SB Nation Seattle: All Posts by Ben Golliver

Holdahl: Fans Camp In Line For Nine Hours For Blazers G Damian Lillard's ROY Adidas Shoes

2013-05-24T21:37:06Z

Last week, we noted that Adidas was releasing a special "Real Deal" Rookie of the Year edition shoe for Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard.

Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com has a nice article from a limited release event for the shoes held at Portland's Compound Gallery on Thursday.

What took Lillard aback was seeing a line of people braving the wind and rain for as long as nine hours outside of Compound Gallery in downtown Portland just for a chance to buy his limited-edition adidas Real Deal sneakers.

"It is kind of surprising because you see this with Jordan's shoes," said Lillard of the people who waited for the opportunity to buy one of only 530 pairs of Real Deals produced by adidas to celebrate his Rookie of the Year season. "When the Jordan's come out, everybody is camping out waiting for them. Whether it's raining, snowing, no matter what it is, they're waiting for the shoes. And I appreciate the people in Portland sitting out, camping out waiting for my shoe."

Here's a video recap from YouTube user heskicks.

Lillard was recently named "Sneaker Rookie of the Year" by a shoe website. He appeared in his first Adidas ad earlier this year and starred alongside Washington Wizards guard John Wall and Philadelphia 76ers guard Jrue Holiday in a nationally-televised ad that has run during the playoffs. Lillard recently offered a behind-the-scenes look at that video shoot.

Adidas also unveiled this shirt honoring Lillard at his Rookie of the Year press conference.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

Blazers Owner Paul Allen To Release "Everywhere At Once" Album With His Band, The Underthinkers

2013-05-24T20:15:51Z

Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times reported this week that Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen and his band, the Underthinkers, will be releasing his debut album "Everywhere at Once" in August.

Now he's assembled a debut album with his band, with a lot of help from other friends, including Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson, the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde, Joe Walsh, Los Lobos' David Hidalgo, Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II and Neville Brothers scion Ivan Neville.

It's no mere vanity project for the 60-year-old billionaire -- all proceeds will go to support educational programs at the nonprofit EMP.

"I've rarely gone a week without picking up a guitar," Allen wrote in his bestselling 2011 memoir, "Idea Man. "It's more than a hobby; it gives me balance and keeps me in the moment, which can be a challenge with all the projects I'm pursuing at any one time... I take music with me wherever I go."

Allen told Mike Barrett of Blazers.com last summer that the album was in the works.

I've also been working on a new album, which I guess I can talk about. There's a movie called Magic Mike and one of my songs is playing in the background, I'm on the soundtrack.

KIROTV.com offers additional details.

Allen plays guitar on the 13-track album of what's described as "blues-based guitar rock nuggets."

Ann and Nancy Wilson, also Seattle natives who twice topped the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, are contributors on Allen's album. Joe Walsh, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, and Ivan Neville also are contributors. The album is being released on Sony's Legacy Recordings label.

"Paul wrote or co-wrote every song on the album and also plays guitar on almost all the tracks," according to the Amazon description. "All of Paul's proceeds will be donated to the charitable organization of the EMP Museum."

Old friend Ryan White of The Oregonian reacts to the album news.

Paul Allen will release his major-label debut on August 6. Wonder why he didn't Kickstart it?

"Everywhere at Once" is the name of the album, as well as something you can be when you have billions of dollars.

Here's the full press release if you're interested.

Born and raised in Seattle, he started on violin in second grade and played the instrument through the sixth grade. But after he received his first guitar at age 16, and saw Jimi Hendrix for the first time later that same year, there was no looking back. Prior to the Underthinkers and Everywhere At Once, he formed the band known as Grown Men in 1996 and they independently released an album in 2000.

...

"I'm still moved by the power of live music," Paul Allen summed up in his book, "and I seek it out every chance I get."

The album will not include a Gotye cover entitled "Somebody that I used to Cho", or a groovy throwback cut called "Kevin is a place on Earth", or a hip-hop detour dubbed "It's all about the Buchanans, baby" or a rock-infused version of the National Anthem entitled "Olshey, can you see?" but it should still probably be pretty cool.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

Beltram: Five Free Agency/Trade Targets For Blazers

2013-05-24T19:03:05Z

Ryan Beltram of the Eugene Daily News composes a list of five players the Portland Trail Blazers should target this summer, including New Orleans Pelicans center Robin Lopez and Milwaukee Bucks forward Mike Dunleavy.

Robin Lopez

He might not be as talented as his brother Brook, but Robin Lopez showed that given the minutes, he can provide high energy, shot-blocking and hustle. Anthony Davis missed time this season due to injury and as a result, Lopez was New Orleans' starting center for the majority of the season. A legitimate 7-footer, Lopez can provide the size Portland lacked with J.J. Hickson at center. Appearing in all 82 games, the former first-round pick doubled his scoring output and produced career highs in rebounding, block shots and free throw percentage.

