game and to make it more uniform from one hemisphere to another, at all levels of play. But the changes will undoubtedly provide a subtle lift to a United States team that probably needs no help.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Regardless of which international team it helps in the somewhat near future, the idea that the entire world will be playing on the same basketball court is a good one, and ultimately does benefit the collective basketball universe in the long run.

More from the New York Times (Howard Beck): In FIBA’s view, the 3-point shot has become too common. In 1984, when the arc was added in international play, only 14 percent of all field-goal attempts were 3-pointers, Baumann said. Now, he added, that number is 40 percent and players routinely make 38 to 40 percent of them. “The board felt that’s no longer now an exceptional shot,” Baumann said. “It felt something needed to be done.”

Clippers name Fred Vinson assistant coach

The Los Angeles Clippers today named Fred Vinson Assistant Coach/Director of Player Programs. Vinson served as a Player Development consultant for the Clippers during the 2007-08 season.

“We feel that Fred’s background and experience as an NBA player will allow him to take on a mentoring roll with our young players and help ease their transition to the NBA,” stated Clippers’ Director of Player Personnel Neil Olshey.

Vinson played parts of the 1994-95 and 1999-00 season with the Atlanta Hawks and Seattle Supersonics, tallying career averages of 1.3 points and 5.2 minutes per game. Vinson also averaged 3.3 points per game for the Clippers during the 2005-06 NBA preseason.

A 6’4” guard out of Georgia Tech, Vinson worked his way to the NBA through the CBA and USBL, averaging 6.4 points in 20 games played for the Mexico Aztecas (CBA) during the 1994-95 season. Vinson also spent time with the Atlanta Trojans of the USBL during the 1994 season.

While at Georgia Tech, Vinson turned in his best season in 1993, averaging 11.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 29 games played during his senior campaign. He also connected on 72-181 (.398) three-point field goals on the year.

Suns trade DJ Strawberry to Rockets for Sean Singletary

The Phoenix Suns announced today that the club has acquired rookie guard Sean Singletary from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard D.J. Strawberry.

“Sean gives us depth at the point guard spot,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr. “We like his instincts and his ability to run a team. He also puts a lot of pressure on the ball defensively. We thank D.J. for his contributions and wish him well.”

In Singletary, the Suns acquire a dynamic 6-0, 185-point rookie guard, who was the 42nd overall selection (second round) of the Sacramento Kings in the 2008 NBA Draft. Singletary was then traded to the Rockets along with Patrick Ewing, Jr. in the deal that sent Ron Artest to Houston in exchange for Donte Green, Bobby Jackson and a future first-round pick on August 14, 2008. Singletary was a member of the Kings’ 2008 Las Vegas Summer League squad, averaging 5.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 32.2 minutes with appearances in each of the club’s five games.

A four-year standout at Virginia, Singletary was a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference First Team selection. During his senior season of 2007-08, the soon-to-be 23-year-old led his team in scoring for the second-straight season (19.8 points) and was the lone Division I player to rank in the top 40 in both scoring and assists. That production earned Singletary an Honorable Mention All-America Selection from the Associated Press and made him a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate point guard.

A three-time co-captain for the Cavaliers, Singletary finished his career as the only player in ACC history with 2,000 career points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds and 200 steals. Singletary’s jersey was retired by Virginia before his final home game.

Strawberry was selected by the Suns with the 59th overall pick (second round) of the 2007 NBA Draft. In his rookie campaign with Phoenix in 2007-08, the 6-5, 201-pound guard averaged 2.2 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 8.1 minutes, appearing in 33 games.