Forbes Welcomes Basketball Legend Michael Jordan on Billionaires' List

In the new Billionaires List Forbes magazine released today, 290 newcomers joined the list, including basketball great, Michael Jordan, 52. He's now the 513th-richest person in the US with a net worth of an even $1.0 billion. Forbes report below;

The most famous rookie on the billionaires list? Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time and indisputably the best-paid athlete of all time. Most of his cash comes from Nike payouts on his iconic brand. The Jordan brand grossed an estimated $2.25 billion in 2013, earning his Airness some $90m. But his most valuable asset is his stake in the Charlotte Hornets, worth more than $500m. When ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer bought the Los Angeles Clippers for a stunning $2 billion, values of all NBA teams skyrocketed, creating three new billionaires. Jordan’s old boss Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago Bulls, joined the list with a fortune of $1.3 billion, and Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander boosted his net worth to $1.6 billion.

Beyoncé fuels pregnancy rumours during basketball date with Jay Z

Beyoncé and Jay Z headed out on Monday as pregnancy rumours continued to swirl

ET- As pregnancy rumours continue to swirl, Beyoncé is keeping her tummy firmly under wraps. The 33-year-old singer was pictured enjoying a date night with husband Jay Z at a basketball game in New York this week, where she further fuelled reports that she is expecting a second child by keeping her hands clasped over her stomach.

Dressed all in black, Beyoncé arrived at the Barclays Center covered up in a trench coat and trilby hat. After taking her courtside seat next to her long-term partner, she did remove her outer garment – but did seem to be intentionally keeping her tummy hidden from view.

Wassup With Toronto Raptors Losing Streak, Four In A Row

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (right) and head coach Dwane Casey walk off the court at the end of their 103-95 loss to the Charlotte Hornets in NBA action in Toronto Thursday January 8, 2015.

Lori Ewing The Canadian Press
The once-red hot Toronto Raptors have suddenly gone cold.

And while Kyle Lowry said a four-game losing streak is nothing to fret over, his chilly demeanour in the post-game dressing room Thursday night said otherwise.

The Raptors dropped a 103-95 decision to the Charlotte Hornets, spoiling the team’s homecoming after a disappointing road trip. And Lowry, who led the way with 24 points, was positively terse with reporters after the lacklustre loss.

“Tonight we sucked as a team, and we’ve got to figure it out soon,” Lowry said. “We’ve got a game on Saturday, and tonight we sucked as a team, but we had a bad game, and I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

California High School Ban "I Can't Breathe" T-Shirts at Basketball Tournament

AP

Brendan O'Connor GAWKER
Both boys' and girls' varsity basketball teams from a Northern California high school were disinvited from a tournament because of concerns that players would wear "I Can't Breathe" t-shirts during warm-ups, the Associated Press reports.

Mendocino Unified School District Superintendent Jason Morse told the AP that the boys' team was ultimately re-invited to the tournament at nearby Fort Bragg High School "after all but one player agreed not to wear the shirts anywhere on the Fort Bragg campus during the three-day tournament."

"Too few girls accepted the condition for the team to field a tournament squad," the AP reports.

The words, Eric Garner's last, have become a slogan for protestors demonstrating against police brutality and racism in the American justice system. After a Staten Island grand jury failed to indict the NYPD officer who placed Garner in the chokehold which killed him many athletes began wearing shirts with the words printed on them during warm-ups before games.

LeBron James Miami Return Turn Sour As Heats Beat Cavs 101-91

The return of LeBron James to Miami may have been the biggest story when the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Miami Heat on Christmas, but it was a happy ending for Dwyane Wade and co., who beat the Cavs, 101-91.

Led by Wade (31 points, five rebounds, five assists) and Luol Deng (25 points, eight rebounds, eight assists), the Heat proved to be too much for James and the Cavs, ending Cleveland's three-game winning streak despite the absence of Chris Bosh.

James didn't disappoint against his former team, however, scoring 30 points and adding eight assists. Kyrie Irving had a strong evening as well, going for 25 points, while Kevin Love scored 14 points and pulled down five rebounds.

Kyle Lowry Of Toronto Raptors Nails Brooklyn Nets

Toronto Keep Getting Wins As Kyle Lowry carries Raptors past Knicks, 95-90

New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, left, looks for a pass from Quincy Acy, right, while Toronto Raptors' Landry Fields defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014 in New York. AP

Brian MahoneyThe Associated Press
Too many fouls. Way too many turnovers — nine alone from their star point guard.

