Kings to…Virginia Beach?!?

Apparently determined to leave the small-market confines of Sacramento, the Maloof family is exploring moving the Kings to an even smaller destination: Virginia Beach, which ranks below the California state capital as part of the Hampton Roads designated market area on most lists.

So says the , which reports that the Maloofs and officials from Comcast, the Philadelphia-based media giant, are expected to be in town next week to propose moving the Kings cross country. The Maloofs would supply the team, Comcast would build help build and lease a new arena, and Sacramento would be unceremoniously dumped after a deal to keep the team died a this spring.

It would be a bizarre pairing to say the least, especially with so many larger cities either in the process of building arenas (Seattle) or with ones already in place (Kansas City, Anaheim). Indeed, are already putting the kibosh on it.

No matter where the Kings end up, or even if they stay put, it’s times like this that Spurs fans should give major thanks that their team, despite San Antonio’s lack of market clout, has developed into such a strong, successful franchise over the years. Indeed, the Spurs have been so ridiculously consistent — 13 straight 50-win seasons, playoff appearances in 35 of 39 seasons in San Antonio — it’s only natural that even die-hards would take it for granted.

For anyone who does, just keep a close eye on what’s going down in Sacramento, where the fans have largely done their part but could end up with nothing but ugly t-shirts and memories of more bad basketball (10 playoff appearances in 28 seasons) than anybody should be subjected to.

Dawson’s NBA debut ranks among S.A.’s best

Eric Dawson was thrust into the lineup quickly in his first game with the Spurs last week.

With Tiago Splitter and Tim Duncan out, the former Sam Houston standout notched nine points and grabbed six rebounds in 31:41 of playing time in the Spurs’ 137-97 loss Tuesday night at Portland.

He became only the third San Antonio-area high school player to see action for the Spurs, joining West Campus’ Devin Brown (132 games, 2002-05) and MacArthur’s Keith Edmonson (40 games, 1983-84).

Dawson became the 13th player from a San Antonio-area high school to log time in the NBA and the third in the past two seasons, according to .

Express-News staff writer Tim Griffin takes a look at how Dawson’s debut compares with those of other San Antonio-area players from the past:

Bo Outlaw, Jay: Scored 13 points in 22 minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers at the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 15, 1994. Outlaw averaged 5.4 points in 914 career games.

Shaquille O’Neal, Cole: Scored 12 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for Orlando against Miami on Nov. 6, 1992. O’Neal averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in 1,207 career games.

Eduardo Najera, Cornerstone Christian Academy: Scored 10 points in 23 minutes for Dallas against Milwaukee on Oct. 31, 2000. Najera is averaging 5.0 points in 604 career games.

Eric Dawson, Sam Houston: Scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in 31:41 for the Spurs against Portland on Feb. 28, 2012. Dawson is averaging 4.5 points after two games.

Askia Jones, Marshall: Scored eight points in 16 minutes for Minnesota at Denver on Nov. 4, 1994. Jones averaged 4.1 points in 11 career games.

Bob Kinney, Jefferson: Scored six points for Fort Wayne against the New York Knicks on Nov. 3, 1948. Kinney averaged 9.5 points in 118 career games in the Basketball Association of America and the NBA.

Fennis Dembo, Fox Tech: Scored four points in one minute for Detroit at Phoenix on Nov. 18, 1988. Dembo averaged 1.2 points in 31 career games.

Jeff Foster, Madison: Scored two points in three minutes for Indiana at Charlotte on Nov. 4, 1999. Foster is averaging 4.9 points in 763 career games.

Devin Brown, West Campus: Scored two points in four minutes for the Spurs at Memphis on Nov. 4, 2002. Brown averaged 7.2 points in 465 career games.

Keith Edmonson, MacArthur: Scored two points for Atlanta against Washington on Nov. 2, 1982. Edmonson averaged 6.0 points in 87 career games.

Ivan Johnson, Fox Tech: Scored two points in six minutes for Atlanta against New Jersey on Dec. 27, 2011. Johnson is averaging 4.8 points in 29 career games.

Robert Reid, Clemens: Failed to score for Houston at Kansas City on Oct. 21, 1977. Reid averaged 11.4 points in 919 career games.

