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Paul Earns WNBA Advocacy Award

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CLEVELAND – Phoenix Suns 12-time All-Star guard Chris Paul was named the inaugural recipient of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award for Paul’s significant contributions to the advancement of girls’ and women’s basketball, and advocacy for the WNBA. The WNBA and Vanessa Bryant will present Paul the award at NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland during Sunday’s game.

The annual award honors the late Kobe Bryant, a devoted supporter of the WNBA and women’s basketball, and his daughter Gianna (also known as Gigi). Gigi, a happy, loving and competitive young lady, wanted to pursue her dreams of one day playing in the WNBA and continuing her father’s legacy while elevating women in sports. Gigi loved the game of basketball and aspired to reach the pinnacle of the sport like her father. Kobe Bryant contributed to the growth of the women’s game at every level through forging relationships, mentoring and training high school, college, NBA and WNBA players, coaching Gigi’s youth basketball team, and launching the Mamba Sports Academy. He also was involved with empowering girls through Her Time to Play, an initiative created by the WNBA and NBA dedicated to championing participation in athletics on behalf of girls and women.

The Kobe and Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy award aims to honor advocates and influencers who use their time, talent, and platform to raise awareness for the WNBA, and women’s and girls’ basketball in various ways, like Kobe was so committed to doing. Bryant, his daughter and seven others we3re killed in a horrific helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.

“I have seen first-hand Chris’ appreciation of the WNBA and the game at every level for women and girls, especially in Phoenix and North Carolina, and his ardent support of our game strongly reflects the legacy of Kobe and Gigi,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “The league is proud to name Chris as the inaugural recipient of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, as he serves as a leader and role model for other professional athletes around growing the future of the game for young girls and all fans.”

A devoted fan of the WNBA and the Phoenix Mercury, Paul has consistently demonstrated a unique level of support, attending games throughout the regular season and playoffs while also using his public platforms to highlight the on-court successes and stories of WNBA players as well as their leadership in the community through their fight for social justice. During WNBA tentpole events such as WNBA Draft and All-Star, he can be found showing his support for rookies entering the league and WNBA veterans. He also supports the youth girls’ game through camps and the CP3 Basketball Academy, with a mission of using basketball to enhance young athletes’ aspirations, disciplines and life skills. Prior to the start of the WNBA’s historic 25th season, Paul was among several NBA stars that donned a WNBA player’s jersey to amplify the historic significance of the moment. Additionally, Paul teamed up with Suns center Deandre Ayton to support the Mercury’s recent WNBA Finals playoff run.

Basketball Hall of Fame Names Finalists

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CLEVELAND – (Staff Report from Official News release) – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame named six extraordinary players, four longtime coaches and one top-of-class referee as finalists from the North American and Women’s committees to be considered for election in 2022.

This year’s list includes two first-time finalists: two-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA champion Manu Ginobili and five-time WNBA All-Star, three-time WNBA Champion, and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lindsay Whalen.

Previous finalists included again this year for consideration are longtime NBA referee Hugh Evans, five-time NBA champion and five-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection Michael Cooper, five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway, consensus National Collegiate Player of the Year Marques Johnson, two-time NCAA National Coach of the Year Bob Huggins, the NBA’s sixth-winningest coach of all-time George Karl, the all-time winningest high school coach, Leta Andrews, four-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Swin Cash, and NCAA national champion and WNBA Coach of the Year Marianne Stanley.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be named a Finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame and we’re elated to recognize the achievements by these outstanding men and women who have left a lasting impact on the game of basketball,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “A heart-felt congratulations goes out to the finalists and their families and we very much look forward to revealing the Class of 2022 at the NCAA Final Four in New Orleans this April.”

The entire Class of 2022 will be announced in New Orleans, on April 2 at the NCAA Men’s Final Four at 12:00 PM ET as part of the Hall of Fame Class Announcement. Enshrinees from the Direct Elect Committees are also recognized at the NCAA Men’s Final Four and include Early African-American Pioneers, International, Contributors, Veterans and the new Women Veterans. A finalist needs 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2022 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Mass., the Birthplace of Basketball, on September 9-10, 2022.

