Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin became a national phenomenon earlier this year when he went from benchwarmer to starter, helping turn around his team’s season, averaging 14.6 points and 6.2 assists per game.

“Jeremy Lin’s story is a great lesson for kids everywhere because it debunks and defangs so many of the prejudices and stereotypes that unfairly hold children back. He’s dispelled the idea that Asian-American guards somehow couldn’t hack it in the NBA — and that being a world-class athlete on the court is somehow at odds with being an excellent student off the court..” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote in Time.com’s section about Lin.

As far as Rihanna, she’s been topping music charts worldwide all last year, and at just 24 is recognized as a global superstar. Her friend Stella McCartney praised her in her section in the list.

“She’s one of the coolest, hottest, most talented, most liked, most listened to, most followed, most impressive artists at work today, but she does it in her own stride,” writes McCartney. “She is one of the few people I know in that world of fame and celebrity who aren’t all about themselves. She’ll give a real part of herself to an ordinary person she may meet, and that’s rare.”

NFL quarterback Tim Tebow set the sports world on fire last season when he led the struggling Denver Bronces to numerous miraculous comeback victories and taking them to the playoffs. He’s since been traded to the New York Jets in the offseason, though.

Lin wrote the portion of the magazine piece on why Tebow was selected.

“Watching Tim Tebow play football, you can observe many things about his character. You see his fierce competitiveness, his strong work ethic and how he is a leader that his teammates trust and respect,” Lin wrote. “But it is the qualities that Tim, 24, embodies in his life off the field that truly set him apart. He is unashamed of his convictions and faith, and he lives a life that consistently reflects his values, day in and day out. . . . As athletes, we pour our hearts into winning games. Tim is a reminder that life is about much more than that.”

Lin, Rihanna, and Tebow join a prestigious list of 100 people, comprised of musicians, activists, and heads of states, among others. Names include comedian Chelsea Handler, President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Adele. Check out the full list at Time.com.

According to the Associated Press, the Saints announced the news to their Twitter followers (@Saints), writing: “We are thrilled to announce & confirm Tom Benson as the new owner of the New Orleans @Hornets!”

A source tells the news service that the purchase price is $338 million. However, the financial terms have not been announced.

The NBA has been trying to sell the Hornets since buying the club from founder George Shinn in December 2010, during which they had overall authorities in the team’s affairs.

Back in December 2011, the league blocked a nearly finalized trade that would’ve sent then-star Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers. The move drew criticism from sports fans, players, and journalists.

Days later, Paul was sent to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and Minnesota’s unprotected 2012 first-round pick.

While preparing the team for sale, the NBA negotiated a new lease for the Hornets to remain in the state-owned New Orleans Arena through 2024.

In the deal, the brand will be featured in branded signage in Yankee stadium and integrated promotions throughout the 2012 season.

“Jay-Z has been a long-time fan of the Yankees, regularly attends games and has even included his favorite team in song lyrics, so this was a natural partnership,” said Jameel Spencer, of Rocawear’s parent company Iconix Brand Group, Inc.

“Rocawear, along with Jay-Z are very excited to be working with the Yankees for the 2012 season. We feel another championship in ’12!”

Further details of what the partnership entails were unknown at press time.

For more info on Rocawear, visit its official website at Rocawear.com.

It’s been well-established that ESPN’s Skip Bayless is a workout fiend. He spends endless hours on the treadmill, and looks to be in fantastic shape for his age. It’s also been well-established that Bayless is a fame-hungry sellout that will say anything on air (and formerly, before he realized it wasn’t making him famous enough, in print) just to draw a reaction, and more eyes, and more ratings. Recently, Bayless criticized Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook without the slightest bit of basketball smarts, or hint of nuance, much less research. OKC All-Star Kevin Durant rightfully took his obsessive brand of ignorance to task, and Bayless responded by pumping up his own credits as a high school point guard who finally learned that PGs should think “pass” 12 times before they fire away, on Twitter.

