CBSSPORTS.com's Ken Berger cited sources as saying that the NBPA has hired JAMIE WIOR, the former business manager of Thunder G and former NBPA President DEREK FISHER, both of whom are "co-defendants in a lawsuit" that ousted NBPA Exec Dir BILLY HUNTER filed against the union "for wrongful termination." Wior was hired "on a temporary basis to assist with the NBPA's winter meeting during All-Star weekend in New Orleans next month." While Wior's involvement in union business "is nothing new, the NBPA's decision to retain her again is a sign that Fisher's influence in union matters has outlasted his term" (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/14).
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Kraft (l) with Berns (r) at HBO documentary
premiere in October |
NO EASY WAY TO SAY GOODBYE: Patriots Owner
ROBERT KRAFT was among those who attended the funeral yesterday for
SAM BERNS, a Massachusetts teenager "whose battle with a rare genetic condition that accelerates the aging process inspired professional athletes and spurred medical research." Berns died Friday. Kraft in October met Berns and attended the HBO premiere of the documentary "
LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM" in N.Y. Kraft made a $500,000 matching pledge to the Progeria Research Foundation. Kraft after Berns’ death said that he had "invited the teen to be the Patriot’s honorary captain" for Saturday night’s playoff game against the Colts (
AP, 1/14).
NAMES: Celtics Basketball Operations Analyst DREW CANNON, Cardinals Dir of Football Administration MIKE DISNER, Pelicans Dir of Basketball Operations SHANE KUPPERMAN and Jaguars VP & General Counsel MEGHA PAREKH were among Forbes' "30 Under 30" for sports. Candidates for the list were judged by Warriors co-Owner PETER GUBER, RSR Partners Managing Dir JOSEPH BAILEY III and Ketchum Sports & Entertainment Senior VP SHAWN MCBRIDE (Forbes)....The L.A. Sports Council named Clippers G CHRIS PAUL its '13 Sportsman of the Year. Paul will be honored during the ninth annual L.A. Sports Awards, held March 5 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel (L.A. Sports Council)....UMass and newly-named football coach MARK WHIPPLE agreed to a five-year contract with an annual salary of $250,000 (BOSTON HERALD, 1/15)....Yahoo CEO MARISSA MAYER will be the keynote speaker at the NBA's All-Star Technology Summit (TWITTER.com, 1/15)....Oregon resident JEFF WASSON has "sold what is believed to be one of the first prototypes of a Nike shoe to one of the world's biggest shoe collectors," JORDAN GELLER. Wasson, who said that he “was given the shoe” in ‘10 by late Nike co-Founder BILL BOWERMAN’s son, TOM, sold it to Geller for $1,500 (ESPN.com, 1/14)….The Suns, Bulls and Warriors at this week’s NBA meetings received the league’s “Digital Innovator Award” (Suns)….Heat F LEBRON JAMES on Monday was spotted “sipping a glass of white wine” at Bourbon Steak, located in Georgetown’s Four Seasons hotel (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 1/14).
