NET NOTES
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Kenyon Martin grew testy with a wire service reporter who pressed about quotes attributed to him in excerpts from “Dime” magazine. The writer asked if Martin told the magazine his “thug image” was a result of being black.
In the interview posted on the magazine’s website, Martin discussed his emotional court demeanor. The magazine interviewer said to Martin, “It seems like, if you’re white, they’re a lot quicker to label you a ‘competitor’ rather than ‘angry’ or ‘overly aggressive.’ ” Martin was asked to comment.
“Well, maybe because I’m black, some people say I’m a thug or I’m a hoodlum or something like that. They don’t look at a lot of white young men as thugs or hoodlums, you know?” Martin is quoted as saying.
So yesterday, Martin was asked if his quotes were accurate. “What? My thug image is because I’m black? I’m not a thug. I am black,” Martin said before being asked if race contributed to his image. “No. Why would it?
“Bill Laimbeer played hard and I didn’t say he was a thug. I play hard. That’s all I do. Hold on, what’s that got to do with basketball, anyway?” Martin said before the writer reiterated he was confirming Martin’s statements. “It was not a basketball magazine, so what’s that got to do with basketball? All right?”
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Afternoon press conference in L.A. today will announce the city and Staples Center as host of the 2004 All-Star Game. Next year’s event is in Atlanta . . . Brian Scalabrine, Long Beach native, sat atop a backboard stand, virtually ignored in media session. “I should be big here,” he quipped, pointing to fellow rookie Jason Collins, speaking at one of four podiums. “Look at that. I don’t have a podium. I got a box. Look at him. He played eight minutes, got five fouls and he got a podium.”
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Lakers said Nets’ second-half pressure tactics and zone press rattled them a bit. Richard Jefferson didn’t buy it. “That’s just them trying to tell us they’re not invincible when they really think they are.”
Rookie Brandon Armstrong is the forgotten Net. Not included on the playoff roster, he has watched the Nets’ post-season drive. “It’s not hard at all. I’m enjoying myself, learning a lot, experiencing a lot,” said Armstrong.
