SLOAN GOES FOR 23

Jerry Sloan continues his journey as the longest-tenured active coach for a single team in NBA history, as the 68 year-old former Chicago Bulls hardnosed defender confirmed he is coming back for another season with the Utah Jazz next campaign, according to Deseret News. It will be Sloan’s 23rd straight year as head coach of the Jazz. He has a coaching record of 1,190-780 win-loss record (.604) in 25 total years with the Bulls and the Jazz.

“I have always been thankful to the Miller family for their loyalty and support over the last 20-plus years. I appreciate the opportunities that have been provided to me and look forward to returning for the 2010-11 season.”

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DILEMMA

Don Nelson is currently enjoying his yearly sojourn in Maui but there is nothing to enjoy about regarding his future as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. Due to the Warriors’ recent change in ownership, the NBA’s winningest coach with 1,335 victories, is in a quandary. Nelson has one year remaining in his contract. The 70 year-old former Boston Celtics great said that he won’t return to the team unless he is called upon to return, according to NBA.Fanhouse.com.

“I'm here (in Maui) until I get a call to come home. I know nothing. It's just part of the business of basketball, really. I'm doing the same thing I've done every summer on my time off. Nothing has really changed."

MONKEY OFF THEIR BACK

Alaska Aces drew first blood in the PBA Fiesta Conference Finals, winning 89-83 over the San Miguel Beermen. The win snapped the Aces six-game skid in the finals dating back to the 2008-09 and 2009-10 Philippine Cup series. Alaska coach Tim Cone was just relieved to win a game anew in a championship series. The Uytengsu-franchise guns for  2-0 lead tomorrow in the best-of-seven title tiff.

“We’re playoffs-hardened and we’re able to get the monkey off our back. Not many remembered we’d lost our last six games in the finals. We had a sluggish start but we got fired up in the second quarter. A key run in the second quarter convinced us we can play this game. We got our game going in the second quarter and we’re able to carry that through in the second half.”

MAN-MOUNTAIN INVADES ISRAEL

Man-mountain Greek center Sofoklis Schortsanitis has left his country’s pro league to sign with Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv of the Israeli League on a reported two-year deal, according to The Hoop. The 25 year-old, 6-10 center nicknamed “Baby Shaq” is a veteran of Euro leagues playing in Greece and Italy during the last nine years. Sofo averaged 8.4 ppg and 3.0 rpg in 41 (including 19 in EUROLEAGUE) total games with Greek club Olympiacos last season.

“As soon as I made the decision not to keep playing in Greece, I started looking for a big club, one that was well-run and had a great reputation, where I could make a contribution – I found all that with Maccabi Tel Aviv. I’m very excited to come to Tel Aviv and to Nokia Arena. I know the club, its fans and its impressive accomplishments very well, and I’m going to do everything I can to continue to glorify Maccabi Tel Aviv.”

FREE FALL

Adam Morrison is fast heading into oblivion. It’s hard to imagine Morrison, who once led the entire nation in college scoring, of having the embarrassing distinction as the only player who's won two or more NBA titles without logging even one second of court time during a Finals game. The pro career of the ex-Gonzaga University hitman has continued its free fall, from the time he was drafted third over-all by the Charlotte Bobcats to his forgettable stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. And he had seen it all, according to ESPN.

“It's tough mentally to try to stay positive. I've been on all spectrums. I've been at the top, in the sense, at the college game. Highly touted. I've been injured, not playing. And I've been to where I don't even suit up. So I've seen all aspects of the game.”

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NEXT STEP

The Oklahoma City Thunder is the most improved team last season. They posted a 50-win season and played impressively in their first-ever postseason. Thunder head coach Scott Brooks won the coach of the year honors and sensational third-year pro Kevin Durant amazingly became the scoring champion, besting the likes of current league icons LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.  Now, Durant and company are already plotting their next big step for the coming season, according to NBA.com. Obviously, the Thunder were not fully satisfied to what they achieved last year. They want more and that is pretty scary.

"It's not about what we did. We had a chance to win the series and go on and try to win a championship. But we didn't get it done. So we start over."

SPAIN: THE FREE AGENT HAVEN

After the NBA, Spain is fast becoming the best alternative place for free agents. Take the case of NBA D-League veteran and ex-Kansas University star Russell Robinson. The former starting point guard of the 2008 NCAA championship team has signed up with DKV Joventut for around $200,000 a year contract, according to LJWorld.com.

“Every free agent in the world is trying to get to Spain. It’s great money. Spain is the best league for money, period. I’d rather not say more than that.

