- Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel: "Bucks forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute delivered a heartfelt message to the campers at the Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa last week. Mbah a Moute told some of Africa's top basketball players that they could reach their goals, even possibly play in the NBA. Just six years ago, Mbah a Moute was a camper himself in the inaugural event in Johannesburg. 'It was huge for me, to tell them what the camp did for me,' Mbah a Moute said in a phone interview. 'To see them soak it in, it was good for me. They were very attentive and asking a lot of questions.' Mbah a Moute, who was born in Yaounde, Cameroon, received a standing ovation from the campers when he addressed the group. He told them about his experiences en route to the NBA, a journey which took him to high school in Florida and to UCLA for three years before he was selected 37th overall by the Bucks in the 2008 draft."
- Alan Hahn of Newsday: "If there's an unsigned veteran free agent that may fit exactly what the Knicks could use -- a pro's pro, a terrific shooter and a competitor -- it's Wally Szczerbiak. A few weeks ago he seemed on the verge of being locked up by the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are still interested, but Szczerbiak is still available. No doubt Wally World isn't the same player he was in his prime. But at the bi-annual ($1.99M), he's still a bargain for someone you can bring in off the bench as a shooter and a cerebral player who would fit well in Mike D'Antoni's spread offense. The greatest knock is defense and we don't deny the fact that one-on-one he just doesn't have the foot-speed. But in a team concept, he is actually an excellent positional and help defender. He can play some at the 2 (sitting in the corner waiting on those kick-out threes) and also obviously can handle the 3-spot. His game would fit well with Danilo Gallinari and his no-nonsense, competitive approach to the game is the right kind of influence in a room of young players. And he doesn't have to be a high-rotation player, especially not at that price."
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "Forget the rumors linking him to the Heat. While Allen Iverson no doubt was interested in wintering in South Florida, the feeling hardly was mutual. You would be surprised how minimal the contact actually was. So, instead, Iverson spent Monday meeting with Grizzlies management, poised to sign off on a season in Memphis, which, apparently, has yet to be relegated to the D-League. ... Yes, there will be times this season when a scorer like Iverson would have come in handy for the Heat. And there certainly is a need for a veteran to augment Chalmers and Chris Quinn. But before lamenting that the Heat somehow 'lost out' on Iverson, understand that 28 other teams were equally indifferent. In the end, there were the Grizzlies and only the Grizzlies. And that's not the type of company a team with eventual championship visions should be keeping."
- Sekou Smith of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "You'll be hard pressed to find anyone that isn't convinced that the Hawks' GM has done a masterful job in his first 13 months on the job. He's made all the right moves and steadied the organization through one of their best seasons in years. But the toughest challenge comes this season. Rick Sund will have to gauge the Hawks' progress by the February trade deadline and decide if this team, as presently constituted, provides the best chance for long-term success or not. If not, he'll have to pull the trigger on the right deal to push the Hawks over top (sort of like his predecessor did two years ago when Billy Knight pulled the trigger on the Mike Bibby deal). Gone are the days when the Hawks' GM could simply suspend the franchise in rebuilding mode or just maintain. The next step is moving upward and onward, and that almost always requires a deft personnel move one way or another."
- John Lombardo of the SportsBusiness Journal: "The New Jersey Nets are the first NBA team to sell a practice jersey sponsorship, which will put the logo of PNY Technologies on practice uniforms this fall. The company, a flash-drive manufacturer based in Parsippany, N.J., also bought the naming rights to the Nets' practice facility in East Rutherford, N.J., to be called the PNY Center as part of a two-year sponsorship agreement. Brett Yormark, president of Nets Sports & Entertainment, refused to comment on the value of the sponsorship. PNY officials would not disclose the specific value but said they are paying in the low six figures for the overall team deal. To boost visibility and the value of the deal, the Nets' coaching staff will also wear PNY-branded gear during post-practice interviews. The deal also includes a team Web site presence, and the PNY logo will be seen on the media backdrop used for interviews at all practices. In addition, the team will give PNY four tickets to all Nets away games. The deal comes as part of the company's renewal with the Nets and is not a season-presenting sponsorship agreement. Last year, the Nets had a season-presenting deal with Vonage. That deal is expected to be renewed for this season. PNY logo at practice center and in rendering on jersey."
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