check out https://stepoutbuffalo.com/things-to-do-this-weekend-buffalo/ for more information .
Our hearts and prayers go out to Rev. Gillison’s family and members of Mt. Olive Baptist Church, in your time of sorrow.
By: Nina Samone
From being selected in the 2020 NBA draft to winning an NBA championship title soon after, for Jordan Nwora, it all started right here in Buffalo, New York.
Now, two years after entering the NBA draft, he has returned to his hometown of Buffalo, New York to host the Jordan Nwora Foundation Elite Basketball Camp at the Burt Flickinger Athletic Center.
The first day of the Elite Basketball Camp was July 5th, and it goes through July 9th with male and female participants aged 7-18.
The camp was designed to help Buffalo youth learn basketball fundamentals and advanced skills with NBA and Collegiate level teaching.
Mayor Byron Brown kicked off the opening day ceremonies and teamed up with West Herr Automotive Group and Delaware North to provide scholarships valued at $300 per participant for 150 Buffalo youth to participate in the camp.
This is the first camp of its kind, with the hope of it becoming an annual event. The focus during the camp will be teamwork, discipline and sportsmanship.
Nwora, a 2016 Park School graduate, was drafted 45th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft and was a part of the Milwaukee Bucks 2021 NBA Finals Championship team.
On December 18th, 2021, Nwora scored 28 points for his season high against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 90-119 loss, chipping in 11 rebounds as well.
Nwora also was a New York State Federation Champion and CHSAA State Champion. He earned All-Centercourt honors back to back his junior and senior seasons and had a tremendous career with the Louisville Cardinals.
He also has played for Nigeria in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
“I’m happy to be giving back to the city where I grew up,” Nwora said. “I was in some of their shoes not too long ago, so I’m just happy to be able to have the chance to give back.”
The Jordan Nwora Foundation’s mission is to instill human values and help children recognize the opportunities provided by sports. The foundation focuses on education and healthy lifestyle choices and strives to inspire confidence, growth and development in children.
In 2021, the foundation organized camps for 700 children from seven African cities in 2021.
Donations can be made and more information found at https://www.jnworafoundation.com/.
By: Nina Samone
July 4th was a festive day for the nation, but a very special day at Sahlen Field – where local WWII veteran Roy Kinyon threw the first ceremonial pitch.
The 100-year-old veteran signed a special one-day contract with the Buffalo Bisons for the 4th of July holiday. “I always wanted to be a baseball player,” Kinyon said. “You never know, this makes up for it.”
Kinyon had the chance to play with the Bisons 80 years ago, but at the time he decided to serve our country instead – all the way back in 1942.
Shortly after being invited to tryout, Kinyon left to serve on the front lines during World War Two, but his passion for America’s favorite pastime never faded away.
After coaching his son’s baseball teams, little league teams and always wanting to play catch and share the joy of baseball, Kinyon’s son Gary wanted to repay the favor.
Kinyon’s son reached out to the Bison’s to see if they would be interested in having the veteran throw the first pitch – and they loved the idea.
Thousands spent their holiday at Sahlen Field to celebrate the holiday with baseball and fireworks as the Bisons played the Syracuse Mets – the first time in nearly three years the stands were full on July 4th.
“The feel of actually being at the stadium verses watching it on tv, there’s just a different energy,” said Jeremy Bastian, who travelled from Syracuse to watch the game. “There’s just a different energy. Different excitement to it.”
The Buffalo Bisons will take on Syracuse again July 6th.
Sources:
Minkewicz, Sarah. July 4th, 2022. WIVB 4. “100 year-old WWII vet throws the first ceremonial pitch at the Bisons game.” <https://www.wivb.com/sports/buffalo-bisons-sports/100-year-old-wwii-vet-throws-the-first-ceremonial-pitch-at-the-bisons-game/>
Person, Yoselin. July 3rd, 2022. Buffalo WKBW. “A 100-year-old veteran will soon make a strike at the Bisons game on July 4th.” <https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/a-100-year-old-veteran-will-soon-make-a-strike-at-the-bisons-game-on-july-4th>
By: Nina Samone
Another NBA season has come and gone – seemingly in the blink of an eye – but that only means it is now time for the off season and all of the excitement and potential surprises it could bring.
