Nuggets Exec VP/Basketball Operations MASAI UJIRI said of being named NBA Exec of the Year, "It's a little bittersweet for me. I would trade (this trophy) to be playing now. ... My background is scouting and the love of the game. But tons of people have given me great chances to be here." Ujiri added he is "very positive" he will sign a new contract with the Nuggets this summer (DENVER POST, 5/10).
WILD THING: Wild investor PHIL FALCONE and his firm Harbinger Capital "agreed to a settlement" with the Securities & Exchange Commission that "could end Mr. Falcone's career as a hedge-fund manager." A regulatory filing shows that Harbinger agreed to pay $18M "without admitting or denying allegations of fraud." The agreement bars Falcone "from serving as an investment adviser for two years, meaning he also cannot raise new capital or make new investments through the fund" (WSJ.com, 5/9). Falcone owns a 39% stake in the Wild. The team in a statement said the settlement "does not affect the Minnesota Wild in any way" (PIONEERPRESS.com, 5/9).
CHARM CITY: In Baltimore, Jean Marbella profiles Under Armour Founder, Chair & CEO KEVIN PLANK, writing Baltimore and its "blue-collar ethos, Maryland and its horse racing tradition, College Park and the Terps ... ground and inspire him." Plank said, "I'm from Maryland. ... I can't move, because I'm from Maryland. This is our town. If we don't stay and fight for our town, who's going to stay and fight for it?" (Baltimore SUN MAGAZINE, 5/12).
COURT REPORT: Lakers G KOBE BRYANT is "demanding his mother keeps her hands off his merchandise." Bryant in a court filing on Wednesday said that he "never gave his mother permission to sell mementos from his high school days and early professional basketball career." PAMELA BRYANT earlier this year arranged to "auction it off through Berlin, N.J.-based Goldin Auctions and received a $450,000 advance" (AP, 5/9).
REAL ESTATE ROUNDUP: Atlantic City has approved an agreement with TNT's SHAQUILLE O'NEAL and his partner Boraie Development that will "bring a major redevelopment project to Atlantic City's South Inlet, highlighted by a movie theater and a supermarket." The centerpiece of the $75M project is a Shaq Cityplex-branded movie theater (PRESSOFATLANTICCITY.com, 5/9)....Late IMG Chair & CEO TED FORSTMANN's Southampton, N.Y., home sold for $24M. The 8,600-square-foot home originally was listed for $34M in March '12 (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/10)....Bills coach DOUG MARRONE has listed his 6,127-square-foot home in Jamesville, N.Y., complete with an indoor basketball court, salt-water pool and movie screen, for $1.19M (SYRACUSE.com, 5/9).
NAMES: Former Michigan G and NBA Draft prospect TREY BURKE "will be represented" by his father, BENJI, as part of a new division of the Infinite Sports group, a "primarily NFL-based agency that was founded by" Benji Burke's cousin ALONZO SHAVERS (FREEP.com, 5/9)....Redskins Owner DAN SNYDER's wife, TANYA, was named the American Cancer Society's Mother of the Year (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 5/9)....Penguins co-Owner RON BURKLE is backing a new multi-faceted company called IBZ Entertainment through the Y Entertainment Group division of his private equity firm Yucaipa (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 5/7)....Former MLBer CHIPPER JONES on Thursday was a guest speaker at Emory's Class Day, a prelude to Monday's commencement exercises (N.Y. TIMES, 5/10).
