Category: NBA News Blog

NBA news blog

Aleksej Pokusevski to enter the 2020 NBA draft

With league play on hold, the main news in basketball these days revolves around the draft, scheduled for late June. Here’s ESPN.com reporting on an overseas talent:

Serbian forward Aleksej Pokusevski has submitted paperwork to the league office to make himself eligible for the 2020 NBA draft, his agent Alexander Raskovic told ESPN.

Pokusevski, the No. 27 prospect in the ESPN Top 100, had a productive season in the Greek second division with Olympiacos, averaging 10.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 blocks in 23 minutes per game. He led the U18 European Championship in blocks this summer with 4 per game, while finishing in the top 10 in rebounds, steals and assists.

Memphis forward Precious Achiuwa to enter 2020 NBA draft

Here’s ESPN.com reporting on a top prospect for the next NBA draft:

Memphis freshman forward Precious Achiuwa is entering the 2020 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Friday…

Achiuwa, the No. 12 prospect in the ESPN Top 100, emerged as one of the most productive freshmen in college basketball, winning American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors.

He averaged 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.1 steals for the Tigers, establishing himself as one of the most versatile defenders in the country.

Achiuwa is listed at 6-foot-9, 225 lbs, and was born in Queens, New York.

The draft is scheduled for its usual time — late June — though the NBA may issue some scheduling updates in May that could change just about anything as far as 2020 events are concerned.

Kobe Bryant’s final NBA season was documented by a film crew

It sounds like we’ll eventually get some really good behind-the-scenes Kobe Bryant footage someday. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

And just as the camera crew had unprecedented access to chronicle every moment of Jordan’s final season with the Bulls, the same holds true for Bryant’s final NBA season. The crew expanded in size during his last campaign, and as many as six personal camera crews were present during his 60-point finale.

Bryant’s camera crew, several Lakers staffers from that season said, had unparalleled access in locker rooms both at home and on the road, in the training room, throughout the team’s practice facility and even on the team’s charter plane…

There were key differences, of course — the biggest being that Jordan’s Bulls were pushing for their sixth title in eight seasons while Bryant’s team ultimately posted a 17-65 season, the worst record in franchise history.

“It was interesting because, obviously, we weren’t winning, so that was frustrating. And the [cameras were always] in your face so, I don’t know, it was hard,” said Robert Sacre, a reserve center for the Lakers that season. “It didn’t feel real as a season.”

Considering the state of the Lakers in Kobe’s last season, the documentary would presumably focus more on Kobe’s personality and basketball life as an individual, rather than centering around the team. But with the tragic loss of Kobe in a horrible helicopter crash earlier this year, such footage would be more than welcome.

Kings coach Luke Walton has watched every episode of Tiger King on Netflix

Here’s the Sacramento Bee answering the question you’ve all been asking: how much of the Netflix show “Tiger King” has Sacramento Kings head coach Luke Walton watched?

During a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Walton offered his thoughts on social distancing, homeschooling, the threat of COVID-19 and two documentary series that are keeping America entertained: ESPN’s “The Last Dance” and Netflix’s “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.”

“I have watched every episode of ‘Tiger King,’” Walton said. “I had no idea what it was about, but it hooked me.”

Walton said he is sheltering in place with his family at their Sacramento-area home, where they are adhering to recommendations and orders from health officials. In his first press briefing since the NBA postponed the season March 11, Walton quipped that he was speaking to reporters from his car outside the house “because it’s the only place I can get any quiet in the quarantine life.”

Now you know.

I haven’t actually seen it yet. Because it’s been described as a car crash that people can’t look away from. Which isn’t exactly the best advertisement for a series. But like most of you, and like Walton, I’m sure at some point I’ll hit that Play button and struggle to look away.

Michael Jordan could have played for the Oakland A’s, says former GM

Here’s NBC Sports Chicago reporting on some interesting insight into a turn Michael Jordan’s brief pro baseball career could have taken:

Michael Jordan’s departure from his life as the greatest basketball player in the world to play minor league baseball with the White Sox is the stuff of Chicago legend.

But it might have gone quite differently. And with a different organization altogether.

Former Oakland Athletics general manager Sandy Alderson told ESPN’s Buster Olney on a recent edition of the Baseball Tonight podcast that he offered Jordan a spot on his major league roster in 1994.

“You recall when Jordan stopped playing basketball and decided to try baseball, and ultimately went down to the Birmingham Barons — the Chicago White Sox affiliate,” Alderson said. “When I heard that was happening, or about to happen, I called his agent right away and said, ‘Hey look, I understand he may be going to Double-A. I don’t even know who the 25th man is on our major league team right now, I will sign him and put him on the major league roster. He’ll be part of our 25-man team. Tomorrow.'”

Just speculating here, but unless Jordan had somehow magically been better at the major league level than he was in the minors, he’d still probably have wound up back in the NBA around the same time as he did. But this could have potentially been an even more fascinating detour.

New Notre Dame coach is Niele Ivey, who had been with Memphis Grizzlies

Here’s the Memphis Commercial Appeal with some news on the coaching front:

Notre Dame named Niele Ivey its new women’s basketball coach Wednesday.