The NBA free agency period began on Thursday, June 30th at 6pm, and will continue through July 6th. Why is this an important time period in the NBA? Free agency is a special time during the offseason where teams may not sign free agents or make trades. Instead, they may negotiate deals or verbal agreements.
Players may not sign these deals until the end of the period, 12:01PM on July 6th according to the NBA’s website.
Any discussion or negotiations made between players and teams are not in any way binding, and either can back out of negotiations prior to the signing. So, what have we seen so far during this period? Let’s take a closer look:
REMEMBER! Not all of these events are sure to happen, and some could change at any time during this period – but these are currently the hottest negotiations.
The Boston Celtics will receive Malcolm Brogden in a trade with the Indiana Pacers.
Jusuf Nurkic agrees to 4-year $70 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls agree to a 5-year $215 million extension.
John Wall and Clippers agree to 2-year $13.2 million contract.
Zion Williamson and Pelicans agree to a major rookie-max $231 million extension.
Mitchell Robinson will re-sign with the Knicks on $60 million deal.
Hawks to trade Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings.
Ricky Rubio and Cavaliers agree to a 3-year $18 million deal.
Karl-Anthony Towns has agreed to $214 supermax deal with Timberwolves.
Ja Morant has agreed to a 5-year max rookie extension worth up to $231 million with Grizzlies.
The Phoenix Suns will sign Devin Booker for a 4-year $224 million supermax extension.
Center Kevon Looney agrees to a 3-year $25.5 million deal with the Golden State Warriors.
Drew Eubanks has agreed to a one-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Guard Aaron Holiday and the Atlanta Hawks agree to one-year deal.
Bruce Brown of the Brooklyn Nets has agreed to a two-year $13 million deal with the Denver Nuggets.
Sources:
NBA. July 2022. NBA. “NBA Offseason 2022: July 1 roundup.” <https://www.nba.com/news/nba-offseason-2022-july-1>
By: Nina Samone
According to ESPN Stats & Information Research, on Wednesday, June 29th, Sue Bird became the winningest player in WNBA history after the Seattle Storm defeated the Las Vegas Aces in a thrilling 88-78 win.
The win over the Aces marked Bird’s 324th career victory, surpassing retired point guard Lindsey Whalen’s 323 career victories. Both Bird and Whalen are currently the only WNBA players to ever surpass 300 career wins.
“That’s amazing,” said Noelle Quinn, Storm coach and former teammate of Bird. “She’s the GOAT, an amazing player with a long career and deserving of every single record she’s about to break because she’s played 20-something years.”
The iconic milestone comes shortly after Bird announced her retirement and that this season would be her last in the WNBA.
It also adds to her already impressive WNBA resume – she is arguably one of the most decorated WNBA players in history. Currently Bird is the all-time leader in career assists (3,132), a 13-time All-Star, 8-time All-WNBA and has won four WNBA titles.
On top of her WNBA success, she is a five-time Olympic Gold medalist and five-time EuroLeague title winner.
Bird was drafted No.1 overall back in 2002 and has helped lead the Storm to 14 winning seasons and 17 playoff appearances.
Sources:
Pelton, Kevin. June 2022. ESPN. “Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird becomes winningest player in WNBA history with 324th career victory.” <https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/34170845/seattle-storm-sue-bird-becomes-winningest-player-wnba-history-324th-career-victory>
Wells, Adam. June 30th, 2022. Bleacher Report. <Storm’s Sue Bird Becomes Winningest Player in WNBA History with 324th Career Victory.” <https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10040476-storms-sue-bird-becomes-winningest-player-in-wnba-history-with-324th-career-victory>
