Michelle Wie weds son of NBA legend Jerry West

INSTAGRAM / THEMICHELLEWIE

The newlyweds Jonnie West and Michelle Wie

ASAM NEWS

In a Beverly Hills ceremony Saturday, LGPA-winning Asian American golfer Michelle Wie married NBA executive Jonnie West in a Beverly Hills ceremony, reports USA Today.
West is currently the director of basketball operations at the Golden State Warriors, and is the son of NBA legend Jerry West.

The 29-year old Wie announced in June that she would be taking a break from competitive golfing as she dealt with injures. 

The couple became Instagram-official in January this year, and were engaged in March.

Famous friends attended the wedding, such as LGPA golfers Danielle Kang and Alison Lee and NBA star Stephen Curry.

“She was so happy, and she looked so radiant,” said David Leadbetter, her long-time coach, said to the Golf Channel. “It’s a great new chapter in her life.

“I’ve known Michelle since she was 13, more than half of her life,” he continued. “So, it was quite emotional, seeing her get married. She’s going to be a great wife and I’m sure at some time a great mom, in the future.”

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Trump's attack against pro athletes moves Filipino American football player to speak out

OAKLAND RAIDERS / INSTAGRAM

A majority of the Oakland Raiders chose to remain seated during the National Anthem.

SCORES OF professional football players literally and figuratively took a knee Sunday. 

Last week there were four players taking a knee and a couple of others raising their fists. Yesterday, there were hundreds of players taking a knee, locking their arms in a show of unity or staying in the locker room while the anthem played.

The players were responding to Donald Trump's mocking the players who do not stand during the playing of the National Anthem as a form protest against the inequality in the U.S. criminal justice system.

 At a rally in Alabama last Friday, Trump said, "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired. He's fired!"

RELATED: Asian American doctor takes a knee against Trump

His remarks was met with a storm of criticism from players, owners and sportscasters, including Filipino/American Doug Baldwin, the Seattle Seahawks' wide receiver. In a prepared statement, Baldwin said:

"I'm not surprised by Trump's comments. He has shown since the beginning, his dehumanized nature. To think he would be anything different ti to not know the reality of his presidency ... He acts like a child craving attention and any attention will do."

Doug Baldwin in a post-game press conference.

The Seahawks were playing at the home of the Tennessee Titans. When the "Star Spangled Banner" was sung, they chose to remain in the locker room.

During a post-game press conference, Baldwin continued to elaborate: "This is a dangerous time. We (players) recognize that.

"We're hoping to unite all people, of all races, all religions, all beliefs to come together; to realize the severity of the situation."  He went on to say that the U.S. was founded in protest and that the freedom of expression is one of the country's core beliefs.

"I'm calling on our people and our country (to realize) that this is greater than just football. This is greater than this Sunday evening's entertainment."

The protest against Trump's racist and anti-immigrant remarks spread beyond football. Over the weekend, catcher Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics baseball team began kneeling on one knee to express his views. He was the first baseball player join the protest.

Last Friday, during the NBA's media day, Stephen Curry, one of the star basketball players in the NBA's World Champion Golden State Warriors, expressed that if Trump followed tradition and invited the championship team to the White House, he would not visit because he did not agree with Trump's views on race, his reluctance to condemn the white supremacists demonstrating in Charlottesville and his policies against immigrants.

In response, Trump tweeted that he would not invite the team to the White House because of Curry's comments.

The African/American basketball players in the professional basketball league, including some of the biggest names in the sport responded almost unanimously in their criticism of Trump and his views on race. 

Cleveland Cavaliers player LaBron James, who some say is the best basketball player in the world, was particularly outspoken and didn't mince words in expressing his distaste for Trump's positions on race.

A few hours after his tweet, James, expanded his comments in a video. "I think it's basically at a point where I'm a little frustrated, man, because this guy that we've put in charge has tried to divide us once again" James said via his digital company platform Uninterrupted. "Obviously we all know what happened with Charlottesville and the divide that caused. Now it's hit home more for me because he's now using sports as the platform to try and divide us."

The Warriors' management, on Saturdaya in support of its star and in response to Trump's decision to not invite the team, said, “In lieu of a visit to the White House, we have decided that we’ll constructively use our trip to the nation’s capital in February to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion — the values that we embrace as an organization.”

Derrick Coleman, Atlanta Falcon's fullback, reminded his followers that the controversy is not about the flag or the anthem. Kaepernick

What about Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback that started the kneel down during the national anthem? He still remains unsigned because of a suspected blackballing for NFL owners.

When he began the protest last year as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, he explained:

I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there’s significant change and I feel that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.

This stand wasn’t for me. This is because I’m seeing things happen to people that don’t have a voice, people that don’t have a platform to talk and have their voices heard, and effect change. So I’m in the position where I can do that and I’m going to do that for people that can’t.

It’s something that can unify this team. It’s something that can unify this country. If we have these real conversations that are uncomfortable for a lot of people. If we have these conversations, there’s a better understanding of where both sides are coming from.

