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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.

Boston Celtics, NBA Mourn Passing of Hall-of-Famer Sam Jones, 88

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BOSTON – (Staff report from Multiple News Releases/Statements) – The basketball industry, including the Boston Celtics, the NBA and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame mourned the passing of legendary Boston Celtics legend Sam Jones. Enshrined as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984, Jones passed away at the age of 88. He was an honored member of the NBA’s All-time 25th anniversary, 50th anniversary and recently celebrated 75th anniversary teams.

“Sam Jones will be remembered as one of the most prolific champions in all of professional sports. His selfless style, clutch performances and signature bank shot were hallmarks of an incredible career that featured 10 NBA championships in 12 seasons with the Boston Celtics,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in a statement. “An HBCU (Historically Black Colleges/Universities) legend at North Carolina Central University and a member of the NBA’s 25th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams, Sam was a beloved teammate and respected competitor who played the game with dignity and class. We mourn the passing of a basketball giant and send our deepest condolences to Sam’s family and the Celtics organization.”

The Celtics organization issued a statement that read: “Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history. His scoring ability was so prolific, and his form so pure, that he earned the simple nickname, “The Shooter.” He was also known as “Mr. Clutch.” One of the many testaments to his clutch performances is the fact that his playoff scoring average (18.9) exceeded his regular season output (17.7). His number 24 was retired in 1969, the final year of his Celtics career, which of course resulted in an NBA Championship – his tenth. Only Bill Russell won more championships in his NBA career. The Jones family is in our thoughts as we mourn his loss and fondly remember the life and career of one of the greatest champions in American sports.”

“Sam Jones was as much of a one-of-a-kind athlete as he was an individual,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “As one of the greatest champions in American sports history, Sam embodied what it means to be a winner both on and off the court. He was a natural scorer and will forever be one the most clutch performers the game has ever seen. He will be tremendously missed by the entire Hall of Fame family.”

At 6-foot-4, Sam Jones was the prototype of the two-way, big guard. He could run the floor, bang the boards, and his rangy offensive game caused fits in his opponents. As a collegian, Jones was an offensive firehouse scoring 1,770 points while playing for Hall of Fame coach John McLendon at all-black North Carolina Central College. His senior season saw the fiery guard average a double-double in points and rebounds. His scoring aptitude continued and in the NBA he averaged over 17 points a game for his career. Always steady, always on top of his game, Sam Jones was a winner. One half of the “Jones Boys” of Boston, Sam teamed with K.C. Jones in the Celtics backcourt to create havoc in NBA arenas around the country. Jones favored an unorthodox but highly effective bank shot that became the muscle behind his and Boston’s ten NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959 to 1966.

He received several accolades throughout his storied career, including being the first African American inducted into the North Carolina Hall of Fame in 1969.  His jersey No. 24 was retired by the Celtics in 1969.

“I just got off the phone with Satch (Sanders),” former teammate Bob Cousy said to Boston sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy from his Worcester home Friday morning. “I told him not to look over his shoulder.

“Now we’re down to just three. Satch [Tom Sanders], Russ [Bill Russell], and I are holding up the float, I guess. The last thing I said to Satch was that I’m going to have my lonely New Year’s Eve drink tonight at 6 o’clock and I’m going to hoist it to Sam. I told Satch he should do the same and he said, ‘I won’t have mine till 10,’ and I said, ‘By 10, I will have been asleep for an hour.’ ”

 

Merry Christmas 🎄 2021

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Here is the NBA on Christmas Day schedule:

Noon: Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks (ESPN): The Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks will meet on Christmas Day for the first time since the Hawks moved to Atlanta (which took place in 1968). The teams faced each other twice on Christmas Day when the Hawks were in St. Louis (1956 and 1965). This will mark the first time the Hawks have been scheduled to play on December 25th since 1989. The Knicks have played 53 times on Christmas, the NBA team high.

2:30pm ET: Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks (ABC): The Celtics have played the third-most games on Christmas Day (34 entering 2021, trailing only NY and the LA Lakers) and the most road games on Christmas Day (29 entering 2021). Milwaukee will be hosting a Christmas Day game for the second consecutive year. The Bucks are (4-3) on the holiday with last year’s 138-99 stocking full of coal deposited on the Golden State Warriors.

5:00pm ET: Golden State Warriors at Phoenix Suns (ABC/ESPN Radio):The Suns are (12-6) on the holiday and the Warriors are (13-17). Phoenix’s last Christmas Day game came in 2009, a 124-93 win vs. LA Clippers. Golden State’s Draymond Green was the last player to record a triple-double on the holiday, and is one of six players to do so on Christmas Day: Draymond Green (2017), Russell Westbrook (2013), LeBron James(2010), Billy Cunningham (1970), John Havlicek (1967) and Oscar Robertson (four times: 1967, 1963, 1961 and 1960).

8:00pm ET: Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Lakers (ABC/ESPN Radio):The LA Lakers are scheduled on Christmas Day for the 23rd straight year. They have the most all-time victories on 12/25 with 24. Lakers center DeAndre Jordan holds the single-game record for most blocked shots on Christmas Day with eight for the LA Clippers against the Golden State Warriors in 2011. LeBron James ranks second in career points on Christmas Day with 383. He needs 13 points to pass the late Kobe Bryant (395) and become the all-time leading scorer on 12/25 when he has a (10-5) won-loss record which trails only Dwyane Wade’s (10-3) record. Meanwhile, the highest-scoring game by an active player on Christmas Day belongs to the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant, who had 44 points for the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Denver Nuggets in 2010. KD fell 16 points shy of Bernard King’s record.

10:30pm ET: Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz (ESPN): The nightcap will feature Dallas’ Luka Dončić against Utah’s Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, all three named NBA All-Stars last season. Both franchises are relative newcomers to the NBA on 12/25 tradition, with Dallas (2-2) and Utah (5-2). The Jazz games on Christmas Day have all been played at home (including two as the New Orleans Jazz).

TIDINGS of JOY: The NBA’s first foray of Christmas Day game came in 1947 when the Baltimore Bullets defeated the Chicago Stags 87-70 at Baltimore Coliseum. The same day, the New York Knicks defeated the Providence Steamrollers 89-75 at Madison Square Garden and the Washington Capitols won at St. Louis Bombers 73-56 at St. Louis Arena. The 56 point effort is the all-time low for Santa. … The last time there was just a single game on Christmas was 2006 when the Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 101-85 at Miami’s American Airlines Arena.