I know it’s the new norm but I hate this stuff.
Tom Withers
AP source confirms Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena to be renamed Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2837sounds pretty dopey but I guess QuickenLoans does too. the sounded good. What's the shortname for this product placement?
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2838Since Cleveland is the birthplace to Rock n Roll and home to the Rock n Roll Museum, I am of the mind I will now refer to the home of the Cavaliers as “The Rock”.
And upon this Rock we will build a team. A team that everyone can testify to as being a savior of crappy basketball in Cleveland.
Ok, maybe too much. But The Rock has a ring to it, and nobody talks about Alcatraz any more.
And upon this Rock we will build a team. A team that everyone can testify to as being a savior of crappy basketball in Cleveland.
Ok, maybe too much. But The Rock has a ring to it, and nobody talks about Alcatraz any more.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2840After my post I saw some people on social media referring to it as "The Rocket".
There is another team named the Rockets though. And that name might make one think the building is shaped like a tall skinny building. I dunno, I personally just don't like it as much. I'll do my thing.
I still refer to the Indians home as The Jake, so yeah, I'm weird that way.
There is another team named the Rockets though. And that name might make one think the building is shaped like a tall skinny building. I dunno, I personally just don't like it as much. I'll do my thing.
I still refer to the Indians home as The Jake, so yeah, I'm weird that way.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2842NBA held the tie breaking coin flips today. Cavaliers won theirs with Phoenix.
It doesn’t change their chance at the #1 pick. The bottom 3 teams will still have a 14% chance. Which includes both Suns and Cavs. But the #2 worst team, which is us now, is guaranteed to not pick any lower than 6th. The 3rd team, Phoenix now, can pick as low as 7.
It doesn’t change their chance at the #1 pick. The bottom 3 teams will still have a 14% chance. Which includes both Suns and Cavs. But the #2 worst team, which is us now, is guaranteed to not pick any lower than 6th. The 3rd team, Phoenix now, can pick as low as 7.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2844Cleveland Cavaliers win tiebreaker with Phoenix, will enter NBA Draft Lottery in second spot
Updated Apr 12, 5:19 PM; Posted Apr 12, 5:12 PM
By Chris Fedor, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed their first major victory of the offseason.
With chairman Dan Gilbert watching in New York, the Cavs, who finished 19-63 during the first year without LeBron James, won the tiebreaker -- a blind draw -- with the Phoenix Suns. This win catapults them into the No. 2 spot heading into the NBA Draft Lottery on May 14. Where they pick in the draft will be officially determined that night.
No matter what happened with the blind drawing, the Cavs were going to have equal odds with Phoenix and New York of winning the lottery. They have a 14 percent chance of that. But the drawing ensures Cleveland won’t pick any lower than No. 6 -- a big development considering how this draft class is viewed.
Dan Gilbert
✔
@cavsdan
· 3h
As the season and NBA Owners meetings come to a close, we come closer to the NBA draft. Our 1st round pick by way of Houston lost the tie breaker for the 25th spot and fell to the 26th pick in this years draft. The most important one is still to come...
Dan Gilbert
✔
@cavsdan
Hey @cavs fans, the lottery Gods have moved us over the big first hurdle as we just won the tie-breaker with Phoenix and are now officially slotted #2 for the NBA Lottery on May 14th, a mere 32 days from now. Let’s Go!
1,324
5:12 PM - Apr 12, 2019
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296 people are talking about this
This victory offsets Cleveland’s earlier loss, dropping from 25th to 26th in the first round, losing a tiebreaker with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Cavs get that 26th-overall pick from Houston as a result of the three-team trade ahead of the deadline involving Alec Burks, Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss.
View Comments (12)
Updated Apr 12, 5:19 PM; Posted Apr 12, 5:12 PM
By Chris Fedor, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed their first major victory of the offseason.
With chairman Dan Gilbert watching in New York, the Cavs, who finished 19-63 during the first year without LeBron James, won the tiebreaker -- a blind draw -- with the Phoenix Suns. This win catapults them into the No. 2 spot heading into the NBA Draft Lottery on May 14. Where they pick in the draft will be officially determined that night.
No matter what happened with the blind drawing, the Cavs were going to have equal odds with Phoenix and New York of winning the lottery. They have a 14 percent chance of that. But the drawing ensures Cleveland won’t pick any lower than No. 6 -- a big development considering how this draft class is viewed.
Dan Gilbert
✔
@cavsdan
· 3h
As the season and NBA Owners meetings come to a close, we come closer to the NBA draft. Our 1st round pick by way of Houston lost the tie breaker for the 25th spot and fell to the 26th pick in this years draft. The most important one is still to come...
Dan Gilbert
✔
@cavsdan
Hey @cavs fans, the lottery Gods have moved us over the big first hurdle as we just won the tie-breaker with Phoenix and are now officially slotted #2 for the NBA Lottery on May 14th, a mere 32 days from now. Let’s Go!
1,324
5:12 PM - Apr 12, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
296 people are talking about this
This victory offsets Cleveland’s earlier loss, dropping from 25th to 26th in the first round, losing a tiebreaker with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Cavs get that 26th-overall pick from Houston as a result of the three-team trade ahead of the deadline involving Alec Burks, Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss.
View Comments (12)
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2845
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2846LeBron James Opened a School That Was Considered an Experiment. It’s Showing Promise.