So what if Kyle Lowry and the Toronto Raptors weren’t perfect? Come overtime, they went from flawed to nearly flawless.

“We had so many mistakes on both sides, even defensively,” coach Dwane Casey said. “But it was one of those games, if you’re serious about winning, you find a way to get it done and our guys did it.”

Lowry had 21 points and 11 assists, controlling the overtime period and leading the Raptors to a 95-90 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday night.

Lowry had nine turnovers and missed a jumper that would’ve won it to end regulation, but then had two baskets and an assist in overtime, accounting for more points than the Knicks managed as a team.

Team USA Rocking on Without Stars, Beats Brazil 95-78

Derrick Rose and Anthony Davis were great in their win over Brazil. (USATSI)

USA Basketball won't have Kevin Durant or Paul George or Kevin Love. They won't have Blake Griffin or Russell Westbrook either. LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard aren't going to play when the competition isn't happening in the Olympics. But Team USA is still full of great talent from the NBA and it was on display in Chicago.

Playing in front of their hometown crowd, Derrick Rose and Anthony Davis reminded us of the super-human ways in which they're capable of playing basketball. We've only seen 10 somewhat disappointing games from Rose since he tore his ACL in the 2012 playoffs, but his speed, quickness, strength, and incredible impact he's capable of having on a basketball game were all on display against Brazil.

Davis led all scorers with 20 points and was impossible for Brazil's NBA big men to keep up with. Nene, Tiago Splitter, and Anderson Varejao all found themselves trailing Davis running the floor at some point in the game. He was catching lobs, challenging shots inside, and he even knocked down a couple of midrange jumpers to show off his versatility. Davis' hustle and effort to dominate the game were on display in the fourth quarter as he went diving out of bounds and into the stands on the sideline to save a ball.

James Harden added 18 points for Team USA and Stephen Curry put on a shooting display early in the first quarter. We were also treated to Kenneth Faried's relentless hustle on the boards early on as he helped boost an early lead for Team USA that quickly got to double digits.

Lebron James Homecoming Party Address

Billonaire Steve Ballmer Finally Buys LA, NBA Reports

The sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was completed Tuesday with an email from a California courtroom, one of Ballmer's attorneys said

The NBA Board of Governors had previously approved the $2 billion deal, which was officially closed after a California court issued a final order confirming the authority of Shelly Sterling to sell the team on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust, the NBA confirmed on its website. Shelly Sterling was the sole trustee after her husband, Donald Sterling, was found mentally incapacitated by two doctors and subsequently removed as a co-trustee.

Ballmer's attorneys moved quickly to finalize the deal Tuesday as soon as Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Levanas issued a written ruling. Levanas had issued an oral opinion in favor of Shelly Sterling on July 28, but to make the sale official, Ballmer needed a final order. 

Dwayne Wade Admits He Foreknew LeBron James Departure

When LeBron James was making his decision about the Cavaliers, he spent some time in Las Vegas with Dwyane Wade, his teammate who brought him to the Miami Heat and seems to be a close friend.

According to Wade, they made it through the whole trip without James actually telling him he what he had decided.

But in his first interview about James’ departure, Wade told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that he knew from James’ body language he was leaving.

“He called me the next day. But I knew then. Obviously he still had to say the final yay or nay, but I knew. I could tell.”

In the end though, Wade seems to have come to terms with James’ choice — even if it means the end of the Big Three.

Again, from the Sun Sentinel:

“As his friend, I’m just supportive,” said Wade, who made no recruiting pitches to James. “As crazy as that might sound, I’m supportive of my friends doing what makes them happy. Obviously, same thing with him in this situation. You’ve gotta do what makes you happy — selfishly do what makes you happy. The decision to go back home was that.”

NBA Free Agency Roundup: Dwayne, James, Bosh

Dwyane Wade secured a no-trade clause as part of his new contract with the Miami Heat, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. That gives the shooting guard some extra leverage over the next year or two as things sort themselves out in the wake of LeBron James' return to Cleveland.

Wade agreed to a two-year, $31.1 million contract with the Heat earlier this week, ultimately losing millions as a result of his decision to opt out of the final two years and $42 million on his previous contract. That initial move was made with LeBron in mind, but LeBron stunned the basketball world by breaking up the Big Three and leaving South Beach.

Pat Riley has been busy reloading the Heat since then, starting with Chris Bosh's five-year, $118 million deal and now Wade's contract. Obviously, Bosh came out of this situation much better than his teammate, but now Wade can at least maintain greater control over the next few years of his career.

Luke Ridnour to sign two-year deal with Magic

The Orlando Magic added another veteran to their backcourt by agreeing to a two-year deal with free agent guard Luke Ridnour on Wednesday, as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports. NBA.com's David Aldridge says the contract is worth $5.5 million and the second year is not guaranteed.

 

The Magic likely targeted a veteran point guard after losing Jameer Nelson earlier this offseason, and Ridnour certainly qualifies after 11 seasons in the league.

Meme of the Day: Jordan Disses Kobe Bryant and LeBron James

US names 2014 FIBA World Cup Men's Team

Kevin Durant leads Team USA this summer. (USATSI)

Team USA announced the final roster for its training camp in Las Vegas from which the 2014 FIBA World Cup USA Men's National Team will be selected.

The biggest, and most glaring exclusion is that of John Wall. It's fairly difficult to make the argument that Kyrie Irving is better than Wall, and Damian Lillard becomes essentially a tie once you factor in defense. There's still a good chance Wall makes it due to injury or another reason for someone pulling out, but that doesn't change the fact that his exclusion remains an insult for one of the better point guards.

Kawhi Leonard is the other notable exclusion. It's pretty hard to argue that his game wouldn't fit with the international style, or that he's not a better overall weapon than several of the wings available.
The team is shooting-heavy, that much is clear. Curry, Thompson, Parsons, Korver, and Beal all essentially play the same role on a Team USA dynamic, though Curry can obviously also run point.

Team USA invitees
Player	Pos	Team
Bradley Beal	SG	Wizards
DeMarcus Cousins	C	Kings
Stephen Curry	G	Warriors
Anthony Davis	F/C	Pelicans
DeMar DeRozan	G/F	Raptors
Andre Drummond	F/C	Pistons
Kevin Durant	F	Thunder
Kenneth Faried	F	Nuggets
Paul George	G/F	Pacers
Blake Griffin	F	Clippers
James Harden	G	Rockets
Gordon Hayward	G	Jazz

LeBron James Explains Why He Signed For Cleveland Cavalier

After much controversy on the next path for LeBron James after he became a free agent, he is turned to his home franchise - Cleveland Cavaliers.

The superstar announced the decision via an exclusive with Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated:

Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It's where I walked. It's where I ran. It's where I cried. It's where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart. People there have seen me grow up. I sometimes feel like I'm their son. Their passion can be overwhelming. But it drives me. I want to give them hope when I can. I want to inspire them when I can. My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now. ... 

... When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission. I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn't had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what's most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio.

The NBA Draft 2014 five biggest surprises

Draft-night surprises don't come from who gets drafted but when, since the eventual makeup of the first round is predicted well in advance of the draft itself.

But trades, slides, early selections, reaches and tumbles are part of the draft's appeal, and in the first round in particular. The 2014 version was no exception: Joel Embiid remained a top pick, Aaron Gordon went a bit ahead of schedule and Gary Harris suffered a major tumble, for example.

Surprises are part of the game. Here are the five biggest shockers from Thursday's first round:

1. Embiid sticks in the top three
Kansas center Joel Embiid began the offseason as one of the top-ranked prospects in the NBA draft, perhaps right alongside former teammate Andrew Wiggins, but saw his stock dinged by concerns over two injuries: one to his back, which kept the freshman out of the NCAA tournament, and a second to his right foot, which demanded surgery June 20.

Yet despite the injury concerns – something Kansas Coach Bill Self dismissed before the start of Thursday's draft – Embiid didn't drop very far, going third overall to the Philadelphia 76ers, two spots after Wiggins was taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 76ers are banking on Embiid's potential, willingly rolling the dice on his projected growth even as he spends the next four to six months recovering from his recent procedure. When he does see the court, Embiid will join another player coming off an injury, Nerlens Noel, along the 76ers' frontline.

2. Gordon goes No. 4
Don't question the athleticism: Arizona's Aaron Gordon can leap out of the gym, as proved during his highlight-reel performance during the NCAA tournament. Instead, question the jump shot – a major weakness at this point – and wonder why the Orlando Magic didn't opt to spend the fourth overall pick on upgrading its backcourt.

