Foster (l) in his lawsuit alleges that LaVar Ball embezzled more than $2.6M from Big Baller BrandGETTY IMAGES
Pelicans G LONZO BALL and his father, LAVAR, have been countersued by their former business partner, ALAN FOSTER, for "fraudulent concealment and breach of contract." Foster alleges that LaVar embezzled more than $2.6M "from Big Baller Brand and other companies associated with the Ball family." In April, Lonzo filed suit against Foster for damages of more than $2M, alleging that Foster "conspired to embezzle millions of dollars and then divert those funds for his personal use, including to acquire assets in Ethiopia" (ESPN.com, 10/3).
HOMETOWN HERO: DePauw Univ.'s "newest advertising initiative" includes two billboards that feature ESPN VP/Production & Content Strategy JILL FREDERICKSON, a '92 DePauw graduate. Frederickson said, "It was a little shocking. ... The fact that they looked to me and that I would even be worthy of going on a poster or speaking or much less a billboard is flattering and kind of overwhelming" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/3).
LEGAL MATTERS: Florida prosecutors in Patriots Owner ROBERT KRAFT's solicitation case have filed an appeal arguing that Palm Beach County Judge LEONARD HANSER "made several errors in his May ruling when the judge granted Kraft's motion to suppress evidence obtained by a search warrant." Florida Attorney General ASHLEY MOODY said that the judge's decision to suppress the video "should be reversed" (BOSTON HERALD, 10/3)....A jury in Harris County, Texas, found that Baseball HOFer JEFF BAGWELL "stiffed a high-end landscaping crew on the bill for a protracted project in his yard." The jury "awarded the contracting company, F&G, $166,000 for completed work that Bagwell had approved plus $95,000 in legal fees" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/2)....Heat Owner MICKY ARISON was in federal court yesterday to answer for the "latest series of environmental violations" committed by his cruise company, Carnival, "while on probation" (MIAMI HERALD, 10/3).
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT: Actresses GABY HOFFMANN and HADLEY ROBINSON have "joined the cast of HBO's pilot' about the '80s-era Lakers. Hoffman will play then-Forum GM CLAIRE ROTHMAN, while Robinson will portray a young version of Lakers Controlling Owner & CEO JEANIE BUSS (DEADLINE.com, 10/2)....SPIKE LEE purchased 13 items associated with the Knicks in a recent auction, including the "used original net from Game 7" of the '70 NBA Finals and the late RED HOLZMAN's NBA Coach of the Year trophy from that season. Holzman's family in total "sold off 35 items that netted $319,341" (AP, 10/2)....Coyotes D JAKOB CHYCHRUN appears on the cover of the October issue of Scottsdale Health magazine (THE DAILY).
NAMES: Lightning coach JON COOPER's annual fundraiser, Coop's Catch for Kids, this year "brought in almost $200,000" for pediatric cancer research, "bringing the four-year total to about $500,000" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 10/3)....The U.S. Center for SafeSport has lifted the suspension of former USA Skateboarding Exec Committee member NEAL HENDRIX after ending its "investigation into an accusation of improper sexual contact." Hendrix, a "force behind" skateboarding's entry into the '20 Tokyo Games, was "placed on interim suspension pending an investigation on Oct. 19, 2018" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/3)....Pacers Dir of Media Relations DAVID BENNER tweeted yesterday that he is in a "second battle against cancer." Benner "did not join the team on its preseason trip to India." He first joined the Pacers in the mid-'90s after "reporting on the team for the Indianapolis Star for eight years" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 10/3)....NHLPA Senior Manager of Business Affairs ERIC EPSTEIN will marry NHL Account Exec/Partnership Marketing KYLA CSUMRIK on Saturday in Ontario, which is a "historic milestone: the first known wedding between league and union employees" (SPORTSNET.ca, 10/2).