The inaugural class of third and fourth graders at the school has posted extraordinary results on its first set of test scores.
The I Promise School, a public school supported by the LeBron James Family Foundation, opened last year in Akron, Ohio.CreditCreditMaddie McGarvey for The New York Times
AKRON, Ohio — The students paraded through hugs and high-fives from staff, who danced as Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” blared through the hallways. They were showered with compliments as they walked through a buffet of breakfast foods.
The scene might be expected on a special occasion at any other public school. At LeBron James’s I Promise School, it was just Monday.
Every day, they are celebrated for walking through the door. This time last year, the students at the school — Mr. James’s biggest foray into educational philanthropy — were identified as the worst performers in the Akron public schools and branded with behavioral problems. Some as young as 8 were considered at risk of not graduating.
Now, they are helping close the achievement gap in Akron.
Students at I Promise lining up for a free breakfast.
Students at I Promise lining up for a free breakfast.CreditMaddie McGarvey for The New York Times
The academic results are early, and at 240, the sample size of students is small, but the inaugural classes of third and fourth graders at I Promise posted extraordinary results in their first set of district assessments. Ninety percent met or exceeded individual growth goals in reading and math, outpacing their peers across the district.
“These kids are doing an unbelievable job, better than we all expected,” Mr. James said in a telephone interview hours before a game in Los Angeles for the Lakers. “When we first started, people knew I was opening a school for kids. Now people are going to really understand the lack of education they had before they came to our school. People are going to finally understand what goes on behind our doors.”
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Unlike other schools connected to celebrities, I Promise is not a charter school run by a private operator but a public school operated by the district. Its population is 60 percent black, 15 percent English-language learners and 29 percent special education students. Three-quarters of its families meet the low-income threshold to receive help from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The school’s $2 million budget is funded by the district, roughly the same amount per pupil that it spends in other schools. But Mr. James’s foundation has provided about $600,000 in financial support for additional teaching staff to help reduce class sizes, and an additional hour of after-school programming and tutors.
The school is unusual in the resources and attention it devotes to parents, which educators consider a key to its success. Mr. James’s foundation covers the cost of all expenses in the school’s family resource center, which provides parents with G.E.D. preparation, work advice, health and legal services, and even a quarterly barbershop.
The school opened with some skepticism — not only for its high-profile founder, considered by some to be the best basketball player ever, but also for an academic model aimed at students who by many accounts were considered irredeemable.
“We are reigniting dreams that were extinguished — already in third and fourth grade,” said Brandi Davis, the school’s principal. “We want to change the face of urban education.”
Angela Whorton, an intervention specialist, hugging Ibn al-Qaadir. The school aims to help children in academics as well as social life.
Angela Whorton, an intervention specialist, hugging Ibn al-Qaadir. The school aims to help children in academics as well as social life. CreditMaddie McGarvey for The New York Times
The students’ scores reflect their performance on the Measures of Academic Progress assessment, a nationally recognized test administered by NWEA, an evaluation association. In reading, where both classes had scored in the lowest, or first, percentile, third graders moved to the ninth percentile, and fourth graders to the 16th. In math, third graders jumped from the lowest percentile to the 18th, while fourth graders moved from the second percentile to the 30th.
The 90 percent of I Promise students who met their goals exceeded the 70 percent of students districtwide, and scored in the 99th growth percentile of the evaluation association’s school norms, which the district said showed that students’ test scores increased at a higher rate than 99 out of 100 schools nationally.
The students have a long way to go to even join the middle of the pack. And time will tell whether the gains are sustainable and how they stack up against rigorous state standardized tests at the end of the year. To some extent, the excitement surrounding the students’ progress illustrates a somber reality in urban education, where big hopes hinge on small victories.
“It’s encouraging to see growth, but by no means are we out of the woods,” said Keith Liechty, a coordinator in the Akron public school system’s Office of School Improvement. The school district, where achievement and graduation rates have received failing marks on state report cards, has been trying to turn around its worst-performing schools for years. “The goal is for these students to be at grade level, and we’re not there yet. This just tells us we’re going in the right direction,” he added.
But Mr. Liechty, who has been with the district for 20 years, said that the students’ leaps would not be expected in an entire school year, let alone half of one. “For the average student,” he said, “your percentile doesn’t move that much unless something extraordinary is happening.”
Although LeBron James has been to I Promise only twice since this school year started, his presence is ubiquitous.
On a tour of the school on Monday, Michele Campbell, the executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation, pointed out what she called I Promise’s “secret sauce.” In one room, staff members were busy organizing a room filled with bins of clothing and shelves of peanut butter, jelly and Cheerios. At any time, parents can grab a shopping bin and take what they need.
Down the hallway, parents honed their math skills for their coming G.E.D. exams as their students learned upstairs.
Dr. Campbell arrived to a classroom where a student and teacher were facing off.
“You’re being too aggressive!” the student snapped at Angel Whorton, an intervention specialist.
There was a pause, and the two burst into giggles, breaking character in a role-playing assignment.
“Good; that’s how I need you to use your words,” Ms. Whorton said to the boy, who is awaiting a disciplinary hearing.
Dr. Campbell smiled, “There’s magic happening in that room.”
Wallace Watson resting on Ms. Whorton during a meditation exercise.
I Promise students were among those identified by the district as performing in the 10th to 25th percentile on their second-grade assessments. They were then admitted through a lottery.
