HoopsHype.com Rumors

Collectors of Kobe Bryant memorabilia will get their wish, as ESPN.com has learned that a settlement has been reached between the Los Angeles Lakers guard and a company that was auctioning off his memorabilia. Exactly one week before the two sides were due to go to trial in New Jersey, a deal was reached, Goldin Auctions president Ken Goldin said on Monday morning. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Merchandising 

"We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia," said Joe and Pamela Bryant in a statement, provided by a publicist. "We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years. We also apologize to Goldin Auctions for their inadvertent involvement in this matter and thank them for their assistance." While Goldin said he wasn't free to divulge the terms of the settlement, what is clear is that approximately 90 percent of what previously was being offered has been pulled off the table. Goldin Auctions is now only offering six items for sale, though they are still some of the most highly coveted. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Merchandising 

Shaquille O’Neal has been Superman, the Big Diesel, the Big Aristotle and the Big AARP, among other nicknames. Now, he can add the Big High-Fructose Corn Syrup to that list. Shaq is launching a line of cream sodas with Arizona Beverage. It will come in at least four flavors (pictured: strawberry, orange, vanilla and blueberry), and according to Sports Business Daily, 50 million cans will be in circulation in June. For The Win

Shaquille O'Neal, Merchandising 

All of Brooklyn can get behind these tan lines. Nets bikinis and other fun summer merchandise will be available on the Coney Island beachfront this season in the basketball team’s signature black and white. New York Daily News

Brooklyn Nets, Merchandising 

Julien’s Auctions will present historic collections including iconic pieces from the Harlan Werner Muhammad Ali Collection, the Whalen “Whaley” Monica World Series and All-Star Game collection in its entirety, and the collection of NBA Legend Elgin Baylor. Basketball will take center court when the Collection of Elgin Baylor is also offered on Friday. The exclusive collection of the eleven-time NBA All-Star, Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and L.A. Lakers legend features memorabilia from every stage of his career. Artdaily.org

Elgin Baylor, Merchandising 

Additional auction highlights include a 1980’s sideline chair from Chicago Stadium, used as part of the Chicago Bulls team bench, game used and signed by Michael Jordan; Jordan’s 1992 game worn and signed shoes; LeBron James’ 2002-03 Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School game worn uniform Artdaily.org

LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Merchandising 

Lakers Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor will be auctioning off memorabilia, awards and personal items on May 31 with the help of Julien's Auctions. Baylor, whose No. 22 jersey is retired at Staples Center, is making available his 1959 All-Star Game MVP Trophy, his 1971-72 championship ring and a number of rare items accumulated over his legendary career. "I worked and played as hard as I possibly could. My college coach said just give it your best effort and then you can feel good about what you've done," Baylor told Michael Mink of Investor's Business Daily. "I was always competitive. I always wanted to win regardless of what I was doing. I would just keep going until I wore my opponent out. That was my approach," the 6-foot-5 former forward said. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Hall of Fame, Elgin Baylor, Merchandising 

Net Daily: With SBJ noting #Nets attendance gain is biggest in NBA, it's a trifecta! Nets had biggest gains in local TV ratings and merchandise sales Twitter @NetsDaily

Brooklyn Nets, Merchandising 

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony has put together an MVP-type season. And fans have noticed. For the first time since the NBA began releasing jersey sales in 2001-02, Anthony has the top-selling jersey in the NBA this season, climbing ahead of Miami Heat All-Star LeBron James who had the top spot from April 2012 through November 26, 2012. USA Today Sports

Miami Heat, New York Knicks, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Merchandising 

Upper Deck will be the latest company to benefit from the infinite popularity of Michael Jordan , issuing a card set that features him during his North Carolina days. Upper Deck will release just 250 sets of 23 cards of Jordan in college, four Jordan autograph cards, one replica 1982 championship ring, and two other premium cards. The set could be valued as high as $5,000. Jordan’s 1984 Star rookie card with the Bulls is valued as high as $5,000 in mint condition. Star released NBA team sets on a limited run when Topps, the main basketball card company, stopped producing cards for a decade, making the Jordan card even more valuable. Boston Globe

