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Los Angeles D-Fenders (D-League) hire Reggie Theus as head coach

The Los Angeles D-Fenders have hired Reggie Theus as head coach, it was announced today by team President/CEO Joey Buss.

“We are pleased to welcome Reggie Theus to the D-Fenders,” said Buss. “Reggie’s extensive NBA background coupled with his experience developing players at the collegiate basketball level will make him a great asset to our franchise. We look forward to working with Reggie and building upon the record-setting season we had last year.”

Theus, who has over 11 years of coaching experience and played 13 seasons in the NBA, spent last season as a Pac-12 Analyst for Fox Sports Net after previously spending two seasons on the NBA sidelines as an assistant coach with Minnesota (2009-11). Prior to his stint in Minneapolis, Theus originally joined the NBA coaching ranks when he was named the 21st head coach in Sacramento Kings history.

“I am elated and thankful to have an opportunity to work for a first class organization like the D-Fenders,” said Theus. “Coaching for a franchise that has proven its commitment to developing young players for the next level while also maintaining a competitive team is exciting to me. I am looking forward to getting on the court and continuing the success that the D-Fenders experienced last season.”

Theus, a Los Angeles native, worked his way to the NBA from the collegiate level after spending two years as head coach at New Mexico State University. Hired in 2005, Theus guided the Aggies to a 16-14 record in his first season, marking a 10-win improvement from the previous season along with the best single-season turnaround at NMSU in 20 years. In 2006-07, Theus and the Aggies continued their success and posted a 25-9 record, won the Western Athletic Conference Tournament and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999.

Before joining the Aggies, Theus began his coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville (2003-05). There he helped lead the Cardinals to the 2005 NCAA Final Four as well as a Conference USA Championship.

Theus, selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round (9th overall) of the 1978 NBA Draft, played 13 seasons for Chicago, Kansas City/Sacramento, Atlanta, Orlando and New Jersey. Drafted out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Theus, was a two-time NBA All-Star (1981, 1983) and named to the NBA All-Rookie Team (1979). In addition, Theus is one of only seven players in NBA history to score over 19,000 points and record over 6,000 assists during his career. A member of the UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame, the 6’7” shooting guard helped his team reach the 1977 NCAA Final Four and is one of only six players in school history to have their jersey retired.

Prior to his coaching stints in the NBA and at the collegiate level, Theus also served as a basketball analyst for ESPN, Fox Sports, and TNT/TBS.

Theus is a graduate of both California Coast University (B.S. Business Administration) and Central Michigan University (B.S. Public Administration).

Chris Paul returns in exhibition victory in Shanghai

All-Star point guard Chris Paul played for the first time since off-season thumb surgery, and the Clippers used a dominant inside attack to dispatch reigning NBA champion Miami Heat 99-89 in an exhibition match today (late Saturday PDT) in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,000 in Shanghai.

With Paul guiding the offense, Clippers big men DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin thrilled the crowd with dunks and alley-oop baskets as the Clippers took advantage of a height advantage and jumped to a first quarter double-digit lead and maintained it for much of the game.

Jordan was 7 for 7 in the first half, as the Clippers ran out to a 57-43 lead on a 26-13 rebounding advantage. The Clippers’ center all nine of his rebounds before intermission and added two blocked shots.

Jordan, who was a perfect 8 for 8 from the floor, scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the first quarter, while power forward Griffin scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Clippers avenged a 94-80 loss to Miami in Beijing on Thursday. Paul finished with four points, six assists and five rebounds in 22 minutes. Caron Butler, Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes also scored in double figures.

— Reported by Los Angeles Daily News services

UCLA to unveil John Wooden statue outside Pauley Pavilion

UCLA will unveil a statue of the late basketball coach John Wooden outside newly renovated Pauley Pavilion on Oct. 26.

Members of Wooden’s family are expected to attend. The bronze statue was paid for by a donation from athletic boosters and was created by Blair Buswell, who has sculpted many busts of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees.

The $136 million renovation of UCLA’s basketball arena began in March 2011. The building will re-open at the end of the month.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Chris Paul cleared for full contact

Clippers guard Chris Paul was cleared for full-contact participation before Tuesday morning’s practice at MasterCard Center.

