basketball

Gameplan Launches Diamond NBA Jewelry

Just in time for this weekend's NBA All-Star game, basketball gets a major bling-up. JCK reports that Gameplan Concepts, a division of Lamont Jewelry brands, has created a diamond-studded line of basketball-themed jewelry.

Geary's in Beverly Hills is selling the line which features team logos in white gold set with black and white diamonds. The prices vary depending on the elaborateness of the team logo. The Lakers piece shown at right runs a cool $16,800 but fans of the Pistons will only pay $7,800 to represent for their team with a diamond logo.

Tags: basketball, black diamonds, jewelry, nba

Basketball Rules, Custer's Flag and the Emancipation Proclamation Cross The Block At Sotheby's

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

This week at Sotheby's wrapped up with a sale that included three remarkable treasures. Sotheby's Vice Chairman David Redden presided over the salesroom as the Kennedy-Lincoln Emancipation Proclamation, Custer's Last Flag: The Culbertson Guidon from the Battle of the Little Bighorn and James Naismith's Founding Rules of Basketball came across the auction block in chronological order. Shown above former Harlem Globetrotters basketball player Curly Neal spins a ball on his finger tip before the bidding for the Naismith Rules, the original rules for basketball, framed at right, at Sotheby's in New York on Friday.

Robert F. Kennedy's copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Abraham Lincoln, set a new auction record for any presidential document when it sold for $3,778,500, more than double its pre-sale high estimate. The winning bid was cast by an anonymous telephone bidder who wishes to remain anonymous. The Emancipation Proclamation is one of only twenty-five copies of the document known to survive, of which eighteen are in institutional collections. Robert F. Kennedy bought the document in 1964.

Two bidders competed for Custer's Last Flag: The Culbertson Guidon from the Battle of the Little Bighorn, which sold to an American collector. The flag was consigned by the Detroit Institute of Art, where it had not been on view since 1928. It was estimated that it could bring in $5 million but it sold for $2,210,500 at auction. The proceeds, which can only be used to purchase art, will go towards acquiring Native American works. The swallow-tail flag was hidden under the body of a dead trooper and discovered three days after George Custer's famed Battle of the Little Bighorn by Sergeant Ferdinand Culbertson, who was assigned to a burial party. It is the only flag flown by Custer's battalion known not to have been captured by Indian combatants after the Battle. The museum had bought the flag for just $54.

Tags: basketball, culbertson guidon, custers last stand, Emancipation Proclamation, george custer, James Naismith, robert f kennedy community schools, sothebys

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Billionaires Vie For Golden State Warriors

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

The Golden State Warriors basketball team is up for sale and the billionaires are lining up. Who is in the running? There are four main suitors. One group is led by Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison with others who already own a minor share of the team. He has been the front-runner for a long time and many hope that his billions and billionaire acumen will bring the team new glory.

Another contender is led by 24-Hour Fitness founder Mark Mastrov whose group includes Magic Johnson. Mandalay Entertainment chair Peter Guber is also in the running. His Mandalay Baseball Properties owns a bunch of minor league baseball teams and was reportedly once interested in buying the Oakland Athletics. Bay Area News Group says the fourth contestant is David Bonderman. Bonderman, a founding partner of TPG Capital, is a Texas billionaire perhaps most known in the media for having one of the most expensive birthday parties ever. For his 60th birthday he hired the Rolling Stones, John Mellencamp and Robin Williams to perform, spending around $7 million. He has a fortune of around $1.7 billion.

All four groups have had a tour of the Warriors' facilities and will be preparing their bids. Warriors owner Chris Cohan is rumored to be hoping for at least $400 million and if possible, breaking the $401 million record set when Robert Sarver bought the Phoenix Suns. Cohan bought the team for $120 million in 1995. It is hoped that the deal will be wrapped up this summer, giving the new owners time to set a direction for next season. Die-hard Warriors fans are hoping that the new owners will bring plenty of enthusiasm and cash to revive the floundering franchise.

