Orlando Magic B-Ball
Magic honor sharpshooter Dennis Scott
Gregarious as ever, Dennis Scott was joking. Or at least it seemed that way.
"If they would have done this thing at halftime, I would have taken out a ball and made 10 or 11 shots in a row for the crowd," Scott said before breaking into the hearty laugh that Orlando Magic fans grew accustomed to during his seven seasons with the Magic.
Scott was honored Sunday night as part of the Magic's "Commitment to the Past" program. Scott, who played in Orlando from 1990 to 1997, was presented with a plaque and had a banner of his likeness hung from the concourse of the TD Waterhouse Centre.
Scott, 37, still holds the franchise records for three-pointers made in a career (981), season (267), game (11). He is fourth in Magic history for games played (446) and fifth in points scored (6,603).
"It's awesome, and the thing that comes to mind is that they appreciate the service that I gave them for seven years here," said Scott, the Atlanta Hawks' radio analyst, who was honored between the first and second quarters Sunday.
"There was a lot of big games we played in. There was the record (for three-pointers in a game) against the team I'm now working for. I remember going from 18 to 41 wins the first year that Shaq (O'Neal) got here. I could reach into the past and find so many soft spots."
Former standout forward Nick Anderson was honored earlier this month. Former point guard Scott Skiles, now head coach of the Chicago Bulls, will be honored April 17.
Short stuff
Magic center Tony Battie, who signed a four-year contract extension earlier in the week worth approximately $25 million, sprained his right ankle 26 seconds into Sunday's game. He left the game briefly and went back to the locker room to have the ankle retaped, but returned by the start of the second quarter.
The Magic entered Sunday's game having shot 50% or better in 11 of their past 18 games. Orlando has risen to fourth in the NBA in field-goal percentage (46.8 percent).. .. Their 16-game road losing streak a thing of the past after Friday's win in Philadelphia, the Magic play their next two games on the road in Chicago (Tuesday) and Minnesota (Wednesday).
2006 NBA Pre-Draft Camp to be Held in Orlando
The 2006 NBA Pre-Draft Camp will be held for the first time in suburban Orlando, Fla. at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex from June 6-10. The NBA Pre-Draft Camp invites top NBA Draft prospects annually to work out and be evaluated by league coaches, general managers, scouts and front office executives.
Pre-Draft Camp drills, games, and strength and conditioning will be conducted at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, one of the premier sports destinations for athletes and spectators that plays host to 170 sporting events each year, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp and Atlanta Braves spring training. The 220-acre complex includes a field house with room for six full-size basketball courts, a 3,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art weight training facility, locker rooms, athletic training facilities, classrooms, office space and a media workroom.
Florida Hospital Celebration Health, a cutting-edge health and wellness center and full-service hospital employing the latest technological advancements in the healthcare industry, will provide the medical capabilities for the camp including performing the physicals for each draft prospect. Disney’s Boardwalk Hotel will serve as the hotel for all pre-Draft camp attendees
"We are excited about hosting the 2006 NBA Pre-Draft Camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex which already has a rich NBA history that includes the Orlando Magic's training camp (1997 & 2003) and the inaugural WNBA Pre-Draft Camp (1997),'' said Reggie Williams, Vice President of Disney Sports Attractions. "This new association with the NBA further underscores the reputation and appeal of Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex among leading sports leagues as the premier sports venue in the United States.''
ESPNU, ESPN’s 24-hour college sports network, will provide the most live coverage ever of an NBA Pre-Draft Camp televising six hours over two days, June 7 and 8, 4-7 p.m. ET each day. ESPNU’s coverage will include game action and interviews with players, scouts and NBA general managers. NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour television network, will also provide in-depth coverage of the pre-Draft camp.
“Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex offers first-rate facilities and state-of-the-art amenities that will serve to enhance our pre-Draft camp,” said Stu Jackson, NBA Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations. “With Disney’s sports complex hosting the camp and ESPNU providing live coverage, it further demonstrates the strong partnership between the NBA and The Walt Disney Company.”
In past years, NBA Pre-Draft Camp had been held at the Moody Bible Institute's Solheim Center in downtown Chicago. The NBA Draft takes place at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Wednesday, June 28 and is televised on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Dwight Howard Named to Team USA
Orlando Magic Forward Dwight Howard was among the 23 players named to the historic 2006-28 USA Men's Senior National Team, USA Basketball announced today. The selections were announced by USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team program Managing Director Jerry Colangelo.
“This is the first standing USA Men’s Senior National Team and the 23 players selected will give us everything we need to form a great USA team,” said Colangelo, who was appointed Managing Director of the USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team program on April 27, 2005. “We feel we have versatility, shooters, size, quickness, role players, and defensive stoppers. In making the player selections we took into consideration the style of play anticipated to be used by the coaching staff.
“The first major competition we are selecting a team for is the 2006 FIBA World Championship. This is an important competition and we are taking this competition as seriously as we take the Olympics.”
Named to the 2006-08 USA Senior National Team were: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards); Shane Battier (Memphis Grizzlies); Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs); Elton Brand (Los Angeles Clippers); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Antawn Jamison (Washington Wizards); Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks); Shawn Marion (Phoenix Suns); Brad Miller (Sacramento Kings); Adam Morrison (Gonzaga University); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers); Chris Paul (New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets); Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics); J.J. Redick (Duke University); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); Luke Ridnour (Seattle SuperSonics); Amaré Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns); and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat).
