If the Knicks’ $25,000 fine against Latrell Sprewell holds up, Sprewell will not have to dip into his own wallet to pay the bill.
AND1, which markets itself as the basketball shoe and apparel company for players with serious game, will pick up the freight. Garden president Dave Checketts fined Sprewell after Sprewell’s agent Robert Gist criticized the Knicks in an article published in The Post Wednesday.
A Players Assn. spokesperson said yesterday that the union will fight the fine, if Sprewell wants them to.
“It sets a dangerous precedent,” the spokesperson said of the fine.
AND1 signed Sprewell to a marketing deal this past week. AND1 founder and president Seth Berger, who once played in the Rucker League, said the company would stand behind its client because, “We want Latrell to focus on basketball and we would like to have him put this behind him as soon as possible.”
“We’ve got Latrell’s back, and we want him to concentrate on playing basketball and helping the Knicks get to the playoffs,” added Jay Coen Gilbert, VP of AND1, in an interview on “The Fabulous Sports Babe” yesterday.
In a statement earlier this week, Berger said, “AND1 and Latrell Sprewell come from the same place. Our roots are the playground level, where ballplayers talk smack and have the game to back it up. With his charisma, his attitude and his All-Star game, Latrell is a natural for our brand, and we’re lucky to have him.”
And yesterday AND1 was willing to put its money behind those words.
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The Knicks announced yesterday they and the NBA have ended the investigation into the Larry Johnson matter that was reported in New York Magazine, where it was written that Johnson “likes to trick the Knicks young publicist (Lori Hamamoto) and … into seeing him naked.”
Said a Knick spokesman, “The Knicks and the NBA looked into the anecdote described in New York Magazine. Both parties involved said nothing happened and that was determined to be the case. There is no issue.”
The Knicks yesterday signed forward Mirsad Turkcan, the last acquisition by Ernie Grunfeld. The Knicks placed Ben Davis on the injured list to make room for Turkcan.
In a five-year career with Efes Pilsen, Turkcan has averaged 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and .512 shooting percentage.