Friday, December 9, 2011

Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson’s girlfriend has been arrested on suspicion of domestic assault after authorities say she bit him at their home.

Cottonwood Heights police say Shirley Lewis was arrested Thursday night and booked into the Salt Lake County jail. She was later released.

Authorities say the 38-year-old girlfriend faces misdemeanor charges of domestic assault and domestic violence in the presence
of a child.

Police say Jefferson may face charges, too.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Lewis had an attorney, and her phone number is unlisted. Jefferson’s agent didn’t immediately return a message Friday, and a Jazz spokeswoman says the team has no information.

Jefferson started all 82 games last season and led the team in scoring with 18.6 points a game.

RUSTON, La. — Scotty Robertson, a former Louisiana Tech coach and the first coach of the NBA’s New Orleans Jazz, has died.

Louisiana Tech athletic director Bruce Van De Velde, who confirmed Robertson’s death on Thursday, says the longtime college and pro coach will be remembered as “one of the all-time greats at Louisiana Tech.”

Robertson, who had battled cancer in addition to a stroke last year, was 81.

During his years in the NBA, Robertson also served as head coach with the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons.

He coached 10 seasons at Louisiana Tech, compiling a mark of 165-86, and was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Later in his career, he was an assistant with Phoenix and a scout with Miami.

By Chris Tomasson, For the Deseret News

CHICAGO — For four years, Jimmermania has been building up in Utah. Has it possibly not reached a crescendo in the state?

The Jazz have two of the top dozen picks in the June 23 NBA Draft. A source said Thursday that while Jimmer Fredette isn’t being looked at for Utah’s No. 3 selection, he definitely will be given consideration if available at No. 12.

Consider the interest mutual.

“Yeah, that would be something that would be very cool,” the star guard from BYU said Thursday at the NBA Draft Combine about the possibility of being drafted by the Jazz. “Obviously, I have a big following out there. I feel comfortable there. I have a lot of family and friends in the area. It’s a good system, a lot of pick rolls.

“A guy like (former Utah guard) Deron Williams flourished in that type of system. I think I could do the same.”

Fredette, a native of Glens Falls, N.Y., said he would be “very happy” if drafted by the Jazz. He said he would have no problem with being selected No. 12, saying it’s “not how high I get drafted, it’s all about the system and where I can flourish the most.”

Jazz officials, who didn’t want to discuss Fredette in Chicago, were to have an interview with him Thursday night at the combine. Among those who were scheduled to meet with Fredette include general manager Kevin O’Connor, director of player personnel Walt Perrin, head coach Tyrone Corbin and assistants Scott Layden and Jeff Hornacek.

Fredette anticipated sitting down with nine NBA teams on Thursday in Chicago. But most important for Fredette is what he’ll be doing while standing up at the combine, which began Wednesday and runs through Saturday.

There’s not a lot of doubters when it comes to the offensive ability of the 6-foot-2 Fredette, who led the nation in scoring as a senior with a 28.9-point average and was the consensus National Player of the Year. But he’s determined to prove to scouts what he can do on the other side of the ball.

“I thought I impressed them,” Fredette said about Thursday’s drills. “Defensively, I thought I did pretty well on the one-on-one stuff. I think that’s what they want to see mostly out of me. They know I can shoot the ball. But they want to see the defensive end and see the lateral quickness.

“There’s definitely a perception (about him being a weak defender). When you get a stereotype, it’s hard to get rid of that stereotype until you go out and they see it for themselves. … I’m looking forward to showing them I’m a complete player, a guy who can not just score the basketball.”

Scouts will make a determination on whether Fredette can “D” up. But there’s no doubt he can fill it up.