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Former players and current friends -- lots of them, naturally -- are expected when a gathering is held Sunday to honor recently retired Jordan High boys' basketball coach Ron Massey.
The place? Where else could it be but the Jordan gymnasium? Things are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. and last until about 6.
Thanks to NBA TV, I just watched Washington (led by John Wall) roll over the Clippers, 89-64.
All three of the Clippers' rookies were error-prone but each I would think at least some of that had to do with their opening night (as NBA players, that is) jitters. I would expect to play with a bit more calm in the team's second game (against Chicago Wednesday night at 5 o'clock).
Eric Bledsoe had something approaching double figures in turnovers but his speed, strength and ball handling could help eventually put him in the upper-tier of NBA point guards.
As for Bledsoe's teammate at Kentucky last season, he, too, is turnover prone right now. But oh-my-goodness he's talented . . .
Al-Faroqu Aminu, selected No. 8 in the first round, is still too raw to play a lot, immediately, as a Clippers' rookie. But he doesn't turn 20 for two months and he'll be a full-time starter before he turns 21. He's just not a ``true'' 3 (small forward) or 4 (power forward) yet.
Willie Warren, the second-round pick out of Oklahoma, struggled for most of three quarters but hit a few shots and make a couple of nice passes in the fourth quarter.
The Clippers just announced that forward Al-Farouq Aminu and guard Eric Bledsoe have signed contracts.
The 6-foot-9 Aminu was the No. 8 selection, out of Wake Forest, in the first round of the June 24 Draft.
The 6-1 Bledsoe, by way of Kentucky, was tabbed No. 18 in the first round by Oklahoma City with his rights immediately dealt to the Clippers on Draft Night in exchange for a future first-round selection.
Second-round choice Willie Warren, a guard out of Oklahoma, is expected to be signed shortly to put 11 players under contract for next season.
Even as Miami Heat fans were delirious and Cleveland Cavalier fans were angry/stunned/despondent, the Clippers had moved on after LeBron James announced "The Decision".
The Clippers have signed a couple of less high-profile free agents (to say the least) in forward Ryan Gomes (10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season for Minnesota) and guard Randy Foye (10.1 points and 3.3 assists per game for Washington).
They probably now have 10 players set for the 12-man roster they'll play with next season.
The Miami Heat would be favored to win any NBA "3 on 3 tournament".
But will the decisions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade in Miami make the Heat the favorite to dethrone the Lakers next June?
It should: the Lakers will be favored to win a third consecutive title. Bosh couldn't guard Pau Gasol in 2008 Olympics. You think he can now?
I'm sure James' announcement just provided a lot of Lakers -- most notably No. 24 -- with a lot of extra motivation . . . if it was needed.
Obviously, all the "i's" have been dotted and "t's" crossed in Vinny Del Negro's contact.
The new Clippers' head coach will be introduced to the Southland media during a 4 o'clock press conference in the Chick Hearn Press Room in the Staples Center.
So LeBron James will use the ESPN "Family of Networks" to reveal to the world Thursday night where he will be playing next season.
This stuff has gotten out of hand.
It's starting to rival all of the recruiting "line up four or five hats in front of me" before picking a school stuff that has become such a comical cliche.
The field of teams -- and players -- at the 24th Nike/Fairfax High Boys Basketball Summer Classic was as good as there has been in a long while.
Here is an unofficial (I just threw it together this morning) "all-tournament team", listed by teams, with the players' size and class (in 2010-11) included:
Poly
Ryan Anderson (6-7 ½ /Sr.)
Alex Carmon (6-3/Sr.)
Alexi Moore (6-2/Sr.)
Roschon Prince (6-4/So.)
Taft
Kevin Johnson (6-9/Sr.)
Spencer Dinwiddie (6-4/Sr.)
Brandon Perry (6-5/Sr.)
Khiry Williams (5-11/Sr.)
Dorsey
Brandon Baker (6-0/Jr.)
Marqueze Coleman (6-3/Jr.)
Santa Monica
Jordan Mathews (6-3/So.)
Mater Dei
David Brown (6-3/Sr.)
Eli Stalzer (6-2/Jr.)
St. Bernard
Thurman Thomas (6-2/Sr.)
Jahmel Taylor (6-1/So.)
Crenshaw
Isaac Hamilton (6-4/So.)
Price
Asia Booker (6-1/Sr.)
Harvard-Westlake
Damiene Caine (6-6/Sr.)
Pasadena
Todd Lewis (6-3/Sr.)
Orange Lutheran
Gabe York (6-3/Jr.)
The boys basketball teams from Poly and Taft -- which could be the two best in California during the 2010-11 season -- are scheduled to tip off at 6 o'clock this evening for the championship of the 24th Nike/Fairfax Summer Classic.
The squads rolled over quality opponents in the semifinals Friday evening, Poly stopping Dorsey (78-54) and Taft handling Santa Monica (68-46, after trailing by two points at intermission).
Taft edged by the Jackrabbits by a point (reportedly with neither squad at full strength) during a USC Team Camp game in the Galen Center two Saturdays ago.
The rest of today's schedule: 9 a.m., Crespi vs. La Canada; 10, Serra vs. Loyola; 11, Orange Lutheran vs. Fairfax; Noon, Pasadena vs. Harvard-Westlake (consolation championship); 1:30 p.m., Crenshaw vs. Price (seventh-place); 3, St. Bernard vs. Mater Dei (fifth-place); 4:30, Dorsey vs. Santa Monica (third-place).
Check my blog for updates today/this evening and the Sunday Press-Telegram for a report on the championship game.
Here are comments by Clippers' GM Neil Olshey (who, along with team President Andy Roeser) just wrapped up a meeting in Cleveland with LeBron James and some of his advisors:
"We can only surmise how the meeting went from our standpoint, and from our standpoint, it went very well. We approached it in a very honest and direct way, and we felt that their reaction was considerate and receptive.
"We're not going to go into any details about the meeting's specifics. But it was our goal to present tangible and very obvious reasons as to why we think LeBron choosing our organization is his best option: we clearly have the best team already in place for him to join, we have the best city, the best arena, the best practice facility - overall the best situation.
"By communicating all of that in a sincere way, we accomplished our preliminary goal.
"Now what we can do is wait and see how it all resonates, plus continue to be comprehensive in our efforts to improve our team for the upcoming season.
"No matter what, we're getting at least one great new player this summer: His name is Blake Griffin."
The Jackrabbits will take on the Dorsey Dons in a 7:30 championship semifinal of the Fairfax/Nike Summer Basketball Classic.
The other championship semifinal has Taft (a 79-66 winner over Mater Dei Thursday night) facing Santa Monica (67-64 over Price Thursday) at 6 o'clock tonight.
The title game is set for 6 o'clock Saturday night (the third-place game tips off at 4:30).
