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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Saturday / November 23.

By JOSH NEWMAN

Special to ZAGSBLOG

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.  – At some point in the middle of Billy King’s 45-minute, wide-ranging interview with the media on Wednesday morning at the PNY Center, Deron Williams quietly appeared, stood in the doorway and listened intently.

At least one beat writer sitting near the front of the room got wise to Williams’ presence and asked King a question regarding his soon-to-be free agent point guard in an effort to at least get a reaction from the Brooklyn Nets’ General Manager. King smiled and balked, Williams smiled and was then on his way.

Jordan Mickey, one of the top forwards in the Class of 2013 out of Arlington (TX) Grace Prep, is taking a summer tour of various schools and looking to trim his list by the end of July.

His father, James Wright Mickey, told SNY.tv Wednesday that he and his son have already visited Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State, West Virginia, SMU and Arkansas this month in between stops at adidas Nations, the NBA Top 100 Camp and the Amar’e Stoudemire Skills Academy.

As he heads into unrestricted free agency on Sunday, Steve Nash says he’s “open to everything,” including potentially playing for the Knicks.

“It sounds like a company line, but my situation really right now is I’m open to everything,” Nash told ESPN NewYork 98.7’s Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Ruocco on Monday, according to ESPN.com, “and I will definitely look at every situation that comes my way on Sunday, and I’m not going to close myself to any opportunities.”

Nash lives in Greenwich Village during the offseason and is in the city on Wednesday night to promote his annual soccer charity match in Chinatown.

He said he would have no problem potentially playing with Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin, whom the team hopes to re-sign.

NEW YORK — St. Patrick High School is a tiny, red-brick Catholic school of about 150 students located in the rugged inner-city of Elizabeth, N.J.

Although it was supposed to close its doors for good after this school year due to financial struggles, school officials hope to keep it open by moving it to another, as yet undetermined location in the port city.

Yet if you take one look at the NBA Draft lottery in the last two years, you would have a hard time telling that St. Pat’s is in any kind of trouble.

A year ago, St. Pat’s product Kyrie Irving was the No. 1 overall pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers and went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year honors.

By ADAM ZAGORIA & ALEX SCHIFFER

St. Joseph-Metuchen High School just got a whole lot more dangerous on the basketball court.

Wade Baldwin, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard in the Class of 2014, decided to transfer to the school from Immaculata after averaging 17.6 points per game last season.

St. Joe’s-Metuchen is the reigning New Jersey Non-Public A state champ.

“Basically, I chose them for a better academic school that’s going to prepare me for college,” Baldwin told SNY.tv by phone. “My main focus is on going to an academic school that will set me up for after college basketball. St. Joe’s provides that very well along with the great team that they have.

Amar’e Stoudemire was fined $50,000 Tuesday for using “offensive and derogatory language in a Twitter message.”

“I am a huge supporter of civil rights for all people,” Stoudemire said in a statement. “I am disappointed in myself for my statement to a fan.  I should have know better and there is no excuse.”

In a direct message sent to @BFerrelli, Stoudemire used a gay slur, saying “F#&# you.  I don’t have to do anything, F#@.”

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