Philadelphia 76ers Blog – Page 86 – NBA Blog

Dikembe Mutombo named NBA global ambassador

NBA Commissioner David Stern announced today that Dikembe Mutombo will join the NBA in the newly created position of global ambassador. Mutombo will report to Executive Vice President, Social Responsibility & Player Programs, Kathy Behrens.

After retiring from a playing career that spanned 18 seasons, Mutombo will now work to grow and celebrate the game through numerous international NBA events including Basketball without Borders. In addition, he will work closely on NBA Cares outreach efforts with Hall of Famer Bob Lanier who serves as Special Assistant to the Commissioner.

“Dikembe’s extraordinary accomplishments on the court and in the community demonstrate why he is one of sports’ outstanding humanitarians,” said Commissioner Stern. “His commitment to using the values of our game to improve the lives of so many is an example of the special role we have in being leaders in social responsibility. We know the impact programs such as NBA Cares and Basketball without Borders have in being catalysts for change on a global scale, and Dikembe’s continued contributions will be invaluable in our global efforts to bring attention to important social issues.”

Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to improve living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997. His commitment to improving the health, education and quality of life for the people in his birthplace, the Democratic Republic of the Congo led to the construction and opening of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center, a $29 million, 300-bed hospital in Kinshasa named after his late mother.

His efforts as a global ambassador for UNICEF, spokesman for international relief agency CARE to further HIV/AIDS awareness, and prevention and his work with the Polio Eradication Campaign to protect African youth from childhood diseases that have virtually disappeared in developed countries yet still threaten children in the Congo everyday have earned him numerous accolades. Mutombo has been the recipient of the President’s Citizenship Award, J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, the National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award, and induction into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Dikembe as he enters this next phase of his brilliant career. I have seen first hand the impact and inspiration he provides,” said Lanier. “His passion for improving the lives of people in Africa and elsewhere is a great example of how NBA players understand their obligations to the global community.”

Regarded as one of the top post defenders of all time, Mutombo will also play an important role in the mentoring of current players. His on-the-court honors include four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards through a career that also saw him named to eight All-Star Game appearances, and a place on three All-NBA teams and six All-Defensive teams.

Mutombo holds degrees in linguistics and diplomacy from Georgetown University.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Marreese Speights out 6-8 weeks with knee injury

Philadelphia 76ers forward Marreese Speights underwent an MRI of his left knee this morning, which was reviewed and evaluated by team Physician Dr. Jack McPhilemy of Main Line Health.

Dr. McPhilemy reports that Speights has a partial tear of the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and will be out approximately six to eight weeks.

Speights injured his left knee in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game at Chicago.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

76ers promote Mark Gullett to VP of marketing

The Philadelphia 76ers today named Mark C. Gullett as the team’s new Vice President of Marketing. He joins the team after the past nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League where he held a similar position.

“Mark is a highly creative and visionary leader with more than 20 years of innovative marketing and advertising experience in the sports and entertainment industry,” said Lara Price, Sixers Senior Vice President. “We will rely heavily on his ability to generate new and exciting marketing campaigns for Sixers basketball.”

In his new role, Gullett will be responsible for directing the strategic vision and leadership of the Sixers marketing efforts which include creating new and exciting ticket-driven promotional campaigns, brand development, marketing and advertising, grassroots, promotions, research, database marketing, interactive marketing and creative services.

In Tampa, Gullet increased ticket sale revenue consistently for five years. He was instrumental in net revenue improvement from a deficit in 2000 to profitability in 2004. He also managed sales efforts and achieved sold out attendance for two years of playoffs in a non-traditional hockey market.

Prior to joining the Lightning, Gullett spent 15 years in the radio industry as Director of Marketing for the CBS Radio Group in St. Petersburg, FL (1994-2000); Director of Marketing and Promotions at WIOQ (Q102) in Philadelphia, PA (1991-1994); Promotions Director at Metroplex Radio Group in Cleveland, OH (1990-1991); Creative Services Manager at WNCS and WERE in Cleveland, OH (1989-1990); and Director of Marketing at WRFX in Charlotte, NC (1985-1988).

Dionte Christmas arrested on firearms charges

Dionte Christmas, a 6-5, 205-pound basketball player released by the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, decided to spend the next day driving badly without a license with a gun under his seat.

The AP reports:

Police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore says Christmas was stopped by Highway Patrol officers at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday for erratic driving in North Philadelphia. Vanore says he was found to be driving without a license, and the vehicle had a 9mm semiautomatic pistol under the driver’s seat.

The report says he’s going to be charged with a felony.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

He was initially stopped for driving erratically, and subsequently found to be driving without a license, Vanore said.

The vehicle had a Hi-Point 9mm semiautomatic pistol under the driver’s seat with seven rounds in it, Vanore said.

Christmas was taken to the 35th Police District to be charged with felony firearms offenses. His passenger was not charged, Vanore said.

Talent-wise, Christmas might be good enough to make an NBA roster but more than likely will head to Europe for an overseas career.

76ers exercise options on Marreese Speights, Jason Smith and Thaddeus Young

Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has exercised the third-year contract option for Marreese Speights and the fourth-year contract options for Jason Smith and Thaddeus Young.

“Thaddeus, Jason and Marreese are three of our young players who have done everything asked of them and continue to show improvement every time they step out on the court,” Stefanski said. “We are excited about the way they have developed to this point and we are looking to forward them continuing their careers with the Sixers.”

Speights (6-10, 245) was the 16th overall pick by the Sixers in the 2008 NBA Draft. As a rookie last season, he averaged 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in just 16.0 minutes per game while shooting 50.2% from the floor. He would have ranked third among rookies in field goal percentage had he qualified. This preseason, Speights is second on the team in scoring (13.7 ppg) and first in rebounding (8.4 rpg) despite playing just over 20 minutes per game.

