Gregory Alcala is a reporter for What's The 411Sports, a weekly sports news and commentary television show. He is What's The 411Sports' primary reporter covering the Brooklyn Nets. Greg is very passionate about sports and welcomes the challenge of speaking about a variety of sports including his main interest in professional basketball and baseball.
Greg gained his initial career experience at St. Francis College, as one of the founding members of the Terriers Sports Network (TSN). He is responsible for shooting live sporting events, reporting news for packages and broadcast production duties. Additionally, Greg maintains his own sports blog entitled, "Sports N' Thoughts," where he develops sports related articles and posts video content for public consumption.
Freedom Williams and What's The 411Sports duo Glenn Gilliam and Gregory Alcala are having a wide-ranging conversation about the New York Knicks.
According to the New York Knicks newly acquired SG, Aaron Afflalo, Carmelo Anthony is very committed to the New York Knicks and is optimistic about the upcoming season.
You gotta trust Phil Jackson.
New York Liberty’s Epiphany Prince dropped a season-high 30 points against her former team the Chicago Sky! She also surpassed Liberty top scorer Tina Charles’ game-high Friday night and the team has the best record in the Eastern Conference as of now. If the Liberty continues to play at this level they will have a golden ticket to the playoffs!!!
There are mixed reviews on Geno Smith coming from the New York media. Recently, the New York Jets held an open practice at MetLife Stadium to welcome the fans and according to media reports, QB, Geno Smith, was booed by the fans because he lost the ball, and had a near interception, among several plays.
Ironically, according to reports, Geno has not thrown an interception during this Jets pre-season camp and many Jets officials are impressed.
Jets officials are saying that it looks like Geno could have a good year. So what’s going on here? Are the jets weaving a good tale or is New York media stuck on last season?
Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing time due to injuries. Strasburg put forth a dominating effort, striking out 12 while helping out his cause with three hits in a 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.
Can the Nationals catch the Mets?
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey put her undefeated record on the line in Rio De Janeiro last week at UFC 190 against 32-year-old Brazilian fighter Bethe Correia.
In true Ronda Rousey fashion, the fight lasted all of 34 seconds, which is 20 seconds longer than her last fight.
New York Knicks has signed its 2015 NBA first-round draft picks, forward Kristaps Porzingis and guard Jerian Grant to contracts. The Knicks re-signed forward Lou Amundson to a contract. In usual fashion, the terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Porzingis, 7-3, 233 pounds, was the fourth overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft who had played professionally for Cajasol Seville in Spain over the past three seasons. In 75 career ACB games, the 19-year-old averaged 8.1 points, and also added a 9.9 points-per-game average in Eurocup play. At the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas earlier this month, Porzingis averaged 10.5 points in four games for New York’s entry.
Grant, 6-4, 198, was the 19th overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft. Grant averaged 14.6 points and 5.8 assists over four seasons with Notre Dame. In his senior season, the Silver Spring, MD native was named a First Team All-American and was one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award as the National Player of the Year by averaging 16.5 points and 5.8 assists in 38 games. At the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas earlier this month, Grant averaged 11.8 points and 4.8 assists in five games for New York’s entry.
With USA Basketball approaching, Team USA Minicamp is the first order of business and Chicago Bull’s Derrick Rose is in decision-making mode.
Rose needs to decide whether to participate or rest and not participate. If Rose doesn’t participate, it would mean he would have to forego participating in the 2016 Olympics.
On Monday, July 13, the Brooklyn Nets General Manager Billy King requested waivers on forward Cory Jefferson.
Then on Wednesday, July 15, Brooklyn Nets Forward and newcomer, Thomas Robinson, underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to remove torn cartilage from his right knee today at The Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. The surgery was performed by Nets’ Medical Director Dr. Riley Williams III.
Robinson, who was injured on Tuesday while working out in New York City, will begin rehab immediately and will be ready for on-court activities before the start of Brooklyn Nets Training Camp.
Lastly, on Friday, July 17, the Brooklyn Nets General Manager Billy King Announced that the Nets have signed Forward/Center Andrea Bargnani.
“Andrea will give us the ability to space the floor and complement our other front court players,” said King. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
Meanwhile across the river, the New York Knicks battled to topple Jahlil Okafor and the 76ers, 84-81, to remain undefeated (3-0) in an overtime thriller in NBA Summer League action.
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz lost his appeal on Friday and will serve an 8-game suspension for being caught with a foreign substance on his arm during an appearance on May 23.
Holy matrimony and a sad state of affairs! After a couple of trips to the doghouse, Brittney Griner is in our rundown for another reason. The Phoenix Mercury star filed for an annulment of her 29-day marriage to fellow WNBA player and Tulsa Shock forward, Glory Johnson.