Ricky freezes Lithuania
July 25, 2008
I am not a big fan of posts with just one phrase. But this clip from yesterday’s preparation game for the Olympics between Spain and Lithuania is worth to go for such a short message. By the way, who is Saras?
Euroleague transfer analysis: Group D
July 25, 2008
The last of the four groups in the 2008-2009 edition of the Euroleague features some high-quality teams, including defending champion CSKA Moscow and Spain’s biggest name in Real Madrid.
Sasha Vujacic to Europe? The real reasons
July 25, 2008
It is no surprise that almost-NBA champion Sasha “The Machine” Vujacic has been contacted by several European teams. Kobe Bryant tells us that he would not be surprised if Sasha takes the money and runs, just because he won’t get that much money from the Lakers or any other NBA club.
So once again, money is supposed to be the reason? NO! If Sasha is treated like this by his favorite MVP, his American idol (let’s just call him Sasha’s GOD), he has to leave. Watch this:
Oh well, Sasha, Kobe doesn’t love you like you love him … but it looks like a few more people don’t like you that much, either. Like Manu Ginobili, Andrew Bynum, Carmelo Anthony, Baron Davis and even the entire Cleveland Cavaliers team. He can’t even join the New York Knicks anymore! Would you want to stay in this league when nobody likes you and you get hurt all the time? I don’t know.
Does Europe want a guy like that? I guess not - well, hold on - the Euroleague might need a substitute for that guy who made us all laugh last season, even though he knew what he was saying to make us laugh: Sasha probably doesn’t know.
If everything fails, Sasha, why don’t you look into coaching and teach some people “how to look like a hero on the court” as well as “how to fly like a mosquito bite next to you”? Nope - no typo - watch this:
Carlos Delfino has a new/old teammate!
July 25, 2008
After Carlos Delfino signed a nice contract with Eurocup team BC Khimki, it looks like the Khimki managers wanted more from the Raptors than “just” Delfino.
A few hours ago, the club and the Eurocup website announced that Jorge Garbajosa has signed a two-year contract with Russian club BC Khimki.
It also looks like another American player is leaving his home country: Carl Landry from the Houston Rockets is rumored to be signing with Spanish club Tau Ceramica - We will keep you updated.
Euroleague transfer analysis: Group C
July 24, 2008
The next group in BallinEurope’s continuing analysis is Group C, as A and B have already been discussed. While A will be called the Childress Group, in C we’ll have the Jennings Group then. But let’s see what the teams have done so far in terms of transfers.
Josh Childress update: Signs with Olympiacos!
July 23, 2008
According to Lithuanian basketball web site krepsinis.net (thanks to Zaidaw), Josh Childress has signed with Olympiacos. To make it less a rumor, but a more reliable note: See here (for a picture of Josh actually signing), here and here are also reports and “photo evidence” of his signature in Greece with Olympiakos.
If you are an expert in the European lifestyle - I repeat, lifestyle - and not a basketball expert, you can be almost certain that Panathinaikos needs a signing like that, too (BIG rivalry between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos). Too bad Panathiniakos needs a shooting forward. What was that guy’s name from Chicago again? The guy who was looking for a deal? Wasn’t that Luol Deng…?
Don’t be surprised, if that’s the next thing reported on US web sites…
Side note: To make your day even worse (as a US basketball fan) or even better (as a European basketball fan), Pat Riley would rather spend his time in EUROPE in France watching the Tour de France..
Euroleague transfer analysis: Group B
July 23, 2008
After explaining the first transfers of Group A, I will take a closer look at group B today to see who did what and give you my opinion on these moves.
New York Post no Gallinari fan
July 22, 2008
Marc Berman recently published an article at NYPost.com saying that “Knicks have Gallinari doubts.” Give the [New York] people what the people want! We [bloggers and journalists] all know that a good headline is everything! - at least Berman’s right about this.
If you keep reading his article, you will find out that the Knicks in fact don’t have any doubt about Gallinari’s impact on the team.
“The thing I really liked what I saw from Danilo, he looked to make other players better,” the Knicks president said during a guest stint on the MSG Network telecast yesterday. “When he’s out on the floor, he has a sense of the game already to make his team better. I would’ve liked to seen him play for the entire length but I saw enough to feel good about.”
Oh right, I get it - the Knicks have doubts that Gallinari will play one-on-five like their “old” superstars of the past. They fear that he’ll actually play team basketball.
Since Marc himself did not find a real basketball reason for the Knicks to have Gallinari doubts, he talks about Gallinari’s physical condition.
Gallinari’s summer league raises questions on whether he’ll be durable enough to withstand the NBA’s physical pounding, at 6′10″, 227, as a rookie.
I really wonder if Marc thinks basketball just comes as a god-given gift in Europe, and that you don’t need to practice at all overseas. Yes, the NBA season is something like 80+ games. Now in Europe, Gallinari and every other player plays once a week for their domestic league, once a week for Euroleague games and once a week for domestic cup games. On top of that, each team practices twice a day for eight months. Add up the games and you end up with at least 8 or 9 games a month, times eight months equals … just abut 70 games a season.
Do you think Mr. Gallinari knows what physical pounding means…?
Euroleague transfer analysis: Group A
July 22, 2008
After the first transfer mania on the European market, I want to take a look at the current roster situation of the Euroleague teams. Of course, right now, you cannot tell how the teams will perform this season as the squads have not been fixed, but let’s take a first look at who did what in the market.
Bostijan Nachbar joins Dinamo Moscow
July 21, 2008
Well, things are changing very quickly these days. Just a few hours after reporting that Olympiakos might be interested in Bostijan Nachbar if the Josh Childress deal didn’t come through, Nachbar signed with Dinamo Moscow.
Just to get it right: Dinamo is not part of the Euroleague, participating instead in the Eurocup.