Bayless’ ESPN co-host Jalen Rose, after a bit of research of his own, took on Skip after Bayless claimed that he started as a shot-happy point guard for a high school team that made the state finals in Oklahoma. Bayless didn’t start for his high school squad, it turns out, and didn’t even play for the varsity until his senior season, when he averaged 1.4 points per game. Here’s the video of Rose calling a clearly uncomfortable Bayless out.

The tee was created with Asher Roth for the “Final Four Tour”, and pays homage to college hoops with
a blue colorway for national champions, Kentucky Wildcats.

The tee boasts UNDRCRWN’s signature caricature style with inspiration from one of the most iconic images in college sports (this photo of Larry Bird)

The tee is limited to just 100 pieces, and is currently on sale at UNDRCRWN’s online store at ShopUNDRCRWN.com.

According to TMZ, the 39-year-old former defensive tackle filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida recently, and in court docs, runs down his dire financial situation.

As shown in papers, Sapp owes more than $6.7 million to various creditors — including hundreds of thousands in child support payments and alimony owned to, at least, four different women to whom he has children.

Other specifics include $853k owed to the IRS for 2006 and another $89k for 2010; and $2,858 owed in medical bills for “Corrective Speech and Language Therapy.”

Sapp isn’t complete broke, though. He says he has $6.45 million to his name, but that’s less than what he owes, so he’s filed for bankruptcy. Below are some the assets he lists in court docs:

• 240 pairs of Jordan sneakers and sandals
• Large Nude women painting
• Lion skin rug (female – lioness)
• Nike golf clubs
• De Grisogono watch (scratch on crystal, nicks and scratches on band)
• A boxing glove signed by Muhammad Ali

Two things that aren’t listed, that he says he has lost, are: the 2002 Super Bowl ring he won with the Tampa Bay Bucs; and the 1999 National Championship ring he won with the Miami Hurricanes.

Sapp retired from the NFL in 2008, after 12 years in the league, during which he was a dominate defensive force. He earned 7 Pro Bowl appearances, was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, and was voted a First Team All-Pro four times.

Life after the NFL, he’s taken a job as an analyst for the NFL Network, which he says pays him $45,000 a month, or $540,000 a day.

However, his contract with the NFL Network expires in August, and he’s unsure if the network will extend his deal.

The new gear was shown off during a gala celebration in Brooklyn, New York via a gridiron-styled fashion show, giving everyone a first look at the gear which has been kept under lock and key in the week’s leading up to the launch.

As seen in the photos, the majority of the uniforms didn’t show any drastic changes, most including minor tweaks to fabric and composition.

According to Nike’s co-founder Bill Bowerman started, they crafted a baselayer throughout the entire uniform, which features “lightweight padding is integrated directly into the crucial hit zones”. The new gear also feature Flywire technology into the neckline to reduce weight and provide lockdown fit over pads, and a new four-way stretch fabrication to provide a streamlined shrink-wrap fit.

A Nike press release said teams chose varying levels of design changes reflecting their unique heritage. The Seattle Seahawks’ uniform got the biggest makeover. They work directly with Nike to re-design the entire look of their uniform to honor the team’s Northwest roots, and also give a nod to the fans. The Chicago Bears chose to continue to honor George S. Hallas, by enlarging his GSH initials on the jersey sleeve.

The Nike uniforms also boast the Nike Vapor Game Sock, a sock designed specifically for football; the Nike Vapor Jet 2.0 Gloves; and the Nike Vapor Talon Elitecleat (as see in the photos).

Nike is a new NFL partner, taking over uniform and gear design from Reebok, who had been the supplier for the last decade.

Following a loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141, heavyweight star Brock Lesnar announced that he would retire from MMA, due to a string of health problems. That was in late December 2011. But, Lesnar hasn’t rested long, and has just re-surfaced, going back to his roots at the WWE.

The 34-year-old former WWE star made his return Monday night (April 2) during an appearance on “Monday Night Raw,” where he had a stare-down with star John Cena … and body slammed him.

