Rumors

The full story of Avenatti’s alleged embezzlement from Gardner came to light in bank records and in the April 10 indictment of the Los Angeles lawyer by a federal grand jury in Santa Ana. The 36-count indictment, which spans an array of alleged financial crimes, identifies Whiteside as “Individual 1” and Gardner as “Client 2.” “We entered into a mutually agreed upon settlement more than two years ago following the end of our relationship; a settlement that reflected Alexis’ investment of time and support over a number of years as Hassan pursued a career in the NBA,” Whiteside and Gardner told the Los Angeles Times in a statement released by his agent. “It is unfortunate that something that was meant to be kept private between us is now being publicly reported. We have both moved on amicably and wish nothing but the best for each other.”

Los Angeles Times

The above video, which comes from Ballervisions, was an exhibition game at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Ca. It features Spencer Freedman, a 2018 point guard commit to Harvard, and Dennis Rodman Jr. The younger Rodman was profiled by USA Today’s high school sports site last February, when he was a freshman.

The Big Lead

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman has been charged with hit-and-run for a wrong-way-related crash on a Southern California freeway. Orange County prosecutors filed misdemeanor charges against Rodman on Monday for a July 20 accident on Interstate 5 in Santa Ana. Prosecutors say Rodman's SUV was traveling north in a southbound carpool lane around 12:30 a.m., forcing a sedan to swerve into a dividing wall to avoid a collision.

ESPN

With the conclusion of a police investigation, prosecutors will decide whether to file charges against famed basketball player Dennis Rodman in an alleged hit-and-run accident, officials said Thursday. The star player formerly known as “The Worm” has not been cited or arrested, said California Highway Patrol officer Florentino Olivera, but the agency recommended the Orange County District Attorney’s office charge Rodman with felony hit-and-run and driving the wrong way on a freeway. The potential charges stem from a 12:30 a.m. July 20 Santa Ana crash in which a black BMW sedan traveled south in the carpool lane on the 5 freeway. Officials allege Rodman was driving a white luxury SUV north in the southbound carpool lane.

Orange County Register

Dennis Rodman has been named a "person of interest" in a hit-and-run investigation in Santa Ana, CA -- after a late night collision Wednesday morning ... TMZ Sports has learned. It's all based around an accident on the I-5 Freeway just after midnight. The California Highway Patrol responded a smashed BMW ... Dennis was NOT at the scene. But someone at the scene told CHP that there was another car involved -- and Dennis was in it.

TMZ.com

They stood on opposite sidelines Friday night at TD Garden. Mike Brown coached the Cavaliers, Brad Stevens the Celtics. But they had an unusual – and, to be fair, rather uncomfortable – connection: Brown’s son, Elijah. In April, Elijah Brown, a shooting guard out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., signed a national letter-of-intent to play at Butler for Stevens, then the head coach of the Bulldogs. Before the ink was dry, though, Elijah’s father called Stevens just to feel out the coach, who had been rumored to be leaving.

Boston Globe

The Sacramento Kings stand to lose $8.3 million if their fragile sponsorship with troubled wristband maker Power Balance falls apart. The team filed a claim in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for $8.3 million – the unpaid amount left on the naming rights deal that turned Arco Arena into Power Balance Pavilion last year. The court filing in Santa Ana is the first time financial terms of the contract have been made public.

Sacramento Bee

Not that money completely eased the pain of leaving basketball. Years later, the former point guard dragged a friend to watch his alma mater, Rosemead's Don Bosco Tech, play on a rainy night. "This was his life, his history, and he wanted to see it again," says Pat Murphy, president of Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, where Meruelo's three children attend. "You know he wanted that starting varsity job."

Los Angeles Times