* Sudanese-born Englishman Luol Deng ( 2007 winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award )

On December 11, 2006, Commissioner Stern announced that beginning January 1, 2007, the NBA would return to the traditional leather basketball in use prior to the 2006 – 07 season.

On July 19, 2007, the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated allegations that veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy bet on basketball games he officiated over the past two seasons and that he made calls affecting the point spread in those games.

The Oklahoma City Thunder is the third major team overall, considering the temporary hosting of the NBA New Orleans / Oklahoma City Hornets from 2005 – 2007.

John Amaechi, who played in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers ( as well as internationally with Panathinaikos BC of the Greek Basketball League and Kinder Bologna of the Italian Basketball League ), came out in February 2007 on ESPN's Outside the Lines program.

The Heat finished the regular season with a 44 – 38 record and faced the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, to whom they lost 4 – 0 in the best of seven series.

Miami retained the 20th and 39th picks in the 2007 NBA Draft.

On April 15, 2007, with an 88 – 86 victory over the Boston Celtics, the Magic secured its first berth in the NBA Playoffs since 2003 by locking up the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Magic started the 2007 – 08 NBA season with an impressive 16 – 4 record in their first 20 games, which included wins over the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Magic were also the only NBA team to wear black sneakers and socks in all their games, a tradition that began upon the hiring of Stan Van Gundy in 2007 ; however they wore white sneakers and socks at home in all of the 2008 – 09 season and early in the 2009 – 10 season before switching back to black sneakers and socks.

The 2008 NBA All-Star Game and its accompanying festivities were awarded to New Orleans and a serious marketing campaign was commenced in February 2007.

Ultimately, Curry refused to participate in the tests, and he was traded along with Antonio Davis to the New York Knicks for Michael Sweetney, Tim Thomas, and what became the second pick of the 2006 NBA Draft — as well as the right to swap picks with New York in the 2007 NBA Draft.

The Bulls started the 2007 – 08 NBA season by losing 10 of their first 12 games and on December 24, 2007, after a 9 – 16 start, the Bulls fired head coach Scott Skiles.

* Lance Allred – 2007 – 2008 ( First Deaf Player in the NBA )

The Pistons opened the 2007 NBA Playoffs with a 4 – 0 victory over the Orlando Magic, their first playoff series sweep since 1990.

In the 2007 NBA Draft the Pistons selected Rodney Stuckey as the 15th overall pick and Arron Afflalo as the 27th overall pick.

Since their inaugural 1980 – 81 season, the Mavericks have won three division titles ( 1987, 2007, 2010 ), two conference championships ( 2006, 2011 ), and one NBA Championship ( 2011 ).

Despite Nowitzki's MVP showing, the Mavericks were upset by their former coach Don Nelson and the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

On December 19, 2006, the Nuggets traded Joe Smith, Andre Miller and two first-round draft picks of the 2007 NBA Draft to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ivan McFarlin and superstar Allen Iverson ( McFarlin was waived immediately following the trade's approval ).

They finished the 2007 – 08 NBA season with exactly 50 wins as well as finishing the first half of that season 25 – 16 ( 50 – 32 overall record, tied for the third-best all-time Nuggets record since the team officially joined the NBA in 1976 ), following a 120 – 111 home victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the last game of the season.

Minnesota began the NBA preseason with two games in London and Istanbul, as part of NBA Europe Live 2007.

In the 2007 NFL Draft, the Jaguars used their first-round pick ( 21st overall ) to select Florida safety Reggie Nelson.

All-Pro runningback Adrian Peterson was selected 7th overall by the Vikings during the 2007 NFL Draft.

After much speculation as to whether the Flyers would trade the 2nd overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers stayed put and selected New Jersey native James van Riemsdyk.

Just before the 2007 NBA Draft, the Spurs purchased the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, becoming the second NBA team to purchase an NBADL team.

Toews, the third overall selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft led all rookies in goals scored, while Kane, the first overall selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, led all rookies in total points.

Several Oilers left via free agency, and, during the season, long-time Oiler Ryan Smyth was traded to the New York Islanders for Ryan O ' Marra, Robert Nilsson, and a first round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft ( Alex Plante ).

