WebProNews

Tag: Basketball

  • 33-Year-Old GM Hired by Phoenix Suns

    The Phoenix Suns announced this week that Ryan McDonough has been named the general manager of the NBA team. The 33-year-old McDonough will be officially placed as the GM during an event at the US Airways Center on Thursday.

    “Ryan distinguished himself among an impressive group of candidates for our GM position,” said Lon Babby, president of basketball operations with the Suns. “His natural leadership and communication skills will serve the Suns well. And, his prodigious work ethic and ability to identify talent will enable us to take full advantage of the 10 draft choices, including six in the first round, that we have over the next three years. We welcome his championship pedigree to our organization.”

    McDonough began his NBA career in 2003 as a special assistant to basketball operations with the Boston Celtics. In that position, McDonough was heavily involved in scouting work.

    Most recently McDonough served as the assistant general manager of the Boston Celtics. According to the Suns, his experience in draft evaluation and scouting will make him perfect for the organization, considering the team’s six first-round draft picks over the next three years.

  • Byron Scott Fired as Cavs Head Coach

    Byron Scott Fired as Cavs Head Coach

    The Cleveland Cavaliers announced today that the organization has fired Head Coach Byron Scott.

    Scott took over as head coach of the Cavs in 2010, just before LeBron James left for the Miami Heat. Scott’s first season with the organization ended with a dismal 19-63 record, which included an NBA record 26-game losing streak. During his career with the Cavs, Scott coached the team to a 64-166 record.

    “I want to thank Chris Grant, Dan Gilbert and the Cavaliers organization for the opportunity I had to coach this team the last three seasons,” said Scott. “I am certainly proud of the progress that many of our players have made and greatly appreciate the dedication of my coaches and our team in our efforts to attain the success we all desired.”

    The Cavaliers have not named a replacement for Scott, but have announced that they intend to “immediately commence a search” for a head coach.

    “I fully support the difficult move that was made today,” said Dan Gilbert, the majority owner of the Cavs. “Although we saw progress with young individual player development, we did not see the kind of progress we expected on the team level this past season. We understand it was challenging with the injuries, but when you are at our stage in the building process, you don’t only measure team progress in wins and losses.

    “Our fans have been incredibly loyal and supportive during these transition years. They deserve better than we have been delivering as of late and it is our full intent to deliver them the kind of competitive team that they expect to see on the court beginning next season.”

    (Image courtesy Erik Drost/Wikimedia Commons)

  • Mark Cuban Would Be ‘Honored’ To Have First Openly Gay NBA Player On Mavs

    The other day, entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made headlines when he said he might draft Brittney Griner. Today, TMZ is sharing an interview with Cuban in which he says he’d be honored to have the first openly gay NBA player on his team.

    “I’ve been saying the same thing for years – that there will be someone who comes out, it will be a great moment for sports – I would be honored if he was on my team,” Cuban says.

    “I think things have changed significantly, and that the players would accept him,” he adds. “I don’t think there’s any question that even though all professional sports have had their homophobic missteps on the way, that it’s a new era/generation, and the player would be accepted.”

    The interview comes on the heels of (and references) words from NBA great Magic Johnson, who shared his own support for gay players in sports in another interview (below).

  • Mike Rice Video (The Taiwanese Animation Version)

    Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice was fired this week after a video of him kicking and shoving players (and using gay slurs) during practice was made public.

    And where there’s scandal, there’s Taiwanese animation studio Next Media Animation, which always offers an entertaining slant on current events. Here’s NMA’s take on the Mike Rice firing:

    According to Fox News, Rice is due a $100,000 bonus.

  • Mark Cuban: Brittney Griner Draft A Possibility

    Entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says he would be willing to draft Baylor women’s basketball star Brittney Griner if she’s the best available player at the Mavs’ spot.

    ESPN quotes Cuban:

    “If she is the best on the board, I will take her,” Cuban said before the Mavs’ Tuesday night game against the Los Angeles Lakers. “I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought about it already. Would I do it? Right now, I’d lean toward yes, just to see if she can do it. You never know unless you give somebody a chance, and it’s not like the likelihood of any late-50s draft pick has a good chance of making it.”