“These were the children where you went and talked with their old teachers, and they said, ‘This will never work,’” Dr. Campbell said. “We said give them to us.”
They are called the “Chosen Ones,” an ode to the headline that donned Mr. James’s first Sports Illustrated cover when he was a junior in high school, and which he later had tattooed across his shoulder blades.
I Promise students were among those identified by the district as performing in the 10th to 25th percentile on their second-grade assessments.CreditMaddie McGarvey for The New York Times
According to standardized tests, students at I Promise have vastly improved from their scores the previous year in Akron public schools.
Students here are aware that they are part of something special. “We get to have fun, and have opportunities that other kids don’t have,” said Kamari Dennis, a fourth grader.
The school is an extension of Mr. James’s work in his hometown, Akron, where his family’s foundation has been active for seven years. The I Promise program supports about 1,100 other students in third through 10th grade across the Akron public school district, with mentoring, college and career preparation and other resources estimated at $2.6 million for this school year. All of the students in the program and the school who meet certain academic criteria will receive a full college scholarship to the University of Akron.
But the I Promise School was a recognition that the foundation’s community services were not enough. They needed to reach students earlier. They secured an old district office building that served as a holding place for schools in transition, poured in $2 million and counting for improvements and reopened it in seven weeks. The school opened in July 2018 and is expected to serve 720 students in third through eighth grade by 2022.
The foundation’s support affords I Promise more resources than the average school, but Ms. Davis, a veteran principal in the district, said the school values things that no money could buy.
“It doesn’t take money to build relationships,” she said. “It doesn’t take money for you to teach students how to love.”
A food pantry inside the school. At any time, parents can grab a shopping bin and take what they need.
A food pantry inside the school. At any time, parents can grab a shopping bin and take what they need.CreditMaddie McGarvey for The New York Times
The school negotiated with the Akron Education Association for an extra hour a day and an extended year to put into place programs intended to address students’ social and emotional needs.
Pat Shipe, the president of the association, said the union was proud of the collaboration and “cautiously optimistic” about its outcomes.
“While this school is in its infancy, we look forward to an extended review of the many indicators, which will confirm any growth, understanding that one or two tests do not tell the whole story,” she said.
On a recent morning, students spent the first hour getting ready for the day in a gathering that is called an “I Promise Circle.” By the end of the circle, a girl who was upset about a run-in with her bus driver and another girl who had dozed off were squealing happily at the end of the game Down by the Banks.
I Promise’s $2 million budget is funded by the district, roughly the same amount per pupil that it spends in other schools.
The school negotiated for an extra hour a day and an extended year to carry out programs meant to address students’ social and emotional needs.
“Everything is strategic to transform the way our day goes,” said Nicole Hassan, a liaison from Akron Public Schools who oversees I Promise’s trauma-informed curriculum.
The school’s culture is built on “Habits of Promise” — perseverance, perpetual learning, problem solving, partnering and perspective — that every student commits to memory. The slogan “We Are Family” is emblazoned on walls and T-shirts.
Nickole Wyatt, whose son Ti’Jay Wyatt is in fourth grade, said she had felt unsupported ever since she became a teenage mother. “It took me coming here to realize what family even is,” she said.
Ms. Wyatt, who is taking classes at the school to get her high school equivalency diploma, said I Promise saved not only her son’s education but her own life.
“I was skeptical even of my own life, wondering, ‘Am I even worth fighting for?’” she said. “When I come here every day, I know it’s going to be O.K.”
Vikki McGee, who runs the school’s family resource center, said the center’s existence conveyed that the school was about something much bigger than a basketball star: “This is about fighting for generations.”
Mr. James has visited twice since the school year started, but he is everywhere — on murals, on wallpaper, on video messages. He comes up often when students reflect on their educational experience.
The school’s culture is built on “Habits of Promise” — perseverance, perpetual learning, problem solving, partnering and perspective — that every student commits to memory.
The school’s culture is built on “Habits of Promise” — perseverance, perpetual learning, problem solving, partnering and perspective — that every student commits to memory.CreditMaddie McGarvey for The New York Times
“One time, LeBron wrote us a letter, and I knew it was real because I saw the paper was signed in pen,” said Vikyah Powe, a fourth grader. “That encouraged me.”
While Mr. James called the school “the coolest thing that I’ve done in my life thus far,” he said he could take credit for only a small part of what was happening.
“I had the vision of wanting to give back to my community. The people around every day are helping that vision come to life,” he said. “Half the battle is trying to engage them and show that there’s always going to be somebody looking out for them.”
Lining the walls of the school’s vast lobby are 114 shoes, including those worn during the 2016 season when Mr. James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the N.B.A. championship, a reminder that he once walked a path similar to these students. Mr. James was also considered at risk; in fourth grade, he missed 83 days of school.
Nataylia Henry, a fourth grader, missed more than 50 days of school last year because she said she would rather sleep than face bullies at school. This year, her overall attendance rate is 80 percent.
“LeBron made this school,” she said. “It’s an important school. It means that you can always depend on someone.”
Nataylia Henry, a fourth grader at I Promise, missed more than 50 days of school last year.
Erica L. Green is a correspondent in Washington covering education and education policy. Before joining The Times, she wrote about education for The Baltimore Sun.
The inaugural class of third and fourth graders at the school has posted extraordinary results on its first set of test scores.