Smith (7-0, 240) was originally selected by Miami with the 20th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, but was acquired in a draft night trade by the Sixers. He missed all of last season after tearing the ACL in his left knee during a workout session in August of 2008. As a rookie in 2007-08, Smith appeared in 76 games, averaging 4.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game. This preseason, he is averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game.

Young (6-8, 220) was the 12th overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2007 NBA Draft. He averaged 15.3 points last season, up from 8.2 as a rookie in 2007-08. That marked the biggest increase in scoring average of any player in the league last season with a minimum of 50 games played. Over his final 15 games played in 2008-09, Young averaged 21.3 points on 56.3% shooting. For his career, Young is shooting 51.0% from the floor and has 173 steals to 182 turnovers.

Speights (22 years old), Smith (23) and Young (21) join Jrue Holiday (19) and Lou Williams (turns 23 on Oct. 27th) as the quintet of Sixers who will be 23 years or younger heading into the season opener at Orlando on Oct. 28th.

Oct 6: Sixers 107, Raptors 98

The AP reports: Louis Williams scored 17 points, Andre Iguodala added 15 points and eight assists, and the Philadelphia 76ers held on for a 107-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. Montreal’s Samuel Dalembert added 10 points and six rebounds for the 76ers, whose 23-point lead was cut to five in the fourth quarter. Andrea Bargnani scored 22 points for the Raptors, who played without All-Star Chris Bosh and offseason addition Hedo Turkoglu. Sonny Weems had 10 points, while rookie DeMar DeRozan, Marco Belinelli and Marcus Banks had nine apiece.

NBA tells bench players stay seated so fans can see

Good NBA seats are expensive. Fans shelling out big money to sit near the court should expect a good view of the action.

But what about when players get off the bench and remain standing for a while? On the one hand, it’s nice to see guys cheer their teammates. On the other, these giants prevent fans from seeing what they paid to see.

The Cavs are one team with players who remained standing a lot, and now the league office has reportedly taken action.

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

The NBA has issued a memo to its teams directing players on the bench to remain seated during games. Game officials will be keeping a closer eye and will issue faster warnings and possible technical fouls if not followed. Players are permitted to cheer, but standing during regular-game action and blocking the fans’ views apparently isn’t going to be allowed.

That goes for Tuesday night’s first preseason game at The Q, where the Cavs will host the Charlotte Bobcats in the first of eight practice games before the season opener.

The Cavs weren’t exactly thrilled that their custom has been legislated.

“It is hard to take that out of the game,” LeBron James said. “Part of the game is emotions, your teammates are all you have. That was part of the reason we played great basketball, because we cheered each other.”

I support the league protecting the paying fan’s view.

Andre Miller fails Trail Blazers conditioning test

Jason Quick of The Oregonian reports: Andre Miller was the only player with a guaranteed contract who didn’t pass the Trail Blazers conditioning test on Tuesday night, while Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw and Greg Oden recorded notable times. In each of his five training camps, coach Nate McMillan holds a conditioning test that requires players to run the length of the court and back five times, or in other words, 10 lines. They have to do this in four different sets. Guards are allowed 61 seconds to do 10 lines, forwards 64 seconds and centers 65 seconds. Players are allowed to “bank” time in each set, meaning if they finish under the designated time for one set, it carries over to the next sets.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Miller isn’t especially quick or fast. He also can’t make outside shots. Yet he’s been a successful NBA point guard. That’s pretty unique. He’s like a rich man’s Anthony Carter.

Pooh Richardson testifies against officer

The AP reports: Former NBA player Jerome “Pooh” Richardson reluctantly testified Monday that his close friend, a Philadelphia police officer, tipped him about an imminent drug raid involving his half-sister. Richardson, 43, testified under a grant of immunity about two phone calls around 3 a.m. from childhood friend Rickie Durham in August 2005. Durham told him the FBI was about to take down a drug kingpin and take the sister down too, he testified.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Well, that all sounds fantastic!

Trail Blazers name Hersey Hawkins player development director

The Portland Trail Blazers have named Hersey Hawkins Player Development Director, General Manager Kevin Pritchard announced today.

“We’re very excited to be adding a person of Hersey Hawkins’ character and stature to our team,” said Pritchard. “He brings wisdom and a wealth of experience both on and off the court. Hawk was the consummate pro as a player and will play an integral role in the off-court development of our players.”

In his new position with the team, Hawkins, 42, will be a resource to support each player’s professional, social and personal development. He will help build strong relationships with players, their families, agents and business associates. Hawkins will also work closely with Basketball Operations, player representatives and the Trail Blazers’ business departments to help build and maintain strategic partnerships.

“To be joining one of the best franchises in sports is extremely exciting for my family and me,” said Hawkins. “They have a great nucleus of players there and Portland fans support their team like no other, and that made it a very compelling opportunity.”

As a senior at Bradley University, Hawkins led the nation in scoring (36.3 pts) and is one of only seven NCAA Division I men’s basketball players to score 3,000 career points.

He was the sixth overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft and played 13 seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics and Chicago Bulls.

Hawkins partnered with Nate McMillan in the SuperSonics backcourt when Seattle took on the Chicago Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals.

For his career, Hawkins ranks 27th in NBA history in three-point field goals made (1226) and finished in the top-10 in three-point shooting in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1995.

Among his many career accomplishments, Hawkins also won the 1999 NBA Sportsmanship Award.

Since retiring from the league in 2001, Hawkins has split his time as a TV analyst for NBA and college basketball broadcasts and as an assistant basketball coach for his son’s team, Estrella Foothills High School in Goodyear, Ariz.