Baron posterizes Kirilenko in 2007 (orangino, You Tube)

Agent: Davis will be involved with Knicks

 

By Jared Zwerling | ESPNNewYork.com

 

August, 24, 2012 7:00 AM ET

 

 

Knicks unrestricted free agent Baron Davis will remain with the team in "some capacity," his agent Todd Ramasar told ESPNNewYork.com on Thursday.

The Knicks won't re-sign Davis as a player because the 33-year-old point guard suffered a horrific right knee injury in last season's playoffs, and it's likely he could miss the entire 2012-13 campaign. But since the spring, the Knicks have treated Davis like one of their own. The team has allowed him to do physical therapy with their training staff, and most recently, management has approached him about staying on board this season.

Ramasar said Davis is very excited about the opportunity, but it won't involve a job title or him sitting on the bench during games. Instead, it will likely be more of a mentorship role behind the scenes and during practices.

"He'll still be around the team and could kind of help some of the younger guys just through his experience," Ramasar said. "The Knicks have been wonderful in terms of just extending support to Baron, whether it be through obviously his physical therapy or just having him involved with the organization going forward. He really loves that team and that organization has done an excellent job with Baron, and Baron feels like that's home. He really, really enjoyed last season with the Knicks."

Ramasar said Davis' goal remains the same from the moment he suffered a partial tear of his right patella tendon and complete tears of his right anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments during Game 4 against the Heat. "He wants to make a comeback," Ramasar said.

Davis is now walking around without a knee brace, and without the assistance of a cane or crutches. Ramasar said the last time Davis had a major checkup in early July, doctors determined he was ahead of schedule. The biggest thing right now for Davis is to regain his range of motion since the scar tissue healed.

"From what I'm observing, a lot of his therapy is just coming from walking and strengthening that leg again, and kind of adding some of those muscles that might have atrophied from the time down," Ramasar said. "He's starting to get those muscles to fire again."

In addition to physical therapy in New York and Los Angeles, where Davis makes his first home, he's been busy with two of his companies, Verso Entertainment, which distributes films, TV shows and web content, and his new one, 5 Balloons Interactive, which develops games for mobile devices. He's also been involved with his longtime community work in L.A. Just last week, he hosted an all-star kickball game on UCLA's campus, featuring a dozen pro athletes, to raise money for his foundation, Rising Stars of America.

Ramasar said it's "too early to tell" if Davis will play at all this season, but not to rule anything out. If anyone knows that, it's Ramasar, a former Bruins teammate of Davis' in the late 1990s who witnessed the former All-Star point guard return from a left ACL tear.

"One thing I saw then and I've known about Baron is that when he puts his mind to something, in terms of his will, there's no stopping Baron," Ramasar said. "As horrific and devastating that knee injury was this past season, if Baron's mind and will are into making a comeback and recovering fully, then that's not something that anyone would want to bet against."

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.


For more on Baron's injury, check out earlier post (link).

NBA’s Top 50 Highest Paid Players for the 2012/13 season

NBA’s Top 50 Highest Paid Players


Source: hoopsworld.com

The following list details the top-50 highest paid players in the NBA for the 2012/13 season.