I have great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country. I have family, I have friends that have gone and fought for this country. And they fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone. That’s not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isn’t holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody. That’s something that’s not happening. I’ve seen videos, I’ve seen circumstances where men and women that have been in the military have come back and been treated unjustly by the country they fought for, and have been murdered by the country they fought for, on our land. That’s not right.

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Will the Golden State Warriors go to the White House?

THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS put to rest any doubt that they are the best team in the National Basketball League Tuesday night by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers, will they go to the White House?

(EDITOR'S NOTE: UPDATED June 14 to include further comments from players.)

When the Warriors won the championship in 2015, they did go to the White House to visit President Obama,
an avid fan of the sport.

The Warriors convincingly beat the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers 4 games to 1, when Golden State beat the Cavs, 129-120.

The real question is, will Donald Trump even want to invite them to the White House?

It is customary for the president to invite championship teams of any sport vor photo ops at the White House. But will Trump, who has not expressed an interest in sports except for golf, issue invitations to a team that has been outspoken in their criticism about him.

The team has not taken an official position on the White House visit. In the past members of the Warriors organization have made statements regarding Trump. Several players, including two-time MVP Stephan Curry, All-star forward Draymond Green, reserve guard Shaun Livingston and reserve center David West stated that they would not attend the event.

In a Sports Illustrated article, Warrior coach Steve Kerr, was not subtle when he was asked about basketball coach Bobby Knight." Kerr answered:

RELATED:

• Are the Warriors Asian America's team?
• The Golden State Warriors Asian Connection

“My personal opinion is Bobby Knight’s way smarter than Donald Trump,” Kerr said. “Bobby Knight was brilliant in a lot of ways. So there was some real foundation in terms of knowing and coaching the game. But he was a bully, so… I think being a bully doesn’t work today, or at least it doesn’t work coaching. The modern coach has to be much more communicative, flexible, aware, conscientious, all those things.

“Frankly, I think it’s why Trump couldn’t be more ill-suited to be president, because he’s a blowhard. You don’t see some of the qualities you talk about, the resilience, the ability to communicate, the compassion. None of that. But in the old days, a lot of great coaches who maybe didn’t have those, there was still a fiber there, whatever it was. To be a great leader, there have to be some qualities in there.

“Has anyone ever thought that Donald Trump was a great leader?”

Team leader Stephan Curry, who has played several rounds of golf with former President Barack Obama, had a tiff with one of his sponsors when Under Armour CEO praised Trump

In a CNBC interview, Plank said: "To have such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country."

Curry disagreed with this, and in a subsequent interview with The Mercury News he said: “I agree with that description – if you remove the ‘et’ (from ‘asset’).”

A day after their victory, Curry was asked what he would do. “Somebody asked me about it a couple months ago, a hypothetical, if a championship were to happen: ‘What would I do?'” Curry said. “I think I answered that I wouldn’t go. I still feel like that today.”

Additionally, Warriors owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber are rumored not to have good relations with the new president. In 2016, after then-candidate Donald Trump made outlandish comments about trading the Golden State Warriors for the Great Wall of China to place along the border of Mexico, the owners and Trump exchanged words about how eminent domain works, with President Trump stating he could show them, using lawyers.

The entire NBA, as a matter of fact, seems to be at odds with the White House resident, including generally acknowledged best player in the league, the Cavaliers' LeBron James.

James campaigned for Hillary Clinton in Ohio and when the Cavaliers played the Knicks in New York, they refused to stay in the Trump SoHo.

Some commentators say that the Warriors could set an example of civility in a time of a deeply divided America by accepting the invitation from a man that they might disagree with.


If Trump doesn't invite the team to the White House, then the Warriors won't have to face that dilemma and Donald Trump will be saved from an awkward situation.

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Girl collapses while playing basketball before dying

Kimberly Nuestro was playing basketballl when she collapsed.

KIMBERLY NUESTRO loved her family, basketball, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors NBA team.

The Filipina/American teenager collapsed Saturdayd while playing with her AAU baseketball team and later died at the Stanford University Medical Center.

Doctors still don't know what caused the death of the 16-year old student at Homestead High in Cupertino, Calif. An autopsy will take several weeks before it can determine the exact cause of death.

“She was a humble leader,” her father Ramir Nuestro told Prep2Prep. “But she also brought lots of excitement and a winning attitude.”

Kimberly was the junior varsity captain on Homestead’s girls basketball team where students wore Warriors jerseys to show their support for the Nuestro family. They also launched a social media campaign for the Warriors star Stephen Curry to sign Kimberly's No. 30 basketball shoes in her honor.

When he learned of the request, Curry signed teh shoes and told the school newspaper, “It’s obviously an unfortunate situation for her family. Heard her story, how much she loved basketball, how much she loved watching us play.”

“I wish I could have met (Kimberly) before she passed,” Curry told the school newspaper. “But this is a small token for her family, to I guess know that there’s a lot of people thinking about them, [to help them] with what they’re going through and to hopefully honor her life with those shoes.”

Known for her smile, passion for basketball and love for Curry and the Warriors, Kimberly was an amazing daughter, her father told the Mercury News.

