Star spencer basketball. Star Spencer High School Basketball: Building Champions on and off the Court

What is the history of Star Spencer High School basketball program. How has the team performed in recent years. Who are some notable alumni from the basketball program. What impact does basketball have on the school and community.

The Rich Legacy of Star Spencer High School Basketball

Star Spencer High School, located in Spencer, Oklahoma, has a storied basketball tradition that spans several decades. The Bobcats, as they are affectionately known, have consistently fielded competitive teams that have left an indelible mark on Oklahoma high school basketball.

The program’s success can be attributed to a combination of dedicated coaches, talented players, and unwavering community support. Over the years, Star Spencer has produced numerous standout athletes who have gone on to play at the collegiate level and beyond.

Championship Pedigree

Star Spencer’s basketball program has achieved notable success in state competitions. The Bobcats have claimed multiple state championships, with their most recent title coming in 2009. This victory solidified their status as one of Oklahoma’s premier high school basketball programs.

How many state championships has Star Spencer won? While the exact number may vary depending on the source, it’s clear that the Bobcats have secured multiple state titles throughout their history, cementing their legacy in Oklahoma high school basketball.

Recent Performances and Team Achievements

In recent years, Star Spencer has continued to field competitive teams that have made deep runs in state tournaments. The Bobcats consistently rank among the top teams in their classification, showcasing the program’s sustained excellence.

• Regular season success with impressive win-loss records
• Deep playoff runs, often reaching regional and state tournaments
• Individual player accolades, including All-State and All-Conference selections
• Consistent rankings in state-wide polls

Has Star Spencer’s success translated to national recognition? While the program primarily focuses on state-level competition, their achievements have garnered attention from basketball enthusiasts and recruiters across the country.

Notable Alumni and Their Impact

Star Spencer High School has produced a number of talented basketball players who have gone on to achieve success at higher levels of competition. While specific names are not provided in the original text, it’s common for successful high school programs to have alumni playing collegiately and professionally.

College Standouts

Many former Bobcats have continued their basketball careers at the collegiate level, representing Star Spencer at various NCAA divisions and NAIA institutions. These players often serve as ambassadors for the program, showcasing the talent and work ethic instilled during their high school years.

Professional Players

While not every high school produces NBA talent, programs like Star Spencer often have alumni who play professionally in overseas leagues or in domestic minor leagues. These success stories inspire current players and demonstrate the potential pathways available through basketball.

Do any Star Spencer alumni currently play in the NBA? Without specific information provided, it’s difficult to confirm current NBA players from the school. However, the program’s success suggests that it has likely produced players who have competed at high levels of professional basketball.

The Coaching Legacy at Star Spencer

Behind every successful basketball program is a dedicated coaching staff, and Star Spencer is no exception. The school has been fortunate to have had talented and committed coaches who have shaped the program over the years.

Coaching Philosophy

Star Spencer’s coaches typically emphasize:

• Fundamentals and skill development
• Teamwork and unselfish play
• Defensive intensity and discipline
• Character development both on and off the court

This approach has not only led to on-court success but has also helped prepare players for life beyond basketball.

Continuity and Adaptation

While coaching changes are inevitable, Star Spencer has likely maintained a level of continuity in its basketball program. This stability, combined with the ability to adapt to changing styles of play, has contributed to the team’s long-term success.

How does Star Spencer’s coaching staff stay current with modern basketball trends? Successful high school programs often prioritize ongoing education and professional development for their coaches, ensuring they remain at the forefront of basketball strategy and player development techniques.

The Impact of Basketball on Star Spencer High School

Basketball plays a significant role in the culture and identity of Star Spencer High School. The sport’s impact extends far beyond the court, influencing various aspects of school life and the surrounding community.

School Spirit and Unity

The basketball program serves as a rallying point for the entire school community. Home games are often well-attended events that bring together students, faculty, alumni, and local residents. This sense of unity and school pride can have positive effects on the overall academic and social atmosphere at Star Spencer.

Academic Motivation

Success in basketball can often translate to improved academic performance. Many high school athletic programs, including Star Spencer’s, likely emphasize the importance of maintaining good grades and being well-rounded student-athletes.

Does participation in basketball lead to better academic outcomes for Star Spencer students? While individual results may vary, studies have shown that involvement in high school sports can positively impact academic performance, time management skills, and overall student engagement.

Community Engagement and Support

The Star Spencer basketball program serves as a source of pride for the entire Spencer community. Local businesses, parents, and alumni often rally around the team, providing support in various forms.

• Financial support through booster clubs and fundraising events
• Volunteer efforts to assist with game day operations and team activities
• Mentorship opportunities for current players
• Community service initiatives led by the basketball program

This symbiotic relationship between the team and the community helps foster a sense of belonging and civic pride that extends beyond the basketball court.

Economic Impact

Successful high school basketball programs can also have a positive economic impact on their local communities. Home games attract visitors who may patronize local businesses, while tournament appearances can bring additional revenue and exposure to the area.

How does the success of Star Spencer’s basketball program benefit local businesses? While specific data isn’t provided, it’s common for popular high school sports programs to drive increased foot traffic and sales for nearby restaurants, shops, and other establishments, particularly on game days and during playoff runs.

Player Development and College Recruitment

Star Spencer’s basketball program likely places a strong emphasis on player development, both as athletes and individuals. This focus not only contributes to the team’s success but also helps prepare players for opportunities at the next level.

Skill Development

The coaching staff at Star Spencer presumably employs a comprehensive approach to skill development, including:

• Off-season training programs
• Individual skill work sessions
• Strength and conditioning routines
• Film study and basketball IQ development

College Recruitment

The success and reputation of Star Spencer’s basketball program likely attract attention from college recruiters. Coaches and administrators work to facilitate this process, helping players navigate the complexities of college recruitment and NCAA eligibility requirements.

What percentage of Star Spencer basketball players go on to play in college? While specific statistics aren’t provided, successful high school programs often see a significant number of their players continue their careers at various collegiate levels, from junior colleges to NCAA Division I institutions.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite its storied history and continued success, the Star Spencer basketball program likely faces challenges common to many high school sports programs.

Potential Challenges

• Funding and resource allocation in a public school setting
• Maintaining competitive balance with other schools in the area
• Adapting to changes in high school sports governance and regulations
• Balancing athletic success with academic priorities

Future Outlook

The future of Star Spencer basketball appears bright, built on a foundation of past success and ongoing community support. Key factors that will likely influence the program’s continued success include:

• Ability to attract and retain talented coaches
• Continued development of youth basketball programs in the area
• Maintenance and potential upgrades to facilities
• Adaptation to evolving styles of play and training methodologies

How is Star Spencer positioning itself for continued success in the coming years? While specific plans aren’t outlined, successful programs often focus on long-term sustainability through strong youth development, community engagement, and a commitment to excellence both on and off the court.

In conclusion, the Star Spencer High School basketball program stands as a testament to the power of sports to shape individuals, unite communities, and create lasting legacies. Through continued dedication, hard work, and support from all stakeholders, the Bobcats are well-positioned to build upon their rich history and achieve even greater success in the future.

Star Spencer High School, Spencer (OK) Basketball Players

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Denver ABA Star Spencer Haywood Thinks His Jersey Belongs In The Rafters In Ball Arena – CBS Denver

DENVER (CBS4) – The only player to be named MVP in Denver professional basketball franchise history (to date) is Spencer Haywood, when the Nuggets were known as the Denver Rockets in the American Basketball Association. When he was 20 and a rookie on the Denver Rockets, Haywood averaged 30 points and 19.5 rebounds and was named as the 1969-70 ABA’s MVP.

Spencer Haywood of the Denver Rockets on April 17, 1970. (credit: Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images)

“It was an awesome year. It was the best year of any player in the history of professional basketball,” said the 6-foot-9 player, who was also named Rookie of the Year and All-Star MVP.

RELATED: Why Spencer Haywood Thinks Nikola Jokic Deserves To Win MVP This Season

Haywood knows the Colorado basketball scene very well. He played his freshman season of college basketball at Trinidad State Junior College. During the 1967-68 season, he led the Trojans to a 27-3 record and a No. 6 national ranking, while averaging 27 points and 22 rebounds.

“Trinidad fit me perfectly. We traveled all over Colorado because all of the great players were in junior college at that time because they hadn’t accepted Black players in the majors, only a few exceptions like USC, Houston, etc. But most players will spend one or two years in junior college and then move up to the university level,” Haywood said.

After the season, Haywood earned a roster spot on the USA men’s basketball team and won a gold medal in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. After spending one season at the University of Detroit, he was back in Colorado a year later, this time leaving college early to sign with the Denver Rockets on a six-year, $1.9 million deal.

The Rockets went 51-33 and finished with the best record in the ABA’s Western Division. After beating the Washington Capitols in the semifinals, the Rockets lost in five games to the Los Angles Stars in the Western Division Finals.

“We had a good run. We were just playing basketball and enjoying ourselves. The people in Denver rallied around the team it was, it was everything,” Haywood recalled.

