Rumors

Jason Beede: #Magic forward Franz Wagner became the 5th player in franchise history to have multiple games with 30+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists in the same season. The others are Tracy McGrady, Shaquille O’Neal, Nikola Vucevic and Steve Francis per @Magic_PR.

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Houston Rockets: The Rockets family mourns the loss of beloved former coach and general manager, Carroll Dawson, affectionately known as "CD." For nearly three decades, CD was a cornerstone of our organization, instrumental in shaping the careers of stars like Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. A proud Texas native, CD served as the only coach to be present for all four of Houston's NBA Finals appearances, including the back-to-back championship teams. As general manager, he brought iconic talents to Houston including Charles Barkley, Steve Francis, Yao Ming, and Tracy McGrady, while also assembling the four-time WNBA champion Houston Comets. While CD's contributions to basketball were remarkable, it was his character that truly stood out. We will deeply miss his uplifting spirit, infectious humor, and kind-hearted nature. We are proud that CD's legacy will forever be honored with his banner hanging from the rafters of Toyota Center, alongside our other Rockets legends.

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A local organization is getting a big boost toward its goal of building a youth center. Former NBA star Steve Francis and the Francis Family Foundation have pledged $1.5 million to Project HOOD's leadership and economic opportunity center.

fox32chicago.com

StatMuse: Dereck Lively tonight: 7 PTS 13 REB (7 OREB) 6 AST 2 STL The first rookie to reach these numbers or better in a game since Steve Francis in 2000. pic.twitter.com/VPQuvbWvCk

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To the average person living outside of Houston, July 13 is just another hot summer day. But to residents of Houston and surrounding areas, it is recognized as “713 Day,” with the numbers signifying the initial area code that originated in 1947 for the city. On Thursday, the Rockets partnered with Houston Parks and Recreation Department and launched a campaign called “713 Day of Basketball,” as former players of the team hosted seven free youth basketball clinics at different community centers around the city. “Anytime I see 713, I think of Houston,” said native Houstonian and former Rockets player Gerald Green, who, along with Steve Francis and NBA shooting coach Chris Matthews, led basketball-related activities for children at the Moody Community Center.

Rockets Wire

If Francis was widely portrayed as a delusional prima donna in 1999, the film certainly frames him as a far more sympathetic figure. It points out that he was raised in a three-bedroom apartment in the Washington, D.C. suburbs that housed as many as 16 family members; that his biological father was in prison at the time he was drafted; that, for all his talent, he was a 22-year-old neophyte naïve to the politics of pro sports.

Toronto Star

“I love Mike Bibby, I love him, but there’s no way you were going to put me (on the floor) without the basketball in my hands,” Francis said in an interview with the Star. “If I ain’t going to have the basketball in my hands, I can’t wait for slow-ass Mike Bibby. I love him — excuse me — but I can’t wait for him.”

Toronto Star

Jackson, in the film, insists it was his duty as an executive to pick the best player available, and that he should have done more to ensure Francis played for the team. “My biggest regret is to not hold Steve Francis’s feet to the fire,” Jackson said. Francis, for his part, claims Jackson never really made an effort to understand where he was coming from. “He thought it was a done deal, that I was just coming,” Francis said of Jackson. “If he wanted to hold my feet to the fire, he would have went and talked to my grandmother (whom Francis loved and revered) instead of my ex-agents.”

Toronto Star

StatMuse: Jalen Green in March (10 games): 21.1 PPG 4.1 APG 51.6 FG% 38.1 3P% He has 18 20-point games this season, the most by a Rockets rookie since Steve Francis in 1999-00. pic.twitter.com/hn70ZcvHvG

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Quentin Richardson: You have to look at the timing of everything. When you throw the names out there, it sounds crazy. When you look at the timing of everything and meshing of everything, it was like mixing oil with (inaudible). You had Larry Brown, who was an all-time great coach, one of my favorite coaches, but we all know coach Brown is one of the most stern coaches there was. You had guys like Jalen Rose, Stephon Marbury, Steve Francis, Kelvin Cato, Jerome James. All these veteran guys were more towards the backend of their careers than their primes. Then you had David Lee and Jamal Crawford. Lee was a rookie when he got there. Nate Robinson was a rookie. Renaldo Balkman was a rookie. The mix was crazy. It was a chaotic culture they came into. That was the reason why everything was going haywire at the time.

HoopsHype

Mark Berman: Steve Francis will take the First Shot for charity before the #Rockets play the Magic tonight at Toyota Center.

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Since restricted free agency has been implemented, there have been few cases of players demanding trades from teams that drafted them, namely Steve Francis with the Vancouver Grizzlies and Danny Ferry with the Los Angeles Clippers. However, with the value of qualifying offers increasing significantly, and player empowerment breaking new barriers each season, it’s no surprise that public discourse over the possibility of a premier player utilizing the qualifying offer has gotten louder.

HoopsHype

Mark Berman: Moochie Norris (left) & Steve Francis at news conf announcing Steve’s ownership of the Houston Push in The Basketball League, a new professional minor league basketball team. Moochie is GM/head coach. Open tryouts Saturday. Team will work closely with the Steve Francis Foundation pic.twitter.com/8MYr7K2ZoV

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Steve was going to play in Italy but finally received his trade wish in late August. The Houston Rockets traded for him in an eleven player deal. Francis sat down to discuss his thought process about almost playing in Italy just a few months ago. (Via Gully TV): “We were looking at Italy. We would’ve probably been the first ones to do it, you know just until that contract was up. I was going to take the chance because they would’ve gave me more than my rookie contract overseas.”

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