Chicago Bulls Celebrated at Training Camp Kickoff by Celebrity Author

To celebrate the September start of NBA training camps, Chicago Bulls players are honored with personalized My Fractured Life" novels from celebrity Hollywood actor turned Chicago author Rikki Lee Travolta.

(PRWEB) September 27, 2003 -- Continuing the informal partnership between the entertainment industry and the National Basketball League (NBA), Rikki Lee Travolta's book "My Fractured Life" features cover art exclusively in the colors of the Chicago Bulls. Travolta personally insisted on the NBA colors

To honor the opening of NBA training camps on September 29, Travolta has personalized copies of the red, black, and white novel for the 2003-2004 Bulls players.

The narrative character of Travolta's novel shares the author's love of professional basketball and makes references to the sport throughout the book. At one point the character openly ponders naming a pet after his favorite player and offhandedly touts trivia facts about former NBA world champion teams.

Scottie Pippen, who won six NBA Championships in the 1990s alongside Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls, played the last four seasons with Portland but returns to the Bulls this season.

Pippen was named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players, and served as the model for the hybrid guard-forward position. His cerebral court intelligence and long-armed tenacity paving the way for current Bulls star Jalen Rose and recent acquisition Kendal Gill.

Barnes & Nobel reports the Blazers and Bulls NBA-colored Travolta book has moved up over 177,000 spots in its sales rankings between the week of September 8 and the week of September 15, 2003.

Appealing to both sports and entertainment industry audiences, Barnes & Nobel documents the popularity of the book among those who also purchase the sports non-fiction best seller "It's Not About the Bike" by Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and "The Pianist" which served as the basis for the Academy Award winning film starring Adrien Brody.

The entertainment industry that Travolta represents has a long history with the NBA. In the 1980s and 90s, filmmaker Spike Lee used his celebrity to help propel basketball superstar Jordan into "Air Jordan" as a pitchman for Nike. The Los Angeles Lakers claim celebrity endorsement with Oscar-winner Jack Nicholson as their courtside jester.

Star forward-guard Rose is active in the entertainment world in his off-court life. Rose has appeared in multiple music videos and regularly visits Los Angeles.

A film adaptation of Travolta's book is being developed by Port Magee Pictures, producers of the series "Santiara." Producers Dan Riley and Peter J. Clark are currently in discussions with the FX Network and Showtime.

FX airs the gritty breakout hit dramas "Nip/Tuck" starring Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon, and "The Shield" starring Emmy-winner Michael Chiklis.

Showtime has produced the upcoming original movies "The Boys of 2nd Street Park" about neighborhood basketball players and "The Maldonda Miracle" from Oscar-nominated Selma Hayek. The network produces the series "Soul Food," "The Chris Isaak Show," and "Jeremiah" starring Malcolm Jamal-Warner and Luke Perry.

As a youth, Travolta played for Hall of Fame coach Dr. Jack Ramsay during a summer basketball camp. Ramsay played for the American Basketball Leagues Wilmington Blue Bombers before entering the NBA coaching ranks with the Philadelphia 76s where he led his team to the playoffs three times in four years. As the coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, he guided the team to an NBA championship in his first season, and nine playoff experiences in ten years.

When Travolta moved from Los Angeles to Chicago to star in the citys top box office comedy Tony n Tinas Wedding," he dated one of the Chicago Luvabulls - the cheerleaders of the basketball franchise. He also regularly performed the National Anthem as a courtside celebrity for coach Joey Meyer's Chicago Skyliners of the American Basketball Association (ABA) 2000-2001 revival. Myers currently coaches for the North Carolina Ashville Attitude of the National Basketball Development League (NBDL), an NBA-owned feeder league.

Travolta was a special guest during the Chicago Bulls' "Library Night" during the 2002-03 season. A noted literacy advocate and celebrity library spokesperson, Travolta was prominently featured seated with representatives of Chicago area libraries at the Bulls event. The Bulls participate with area libraries in the NBA's "Read to Achieve" program.

The 2002-03 season marked the on-court emergence of the Bulls' Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, Marcus Fizer, Lonnie Baxter, Trenton Hassell, Eddie Robinson, and Jay Williams under the veteran leadership of Donyell Marshall, Corie Blount, and Rose. Coach Bill Cartwright's 2004 training camp roster includes rookies Mario Austin, Kirk Hinrich, and Tommy Smith, and second year guard Roger Mason Jr.

Of mixed Italian and Native American (Nez Perce) heritage, as a singer and songwriter Travolta was listed on the 45 annual Grammy Awards nomination ballot in six rock and pop music categories. He has appeared throughout the world in headlining roles in "Tony n' Tina's Wedding," "West Side Story," and "Bye Bye Birdie." His recordings include songs from the award winning Broadway musicals "Rent," "Les Miserables," and "Miss Saigon." Travolta's acting credits include work with Ron Howard, Liza Minnelli, Matthew McConaughey, and Woody Harrelson.

Travolta is represented by agent Sam Samuelson of Stewart Talent and manager Drake Miezel of Prime Time Entertainment. He currently resides in the suburbs of Chicago as the artist-in-residence at North Shore Dance & Drama Center.

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Jesse Hyde
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