    Here’s Griner dunking and “exploding” for 50 points:

    Griner is 6′ 8″, 207.2 lbs, according to Google’s Knowledge Graph. She is said to wear a men’s show size 17 or 18 shoe and to have an arm span of 86″.

    Griner is reportedly the first NCAA basketball player ever to score 2,000 points and block 500 shots. She won the 2012 AP Player of the Year.

    Cuban reportedly said that if the Mavericks don’t draft Griner, he would Have “no problem whatsoever” inviting her to try out for a spot on Dallas’ summer league team.

  • CBS Broken Leg Replay Banned on TV, “No Problem” Online

    CBS was broadcasting the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional final between Louisville and Duke on Sunday when Louisville player Kevin Ware suffered one of the most gruesome injuries ever seen in college basketball. As Ware jumped to block a three point shot he landed poorly, snapping his tibia (shin) bone in half.

    CBS replayed the event twice in the immediate aftermath, but then placed a ban on showing the footage any further. Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports told the Associated Press that the decision not to replay the footage further was an easy one, as the injury can be seen using DVRs or the internet. He went on to say that he has seen how popular the footage is on YouTube, and has “no problem with that.”

    With that statement in mind, and to satisfy the morbid curiosity in all of us, the replay of Kevin Ware’s injury is embedded below. The footage is from quite a distance, but the event is still very cringe-worthy:

    For those who are still curious, a close-up of Ware’s injury (the un-cropped version of the photo at the top of this story) can be viewed at the following link. Be aware, though, that the injury is quite disturbing, and probably NSFW:

    Kevin Ware’s injury

    Ware is reported to already be back on his feet, with crutches. Ware has been tweeting his thanks for all the well-wishes he has received and even tweeted a picture of his leg in its current state:

  • Kevin Ware: Leg Surgery Could Bring Him Back Next Year

    During last night’s NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional final between Louisville and Duke, Louisville player Kevin Ware jumped to block a three point shot and landed poorly, breaking his leg, including his tibia (shin) bone, in two places. The gruesome injury was caught on live TV and Ware’s teammates can be seen reacting viscerally to the injury, which occurred directly in front of the Louisville bench.

    According to an Associated Press report, Ware underwent leg surgery soon after the injury. The bones in his leg have been successfully set, with a metal rod inserted into his tibia.

    According to Louisville coach Rick Pitino, Ware could be back on the court as soon as next year. He related to the AP that Ware’s injury is similar to one Louisville football player Michael Bush sustained in 2006. Bush went on to have a successful career playing for the Oakland Raiders and Chicago Bears in the NFL.

    The following link provides a clear look at Ware’s injury. It is not safe for either work or life, but does show exactly why Ware’s teammates reacted the way they did: Ware’s injury.

    (Image courtesy Reddit)

  • Tubby Smith Fired From Minnesota Basketball

    College basketball coach Tubby Smith coached the 11-seeded University of Minnesota men’s basketball team past six-seeded UCLA in the second round of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament, but the team lost to third-seed Florida in the next round. Evidently, a tournament showing and a winning record are not enough to guarantee a coaching position in the NCAA these days.

    The University of Minnesota today announced that Smith has been ousted from his coaching job just one day after the loss to Florida.

    “Tubby has had a long and distinguished career and we feel it’s time for a fresh set of eyes for our student-athletes and our program in general,” said Norwood Teague, University of Minnesota athletics director.

    Smith has been the coach of Minnesota’s basketball team since 2007. In his time with the program, Smith coached the team to a 124-81 record and three NCAA tournament appearances. This week’s third-round loss was the team’s best NCAA tournament showing under Smith’s coaching.

