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Mostrando las entradas con la etiqueta Houston Rockets. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando las entradas con la etiqueta Houston Rockets. Mostrar todas las entradas

domingo, 15 de enero de 2023

Basketball News

 














NBA ANNOUNCES PENALTIES FROM ROCKETS-KINGS GAME 

 

NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2023 – Houston Rockets guard Garrison Mathews, Rockets forward Tari Eason and Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk have been fined for their roles in an on-court altercation, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

 

In addition, Rockets guard Jalen Green and forward Jae’Sean Tate have each been suspended one game without pay for leaving the bench area during an on-court altercation.

 

Mathews has been fined $35,000 for initiating the altercation and taunting Monk, and Monk has been fined $25,000 for continuing the altercation and taunting Mathews.

 

Eason has been fined $30,000 for escalating the altercation and making inadvertent contact with a game official.

 

The incident began when Mathews fouled Monk as both players were pursuing a loose ball. Mathews, Monk and Eason were subsequently assessed a technical foul and ejected.

 

The incident occurred with 11:09 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Kings’ 139-114 win over the Rockets on Jan. 13 at Golden 1 Center.

 

Green and Tate will serve their suspensions today when the Rockets visit the LA Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.

 

To view the incident, click on the following link: https://www.nba.com/watch/video/rockets-vs-kings-01-13-2023

 

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FIBA Intercontinental Cup pairings drawn in Tenerife

JANUARY 13, 2023

TENERIFE (Spain) - The FIBA Intercontinental Cup official draw ceremony took place on Friday, revealing the path that each of the four trophy contenders will have to navigate in the big tournament set to take place in Tenerife, Spain from February 10-12, 2023.
 
The first Semi-Final - the game that will raise the curtain on the 32nd edition of the competition on February 10 - will see Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the 2022 NBA G League winners, go up against Brazil's São Paulo, the 2022 Basketball Champions League Americas champions.

In the second Semi-Final, tournament hosts Lenovo Tenerife, the reigning Basketball Champions League champions, will face off with Tunisia's US Monastir, the 2022 Basketball Africa League winners.

The winners of the two Semi-Finals will do battle in the Final on Sunday, February 12, with the 3rd-Place Game taking place earlier that day. The venue for all four contests is Pabellón Insular Santiago Martin, which also played host to the 2020 edition of the event, and the exact tip-off times will be confirmed in the coming days.
 
The 'Salón Noble' room in the Cabildo Insular de Tenerife building, adorned with murals that have been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, provided the spectacular stage for the ceremony.

The list of distinguished attendees included San Cristobal de la Laguna Mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, Sports Director of the Canary Islands Government Manuel Lopez Santana, Cabildo de Tenerife President Pedro Martin Dominguez and Vice-President Enrique Arriaga Alvarez, and Lenovo Tenerife President Félix Hernández.
 
Meanwhile BCL CEO Patrick Comninos, Spanish Basketball Federation Competitions Director Elisa Aguilar and ACB General Director Jose were on hand to conduct the draw that concluded the ceremony.
 
Brazil’s Flamengo will be the reigning FIBA Intercontinental Cup champions for another month as they won the previous edition, in February 2022 in Cairo, Egypt. Spanish giants Real Madrid, who have lifted the coveted trophy on five occasions, remain the most successful club in the history of the competition.

Members of the media can download photos of the trophy at landmark locations on the island of Tenerife here (Credit: FIBA).

GOLDEN STATE’S ANDRE IGUODALA FINED

 

NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2023 –Golden State Warriors guard-forward Andre Iguodala has been fined $25,000 for directing inappropriate language toward game officials and throwing the game ball into the spectator stands, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

 

Iguodala made the comments following his having been assessed a technical foul and ejected for the unsportsmanlike act with 4:30 remaining in the fourth quarter of Golden State’s 125-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 10 at Chase Center.

 

NBA G LEAGUE NEXT UP GAME TO DEBUT AT NBA ALL-STAR 2023

 

  • 24 of the NBA G League’s Brightest Stars to Compete in Salt Lake City Live on NBA TV –

 

  • Fan Voting to Begin on Friday, Jan. 13 –

 

NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2023 – The NBA G League today announced details for its first NBA G League Next Up Game, which will take place at NBA All-Star 2023 in Salt Lake City at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. ET live on NBA TV.

