George Karl Wears FC Barcelona Jersey In Tribute To Ricky Rubio
If It Ain't A Lionel Messi, You Ain't Rockin It Right
Minnesota Timberwolves lost guard and Spain sensation Ricky Rubio for the season when he collided knees with Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant causing him to tear an ACL. The league knowing how good of a player he is took to Twitter to wish for a speedy recovery and best wishes in rehab.
Everyone from Dwyane Wade, Stephen Curry, Pau Gasol, Kevin Love sent out wishes and now Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl decided to meet with reporters donning an FC Barcelona jersey to show his support for Rubio.
The injury also hinders any serious chance Rubio to play for Spain in the 2012 London Olympics.
Kobe Bryant Rips Team In Post Game Tirade
Help Me
Kobe Bryant lashed out at Los Angeles Lakers management Sunday night for leaving teammate Pau Gasol wondering whether he’s about to be traded. In a postgame monologue punctuated by a couple of profanities, Bryant said the Lakers either need to trade Gasol or come out and say it won’t happen.
Bryant’s comments came in the aftermath of a 102-90 loss at Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. He said he doesn’t want Gasol to be traded but it’s unfair for his teammate to try to play when he doesn’t know if he’ll be somewhere else the following day.
As Bryant put it: “If they’re going to do something, I wish they would just … do it.”
“Listen, he’s been the consummate professional,” Bryant said. “He’s going out and he’s trying to do what he can. But let’s be real. If you didn’t know you were going to be here tomorrow, if your head’s on the chopping block and you feel like you’re just waiting, it’s tough to put all yourself in the game.”
Trade rumors about Gasol have circulated since the team thought it had shipped him to New Orleans Hornets in a three-team deal before the season that would have brought Chris Paul to the Lakers. But NBA Commissioner David Stern blocked the trade.
“It’s hard for Pau because of all this trade talk and stuff,” Bryant said, bringing up the subject even though no one asked him about it. “It’s hard for him to kind of invest himself completely or immerse himself completely into games when he’s hearing trade talk every other day. I wish management would either come out and either trade him or not trade him.”
“It obviously starts with myself and Pau and the emergency of Andrew Bynum,” Bryant said, “but you can’t have one of our pillars not knowing if he’s going to be here or not. Do something. One way or another, do something. If they trade him at least you have some type of closure, he gets some type of closure. I talked to him a little bit about it,” Bryant said. “It’s just tough for a player to give his all when you don’t know if you’re going to be here tomorrow. So I’d rather them not trade him at all. If they were going to do something, I wish they would just … do it. If they’re not going to do it, come out and say you’re not going to do it. This way he can be comfortable, he can go out and perform and he can play and he can invest all of himself in the game.”
Kobe Bryant & Ricky Rubio Talk Olympic Trash
On Sunday after the Minnesota Timberwolves loss to the Los Angeles Lakers 106-101, Spain teammates Pau Gasol and Ricky Rubio were in the hallways chatting it up. That is till Kobe Bryant passed by and stir up some London Olympic trash talk.
“You talking about London?,” Bryant asked Gasol and Rubio outside the locker rooms of the Target Center.
“Oh yeah,” Gasol said.
“You’re gonna be there?” Rubio asked Bryant.
Kobe said yes, which Rubio responded: “You know you’re getting the silver medal. You know that.”
“Shit. I’m taking bets! … If I win I get the keys to Barcelona.” Kobe said.
Snoop Dogg Calls Pau Gasol A Punk B**ch
Pau Better Not Expect A Christmas Card
Snoop Dogg went on a Twitter rant last night about his Los Angeles Lakers and took most of his anger out on Pau Gasol. Snoop also criticized Gasol last year during the playoffs, looks like the rapper is not his number one fan.
Here’s Snoop’s rant
- Pau gasol is soft as fucc we need to get his bitch ass on the 1st thing smoking hes a fuccn weanie. this is comn from laker fan #1…
- Fucc gasol hes a bitch we need mark gasol this ones a punk bitch. We need a pointguard bynum ballen his ass off!
- Kobe make the call get his hoe ass outta here! Blake ballen a lil bit
Dan Gilbert Calls Proposed Chris Paul Trade A Travesty In Email
Couldn't Find Bloggissist In Merriam Webster
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert sent an email to David Stern in which he explicitly urged the Commissioner to stop the proposed trade of New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Commissioner,
It would be a travesty to allow the Lakers to acquire Chris Paul in the apparent trade being discussed.
