NBA family delivers food, love at LA Food Bank
Athena Liu Medill Reports LOS ANGELES — No matter if they play for different teams, at different levels or in different generations, when it comes to giving back to the community, the NBA unites as a family. On Friday, NBA All-Stars Anthony Davis, Kemba Walker, Larry Nance Jr. and Eric Gordon joined NBA legends at […]
Stars turn out for All-Star Weekend bowling fundraiser for LadyLike Foundation
By Richard Foster-Shelton Medill Reports LOS ANGELES — Publicly, All-Star Weekend is notable for being a time when celebrities descend on the host city to enjoy a work-free weekend. Privately, one woman worked tirelessly behind-the-scenes to make sure the gathering of big names was not in vain. On Thursday, Leah Cher Pump, president and CEO […]
DeRozan returns to Compton roots
By Connor Yahn Medill Reports COMPTON, Calif. — DeMar DeRozan, like countless other children across the world, dreamed of one day playing in the NBA and becoming an All-Star while watching Kobe Bryant star for the Los Angeles Lakers. For DeRozan, that dream began in Compton, California, and he has since developed into one of […]
NBA elites give back to community during All-Star Weekend
By Serena Yeh Medill Reports LOS ANGELES –Draymond Green played 38 minutes and recorded his third consecutive double-double in a game Wednesday night, but 13 hours later, the Golden State Warriors forward was at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, chatting and playing games with young patients.
Filayyyy hits L.A.
By Nathan Smith Medill Reports LOS ANGELES – Jesse Jones is almost too famous to be here. A dozen men took turns shooting threes and executing exotic dunks in an empty Staples Center on Wednesday, all part of the dress rehearsal for the NBA All-Star Weekend’s competitions. Some, like Jones, played college basketball. But only Jones […]
Their stars rising, DeRozan and Dinwiddie give back to Compton
By Robbie Weinstein Medill Reports LOS ANGELES – Under sunny skies at Compton’s Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, DeMar DeRozan’s and Spencer Dinwiddie’s distinct paths to the NBA converged for one day. Visiting a class of first-graders Friday, the Compton-bred DeRozan, 28, helped students spell words like “train,” while Dinwiddie assembled an NBA-themed signpost, helping decorate a […]
Inside the sights, sounds and people of the Fake All-Star Saturday Night
By: Patrick Engel Medill Reports LOS ANGELES – There’s no need to wait until Saturday night. Here are the final dramatic moments of the NBA All-Star Verizon Slam Dunk contest. “It all comes down to this,” the emcee bellows. “Let’s see what Victor Oladipo has in store. He can make or break it right now.” […]
Of democracy, dogs and WiFi: Scenes from Cuba
This is the continuation of a multi-part series on Cuba. Read the previous collection of vignettes: “Connecting with Cuba: Exploring Havana in the 60th year of revolution” Finding clarity elusive HAVANA – Sprawled on the beds at our guest house, we preach to each other about what we do and don’t get about Cuba, as […]
Penn defeats Lake Central in defensive battle for Indiana’s 4A Regional Championship
Erik Alcantar Medill Reports Despite leading 15-3 in the second quarter, Lake Central High School fell to Penn High School’s Kingsmen 43-41 in the final game of Indiana’s LaPorte 4A Regional Championship. Penn captured its eighth regional girl’s basketball championship in the program’s 43-year history. Penn will take on Zionsville Community High School on Saturday in the Semi-State round, and stands two […]
Connecting with Cuba: Exploring Havana in the 60th year of the revolution
Tuning In HAVANA — “I have been without email for two years,” Dani tells me as the music in the car skips. I’m trying to stream a song by Sylvan Esso while we ride in his 1976 Russian Lada back to the Vedado neighborhood where I’m staying. But even with my expensive cellular data plan, […]