    Before taking the coaching position at Minnesota, Smith coached the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team. He had been an assistant coach for the team under coach Rick Pitino, who is currently coaching the number-one seeded University of Louisville men’s basketball team into the Sweet Sixteen

    “I want to thank the University of Minnesota and the people of Minnesota for giving me the opportunity to lead the Golden Gopher basketball program for six years,” said Smith. “Our staff did things the right way and will leave knowing that the program is in far better shape than when we arrived. The people of the State of Minnesota embraced Donna and me from the beginning and we will always be grateful.”

  • ‘NCAA Bracket’ Google Search Returns Bracket On Results Page

    Google has a new March Madness feature for basketball fans. When you search “NCAA Bracket” in Google, the search engine will return a bracket on the actual page, so you can see where all the teams are at in the tournament.

    Google’s Dan Vanderkam announced the feature in a tweet (via Search Engine Land):

    Here’s what it looks like:

    NCAA Bracket

    Google has offered March Madness tools in the past. Here’s what they did last year. And the year before that.

  • Gonzaga Is LinkedIn’s Pick to Win the Tourney Based on ‘Dedication Score’

    Gonzaga Is LinkedIn’s Pick to Win the Tourney Based on ‘Dedication Score’

    LinkedIn thinks that they know who will will this year’s NCAA Tournament, and they don’t even need to consider basketball. Well, they need to consider the word “basketball,” but that’s about it.

    In alternative method to fill out a bracket news, LinkedIn has calculated a “dedication score” for all of the teams participating in March Madness. That “dedication score” is simply the number of current students and alumni with the word “basketball” in their profile divided by the total number of current students and alumni at each school.

    Use each school’s score to determine the winners and there you have it. Gonzaga (15,700 students and alumni, 2.5% referencing basketball) wins with a score of 2.46.

    #1 seed Kansas does well in this bracket, making it to the Final Four before being upended by Butler. The cinderella of LinkedIn’s bracket is 14th seeded Valparaiso, which makes it all the way to the Final Four, beating top-seeded Louisville in the process.

    Check out the bracket below (click to enlarge).

    “Now, I know some of you may be thinking ‘What does this have to do with the basketball team’s performance on the court?’ Team Spirit! We believe in the power of willing your team to win. Your chances of picking a bracket 100% correctly are infinitesimally small, regardless of method, so we think the power of willing your team to win is what it will take. So, you could fill out your bracket based on favorite school colors OR you could use our ‘dedication score,’” says LinkedIn’s Sohan Murthy.

    I can’t really argue with that, considering all of the ridiculous ways I’ve seen people construct a bracket.

  • The Cast of Mad Men Talk College Basketball in ‘March Mad Men’

    All it takes is a little bit of editing and the cast of Mad Men come alive to discuss…

    March Madness of course! Check on Don, Betty, Pete, Peggy, Roger, and Bert discuss their pool, brackets, and all the upsets. Both March Madness and Mad Men are going to be gracing your TV screens soon, so why not celebrate the two together?

    [via OfficialComedy]

  • Jack Curran Dies; Basketball Coach Was 82

    Jack Curran, the winningest high school sports coach in the U.S., has died. Curran reportedly died in his sleep at his home in Rye, N.Y. on Thursday. He was 82 years old.

    Curran coached both baseball and basketball at Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, New York. His combined wins for both the sports total over 2,600 – more than any other high school coach in the U.S. His winning record and longevity as a coach have earned Curran a place in the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame, and seven other halls of fame.

    “It’s a very sad day for all of us here at Molloy,” said Richard Karsten, president of Archbishop Molloy. “Coach Curran built a legacy that transcends any traditional notion of coaching high school athletics. To him it was always about the kids. They were the reason for his success. His passing will not only be felt by today’s students, faculty and staff, but generations going back over 50 years.”

    Curran was the son of a New York City police officer and grew up in the Bronx. After graduating from St. John’s University, he went on to play minor league baseball. in 1958 he began his coaching career at Archbishop Molloy. Throughout his years of coaching, Curran coached several players who went on to join the NBA, including Kenny Anderson and Kenny Smith.

    (Image courtesy Archbishop Molloy High School)

  • Ex-NBA Player Banned After Choking Incident

    Renaldo Balkman, a former player for the NBA‘s New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets, has been banned from the Philippine Basketball Association following an on-court incident.

