Entertainment Blog – Page 28 – NBA Blog

NBA 2K12 covers: Jordan, Bird and Magic

2K Sports announced today that NBA 2K12, the next installment of the top-rated and best-selling NBA video game simulation franchise, will offer three separate covers for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system featuring three of the NBA’s greatest legends of all time, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

The new stylized NBA 2K12 covers are a unique, one-time departure from the traditional 2K Sports brand artwork, and will spotlight each legendary athlete on his famous team: the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. The covers featuring Bird and Johnson will be available at launch in a limited quantity.

“Bringing Michael Jordan to the virtual hardwood last year was a huge success for NBA 2K11; however, we didn’t want to stop there,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “We’re bringing ‘His Airness’ back to the NBA 2K franchise as part of a multi-year extended partnership, along with two other legendary icons – Larry Bird and Magic Johnson – for a special cover athlete collection representing the NBA’s greatest heroes.”

Here they are:

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J.J. Barea and former Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera expecting a child

SportsDayDFW.com reports:

Mavericks guard J.J. Barea and his girlfriend, actress and model Zuleyka Rivera are expecting a child, according to a report from Primerahora.com.

Rivera, a former Miss Universe, will have to leave production of her new project called “Passionate Heart.”

“All this took me by surprise, but I feel very lucky,” she wrote to Primerahora.com, as translated from Spanish. “I come from a very close family and I understand that a baby is a blessing. I’m sorry I had to leave this soap opera, it was another opportunity for my growth as an actress and achieve my professional goals. However, both JJ and I are happy to start a family together and I know God will reward us with a healthy baby and many more opportunities for both.”

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Dwyane Wade sues computer hackers

Bill Hethcock of the Dallas Business Journal reports:

Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade claims in a lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Sherman that somebody is hacking into his personal email and social media accounts and stealing confidential business and personal information.

The hackers, who aren’t named in the complaint, got into Wade’s Yahoo!bizWatch and Twitter accounts, according to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas…

The hacking happened between Jan. 2007 and June 2011, and involved modifying account settings and changing account passwords, according to the suit. The hackers reviewed years worth of confidential and private information, including documents between Wade and his attorneys, communications between Wade and his ex-wife, business associates, advisers, family and friends, the complaint states. The hackers also sent sometimes vulgar and threatening emails purporting to be from Wade and used Wade’s likeness request private documents, the complaint says.

More Mark Cuban Shark Tank season 3

Entertainment Weekly reports:

Shark Tank is giving Mark Cuban a promotion.

The Dallas Mavs owner stole the show during a trio of guest appearances on the business-based reality series last season. Now ABC and executive producer Mark Burnett have signed on Cuban for nearly all of season 3.

InsideHoops.com editor says: I actually watched and enjoyed this show last season. I’ve only seen four of five episodes of it, but it was fun. It isn’t the type of show that demands your full attention, but it made great background filler off DVR for me while doing some late night work some nights.

Shaq joins Turner Sports

Turner Sports announced today a multi-year agreement with 15-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal, to serve as an analyst across its portfolio of NBA assets. Beginning with the 2011-12 season, O’Neal will join TNT as a full-time analyst on the network’s Emmy Award-winning studio show, alongside Ernie Johnson (host), Kenny Smith (analyst) and Charles Barkley (analyst), and will be a part of the network’s exclusive NBA All-Star weekend and NBA Playoffs coverage. In addition, he will be a key contributor to NBA TV and NBA.com, providing analysis and commentary throughout the regular season, as well as for The Finals, All Star Weekend and the NBA Draft.

“I can’t wait to begin my new career with Turner. Over the past several years the team at Turner has taken the NBA and entertainment, in general, to a whole new level. I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the amazing team at Inside the NBA and I hope I can further the fans’ experience on a regular basis,” said O’Neal.

The agreement with O’Neal extends beyond the Turner Sports portfolio and includes a development deal with Turner’s entertainment and animation networks. O’Neal is a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild, with entertainment credits including a number of roles and executive producer credits in both television and film.

“We are thrilled to have Shaquille O’Neal join Turner Sports and our marquee roster of announcers and analysts,” said David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. “His unique insights, perspective as one of the league’s all-time great players and personality will be the perfect complement to our award-winning studio team of Ernie, Kenny and Charles, as well as to our programming on NBA TV and NBA.com.”

Among his many accolades during his illustrious 19-year playing career, O’Neal was chosen as one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players, ranks fifth all-time in NBA scoring history (28,596 points scored), won the Rookie of the Year award (1993), MVP award (2000) and was named All-NBA 14 times.

Additionally, his impressive career includes four NBA Championships – three with the LA Lakers (2000 – 2002), where he was named NBA Finals MVP for all three championships, and one with the Miami Heat (2006). The 15-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA All-Star MVP (2000, 2004, 2009) also won two scoring titles (1995, 2000). He appeared in 1207 regular season games, averaging 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 blocks in 34.7 minutes per contest throughout his career, which included playing for the Orlando Magic, LA Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.

Additional comments from TNT’s studio team on Shaquille O’Neal:

Studio Host Ernie Johnson: “Shaq knows the game and, on and off the floor, he has always been entertaining; a guy who gets it…Obviously, I know I’m going to have to eat before I get to the studio.”

Analyst Kenny Smith: “The addition of “The Big Analytical” will be terrific. I can’t wait to make verbal passes to the most dominant center of our time.”

Analyst Charles Barkley: “He is a great addition to our team and in the immortal words of (New York Jets linebacker) Bart Scott…CAN’T WAIT!”

