HoopsHype.com Rumors

Late in the second quarter of the Hornets’ win over the Bobcats on Friday, Anthony Davis and Byron Mullens got tangled up. There was some pushing and shoving to go along with the requisite showing of bravado, before the referees stepped in and the two had to be separated. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist then came over to intervene, in what you’d hope was an attempt to calm rather than inflame the situation. But the official was already there, so MKG ended up running him over, which sent the ref tumbling to the ground. There’s no guarantee Kidd-Gilchrist will be suspended for the contact; the rule book only specifies an automatic one-game suspension for making “intentional” contact with an official, and in this case, that’s going to be subjective. NBCSports.com

Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, BJ Mullens, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Odd playing against my own brother @Anthony Davis .. Love u lil bro lol Twitter @MikeGillie14

Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Anthony Davis: Great playing against my bro @Michael Kidd-Gilchrist love him to death. Twitter @AntDavis23

Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Obviously the Charlotte Bobcats were high on rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as a basketball player. They drafted him second overall. The thing that got less attention was Kidd-Gilchrist’s likability as a person. Coach Mike Dunlap has seen teammates, like Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson, go out of their way to help the rookie’s transition to the NBA. Dunlap thinks he knows why. “He’s smart with people. That’s where his intelligence is the highest,’’ Dunlap described Friday morning. “He’s very humble and that’s attractive to our players. When they talk about him, they say they want to take care of him. “I found that was the case at Kentucky -- he had an average game to a poor game against St. John’s (where Dunlap coached last season), but his teammates always rallied around him. He has whatever it is. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Gerald Henderson, Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Mike Dunlap 

Though believing that former Kentucky standout Michael Kidd-Gilchrist needed to improve his perimeter shooting, first-year Charlotte Bobcats Coach Mike Dunlap waited for the right moment to broach the subject. That moment came as Dunlap watched Kidd-Gilchrist's frustration rise as he missed shots more often than the other players in an informal shootaround. "I went to him when no one was around and I said, 'Can we get this thing to where you want it?'" Kidd-Gilchrist eagerly accepted the offer. "God, coach, let's do it," he said. Lexington Herald-Leader

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Mike Dunlap 

In a telephone interview last week, Dunlap noted Kidd-Gilchrist's willingness to change the shot. "If you don't get a willing participant in this thing, it feels jammed down his throat," the Bobcats' coach said. An overriding question might be this: Can a player of Kidd-Gilchrist's age (He turned 19 on Wednesday) still make a significant change in his shooting motion? Or do habits become ingrained and thus impossible to change by then? Dunlap said the amount of time NBA players can devote to shooting can translate into big improvement. Using power forwards and centers as an example, Dunlap said, "Some couldn't make a two with a pencil. You look at them four years later, and you go, 'Geez, he's got a good 18-footer.'" Lexington Herald-Leader

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Mike Dunlap 

Jordan Brand officially announced the newest members of the team on Tuesday, signing four players to the brand including Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kendall Marshall, Jared Sullinger and Jeff Taylor. Examiner

Business, Sneakers, Jared Sullinger, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kendall Marshall 

Many of you have expressed curiosity about Charlotte Bobcats rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's health, after he sat out all but one summer-league game in Las Vegas with a sore knee. If Saturday is any indication, he's just fine. After initially indicating he would not play in Kentucky's charity game (it's still unclear why he said that to Kentucky media), Kidd-Gilchrist was pretty impressive Saturday: 32 points on 15-of-32 shooting from the field. A game-high five rebounds. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Injuries, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Rick Bonnell: Per @JerryTipton #bobcats asked Michael Kidd-Gilchrist not to play in Kentucky charity game Saturday, so he won't. Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Not sure what everybody is talking about, but I'm letting the BBN know I'm playing at Rupp on Saturday Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

A source close to the Heat forward confirmed to the Sun Sentinel early Thursday morning that James will be leaving Creative Artists Agency, the agency that also represents Wade and Bosh, in order to be represented by longtime friend Rich Paul, who has emerged with a significant roster of clients of his own, including Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Tristan Thompson and Jonny Flynn. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Jonny Flynn, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Agents, Tristan Thompson, Rich Paul, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Marc J. Spears: .@RichPaul4 repped Kidd-Gilchrist, E Bledsoe, Tristan Thompson & Cory Joseph with CAA.RP has good relationship with all & might land clients Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, LeBron James, Eric Bledsoe, Agents, Tristan Thompson, Cory Joseph, Rich Paul, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Rick Bonnell: Dunlap said post-game that MKG (knee) wanted to play, but with this being summer league, he won't until "completely healthy." Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Summer League, Injuries, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Mike Dunlap 

Rick Bonnell: #Bobcats rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (sore left knee) WON'T play tonight vs. Cavs. Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Injuries, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Rick Bonnell: MKG hurt his knee vs. Kings Friday, sat out some of practice Saturday. Not considered serious. Twitter

Charlotte Bobcats, Injuries, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

His mother concedes "Michael doesn't do media well," but she's confident he'll improve as he matures - just as he's done on the court. "You have to remember Michael doesn't turn 19 until September," Richardson said. "He's always been a very private person. Our entire family is private. We don't make it a habit to share information with outsiders. And when Michael is just Mike, when he's away from cameras and the media, he doesn't have the (stuttering) issue." NBA.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

For now, Kidd-Gilchrist finds himself in a tough situation. And he's OK with that. By virtue of being drafted so high, he'll be viewed as the face of the Bobcats franchise and will be the player everyone looks to for answers. "I've learned you just have to take your time, say what you want to say," Kidd-Gilchrist said. NBA.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

A month before his third birthday his father, Michael Gilchrist, was shot to death leaving a void in the young boy's life. He grew closer to his uncle, Darrin Kidd, as an adolescent. But he too was taken early, dying of a heart attack the same day Kidd-Gilchrist signed a letter of intent to play at Kentucky. Michael took his uncle's surname as part of his own to honor him. Despite the trauma of Gilchrist's sudden death, Richardson, who has since remarried, doesn't believe that's what caused her son's stuttering problem. "I think it's genetic," she said. "He stuttered when he was young. He's stuttered all his life, actually." NBA.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

That's not unusual, according to Louise Raleigh, a speech pathologist at UNC Greensboro. "Stuttering is normally the tip of the iceberg when it comes to other issues," Raleigh said. "There is also a lot of anxiety that comes when trying to hide stuttering. It's tough for those of us who don't stutter to truly understand the anxiety involved, particularly when it comes to public speaking." NBA.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Kidd-Gilchrist's off-court self-confidence has grown considerably over the last 12 months since being thrust into the national spotlight. That's what happens when you chose to play college basketball at the University of Kentucky, win a national championship and become the second pick in the draft. Kidd-Gilchrist says stuttering is "a part of me. It's who I am." wbko.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist