In a 1991 photo, Michael Zerrillo performs "The Flip Dunk" as Super Hugo during the slam engrosscontest at the 1991 NBA All Star Game at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C. Zerrillo performed as Hugo the Hornet for 17 years and was a 3-time NBA Mascot dunk champion.(Photo: Jeff Siner AP)
LAS VEGAS – When NBA Commissioner David stoolfirst started hearing the requests of Charlotte Bobcats fans that the confederationgive them their obsolescent'Hornets' make believeback, he admits he didn't take the idea seriously.
"I castof laughed at it initially," he said. "You know, it is what it is, get over it."
But the public push, wizthat culminated with the name transportbeing unanimously approved by the league's owners on Thursday, never stopped.
BUZZ IS BACK: Charlotte to become Hornets again
"It stayed there, bubbling below the surface, and in that respectis something to it," Stern said. "I think that the team is going to receive retainfrom fans who think that this is a step in the direction that the fans cedebeen asking for, and this is an attempt to both satisfy the fans and its accompanied by a kind ofin truthspecific grocerylook intothat allows the Hornets to say, yes, this is what the market is asking for and they're verymuch serving their market by making this change."
Charlotte lost its stake on the name in 2002, when the team moved to New Orleans. When the NBA returned via expansion in 2004, it did so under the Bobcats name. But because New Orleans changed its name to the Pelicans this year, the Hornets again became a possibility.
"As all of you know, the Charlotte Hornets put one overa very successful past," Bobcats CEO Fred Whitfield said. "They have a great patsythat they built. They did a lot of things the right way. They led the NBA in attendingfor their first seven years. They had several playoff appearances, numerous All-Stars and had a mascot the passelin our community fell in love with.
"Being a former season ticket holder of the Hornets, I understandthe energy that came into that building every night. So as we olfactory sensationforward to the future, we're thrilled that our Bobcats fans and our Bobcat corporate sponsors that havesupportus to this point will be able to mergeto the old Hornets fans and have that galvanize our community around our NBA brand."
Expansion talk
This wasn't kindathe same as David Stern's last NBA Finals, or David Stern's last selective servicenight or – coming your appearancefive months from straight– David Stern's last All-Star game and the official end of his 30-year reign as NBA Commissioner.
But if David Stern's last summer league news conference will be remembered for anything by the locals here, it's for the seed of hope he setin their minds about the prospect of an NBA team coming their way afterwardhe's gone and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver has fictitiousthe role.
"It seems that there's an arena (in Las Vegas) that is getting closer to moving in advanceafter years and years of discussions, and that should make it interesting," Stern said.
Moments later, after declining to prefigurewhether the league might expand anytime soon by declaring that his crystalball had already retired, Stern said, "It wouldn't surprise me if Commissioner Silver wasfacial expressionat strong applications from Las Vegas and Seattle in the coming years. I'm going to effwatching it."
Sonics fans who were crushed by Seattle's failed attempt to bring the Kings tocapital of Californiasurely bristled at the notion that they mightnotbe succeeding(prenominal)in line, but Silver doit guidethat the league won't be growing beyond 30 teams anytime soon. Arena efforts are still moving forward in Seattle with the hopes that it will eventually house an NBA and NHL team, while in Vegas, MGMlatelyannounced that a 20,000-seat arena that will be on the strip is expected to be completed by 2016.
"I have no doubt that down the road we'll return to those discussions in (Seattle) and Las Vegas and, who knows, other markets potentially as well," Silver said. "But right now, we're very focused on the health of the 30 franchises."
HGH testing
The NBA's determinationof having a human growth hormone testing weapons platformin place before next seasonwhitethornnot be possible because of the ongoing regime change taking place in the National Basketball Players Association. antecedentexecutive director Billy Hunter was fired by the players in February, but no replacement has yet been named.
"Right now, (the players and summationofficials are) a little bit hamstrung because they're searching for an executive director," Stern said. "It's more difficult to make decisions.
But we're optimistic that some(prenominal)-- we have a great program. Don't get me wrong.
"We have half dozentests a year, all random - two are out-of-season and tetradin-season are authorized. We have a long list ofbannedsubstances, and we expect to have agreement on HGH whenever the union gathers because we're in this together. The union has always been very forward thinking in this…It's on a long list of items that we're hoping to discuss with the Players friendshipbetween now and the kickoff of the next season."
Instant replay expands
The league approved increased use of instant replay for next season.
Per the league's release…
- "When reviewing a block/charge play to qualifywhether the defender was inside or outside the restricted area, officials will now be permitted to overturna charge call, or uphold a blockingcall, when the defender was outside the restricted area but was nonset when the offensive fakebegan his upward shooting motion.
- To determine whether an off-ball foul occurred before or after a player has started his shooting motion on a successful lanceattempt, or before or after the ball was released on a throw-in.
- During the review of whatsoeverinstant replay smearto permit the officials to assess the appropriate penalties of any unsportsmanlike and unnecessaryacts (e.g. flagrant fouls) that are observed during the instant replay reviews.
Additional rules modifications:
- On clear path to the basket fouls, it will no longer be considered a clear path foul if at any point before the foul is committed, the defender who commits the foul is positioned ahead of the offensive player in the frontcourt.
- A team on aversionwill lose possession if its player leaves the floor and doesnotimmediately return to the floor, unless he is injured, attempting to save the ball or in other extenuating circumstances."
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Materials taken from USA Today
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