An orange patch worn by players in the AAU Lightning Basketball league "signifies that those young men and women, boys and girls, are part of the Wear Orange campaign" to end gun violence. About 300 amateur teams across the country "have joined" the N.Y.-based New Renaissance Basketball Association, known as the Rens, in wearing them. In New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and Florida, league leaders have "promised that their teams will be wearing the patch." Patches have gone to Team CP3, three teams in North Carolina sponsored by Clippers G CHRIS PAUL. Knicks F CARMELO ANTHONY, who "underwrites Team Melo Basketball in Baltimore, also declared his support on Twitter" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/6).
HOSTING DUTIES: NBC's "SNL" yesterday announced that UFC fighter RONDA ROUSEY will host the show Jan. 23. The musical guest will be SELENA GOMEZ (EW.com, 1/5). While Rousey is "far from the first athlete to serve as host," she is the "first from the world of MMA." The appearance will mark a "return to the spotlight" for Rousey, who has "kept a low profile" since her loss to HOLLY HOLM at UFC 193 (ROLLINGSTONE.com, 1/5).
MAKING MOVIES: China-based conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group is "poised to buy a majority stake" in film production company Legendary Entertainment, "giving the politically powerful company ... a foothold in the heart of America's entertainment industry." Sources said that investors in the film company "have agreed to sell Wanda their stakes in a deal that values Legendary at about" $4B. The rest of Legendary "will continue to be owned by its management," including Steelers investor THOMAS TULL (N.Y. TIMES, 1/6).
NAMES: Wizards Gs BRADLEY BEAL and ALAN ANDERSON yesterday attended PRESIDENT OBAMA's speech about gun control at the White House. Beal and Anderson "quickly said yes" when "approached about attending" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 1/6)....The L.A. Sports Council named Clippers F BLAKE GRIFFIN its Sportsman of the Year. Griffin will be honored at the 11th Annual L.A. Sports Awards on Feb. 25 at The Beverly Hilton (LASC)....A lawsuit claims former Oklahoma football coach BARRY SWITZER "benefited from" an $80M Ponzi scheme with victims that "included other coaches and football players, and has failed to comply with a settlement to repay some of the money" (OKLAHOMAN, 1/6)....Among those expected to attend this week's CES conference in Las Vegas are MARK CUBAN, MICHAEL PHELPS, SHAQUILLE O'NEAL and CHARLES BARKLEY (LAS VEGAS SUN, 1/6)....A pair of Boston-area hip-hop artists, BRANDON CAPP and RANDY LO, "recently recorded not only a song about how great the Patriots are, but also released a high-quality video filmed at Gillette Stadium to go with it" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/5)....Rapper LIL JON is "booked to perform" at halftime during Saturday’s Chiefs-Texans Wild Card game at NRG Stadium (ESPN.com, 1/5).
