WNBA Kicks Off 2013-2014 Season This Weekend On ABC

Courtesy: ESPN

The 2013-2014 WNBA season starts next Monday.  And it all kicks off with a double header on ABC.  The double header will feature the top four teams from this year’s WNBA draft presented by State Farm.  It all starts with a match between the Washington Mystics and Tulsa Shock at 3pm ET.  The Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury follow at 5pm ET.  Along with the games, ESPN will offer an in-depth look at course taken by the league’s top picks—The “3 To See–from college to the pros.  The “3 To See” are Elena Delle Donne (Delaware to Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame to Tulsa Shock), and Brittney Griner (Baylor to Phoenix Mercury).

ABC’s double header matchup is just part of Monday’s season opening celebration of the WNBA.  ESPN Classic will air a Memorial Day weekend marathon featuring a series of games featuring the “3 To See.”  The full slate of games is listed below.

ESPN Classic Memorial Day “3 to See” Marathon

Date	Time (ET)	Game
Sun, May 26	4 p.m.	2012 NCAA Women’s National Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame Diggins 19 points leads ND to an 83-75 win
	6 p.m.	Connecticut at Notre Dame (2013) Diggins scores 29 points in ND’s 96-87 triple-overtime win
	8 p.m.	2013 NCAA Championship Second Round: Delaware vs. North Carolina Delle Donne nets 33 points in loss in final home game
	10 p.m.	2012 NCAA Women’s National Championship: Notre Dame vs. Baylor Griner has 26 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in win
	Midnight	2012 NCAA Championship Second Round: Kansas vs. Delaware Delle Donne scores 34 points in loss
Mon, May 27	1:30 a.m.	Notre Dame at Tennessee (2013) Diggins has 33 points, five assists and four steals in victory
	3:30 p.m.	2012 CAA Championship: Drexel vs. Delaware Delle Donne dominates with 27 points and 10 boards in win
	7 a.m.	Connecticut at Baylor (2011) Griner leads with 25 points, nine rebounds and nine blocks in victory
	9 a.m.	Delaware at St. John’s (2013) Delle Donne tallies 29 points, 16 boards, two assists and two blocks in overtime win
	11 a.m.	2011 NCAA Women’s National Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame Diggins nets 28 points in win over UConn and National Player of the Year Maya Moore
	1 p.m.	Baylor at Connecticut (2013) Griner scores 25 points in win, including 3,000th of her career

 

Fans of the WNBA will also get to see the return of the Boost Mobile WNBA All-Star Game on July 27^th.  The game will air that day at 3:30pm ET on ABC live from the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

The team of Pam Ward, Rebecca Lobo, and Carolyn Peck return once again this season to call the games, with Ward calling the play-by-play action.  Holly Rowe and LaChina Robinson will serve as reporters for select games.  Sue Bird—seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA Champion with the Seattle Storm—will join the broadcast team this season from the ESPN Studio.  This includes the opening day double header.  Bird is sidelined this season while she recovers from left knee surgery.

The full season schedule is available below:

2013 WNBA Regular-Season Schedule (subject to change)

Date	Time (ET)	Game	Networks
Mon, May 27	3 p.m.	Washington Mystics at Tulsa Shock Pam Ward, Carolyn Peck & LaChina Robinson	ESPN2
	5 p.m.	Chicago Sky at Phoenix Mercury Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo & Holly Rowe	ESPN2
Sat, June 8	3:30 p.m.	Phoenix Mercury at Indiana Fever Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo & Holly Rowe	ABC
Wed, June 12	8 p.m.	Connecticut Sun at Indiana Fever Pam Ward & Carolyn Peck	ESPN2
Tue, June 25	8 p.m.	Phoenix Sun at San Antonio Silver Stars Pam Ward & Carolyn Peck	ESPN2
Tue, July 2	8 p.m.	Tulsa Shock at Connecticut Sun	ESPN2
Tue, July 9	9 p.m.	Atlanta Dream at Minnesota Lynx	ESPN2
Thu, July 11	9 p.m.	Los Angeles Sparks at Tulsa Shock	ESPN2
Thu, July 18	10 p.m.	Phoenix Mercury at Los Angeles Sparks	ESPN2
Tue, July 23	7 p.m.	New York Liberty at Indiana Fever	ESPN2
Sat, July 27	3:30 p.m.	Boost Mobile WNBA All-Star Game (Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.)	ABC
Tue, Aug 6	10 p.m.	Seattle Storm at Phoenix Mercury	ESPN2
Tue, Aug 20	10 p.m.	Los Angeles Sparks at Seattle Storm	ESPN2
Sat, Aug 24	7 p.m.	Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx	ESPN2
Wed, Sep 11	8 p.m.	Phoenix Mercury at Chicago Sky	ESPN2

