It’s back to the books for retired Chinese basketball star Yao Ming.
The former Houston Rockets center and No. 1 draft pick in the 2002 NBA draft started classes this week at Jiaotong University, one of the top schools in the country, China Daily and other newspapers reported Tuesday.
“The teacher showed me some mercy and did not leave me any homework,” Yao joked to reporters after his first day of courses at the university’s Antai College of Economics and Management.
Yao said the first order of business was assessing “how weak my foundation is” and working with instructors on a tailored course of study.
Yao, who retired four months ago because of chronic injuries to his left foot, is taking classes in mathematics, English and modern Chinese history—a subject he enjoyed in high school.
The Israeli women’s basketball league canceled its entire season after local players went on strike to protest a new rule giving more playing opportunities to foreigners. The decision leaves several top WNBA players out of work.
This is the first time in the league’s 54-year history that a whole season has been scrapped. Israel has one of Europe’s top professional leagues, and the WNBA said 13 of its players spent their winter in Israel last season.
Most of the league’s top players are Americans who come over after the WNBA season. Players who were set to take part this season included Jia Perkins of the San Antonio Silver Stars, Tanisha Wright of the Seattle Storm, Karima Christmas of the Tulsa Shock and Plenette Pierson of the New York Liberty.
The strike centered on the league’s decision to reverse a policy requiring teams to have at least two Israeli players on the court at any time — a rule that is common in Europe to help promote local talent. The new regulations would allow teams to play four foreigners at the same time, angering local players who saw their possibilities of earning playing time diminished. A similar rule change took place this offseason in the Israeli men’s league as well.
O’Neal speaks of Kupchak in only six pages of the 281-page “Shaq Uncut: My Story,” co-written by Jackie MacMullan, slated for a Nov. 15 release. But that’s enough prose to label Kupchak as the main culprit behind Shaq’s hasty departure from the Lakers.
According to the book, Kupchak promised to grant Shaq a contract extension following the 2003-04 season and not to discuss their contract negotiations publicly. Once the 2003-04 season ended, however, O’Neal was disturbed by an apparent interview in which Kupchak revealed the Lakers’ plan to hold onto Bryant while keeping their options open with O’Neal.
“That was it. That was the end of me in a Lakers uniform. Mitch broke our agreement. How could I trust him again?” Shaq writes in the book. “For months, I kept waiting for Mitch to come to me and say, ‘Shaq, you’re getting older, we need some new players. Mr. Buss doesn’t want to pay you and Kobe doesn’t want you here.’ But that conversation never happened. So that was when I demanded a trade. I couldn’t trust Mitch anymore and it was clear Kobe was now the one with all the power.”
Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries and the pastor who officiated at the couple’s August wedding met for two hours Sunday at Humphries’ Minnesota home, RadarOnline.com has confirmed.
Pastor Joel Johnson, who is Kris’ hometown minister, spent two hours with the estranged pair at Humphries’ lavish lakefront home.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Kim flew overnight from Los Angeles for the gathering. She arrived in Minneapolis at 5:30 am.
Kim was seen making several emotional phone calls from the home’s porch, and Pastor Johnson declined to answer reporters questions about how the couple is doing.
Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge put on a sold-out charity basketball game Sunday night with the NBA’s tense labor situation as a backdrop.
A fan held a sign that said “Thanks LaMarcus” during the game that included Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Josh Howard of the Washington Wizards, Atlanta’s Jamal Crawford and several other players…
Aldridge’s main goal on Sunday night was to have fun and raise money for charity.
His “Home” team beat the “Guest” team, 164-157. Aldridge had 42 points and 13 rebounds while Durant led the guests with 47 points.
One of the highlights of the game came when Nate Robinson, also of the Thunder, did “the Dougie” with a kid who was a performer during a break.
Absent was Blazers guard Brandon Roy, who Aldridge said had to attend to a family matter.
— Reported by Anne M. Peterson of the Associated Press
The house DJ towered above it all on Sunday from a balcony at the Chiles Center, lights down, sipping a cold beverage in a giant plastic cup through a straw, while bopping his head to the thumping music. Maybe a hundred feet below on the court, Kevin Durant, was dancing and warming up. Mostly dancing, while he bounced the ball. And it was right then that former Trail Blazers Darnell Valentine, elected coach of the “AWAY” team, walked in the place.
“It’s like they took a basketball court and dropped it into the middle of a night club,” Valentine said.
There was a dance team in slick black outfits. And a spotlight that scanned the building. Also, running commentary from a couple of guys seated courtside who cracked jokes and yelled things such as “Whaaaaat?!?!?” at random moments. I expected a woman with a bare mid-drift and a sequin skirt would appear at some point with a tray of Jell-O shots, or yo-yo’s and cigarettes. But alas, this thing ultimately turned into a basketball game.
