Hate is one of the most misused words in the English language. Sports fans and writers often express their emotions of displeasure of an athlete using this word. It’s almost like the word has been overused in everyday conversation that it has lost its core meaning. We use it in sports all of the time, like when people say, “I hate Lebron James for abandoning Cleveland.” Some people say it and actually mean it, such as in the political realm when people proclaim their hate for homosexuals or of a particular race. When one expresses true hate about someone to the point where they deface someone’s name and heritage publicly, there’s something wrong. That’s what happened to the Sacramento Kings’ Omri Casspi.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines hate as an intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or a sense of injury. That definition can fit the mold for some sports fans that adamantly and passionately dislike a certain athlete. Where this definition really rears its ugly head is in the hearts and minds of people who, in all honestly, have no place in this world, plan and simple.

Omri Casspi, the first Israeli born athlete to play in the NBA, has been the target for a hate crime not once, but twice. A mural of him with a swastika on his forehead was portrayed on September 8, 2010 and was promptly removed. The mural was redone a second time on September 16. The Anti-Defamation League and co-owner of the Kings Joe Maloof are offering $1,000 apiece for offering any helpful information leading to an arrest of the perpetrator(s).

It pains me to even begin thinking about all of the examples of pure, unfiltered, and unabashed hatred in all forms. I have trouble understanding the unwarranted hate being shown towards another when they have done nothing wrong. Why does someone have to deface the image of a young Jewish basketball player in Casspi coming to the United States for the first time? No wonder parts of the world hate America! If I were the type of person that harbors hate and lived in another country I would too! Frankly, I’m not sure living in another country would help in my position.

Hatred and racism is still very much alive in this country, unfortunately. It’s truly a sad thought. You can’t escape it, honestly. From sports broadcaster Don Imus’ comment about Rutgers women’s basketball team to ignorant jackasses defacing an innocent Jewish young man’s heritage, hate is here to stay. Heck, you can even hop onto Xbox Live and play a game of Halo and hear all of the disgusting things people have to say. It’s astounding to say the least. The best a sane person can do is to avoid these people like the plague and surround themselves with loving, caring, and clearheaded individuals.

So next time you say you “hate” someone, think twice. Words are more powerful then you think, even in a joking context. It is not meant to be thrown around, but rather respected. The world will be a much better place for it. But hey, by that logic, everything in the world would be hunky dory, and we can’t have that. There always has to be some kind of animosity and conflict. I guess I’m just flapping my gums on this issue. In the end, it comes down to the heart of the individual. The emotions stem from there. The question is, what emotions do you want to invoke?

By Josh Delp of the Sports Fan Blog Network

Tyreke Evans speaks so softly, sometimes you’re tempted to hand him a megaphone. He ran his 20-5-5 campaign from the basketball court, left the door-to-door lobbying to his friends and his relatives and his bosses. So while he would never say it, we will.

This is your Rookie of the Year.

This is the guy.

While the competition tightened in the closing weeks – Stephen Curry leading the Warriors’ mini-surge and Brandon Jennings directing the Bucks’ postseason venture – Evans distinguished himself with a season-long body of work that delivered bruises to the record books as well as to opponents.

The No. 4 overall draft pick a year ago, he averaged 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists, becoming the fourth player to reach the 20-5-5 mark in a rookie season. And as Kings coach Paul Westphal noted after Monday’s home finale: “I don’t think we need the numbers to validate what a great season Tyreke has had. He’s been the most consistent rookie I’ve ever been around.”

Click here to read the full article – By Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee

The revamped Sacramento Kings won only 11 home games a year ago in posting the worst record in the NBA.

Win No. 11 this year at home was a special one, 106-101 over the struggling Denver Nuggets on Monday night. It comes after the youthful Kings lost back-to-back games in overtime at home to Cleveland and the Lakers.

Andres Nocioni made four 3-pointers and scored a season-high 21 points for Sacramento.

With standout rookie Tyreke Evans nursing a sore ankle in street clothes, the Kings produced another strong effort against an elite team, defeating the Northwest Division-leading Nuggets and improving to 11-5 at home.

