Basketball

January 8, 2008 -- OLYMPIA – Following today’s announcement on the potential sale of the Seattle Storm to a local ownership group, Washington Governor Gregoire had the following response:

“As Governor and as a Storm fan, I think today’s news that the team will stay in Seattle is simply terrific. The ownership group of accomplished women has made this possible because of their strong commitment to the community. They also know first-hand that being able to compete in the top echelon of sports provides women with opportunities generations who came before us never had.    » read more »

- Coverage Begins Dec. 6
- Top-Ranked Teams and Players Featured

Nov. 2007 -- ESPNU, ESPN and ESPN2, in conjunction with Paragon Marketing Group, will present 15 high school basketball games this season in the returning ESPNU Old Spice High School Showcase. The series will include teams from 11 states, including 12 teams currently ranked in the ESPN High Elite 25.    » read more »

Witness NBA Superstars Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Carlos Boozer and Rising Stars Greg Oden and Kevin Durant Dominate the High School Hardwood in ESPN's High School Phenoms: Top of the Class

October 29, 2007 -- ESPN Home Entertainment, in conjunction with Genius Products, LLC, presents an unprecedented collection of rare footage and highlights from the high school careers of some of the NBA’s most talented, in High School Phenoms: Top of the Class, available in stores nationwide December 11, 2007 for $19.95 SRP.    » read more »

- Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy Form Lead Commentary Team
- New Pre-Game Studio Teams Including Host Stuart Scott on ESPN and ABC
- Jalen Rose and Rick Carlisle Join ESPN
- Expanded Role for Dan Shulman

24 October 2007, Beijing (By Sam Beattie) -- The game of basketball has become big business in China, involving media, merchandising, and marketing. According to the National Basketball Association -- the U.S. professional league known as the NBA -- 83 percent of Chinese between the ages of 15 and 24 are NBA followers. And as Sam Beattie reports from Beijing, the NBA is capitalizing on this growing market.

A nationwide 2-on-2 competition is what the National Basketball Association calls a grassroots marketing campaign.    » read more »

- College GameDay to Originate From UCLA Feb. 2
- ESPN on ABC to Continue to Offer Coverage of Pac-10 College Basketball Games

October 15, 2007 -- For the first time since 1995, ESPN’s college basketball coverage will include regular-season Pac-10 Conference home games. As part of a new multi-year agreement with Fox Sports Net, ESPN’s 2007 schedule will feature two regular-season Pac-10 home games. ESPN on ABC will continue to offer a minimum of three Pac-10 conference basketball games annually, with this year’s schedule featuring four telecasts.    » read more »

29 August 2007 (By VOA Sports) -- Olympic organizers in China have announced the opening ceremony for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing was the most popular event requested in the first phase of ticket sales.

Less than five percent of the people requesting tickets to the August 8 ceremony were lucky enough to get one of the 26,000 available tickets.

Only Chinese residents were allowed to apply for tickets in the first phase of sales, which ended June 30. Some 300,000 people made successful requests, buying nearly 1.6 million of the 2.2 million available tickets.    » read more »

New: ESPN Classic to Televise a Game; Sweet Sixteen Teams Butler and Southern Illinois Return; Matchups Announced February 4

Wednesday, August 22, 2007, INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions has penalized Purdue University for major and secondary violations in its women's basketball program.    » read more »

15 August 2007 -- Former National Basketball Association referee Tim Donaghy has surrendered to police and pled guilty in a federal court in New York on gambling charges.

The Associated Press reports the 40-year-old Donaghy surrendered to authorities at Brooklyn federal court, Wednesday. Donaghy pled guilty to two felony counts - conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and gambling on games in which he was officiating. The two charges carry a total of 25 years in prison.    » read more »

Promote Physical Activity And Good Nutrition

June 27, 2007 -- TALLAHASSEE – Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Shaquille O’Neal, NBA Miami Heat basketball star, today joined efforts to encourage children and young adults to adopt healthy lifestyles that include daily physical activity and healthy eating habits. They participated in a rally for about 500 students from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend after meeting earlier in the day to discuss the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and O’Neal’s prime-time television show Shaq’s Big Challenge.    » read more »

More international players, broadcasts increase popularity for NBA Finals

19 June 2007 -- Washington – The popularity of the National Basketball Association (NBA) has been growing around the world as ever-increasing numbers of international players join NBA rosters and the games are broadcast to more places and in more languages.

The San Antonio Spurs symbolize this international movement in the NBA. The club had five players this season from outside the United States who played pivotal roles in winning the club its fourth NBA championship since 1999 on June 14.    » read more »

15 June 2007 -- The San Antonio Spurs are the National Basketball Association champions, sweeping the Cleveland Cavilers in four straight games in the best-of-seven title series.

The Spurs won their fourth NBA title in the last nine seasons with a 83-82 victory over the Cavaliers Thursday in Game Four of the championship series.

Manu Ginobili of Argentina came off the San Antonio bench to contribute a game high 27 points along with seven rebounds. French teammate Tony Parker scored 24 points and was named the finals most valuable player.    » read more »

6.7.07 - Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following statement in support of the Cleveland Cavaliers as they prepare to take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals tonight.

“The Cavs have made Cleveland, and all of Ohio, proud,” Strickland said. “Throughout this season and the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers have embodied the spirit of their hometown and sparked hope in the hearts of Ohioans young and old. Ohio stands behind our Cleveland Cavaliers with pride as they compete for the first of what will surely be many NBA Finals.”    » read more »

03 June 2007 -- The National Basketball Association championships are set after the Cleveland Cavaliers won four straight games to eliminate the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals.

Cleveland beat visiting Detroit 98-82 Saturday to win the best-of-seven series four-games-to-two.

Rookie Daniel Gibson scored 19 of his season-high 31 points in the fourth quarter, including five three-point shots, to lead the Cavaliers' second-half surge. Superstar LeBron James added 20 points and 14 rebounds for Cleveland.    » read more »