Linsanity!

Jeremy Lin, where ever he goes, he can easily attract people. His plays when he was on Knicks has really boosted up his popularity.

Lin was mobbed by reporters and photographers on a Manila basketball court, a day after the Rockets and Indiana Pacers arrived in the Philippine capital for Thursday's game.

"I'm excited to play here and in Taiwan," said Lin, the league's first American-born player of Taiwanese descent. "I think the fans don't get a chance to often watch an NBA game live, so hopefully they'll really enjoy the experience and I think we're going to definitely enjoy it as well."

He said he's had a taste of the "electric environment" of the Philippines, where basketball hoops are mounted in every available space and it tops the list of countries following the NBA on Facebook and Twitter outside the United States.

Lin said his Taiwanese parents told him good things about the Philippines.

"I'm glad to see and feel the warmth they showed to me in person when I got the chance to walk in the mall last night. Everyone was polite, respectful and I was really blown away," he said.

He said he was thankful for a chance "to inspire people, especially my fellow Asians."

Last season was Lin's first full season in the NBA, and he started all 82 games for Houston. In the previous two seasons, he played less than half seasons for the New York Knicks, when Linsanity exploded on the basketball world, and the Golden State Warriors.

"They were different times in my life," he said, comparing his tenures with the Rockets and Knicks. "Different stages, different roles, different systems. ... I can't really compare the two. My goal is just to get better every year."

Adjusting to his second full season, he said "There's always some difficulties and hurdles but I think that's part of the natural progression."

He said that handling fame and fortune are a "constant battle."

"I'm human, there's always that element of pride that I have to fight," he said, adding that his Christian faith "is very integral, not just me being an athlete but as a person."

He said he was trying not to think too much about the pressure to perform as an Asian-American in Asia.

"I think for me, I just want to be as much as myself as I can, and then be real and as authentic as I can be and let everything else follow," Lin said.

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Jordan- I can beat LeBron

Michael Jordan, 6 times NBA champion and considered by many the greatest basketball player ever said he could beat Lebron in his prime. In a video promoting the NBA 2K14 video game that is being released today, Jordan said there's a long list of players he would've liked to have played one-on-one - Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Julius Erving, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Bryant and James, who dons the cover of this year's game.

"I don't think I would lose," Jordan said in the video, before smiling and adding, "Other than to Kobe Bryant because he steals all of my moves."

Lots of people when asked, if Michael could win against LeBron, most said yes. One of the commenter also said that he has been watching NBA for a long time and seen Michael play. There's no way LeBron can take on MJ.

The 50-year-old Jordan, who was a five-time league MVP, also shared the cover in 2012 with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

This year will be the first time on the cover for James, a four-time league MVP who has led the Miami Heat to back-to-back NBA championships.

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Durant on Derrick Rose!

Kevin Durant commented that it was the best choice for derrick to sit out last season. He thinks derrick looks better and stronger now. It's not just Durant, we have been hearing a lot from everyone that derrick has become stronger as a player, outside and inside the court.

But the question is, will he be able to rise with the bulls, will they be the one raising that trophy at the end of this coming season? I guess we just have to find out, but, one thing is clear. From what we hear we won't be disappointed as everyone has been saying Derrick Rose is at his best right now.

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Shaquille O'Neal buys a piece of Sacramento Kings

Shaquille O’Neal spent the first part of the century smashing Sacramento’s dreams of an NBA championship. Now he wants to spend the next part doing anything he can to build the Kings into a winner.

Declaring the new name of the city “Shaqramento,” O’Neal began by taking steps in his size 22 shoes Tuesday to make amends to Kings fans for his past verbal swipes. The new minority owner of the Kings said he just wanted to rile up people and market the game when he called the franchise the “Sacramento Queens” while winning three titles with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I apologize,” O’Neal said. “If you see me around town, come give me a hug, give me a kiss. I’ll do whatever you want.”

The 15-time All-Star centre promised to use the same brand that bullied Sacramento for years to bring positive attention to California’s capital city.

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Husband LeBron James!

