With NBA Academies "being opened around the world, the league is forming an advisory committee to help steer each academy to success." Former NBAers STEVE NASH, ADONAL FOYLE, and RONNY TURIAF are joined on the committee by former coach P.J. CARLESIMO, former WNBAer JENNIFER AZZI and World Association of Basketball Coaches President PATRICK HUNT. Each committee member will have a "specialized role within the academies." The NBA "currently has academies in Africa, Australia, China and India" (USA TODAY, 6/30).
THE REAL WORLD: La Liga club Real Madrid is "expanding its chain of branded eateries into the U.S. with a new restaurant in Miami." The 12,000-square-foot, two-story restaurant is "scheduled for early" '18. Real Madrid Café will "feature a bar, a merchandise store and a VIP lounge." Miami-based American Franchise Group has "partnered with Real Madrid to oversee the expansion of its themed restaurants throughout the Americas over the next five years" (MIAMI HERALD, 6/30).
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT: Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) police said that VENUS WILLIAMS was “at fault for a June 9 car crash that led to the death of the passenger in the other vehicle two weeks later” (ESPN.com, 6/29). No charges “have been filed against Williams” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/30)....Attorney MICHAEL STEINGER said of why the victim's family is filing a lawsuit Williams, “There are video cameras that were placed at guardhouses where Ms. Williams lives and the police have refused after multiple requests to turn those over to us and we would like to see visual portrayal of the accident on those videos" ("GMA," ABC, 6/30). Legal analyst CHIP MERLIN said of the implications for Williams, "Chances are she probably will not be prosecuted. ... She might be held liable in a court of law for negligence" ("CBS This Morning," 6/30).
GIVING BACK: Volunteers from Bank of America and the Hornets “filled Spectrum Center Thursday" in celebration of their annual Day of Service (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/29)....In conjunction with Red Sox 2B DUSTIN PEDROIA’s charity, Pedroia Platoon, the nonprofit Operation Shower and the Red Sox Foundation on Thursday “teamed up to throw ‘All Star Baby Shower; for military families" at the Dell EMC Club at Fenway Park. This was the “second year moms-to-be were showered with free baby swag” (BOSTON HERALD, 6/30)....Seahawks DE MICHAEL BENNETT’s foundation is “partnering to build the Bennett Foundation Garden located within the King City County Juvenile Detention facility.” The garden will seek to “provide students with an opportunity to learn about growing food, healthy eating, and biology through hands-on gardening and art experiences.” Bennett’s Foundation “provided a $5,000 grant for the garden to be built” (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/30).
NAMES: Univ. of Utah football coach KYLE WHITTINGHAM’s new contract extension, which was announced in May, “provides a means for up to a decade of additional compensation” -- at least $3.4M in all -- for Whittingham “should the 57-year-old decide to retire at Utah.” As a special assistant, Whittingham would annually receive 10% of his yearly salary “at the time of retirement” (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 6/30)....Golfers RICKIE FOWLER and JIMMY WALKER met with PRESIDENT TRUMP on Thursday while they were in the DC area for the PGA Tour Quicken Loans National (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/30)....Former NFLer MICHAEL VICK and his wife have “joined the cast” of a new VH1 series called “BALLER WIVES,” set in Miami. The show debuts Aug. 14 (AJC.com, 6/29)....The Basketball Museum of Illinois, “currently in the middle of a fundraising campaign to construct the museum building,” will have a DICK VITALE Day and donate 50% of the proceeds to the V Foundation (SUNTIMES.com, 6/29)....CRISTIANO RONALDO has “become a father for the second and third time,” after twins EVA and MATEO were “reportedly born via surrogate” in the U.S. (N.Y. POST, 6/30)....SHAQUILLE O’NEAL and friends recently were dining at Tao in Manhattan "next to a table of 15, who were excited to be near the basketball star.” When dinner was over, O’Neal “picked up their check” (N.Y. POST, 6/30)....Entertainment Weekly this week ranked the 25 most patriotic films of all time. "MIRACLE" was No. 4, "ROCKY IV" was No. 9 and "SEABISCUIT" was No. 20 (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, 6/30 issue).
IN MEMORY: Sports Lawyers Association Exec Dir RICK GUGGOLZ passed away unexpectedly on June 25 at the age of 57 after suffering a heart attack. Guggolz served as Exec Dir for over 20 years. Additionally, he was Drohan Management Groups VP for the past 30 years (SLA)....GEORGE STRODE, "whose four decades in sports journalism included a 15-year run" as sports editor of the Columbus Dispatch, "died Wednesday in Columbus after a brief illness." He was 81. Strode served as sports editor from '85-99. Before that, he had spent 16 years as Ohio sports editor of the AP and "six years as a sports reporter for The Columbus Citizen-Journal" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 6/30).
