Magic Wands: May 1, 2009

-Interesting allegations about the Magic's promise to hire minority groups for the building of the new arena. The NAACP was planning to picket all remaining Magic home games in the Playoffs because of their belief that not enough black workers had been hired for the building of the new arena. Both the city and the team believe they have gone above and beyond that effort, Jessica Reuter of Bleacher Report says.

-Apparently the Dream Team is not already in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Well, they are nominated now.

-David Stern confirmed to The Orlando Sentinel that the All Star Game will return to Orlando in the near future in the new Orlando Events Center.

-Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the winner of the Create-A-Caption contest on 3rd Quarter Collapse. With some luck and determination, you too can achieve this great honor.

-A plea from Hardwood Paroxysm for NBA bloggers to stop criticizing referees and believing in the infallibility of their teams.

-Despite continually being relegated to NBATV, Orlando does well in the ratings on TNT and national broadcast.

-The world is beginning to find out how awesome Adonal Foyle is. Not on the court, but off it. Henry Abbott of TrueHoop caught up with Foyle in Philadelphia and asked him a few questions and tells a great story about his relations with some hating Philadelphia fans.

-Jeremy Fowler of The Orlando Sentinel tells a personal story about the impact of sports on all our lives.

-Rashard Lewis has a horse in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel reports. Cheer for Join the Dance on Saturday.

-The age limit sure seemed like a good idea at the time, but now Jeremy Tyler of California, a 6-foot-11 high school junior, is skipping his senior year to play overseas professionally. Much like Brandon Jennings, the NBA's new rule might be sucking players out of the college system. Kyle Hightower of The Orlando Sentinel has a good story on the ramifications of this decision.

-I will definitely have more on the Magic's offseason plans when it becomes important to think about. But interesting debate over at 3rd Quarter Collapse about the possibility of signing unrestricted free agent Antonio McDyess.

-Anybody want a Geert Hamminck jersey? There is one being auctioned off on eBay right now!

-Add Courtney Lee to the list of teammates that Dwight Howard has injured.

-The Houston Rockets are doing what they can to keep the public safe from the swine flu scare.

-Patrick Ewing is not expecting to get a head coaching gig next year and will likely return to the Magic.

-David Whitley of The Orlando Sentinel just became the second Orlando Sentinel sports columnist to step down from the Sentinel in the last month after Jerry Greene retired. Whitley is heading to AOL sports. New blood coming into the Sentinel, maybe?

-Early entry list for the NBA Draft is out!!!!! I feel like a kid on Christmas who already got his present for this year, last year!

-Dwight Howard is No. 10 on the NBA's list of jersey sales. Progress! Kobe Bryant passed presumptive MVP LeBron James for No. 1.

-A list of athlete twitters via ESPN the Magazine at AthleteTweets.com.

-A long article from Spurs blog 48 Minutes of Hell about the possibility of players like Jeremy Tyler who decide to skip college ball to go and play in the NBA D-League. Interesting proposition with interesting ramifications for basketball in the United States.