JEREMY LIN SPEAKS IN BEHALF FOR HIS FAMILY

NEW YORK – After one more starry performance Sunday, New York Knicks phenomenon Jeremy Lin delivered a plea to the media in Taiwan where his grandmother and family live: Back off.

“The special request I have is for the media back in Taiwan to give (my family) space, because they can’t even go to work without being bombarded, without people following them,” Lin said at Madison Square Garden.

“I want people to respect their privacy.”

15 YEARS OLD DIED IN CAR ACCIDENT INVOLVING LAMAR ODOM

A 15-yr-old pedestrian has died in a crash last week involving a car carrying Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom in New York City, TMZ reports.

The accident took place on Thursday in New York City as a hired driver shuttled Odom around the city for a cousin's funeral service. While the NBA star was in the car, the vehicle struck a motorcycle, which was then launched into the young boy who later died due to massive head injuries sustained from the accident.

Both Lamar and wife Khloe Kardashian have given words of condolence to the boy's family via twitter. Lamar Odom writes: "My thoughts and prayers are with the young boys family..." Khloe tweeted: "Our love will give us strength! Love conquers ALL!"

TMZ cites a source close to Lamar saying he is "devastated" by the boy's death.

YAO MING WILL RETIRE: UPDATE ON YAO MING'S RETIREMENT

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming has decided to retire after nine NBA seasons, Yahoo! Sports and the Houston Chronicle have reported, citing league sources.

Yao's contract had expired after this past season with the Rockets, who have missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

They played nearly all of that time without Yao as he battled various injuries. He was limited to five games last season after missing all of 2009-10.

"We'd all be really happy if Yao comes back to play, and I hope he can," new Rockets coach Kevin McHale said when he was introduced last month. "I think he'll give it his best shot. His body is going to dictate if he can come back and play. That's all going to be laid out in the future.

"But who wouldn't like Yao Ming, a big guy who can really make shots, just a huge force in the middle? That's out of my control. We'll see where that goes."

THE CRAZIEST BASKETBALL COURT IN THE WORLD

The world’s craziest basketball court is in Munich

By Kelly Dwyer

There is a basketball court in Germany that is about to blow your mind.

We're not sure, outside of displaying one's artistic integrity, why someone would choose to make a 3D-styled basketball court featuring lumps and lamps and all sorts of weirdness, but we do appreciate the results. Because it gives us an excuse to wonder what it would be like to play basketball on a court like this:

Or this:

Or this:

Whoa, man. Here's a description of the court, from inges idée:

A regulation-sized basketball court was erected on the grove-like forecourt of the school building of the occupational school. The court consists of a soft orange-red tartan covering and two normed baskets and seems to be forced over the grid of the lamps that have been set up. The playable court has been "morphed" as in a 3D program on a computer and looks like the grounds of a rollercoaster, with heights and depths and calm and dynamic zones. The resulting paradox, which moves between a normative set of rules and pleasurable, anarchic change, requires creative engagement for its use.

It's best if you read the preceding paragraph with the appropriate accent.

Also, we can only hope that Dirk Nowitzki notes)never sets foot on this court. We like his ankles the way they are.