Utah Jazz Blog – Page 60 – NBA Blog

Utah Jazz add Rich Sheubrooks to Basketball Operations Staff

Utah Jazz General Manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that Rich Sheubrooks has been hired by the franchise as its Executive Director of Global and Pro Scouting. In this newly created position, Sheubrooks will focus on the scouting of international prospects as well as the professional leagues.

“We feel fortunate to be able to bring someone in with as much international experience as Rich has,” said Kevin O’Connor. “Rich’s knowledge and background can be a real asset to the Jazz organization in what has clearly become a global game.”

Sheubrooks joins the Jazz after spending the previous four seasons as the Director of Global Scouting for the Charlotte Bobcats. Sheubrooks is well known on the international basketball scene for his role as a Global Basketball Consultant for Nike where he has played a key role in organizing the Nike Hoop Summit the past 14 years. The annual game features the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Select Team playing against a World Select Team, comprised of top players 19-years-old or younger from around the world. Sheubrooks has a long history with the sports apparel brand, working as European Sports Marketing Manager from 1997-99 and Basketball Grassroots & Events Manager from 1990-1994.

Prior to his work with the Bobcats, Sheubrooks spent six seasons in the same role with the Memphis Grizzlies. He has also served as the Director of the Michael Jordan Euro Tour (2007) and as the Executive Director of the Charlotte Sports Commission (1994-97). Sheubrooks has also worked as an NBA Analyst for Sky TV in the United Kingdom since 2004. In addition, he has collegiate coaching experience having spent three seasons as head coach at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville) from 1976-79, following two seasons each as an assistant at both Texas A&I and Midwestern State.

Sheubrooks earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M Corpus Christi and his master’s degree from Texas A&M Kingsville.

Jimmer Fredette Utah exhibition games consolidated into one Provo game

Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune blog reports:

A two-game exhibition series hosted by former Brigham Young standout Jimmer Fredette has been consolidated into a single contest scheduled Sept. 22 at the Marriott Center in Provo. As a result, a previously announced game Sept. 21 at the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City has been cancelled. Tickets purchased for the SLC event can either be refunded or exchanged for a comparable Provo ticket.

Fredette (Sacramento), Kemba Walker (Charlotte), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio), Nolan Smith (Portland) and Jackson Emery (ex-BYU) are still scheduled to appear at the Provo game. More athletes will be announced Monday, but no Jazz players are expected.

Jazz center Mehmet Okur signs with basketball team in Turkey

There have been rumblings during the summer that Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur might head to his native Turkey to play basketball during the NBA lockout. This has now reportedly become a reality.

According to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News:

The Utah Jazz center signed a contract today to play for Turk Telekom Ankara and will begin participating with the team from his country immediately, Okur’s agent Marc Fleisher told the Deseret News.

Okur’s contract includes a provision that will allow him to leave the Turkish team to return to the Jazz when and if the NBA lockout ends this season.

Fleisher said Okur, who is under contract with Utah through the end of the 2011-12 season, has recovered from his back issue and the left Achilles tendon injury that limited his court time last year.

“He’s healthy enough to play now,” Fleisher said.

And Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (blog) reports:

“He didn’t feel that the option to go play in pick-up games are what he needed,” said Fleisher, who stated that Okur is close to 100-percent health and will be insured while playing overseas. “He choose this and it’s a good team. He knows the league very well and it’s a good opportunity for him to play at a high level. And when the lockout ends, he’ll come back and be rearing to go.”

Okur must first handle a minor visa issue before joining Turk Telekom, and could meet up with ex-Jazz guard Deron Williams while in Turkey.

Okur played just 13 games last season for the Jazz and was barely a factor on the court, averaging 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game. But perhaps, as his agent says above, Okur has regained full health. In which case he might as well go play some basketball and enjoy his home country a bit longer.

Read NBA fan opinion or share your views in this basketball forum topic.

Exhibition basketball games coming to Salt Lake City and Provo in September

The state of Utah has some basketball fun coming later in September thanks to a couple of NBA players setting up a pair of exhibition game battles.

Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker matched up against each other June 15 during a pre-draft workout for the Jazz in Salt Lake City. Now, the duo will team up for two charity events based in Utah while the NBA is stuck in a lockout.

Walker was confirmed Wednesday to participate in two exhibition games hosted by Fredette. Walker, a rookie guard and former Connecticut standout, was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats with the ninth overall pick during the 2011 NBA Draft. Fredette was taken No. 10 by the Sacramento Kings.

