SignGuyDino
02-16-2004, 06:23 AM
This was in response to the Maurice Clarett situation, in which Stern replied that he thought the NFL would win on appeal:
Commissioner Stern: This relates to our launching and our continued support of the National Basketball Development League as well. The D League as we call. It is a place where we would like youngsters who can't make it or haven't made it, to get the opportunity to reset their basketball clocks in a setting where they are well-coached, where they have appropriate additional life skills that can be taught to them through online or other situations where they can be involved with their communities and get a sense of personal growth.
And so, that's where we have been spending a fair amount of time and money. This season we have six young men have been called up. One in particular because it's sort of -- I call him a local guy, Omar Cook, who maybe shouldn't have come out of St. John's exactly when he did, was most recently signed by Portland to a ten-day contract. We think that having the ability -- it's our obligation to have a place where we can try to help youngsters who following the siren song have maybe made a step towards basketball a little bit too early.
So we think that's consistent and we love to see players get called up. Actually I'll be watching Chris Andersen in the Slam Dunk Contest, or when we watch the Indiana team with Anthony Johnson participating or the Bulls bringing up a Dupree and he signs to a full year, that's exciting for us. We know there is a need there and we are trying to get it just right. And I think it's something that the Players Association thinks is a good idea, as well.
The most telling thing to me was Stern saying he believed the player's union supported the NBDL.
Commissioner Stern: This relates to our launching and our continued support of the National Basketball Development League as well. The D League as we call. It is a place where we would like youngsters who can't make it or haven't made it, to get the opportunity to reset their basketball clocks in a setting where they are well-coached, where they have appropriate additional life skills that can be taught to them through online or other situations where they can be involved with their communities and get a sense of personal growth.
And so, that's where we have been spending a fair amount of time and money. This season we have six young men have been called up. One in particular because it's sort of -- I call him a local guy, Omar Cook, who maybe shouldn't have come out of St. John's exactly when he did, was most recently signed by Portland to a ten-day contract. We think that having the ability -- it's our obligation to have a place where we can try to help youngsters who following the siren song have maybe made a step towards basketball a little bit too early.
So we think that's consistent and we love to see players get called up. Actually I'll be watching Chris Andersen in the Slam Dunk Contest, or when we watch the Indiana team with Anthony Johnson participating or the Bulls bringing up a Dupree and he signs to a full year, that's exciting for us. We know there is a need there and we are trying to get it just right. And I think it's something that the Players Association thinks is a good idea, as well.
The most telling thing to me was Stern saying he believed the player's union supported the NBDL.