Ice Cube’s hoops show needs to be mobile
TKats! Bureau at this writing is the baseline of the Thomas & Mack Center. In another lifetime, Gondo often wound up, flat on his back after taking a hard charge at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
And if you get that reference to late UNLV men’s basketball star, NBA player and longtime radio and TV announcer Glenn Gondrezick, who broadcast many UNLV games at the T&M, I’ll shake your hand, Runnin’ Rebel fan.
At the moment, NBA Summer League action is in full swing, and Dallas Mavs owner Marc Cuban was just holding court (pun on purpose) on ESPN2. When I met him a few years ago and introduced myself as a journalist, he said, “I’m sorry.”
Funny.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are clashing with the Denver Nuggets, which allows references to such great ex-nuggets as David Thompson, Dan Issel and Alex English.
More from the baseline bureau:
Tick-tick-tick on Ice Cube
I am confidently informed that the Aug. 26 Floydmayweather-conor Mcgregor bout is destined for T-mobile Arena, regardless of earlier plans to hold the finals of
Ice Cube’s nationwide Big 3 hoops tournament on that date and in that arena.
“There’s no doubt Mayweather-mcgregor will be at T-mobile,” says a source familiar with the scheduling of both events. This topic is sure to be addressed when Mayweather and Mcgregor sit for their first press conference promoting the fight on Tuesday at the Staples Center in L.A.
That event might be more entertaining than the actual fight.
Ice Cube has said he is open to negotiating a deal that would move the Big 3 event across the Strip to the slightly smaller MGM Grand Garden Arena, and there has been talk of shifting the Big 3 finale to Aug. 25, also at the Grand Garden Arena.
The Mayweather-mcgregor bout, matching the two most famous and bankable stars in combat sports, is obviously the larger draw among the two events. But this Big 3 tournament is an oddly fascinating concept. Eight teams of retired NBA players, led by former 76ers’ star Allen Iverson, play a series of 3-on-3 games in arenas across the country. Other former pros include Rashard Lewis, Brian Scalabrine, Mike Bibby, Chauncey Billups, Corey Maggette, Jermaine O’neal and Kenyon Martin. Naismith Professional Basketball Hall of Famers Rick Barry and George Gervin are coaches; team names are 3s Company, Trilogy and Ball Hogs.
Ice Cube’s league features such innovations as a 4-point shot, and the first team to 60 wins the game (oh, and you must win by two points or more). This innovation drew 15,177 people to the opening round at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 25. It’ll find a suitable home here, too.
Bye-bye Lounge
As anticipated, full-scale lounge entertainment is being swept out of the Palms.
An educated assessment of the renovations around the casino bear this out: The new Palms buffet (and remember, the Feast buffet anchors Station Casinos’ food-and-beverage program) is a massive operation, wiping out the old Mint high-limit lounge.
In turn, the high-limit lounge is moving across the casino to the former Lounge entertainment venue.
So don’t expect such former Lounge headliners as Sin City Sinners, or Franky Perez and the Truth, perform while high rollers play $1,000-per-hand blackjack.
Instead, expect solo performers (a DJ, a piano player, or a guitar in the corner) to supply music in a venue that will remind guests a lot of the Dorsey at The Venetian, Vista at Caesars Palace or Clique at the Cosmopolitan.
As this evolution unfolds, we’ll just raise a glass of fizzy water to such artists as Matt Goss, Frankie Moreno, Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns and (lest we forget) Zowie Bowie that made memories at the Lounge at the Palms.
Performance for prince
Prince Harry was among the tens of thousands of fans to catch The Killers’ show at the British Summer Time Festival (or, BST for short) on Saturday night at London’s Hyde Park. The royal rocker sipped a brew and took selfies with his girlfriend, Meghan Markle, as one will do.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @Johnnykats1 on Instagram. As of 9 p.m. Sunday:
1. Man shoots self in shoulder, ending Las Vegas funeral home lockdown
An armed man who threatened suicide and then shot himself in the shoulder is in police custody after prompting a four-hour barricade at eastern Las Vegas funeral home on Sunday.
2. Pipe leak forces show cancellations at Planet Hollywood
A pipe leak at Planet Hollywood Resort caused water damage, closed the north side of the casino floor and forced the cancellation of several shows Saturday evening.
3. North Las Vegas woman dies after rollover crash in Mesquite
A North Las Vegas woman is dead after a rollover crash Friday in Mesquite. Cathey Hooper, 52, was driving a 2008 Ford pickup that was hauling a camper when a powerful gust of wind blew the vehicles out of the travel lane, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol.
4. Police investigate Sunday morning homicide
About 9 a.m. Sunday, residents on the 1700 block of Rockcrest Drive called police to report a woman struggling and screaming inside a home.
5. Morning phone call shatters Valentina Shevchenko’s UFC title dreams
Valentina Shevchenko received a call before noon Saturday informing her a scheduled UFC 213 main event rematch against champion Amanda Nunes at T-mobile Arena would be canceled because Nunes was in the hospital with an illness. As of 9 p.m. Sunday:
1. A day in the life of Aureole’s high-flying wine angels
Eboni Lomax, a “Wine Angel” for 10 years at Aureole Las Vegas, talks about her job. Lomax scales the 4-story wine tower on pulleys to grab wine for awaiting guests.
2. Flooding at Planet Hollywood Resort on Strip
In two videos, water creates havoc after a fire pipe broke at Planet Hollywood Resort on Saturday evening. It forced the cancellation of several shows.
3 . Lavar Ball at Las Vegas NBA Summer League
Lonzo Ball’s outspoken dad, Lavar, made an appearance at the NBA Summer League on Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Lonzo is the top draft pick for the Los Angeles Lakers.