He’ll join the sports network giant in January as an NBA analyst.

Though New Orleans was off to a meager 3 – 6 start, I don’t believe that Scott deserved to be fired. He was NBA Coach of the Year in 2008. And that was just two years ago. He also coached the New Jersey Nets from 2000-04, leading them to two NBA Finals appearances.

Byron Scott will be joining ESPN in January.

“Byron has excelled in every professional endeavor and we know his success will carry over to his on-air role,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN’s executive vice president for production. ”We welcome him back. His experience and passion for the game will resonate with our fans.”

Scott is an excellent coach, and I think he has the kind of charisma and reputation that speaks to NBA players on a variety of levels. Even Chris Paul was shocked and dismayed when Scott was let go. I think we’ll see him again, coaching another NBA team in the future.

For now, Scott will take his place behind the ESPN desk.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Byron Scott Returns

“His basketball IQ is phenomenal,” O’Neal said on ESPN.com. “He could coach in the NBA right now.”

It’s obvious that James has been quick study of the game. After all, he entered the league at the tender age of 18, yet he played and acted at least 10 years beyond his age.  James considers himself a “student of the game,” which means he continues to study every aspect of basketball, including offense, defense, strategy, passing, shooting, positioning and more.

Raw talent will only get you so far. It’s raw talent that got James into the NBA, but it’s his willingness to continue to learn and grow that makes him one of the top players in the league consistently, year after year. It doesn’t take a genius to see that.

Just ask Shaq.

Here’s a throwback to James in his early NBA days.  The talent was always there, but his game has certainly evolved since then.

Post from: EveryJoe

Lebron James: NBA Coach?

According to ESPN, Harpring has never completely recovered from an infection that developed after ankle surgery in the summer of 2008. “After consultations with the doctors and based on their recommendations, I have reluctantly come to the realization that my body can simply no longer withstand the rigors of NBA games and practices,” he said.

Matt Harping may be sidelined indefinitely.

Harpring joined the Utah Jazz as a free agent in 2002. He found success and a home with the Jazz, and thrived as a prolific shooter. Unfortunately, Harpring’s playing time has dropped consistently over the last few years because of injuries, including multiple knee surgeries and the strep infection that developed from having a bone spur removed from his right ankle.

The 2009 season is over for Harpring. And it looks as though his NBA career may be over as well.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Matt Harpring’s Season Is Over; Career Too?

Apparently “The Answer” agreed to a one-year contract with his former team. He informed the Philadelphia 76ers this morning that he would accept the deal. According to ESPN, The contract is for a pro-rated veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million.

Allen Iverson won't be setting the basketball on the shelf after all.

Even though Iverson announced his “retirement” last week, it seemed as though he felt he wasn’t ready to leave the NBA. As fate would have it, the Sixers lost Lou Williams to an injury which is said to have “sidelined him for eight weeks.”

If you’re team president Ed Stefanski, what would you do?

Ironically, his “answer” was to turn to Iverson, who led the Sixers to the NBA Finals in 2001.

Perhaps, this is the kind rebirth that Iverson needs to find his game. Who said you can’t go home again?

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

Iverson Agrees To Sign With The Sixers

James discovered the lump early last year and had to undergo numerous tests to find out whether it was cancerous or not.

LeBron James had a lump removed from his jaw in June.

“I was working with some good professionals,” he said, according to ESPN.com. “They were telling me they didn’t think it was cancer, but we had to be sure, of course.”

Thankfully, the lump was benign.

I’m surprised that this information is just coming to light now, but it’s understandable why James would want to keep it on the D-L. It’s been a bumpy year for him — first the lump, then the loss to Orlando in the NBA East Finals, and now he may have Swine Flu.

I guess even mega-superstars can have a run of  bad luck.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

LeBron’s Cancer Scare

Lou Holtz is best known for being the outspoken commentator and ex-coach of Notre Dame. Today, he announced that he might get into politics as well. Holtz is considering running for one of the Congress seats in Florida as a Republican. The GOP seat he’d go after is currently held by Democrat U.S. Representative Suzanne Kosmas.

Holtz may be a grid iron demi-god, but he doesn’t have any government experience. At 72, he has never run for office before. After coaching at Notre Dame and South Carolina, he retired at the end of the 2004 season and became an analyst at ESPN.

Chairman of Orlando’s Orange County Republican Executive Committee Lew Oliver says that the Republican leaders in Florida are surprised that Holtz is considering running, since he hasn’t been involved in the party in the past.

Holtz won’t have an easy run if he does decide to pursue the seat. Two Republican legislators from Florida and a local Orlando commissioner have already confirmed that they’ll be running for the Republican nomination.

Image: WikiCommons

Post from: EveryJoe

Lou Holtz Considers Congress

The truth is that the WNBA’s impact is far more than financial. I read an article on ESPN about how President Obama’s daughters love watching women’s basketball.  One particular quote stood out the most: “Sasha and Malia, have never known a time when women did not play professional basketball in the United States.”

I sometimes forget that young girls (11 years or younger) do not know any different. Professional women’s basketball is the norm for them. They expect to see it. They can watch it on television and daydream of one day playing in the WNBA. What an impact that must have on their self-esteem and confidence?

When I was growing up, I didn’t have that. I marveled at Michael Jordan just like everyone else, even though I knew I could never “be like Mike.” Now, young girls can marvel at Candace Parker and know that they too have the chance to dunk a basketball, play professionally, and be in television commercials.

The WNBA may not be a cash cow, but they offer so much more. They offer young girls a chance to dream big. And you can’t put a price tag on that.

Young kids today can dream about playing in front of a large crowd on the WNBA stage.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

The WNBA’s True Impact

First reported by The Boston Globe, USA basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo convinced Coach K  to stay in the job after he led the U.S.A. to the gold medal in Beijing last summer.

“With the success that we had, I would do everything in my power to keep everything intact,” Colangelo told The Associated Press without confirming the decision.

Aside from his busy coaching schedule for Duke University, Coach K also travels frequently around the country giving speeches on leadership and holding success-based workshops for many companies. After looking at his basketball resume, it’s quite obvious he knows a thing or two about being a leader.

Post from: EveryJoe

Coach K Will Lead Team USA In 2012

Last season’s Rookie of the Year and MVP took some time off to have a baby. Now, she’s back and ready to play.

Parker let the world know via Twitter that: “I’m bbbbaaaaacccccckkkkkkk!! headed to first practice!”

According to ESPN, Parker practiced for the first time since her maternity leave but told the Los Angeles Times she would have a better idea about how she is adjusting after finishing contact drills.

After getting back into the basketball groove, Parker expects to be back on the court in five weeks — which is plenty of time for her to make an impact on the rest of the regular season as well as the playoffs.

Post from: EveryJoe

Guess Who’s Back?