Retiring NBA President of Basketball Operations ROD THORN was honored Thursday night by Commissioner ADAM SILVER between the first and second rounds of the NBA Draft. Silver noted Thorn is retiring in August "after devoting more than 50 years of his life to the game of basketball." After Silver ran down Thorn's career highlights, Warriors Exec Board member JERRY WEST and Hornets Owner MICHAEL JORDAN gave taped congratulatory messages. Jordan said, "Over the years it's been an honor to know you. You brought me into the city of Chicago. Your dedication to the game of the basketball as a player, definitely as a general manager, in the league office has been unparalled.” Thorn said, "It's been a life's work, but a fun life's work" (“2015 NBA Draft,” ESPN, 6/25).
ALL IN THE FAMILY: ESPN NBA analyst JEFF VAN GUNDY last April met NWSL Houston Dash Managing Dir BRIAN CHING at a fundraiser luncheon and during "casual conversation, Ching mentioned the Dash had a host family program." Van Gundy "was interested" and "opened his home before checking with his wife." Consequently, U.S. women's national team players MEGHAN KLINGENBERG and MORGAN BRIAN "moved in" with his family (USA TODAY, 6/26).
NAMES: SMI Exec Chair BRUTON SMITH "has increased the voting power of his three sons in the company." Smith has controlled 70.2% of the voting stock, and a filing Thursday states he now "shares that voting power with his sons MARCUS, DAVID and SCOTT as part of a transaction 'for business succession purposes.'" The individual voting power of each of the sons and their father "was not disclosed" (ESPN.com, 6/25)....Oregon Health & Science Univ. officials on Thursday announced that they have met the $500M fundraising challenge issued by Nike co-Founder & Chair PHIL KNIGHT and his wife, PENNY, who in ‘13 offered to donate $500M toward cancer research at OHSU if the school could raise an equal amount by Feb. 4, 2016. The university “received more than 10,000 donations; they arrived from every state and five countries” (Eugene REGISTER-GUARD, 6/26)....Pro Football HOFer WARREN SAPP faces three domestic-violence charges in Las Vegas alleging that he “assaulted his girlfriend” in April (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 6/26)....NBA draftees KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS and WILLIE CAULEY-STEIN were spotted shopping yesterday as “mere mortal customers at Carmine’s on West 44th Street” (N.Y. POST, 6/26).
