Great Jonathan Bender story

Quick: What's the first word that comes to mind when thinking of Jonathan Bender? Was it "bust"? It was for me...until now. I love the game of basketball. But let's face it. There are more important things in life than basketball. That's why "bust" is no longer the first thought when Bender's name is mentioned.

Anna Katherine Clemmons ran a great story about Jonathan Bender in ESPN The Magazine. Bender, a phenom who skipped college to go straight to the NBA, scored 10 points in his first-ever NBA game to become the first-ever high school draftee to do so. Basketball-wise, it seemed to go down hill from there.

He averaged 5.6 ppg and 2.2 rpg throughout his career. His best year was the 2001-2002 season when had career-high averages of 7.4 ppg and 3.1 rpg.

But his NBA career pales in comparison to his budding philanthropical and entrepreneurial career.

...in New Orleans, with the Gulf Coast still struggling two years after Hurricane Katrina, he established the nonprofit Jonathan Bender Foundation and the for-profit Jonathan Bender Enterprises. With both, Bender's idealism has manifested itself through initiatives like adopting elementary schools, building real estate ventures and offering free finance classes for some of New Orleans' poorest residents.

...When Bender's Foundation adopted Joseph S. Maggiore Elementary School, Bender bought and distributed Christmas presents to the 430 students. But he also plans to establish an after-school program he named "Being Busy and Cool After School," where students will have 30 minutes of tutoring followed by lectures from professionals discussing their careers..."

"It's such a pleasure to see the things he's doing and how he's giving back," Willie Mae [Bender's mother] says. "I never thought I'd learn so much from my son."

Now when I think of Jonathan Bender, a different word comes to mind. Hero. Charles Barkley once said that athletes shouldn't be role models and I agree in general. But Bender is different. Like his mother says, we can all "learn so much from her son."

Josh Howard the Patriot

I think I've reached the point where I now just wonder what stupid thing Josh Howard will do next. After disclosing his preference to smoke pot in the "off-season" during the playoffs last season and being charged with "speeding (94 mph in a 55 mph zone), careless and reckless driving, and speed competition", he's in the news again.

For those who didn't see the story, Howard...decided Iverson's event was the appropriate venue at which to express his disdain for the anthem. Speaking to a cell phone camera while others around him respectfully stood in recognition, Howard provided an on-camera cameo that went something like this: "'The Star-Spangled Banner' is going on. I don't celebrate this [expletive]. I'm black …"

Now he's known these days as the franchise's resident idiot, someone who is gainfully employed solely because of his ability to bounce and shoot a basketball. A character seemingly destined to embarrass his way into exile from a league that's garnered him millions of dollars because he won't stop perpetuating his ignorance and hostility to the masses, simultaneously casting an ominous shadow over his contemporaries.

Mark Cuban had an interesting take on it all. He posted on his blog e-mails he received from others and included their e-mail addresses.

I thought it was important to point out the hatred and ignorance of so many who quickly judge people they have never met, based purely on soundbites and headlines. If you think you know any public figure based on what you see on TV or read on the internet or in newspapers, you are sadly mistaken.

I wanted to point out the irony of them experiencing the onslaught of attention from suddenly and unexpectedly being placed in the media spotlight from a throwaway comment.

I still have a low opinion of Josh Howard, not because an "11-second soundbite", but because there has been a history of idiotic things he has done. I think Mark Cuban is a great owner, especially since so many owners care only about the bottom line and not the team's success.

Jason Kidd gives away Olympic gold medal

One day after reading about Jason Kidd switching from Nike to Peak, a Chinese company, Jason Kidd is giving away an Olympic gold medal to Elaine Wynn of Wynn Casino.

"Last summer, we stayed at the Wynn for (what seemed like) a lifetime, close to three weeks," Kidd told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "We met at a banquet, we got to talking, and she really understands the game.

"I told her I'd make a deal with her, that if we won the gold medal, I'd give it to her. She thought I was kidding. But I told her I had one already, and the way they treated us at the Wynn, it was the least I could do."

Call me skeptical (I've surely been called worse), but I can't imagine someone treating him so well that he'd give away an Olympic gold medal. There must be more to this...

Jason Kidd dumps Nike for Peak

It's been a big NBA offseason for players turning down mediocre paychecks and no playing time in the U.S. and going overseas where opportunities are more prevalent.

Is Jason Kidd next? OK, he'll still play for the Dallas Mavericks this season, but the footwear he'll sport no longer will have the Swoosh. Before making his trip back to the U.S. after the Beijing Games, Kidd announced he will wear shoes made by Peak, a Chinese company, and ditch Nike. The timing on Kidd's departure is interesting, because the market in the U.S. has been flooded recently with many of his old retro classics. Kidd also spent a brief time sporting Jordans in his career.

One of the things that David Stern will be most noted for his how he helped to internationalize the game of basketball. The European defections so far and the likelihood of a huge increase in defections going forward shouldn't surprise anyone.

I guess the next logical step is foreign sponsorships of NBA players.

Markieff Morris arrested for shooting BB gun from dorm

Kansas University incoming freshman Markieff Morris is facing a battery charge after allegedly firing a BB gun from his dorm window.

The 18-year-old, a member of coach Bill Self's 2008 recruiting class along with his twin brother, Marcus, has been ordered to appear Sept. 10 in Lawrence Municipal Court, the Lawrence Journal-World reported Wednesday on its Web site.

Campus police said shots were fired about 11:15 p.m. Saturday from a room in the Jayhawker Towers. A 47-year-old Wisconsin woman was in the dorm's courtyard about the same time and reported being shot in the arm with a plastic BB.

"We take this matter very seriously," Self told the Journal-World on Wednesday. "Poor judgment was used by bringing an Airsoft gun, [one] that can be purchased at Wal-Mart, on campus that can shoot plastic BBs."

What a horrible sense of judgment!

Ben Gordon: "Done" with Bulls, considering Europe?

With Kirk Hinrich, Larry Hughes, Ben Gordon and #1 overall draft pick Derrick Rose, the Bulls backcourt was certainly crowded. According to Ben Gordon, however, it is likely to be less crowded.

"I guess it's safe to say I've played my last game in a Bulls uniform," Gordon said.

Gordon, who has led the Bulls in scoring the past three seasons, said his agent, Raymond Brothers, has been speaking with other teams about sign-and-trade possibilities.

Brothers refused to name the teams he's spoken with, but added playing in Europe is also a possibility. He said the only certainty is Gordon will not sign the Bulls' one-year qualifying offer of $6.4 million.

Although it's more likely that Gordon stays in the NBA with one of the other 29 teams, he would be the biggest name so far to defect to Europe.

Cavs acquire Mo Williams in 3-team deal

The Cleveland Cavaliers need to get help for LeBron James (before he leaves to Europe to make $50 Large). While they got help in Mo Williams from Milwaukee, they still aren't a legitimate title contender.

Here's the anatomy of the 3-way deal between Cleveland, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City:

Cleveland gets: Mo Williams (from Milwaukee)

Milwaukee gets: Damon Jones (from Cleveland), Luke Ridnour (from Oklahoma City) and Adrian Griffin (from Oklahoma City)

Oklahoma City gets: Joe Smith (from Cleveland) and Desmond Mason (from Milwuakee)