Michael Jordan, Merchandising 

The NBA and the Grateful Dead have collaborated to produce t-shirts that combine the logos of various playoff teams with the legendary band’s famous artwork. The men’s shirts feature a modified version of the Grateful Dead’s signature skull logo, which appeared on the Steal Your Face album cover in 1976. A basketball design replaces the lightning bolt in the center of the skull. The women’s shirts star one of the group’s “dancing bear” figures that was included on History of the Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear’s Choice) in 1973. Both designs include team names and logos in 1970s era lettering. SI.com

Merchandising, Grateful Dead 

Mike Monroe: Chatted up one Warrior pre-game; he doesn't mind the short-sleeve unis but wishes they matched game shorts more closely Twitter @Monroe_SA

Golden State Warriors, Merchandising 

According to the SBJ article, once a plan to sell jersey ads is in place, the league must devise a way to split revenue from the ad sales among the 30 teams. A source told the magazine that league executives have yet to reach an agreement on how best to share the estimated $100 million in jersey ad revenue. “The idea of pooling a percentage of proceeds among the league’s 30 teams, sources said, is one way the league is looking to offset the wide range in the value of jersey deals between high-revenue teams like the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers and low-revenue teams such as the Memphis Grizzlies and Charlotte Bobcats,” according to the SBJ article. FOXSports Ohio

Owners, Merchandising 

If you’ve got a spare $100,000 lying around and are reading this website, you are probably OK with spending all that money on something basketball-related, just so long as it’s awesome. And though, as a Bulls fan, I might be biased, I’m fairly certain that this fits the bill — it’s the structural blueprint for the United Center’s Michael Jordan statue that everyone takes a picture with whenever they go to a Bulls game. And it’s on eBay. The Score

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Merchandising 

Granted, the term "throwback uniform" tends to be a bit of overstatement for a team only now in its 25th season, but the Heat are going retro on Friday night in Indiana. As part of the NBA Hardwood Classics Nights program, the Heat are one of seven teams that will wear retro uniforms this season, including against the Pacers, in the game on both Sun Sports and ESPN. The classic uniforms will be worn periodically from Jan. 30 through March 30. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, Merchandising 

The other retro uniforms will include: Atlanta Hawks "Spreadwings" home uniform (1998-99 season): Features the Atlanta Hawk stretching its wings across the front of the jersey. Chicago Bulls "Pinstripe" alternate road uniform (1995-96 season): Features red stripes on a black jersey with red and white trim. Indiana Pacers "Classic pinstripe" home uniform (1996-97 season): Features navy stripes on a white jersey with gold and navy trim. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Merchandising 

Marc Berman: #Knicks are No. 1 in NBA merchandise sales with an asterisk. Source: Brooklyn gear No. 1 since preseason opened nyp.st/Yt6GYj Twitter @NYPost_Berman

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Merchandising 

The NBA’s announcement the Knicks are No. 1 in merchandise sales in its latest study for the first time since 2004 may need a big, fat black-and-white asterisk. The figures are based on sales at the NBA store and online store from April through Thanksgiving weekend. Another reason the numbers are skewered is because the Brooklyn Nets’ new merchandise didn’t become available until late September. A lot of the figures count the Nets’ old merchandise sales. New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Merchandising 

According to a league source, Brooklyn’s merchandise is actually No. 1 since the season began in late October, hardly a surprise considering its novelty and fashionable black-and-white color scheme. So the Knicks’ reign on No. 1 may be short-lived on the next tally — which is done twice a year. New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Merchandising 

LeBron James is atop the NBA's jersey-sales list once again. The Miami Heat star has the league's hottest-selling jersey, marking the third time the NBA's reigning MVP and Finals MVP has held that distinction. James was No. 4 in the most recent rankings, released in April. Since then, all he's done is win his third MVP award, a second Olympic gold medal and help the Heat win the NBA championship — the franchise's second and his first. "It's an honor to be No. 1," said James, who last had the league's best-selling jersey in April 2011. CNBC

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Merchandising