Twenty-four NBA G League players, including 10 selected by a fan vote, will compete in the Next Up Game. All NBA G League contract players currently on rosters and NBA Two-Way players who have played in at least four NBA G League games this year are eligible to be selected.  Fans can vote for their favorite NBA G League players on 
NBAGLeague.com/vote.  Voting opens on Friday, Jan. 13 at 9:00 a.m. ET and closes Friday, Feb. 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

The remaining 14 players will be selected by the NBA G League and will include members of NBA G League Ignite and at least one member of the Salt Lake City Stars, the G League affiliate of the Utah Jazz.

The player who receives the most fan votes will captain one team while a player from NBA G League Ignite will helm the other, with each captain drafting their 12-man roster.  NBA G League head coaches will lead the squads and be joined by celebrity assistant coaches.  The 24-player field, 12-man rosters and the coaching staffs will be announced before the draft.

Fans can click 
here to purchase tickets for the NBA G League Next Up Game, and download the new NBA App for the latest NBA All-Star 2023 content, including premier benefits and fan rewards offered through NBA ID, the league’s new membership program. The NBA Events App and NBAEvents.com are available as on-the-ground resources for everything related to NBA All-Star 2023, providing fans with the most up-to-date information on event schedules, tickets and exclusive experiences.

 


Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant continue to lead the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, in the second fan returns of NBA All-Star Voting presented by AT&T.

 

James (West Frontcourt), Durant (East Frontcourt), the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (West Guards) and the Nets’ Kyrie Irving (East Guards) remain the leaders at their respective position groups. 

 

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has closed within 41,932 votes of Durant for the top spot among all East players.  Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has moved ahead of Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid for third place among East frontcourt players, behind Durant and Antetokounmpo. 

 

Fans account for 50% of the vote to determine the starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.  Current NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each.  The team captains will be the All-Star starter from each conference who receives the most fan votes in his conference.

 

Tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 13) marks the next “3-for-1 Day,” when each fan vote will count three times.  The next fan voting update will be shared on Thursday, Jan. 19, and voting will conclude on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET.  TNT will reveal the starters, including the two team captains, on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 26.

 

Below are the top 10 vote-getters by position group in the second fan returns.

 

 

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NBA 2K LEAGUE DRAFT RETURNS JANUARY 26

 

- Record-Setting 101,000 Tryouts across 3v3 and 5v5 Draft-Eligible Events -

 

- Three-Round Draft Will Livestream at 8 p.m. ET

on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube Channels; Hawks Talon GC Has First Overall Pick -

 

NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2023 – The NBA 2K League announced today that the 2023 NBA 2K League Draft will be livestreamed from New York City on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET, and will air on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.  The invite-only Draft party will feature VIP guests, including select draft prospects, returning NBA 2K League players, social media influencers and celebrities. 

 

“A pinnacle moment every offseason and a marquee event for 2K and basketball fans alike, we are thrilled to bring the NBA 2K League Draft back live to New York City for the first time since 2020,” said NBA 2K League President Brendan Donohue.  “We started with over 100,000 tryouts across 3v3 and 5v5 competitions, players all aspiring to be drafted by one of our 25 teams.  On Draft night, we will introduce you to this draft class and their amazing stories, welcome our newest franchise from Australia - NBL Oz Gaming - and we will watch our reigning 3v3 champions Pistons GT and 5v5 champions Bucks Gaming take first steps in their title defenses.”

 

Debuting this past offseason, the NBA 2K League Become a Pro Series saw incredible interest with a record-setting 101,000 tryouts from 126 countries.  The draft pool will also consist of unretained players, players who earned draft eligibility as part of the NBA 2K League Draft Prospect Series, select competitors from the NBA 2K League’s APAC, Australian and European Invitationals, and high-performing players in the 2K community as determined by league and team officials.  See below for more information on some of the notable 2023 NBA 2K League draft prospects.  The complete draft pool will be announced at a later date.