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Christina Miller named general manager of NBA Digital

Christina Miller has been named general manager of NBA Digital, it was jointly announced today by David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc, and Adam Silver, NBA deputy commissioner. She will continue to serve as senior vice president of Turner Sports Strategy/Marketing/Promotions, reporting directly to Lenny Daniels, chief operating officer and executive vice president, Turner Sports.

As part of her new responsibilities, Miller will now oversee the day-to-day operations for the NBA Digital portfolio, which includes NBA TV — the league’s 24-hour digital television network, NBA.com, WNBA.com, NBADLeague.com, NBA League Pass, as well as the league’s broadband and wireless businesses. She will provide leadership for all aspects of the business, including programming, operations, editorial, ecommerce and marketing.

Miller replaces Bryan Perez who recently departed the company after three years in the role to join a leading sports and entertainment company.

“Christina’s strategic leadership, creative guidance, consumer insights and smart business sense have significantly contributed to the recent growth of Turner Sports’ linear and digital portfolios and will be pivotal in the continued growth of NBA Digital,” said Levy. “She is a respected and decisive leader and is the right person to lead the NBA Digital portfolio into the future.”

“Christina is an ideal fit to oversee the day-to-day operations of our digital assets,” said Silver. “Coming off a record breaking season for NBA Digital, Christina’s expertise and leadership will continue to fuel our success and provide NBA fans with an unmatched experience across all of our platforms.”

Miller’s duties as senior vice president of Turner Sports Strategy/Marketing/Promotions include managing relationships with league partners, Turner networks and their digital extensions, as well as the strategic planning and scheduling of on-air sports programming and developing marketing programs for the division’s linear and digital properties. In her new role with NBA Digital, Miller will report directly to Daniels and Silver.

With her new responsibilities, Miller will step down as SVP of Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), where she directed Turner’s youth and young adults consumer products and home video business in the United States, including global licensing partnerships and merchandising strategies and retail business development for Cartoon Network and Adult Swim properties.

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Paul Pierce eliminated from World Series of Poker main event

Andrew Feldman of ESPN reports:

With only 20 minutes to go in Level 9, Paul Pierce made his exit from the WSOP main event. The NBA All-Star had been the attention of all at the secondary feature table, even players like Dennis Phillips who asked him for an autograph during play. Pierce played a patient game, but seemed to get active after dinner and would ultimately find himself in a rough spot with 2-2 all-in preflop against the J-J of Allan Vrooman. The board ran clean for Vroonman (K-8-5-4-K) and Pierce stood up from his chair, grabbed his backpack and walked out the door with spectators and players giving him a round of applause as they announced his departure.

Pierce spent a total of 17 hours and 40 minutes in action and outlasted more than half of the field of 2,031 that began on Day 2A.

The action began at 3 p.m. ET with both the Pavilion and Amazon Rooms filled with tournament action, but during Level 9, the final tables from Pavilion were broken and for the rest of the night, the entire field is in one room.

Elton Brand to co-produce Tupac movie

The Philadelphia Daily News reports:

Elton Brand won’t accept failure.

Even if it has the propensity to lighten his already deep pockets.

That’s probably why the Sixers forward is trying his luck in the movie industry again, this time signing on as a co-producer for the upcoming film “Tupac,” a biopic on the life and death of the West Coast hip-hop artist.

This isn’t Brand’s first venture into the movie game. While in Los Angeles as a Clipper, Brand co-founded a small production company called Gibraltar Entertainment. According to a 2006 report from the Los Angeles Times, Brand’s outfit was hit with four separate lawsuits in a year span. Though none alleged any wrongdoing by Brand specifically, the report also claimed Brand dropped $250,000 out of his own pocket to settle a lawsuit.

However, with “Tupac,” Brand is merging with powerhouse Morgan Creek Productions. And the flick is being directed by Antoine Fuqua, of the Oscar-winning film “Training Day,” and Afeni Shakur-Davis, Tupac’s mother, will serve as executive producer. The film has not been rated, but production is under way in Los Angeles, New York, Georgia and Las Vegas.

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Sonny Vaccaro is pretty much retired

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports reports:

The excitement and storylines are mostly gone because Vaccaro, widely regarded as the godfather of grassroots basketball, no longer is involved and available to play nemesis to the power structure. He’s instead traveling the country with his wife, Pam. He speaks a lot and relaxes often.

At 71, he has no need for the daily grind it took to run his legendary ABCD Camp outside of New York that annually highlighted the beginning of July or the Big Time tournament in Las Vegas that headlined the end.

But the tug-a-war?

Yes, Vaccaro misses that.

He’s like a fighter without a fight.

“And I miss the fight,” Vaccaro said. “I do miss that.”

The fight began in the early 1990s when Vaccaro left Nike for Adidas and began competing against the outfit he very literally helped build into the most influential sports apparel company in the world by, among other things, convincing Phil Knight to tie his brand to a young basketball player named Michael Jordan.

While with Adidas — and subsequently Reebok — Vaccaro was able to challenge and, in most cases, beat Nike for summer relevance based on his reputation and relationships he spent decades establishing.

Entertainment: Vinny Guadagnino leaves Jersey Shore

The New York Daily News reports:

The “Jersey Shore’s” “MVP” clique — Mike (The Situation) Sorrentino, Vinny Guadagnino and Paul (Pauly D) DelVecchio — is now without its “V.”

Guadagnino left the MTV show for good after getting into a fight with a castmate inside their Seaside Heights, N.J., shore house, reports TMZ.

Just days after they moved in to start shooting the fifth season of the MTV show, Guadagnino was seen moving out late Wednesday night.

Though he returned the next day after spending the night in a local hotel, the 23-year-old left once and for all on Friday and went home to Staten Island.