North American Committee Finalists:
HUGH EVANS [Referee] – Evans served as an NBA Official for 28 consecutive years (1973-2001), tallying over 1,900 regular season games, 170 playoff games, 35 NBA Finals games and four NBA All-Star Games. Following his on-court officiating career, Evans worked as the NBA Assistant Supervisor of Officials (2001-03). He is a recipient of the Each One Teach One Community Service Award and is enshrined in the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame as well as the North Carolina A&T Hall of Fame.

MANU GINOBILI [Player] – Ginobili is a two-time NBA All-Star (2005, 2011) and four-time NBA Champion with the San Antonio Spurs (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014). Over his 16-year NBA career, all with the Spurs, the Argentine guard amassed 14,043 points, 4,001 assists, 3,697 rebounds and 1,392 steals and was honored with the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2008, as well as twice being named to the All-NBA Third Team (2008, 2011). On the international stage, Ginobili helped deliver the first and only Gold Medal in the country’s basketball history at the 2004 Olympics, as well as the bronze at the 2008 games. He joins Bill Bradley as the only two players to have won a EuroLeague title (2001), an NBA championship and an Olympic Gold Medal.

MICHAEL COOPER [Player] – Cooper is a five-time NBA Champion with the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) and is best known for his defensive contributions to an offensively gifted team. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors five times (1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988) and was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. In 1986, he collected the J. Walter Kennedy Citizen Award for outstanding service in his community. He played one season for Virtus Roma, where he received the Italian All-Star Game MVP in 1991. As a collegiate athlete at the University of New Mexico, Cooper was named a USBWA First Team All-American.

TIM HARDAWAY [Player] – A 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist, Hardaway played 13 NBA seasons scoring a total of 15,373 points while averaging more than 20 points per game for four consecutive seasons. He is the 1990 recipient of the Jack McMahon Award for most inspirational player and a 1997 All-NBA First Team selection. He currently ranks 18th in NBA history with 7,095 career assists. The Chicago native was a member of the men’s basketball team at the University of Texas at El Paso (1985-1989) and is known for making his signature move – the “UTEP Two-step” – famous in 1989, the same year he was named WAC Player of the Year.

MARQUES JOHNSON [Player] – Johnson is a five-time NBA All-Star (1979-81, 1983, 1986) and a member of the 1978 NBA All-Rookie First Team and the 1979 All-NBA First Team. He was also named the NBA Comeback Player of the Year in 1986. In 11 NBA seasons, he averaged 20.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. As a student-athlete at UCLA under the direction of Hall of Famer John Wooden, Johnson was a member of an NCAA national championship team (1975). In 1977, he was named Pac-8 Player of the Year and the consensus National Collegiate Player of the Year. Johnson has been inducted into the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (2013).

BOB HUGGINS [Coach] – Huggins has been coaching in the collegiate ranks for 45 years, including the last 15 as the head coach at West Virginia University. Over the course of his career, Huggins has led his teams to 25 NCAA Tournament berths, including nine appearances in the Sweet Sixteen (1992, 1993, 1996, 200, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018), four trips to the Elite Eight (1992, 1993, 1996, 2010), and two appearances in the NCAA Final Four (1992, 2010). In 16 years as the head coach at the University of Cincinnati (1989-2005), Huggins led the Bearcats to eight Conference USA regular season championships (1996-2002, 2004), four Conference USA Tournament championships (1996, 1998, 2002, 2004), was a three-time Conference USA Coach of the Year (1998-2000) and was honored as the Conference USA Coach of the Decade in 2005. On the national level, he a was tabbed as the Sporting News National Coach of the Year in 2000 and the ESPN.com National Coach of the Year in 2002.

GEORGE KARL [Coach] – Karl spent 27 seasons as a head coach in the NBA, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers (1984-1986), Golden State Warriors (1986-88), Seattle Supersonics (1992-1998), Milwaukee Bucks (1998-2003), Denver Nuggets (2005-2013) and Sacramento Kings (2015-2016). During his career, he guided five different franchises to a total of 22 playoff appearances, led the Supersonics to the NBA Finals (1996), was named the NBA Coach of the Year (2013), and was called upon to be an All-Star Game head coach four times (1994, 1996, 1998, 2010). Karl owns a lifetime coaching record of 1,175-824 (.588), ranking sixth all-time in NBA career wins and posted 12 seasons of 50+ victories and three seasons of 60-plus.

Women’s Committee Finalists:
LETA ANDREWS [Coach] – Coaching in the high school ranks across Texas for 51 years (1962-2014), Andrews posted a lifetime 1,416-351 (.801) record, making her the winningest high school coach of all-time, male or female. She guided her teams to 16 state Final Four appearances, including a state title with Calaleen High School in 1990. Among her many honors, Andrews was named the Walt Disney Teacher/Coach of the Year in 1993, served as the head coach for the Gatorade All-America Game West Team in 2009 and the McDonald’s All-America Game West Team in 2004. In 2007, she was named the National High School Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association and was the recipient of the inaugural Morgan Wooten Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Basketball Hall of Fame. She is a member of numerous Hall of Fames across the country, including the National Federation of State High School Hall of Fame (2011), Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2010), Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2008) and the High School Basketball Hall of Fame (1995).

SWIN CASH [Player] – Cash is a four-time WNBA All-Star (2003, 2005, 2009, 2011) and two-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2012). A true champion, she was a member of three WNBA championship teams during her 15-year career with the Detroit Shock (2003, 2006) and Seattle Storm (2010) as well as two NCAA National Championships at the University of Connecticut (2000, 2002) and a Gold Medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championships. Cash was recognized as one of the 20 best WNBA players of all time in 2016 as she twice named WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2009, 2011) and twice received All-WNBA Second Team (2003-2004) honors. During her collegiate career, she was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and received Kodak First Team All-America honors in 2002 after UConn won their third national title in program history after finishing the season a perfect 39-0. In 2021, Cash was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

MARIANNE STANLEY [Coach] – Coaching in the collegiate and professional ranks for a combined 45 years, Stanley currently serves as the head coach of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. In 22 years as a college coach with Old Dominion (1977-1987), Penn (1987-1989), USC (1989-1993), Stanford (1995-1996) and Cal (1995-1996), Stanley compiled a 416-222 (.652) record, including a NCAA National Championship in 1985, three Final Four appearances (1983, 1985, 1996) and back-to-back AIAW National Titles (1979-1980). She has accumulated numerous Coach of the Year honors, including AIAW National Coach of the Year (1979), Virginia Coach of the Year (1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985), Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year (1984, 1985), Pac-10 Conference Coach of the Year (1993) and WNBA Coach of the Year (2002). On the national team level, she helped lead the United States to a Goodwill Games Gold Medal (1983) and FIBA World Championship Gold Medal (1986). Stanley has been enshrined in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (2002) and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame (2010).

LINDSAY WHALEN [Player] – Whalen is a five-time WNBA All-Star (2006, 2011, 2013-2015), three-time WNBA Champion (2011, 2013, 2015) and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2012, 2016). After averaging 11.5 points and 4.9 assists over 15 seasons in the WNBA, she was named to the WNBA First Team three times (2008, 2011, 2013) and was recognized as one of the 20 best WNBA players of all time in 2016. Whalen ranks third all-time in assists (2,345) and led the league in total assists five times (2007, 2011-2015) and assists per game on three occasions (2008, 2011, 2012). During her collegiate career at University of Minnesota, Whalen led the Golden Gophers to the NCAA Final Four in 2004 and was twice named a finalist for the Naismith Award (2003, 2004) and Wade Trophy (2003, 2004). She also received numerous accolades for her on-court performance, including being named to the Kodak/WBCA All-America Team (2003-2004), USBWA All-America Team (2002-2004), AP Second Team All-America Team (2003-2004) and the All-Big Ten First Team (2002-2004).Whalen currently serves as the head coach of the women’s basketball program at her alma mater.

Frazier, Voepel, Ebersol to be Honored at Basketball Hall of Fame

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CLEVELAND – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame named Basketball Hall-of-Famer and New York Knicks television analyst Walt Frazier, women’s college and professional basketball writer Mechelle Voepel and NBC Network Executive Dick Ebersol as winners of the Curt Gowdy Media Award for 2022.