 

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ABC, ESPN Networks Carrying Seven Playoff Games This Weekend

Courtesy: ESPN

NBA fans have plenty of reason to be happy this weekend.  ABC and ESPN have seven games on tap this weekend.  Three of those games will air on ESPN Friday night beginning with a matchup between the Knicks and Celtics.  The Knicks will look to extend their two-game lead over Boston as the teams face off in game three of that series Friday night at 8pm.  It will air on ESPN and ESPN Radio affiliates across the country.  Fans can also catch the game online and via mobile access through WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.  Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, and Heather Cox will have the call on ESPN.  Marc Kestecher and Dr. Jack Ramsey will call the game for ESPN Radio.  The game is scheduled to start at 8pm EST.      

The second of the night’s triple header sees the Spurs and Lakers face off in the third game of their series, too.  The Spurs are up two games to none in that best-of-seven series.  Injuries have plagued the Lakers, who are looking to get their footing again Friday night.  The game is scheduled to start at 10:30pm EST.  It will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.  Fans can also watch the game online and on mobile devices through WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.  Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, and Chris Broussard will have the call on ESPN.  They will be joined by Alvaro Martin and Carlos Morales for ESPN Deportes.

Also at 10:30, the Warriors will look to break the one-game time with the Nuggets when the teams head back to Oakland.  The Warriors come into Friday’s game with some momentum.  The team as a whole shot nearly sixty-five percent and made 14 of 25 three-point shots.  Four of the team’s players scored twenty points in game two Tuesday night.  The Warriors have also outrebounded the Nuggets 91 to 71 over the course of the series’ first two games.  The Nuggets are looking to regain some footing Friday night when they are hoping to get Kenneth Faried back in the lineup after having lost him in Game 1 to a sprained ankle.  Friday’s matchup will air on ESPN2 and can be viewed online and on mobile devices through WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.  Dave Pasch, Jon Barry, and Holly Rowe will have all the action and news throughout the game.

The weekend showcase closes out with a Sunday doubleheader pitting the Knicks and Celtics against each other again for Game Four in the teams’ best-of-seven series first.  The game will air at 1pm on ABC and on ESPN Radio affiliates across the nation.  Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Heather Cox will be back to call the action again for the game, while Marc Kestecher and Dr. Jack Ramsay will have the call for ESPN Radio. 

The day’s second game tips off at 3:30pm EST.  The Bucks are hoping to dig out of a two game hole right now with game three tonight at 7pm.  Game four will be Sunday afternoon on ABC and ESPN Deportes.  Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, and Chris Broussard will be on hand for ESPN.  Alvaro Martin and Carlos Morales will call all the action for ESPN Deportes.  It all starts with the Kia NBA Countdown at 12:30pm EST.  Hosts Magic Johnson, Bill Simmons, Jalen Rose, and Michael Wilbon will discuss the weekend’s previous games and their implications as the NBA post season rolls on, as well as Sunday’s games on tap.  Fans can catch the Countdown on ABC.

A full schedule of the weekend’s games is available below.

Date	Time (ET)	Game / Commentators	Networks
Fri, Apr 26	8 p.m.	New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (Gm. 3) ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Heather Cox ESPN Radio: Marc Kestecher, Dr. Jack Ramsay	ESPN, ESPN Radio, WatchESPN
	10:30 p.m.	San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers (Gm. 3) ESPN: Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Chris Broussard ESPN Deportes: Alvaro Martin, Carlos Morales	ESPN, WatchESPN, ESPN Deportes
	10:30 p.m.	Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors (Gm. 3) ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jon Barry, Holly Rowe	ESPN2, WatchESPN
Sat, Apr 27	7 p.m.	Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks (Gm. 3) ESPN: Mark Jones, Doris Burke, Holly Rowe	ESPN, WatchESPN
	9:30 p.m.	Oklahoma City Thunder at Houston Rockets (Gm. 3) ESPN: Dave Pasch, Jon Barry, Samantha Ponder ESPN Radio: Kevin Calabro, Chris Mullin ESPN Deportes: Alvaro Martin, Carlos Morales	ESPN, ESPN Radio, WatchESPN, ESPN Deportes
Sun, Apr 28	12:30 p.m.	KIA NBA Countdown Magic Johnson, Bill Simmons, Jalen Rose, Michael Wilbon	ABC
	1 p.m.	New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (Gm. 4) ESPN: Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Heather Cox ESPN Radio: Marc Kestecher, Dr. Jack Ramsay	ABC, ESPN Radio
	3:30 p.m.	Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks (Gm. 4) ESPN: Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, Chris Broussard ESPN Deportes: Alvaro Martin, Carlos Morales	ABC, ESPN Deportes

 

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WNBA Draft Airs On Primetime Tonight

Courtesy: ESPN/WNBA

The 2013 WNBA Draft will be held tonight on ESPN2.  This year marks the first time ever that the WNBA has held the draft in primetime.  It will be highlighted by the “3 To See”, Elena Delle Donne (University of Delaware), Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame), and Brittney Grinor (Baylor).  The broadcast—presented by State farm—will air at 8pm/7pm CT tonight.  It will be held at ESPN’s Bristol, CT headquarters.  The league’s second and third rounds will air live on ESPNU from 9-10:30pm.  Fans can watch all three rounds online and via mobile devices on WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app. Each round consists of twelve picks each.  WNBA fans can get even more content throughout the day today on ESPN’s SportsCenter and on espnW.

Kevin Negandhi will host the draft.  He comes into tonight’s broadcast fresh off the heels of a successful broadcast of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship.  It marks the first time that he will host the annual draft.  He will be joined by analysts Rebecca Lobo and Carolyn Peck.  Reporters Holly Rowe and LaChina Robinson will also be on hand to bring viewers the latest news and more live.  Guards and forwards highlight this year’s top draft crop.  Among the top guards expected to be on hand are:  Alex Bentley (Penn State), Layshia Clarendon (California), Kelly Faris (Connecticut), Tayler Hill (Ohio State), Lindsey Moore (Nebraska) and Sugar Rodgers (Georgetown).  The league’s top prospective forwards include:  Tianna Hawkins (Maryland) and Toni Young (Oklahoma State); and center Kelsey Bone (Texas A&M).

The Phoenix Mercury is at the top of this year’s draft for the third time in the history of the franchise.  The Chicago Sky, Tulsa Shock, Washington Mystics, and New York Liberty round out the top five teams in the draft this year.

ESPN and the WNBA are now in the seventeenth year together.  And heads of both organizations recently signed a new contract that will extend the pair’s partnership through the 2022 season.  This year’s season opens with a special Memorial Day doubleheader that pits the league’s top four draft picks against one another.  Washington and Tulsa will face off at 3pm.  Chicago and Phoenix follow that game at 5pm. 

To keep up with all the latest from the WNBA and ESPN, fans can go to the official WNBA Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/wnba and its official website, http://www.wnba.com or the official ESPN2 Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/ESPN and its official website, http://www.espn.com.

