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Knicks hire Mike Woodson as assistant coach

The New York Knickerbockers announced today that Mike Woodson has joined Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s staff as an assistant coach. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“I was extremely encouraged after meeting with Mike that he would be a great addition to our coaching staff and we are pleased to welcome him back to New York,” D’Antoni said. “Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team and we are confident that he will help us as we continue towards our goal of building a championship team.”

Woodson joins the Knickerbockers after serving as the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks for six seasons from 2004-2010, where he guided the Hawks to the playoffs in each of his last three seasons. In six seasons in Atlanta, Woodson amassed a 209-286 (.419) coaching record in 492 games while posting an 11-18 record in 29 playoff games. Prior to joining the Hawks, Woodson served as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks (1996-99), Cleveland Cavaliers (1999-2001), Philadelphia 76ers (2001-03) and the 2003-04 NBA Champion Detroit Pistons.

“I consider Mike D’Antoni to be one of the top coaches in our game and I am thankful for this opportunity,” Woodson said. “I’m excited to re-join this great franchise where my professional career started and will work to build off of the success they had here last season.”

Woodson was drafted by New York with the 12th overall selection in the 1980 NBA Draft out of Indiana University and averaged 14.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 786 career games over 11 NBA seasons with New York, New Jersey, Kansas City-Sacramento, L.A. Clippers, Houston and Cleveland. In his rookie season with New York, Woodson averaged 4.7 points in 81 games under the legendary Red Holzman.

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Pacers guard George Hill to play Texas Fuel ABA exhibition game during lockout

The ABA Texas Fuel today announced that George Hill, the former San Antonio Spurs guard recently traded to the Indiana Pacers, is scheduled to play for the Texas Fuel pending the NBA lockout.

It appears that Hill, so far, has only agreed to play in one exhibition game. Not for the actual ABA season.

The Texas Fuel will open its pre-season on Sunday, October 16th vs. the West Texas Whirlwind at Manual Garza B. Gymnasium at the University of Texas at Brownsville, TX and Texas Southwest College.

“We are very pleased to have George as part of the Texas Fuel while the NBA lockout continues,” stated Marlon Minifee, Texas Fuel GM. “He is a great player and a terrific young man who has done so much for the community; I know we will miss seeing him play for the San Antonio Spurs, but we are excited about his being able to return home to Indianapolis when the NBA resumes play. For now, he will add so very much to our team.with his skills and leadership.”

The exhibition game will start at 6pm; adult tickets are $10, kids under 13 are $5.

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

Movie starring Kevin Durant will be filmed in Baton Rouge

It appears the NBA lockout has cost Oklahoma City a date with Hollywood.

The bulk of filming for the feature-length Warner Bros. film that Thunder forward Kevin Durant has agreed to star in will be filmed in Baton Rouge, La. rather than OKC.

It’s likely that the final few days of filming will be shot in Oklahoma City. But by losing the majority of the project, both Oklahoma City’s economy and its growing status as a bustling city on the rise has been dealt a blow.

The entire project couldn’t be shot in Oklahoma City because of a snag with state incentives for film production. The state of Louisiana offers a tax credit of 85 cents on the dollar, making the state a premier destination for filming. Oklahoma offers a 37 percent rebate for companies filming in the state, but the Oklahoma Film & Music Office had already run out of funding for this fiscal year.

— Reported by Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.

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Sixers players work out in Los Angeles

It’s perfectly logical for NBA players during the lockout to meet up with friends or teammates and, well, play basketball. And work out. And do other stuff, too.

The latest to do this are most of the Philadelphia 76ers players.

Dei Lynam of CSN Philly reports:

For those of you familiar with destination weddings, consider the Sixers’ weekend in Los Angeles, where eight current team members met to practice, a destination basketball workshop for family only. These pick up games were not about having as many NBA players participate as possible, rather about having as many Sixers be in attendance as possible.

“The guys came out. We are having a great time together, bonding together. That’s what it is about,” said Elton Brand who, along with Lou Williams, organized the gathering.

“I think that creates a winning environment, having each others back out there,” Brand continued. “So you have to care, you have to grow, you have to know where someone likes the ball. When a guy can’t play defense or can’t show as well on a pick you have to know that. You have to know that. You have to be there to help your guy and have their back.”

