Milwaukee Bucks Blog – Page 29 – NBA Blog

Ekpe Udoh starts online book club

Ekpe Udoh will leave one positive lasting impression from this dreary season for the Milwaukee Bucks, and it has nothing to do with basketball.

Few, if any, NBA players can say they’ve started a book club over Twitter. Fewer still probably cite entertainment magnate Oprah Winfrey as a role model.

Udoh, a four-year NBA veteran, is thinking big.

“I want to be like Oprah. I want to be like Oprah’s book club,” the Bucks forward said Tuesday. “I’ll get there. It might take me a couple years, but I’ll get some buzz going.”

He’s off to a decent start in a relatively short time.

— Associated Press

Bucks sign forward Chris Wright

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Chris Wright (6-8, 225) to a multi-year contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Wright had played with the Bucks on two separate 10-day contracts, the last signed on April 5. He appeared in seven games with the Bucks, averaging 6.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 15.4 minutes per game.

Prior to joining the Bucks, Wright played with the D-League’s Maine Red Claws, where he’s appeared in 41 games this season and posted averages of 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest. He’s notched 14 double-doubles on the year, including seven in his last 11 appearances. Wright also played for the Red Claws during the 2012-13 season, when he average 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and has been named to the D-League All-Star Game in both of his seasons in Maine.

After going undrafted out of Dayton in 2011, Wright was selected by the Red Claws with the third overall pick in the 2011 D-League Draft. He appeared in four games for the Red Claws, averaging 17.0 points and 10.8 rebounds, before signing with the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 24, 2011. Wright appeared in 24 games during his lone NBA season and posted 2.9 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest. Earning the start in Golden State’s season finale, Wright tallied a career-best 25 points and eight rebounds while shooting 11-of-14 from the field on April 26, 2012, at San Antonio.

Wright wears #15 for the Bucks.

Bucks center Larry Sanders begins 5-game suspension

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel blog with an update on Bucks center Larry Sanders:

Bucks officials confirmed that fourth-year center Larry Sanders has started his five-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy.

Sanders was not with the Bucks for their Wednesday game against Indiana and could not be at the arena, per NBA policy.

Sanders was suspended for a third positive marijuana test. He was out due to surgery for right orbital fractures and it was uncertain when his suspension would begin.

NBA player advocates for marijuana: Larry Sanders defends his marijuana use

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting on Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders, who may be one of the first (if not the first) active NBA players to ever advocate for the use of marijuana:

NBA player Larry Sanders defends his marijuana use

Milwaukee Bucks center Larry Sanders was apologetic about a five-game drug suspension but also vigorously defended his marijuana use in an interview Friday night before the Bucks played the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

Sanders’ season-long saga took another wrong turn earlier Friday when he was penalized by the league for using marijuana in violation of the NBA/NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) drug program.

Sanders already was sidelined due to right orbital fractures suffered when he was elbowed inadvertently by Houston’s James Harden in a Feb. 8 game, an injury that required surgery…

“It’s something I feel strongly about, just to let you know something personal about me,” Sanders said in an interview with the Journal Sentinel and nba.com. “I will deal with the consequences from it. It’s a banned substance in my league. But I believe in marijuana and the medical side of it. I know what it is if I’m going to use it.

“I study it and I know the benefits it has. In a lot of ways we’ve been deprived. You can’t really label it with so many other drugs that people can be addicted to and have so many negative effects on your body and your family and your relationships and impairment. This is not the same thing.

“The stigma is that it’s illegal. I hate that. Once this becomes legal, this all will go away. But I understand for my work it’s a banned substance. I will deal with the consequences and I apologize again to my fans for that.”

Bucks sign Chris Wright to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free-agent forward Chris Wright (6-8, 225) to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Wright is the 43rd “Call-Up” of the 2013-14 season from the NBA D-League.

This marks Wright’s second stint with the Bucks this season, after also spending 10 days with the club from March 14-23. He appeared in two games with the Bucks, averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 16.5 minutes per game.