“I am excited. It’s a great career move, a great opportunity to improve my basketball stock for the NBA and Europe,” Robinson said. “It’s arguably the most competitive league in Europe.”

HAPPY MAN

Keyon Dooling talked about how happy he is with his new team, the Milwaukee Bucks.  He also reminisced about his good old days with the Orlando Magic. How Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy influenced his game and pushed him to worked hard to improve his all-around game. These are valuable lessons that he will bring to the Brew City.  

“I think God put me where I need to be. I'm very happy to be here and I don't live my life with regrets or anything like that. Although our roots are tied deeply in south Florida, it wasn't right, it wasn't the season for that. So I'm very happy to be here as a Buck.

“Stan Van Gundy has by far been the most influential coach I've ever had. He taught me how to think the game, how to play the game. He taught me how to work hard; he challenged me. He had an open-door policy so we could communicate with each other. I kind of became a reflection of Stan within our team. I take those principles with me today.”

THE COMEBACK KID

His playing career is in the crossroad. After seeing action for two Euro teams last season, ex-University of Maryland Terrapins star Juan Dixon tested positive for steroids last February and was suspended indefinitely by FIBA. All he wants now is to have another opportunity to play in the NBA. The 31 year-old shooting guard is working extra hard this summer and is begging for redemption, according to an article in Hoopsworld.com. Dixon, who was a cult figure during his college days, is a seven-year NBA veteran with career averages of 8.4 ppg and 2.4 apg in 436 total games with the Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons. The 6-3, Baltimore native, was the 17th pick over-all by the Wizards in the 2002 rookie draft.

“I was surprised. I'm not happy with it but I have to serve a penalty and they decided to give me one year. It's a long time but hopefully I can get a break this next season in the NBA.

“Hopefully there will be some opportunities for me. I'm working extremely hard every day and going through this last year has been a very humbling experience for me. It really put a lot of stuff into perspective and hopefully things can work out in my favor this upcoming season.”

READY FOR WAR

Coach Tim Cone said that despite having just a one-day respite, the Alaska Aces are ready for battle with the well-rested San Miguel Beermen for the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference championship, according to PhilStar. The best-of-seven finals series starts tomorrow at the Big Dome. The Aces eliminated Ginebra San Miguel in five games during the quarters and subdued the powerful Talk N Text Tropang Texters in seven games on the road to their third finals appearance in the last four conferences.

“It’s good to be back in the finals. It really pours when it rains. We’ve played the maximum games (in the playoffs). We’ve gone through the gauntlet versus Ginebra (in the quarters) and we’ve gone through the gauntlet against Talk n Text. We’re ready to go through the gauntlet against San Miguel. We’ve had no days off for weeks. Are we ready to go two and a half weeks of battle with San Miguel? The guys said ‘yes, we’re ready.”

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THE REAL MR. NICE GUY

Hall-of-Famer and San Antonio Spurs legend David Robinson, long retired from the NBA scene, continues to hug the limelight with never-ending stories about his generosity and humanitarian works. His foundation has countless scholarship pledges to less-fortunate students in the Texas area. For all of it, the man popularly known as the “Admiral” simply wants to give back for all the many blessings God has given him. 

"I didn't have a lot to do with being 7-1. That was a gift. My talent as a basketball player was a gift. This is my opportunity to give back. My whole motivation is to please God, to be responsible to Him. God has given me more than I ever hoped for, so it's my responsibility to give back."

SUPERMAN AND HIS DREAM

Don’t look now but Superman has finally found his dream. Yes, Orlando Magic franchise man Dwight Howard has started working out under the tutelage of the man they called “The Dream” in Hall-of-Famer Hakeem Olajuwon. In an article in Yahoo! Sports, Howard said he has learned a lot in those short sweat outs with the legendary center from Nigeria, who had a great NBA career with the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors.

“Basically, what he was saying was I have to become a person that is not afraid to do anything on the floor. He said right now there’s only certain parts of my game that I’m not afraid to do, but other parts I am. I have to be able to do all of those things, basically. That’s the biggest thing I took from him.

“I just think he was watching and seeing me play for a while. All the things we worked on, he was just wondering why I never used those things in a game. He saw all the things that I could do, and he was very impressed. He said that I cannot be afraid to do all these things.”

CALL OF DUTY

Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas Team Manager Frankie Lim said that 6-9 Coca Cola slotman Asi Taulava will join the team in the coming Stankovic Cup in Lebanon, according to Philstar. For sure, Taulava will readily answer the call of duty for the crippled National team. Smart Gilas will play in the tournament without four regular players in Marcus Douthit, Greg Slaughter, Chris Lutz and  Rabeh Al-Hussaini.

