Miami Heat announced today that their 2024 Training Camp, presented by Baptist Health, will hold at Baha Mar in the Bahamas. It will last Tuesday, October 1 through Saturday, October 5, 2024. After Media Day on Monday, September 30, at Kaseya Center, the HEAT will travel to the Bahamas. There they will conduct two-a-day practice sessions Tuesday through Friday at the award-winning luxury resort’s Convention, Arts and Entertainment Center. Additionally, Miami will conclude training camp on Saturday. There will also be a practice session open to invited guests before returning to Miami on Saturday evening.  Media availability will follow the first daily practice session only, with a viewing time updated every day. A media workroom will be set up within the Baha Mar Convention Center in the Baha Mar Grand Ballroom. Media should enter through the resort side entrance of the convention centre. The training camp will not be open for public viewing.  Established by Grand Hyatt, the Baha Mar Convention Center is one of the largest event venues in the Caribbean. It is the ultimate event destination. The 200,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor convention facility features state-of-the-art courts for players. It also has elevated seating experiences for viewers, and leading technology for film and broadcast training.  “We are thrilled to welcome The Miami HEAT back to Baha Mar as they gear up for an exciting 2024-25 NBA season,” Graeme Davis, President of Baha Mar said. “As the leading luxury resort in The Bahamas, we look forward to providing an exceptional training camp experience that exceeds their expectations.”

Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Golden State Warriors dies at 87. Attes spent over six decades with the franchise as a player, general manager, and team ambassador.  The Warriors announced last Wednesday that Attles passed away in his East Bay home on Tuesday surrounded by family.  Nicknamed “The Destroyer’’for his style of play, he loved the Warriors and stayed only with the team after they selected him in the fifth round of the 1960 draft. Attles’ time at the team is the longest a player has spent in a single franchise in NBA history.  Attles, who was one of the first Black head coaches in the league, oversaw some of the greatest matches spanning different eras. He played in Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game for the Philadelphia Warriors in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on March 2, 1962. Attles also made all eight of his field-goal tries for 17 points.  He coached Hall of Famer Rick Barry the day Barry scored 64 against Portland on March 26. 1974. Attles watched Klay Thompson drop 60 points over three quarters in December 2016 too.  “My heart is heavy today with the loss of my mentor and friend. Al was my roommate during my rookie season in the league. He taught me valuable lessons on being a professional that couldn’t be learned on the court,” Barry said in a statement released by the Warriors. “Later, as our coach during the 1975 championship season, he exemplified leadership, togetherness and a keen strategic ability that enabled us to succeed at the highest level.” This is another devastating loss for the Bay Area sports community after Giants baseball Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda recently died.  Attles coached Golden State to their first championship since moving West in 1975, then the Warriors won again 40 years later in 2015. His 557 coaching victories are most in franchise history.  He never compared all the great performances he cherished seeing up close. Different basketball times, different challenges. Attles said there were many special milestones to celebrate and appreciate. “I’ve seen a 100-point game,” Attles said from his seat during a late timeout on Thompson’s big night. “Rick was such a great player and he cared about winning. In order to score the number of points he scored you have to have help from your teammates. I try to look at them individually because once you start comparing, someone is always going to be No. 2. Let’s give him his credit.”

Goran Dragic, one of international basketball history’s underrated successes, retired from the sport with a charity match that featured legends and teammates who were close to him. The “Night of the Dragon,’’ which was held on Saturday in his home country Slovenia, was headlined by a match placing Dragic and few teammates against Slovenian star Luka Donic. Other players present were Steve Nash, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, and Nikola Jokic. They honored Dragic’s last high-profile appearance on the basketball court.  Proceeds from the charity game and adjacent contests were donated to the Botrstvo v sportu program of the Friends of Youth Foundation Ljubljana Moste-Polje and the Goran Dragic Foundation.  Dragic also played against his brother, Zoran, whom he was briefly teammates with on the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat in 2014-15. The evening closed with a mini-soccer match and on-court moments with family, including his son, father, and nephew.  The Suns traded for Dragic’s rights after he was chosen 45th overall in the 2008 Draft. He shone as a substitute point guard behind Nash, before he was traded to Houston. His time at Houston was marked by a 23-point fourth quarter in Game 3 of the 2010 Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs.  He returned to Phoenix in 2012 through free agency, where he became the lead guard and won the award for 2013-14 Most Improved Player and All-NBA Third Team honors.  Dragic took another step forward in his career when he joined the Miami Heat in 2015. The 6-foot-3 lefty led Slovenia to an unexpected and unprecedented championship at EuroBasket 2017. He was named an Eastern Conference All-Star the following season. Dragic also played a significant role in the Heat reaching the 2020 NBA Finals. He averaged between 16 and 21 points per match in five different seasons while playing 946 games. His 4,405 career assists place 97th all-time. The Slovenian basketball team retired Dragic’s No.3.