Along with Brand and Williams, in attendance were Andre Iguodala, Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Jodie Meeks, Spencer Hawes and Craig Brackins. That list includes last year’s starting five, their sixth man and a rookie who will likely earn a starting spot whenever the upcoming season does get underway.

I would think other squads should aim to do this as well. Why not?

Patty Mills to sign in Australia

Melbourne Tigers will confirm one of the NBL’s greatest recruiting coups with the signing of Boomers guard Patty Mills.

Coming off two seasons with the Portland Trailblazers, free-agent Mills is available to the Tigers because of the NBA lockout that could cancel the season.

While Mills has an offer on the table from Portland and likely will return to the NBA if the lockout ends, the Tigers are keen meanwhile to cash in on the availability of the lightning fast guard.

No official comment was available from the Tigers, but they have scheduled a media conference for a significant announcement at 11am today.

— Reported by the Herald Sun

FBI joins police in searching for Javaris Crittenton

Javaris Crittenton has gone from being a professional basketball player to a man on the run.

The Chicago Tribune reports:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is helping police in Atlanta and Los Angeles search for a former NBA player wanted for murder.

FBI Special Agent Steve Emmett in Atlanta told The Associated Press on Sunday that the agency is involved as police look for Javaris Crittenton. Authorities say Crittenton is charged in the fatal shooting of 22-year Jullian Jones, a mother of four who was gunned down Aug. 19 in Atlanta..

Atlanta police spokesman Sgt. Curtis Davenport said Crittenton was not in custody as of Sunday afternoon.

It’s a sad story, and I still hope that he turns out to be innocent of charges. Maybe he’s running around trying to find evidence to clear his name. That’s what would happen on a TV show, at least. Unfortunately, this is real.

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Javaris Crittenton charged with homicide

This is wild. And very bad. After getting into trouble with the NBA and Washington Wizards due to the “guns (and threats) in the locker room” incident with former teammate Gilbert Arenas that resulted in lengthy league suspensions, there’s now a much bigger negative development in the world of guard Javaris Crittenton.

Alexis Stevens of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

A former NBA player and Georgia Tech standout has been charged with shooting a 23-year-old woman to death, Atlanta police said Friday night.

Javaris Crittenton faces a homicide charge in the death Jullian Jones, according to Carlos Campos, APD spokesman.

Jones was walking with others near 2915 Macon Drive in southwest Atlanta around 10 p.m. Aug. 19 when she was shot, Campos said. Jones, a mother of three, was struck in the hip and later died during surgery.

Two men walking with Jones fled and were not injured.

And more, from WSBTV.com:

Police said the motive appears to be retaliation for a robbery that occurred in April in which Crittendon was a victim.

Crittendon most recently played with the Washington Wizards.

In 2010, Crittenton was suspended for an incident involving a gun inside the locker room.

Crittenton went to high school at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. He helped lead Georgia Tech to a 20-12 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2007 as a freshman.

I just hope that Javaris is innocent — as presumed, until proven otherwise.

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Due to traffic ticket warrants, Ron Artest cannot become Metta World Peace yet

Instead of throwing a barbecue to celebrate his name change to Metta World Peace, Lakers forward Ron Artest plans to navigate the legal system.

With outstanding traffic warrants preventing Artest from legally changing his name, the Lakers forward wants copies of the citations and will pay them if “it’s found they are unpaid,” according to a person close to Artest who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

It was expected that the name change would be made official at a hearing Friday morning at Stanley Mosk Courthouse, but Artest’s next court date was scheduled for Sept. 16 because of the unspecified traffic citations. Artest was issued two tickets for “moving violations,” according to the person, but wasn’t informed how much they cost and what incidents earned him those citations.

— Reported by the Los Angeles Times blog

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Knicks may hire Mike Woodson as assistant

The Knicks are moving closer to hiring former Hawks head coach Mike Woodson as an assistant coach, which will fuel speculation that Woodson may one day succeed Mike D’Antoni as the team’s head coach.

Although Woodson’s last Atlanta team was criticized for its failure to make defensive adjustments when getting bombed by Orlando in the 2010 playoffs, the former first-round pick of the Knicks will join D’Antoni’s staff as a defensive coach.

The Daily News first reported in May that D’Antoni, who has resisted bringing in an outsider to his coaching staff, would be forced to hire a defensive coach because of the Knicks’ failures at that end during his first three seasons in New York.

In the past few days, Woodson had told two confidantes that he expects to join the Knicks.

— Reported by Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News

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