Tags: basketball, chris cohan, david bonderman, golden state warriors, larry ellison, magic johnson, nba

Basketball Inspired NBA Mix Master DJ Headphones

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Sports

If you love both music and basketball then you'll probably want to get your hands on a pair of these NBA Mix Master DJ Headphones, which are coming out close on the heels of Dr Dre's Red Sox Beats. Created by Mix Master Mike and claiming to be the 'greatest professional DJ headphones ever' there are 6 designs representing the Celtics, Lakers, Cavaliers, Heat, Knicks, and Bulls (see them each below) each in a numbered limited edition of only 100 each -- so no two are identical. The headphones have many features including supreme sound, cue control, a fold-able design for easy portability, and several patent-pending technologies to make them truly cutting edge. Get yours online via skullcandy.com or in select Apple stores (each design available only in its represented city) for $299.

Via ChipChick

Gallery: NBA Mix Master DJ Headphones

Tags: basketball, headphones, music, NBA

Louis Vuitton Sues Hyundai Over Super Bowl Ad

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Famously litigious Louis Vuitton is at it again to protect their monogram logo. This time they are taking on Hyundai over the display of a Vuitton-logoed basketball used in in a thirty-second spot aired during the Super Bowl. It's just on the screen for a second or two, but that's enough to make Louis Vuitton angry. The commercial is meant to present the Hyundai Sonata as an luxury item at a lower price and showcases a megayacht parked in a modest neighborhood, policemen eating caviar while on the beat and crystal chandeliers used as streetlights. The NY Daily News reports that Vuitton has filed a trademark infringement suit in Manhattan Federal Court saying the logo is "famous and incontestable."

Louis Vuitton has taken on notable big and small names before. Louis Vuitton sued Britney Spears over use of a Vuitton-embroidered dashboard in a video and legal action from both Gucci and LVMH prevented rapper T.I. from releasing his "Swing Ya Rag" video which highlighted both Gucci and Louis Vuitton products. Pop group Danity Kane got in trouble for their use of Louis Vuitton trademarks used on the debut album and in related videos. The song "Show Stopper" includes the lyrics: "Bet you ain't never seen, Chicks ridin' this clean, Louis Vuitton seats, We do it deadly." As part of the settlement, P. Diddy's Bad Boy Records agreed to remove all visual references to Louis Vuitton trademarks and make available amended versions of the album and video without the Louis Vuitton images. Guitar player Dave Navarro ran afoul of the brand for his use of Vuitton guitar straps.

Check out the full Super Bowl ad after the jump

Tags: basketball, Hyundai, Louis Vuitton, louis vuitton lawsuit, LouisVuitton, LouisVuittonLawsuit

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Kobe Bryant's Aston Martin Edition Nike Hyperdunks

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Shoes, Men's Style, Celebrity Design

Value isn't a term typically bantered about by collectors. Value for such enthusiasts exists on a different plain. If something's a must-have, then they must have it, and that's the value. Take, for example, these special edition Nike Hyperdunk basketball shoes. Nike's only making 500 pair, and they're already trading for as much as $700.

So what makes these so special? Not the shoes themselves, but the feat they supposedly represent. A couple of years ago NBA all-star Kobe Bryant appeared in a video for Nike in which he appeared to have jumped over an Aston Martin roadster that was speeding right at him. In the middle of the playoffs, no less. Bryant looked to have cleared the car, and people went nuts. Of course it was all camera tricks, even if he actually is capable of theoretically pulling it off.

That's what these shoes celebrate. They've got Kobe's signature embossed on the inside of the tongue, and Aston Martin's winged logo on the outside. Are they worth seven bills? Well, that depends... to who?

Gallery: Nike Hyperdunk Kobe Bryant Aston Martin Edition

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Tags: aston martin, AstonMartin, basketball, kicks, kobe, kobe bryant, KobeBryant, nike, nike hyperdunk, NikeHyperdunk, shoes, sneakers, sneaks

Billionaire Larry Ellison Wants to Buy the Warriors

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Sports

The Golden State Warriors are for sale and billionaire Larry Ellison wants to buy, so what's the problem? It seems current team owner Chris Cohan is asking for too much money. He wants $400 million for the team today when he paid only $120 million when he bought it back in 1995. I'm no expert in valuing sports teams but that does seem like quite a jump, especially when the team has hardly been doing amazing things over the last 15 years.

Ellison seems determined, however, having been in talks with Cohan since last summer. He also seems a little frustrated, though, saying "I'm trying, I'm trying," and "Unfortunately you can't have a hostile takeover of a basketball team."

If Ellison does become owner of the Warriors his net worth of $22 billion will make him the richest NBA team owner in history.

