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(EDITOR’S NOTE: This column by sports editor Mitch Chortkoff appeared two years ago in the Observer and is being run again due to recent requests from readers) It was 1996 and I was in Honolulu covering the Lakers’ training camp. It was an especially important one because General Manager Jerry West had made a spectacular move which resulted in the acquisition of rookie guard Kobe Bryant and center Shaquille O’Neal. In the first few days of the camp I found O’Neal to be outgoing, easy to intervi...
The NBA announces that Indianapolis has been selected to host NBA All-Star 2021. The 70th NBA All-Star Game will take place at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers, on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. This will mark the second NBA All-Star in Indianapolis, which hosted the midseason classic in 1985. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the announcement during a press conference at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. He was joined by Indiana Gov. Eric J. Holcomb and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett as well as Pacers Sports & Entertainment owner Herb...
Some experts who follow high school and college basketball closer than I often share their opinions so I can write with intelligence. Lately they’ve shared the news that the NBA doesn’t consider middle Ball brother LeAngelo a first round draft prospect. That’s important news since father Lavar has pulled LeAngelo out of UCLA, blaming them for not handling the case properly when LeAngelo and two teammates were caught stealing at three stores when the Bruin basketball team recently played in Ch...
Last season the Lakers got off to a surprising start, going 10-10 and some loyal fans dared to believe the team’s recent playoff drought might be over. Then reality set in as the Lakers went on their first long trip of the season and slipped out of playoff contention. It seems to be happening again. The Lakers are going on a long trip after playing games against powerhouse Golden State and Houston this week at Staples Center. And lets’ not forget their Monday loss to the struggling Cli...
The NBA has announced that Chicago has been selected to host NBA All-Star 2020. The 69th annual game will take place at the United Center, home of the six-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls, on Sunday, Feb. 16. This will mark the third NBA All-Star in Chicago, which held the annual celebration in 1973 and 1988. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the announcement during a press conference at the United Center. Chicago will follow Los Angeles in 2018 and Charlotte in 2019 as All-Star host. NBA All-Star Game 2017 in New Orleans reached fans in 215...
The biggest complaint I’ve heard from Laker fans in the last five years is the lack of improvement in the annual roster. Since the Lakers lost four straight first round playoff games to the San Antonio Spurs in 1912 and haven’t qualified since then I take these complaints seriously. Finally, owner Jeanie Buss replaced two front office leaders this season and brought in former Laker great Magic Johnson and respected player agent Rob Pelinka. Their job is to acquire players who upgrade the talent level. I’m not naïve enough to believe the Lakers...
The South Bay Lakers kicked off the 2017-18 season in thrilling fashion with a 138-135 overtime win over Santa Cruz. The Lakers (1-0) were down by as many as 19 points in the second half, but stormed back to win the game behind strong performances from reigning league MVP Vander Blue, Lakers assignment player Thomas Bryant and former Warrior Scott Machado. In the two-minute overtime period it was Machado who hit the first bucket against his former team to give the Lakers the lead for good. The Warriors (1-1) appeared to tie the game after a goa...
For the last five years the Clippers have won at least 50 games and made the playoffs. Now Chris Paul has left them and after winning their first four games they’ve lost four of five. Ordinarily I’d start this column by saying don’t worry. They still have Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan and they’ve added Patrick Beverly. But some major changes are being made throughout the NBA these days and I think Clipper fans should be concerned. The Clippers’ 120-107 loss at San Antonio Tuesday night ala...
The South Bay Lakers have hired Metta World Peace as a player development coach, it was announced today by General Manager Nick Mazzella. World Peace comes to South Bay as a seasoned veteran of the Lakers organization, having spent six seasons as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers (2009-13, 2015-17). World Peace was a key player on the 2010 NBA Champion Lakers and ranks ninth all-time in three pointers made (420) in franchise history. The four-time All-Defensive team selection posted career averages of 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7...
The Lakers have signed guard Vander Blue, it was announced by General Manager Rob Pelinka. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released. Blue most recently competed for the South Bay Lakers of the NBA G League, where he averaged 24.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals last season before being named 2017 NBA G League Most Valuable Player. He has averaged 23.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists through four seasons with the Lakers’ minor league team and stands as South Bay’s all-time leader in points, field goals made and...
John Black, who led the Los Angeles Lakers’ Public Relations Department for more than 27 years before being replaced recently has been named the recipient of the Brian McIntyre Trophy as the 2017 Splaver/McHugh “Tribute to Excellence” Award winner. The award, presented today during the NBA’s PR Meetings, is given by the NBA Public Relations Directors Association to a current or former member of the NBA public relations family who has demonstrated an outstanding level of performance and service during his or her NBA career. Black began his NBA...
Anyone who thought the Clippers would fade away by losing exceptional point guard Chris Paul should think again. Recovering quickly, the Clippers got Paul to sign a new Clipper contract for a few days before they’d trade him to Houston, the team he desired. Then they got three established players and a 2018 first round draft choice from Houston. Don’t forget Paul didn’t have to do that. Free agents can simply sign with another team. Then a few days later the Clippers signed forward Blake Griffin...
The Lakers have announced their roster for the 2017 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, highlighted by 2017 NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection Brandon Ingram and the second overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Lonzo Ball. Joining Ingram and Ball are current Lakers Ivica Zubac and David Nwaba, in addition to Lakers draft-day acquisitions Thomas Bryant, Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma. The team held its first practice on Monday, July 3, at the Toyota Sports Center and will begin Summer League play in Las Vegas with back-to-back games on Friday, July 7,...