Haywood would leave the Rockets after the season following a contract dispute with owner Bill Ringsby. He signed on with the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA, but he was breaking an NBA rule since he was not four years removed from high school. So, he sued the league, and the case went to the Supreme Court in Haywood v. the National Basketball Association. On March 1, 1971, the case went in his favor 9-0, allowing young men to leave college early and go pro.

“We have estimated that over $31 billion in player revenue has been created from this cotton picker from Silver City, Mississippi who changed that, changed the game of basketball,” he said.

Spencer won a championship in 1980 with the Los Angeles Lakers and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. But he is looking for one more honor from the Nuggets.

“I’m waiting for somebody to say, well let’s put his jersey in the ceiling and let’s make it reality because I am the only MVP in the history of the franchise,” he said.

Spencer Haywood is pictured here receiving the ABA 1969-70 most valuable player award. (credit: Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images)

He is also using his fame to encourage others to take care of their health by getting the coronavirus vaccine.

“Denver, Colorado, let’s vax up. Let’s get ready because we are the champions. We have everything in our favor. Let’s keep it rolling.”

Star Spencer is Millwood’s direct threat in Class 3A

Posted On: 02/26/20 11:16 PM

In Class 3A, three teams will compete for a championship. Yes, eight teams will make the State Tournament, but three teams will compete for a state title. Those three teams are Millwood, Roland, and Star Spencer. Of those three teams, Millwood is the favorite because of their personnel, but if anyone can upset them it’ll be Star Spencer.

I say Star Spencer is a sleeper, but are they? They’re third in Class 3A behind both Millwood and Roland, but looking at their schedule, it’s comparable to Millwood who’s (14-9) on the season. The Bobcats are (18-5) with some notable losses to competitive teams. Among their key losses is a road loss to Class 4A’s Heritage Hall, Daniel Webster, John Marshal, and a competitive Choctaw team from Class 6A.

The Bobcats aren’t going to beat you playing today’s style of basketball. Their head coach, Lance Cudjoe is a journeyman in high school coaching. He’s been everywhere, including serving as the head assistant coach to Terry Long at Douglass where they won numerous state championships and took even more trips to the State Tournament during that time.

Cudjoe has implemented an entirely different style of basketball than what today’s game has to

In Class 3A, three teams will compete for a championship. Yes, eight teams will make the State Tournament, but three teams will compete for a state title. Those three teams are Millwood, Roland, and Star Spencer. Of those three teams, Millwood is the favorite because of their personnel, but if anyone can upset them it’ll be Star Spencer.
I say Star Spencer is a sleeper, but are they? They’re third in Class 3A behind both Millwood and Roland, but looking at their schedule, it’s comparable to Millwood who’s (14-9) on the season. The Bobcats are (18-5) with some notable losses to competitive teams. Among their key losses is a road loss to Class 4A’s Heritage Hall, Daniel Webster, John Marshal, and a competitive Choctaw team from Class 6A.
The Bobcats aren’t going to beat you playing today’s style of basketball. Their head coach, Lance Cudjoe is a journeyman in high school coaching. He’s been everywhere, including serving as the head assistant coach to Terry Long at Douglass where they won numerous state championships and took even more trips to the State Tournament during that time.
Cudjoe has implemented an entirely different style of basketball than what today’s game has to offer. The Bobcats are beating teams with their athleticism and with a defense-first mentality that’s stressful for teams that can’t match their athleticism.
In their game against Heritage Hall, their defense was an obstacle that 4A’s No. 2 team struggled to cross. If it weren’t for Trey Alexander, a top-three player in the state of Oklahoma, Star may have gotten that win.
I think Millwood is the best team in 3A, but the code to beat them could be simple for Star Spencer. Play tough defense against the Falcons, get Isaiah Williams out of his game and force as many turnovers as possible.

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High school B-ball star, famed sportscaster — and matzo ball maker

New Utrecht High School in southern Brooklyn, where Spencer Ross was a basketball star. Wikimedia photo by MJ

Bet you didn’t know he also is a Master Chef.

Well almost.

Need a hint?

He’s in the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame; the New York State Baseball and Basketball Halls and soon to be inducted in the Brooklyn Sports Hall.

Need more?

OK – this is easy. With the exception of the New York Mets, he’s called play-by-play for every professional New York Metropolitan area sports franchise, including the Yankees of MLB, the Nets and Knicks of the NBA and, in the NHL, for the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and New York Rangers.

But Spencer Ross’ claim to fame – and this may be a first – is his matzo ball soup.

“I make the best tasting matzo balls in the world,” he told the Eagle, from a bench on Katherine Hepburn Park the other afternoon. “The secret,” he continued, “is seltzer and schmaltz (chicken fat).”

–>

Who knew?

And who knew the basketball star at New Utrecht High School would become a household name in sports – with a microphone and not a ball.

“As a junior, we should have won the City Championship,” said Ross, a member of the Utes’ class of 1958. “We lost to Thomas Jefferson, at Madison Square Garden in the Opening Round of the playoffs, 82-58. ”

The 80-year-old Ross remembers the game like it was yesterday. In fact, he recalled his Utes led 28-27 at the half, “And we had already beaten Jeff earlier in the season.”

Jefferson, he remembered, was loaded.

“They had future pros in LeRoy Ellis and Tony Jackson,” he said. “We held TJ to 15 at the half.”

Jackson went-off in the second half, scored 39 points and wound-up scoring 54.

The Jack Gordon-coached Utrecht squad saw all five starters garnering scholarships as seniors.

“I had some offers – to Belmont and Alfred (NY),” Ross said. 

But a twist of fate landed him in Florida—and a new budding career.

“I was asked by a stranger, ‘How’d you like to attend school in Florida,’” Ross remembered. “I said, ‘That’s the school in Gainesville.’”

The stranger responded: “Don’t ever say that again.”

The school in question – Florida State – is located in Tallahassee.

The so-called stranger – a Brooklyn-born baseballer – John Cangelosi – was the man responsible for Spencer Ross attending Florida State.

“In fact,” Ross said, “in 1985 I was doing a Chicago White Sox-Yankee exhibition game and Cangelosi was playing. I went to the clubhouse after the game and he told me yes, his dad was from Brooklyn.
“I was the kid who got the scholarship,” Ross said.

But basketball and Spencer Ross – at least like oil and water – did not mix. “I quickly found out these kids were bigger, stronger, faster and shot better,” he said.

For Ross – who started his basketball playing career in the schoolyard at P.S. 103 (on 14th Avenue) —  was staring at the fork in the road – in Tallahassee – he was stuck with reality and the path to a new frontier called radio.

“I was told I wouldn’t be making the travel quad with the team,” said Ross, “and at the same time Coach Bud Kennedy)  told me WTNT Radio was going to broadcast our games.”

This was 1960. This was a first for Florida State.

And a first for Ross, who immediately told his coach, “I can do that, coach. I can do it. ”

Ross had the best of teachers at the young age of 10. “I listened to the great Marty Glickman. I had a PhD in Marty Glickman.”

Glickman, like no one else – or since – painted a picture with words. Top of the key, right, left baseline – you get the picture.

So, Ross recorded a scrimmage, submitted it to WTNT and hired the young Ross at a rate of $10 per-game.

He did Florida State baseball and traveled with them to the College World Series.

WTNT went off the air at midnight and the enterprising Ross suggested to management he play music till 2 am. He did – and pocketed an additional $60 a-week for his Friday and Saturday work.

And it was the late Marty Glickman who struck again. It was Glickman who was hired to find a play-by-play announcer for the fledging New Jersey Americans in the brand-new American Basketball Association.

This was 1967 – the year Spencer Ross turned pro as the very first announcer for the Americans.

As for Glickman, Ross didn’t hold back praise and thanks.

“He was my mentor, he was my surigant father (my dad died when I was 16), he was my strictest critic and taught me much about broadcasting.”

It shows.

Glickman and former Boston Celtics Hall of Fame Coach Red Auerbach lured the kid from 1335 50th Street in Borough Park to Boston to call their games in 1995.

But there was more – always more for Spencer Ross. He’s done play-by-play for the New York Stars (World Football League), New York Sets (World Team Tennis), won the first Emmy Award for any Yankee announcer and called pre-season on television for both the New York Giants and New York Jets.

There was also rugby, amateur wrestling, roller derby and even rodeo along the way,

“My spotter for the Giants’ games was a law student – John Mara,” he said. His dad (Wellington) owned the club. “And Roger Goodell – the present-day NFL Commissioner – was my spotter for Jets’ games.”

But perhaps the best moment in the lengthy career of Spencer Ross was a no-call.

It was 1985, Ross was in the Yankee broadcast booth with Phil Rizzuto and Bill White. The opponent that day was Tom Seaver and the Chicago White Sox,

Seaver was going for career-win 300. Ross did three innings of play-by-play and three as a color analyst. The veteran Lindsey Nelson was brought in for his story-telling for this game.

“When we came back from commercial for the final inning,” Ross said, “I told Lindsey, ‘There’s only one man to call play-by-play for this milestone moment’”.

Ross gave the microphone to Nelson.

“I met him (Lindsey) 10 years later in Knoxville,” Ross said.

Nelson greeted him with this: “In all my years in broadcasting, that was the most selfless gesture I’ve ever seen.”

Not too bad for a fledgling chef.

Andy Furman is a Fox Sports Radio national talk show host. Previously, he was a scholastic sports columnist for the Brooklyn Eagle. He may be reached at: [email protected]

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Star Spencer High School Alumni Association, 3001 Spencer Rd, Spencer, OK (2021)

HISTORY OF STAR SPENCER HIGH SCHOOL Star Spencer High School traces its old roots to the “War Babies” of the Second World War. When Tinker Air Force Base, just to the south, converted from war to peace time operations, employed many war veterans, and new housing developments went up on every vacant lot, the small country schools of the Spencer and Star communities were inadequate to hold those war babies as they reached school age.

Therefore the elementary schools of Star and Spencer were expanded to include Green Pastures, Telestar, and Willow Brook Elementary School. As those war babies reached high school age, they were being transferred to the Choctaw, Jones, Midwest City and Oklahoma City schools. At that time the people were faced with the problem of annexation to the Midwest City school system, which most patrons felt was barely able to take care of the children of their own community. With the community growing so rapidly, the patrons had a vision of a high school in the future, so the vote to annex to Midwest City was brought up and defeated twice. In 1955 ten acres of ground was purchased on North Spencer Road from Mr. W.H. Weinger for $5000.00. Seven classrooms, a principal’s office, kitchen and cafeteria were built and ready for occupancy by October 1956. Fred Caviness was the teaching principal and “Spencer Road School” was the beginnings of a dream come true. The first plan was to begin with a junior high school and gradually grew into a complete high school, but according to state law, an entire high school had to be established, so the seventh and eighth grade students from the elementary schools were sent to the Spencer Road School, with ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades added the next year. Mr. William C. Gregory was transferred from Star Elementary as the high school principal. Because of ill health, Mr. Gregory retired at the end of the school year, and Mr. Raymond Harvey was employed as superintendent, with Mr. C.W. Earnest serving as principal. In hiring teachers for the new highs school, Mr. Harvey gave preference to those who had high school age children who could play football, basketball, or play an instrument in the band. During the year 1958-59 the school was officially named Star-Spencer High School, navy blue and white was the school colors, and a Bobcat was the mascot. Star-Spencer became an accredited high school and a member of the North Central Association. Classrooms were still at a premium for the growing number students, and some classes were held in school buses. In February 1959, Star-Spencer suffered a great loss when the temporary building that housed the band equipment and woodshop burned. A Band Booster club was organized to aid the development of the instrumental music program shortly after the beginning of school, but after the fire, their efforts were directed in helping replace instruments destroyed by the fire. Lyle Work was the band director. The first class graduate from Star Spencer High School was May 1959, with 25 graduating seniors. Star Spencer kept up the tradition of growing, and the time had come for more assistance than the County Superintendent could provide, so during the 1959-60 school year, patrons went to the polls and annexed to the Oklahoma City School District, and on January 5, 1960, Star Spencer High School merged with Oklahoma City and became a part of Independent School District I-89. Harvey remained as area superintendent, with Mr. Earnest, high school principal, Mr. Jim Tomlinson, junior high principal and Mrs. Eleanor Lane, Counselor. Star Spencer had now grown to an enrollment of 1025 with 30 classrooms, an auto mechanic shop, two industrial arts rooms, a special education building, a band room, a girl’s gym equipped with showers and dressing rooms, showers and dressing rooms added to the boy’s gym and a garage repair shop for the 15 buses that transported students to and from school. Harvey retired at the close of the school year, Mr. Earnest transferred to another school, and Mr. A.R. Reeder was appointed principal, with Mr. Sizemore Bowlan, vice principal. The number of counselors was increased to three, and a school nurse, Florene Walker, was hired. Over the next two years, more construction took place and the school year 1965-66 closed with 40 regular classrooms, nine temporary classrooms, with three classes held in the auditorium. The latest additions were band room, music room, auto mechanics, new offices, teacher’s lounge, material center, speech room and the auditorium with a seating capacity of 900. Ted Perdue and Mr. Tomlinson were vice principals. The junior class won first place honors every year until Mrs. Metheny retired in 1977. The peak enrollment was reached this year with 1,805 students, 189 of those, graduating seniors. The year 1967-68 was a winning year for the baseball team who won the state championship. Dawkins worked for expansion and beautification of the campus area in 1968-69. Rogers Middle School for grades six through eight came in to being in the school year, 1969-70. Carl Twidwell, athletic director and football coach, was made vice principal. Under the direction of the new football coach, Mr. Carl Smith, the Bobcats shut out two conference foes and became Capitol Conference Co-Champions in football. The Bobcat cross-country team took runner-up honors in the State 3-A meet for the second straight year. Bobcat wrestlers retained their Capitol Conference title, crowning four champions, and outdistancing three other high schools in the conference tournament. The school year 1971-72 welcomed Mr. James Sandage as principal, and a brand new addition, Security Guard, Mr. Bruce Bailey. Arcadia High School students were transferred to Star-Spencer for the school year 1972-73. In the fall of 1973 Dungee High School was closed and the students were transferred to Star-Spencer. James Nees was principal, with Ollie Cooper and Basil McCollom new vice principals, along with John Moore. For the third year a student from Star-Spencer was chosen Boy-Of-The-Month by the Exchange Club of Oklahoma City; five for Hi-Lions, and five for citizenship awards. Math teacher, J.H. Bowman, was appointed the new head football coach and athletic director. The Counselors were: Seniors-Marge Watters; Juniors-Richard Berry; Sophomores-Hallie Knight, Freshman-Judy Legg. The year 1974-75 saw the usual Star-Spencer activities, such as band and choral concerts, class elections, pep rallies, talent shows, Toys for Tots, Walk for Mankind, door and hall decorations, homecoming parade, thespian plays, Powder Puff Derby, modern dance and gymnastics programs, assorted assemblies including the Grambling Band, and an especially interesting presentation by Mrs. Pam Willis, a widely traveled teacher, on her trip to Russia. The 1975-76 school year created a sad memory when the Pep Club bus chartered for the Guymon-Star-Spencer game overturned on the way home. Luckily most of the injuries were minor cuts and bruises. The Bobcat football team went to the state 3A playoffs for the second year, and being rated number one after winning State was a great experience for the Bobcat basketball squad. Since this was the bi-centennial year, the History Club toured Washington, D.C. during the Spring Break. The end of school was most exciting. There were more banquets, assemblies, the prom, award assemblies, and then—graduation! The year 1976-77 had for its motto, “The Shape of Things To Come.” Star-Spencer was in a three-way tie for first place in the football Capitol Conference with Southeast and Douglass and another State Championship was earned by the Bobcat basketball team. Winner of the Best Legs Contest sponsored by the Key Club was none other than our distinguished band director, Mr. Richard Burrell. The school year 1977-78 started out with a new principal, Dr. Leon Edd and several new classes including Carpentry, Child Care and Horticulture. For the third year the Bobcat basketball team won the State Championship. Looking back to the beginning, the ebb and flow of students and teachers can be compared to the sands and tides of the oceans. Teachers that started at the beginning and are still with us include Mrs. Jean Hartis, Mr. Emile Delsigne, and Mr. Ward McCaskill. R.C. Poteet is retired, but still substituting. In the past, Star-Spencer has had three graduates accepted by the U.S. Air Force Academy, and one graduate by the U.S. Naval Academy. The whole of Star-Spencer can be compared to the melting pot communities of large metropolitan cities: White, Black, Portuguese, Iranian, German, Indian, Hawaiian, Vietnamese, and French are just a few of the ethnic groups who have graced the halls of Star-Spencer. 1959-2014- the dream goes on…

Operating as usual

Lacrosse Star Pat Spencer Eyes NBA’s Long-Term Earning Potential – Sportico.

com

As the 2020-21 NBA season gets underway, its minor league counterpart—the G League—is still figuring out what this season will look like. Unable to finish last season due to the pandemic, the NBA’s largest feeder system has been on pause since March 12. That has left many prospects in limbo—including Northwestern’s Pat Spencer, a late bloomer in the basketball world who chose the sport over a career in professional lacrosse.

The Davidsonville, Maryland, native began his college athletic career on  the lacrosse team at Loyola University in his home state. By 2019, he’d notched first-team All-American honors and finished as the sport’s Division I career assists leader. He hit second on the all-time points list and took home the top individual honor in college lacrosse—the Tewaaraton Award. But he decided to use his final year of eligibility to play hoops at Northwestern as a graduate transfer.

Like Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, Spencer was presented with the choice of two possible professional athletic careers, one seemingly much more certain than the other. The spring before he started at Northwestern, Spencer was drafted by both professional outdoor lacrosse leagues, the Premier Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse.

Picked No. 1 overall in the PLL’s first-ever draft and seventh in the MLL draft—the latter by his hometown team, Chesapeake—Spencer instead opted to pursue basketball. Now, after an interrupted hoops season in Evanston (where the 6-3 guard averaged 10.4 points on 43% shooting, 3.9 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game) and a delayed November NBA draft where he didn’t hear his name called, Spencer waits, like all other G League hopefuls. The league has yet to announce plans for 2021, or sign any players for the season.