The I Promise School, a public school supported by the LeBron James Family Foundation, opened last year in Akron, Ohio.CreditCreditMaddie McGarvey for The New York Times
The scene might be expected on a special occasion at any other public school. At LeBron James’s I Promise School, it was just Monday.
Every day, they are celebrated for walking through the door. This time last year, the students at the school — Mr. James’s biggest foray into educational philanthropy — were identified as the worst performers in the Akron public schools and branded with behavioral problems. Some as young as 8 were considered at risk of not graduating.
Now, they are helping close the achievement gap in Akron.
Students at I Promise lining up for a free breakfast.
The academic results are early, and at 240, the sample size of students is small, but the inaugural classes of third and fourth graders at I Promise posted extraordinary results in their first set of district assessments. Ninety percent met or exceeded individual growth goals in reading and math, outpacing their peers across the district.
“These kids are doing an unbelievable job, better than we all expected,” Mr. James said in a telephone interview hours before a game in Los Angeles for the Lakers. “When we first started, people knew I was opening a school for kids. Now people are going to really understand the lack of education they had before they came to our school. People are going to finally understand what goes on behind our doors.”
You have 4 free articles remaining.
Subscribe to The Times
Unlike other schools connected to celebrities, I Promise is not a charter school run by a private operator but a public school operated by the district. Its population is 60 percent black, 15 percent English-language learners and 29 percent special education students. Three-quarters of its families meet the low-income threshold to receive help from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The school’s $2 million budget is funded by the district, roughly the same amount per pupil that it spends in other schools. But Mr. James’s foundation has provided about $600,000 in financial support for additional teaching staff to help reduce class sizes, and an additional hour of after-school programming and tutors.
The school is unusual in the resources and attention it devotes to parents, which educators consider a key to its success. Mr. James’s foundation covers the cost of all expenses in the school’s family resource center, which provides parents with G.E.D. preparation, work advice, health and legal services, and even a quarterly barbershop.
The school opened with some skepticism — not only for its high-profile founder, considered by some to be the best basketball player ever, but also for an academic model aimed at students who by many accounts were considered irredeemable.
“We are reigniting dreams that were extinguished — already in third and fourth grade,” said Brandi Davis, the school’s principal. “We want to change the face of urban education.”
Angela Whorton, an intervention specialist, hugging Ibn al-Qaadir. The school aims to help children in academics as well as social life.
The students’ scores reflect their performance on the Measures of Academic Progress assessment, a nationally recognized test administered by NWEA, an evaluation association. In reading, where both classes had scored in the lowest, or first, percentile, third graders moved to the ninth percentile, and fourth graders to the 16th. In math, third graders jumped from the lowest percentile to the 18th, while fourth graders moved from the second percentile to the 30th.
The 90 percent of I Promise students who met their goals exceeded the 70 percent of students districtwide, and scored in the 99th growth percentile of the evaluation association’s school norms, which the district said showed that students’ test scores increased at a higher rate than 99 out of 100 schools nationally.
The students have a long way to go to even join the middle of the pack. And time will tell whether the gains are sustainable and how they stack up against rigorous state standardized tests at the end of the year. To some extent, the excitement surrounding the students’ progress illustrates a somber reality in urban education, where big hopes hinge on small victories.
“It’s encouraging to see growth, but by no means are we out of the woods,” said Keith Liechty, a coordinator in the Akron public school system’s Office of School Improvement. The school district, where achievement and graduation rates have received failing marks on state report cards, has been trying to turn around its worst-performing schools for years. “The goal is for these students to be at grade level, and we’re not there yet. This just tells us we’re going in the right direction,” he added.
But Mr. Liechty, who has been with the district for 20 years, said that the students’ leaps would not be expected in an entire school year, let alone half of one. “For the average student,” he said, “your percentile doesn’t move that much unless something extraordinary is happening.”
On a tour of the school on Monday, Michele Campbell, the executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation, pointed out what she called I Promise’s “secret sauce.” In one room, staff members were busy organizing a room filled with bins of clothing and shelves of peanut butter, jelly and Cheerios. At any time, parents can grab a shopping bin and take what they need.
Down the hallway, parents honed their math skills for their coming G.E.D. exams as their students learned upstairs.
Dr. Campbell arrived to a classroom where a student and teacher were facing off.
“You’re being too aggressive!” the student snapped at Angel Whorton, an intervention specialist.
There was a pause, and the two burst into giggles, breaking character in a role-playing assignment.
“Good; that’s how I need you to use your words,” Ms. Whorton said to the boy, who is awaiting a disciplinary hearing.
Dr. Campbell smiled, “There’s magic happening in that room.”
Wallace Watson resting on Ms. Whorton during a meditation exercise.
“These were the children where you went and talked with their old teachers, and they said, ‘This will never work,’” Dr. Campbell said. “We said give them to us.”
They are called the “Chosen Ones,” an ode to the headline that donned Mr. James’s first Sports Illustrated cover when he was a junior in high school, and which he later had tattooed across his shoulder blades.
According to standardized tests, students at I Promise have vastly improved from their scores the previous year in Akron public schools.
Students here are aware that they are part of something special. “We get to have fun, and have opportunities that other kids don’t have,” said Kamari Dennis, a fourth grader.
The school is an extension of Mr. James’s work in his hometown, Akron, where his family’s foundation has been active for seven years. The I Promise program supports about 1,100 other students in third through 10th grade across the Akron public school district, with mentoring, college and career preparation and other resources estimated at $2.6 million for this school year. All of the students in the program and the school who meet certain academic criteria will receive a full college scholarship to the University of Akron.
