NBA 2014-15: Chicago Bulls star Pau Gasol sings in new advertisement for UNICEF

WHICH Chicago Bulls star loves opera and sings in a new advertisement for UNICEF? Find out in this week’s Jammed column.

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 15: Pau Gasol #16 of the Chicago Bulls drives against Al Horford #15 of the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on December 15, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

WHICH Chicago Bulls star loves opera and sings in a new advertisement for UNICEF?

Read on and find out in this week’s Jammed column.

FOOT LOCKER IS AN AD FACTORY

Surely Foot Locker must be pretty close to exhausting all of its ideas for NBA players in its advertisements.

This week’s latest release features OKC star Russell Westbrook putting an aspiring basketballer through a typical day from training hell.

As far as Foot Locker ads go, this one earns a B.

PAU GASOL IS A SINGING, OPERA-LOVING ENIGMA

Sure, there are probably better singers among the NBA’s elite, but Pau Gasol does an OK job of belting out John Lennon’s Imagine for a new ad for UNICEF.

The giant Chicago Bulls centre carries a tune slightly better than you’d expect a giant Chicago Bulls centre to.

Gasol might have been inspired by his passion for opera.

The Spaniard yesterday convinced teammate Nazr Mohammed to attend an opera with him, and Mohammed didn’t hate it!

LEBRON’S SON IS RIDICULOUS

It’s depressing to know that there’s a nine-year-old over in the States who’s already better at basketball than we’ll probably ever be at anything.

LeBron James’ son’s array of skills and tricks is already beyond impressive, and he ran rings around the opposition at a recent tournament for fourth-graders.

Whether or not he can be as good as his dad remains to be seen, but you can be the judge here.

PISTONS PAY JOSH SMITH $27 MILLION TO LEAVE

Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith is now ex-Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith.

The Detroit Pistons must really, really, really, really not want Josh Smith.

He’s their highest-paid player, earning about $13.5 million a season, and is averaging 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this year, yet his coach and team have fallen so out of love with the 29-year-old that they’re letting him go for nothing.

Sure, the Pistons shopped him around to every other NBA and couldn’t get anything resembling a nibble, such has been Smith’s inefficiency and horrific shooting in the season to date.

So Detroit instead decided to pay Smith the $27 million it was due to fork out over the next two seasons, just to get him out the door.

Smith is now searching for a new team, and he can now be had for next to nothing.

JAMES ENNIS’ DUNK OF THE WEEK

This might be the first time in history that someone’s look at something ridiculous an NBA player did and said “he probably learned that in the NBL”.

James Ennis had one of the highlights of the week on Monday when he threw down a vicious put-back dunk against the Boston Celtics.

A key member of the Perth Wildcats team that won last year’s NBL title, Ennis is putting together a solid season with the Miami Heat, averaging four points and about 14 minutes a game, but the Celtics game was by far his best outing, with 16 points and eight rebounds.

GRIZZLIES BUY CAR FOR TEAM EMPLOYEE

The Memphis Grizzlies are doing good things on the court, and now they’re doing even better things off it.

When team intern Brandon had his car stolen earlier in December, the players got together, pooled some cash and stumped up the money for a new one.

Grizzlies shooting guard Courtney Lee posted a video of Brandon receiving the bow-covered car, and said it was nice to help someone in need.

“Good start to today, Brandon 1 of our team assistants car was stolen not to long ago so as a team we all donated a little something to make his Christmas special,” Lee said in his post.

DRAKE ADDS SPICE TO RAPTORS PLAYER INTRODUCTIONS

The Toronto Raptors let US rapper Drake loose on the microphone during the player introductions during a game late last week.

He wasn’t bad, either, and added his own humorous touches to each player’s bio.

Originally published as NBA 2014-15: Chicago Bulls star Pau Gasol sings in new advertisement for UNICEF