“I was pretty straightforward with both [lacrosse leagues] about my dream to play hoops,” Spencer, currently training in upstate New York, said in a phone interview. “Don’t get me wrong, I was thankful for the opportunity and honored from the PLL and MLL standpoint. But at the end of the day, basketball was something I wanted to pursue and I can’t put a price on that. ”

Ironically, Spencer actually would’ve likely made more money as a professional lacrosse player than he will—at least at the start—pursuing his hardwood dreams.

The starting salaries between the two sports are comparable. Every G League player signed to a standard contract gets the same deal: $7,000 per month over the course of the season, or $35,000 during the league’s typical five-month run. The standard contract is only one season long, with no longer-term offers made to G League players.

The handful of hoopers on two-way deals with an NBA team can earn more or have lengthier contracts as they wind up on the franchise’s payroll instead of the G League’s, but the rest go season by season.

The PLL’s average salary is similarly $35,000, higher than the MLL’s part-time pay precedent that existed for decades before the PLL played its first season in 2019. The leagues have since merged under the PLL umbrella, as Sportico first reported, but had Spencer picked the newer league, his contract likely would’ve carried around the same value as the G League would. Given Spencer’s college success and professional potential, however, the league could have offered him a contract worth more than the average salary. Here’s where lacrosse edges ahead in terms of earning opportunity.

“PLL players get on-field wages, healthcare and stock options in the company, but with any No. 1 pick, what becomes additionally compelling is the sponsorship and appearance value that takes place outside the lines,” said PLL co-founder Paul Rabil, known as “lacrosse’s first million-dollar man” because of the deals he himself has been able to land.

Rabil’s young league has uniquely integrated a number of its top players into off-field earning opportunities, frequently roping individuals into sponsorship pacts with companies including Bose, Utz and CBD brand Mendi. The PLL prioritizes players’ social media and personal brands, boosting potential for endorsement or sponsorship deals, and offers opportunities to earn additional income with the PLL Academy.

Endorsement opportunities would have almost been guaranteed for Spencer in lacrosse, a number of agents in the space agree. That supplemental income stream isn’t as common among G League basketball players, who get less exposure than their NBA counterparts. MLL commissioner Sandy Brown described Spencer as a “once in a lifetime talent” in lacrosse—a lock for plenty of exposure in that sport’s world.

Rabil was “100%” confident a stick and ball sponsorship would’ve been in the cards for Spencer, and felt as strongly that the prospect could have secured a footwear and apparel deal as well. In his opinion, Spencer “would be looking at north of $100,000 in value based on his on- and off-field brand in lacrosse.”

As with any sport, the value of endorsement deals in lacrosse varies depending on the player, product and opportunity, but agents agreed with Rabil’s assessment of Spencer’s potential earnings, estimating his off-field deals could have been worth a high five figures if not more.

G League officials confirmed that their standard contract allows players opportunities to sign endorsement deals, host camps and the like, but few have successfully landed large endorsement deals prior to arriving in the NBA.

And yet none of that potential lacrosse money could sway Spencer, who notes that the long-term earning potential is where the opportunities differ most dramatically, if he can make it to the basketball big leagues.

“The platform for the NBA is there currently,” Spencer explained. “The PLL is growing, much like the game of lacrosse as a whole. What they’ve done getting guys a salary that’s doable for a full-time job is big. They’re taking a step in the right direction branding [lacrosse] and turning it into something that’s more of a real, full-time sport. The differences are clearly from a financial standpoint: The PLL has a long way to go [to compare to the NBA]. The NBA is a major league already. It’s completely global.”

NBA Halts Basketball Star Spencer Dinwiddie’s Plan To Tokenize His Contract

Last week the story about Spencer Dinwiddie’s idea to tokenize his contract with the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets seemed brilliant. He would create a security token allowing him to offer a portion of his contract ($34.4 million) for an upfront cash “advance.” By monetizing his contract he would thus receive a lump-sum payout allowing Dinwiddie to seek other potential investments immediately. In fact Dinwiddie planned to work with other NBA players to create their own tokens as well. However, the powers that be — the NBA — said NO!

Even with some details that would have to be worked out, the “tokenized security” backed by an NBA contract would have been offered only to accredited investors with the principal amount returned to investors plus a few percentage points of interest. In addition, the token may have had the potential to return more than the base amount of the contract if Dinwiddie eclipsed certain performance thresholds and received bonus money, or even became a free agent and landed a bigger and more lucrative contract. Kind of like a guaranteed return call option.

So why did the NBA powers say NO and not share Dinwiddie’s vision? In their own words;

“According to recent reports, Spencer Dinwiddie intends to sell investors a ‘tokenized security’ that will be backed by his player contract. The described arrangement is prohibited by the C.B.A., which provides that ‘no player shall assign or otherwise transfer to any third party his right to receive compensation from the team under his uniform player contract.’”

The tokenization of a contract may be a new twist, but it is really only an updated form of factoring. Remember, David Bowie securitized his music royalties for an upfront payout years ago.  Today, artists can do the same with their works of art, music or even writings.

Participating in a NBA (or NFL, MLB, etc) player’s performance, and secured by a contract, seems like a great idea. Perhaps when the collective bargaining agreements (CBA) come up for renewal, there may be some adjustments. 

Until then, the tokenization of NBA player contracts is a bust for now.

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90,000 Royal Investments. What is the NBA star LeBron James investing in? :: News :: RBC Investments

LeBron’s actions are admired not only on the set.The basketball player invests skillfully and even maintains a friendly relationship with Warren Buffett

Photo: Getty Images

LeBron James is a four-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion. He became her most valuable player four times. In addition, he was twice an Olympic champion.

His leadership qualities are reflected not only in sports. He successfully realizes himself as a businessman, philanthropist and even a Hollywood movie actor. LeBron received the nickname “The King” which appeared on his athletic uniform.

According to the media, LeBron is not only the greatest athlete in NBA history, but also a very important public figure of his time. Let’s see what a basketball player makes in addition to sports and what he invests in.

Singer, investor, businesswoman: how Beyoncé makes money

Bad choice

In 2005, vitamin-drink maker Vitaminwater wanted to sign an advertising contract with LeBron. The company could not afford the large payout to the athlete, so instead offered a stake in the business. But the future NBA champion refused such a deal, preferring a cash payment.

He later signed a six-year, $ 20 million deal with Coca-Cola. And Vitaminwater signed a contract with rapper 50 Cent in exchange for a stake in the company. Three years later, Coca-Cola bought Vitaminwater for more than $ 4 billion. As a result of the deal, which LeBron abandoned, the rapper received up to $ 100 million.

This was an important lesson for James to understand the difference between just an advertising rep and a business shareholder.Meanwhile, he learned his lesson quickly and did not miss the next chance.

Earned on a deal with Apple

In 2008, James signed a deal to promote Beats headphones in exchange for a 1% stake in the company. In 2014, Apple bought the company for $ 3 billion, and LeBron got $ 30 million – $ 26 million in cash and $ 4 million in Apple stock.

At the time, this was the largest cash payment in history for a professional athlete. The deal made him $ 11 million more than he earned a year playing basketball.

Believes in Liverpool

In 2011, the Lakers star received a 2% stake in Liverpool Football Club. The stake cost LeBron $ 6.5 million. Since James invested in the club, the value of the team has skyrocketed. Especially in recent years, Liverpool have taken first place in the English Premier League and won the UEFA Champions League in the 2018–2019 season. A year earlier in the Champions League, the English club reached the final, losing to Real Madrid.

Photo: Pexels

As of May 2019, Forbes estimated the value of Liverpool at $ 2. 18 billion.Thus, James’ stake by this time was worth approximately $ 43.6 million. This is almost seven times more than LeBron invested in 2011.

Earned $ 35 million on pizza

In 2012, LeBron and his partners invested just under $ 1 million in the Blaze Pizza chain. Blaze is a Subway-like restaurant where you can prepare a meal from the ingredients presented or choose a ready-made dish from the menu. In 2013, James became a Blaze franchisee and opened two of his own restaurants in Chicago and Miami, now he has 19 outlets.

Two years later, LeBron pulled out of a $ 15 million contract with McDonald’s to become an official representative of Blaze Pizza. The pizzeria does not use the image of James in advertising, he himself constantly promotes it, appearing in chain establishments or distributing pizza on the street.

In 2016, the star basketball player donned a pizza chain jersey and cap and worked behind the counter, posing as “Ron.” Many visitors recognized LeBron and took selfies with him. According to representatives of Blaze Pizza, the number of customers has really increased since the distribution of this video.In 2019, he reincarnated as “Ron” again and went out into the street, handing out pizza to passers-by.

According to ESPN, LeBron’s share of the pizza chain is approximately 10%. As the newspaper writes, it costs from $ 35 million to $ 40 million.

Opened a school for children from disadvantaged families.

Despite multi-million dollar deals with the Lakers, advertising revenues and investments, the true champion does not forget about charity. In 2018, in the superstar’s hometown of Akron, Ohio, he opened a school for underprivileged children.The school offers free tuition, uniforms, meals, food for families of students and tuition fees at the University of Akron for all who graduate.

