NBA Access With Ahmad Rashad Gives an Exclusive Look at the Ron Artest Trade With Sacramento Kings Owners Joe and Gavin Maloof

NBA Access With Ahmad Rashad Gives an Exclusive Look at the Ron Artest Trade With Sacramento Kings Owners Joe and Gavin Maloof

- Rashad's New Show Rejoins Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl on His Journey for First NBA Championship on Saturday, Feb. 4 on ABC -

NEW YORK, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad, the new real-life drama television series hosted and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Ahmad Rashad, lives up to its moniker as the series takes an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the recent trade negotiations by the Sacramento Kings for Ron Artest, in its second episode on ABC on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 1:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT.

The show's second episode takes viewers inside the "war room" during the on-again, off-again negotiations with the Indiana Pacers which led to the eventual acquisition of Artest for Peja Stojakovic, as it chronicles 72 hectic hours in the lives of Joe and Gavin Maloof, owners of the Sacramento Kings.

Last week in its premiere episode, NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad introduced the Maloofs to viewers. From courtside seats at Sacramento's Arco Arena to the streets of their home in Albuquerque, N.M. to the casino floor of the family-owned Palms Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, the Maloofs' glamorous life and passion for the NBA were revealed. In episode two, the blue-collar, roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic taught them by their father is displayed as the brothers go through the odyssey of an NBA trade negotiation. Throughout the process, the tenacity of the brothers, as well as their vulnerability, are shown as they pursued their goal of acquiring Artest.

"That is the business we are in, sometimes not everything goes according to plan," said an exhausted and frustrated Joe Maloof after the deal was about to fall apart last Tuesday. "You are going to have some zig and zagging. To get to a title, there are a lot of roads you have to go through."

Besides the Maloofs, NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad also revisits Coach George Karl and his Denver Nuggets. Cameras show the unconventional and sometimes unpredictable Karl as he continues his journey in pursuit of his first championship after 18 seasons of pounding the sidelines of the NBA. Not just a simple X's and O's man, Karl is seen as a complex individual, who mixes stern leadership with a warmth for his players. As NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad leaves an unrestricted practice session, viewers are left to ponder whether or not Karl's mixture is truly the recipe for success in Denver.

Future episodes will focus on New Jersey Nets forward Richard Jefferson, Washington Wizards scoring sensation Gilbert Arenas, Orlando Magic forward-center Dwight Howard, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets rookie Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni, and the Detroit Pistons. When he isn't filing reports from various locations remote locations, Rashad will host the show from a newly designed set at NBA Entertainment's studios in Secaucus, N.J., which features a collection of sports fan furnishings from the recently unveiled NBA at Home collection.

Source: NBA

CONTACT: Mike Wade, +1-212-407-8690, mwade@nba.com, or Francine Winiker,
+1-212-407-8422, fwiniker@nba.com, both of NBA

Web site: http://www.nba.com/

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