 

  • Amber “IiCraftI” Anderson – A sharp-shooting power forward out of Chicago, IiCraftI is a first-time draft pool prospect and Illinois Wesleyan University student majoring in Political Science.
  • Artreyo “Dimez” Boyd – 2022 NBA 2K League Champion and Finals MVP with Bucks Gaming, Dimez enters this year’s draft as an unretained player after five seasons with Mavs Gaming, Raptors Uprising GC and Bucks Gaming.  Dimez was the number 1 overall pick in the inaugural NBA 2K League Draft and is considered one of the most accomplished players in 2K history.
  • Meason “xMilo” Camille – xMilo was the first-ever player from Australia to be drafted into the NBA 2K League when he was selected in 2021 by Pistons GT.  The power forward/center is back in the draft pool after his standout performances in the Australian Invitational and NBA 2K League Combine.
  • Hamdi “NotEliteShooter” Deria – NotEliteShooter is known as a 3v3 specialist and helped guide “Handlez” to the semifinals of the Coinbase NBA2KL SLAM OPEN last season.  The point guard and Canada-native was selected as one of two amateur players to participate in 2022 NBA 2K League All-Star Presented by Google Pixel
  • Ryan “Spam” Harris – Spam is arguably the most decorated amateur of the 2023 draft pool.  The “pass first” point guard is a freshman at Old Dominion University majoring in Business Analytics and in contention for a top-3 pick.
  • Donovan “SELDUM T5” Mass – An airman at Joint Base San Antonio, SELDUM T5 is the winner of the first-ever NBA 2K League Amateur of the Year and had two stints in 2022 as a temporary player with Cavs Legion GC and Blazer5 Gaming before leading amateur team “Rim Runners” to the semifinals of the NBA2KL 3v3 Championships last August.
  • Tariq “Greens” Reed – A point guard from Brooklyn, NY and heralded as one of the best 3v3 players in the world and a potential top-3 selection, Greens is a pure scorer known for his dribbling and playmaking skills.

 

All 25 NBA 2K League teams, including the league’s expansion team representing Australia, NBL Oz Gaming, will have completed their five-person rosters for both 3v3 and 5v5 competitions at the end of the three-round draft.  Hawks Talon GC will have the first overall pick, Nets GC will have the second overall selection, and Lakers Gaming will have the third overall pick.  During the offseason, 78 players who competed in the 2022 season were retained by their teams and one player was selected as the first-ever NBL Oz Gaming player in the NBA 2K League Australian Invitational, leaving 47 roster spots to be filled during the draft.  For the complete draft order, click here.

 

The broadcast will feature NBA 2K League President Brendan Donohue announcing select picks, interviews with VIP guests in attendance at the Draft party, live look-ins with draft prospects, NBA 2K League operations headquarters and select “war rooms” where teams will be strategizing and drafting from their respective markets, and clips from NBA 2K League original content series “Draft Hopefuls”.   

 

The NBA 2K League will announce additional information related to the 2023 season in the coming months, including season structure, schedule and location, prize pool, and open qualifiers.  

 

For more information, fans can follow the NBA 2K League on Twitter (NBA2KLeague), Instagram (nba2kleague), Facebook  (NBA 2K League), TikTok (nba2kleague), Twitch (NBA2KLeague) and YouTube (NBA 2K League) and visit NBA2KLeague.com.

 

Imparables los Grises de Humacao en la Liga de Baloncesto Puertorriqueña

(Humacao P.R.) – Los Grises de Humacao de la Liga de Baloncesto Puertorriqueña, obtuvieron una importante victoria anoche sobre los Gigantes de Carolina, con marcador de 83-80, en partido celebrado en la histórica y legendaria cancha Emilio E. Huyke, de la ciudad gris.

El apoderado de los Grises, Orlando J. López Rivera indicó que por Humacao, Geovan Delgado lució imponente y anotó 20 puntos, con 9 rebotes y 5 asistencias. Luis Cintrón aportó 12, con 3 rebotes y dos asistencias, y Jean Vázquez añadió 10 canastos y 2 rebotes para el triunfo de la H. Con este juego los Grises mejoran su marca en 8-2 y 6 victorias consecutivas.

El lunes 16 de enero de 2023, llegan al Coliseo Tomás Dones para enfrentar a los Cariduros de Fajardo y el viernes 20 de enero retornan al Coliseo Emilio E. Huyke de Humacao, para verse las caras ante los Magos de Aguas Buenas. Todos los partidos a partir de las 8:00 de la noche.

Para más información pueden comunicarse al (787) 949-4704, en Facebook e Instagram: Grises de Humacao LBP o al correo electrónico grisesdehumacaolbp@gmail.com.