He would need to increase his rebounding efficiency however. At 26 minutes a game, Lopez averaged under six rebounds per game. But if he was in Portland, they would undoubtedly split his minutes with Meyers Leonard at the five position. So the team wouldn't be getting a game-changing center, but at least a guy who can fill up space in the paint.

Mike Dunleavy

Speaking of the Milwaukee Bucks, Dunleavy is another veteran player who would provide much-needed shooting and scoring punch off the bench. A double-digit scorer for his entire career, Dunleavy would give the Blazers 10+ points, 4 rebounds and nearly 40 percent shooting from long distance. The former Portland resident wouldn't help much on the defensive end (particularly on the perimeter), but Dunleavy's size allows him to play multiple positions so the team could put him on the other team's worst offensive player.

The Blazers aren't getting big-name free agents like Chris Paul or Dwight Howard. They don't have the money or the desirable location for that. But they do have a young team that isn't far from becoming a playoff contender again. For two or three veteran players looking for a team, that has to be enticing.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

Blazers Owner Paul Allen Displays Restored Nazi German Rocket In Washington Museum

2013-05-24T18:37:57Z

Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen is making the most of his offseason. After recently selling a ~~pair of blue curtains~~ painting for $43.8 million, he has now purchased, restored and displayed a 46-foot tall V-2 rocket used by Nazi Germany in World War 2 at his Flying Heritage Museum in Everett, Washington.

Bill Sheets of the Herald Net reports that there are now only six such rockets in the United States and 16 total in the world. Even better, the paper filmed time-lapse video of the rocket being assembled (below).

Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen added the rocket to his collection of World War II-era aircraft and weapons in 2003, and its restoration was recently completed, military aviation curator Cory Graff said.

The restored rocket was brought to the Flying Heritage Collection museum at Paine Field in three sections on Monday, and crews worked all day to have the rocket reassembled and ready for display today.

...

"It's definitely an iconic piece of machinery. It fits very well into our technology theme," Graff said. "It's great to have that as an example of a milestone of World War II aviation and technology."

Aubrey Cohen of the Seattle PI has more details.

Just like Christmas here, except you know what's in the package," Graff said. And most Christmas gifts aren't 46 feet tall, with the ability to carry 2,000 pounds of explosives 200 miles at 3,400 mph.

V-2, short for Vergeltungswaffe (Retaliation Weapon) 2, was the commonly used name of the Aggregat-4 rocket, which Germany deployed in the last year of World War II. It was the world's first long-range ballistic missile, the first human-made object to travel into space and the basis for future U.S. and Soviet rockets and ballistic missiles.

Image via HeraldNet video on YouTube

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

Elhassan: Three Best Draft Fits For Blazers

2013-05-24T18:23:42Z

Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com (Insider) offers his thoughts on the three best fits for the Portland Trail Blazers, who will select No. 10 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas (Chad Ford Big Board ranking: No. 2): McLemore would be an excellent complement to Lillard in the backcourt as a great shooter and athlete. His main criticism, lack of aggression, would not be an issue in Portland with other offensive options ahead of him like Lillard and Aldridge.

C.J. McCollum, Combo, Lehigh (No. 7): McCollum is undersized as a shooting guard, but he is a big-time scorer with some playmaking ability and mirrors Lillard's maturity and professionalism despite being just 21. Ideally, McCollum could be the third guard in a rotation with Lillard and Wesley Matthews.

Cody Zeller, C, Indiana (No. 9): Zeller might not fit the bill of a defensive anchor, but he is a center with attributes no Blazers center has -- an excellent feel for the game and the ability to play with his back to the basket or face up. He is the type of player you can insert into a game right now.

Cody Zeller was a popular name among the post-lottery mock drafts. Chad Ford of ESPN.com has liked McLemore for the Blazers in an ideal world. Blazers guard Damian Lillard listed McLemore, C.J. McCollum and Nerlens Noel as his three favorite players in the Draft.

Hat tip: Casey Holdahl, Blazers.com

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

Spears: Former Blazers Coach Nate McMillan Will Not Return As USA Basketball Assistant

2013-05-23T19:49:46Z

Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports on Twitter that former Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan will not return as an assistant coach for USA Basketball under Duke's Mike Krzyzewski.

Nate McMillan told Y! Sports he wont return to Coach K's bench with @usabasketball. "Be good for someone else to experience it," Nate said.

Spears has more here.

"It was a great experience with Coach K," McMillan said. "Jerry Colangelo did a great job bringing the staff together. They're in a great position and I'm excited about their future. They have to continue to build on what they started. It would be good for someone to experience it. I'm grateful for my six and a half years."

Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated reported earlier this week that Krzyzewski would return as the head coach after previously indicating that he expected to step down from the post.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will be returning as the head coach of USA Basketball for the 2016 Olympics, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. A formal announcement is expected in the next 48 hours.

Krzyzewski led Team USA to gold medals in both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics. He had maintained for months that he would not return before reversing course in an interview with SI.com on Saturday.

...

Changes are expected to Krzyzewski's staff, which included Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni and former Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan in London. Boeheim said on Saturday that it's "probable" he'll return to coach with Krzyzewski.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that D'Antoni is also out as an assistant.

