Basketball Blog

Al Yeganeh, the notorious soup man who inspired the “Soup Episode” on Seinfeld, will demonstrate his love for the Mile-High City by dedicating a new soup to the Denver Nuggets on August 16 at 12:00PM at the newest Original SoupMan located at the Denver Pavilions on 500 16th Street, Suite 136, in Denver, Colorado.

Former Denver Nuggets players Mark Randall and Walter Davis will be on hand to accept the “soup dedication”, and help ladle out the new soup to Nuggets fans.  Yeganeh’s charity, “Al’s Feed the Hungry Foundation”, will also make a $1,500 donation to Kroenke Sports Charities in addition to a $1,500 donation to the Food Bank of the Rockies.

Along with the new Denver Nuggets-inspired soup, the Denver location will showcase Yeganeh’s 50 varieties of the world-renowned soup as the “centerpiece of the meal”, each presented with a piece of fresh, crusty baguette, fresh fruit and a piece of imported chocolate — just like Al served it at his original shop. As Yeganeh explains it, this is simply “the way to eat”.

InsideHoops.com NewsWire: The Miami Heat, who have done nothing little to improve themselves this summer, have added deep bench help. The team announced they have signed free agent guard/forward Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Penny is a player who has been an All-Star and has enjoyed an illustrious career,” said HEAT President & Head Coach Pat Riley. “We have been impressed at his hard work and dedication this summer to get back in shape and return to the NBA. He is a skilled player who can help us in multiple positions.”

During a 13-year NBA career with the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks, Hardaway has averaged 15.4 points, 5.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.61 steals and 34.0 minutes in 688 games (549 starts). The 6’7”, 220-pound guard/forward has shot 45.8 percent from the floor, 31.5 percent from three-point range and 77.4 percent from the foul line.

Hardaway spent his last two seasons playing for the New York Knicks. During the 2004-05 season, he came off the bench in 37 games, averaging 7.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 24.2 minutes, while shooting 42.3 percent from the floor and 30.0 percent from three-point range. He played in just four games during the 2005-06 season due to injury.

Hardaway was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the third pick in the 1993 NBA Draft. He was acquired by the Orlando Magic in a draft day trade, along with three future draft picks, for Chris Webber. In his rookie year, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and was named NBA Rookie of the Month twice. In his six seasons with the Magic, he also earned All-NBA First Team honors during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons, All-NBA Third Team honors in the 1996-97 season, and was selected as an NBA All-Star four times (1995-98). He began his NBA career playing along side HEAT Center Shaquille O’Neal. Together, they helped lead the Magic to the NBA Finals in 1995.

Hardaway was acquired by the Phoenix Suns on August 5, 1999 in a sign-and-trade deal with the Magic in exchange for forwards Pat Garrity and Danny Manning, and two future first-round draft picks. He was then traded to the New York Knicks on January 5, 2004 in a multi-player trade.

Hardaway was traded back to the Orlando Magic on February 22, 2006, but was waived on February 27, 2006.

He was also a member of the gold medal-winning USA Basketball team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Miami HEAT guard Dwyane Wade was named to Esquire’s 4th annual Best Dressed Men in the World list for the second straight year, the magazine announced. The All-Star guard was 14th on the list, which appears in the September issue, on newsstands August 14.

Tom Brady of the New England Patriots topped the list and fellow NBA All-Star Tony Parker was 23rd.

“We looked at thousands of men from around the world,” said associate editor Richard Dorment, who helped put the list together. “The factors we consider are consistency and care, men who take the time and energy about their appearance. It’s important to have a signature, something that distinguishes you from everyone else.”

Wade was named the Best Dressed NBA Player by GQ in 2006 and one of People’s Most Beautiful People in 2005. He ranked 13th on Esquire’s list last year.

The 2007 List:

1.      Tom Brady, football player

2.      Jay-Z, record exec, musician

3.      Daniel Craig, actor

4.      Barack Obama, US Senator, presidential candidate

5.      Andre Balazs, hotelier

6.      Nicolas Sarkozy, French president

7.      Hidetoshi Nakata, former soccer player

8.      Ryan Gosling, actor

9.      Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, Ferrari president

10.     Hamid Karzai,  Afghan president

11.     Mike Nolan, football coach

12.     Rufus Wainwright, musician

13.     David Gregory, journalist

14.    Dwyane Wade, basketball player

15.     Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, film director

16.     Giuseppe Cipriani, restaurateur

17.     Freddie Ljungberg, soccer player

18.     James Nachtwey, photojournalist

19.     John Boehner, US representative

20.     David de Rothschild, banking heir, environmentalist

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today the promotions of Dean Cooper to Vice President of Player Personnel and Gersson Rosas to Director of Scouting for the Rockets.