FIBA and DreamHack Sports Games launch eFIBA Season 1

JANUARY 12, 2023

COPENHAGEN/MIES (Denmark/Switzerland) - FIBA and ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) today announced the launch of the inaugural season of FIBA's official NBA® 2K23 tournament: eFIBA Season 1.

From January 20, 30 National Federations from across the globe will be fighting for glory in the first eFIBA Season 1 on NBA2K23 using the Pro-Am game mode. eFIBA has had three successful editions of FIBA Esports Open in 2020 and 2021 and Season 1 has now been launched across social media.

"We are excited about the upcoming tip-off of the eFIBA Season 1, FIBA's eBasketball tournament on NBA2K23, and our collaboration with EFG," said FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis. "These upcoming seven tournaments will provide National Federations with the opportunity to compete against the best eBasketball national teams in the world, building on the momentum created from the FIBA Esports Open events in 2020 and 2021." 

"The NBA2K community and game is in the top 3 sports game titles globally," said Roger Lodewick, President Sports games at EFG. "We’re therefore thrilled to start this long-term cooperation with FIBA and develop and serve the eFIBA community. It will enable us to complement the NBA2K offering with competitive national team eBasketball and provide the community with bold and entertaining online and in-person events at our DreamHack events." 

eFIBA Season 1 consists of seven online regional events across the four FIBA Regions of Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa.

Regional Qualifiers
   • eFIBA 2023 Qualifiers Asia - January 20
   • eFIBA 2023 Qualifiers Africa - January 21 
   • eFIBA 2023 Qualifiers Europe - January 22

Regional Finals
   • eFIBA 2023 Finals Asia (Middle East & South East Asia) - January 24
   • eFIBA 2023 Finals Africa - January 24
   • eFIBA 2023 Finals Americas (North & South America) - January 25 
   • eFIBA 2023 Finals Europe - January 25

A total of 30 National Federations are divided into six conferences and will be competing for the title of Conference Champions.

Each National Federation is represented by a team of a minimum of five players, each playing their own personal in-game avatar.

Several of the FIBA Esports Open 2021 champions are participating in Season 1 and the tournaments will be all about national pride as the very best players from each nation fight it out on the digital court to gain glory for their own country.

All the action will be available on the eFIBA_official channels on TwitterInstagram and TikTok and can be followed on each regional event website in Africa, the Americas (North and South), Asia (Middle East & South East Asia) and Europe. Broadcasts will be live on Twitch and YouTube via FIBA. 

FIBA Intercontinental Cup draw to take place on Friday

JANUARY 12, 2023

TENERIFE (Spain) - The FIBA Intercontinental Cup draw ceremony will take place in Santa Cruz of Tenerife, Spain at 11:00 GMT on Friday, January 13 and will be streamed live on the FIBA YouTube channel.

The ceremony will take place in the 'Salón Noble', the emblematic room of the local government (Cabildo Insular de Tenerife) building that is adorned with murals which have been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, and the live stream will be available to viewers worldwide:

BCL CEO Patrick Comninos, Spanish Basketball Federation Competitions Director Elisa Aguilar and ACB General Director Jose Miguel Calleja will conduct the draw. 

They will also address the local media at  a press conference, alongside a distinguished panel comprising of San Cristobal de la Laguna Mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, Sports Director of the Canary Islands Government Manuel Lopez Santana, Cabildo de Tenerife President Pedro Martin Dominguez and Vice-President Enrique Arriaga Alvarez, and the president of host club  Lenovo Tenerife, Félix Hernández.

The draw will determine the Semi-Final pairings of the event which is set to tip off in the Pabellón Insular Santiago Martin arena of Tenerife on Friday, February 10 with the two Semi-Finals, and will conclude on Sunday, February 12 with the Final and the 3rd-Place Game.

The four contenders in this edition are Basketball Africa League 2022 winners US Monastir, Basketball Champions League Americas 2022 champions São Paulo, NBA G League 2022 winners Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the tournament hosts and reigning Basketball Champions League champions, Lenovo Tenerife.

In the 2022 edition in Egypt, Brazil’s Flamengo became the first club outside of Europe and the USA to win multiple FIBA Intercontinental Cup titles, after defeating Spain’s Hereda San Pablo Burgos in the Final.

