Here is my first podcast for Bumpshack.  In it is a quick glossary preview of the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs.  I have also included my predictions for the first round.

Listen to the podcast below and look for more podcasts in the future (hopefully).

Here are the winners of Bumpshack’s 2007-2008 NBA Awards. Despite David Stern, this NBA season was one of the best of my lifetime and easily the best since Michael Jordan’s retirement from the Chicago Bulls for the second time.

Chris Paul gets my MVP vote as he took the New Orleans Hornets, who were expected to finish near the bottom of the West, and led them to a second place finish in the conference. He averaged 21.1 points - 4.0 rebounds - 11.6 assists compared against just 2.5 turnovers. He also shot 37% from behind the 3-point line and 85% from the charity stripe.

NBA Most Valuable Player

1. Chris Paul
2. Kevin Garnett
3. Kobe Bryant
4. Steve Nash
5. LeBron James

Rookie of the Year

1. Kevin Durant
2. Al Horford
3. Luis Scola
4. Juan Carlos Navarro
5. Al Thornton

Most Improved Player

1. Rudy Gay
2. Hedo Turkoglu
3. Andrew Bynum
4. Rajon Rondo
5. David West

6th Man of the Year

1. Manu Ginobili

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Chris Paul
2. Kevin Garnett
3. Josh Smith
4. Marcus Camby
5. Ron Artest

Coach of the Year

1. Byron Scott
2. Rick Adelman
3. Stan Van Gundy
4. Phil Jackson
5. Maurice Cheeks

Memphis Tigers freshman sensation Derrick Rose is declaring for the 2008 NBA Draft according to sources close to Rose and the situation.

Rose is projected to be the #1 or #2 overall player selected in the June draft.  After a stellar NCAA tournament run Rose rose to #1 in several mock draft projections.

During his one season in college basketball Rose averaged 14.9 points - 4.5 rebounds - 4.7 assists.  He averaged 20.8 points in the NCAA tourney and took the Tigers to within seconds of winning the National Championship before losing to the Kansas Jayhawks in overtime.

source: Commercial Appeal

Mugshot for NBA star Carmelo Anthony who was arrested for DUI yesterday morning.

Read the Full Story Here

Denver Nuggets basketball star Carmelo Anthony was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol.

Anthony was driving south on Interstate 25 at around 4 a.m. when he was pulled over and taken into custody. Denver police said he was driving a silver Mercedes and was stopped for failing to drive in a single lane and failing to dim lights. Several Denver media outlets reported that he was given a Breathalyzer test.

Anthony is no stranger to trouble. He was suspended 15 games back in 2006 for punching a member of the New York Knicks during a game. Back in 2004 he was charged with possession of marijuana at the Denver International Airport.

It will be interesting to see how Carmelo rebounds from this latest bonehead move, but then again rebounding has always been a bit of a foreign concept to Melo.

Los Angeles Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant jumps over an Aston Martin car coming full speed at him in this Nike ad for his new shoe. A very cool ad and some even better video editing.

Watch Kobe Jump over a Snake Pool

USC Trojans freshman guard O.J. Mayo is turning pro after just one year of college basketball.  The move is not a surprise and was expected even before he attended his first class at Southern Cal.

Mayo seemed to grow into the college game during the past season after a rather slow start. He stated his gratitude towards though that helped make it a positive experience for him in making his announcement to go pro.

“I am so thankful for the fans and alumni at USC and around the nation that have been so supportive of me and my teammates throughout the season,” Mayo said in a statement. “I’d like to express my appreciation to my coaches and teammates for their support in one of the most important decisions I’ve ever made.”

O.J.’s draft value has gone up and down throughout his one season of college play.  He likely would have gone higher in the draft right out of high school.  He has a strong NBA body, and although is not great at the point, should make a very solid shooting guard in the NBA.

Here is what the mock NBA Drafts are projecting currently for Mayo:

• Minnesota Timberwolves 3rd - NBADraft.net
• Memphis Grizzlies 5th - MyNBADraft.com
• New York Knicks 5th - DraftExpress.com
• Charlotte Bobcats 8th - InsideHoops.com
• Memphis Grizzlies 4th - ESPN.com
• Memphis Grizzlies 5th - HoopsHype.com

The NBA Draft Lottery held in a few weeks will determine the draft order of the teams that don’t make the NBA Playoffs.  The team with the best chance at the overall #1 pick will be the Miami Heat who folded up shop and conceded the season months ago.