“Dean has played a vital role in the success of the Rockets over many years,” said Morey. “He has valuable experience in all aspects of the organization. The Rockets are fortunate to have him as a key member of our staff going forward. Gersson has been performing at a high level in his position for some time and his promotion is recognition of the important role he will continue to play.”

In his new role, Cooper will be responsible for the evaluation of draft prospects, free agents and potential trades. He will also oversee the coordination of national and international scouting activities. Cooper enters his ninth season with the Rockets after working the past three years as the team’s Director of Scouting. In his first five years with Houston, Cooper served as video coordinator/scout for two seasons, assistant coach for two campaigns, and NBA personnel scout for a year. In addition to the Rockets, Cooper is an active camp director in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program.

“I want to thank Owner Leslie Alexander and Daryl Morey for the opportunity to move forward as a Rocket,” said Cooper on his promotion. “I’ve learned a lot from Daryl in the short time we’ve worked together and look forward to working with him on the continued success of the organization. I also appreciate the tutelage of Carroll Dawson and his staff who taught me the ‘Rocket Way’ of strong ideals, measures and processes.”

Before joining the Rockets, Cooper coached four years at the college level. He worked for two years as an assistant coach at his alma mater of Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, before taking a similar role at the University of Buffalo for two seasons. While at Aquinas, he also served in an advance scouting role for the Connecticut Pride of the Continental Basketball Association for one season. Cooper started his coaching career at a pair of Michigan high schools, spending five years at Belding High School and three years at Caledonia High School.

Rosas is elevated into his new position after serving the past three seasons as Personnel Video Coordinator. Prior to his time as Personnel Video Coordinator, Rosas was the head coach of the Global Games Prep USA Team during the summer of 2004. His team of top prep players 18-and-under not participating with Team USA consisted of Gerald Green (Minnesota Timberwolves) and C.J. Miles (Utah Jazz) among other participants. Rosas’ experience includes work as a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball team at the University of Houston (2003-04), as an assistant coach at Westbury Christian High School (2002-03) and as a basketball coordinator for the Venezuelan Basketball Federation during the 2002 World Basketball Championships. Rosas, who began his career in scouting as an intern for the Rockets in 2001-02, has also been a camp coach in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program (2006-07) and at the Reebok RBKU Camp (2006-07).

“Gersson has proven to be an essential member of our staff,” added Cooper. “His contributions have been instrumental to the success of basketball operations.”

In addition to the promotions, the Rockets have named Phil Jabour as Personnel Video Coordinator. Jabour had been working as an intern with the team’s scouting staff prior to his hire.

The Nets are pleased to announce 11 promotions in their business administration and basketball department.

The promotions include: Kimberlee Garris to Entertainment Manager from Entertainment Coordinator; Christina Corrao to Event Marketing Coordinator from Event Assistant; Matt Tumbleson to Public Relations Coordinator from Public Relations Assistant; Zach Kurtin to Basketball Operations Coordinator from Basketball Operations Assistant; Victor Liu to Operations Coordinator from Operations Assistant; Lewis Gibbons to Director of Operations from Operations Manager; Shauna Sikorski to Director of Marketing from Assistant Director of Marketing; Laura Castronovo to Director of Research and Strategic Marketing from Manager of Research and Direct Marketing; Julianne Waldron to Activation Manager on the Barclays Center in Brooklyn from Partnership Marketing Senior Account Executive; Todd Fleming to Director of Ticket Sales from Director of Inside Sales; and John Zisa to Basketball Operations Assistant from part-time Special Assistant to the Head Coach.

The Nets are also announcing that the title of Leo Ehrline has changed to Senior Vice President and Chief Relationship Officer from Senior Vice President and Director of Special Projects for Nets Sports & Entertainment. In addition, the role of Jeanette Neary, the Executive Assistant to Nets CEO Brett Yormark, has been expanded to include work as a Sales Associate on revenue generating initiatives.

