Los Angeles Lakers

Ron Artest Raises Over $500,000 By Raffling Off His Championship Ring

When the Los Angeles Lakers received their championship rings earlier this year player Ron Artest announced that he would would be raffling his ring off to raise money for his Xcel University charity which helps raise money for mental health awareness and treatment. Artest famously thanked his psychiatrist in the press conference after the Lakers won the championship and has been public about his own therapy. Earlier this month Artest presented Pacific Clinics with a $50,000 check.

Artest ended up raising around $650,000 for his ring. The winner was Raymond Mikkael, a father of four from Hawthorne, California. Check out video of Artest and Mikkael here. The rings were created by Jason of Beverly Hills and have some significant details including a small piece of leather from the Game 7 ball set into the underside of each of the rings. Each ring also has the player's three-dimensional likeness sculpted into the side of the ring. The ring's face has two trophies signifying back to back victories made from a custom batch of 16 karat gold (last year's rings were made of 15 karat gold) and 16 oversized round brilliant white diamonds to indicate the 16 Lakers' championships. The rings were designed with Lakers owner Jerry Buss.

Tags: Jason of beverly hills, los angeles lakers, ron artest

Rolling Stone LA To Have Debut Event This Month

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

The new Rolling Stone Restaurant and Lounge in Los Angeles will make its debut on November 21 by hosting the VIP afterparty for the American Music Awards (AMAs). The event is a preview for the official launch event planned for early 2011. Rolling Stone/Los Angeles (RS/LA) marks the first-ever licensing of the Rolling Stone name for an American restaurant. The space was designed by Gavin Brodin (Crown Bar / Los Angeles, The Abbey / West Hollywood) and the 10,500-sq. ft. space has a "vintage chic" design. The restaurant is at the Hollywood & Highland complex and has a gleaming, two-story, half-cylinder of paned glass that rises from Highland Avenue, allowing natural light to flood through during daytime hours. Patrons enter from the mezzanine rotunda off Highland, into a lobby highlighted by pendant lights and cobblestone-like floors in chevroned limestone, and an antique floor cart salvaged from a defunct citrus factory that serves as a reception desk.

The upstairs dining room welcomes up to 140 guests, an additional 40 on its patio. It has walnut-hued hardwood floors, 1950s-style leather chairs and tufted red-leather banquettes. One area with five British-style lampposts is illuminated by a leaded-glass ceiling and another section lit by octagonal ceiling fixtures cradling amber LEDs. The main bar has shelves of leaded glass and reclaimed plumbing pipes and the wall design combines elegant sconces with candid rock photos.

Tags: hollywood highland, Los Angeles Lakers, Rolling Stone, rolling stone magazine, rolling stone restaurant

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Lakers Receive Latest Championship Rings

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers celebrated their 16th championship this week, receiving their rings at a ceremony at the Staples Center. Fanhouse reports on the ceremony in which each player introduced the next one in line and celebrity attendees including David Beckham and Jack Nicholson celebrated with the team (video highlights after the jump). Lakers coach Phil Jackson even let pop phenom Justin Bieber try his ring on for size.

The rings were created by Jason of Beverly Hills. The rings have some significant details including a small piece of leather from the Game 7 ball set into the underside of each of the rings. Each ring also has the player's three-dimensional likeness sculpted into the side of the ring. The ring's face has two trophies signifying back to back victories made from a custom batch of 16 karat gold (last year's rings were made of 15 karat gold) and 16 oversized round brilliant white diamonds to indicate the 16 Lakers' championships. The rings were designed with Lakers owner Jerry Buss. "We wanted to create history with this year's ring and I think we've done that!" says Jason Arasheben, CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills. "More than any other year, this year's ring allows the owner to relive and own a piece of Lakers' history with the leather from the Game 7 ball."

UPDATE: As a commenter noted below, one player, Ron Artest, has announced that he is auctioning his ring off and plans to use the proceeds to fund mental health services for youths who can't afford counseling. Artest, who thanked his psychiatrist after last year's win, has said he will try not to wear the ring (his first NBA championship ring) so the winner will be the first person to wear it.

Tags: jason of beverly hills, los angeles lakers, nba, staples center

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Lamar Odom Gets A Rolls-Royce To Celebrate Lakers Win

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

How do you celebrate a championship? If you are Lamar Odom you get a new Rolls-Royce, courtesy of the wife. E News reports that Kris Jenner revealed that her daughter Khloe Kardashian bought her husband a new white-on-white 2010 Rolls Royce drop-top coupe. Odom, Kardashian, his kids and the rest of the Jenner-Kardashian brood hit the town at Boa on Sunset the other night with Odom rolling up in the new ride. The pair were on hand for the Lakers parade in Los Angeles and are now planning a getaway to Mexico to relax.