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Tags: basketball, billionaire, billionaires, golden state warriors, GoldenStateWarriors, larry ellison, LarryEllison, nba, warriors

Chris Webber's Restaurant Shuts Down

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Sports

Former Sacramento Kings basketball star Chris Webber is out of the restaurant business at least for the time being. The Sacramento Bee reports on the closure of Center Court With C-Webb, the sports restaurant he opened in the area three years ago. The restaurant closed today but a phone message on the restaurant's line says that there may be a new location in the future. No one is sure why the restaurant suddenly closed and whether or not the economy played a factor. Last month, Sacramento police arrested a man in connection with a fatal gang-related shooting outside the restaurant. The restaurant served sandwiches, steak and a variety of burgers including the "Fab 5," a burger with 44 ounces of choice Angus beef which sold for $29.50.

Gallery: Celebrity Restaurants

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Tags: basketball, center court with c-webb, CenterCourtWithC-webb, chris webber, ChrisWebber, sacramento, sacramento kings, SacramentoKings

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

Former Olympian Faces Foreclosure

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

Another sad tale of a former athlete facing financial woes has surfaced. Cindy Brown is an Olympic gold medal-winning basketball player who also played in the WNBA and around Europe. Now the former player is losing her fight to keep her Southern California home, a home she bought way back in 1989 in the town of Villa Park.

The talented player was an All-American at Long Beach State( the 60 points she scored against San Jose State in 1987 remains the NCAA record for most points scored in a single game) and a member of USA Basketball's team that won the gold in Seoul in 1988. Although she made good money as a player, as the OC Register points out, she would have made far more if she was a male player. Because there was no professional team in the United States back then she played in France, Italy, Israel, Japan and Spain, usually earning more than $100,000 a year. In 1996, Brown took a pay cut to come back to the United States and play in the American Basketball League. Later she played for the WNBA's Detroit Shock and in Utah before retiring in 2000.

Starting last year, locals began to complain to the city that Brown was not maintaining the yard on her five-bedroom home. Brown tells the OC Register that her neighbors made false assumptions about her and did not like the fact that she is African American and a lesbian. She also said that she was unable to take care of the lawn because she had lost over $1 million in a real estate scam and was on the brink of foreclosure. She has been selling everything she can and has been trying to find work but earlier this summer the Villa Park City Council declared Cindy Brown's house a public nuisance. In July, city workers took over and put drought-tolerant plants in Brown's front yard at a cost of $5,500. The city obtained a warrant to come and water the property and the total city bill for fixing Brown's lawn eventually came to $12,516.

Brown has said that the city and local authorities refused to help her and has filed a civil suit, listing 100 defendants. Earlier this week the city approved putting a lien on Brown's property. Brown says her home, which is listed with an estimate debt of more than $910,000, is scheduled to be auctioned this weekend.

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Tags: basketball, cindy brown, CindyBrown, foreclosure, olympics, villa park, VillaPark

Russia's Richest Man May Build NBA Stadium

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Wealth

Back in June I started hearing rumors that Russia's richest man Mikhail Prokhorov was interested in buying a portion of the New Jersey Nets. The six-foot-nine-inch-tall billionaire is a basketball fan and owns a share of a Russian basketball team. The latest news from Moscow is that he may help to build the team's new arena. He would provide a loan for the Nets and receive a large non-controlling stake in the team in return. Nets owner Bruce Ratner has wanted to build an arena for the team in Brooklyn and move his team there in 2011. The stadium's construction may cost around $800 million. Ratner has been to Moscow for talks but nothing has been officially confirmed yet.

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Tags: basketball, mikhail prokhorov, MikhailProkhorov, nba, new jersey nets, NewJerseyNets

Carlos Boozer in Miami, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping, Sports

It isn't a question of if Utah Jazz player Carlos Boozer will lose money on his Miami home, it's a question of how much. Boozer is currently going through a divorce with his wife Cindy "CeCe" Boozer and so, as Celebrity Big Time Listings reports, he's looking to settle up on this home. He and his wife paid $7.3 million for the Mediterranean-style home in 2007 at a time when real estate in Florida was still pretty high. Flash forward to now when the market is packed with homes like Boozer's: big, beige, lavish homes with dark wood, wrought iron and marble. This home has been staged to ultimate blandness with the luxurious anonymity of a luxury hotel suite. The home has five bedrooms, a media room, large living room and a gourmet kitchen. The property also includes a one bedroom guest house, pool, dock and a boat lift as well as a three-car garage. The home is listed at $6.9 million. Even with the waterfront location, I'd be shocked if it sells for anything over $5 million.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Gallery: Carlos Boozer in Miami

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Tags: basketball, carlos boozer, CarlosBoozer, celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay

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Shaq Finally Unloads Miami Mansion for $16 Million - to Naomi Campbell's Boyfriend?

