Sports & Business - Lakers Phil Jackson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Derek Fisher Participate in ''Basketball 101''- - January 2008

Laker coach Phil Jackson

Fourth Annual ''Basketball 101'' at Staples Center Features Spectacular Array of Participants; Phil Jackson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Derek Fisher, Many Others Slated to Participate

Saturday January 12, 2008

LOS ANGELES, California USA --(BUSINESS WIRE)

“Basketball 101,”

The LA Sports & Entertainment Commission’s (LASEC) highly successful “Basketball 101” returns for the fourth annual event on Wednesday, January 16 from 5:00-9:30 PM at STAPLES Center. This year’s roster of participants features a star-studded list of basketball experts that should make this year’s event the best yet. The theme of the ’08 version of “Basketball 101” is “Defense is Key.”

Headlining the list of “basketball professors” at this year’s event is Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson, who has coached his teams to a total of nine NBA championships. Also participating will be NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, an NBA Hall of Famer who retired as the league’s all-time leading scorer with an incredible 38,387. Jackson and Abdul-Jabbar will be joined by Lakers guards Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar, Lakers assistant coaches (and former NBA stars) Kurt Rambis and Brian Shaw, Los Angeles Sparks Head Coach and former Lakers star Michael Cooper, Lakers Basketball Consultant (and inventor of the famed “triangle offense”) Tex Winter and retired NBA referee Hue Hollins. Lakers Executive Vice President Jeanie Buss will participate in a panel discussion with all of the aforementioned speakers following the on-court demonstration and instruction. The event will be emceed by popular FOX Sports Net personality Bill Macdonald.

“Basketball 101,” an officially-sanctioned NBA event, invites business, sports and entertainment professionals to brush up on the fundamentals and knowledge of basketball with a night of coaching from the experts.

“While most people enjoy watching the Lakers and NBA basketball, few have had the opportunity to get up close and see the subtle strategies in building a winning NBA team,” said Buss. “This will be a great opportunity for guests to get a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look with coaching from some of the top people in NBA basketball and hear first hand about the business of winning in the NBA. I think anyone who attends will walk away feeling like they had a real insider’s look at this game.”

Several levels of participation are available. Presenting ($30,000), Slam Dunk ($12,500) and Free Throw ($5,000) sponsorships offer a variety of benefits. Additionally, a few individual tickets are available at $550 each.

Confirmed sponsors to date include American Express, Bank of America, Chadwick Saylor & Co. Inc., Colliers International Inc., Covington Capital Management, Delta Air Lines, DLA Piper US LLP, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, First American Title Insurance Co., FSN WEST & FSN PRIME TICKET, IDS Real Estate Group, Integrated Transportation Services, Inc. (ITS), LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau, Longo Toyota/Scion/Lexus and Penske Motor Group, Majestic Realty Co., Pacific Palms Resort, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Sidley Austin LLP, Sport Chalet, Sprint, Ticketmaster, Young’s Market Company.

The evening’s activities include the following:

* Free-throw practice on the Lakers’ court at STAPLES Center and tour of the locker rooms

* Cocktail reception, buffet dinner and gift bags

* Basketball 101 program on the court and panel discussion.

This is the fourth Basketball 101 event and follows on the heels of the highly successful NFL 101 and 201 event, also created by LASEC.

“This event will create new basketball fans, and if you understand the game better, you’ll enjoy it more,” added Kathy Schloessman, LASEC president. Proceeds from the event will be split between the Lakers Youth Foundation and LASEC. LASEC is the official organization for the City of Los Angeles to seek, host, promote and retain major sporting and entertainment events that positively impact the local economy by attracting visitors to the city, giving them a reason to stay longer and return more frequently. LASEC is a private, nonprofit organization and an affiliate of LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.

(BUSINESS WIRE)

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