But the I Promise School was a recognition that the foundation’s community services were not enough. They needed to reach students earlier. They secured an old district office building that served as a holding place for schools in transition, poured in $2 million and counting for improvements and reopened it in seven weeks. The school opened in July 2018 and is expected to serve 720 students in third through eighth grade by 2022.
The foundation’s support affords I Promise more resources than the average school, but Ms. Davis, a veteran principal in the district, said the school values things that no money could buy.
“It doesn’t take money to build relationships,” she said. “It doesn’t take money for you to teach students how to love.”
A food pantry inside the school. At any time, parents can grab a shopping bin and take what they need.
The school negotiated with the Akron Education Association for an extra hour a day and an extended year to put into place programs intended to address students’ social and emotional needs.
Pat Shipe, the president of the association, said the union was proud of the collaboration and “cautiously optimistic” about its outcomes.
“While this school is in its infancy, we look forward to an extended review of the many indicators, which will confirm any growth, understanding that one or two tests do not tell the whole story,” she said.
On a recent morning, students spent the first hour getting ready for the day in a gathering that is called an “I Promise Circle.” By the end of the circle, a girl who was upset about a run-in with her bus driver and another girl who had dozed off were squealing happily at the end of the game Down by the Banks.
The school negotiated for an extra hour a day and an extended year to carry out programs meant to address students’ social and emotional needs.
“Everything is strategic to transform the way our day goes,” said Nicole Hassan, a liaison from Akron Public Schools who oversees I Promise’s trauma-informed curriculum.
The school’s culture is built on “Habits of Promise” — perseverance, perpetual learning, problem solving, partnering and perspective — that every student commits to memory. The slogan “We Are Family” is emblazoned on walls and T-shirts.
Nickole Wyatt, whose son Ti’Jay Wyatt is in fourth grade, said she had felt unsupported ever since she became a teenage mother. “It took me coming here to realize what family even is,” she said.
Ms. Wyatt, who is taking classes at the school to get her high school equivalency diploma, said I Promise saved not only her son’s education but her own life.
“I was skeptical even of my own life, wondering, ‘Am I even worth fighting for?’” she said. “When I come here every day, I know it’s going to be O.K.”
Vikki McGee, who runs the school’s family resource center, said the center’s existence conveyed that the school was about something much bigger than a basketball star: “This is about fighting for generations.”
Mr. James has visited twice since the school year started, but he is everywhere — on murals, on wallpaper, on video messages. He comes up often when students reflect on their educational experience.
The school’s culture is built on “Habits of Promise” — perseverance, perpetual learning, problem solving, partnering and perspective — that every student commits to memory.
“One time, LeBron wrote us a letter, and I knew it was real because I saw the paper was signed in pen,” said Vikyah Powe, a fourth grader. “That encouraged me.”
While Mr. James called the school “the coolest thing that I’ve done in my life thus far,” he said he could take credit for only a small part of what was happening.
“I had the vision of wanting to give back to my community. The people around every day are helping that vision come to life,” he said. “Half the battle is trying to engage them and show that there’s always going to be somebody looking out for them.”
Lining the walls of the school’s vast lobby are 114 shoes, including those worn during the 2016 season when Mr. James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the N.B.A. championship, a reminder that he once walked a path similar to these students. Mr. James was also considered at risk; in fourth grade, he missed 83 days of school.
Nataylia Henry, a fourth grader, missed more than 50 days of school last year because she said she would rather sleep than face bullies at school. This year, her overall attendance rate is 80 percent.
“LeBron made this school,” she said. “It’s an important school. It means that you can always depend on someone.”
Nataylia Henry, a fourth grader at I Promise, missed more than 50 days of school last year.
Erica L. Green is a correspondent in Washington covering education and education policy. Before joining The Times, she wrote about education for The Baltimore Sun.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2847As a retired teacher, this was impressive to me. They did not "cherry pick" kids here, far from it.
Lebron's money helped reduce class size, provide extra support, even have programs for PARENTS - and God knows that's sorely needed with kids like this.
He obviously got some good advice and put his money where they said it would be most effective. Kudos.
It shows what can be done with some financial commitment.
Lebron's money helped reduce class size, provide extra support, even have programs for PARENTS - and God knows that's sorely needed with kids like this.
He obviously got some good advice and put his money where they said it would be most effective. Kudos.
It shows what can be done with some financial commitment.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2849Go Griff! I will be a closet Pels fan next season rusty!
David Griffin Believes Anthony Davis Could Stay with Pelicans Amid Trade Rumors
Even though Anthony Davis appeared to be checked out as the 2018-19 season came to a close, the New Orleans Pelicans aren't shutting the door on bringing their All-Star center back.
During his introductory press conference Wednesday, David Griffin, New Orleans' new executive vice president of basketball operations, expressed optimism about Davis remaining with the team after talking to Davis' agent, Rich Paul.
"We have a long successful history with Klutch Sports," Griffin told reporters. "Rich Paul and I have spoke about Anthony. We are both excited about what we could potentially build here. ... Rich Paul and I were part of succeeding. They will understand when I say this, 'You are either all the way or all the way out.'"
Per Andrew Lopez of the Times-Picayune, Griffin has set up a time soon to speak with Davis directly.