Photo: Getty Images

By 2022, the school will cost $ 8.1 million a year.Funding will come from the LeBron James Charitable Foundation, sponsors and the Akron Department of Public Schools.

Created his own media empire

In the middle of last year, LeBron James and his partner Maverick Carter merged their three media companies into one structure – The SpringHill Company. It consists of the production arm of SpringHill Entertainment, internet platform Uninterrupted and marketing agency The Robot Company. SpringHill is named after a residential complex in Akron.James and his mom moved there when he was in sixth grade.

According to Bloomberg, the company raised about $ 100 million. Investment companies Guggenheim Partners, UC Investments, SC.Holdings and the production company Sister, which worked on the Chernobyl mini-series, have invested in it.

SpringHill Entertainment has already created The Wall, a quiz show project for NBC. The studio also collaborated with Warner Bros in filming Space Jam: The Next Generation, starring James.The premiere is scheduled for this summer.

In 2020, the company signed a TV production contract with Walt Disney and is working with Netflix on a basketball movie starring Adam Sandler as a scout.

The company also worked with Netflix on the TV series Madame CJ Walker. The picture tells the story of an African American woman who created an empire of beauty at the beginning of the 20th century. The main character is played by the actress Octavia Spencer. The series premiered in March 2020.

In mid-June last year, SpringHill Entertainment signed a two-year TV scripting contract with ABC Studios, part of Disney Television Studios. And in September she struck a deal with Universal.

Uninterrupted is a media company that produces various shows. In 2015, it raised $ 15.8 billion from AT&T’s Warner Bros. One of the shows is Kneading Dough, which was created in partnership with JPMorgan Chase.In it, athletes share their financial and career paths to help others better manage money.

Another hit show, The Shop, Uninterrupted created with HBO. In this show, several stars gather in a barbershop and openly talk about current topics – from sports and business to pop culture and what is happening in the world. Former US President Barack Obama, actor Will Smith, rapper Drake and other stars took part in the program.

Photo: HBO.com

Not only football, but also baseball

In March of this year, it became known that LeBron became a co-owner of the Boston Red Sox baseball club. James and Carter bought a stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the baseball club. The size of the basketball player’s share was not disclosed.

In addition, the deal will make LeBron a co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing, the New England Sports Network and sports marketing company Fenway Sports Management.Fenway Sports Group also owns a majority stake in Liverpool.

How movie, music and TV stars invest: 8 catchy stories

“King” not only on the site

LeBron’s off-court performance impresses not only fans but legendary investors as well.Billionaire
Warren Buffett
, who knows LeBron personally, noted that he has a “mindset focused on making money.” The Oracle of Omaha stated that James is a great business man and that many would be worth learning from him. “He talked smarter about deals than many MBA people I’ve met,” Buffett said.

They met over a decade ago while filming a scene for the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting, and have been friends ever since.

When LeBron was named Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, Buffett wrote: “He has lived up to the admiration of many millions of young people with his ability to meet huge expectations on the basketball court, his business success in Hollywood and the media, and his new school for low-income children. in his hometown of Akron. ”

LeBron later responded on Twitter, “It’s an honor to be in the company of such great leaders. Thanks to Warren Buffett for the kind words.This is all for the sake of my children. ”

Honored and humbled to be in the company of such great leaders ?? thank you for the kind words @WarrenBuffett it’s all for my kids ❤️ # IPROMISE https://t.co/04ud7vffn4

– LeBron James (@KingJames) April 17, 2019

More interesting stories about investments can be found in our telegram channel “You are an investor yourself!”

American businessman and one of the most famous investors in the world. The main owner and CEO of the Berkshire Hathaway investment holding.90,000 Durant and other stars launch the NBA 2K tournament. Our favorite is the former Spartak player

The coronavirus is not only a problem, but also a new opportunity.

The coronavirus is not only a problem, but also new opportunities.

It was in the evening, there was nothing to do.This is approximately how everyone’s evenings go now – not only professional basketball players. Public people cannot go out into the street (like everyone else) – they have to go online. The musicians give free live home concerts. Writers – read their works. What should basketball players do? That’s right, play basketball. When you can’t get together more than two, you can’t play a real ring live in the hall. But online everything is possible.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1246196276930039808

A large-scale cyber tournament with the participation of a real basketball player of the Russian national team Dmitry Kulagin is currently underway in Russia too.But there, most of the participants are still ordinary fans, gamers. The NBA went further – and, together with online gaming giant 2K, launched an eSports tournament with the real stars of the league clubs. And with real broadcasts on national television (ESPN is the channel that broadcasts the NBA finals).

🗣 @KDTrey5 is kicking off the @NBA2k Players Tournament at the bottom of the hour!

FYI ➡️ Players have 8 pre-selected teams to use throughout the tourney and once they’ve used a team, they won’t be able to select them again. pic.twitter.com/0RFVensMmu

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) April 3, 2020

The first seed is Kevin Durant, who has just recovered from the coronavirus. The 16 participants were ranked according to the skills of their characters in the world of NBA 2K, but who said that a superstar on the court must be good at playing on a video console?

Of course, Durant was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.Seed number one lost to sixteenth – Derrick Jones from Phoenix. Although the account opened nicely.

🎮 @NBA2K Players Tournament 🎮@KDTrey5 gets to the bucket with Kawhi Leonard to open up his match-up with @TheRea1DJones!

📺: #NBA2KTourney on ESPN pic.twitter.com/IlnW6jWHjW

— NBA (@NBA) April 3, 2020

Why did KD even play for the Clippers and not Brooklyn? It’s all about the rules of the tournament: each participant has chosen eight teams in advance, each can be used only in one match. The first on Kevin’s list, of course, was “Brooklyn”, but, apparently, he wanted to save him until the final. It turned out that there was nowhere to save.

Durant was eliminated, but continued his life in the tournament: his fellow coronavirus misfortune Donovan Mitchell hit Kevin well from above with two hands.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1246938782642

Have you noticed how cool it is to watch both the players on the court and the reactions of those who control them at the same time? Welcome to esports, it’s always like that.

Now the whole world is online – and basketball is doing the same. Cyber ​​tournaments are salvation for everyone in the harsh coronavirus reality. Players are busy with at least some business, sports TV channels are happy to show at least something live, bookmakers still have something to accept bets on, and journalists have something to talk about.

And the coolest thing is, of course, the live comments of the participants. “Who gave him the ball? Stop giving him the ball! ” – NBA stars, to whom a gamepad fell into their hands, swear just like you.

Patrick Beverly, the former defender of Spartak St. Petersburg, burns the most.

.@patbev21 was too hyped on his W 😤

"Who next?" pic.twitter.com/FkmdSV4CoZ

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 10, 2020

“Oh, I forgot I play away. The first quarter in away matches is always difficult. ”

“Drummond, you’re not the only one who plays athletic.Some of the little defenders in this league can play that way too. ”

Two things can be said about the participation of the Clippers point guard in this tournament:

1) Thrashtok definitely works not only on live floor, but also in online games. In fact, there is a suspicion that gamers have dirty tricks as a method of influencing an opponent even earlier than among Basktebol players.

2) Tough defender in life = tough defender online. Even on a gamepad, Patrick defends himself in such a way that he forces opponents to break the 24-second rule.

Beverly is already in the semifinals.

.@patbev21 takes down @AndreDrummond and the Bucks.. he is going to be tough to stop#NBA2KTourney pic.twitter.com/nVCyYqHDQa

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) April 10, 2020

The weirdest first pick in 2018, Deandre Ayton, awaits him there. Luka Doncic was not even chosen for the 2K tournament, and indeed of the Europeans, only Domantas Sabonis from Indiana was among the 16 participants. Probably because of the surname. All the same, the Lithuanian was eliminated in the first round – he lost to Montrez Harrell, who will meet with Devin Booker in the second semifinal. And Durant’s departure in the first round only proves that star status in real life does not apply to virtual reality.

An online tournament among the stars, or at least just with their participation, is the best thing that professional sports leagues can come up with now, when offline sports are temporarily banned (strange, but doping is out of the question). It’s really a lot of fun – and not just for those involved. Look:

My guy @ShamsCharania just said @spidadmitchell missed a GW 3 with me against the @Lakers in @NBA2K … good thing we know that’s not realistic 🤣

— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) April 5, 2020

Brooklyn’s Spencer Dinwiddy writes:

“My buddy Shams Charania (he is such an insider in the real NBA. – Match TV) just reported that Donovan Mitchell oiled a winning three with ME in the last seconds of his match with the Lakers in NBA 2K.It’s great to know that this doesn’t happen in real life. ”

(The Nets won Los Angeles on a key hit from Spencer from mid-range the day before the season closed.)

The Japanese Rui Khachimura got his own “boy” serving towels and water. At least the timeouts in NBA 2K are close to reality.

Rui Hachimura got his own waterboy for the #NBA2KTourney 😂 pic.twitter.com/PLpswVSFDr

— ESPN (@espn) April 5, 2020

And Booker, by the way, reached the semifinals without using his own team. When his first round rival Michael Porter asked him to choose the Suns to play, Devin replied, “Mmm, no.”Then he explained, “Because my character in this game is dumb.”