The Los Angeles Lakers were feted with a parade that cost an estimated $2 million. Thousands of fans lined the two-mile long parade route through downtown Los Angeles as the Lakers went by on a float. The celebration was a more downsized version of last year's affair which gathered fans inside the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Tags: khloe kardashian, lamar odom, los angeles lakers

Trophies Now, Rings Later for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

What was a big night for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers is also always a big night for Tiffany & Co. which designed and manufactured the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy, the trophy given to the team that wins the NBA Chamionship. Tiffany & Co. first created the trophy in 1978 but in 1984 the trophy was officially named for the late former NBA Commissioner Larry O'Brien. It is handcrafted in sterling silver with a 24 karat gold overlay (also called vermeil). The trophy is nearly sixteen pounds and stands two feet tall and is etched to resemble a basketball net. Three rods extend from the base to give the seven-inch basketball the appearance of motion as it rests along the rim of the net. The trophy is created each year in the Tiffany & Co. silver shop. It is valued at around $13,500. The winning team keeps the trophy and the year and team names are engraved on it.

In Kobe's other hand is the smaller, ice cream cone like trophy is the the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. This award was a originally a black trophy with a gold basketball-shaped sphere at the top, similar to the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, until a smaller trophy with a silver base and a gold-plated basketball was introduced in 2005. Russell was at the Staples Center to present the award.

The victory will eventually lead to a fifth championship ring for Kobe Bryant. Last year's rings were awarded last October and made of a special limited 15K gold to celebrate the 15th championship and had 14 round diamonds circling the top of the ring to represent 14 championships with the small gold trophy on the top representing the 15th. Looks like they need more diamonds and more gold to celebrate this year's victory.

Gallery: Lakers Rings

Tags: kobe bryant, larry obrien nba championship trophy, los angeles lakers, mvp trophy, nba championship, nba finals

Celtics Versus Lakers Rivalry Pushes Up Game 7 Ticket Prices

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

The Boston Celtics/Los Angeles Lakers rivalry is back. With the two top teams battling their way to a decisive NBA Finals game 7 ticket prices have soared. The fact that Game 7 is at the Staples Center in celeb-stuffed Los Angeles only adds to the appeal and prestige. Several sites are offering tickets for some astronomical prices. Over on Musical Chairs Tickets you can spend over $60,000 each on a pair of courtside seats. At TicketsNow there are a variety of tickets available starting at $500 and soaring to $75,000 for courtside. Switching over to StubHub tickets begin at $590 and zoom up to over $80,000. Although both teams have won championships in the last several years the fact that they are battling each other brings out not only today's sports fans but all those who watched the epic Celtics-Lakers match-ups in the 1980s.

Tags: boston celtics, los angeles lakers, nba finals, NBA Finals 2010, Staples Center

Lapo Elkann hands LA Lakers the Game-Winning Point

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

Fiat scion Lapo Elkann has landed himself in the news once again. But this time it has nothing to do with denim-clad Ferraris or transvestite prostitutes. This time around, it's all about the game.

While attending the LA Lakers/Toronto Raptors game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Elkann reportedly interfered with the ball in play, giving the Lakers the precious points they needed to edge out their Canadian rivals. The incident is being compared with the infamous case of Steve Bartman who intercepted a ball during Game 6 of the 2003 National League playoff game between the Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins. Follow the jump to watch the video recap from Yahoo! Sports.

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Tags: elkann, la lakers, lakers, lapo, lapo elkann, los angeles lakers, raptors, toronto raptors

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Celtics Star Raffles Off Luxury Suite

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Charity

Fans of the Celtics/Lakers longtime rivalry can experience a game in luxury with a new raflle being held to benefit Paul Pierce's The Truth Fund. The Truth Fund benefits children in Boston and in Pierce's hometown of Inglewood, California. The winner will get 12 tickets to Paul Pierce's luxury suite for the Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday, January 31, 2010 game at the TD Garden in Boston. The package includes luxury suite food and beverages services, a pregame courtside meet and greet, plus photo-op, with Paul Pierce and an autographed authentic Paul Pierce Boston Celtics jersey. And the winner won't have to worry about taxes, the prize comes with a cash payment of $1,734.77 to mitigate winner's tax liability from winning the prize (paid directly to the IRS and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts). The deadline for the auction is January 28 and tickets are $2 each with a minimum purchase of five tickets.

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Tags: boston celtics, BostonCeltics, los angeles lakers, LosAngelesLakers, paul pierce, PaulPierce

Lakers Receive Championship Bling

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Sports

Earlier this week the Lakers received their championship rings and this year's rings are some of the flashiest yet. Several members of the Buss family and team captains Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant weighed in on the design for the rings. The rings are made of a special limited 15K gold to celebrate the 15th championship. Dr. Jerry Buss requested the 14 round diamonds circling the top of the ring to represent 14 championships with the small gold trophy on the top representing the 15th. The team captains requested that each player have their own face and jersey number on the side of the ring. On non-player rings the Los Angeles skyline takes the place of the face. Each ring is authenticated by a serial number and there are hidden etchings of the Lakers logo on the ring. The diamond-studded top echoes the shape of the Staples center. Each ring comes with a box that has two LED spotlights inside. The 2009 Lakers championship rings were created by Jason of Beverly Hills and are worth about $30,000.

Gallery: Lakers Rings

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Tags: basketball, championship ring, ChampionshipRing, derek fisher, DerekFisher, kobe bryant, KobeBryant, los angeles lakers, LosAngelesLakers, nba