The Curt Gowdy Media Award is named in honor of the late Curt Gowdy, a legendary sports broadcaster and former Hall of Fame Board member and President. This prestigious award is presented to members of the print, electronic and transformative media whose efforts have made a significant contribution to the game of basketball.

Frazier, Voepel and Ebersol will be acknowledged for their contributions to basketball media during the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend on September 9-10, 2022.

Curt Gowdy Electronic Media Award Winner – Walt Frazier
With the same unmistakable combination of style, grace, and flair that marked his Hall of Fame playing career, Walt “Clyde” Frazier has won an entirely new generation of fans with his acclaimed work as one of the game’s premier broadcast analysts.

For more than three decades, Frazier’s tenure as analyst for his former team, the New York Knicks – first on radio and now on television – has been marked by his unique vocabulary and unmatched basketball wisdom. Working alongside three of the game’s longtime signature voices, Jim Karvellas, Marv Albert and Mike Breen, Frazier has entertained, educated and enlightened thousands of fans in the world’s greatest basketball city, many of whom are too young to remember his playing days but who idolize him in much the same way.

Frazier’s personal involvement does not end at the final buzzer. He is one of the many faces of the franchise and uses his popularity and fame for notable causes, including the importance of education. Active in the Garden of Dreams Foundation’s charity efforts, he founded the Walt Frazier Youth Foundation in 1996.

As a broadcaster, he has come to symbolize Knicks basketball in much the same fashion as he did as a player four decades ago. Frazier connects generations through his work behind the mic and off the court.

Curt Gowdy Print Media Award Winner – Mechelle Voepel
Mechelle Voepel joined ESPN.com in 1996 as a women’s college and pro basketball writer, and since has also covered additional college sports. She has spent her entire career covering the sport of women’s college basketball and has attended more than 20 straight Women’s Basketball Final Fours.

Voepel is considered an authority on the women’s game, both collegiate and professional. She has dedicated her career to telling the story and stories of women’s basketball. Voepel covered her first women’s basketball game at the University of Missouri in 1984 and graduated from Mizzou with a degree in journalism in 1987. Her first job was in Jackson, Tenn., and she’s also worked as an editor and writer at newspapers in Columbia, Mo.; Newport News, Va.; and Kansas City, Mo.

Born in Los Angeles, she grew up 40 miles north of St. Louis and is a lifelong Cardinals baseball fan still basking in amazement over the 2011 World Series title. She has covered both the Summer and Winter Olympics, the Women’s World Cup soccer tournament and several professional golf major tournaments.

Curt Gowdy Transformative Media Award Winner – Dick Ebersol
Dick Ebersol’s long and storied career as a television executive may best be remembered for his groundbreaking work with NBC’s coverage of the Olympic Games. In all, Ebersol produced 19 Olympic Games telecasts, including the 1992 Barcelona Olympics that featured the Dream Team, the USA men’s gold-medal winning team that ushered in a new era of basketball. Ebersol helped transform coverage of the Olympic Games by exploring the personal stories of the athletes, coaches and other figures in order to bring the human side of sport to light. His storytelling approach became his calling card and translated well across all sports.

As president and later chairman of NBC Sports, Ebersol conceived NBA on NBC, an unprecedented league-network relationship starting in 1990. NBA on NBC included the annual All-Star Game on Sunday evening, as well as regular season and playoff coverage that presented double and triple-headers broadcast during the early rounds. During this time, the NBA enjoyed tremendous growth and a surge in popularity thanks in part to Ebersol’s commitment to production, programming and promotion.

Under Ebersol, NBA on NBC featured talents like Marv Albert, Bob Costas, Doug Collins, Mike Fratello, and Bill Walton. Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals still ranks as the highest rated and most watched game on record, and Michael Jordan’s return from his first retirement was seen in more than 10 million homes.

NBC’s partnership with the NBA over 12 seasons included the studio shows NBA Showtime and Inside Stuff and the airing of WNBA inaugural regular season and playoff games. In 1996, after delivering the NBA Finals, World Series, Super Bowl, and the Summer Olympics to NBC, The Sporting News named Ebersol “The Most Powerful Person in Sports.” He is the recipient of the 2008 Sports Lifetime Achievement Award.

