http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra Just another HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs weblog Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:56:17 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en You got a buyout this week with the Wizards. Were you surprised that they finally agreed to it? Mike James: I was surprised and I'm glad that we were able to reach an agreement because now there are are lot teams fighting for a position and I want to try to ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/03/04/mike-james-flip-didnt-get-along-with-me/ It's a rag-to-riches tale. Kid plays soccer in a poor country, turns to basketball at 13, doesn't even have shoes at the beginning, but ends up excelling to the point that he's called to play pro ball in America. That's the story in brief of Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi, who became a ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/02/22/haddadi-still-a-work-in-progress/ Did you enjoy the All-Star Weekend? Floyd Mayweather: I always enjoy the All-Star Weekend. You've got the unique players and the fans favor that they come out and play and put on a show. It's just not about the East Coast vs. the West Coast, but it's about displaying their ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/02/15/floyd-mayweather-i-could-have-played-in-the-nba/ How did you end up playing in Japan? Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf: I know coach (David) Benoit. I didn't even know he was coaching in Japan. He knew I was interested in playing. So coach knowing me and me knowing him, it was just a perfect match. He was interested in bringing me ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/02/04/mahmoud-abdul-rauf-after-the-anthem-fiasco-no-team-wanted-to-touch-me/ After a long summer of negotiations and deliberations, teen phenom Ricky Rubio, a lottery pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, took one page out of Fran Vazquez's book and decided to pass on the NBA to sign another contract in Spain. Rubio moved from the team in which he grew up, ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/02/01/unselfish-to-a-fault/ Monday's announcement that former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury would sign with Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese League caught the basketball world a little bit off guard. There had been ramblings about Marbury potentially playing overseas for the last few months, but China was not mentioned as a likely destination for ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/01/20/what-awaits-marbury/ Former NBA players try to extend their careers overseas all the time. It's almost a non-story at this point. What you don't see so often is a guy that's pretty much been off the radar for six years resurface in a small town club across the pond. That's exactly what ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/01/14/new-role-small-town-hero/ Contrary to reports in the Chinese media, former Mavericks swingman Jerry Stackhouse is not headed to the Far East. So says his agent, Jeff Schwartz. "The rumor that Jerry Stackhouse is going to play in China is completely false," Schwartz told HoopsHype.com.  "He is still looking forward to joining and contributing ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2010/01/08/stackhouse-not-headed-to-china/ The Trail Blazers, who were awarded yesterday the option to sign a 16th player to their roster, will give a contract today to Anthony Tolliver, sources told HoopsHype.com. Tolliver, a 6-foot-9 forward with good shooting skills, played with the San Antonio Spurs for two months last season and also had ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2009/12/17/blazers-to-add-tolliver/ Former Rockets guard Von Wafer is close to leaving Olympiakos and returning to the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies, one source told HoopsHype.com. Wafer's European agents are working today to rescind his contract with the Greek powerhouse. The 6-foot-5 guard could soon afterwards join the Grizzlies for the rest of ... http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2009/12/11/wafer-memphis-bound/