Davis' choice of attire to the Pelicans' season finale against the Golden State Warriors led to speculation that he was saying a tongue-in-cheek farewell to the organization:
✔
@SInow
Anthony Davis is wearing a shirt reading "That's All Folks!" to the arena in what is likely his last game with the Pelicans
The T-shirt came after Davis and the Pelicans struggled to navigate their relationship down the stretch in the wake of his trade request in January. He averaged 22 minutes per contest in 15 games after the All-Star break and didn't play after a March 24 loss against the Houston Rockets.
Davis has one more guaranteed season on his contract for $27.093 million, per Spotrac.
Griffin is in charge of rebuilding New Orleans' roster. He previously served as general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014-17. The 45-year-old negotiated the deal with Paul that brought LeBron James back to the Cavs.
The Pelicans have won one postseason series in two playoff appearances in Davis' seven NBA seasons. Their 33-49 record in 2018-19 was tied with the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies for worst in the Southwest
David Griffin Believes Anthony Davis Could Stay with Pelicans Amid Trade Rumors
Even though Anthony Davis appeared to be checked out as the 2018-19 season came to a close, the New Orleans Pelicans aren't shutting the door on bringing their All-Star center back.
During his introductory press conference Wednesday, David Griffin, New Orleans' new executive vice president of basketball operations, expressed optimism about Davis remaining with the team after talking to Davis' agent, Rich Paul.
"We have a long successful history with Klutch Sports," Griffin told reporters. "Rich Paul and I have spoke about Anthony. We are both excited about what we could potentially build here. ... Rich Paul and I were part of succeeding. They will understand when I say this, 'You are either all the way or all the way out.'"
Per Andrew Lopez of the Times-Picayune, Griffin has set up a time soon to speak with Davis directly.
Davis' choice of attire to the Pelicans' season finale against the Golden State Warriors led to speculation that he was saying a tongue-in-cheek farewell to the organization:
✔
@SInow
Anthony Davis is wearing a shirt reading "That's All Folks!" to the arena in what is likely his last game with the Pelicans
The T-shirt came after Davis and the Pelicans struggled to navigate their relationship down the stretch in the wake of his trade request in January. He averaged 22 minutes per contest in 15 games after the All-Star break and didn't play after a March 24 loss against the Houston Rockets.
Davis has one more guaranteed season on his contract for $27.093 million, per Spotrac.
Griffin is in charge of rebuilding New Orleans' roster. He previously served as general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2014-17. The 45-year-old negotiated the deal with Paul that brought LeBron James back to the Cavs.
The Pelicans have won one postseason series in two playoff appearances in Davis' seven NBA seasons. Their 33-49 record in 2018-19 was tied with the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies for worst in the Southwest
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
2850Cleveland Cavaliers: Talkin’ coaching candidates and Ja Morant vs. RJ Barrett – Terry Pluto
Today 5:00 AM
By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
ABOUT THE DRAFT
1. It would be great if the Cavaliers win the draft lottery . . . again. They did so in 2011 (a Clippers pick), 2013 and 2014. But suppose they don’t, meaning Duke forward Zion Williamson plays elsewhere next season.
2. Let’s suppose the Cavs end up with the No. 2 pick. Most experts believe Duke forward RJ Barrett is the No. 2 player in the draft. But is that true? I’m not quite sold on this opinion. Part of me can make a strong case for Murray State guard Ja Morant over Barrett, even for a team such as the Cavs who already have a young, small guard in place.
3. Let’s look at Barrett. He was the No. 1 high school player in 2018, not Williamson. The 6-foot-7 Barrett averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He’s only 18 years old. He’s a legitimate 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds. That size is ideal for the NBA, especially because he’ll add more strength as he matures.
4. But there are reasons to believe Barrett has a lot of work to do when it comes to shooting the ball. Overall, he was a respectable .454 from the field. But a lot of those baskets came in transition, using his athleticism to score on fast breaks.
5. Barrett shot on .308 from 3-point range and .665 at the foul line. Projected top pick Williamson has question marks looming over his outside shooting, but he was .338 on 3-pointers -- better than teammate Barrett. Williamson shot .640 from the foul line. Both guys need work on shooting.
6. Williamson is such a dominating physical specimen, wildly athletic at 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds. He did have a knee injury. He has to make sure he doesn’t develop a weight problem. But this is a dynamic player. No one in the draft compares to him.
7. But suppose the Cavs draft second. Should they simply take Barrett because that is the “safe pick” at that spot? I’d challenge them to take a hard look at Morant, a 6-foot-3 sophomore. He’s another physically gifted marvel. Despite all the highlight dunks and the 24.5 scoring average, he also delivered 10 assists per game.
8. Can the Cavs play Morant and the 6-foot-2 Collin Sexton in the backcourt together? In terms of skills, they are an excellent match. Sexton is a pure scorer (averaging 21 points after the All-Star break). Through hard work, he transformed himself into a 41 percent shooter from 3-point range. But he is not a natural passer.
9. Morant played against lesser competition than Barrett did at Duke. But He had 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds (shooting 5-of-9 from the field) as his team dumped Marquette 83-64 in the first round of the NCAA Touranament. In that game, Morant controlled the offense and didn’t worry about scoring.
10. Morant shot 50 percent from the field. He was .363 on 3-pointers, .813 at the foul line. The free throw percentage is an indication he can improve as an outside shooter. In college, Sexton shot .336 from 3-point range, .778 at the foul line. Sexton is a relentless worker, taking 200-500 extra shots after some practices. That’s why his shooting improved.
