Oakley likes to listen, then he makes his point

Don't let the touch of gray in Charles Oakley's hair lead you to think he's going soft. "Everybody that knows Oak knows how he is. He only knows one way - tough," Charlotte Bobcats center Kwame Brown says. "That's how he played. That's how he is as a man. He's straightforward and in your face."

Oakley might be 47 years old now - eight years removed from his NBA playing career - but the toughness that defined him remains. It's one of the reasons he was called to join coach Paul Silas' staff as an assistant after Larry Brown was fired.

The thick, muscular 6-foot-9 frame that was instantly recognizable to a generation of NBA fans remains.


Videographer: ESNEWS
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Chicago Bulls -- Lindsey Hunter

Chicago Bulls guard Lindsey Hunter, a SWAC Hall of Famer who played basketball at Alcorn State and Jackson State, is defying the odds. The average NBA career is just five years, but Hunter is in his 17th season. Only Shaquille O’Neal, in his 18th season, has been in the league longer. This season, the average NBA player is 27.71 years. Hunter celebrated his 39th birthday on Dec. 3 and is the oldest player in the league.

The Detroit Pistons used the first of their back-to-back first round picks to select Hunter 10th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft, one spot ahead of University of Tennessee guard Allan Houston. Everyone else in 1993 draft class has moved on. Most notably No. 1 pick Chris Webber is an analyst on TNT’s NBA telecasts; Houston works in the New York Knicks’ front office, and Sam Cassell, the 24th pick, is an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards. Not Hunter, even though he said two years ago that he planned to retire at the end of the 2007-08 season. “I say that every year,” says Hunter, who is in his second season with the Bulls. “The biggest reason (for continuing to play) is I love the game. I really love the game of basketball.”

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Cleveland Cavaliers Sign Trey Johnson of Bakersfield Jam

NEW YORK - The Cleveland Cavaliers today signed Trey Johnson of the Bakersfield Jam, making him the seventh GATORADE Call-Up of the 2008-09 NBA Development League season and the 126th overall since the league began play in 2001. Johnson is the first member of the Jam to earn a call-up this season. Johnson, a 6-6 guard, has appeared in and started 25 games for the Jam this season where he averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 39.2 minutes. Johnson scored in double-digits 23 times this season, including three games where he scored 30 or more points.

For his efforts this season, Johnson earned the right to play in the 2009 NBA D-League All-Star game which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14 on Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by Adidas. Johnson will need to be active on an NBA D-League roster in order to participate.

A two-year contributor at Jackson State, Johnson averaged 27.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 35 games during his senior season (2006-07) when he was named All-SWAC Player of the Year, also earning a spot on the NABC All-NCAA District 8 1st team, and SWAC Tournament MVP honors.

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Bright showcases talent at 76ers workout

Ex-DSU standout hopes for a shot to realize dream

PHILADELPHIA -- Roy Bright knows his name won't be called when the NBA draft comes around Thursday night and that he has a "long road" ahead of him in order to fulfill his dream of playing in the NBA. Bright just wants a chance.

That's why Bright, who spent his final two seasons of college eligibility at Delaware State, was more than happy to work out for the 76ers on Saturday. It was his first workout for an NBA team, although he said scouts from a few other teams saw him recently in Atlanta.

"He's not ready right now," 76ers president and general manager Ed Stefanski said. "This kid has an NBA body and size (6-6/225), and if he works at his game, you never know. But it's going to take him a couple of years."

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Ex-TSU All-American Swain, 78, dies

First-round pick of Celtics in 1958 was on title team

Bennie Swain, the first All-American basketball player at Texas Southern University, died after a long illness Thursday at the age of 78. Swain led the nation in scoring during the 1957-58 season, when he was named to an All-American team that featured future Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain.

He left TSU as the school's all-time leading scorer, a mark that stood until Harry "Machine Gun" Kelly surpassed Swain in 1981.

The 6-8 Swain was chosen by the Boston Celtics with the seventh overall pick of the 1958 draft. He played 58 games for the NBA champions in 1958-59, his only professional season, averaging 4.6 points and 4.5 rebounds as the backup center to Hall of Famer Bill Russell.




















Photo: Bennie Swain #16 is shown on 1958/59 autographed photo of 12 team members of the World Champions Boston Celtics, including Gene Conley, Bob Cousy, head coach Red Auerbach, Bill Sharman, Bill Russell, K. C. Jones, Lou Tsioropoulos, Tommy Heinsohn, Ben Swain, Jim Loscutoff, Sam Jones and Frank Ramsey.

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