Following a four-year stint in MMA, Lesnar returns to the WWE, where he was last seen in 2004. While its nearly certain Brock will become a face you’ll see at future WWE event, it’s unclear what kind of deal was signed or where his appearance this week will lead.

Whatever the case is, fans are talking … and it may be enough to bring Lesnar back.

According to ESPN.com, the New York Knicks revealed Saturday (March 31) that their 23-year-old point guard had an MRI exam this week that uncovered a small, chronic meniscus tear.

With just 25 days left in the 2011-12 regular season, Lin’s breakout season is likely cut short after he emerged as a force in the league out of nowhere in early February.

“If this was done very early in the year, obviously … I don’t know where my career would be. I could be, would be definitely without a job and probably fighting for a summer league spot,” Lin said this week. “But having said that, this happening now hurts just as much, because all the players, we really put our heart and souls into the team and into the season, and to not be there when it really matters most is hard.”

With Lin sits on the bench, the Knicks will continue to rely on veteran guard Baron Davis to fill Lin’s place.

Lin will be a restricted free agent this summer, but isn’t thinking about a pay raise right now — he’s more concerned with getting healthy. However, when it does come time to sign a new contract, he hopes to be back in New York.

“I think New York, the way the city, the fans, the writers, media, everybody, it’s been an unbelievable journey,” Lin said. “I would love to keep this team together as long as we can, everybody, top to bottom. We’re growing as a team, we’re finding an identity and we’re getting better. We have so much potential, we have so much talent and I think it’s a process in terms of reaching our potential.”

Almost every pro-basketball player can slam dunk the basketball, but how many can dunk it without barely leaving their feet?

Here’s one player who can: Harlem Globetrotters’ center, Paul Sturgess, also known as “Tiny.”

Tiny isn’t even small though. He’s 7’8″ and weighs in at 325 pounds, and when he dunks the basketball, he really doesn’t even have to jump to do it. As seen in the clip above, he posts up another, much smaller player, spins and dunks it … with ease (an understatement).

According to Yahoo! Sports, Sturgess is named the “World’s Tallest Professional Basketball Player” by Guinness World Records, and has the Internet going nuts over this viral clip, which was a few days ago.

Topping the list of the 10 highest-paid is New York Yankee’s superstar Alex Rodriguez. He bests second place athlete Joe Mauer by $5 million with earnings of $32 million.

Aside from his annual baseball salary, A.Rod has endorsement deals with the likes of major brands like PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, Nike and Colgate. However, Forbes.com notes that his “endorsement portfolio was hardly robust.”

Obviously, his 2009 confession of using a “banned substance” is likely an element that has cost him major endorsement money, and ensures that sponsors will never fully embrace him.

“Despite his noteworthy accomplishments on the field, he hasn’t succeeded in resonating off, if it’s because he lacks a measure of authenticity sought by sponsors and, ultimately, consumers,” David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute, tells the publication. “This difficulty in connecting with fans and consumers has weighed heavily on his ability to secure major endorsements.”

Still, Rodriquez remains the top-earning player with a combined on and off-the-field income of $32 million in 2012. His 10-year, $275 million contract extension he signed with the Yankees in 2007 is credited here, which pays him $30 million this year, including a $1 million bonus paid in January.

In addition to A.Rod, three of his Yankees teammates also make the list — including Derek Jeter at #3, pitcher CC Sabathia at #6, and pitcher Mark Teixeira at #8.

See the full list over at Forbes.com

Washington Wizards’ center JaVale McGee is definitely a talented young player with extreme athleticism and potential, but his youth comes with inexperience and bad decision making.

Some of his decisions, on the court, are just mind-boggling actually, which he’s received criticism for. Some critics/fans are even calling him one of the “worst players ever.”

Here’s a Youtube clip, which offers a compilation of McGee’s worst, on-court fails — from goaltending mistakes, off-the-backboard dunks while his team is losing, ridiculous dunks (in-game) that he missed, and even a celebration for accomplishing a triple-double when his team is down 20, among other things.

Hopefully, McGee can mature past this and reach his potential. #SMH.