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ESPN Debuts Latest Film in 30 For 30 Shorts Series

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN debuted the latest installment in its 30 for 30 Shorts series today.  Silver Reunion debuted today on Grantland.com.  The short—directed by 5-time Emmy Award winning director Rory Karpf—centers on the 1972 USA Men’s Olympic Basketball team and its controversial matchup against the Soviet Union.  Four decades after the team’s much talked about game which led the team to a silver medal finish, the team members reunited to either officially accept or once again refuse the medals for a game that each believes the team hadn’t actually lost.  The team had originally been awarded the Silver medal from the game.  But each member turned down his medal in protest.

This latest installment in the 30 for 30 Shorts series sees the team reunite for the very first time and discuss the choice whether or not to accept the medals that they believe were wrongly awarded.  The controversy stems from what is believed to be a series of bad calls that led to the then Soviet Union’s win.  It can be viewed online now at http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9103152/the-unclaimed-medals-1972-us-men-basketball-team-stars-latest-30-30-documentary-series.

The 30 for 30 Shorts series is crafted by Blue Moon.  Other previous films in the series include:  Arnold’s Blueprint, Ali:  The Mission, Holy Grail:  The T206 Honus Wagner, and others.  They can all be viewed online at Grantland.com.

To keep up with the latest in ESPN’s 30 for 30 Shorts series and more, go online to http://www.espn.com/30for30 or its Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/espn30for30.

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The Other Dream Team Scores Big Points Among Documentaries

Courtesy: Lionsgate

The Other Dream Team, the new basketball based documentary from Lionsgate, is a surprisingly interesting work.  It’s a story that will interest both basketball fans, history buffs, and even anyone who has any interest in political science.  While the story itself is based against a backdrop of basketball, it’s less about the sport in question and more about politics and a people’s struggle to escape the crushing hand of communism.  Together with its bonus Q&A session with Writer/Director Marius A. Markevicius and Writer/Producer Jon Weinbach, The Other Dream Team proves to be a surprise contender for one of the year’s best documentaries.

The Other Dream Team’s run time comes in at just over an hour and a half.  In that time, audiences are introduced to a work that’s not just another underdog story.  Rather, it’s a story of a group of men who represented an entire country in its struggle to break free from the bonds of communism.  It centers on a group of four Lithuanians who originally were forced to play for the Russian national basketball team, but then managed to break free and form a Lithuanian basketball team.  Even in their freedom from the Russian national team, the men still faced challenges, including one member of the team—Arvydas Sarbonis–being prevented from joining the NBA by the government of the then Communist Russia.  Even on this side of the Atlantic, Sarbonis was called Russian by NBA Commissioner David Stern when he was drafted by the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers, which he wasn’t.  And NBA fans here were none too pleased with the announcement, effectively making Sarbonis a man without a country so to speak.  Players on both sides of the ball explain in interviews how the game of basketball became less about playing a game and more of a political statement, and just how important that statement was.  Audiences who perhaps have never delved very deep into the political history of Communist and post Communist Russia will be amazed by just how important a single game could be to a whole nation.  That importance is highlighted even more through interviews with a number of people close to the game including former NBA great Bill Walton, ESPN’s Chad Ford, Fran Fraschilla and a host of others.  The program also features original footage of the conflict between Lithuania and Russia both on and off the court highlighting just how tense things were between the two nations in Lithuania’s struggle for independence.  It all comes together to make a documentary that anyone with a love of history, sports, or even politics will thoroughly enjoy.