Because @NBA2K has my player messed up https://t.co/iHpVqugU6n

— Book (@DevinBook) April 6, 2020

Sabonis generally spoke directly about his player: “Oh, God, he sucks! It sucks. Look how badly they made me take free kicks here … what is it, what is he doing? Looks like I’m going to fall during a free kick! ”

Ayton with all his rivals discussing their real meetings on the floor. Reprimanded Zaka Avalanche for too cynical dunk through him in the last match.

– Our team took a time-out, I sit and think: “Yo, Zach Lavigne just shot through me from above.”

– Yeah, man, you’re big, so you have to be hammered through from time to time.

– It was fast … and you jumped on the wrong foot! I was waiting for another step. Yes, it was powerful.

Kendrick Perkins, the starting center of the champion “Boston” -2008, wrote: “I caught myself watching NBA 2K on ESPN like it was real basketball”.

https: // twitter.com / KendrickPerkins / status / 1246227120088547329

Trey Young replies, “Go crazy … I spend the day today as if it were game day.”

It’s crazy… I’ve been treating today like a game day🤣 https://t.co/ftDAHn0lZi

— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) April 4, 2020

This is the only way to survive.

More basketball on Match TV:

Basketball | Messina against its

Today, in the seventh round of the Euroleague, CSKA will face the Italian Virtus from Bologna, who occupies the penultimate place in Group A with two victories.But, despite the difference in the standings, the match with the vice-champions of Italy does not promise the wards of Messina (who previously trained this club) an easy life.

Italian men’s basketball club – both womens and mens – is currently in a financial downturn. Especially against the background of the Spanish and Russian championships. Foreign clubs periodically “pull” strong players from Italy. The same “Virtus” a few years ago went to the giants of European basketball, and coached the Italian team Ettore Messina.But first the stars Yarich, Zhinobili, Rigodo and Griffith left the team (the latter went to Taugres, the other three – to the NBA), later – not strangers to us Matyaz Smodis and Ruslan Avleev. Last season, the Bolognese had a shock, getting into the “Final Four” of the European Cup and the final of the national championship. But in the summer, several leaders left the team at once, including Best, Ilievski, Dusan Vukcevic and Christian Dreyer. In exchange, they received the “kids” who polished the shops of the NBA clubs – Will Conroy and Alan Anderson, as well as two Italian veterans – Roberto Chiachig and Luca Garry.

There are no bright stars among the guests, but any player can shoot. A certain danger for the army is represented by two young Americans – defender Devorick Spencer and forward Delont Holland (on average they scored more than 20 points this season). The same Spencer earned 34 points in the last match against Olimpia. But first of all, CSKA should be wary of … themselves. Of the 17 matches of the season, CSKA lost only two, and in the last minutes. Even in the absence of injured Alexei Savrasenko, Matyaz Smodis, Teo Papaloukas and not quite recovered Ramunas Siskauskas, the army team outnumber the rivals in composition.Logically, Virtus, which has only two home victories in six Euroleague games, has scanty chances against CSKA. Although, to get into the Top-16, the Italians can no longer lose at all. Maybe the desperate standings will give the guests strength?

“To be honest, I don’t know what is the chance of Virtus against the army,” said the coach of BC Dynamo Sergey Bazarevich in an interview with Sport. – Our team succeeded in defeating CSKA due to a well-built defense that broke the opponent’s positional attack.But the army team is now so strong that it is impossible to talk about any of its weaknesses at all. The first thing that comes to mind is to look for the team’s weak points in the injuries of its leading players. But the last Euroleague match against TAU ​​Keramika, and even away, showed that even after losing a number of leaders, CSKA is very strong. And at the moment, TAU is much higher in class than “Virtus”.

Virtus (Bologna, Italy)

Club founded in 1927

• Home arena: Palamalaguti (capacity – 8400 spectators)

• Head coach: Stefano Pillastrini

• Star: Devorick Spencer, born 1982, Citizenship: United States, Role: Defender.Height – 193 cm.

• Achievements: three-time Italian champion (1983/84, 1997/98, 2000/01), four-time Italian Cup winner (1997, 1999, 2001, 2002), 1999 Euroleague champion, 2001 ULEB Euroleague champion, winner of the Cup Winners’ Cup 1990 year.

• European appearances (last 3 seasons): 2006/07 European Cup – semi-finals, 2005/06, 2004/05 – not participated.

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Basketball World Map: Italy | VTB United League | VTB United League

In the project “Basketball World Map” we expand horizons and remember all foreign players in the history of the League, talk about foreign championships and national teams of different countries.Today we are leaving for Italy.

Population : 60.3 million people.
Players in League History : 1.
Complete list of players: Daniel Hackett.

The only Italian representative in the history of the VTB United League is Daniel Hackett. The Forlimpopoli native moved to CSKA Moscow in the summer of 2018 and has since defended the colors of the army club (50 matches, 9.1 points). Together with CSKA, Hackett won the Euroleague and VTB United League in 2019.

There have also been two American basketball players with Italian passports in the history of the League – Christian Burns and Jeff Brooks.Burns played for Enisey in the 2013/14 season, and represented the Czech Nymburk in the 2014/15 season; Brooks played for Avtodor in the 2015/16 season.

In addition, seven head coaches from Italy worked in the VTB United League: Sergio Scariolo (Khimki, 2009-10), Matteo Boniciolli (Astana, 2011-13), Luca Bechi (Azovmash, 2012), Ettore Messina (CSKA, 2012-14), Andrea Trinkieri (UNICS, 2013-14), Andrea Mazzon (Avtodor, 2017) and Luca Banca (Lokomotiv-Kuban, 2019).

Basketball in Italy

League : Lega Basket Serie A (LBA)
Founded : 1920
Number of teams : 17
League website : http: // www.legabasket.it/

The Italian Championship is one of the oldest in the world, this year it celebrates its 100th anniversary. Throughout the history of the tournament, 99 teams participated in the league, 17 of them became champions. The most titled club – Milan – won the national championship 28 times.

Today, 17 teams are participating in Lega Basket Serie A, nine of them will represent Italy in European competition in the 2020/21 season: Milan will play in the Euroleague; Virtus Bologna, Brescia, Reyer Venezia and Trento will participate in the Eurocup; Dinamo Sassari, Brindisi and Bologna will participate in the Champions League, while Reggio Emilia will be the country’s sole representative in the FIBA ​​European Cup.

Clubs participating in Lega Basket Serie A must have home arenas with a minimum capacity of 3500 people, while playoff games must be played in arenas with a capacity of at least 5000 people.

At the end of the season in the Italian championship 5 awards are given: MVP of the regular season, MVP of the final, Best young player (under 22), Best coach and Best manager. In the 2010/11 season, the regular season MVP was the former Krasnye Krylia forward Omar Thomas, and in the 2014/15 season, a similar award was won by Tony Mitchell, who played for Krasny Oktyabr.Among the winners of the final MVP are even more familiar to the League fans – Ramunas Siskauskas (CSKA, 2009-12), Austin Day (Khimki, 2011), Rimantas Kaukenas (Zalgiris, 2012-13), Andrew Gaudlock (UNICS, 2013- 14), Melvin Edjim (UNICS, 2017-19) and Daniel Hackett (CSKA, 2018-present).

Also, the Italian championship was attended by many famous American players: NBA legends and members of the Basketball Hall of Fame Bob McAdoo, Spencer Haywood, Dominic Wilkins, Artis Gilmore and Bill Bradley, as well as the first NBA draft pick in 1980 Joe Barry Carroll.In addition, there were players (Pavel Podkolzin and Valery Likhodey) and coaches (Sergey Bazarevich and Evgeny Pashutin) from Russia in Lega Basket Serie A in different years.

Interesting fact # 1

Italian basketball legend Pierlugi Marzorati is the oldest basketball player in history and also the only basketball player to have played in an official match in five different decades.

Marzorati began his professional career at the age of 17 in 1969 and played for Cantu for 22 seasons.After completing his playing career in 1991, Pierluigi took over as vice president at the club, where he remained until 1996. On October 8, 2006, 54-year-old Marzorati re-entered the basketball court as a player, spending 2 minutes for Cantu in the first match of the season against Benetton, marking the club’s 70th anniversary. This allowed him to become the only basketball player in history to have played in official matches in five different decades, as well as the oldest basketball player to have played in official matches.

Interesting fact # 2

On 25 August 1985, Nike hosted an exhibition match between Stefanel Trieste and Juve Caserta in Trieste, Italy. The game was played by 21-year-old Michael Jordan, who had spent one season in the NBA and won the Rookie of the Year award. The young defender scored 30 points and was remembered for the fact that he literally crushed the ring with his powerful dunk.

Interesting fact # 3

The legendary Kobe Bryant lived from 6 to 13 years old in Italy, where his father Joe played, and it was in Europe that he made his first basketball steps.Kobe played in the school basketball team, and at the same time was fond of football, rooting for Milan. During his years in Italy, Bryant became fluent in Italian.

Italy National Team

FIBA ​​Rank : 12
FIBA ​​Members : since 1932
Achievements : 2x Eurobasket champions (1983, 1999), 2x Olympic silver medal winners (1980, 2004)

Gli Azzurri played their first international match on April 4, 1926 – in Milan, the Italian national team beat France with a score of 23:17.After 6 years, Italy became a member of FIBA.