    According to a Reuters report, Balkman placed his hands around his teammate Arwind Santos’ neck as Santos tried to restrain Balkman’s anger over a disputed call.

    In addition to the lifetime ban, the report states that Balkman was fined the equivalent of $6,100 over the choking.

    As seen in the video of the incident below, Balkman also shoved teammates and coaches during his outburst:

    Balkman and Santos were both playing for the Petron Blaze Boosters against the Alaska Aces. The Aces went on to win the game, 83 to 73.

    Balkman has apologized for his actions via his Twitter account. He apologized specifically to Santos and said that he respects the Philippine Basketball Association’s decision:

  • Michael Jordan Marriage License Spotted in Florida

    The Associated Press is reporting that former NBA star Michael Jordan has applied for a marriage license in Palm Beach County, Florida.

    A spokesperson for the county clerk’s office told the AP that Jordan and his fiancée, Yvette Prieto, showed up at the courthouse on the morning of Thursday, March 7.

    Jordan and Prieto, a Cuban-American model, have been a couple for some years now. The couple became engaged on Christmas Eve in 2011.

    If the report is true, this would be Jordan’s second marriage. The basketball star married Juanita Vanoy in 1989, and the couple had three children, Jeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine. The couple divorced in 2006, with a divorce settlement that was, at the time, the largest public divorce settlement on record according to Forbes.

    (Image via Steve Lipofsky/Wikimedia)

  • Insane Buzzer Beater Nets State Title for New York High School

    Insane Buzzer Beater Nets State Title for New York High School

    On Sunday, New Rochelle high school beat Mount Vernon in the New York Section 1 Class AA championship.

    But that’s only half the story.

    What makes it extra special is the incredible way that it all went down. Good lord, what a scene.

  • Mike Krzyzewski Done With Team USA, Twitter Reacts

    It appears that after seven years of coaching the Team USA basketball team, Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski (otherwise known as Coach K) will not be coaching it any longer.

    Krzyzewski said on ESPN’s Mike & Mike in the Morning, “I’ve loved, loved, loved, and it’s been an honor being with the USA Basketball team. And to coach the team and work with [chairman and president Jerry Colangelo] for seven years has been marvelous.”

    In 2005, Krzyzewski was appointed coach. His record as head coach of the USA National Team was 62–1. His team got four golds in all (FIBA Americas Championship 2007, 2008 Summer Olympics, the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Summer Olympics) and one bronze (2006 FIBA World Championship).

    Here’s what people are saying on Twitter:

  • Meet Eddie, the Slam-Dunking Sea Otter

    Meet Eddie, the Slam-Dunking Sea Otter

    Eddie the geriatric sea otter, other than being really cute, also likes to play a bit of basketball. The Oregon Zoo had to find some way to get Eddie to work those arthritic elbows, and they thought what better way than with a little bit of b-ball.

    You won’t see Eddie hooping during exhibits. This is just for medical purposes. But thanks to the power of the internet, you can watch this little guy do something that I’ve wished I could do since I was six years old: Slam dunk a basketball.

    [Oregon Zoo]

  • NBA: Sleeved Uniforms Announced For the Warriors

    Adidas and the Golden State Warriors this week unveiled a new uniform with “modern” short sleeves. The uniform is also the team’s lightest uniform ever – 26% lighter than current Warriors uniforms.

    “Players on every court like to have a unique sense of style,” said Lawrence Norman, vice president for adidas global basketball. “We were excited to work side-by-side for the last 18 months with the Warriors, one of the NBA’s youngest and most exciting teams, to develop this unique uniform system that helps maintain peak player performance while ensuring comfort, fit and style.”

    Though range-of-motion would seem to be a concern with sleeves, adidas claims its has worked with players to develop the uniforms. The sleeves include armhole insets that are made of a stretch fabric. The company claims that movement in the jersey is equal to that found in normal tank-top style uniforms.

    “When adidas began working with us to develop the short sleeve jersey, I couldn’t wait to wear it in a game,” said Harrison Barnes, Warriors forward. “I love the fit and style the sleeves give me on the court.”

