Stephen Curry may have had his bags packed and ready for New York City, but much to the disappointment of the New York Knicks, he’ll be going to the West Coast instead.

Coach Don Nelson of the Golden State Warriors stole Curry right out from under the Knicks’ noses when he picked him 7th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.

To anyone out there who thinks Nelson is planning on trading Curry to the highest bidder (ahem, Phoenix Suns) — think again.

“He can unpack his bags and relax,” Nelson said after welcoming Curry to Oakland. “He can buy a house. We drafted him because we think he’s a terrific player that fits right into our program. He ain’t going anyplace.”

Curry will be paired up with Monta Ellis to create a quick and sharp-shooting backcourt. He will definitely see playing time this fall, as Nelson hopes Curry can help spark his offensive attack.

“I looked at the top 10, and [the Warriors] jumped off the page with the way they play,” Curry said. “I’m a fan of the game, so I notice these sorts of things. I’ve seen enough of them to know I’d fit in here, at least on the surface. It’s exciting to get here and think about what could happen with this offense and this coaching staff.”

If Curry is as exciting to watch in the NBA as he was in college, then Bay-area basketball fans better get ready for some highlight-reel-worthy plays this season.

First, let me apologize for the pun. Second, where in the world did this come from? How funny is it that this “shocking” move happened to a team called the Detroit Shock?

Bill Laimbeer added a certain amount of clout to the WNBA when he took over as Detroit’s head coach in 2002. He has led his team to three WNBA titles in three years and has made the Shock into a basketball powerhouse. He talked his bosses out of folding the team after the 2002 season before engineering a worst-to-first championship run the very next season. But after three games into the 2009 season, he called a press conference and called it quits.

The reason? Two words: the NBA.

Bill Laimbeer resigned from his position as head coach of the Detroit Shock.

“It’s time for me to be doing something else,”  Laimbeer said, according to ESPN.com. “I want to coach in the NBA, and I think it was not fair to the Shock to try to coach them while my focus and passion were somewhere else. I don’t have another job, but it is something I want to explore. Whether it is a head coaching job or something as an assistant, that’s what I want to do.”

Laimbeer was a member of the Pistons’ “Bad Boys” championship teams of 1989 and 1990 before retiring in 1993. “I never expected to be here for this long, and I never expected to have this level of success,” he said. “I wouldn’t give a second of it back.”

It’s no secret that the WNBA has been losing money since its inception. The NBA is basically carrying the women’s league on its own shoulders. But, because the WNBA has a solid fan base and has helped to showcase the nation’s top talent in women’s basketball and bring women’s college basketball into the national spotlight as well (would we know so much about players like Candace Parker with out it?), the promotional powers-that-be are doing their best to help keep the WNBA alive.

WNBA President Donna Orender welcomes Candace Parker into the league in the spring of 2008.

The basic necessity is money. You can’t run a league with out money — in any sport. So here’s where WNBA execs have gotten a bit creative: Sponsorships. That’s right, teams like the Los Angeles Sparks and the Phoenix Mercury have inked deals with Farmers Insurance and LifeLock (respectively) to sport the company’s logo on their warm-ups and jerseys.

“We are pleased that the appeal and value of the WNBA will be utilized to its fullest behind this new partnership between the Sparks and Farmers Insurance,” said WNBA President Donna Orender. “Strong brands continue to be attracted to the league, not only for its elite athletes, outstanding entertainment, and high level of play, but also for its authentic connection to communities, families, and women.”

This is just another innovative way to help keep the WNBA afloat. Since 1997, women’s basketball has made incredible strides and it would be a shame for it to come to end due to financial issues. Hey, the government bailed out the banks and automakers. Perhaps a bailout  for the WNBA would also work? Kidding.

Patrick Patterson has ultimately decided that he’d rather return to Kentucky to compete for a NCAA Championship and finish his degree in three years rather than jump to the NBA.

John Calipari couldn’t be happier, especially since this will be his first go-round as Kentucky’s head coach — a position that is largely viewed in a fishbowl, with everyone (fans, trustees,the administration, etc.)  watching and scrutinizing the coach’s every move.

Patrick Patterson decided to return to Kentucky to play for John Calipari for his junior year.

The move comes as a bit of a surprise, since Patterson was projected as a first-round pick in the June 25th draft.

“I want to help Kentucky compete for a national title, and even more than that win its eighth national championship,” Patterson said in a statement released by the school. “I’m also really excited about playing for coach Cal and developing my game in the dribble drive offense.”

