NBA Stars, Olympians Endorse Chicago 2016

Paul M. Banks a.k.a. The Sports Bank, NBC Chicago Street Team Only one NBA team, the Utah Jazz, contains two members of the 2008 Gold Medal winning Team USA Men’s basketball team on their roster. The “Redeem Team,” which conquered Beijing included Jazz point guard Deron Williams and power forward Carlos Boozer. As Chicago’s final bid for the Olympics became public a few days ago, I thought it the perfect time to revisit the exclusive conversations I had with each of them in Milwaukee recently. Shortly before the Jazz contest with the Milwaukee Bucks, both of them gave me their endorsement for Chicago’s 2016 Olympic Bid. “Huge sports town, great fans, very committed, great venue, great to have it here in the states, we haven’t had it since Atlanta. And I think it would be well received, we’d have a great turnout here I think, other countries love to come play here,” Boozer said of Chicago before later adding, “I had a chance to see the plan. They have a great plan for it too.” Boozer is one half of a powerful inside-outside combination that currently reminds Salt Lake City fans of past legends John Stockton and Karl Malone.

The dynamic duo’s other half is Deron Williams- the highest draft pick in Illinois basketball history and the best player the program has produced in modern history. “There’s a lot of Illinois fans in Chicago, so they treat me great. I love Chicago, it’s my second home. I love being there and spend a lot of time there in the summer. It’s a great city,” Williams said of The Chi.

D. Will told me about competing in the Olympics “It was a great experience, a chance to represent my country, my organization, my family and win a Gold medal, something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” and also endorsed Chicago’s prospects for 2016: “They’d be a great host, I saw the 3D plans for what they want to do with it, how they’re gonna change everything around, all the facilities, it looks amazing,” Williams responded.

See more of Paul M. Banks’ work at the Washington Times and The Sports Bank

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Derrick Rose protégé leads Illini to huge United Center Win

Paul M. Banks a.k.a. The Sports Bank Chicago’s United Center hosted three basketball games on Saturday: University of Illinois men’s defeating Georgia 76-42, UI women losing 71-53 to Bradley and the Bulls beating the Washington Wizards 117-110. Before budding Bulls bulwark Derrick Rose starred in the venue’s main event, sophomore Illini point guard Demetri McCamey, a friend of Rose, led Illinois to a blow out victory over a terrible Georgia Bulldogs team. It was the second time this season UGA got routed by a local team: they also lost to Loyola by 21. McCamey scored 9 of Illinois’s first 11 points including a dribble-drive to the hoop set up by a sick move.

“That was just something Deron (Williams, former Illini and current Utah Jazz point guard) taught me this summer, to get them on your help and when you feel them try to reach, spin right off. Tisdale did a good job of selling and I came right in for a lay-up,” McCamey said in explaining the move to me. He led all scorers with 19, and the Illini got 29 points off 27 Georgia turnovers. Illinois went on a 22-0 run in the final seven minutes to turn a comfortable lead into utter demolishing. “Our kids always enjoy coming up here because it’s a special atmosphere and a chance to make a mark in Chicago and get a little bit of extra publicity, maybe more than usual,” Illini coach Bruce Weber said post-game. The Illini took advantage of Georgia’s weak defense to obtain and drain plenty of open looks; especially in the second half when Illinois shot 69% from the filed, 60% from behind the arc.

Illini players were honored to be in the house that Michael Jordan built. -His Airness attended and saw his son Jeff play 7 minutes- However, it’s a current Bull, Derrick Rose that McCamey talked about modeling his game on. “He’s a wonderful player. I played against him all the way since 7th grade, he knows me, I know him and I know I’ll be in the same boat and playing with passion if I just listen to everybody, because they’re only trying to help,” McCamey said.

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For my Washington Times.com blog “Chicago Blue State.”

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