Press Releases

Former NBA All-Star, 2000 Olympic gold medalist and third overall selection in the 1996 NBA Draft Shareef Abdur-Rahim can now add “college graduate” to his impressive resume.

Abdur-Rahim will graduate Monday, May 14 from the University of California at Berkeley – the school where he played his freshman season of NCAA basketball. He’ll receive his degree in Sociology having recorded a 3.8 grade point average.

Entering the NBA following his freshmen year at Cal, Abdur-Rahim continued to pursue his education through off-season summer courses as well as extension programs during his NBA playing schedule. He played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Vancouver Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.

Abdur-Rahim announced his retirement as a NBA player in September of 2008 and immediately joined the Kings coaching staff. After two years of coaching, he was promoted to the position of assistant general manager with the organization.

With education as his longstanding focus, Abdur-Rahim launched the Future Foundation in 2001 in his home state of Georgia. Through its mission, the foundation continues to provide support systems for Atlanta’s disadvantaged youth in order to increase their options for post-secondary education.

Since its inception 11 years ago, the foundation has enjoyed great success due to Abdur-Rahim’s support, guidance and passion for education. Future Foundation’s teen center in Atlanta boasts a 100 percent graduation rate.

“Much of my work outside basketball has been dedicated to my non-profit organization. The Future Foundation’s focus is to help young people reach their educational potential,” said Abdur-Rahim.

“Although I left Cal after only one year, it has always been my goal to complete my degree,” he said. “Receiving my degree will be an extremely proud moment for me and my family. I hope it will also help inspire many of the students our foundation proudly serves and encourages.”

ABOUT FUTURE FOUNDATION
Dedicated to a mission of leveling the playing field for youth in Metro Atlanta by providing quality educational, health and life skills programs. Future Foundation reaches more than 2000 youth and parents annually through three activities: The Reef House After-School Learning and Teen Center Programs where youth have a 360 degree focus: school, health & fitness, lifestyle advice and post-secondary preparation; RealTalk ATL, an in-school program that teaches youth how to avoid risky behaviors and make smart decisions about their bodies; and Parent Connect, a monthly series of workshops designed to help parents better connect and relate with their children.

Category : Blog

SAN ANTONIO (March 23, 2012) – The San Antonio Spurs today announced that they have signed guard Patrick Mills. Per club policy details of the contract were not released.

Mills, a 6-0, 185-pound product out of St. Mary’s (CA), was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 55th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. In two seasons with the Blazers, Mills appeared in 74 games, averaging 5.1 points and 1.5 assists in 11.1 minutes. He has a career-mark of .358 (47-133) from three-point range.

A native of Australia, Mills has spent the 2011-12 season playing overseas in his home country and China. Most recently, Mills played for the Xinjian Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association. In 12 games, he averaged 26.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Prior to making the move to China, Mills played in nine games with the Melbourne Tigers, averaging 18.6 points, 5.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds.

Mills is a member of the Australian National Team which qualified for the 2012 Olympics.

Mills will wear No. 8 for the Spurs and is expected to be in uniform tonight when the Silver and Black take on the Suns in Phoenix at 9 p.m.

Category : Blog

SACRAMENTO, CALIF., Mar. 21, 2012 — The Sacramento Kings have signed free agent guard/forward Terrence Williams to a 10-day contract, President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie announced today.

Williams averaged 4.5 ppg (.351 FG%, .421 3PT%, .500 FT%), 2.3 rpg, 0.8 apg and 15.1 mpg in 12 contests for the Houston Rockets this season before being waived on March 16th. The 11th overall pick out of Louisville in the 2009 NBA Draft by New Jersey, Williams has posted career averages of 7.4 ppg (.394 FG%, .319 3PT%, .695 FT%), 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg and 20.1 mpg through three seasons with the Nets and Rockets.

Category : Blog

The Seattle Storm has signed forward Tina Thompson, the all-time leading scorer in the history of the WNBA, Storm Head Coach and General Manager Brian Agler announced today. The team has also re-signed Ewelina Kobryn. A reserved player, Kobryn signed the team’s qualifying offer and has been added to the Storm’s training camp roster. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Thompson, who spent the previous three years with the Los Angeles Sparks, finished the 2011 season with 6,751 points over 15 seasons. With her addition, the Storm boasts the top three active WNBA players in career scoring, as veteran Katie Smith stands at No. 2 with 6,015 points and Lauren Jackson is No. 3 with 5,915. Along with former L.A. center Lisa Leslie, the Storm’s trio makes up three of the four leading scorers in league history.

