BCL CEO Patrick Comninos, Spanish Basketball Federation Competitions Director Elisa Aguilar and ACB General Director Jose Miguel Calleja will conduct the draw. They will also address the local media at a press conference, alongside a distinguished panel comprising of San Cristobal de la Laguna Mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, Sports Director of the Canary Islands Government Manuel Lopez Santana, Cabildo de Tenerife President Pedro Martin Dominguez and Vice-President Enrique Arriaga Alvarez, and the president of host club Lenovo Tenerife, Félix Hernández. The draw will determine the Semi-Final pairings of the event which is set to tip off in the Pabellón Insular Santiago Martin arena of Tenerife on Friday, February 10 with the two Semi-Finals, and will conclude on Sunday, February 12 with the Final and the 3rd-Place Game. The four contenders in this edition are Basketball Africa League 2022 winners US Monastir, Basketball Champions League Americas 2022 champions São Paulo, NBA G League 2022 winners Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the tournament hosts and reigning Basketball Champions League champions, Lenovo Tenerife.
In the 2022 edition in Egypt, Brazil’s Flamengo became the first club outside of Europe and the USA to win multiple FIBA Intercontinental Cup titles, after defeating Spain’s Hereda San Pablo Burgos in the Final. Please be advised of the following update to the 2022-23 NBA Schedule: Thursday, January 26, 2023 - The New York at Boston game will now be televised by TNT.
- The Chicago at Charlotte game will no longer be televised by TNT.
JAN. 26, 2023 | LOCAL | ET | TV/R* | New York at Boston | 7:30PM | 7:30PM | TNT/R | Dallas at Phoenix | 8:00PM | 10:00PM | TNT |
* - ESPN Radio will also broadcast New York at Boston instead of Chicago at Charlotte. NBA ANNOUNCES TEAM SALES & MARKETING AWARDS FOR 2022 – Golden State Warriors Receive NBA Team of the Year and NBA Inclusion Innovation Awards – – Toronto Raptors Named Recipients of NBA Inclusion Leadership Award – – LA Clippers Honored with NBA Team Innovation of the Year Award – – Miami HEAT’s Ana Glass Presented with Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Award – – Milwaukee Bucks’ John Steinmiller and Brooklyn Nets’ Chris Carrino Named NBA Values of the Game Award Honorees – NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2023 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced its NBA Team Sales & Marketing Awards for the 2021-22 season last night at the league’s annual NBA Sales & Marketing Meeting in Miami. All 30 teams were invited to submit a nomination in each category for awards recognizing leaders and innovators across key areas, with a committee of league and team executives choosing the winners. The 2022 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors received the NBA Team of the Year Award for their achievements across team business, including Ticketing, Partnerships, Marketing, Digital Media, Business Analytics, and Innovation. They also picked up the NBA Inclusion Innovation Award. The Toronto Raptors were presented with the NBA Inclusion Leadership Award, while the LA Clippers took home the NBA Team Innovation of the Year Award. The Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Award went to Ana Glass of the Miami HEAT and the NBA Values of the Game Award was awarded to the late John Steinmiller of the Milwaukee Bucks and Chris Carrino of the Brooklyn Nets. “The 2022 NBA Sales & Marketing Award recipients represent the very best in sports for leadership, innovation, inclusion, and fan engagement,” said Amy Brooks, NBA President, Team Marketing & Business Operations and Chief Innovation Officer. “The achievements of these winners continue to set the standard across the sports industry and illustrate the ability of our teams to stay connected to our fans in innovative ways, which have grown our game worldwide.” NBA Team of the Year: Golden State Warriors The Warriors received the NBA Team of the Year Award for their outstanding business performance, innovative marketing, and fan engagement efforts, as well as their strong commitment to the Bay Area. The team led the league in ticketing and partnerships and launched a new private events division. It focused on enhancing the experience at Chase Center through in-arena mobile ordering in partnership with DoorDash and became the first professional sports team in North America to deploy Wi-Fi 6E in the venue. Golden State also led the league in merchandise sales and became the first sports team to offer responsive NFTs that changed based on real-world events. The 1,156-piece 2022 GSW Playoff NFT Collection offered fans dynamic digital collectibles based on the team’s playoffs performance. Additionally, the organization served over 100,000 Bay Area community members at over 100 events, highlighted by the team’s 75th Anniversary Project, and the refurbishment of a local San Francisco Boys and Girls Club as part of the 2022 NBA Finals Legacy Project. Committed to empowering women, the Warriors unveiled Empowered presented by Rakuten, a season-long celebration of women at the intersection of court, community, and culture in the Bay Area. The Warriors Community Foundation announced an annual grants slate of $2.45 million split across 66 local non-profits that work to attain educational equity. In October, to mark the Foundation’s 10th Anniversary, the organization opened San Francisco Generation Thrive – the second location in the Generation Thrive ecosystem. The flagship location in Oakland has served over 4,100 Bay Area educators and hosted 2,300 educators in person, totaling over 180 hours of free development sessions, in just months. NBA Inclusion Innovation Award: Golden State Warriors The Warriors also earned the NBA Inclusion Innovation Award, which honors a specific innovative program that advances inclusive practices. The team created Franchise Fund, in partnership with United Airlines, to