FanHouse IraNewble

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video we ask Stanford star Brook Lopez about the NBA Draft. We also find out from Shaquille O'Neal, the number one pick of the 1992 draft, about his law enforcement career and his efforts to catch online predators. Also find out from Gilbert Arenas, a late second draft pick in 2001, what he would be doing if he was not an NBA All-Star. Around 1:45 into the video hear what Ira Newble, a long time NBA veteran, has to say about making to the NBA without being drafted.


AOL Video link. Youtube link.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video we hear from members of the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that's facing elimination from the NBA Finals. Around 1:20 into the video get a behind-the-scenes look at the media room from where the stars sit. Also hear what Jack Black, one of Hollywood's biggest stars has to say about game 5 and the Lakers.
AOL Video link. Youtube link.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video we get reactions to the cost of tickets for the NBA Finals. Around 1:25 into the video Ira Newble of the Lakers tells us how much he would pay to watch a game. Also find out why NBA commentator Jalen Rose thinks members of the media need to wear ski masks.
AOL Video link. Youtube link.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video we ask NBA MVP Kobe Bryant about having teammates from all over the world. Around 1:45 we try to find out from the players who on the Lakers has the coolest accent.


AOL Video link. Youtube link.

Kobe Bryant has said all along that he has his teammates to thank for winning the MVP this year. Luke Walton asked Kobe at the press conference if said teammates would be receiving any gifts for their help in getting him the award, and Kobe answered by dropping over nine grand per teammate in getting them custom-made Swiss watches.

... Bryant dropped some serious cash on luxury watches for his teammates as a sort of ``thank you'' for helping him win the MVP award this season.

The watches, each hand made by Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmakers, were flown from Switzerland straight to Los Angeles and personalized with an engraving of the year and each player's name.

The price tag on each watch was over $9,000

This is certainly a nice gesture from Kobe (in addition to picking up those expensive dinners), but I have a question. Did everyone get one of these watches? Like, even Ira Newble, Coby Karl, and Chris Mihm? I'm guessing they did (for the sake of team unity and all), but it would have been funny if Kobe decided to stiff them like Tom Brady did with a few of his linemen when he was passing out the Audis.

UPDATE: Nate Jones sent me this link to Kobe's site, which has pictures of the team dinner and the actual watches. He also mentioned that based on the press release at the bottom of the page, it's clear that the watch-maker is getting plenty of publicity from this, so much so that Kobe might not have even had to pay for the expensive gifts.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video hear the inspirational life story of DJ Mbenga. Around 1:55 in the video we learn how this NBA player got into basketball, a sport he never played as a kid.


AOL Video link. Youtube link.

Kobe had been a little irritated the last couple of days, not speaking to the media after picking up two more technicals in his team's loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. He was clearly in eff-you mode from the start, scoring the team's first 12 points and finishing with 23 in the quarter. But even though Kobe finished with 53 points and 10 rebounds, that wasn't enough to prevent the Memphis Grizzlies from picking up just their 19th win of the season.

How did the Lakers lose to one of the worst teams in the league at home, while in the midst of battling for the top spot in their conference? Jacking up a team record 45 three-pointers is a start. Phil Jackson said that it wasn't necessarily bad shot selection, but he did mention that the missed attempts lead to too many fast break opportunities for the Grizzlies. Long shots equal long rebounds, you know.

The main reason the Lakers dropped this one though was poor defense, especially on the perimeter. Kobe mentioned after the game that until the big guys (Gasol and Bynum) return to bail them out with some help defense inside, the team is going to continue to struggle. Memphis shot almost 50% from the field for the game and scored 114 points, so yeah, I would say defense is definitely an issue. DJ Mbenga played 16 minutes, and by one unofficial account committed five "and-1" fouls, where he hacked a player but they scored anyway. That's not exactly providing help defense.

As a side note, I wonder why the Lakers even bothered signing Ira Newble to a 10-day contract eight days ago if they aren't going to give him any minutes. He played four minutes in a blowout over Seattle a week ago, and none since. When Mbenga fouled out, Chris Mihm got the call instead, his first action since December 23rd.