Previous Curt Gowdy Media Award Winners:

Year – Print/Electronic/Transformative/Insight
1990 – Dick Herbert/Curt Gowdy
1991 – Dave Dorr/Marty Glickman
1992 – Sam Goldaper/Chick Hearn
1993 – Leonard Lewin/Johnny Most
1994 – Leonard Koppett/Cawood Ledford
1995 – Bob Hammel/Dick Enberg
1996 – Bob Hentzen/Billy Packer
1997 – Bob Ryan/Marv Albert
1998 – Larry Donald & Dick Weiss/Dick Vitale
1999 – Smith Barrier/Bob Costas
2000 – Dave Kindred/Hubie Brown
2001 – Curry Kirkpatrick/Dick Stockton
2002 – Jim O’Connell/Jim Nantz
2003 – Sid Hartman/Hot Rod Hundley
2004 – Phil Jasner/Max Falkenstien
2005 – Jack McCallum/Bill Campbell
2006 – Mark Heisler/Bill Raftery
2007 – Malcolm Moran/Al McCoy
2008 – David DuPree/Bob Wolff
2009 – Peter Vecsey/Doug Collins
2010 – Jackie MacMullan/Joe Tait
2011 – Alexander Wolff/Jim Durham
2012 – Sam Smith/Bill Schonely
2013 – John Feinstein/Eddie Doucette
2014 – Joe Gilmartin/John Andariese
2015 – Rich Clarkson/Woody Durham
2016 – David Aldridge/Jay Bilas
2017 – Harvey Araton/Craig Sager
2018 – Andy Bernstein/Doris Burke
2019 – Marc Stein/Ralph Lawler
2020 – Michael Wilbon/Mike Breen/Inside the NBA/Jim Gray
2021 – Mel Greenberg/Mike Gorman/George Kalinsky

Celtics Sign Hauser, Kornet

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BOSTON – After trades that cleared roster space and cap room for the Boston Celtics on the afternoon of the NBA league-wide trading deadline, the Boston Celtics signed rookie forward Sam Hauser. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Originally signed by the Celtics as a two-way player this past offseason, Hauser, 24, has produced 19.0 points on 48.0% shooting (42.4% 3-PT), 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 20 games played with the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League. Hauser has reached the 30-point mark twice with Maine this season – including his most recent game against Grand Rapids on Feb. 6 – and leads the team with 84 three-point field goals.

Hauser has played in 10 games for Boston this season, tallying 12 points and six rebounds in 41 minutes of action. He produced 9.0 points (50.0% FG, 46.2% 3-PT), 4.8 rebounds, and a team-high 2.0 assists in five games for the Celtics during the 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League.

In a separate transaction, the Boston signed center Luke Kornet. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Kornet, 26, returns to Boston after being acquired by the team as part of a three-team deal with Chicago and Washington on March 25. He played in 18 games (two starts) with the Celtics last season, averaging 4.4 points on 47.3% shooting, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 blocked shots. The Texas native scored in double figures four times in 2020-21, three of which came as a member of the Celtics.

In five NBA seasons with New York, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, and Milwaukee, Kornet has produced 5.7 points on 40.3% shooting, 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 blocked shots, and 15.0 minutes in 136 games (35 starts).

Celtics Re-Acquire Daniel Theis

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics have re-acquired fifth-year center Daniel Theis from the Houston Rockets, in exchange for centers Bruno Fernando and Enes Freedom, and guard Dennis Schröder, the team announced today. The deal reunites Theis with the Celtics, the franchise he originally joined the NBA with in 2017-18.

Theis, 29, has played in 285 games (141 starts) over five NBA seasons with Boston, Chicago, and Houston, averaging 7.5 points on 54.1% shooting (32.7% 3-PT), 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 blocked shots, and 19.6 minutes. He has played in 26 games for Houston this season (21 starts), contributing 8.4 points (46.9% FG), and 5.0 rebounds in 22.5 minutes.