“We are investing in our personnel like never before and are thrilled to recognize the accomplishments and dedication of those promoted,” said Yormark. “We believe that we have assembled an all-star team of smart and creative difference-makers that have played a big part in our reaching new heights as an organization.”

InsideHoops.com NewsWire: PlayON! Sports, a division of Turner Sports, and the American Basketball Association (ABA) announced today an agreement to provide online streaming of the league’s games on an exclusive ABA broadband channel beginning with the 2007-08 season. Throughout the season, which begins November 10th, select regular season and playoff games will be available both live and on-demand via the broadband channel, marking the first time that the ABA will offer online streaming of its basketball games. Web streaming of the games will be on a subscription basis and will initially include approx. 300 games featuring ABA teams in the US, Canada and Mexico. All games will be available internationally. Additional details regarding the schedule and teams will be available upon the start of the season.

“The American and international teams that comprise the ABA are known for both their spirited play and athleticism. We are thrilled to expand the PlayON! Sports portfolio with the ABA, and give basketball fans around the world access to the excitement of the league from the comfort of their computer,” said Phil Sharpe, SVP/GM of the PlayON! Sports.

“We are very pleased and proud to be a part of Turner Broadcasting and are excited that we can bring the live action of ABA basketball games worldwide,” said Paul Riley, VP of ABA Media. “Fans will be able to see virtually every team in the league, and once they do, they will realize why the ABA has grown as it has. It is fast-paced and exciting basketball – and now the world can see it.”

The ABA joins an expanding portfolio of PlayON! Sports properties including the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun) and United Soccer League (USL). PlayON! Sports is a division of Turner Sports which operates and manages new media businesses for sports properties, including NASCAR.com, PGATOUR.com, PGA.com.

Turner Sports, Inc., a Time Warner company, presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised sports programming. With events airing on TBS and TNT, Turner Sports’ line-up includes the NBA, NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, Major League Baseball, college football, professional golf, PGATour.com and PGA.com.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news, entertainment and sports products around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.

American Basketball Association, Inc. is an Indiana corporation that is engaged in operating a professional basketball league composed of teams in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The ABA is innovative in its approach to bring diverse, family-friendly, exciting basketball to fans. ABA also markets league-related merchandise and other products and is developing or expanding media outlets and ancillary entertainment businesses that complement the league’s operations. For more information about the ABA, visit www.abalive.com.

U.S. ABA teams are located in cities across the country including: Atlanta, Ga; Boston, Mass; Chicago Ill; Detroit, Mich; Houston, Texas; Miami, Fla; Las Vegas, Nev; Dallas, Texas; San Diego, Calif; San Francisco, Calif; St. Louis, Mo; Orlando, Fla; Jacksonville, Fla; Sacramento, Calif; Buffalo, NY; Long Beach, Calif; Palm Beach, Calif; Honolulu, Hawaii; Long Island, NY; Syracuse, NY; Chattanooga, Tenn; Madison, NJ; Maywood, Calif; Louisville, Ky; Macon, Ga; Anderson, Ind; Little Rock, Ark; Bellingham, Wash; Turlock, Calif; Cape Cod, Mass; Cicero, Ill; Corning, NY; Delaware; Gallup, NM; Henderson, Nev; King County, Wash; Cleveland, Miss; Norfolk, Va; Aliso Viejo; Calif; Peoria, Ill; Davenport, Iowa; McAllen, Texas; Rochester, Minn; Rockford, Ill; Rome, Ga; Cornwall, Vt; Midland, Texas; Westchester, NY.

InsideHoops.com NewsWire: On Tuesday the Golden State Warriors promoted Pete D’Alessandro to the position of Assistant General Manager. D’Alessandro will report directly to Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, Chris Mullin, and will assist in all player-related basketball operations matters.

D’Alessandro joined the Warriors in April of 2004 and has served the last three seasons as the team’s Director of Basketball Operations, assisting Mullin in the development of overall strategy and management of day-to-day basketball operations. In his new position, his duties will include assisting Mullin with trade/free agent discussions and negotiations, while continuing to focus on player contracts, salary cap analysis and Collective Bargaining Agreement rules and regulations. Prior to joining the Warriors, D’Alessandro spent the previous seven years managing the business and contractual affairs of individual NBA players.

Los Angeles Clippers’ forward Elton Brand underwent a successful procedure to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon on Tuesday morning at the Christiana Care’s Wilmington Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.

