Category: Basketball

Dallas Mavericks team facilities to remain closed

Brandon King

Wednesday the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers announcing they would reopen their team’s facilities this week. The Los Angeles Lakers soon after announced they had targeted mid-May to reopen theirs, while the Houston Rockets indicates they would hold off until May 18. Teams in areas that have relaxed stay home orders have the option to follow suit and reopen facilities, per NBA rules. The Dallas Mavericks will not be one of those ball clubs. Team owner Mark Cuban made that clear Wednesday. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports…

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Los Angeles Lakers plan to reopen facilities in mid-May

Brandon King

It seems that the dominoes are beginning to be put in place to clear a path to NBA basketball returning. Following the news of the Trail Blazers, Nuggets and Rockets re-opening their team facilities on Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers announced their intent to open their facilities May 16, according to reporting from The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania. Other teams will likely announce their plans in the coming days.

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Portland, Houston and Denver to open team facilities

Brandon King

From Rob Goldberg of B/R The Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets are among the first teams opening their facilities Friday as part of a return from the hiatus caused by the coronavirus, according to Jeff Zillgitt and Mark Medina of USA Today.  “That’s the plan,” Rockets CEO Tad Brown said of opening on May 8. “We’re certainly expecting it, and we’ll provide the safest possible environment for our guys.” The NBA announced last month that beginning on May 8, teams could begin reopening facilities in accordance with the relaxation of state and local COVID-19 stay-at-home orders.…

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Wake Forest’s Olivier Sarr transferring to Kentucky

Brandon King

From Jeff Borzello and Jonathan Givony of ESPN Former Wake Forest big man Olivier Sarr, arguably the top college basketball transfer this spring, is transferring to Kentucky, he told ESPN on Wednesday. “I felt that was the best fit and the best opportunity for me,” Sarr told ESPN. “Being able to play for that great program and showcase my winning drive on that stage. Coach Cal made me understand that I was needed over there.” After coach Danny Manning was fired, Sarr informed Wake Forest that he wanted to enter the transfer portal, which he did…

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Nicholas Kay opts of contract with Wildcats

Brandon King

From nbl.com.au: Two-time championship-winning forward Nicholas Kay has exercised his right under the NBL and the Australian Basketball Players’ Association’s collective bargaining agreement to opt out of his contract with the Perth Wildcats. Kay joined the Wildcats in 2018 and experienced immediate success, winning championships in both 2019 and 2020. He became one of the NBL’s top players, named in the All-NBL First Team in both seasons, and represented Australia at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. The 27-year-old said it was a difficult decision. “What a journey the last two…

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What happened to Craig Hodges?

Brandon King

Colin Kaepernick is seen as the most recent patron saint for an athlete sacrificing his career to take a stance on the conditions of black people in the United States, however there was an NBA player whose career was ended because he sought to use his platform to try to do some real good for his people and despite him playing, and being a contributor, on the most popular team in the world, you may not have ever heard of him. Over twenty years before Kap took his knee, before…

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Brisbane’s Matt Hodgson opting out of deal with club

Brandon King

from nbl.com.au : Brisbane Bullets centre Matt Hodgson has exercised his right under the NBL and the Australian Basketball Players’ Association’s collective bargaining agreement to opt out of his contract with the club. Hodgson has made a significant contribution to the Bullets, playing 57 games since joining the club in 2018.  Bullets CEO Peter McLennan says while it’s disappointing to lose a player of Hodgson’s caliber, the club wishes him the best. “Hodgy is a great guy and has been a popular member of our squad,” McLennan said.  “The most important…

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Xavier Cooks opts out of deal with Sydney Kings

Brandon King

From nbl.com.au : Sydney Kings young-gun Xavier Cooks has exercised his right to opt out of the remaining year of his contract. In light of the recent agreement between the NBL and the Australian Basketball Players’ Association which saw pay cuts of up to 50 percent for the 2020-21 season, a deadline of May 4 was set for players to declare their intention to explore opportunities overseas. Cooks joined the Kings fifteen games into the NBL20 season after recovering from a knee injury he suffered while representing Australia in preparation…

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The Last Dance episode 3&4 : Reaction

Brandon King

I finally had a chance to catch episodes 3 and 4 of The Last Dance docu-series. Although it was quite enthralling, as it felt like I had just sat down in my recliner and the next thing I know , the credit were rolling for episode 4, it was not with out fault. What I liked: The Phil Jackson episode The Phil Jackson portion of the evening was masterfully done. A sizeable chunk of today’s younger basketball fan probably did not know that not only did he play in the…

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COVIDSAFE Application has support of NBL

Brandon King

From nbl.com.au: The Hungry Jack’s National Basketball League has thrown its support behind the Federal Government’s COVIDSafe app. NBL Owner and Executive Chairman Larry Kestelman said: “The Government is a doing a great job to help lead the Australian community back from this terrible virus. “The COVIDSafe app is a very important initiative to help track cases of the virus in Australia and prevent community transmission. “We would encourage all basketball fans to download it and help in the fight against COVID-19 as everything we can do will also help…

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