Hooped Up

Derek Fisher, who was named president of the NBA Players Association over All-Star weekend, says his fellow players are being unfairly linked to reports of crime and violence from All-Star weekend in Las Vegas.

“I’ve heard a lot of opinions [in the media], but those ought to be reserved for when something actually happens. To associate the violence with the players, that’s not a fair assessment,” the veteran Utah Jazz guard was quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Times.

Las Vegas police made a reported 362 arrests, and several shooting incidents were reported, although none were fatal. The only professional athlete linked to any of the violence was Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones, whom police say sparked a melee that led to a triple shooting when he showered nightclub dancers with several thousand dollars as a visual effect. A scuffle broke out when the Houston promoter who hired the dancers told them to pick the money up.

ESPN