Authorities say they are investigating the death of an athletic trainer for the Harlem Globetrotters after he was found shot in his Colorado home.
Weld County sheriff spokeswoman Margie Martinez said Saturday that the girlfriend of 42-year-old Thomas Bashline’s called deputies around 4:30 p.m. Friday, saying she had found him unresponsive in a bedroom. Bashline’s home is 11 miles west of Frederick in northern Colorado.
Investigators responding to the scene determined he had died.
A game that was supposed to help Warriors fans heal from the dismantling of the 2007 “We Believe” squad turned into a night filled with hope for the future when Davis said, “What’s up Bay Area?” and then pointed toward the Warriors’ baby-faced No. 30.
“Stephen Curry: The future,” Davis announced.
Curry had 34 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in the current Warriors’ 158-153 victory over the “We Believe” squad, putting to rest many of the “what-ifs” that remained regarding the disassembled playoff squad of 2007.
“The future sounds about right to me,” said swingman Dorell Wright, who led all scorers with 41 points. “Coming from B.D., that means a lot. He’s a brilliant person who puts his mind into everything. If he puts his stamp on something like that, he means it.” …
The game raised funds for the Athletes vs. Cancer Foundation, a charity created by Matt Barnes, whose gritty play is a microcosm of the 2007 team.
Barnes was joined by former teammates Jason Richardson and Harrington, and former Warriors who weren’t on that squad (Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, C.J. Watson, Anthony Morrow and Corey Maggette).
The current “Dubs” lineup featured Curry, David Lee and Wright, while reserves Lou Amundson, Charlie Bell, Jeremy Lin and Jeremy Tyler also played. Ellis (family matter) and Biedrins (overseas) didn’t show, and Ekpe Udoh was in street clothes, along with rookies Klay Thompson and Charles Jenkins.
Commissioner David Stern gave NBA players an offer and a deadline: Accept a chance to earn up to 51 percent of basketball-related income by Wednesday or get ready for a deal that’s a whole lot worse.
He wouldn’t call it an ultimatum, but it didn’t sure sit well with the union.
“The players will not be intimidated,” attorney Jeffrey Kessler said early Sunday after eight hours of negotiations stretched late into the night. “They want to play, they want a season, but they are not going to sacrifice the future of all NBA players under these types of threats of intimidation. It’s not happening on Derek Fisher’s watch; it’s not happening on Billy Hunter’s watch; it’s not happening on the watch of this executive committee.”
Kessler said the proposal was really 50.2 percent for the players and called the chance of them ever reaching 51 percent a “fraud” and an “illusion.”
Whatever. If players don’t agree to it by Wednesday, Stern said they would get a deal that would guarantee them just 47 percent of BRI and call for a flex salary cap.
— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press
NBA players could have a choice Saturday: Accept a 50-50 division of basketball-related income or risk having more owners join the hardline faction that wants a 53-47 split in its favor— and a hard salary cap.
When talks resume, they may quickly break down unless the sides can compromise on positions that seem to be hardening by the minute.
A person briefed on the owners’ position Friday told The Associated Press that there were many hardline owners who want a deal at 53-47 in their favor as well as a hard cap, and that the rest wouldn’t go beyond a 50-50 split.
Players have been seeking 52.5 of revenues in their favor—leaving a gap of about $100 million annually vs. the owners’ proposal—and there is a group of players who have discussed decertification of the union if they are forced to accept less than 52.
Both sides return to the bargaining table Saturday with federal mediator George Cohen, with some salary cap system issues still unresolved along with the BRI split.
Only one thing appears certain—the threat of losing the season has never been greater.
— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press
The Atlanta Hawks will not be sold to California developer and pizza chain owner Alex Meruelo.
In fact, the NBA team is no longer on the market.
The Hawks’ ownership group, headed by Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon Jr., said Friday that the agreement for Meruelo to buy the team had been mutually terminated by both sides. Just last week, there were reports the NBA was delaying approval of sale because of concerns about Meruelo’s finances, though he insisted he had enough money to purchase the team and run it in a first-class manner.
Meruelo, the son of Cuban immigrants, was poised to become the NBA’s first Hispanic team owner and acquire operating rights to Philips Arena, with Levenson and Gearon remaining in a minority role.
Instead, the group known as Atlanta Spirit will remain in charge of the team it has owned since 2004, when it acquired the Hawks and the NHL Thrashers from Time Warner. The group stepped in after a proposed deal with Dallas businessman David McDavid fell through.
“The Atlanta Hawks are no longer for sale,” Levenson said in a statement issued by the Hawks. “We’re excited to remain as owners of the Hawks and are committed to building on our string of four straight playoff appearances.”
— Reported by Paul Newberry of the Associated Press
