Brook Lopez shined for young Nets in Orlando Summer League

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jul 14, 2008 | by WIRE SERVICES

The Orlando Pro Summer League featured top overall pick Derrick Rose and No. 2 choice Michael Beasley, but Nets' rookie center Brook Lopez might have been the best player in Disney World.

All three draft picks -- Stanford's Lopez, Ryan Anderson and Chris Douglas-Roberts -- made impressions after leading the Nets to a 4-1 record last week. Lopez stood out, though.

While Rose played only two games due to a knee injury and Beasley was shut down by Nets forward Sean Williams when they met, Lopez continued to get better. He averaged 19.6 points and increased his point total in each game.

"He was the best player for that week," said an Eastern Conference scout.

"It was a great draft for the Nets because I think Brook Lopez could be really special," a Western Conference official said. "Big men don't look good in these kinds of camps at all. These are the kind of camps where big guys get six fouls in 10 minutes. He was awesome. He ran the floor, caught the ball, made moves."

Lopez, the No. 10 overall pick, showed he can score facing up and with his back to the basket. The 7-footer still needs to work on his defense and rebounding. Lopez had five or fewer rebounds in three of the games.

Gambling: Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy made more than 100 phone calls to a fellow official at the same time he was providing information to gamblers during the 2006-07 season, Fox News reported Monday.

Citing court documents and phone records it obtained, Fox reported Donaghy placed 134 calls to referee Scott Foster between October 2006 and April 2007, the period during which he has confessed to betting on games or passing on game information to gamblers.

It's not known what information was exchanged during the calls between Foster and Donaghy, who is awaiting sentencing later this month in federal court.

The New York Times reported that Foster was interviewed by investigators, according to a statement released by the NBA.

"The government had complete access to Tim Donaghy's phone records and thoroughly investigated this matter, including conducting an interview of referee Scott Foster," the league said. "The government has said that they have found no evidence of criminal conduct aside from that of Mr. Donaghy. Once again, the only criminal conduct is that of Mr. Donaghy."

The 41-year-old Donaghy pleaded guilty last year to felony charges of taking cash payoffs from gamblers in the 2006-07 season. He faces up to 33 months in prison.

Bulls: No. 1 draft choice Derrick Rose pleaded guilty Monday to driving more than 40 mph over the speed limit on an Illinois highway back in April.

Kane County Associate Judge Robert J. Morrow ordered Rose to pay a $1,000 fine and attend traffic school, according to the county's state's attorney's office.

The misdemeanor speeding charge happened in April, when Rose was pulled over after the Illinois State Police clocked him driving 106 mph in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 88 in Kane County.

In June, the Bulls selected Rose with the overall No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

Knicks: Danilo Gallinari scored 14 points in the second half of his Knicks debut, helping New York beat Cleveland on Monday. Gallinari was selected by the Knicks with the No. 6 pick of draft. ... First-round pick J.J. Hickson had 26 points for Cleveland.

Timberwolves: Kevin Love had 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds Monday night in his debut for Minnesota, a 90-74 loss to the Mavericks.