GREEK WEAK: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FEELING THE LOCKOUT PINCH

          Fallout from the NBA labor dispute "first will be felt
     in Greece," site of the World Championships, according to
     the AP's Thanassis Cambanis. The Greek Basketball Federation
     fears that without the headline names, "revenue will
     tumble."  Before the lockout, organizers estimated a $1M
     profit, but now "hope to just cover projected costs of
     about" $2.8M.  Ticket sales were projected to top 200,000,
     but now organizers "will be glad to sell half that number"
     (AP/Mult., 7/6).  USA Basketball spokesperson Craig Miller
     said that the NBPA "has been discouraging certain players
     from playing" in the World Championships.  Miller said that
     former NBA players were the "prime targets of the union's
     campaign" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/7).  In related news,
     Dominique Wilkins has decided he will not try out for the
     USA team.  Wilkins: "[I]f I did, I would look at myself as
     betraying the NBA players.  And I support what they are
     trying to do" (Peter May, BOSTON GLOBE, 7/5).
          NBA NOTE: Ten-year NBA referee Ronald Olesiak was
     charged in U.S. District Court in Chicago "with filing three
     false tax returns and failing to list a total of $65,000 in
     income."  Olesiak is the fifth NBA ref found guilty of
     filing false returns.  As many as 15 current referees
     "reportedly remain under investigation" by the IRS and the
     Justice Department (Cam Simpson, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/7).