Frank Selvy, an All-America guard at Furman who scored an NCAA Division-I record 100 points in a match, died on Tuesday at 91. Selvy also played nine NBA seasons.  Selvy’s family announced that he passed away at his home in Simpsonville. The Furham athletic department released the news. The school’s vice president of intercollegiate athletics, Jason Donnelly, called Selvy “Furman’s all-time greatest athlete.’’ However, a cause of death was not revealed. Selvy, who was 6-foot-3, was born in Corbin, Kentucky. He played for Furman from 1952 54 and led the NCAA twice in scoring, averaging 41.7 points as a senior. That year, he made history by scoring 100 points (41 field goals, 18 free throws) in a 145-95 victory over Newberry on February 13, 1954 in Greenville.  Selvy scored 40 points or higher 22 times in 79 collegiate games.  Frank was named Southern Conference player of the year in 1962-53 and 1953-54 and was a three-time All-America selection.  He was the No.1 overall draft pick in 1954 by the Baltimore Bullets, and a two-time All-Star during his nine-year NBA career. He played for five NBA franchises. Selvy spent his last 4 ½ seasons with the Lakers, relocating with them from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960. He came back to Furman after he retired from his playing career and coached the Paladins for four seasons.  Frank is survived by his wife of 65 years, Barbara; two children, Valerie S. Miros and Mike Selvy; 11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson added another title to her legendary career. The two-time WNBA champion received the MVP title for the women’s basketball tournament at the 2024 Olympics.  Wilson assisted in propelling Team USA women to an exciting victory over France in the final to win an eighth straight gold medal for the United States.  “It’s amazing,” Wilson said after the win. “It truly is a dynasty that we have built here at USAB and it has been incredible. And I am so proud of the resilience that my team showed. We could have fumbled it many times, but we pulled through. To say I am a two-time gold medalist, I am so blessed.” Wilson scored 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in the 67-66 victory and averaged 18.7 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks over six matches at the Olympics.  Additionally, she was listed among the All-Star Five for women’s basketball at the Paris Olympics alongside teammate Breanna Stewart, Gabby Williams of France, Alanna Smith of Australia and Emma Meesseman of Belgium.  The eight straight golds snapped a tie with the American men’s program that won seven in a row from 1936-68. The USA women’s win came less than 24 hours after the U.S. men’s team also defeated France in the match. This was the first time in Olympic history that both gold medal games featured the same two teams. 

The 2024 Olympic Games have officially begun in Paris, France. Two groups for women’s 5×5 basketball played on Thursday: Group C (Japan, Germany, France, Belgium, USA) and Group B (Australia, Canada, France, Nigeria). Meanwhile, both the USA women and men’s 3×3 teams played a pair of matches.  Below are the updates for the USA women action in the Paris Olympics. USA 87, Belgium 74 – Group C (Women’s 5×5). USA 60, Belgium 53 – Start of 4th quarter USA 46, Belgium 38 – Start of 3rd quarter

Gordon Hayward has retired from the NBA after 14 seasons, on Thursday. His most memorable moment was almost giving Butler a national title over Duke. It was a half-court shot that just missed on the final play of the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball championship game.  Hayward played for the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, and Oklahoma City Thunder. He was an All-Star in 2017. Gordon averaged 15.2 points in 835 career regular-season matches. And he said he was looking forward to spending quality time with his family.  “Today, I am officially retiring from the game of basketball,” Hayward wrote on social media. “It’s been an incredible ride and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped me achieve more than I ever imagined.” Hayward expressed gratitude to his parents and family and his agent Mark Bartelstein. Additionally, he thanked his coaches, teammates, trainers, doctors and friends for supporting him. His letter read, “through countless years and cities, helping me exceed my own expectations.” “To all my fans: thank you for supporting me through the ups and downs,” Hayward wrote. “I’ll always cherish the letters of encouragement and the moments we’ve shared around the world. You inspired me to always dream big and improve everyday — and for the young players up next, I challenge you to do the same.”

The 2024 Olympics Games have officially begun in Paris, France. Group A (Australia, Spain, Greece, Canada) and Group B (Germany, Brazil, France, Japan) swung back in action while pool play for the men’s and women’s 3×3 competition tipped off in Paris.  Take a look at the best basketball moments from July 30.  Germany 86, Brazil 73. France 94, Japan 90 (OT). Canada 93, Australia 83. Spain 84, Greece 77. 3×3 Pool Play (Men) • Serbia 22, USA 14 3×3 Pool Play (Women) • Germany 17, USA 13.