The documentary itself is quite interesting to watch.  After watching it, viewers will also want to check out the feature’s bonus Q&A session with Writer/Director Marius A. Markevicius and Writer/Producer Jon Weinbach.  Viewers learn from the session’s opening moments that Markevicius’ interest in crafting this story came from his own Lithuanian roots.  He explains about growing up, watching the Lithuanian basketball team, trying to follow them, despite the general lack of information released about them when he was a child.  The session is highlighted by questions posted and followed by some very in depth answers from both men.  Sometimes those answers will move audiences.  Others, it will have them laughing.  It serves as a very good companion to the bonus audio commentary included with the film.  Along with the commentary in question, the vintage footage, interviews and every element that went into bringing this film to life, The Other Dream Team proves to be an unexpectedly impressive documentary, and one that proves to be one of the year’s best in the documentary category.  It’s available now in stores and online and can be ordered direct via the Lionsgate online store at http://www.lionsgateshop.com/product.asp?Id=27844&TitleParentId=8032. 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Debuting New NBA Countdown Set

ESPN is set to debut a brand new set for its NBA broadcasts.  The new Kia NBA Countdown set will debut Christmas Day at 2:30pm EST.  When it debuts, the Kia NBA Countdown set will be the largest set at ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center.  It will include: six new automated, mobile video monitors, a total of four LED monitors that measure eight feet by five feet each, a larger oval shaped desk and an LED surround curtain that changes color throughout the show.  The set’s new desk was designed with the intent of creating a more free-flowing, conversational style show.

Courtesy: ESPN

Along with the new physical changes, audiences will also notice the studios massive amount of space.  The increased space will allow the hosts—Magic Johnson, Michael Wilbon, and new additions Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose—more room to move throughout the show.  Fans will also notice more video to complement the discussions raised during the Countdown.  The new set and new co-hosts will debut Christmas Day just before the start of ABC’s mega-double header that starts with a bi-coastal matchup facing the Knicks against the host Lakers.  The second game of the day pits the Thunder against the Heat in a matchup of last season’s NBA Finals.  That game is set to start at 5:30pm EST.

Fans who miss the new set on the Countdown need not worry as they’ll get to see it when Johnson and company re-join audiences during half time of both games and between games to offer their thoughts on the games.  Should audiences be travelling or with family and friends on Christmas, there are no worries there.  The Kia NBA Countdown airs every Wednesday and Friday on ESPN and on ABC every Sunday before the network’s weekly game.

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ESPN Films announces new “30 for 30″ series

ESPN Films has announced the return of its hit “30 for 30″ series.  The series will return with thirty new stories this fall.  “30 for 30 Vol. II” is set to air in October.  The new series will be a little bit different from the original “30 for 30.”  It will include a new partnership with Grantland.com.  the partnership will see the debut of an all new series of digital shorts titled, “30 for 30 Shorts” that will run on Grantland.com.

Each of the digital shorts will run in a format similar to the original “30 for 30″ films.  They will be told from the point of view of the filmmaker, and will reflect how the film maker combines the feature with his/her own style of film making.  The online series will begin running on Grantland.com this September.  A preview of the series is online now, the ”30 for 30″ short, “Here and Now.”  “Here and Now” is about Cincinatti Reds legend Pete Rose.  Some of the shorts scheduled to run as part of the upcoming “30 For 30 Vol. II” include:  “Benji”, “Broke”, “Bo Knows”, and ”The Season of Their Lives.” 

“Benji” centers on the life and tragic death of 17-year-old basketball talent, Ben Wilson.  Wilson was called, “Magic Johnson with a jump shot.”  The Chicago youth was a top college basketball prospect, until his tragic murder in 1984.

“Broke” delves into what leads so many sports megastars to go from riches to rags.  It used interviews with New York Jets star Bart Scott and retired stars Keith Mccants, Bernie Kosar, Leon Searcy and Andre Rison to look into the psychology of stars who have lost everything.

“Bo Knows” follows the legacy of sports superstar Bo Jackson.  By following the life and legacy of this sports legend, film maker Mike Bonfiglio examines how athletes are marketed and the expectations placed onto them as a result of said marketing.

“The Season of Their Lives” follows what is one of the most amazing seasons in the history of the North Carolina State Wolfpack men’s basketball team.  Jonathan Hock documents the team’s struggle and sudden surge to the NCAA title game in the 1982-1983 season.  Hock tells the Wolfpack’s unlikely miracle season, and following tragedy, through the vantage point of then team Captain Dereck Whittenburg.  It all begins this October.

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