Name Team 2012-13

Kobe Bryant L.A. Lakers $27,849,149

Dirk Nowitzki Dallas Mavericks $20,907,128

Carmelo Anthony New York Knicks $20,463,024

Amar'e Stoudemire New York Knicks $19,948,799

Joe Johnson Brooklyn Nets $19,752,645

Dwight Howard L.A. Lakers $19,536,360

Pau Gasol L.A. Lakers $19,000,000

Chris Paul LA Clippers $17,779,458

Chris Bosh Miami Heat $17,545,000

LeBron James Miami Heat $17,545,000

Dwyane Wade Miami Heat $17,182,000

Deron Williams Brooklyn Nets $17,177,795

Andrew Bynum Philadelphia 76ers $16,889,000

Paul Pierce Boston Celtics $16,790,345

Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder $16,669,630

Zach Randolph Memphis Grizzlies $16,500,000

Rudy Gay Memphis Grizzlies $16,460,538

Derrick Rose Chicago Bulls $16,402,552

Carlos Boozer Chicago Bulls $15,000,000

Al Jefferson Utah Jazz $15,000,000

Andre Iguodala Denver Nuggets $14,968,250

Manu Ginobili San Antonio Spurs $14,107,492

Marc Gasol Memphis Grizzlies $13,891,359

Brook Lopez Brooklyn Nets $13,668,750

Roy Hibbert Indiana Pacers $13,668,750

Kevin Love Minnesota Timberwolves $13,668,750

Eric Gordon New Orleans Hornets $13,668,750

Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder $13,668,750

Tyson Chandler New York Knicks $13,604,188

LaMarcus Aldridge Portland Trail Blazers $13,500,000

Emeka Okafor Washington Wizards $13,490,000

Luol Deng Chicago Bulls $13,305,000

Josh Smith Atlanta Hawks $13,200,000

Danny Granger Indiana Pacers $13,058,606

Nene Washington Wizards $13,000,000

Andrew Bogut Golden State Warriors $13,000,000

David Lee Golden State Warriors $12,744,000

Tony Parker San Antonio Spurs $12,500,000

Kevin Martin Houston Rockets $12,439,675

Ben Gordon Charlotte Bobcats $12,400,000

Al Horford Atlanta Hawks $12,000,000

Kris Humphries Brooklyn Nets $12,000,000

Hedo Turkoglu Orlando Magic $11,815,850

Kevin Garnett Boston Celtics $11,566,265

Joakim Noah Chicago Bulls $11,300,000

Rajon Rondo Boston Celtics $11,000,000

Monta Ellis Milwaukee Bucks $11,000,000

Corey Maggette Detroit Pistons $10,924,138

Nicolas Batum Portland Trail Blazers $10,825,000

Jose Calderon Toronto Raptors $10,561,982


Other UCLA Bruins:

Arron Afflalo Orlando Magic $8,600,000

Trevor Ariza Washington Wizards $6,790,640

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Milwaukee Bucks $4,750,000

Ryan Hollins LA Clippers $2,483,333

Earl Watson Utah Jazz $2,000,000

Matt Barnes LA Clippers $1,906,200

Jrue Holiday Philadelphia 76ers $1,741,440

Darren Collison Dallas Mavericks $1,455,690

Tyler Honeycutt Sacramento Kings $775,000


No salary figures available for Baron Davis (NY Knicks), Jordan Farmar (Atlanta Hawks), Jason Kapono (free agent), Malcolm Lee (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Reeves Nelson (LA Lakers).

Sept 10 2012 tidbit on Shabazz investigation

3-point shot: Lance Thomas' legacy at Duke

 

September, 10, 2012 5:00 AM ET

By Andy Katz | ESPN.com

 

1. Duke's staff didn't know about Lance Thomas' jewelry purchases or $30,000 cash payment in 2010, according to multiple school staffers. Duke will tell that to the NCAA to show that it wasn't complicit with any of Thomas' decisions. Of course being complicit would hit Duke. But not knowing what Thomas was doing doesn't impact a potential eligibility ruling. Duke is seeking to find out information on the matter now that the lawsuit for the remaining $68,000 jewelry bill (he was given $67,800 in credit) is being pursued. Thomas doesn't have to cooperate with the NCAA since he's no longer a student athlete. But Duke better lean on him hard to do so. The NCAA and Duke need to find out where the money came from and whether he received special treatment. This case cannot be taken lightly and there are questions that need to be answered. The NCAA has long said it can retroactively rule a player ineligible (see Derrick Rose of Memphis). That means the 2010 title and the 35 wins for coach Mike Krzyzewski and Duke could be vacated if Thomas were ruled ineligible. It's a big if, but the lawsuit has opened the need for an investigation as to how Thomas could have made such grand purchases as a college senior.

2. UCLA hasn't started the clock for freshman forward Shabazz Muhammad because he was hurt in August and also wasn't ruled eligible to go the Bruins' trip to China. The NCAA gives schools a 45-day window for players to practice during an initial eligibility process. The Bruins don't start the fall quarter until later this month. The Bruins could conceivably wait to start Muhammad's clock until practice starts on Oct. 12. That means Muhammad could practice for the first month of the season and play possibly in the opener while the NCAA deals with an amateurism/extra benefit issue with Muhammad. The process with Muhammad may drag for a while so by not starting his clock the Bruins have a chance to start the season practicing with their star newcomer.

3. Georgetown coach John Thompson III said that he wants to continue the Syracuse series after the Orange move to the ACC in 2013. Thompson couldn't say when it will resume but he is confident it will happen. He did say the tough decision for the Hoyas and other Big East schools will be how to handle nonconference games when the Big East likely goes to 20 conference games in 2013-14 when there are 18 league members. Thompson said he expects the league to move to 20 games and that means schools like Georgetown will have to decide does it participate in a neutral site event or two, or choose a home-and-home series. A Syracuse nonconference game would fall in the latter category.

Source: UCLA’s Anderson Expected to Be Cleared by NCAA



Kyle Anderson (Hudson Reporter.com)

Source: UCLA’s Anderson Expected to Be Cleared by NCAA

 

By Adam Zagoria
ZagsBlog.com
September 20, 2012, 11:18AM

 

UCLA freshman guard Kyle Anderson is expected to be cleared by the NCAA to play this season, a source with direct knowledge of the case told SNY.tv Thursday.

“The UCLA compliance office is confident that he will be cleared before practice starts Oct. 12,” the source said.

The NCAA looked into the recruitment of the 6-foot-9 point guard in early August, the source said.

Anderson, a McDonald’s All-American out of St. Anthony, was cleared for UCLA’s China trip late last month, and he posted two double-doubles in three games there.

Anderson’s roommate and teammate, Shabazz Muhammad, is also being investigated by the NCAA and has not been cleared. He did not make the trip to China as a result.

Muhammad was injured over the summer and, as Andy Katz of ESPN.com pointed out, he could conceivably play in the team’s opener if the school waits to start his 45-day window when practice begins Oct. 12.

“Currently, there are two men’s basketball student-athletes who have not yet received final amateurism certification from the NCAA,” UCLA AD Dan Guerrero said earlier this month.

“UCLA will not, and cannot, endanger the privacy of our student-athletes or the confidentiality of the process by providing a more specific response at this time to these reports.”

A third UCLA freshman, Tony Parker, was also investigated by the NCAA, but he has since been cleared. He did not play in China due to an injured hamstring.

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2013 Four-star guard Allerik Freeman commits to UCLA on visit

courtcred/You Tube


MeetMeAtTheRim/You Tube

 

2013 Four-star guard Allerik Freeman commits to UCLA on visit

 

By Jeff Borzello | Recruiting Blogger

CBSSports.com

September 8, 2012 6:58 pm ET

 

 

Allerik Freeman has had a very fluid recruitment during the past several months. He originally cut his list to Villanova and Kansas back in March, but then added Ohio State, UCLA and Duke as the weeks passed.

Once Freeman transferred from Olympic (N.C.) to Findlay Prep (Nev.), the Bruins began to make serious headway in his recruitment.

On his official visit to Westwood on Saturday, Freeman made it clear the hard work paid off: he committed to UCLA.

“I'm officially a UCLA Bruin,” Freeman tweeted. “Thank you to all the people who supported me and especially my family! All love. Long way to go though.”

Freeman, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard, was once ranked as a five-star recruit in the class of 2013.

Although he dropped to No. 60 in the most-recent rankings, it's still an important commitment for the Bruins.

Freeman is a powerful scoring guard who uses his body to finish around the rim. He has a good mid-range game and can knock down shots off the bounce. Freeman can make plays off the dribble as well. Once he improves his ball-handling and shooting, Freeman can be a major asset in the backcourt.

He is UCLA's second commitment in the class of 2013, joining No. 44-ranked prospect Zach Lavine, a 6-3 point guard from Washington. The two should form a very effective guard pairing over the next few years.

Five questions: Larry Drew II

 

September, 13, 2012 11:00 AM ET

 

By Robbi Pickeral | ESPN.com

 

Editor's Note: In the buildup to Midnight Madness, we are taking an in-depth look at ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi's top five seeds in a series called Countdown To Madness. In addition to the Insider pieces, Eamonn Brennan will offer Three Big Things about each team, and we'll have Five Questions with a player or coach from each squad.

The last time UCLA senior Larry Drew II played in a regular-season game was Feb. 1, 2011. He recorded nine assists at Boston College. He played 19 minutes off the bench. And he was wearing a North Carolina uniform.

[+] Enlarge
Icon SMIUCLA coach Ben Howland said North Carolina transfer Larry Drew II was the Bruins' "most indispensable player.''

Two days later, the demoted starter suddenly left Chapel Hill, N.C., and his father called UNC coach Roy Williams to tell him Drew was transferring. The player returned home to the West Coast, said he didn’t pick up a basketball for at least two months and opted to transfer to UCLA. This season he aims to prove he can lead, make plays and push his talent-stacked new team to NCAA tournament success.

We recently caught up with Drew, who sat out last season per NCAA transfer rules and is both thrilled and anxious to begin his final college basketball season with his new team:

Coach Ben Howland recently told ESPN’s Andy Katz that you will be the starter at point guard this season. Does it feel like you are getting a second chance?

Larry Drew: Definitely, this is my second chance. For a couple of months, I even had my Twitter name as “2ndChance,” because I’m also the second, Larry Drew II. … But it’s definitely a huge blessing, and I’m just thankful for the opportunity to get back to playing the game I love.

How are you a different player than the last time people saw you in a game? What can people expect?

LD: I’m still a playmaker. I’m still all about getting my teammates involved. Obviously this year, with the players we have, we have a lot of offensive firepower, so I think that’s definitely going to work itself out over the course of the season. So I’ve just been constantly working on everything: getting stronger, my jump shot, everything. One thing that’s just different for me, and what people have been telling me: I look like I’m out there having fun again when I play.

You surprised a lot of people when you left Chapel Hill in the middle of the 2010-11 season. What happened?

LD: I’m sure it shocked a lot of people. But what I will say: It wasn’t a [split-second] decision. I had been unhappy for some time. There was a series of things … and finally, I just got fed up. I just decided to take matters into my own hands. … And I’d just like to take responsibility for everything.

But now I’m here, I’m back in L.A., in my home city, and I’ve got a second chance. Some people might say I’m selfish, I’m this or that or whatever. But I had to do what’s best for me in the long run. And I think it played itself out perfect.

Has it been a distraction to the team, not knowing the status of freshmen Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson (who are awaiting amateurism certification from the NCAA)?

LD: There hasn’t been much of a discussion. We’ve just been going with the mindset to do whatever is necessary. [Muhammad] couldn’t go on the China [exhibition] trip, unfortunately, but we still talk to him on a regular basis so that he knows he’s part of the team even though we were without him in China. It’s all about just trying to stay focused on the task at hand, and that’s winning.

What are your goals for your final college season?

LD: To win it -- to win it all. It would be quite an achievement to win two national championships with two different schools. [Editor's note: Drew was a freshman on UNC’s ’09 NCAA title team.] I’m all about trying to make history.

Three Big Things: UCLA

 

September, 13, 2012 12:13 PM ET

 

By Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com

 

In the buildup to Midnight Madness, Insider and our college hoops team are collaborating on a preview of one high-profile college hoops team per day -- based on Joe Lunardi’s top 20 teams in his offseason Bracketology. We're calling it "Countdown To Madness." I'll be tracing three key things you should know about each team we preview. We're calling that "Three Big Things." (Hey, that's snappy!) Today: UCLA.

1. Oh, the uncertainty!

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Charles Rex ArbogastWill Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson be eligible to play this season?