The surgery was conducted by Dr. Craig Morgan, a Wilmington-based orthopedic surgeon, who afterward consulted with Clippers’ team physician Dr. Tony Daly.

Brand will wear a cast for six weeks, replaced by a walking boot for six weeks.  He will remain in the eastern United States for the next two weeks, after which he will return to Wilmington for a follow-up examination and a probable adjustment to his cast.

He will then return to Los Angeles and is expected to begin a conditioning and therapy program designed primarily to maintain flexibility.  This program will be monitored by the Clippers’ medical and athletic training staff.

No timetable has been set for his return to NBA action.  The Clippers will provide status updates on Brand’s progress when it is deemed necessary.

Samuel Dalembert of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers became the latest member of Canada’s Senior Men’s National Basketball Team today after becoming a Canadian citizen earlier in the day at a swearing-in ceremony in Hamilton, Ontario. Dalembert, was born in Port-Au-Prince Haiti, but moved to Montréal where he won a Quebec High School Championship and played on Quebec’s provincial basketball team before completing his schooling in the United States and attending Seaton Hall on a NCAA scholarship. Dalembert has kept his strong ties to Canada, with his family continuing to live in the Montréal area.

Dalembert is a six-year NBA veteran, all with Philadelphia, who averaged a career best 10.7 points and 8.9 rebounds in the 2006-07 season. A 6’11” centre, with great athletism, Dalembert was Philadelphia’s first round (26th overall) pick in the 2001 NBA draft.

“I wanted to join the Canadian Team in 2003 but had a surgery and out for their season and so it didn’t work out,” said Dalembert. “But in the back of my mind I knew I always wanted to play for Canada and this time it worked out and just seemed to fit. To have the chance to play in the Olympics is really something special.”

Dalembert, making his national team debut, was also one of four Philadelphia 76ers listed on the All-Star Ballot. He is one of three Canadians currently playing in the NBA alongside Steve Nash and Jamaal Magloire.

“Having Sam join our team is a major coup for Canada Basketball for several reasons,” commented Canadian Head Coach Leo Rautins. “Sam is not only an active, young, intelligent, skilled, and very athletic seven-footer, that gives us tremendous options at both ends of the floor, but he is also someone that is passionate about playing for Canada. His desire and enthusiasm are genuine, and extremely infectious! Sam is a humble but driven individual, that has stepped up to lead the charge of helping Canada assume its place among the best in the world.”

The team is training at the practice court at Air Canada Centre until August 13th, when they depart for the Tuto Marchand Cup in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In addition to Dalembert, Toronto resident, Olu Famutimi is also making his national team debut during this week’s training camp. Famutimi, is one of four players (Dalembert, Denham Brown, Carl English) to attend an NBA training camp (San Antonio Spurs, 2006).

Seven of the players who are in camp most recently donned the Canadian jersey at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, including team leading scorer Andy Rautins. Rautins was joined in Brazil by two other members (Vlad Kuljanin, Aaron Dornekamp) of Canada’s 2005 Bronze medal winning team at the U-21 FIBA World Championships in Argentina. Ryan Bell, Rans Brempong, Jermaine Anderson, and Jesse Young also played in Brazil last month.

The training camp is in preparation for the 2007 FIBA America’s Championship in Las Vegas, August 22 to September 2, which will also serve as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The top two competitors in the tournament receive an automatic berth in the 2008 Olympic Games, while teams three through five will be invited to the FIBA World Olympic Qualifier to be held July 7-13, 2008 in a yet to be determined location. Canada, currently ranked 16th in the world, is one of 10 teams in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship.

The Sacramento Kings announced that center Justin Williams has agreed to the team’s qualifying offer, retroactive to July 3, 2007.

Williams averaged 5.0 ppg (.614FG%, .365 FT%), 4.4 rpg, and 0.6 bpg in 26 contests (started one) with the Kings in 2006-07. At 6-10 and 230 pounds, Williams also played for the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League prior to his call up with Sacramento, where he averaged 12.1 points (.556 FG%, .581 FT%), 12.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks through 12 games.

The former University of Wyoming product played five games for Kings in the recently completed NBA Summer League as well, averaging 11.8 ppg (.511 FG%, .500 FT%), 10.6 rpg, and 1.8 bpg.