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Celtics in July of 2017, Theis produced 7.2 points on 55.4% shooting (34.5% 3-PT), 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 blocks, 13 double-doubles, and 18.8 minutes in 236 games (106 starts) over parts of four seasons with the Celtics from 2017-18 to 2020-21. He played a critical role during the Celtics Eastern Conference Finals run in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, averaging 8.9 points (52.1% FG), 7.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocked shots, and 28.4 minutes, while starting each of Boston’s 17 postseason contests.

Fernando, 23, averaged 1.0 points on 50.0% shooting, and 0.8 rebounds in 20 games with Boston. Freedom played in 35 games (one start) for the Celtics in 2021-22 – his second stint with the team – averaging 3.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in 11.7 minutes. Signed as a free agent on Aug. 13, Schröder produced 14.4 points on 44.0% shooting (34.9% 3-PT, 84.8% FT), 3.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 49 games (25 starts) during his lone season in Boston.

 

Celtics Acquire Guard Derrick White

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics have acquired fifth-year point guard Derrick White from the San Antonio Spurs, in exchange for guard Romeo Langford, guard Josh Richardson, and a protected 2022 first-round draft pick, the team announced today. As part of the deal, the Spurs also have a conditional right to swap first round draft picks with Boston in 2028.

Originally selected by San Antonio in the first round (29th overall) of the 2017 NBA Draft, White, 27, has averaged 11.6 points (44.5% FG, 34.4% 3-PT, 83.6% FT), 3.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 25.7 minutes in five seasons (237 games) with the Spurs. The Colorado native has averaged double-digit scoring over each of the past three seasons, including a career-high 15.4 points/game mark in 2020-21.

In 49 games with San Antonio this season (48 starts), White has produced 14.4 points on 42.6% shooting, 5.6 assists, and 1.0 steals over 30.3 minutes. He has reached the 20-point mark nine times this season, including a season-high 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting (3-6 3-PT) against New York on Dec. 7, and has connected on at least three 3-point field goals on 14 occasions. White produced 18 points and a career-high 14 assists at Detroit on Jan. 1, one of his two double-doubles this season.

Langford has played in 94 games over three seasons with the Celtics, averaging 3.6 points (39.6% FG), 1.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 14.7 minutes. He has produced 4.7 points (42.9% FG) and 2.4 rebounds in 44 games this season.

Acquired in an offseason trade with Dallas on July 31, Richardson averaged 9.7 points on 44.3% shooting (39.7% 3-PT), 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 24.7 minutes in 44 games during his lone season in Boston.

 

Celtics Trade Bol, Dozier

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics have acquired a conditional future second-round draft pick from the Orlando Magic, in exchange for Bol Bol, P.J. Dozier, a conditional future second-round draft pick, and cash considerations.

Bol (7-2, 220), 22, holds career averages of 2.7 points (47.8% FG, 37.8% 3-PT), 1.2 rebounds, and 6.2 minutes in 53 games (two starts) over three NBA seasons with Denver. Dozier (6-6, 205), 25, has averaged 6.4 points (40.7% FG, 31.9% 3-PT), 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 18.0 minutes in 105 NBA games over five seasons with Oklahoma City, Boston, and Denver.

Both players were acquired by the Celtics in a three-team trade with Denver and San Antonio earlier this season on Jan. 19.

 

NBA Unveils New All-Star MVP Trophy

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NBA Honors the late Kobe Bryant with New Trophy for MVP

NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The National Basketball Association unveiled newly designed NBA All-Star trophies in celebration of the league’s 75th Anniversary season. Designed in partnership with artist Victor Solomon, the trophies will be presented for the first time during NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland. The lineup of hardware is headlined by The Kobe Bryant Trophy, which will be awarded to the Kia NBA All-Star Game MVP on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.

“As the NBA celebrates its 75th Anniversary season, this collection of All-Star trophies represents the continued growth and evolution of our game,” said Christopher Arena, Head of On-Court and Brand Partnerships at the NBA. “Through our collaboration with Victor Solomon, these trophies incorporate deep storytelling, reimagining our previous All-Star trophies in a modern aesthetic, and now serve as the new standards of excellence that future generations of All-Stars will strive to reach each year.”