“This team has a lot of personality and plays with confidence and energy,” Nocioni said. “We lost two tough games to Cleveland and the Lakers, but we still came here ready to play tonight.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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Kevin Martin scored 48 points and Beno Udrih hit a game-tying layup in the closing seconds of regulation to give the Sacramento Kings a 127-116 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in their home opener Monday night.


After starting the season with three straight losses on the road, the Kings came through late to delight a rare sellout crowd in Sacramento. It was a back-and-forth game down the stretch with both teams delivering big shots on a night little defense was played.

The two biggest for the Kings were Udrih’s driving layup with 1.6 seconds left in regulation and Martin’s career-high tying seventh 3-pointer, that gave Sacramento a 116-112 lead with 1:45 remaining in overtime.


Click here to read the full article – By JOSH DUBOW of Associated Press

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The player on the Kings roster who’s at least 7 feet tall hasn’t been renowned for playing big in the paint.

But with an extra 10 pounds on his frame, Spencer Hawes is looking to dispel the notion he can’t outmuscle opponents on the inside.

Hawes, who is 7-foot-1 and listed at 245 pounds, wants to become the strong inside presence for the Kings this season. It’s been a focus for Hawes since the end of last season.

“I think that’s a role I need to embrace and a void I need filled so it’s something I need to keep working on every day,” Hawes said.

Hawes spent the offseason focusing on getting stronger. He’s already demonstrated he can score from the perimeter.


Click here to read the full article – By Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee

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The lesson was about as simple as the solution.

Which was a credit to Jason Thompson, really.

His game is so obvious, so old school, that anything less than the norm stands out like a center running the fast break. So when the Kings’ second-year forward struggled in the first two summer league games in July and had many wondering why he couldn’t dominate the lesser competition, he knew exactly why.

The buffed-out body he had been working on had simply grown too big.

“The focus throughout the summer was to get stronger, so I was putting on good muscle but I wasn’t eating right,” he said this week. “I took (advantage) of someone telling me to have an offseason after playing 82 games as a rookie. I might have taken it a little too far, so now I know how to prepare myself.”

It hasn’t been a problem this preseason, though, as the 250-pound Thompson is 10 pounds leaner and looking meaner again entering tonight’s exhibition debut against the Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore. The light feet and end-to-end sprints have returned, as have the putback dunks that were briefly substituted for lethargic layups. Hyperactive without being hyper is the goal, and Thompson seems to be back at it.

It’s a key recovery for the Kings, who saw Thompson’s play last season as one of the few bright spots and felt vindicated for passing on then-LSU talent Anthony Randolph of Golden State with the No. 12 pick in the draft.

“I think he’s been terrific,” Kings coach Paul Westphal said. “I thought he was active on the boards. He gives you another player you can run your offense through, because he’s so versatile offensively.

“I like him in the pick and roll. I like him when he faces (the basket). He did a good job in the post and on the boards, too. He had an extremely good day (on Saturday during the team’s open scrimmage), and he’s been like that in practice every day, too.”

But Thompson can’t showcase any of his skills from the bench, where he often sat with foul trouble.


Click here to read the full article – By Sam Amick of SacBee.com

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In last night’s NBA draft, the Kings had to hit it big. They went in holding the number four, 23, and 31 picks. For a team with the worst record in the league last year, they needed to get those picks right.

They went in holding the number four, 23, and 31 picks. For a team with the worst record in the league last year, they needed to get those picks right. As the night played out, the Kings did as well or better than anyone could have expected. With their number four pick they took Memphis guard Tyreke Evans. Evans shined in both of his pre-draft workouts with the team and it was commonly believed he would be the pick. Evans is a freakishly long and athletic player whose strength and ability to get to the rim set him apart from other players. He will immediately help the Kings playing alongside team leader Kevin Martin. The King’s biggest need entering the draft was at point guard. It remains to be seen if Evans will have what it takes to be a point guard in the NBA, but regardless, he was the best player available and the right pick for this team.

Article by Jason Coldiron Bleacher Report on June 26, 2009
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