Carolina (Blue) Lakers
My buddy probably figures the Lakers should change their colors to Carolina blue, he comes to this conclusion based on the number of former Tarheels on the roster, part of the management or broadcast teams. There are not large numbers of former North Carolina players working for the Lakers however it may be of interest to several readers. On the roster are power forward Ed Davis and shooting guard Wayne Ellington. In the front office serving as general manager since 2001 is Mitch Kupchak. Working as studio analysts for the Time Warner Cable Sportsnet broadcast team are James Worthy and Antawn Jamison.
MSG or the Mecca
Madison Square Garden has often been referred to as the mecca of basketball. Were you aware the arena at 4 Pennsylvania Plaza is the fourth building to bear the name Madison Square Garden. The first arena was in use from 1879 to 1890 and the second from 1890 to 1925, the third MSG opened in 1925 and remained in use until 1968. In February 1968 the present building on Pennsylvania Plaza opened. MSG has undergone two major renovations (1989-91 & 2011-13) yet remains the oldest NBA arena in operation.
As for sporting events the Garden serves as home base for the NBA Knicks, the NHL Rangers, the WNBA Liberty and St. John’s University. The pre-season and post-season NIT Tournament is held annually in the Garden as is the Big East Tournament. The arena is also utilized for concerts, Ringling Brothers Circus and serves as host for up to 320 events yearly. It’s likely there will be fifth Madison Square Garden constructed at some future date. The Penn Plaza address is operating on a 10-year lease granted in 2013 by the city council.
An exclusive club
Watching the Knicks-Hornets game on NBA TV many of us had the opportunity to see Carmelo Anthony reach a milestone. Anthony became the latest member of the NBA’s 20,000 point club. He reached this landmark occasion on a 3-point basket thus becoming the 40th player in NBA history to cross that threshold. As for other future candidates the Heat’s Dwayne Wade at age 32 has an outside chance although injuries have reduced his time on the court. If Kevin Durant of the Thunder maintains his present scoring pace and manages to avoid any long-term injuries he is likely to be next.
Where are they now
This is the first of a planned regular feature. Remember Felipe Lopez who was the next great NYC baller? Lopez was born in the Dominican Republic however his family moved to U.S. when he was 14 years old. He would attend Rice High School where this 6-5 shooting guard gained a national following. Lopez became a McDonalds All American and college offers began to pour in. He decided to remain in the city choosing instead to play at St. John’s University (1994-98). Gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated many believed he was headed for an All American career at the school.
His tenure in college was good but certainly never reached the level many expected. Lopez would later become the 24th pick in the 1st round of the 1998 NBA Draft which proved to be the high water mark. A brief 4-year career playing for 3 NBA teams he left the NBA at the young age of 28. Lopez was a good player never a great one, he was over-hyped by the sports media. Where is he today you ask? Now 39 years old he heads the Felipe Lopez Foundation which works with at-risk youth, the foundation is housed at the church he attends, In addition Lopez serves as an ambassador for NBA Cares
He’s a guard
Thon Maker is a well-known basketball name although he’s only 17 years old. The most recent news account dealt with Maker’s guardian deciding to move the youngster from a high school in the U.S. to Canada. Maker’s is attending the Athletic Institute of Canada about 50 miles from downtown Toronto. The move has not changed his Rivals rating they continue to rank him the number one prospect in the Class of 2016. Video is available of him in action at the John Lucas Camp in Louisville Kentucky. Maker is moving up and down the court with the skill of a guard which is certainly unusual for a
7-footer, check it out on YouTube. I’m only kidding about the guard bit he’s projected as a center or at the very least a power forward.