Solomon’s work in this space includes his “Literally Balling” project, where he explores the icons and symbols of basketball as a platform for conceptual storytelling. His art has detailed the high process techniques involved in creating and designing stained glass basketball backboards, crystal basketballs and cast ceramic basketballs reconstructed with a Kintsugi process, and has been exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Shanghai.

“For the past few years, the NBA and I have proudly and tirelessly worked to reconsider what a trophy is, has been and could be,” said Solomon. “Redesigning the All-Star trophies gave us a special opportunity to create event awards worthy of the energy and excitement the moment creates, while introducing the full collection’s visual, aesthetic language. The occasion also gave us the privilege and responsibility to develop an entirely new silhouette worthy of being named ‘The Kobe Bryant Trophy’ for the Kia NBA All-Star MVP for which, in the spirit of its namesake, we threw out all conventions and challenged ourselves to reorient how we thought about ‘the game.’”

Celtics Acquire Bol and Dozier

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from official News Release) – The Boston Celtics acquired center Bol Bol, and guard P.J. Dozier from the Denver Nuggets as part of a three-team deal with Denver and San Antonio. Boston sent Juancho Hernangomez and cash considerations to San Antonio to complete the deal.

Bol (7-2, 220), 22, holds career averages of 2.7 points (47.8% FG, 37.8% 3-PT), 1.2 rebounds, and 6.2 minutes in 53 games (two starts) over three NBA seasons with Denver. He has competed in 14 games with the Nuggets in 2021-22, including a career-high 11-point performance on 5-of-7 shooting in 20 minutes played at Houston on Jan. 1.

Originally selected in the second round (44th overall) of the 2019 NBA Draft, Bol averaged 21.0 points (56.1% FG, 52.0% 3-PT, 75.7% FT), 9.6 rebounds, and 29.8 minutes in nine games during his lone collegiate season at Oregon in 2018-19.

Dozier (6-6, 205), 25, has averaged 6.4 points (40.7% FG, 31.9% 3-PT), 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 18.0 minutes in 105 NBA games over five seasons with Oklahoma City, Boston, and Denver. Dozier, who has averaged 5.4 points in 18.9 minutes this season, produced a career-high 7.7 points on 41.7% shooting in 50 games with Denver in 2020-21.

Hernangomez played in 18 games during his lone season with the Celtics in 2021-22, averaging 1.1 points, and 1.4 rebounds in 5.3 minutes.

Rose to NBA G-League Ops

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – NBA Vice President, Basketball Operations and two-time NBA champion Malik Rose was named Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA G League, said G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Rose replaces Brad Walker, who was named Commissioner of the America East Conference in August.

In his new role, Rose will lead the NBA G League’s efforts at expanding its talent pipeline and advancing integration of basketball operations between the G League and the NBA while focusing on basketball innovation and competition. He will also oversee NBA G League Ignite.

“We are thrilled to have Malik join the NBA G League as Head of Basketball Operations,” said Abdur-Rahim. “With his success as a player at the highest levels of the game and extensive background as an executive in both the NBA and G League, Malik has the experience, vision and expertise to help accelerate our progress and further deepen the connection between the two leagues.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to transition from NBA basketball operations to this position alongside Shareef and a talented staff with the NBA G League,” said Rose. “As someone who benefited greatly from his experience in the NBA G League, I know firsthand its importance to the NBA’s business and see enormous potential for continued growth.”

Rose joins the NBA G League after working since June 2020 in the NBA Basketball Operations department where he interfaced directly with teams and players regarding league programs, rules, new initiatives and competitive elements. Before joining the league office, Rose served as Assistant General Manager of the Detroit Pistons and General Manager of the Erie BayHawks, the NBA G League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks now known as the College Park Skyhawks. He was named the 2017-18 NBA G League Basketball Executive of the Year.

Rose played 13 seasons in the NBA after being selected by the Hornets with the 44th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He won NBA championships in 1999 and 2003 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. In addition to the Hornets and Spurs, Rose played for the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder.

A Philadelphia native, Rose received his bachelor’s degree with a dual concentration in computer information systems and education from Drexel University, where he played four years of college basketball. He also holds a master’s degree in sports management from Drexel.