Tony Gaffney Continues to Get Strong

It was great to catch up with the lovely Jessica Gaffney this week and hear that her bro Tony is recuperating and building back his strength. Sounds like he is keeping in touch with a lot of the Laker players and we wish him well with his rehab. On a side note - I was at the Lakers/Celtics game a few weeks back and witnessed a tough 90-89 loss to LA that really hurt.

Tony's Time is Coming

Tony Gaffney is back home recovering from a leg injury and plotting his next move. The bottom line is that Tony knows he will one day play in the NBA...it's just a matter of time.

"Whether you think you can or think you can't...your right - Henry Ford


---- HAPPY HOLIDAYS to ALL -----

Gaffney Arrives Safely in Israel

Just logged onto my Facebook page and saw that Tony just arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel. Let the journey begin...

Lakers Waive Tony Gaffney

taken from LA Lakers blog:

"He made a solid push, but in the end the math just wasn't in his favor, and what seemed completely and totally inevitable three weeks ago finally happened today when the Lakers waived forward Tony Gaffney. The UMass product showed good defensive instincts and a willingness to work hard, but given the $91 million on LA's payroll (which translates to over $110 million in commitments when luxury taxes are factored in) Gaffney needed to be more than simply a prospect. All isn't lost, though. Gaffney likely showed enough to find his way into the NBA at some point down the road."

It is only a matter of time until Tony lands on an NBA team...the journey continues.

Additional story here

Tony Gaffney in Action

Los Angeles Clippers forward (and former BC player) Craig Smith goes up for a shot as Los Angeles Lakers Tony Gaffney defends during the first half of their preseason NBA basketball game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill).

LA Lakers News on Tony Gaffney

Check out this great YouTube video of Tony that was on Tumblr. He is being interviewed about his time spent with the Lakers and what it's like playing with Kobe Bryant among other things.

Here is a nice Phil Jackson quote regarding Tony: “We really like his [Tony Gaffney's] basketball feel. His athleticism, his defensive capabilities..."

A nice shot of Tony and Lamar Odom hanging out at a recent event.

Globe Article on Gaffney's Progress with Lakers

Former UMass standout Tony Gaffney has been working to earn a roster spot with the Lakers, coming off the bench for them during the exhibition season. Check out this article in today's Boston Globe on Tony's experience.

Gaffney Catches Lakers' Eye

You can also find clips from the Lakers exhibition games on www.NBA.com.

Gaffney Named to Lakers Roster

Former UMass power forward Tony Gaffney has been named to the LA Lakers 2009-10 roster. For a complete listing of the team click here. Also, I came across a great video on the Lakers blog of Tony's teammate, Luke Walton, working out with Lakers strength & conditioning coach and Director of Athletic Performance/Player Development Chip Schaefer. To give you some great insight of what Tony has been doing on the pre-season conditioning side of things check out the video.

Working Hard at Veteran's Camp

Tony is currently in L.A. getting to work at veteran's camp. Here he is with fellow camp invitees Michael Fey and David Monds.

http://www.nba.com/lakers/roster/index.html

Gaffney in Sunday's Boston Globe

As I was reading the Boston Globe sports page today I came across writer Frank Dell'Apa's column that mentioned Tony Gaffney.

"the second I got a call from the Lakers, the day after the draft, I immediately turned into a die hard Lakers fan. I put the Boston Celtics behind me and now I'm ready to beat the Celtics with everything I got. As of right now I'm a Laker and I love wearing purple and gold."

Pro Situation Looking Good for Gaffney

Tony Gaffney had a great summer league in Las Vegas and has been invited back to the LA Lakers veteran's camp according to his sister Jessica. Word on the street is that their top draft pick is headed overseas to play. Mr. Gaffney also has an offer from overseas (Israel) as his back-up plan...the journey continues!

Gaffney Invited to Lakers Training Camp

According to this mornings Boston Globe UMass forward Tony Gaffney has been invited to the Los Angeles Lakers training camp that is slated to begin in October. Gaffney showed his usual, high energy style of play (even playing through an injury) throughout his time in the Las Vegas summer league averaging 3.8 ppg.