Lakers’ Walton, Perkins help youngsters in Brazil

While the Lakers gear up for October and their upcoming season, with the recent signings of point guards Derek Fisher and Coby Karl, many of the team’s players were in Brazil July 31-Aug. 3 helping youngsters make their basketball dreams come true.

As part of the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) program, founded in 2001 by the NBA, the International Basketball Federation and the Brazilian Basketball Federation, Lakers Forward Luke Walton and former NBA legend Sam Perkins joined more than 30 other NBA coaches and team members in Sao Paulo, Brazil, according to the Lakers official Web site. The professional athletes act as mentors for 50 youth, ages 19 and younger. This year’s four-day camp provided guidance for the teens – who were selected from more than 17 countries and territories across Latin America and the Caribbean – regarding basketball and life in general.

Since 2001, BWB has helped more than 1,000 young athletes from more than 100 countries strengthen their basketball skills with simultaneous participation in motivational and life-skills seminars that promote education, leadership, character development and healthy living. HIV and AIDS education is a major component of the seminars and a large emphasis is placed on embracing diversity.

Now back in LA, the team continues to gear up for what’s next. Want to get involved? Check out Los Angeles Lakers tickets at StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on August 20, 2007 - Post a comment

Lakers’ Bryant and Team USA players praise Coach K

Mike Krzyzewski, who was considering taking the Lakers coaching position in 2004, is coaching Team USA, who includes big time players such as Jason Kidd - the point guard that the Lakers did not trade for last season - and Michael Redd (the perimeter shooter the Lakers were going to draft in 2000, yet didn’t). Kobe Bryant, Lakers point guard and leading scorer for the NBA this past season, has expressed in an Aug. 20 LA Times article his pleasure in being able to play alongside and under such talent. “I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time,” Bryant said of Krzyzewski. “I’m very excited about having the opportunity to play for him and to have a relationship with him. It’s been everything that I thought it would be.”

Krzyzewski, who has averaged 26 wins per season throughout his 27 seasons at Duke and was in 2001 inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, has been praised by many of the the Team USA players, including LeBron James and Chauncey Billups. His style, which is self-described as maintaining “team continuity” and building the program on “good relationships, is highly respected the team, according to Bryant in the Times article. “He can be so intense because he’s so passionate about the game, but at the same time he has a great sense of humor. I don’t think a lot of people know that about him,” Bryant said. “There’s no question in my mind that he would be a great NBA coach…He has that passion about what he does and when you have that commitment to winning, you can’t help but be successful.”

For those waiting for the NBA season to start, check out Lakers tickets at Stubhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on August 20, 2007 - Post a comment