Image: Newscom

Or could the fallen Great Wall be a blessing in disguise?

Devastating news out of Houston tonight (Saturday, May 9th) as Yao Ming will be out for the remainder of the playoffs with a hairline fracture in his left foot.

This is obviously painful for not only Yao but Rocket nation as well. The fans and the players really thought Houston could compete with the Lakers and even possibly beat them. Now it looks like a rather bleak proposition, but I wouldn’t rule Houston out just yet.

Of course Houston is a better team with Yao playing 30+ minutes a game, that’s not the issue.

Transition Game?

Houston is a consistently half court team with a good, well rounded offense geared towards working it inside-out. Now that Yao is absent the offense is much more perimeter based other than the sprinkling of scoring Scola and Landry will have from time to time in the paint. The Rockets can exploit LA a little more in transition now and not feel too bad about it because Yao is, well, no longer there to slow it down. With Scola, Landry, and now forced into duty Brian Cook, the Rockets bigs can get up and down the court in a more fast break type of style if Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry get the freedom to push the ball at their discretion.  With Artest, Battier and Wafer on the wings, the Rockets do have some worthy scoring options. This could force the Lakers to make somewhat of a key decision in terms of who to play at the point guard spot. It’s apparent that Derek Fisher cannot stay with Brooks and that Jordan Farmar can, however, Derek Fisher has been the staple in the Lakers lineup and isn’t likely to sit the bench for too long. Farmar did prove in Game 3 that he is capable of producing but when push comes to shove I think Phil would rather see Fisher on the court more for if nothing else his leadership skills and intangibles. Thus, the Rockets could have an advantage by pushing the ball whenever possible.  Obviously Brooks will need to have a repeat of Game 1.  In Game 3 he missed a lot of open shots.

Lackluster Lakers?

This goes without saying, the Lakers are awfully athletic at every position as well, and it’s not like the Lakers do not know how to defend a fast break style of offense, but I have to wonder if it could take LA by surprise. Of course the Rockets will still have to make their fair share of baskets, which will be more difficult without Yao keeping the defense honest in the half court. All I know is that Adelman is probably going to open it up, go super small, and let loose guys like Brooks, Wafer, Scola, and Landry to try and be competent offensive sidekicks to Artest (this is an issue in its own right, Artest as the #1 option, oh boy). And I know the Rockets are mature and well coached enough to come out and play hard like they always do, making this a very winnable game seeing as the Lakers, for a lack of a better term, are soft—maybe not cutthroat enough to see this as a viable challenge—thus allowing Houston to steal a win.

Ron Ron must have a huge Game 4 for the Rockets to have a chance (Image:Newscom)

Insanity At Its Finest

You know, with the abundance of open shots Von Wafer missed in game 3, I’m willing to predict if he gets the same looks in Game 4 he will knock them down en route to a big game. He’s capable.

Depending on Von Wafer as an integral part of the scoring attack? Have I gone mad?

Oh yeah, almost forgot, there’s this thing called interior defense and Houston just got a whole lot worse  at it with this Yao guy no longer available.

I can see Gasol licking his chops right now. Odom too. Even softy Andrew Bynum is licking his chops, although I bet he doesn’t last long if the Rockets fast break.

Guess Houston is going to have to score well over 100 to pull out Game 4.

It’s going to be one helluva problem.

Rick Pitino has “been there, done that” as far as the NBA is concerned. Twice actually. Is the third time the charm?

Will Rick Pitino take another stab at the NBA?

Not at the moment.

Although rumors around the Internet circulated that the Sacramento Kings were in interested in hiring him as a head coach,  ESPN.com reported that contact with the Kings was initiated by Pitino’s camp. Sacramento never considered him as it began drafting a list of potential candidates.

But Pitino told Louisville this morning that he had no intention of leaving his current coaching position.

May Sacramento wasn’t interested? Afterall, Pitino’s two NBA stints were with the  New York Knicks from 1987 to 1989 and with the Boston Celtics from 1997 to 2001, and neither jobs were successful.

Image: Newscom

The unsung guys, their contributions mighty, but often can go unnoticed if you rely solely on the boxscore for your insight.

Kendrick Perkins (Celtics)- Guy is just what you need in a center in today’s NBA where the guards and athletic forwards determine tempo and much of the offense. Perkins is wide and sets good picks, while also using his wide frame and mean streak to be a post presence on both ends of the court. He also has displayed from time to time the ability to get you 20 points in an evening.  Very good rebounder. Ever wonder why the Celtics interior defense is so stingy? It’s not all because of Garnett.

