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Magic Johnson still beating HIV 20 years later

If Magic Johnson had known just how well he could live with HIV, he wouldn’t have retired from the Lakers on Nov. 7, 1991.

Johnson would never change what he did for the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic when he publicly revealed his diagnosis to a stunned world. His courage that day, along with two subsequent decades of vibrant living, forever altered attitudes about the virus and its effects.

Magic is simply glad the world knows such happy endings are possible with access to treatment and vigilance.

“At that time, it was the right decision,” Johnson said Monday on the 20th anniversary of his stunning retirement. “If I knew what I knew today, that I could still play basketball and do my thing, I probably wouldn’t have retired. But I’m a guy that doesn’t have regrets. I don’t look back. I’m happy, because I wanted to be here a long time. We made the right call at that time.”

Johnson recognized the occasion at Staples Center on Monday with an upbeat celebration and a message of steadfastness. Dozens of politicians, celebrities and Lakers greats from Jerry West and Pat Riley to James Worthy and Michael Cooper joined Johnson and AIDS researcher David Ho for a luncheon, and the Magic Johnson Foundation announced a $1 million gift to continue its mission for worldwide HIV awareness and testing.

Two decades after his shocking admission and quick retirement at 32, Johnson’s doctors say he’s a 52-year-old specimen of health, comfortably managing HIV with a daily regimen of drugs and exercise.

— Reported by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press

Shaq book places blame on Mitch Kupchak

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.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times Blog

Stephen Curry, Dorell Wright shine in Matt Barnes San Jose charity basketball game

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.

— Reported by Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle

Shaq sues former IT employee over selling of personal emails

Shaquille O’Neal is suing a former information technology employee the former NBA great claims invaded his privacy by selling personal emails that damaged his reputation.

The lawsuit was filed against Shawn Darling in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. It seeks an injunction barring Darling from providing O’Neal’s emails to anyone, unspecified damages and the return of all O’Neal’s private electronic messages.

O’Neal paid Darling up to $150 an hour for IT work.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Derek Fisher threatens legal action due to column

After a column by Fox Sports’ Jason Whitlock suggested that NBA Players Union President Derek Fisher was working with commissioner David Stern during labor negotiations, behind the back of his NBPA colleagues, Fisher has threatened legal action against Fox Sports if he does not receive a retraction.

Whitlock, who cited sources in this report, said that Fisher hopes to work with an NBA team or with the league after his retirement and was looking to work out a deal with Stern that would force the players to settle for a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. The players’ association is seeking a 52-48 split and those two percentage points are the main point of contention between the sides. The NBA lockout has lasted more than four months.

— Reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe

Derek Fisher denies rift within NBA players union

Derek Fisher denied a rift in union leadership in a letter to NBA players Monday, telling them there have been “no side agreements, no side negotiations or anything close” with league officials.

A story Saturday on Foxsports.com titled “Is Fisher in Stern’s pocket?” said there was a disagreement between Fisher and players’ association executive director Billy Hunter and that the Lakers guard had promised NBA Commissioner David Stern that he could deliver a deal with a 50-50 split in basketball-related income.

The story said Hunter confronted Fisher last Friday, the day talks with the league broke down and led to the cancellation of the entire November schedule.

“Usually I wouldn’t even dignify absurd media reports with a comment.

But before these reports go any further, let me say on the record to each of you, my loyalty has and always will be with the players,” Fisher wrote in the letter, obtained by The Associated Press and other media outlets. “Anyone that questions that or doubts that does not know me, my history, and what I stand for.

“And quite frankly, how dare anyone call that into question. The Players Association is united and any reports to the contrary are false. There have been no side agreements, no side negotiations or anything close. We are united in serving you and presenting the best options and getting everyone back to work.”

— Reported by Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press

Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry to headline Matt Barnes charity game

It will happen at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the San Jose State Event Center, where the current team will match up with the 2007 squad — a fan favorite because of its first-round playoffs upset as an eighth seed against the top-ranked Dallas Mavericks.