Former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has told Mike Krzyzewski he will not be rejoining his new Olympic staff, according to a league source. According to the source, D'Antoni, who now coaches the Lakers, turned down the job as he didn't want to make another four-year commitment because of his family.

D'Antoni has been with Team USA since the 2006 and won two gold medals, including last August in London with his former Knicks players, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler.

"He wants to stay married,'' the source said.

McMillan served as an assistant coach dating back to 2006.

Serving 2006-09 and 2010-12 as an assistant coach for USA Basketball's Men's National Teams, former Portland Trail Blazers head coach and former NBA standout Nate McMillan helped resurrect the USA Basketball Men's National Team program.

All together, as a member of the USA National Team program McMillan has aided the U.S. to a remarkable 62-1 record and gold medal finishes at the 2012 London Olympic Games, 2010 FIBA World Championship, 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 2007 FIBA Americas Championship.

The Blazers fired McMillan in March 2012, replacing him with interim coach Kaleb Canales before hiring current coach Terry Stotts in August 2012. McMillan hasn't coached in the NBA since.

So far this offseason, McMillan has interviewed with the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks.

Last summer, McMillan interviewed for the Charlotte Bobcats' job that eventually went to Mike Dunlap, who has since been fired. McMillan interviewed with the Orlando Magic and was reportedly a "top choice" but Jacque Vaughn took over for the fired Stan Van Gundy instead. In November, McMillan was linked to a possible assistant coach's job with the Lakers under D'Antoni, following Mike Brown's dismissal, but that did not materialize. He was linked as a possible candidate to replace the fired Avery Johnson with the Brooklyn Nets, but interim coach P.J. Carlesimo coached out the season before getting the ax.

McMillan holds a career coaching record of 478-452 (.514) over 12 seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics and the Blazers. McMillan posted a 266-269 (.497) record in seven seasons with the Blazers. Portland advanced to the playoffs in 2009, 2010 and 2011 but was eliminated in the first round in all three seasons.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

Haynes: Agent For Blazers International F Kostas Papanikolaou Expects Trade

2013-05-23T19:34:36Z

Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports that George Sfairopoulos, agent for Portland Trail Blazers international forward Kostas Papanikolaou, doesn't believe his client is in the organization's plans for the 2013-14 season.

"As of now, we don't have any sign that leads us to believe that Kostas will go to Portland," Sfairopoulos told CSNNW.com. "Therefore, we believe that he will not be in the plans of the organization next season and probably will be traded."

Earlier this month, Rigas Dardalis of EuroHoops.net offered this report.

Blazers followed him closely throughout the season, but at this point it seems that "Pap" in not on the immediate plans of Neil Olshey. Portland (besides starter Nicolas Batum) also has another talented European forward with Spaniard Victor Claver and is no need to "overload" the small forward position.

In fact Olshey didn't travel in London, where only Blazers' scout Jason Filipi was present. So there is a strong chance that the Blazers will trade his rights and many teams has shown interest. Spurs and Mavericks are among them, as well as the Knicks who drafted Papanikolaou on No 48 of last year's draft.

The Blazers acquired Papanikolaou's rights from the New York Knicks in a July 2012 sign-and-trade involving Raymond Felton. Papanikolaou said in a March interview that he dreams of playing in the NBA and there was some chatter last fall that he might be brought over for the 2013-14 season. I noted back on May 1 that that talk had subsided.

Thanks to tyeforshee in the FanShots.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

NBA Apparently Snubs Blazers UFA F Luke Babbitt From Taco Bell Big Box

2013-05-23T19:13:05Z

The NBA and Taco Bell have apparently -- and inexplicably -- left Portland Trail Blazers forward Luke Babbitt off something called the "Western Conference Big Box." Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge does appear on one of the box's designs.

All told, 42 NBA players are included on the promotional items but Babbitt, widely regarded as the Chalupa King, is not pictured in any of the promotional artwork. What's the point of a nationwide advertising campaign if the league's leading Tex-Mex pitchman isn't involved?

"It feels good to give the fans Taco Bell," Babbitt said once, hopefully not for the last time.

What is this thing?

The NBA and Taco Bell have teamed up to create six different NBA-themed boxes filled with your Taco Bell favorite menu items on the inside, and sporting dozens of your favorite NBA players on the outside.

o Six different box designs: three featuring the West Conference and three featuring the East Conference.
o 42 NBA players in total are featured on the boxes (seven on each box; six boxes total).
o The boxes feature players from all 30 NBA teams.

Use the box to create a miniature basketball court: Each box includes a perforated circle so that you can pop your cup (complete with artwork that makes it look like a hoop) in the box, ball up your wrapper, and take your best shot. Go head-to-head with a friend by connecting two boxes to create a full court.

Babbitt, 23, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after averaging 3.9 points and 2.2 rebounds and finishing as a finalist for the 2013 Sixth Man of the Year Award.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter