Hooped Up

Simply hilarious!  If these two weren’t on the top of your favorites list before, they should after watching this. Steve Nash and Baron Davis collaborated to create a Step Brothers mock trailer for ibeatyou.com.  If you thing you can beat them, put down the Guitar Hero 3, (which I’m still addicted to) and pick up your video camera.

On Looker: “Is that  Baron Davis?”

On Looker: “And Steve Nash?”

Camera Guy: Yup

On Looker: Oh My God!

Straight Awesome!

Billionaire Mark Cuban, who’s trying to buy the Cubs, has received a recommendation from an unexpected source: NBA Commissioner David Stern. Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has been fined more than $1.3 million by Stern for criticizing referees. And yet Stern, when asked what he would tell Major League Baseball owners about Cuban, replied in an e-mail, “They should welcome him.” Cuban is among five bidders trying to buy the Cubs from Tribune Co., which is selling the franchise, Wrigley Field and a stake in Comcast SportsNet. “Despite what the public perception is, the commissioner and I have a great relationship,” Cuban said. “I truly appreciate his support.”

Chicago Tribune

“I understand what Yao said, but I’m still ghetto,” said Artest, who will earn $7.4 million next season and be a free agent next summer. “That’s not going to change. I’m never going to change my culture. Yao has played with a lot of black players, but I don’t think he’s ever played with a black player that really represents his culture as much as I represent my culture. Once Yao Ming gets to know me, he’ll understand what I’m about. “If you go back to the brawl, that’s a culture issue right there. Somebody was disrespecting me, so he’s got to understand where I’m coming from. People that know me know that Ron Artest never changed.”

Sacramento Bee

On Artest: “Hopefully, he’s not fighting anymore and going after a guy in the stands,” Yao said. Reached by phone a few hours later, Artest – who had spoken with Rockets shooting guard Tracy McGrady but not Yao since the news of the agreed-upon trade broke – said Yao is merely the latest person to believe “all the propaganda.” 

Sacramento Bee

Despite coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat remain hot international commodities.

The Heat and New Jersey Nets have sold out one of their two European exhibition games, Heat team officials confirmed Tuesday. Citing event organizers, the Associated Press first reported Tuesday that tickets for the Oct. 12 game between the Heat and Nets at the 16,500-seat 02 Arena in London had run out late last week. 

Miami Herald

The Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent center Randolph Morris to a contract, it was announced today by General Manager Rick Sund. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Randolph’s signing gives us additional size and depth along the frontline, with Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia,” said Sund. “He has the opportunity to grow as a player and we look forward to assisting with his future development as an NBA player.” 

NBA

The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they will return to Edmonton for the first time since 1999 for a preseason game. The Raptors will play host to Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, October 21 at Rexall Place. The Raptors defeated the Vancouver Grizzlies, 110-84, in their lone Edmonton appearance October 18, 1999.

The club will also play host to 2008 Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow at Air Canada Centre on October 14. This marks the sixth consecutive preseason the Raptors have been visited by an international foe.

Sportsnet

General manager John Paxson will confirm Wednesday that the Bulls have reached agreement on a six-year deal with restricted free agent Luol Deng. The deal is worth a guaranteed $71 million, according to sources. Incentives could push the contract’s value to $80 million, sources said. Deng, 23, rejected a five-year, $57.5 million extension in October and then joined in the season-long funk and malaise that shrouded theBulls’ underwhelming 2007-08 season. But Deng’s career averages of 15.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 48 percent shooting, not to mention his off-the-court charitable work that has endeared him to Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, made his re-signing one of management’s top off-season priorities.

Chicago Tribune

Kobe Bryant, who lives for one-on-one challenges, went at it with former Trojan and soon-to-be Memphis Grizzlies rookie O.J. Mayo, a member of the U.S. Select team, last week in Las Vegas. “Kobe completely shut him down in the beginning,” said U.S. managing director Jerry Colangelo. “But the longer they went, the better Mayo got.” Bryant already knew Mayo, who attended his camp last summer, and already thought highly of him. “I think the world of him,” Bryant said. “I think he’s extremely talented. I think he has a great overall game that a lot of young players don’t have in terms of skills. He can handle, he can shoot, he can pass, he’s fast, he’s quick, so that’s the whole package.”

Los Angeles Times

Will McGrady finally make it out of the first round?  Well, adding the best perimeter defender in the game to the Houston Rockets roster definitely won’t hurt.

The Houston Rockets will send veteran guard Bobby Jackson, rookie forwardDonte Green and a 2009 first round pick to Sacramento for forward Ron Artest. The trade reunites Artest with Rockets head coach Rick Adelman, who coached Artest for 40 games in Sacramento in 2005-06.