Lakers forward Matt Barnes, who played for the 2007 team, will be putting together a list of players until Monday, but there are already a handful who have committed.

That includes current Warriors Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, David Lee, Dorrell Wright, Lou Amundson, Charlie Bell and Jeremy Bell.

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times Blog

Lakers hire Darvin Ham as assistant coach

The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Darvin Ham as an assistant coach it was announced today by Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

“I’m very happy to have Darvin join our coaching staff,” said Lakers Head Coach Mike Brown. “ I’ve known Darvin since his rookie year in Denver and have watched him make the transition from player to coach. He has put in the hard work that is necessary to have success at this level and I look forward to having him on our staff.”

Ham joins the Lakers after spending last season serving as the head coach of the New Mexico Thunderbirds of the NBA D-League. Prior to assuming his role as head coach, Ham spent two seasons (2008-2010) as an assistant coach for the Thunderbirds. He joined the coaching ranks after a 12-year playing career, which included eight seasons in the NBA as well as stints overseas and with the NBA D-League.

“I’m truly honored and grateful for Mike Brown, Mitch Kupchak and the entire Lakers organization for presenting me with this amazing opportunity,” said Ham. “I look forward to making my contribution in sustaining the championship tradition that the Lakers have established throughout their history in the NBA. I’m very excited about our staff and players, and am ready to get to work to help bring another championship to this prestigious franchise.”

Ham, who played for Texas Tech from 1993-96, was originally signed as a free agent with the Denver Nuggets in 1996. He played for six different teams (Denver, Indiana, Washington, Milwaukee, Atlanta and Detroit) over his eight-year NBA career, averaging 2.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 417 games. In 2004 he won an NBA Championship as a member of the Pistons. In addition, he spent one season (1998-99) playing for CB Granada in Spain. After his NBA career, Ham played in the Philippines and Puerto Rico before being drafted by the Thunderbirds with the third overall pick in the 2007 NBA D-League Draft. He joined the team as a player/coach and played in 43 games before being traded to the Austin Toros to finish the season. In 2008, Ham returned to the Thunderbirds, joining the coaching staff as an assistant.

Matt Barnes and Gloria Govan break up

In the wake of postponed wedding plans, a dropped domestic-violence charge and reality television show scrutiny, Lakers forward Matt Barnes announced in an emailed statement Monday that he and his fiancée, reality television star Gloria Govan, have mutually parted ways.

“I’d like to address the rumors surrounding mine and Gloria’s relationship,” Barnes’ statement read. “We have reached the difficult decision of ending our relationship and will be going our separate ways at this time. We will work together to raise our sons and wish each other only the best.”

Because Barnes and Govan never married, it remains unclear to what degree they’d share custody of their 3-year-old twins Carter Kelly and Isiah Michael, and whether they’d divide certain assets, including their Palos Verdes home. It also remains unclear if they’d continue working together with Athletes vs. Cancer, a foundation Barnes founded in 2008 that Govan has said raised $225,000 for local cancer-screening programs. Barnes and Govan could not be reached for further comment.

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times Blog

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Mike Brown will use Lakers assistants differently than Phil Jackson did

Brown plans to handle his coaching staff differently than former coach Phil Jackson. Jackson assigned specific scouting responsibilities to his four assistants, Brian Shaw, Jim Cleamons, Frank Hamblen and Chuck Person. Brown said at a recent appearance for the release of the video game NBA2K12 that he plans to have all of his assistants, including Person, John Kuester, Quin Snyder and Ettore Messina, coach in all phases of the game.

“Our guys need to hear my voice quite a bit,” Brown said. “I’ll lead the charge in a lot of areas on both ends of the floor. But I’m not one to have my coaches sit back and do nothing. They have to get out there and work. I don’t care what side of the ball we’re on. I don’t care what we’re teaching at that particular time. They’re all coaches. None of them are specialists. They can all coach at both ends of the floor.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times Blog