This trade should go to a vote of the 29 owners of the Hornets.
Over the next three seasons this deal would save the Lakers approximately $20 million in salaries and approximately $21 million in luxury taxes. That $21 million goes to non-taxpaying teams and to fund revenue sharing.
I cannot remember ever seeing a trade where a team got by far the best player in the trade and saved over $40 million in the process. And it doesn’t appear that they would give up any draft picks, which might allow to later make a trade for Dwight Howard. (They would also get a large trade exception that would help them improve their team and/or eventually trade for Howard.) When the Lakers got Pau Gasol (at the time considered an extremely lopsided trade) they took on tens of millions in additional salary and luxury tax and they gave up a number of prospects (one in Marc Gasol who may become a max-salary player).
I just don’t see how we can allow this trade to happen.
I know the vast majority of owners feel the same way that I do.
When will we just change the name of 25 of the 30 teams to the Washington Generals?
Please advise….
Dan G.
*And, no, the email was not in the same comic sans font that Gilbert used to excoriate LeBron James after “The Decision.”
Dirk Nowitzki Now Most Marketable NBA Player
I Like That There Are Sponsors For This
After leading the Dallas Mavericks to the franchise’s first title Dirk Nowitzki has become the NBA’s most marketable player, according to a Nielsen/E-Poll. Miami Heat LeBron James and Dwyane Wade both fell out of the top 10 after the defeat to Nowitzki and the Mavericks.
The N-Score measures name and image awareness, appeal and personality attributes such as sincerity, approachability, experience and influence. Nowitzki topped the survey with an N-Score of 132. Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant was second with a score of 83. James score fell from 131 to 26 and Wade’s dropped from 117 to 34.
Here’s the Top 10 Most Marketable NBA Players
1. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, 132
2. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, 83
3. Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns, 68
4. Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics, 65
5. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs, 51
6. Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks, 47
7. Grant Hill, Phoenix Suns, 41
8. Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls, 41
9. Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers, 40
10. Vince Carter, Phoenix Suns, 38
Los Angeles Lakers Shannon Brown Tweets He Didn’t Sleep With Paul Gasol Lady
Former TNT Legs
Since the Los Angeles Lakers sweeping exit from the playoffs, rumors have swirled about Pau Gasol and the All-Star center’s sudden and disappointing play. Most observers credited his lame efforts to off-the-court issues with Gasol’s girlfriend Silvia Lopez Castro. The dysfunction within the Lakers has even effected recently married Shannon Brown who had to go on Twitter to proclaim he didn’t sleep Castro.
“Ok let me put a end to this right now before it goes any further. I DID NOT SLEEP WITH @paugasol woman!!! First and last time addressing it!”
Was it Phil Jackson?
Oklahoma City Thunders Kendrick Perkins Still Talking About Los Angeles Lakers
Don't Look To Exicted
Back on March 15, we posted the report of Oklahoma City Thunders Kendrick Perkins called Los Angeles Lakers Pau Gasol “soft”, now after his team beat the Lakers 120-106 to hand them their fifth straight defeat he was front in center to address those comments to the Los Angeles media. Perkins said:
“That was my opinion. I know people are entitled to their own opinions. I know people got a lot of different opinions about me. So that was just my opinion from the past battles that we’ve had in the past playoffs. It wasn’t nothing that I said out of character or was too crazy. I just spoke my mind in a way. The thing is you’ve just got to back it up.”
Perkins comments where not forgotten by Kobe Bryant who got into a shoving match and then they were hit with double technical fouls with 5:21 left in the second quarter. There with just 14.1 seconds left in the game Bryant had some last words for Perkins while they stood at the free-throw line.
“He just asked me if we were happy about this win,” Perkins said. “My reply was, ‘We’re happy about every win. Yeah, we are happy about the win and we are going to be happy if we win tomorrow.’ So who’s not happy after a win? But you know, it’s Kobe being Kobe.”
Oklahoma City Thunder Kendrick Perkins Calls Los Angeles Lakers Pau Gasol “Soft”
Don't Look To Excited
In the upcoming March 21st issue of ESPN the Magazine Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins thinks that Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol is a “soft” player. His dislike for the Lakers doesn’t just stop at Gasol as he also has ill will towards their head coach Phil Jackson.