support economic development in Bay Area communities of color by providing equitable opportunities for entrepreneurs. Through the program, minority-owned small businesses are provided with various resources to support their growth, including bi-weekly workshops, networking opportunities and post-program mentorship. Business owners also receive coaching and monetary support to become officially certified as minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs). NBA Inclusion Leadership Award: Toronto Raptors The Raptors received the NBA Inclusion Leadership Award, which recognizes a team’s commitment to inclusion as a key business strategy. In 2022, Toronto executed a robust inclusion program that was brought to life through cross-functional collaboration and a commitment to creating a lasting impact in marginalized communities. With the primary objective of delivering authentic initiatives to community members, the Raptors have forged a deeper connection with fans, created stronger partnership values, and enhanced organizational culture through employee engagement and empowerment. The program includes the Wayne & Theresa Embry Fellowship, which provides opportunities for Canadians from marginalized groups to gain experience in professional basketball operations, and the Welcome Toronto Creators initiative, which creates access and opportunities for Canadian artists from underrepresented communities to work on the team’s brand marketing and creative planning efforts. NBA Team Innovation of the Year Award: LA Clippers The Clippers brought home the NBA Team Innovation Award, which recognizes the creation and execution of a unique idea with the potential to positively impact the business. LA was noted for their launch of ClipperVision, the first-ever direct-to-consumer streaming platform for an NBA team. Through this 21st Century approach to sports programming, the team has given fans a single platform to access a lineup of live games, and reduce confusion created by blackouts. ClipperVision has enabled fans to choose from and flip between six different dynamic streaming offerings, including BallerVision, a stream featuring live commentary from Clipper Nation’s best-known personalities; CourtVision powered by AWS, a fan-favorite augmented stream with real-time shot probability and statistics; and ClipperVision en Español, the first team direct-to-consumer platform produced to appeal to a Spanish-speaking audience. In addition, ClipperVision offered a Korean‐language stream making it the first Korean‐language commentary available OTT in the L.A. market. Both the Spanish and Korean-language feeds are also available on International League Pass. Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Awards: Ana Glass, Miami HEAT Ana Glass, Senior Director of Premium Client Service for the Miam HEAT, received the Pete Winemiller Guest Experience Innovation Award. The award, inspired by the late Pete Winemiller, Senior Vice President of Guest Relations for the Oklahoma City Thunder, honors an individual who has created an innovative service experience for fans. In her role, Glass rebranded the Premium Department to “HEAT Elite” to embody the exclusive nature of elevated access and experiences for the premium seat holder. Through her leadership, she has created unique experiences for premium members like “Wine with Wade” and Flyaway Weekends, which offer customized away game experiences. During the Covid pandemic, Glass created unique virtual meet-and-greets experiences to ensure members stayed connected with the team. Most recently, Glass revamped the renewal process by introducing a dynamic timeline, resulting in a 95 percent renewal rate by all premium account holders, the highest in the organization’s history. NBA Values of the Game: John Steinmiller, Milwaukee Bucks; Chris Carrino, Brooklyn Nets The NBA honored two team executives with the NBA Values of the Game Award this year – the late John Steinmiller, Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Milwaukee Bucks, and Chris Carrino, play-by-play radio announcer for the Brooklyn Nets. The award recognizes an individual at an NBA team who exemplifies the values of the league in their community. Steinmiller, who passed away in October 2022, was a 52-year veteran with Milwaukee, who wove the team into the fabric of the community by creating great experiences for the Bucks faithful. From his start with the team in 1970, he was a tireless worker who went from the ticket office, to running the team’s summer camps, to public relations director, to overseeing the team’s business operations, and later to serving as the organization’s first executive vice president of community affairs and social responsibility. Steinmiller was instrumental in the team’s effort to build its first arena in Milwaukee (Bradley Center) and its latest home (Fiserv Forum) during a tenure that spanned both of the team’s NBA championships (1971, 2021) and included all 16 head coaches in the team’s history. Besides being honored for his 30 years of work as the radio play-by-play voice of the Nets, Carrino was recognized for his battle with Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) – a genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle wasting and weakness, eventually robbing one’s ability to use their arms, legs, face muscles, as well as other areas of the body. Despite his diagnosis, Carrino has performed his radio duties at the highest level of excellence. In 2011, he established a foundation to raise the level of awareness of the disease and has since raised more than $1.2 million in grants for research. CLIPPERS’ MARCUS MORRIS, SR. FINED NEW YORK, January 9, 2023 – LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. has been fined $15,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a game official, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Clippers’ 128-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 6 at Target Center.
