Hoops4theSoul

Jul

12

July 12, 1943 – Lebron’s First NBA Coach is Born

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Paul Silas and Lebron James Carlos Boozer with the Cavaliers Elton Brand and Mike Dunleavy before the DramaAs Los Angeles Clippers fans and General Manager Mike Dunleavy have been respectively complaining this week that they got “Carlos Boozered” or “Falked” by Elton Brand and his agent David Falk when the free agent big man signed with the Philadelphia 76ers and allegedly reneged on indications that he was coming back to the Clip Show, Paul Silas — who turns 65 today and was Lebron James’ first coach in the NBA — had even more stinging comments after Boozer turned his back on a deal to stay with the Cavs and then signed for more money with the Utah Jazz in the summer of 2004.



Jul

11

July 11, 1996 — Kobe & the Next L.A. Dynasty for Vlade

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Laker Vlade Divac Is Traded to Charlotte for Rights to Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant before the Lakers at Lower Merion High School Shaq Leaves Magic for LakersThe summer of 1996 was one of love for the Los Angeles Lakers as General Manager Jerry West shrewdly set up the next great L.A. dynasty by trading popular Yugoslavian center Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets 12 years ago today for the draft rights of some Pennsylvania high school prodigy by the name of Kobe Bryant in addition to also signing away free agent Shaquille O’Neal from an Orlando Magic squad that looked like it would be contenders in the Eastern Conference for years to come.



Jul

10

July 10, 1989 – Bulls Fire Collins, Hire Hippie Jackson

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Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan during the Good Old Days Phil Jackson during His Playing Days at North Dakota Phil Jackson with Another Superstar, Kobe Bryant Roughly a month after deliberating and ultimately failing to bring back Doug Collins as Head Coach, the Chicago Bulls fired the fiery former NBA All-Star 19-years ago today and replaced him with an eccentric assistant coach who, in the past, had openly admitted to marijuana use (Josh Howard’s type of guy). That man would turn out to be Phil Jackson, whose success in the last two decades can not be debated despite his own egotism and other’s attempts to discredit his coaching greatness.



Jul

9

July 9, 1968 — Sixers Trade Chamberlain to Lakers

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Wilt Chamberlain at Kansas University Wilt Chamberlain after His 100-Point Game on March 2, 1962 Wilt Chamberlain with the Los Angeles Lakers While the Philadelphia 76ers are making major waves today with their reported signing of former Clippers power forward Elton Brand, did you know that the team traded away Wilt Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers forty years to the day? Talk about an ironic contrast of one of the highest and lowest points in this franchise’s history!



Nov

7

On This Day in Basketball History — 1861

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Happy 146th Birthday Dr. James Naismith from Hoops 4 the Soulby Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com

James Naismith was born in Ontario, Canada on this day 146 years ago.

While working in physical education at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891, Naismith was challenged by a superintendent to create a game that would offer a break from the more physical sports of the day. What he came up with was the game of basketball. So the next time you change the channel because the officials have let a game get too physical and thus made it a free throw shooting contest, remember that Naismith did not conjure the game this way.

by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com



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