“She’s so simple,” he added through tears. “She liked baking. She liked cooking pancakes. She is so simple and quiet. She does her homework, straight A’s in school. Her dream is to have a simple life, have two kids, two boys. The smile that she has and the look that she has touched a lot of people. She helped people do homework."

“She was a popular kid on campus,” athletic director Charlie Bostic said Thursday (May 9) “We have people on campus who are available for the kids,” he added.

A candlelight vigil  for Kimberly will be held on Tuesday night at the high school and her funeral is being planned for Friday.

The family has set up a gofundme.com account to help pay for her funeral expenses. It can be found here.

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The Rock commits to the people in response to pro-Trump CEO

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, included this picture with his message.

DWAYNE 'THE ROCK' JOHNSON repudiated the apparent pro-Trump statements made by Under Armour's CEO, Kevin Plank.

In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, Plank called President Donald Trump "highly passionate" and a "real asset" to the country.

Johnson, one of the most popular actors worldwide and who is one of the talent "partners" with Under Armour, felt a need to create some distance with Plank and his own personal beliefs. Although in past interviews, the Samoan/American actor has stated an interest in one day entering politics, not much has been said about his political leanings.

He tweeted the accompanying picture of him in his gym with the lengthy explanation of his political position:

I appreciate and welcome the feedback from people who disagree (and agree) with Kevin Plank's words on CNBC, but these are neither my words, nor my beliefs. His words were divisive and lacking in perspective. Inadvertently creating a situation where the personal political opinions of UA’s partners and its employees were overshadowed by the comments of its CEO. 

A good company is not solely defined by its CEO. A good company is not defined by the athlete or celebrity who partners with them. A good company is not a single person. A good company is a team, a group of brothers and sisters committed to working together each and every day to provide for their families and one another and the clients they serve. 

We don’t partner with a brand casually. I partner with brands I trust and with people who share my same values. That means a commitment to diversity, inclusion, community, open-mindedness and some serious hard work. But it doesn't mean that I or my team will always agree with the opinion of everyone who works there, including its executives. 

Great leaders inspire and galvanize the masses during turbulent times, they don't cause people to divide and disband. My responsibility here is not only to the global audience we serve, but also to the thousands of workers who pour blood, sweat, and tears into making Under Armour strong. A diverse group of hardworking men and women who possess integrity, respect and compassion for one another and the world they live in. 

Debate is healthy. But in a time of widespread disagreement, so is loyalty. I feel an obligation to stand with this diverse team, the American and global workers, who are the beating heart and soul of Under Armour and the reason I chose to partner with them. My commitment is as real as my sweat and callouses that thicken daily. #CommittedToThePeople

Johnson wasn't the only creative partner who felt the need to separate themselves from Plank's pro-Trump statement.

One of the first to express his disappointment with Plank's words was the NBA's MVP, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. He said he was surprised by Plank's comments. 

"We share a lot of the same values when it comes to being a good human being," said Curry in an interview in the East Bay Times. "Understanding inclusiveness, equality, diversity. Every mantra that I live by, they share that."
In an interview with the San Jose Mercury News’ Marcus Thompson on Wednesday (Feb. 8), Curry said that he agreed with Plank’s description of Trump “if you remove the ‘et’” from asset.”

Ballet dancer Misty Copeland posted on Instagram to say she had reached out to Plank directly, in hope that he “take public action to clearly communicate and reflect our common values in order for us to effectively continue to work towards our shared goal of trying to motivate ALL people to be their best selves.”

Actress Emmy Possum was more direct with her sentiments.

#BoycottUnderArmour began trending on Twitter. Under Armour's other clients around the world  began expressing their disagreement with Plank.

The athletic wear company began trying to patch up the damage done by Plank's statements by releasing its own statement Wednesday.  

“We engage in policy, not politics,” the statement read before talking about politics.

“Under Armour and Kevin Plank are for job creation and American manufacturing capability,” the statement continued. “We believe building should be focused on much needed education, transportation, technology and urban infrastructure investment. We are against a travel ban and believe that immigration is a source of strength, diversity and innovation for global companies based in America like Under Armour.”

Under Armour's relationship with Curry is critical to the company's success. 

"If I can say the leadership is not in line with my core values, then there is no amount of money, there is no platform I wouldn't jump off," he told The Mercury News.

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Golden State Warriors: Happy Chinese New Year!

ONE of the greatest things that occurs in the NBA on a daily basis is global outreach. There are many examples of how the league caters to fans all across the globe and the Golden State Warriors have been excellent ambassadors to the league through social media, summer visits to Asia and outreach to the local Asian/American communities.

With a tremendous Chinese population in the San Francisco Bay Area and the loyal following they provide the Warriors and the NBA year after year, the league celebrates their holiday. Teams roll out special Chinese New Year uniforms and players get into celebrating with their fans with awesome shoes and gear. Curry and the Warriors wore their custom jerseys for Saturday night, Chinese Heritage Night.

RELATED: 

• The Golden State Warriors' Asian connection
• Asian/American fans of the Warriors show their colors

The NBA issued their video earlier this month observing the Year of the Rooster. This one featured Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Stephen  Curry wishing their fans a Happy Chinese New Year.

Last year, Thompson toured San Francisco's Chinatown where he encountered fans and dragons.