“Chris practiced today pretty much the whole practice that obviously changes things when he’s out there,”

Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said. “He played well. He’s just got to get in better game condition. He’s been out for a while, but there’s no question he’s a factor when he’s out there no matter what kind of shape he’s in.”

— Reported by Eric Patten of Clippers.com

Heat arrive in China for pair of preseason games with Clippers

LeBron James is visiting China for the ninth time, which makes him one of the resident Miami Heat experts about the world’s most populous nation.

Specifically, the food choices there.

“If anyone comes back with any body fat from this trip, then I don’t know what they were doing on their free time,” said James, the NBA’s MVP.

So maybe it’s fortunate that the coming week won’t exactly include a ton of free time for the Heat, who arrived in Beijing on Monday night for a weeklong trip. The reigning league champions play the Los Angeles Clippers twice during the NBA China Games, starting in Beijing on Thursday and then again Sunday in Shanghai.

“Should be fun,” James said. “It’s a very long trip to be bonding together, but we’re going to use it and not waste an opportunity.”

The itinerary is hectic, with VIP receptions, a trip to the Great Wall of China and other excursions planned. The Heat are trying to ensure that players and personnel have time to experience some elements of Chinese culture on their own.

— Reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press

Blake Griffin still working on jumpshot release

The hitch is not in Blake Griffin’s giddy-up, but in his shooting motion.

Just as the Clippers’ star forward is about to release the ball, he pauses, a hiccup he has tried to stop by working with the team’s new shooting coach, Bob Thate.

During warmups before the Clippers’ 106-104 exhibition loss against Denver on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Griffin’s shooting release looked smoother than before.

But during the game, the holdup in his release reappeared when Griffin went to the free-throw line, where he shot 52% last season. He missed his first four attempts, each hitting the back of the rim.

After his first game-type situation with his tinkered shooting release, Griffin, who made his final two free-throw attempts, was upbeat.

— Reported by Baxter Holmes of the Los Angeles Times

Clippers waive Courtney Fortson and Chris Johnson

The Los Angeles Clippers announced today that they have waived guard Courtney Fortson and forward Chris Johnson.

The Clippers roster now stands at 18 players.

NBA preseason began on Friday. The Clippers opened preseason on Saturday with a loss to the Denver Nuggets. Guard Eric Bledsoe led Los Angeles with 12-of-15 shooting for 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. Clippers guard Chris Paul did not play.

Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups still healing

Blake Griffin will hit the floor when the Clippers open training camp today.

Well, the Clippers hope their energetic power forward doesn’t actually fall to the court. They have seen enough of a down-and-injured Griffin, whose latest injury was a torn meniscus in his left knee that required surgery and sidelined him for the Olympics.

Meanwhile, point guard Chris Paul wasn’t cleared for full contact activities after he had surgery to mend a torn ligament in his right thumb Aug. 21. The Clippers said they expect him to participate in limited fashion today, and for the next two weeks.

In addition, shooting guard Chauncey Billups was cleared for limited team drills after he had season-ending surgery on his torn left Achilles tendon Feb. 15. Coach Vinny Del Negro said there was no timetable for Billups’ season debut.

— Reported by Elliot Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News

Unclear if Clippers will keep coach Vinny Del Negro long-term

In May, the Clippers picked up the option on Del Negro’s contract, giving him a third season as coach for about $2 million. Still, Del Negro, 46, enters the new season in the final year of his contract.

Sitting in his office Wednesday afternoon, Del Negro leaned back in his chair and said of his situation: “I think there’s always pressure, but I think that’s a position that you want to be in.

“My goal coming here was to help change the environment, change the culture and change the direction of the organization.”

Last season the Clippers went 40-26 in the regular season and Del Negro took them to the second round of the playoffs for just the second time since the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984.

All signs point to Del Negro’s leading the Clippers to back-to-back playoff appearances. If that happens, it will be for just the second time during the 32 years Donald Sterling will have owned the team. The Clippers last reached the postseason in consecutive years in 1992 and 1993 when Larry Brown was coach.

— Reported by Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times

Matt Barnes pleads no contest, gets probation

Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes has pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of unlicensed driving and resisting arrest.

Barnes, who was not present in court, entered his plea Tuesday through his attorney.

Superior Court Judge Burt Pines sentenced him to two years of probation. The judge also ordered Barnes to complete 30 hours of community service and attend 13 counseling sessions with a private therapist.

— Reported by the Associated Press