“I don’t like a lot of the Lakers. I don’t like Pau Gasol or Phil Jackson. Phil is very arrogant. Pau is soft. Trying to be something he’s not. He’s not a tough guy but he tries to be just because he’s on a team with Kobe. Kobe tries to bring out his toughness but he’s still soft,” said Perkins.
Doubt Perkins comments helps pick up the sales of ESPN the Magazine though.
WTF: Pau Gasol
Via Trico Suave
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant recently said he wants his teammate Pau Gasol to play with a bit of an attitude than the easy going, likable character he has seen on the court.
“Even when he was in Memphis and he was the go-to guy, he was always very nice. Very white swan. I need him to be black swan. Be an asshole sometimes.”
Los Angeles Lakers Pau Gasol Does The Late Late Show
This is actually from earlier this week but since I’m normally holed up in a bar I had no idea that Los Angeles Lakers Pau Gasol made this appearance on CBS The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson till I opened my inbox and this video was sitting in there.
Thanks Ken.
Los Angeles Lakers Ron Artest To Make Mixtape With Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
This Guy Crazy?
Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest has had a few of his rap tracks posted on this very website and his “Champions” track he released right after he helped his team win the NBA Finals went on to be featured on the video game NBA 2K11. Now before the All-Star game comes up, Artest plans to put out a mixtape featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and even teammates Shannon Browns wife Monica.
“There’s going to be a bunch of celebrities on it,” Artest said. “There’s going to be a bunch of people on there that you wouldn’t believe that would rap or sing. A lot of athletes, a lot of rappers and a couple comedians.”
Asked whether Pau Gasol would be on it Atrest said that he would definitely not be on it.
Pau Gasol Is A Singer
Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol has turned his attention from the hardwood to the recording booth for charity. Gasol is using his free time in helping raise money for UNICEF on a track titled “Get It Together.” Raising awareness for UNICEF is not Gasol’s only stop as he is even raising awareness and support for pediatric research and medicine at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
On June 24, Gasol donned scrubs and observed a highly complex spinal procedure at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles where Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Skaggs, MD, corrected a 13-year-old patient’s scoliosis.
No word though if Ron Artest has any intentions on delivering a Tru Warier recording contract.
WTF: Pau Gasol
Murse Or Purse
Funny how Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol walks around with the nickname Paula and here his is entering the Staples Center for Game 6 of the NBA Finals with a Louis Vuitton purse or murse if you got to get all techinical on me.
Still hilarious Paula. I guess the GEICO Caveman is using the purse to carry around logs and other fire making materials, you know just encase.
BLOCK CITY: Your Victim-Pau Gasol
Tony Allen, you have been charged with the crime of Representin.
And the verdict is Guilty.
A Game Winner & It’s Not Kobe
The theme for the NBA 2009-2010 regular season was game winners by Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant, I mean he did have 6 of them and almost pulled off his first in this years playoffs. However it was his teammate the GEICO Caveman aka Pau Gasol who came up with the distinct honor of being closeout hero for the Lakers. The Caveman’s put back eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder and allowed Seattle hoop fans to rejoin the rest of the world in watching the NBA playoffs.
Been awhile since I’ve heard Joel Myers get that excited.
Little Tommy Dunk Fail
If this happened to Paul Gasol he would getting his rare share and since little Tommy wants to act like Pau he gets his too. Crash and burn little Tommy, crash and burn.
NBA Announces All-Star Reserves
February 14, 2010
The NBA is set to announce the All-Star reserves during tonight’s TNT games but Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski got a hold of a leaked list of the 2010 NBA All-Star reserves
Eastern Conference Reserves:
Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics
Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls
Paul Pierce – Boston Celtics
Chris Bosh – Toronto Raptors
Gerald Wallace – Charlotte Bobcats
Joe Johnson – Atlanta Hawks
Al Horford – Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference Reserves:
Deron Williams – Utah Jazz
Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets
Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder
Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks
Zach Randolph – Memphis Grizzlies
Brandon Roy – Portland Blazers
It will be the All-Star debuts for seven players: Williams of Utah, Chicago’s Rose, Boston’s Rondo, Charlotte’s Wallace, Memphis Randolph, Atlanta’s Horford and Oklahoma City’s Durant.
Among the notable candidates left off the team are the Los Angeles Clippers Chris Kaman, New York Knicks David Lee and Denver Nuggets Chauncey Billups.