Ben Uzoh, Warren: Failed to score in six minutes for New Jersey at the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 15, 2010. Uzoh is averaging 3.7 points in 44 career games.

tgriffin@express-news.net

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NBA players from San Antonio

With his debut last week, Eric Dawson became the 13th player from a San Antonio-area high school to log time in the NBA, and the third to see action for the Spurs. Express-News staff writer Tim Griffin takes a look at how Dawson’s debut compares with those of other San Antonio-area players from the past.

Askia Jones, who played for Marshall, is not pictured. Jones scored eight points in 16 minutes for Minnesota at Denver on Nov. 4, 1994. Jones averaged 4.1 points in 11 career games.


Eric Dawson (right), Sam Houston: Scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in 31:41 for the Spurs against Portland on Feb. 28, 2012. Dawson is averaging 4.5 points after two games. (Rick Bowmer / Associated Press)


Devin Brown, West Campus: Scored two points in four minutes for the Spurs at Memphis on Nov. 4, 2002. Brown averaged 7.2 points in 465 career games. (Tom Reel / San Antonio Express-News)


Fennis Dembo, Fox Tech: Scored four points in one minute for Detroit at Phoenix on Nov. 18, 1988. Dembo averaged 1.2 points in 31 career games. (Associated Press file photo)


Keith Edmonson, MacArthur: After his Purdue days, scored two points for Atlanta against Washington on Nov. 2, 1982. Edmonson averaged 6.0 points in 87 career games. (Express-News file photo)


Jeff Foster, Madison: Scored two points in three minutes for Indiana at Charlotte on Nov. 4, 1999. Foster is averaging 4.9 points in 763 career games. (Douglas C. Pizac / Associated Press)


Ivan Johnson, Fox Tech: Scored two points in six minutes for Atlanta against New Jersey on Dec. 27, 2011. Johnson is averaging 4.8 points in 29 career games. (John Bazemore / Associated Press)


Bob Kinney, Jefferson: Scored six points for Fort Wayne against the New York Knicks on Nov. 3, 1948. Kinney averaged 9.5 points in 118 career games in the Basketball Association of America and the NBA. (Express-News file photo)


Eduardo Najera (center), Cornerstone Christian Academy: Scored 10 points in 23 minutes for Dallas against Milwaukee on Oct. 31, 2000. Najera is averaging 5.0 points in 604 career games. (Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)


Shaquille O’Neal (top), Cole: Scored 12 points and grabbed 18 rebounds for Orlando against Miami on Nov. 6, 1992. O’Neal averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in 1,207 career games. (Steve Simoneau / Associated Press)


Bo Outlaw, Jay (right): Scored 13 points in 22 minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers at the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 15, 1994. Outlaw averaged 5.4 points in 914 career games. (William Luther / San Antonio Express-News)


Robert Reid, Clemens: Failed to score for Houston at Kansas City on Oct. 21, 1977. Reid averaged 11.4 points in 919 career games. (Express-News file photo)


Ben Uzoh, Warren (left): Failed to score in six minutes for New Jersey at the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 15, 2010. Uzoh is averaging 3.7 points in 44 career games. (Pat Sullivan / Associated Press)

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Bonner’s showmanship shines through again

I spent enough time covering the Canadian Football League back in the day to develop an appreciation for most things Canadian.

From Tim Horton Doughnuts to “the Loonie,”  Canadian humor and “Hockey Night in Canada,” there are some things you just have to travel north of the border to experience.

You can see another strictly Canadian experience as Spurs forward Matt Bonner performs at halftime of a recent “Pop vs. Jock” charity game in Montreal.

After earlier losing to Arcade Fire’s Win Butler in a 3-point shooting contest, Bonner has a brief singing performance with retired NBA player Paul Shirley.

Singing along with accompaniment of a courtside electric organ — which I don’t think I’ve seen since the glory days of the Kansas City-Omaha Kings — Bonner and Shirley belt out a very respectable version of “.”

Here’s a You Tube video of the hijinks. And after this performance, I bet Bonner couldn’t wait to get back to the negotiating table with the owners to discuss the merits of a new collective bargaining agreement.