Please be advised of the following update to the 2022-23 NBA Schedule:

 

 

Thursday, January 26, 2023

  • The New York at Boston game will now be televised by TNT.
  • The Chicago at Charlotte game will no longer be televised by TNT.

 

JAN. 26, 2023

LOCAL

ET

TV/R*

New York at Boston

7:30PM

7:30PM

TNT/R

Dallas at Phoenix

8:00PM

10:00PM

TNT

 

 

* - ESPN Radio will also broadcast New York at Boston instead of Chicago at Charlotte.

NBA ANNOUNCES TEAM SALES & MARKETING AWARDS FOR 2022

 

 Golden State Warriors Receive NBA Team of the Year and NBA Inclusion Innovation Awards –

 

– Toronto Raptors Named Recipients of NBA Inclusion Leadership Award –

– LA Clippers Honored with NBA Team Innovation of the Year Award –

 

 Miami HEAT’s Ana Glass Presented with Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Award 

– Milwaukee Bucks’ John Steinmiller and Brooklyn Nets’ Chris Carrino

Named NBA Values of the Game Award Honorees –

 

NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2023 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced its NBA Team Sales & Marketing Awards for the 2021-22 season last night at the league’s annual NBA Sales & Marketing Meeting in Miami. All 30 teams were invited to submit a nomination in each category for awards recognizing leaders and innovators across key areas, with a committee of league and team executives choosing the winners.

 

The 2022 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors received the NBA Team of the Year Award for their achievements across team business, including Ticketing, Partnerships, Marketing, Digital Media, Business Analytics, and Innovation. They also picked up the NBA Inclusion Innovation Award.

 

The Toronto Raptors were presented with the NBA Inclusion Leadership Award, while the LA Clippers took home the NBA Team Innovation of the Year Award. The Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Award went to Ana Glass of the Miami HEAT and the NBA Values of the Game Award was awarded to the late John Steinmiller of the Milwaukee Bucks and Chris Carrino of the Brooklyn Nets.

 

“The 2022 NBA Sales & Marketing Award recipients represent the very best in sports for leadership, innovation, inclusion, and fan engagement,” said Amy Brooks, NBA President, Team Marketing & Business Operations and Chief Innovation Officer. “The achievements of these winners continue to set the standard across the sports industry and illustrate the ability of our teams to stay connected to our fans in innovative ways, which have grown our game worldwide.”

 

NBA Team of the Year: Golden State Warriors

The Warriors received the NBA Team of the Year Award for their outstanding business performance, innovative marketing, and fan engagement efforts, as well as their strong commitment to the Bay Area. The team led the league in ticketing and partnerships and launched a new private events division. It focused on enhancing the experience at Chase Center through in-arena mobile ordering in partnership with DoorDash and became the first professional sports team in North America to deploy Wi-Fi 6E in the venue.

 

Golden State also led the league in merchandise sales and became the first sports team to offer responsive NFTs that changed based on real-world events. The 1,156-piece 2022 GSW Playoff NFT Collection offered fans dynamic digital collectibles based on the team’s playoffs performance. Additionally, the organization served over 100,000 Bay Area community members at over 100 events, highlighted by the team’s 75th Anniversary Project, and the refurbishment of a local San Francisco Boys and Girls Club as part of the 2022 NBA Finals Legacy Project.

 

Committed to empowering women, the Warriors unveiled Empowered presented by Rakuten, a season-long celebration of women at the intersection of court, community, and culture in the Bay Area. The Warriors Community Foundation announced an annual grants slate of $2.45 million split across 66 local non-profits that work to attain educational equity. In October, to mark the Foundation’s 10th Anniversary, the organization opened San Francisco Generation Thrive – the second location in the Generation Thrive ecosystem. The flagship location in Oakland has served over 4,100 Bay Area educators and hosted 2,300 educators in person, totaling over 180 hours of free development sessions, in just months. 

 

NBA Inclusion Innovation Award: Golden State Warriors

The Warriors also earned the NBA Inclusion Innovation Award, which honors a specific innovative program that advances inclusive practices. The team created Franchise Fund, in partnership with United Airlines, to support economic development in Bay Area communities of color by providing equitable opportunities for entrepreneurs. Through the program, minority-owned small businesses are provided with various resources to support their growth, including bi-weekly workshops, networking opportunities and post-program mentorship. Business owners also receive coaching and monetary support to become officially certified as minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs).

