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02/12/2007 -
NEW YORK (AP) -Five days after becoming the first NBA player to acknowledge his homosexuality, former center John Amaechi said the spotlight has been chaotic.
Amaechi, whose ``Man in the Middle'' memoir will be released Wednesday, said he has been deluged with phone calls and e-mails from friends and supporters. But Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who coached Amaechi in Orlando, has been the only one from the league to reach out to him.
``I've just been caught up in the whirlwind at the moment,'' Amaechi said in an interview with The Associated Press.
He said he hoped his coming out would be a catalyst for intelligent discourse and took a measured approach to NBA players' reactions.
``I think they illustrate the diversity of opinion,'' Amaechi said. ``Some of them illustrate a great deal of naivete, and an oversimplification of the issue. And some of them don't speak with much thought at all.
``But there are some really well-spoken, provocative things that people have said that are positive. And they should be added to the conversation.''
Amaechi's also listened to some criticize him for coming out now, rather than when he was a player.
``I know that perhaps that would have been more impactful,'' he said, but added he was afraid to have his dream of playing in the NBA taken away.
``I worked really hard to get where I was. I started playing basketball when I was 17 in a country that doesn't play basketball. I was a fat kid that sat in the corner of the library, and six years later I was starting for the Cleveland Cavaliers. I left my family, my mother, when she was very sick with cancer, to do this thing.
``I thought I deserved to have my full shot at being a part of the NBA.''
Amaechi, 36, who was raised in England, competed for Penn State, then played in 301 NBA games over five seasons. The 6-foot-10 center averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds. He began his career in Cleveland, spent a few years playing in Europe and rejoined the NBA in 1999. A starter for the Orlando Magic from 1999-01, he then played two seasons for the Utah Jazz. The team then traded him to Houston, which traded him to the New York Knicks. When the Knicks waived him in January 2004, he retired.
Now, Amaechi said he hoped to inspire high-level personalities to come out as straight allies.
``I don't think it's realistic to expect that,'' he said. ``But I think if we work with them they will.''
He's been so busy he didn't realize at least one already had.
``When you do something that the whole world thinks is difficult and you stand up and just be who you are and take on that difficulty factor, you're an American hero no matter what,'' Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. ``That's what the American spirit's all about, going against the grain and standing up for who you are, even if it's not a popular position.''
Amaechi allowed a smile to wash over his face.
``He just became my friend,'' Amaechi said.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
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The most popular sports to bet on are NFL and college football along with NBA and NCAA basketball. There are multiple betting opportunities within those sports, beginning with the basic wager on a game’s outcome (also called betting the side). College Football Point spreads are used in both football and basketball in an attempt to even the attractiveness of each team in a match-up. ( See our article detailing how and why point spreads are made)
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Brandon Roy Favorite to Win 2007 NBA Rookie of the Year
Portland TrailBlazer’s guard, Brandon Roy, is MySportsbook.com’s overwhelming favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year odds.
Despite missing 20 games due to an injury earlier this season, Roy has definitely put up the best numbers of his 1st year peers. In 32 games, Roy is averaging 15.3 PPG, 4.2 boards and 3.5 assists in over 33 minutes of play per game. While most rookies breakdown as the season progresses (see Morrison), Roy is only getting stronger as his playing time and scoring average has increased each month.
With 30 or so games left in the regular season, Roy isn’t a lock for the award by any means. Other rookies are putting together some pretty impressive campaigns and a few could give Roy a run for the award with increased playing time. Heading the list is first pick, Andrea Bargnani of the Toronto Raptors. Even though he has started only two games all season, Bargnani is averaging 10.3 PPPG while shooting 35% from deep.
Randy Foye of the Minnesota Timberwolves could be set to give Roy the best competition NBA Rookie of the Year betting lines. With the benching of Mike James, Foye looks like he could be the starter in the T-Wolves backcourt for the rest of the season. So far, Foye has averaged 9 PPG and 2.4 assists in just under 21 minutes per game. With his new role of starter, Foye’s numbers will definitely increase. In his first game as the new starting guard this past Sunday, Foye had 10 points; five rebounds and 8 assists. More importantly, he logged 34 minutes of playing time; his third highest run of the season.
Adam Morrison, of the Charlotte Bobcats, was the favorite early on in the season after averaging 15+ PPG through the first month of the season. Ever since his torrid start, Morrison’s point production has declined each month. This really isn’t surprising, considering at 6’8” he only weighs 205 lbs. Obviously he will need to hit the weights big time during the off-season in order to keep from breaking down in the future.
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