    The new uniforms will debut on February 22 during the Warriors’ game against the San Antonio Spurs. They will also be worn during two more home games this season: on March 8 against the Houston Rockets and on March 15 against the Chicago Bulls.

  • Worst Free Throw Ever Makes the Shaqtus Look Like a Sharpshooter

    The key to being a good free throw shooter is practice, practice, practice. If you shoot a couple hundred from the charity stripe on a daily basis, you’ll get better – it’s inevitable.

    But there’s something to be said for natural ability. All the practice in the world won’t help if you’re coming from the Shaquille O’Neal school of free throw shooting. Actually, it’s a game between Western Carolina University and Appalachian State. Behold, possibly the worst free throw attempt in the history of organized (definitely televised) basketball.

  • Ken Trickey Dies at 79, Former ORU Basketball Coach

    Ken Trickey, former Oral Roberts University men’s basketball coach, has passed away at the age of 79.

    Trickey died on the morning of December 4 from complications of cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease. According to the obituary on his website, Trickey passed peacefully at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    Trickey began coaching the ORU men’s basketball team in 1969. He posted at least 20 wins in each of his first five years as coach, and led ORU to three postseason appearances. In 1974, ORU got as far as the Elite Eight in that year’s NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. Trickey finished his coaching career with a 214-116 record and was the first coach inducted to the ORU athletics Hall of Fame.

    “Ken Trickey was a pioneer in the industry in terms of offensive basketball,” said Mark Rutland, ORU athletics director. “He brought significant recognition to the university because of his success at ORU, and his program put ORU athletics on the national map in the 1970’s. We are grateful for his significant contributions to ORU athletics and will miss him.”

    Trickey was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and grew up in Cairo, Illinois. He played basketball at Middle Tennessee State College and served in the U.S. Army Armored Division at Fort Knox. Trickey worked his way up from a high school basketball coach to head coach at Middle Tennessee, where he recruited the first black athletes to play at the college.

    “I was saddened to hear about Coach Trickey’s passing,” said Scott Sutton, the current ORU men’s basketball coach. “He was so supportive of me and my time here. When you talk about the history of ORU athletics, the first person you think of is Ken Trickey and what he meant, not only to the men’s basketball program, but the athletics department in general. His success in such a short period of time was remarkable. To take a team that is less than 10 years in existence and take them to within a game of the final four is amazing.”

    (Image courtesy ORU Media Relations)

  • London 2012 Basketball: Google Doodle Features Playable Hoops Game

    Today, Google continues their run of Olympic-themed Doodles with another interactive game – this one involving basketball. Yesterday, you probably remember wasting plenty of time on Google’s homepage attempting to turn in the fastest hurdles time of your coworkers.

    This game is much different – maybe a bit harder. It’s a simple hoops game where you have 24 seconds to make as many shots as you can from the free throw line – but the mechanism for shooting can be tricky to master. The mechanism for shooting involves tapping your space bar. Waiting too long to release the ball results in a severe overthrow, and you’ll be able to tell when you messed up by the glowing red basketball in your hand. My first try netted 18 points, but there are people out there doing much, much better:

    Of course, today’s Doodle celebrates basketball in the London Games – both men’s and women’s. Men’s basketball was first played as an Olympic sport in 1936, and the women finally got their chance to shine in 1976. The 1992 Games in Barcelona marked the first time that professionals competed, and we all know how that turned out (Dream Team, baby!).

    This year, 144 men and 144 women will participate in Olympic basketball. 600 basketballs will be used on the way to medals for six teams.

    Today, the men’s quarterfinal round sees the United States take on Argentina. And tomorrow, the United States women’s team will face Australia in the semifinals of their bracket.

    Yesterday, Google was accused by some of subtle racism for their Olympic hurdles Doodles. Some people said that it clearly depicted a black man running on a track that looked like a watermelon. As of now, I can’t discern anything overtly “racist” from today’s Doodle, but it wouldn’t surprise me if someone did before the day’s over.