Thompson was selected by Houston with the No. 1 overall pick in the inaugural WNBA Draft in 1997. She played 12 years with the Comets, leading the team to an unprecedented four WNBA championships, before the team disbanded. Thompson was acquired by the Los Angeles Sparks when she became a free agent in 2009.

An eight-time All-Star and three-time All-WNBA First Team selection, Thompson was recognized as one of the WNBA’s Top 15 Players of All-Time in 2011. She teamed with Storm veteran Sue Bird to lead the USA National Team to Olympic gold medals in the 2004 and 2008 Games.

“I couldn’t be more excited at the opportunity to coach Tina,” Agler said. “I’ve been coaching against her for more than a decade and I sure prefer having her on my side.”

“Adding a player of Tina Thompson’s experience and championship caliber further complements our vision of building a championship team,” Storm CEO and President Karen Bryant added. “She knows what it takes to win a championship.”

Thompson joins newly acquired Ann Wauters (2000), Jackson (2001) and Bird (2002) as the fourth No. 1 pick to play for the Storm. Never before has a WNBA team had more than three No. 1 overall picks at the same time. Previously, Seimone Augustus (2006), Lindsey Harding (2007) and LaToya Thomas (2003) played together for the Minnesota Lynx in 2008.

Kobryn, a 6-4 forward/center from Poland, played in 18 games for the Storm last season after joining the team in late June.

Seattle previously re-signed veteran starters Bird and Tanisha Wright to multi-year contracts and added Wauters, a former All-Star center, as a free agent.

The Storm opens the 2012 season by hosting the Los Angeles Sparks on May 18 at KeyArena.

Category : Blog

Leon Powe has partnered with strive for___, a nonprofit that connects mentors with Bay Area foster children.

Oakland Native and professional basketball player Leon Powe has partnered with strive for___, a dream‐building nonprofit that connects mentors with youth in foster care in the San Francisco Bay area. A former foster youth himself, Mr. Powe credits his relationship with a close mentor for much of his success. strive for___ is proud to have Mr. Powe as a spokesman and Advisory Board member. By speaking about his own experiences with foster care, mentorship, and achievement, he will inspire foster youth to dream big and work hard.

strive for___ asks youth in foster care (ages 12‐17), “What do you strive for___?” and then provides the guidance that is essential to achieving dreams – mentorship. The organization’s mission is to ensure that all foster youth in San Francisco have access to high quality mentorship. Inspired by their dreams, Strivers (foster youth) collaborate with Believers (mentors) to change the course of their lives.

Whether in high school or on the Cal court, Mr. Powe has set numerous records in an impressive basketball career that includes an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008. Drafted by Denver, Mr. Powe has played in Boston, Cleveland, and Memphis, but returns to the Bay area to tell youth his story and to host basketball camps that offer them a chance to pursue their goals.

Mr. Powe’s message stresses the temporary nature of foster care and the long term promise of mentorship. As Strivers, youth are able to focus their energies on what they can control – their futures beyond foster care. Although being in foster care is an integral part of a Striver’s identity, it’s not the whole story. Mr. Powe truly believes that his experiences as a teen in foster care have shaped him into the person he is today. “The Strivers can look to me as an example and know that they have the potential for success,” said Powe. “I’ve experienced what they are going through, and I’m proof that anything is possible.”

Indeed, strive for___ knows that the strong, enduring connections Strivers cultivate with their Believers will sustain them through the difficulties of leaving foster care and transitioning into adulthood on their own. Strivers come to know other youth in foster care and the adults who will become their trusted guides through an initial phase of group mentoring and e‐mentoring. Once relationships are forged, Strivers work one‐on‐one with one or more mentors to design a plan for achievement.

To learn more about strive for___, go to www.strivefor.org. strive for___ is a fiscally sponsored project of the Study Center, a tax‐exempt 501(c)3 with over 30 years of local experience.

strive for___ Contact:
Dennis Lyandres
dlyandres@strivefor.

Category : Blog