Hooped Up

Another van glorious season of NBA basketball is about to begin and Hooped Up does a quick and dirty preview of all 30 clubs.

If I had a pint for every Carlos Boozer trade rumor I heard this summer, I’d be a Boozer.

Read More »

One thing I’ve noticed over the past few years about International players entering the NBA these days is that they have way better nicknames then the guys that paved the way for them to make it to the league. Before every international sensation was dubbed “The left handed something”, “The right handed something”, “The European something” or some other uninspired nickname that translated into English horribly.

Now the International dudes have cool nicknames like Spanish Fly, AK-47, Captain Canada, The Polish Hammer, The Machine and a bunch of other cool sounding stuff . In this video of the Top 10 plays of the year by guys with US Work Visas.

The all show how they earned their names with some international flare.

Enjoy from your respective time zone.

After Utah’s first two losses in the series, Deron Williams told friends he was growing increasingly frustrated with the softness of some of his teammates. Williams has previously targeted Andrei Kirilenko for criticism, but he’s said to have also soured considerably on Carlos Boozer. Boozer angered franchise officials and teammates alike early in the season, when he spoke openly of wanting to test his free agency this summer. It didn’t help that he made the comments while he was nursing a quadriceps injury that cost him more than half the season. 

Yahoo

Lets face it! You’re probably going to party your @ss off tonight whether your staying at home or going out somewhere and this is a good thing! So to inspire you for tonights action, here are my favorite Top 5: NBA Party moments. 

If your going to drink make sure you don’t drive and if your Andrei Kirolenko and plan on using your freebie, at least buy Masha some flowers tomorrow.

Happy New Year!

Read More »

Yesterday, Andrei Kirilenko and his wife Masha sat down with Chris Mannix of SI, and discussed Sloan, being a sixth man and not being Doug and Jackie Christie. She’s hot, allows Andrei to sleep with a different girl once a year, and supports her man like a mutha! Andrei must be the happiest man with one wife in Utah!

“Kirilenko’s wife, Masha, though, has her own opinions. A singer (the video for her 2002 hit single, Saharniy — which translates loosely to sugary — quickly rocketed to No. 1 on MTV Russia) with brains (she holds an undergrad degree in foreign languages and a masters in art) and ambition (in addition to running her husband’s charitable foundation, she recently opened her own clothing boutique), Masha rarely misses a home game. When Andrei is on the bench, she’ll mouth — in Russian — anything from I love you to postgame dinner plans. When Andrei is in the game, he’ll often turn to her and shout in Russian after a significant play. They’re not quite ready to replace Doug and Jackie Christie as the NBA’s first couple of idiosyncratic communications, but Masha is, safe to say, a full partner in Andrei’s career.”

SI

Every season AK47 seems to be falling out of the spotlight with the Jazz and this year might be the year he is relegated to the role of sixth man.

“He has started 371 of 492 games during his seven regular seasons in Utah, and another 33 of 38 playoff games with the Jazz. He’s also started all 171 games – regular season, and postseason – over the past two NBA campaigns. But after their 99-90 preseason-opening win over the Los Angeles Lakers late Tuesday night, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said he may consider bringing small forward Andrei Kirilenko off the bench.”

Deseret News

Will Andrei Kirilenko go back to Russia and spurn the NBA?

“CSKA wants to offer Kirilenko a contract to rival that of other NBA stars and what seems to be the appeal in this case for CSKA is that Kirilenko, doesn’t occupy the position of non-russian player, which allows CSKA to keep him in the roster at all times, the same reason they got Khryapa and Khaun,i.e. to get ahead of the competition. It also says that this might be the reason that Kirilenko has not renewed with the Utah Jazz yet.”

The Hoop

While receiving an honorary degree from his alma matter. Phil Jackson had this to say regarding the best athlete he has ever coached when asked as reported by the OC Register.

“No, the player Jackson called the greatest that he has coached is that wedding dress aficionado and Newport Beach police’s favorite basketball bad boy, Dennis Rodman. That’s right. No need to rub your eyes.

“He could probably play a 48-minute game and play the 48th minute stronger than the first minute of the game,” Jackson told the crowd at UND. “He was that terrific an athlete.”

Read More »

Last year, Andrei Kirilenko led his Russian men’s national basketball team in the 2007 European Championships.

This Friday, he’ll lead — in a different way — Russia’s entire Olympic sports delegation in the Beijing Summer Games’ opening ceremonies. Kirilenko has been selected to carry the Russian flag as he and his Olympic peers enter into and parade around Beijing’s National Stadium.

“Representing in front of the world, you know, is a big honor,” said the longtime Utah Jazz forward, “and I will try to do my best.”

Desert News