Paul, Hornets Rally to Sting Bulls in Fourth

'Wounded warriors' watch; reporters boxed out

(NEWSER) - President Obama played basketball today with a constellation of NBA stars and a ringer from the national champion UConn women's team. Service members injured in action and participants in the White House mentoring program watched, but the press pool waited outside, the Washington Post reports. Retired stars Magic Johnson and Bill Russell played but Kobe Bryant only watched, reports The Hill . More»

Sorry Cavs, Knicks, and Bulls

(NEWSER) - LeBron James is leaving Cleveland for the Miami Heat. Or as the Miami Herald puts it: "The King is coming." The Cleveland Plain Dealer takes a dimmer view: "Legone," as does the New York Daily News , which hoped for a new Knick: "Burned!" James made his pick tonight during an unprecedented ESPN special, confirming rumors that caused a serious run on the Heat's season tickets this afternoon. More»

And with it the biggest free agent summer in history

(NEWSER) - The scramble over the richest free agent class in NBA history officially tips off today, and all eyes are on one man. LeBron James won't be traveling to visit his suitors. The King will hold court at home in Akron, where first the Nets, and then the Knicks, Bulls, Heat, and Clippers will journey to make their pitches today, the New York Times reports. Last night, crowds gathered outside James's home to wave signs entreating him to reject them all and resign with Cleveland. More»

Don't feel bad, Armando, you're not alone

(NEWSER) - In honor of Armando Galarraga's perfect one-hitter, Salon decided to compile a list of some of the biggest blown calls in history. And we decided that it would be more fun to watch those blown calls than to read about them. So check out this video gallery, and get ready to curse some umps, refs and, if you're English, Diego Maradona. More»

(NEWSER) - Idan Ravin has never played or coached competitive basketball. He has no formal basketball training. Yet somehow, this mild-mannered, 38-year-old Jewish ex-lawyer is one of the NBA’s most sought-after personal trainers, known in basketball circles as “the Hoops Whisperer,” the Wall Street Journal reports. Ravin’s workouts are more psychological than physical, putting players through such stressful, chaotic drills that their physical game becomes nearly automatic. More»