Wright returns to the Bucks from the D-League’s Maine Red Claws, where he’s appeared in 41 games this season and posted averages of 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest. He’s notched 14 double-doubles on the year, including seven in his last 11 appearances. Wright also played for the Red Claws during the 2012-13 season, when he average 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and has been named to the D-League All-Star Game in both of his seasons in Maine.

Wright will wear #15 for the Bucks.

Larry Sanders suspended 5 games for violating anti-drug program

The NBA announced today that Larry Sanders of the Milwaukee Bucks has been suspended without pay for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. Sanders’ suspension will begin with the next NBA regular season game for which he is eligible and physically able to play.

In response to this, the Milwaukee Bucks issued the following statement: “Larry Sanders has a responsibility to every person in our organization and our fans. We are all disappointed by the news of his suspension.”

And, Larry Sanders issued a statement: “I apologize to the entire Bucks organization and our fans for being suspended five games for using marijuana in violation of the NBA Anti-Drug Program. I take full responsibility for my actions.”

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “The NBA imposes a five-game suspension upon the third positive test for marijuana use. Sanders is not active at this time due to an injury he suffered on Feb. 8. He underwent surgery to repair orbital fractures after being elbowed in the eye in a game against Houston and said in an interview in Portland last month that he would miss the rest of the season. His suspension will not take effect until he is physically able to play, so Sanders is likely to begin his four-year, $44 million contract extension next season with the five-game suspension.”

Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova out for rest of season

Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond provided the following update regarding Ersan Ilyasova:

“Ersan had his right ankle examined by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Richard Ferkel in Los Angeles on Tuesday (March 25). Dr. Ferkel’s recommendation was a period of rest and rehabilitation beginning immediately, rather than surgery. Based on this medical recommendation, Ersan is not expected to play the remainder of the 2013-14 season.”

In 55 games this season (47 starts), Ilyasova, 26, has averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 26.9 minutes per game.

Bucks sign D.J. Stephens to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free-agent guard/forward D.J. Stephens (6-5, 188) to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Stephens joins the Bucks from Ilysiakos in the Greek League, where he signed after going undrafted in the 2013 NBA Draft. The former Memphis Tiger has appeared in 18 games for Ilysiakos and averaged 9.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.2 blocks per contest. Stephens has scored in double figures in eight contests, including a season-best 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in a loss to Panathinaikos on Dec. 2.

The Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in in 2012-13, Stephens enjoyed a four-year career at Memphis in which he appeared in 129 games and shot 62.7 percent from the field – the second-best career mark in Tigers history. Stephens’ collegiate career peaked during his senior season in which he averaged 7.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game en route to All-Conference USA Third Team honors. His 95 total blocks on the year are the fourth-most in a single season in Memphis history. Stephens’ Memphis teams won the Conference USA Tournament during each of his final three seasons.

Stephens will wear #15 for the Bucks.

Bucks sign forward Chris Wright to 10-day contract

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed free-agent forward Chris Wright (6-8, 225) to a 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today. Wright is the 33rd “Call-Up” of the 2013-14 season from the NBA D-League.

Wright joins the Bucks from the D-League’s Maine Red Claws, where he’s appeared in 38 games this season and posted averages of 19.5 points (ranks 13th in D-League) and 8.1 rebounds per contest. He’s notched 13 double-doubles on the year, including six in his last eight appearances. Wright also played for the Red Claws during the 2012-13 season, when he average 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and has been named to the D-League All-Star Game in both of his seasons in Maine.

Wright will wear #15 for the Bucks.

OJ Mayo suspended for striking Greg Stiemsma

Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo has been suspended one game without pay for forcibly striking New Orleans Pelicans center Greg Stiemsma in the throat, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Mayo was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected occurred with 1:52 remaining in the first quarter of Milwaukee’s 112-104 loss to the Pelicans on Friday, March 7, at Smoothie King Center.

Mayo will serve his suspension tonight when the Bucks host the Washington Wizards at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

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