Tag: In the News

Stern reportedly not accepting massive salary during lockout

After undergoing heavy criticism over the last several days about his multi-million dollar salary, NBA commissioner David Stern reportedly will not be paid during the lockout.

ESPN.com reports that during the lockout that has been estimated up to $23 million per year. His contract reportedly rivals that of almost all of his players.

That massive salary earned a rebuke from Philadelphia center Spencer Hawes, who wondered in a tweet how while his players are locked out.

Stern earlier hinted that he wouldn’t accept a salary if there was a lockout.

Responding to a question at the time about whether he would drop his salary to $1 as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell did during the NFL’s lockout, Stern said: “I would say that last time (during the NBA’s 1998-99 lockout) I didn’t take a salary. I think a dollar would be too high in the event of a work stoppage.”

In the battle of public perception, leaking the fact that Stern will not be paid is good public relations for the league.

But the fact that he is paid a yearly salary commensurate with the very best players in the league makes some of the owners’ claims of poverty in the negotiations ring a little hollow.

Creating a monster: Olajuwon trying to refine LBJ’s inside game

The rest of the NBA should be very afraid.

The news that LeBron James has turned to postgame guru Hakeem Olajuwon could help refine one of the league’s very best players in an area of his biggest weakness.

Forget about the perimeter game and the passing. If James ever added a consistent inside component, he might fulfill the promise of becoming “The King” for the NBA.

It was almost painful at times to watch James attempt to score against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

Give him credit for .

“Right now I’ve just been focusing on being a better player, working on my game every single day,” James told the Associated Press in comments reported by Pro Basketball Talk.com. “Like I said, the Dallas Mavericks were a great team and they deserved to win that championship. And I’ll just use that as motivation coming into this season.”

That has taken him to Houston, where he’s working with the Hall of Famer Olajuwon to bolster his inside play.

Olajuwon practically refined post play during his career, which included an MVP in 1994 and two NBA titles.

“I look at what he was able to do throughout his career,” James said. “Unbelievable talent. Multiple champion. Just to see how he was able to dominate in the low post, for me as an individual, I just try to look at some of the things I feel I need to get better at and hit home at it. Our team becomes better if I continue to get better and that’s what it’s about.”

Finesse added to James’ bullish strength could be a deadly combination.

Consider the rest of the NBA to be duly warned if the work with Olajuwon improves James’ game.

Takes from blog brothers: Manu looks strong in Super 4 Tournament

Manu Ginobili looked in mid-season form over the weekend in his early work for his Argentina national team.

Ginobili erupted for 22 points in 20 minutes of action to help Argentina to a 106-53 victory over Venezuela to win the Super 4 Tournament as the teams prepared for the FIBA Tournament of the Americas later this month.

Jeff Garcia of Project Spurs.com has a few snippets of the .  It’s a typical Ginobili performance as he dives and hustles around the court looking to make plays. In the process he shows little lingering rust from his injury-marred end of the 2011 season.

Chilai of Pounding the Rock.com was at Orfeo Stadium to watch the Argentina team and about the effort by Ginobili, Fabricio Oberto and their teammates. Watch for his “Manu alerts.”

Garcia also has an update from the performance of first-round draft pick Cory Joseph with the Canadian national team. The rookie point guard in  Canada’s 74-67 triumph over Belgium in the Jack Donohoe International Classic.  

Here are some other Spurs-related stories from across the blogosphere.

  • Andrew McNeill of 48 Minutes of Hell.com wonders if the Spurs might have arranged for Danny Green to play for the Slovenian team Union Olimpija to .
  • ESPN.com’s Andy Katz reflects on Kawhi Leonard’s on the West  Coast for San Diego State.
  • Robby Lim of Spurs World.com provide a on Nov. 5, 2008.   
  • Howard Herman of the Berkshire (Mass.) Eagle reflects on .
  • Jerry DiPaola of the Pittsburgh Review has a profile of Pitt wide receiver Cameron Saddler, a 5-foot-7 junior .
  • The Sacramento Bee’s Ailene Voisin believes Vlade Divac belongs in the Naismith Hall of Fame because of the way he like Ginobili.
  • The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn describes into the Hall of Fame.
  • The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Tim Sullivan describes how Leonard’s early departure from San Diego State for the school’s Academic Progress Rate score.
  • Gilmore calls Hubie Brown the during his pro career, the Jacksonville Times-Union’s Gene Frenette reports.   
  • In case you missed it, here’s a story that Express-News colleague Heath Hamilton wrote about how athletes of today like Parkerthan those of previous generations.
  • Eric Johnson of the Bleacher Report.com predicts the Spurs – once next season finally begins.