Once, twice, three times a baby? Michael Jordan’s former mistress Lisa Miceli is wanting the basketball legend to submit to a third DNA/paternity test to determine if he is the father of her four-year-old son.

The former NBA player has been named in a new lawsuit by Lisa Miceli, who has requested a judge order Jordan to submit a third DNA test in a bid to prove he is the father of her four-year-old son. Miceli, of Meadville, Pennsylvania, also wants a judge to overturn a temporary restraining order imposed on her by Jordan, after he accused her of harassment.

No wonder Jordan took out a temporary restraining order.  The judge is trying to decide whether to allow a third test.  I dunno why he would allow it unless the DNA testing in Pennsylvania is 33% accurate.

I don’t know if it is good or bad but Jordan has won more paternity suits since he retired than the teams he has overseen as president or GM have won basketball games.

Vietnam Vet Adam Morrison was spotted at his alma mater’s NCAA tourney game earlier today.  Morrison who brought the mustache back to college basketball has let his hair grow a considerable length as well.

His Gonzaga Zag’s lost to Davidson 82-76.  No word on how many, if any, tears Morrison shed over the loss.

Morrison, who is being paid by the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats, has missed the entire NBA season due to a knee injury.

His new look kind of reminds me of the last days of Howard Hughes.

photo: Fan IQ

The new cover of Vogue magazine features basketball superstar LeBron James and fashion supermodel Gisele Bundchen. The two are on the cover of the April issue of the fashion magazine.

It is only the third time ever a man has graced the cover of the magazine. The other two being George Clooney and Richard Gere.

I guess Tom Brady got the ax from the shoot after the New England Patriots lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

Not a bad cover but it would have been nice to see LeBron dressed up in a sharp suit. Or perhaps Lebron in a suit and Gisele in a super tight basketball uni.

UPDATE: LeBron James/Gisele Racist King Kong Vogue Cover

Lebron James has been asking his GM Danny Ferry to get him some good players to help the Cleveland Cavaliers compete in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.  Ferry finally delivered at the deadline today in a massive 11 player trade that brings Ben Wallace of the Chicago Bulls and Wally Szczerbiak of the Seattle Sonics to Cleveland to play alongside King James.

The deal involved three teams and a total of eleven players.  Here is a look at how it breaks down.

Cleveland Gets:

• Ben Wallace F/C
• Wally Szczerbiak G/F
• Delonte West G
• Joe Smith F
• 2nd Round Pick from Bulls

Chicago Bulls Get:

• Larry Hughes G
• Drew Gooden PF
• Cedric Simmons PF
• Shannon Brown SG

Seattle Sonics Get:

• Ira Newble G
• Adrian Griffin F
• Donyell Marshall SF

The deal seems to be a good one for the Cav’s.  They get rid of the erratic Hughes and inconsistent Drew Gooden.  They had a tough guy rebounder in Wallace and a great shooter in Wally World.

The Bulls were favorites coming into the season but have been one of the biggest letdowns of the year.  Ben Wallace in Chicago just wasn’t working out.  They can replace him in the starting rotation with either Tyrus Thomas or Joakim Noah.  Adding Hughes gives them another guy who can penetrate and score.  Gooden should get good minutes and produce as well.

Seattle acquired players with contracts that are expiring.  They are looking to free up cap room at they continue to rebuild around Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.

King James should be happy now

Dwight Howard was robbed in last years NBA Slam Dunk contest. Howard made sure that the judges didn’t shaft him again this year at the All-Star festivities down in New Orleans. The video above shows Howard practicing for the event down in Orlando before the contest. The below video was ripped off TNT showing Howard doing the ‘Superman’ dunk, complete with cape, that will go down in NBA lore as one of the greatest slam dunks in the history of the contest.

The Minnesota Timberwolves Marko Jaric is dating Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima.  Big J chartered a plane to fly down and see her overnight before her big Victoria’s Secret commercial debut during the Super Bowl.

Lima, a Brazilian native, is the star of the new Victoria’s Secret commercial that debuted on the Super Bowl.