11. I’m romanced by the idea of Morant on the Cavs because of his passing. His eye-popping speed could combine with Sexton to give the Cavs the high-tempo game they want to play. Defensively...it’s a big concern. But don’t dismiss Morant simply because they have Sexton.
ABOUT THE COACHING SEARCH
1. The day after Coach Larry Drew and the Cavaliers “parted ways,” I wrote that I expected Nate Tibbetts to interview with Cleveland. For the last few years, I had been hearing the Cavs like Tibbetts, who was the head coach of their Canton Charge D-League (Now G-League) franchise.
2. ESPN and other media outlets recently reported the Cavs have received permission to interview Tibbetts, who has been an assistant coach with Portland since 2014. He had that same position with the Cavs from 2011-14.
3. Here’s the point: Tibbetts is more than another young and seemingly faceless NBA assistant. He was a head coach for four years in the D-League, and that’s important. So many NBA assistants become head coaches in the league when they have never been a head coach at any level. The NBA should not only use the G-League to develop players, but also coaches.
4. Nick Nurse has the Toronto Raptors in the second-round of the playoffs. He had been a Toronto assistant coach for the previous five years before taking over as head coach this season. But most of his career had been in the NBA’s minors -- the D/G League.
5. David Joerger was recently fired by Sacramento after he led the Kings to their best record in 13 years. It seems Sacramento GM Vlade Divac wanted to hire Luke Walton, who left the Lakers. Joerger had been a head coach in the NBA from 2013-19...three seasons each with Memphis and Sacramento.
6. But Joerger positioned himself to become a head coach with extensive head coaching experience in the D-League. I’d like the see the Cavs interview him.
7. The Cavs reportedly have an interest in Juwan Howard. I don’t know him. He played in the NBA from 1994-2013. He then became an assistant coach in Miami, where he mostly worked with big men. He is a candidate for the Lakers job. He has had a lot of playing experience, but little on the coaching side.
8. The Cavs also have an interest in David Vanterpool. Like Tibbetts, he is a Portland assistant to head coach Terry Stotts. Vanterpool has been a Blazers assistant since 2012. Before that, he was an assistant coach with CSKA Moscow from 2007-12. He had a long career playing in Europe.
9. It’s difficult to know what any of these guys will do as head coaches. The Cavs also are interested in Alex Jensen, a former Canton Charge head coach (2011-13) and now an assistant with Utah. So, the Cavs are interviewing two former Canton coaches -- coaches from their minor league team -- for the job in Cleveland. That makes sense.
10. Cavs assistant general manager Mike Gansey was the general manager of the Canton Charge from 2012-17, so he knows Tibbetts and Jensen well. He also would know other candidates who coached in the league. That’s why Tibbetts and Jensen should be considered serious candidates.
11. While Dan Gilbert is criticized for firing general managers and coaches, he also loves to promote people from within. In 2005, he hired Danny Ferry as GM. When Ferry left in 2010, his assistant Chris Grant was promoted to the job. When Grant was fired in 2014, his assistant David Griffin was promoted. And when Griffin left in 2017, his assistant Koby Altman was promoted.
12. One more step: When Altman needed an assistant general manager, he promoted Gansey from Canton. So keep an eye on Jensen and Tibbetts. Another former Charge head coach is Jordi Fernandez, who is an assistant with Denver. He also could end up being interviewed by the Cavs.
13. The current Charge head coach is former Kent State star Nate Reinking. I don’t sense he’s a candidate for the Cavs. Notice the pattern. A guy is a head coach in the G-League, moves up to the NBA as an assistant -- then is in position to become a head coach in the NBA.
14. The Cavs denied any interest in 66-year-old Rick Pitino. The Cavs have reached out to a lot of people, often asking them about younger coaches who should be considered. The Cavs seem to be looking for a younger coach to grow with the team.
15. I hope the Cavs can talk to Monty Williams, the former New Orleans head coach and current Philadelphia assistant. He is a hot candidate, with Phoenix and the Lakers after him.
Today 5:00 AM
By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
ABOUT THE DRAFT
1. It would be great if the Cavaliers win the draft lottery . . . again. They did so in 2011 (a Clippers pick), 2013 and 2014. But suppose they don’t, meaning Duke forward Zion Williamson plays elsewhere next season.
2. Let’s suppose the Cavs end up with the No. 2 pick. Most experts believe Duke forward RJ Barrett is the No. 2 player in the draft. But is that true? I’m not quite sold on this opinion. Part of me can make a strong case for Murray State guard Ja Morant over Barrett, even for a team such as the Cavs who already have a young, small guard in place.
3. Let’s look at Barrett. He was the No. 1 high school player in 2018, not Williamson. The 6-foot-7 Barrett averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He’s only 18 years old. He’s a legitimate 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds. That size is ideal for the NBA, especially because he’ll add more strength as he matures.
4. But there are reasons to believe Barrett has a lot of work to do when it comes to shooting the ball. Overall, he was a respectable .454 from the field. But a lot of those baskets came in transition, using his athleticism to score on fast breaks.
5. Barrett shot on .308 from 3-point range and .665 at the foul line. Projected top pick Williamson has question marks looming over his outside shooting, but he was .338 on 3-pointers -- better than teammate Barrett. Williamson shot .640 from the foul line. Both guys need work on shooting.