* Madison Bumgarner, drafted 10th by the San Francisco Giants in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, graduate of South Caldwell High School and a member of the Caldwell County Post 29 American Legion baseball team.

* Le ' Ron McClain-Baltimore Ravens ' 4th round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.

* Jason Heyward — Atlanta Braves prospect and first-round selection in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.

He was the sixth overall selection in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Redskins.

* Town of Russell, Massachusetts Draft Open Space and Recreation Plan Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 2007.

* T. J. Brennan ( born 1989 ), 31st pick of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2007 NHL Draft.

* Jay Alford ( born 1983 ), defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2007 NFL Draft ( 81st overall ).

* James van Riemsdyk ( born 1989 ), drafted second overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, he has played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

At the beginning of the 2007 WNBA season, the team traded Becky Hammon to the San Antonio Silver Stars for Jessica Davenport, a first round pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft.

In the 2007 WNBA Draft, the Lynx traded center Tangela Smith, who they acquired in the dispersal draft from the Charlotte Sting, to the Phoenix Mercury for point guard Lindsey Harding, who had been selected first overall.

He was awarded the 2007 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually in the United States to the nation's most outstanding senior quarterback in college football and was selected third in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, making him the highest-chosen BC player in NFL Draft history.

Also in the 2007 off-season, the Miami Heat made a five-player trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, bringing back Ricky Davis and Mark Blount.

Kevin Garnett played for the Timberwolves from 1995 – 2007.

The Timberwolves then traded forward Bobby Jones to the Philadelphia 76ers for a 2007 second-round pick and cash.

On July 31, 2007, the Minnesota Timberwolves reached a deal to trade All-Star Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics for Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, two first-round draft picks, and cash considerations.

Of the four only the Magic continue to use a parquet floor ( which was transferred to the Amway Center from the Amway Arena ); the Nets were the first of those teams to switch to a regular hardwood court ( although their old parquet floor continued to be used by the Seton Hall basketball team until 2007 ), with the Nuggets using their parquet in the latter years of the iconic ' rainbow ' era ( 1990-93 ) and the Timberwolves installing a new floor at the Target Center for the 2008-09 season.

*** The Minnesota Timberwolves have not retired the number, but have not issued it since Kevin Garnett was traded from the team in 2007.

Ainge responded with two bold moves that changed the franchise's fortunes almost overnight: the 2007 trades for the Minnesota Timberwolves ' Kevin Garnett and the Seattle SuperSonics ' Ray Allen immediately returned the Celtics to the ranks of the NBA's elite franchises for the first time since the early 1990s.

On June 14, 2007, Howard was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Mike James and Justin Reed.

On October 29, 2007, the Timberwolves waived Howard after agreeing to a contractual buyout agreement worth $ 10 million spread over four years instead of the roughly $ 14. 25 million ($ 6. 88 million plus $ 7. 38 million ) that Minnesota would otherwise have owed him.

On October 24, 2007, Walker was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves along with Michael Doleac, Wayne Simien, a first-round draft pick and cash considerations in exchange for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount.

He was replaced by Minnesota Timberwolves radio man Brian Sieman in 2007.

On July 31, 2007 the Celtics traded Telfair, along with Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff and two first-round draft picks, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett.

* Jonny Flynn ( 2007 – 2009 )-Minnesota Timberwolves 2009 First Round selection, 2009 Big East Tournament MVP

He last played for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, who waived him on March 13, 2007.

In March 2007, Griffin was released by the Timberwolves.

On October 27, 2007, Udrih was sent, along with cash considerations, by the Spurs to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for a protected 2008 second-round draft pick.

Casey's overall record with the team was 53-69, he was fired on January 23, 2007 lasting only a season and a half with the Timberwolves.

On July 31, 2007 it was made official that Jefferson was to be traded along with Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and draft picks, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett.

Simien was traded from the Heat along with Antoine Walker and Michael Doleac to the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 24, 2007 for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount.

His contract with the Timberwolves was bought out on August 3, 2007.

After two relatively obscure seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves ( 2004 – 06 ), on April 12, 2007, the Denver Nuggets signed Carter for the remainder of the season, after he started the year with Italy's Legea Scafati.

On July 31, 2007, Gomes was traded along with Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, and draft picks, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Garnett .< ref >