--The Nets are well-represented around the globe in the off-season. Devin Harris and Brook Lopez both are in the Team USA mini-camp in Las Vegas where 23 of the best young U.S. players were assembled. Yi Jianlian is playing for the Chinese National Team, vying for the FIBA Asia Cup Championship. And veteran Eduardo Najera, who endured an injury-plagued first season with the Nets, is with the Mexican team playing for the Central American Championship in August and then the Americas Cup in September.
--F/C Tony Battie is among six NBA players who will study at a broadcasting career development program at Syracuse University, arranged through the NBA Players Association. The participants will be schooled in TV studio delivery, reporting, game coverage and interviewing. Eric Snow, a current TV analyst, is one former player product of the program. Battie will be joined at Syracuse's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications by Washington's Mike James, Utah's Brevin Knight, Philadelphia's Donyell Marshall, Oklahoma City's Malik Rose and Cleveland's Anthony Parker.
--The Nets may have a decidedly new look to their coaching staff for 2009-10.
Assistant Brian Hill, who first gave head coach Lawrence Frank an NBA coaching job back in Vancouver, has been given permission to talk to the Pistons about possibly joining John Kuester's staff. And assistant Roy Rogers, who worked with the big men and helped Brook Lopez's development, is considering an offer to join Rutgers' staff. The Nets' entire staff, including Frank, is signed only through the 2009-10 season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Everything we do has to be about team." -- Coach Lawrence Frank, stressing how the young Nets must be about sacrifice and team if there is to be any hope of success.