“I was very pleased with the entire selection process. The manner in which it was conducted included all parts of United States’ basketball, from the professional level to the colleges and high schools. Everyone was considered. It is obvious that we’re not trying to put a collection of all-stars together. The goal is to put together as good of a basketball team as we possibly can. I believe we’ve done that with this group of players,” said USA and Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
USA Basketball experience is plentiful among the 23 players with 18 having suited up for USA Basketball previously. Six players, Anthony, James, Marion, Odom, Stoudemire and Wade, were members of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team that captured a bronze medal in Athens, Greece.
Players owning USA Basketball playing experience include: Anthony (2004 Olympics, 2002 Junior World Championship Qualifier, 2001 Youth Development Festival); Battier (2001 Goodwill Games, 1997 Nike Hoop Summit); Billups (1995 U.S. Olympic Festival); Bosh (2002 Junior World Championship Qualifier); Brand (2003 Olympic Qualifier, 2002 World Championship, 1999 Olympic Qualifier; 1998 Goodwill Games, 1997 Nike Hoop Summit); James (2004 Olympics, 2001 Youth Development Festival); Jamison (1995 Nike Hoop Summit); Johnson (2000 U21 World Championship Qualifier, 1998 Nike Hoop Summit); Marion (2004 Olympics, 2002 World Championship, 2001 Goodwill Games); Miller (1998 World Championship, 1997 U21 World Championship, 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival); Morrison (2004 U21 World Championship Qualifier); Paul (2004 U21 World Championship Qualifier, 2002 Youth Development Festival); Odom (2004 Olympics); Pierce (2002 World Championship,1996 U21 World Championship Qualifier, 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival); Redd (1999 World University Games); Redick (2005 U21 World Championship, 2003 U19 World Championship, 2001 Youth Development Festival, 2000 Youth Development Festival); Stoudemire (2004 Olympics); and Wade (2004 Olympics).
USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team Notes:
• Of the 23 players named to the USA roster, 21 play in the NBA, and two, Morrison and Redick, are collegians.
• The 21 NBA players represent 18 NBA teams, with the Los Angeles Lakers (Bryant and Odom), Phoenix (Marion and Stoudemire), and Washington (Arenas and Jamison) the only clubs boasting of two players.
• Nine (Arenas, Billups, Bosh, Brand, Bryant, James, Marion, Pierce, Wade) of the selected hoopsters were named to 2006 NBA All-Star teams.
• A member of each NBA championship team since 2000 are part of the USA selectees. Billups (2004), Bryant (2000, 2001,and 2002) and Bowen (2003 and 2005), were each members of NBA championship teams.
• By the conclusion of the 2006 World Championships (Sept. 3), 19 of the 23 players will be 28-years-old or younger. Three will be 20 or 21 years old, five will be 22 or 23, four will be 24 or 25, four will be 26 or 27, four will be 28 or 29, and three will be 30 or older.
• When training camp opens, Bowen will be the oldest team member at 35 years old, while 20-year-old Dwight Howard will be the youngest player.
The 23 selectees are expect to report when the USA opens training in mid-July. The exact training dates and sites will be announced at a later date.
The USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team will compete in the 2006 FIBA World Championship (Aug. 19-Sept. 3 in Saitama, Japan); if necessary the 2007 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament (dates and site TBD); and if the USA qualifies, the 2008 Summer Olympic Games (Aug. 8-24 in Beijing, China).
The USA Senior National Team coaching staff for 2006-2008 is set. Krzyzewski was named on Oct. 26, 2005, head coach of the USA Senior Team program for 2006-2008. Named assistant coaches were Syracuse University (N.Y.) and Hall of Fame mentor Jim Boeheim, Phoenix Suns head mentor Mike D'Antoni, and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan. Additionally, Rudy Tomjanovich, head coach of the gold medalist 2000 U.S. Olympic basketball team and head coach of the Houston Rockets NBA Championship teams in 1994 and 1995, was named Director of Scouting for the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program for 2006-08.
Since first fielding a USA Basketball team of legendary NBA stars in 1992, USA Basketball senior national teams comprised of NBA players have claimed gold medals in eight of 10 major international basketball competitions, while compiling an impressive 74-6 overall record (.925 winning percentage) in those international competitions and a record of 23-1 (.958 winning percentage) in exhibition games.
2006 FIBA World Championship
Held every four years and considered international basketball’s diamond event, the U.S. has had mixed results in World Championship play.
Placing sixth and finishing with a 6-3 record in 2002, the 1998 USA World Championship Team originally was to be a team comprising NBA players. But when labor problems in the NBA prevented the use of their players, the USA team ended up comprising American players who were playing professionally overseas, in the CBA or in college. Despite formulating the team just weeks in advance of the Worlds, the U.S. rolled to a surprising 7-2 finish and the bronze medal.
The U.S. last claimed gold at the 1994 World Championship in Toronto, Canada. Behind the play of World Championship MVP Shaquille O’Neal, and Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Joe Dumars and others, the U.S. finished 8-0 to take the gold medal and did so in dominating fashion, winning its eight games by an average of 37.7 points a game. All told, the USA has won nine medals in World Championship play - three gold (1954, 1986 and 1994), three silver (1950, 1959 and 1982) and three bronze medals (1974, 1990 and 1998). Overall, USA teams have compiled a 97-26 win-loss record in the World Championships for a 78.9 winning percentage.
USA Basketball
Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions.
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