The Italians made their debut at Eurobasket in 1935, at the Olympic Games in 1936, and at the World Cup only in 1963. The first major success was silver medals at the European Championships in 1937 and 1946. In the final of Eurobasket-1937, the Italians lost with a minimal difference to Lithuania (23:24), and in the decisive match of Eurobasket-1946, they lost 2 points to the national team of Czechoslovakia (32:34).

The main successes of the Italian national team were in the 80s and 90s.In two decades, the Italians managed to win the EuroBasket twice (1983, 1999), win the silver medals of the Olympic Games (1980), win the EuroBasket silver (1991, 1997) and win the Eurobasket bronze (1985). In 1999, for the first time in Eurobasket history, the Italian basketball player (Gregor Fuchka) became the MVP.

In the 21st century, Italy has two medals at international tournaments – the silver of the 2004 Olympic Games, where they managed to overtake the national teams of the USA, Spain and Lithuania, as well as the bronze medal of Eurobasket 2003, when the Italians defeated the French national team led by Tony Parker (69:67).Since 2004, the Italian national team has not played at the Olympics and only twice managed to qualify for the World Cup.

Italy also hosted international basketball tournaments three times: in 1960, an Olympic basketball tournament was held in Rome, and in 1969, 1979 and 1991, Italian cities hosted Eurobasket matches.

Italy is currently ranked 12th in the FIBA ​​rankings, overtaking teams such as Croatia, Turkey, Slovenia and Germany.

The most famous players in the history of Italy

Dino Menegin. Eurobasket 1983 champion, Olympic silver medalist, 7-time Euroleague champion, 12-time Italian champion and 4-time FIBA ​​Intercontinental Cup winner. In 1991, Menegin entered the FIBA ​​Top 50 list of the greatest basketball players, in 2006 he became a member of the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2008 he was one of the 50 people who made the greatest contribution to the development of the Euroleague. In 2019, Milan withdrew from circulation the game number (# 11) of the legendary center.

Antonello Riva .Eurobasket 1983 champion, 2-time Euroleague champion, Italian champion and winner of the FIBA ​​Intercontinental Cup. He is the most productive basketball player in the history of the Italian championship, the defender has 14397 points (18.3 on average per match). In 1991, Riva entered the FIBA ​​Top 50 list of the greatest basketball players, and in 2008 he was among the 50 people who made the greatest contribution to the development of the Euroleague.

Pierlugi Marzorati . The point guard, who has spent his entire professional career at Cant, has won the Euroleague twice, won the Italian Championship twice and also won the FIBA ​​Intercontinental Cup twice.In 1991, Marzorati entered the FIBA ​​Top 50 list of the greatest basketball players, in 2007 he became a member of the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2008 he was among the 50 people who made the greatest contribution to the development of the Euroleague.

Danilo Gallinari . The 6th NBA draft pick in 2008, spent 11 seasons in the NBA, is the league leader in career points (9777 points) among Italian basketball players. In 2008, the forward became the champion of Italy with Milan and received the Euroleague Rising Star award.

Gregor Fuchka . Champion and MVP of Eurobasket 1999, Euroleague champion, 2-time champion of Italy and 2-time champion of Spain. The 215-centimeter center made 11 offensive rebounds in the 2005 Euroleague match, repeating the tournament record. Since 2017, Fuchka has been the head of the Italian youth teams.

Honorable Mentions : Aldo Ossola, Massimo Masini, Marco Belinelli, Andrea Bargnani.

Dmitry Kolinov

90,000 Basketball Tournament in Mexico City.Olympteka.ru

Before the Olympics in Mexico City, there was a qualitative leap in the development of world basketball. Now, Yugoslavia, Brazil and Italy were in serious competition for the teams of the USA and the USSR.

For this Olympiad, the famous Brazilian coach Suarez Canella brought both the stars of the past Olympiads, Passos, Maskito and Jatir, as well as the new Menon (200 cm), Ubiratan (202 cm) and the tallest player in the tournament – Emil Rashid (226 cm).

Yugoslav coach Ranko Zheravica did not abandon the players who left for foreign clubs, as he did at the European Championship. A very strong and efficient team arrived in Mexico City.

Lewis Alcindor did not come as part of the US national team, but nevertheless Spencer Haywood and Joe-Joe White could decorate any NBA team. The coach of this team was the renowned specialist Henk Aiba.

The main problems of all athletes participating in the Olympiad were unusual geographic and climatic conditions.After all, Mexico City is located at an altitude of 2278 meters above sea level. Therefore, the result very much depended on how quickly the athletes undergo acclimatization.

The teams were divided into two groups. Group A: USA, Yugoslavia, Puerto Rico, Italy, Panama, Philippines, Senegal, Spain. Group B: USSR, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba, Bulgaria, South Korea, Morocco, Poland.

The first game of the USSR national team was with Poland. Confident victory 91:50. The Americans just as easily defeated the Spaniards 81:40.As expected, the US squad had less lead roles than Spencer Haywood and Joe Joe White. But disadvantages were also noticed – the Americans allowed them to calmly throw from an average distance and an insufficiently powerful game under the shield. Brazil-Morocco – 98:52.

In the second match between the US national team and Senegal, an extraordinary event took place – during the break, there was a marriage between black and white Americans. But despite this, after the break, the team played no less well-coordinated. The result is 93:36.

The USSR-Mexico match was held in an interesting struggle.The Mexican team was distinguished by high speed and very accurate throws. In some matches, the percentage of hits from the game reached 60. But the pressure of the USSR national team coped with the attacks of the Mexicans. The total is 82:62.

The central match in Group B was the match of old rivals – the USSR and Brazil. In the first half, Soviet basketball players put pressure on, but experienced Marcos and Maskito easily overcame the pressure. But after rebuilding, the USSR national team snatched the victory – 76:65. The player of the Kaunas “Zalgiris” Modestas Paulauskas especially distinguished himself.He scored 30 points. You can also note Yaak Lipso and Vladimir Andreev.

The USSR-Yugoslavia and Brazil-USA met in the semifinals.

The USSR national team entered the match with the national team of Yugoslavia in the following composition: Thomson, Paulauskas, Lipso, Andreev and the only defender – Sakandelidze. The Yugoslavs, having maintained the zone defense, constantly led Chermak into a quick breakthrough, who was guarded by Paulauskas, who played near the Yugoslavian shield. As a result, in the first three minutes the score was 12: 2. Cermak scored 8 points and Paulauskas – 3 fouls.After the break, the game leveled off and the score was already 40:35 in favor of the USSR, but soon after 5 fouls the main players of the Soviet national team, Paulauskas and Andreev, left the site. But the rest of the USSR players continued to put pressure and increase their advantage. But then Selikhov, Lipso and Screamer missed three attacks in a row from the most advantageous positions. The Yugoslavs seized the advantage and brought the match to victory 63:62.

Having defeated the Brazilians in the next match with a score of 70:53, the USSR national team took third place.

The USA and Yugoslavia met in the final.Only in the first half the Yugoslavs resisted – 32:29. But after the break, the Americans threw the Yugoslav ring. In less than 10 minutes, the gap reached 20 points. The tired players of Yugoslavia lost noticeably in speed. The result is 75:60.

Final arrangement of teams:

1. USA: Mike Barrett, John Clauson, Don Dee, Saul Fowler, Spencer Haywood, Bill Hoskett, Jim King, Glenn Salters, Charlie Scott, May Silliman, Ken Spine, Jo-Joe White.
2. Yugoslavia: Alzhosa Zogra, Radivoe Korac, Zoran Marojevic, Traiko Rajkovic, Vladimir Tsvetkovic, Dragoslav Raznatovic, Ivo Daneu, Kreshemir Chosic, Damir Solman, Nikola Plecar, Dragutin Cermak, Petar Skansi.
3. USSR: Anatoly Krikun, Modestas Paulauskas, Zurab Sakandelidze, Vadim Kapranov, Yuri Selikhov, Anatoly Polivoda, Sergei Belov, Priit Thomson, Sergei Kovalenko, Gennady Volnov, Yaak Lipso, Vladimir Andreev.
4. Brazil.
5. Mexico.
6. Poland.
7. Spain.
8.Italy.
9. Puerto Rico.
10. Bulgaria.
11. Cuba.
12. Panama.
13. Philippines.
14. South Korea.
15. Senegal.
16. Morocco.

Evgeny Chaadaev

Source: www.slamdunk.ru

Cheaters from the NBA or who will take the championship this season

Hello dear.
Sadly I, of course, look at what is happening in the NBA. And don’t call it old man’s grumbling, but it was better before.Modern basketball, when the “stars” almost every season “lifting their knees high” rush around the teams for the “nut” is already really starting to strain. It’s funny and stupid somehow … It cannot be said that this was not the case before, and even in the “golden age” (which I consider the period from the late 80s to the mid-90s) such things happened, but they did not wear such an indiscriminate and ubiquitous. Nowadays …. Although it would seem that there was no salary cap and a whole number of restrictions before, and such things could be done much easier.But no – the tsyrk begins now.
And the brightest example is the Brooklyn Nets. This is the apotheosis of everything!