“I have always been a big fan and have a lot of respect for Kemba,” Fredette said in a press release. “We had the chance to work out together before the draft and have become friends.”

The charity games will be held Sept. 21 (Salt Lake City) and 22 (Provo). Other participating players will be announced during the coming weeks.

Hey Jazz fans: Go hit the games! It may be the best basketball you catch in the near future.

Paul Millsap will enter Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame

Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap will be inducted Oct. 1 into the Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame.

Millsap led the NCAA in rebounding three consecutive seasons (2003-04 to 2005-06) while starring for the Bulldogs. He left the school after his junior year, and was selected by Utah with the 47th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.

Millsap will join Jazz legend Karl Malone and NFL great Terry Bradshaw in Louisiana Tech’s Hall of Fame, and will be honored at halftime of the Bulldogs’ home football game Oct. 1 against Hawaii.

— Reported by Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune

Houston lands 2013 NBA All-Star Game

Mark Berman of My Fox Houston reports:

NBA sources told FOX 26 Sports the Houston Rockets and the City of Houston landed the NBA All-Star Game in 2013. The game will be played at Toyota Center on Feb. 17, 2013. NBA All-Star week will be Feb. 15-17. The Rockets and Toyota Center also hosted the game in 2006.

Click2Houston reports:

The entire NBA All-Star Weekend will be in the Bayou City from February 15-17, 2013. Hilton Americas Marketing Director Janice O’Neill-Cox spoke with Local 2 Sports Wednesday afternoon, saying, “We played a key role in working with the league to make sure availability was in place. It’s a big boost for our city to land the game, and we’re excited about it.”

InsideHoops.com editor says: I don’t get why Houston is getting the game again. They just had it in 2006. Meanwhile, other teams haven’t hosted it in a long time. Also, Madison Square Garden renovations will be mostly complete in time. And the new Brooklyn Nets arena will exist by mid 2012. Unusual call to send the big weekend back to Houston so soon.

Turkish team not signing Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur

Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Utah Jazz center Memo Okur will not sign with Fenerbahce Ulker, an Istanbul-based professional club in his native Turkey.

The team’s general manager denied reports Saturday that his club was pursuing Okur.

Aydin Ors told Salsabasket.net, a basketball website in Turkey, that Fenerbahce Ulker wasn’t planning to sign any new players.

Hours earlier, website MixBasket reported that Fenerbahce Ulker and Okur were negotiating a one-year contract, which would have included an opt-out clause in case the NBA lockout is settled.

Karl Malone joining USO tour

Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (blog) reports:

Jazz legend Karl Malone, “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart and illusionist David Blaine will join Admiral Mike Mullen this summer during a USO (United Service Organizations) tour overseas, the NBA announced Thursday.

Mullen is about to end his four-year appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has led nine USO tours to 13 different countries, lifting the spirits of more than 74,300 service men and women.

Malone, a two-time NBA most valuable player, will join Mullen on a two-country, seven-day trip.

NBA Rookie Transition Program postponed

The NBA Rookie Transition Program, scheduled for August 9-11, has been postponed. The program, which provides first-year players with the skills and information necessary for a successful transition to the NBA, is run jointly by the NBA and the Players Association.

“Without a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players’ union, we will be unable to hold RTP as originally scheduled,” NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said. “This is an important educational program for our incoming players, and it will be rescheduled once the parties agree on a CBA.”

Billy Hunter tells InsideHoops that NBA lockout meetings may not resume until August

By Jeff Lenchiner

Wednesday evening in New York City I paid a visit to Dyckman Park for some streetball action. It was a big matchup of some top teams that has been anticipated for weeks, so the park was packed. Included in the crowd were rapper Jadakiss, Denver Nuggets forward Al Harrington, and the head of the NBA Players Union, Billy Hunter, among others.

Before the game, Hunter, bravely attempting to communicate as some top-notch rap music blasted from the park’s booming speakers at full volume, gave InsideHoops.com a very quick update on the current NBA lockout situation:

InsideHoops.com: What’s the latest?

Billy Hunter: We’re trying to find some way to re-open the negotiations. We’re not making very much progress. It looks like we’re going to be where we are, I would assume probably [until] August before we actually end up getting back together.

InsideHoops.com: How long might the lockout last?

Hunter: It’s unpredictable. It’s hard to say how long it’s going to go.

It sounds like NBA fans should not hold their breath waiting for positive developments just yet.