Major League Baseball announced this week that they will expand the playoff field by two teams to 10, which is set to take effect in October.

According to ESPN.com, the exact format has not revealed, but sources says that the #4 and #5 seeds in each league (wild-card teams) will meet in a one-game playoff, with the three division winners awarded a first-round bye.

Members of the advisory committee have told commissioner Bud Selig that they believed the wild-card teams’ path through the playoffs has been too easy, and the advantage for division winners has not been great enough.

So, with the change, baseball officials hope an expanded postseason field will alter the landscape, and keep more teams involved in the pennant races longer.

“The enthusiasm for the 10-team structure among our clubs, fans and partners has been overwhelming,” commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. “This change increases the rewards of a division championship and allows two additional markets to experience playoff baseball each year, all while maintaining the most exclusive postseason in professional sports.”

Gatorade aired this dope commercial during NBA All-Star festivities over the weekend, in which coach Phil Jackson recounts Michael Jordan’s epic 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 performance, where he led the Bulls to victory 90-88. Oh, and he was suffering from the flu.

This game is forever etched into the memories of basketball fans, and made fans and Jackson, as he puts it in the clip: “a believer.”

“We had to help him into the locker room,” says Jackson. “It made me a believer. Not in luck, or fate, but in the will to win.”

Jordan scored 38 points that night, despite suffering from a stomach virus that had rendered him weak and dehydrated. Obviously, the brand shows him drinking Gatorade to rehydrate himself. A great short by Gatorade.

If you watched the 2012 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday (February 26) from Orlando, then you already know how things went down — Kevin Durant won the MVP, and led the Western Conference All-Stars to the win in a tight game; while Kobe surpassed Jordan for the all-time All-Star scoring record. Well, Sunday’s game was filled with highlights, and here’s the top 10 plays of the evening from NBA.com.

Although it was Utah Jazz’s Jeremy Evans who was the winner at Saturday’s (February 25) 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, his competitor Chase Budinger (Houston Rockets) definitely grabbed one of the highlights, kicking off the evening with the most high-profile prop of the event — hip-hop mogul, Diddy.

The dunk contest started with a short interview with between host Kenny Smith and Diddy, who asked what his favorite basketball movie of all-time. “White Men Can’t Jump”, he replied. Then, Budinger came over to meet Diddy, dressed similar to Woody Harrelson’s character in the film Billy Hoyle, and retorted: “White man can jump. I’m about to prove it right now.”

The Rockets player than escorted Diddy onto the court and in front of the basket, performing a leaping dunk over the hip-hop superstar. It was definitely a highlight of the Dunk Contest.

The 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend in Orlando, Florida is underway, and amongst the festivities on Saturday (February 25) was been the Three-Point Contest, the Skills Challenge, and of course … the annual Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.

Despite lesser known names taking part in the event this year, it ended with young stars making their mark, especially Utah Jazz forward Jeremy Evans.

Evans, a former D-Leaguer who was a replacement for injured New York guard Iman Shumpert, gave fans a show, mixing up his dunks with props and creativity … and they gave right back, voting him the winner of one of the marquee events of the evening.

He won with 29% of the fans’ votes (around 4 million total), his best dunk being his second where he slammed two basketballs in the hoop while jumping over a seated assistant — yea, this boy has hops. However, Evans also paid his respects to one of the greatest Jazz players of all-time, Karl Malone, donning his jersey and performing the Mailman’s trademark hand-behind-the-head dunk while leaping over a mailman-dressed Kevin Hart.

According to NBA.com, a trademark war has erupted over the catch-phrase that came about to describe the excitement over the breakout play of Asian basketball star, Jeremy Lin.

Since his breakout 25-point game against the Nets early this month (February 4), there have been seven applications filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the term: “Linsanity”.

One of them was filed by lawyer Pamela Deese, who is representing Lin.

The report says the applications cover use of the phrase on everything from cellphone cases and sunglasses to action figures and footwear. However, a trademark can take a year or more to process.