 

NBA Inclusion Leadership Award: Toronto Raptors

The Raptors received the NBA Inclusion Leadership Award, which recognizes a team’s commitment to inclusion as a key business strategy. In 2022, Toronto executed a robust inclusion program that was brought to life through cross-functional collaboration and a commitment to creating a lasting impact in marginalized communities. With the primary objective of delivering authentic initiatives to community members, the Raptors have forged a deeper connection with fans, created stronger partnership values, and enhanced organizational culture through employee engagement and empowerment.

 

The program includes the Wayne & Theresa Embry Fellowship, which provides opportunities for Canadians from marginalized groups to gain experience in professional basketball operations, and the Welcome Toronto Creators initiative, which creates access and opportunities for Canadian artists from underrepresented communities to work on the team’s brand marketing and creative planning efforts.

 

NBA Team Innovation of the Year Award: LA Clippers

The Clippers brought home the NBA Team Innovation Award, which recognizes the creation and execution of a unique idea with the potential to positively impact the business. LA was noted for their launch of ClipperVision, the first-ever direct-to-consumer streaming platform for an NBA team. Through this 21st Century approach to sports programming, the team has given fans a single platform to access a lineup of live games, and reduce confusion created by blackouts.

 

ClipperVision has enabled fans to choose from and flip between six different dynamic streaming offerings, including BallerVision, a stream featuring live commentary from Clipper Nation’s best-known personalities; CourtVision powered by AWS, a fan-favorite augmented stream with real-time shot probability and statistics; and ClipperVision en Español, the first team direct-to-consumer platform produced to appeal to a Spanish-speaking audience. In addition, ClipperVision offered a Korean‐language stream making it the first Korean‐language commentary available OTT in the L.A. market. Both the Spanish and Korean-language feeds are also available on International League Pass.

 

Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Awards: Ana Glass, Miami HEAT

Ana Glass, Senior Director of Premium Client Service for the Miam HEAT, received the Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Award. The award, inspired by the late Pete Winemiller, Senior Vice President of Guest Relations for the Oklahoma City Thunder, honors an individual who has created an innovative service experience for fans.

 

In her role, Glass rebranded the Premium Department to “HEAT Elite” to embody the exclusive nature of elevated access and experiences for the premium seat holder. Through her leadership, she has created unique experiences for premium members like “Wine with Wade” and Flyaway Weekends, which offer customized away game experiences. During the Covid pandemic, Glass created unique virtual meet-and-greets experiences to ensure members stayed connected with the team. Most recently, Glass revamped the renewal process by introducing a dynamic timeline, resulting in a 95 percent renewal rate by all premium account holders, the highest in the organization’s history.

 

NBA Values of the Game: John Steinmiller, Milwaukee Bucks; Chris Carrino, Brooklyn Nets

The NBA honored two team executives with the NBA Values of the Game Award this year – the late John Steinmiller, Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Milwaukee Bucks, and Chris Carrino, play-by-play radio announcer for the Brooklyn Nets. The award recognizes an individual at an NBA team who exemplifies the values of the league in their community.

 

Steinmiller, who passed away in October 2022, was a 52-year veteran with Milwaukee, who wove the team into the fabric of the community by creating great experiences for the Bucks faithful. From his start with the team in 1970, he was a tireless worker who went from the ticket office, to running the team’s summer camps, to public relations director, to overseeing the team’s business operations, and later to serving as the organization’s first executive vice president of community affairs and social responsibility. Steinmiller was instrumental in the team’s effort to build its first arena in Milwaukee (Bradley Center) and its latest home (Fiserv Forum) during a tenure that spanned both of the team’s NBA championships (1971, 2021) and included all 16 head coaches in the team’s history.

 

Besides being honored for his 30 years of work as the radio play-by-play voice of the Nets, Carrino was recognized for his battle with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) – a genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle wasting and weakness, eventually robbing one’s ability to use their arms, legs, face muscles, as well as other areas of the body. Despite his diagnosis, Carrino has performed his radio duties at the highest level of excellence. In 2011, he established a foundation to raise the level of awareness of the disease and has since raised more than $1.2 million in grants for research.

 

CLIPPERS’ MARCUS MORRIS, SR. FINED

 

NEW YORK, January 9, 2023 – LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. has been fined $15,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a game official, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

 

The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Clippers’ 128-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 6 at Target Center.  