The day before her ad premiered last weekend, “Marko chartered a plane to be with her on her big day,” says a source to People Magazine. “He flew in Saturday and flew back early Sunday morning so he could be on time for practice.”

Our generation has Marko and Adriana.  Yesteryear it was Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio.

Photos of the Average Looking Adriana

And Here is Marko

The Memphis Grizzlies have traded Pau Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, Marc Gasol and two first round draft picks in 2008 and 2010.

The Lakers will get the Grizzlies second round pick in 2010.

Pau was Rookie of the Year in 2002 and has been an All-Star. For his career he has averaged 18.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game for his career. He will play center for the Lakers until young sensation Andrew Bynum returns from a knee injury.

Marc Gasol is the younger brother of Pau who was drafted in the second round last year.

Below is a photo of Pau before losing his virginity and becoming Americanized.

Voting results for this year’s 2007-2008 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans were released today.  Kevin Garnett received the most votes with 2,399,148.  Reserves are selected by the coaches and will be announced next Thursday.

Eastern Conference

• G - Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets)
• G - Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat)
• F - Lebron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• F - Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)
• C - Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)

Western Conference

• G - Allen Iverson (Denver Nuggets)
• G - Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
• F - Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)
• F - Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
• C - Yao Ming (Houston Rockets)

Spousal abuser Jason Kidd is expecting a baby with his new victim girlfriend Hope Dworzczyk.  It is the first kid for the new couple.  Kidd has three kids with his former wife.

Kidd plead guilty to domestic abuse against his first wife Joumana Kidd. During their ugly divorce she said Kidd “broke her rib and damaged her hearing by smashing her head into the console of a car” according to divorce papers.

New Jersey Net basketball star Jason Kidd, who just split from his wife about one year ago, told sources that his girlfriend Hope Dworaczyk is expecting his baby. I’m sure his ex-wife was shocked.

Jason Kidd currently plays for the NBA’s New Jersey Nets.  He is one of the top five point guards in the NBA.  He played his college ball at the University of California.

Good luck Hope! I really hope Jason doesn’t go all kung-fu on you as well.

“We call this a ‘Brokeback Mountain’ game, because there’s so much penetration and kickouts.  It was one of those games.”

Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers coach, when asked if too much penetration was leading to open outside shooters for the Spurs.

Portland Trailblazers rookie-to-be big man Greg Oden will miss his rookie season after having microfracture surgery today on his right knee in Vancouver, Washington.

“Greg had an arthroscopy and a microfracture surgery today, team physician Dr. Don Roberts, who performed the surgery, said in a statement posted on the Trail Blazers’ Web site. “He was found to have articular cartilage damage in his right knee. The area of injury was not large and we were able to treat it with microfracture, which stimulates the growth of cartilage.”

“There are things about this that are positive for Greg. First of all, he is young. The area where the damage was is small and the rest of his knee looked normal. All those are good signs for a complete recovery from microfracture surgery.”

I think everyone saw this coming except ESPN’s experts and blind Trailblazers fans. Welcome to the second coming of Sam Bowie.

Click to read the rest of this entry at BumpSports

Shaquille O’Neal has filed for divorce from his wife of five years, Shaunie.  The two have four children together and six total between them.

Attorney Ira Elegant said the petition was filed on behalf of the Miami Heat center in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear who is representing Shaunie O’Neal in the case.

According to the filing, which was first reported by The Miami Herald on its Web site Tuesday night, Shaquille O’Neal is asking Shaunie O’Neal to provide a “correct accounting of all money, funds, stocks, bonds, and other securities� that she had access to or obtained during the marriage.

via BumpSports

Kobe Bryant is denying rumors that he and his child bride Vanessa are getting a divorce.  Kobe is currently training with Team USA for the FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying tournament later this month.

The NBA player has been traveling in Europe with his family, which includes two young daughters, and has been working out with Team U.S.A.  He tells Kevin he has no idea how the rumors got started because he and Vanessa are happily married.  He goes on to tell Kevin that he initially wasn’t going to respond to the reports but then felt compelled to set the record straight.

Kobe initially said things were great, then two hours later said they were getting a divorce, then the next day said it was such bliss they are living in, then said they almost choked each other to death, and finally today he said they are happily married.