They already had 3 stars before the start of the season – Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan (yes, I also consider him a star). Seems like a solid foundation, right? The backbone is steep, recruit assistants and role-players, and go ahead. But no. They are bargaining for one of the main stars of the League, James Harden, severely exceeding the budget, paying a luxury tax of 100 (!) Million. I have a lot of respect for Beard, but expressed doubts that he chose the right club.Well, okay, it seemed that was all. Moreover, there were no opportunities for amplification. No matter how it is! Brooklyn decided to act like cheaters (and this is, alas, a general trend) and ….. signed 2 more stars: Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge. How? And their contracts were bought out by previous teams and they moved to the Nets as free agents for a mere penny. That is, Brooklyn was able to collect 6 (!!!) stars at once. Given that the club still had strong players Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddy and a few normal roleplayers, it seemed that the question of the champion had already been resolved.But no.

Right now the team is only pulled by James “Beard” Harden, who plays despite the injury with the help of DeAndre Jordan. Rest? CD takes a frighteningly long time to heal like a minor injury, Dinuiddi will not play this season, Griffin is still trying to fit in, and Kyrie … Irving is in trouble with his head this season – it is not clear where he is again and for what “very good” reason is absent. Nothing new 🙂

But even when everyone is well, I generally doubt the viability of this team.Why? Yes, their attacking potential has become not only frightening, it has become terrifying for the opponents. Each (!) Of 6 stars can “throw a full basket” and single-handedly score 40+ points. But all together they annihilate each other in the attack – it will be difficult to give everyone the same number of minutes, and most importantly, there is absolutely no balance in the team. Durant, partly Jordan and Aldridge, will have to work on defense for everyone if he gets in shape (while he is very weak). I’m not sure that without defense, one attack can take the title.Although, in the current NBA, anything is possible ….
But I will cheer against the Nets, despite my love for Griffin and my sincere respect for Beard and CD.

Well, not by Brooklyn alone, of course. Where is without LeBron then? :-)))

An outstanding athlete, simply outstanding, who gives himself everything on the court without a trace. But ….. I really don’t like him. Why? Well, even if we take out of the brackets his absolutely furious allegedly political activity (here Ibra is right not even 100, but 200%, because LeBron not only crawls into what he does not really understand, but also acts extremely hypocritically), he really pissed off his “legacy”.Well, he will never be better than Michael Jordan, no matter what he does !!! A bird of the wrong flight, although, I repeat, an outstanding athlete. But it was LeBron’s running with his “legacy” that largely predetermined today’s trends in basketball. The team, the club, the fans, the colors became an empty phrase. “Money” and the opportunity to get a ring at any cost – this is the main thing for the average NBA player. Alas: – ((

“Lakers” realizing a mistake with signing Mark Gasol in the offseason, who does not pull at all, now one of the most criticized (for some reason) League players Andre Drummond was taken as a free agent.I like Andre, and despite the fact that he plays archaic basketball, he is a huge hard worker and this is a very good reinforcement. Again, let’s not forget about Dennis Schroeder’s excellent acquisition ahead of the season. This black German is very good. And if Anthony “Eyebrow” Davis can heal the injury, then the Lakers are again the No. 1 contender for the title. Which I would not like, given my attitude towards LeBron.

The exact same command is Clippers. Although, to my surprise, no one was signed, but made a somewhat strange exchange, having received the veteran Regon Rondo.However, they can still intercept DeMarcus Cousins, whom Boston wants to sign.

As for Rondo, he is certainly good so far, but making him the first option in the attack is somehow strange. But the club there is generally strange 🙂 One step forward, and two steps back 🙂 Although the presence of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard always makes them a contender for the title. Despite coach Tyrone Liu, reluctance to play defense and the “curse of the Clippers” in general :-)))

But still, there is a “ray of sunshine in the dark kingdom” :-))) Not everyone acts exclusively “cheating” exceeding much “ceiling” and signing up for a penny free agent.Old Pat Riley has once again shown his top class on the deadline by making excellent deals and making his Miami the best he can.

The guys played in the final last year, I think they will not mind repeating it. Moreover, I repeat, a very good gain. We took Oladipo and Bjelitsa, losing only Olinnik – that’s great.

Plus can shake the “dust from the knees” exchanged a little earlier Trevor Ariza. Well, the whole backbone remained. Great Jimmy Butler, great Ababaio, strong Dragich, progressive Hiro, reliable Robinson.And all this is under the supervision of super-experienced Igudala and Yudonis Haslem. Good team! If the newcomers can find themselves, everything is possible 🙂

Well, I traditionally will be rooting for Portland lately. Trail Blazer is truly a team-family, with good relationships within the team and the most correct “league stars” – Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
Smart, well-mannered guys and great players, for whom the club is not just letters on the form!
Portland’s management did a good job and Powell was taken on the deadline in exchange for Trent and Hood.That is, you can try to compete for the highest places. The main thing is that there are no injuries.

This will be extremely difficult, though. For in addition to all of the above teams, let’s not forget about the powerful “Boston”, the strengthened “Denver”, constantly thinking about the victory of “Philadelphia”, well, “Milwaukee” with the MVP of the last seasons in the lineup 🙂
That is, in any case, it will be interesting.
We will observe 🙂
Have a nice time of the day.

Spencer Haywood – Spencer Haywood

American Basketball Player

Spencer Haywood (born April 22, 1949) is an American former professional basketball player and Olympic gold medalist. Haywood is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, inaugurated in 2015.

High School Career

In 1964, Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan and settled in the Extreme Woods area.In 1967, while attending Pershing High School, Haywood led the high school basketball team to the state championship.

College Career & Olympics

Haywood during his Detroit season

Heywood attended Trinidad College in Trinidad, Colorado during the 1967–68 college season, where he averaged 28.2 points and 22.1 rebounds per game. Due to his exceptional performance and talent, Haywood entered the US Olympic basketball team in 1968.Haywood was the top scorer for the 1968 Olympic gold medal-winning US basketball team with 16.1 points per game and set the US goal percentage record of 0.719. In the fall of that year, Haywood transferred to the University of Detroit and led the NCAA in rebounds with a 21.5 per game average, averaging 32.1 points per game in the 1968–69 season.

Heywood decided to turn pro after his sophomore year, but the National Basketball Association (NBA) rules, which required a player to wait until his class had finished his studies, prohibited him from entering the league.As a result, he joined the Denver Rockets on the American Basketball Association (ABA).

Professional career

ABA Rookie Season

In his 1969-70 rookie season, Haywood led the ABA with 30.0 points per game and 19.5 rebounds per game, while leading the Rockets to the ABA Western Division title. In the playoffs, Denver defeated the Washington Capitols in 7 games in the Western Division semi-finals before falling to the Los Angeles Stars in the divisional final, 4 games to 1.He was named ABA Rookie of the Year and ABA’s MVP of the Season. and became the youngest MVP at the age of 21. His 986 goals scored, 1,637 rebounds and 19.5 rebounds per game on average are ABA’s all-time highs for a season. Heywood also became the MVP of the 1970 ABA All-Star with 23 points, 19 rebounds and 7 blocked shots for Team West.

Careers in the NBA and Italy

In 1970, despite NBA selection rules, Haywood joined the Seattle SuperSonics, and with SuperSonics owner Sam Schulman, he began an antitrust suit against the league ( Haywood v. NBA ).The case went to the US Supreme Court before the NBA agreed to a settlement. The suit and its impact on college basketball and the NBA have been the focus of the 2020 book by Mark J. Spears and Gary Washburn, Spencer Haywood’s Rule : Battles, Basketball, and the Making of the American Iconoclast .

Heywood was named to the NBA’s first team in 1972 and 1973 and to the NBA’s second team in 1974 and 1975. Heywood averaged 29.2 points per game in 1972–73 and 13.4 rebounds per game in 1973–74.the season averages for SuperSonics for these categories. Haywood played in four NBA All-Star Games while with Seattle, including a strong 23 point 11 rebounds in 1974. In the 1974–75 season, he helped propel the SuperSonics to their first place in the playoffs. Overall, over his five seasons in Seattle, Haywood averaged 24.9 points per game and 12.1 rebounds per game.

In 1975 SuperSonics sold him to the New York Knicks, where he later teamed up with Bob McAdoo. Heywood later played for the New Orleans Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington Bullets.

In the late 1970s, Haywood became addicted to cocaine. He was fired from the Lakers by then-coach Paul Westhead during the 1980 NBA Finals for falling asleep during training due to his addiction.

The following season, Haywood played in Italy for Reier Venezia Mestre (then sponsor of Carrera Reier Venezia) alongside Drazen Dalipagic, before returning to the NBA to play two seasons for the Washington Bullets.

Heywood no.The 24 T-shirt was discontinued by SuperSonics during a hiatus on February 26, 2007.

Personal life

Heywood currently resides in Las Vegas. He was married to fashion model Iman from 1977 to 1987 and they had a daughter, Zuleha Haywood (born 1978). He remarried in 1990, and he and his wife Linda have three daughters.

He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2015.

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