BOSTON’S MARCUS SMART FINED

NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 – Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a game official, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

 

The incident, for which Smart was assessed a second technical foul and ejected, occurred with 2:46 remaining in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 150-117 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 3 at Paycom Center.


Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant lead the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, in the first fan returns of NBA All-Star Voting presented by AT&T. 

 

Joining James (West Frontcourt) and Durant (East Frontcourt) as top vote-getters at their respective position groups are the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (West Guard) and the Nets’ Kyrie Irving (East Guard). 

 

Fans account for 50% of the vote to determine the starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.  Current NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each.

 

Tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 6) marks the next “3-for-1 Day,” when each fan vote will count three times.  The next fan voting update will be shared on Thursday, Jan. 12. 

 

Below are the top 10 vote-getters by position group in the first fan returns.

 

 

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NBA NAMES LESLEY SLATON BROWN AS NEW

CHIEF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER

 

NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today named HP, Inc.’s Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Lesley Slaton Brown as the organization’s new Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer.  Slaton Brown will start her position on Feb. 1 and report to NBA President, Administration Kyle Cavanaugh.

 

In her role, Slaton Brown will be responsible for driving ongoing DEI efforts for the NBA and its teams.  She will work with the league’s Chief People Officer and the teams’ diversity and inclusion leaders to implement and advance DEI processes, including the recruitment and retention of diverse talent, the development and enhancement of employee resource programs, and setting and assessing metrics for success.

 

Slaton Brown joins the NBA from HP, Inc., where she served as Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer since 2015.  At HP, she developed the company’s 10-year DEI and Racial Equality and Social Justice strategy, yielding the internal movement and advancement of more than 78 percent of underrepresented employees.  As part of this role, she led inclusive and equitable talent acquisition programs and partnerships, and developed training and education for 5,500 leaders and hiring managers globally.  In addition, Slaton Brown worked closely with leaders to develop industry-leading practices to drive accountability with key partners for greater DEI impact.

 

Previously, Slaton Brown served as a consultant and co-founded Curated Pathways to Innovation (CPI), a personalized learning platform focused on increasing the number of women and people of color in technology and other industries.  Earlier in her career, she spent 20 years with Hewlett-Packard Company, where she rose to Director, Global Diversity and Executive on Loan, following roles within multicultural and global philanthropy, leading key efforts in Senegal, West Africa.

“Lesley brings with her significant experience in setting and implementing strategies that help companies like ours attract, develop and retain diverse talent while fostering an inclusive culture,” said Cavanaugh.  “These remain priorities of our business and we look forward to welcoming her to the NBA’s leadership team.”

 

“I’m honored to join the NBA at such an impactful time for a business that has a unique influence on our culture,” said Slaton Brown.  “I’m excited to bring my passion, knowledge and deep understanding of best-in-class strategies to the industry.  The NBA’s desire to prioritize inclusion and equity throughout the league and across all demographics and cultures globally is what attracted me to this position.  I look forward to working and collaborating with this esteemed and motivated leadership team.” 

 

Slaton Brown was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Corporate Diversity by Black Enterprise, a Top Influential Woman in Corporate America by Forbes Magazine, and DEI Trailblazer by Business Insider.  Most recently, she was named Diversity and Inclusion Champion of the Year by Girls in Tech.

 

Slaton Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Boise State University, where she played basketball.  She also completed the Black Leaders Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business.  She is currently a member of the University of California Merced Board of Trustees, Curated Pathways to Innovation’s (CPI) Board of Directors, and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Business Dean’s Roundtable’s Advisory Board.  Slaton Brown is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

 

WAGNER TO SERVE TWO-GAME SUSPENSION BEGINNING TONIGHT

 

NEW YORK, Jan. 4, 2023 – Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner will begin serving his two-game suspension for his role in a Dec. 28 on-court altercation when the Magic plays host to the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at Amway Center.  Wagner will serve the second game of his suspension tomorrow night in the Magic’s home game vs. the Memphis Grizzlies.

 

Wagner was initially scheduled to serve the first game of his suspension on Dec. 30 vs. the Washington Wizards, however, NBA rules require that a player must be physically able to play in order to serve a league suspension.  Due to illness, Wagner was not physically able to play on Dec. 30 and therefore the suspension will begin tonight.