NBA’s Best-Selling Jerseys
#1
Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant is once again the top selling jersey in the NBA like he did in 2008-09 season. Here is the complete list of top sellers compiled from the NBA Store in New York City and NBAStore.com,
Top 15 NBA Jerseys
1. Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers
2. LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Dwight Howard- Orlando Magic
4. Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls
5. Dwyane Wade – Miami Heat
6. Kevin Garnett – Boston Celtics
7. Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets
8. Paul Pierce – Boston Celtics
9. Shaquille O’Neal – Cleveland Cavaliers
10. Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers
11. Carmelo Anthony – Denver Nuggets
12. Steve Nash – Phoenix Suns
13. David Lee – New York Knicks
14. Allen Iverson – Philadelphia 76ers
15. Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder
I understand the New York fan needing a jersey to represent their team but isn’t it shocking to see David Lee in the top 15 but not a single San Antonio Spur. I guess Tim Duncans time has passed but your telling me Tony Parker cant crack the United States 15?
Pau Gasol Signs Extension Through 2013-2014 With Los Angeles Lakers
Which One Is Pau?
Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol has just signed a three-year extension with the team. This extension comes almost two years prior until it will actually go into effect, showing how bad both sides really wanted this to actually happen.
Gasol is making $16.5 million this season and $17.8 million next year. The extension will run through the 2013-2014 season and could be worth more than $60 million depending on future salary caps. His price will increase as follows: $18,714,150 in 2011-12, $19,000,000 in 2012-13 and $19,285,850 in 2013-14.
His impact on the Lakers has been undeniable as the team is an astonishing 101-23 in regular-season games with Gasol in the lineup.
The extension allows non Laker fans to continue to curse the name Memphis Grizzlies.
Pau Gasol To Be A Guest Star On CSI: Miami
Which One Is Pau?
CSI: Miami producers have tabbed Los Angeles Lakers Pau Gasol, who missed the season opener with a strained hamstring injury, as a suspect for an episode that will air next month.
“It was a very attractive opportunity. I play Victor, a normal person who is involved in a car accident and police are suspicious that I am responsible for what happened. I have good, meaty dialogue with an officer,” he told daily newspaper El Pais.
The episode will air on the CBS network in the United States next month. It will be one of the first episodes of the ninth season of the series about a team of South Florida forensic experts who probe mysterious or unusual deaths.
“I have always had the acting bug inside me. What this city gives me are opportunities. I’m in the best team in the league, I’m one of the best franchises and this is the city where it happens all the movies,” he said.
I appreciate his quote about the city of Los Angeles and the benefits of playing in that city, as it’s always talking point in discussions and often assumed but is rarely ever mentioned directly from an athletes mouth.
This isn’t the first time Gasol has made it onto a CBS show. Last year, he was on an episode of Numb3rs with teammate Jordan Farmar.
Mark Cuban Tells J.J. Barea To Sit Out FIBA Tourney, Tension Between FIBA & NBA?
Cuban Sticks It To Everybody
The Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki is not the only player sitting out of international competition this summer’s on the Mavericks roster. The team has asked guard J.J. Barea to not play for Puerto Rico when it hosts the FIBA America’s tournament Aug. 26-Sept. 6. Although Barea had left shoulder surgery May 28. FIBA rules give NBA teams the right to hold a player out if the player is injured or recovering from injury. Barea told El Nuevo Dia that he has never failed to represent his country in competition dating back to when he was 16 that he is
“devastated.”
San Antonio Spurs Manu Ginobili’s injury helped spark the debate and now Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has taken it to another level. A long time opponent of NBA players participating in international competitions, had an agreement in place with Nowitzki that he would sit out German National Team in the 2009 when they compete in European Basketball Championship held by FIBA Europe after participating in the 2008 Olympics.
FIBA disallows players under contract with its teams to participate in Summer League play without permission from their club. Recently Nick Calathes, whose NBA contractual rights belong to Cuban’s Mavericks, was not granted permission by his Greek Club Panathinaikos. FIBA and the NBA have an agreement which states that neither the NBA nor its teams will prevent its players from participating in international competition as long as said competition doesn’t interfere with an NBA regular season or playoff game and so long as the player is covered by insurance provided for the NBA team by the player’s foreign federation.
Growing the sport on a global level has continued to be the focus of the NBA but how does these latest moves, the increase of NBA players going overseas and continued injuries to multi million dollar investments effect such agreements and the relationship they share?