6. Williamson is such a dominating physical specimen, wildly athletic at 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds. He did have a knee injury. He has to make sure he doesn’t develop a weight problem. But this is a dynamic player. No one in the draft compares to him.
7. But suppose the Cavs draft second. Should they simply take Barrett because that is the “safe pick” at that spot? I’d challenge them to take a hard look at Morant, a 6-foot-3 sophomore. He’s another physically gifted marvel. Despite all the highlight dunks and the 24.5 scoring average, he also delivered 10 assists per game.
8. Can the Cavs play Morant and the 6-foot-2 Collin Sexton in the backcourt together? In terms of skills, they are an excellent match. Sexton is a pure scorer (averaging 21 points after the All-Star break). Through hard work, he transformed himself into a 41 percent shooter from 3-point range. But he is not a natural passer.
9. Morant played against lesser competition than Barrett did at Duke. But He had 17 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds (shooting 5-of-9 from the field) as his team dumped Marquette 83-64 in the first round of the NCAA Touranament. In that game, Morant controlled the offense and didn’t worry about scoring.
10. Morant shot 50 percent from the field. He was .363 on 3-pointers, .813 at the foul line. The free throw percentage is an indication he can improve as an outside shooter. In college, Sexton shot .336 from 3-point range, .778 at the foul line. Sexton is a relentless worker, taking 200-500 extra shots after some practices. That’s why his shooting improved.
11. I’m romanced by the idea of Morant on the Cavs because of his passing. His eye-popping speed could combine with Sexton to give the Cavs the high-tempo game they want to play. Defensively...it’s a big concern. But don’t dismiss Morant simply because they have Sexton.
ABOUT THE COACHING SEARCH
1. The day after Coach Larry Drew and the Cavaliers “parted ways,” I wrote that I expected Nate Tibbetts to interview with Cleveland. For the last few years, I had been hearing the Cavs like Tibbetts, who was the head coach of their Canton Charge D-League (Now G-League) franchise.
2. ESPN and other media outlets recently reported the Cavs have received permission to interview Tibbetts, who has been an assistant coach with Portland since 2014. He had that same position with the Cavs from 2011-14.
3. Here’s the point: Tibbetts is more than another young and seemingly faceless NBA assistant. He was a head coach for four years in the D-League, and that’s important. So many NBA assistants become head coaches in the league when they have never been a head coach at any level. The NBA should not only use the G-League to develop players, but also coaches.
4. Nick Nurse has the Toronto Raptors in the second-round of the playoffs. He had been a Toronto assistant coach for the previous five years before taking over as head coach this season. But most of his career had been in the NBA’s minors -- the D/G League.
5. David Joerger was recently fired by Sacramento after he led the Kings to their best record in 13 years. It seems Sacramento GM Vlade Divac wanted to hire Luke Walton, who left the Lakers. Joerger had been a head coach in the NBA from 2013-19...three seasons each with Memphis and Sacramento.
6. But Joerger positioned himself to become a head coach with extensive head coaching experience in the D-League. I’d like the see the Cavs interview him.
7. The Cavs reportedly have an interest in Juwan Howard. I don’t know him. He played in the NBA from 1994-2013. He then became an assistant coach in Miami, where he mostly worked with big men. He is a candidate for the Lakers job. He has had a lot of playing experience, but little on the coaching side.
8. The Cavs also have an interest in David Vanterpool. Like Tibbetts, he is a Portland assistant to head coach Terry Stotts. Vanterpool has been a Blazers assistant since 2012. Before that, he was an assistant coach with CSKA Moscow from 2007-12. He had a long career playing in Europe.
9. It’s difficult to know what any of these guys will do as head coaches. The Cavs also are interested in Alex Jensen, a former Canton Charge head coach (2011-13) and now an assistant with Utah. So, the Cavs are interviewing two former Canton coaches -- coaches from their minor league team -- for the job in Cleveland. That makes sense.
10. Cavs assistant general manager Mike Gansey was the general manager of the Canton Charge from 2012-17, so he knows Tibbetts and Jensen well. He also would know other candidates who coached in the league. That’s why Tibbetts and Jensen should be considered serious candidates.
11. While Dan Gilbert is criticized for firing general managers and coaches, he also loves to promote people from within. In 2005, he hired Danny Ferry as GM. When Ferry left in 2010, his assistant Chris Grant was promoted to the job. When Grant was fired in 2014, his assistant David Griffin was promoted. And when Griffin left in 2017, his assistant Koby Altman was promoted.
12. One more step: When Altman needed an assistant general manager, he promoted Gansey from Canton. So keep an eye on Jensen and Tibbetts. Another former Charge head coach is Jordi Fernandez, who is an assistant with Denver. He also could end up being interviewed by the Cavs.
13. The current Charge head coach is former Kent State star Nate Reinking. I don’t sense he’s a candidate for the Cavs. Notice the pattern. A guy is a head coach in the G-League, moves up to the NBA as an assistant -- then is in position to become a head coach in the NBA.
14. The Cavs denied any interest in 66-year-old Rick Pitino. The Cavs have reached out to a lot of people, often asking them about younger coaches who should be considered. The Cavs seem to be looking for a younger coach to grow with the team.
15. I hope the Cavs can talk to Monty Williams, the former New Orleans head coach and current Philadelphia assistant. He is a hot candidate, with Phoenix and the Lakers after him.