Here's a video feature focusing on Seattle's NBA players working out and playing pickup basketball in the summer. Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy makes a cameo. Thanks toPassFirstin the FanShotsfor the link.Video uploadedby YouTube userfuturehoops．-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter
From Tom Ziller at SBNation Makes mention of Stan Van Gundy's handles, the Seattle Mariners, Steph Curry's hilarious wedding photo (I recommend you check out the link), Beasley & Barnes' brutalities, amongst other funny stories.
Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen islaunching一家名为Ascentium资本that will lend money to small businesses. ------------------------- Ascentium Capital today announced its launch as a lender focused on the important but underserved market for small-balance commercial loans and leases in the United States. Ascentium Capital is backed by Vulcan Capital, the private investment group of Paul G. Allen, and a group of investors led by LKCM Capital Group, LLC ("LKCM"), the alternative investment vehicle for Luther King Capital Management. ... Ascentium Capital will be initially capitalized with $75 million of equity and a $250 million warehouse facility led by UBS Investment Bank. The company will also have access to an additional $35 million of equity capital to fund future growth. Ascentium Capital will be headquartered in the Houston metropolitan area of Kingwood, Texas, and led by the existing Main Street senior management team, including Chairman Tom Depping. The company will originate loans and leases through a national sales staff that will work with equipment manufacturers, distributors and resellers, as well as vendors, franchisors and selected equipment lease brokers. ------------------------- In related news, a newly-minted start-up doing business as "Former Blazers GMs, L.L.C." is rushing to FedEx Kinkos to mail in its loan application. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter
Portland Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridgewrites on Twitterthat he is heading to Shanghai, China, from August 17-21. Aldridge, who is a Nike-sponsored athlete, says he is attending the Nike Festival of Sports. For more information on the event,click here．迈阿密热火队的勒布朗詹姆斯,纽约尼克斯队forward Amar'e Stoudemire and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving are all on the attendees list according toFreshnessMag.com．-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter
New Portland Trail Blazers point guard Raymond Felton was very highly ranked coming out of high school in the 2002 class. In an interesting "Where are they now?" feature,Jeff GoodmanofCBSSports.comtracked downthe 24 members of the 2002 McDonald's All-American game to check in on their progress. The survey reveals that just five of the players, including Felton, were still in the NBA as of last season. Former Blazers forward Shavlik Randolph also makes an appearance in the piece. The survey is a nice reminder that a big NBA pay day is no guarantee, even for the "can't miss" blue chip high schoolers. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter
As I recently argued, Yao Ming's opportunity at getting enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame would be as a contributor to the game. That's right. Not as a player, but rather as a contributor. For me, the only shock is there's no five-year waiting period to be eligible to get enshrined as a contributor.