Chuck Hayes, undrafted but not unknown (Image:Newscom)

Chuck Hayes (Rockets)- Henry Abbott of TrueHoop had a nice quick blurb about Hayes today which got me to thinking about those players who do all the little things to help their team win. Chuck’s contributions usually don’t show up in the boxscore and sometimes are not really noticeable to the lackadaisical run of the norm basketball observers. He’s often in the right place at the right time and takes charges with the best of them. He’s quite the post defender as well, usually holding his own with guys two to four inches taller than him. Though he might have the ugliest free throw stroke in the history of organized (or unorganized) hoops but fortunately for the visually unimpaired Chuck doesn’t visit the line for weeks at a time.

Luke Walton (Lakers)- With the Lakers being such a deep team, Luke has fallen quite a bit in recent years in the playing time category. Phil Jackson still eeks out some minutes for him though as Luke will not hurt the team, that is for certain. What he provides is a decent shooting touch and an uncanny ability to see the floor, making the quick pass for an open teammate, sometimes even after slyly beating his man off the dribble. What holds Luke back is his less than eye opening athleticism, but with young erratic athletes galore on the Lakers sometimes all you need is a solid veteran presence that just knows how to blend in.

Anthony Carter (Nuggets)- Carter’s getting up there in age (gonna be 34 next month) but still can turn on the jets and blow by you from time to time if you relax. Not known or being a real consistent three point shooter (just 24% for his career) Carter doesn’t fling them up there all that much, instead he embodies the pass first point guard mentality that helps the Nuggets be successful. Carter has a knack for hitting tough around the basket layups in transition, but his ability to defend and choreograph the offense allows for George Karl to put Chauncey Billups at the two guard position certain stretches of the games, which is huge. Having a veteran point guard who knows his role so well is vital, because not every backup point guard can handle it, teams must cherish the guys who can.

Why do teams have live animals as mascots? They shouldn’t, and this is a perfect example why. The Spirit the Hawk (for Atlanta) used to fly during the opening of the game during player intros. Used to being the operative phrase here. Spirit got loose and disrupted a play during last night’s game against Miami.

Footage of this was seen all over the news today, like this little clip:

Miami might even have a reason to complain about this, except they ended up winning, 108-93. Apparently the bird will still be a part of “game night activities” but will have a smaller role. Who knows what threw the bird off his game. Maybe he saw a mouse somewhere in the arena?

Image: Morguefile.

Many young and talented ballers cannot wait to get to the NBA. They look at  their college career as a stepping stone to something bigger and better, and nothing else. The degree doesn’t much matter, since they will be raking in the dough at the professional level anyway.

Those individuals that decide to stay in college for all four years are few and far between.

Tyler Hansbrough stayed at UNC and amassed numerous national accolades as well a national championship. Add a college degree to the mix and I’d say that he made a smart decision.

Stephen Curry is now wrestling with the same decision. According to SI.com, the main thing holding him back from hiring an agent is the college degree.

Stephen Curry has until Sunday to declare for the 2009 NBA draft.

Knowing that Curry is a well-rounded kid and that the hype and attention he has garnered since Davidson’s 2008 NCAA Tournament run hasn’t gone to his head, I’m not the lease bit surprised that he has yet to make a decision about his basketball future. I could see him returning to Davidson for his senior year. And I would respect him for it.

Photo provided by Newscom

Jonny Flynn, the quick-footed point guard from Syracuse, has hired an agent. This basically means it’s NBA or bust. Once college players hire an agent officially, they forgo the rest of their college career.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim wasn’t the least bit surprised.  According to ESPN.com he said, “. We hate to lose him, but the opportunity that he has and will take advantage of I think is tremendous. It’s a lot of money and it’s hard to not take. He’s been great for us and we wish him nothing but the best.”

After hiring an agent, it's NBA or bust for Syracuse standout Jonny Flynn.

Flynn may be considered a small point guard, but his performance in the Big East Tournament (especially a six-overtime game against UCONN) pretty much showed the rest of the country what he is capable of doing when the ball is in his hands. Flynn was named tournament MVP after a loss against Louisville in the championship game, only the fourth time a player from the losing team received the award.

The NBA draft will be held on June 25. We’ll see if Flynn’s decision pays off.