Hooped Up

Wow, even the Clippers broadcast team is way below mediocre. Clippers announcers Ralph Lawler who has been the voice of the Clippers for 31 season and analyst Mike Smith, were suspended by Fox for their negative comments regarding Hamed Haddadi of the Grizzlies.

The comments too place during their broadcast on Wednesday in Memphis and after a viewer complained, Fox Sports Prime Ticket cable network took action. Haddadi is the first Persian born player to play in the NBA.

After the jump, read the exchange Smith and Lawler had when Haddadi entered the game, that got them deservedly suspend.

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If you don’t follow Hamed Haddadi (@HamedHaddadi15) on Twitter, you’re missing out dude. Not only are you missing out on following the day-to-day life of the first Persian born player to play in the NBA. But your also missing out on watching him trying to cram his 7′2″, 280 pound frame into fuel efficient vehicles.

See Haddadi pour himself into a freakin’ go kart, that hurts my knees to look at after the jump.

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Iranian international Hamed Haddadi says he is a star of the Memphis Grizzlies but the NBA team leaves him on the bench and off the court most of the time.

“Grizzlies’ officials don’t let me show my abilities. I have done my best every time I was called up to play for my team, but I don’t know why they don’t trust me,” added Haddadi, who was the first Iranian basketball player to make it to the NBA.

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For the second time this season, the Memphis Grizzlies have assigned center Hamed Haddadi to the NBA Development League’s Dakota Wizards, the club’s D-League affiliate, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

Haddadi will return to Dakota after posting 6.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.55 blocks in 17.7 minutes in 11 games (seven starts) after being assigned to the Wizards on Nov. 24.  Memphis recalled the 7-2, 280-pound center on Dec. 24.

Via Press Release

The first Persian player in the NBA, center Hameed Haddadi will be sent to the D-League to get some playing time.  So far this season,  Haddadi has seen limited minutes in his historic first NBA season.

“The Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate is the Dakota Wizards in Bismarck, North Dakota, where seven-foot Iranian dudes are probably pretty scarce, according to the Memphis Flyer. The Grizzlies want to get Haddadi some game action and expect the trip to be relatively short-term, probably two to three weeks, though Haddadi could make up to two additional Dakota trips this season under league rules. 

Hadaddi will be accompanied by former assistant coach and current scout Gordon Chiesa, who “discovered” him for the Grizzlies this summer at the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league.”

Tehran Times

New Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi touched down at Memphis Internatioanl Airport early Friday afternoon, ending speculation that the Iranian’s entrance into the United States would be delayed due to immigration issues.

Haddadi was greeted at the airport by Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace, Director of Player Personnel Tony Barone, Sr., and Director of Scouting Tony Barone, Jr., as well as members of the Memphis Iranian community.

My Eyewitness News

I posted rumblings about it last week and now it’s official. The first Persian born player will play in the NBA this season.

“The Memphis Grizzlies signed free-agent centre Hamed Haddadi, who played for the Iranian national team in the Olympics.

The seven-foot-two, 254-pound Haddadi averaged 16.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in Beijing.

The 23-year-old Haddadi spent the 2007-08 season playing for Saba Battery BC in the Iranian Super League.”

The NBA might have a player from every country in a few years and I absolutely love it!

via Press Release

Well according to Payvand, the Persian center has told the paper that a deal is in the works to join the Memphis Grizzlies by next week.  If Hamed Hadadi joins the Memphis Grizzlies or any other NBA club, he would be the first player from Iran to do so.

Hadadi said, “I will undoubtedly join Memphis Grizzlies by the end of next week. I met Memphis’ officials yesterday to discuss joining the team.”

 According to NBA rules, foreign players have to legally wait for their work permit and it takes time, he added.

“I received many offers from European teams but just playing in the NBA is my dream. Hopefully, I can join Memphis as soon as possible without any problem.” 7-foot-2 Iranian Olympian Hamed Hadadi said.

Payvand