21.   Before the governor spoke, Elton Brand, the professional basketball star from Peekskill, who is black, told the crowd of his love for the Pataki family.

22.   Believe it or not, this was the first professional basketball game I ever attended.

23.   Bell was too busy buying a professional basketball franchise in San Antonio and investing heavily in a Mexican phone operation that eventually encountered massive financial unpleasantness.

24.   Bradley, a former professional basketball star, put on his game face as he prepared for the debate.

25.   Bradley replied that while he could still play basketball, he could not dunk and was barely able to do so even when he played professional basketball.

26.   -- Played at least two seasons for another professional basketball league.

27.   A former professional basketball player, Setencich was briefly on the roster of the Portland Trailblazers, but never played in a regular-season NBA game.

28.   A few months back, professional basketball player Sprewell was fired and suspended for a year for attacking his coach at the Golden State Warriors.

29.   A professional basketball game had to be halted when a Converse shoe worn by a player leaked cushioning fluid onto the court.

30.   A good part of that education came from professional basketball.