Thunder To Honor Wayman Tisdale Tuesday
The Thunder will honor former Oklahoma star Wayman Tisdale with the Thunder Community Hero Award for the month of April at Tuesday night’s game against San Antonio. Tisdale will be recognized during an on-court presentation for his contributions to basketball in Oklahoma and for his courage and spirit battling cancer and assisting others who have faced the same challenge.
Tisdale was diagnosed with cancer in his knee in 2007. His right leg was amputated from the knee down in 2008 and he now wears a prosthetic leg.
Tisdale, through his foundation, also assists other amputees who don’t have health insurance or whose insurance won’t fund medical needs. He was recently honored with a similar Courage Award during an NBA Legends event at NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix.
Tisdale, a three-time All-American for the Sooners and a 12-year NBA veteran for Indiana, Sacramento and Phoenix, will be presented the Community Hero Award by Thunder general manager Sam Presti and Devon Energy Executive Vice President Alan Marcum. Tisdale will be joined by his wife, Regina, as special guests of the Thunder.
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P.J. Carlesimo Lands At TNT
Former Thunder coach P.J. Carlesimo has been hired by TNT as an in-game analyst.
Carlesimo will work tonight’s Denver-Utah game, the second of the network’s double-header at 9:30 p.m., alongside play-by-play man Kevin Harlan and sideline reporter Marty Snider. Carlesimo also will be an analyst during the network’s 40 games in 40 nights coverage for the NBA playoffs.
The deal has been in the works for months between TNT and Carlesimo, who also served as a radio analyst during the NCAA Men’s Tournament for Westwood One.
Carlesimo has had several radio and television jobs over his career, most notably his work as an NBA analyst for NBC and the San Antonio Spurs during the 1999-2000 season after the Golden State Warriors fired him midway through the season.
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White, Weaver Sent To Tulsa
Rookies D.J. White and Kyle Weaver have been assigned to the Tulsa 66ers, the Thunder’s D-League affiliate.
It’s the third time White has been sent to Tulsa and the first time Weaver has been sent down.
In four games with Tulsa, White has averages of 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists in 30.8 minutes. Weaver has played in 49 games for the Thunder, 17 as a starter, and is averaging 5.4 point, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 20 minutes a game.
The goal is to get both players extended minutes with the 66ers, more than they currently would with the Thunder. Both players are expected to be in uniform tonight when the 66ers face the Austin Toros but expect both players to be recalled before the end of the season.
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