In the aftermath of Katrina, basketball will go on! The Hornets play tomorrow night against the Lakers in their first “home” game in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. The Hornets will arrive in the city today and have several community-service events planned. Hornets coach Byron Scott looks forward to the homecoming. “I think it’s going to be fun for me. I can see friends down there, and I’ve got family down there, as well,” Scott said. “Probably like everyone else, I’m a little curious to see how the city is, to see how far it has come. And I’m curious to see the arena and the fans. Hopefully this is something that will be uplifting and bring happiness to the fans that come to the game and cheer us on. Bring a little sunshine into their lives, because I know it’s been crazy.” Owner George Shinn today will host a house dedication through his Hoops for Homes charity, and tonight several hot Hornets will lift the spirit of several children by meeting with them at public housing complex. Tomorrow, at an NBA Cares Habitat for Humanity house dedication, NBA Commissioner David Stern will be joined by Shinn, five yet-to-be named-Hornets players and former NBAers

Congratulations to Kobe Bryant. He’s now the youngest player in the history of the NBA to score 16,000 points while wearing blue tights.

Industry chatter has it that hot Utah baller, Carlos Boozer may be headed to L.A where he will don the ugly gold and blue uniform.

Boozers agent Rob Pelinka apparently pushed “really hard” to trade Boozer to the Lakers before last week’s deadline. Failing in his attempt, Pelinka plans to make it happen over the summer. For some reason Chris Mihm, Devean George and Aaron McKie weren’t wanted by the Jazz or the Warriors…I’ll take em. And I’ll take Boozer in California. I don’t like him playing for the Lakers, but after losing sexy Brain Grant, I’d like some fresh meat on the team.

And yes, you can play leapfrog in the NBA.

Gerald Wallace does what we all wish we could do - get on top of Udonis Haslem.

Music, Reebok and clothing…Tomorrow, sexy musician Daddy Yankee is launching a signature DY shoe and apparel line and an ad campaign with Reebok.

Reebok VP/Lifestyle & Entertainment Marketing Que Gaskins said that the campaign “pulls influences from hip-hop, reggae, merengue and salsa, so the advertising pulls influences from his cultural perspective.” Gaskins added Reebok looks for “entertainers that we think live within our brand. Daddy Yankee, growing up in Puerto Rico and having a love for soccer … and understanding how big reggaeton as a music genre was going to be, he was the right guy for us.”

Speaking of hot athletes and marketing them towards women…an interesting phenomenon is taking place. The Cleveland Indians rock!!!! Their new marketing “push” revolves around Grady Sizemore, the hot, young and sexy outfielder who arrived last season and prompted woman to shift their focus from shopping to baseball.

“Our female market demographic research showed there were 200 percent more women watching Indians games last season,” said Indians vice president Bob DiBiasio. “Grady is the big reason.”

When the Indians introduced “Mrs. Sizemore” T-shirts last season, they sold 600 in six days. His astute fan club is known as “Grady’s Ladies.”

Anyone care?
“One of our goals is to connect NASCAR and Charlotte the same way Hollywood is connected to the movies, the same way Pasadena is connected to the Rose Bowl, the same way Augusta is connected to The Masters” – Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, on the city landing the NASCAR HOF.

Who’s a big cry baby? Mensa reject John Rocker, who else?

Yesterday, John Rocker left the studio before a live appearance on ESPN2’s “Cold Pizza” after learning he would be asked about comments he made about N.Y. in a ’99 SI article. Debi Curzio, Rocker’s publicist, said that Rocker “simply has wearied of revisiting that old article.” “Cold Pizza” host Jay Crawford said on-air of Rocker’s abrupt departure, “We had a nice conversation about baseball during the commercial break, and then he asks me politely, ‘Hey, you’re not going to get into the stuff about the New York comments?’ Well, yeah, John, we are. That’s part of who you are. So he went over to the other side of the studio, and he was sitting like a four-year-old child, his lips were pursed. The next thing you know, he stands up and stomps out of the studio, right after we tease that he’s coming up on the show. He just doesn’t get it.”

As you may know by now, Baseball HOFer KIRBY PUCKETT died yesterday after suffering a stroke early Sunday at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 45 years old. Most papers are offering their condolences and giving Kirby the front page…here’s a few examples of the effect of his passing. I guess Boston didn’t hear about it?

BOSTON

That’s it for now. As always, thanks for reading. Delinda