Since February 4, the NBA says Lin jerseys have become the hottest selling jerseys at its online store. And now, the league is planning to release more Lin-related merchandise such as bobbleheads and plush animals.

That’s not the only Lin-related news… the Knicks guard famously slept on a teammate’s couch the night before his big performance, and now has finally moved into his own apartment.

Line has moved into a two-bedroom rental on the 38th floor of the residences at the W New York Downtown Hotel, overlooking the Statue of Liberty and was listed at $13,00 a month. Lin reportedly got a better deal though.

ESPN.com says Lin was waiting to see if the Knicks would guarantee him a contract before he got his own apartment, which he reportedly signed on Wednesday (February 22). Up until then, he was staying with his brother and a teammate.

Adidas, the official outfitter of the NBA, unveiled Thursday (February 2) the new uniform and footwear assortment for the upcoming 61st NBA All-Star in Orlando.

The 2012 NBA All-Star uniforms were designed by Adidas and inspired by the 20th anniversary of the memorable 1992 NBA All-Star game, which was also held in Orlando. Inspired by the Sunshine State and the fun atmosphere of NBA All-Star weekend, the Adidas NBA All-Star basketball shoes feature bright orange coloring to pay homage to Orlando’s Orange County and the state’s famous oranges.

“NBA All-Star is an exciting event that combines sports, style and entertainment unlike any other in the world,” said Lawrence Norman, Adidas Vice President, Global Basketball. “NBA All-Star is the premier event to showcase Adidas’ court-to-street heritage on basketball’s biggest stage and bring it to fans around the world. We’ll also leverage the league’s best big man Dwight Howard throughout the weekend at events, appearances and on the Adidas Basketball Facebook page to bring the excitement to fans in Orlando and our global online community.”

The All-Star jerseys feature over-sized East and West All-Star block lettering, inspired by previous 1992 jerseys. The jackets and jerseys feature dip-dyed hardwood heather pattern inspired by the floor of the Orlando Arena where the game was held.

The tonal blue and red, and three stripes silver and gold accent coloring on the jerseys and short sides will make the uniforms stand out on court. The woven NBA All-Star shorts are inspired by board shorts and also feature a sublimated mesh pattern for high performance and breathability.

Replica NBA All-Star jerseys are available at retailers with a full range of All-Star apparel from Adidas for both men and women — including tees, track jackets and headwear. They will be on-sale at the NBA Store at Jam Session, the Orlando Magic Team Shop at Amway Center, the Adidas Store at Orlando Crossing and NBAStore.com.

Additionally, All-Stars Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose will wear the special orange colorway of their newest Adidas signature shoes during the game. Howard will sport the adiPower Howard 2, while Rose will rock the adizero Rose 2.5.

Adidas Originals will also release a special version of the AR2.0.

The adiZero Rose 2.5 is the fourth signature shoe for reigning NBA MVP. Weighing in at 11 ounces, it is the lightest signature basketball shoe he has ever worn. Inspired by the adizero Crazy Light, the upper features premium SPRINTFRAME and enlarged SPRINTWEB area to reduce weight, add support and allow maximum control. The GEOFIT memory foam collar provides optimum comfort and fit, especially with Derrick’s adizero Speed Wrap Ankle Brace.

Howard’s adiPower Howard 2 is built with the power and explosiveness to match the top NBA All-Star vote recipient — it’s also the lightest Howard signature shoe to date. It features a signature shattered glass graphic throughout the shoe as a nod to Dwight’s power and history of bringing down backboards, as well as ALIVE cushioning system providing optimum comfort for explosive play. His signature is featured on the heel, uniform number on the medial side, and a Superman-inspired tongue featuring his “dh” logo.

Rose and Howard’s All-Star sneaker versions will drop February 23 at Foot Locker, EastBay.com, ShopAdidas.com, and at NBA Jam Session in Orlando. They will retail for $110 and $100.

NBA All-Star Weekend goes down in Orlando, Florida on February 24 to the 26th. For more info, visit NBA.com.