LeBron James wanted his wedding day to be perfect and private.

It appears he got both.

With guests dining on a five-course dinner, prefaced by plenty of appetizers and all done under incredibly tight security, the Miami Heat star married his longtime partner Savannah Brinson on Saturday night at a posh resort in San Diego. Guests had their phones taken away for the ceremony and reception in an effort to ensure that no photos or details leaked out.

"A first-class affair," said one of the guests, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday because the couple had yet to reveal any details of the event themselves. "Ceremony was short and sweet."

Many members of the Heat organization were there, including Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, managing general partner Micky Arison and coach Erik Spoelstra. Wade and girlfriend Gabrielle Union posted images of themselves dressed for the occasion on social media, as did Bosh and his wife Adrienne. Some of James' longtime friends were also in attendance, including his manager Maverick Carter.

"What a wonderful evening!!" Adrienne Bosh wrote on Twitter. "Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. James...Thanks for sharing Ur night & love with us"

The ceremony was the obvious highlight of a three-day wedding weekend for the couple, who were high school sweethearts and are the parents of two sons. They were engaged just after midnight on Jan. 1, 2012, when James dropped to a knee and surprised his longtime girlfriend by finally popping the question as many of their close friends were gathered around.

James told AP last year that he and Brinson decided not to rush plans for their wedding, especially since last summer was hectic for him basketball-wise - James played for the U.S. in the London Olympics, helping the Americans win a gold medal, and also was involved in the wedding for one of his longtime close friends.

So the date was set for this offseason, and even after a 21-month engagement, very few details leaked out - including why the wedding was taking place in San Diego, especially since the couple still considers Akron, Ohio as home and have essentially been based in Miami for three years now.

Also unclear: If the couple would be using social media to make any statement about the wedding - James has more than 14 million fans on Facebook, and nearly 10 million followers on Twitter.

The measures to ensure privacy were hardly a surprise. In an interview with AP last spring, Brinson acknowledged that she's leery of media coverage, since she hasn't always found it to be fair or factual.

"I've heard things about me that are bad, where they've literally looked up into the sky and said, `What can they say about Savannah?,"' Brinson told AP in April. "It's going to happen."

Television stations in San Diego showed aerial images of the hotel, including large tents set up for both the reception and to shroud the arrival of guests. In some cases, umbrellas were even used to protect the identity of wedding-arrivers from prying eyes in the sky, and people who tried to gain access to the hotel just to get a better look were quickly ushered away and told only that a private event was taking place.

Even some local vendors in the San Diego area thought they had a role in the wedding - though were not themselves actually sure if that was the case. The Village Mill Bread Company - located about 3 miles from the wedding site - told Fox affiliate KSWB that someone ordered 500 loaves of Brioche from them to be delivered Saturday, but would not confirm that they were heading to the James-Brinson nuptials.

James is a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, and he will be back in Miami later this month to resume preparing for training camp. James is scheduled to address reporters when the Heat hold their annual media day on Sept. 30, and the first practice of the new season is scheduled for Oct. 1.

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Melo and The Mavs

Melo was a first-round pick by Boston last year and played six games for the Celtics. The 7-footer spent most of the season with Maine in the NBA Development League. He was traded to Memphis for Donte Green in August and waived by the Grizzlies two weeks later.

Kennedy helped Rio Grande Valley win the D-League championship last season. He played two games for Cleveland during the 2011-12 season and scored 12 points in his debut with the Cavaliers.

McConnell played in Italy last season, averaging 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists for Tezenis VE.

The Mavericks now have 17 players. Training camp starts Oct. 1.

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Happy Birthday Kobe Bryant!

Kobe Bryant turned 35 on Friday.

Bryant said recently he's unsure if he'll make it back in time for the Lakers' Oct. 29 season-opener against the Clippers -- but he believes he's ahead of the original six-to-nine month recovery timetable.

Through 17 seasons with the Lakers, starting in 1996, Bryant has won five NBA titles, one league MVP, 15 All-Star berths and two scoring titles.

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