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Sports

Shaquille O'Neal has finally unloaded his Miami mansion for $16 million - $2 million less than he paid for the place - after nearly five years. The basketball superstar bought the Star Island spread in 2004 for $18.2 million, and first listed it for sale in 2005 for $32 million. The home was listed at $29 million when it was our estate of the day last summer, then the price dropped to $22 million before climbing back up to $25 million, then going back down to $22.5 million. Quite the real estate roller coaster. The Miami Herald reports that the new owner who reportedly coughed up $16 million in cash is said to be a European businessman who plans to renovate the estate. According to the South Beach Real Estate Blog, the buyer is none other than Vladislav Doronin, the handsome Russian billionaire who's dating supermodel Naomi Campbell. The Mediterranean-style main house has eight bedrooms, an indoor basketball court, gym, steam room and sauna. The 2.5 acre grounds include a tennis court, six-car garage, dock, two-bedroom guest house and Shaq's pool complete with Superman logo.

Gallery: Shaq on Star Island

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Tags: basketball, celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, Florida, Miami, Naomi Campbell, NaomiCampbell, Russian billionaire, RussianBillionaire, Shaq, Shaquille ONeal, ShaquilleOneal, sports star, SportsStar, Star Island, StarIsland, supermodel, Vladislav Doronin, VladislavDoronin

Contest! CigarsDirect Giveaway for "March Madness"

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

If you know basketball and love cigars, take a look at this new contest from CigarsDirect.com. Join the company's fantasy league on CBS Sportsline – choose your winners wisely – and you could walk away with up to $1,000 worth of cigars. Prizes are available for the top 10 participants based on points earned.

1st Place: 2008 Opus X Cigar Charity Box ($999.95 retail value)
2nd Place: Opus X Robusto Cigar Box ($839.55 retail value)
3rd Place: Hemingway Between the Lines Cigar Box ($799.95 retail value)
4th Place: Arturo Fuente Anejo #77 "Shark" Cigar Box ($575.95 retail value)
5th Place: Padron 1964 Anny Torpedo Natural Cigar Box ($319.95 retail value)
6th Place: 2006 God of Fire Robusto Tubo Cigar Box ($184.75 retail value)
7th Place: Hemingway Short Story Cigar Box ($139.99 retail value)
8th Place: 1992 Rare Estate Opus X Robusto Cigar Tin ($94.95 retail value)
9th Place: Padron 1926 Series Sampler Maduro ($74.95 retail value)
10th Place: $50 Gift Certificate good toward any purchase on CigarsDirect.com

My goal, I have to admit, would be to finish fourth, fifth or ninth.

[Photo by Steve Zak]

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Tags: basketball, cigar, cigars, contest, fuente, giveaway, giveaways, march madness, MarchMadness, opus, sport, sports

Allen Iverson in Villanova, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping, Sports

Today is the latest in a long series of sports star homes lingering on the market. Denver Nuggets guard Allen Iverson has been looking to sell his home in Villanova, Pennsylvania for a year now. I first heard about it last year when the Wall Street Journal's Private Properties column first reported on it. Now a year later the same column reveals that Iverson has dropped the price on the 14,000 square foot home to a desperation price of $4 million. That's $1 million less than the former Philadelphia 76er and his wife Tawanna paid for it in 2003. The six-bedroom home is on four acres that include a pool house, stream and waterfall.The chateau-style home on Chateau Lane has four levels including a great room with floor-to-ceiling Palladian windows. The master suite has his and hers marble bathrooms, a coffee bar, media area and a veranda overlooking the grounds. There are four additional en-suite bedrooms and a separate guest quarters with a bedroom, living room and kitchenette. The entertainment level has a 12-seat movie theater, billiard room, and a lounge with a custom wood carved bar accommodating 200+ wine bottles. It is now listed at $3.999 million.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Gallery: Iverson in Villanova