By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor What seemed very likely several weeks ago is now official. Jerry West is joining the Clippers. At 79, West still enjoys accurately evaluating players, a talent he's had since his playing days. Retirement isn't for everyone his age. West, a Laker great as a player, became the Lakers' general manager, engineered the trade that brought in Kobe Bryant and presided over six NBA championship years with the team. He left for Memphis, reportedly because of a financial...
The Buss family feud has came to an end with Jeanie officially taking control of the Lakers and brother Jim resigning as co-trustee. Jim Buss’ seat on the Board has gone to younger sister Janie, an ally of Jeanie in the recent family drama. Previously Janie had warned that Buss family members would become a minority if Jim and brother Johnny were allowed to sell their shares to friends who could regularly out-vote Jeanie. With the recent development a Los Angeles Superior Court hearing scheduled...
Four straight terrible seasons, four years out of the playoffs, four years when I' ve been writing about the decline of one of the NBA' s greatest franchises. It seemed like it couldn' t get worse for the Lakers but it has. The Buss family is in turmoil. In a story by ESPN' s Ramona Shelbourne, Jeanie Buss' younger sister Janie says Johnny and Jim Buss want to sell their shares of the Lakers. ' That would leave the rest of us as minorities,"Janie Buss said. Six of Jerry Buss' siblings are curren...
The Lakers used to play in Inglewood. Soon the Rams and Chargers will be playing in Inglewood. And then the Clippers? Stan Kroenke, who owns the Rams and has moved the team from St. Louis and is funding a multi-billion dollar stadium in Inglewood, has attended or sent representatives to several meetings with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer in recent weeks. They’ve talked about the Clippers building an arena in Inglewood and sharing parking with the Rams’facility. The Rams are scheduled to open the...
By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor Magic Johnson is returning to the Lakers as an advisor to top executive Jeanie Buss. The announcement was made on Thursday and Johnson's duties will include meeting with coaches, evaluating the team's roster and advising on all player and business decisions. Johnson's success as a player and a businessman is likely to result in highly favorable publicity for the Lakers, who are on the verge of failing to make The NBA playoffs for a fifth straight season. But his...
By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor First it was Blake Griffin with knee surgery. Then it was Chris Paul with a hamstring injury. Then J.J. Redic, also with a hamstring problem. “Something good is going to come out of this,” said Coach Doc Rivers. “Maybe a lineup I didn’t expect to click.” So far the Clippers have lost to Dallas the night after a healthier Clipper team beat San Antonio. Then the Clippers lost to the Lakers and Denver. This is serious because the Clippers are heading out of elite...
The unveiling of a bronze statue of legendary Laker and NBA Hall of Fame player Shaquille O'Neal is coming to Star Plaza at Staples Center on March 24 at 5 pm. As a tribute to the larger-than-life Laker great, whose career with the organization produced three NBA Championships, the Lakers, Staples Center, and AEG organizations commissioned the creation of a 1,200 pound, nine-foot bronze statue of him. O'Neal's statue will be connected to Staples Center, suspended 10 feet above the ground....
The NBA announces that Chicago has been selected to host NBA All-Star 2020. The 69th annual game will take place at the United Center, home of the six-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls, on Sunday, Feb. 16. This will mark the third NBA All-Star in Chicago, which held the annual celebration in 1973 and 1988. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the announcement during a press conference at the United Center. Chicago will follow Los Angeles in 2018 and Charlotte in 2019 as All-Star host. NBA All-Star Game 2017 in New Orleans reached fans in 215...
The Lakers will have a new training facility in 2017 and Coach Luke Walton is excited about it. "It will be three times the size of the one we have now," he said. "It will have two basketball courts and a capacity of 750 for games of our D-League team, the LA Defenders. The facility, called the UCLA Health Training Center, will be in El Segundo, just two blocks from the current one. Currently the Lakers are tenants in a facility they share with the Kings and there's an ice rink open to the...
OCTOBER FEBRUARY Thursday 27 at Portland 7:30 PM TNT Wednesday 1 at Phoenix 6:00 PM Sunday 30 Utah 1:30 PM Thursday 2 Golden State 7:30 PM TNT Monday 31 Phoenix 7:30 PM Sunday 5 at Boston 11:00 AM ABC/ESPN Radio NOVEMBER Monday 6 at Toronto 4:30 PM Wednesday 2 Oklahoma City 7:30 PM ESPN Wednesday 8 at New York 5:00 PM ESPN Friday 4 at Memphis 5:00 PM Saturday 11 at Charlotte 2:00 PM Saturday 5 at San Antonio 5:30 PM NBA TV Monday 13 at Utah 6:00 PM Monday 7 Detroit 7:30 PM Wednesday 15 Atlanta...
DATE OPPONENT HOME TEAM SITE TIME TV 10/04/16 Golden State Warriors Warriors Oracle Arena 7:30 PM 10/05/16 Toronto Raptors Clippers STAPLES Center 7:30 PM 10/10/16 Utah Jazz Clippers STAPLES Center 7:30 PM 10/13/16 Portland Trail Blazers Clippers STAPLES Center 7:30 PM TNT 10/17/16 Utah Jazz Jazz Vivint Smart Home Arena 6:00 PM 10/18/16 Sacramento Kings Kings Golden 1 Center 7:30 PM...
Every July there is summer excitement brewing at the Toyota Sports Center, the Lakers headquarters and practice facility in El Segundo. No, it wasn't the news that Brandon Ingram, the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, was practicing at the Lakers’ facility. On Saturday, the excitement involved about 216 capable young women from all over the country trying-out to become a dancer for next season's Laker Girls dance squad. It was an open audition, a cattle call. The only requirements - be at least 18 years of age, have eight years of d...