BOSTON’S MARCUS SMART FINED NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 – Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a game official, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The incident, for which Smart was assessed a second technical foul and ejected, occurred with 2:46 remaining in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 150-117 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 3 at Paycom Center.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant lead the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, in the first fan returns of NBA All-Star Voting presented by AT&T. Joining James (West Frontcourt) and Durant (East Frontcourt) as top vote-getters at their respective position groups are the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (West Guard) and the Nets’ Kyrie Irving (East Guard). Fans account for 50% of the vote to determine the starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Current NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each. Tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 6) marks the next “3-for-1 Day,” when each fan vote will count three times. The next fan voting update will be shared on Thursday, Jan. 12. Below are the top 10 vote-getters by position group in the first fan returns.
NBA NAMES LESLEY SLATON BROWN AS NEW CHIEF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2023 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today named HP, Inc.’s Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Lesley Slaton Brown as the organization’s new Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer. Slaton Brown will start her position on Feb. 1 and report to NBA President, Administration Kyle Cavanaugh. In her role, Slaton Brown will be responsible for driving ongoing DEI efforts for the NBA and its teams. She will work with the league’s Chief People Officer and the teams’ diversity and inclusion leaders to implement and advance DEI processes, including the recruitment and retention of diverse talent, the development and enhancement of employee resource programs, and setting and assessing metrics for success. Slaton Brown joins the NBA from HP, Inc., where she served as Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer since 2015. At HP, she developed the company’s 10-year DEI and Racial Equality and Social Justice strategy, yielding the internal movement and advancement of more than 78 percent of underrepresented employees. As part of this role, she led inclusive and equitable talent acquisition programs and partnerships, and developed training and education for 5,500 leaders and hiring managers globally. In addition, Slaton Brown worked closely with leaders to develop industry-leading practices to drive accountability with key partners for greater DEI impact. Previously, Slaton Brown served as a consultant and co-founded Curated Pathways to Innovation (CPI), a personalized learning platform focused on increasing the number of women and people of color in technology and other industries. Earlier in her career, she spent 20 years with Hewlett-Packard Company, where she rose to Director, Global Diversity and Executive on Loan, following roles within multicultural and global philanthropy, leading key efforts in Senegal, West Africa. “Lesley brings with her significant experience in setting and implementing strategies that help companies like ours attract, develop and retain diverse talent while fostering an inclusive culture,” said Cavanaugh. “These remain priorities of our business and we look forward to welcoming her to the NBA’s leadership team.” “I’m honored to join the NBA at such an impactful time for a business that has a unique influence on our culture,” said Slaton Brown. “I’m excited to bring my passion, knowledge and deep understanding of best-in-class strategies to the industry. The NBA’s desire to prioritize inclusion and equity throughout the league and across all demographics and cultures globally is what attracted me to this position. I look forward to working and collaborating with this esteemed and motivated leadership team.” Slaton Brown was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Corporate Diversity by Black Enterprise, a Top Influential Woman in Corporate America by Forbes Magazine, and DEI Trailblazer by Business Insider. Most recently, she was named Diversity and Inclusion Champion of the Year by Girls in Tech. Slaton Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from Boise State University, where she played basketball. She also completed the Black Leaders Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is currently a member of the University of California Merced Board of Trustees, Curated Pathways to Innovation’s (CPI) Board of Directors, and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Business Dean’s Roundtable’s Advisory Board. Slaton Brown is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. WAGNER TO SERVE TWO-GAME SUSPENSION BEGINNING TONIGHT NEW YORK, Jan. 4, 2023 – Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner will begin serving his two-game suspension for his role in a Dec. 28 on-court altercation when the Magic plays host to the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at Amway Center. Wagner will serve the second game of his suspension tomorrow night in the Magic’s home game vs. the Memphis Grizzlies. Wagner was initially scheduled to serve the first game of his suspension on Dec. 30 vs. the Washington Wizards, however, NBA rules require that a player must be physically able to play in order to serve a league suspension. Due to illness, Wagner was not physically able to play on Dec. 30 and therefore the suspension will begin tonight.
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