On Wednesday, we talked about North Carolina, and why -- hugely talented and highly used departures, little-used replacements, and so on -- it was such a difficult team to predict. UNC may have its fair share of uncertainty, but it’s got nothing on the UCLA Bruins. Every possible outcome is officially on the table.

Let’s start with the most uncertain dynamic of this roster, which also just so happens to be the most important: The eligibility -- or lack thereof – of Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson. Muhammad and Anderson, the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked small forwards in the class of 2012, and both top-five players overall, are about as highly touted as recruits come. The investigation into Muhammad’s potential acceptance of improper benefits during his recruitment is nothing new; to be safe, UCLA kept him out of its offseason trip to China. Anderson, on the other hand, participated in the China trip.

Whatever the eventual details on both players, what matters is whether they’ll be able to play. As of right now, we just don’t know. If one or (say it ain’t so) both is held out for any length of time, it would be a major blow, as both players are the heart of UCLA’s top-ranked recruiting class and the major cause for sudden renewed optimism around this recently flagging program. Will they both be in uniform on opening night?

2. Even the players we know will be in the lineup come November are uncertain. Incoming recruit Tony Parker's minutes, production and playing style have to fit in alongside forwards Joshua Smith and Travis and David Wear. Or take the Wear twins, who showed flashes of productive hoops last season off the bench, but have yet to justify the large hype they generated during their recruitment to North Carolina, or their eventual transfer to UCLA. Or take Smith, a preternaturally gifted forward with great feet and soft hands -- in another life, he could have made an incredible left tackle -- who has yet to come anywhere close to realizing his potential because he’s yet to come anywhere close to being in college basketball shape.

Or take Larry Drew II. The last time we saw Drew II, he was coming off a season running North Carolina’s offense during one of its worst seasons in decades. The next year, with a guy named Kendall Marshall on the bench, Drew II was ineffective again. When Roy Williams said enough, and rightly told Drew II to come off the bench to make way for Marshall’s gifted passing ability -- a switch that basically unlocked the entire North Carolina attack -- Drew II quickly transferred from the program. Now UCLA coach Ben Howland has given Drew II the keys to his offense; the point guard will run the show in a lineup that will require a deft and balanced touch. This doesn’t seem to make much sense until you consider Drew II’s talent as a perimeter defender; Howland loves great perimeter defenders.

Can Drew II be trusted to handle the task? In today's 5-question feature, the point guard says all the right things about how grateful he is for a second chance, and how much he wants to get his team to the mountaintop (even if his comments about his displeasure at UNC still ring somewhat hollow). But what if it doesn’t work? What if he’s benched again? What, if anything, will that do to UCLA’s chemistry? There are so many questions here.

3. Which brings us, finally, to Howland. The 2011–12 season was hardly a bright spot in the coach’s otherwise illustrious UCLA tenure (which, let’s remember, included three straight Final Fours). Howland began the season dealing with Reeves Nelson’s nonsense and ended it by having his entire program -- including detailed accusations that he coddles star players and lets them run roughshod over his teams -- put under a heat lamp by Sports Illustrated’s George Dohrmann.

Before Howland sewed up the best recruiting class in the country, many UCLA fans argued it was time to cut ties. But Howland deserves a shot to make this talent-rich team work. The question is whether he can. As Dohrmann’s piece highlighted, Howland seems at his best with teams full of smart, hard-nosed, unheralded players. The last time he landed star-studded recruiting classes, many of his players transferred while his program struggled to recover.

The 2012–13 Bruins have more talent than any team Howland has coached. This should be a blessing. But it hasn’t worked in the past, and this year, with Howland’s job almost certainly on the line, the stakes have never been higher.

UCLA may begin the season ranked No. 1. It will almost certainly start in the top five. On paper, that makes sense. But on the court, where it matters, can Howland turn this collection of talented parts into something greater?

Just two months from the start of the season, nothing is guaranteed. Everything is on the table. Stay tuned.


Check out original post on ESPN.com (link) and scope out the heated discussion in the Comments section at the bottom. Folks have some not so flattering things to say about Coach Ben. Their teams probably suck.