“Asi will join us in Lebanon, FIBA-Asia has already agreed. We have asked permission from Coke and the PBA, we hope they’ll allow us to get Asi. We will need a big man to replace Greg and Marcus. I think Asi will be able to fill in that spot and it is important also to have a big body in the paint. He might be able to help us also in the future.”

THE GREATEST DOCTOR

Julius “Dr. J” Erving has won it all in his pro basketball career. He won championships in the old ABA in 1974 and 1976 with the New York Nets. He was also named ABA MVP twice. In the NBA, the ex-University of Massachusetts kingpin won his only title in 1983 with the Philadelphia 76ers and clinched the MVP diadem once. But to this Hall-of-Famer, all these accolades take a backseat when it comes to his being spiritual and God-fearing man. For the 6-6 legend, all the glory goes to the greatest doctor of all, our Lord Jesus Christ.

“When I gave my life to Jesus Christ, I began to understand my true purpose for being here….. The purpose of life is to be found through having Christ in your life, understanding what His plan is, and following that plan….. Since I asked Christ to be my Lord and Savior, there are still some peaks and valleys. But I am being operated on by the greatest doctor of them all, so the glory goes to Him.”

BECOMING HOLY

Newly-acquired star forward Amare Stoudemire of the New York Knicks is currently enjoying his vacation in Jerusalem, Israel. Stoudemire is taking some time off before heading back to the Apple City for more training in anticipation of the coming NBA season. He is very excited to visit the Holy Land and other important historical sites, according to an article posted in the Jerusalem Post.

“The Holy Land has always been high on my list of places to visit, and when this opportunity arose, I wasn’t going to push it off any longer. I’m here for a vacation and to get some rest before the season. I am so excited to be here, see all the important historical sites, learn Hebrew and to get a better understanding of my heritage.”

MORE HATRED

After the infamous outburst of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert on the aftermath of LeBron James defection to the Miami Heat, now comes Toronto Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo. In an article which was posted in the Toronto Sun.com, Colangelo took his turn in lambasting his former ace player Chris Bosh, who also moved to South Beach to be a part of the new “Three Kings.”

“Whether he was mentally checked out or just wasn’t quite into it down the stretch, he wasn’t the same guy. I think everybody saw that, but no one wanted to acknowledge it.”

NO WORRY

Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins is one guy who is not worried at the intimidating presence of the new “Three Kings” of the Miami Heat, according to an interview with DimeMag.com. “Perk” said it will be a different story once the playoffs unfolds and he justified what he means by citing the Celtics near miraculous run last season.

“I mean, they have a pretty good team on paper with LeBron, Bosh and D-Wade. But at the end of the day, anything can happen in the playoffs. We proved that this year; we were 17-17 down the stretch and guys counted us out, but we already knew no team wanted to see us in a seven-game series. We felt that way, we believed in ourselves and the coaches believed in us.”

CLASS ACT

Unlike his celebrated Miami Heat teammate and ex-Cleveland Cavaliers stable mate LeBron James, Lithuanian Zydrunas Ilgauskas took time to thank the Cavaliers fans after 12 years of service in C-Town, in an article which appeared in the Cleveland.com. Actually, the Cavaliers is the only team Ilgauskas has ever played for in the NBA before he hooked up with James in South Beach this summer. The one-page ad was published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It was truly a class act by the gentle giant..

“When I came to this country 14 years ago, I was a young man who barely spoke the language and had no idea what to expect of this great country.

As I look back into those early days, I realize how lucky I was to have grown up in a place like Cleveland. All of you have thought me the importance of family and friends; of pulling together to get things done; of loving your country.

I’ve never felt as proud as when I’ve pulled on the wine and gold and stepped into the court.

I’ve tried my best to return that support by playing as hard as I could each and every game.

The decision to play for Miami was not an easy one to make for either myself or my family.

But as I enter the last few years of my career, I felt I owed it to myself and my family to chase my dream of winning an NBA championship.

I hope you understand.

I also realize that Cleveland will always be home to me.”

CONSPIRACY IN BEANTOWN

It’s not only in Miami where a conspiracy took place, but in Beantown as well. Yes, those Boston Celtics free agents has collaborated even before the free-agency negotiation period began last July 1. According to Boston.com, Celtics President for Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said that the team’s four free agents in Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Nate Robinson and Marquis Daniels had long decided to remain with Boston and together, the four will join forces with old hands Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis and newly-acquired Jermaine O’Neal, determine to make one last run for the title.