Several guards remained on the board: Dante Exum, for one, who went one pick later to the Utah Jazz, and Marcus Smart, who went No. 6 to the Boston Celtics. While Gordon has a Blake Griffin-like skill set, either Exum or Smart would have given the Magic an immediate boost in the rush for a playoff berth.
3. Zach LaVine goes ahead of schedule
The former one-and-done UCLA guard is the greatest boom-or-bust pick of the lottery. Minnesota took LaVine 13th overall after he averaged 9.4 points and 1.8 assists per game during a single season with the Bruins.

Spurs Axed Heat in Game 5 to win 5th NBA Championship

In Game 5 at the AT&T Center on Sunday, San Antonio knocked off the two-time defending champion Miami Heat, 104-87, closing out this lopsided series in dominant fashion.

 

For the past two years, the Miami Heat have been able to take their opponent's best punch. They made a habit of falling behind in playoff series, then unleashing a vicious counterattack from their star trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

 

Not this time. Not even close.

 

The San Antonio Spurs clinched the NBA title here on their home court Sunday night, knocking off the two-time defending champions in dominant fashion, 104-87, to win the best-of-seven series in a brisk five games—and perhaps even put the future of the world's best basketball player in doubt.

 

For coach Gregg Popovich and his San Antonio team—now owners of five of the league's past 16 Larry O'Brien trophies—the victory was a form of redemption. The Spurs lost the Finals in seven games to Miami last year, but they were mere seconds away from earning last season's title, too. (So close, in fact, that NBA security officials began roping off the court to prepare for what figured to be a Spurs' trophy presentation on the court). But Miami's Ray Allen changed the course of history by hitting a game-tying triple in the closing seconds to tie that Game 6, and the Heat won Game 7.

Spurs Defeats Heat in Game 3 with First Half Shooting and Kawhi Leonard New Record

The San Antonio Spurs made 19 of their first 21 shots and hit 75.8 percent in the best-shooting half in NBA Finals history, racing to a 71-50 lead over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

Kawhi Leonard made his first six shots and scored 18 points for the Spurs after two quiet games in San Antonio. Danny Green added 13, going 6 for 6, as San Antonio finished 25 of 33. Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 29 points as the Spurs took Game 3 111-92. The Spurs shot 76 percent in the first half, a new NBA Finals record.

Spurs set shooting record in 1st half of Game 3. The previous best half was by the Orlando Magic, who went 24 of 32 (75 per cent) against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009.

LeBron James scored 16 points for the Heat, who made 56 per cent but were at risk of getting blown out of their own building because of the Spurs' ruthless execution.

Game Leaders

	San Antonio	Miami
Points	K. Leonard (29)	D. Wade (22)
Rebounds	T. Duncan (6)	C. Andersen (5)
Assists	P. Mills (4)	L. James (7)
Steals	D. Green (5)	L. James (5)
Blocks	K. Leonard (2)	C. Andersen (1)

Returning to the arena where they were oh-so-close to winning a fifth championship last year, the Spurs came out playing like they were trying to build a lead that was impossible to blow.

Miami Heat became 3rd Team in History to Reach Fourth Consecutive NBA Finals

The Miami Heat became the third franchise in NBA history to reach four consecutive NBA Finals on Friday night, thrashing the Indiana Pacers 117-92 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

 

The blowout win improves Miami to 10-0 in potential series-clinching home games during the LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh era. James and Bosh paced Miami, scoring 25 points each.

Paul George led the Pacers with 29 points on 8-of-18 shooting, but made little impact when the outcome was still in doubt.

Despite squandering an opportunity to close out the series on the road in Game 5, Wade and his teammates were optimistic coming into Friday's close-out game, per the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson

"We’re at home to close out a series. That’s the best position to be in...ideal for anyone."

Donald Sterling Allows Wife To Sell L.A Clippers

Donald Sterling has agreed to let wife Shelly Sterling negotiate the sale of the Clippers, a source tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link). The NBA hasn’t approved the arrangement yet, Shelburne adds (on Twitter).

The league won’t consider the Sterlings’ proposal unless they divest themselves of 100% of their ownership of the club, according to Shelburne. TMZ first reported that Donald Sterling was putting the future of the Clippers in his wife’s hands.