Ivey spent the 2019-20 season as an assistant coach on Taylor Jenkins’ Memphis Grizzlies staff, becoming the ninth active female coach in the NBA.

Ivey becomes the fourth women’s basketball coach in Notre Dame history, succeeding Muffet McGraw, who announced Wednesday she was stepping down after 33 seasons.

And per UND.com:

There’s no place like home under the Golden Dome. James E. Rohr Notre Dame Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick announced Niele Ivey (‘01) as the fourth head coach in women’s basketball history on Wednesday.

Ivey was the common link to all nine of the program’s Final Four appearances, two as a player and seven as an assistant coach, logging a combined 17 years on Notre Dame’s campus. Ivey spent the past season honing her craft as an assistant coach with the Memphis Grizzlies, before returning to follow in Muffet McGraw’s footsteps.

Knicks will reportedly hire Brock Aller for front office

The Knicks will reportedly soon add to their front office. Here’s New York Newsday:

Leon Rose has been silent since taking over last month as Knicks team president, but he is expected to make his first front office move shortly.

A league source confirmed an SNY.TV report that Brock Aller, who has served as Dan Gilbert’s righthand man in Cleveland with the official title of Senior Director of Basketball Operations, is expected to join the Knicks front office within the next week.

Aller officially joined the Cavs in 2013 after working with Gilbert, the Cavs’ chairman and principal owner, for 10 years. He spent four seasons as the team’s Senior Director, Strategic Planning before being promoted to his current position in July 2017.

The Knicks were an Eastern conference 12th-best 21-45 this NBA season, which has been suspended since mid March due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

TV ratings: The 2020 WNBA Draft averaged 387,000 viewers on ESPN

The 2020 WNBA Draft averaged 387,000 viewers on ESPN, up 123 percent over the 2019 Draft, and up 33 percent from the last time it aired on the network in 2011. This makes it the most-watched WNBA Draft in 16 years, and the second most-watched in ESPN’s history.

Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, this year’s WNBA Draft was held virtually, using Internet video technology, with almost everyone shown on the screen at home.

Unanimous National Player of the Year Sabrina Ionescu of Oregon was selected by the New York Liberty with the first overall pick of the 2020 WNBA Draft. Ionescu, a three-time Nancy Lieberman Award winner as the nation’s top point guard, averaged 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and an NCAA-leading 9.1 assists as a senior. She holds the NCAA record for career triple-doubles and is the only NCAA woman or man to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists.

Before the start of the draft, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert named Alyssa Altobelli, Gianna Bryant and Payton Chester as honorary draft picks. The Mamba Sports Academy teammates, who played on a youth basketball team coached by Kobe Bryant, tragically passed away in a helicopter accident in January.

Also, the WNBA introduced the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, a new annual honor that will recognize an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels. The award will carry on Kobe’ legacy of advocacy and Gigi’s passion for the sport.

Spencer Dinwiddie onto Team Nigeria?

Here’s some interesting international basketball news, via the New York Post:

Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie is planning to acquire a Nigerian passport to play for Nigeria in the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, according to The Athletic.

Dinwiddie, who was not among the 44 players who were announced as finalists for spots on Team USA, can be eligible to play for Nigeria if he is successful in his quest for a passport. He confirm The Athletic’s report with a simple reply on his Twitter page.

“Well now y’all know lol,” Dinwiddie tweeted.

Dinwiddie had a good season for the Nets in 2019-20, and for many weeks was considered a contender to make the All-Star team.

Anthony Davis reportedly selling his house in Los Angeles

Here’s the Los Angeles Daily News with some NBA-related real estate news:

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, scheduled to become a free agent this summer, has listed his contemporary Mediterranean-style home in Westlake Village.

The asking price is $7.995 million.

Set atop two-plus acres in guard-gated North Ranch Country Club Estates, the five-bedroom, 15,815-square-foot house was built in 1996 and recently expanded and remodeled.

And more from the New York Post:

Dealt to the Lakers last summer, the 27-year-old Chicagoan can become an unrestricted free agent after the season if he declines his player option for 2020-21. Back in January, Davis turned down a maximum contract offer from the Lakers worth $146 million over four years, as he would be eligible for a larger contract with the Lakers by first becoming a free agent. The Lakers at the time maintained optimism they would be able to retain Davis, according to USA Today, while the superstar has danced around questions about his future.

And the Los Angeles Times:

The contemporary Mediterranean mansion sits behind gates with a guesthouse and a $1-million infinity-edge swimming pool complete with dual waterslides, a baja deck and a spa. But perhaps even more impressive: an attached basketball gymnasium featuring its own viewing box.

Custom-built in 1996 and later expanded, the roughly 16,000-square-foot house features a two-story entry with a curved staircase, a wood-paneled office and a movie theater. The kitchen is equipped with two islands. There are five bedrooms and seven bathrooms including a multi-room master suite.

The house is a bit small for our tastes, but feel free to place a bid if you don’t mind a cozy lifestyle.