As the Olympics kick off, big, bold and colorful signs and banners go up in several places, acknowledging the biggest basketball attraction in a city that anticipates its magnificence.  But enough about San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama. Team USA had its first practice in France on Thursday at the Palais de sports Marcel-Cerdan. This was the gym where French sensation Wembanyama got his first start before joining the Spurs. However, as USA gears up to face Serbia on Sunday for the Olympics, there is still no word on Kevin Durant and his calf injury and when he will finally play.  Durant attended practice four times but did not play in any of the five exhibition matches. Coach Steve Kerr said his status remains uncertain. Kerr said: “There are no expectations other than he’s supposed to practice, we’ll scrimmage, then take it day by day.” Durant said he felt rejuvenated and is good enough to stay on the team and play at some point in the Olympics.  Durant said: “Each day is getting better, another intense practice and we’ll see how it feels.” With Durant absent, Kerr will probably start with the five players he had for most of the exhibition games, pending a last-minute change: Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker. “We’re not traveling around anymore,” Kerr said. “We’re here. We got six games. We get through pool play, advance, then it’s the NCAA tournament.” Team USA  had some tension against South Sudan and Germany, and Kerr said he believed those lapses will not follow the team to the Olympics. “We need 40 minutes of forced attention and focus,” Kerr said. “We can’t let teams outplay us, effort and energy wise, as we did.” The pool play will hold in Lille, France’s most populated city, at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium. The site was chosen, partly because Paris only has one arena that can house basketball games. Bercy will host gymnastics next week. FIBA, the national governing body for basketball, voiced complaints when that location was announced two years ago. The NBA commissioner Adam Silver also expressed his displeasure. Lille is two hours from Paris, near the Belgium border, making it inconvenient for a popular Olympics sport. Due to the logistics, Team USA will travel back and forth for three matches, in a private car, and stay in a hotel in Paris. The following week, the medal stage will move to Paris for the games. When asked which country he is most looking forward to playing, Curry said: “Whoever’s in the gold medal game.” That mindset is perfect for a team that once again projects as dominant. “We have another level we can get to,” Kerr said. “It’s time to lock in, that’s for all of us, coaches and players, to get to that point, mentally, strategically.”

Paul George has joined Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid to form a formidable trio that will bring the Philadelphia 76ers their first title since 1983. Before George, Tyrese Maxey was asked to be patient, and the millions he wanted will come. Perhaps an NBA championship too. Maxey was sceptical a year ago when the 76ers asked their guard; who was not yet an All-Star, had not dropped 50 points in a match three times to wait until this summer to sign a contract extension.  Philadelphia had a solid plan: Maxey would start the offseason with a salary cap hold of $13 million dollars, a low figure by NBA standards. However, this allowed the team to enter free agency with roughly $65 million to spend on building their roster. They added a possible superstart to join Tyrese and 2023 NBA MVP and Olympian Joel Embiid. Enter, Paul George. With money to splurge, the 76ers convinced George to leave the Los Angeles Clippers. He signed a four-year, $212 million contract with them. Philadelphia and team president Daryl Morey did not forget about Maxey, either. The NBA’s Most Improved Player, Maxey was compensated for his patience with a five-year, $204 million extension. The 76ers dedicated over $400 million in salary to two players. They believe places them as the top competitors to defeat the NBA champion Boston Celtics and Jayson Tatum. The 76ers gave Maxey his due for the biggest assist of his career. “By being patient, he allowed us to put this offseason together, to really put us in position to be one of the very few legitimate contenders in the league this year,” Morey said. The 76ers believe they were worthy contenders for years, only for a group of second-fiddlers to pass through town with nothing much to show except postseason busts for their time here. Sixers fans can read off the list of lemons easily, from Ben Simmons to Tobias Harris; from Jimmy Butler to Al Horford; from Markelle Fultz to James Harden. George and Maxey both sat for their first formal press conferences on Tuesday at the 76ers’ New Jersey complex. This is complete with ownership, the front office and even the All-Star duo, insisting that next season will be as good as it gets for the team. “I think we are set up,” team owner Josh Harris said. “It’s hard not to be excited about this team. I’ve been here for the last 10 years, 12 years, and this is among, if not the best team, we’ve had since I’ve been here.” Maxey basically took a leap of faith by believing that he would still get the money a year later and the 21st overall pick in the 2020 draft has found a home in Philadelphia. “I understood what the end goal was,” Maxey said. “Sometimes you have to realise that.” George, who has averaged 20.8 points over a 14-year career, wanted to move on from the Clippers and refused a player option in his contract for $48.8 million in 2024-25 that ended a five-year stretch with the team in which he averaged at least 21.5 points each season. George said “Philly was No. 1″ for his top choice in free agency because the 76ers “kind of fit my game and fit where I was at in my career.” Perhaps. Philadelphia, rose to the top spot more because they offered up to $60 million over the Clippers; offer, one that George referred to as “disrespectful.’’ George stated earlier this month on his podcast that he “never wanted to leave LA’’ and would have signed with the Clippers had they given the three-year, $150-million extension they offered Kawhi Leonard. He also wanted a no-trade clause. He said Los Angeles would not give him a four-year, $212-million contract, or any deal without the promise of a no-trade clause. George said on Tuesday there was no “ill will’’ toward the Clippers. He thanked the team for allowing him to play in his home city and for a “legitimate shot to chase a championship every season.’’ He essentially traded a Big Three with Leonard and Harden in Los Angeles for a chance to join Maxey and Embiid and form a triple treat in Philly. “Joel has secretly been one of my closest All-Star Game friends,” George said. “It kind of felt inevitable that at some point, we would link up and be teammates.” George was enticed at his California home by a contingent that included Harris, Morey, coach Nick Nurse and even 76ers legend and Hall of Famer Julius Erving. Weather delays forced a late arrival at George’s home.