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BSE Global, the parent company of Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets, will unveil its newest premium lounge, Crown Club, inside of the premier sports and entertainment venue with a special two-day viewing of Andy Warhol’s portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat, a leading highlight of Christie’s New York 20th Century Evening Sale taking place on Nov. 11 at Rockefeller Center (estimate on request; in excess of $20 million).
Bijan C. Bayne, author of Baylor’s biography, “Elgin Baylor: The Man Who Changed Basketball,” shared the story of how legendary sportswriter Frank Deford wrote a letter to the editor of New York magazine after it published a story touting pop artist Andy Warhol as the originator of the word “superstar.” Deford, then a famed Sports Illustrated scribe, explained that the word, which had yet to make its way into a dictionary, had never been used until it was made in reference to Baylor. “He actually added a very important word to the lexicon because of his brilliance,” Bayne said of Baylor.
The man was Joseph Anavim, who goes by Jojo. Anavim is not yet a household name, but his pop-art paintings — a mishmash of vintage magazine ads and Playboy pinups, acrylic paint and silk-printing — have become a preferred acquisition of N.B.A. stars. His pieces sell for anywhere from $5,000 to $45,000. He’s the Andy Warhol of the 2017 pro basketball set. The likes of Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis — not to mention Selena Gomez and the rapper Big Sean — own an original Jojo, as people seem to call them. Paintings for D’Angelo Russell of the Nets and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers are in progress.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has expanded his reach beyond the basketball court, writing pop-culture essays on his blog at the Huffington Post. The six-time NBA champion takes on reality television in a thoughtful, critical analysis of the genre. "Those who refuse to watch, based on some misguided cultural snobbery, aren't just missing great entertainment, they are overlooking the best social insight into the American psyche since Huck Finn and Jim explored the soul of America on a raft of lost innocence," writes Abdul-Jabbar. The Hall-of-Fame center is a fan of Bravo's "Real Housewives" franchise, calling creator Andy Cohen "the Andy Warhol of the 21st century."
Attanasio is also part owner of the Milwaukee Admirals, an American Hockey League team, and was a major sponsor in the Andy Warhol exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Kohl, who is incredibly guarded about his personal dealings, has been mum about any potential sale. Instead, Kohl said he still derives much pleasure from owning the Bucks and now that his senatorial duties are done, intends on being even more involved with the team.
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