“I think that the more important thing is that they themselves want another crack at it. Ray and Paul and Marquis and Nate, those guys all had opportunities to do other things. They all had other teams that had interest in them and they all chose to want to come back. Doc had other things he could have done, but everybody chose to come back. It’s not just about what I want or what [owners] Wyc [Grousbeck] and Steve [Pagliuca] want, it’s about what they want, too. And I think that that’s what’s the most intriguing part about it, or exciting part."

NO VUVUZELA IN TURKEY FIBA WORLD TILT

Unlike the recently-concluded FIFA World Cup in South Africa, there will be no "vuvuzela" in the coming FIBA World Basketball Championships in Turkey scheduled late this month. The use of the controversial instrument is ban throughout the duration of the quadrennial meet, according to Patrick Baumann, the Secretary-General of FIBA and a member of the International Olympic Committee, in an article posted at Britball.

“We want fans to enjoy themselves and make lots of noise but not at the risk of spoiling it for others.

“The vuvuzela is simply not appropriate in a confined space such as a basketball arena. It’s a very loud instrument and some medical experts believe the decibel level and frequency can be harmful to hearing.”

SOMETHING IS WRONG

The way Hedo Turkoglu of the Phoenix Suns recalls his one-year stint with the Toronto Raptors last season, it sounds like it’s the worst place to play in the NBA. And he added that the Maple City is a franchise NBA players tries to avoid joining in, according to an article which appeared in Fox Sports-Arizona. The 31 year-old Istanbul native believes there is something wrong with the way the Raptors organization is being run.

“People have to realize something is wrong with that organization and nobody wants to go there any more. It’s not just the players who see this.”

RARE BREED

It’s an open secret that most of the young NBA players of today play the game for the love of money unlike those from the “Old School” where majority of the players play for the love of the game. But Kevin Garnett, a future hall-of-famer and currently the starting power forward of the Boston Celtics, is a rare exception. Garnett, who went straight from Farragut Academy HS in Illinois to the NBA as the fifth pick over-all in the 1995 rookie draft of the Minnesota Timberwolves, continues to play with the same passion and intensity when he started playing the sport in his hometown of Mauldin, South Carolina. All for the fun of it and all for the love of the game.

“Everybody in this league has to realize why they started playing. It wasn’t for money, it wasn’t for the attention and the crowd. It was for the joy. You got skills, I got skills, let’s get started. When someone see me play, I want them to think , ‘Man, that guy love this game!’… It’s about fun and joy.”

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THE ONLY WAY OUT

For Detroit Pistons guard Ben Gordon, basketball is the only way out for a better life. Truly, Gordon belongs to the blessed few that have the talents to excel in the sport's biggest stage. From his college days with the University of Connecticut to being drafted third over-all in the 2004 rookie draft by the Chicago Bulls to one of the stalwarts in the rebuilding Pistons squad, the 27-year old London-native has achieved fame and fortune by displaying his wares in a major league sport.

“While sports has had a huge impact on my life, I do think too many people view it as the only way to make it. The fact of the matter is everybody isn’t blessed with athletic talent. There are definitely other ways to become successful.”

GREAT WHITE HOPE

Basketball is widely considered as a black man’s game. In the rich history of the NBA, there are only a few white players considered legends. But lately, not a few Caucasians are fast emerging in the hoops limelight. Take the case of the NBA MVP winners from 2004 to 2007, Steve Nash nailed down a back-to-back and German bomber Dirk Nowitzki lorded it over the following year. Or the 2007 College Player of the Year which went to J.J. Redick. According to Dr.  Larry Davis, Dean of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work and Director of the School’s Center on Race and Social Problems, a Michael Jordan-type of a white player may just be around the corner and ready to dominate.

“A lot of the good white players could have been Michael Jordan, but instead he’s a brain surgeon or something. The good black players play because often they have to. The good white ones have more options. There is a white MJ out there, I’m sure of it.”

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SOLD OUT

When it rains, it pours. This is so far the story with the Miami Heat as far as 2010-11 season ticket sales are concerned. No more season tickets to sell so the next best thing to do is terminate the Heat’s season ticket sales team, according to an article posted at MiamiHerald.com. The new “three kings” are making it all happen in the rejuvenated Southern Florida City.

“While the decision to release part of our sales force was a difficult one, we greatly appreciate their contributions to the company. We have also hired a placement service to assist those individuals find new employment.”