Mehmet Okur 25
The Eurocentric 2010-11 NBA Preview (or How the Hoops World revolves around Europe)
With the 2010-11 NBA season tipping off tonight, BallinEurope marks the occasion in the best way possible: By overrating the league’s Continental players and making a few offhand Fearless Predictions™ in the guise of a preview column. Brief notes and snarky remarks on all 25 NBA teams follow. (Yes, BiE said “all 25.” Since the […]
European players in the NBA for 2010-11 (or, Come on, Raptors, sign Primoz Brezec already) [UPDATED]
With NBA teams starting to get warmed up for the regular season tipoff, BallinEurope figured it high time to take stock of the European players prospectively set to take the court in America for 2010-11. In considering the expanded rosters for each of the 30 NBA teams, BiE counted 50 players from The Continent plus […]
Omer Asik officially becomes a Chicago Bull
Though the Chicago Bulls couldn’t sign any of the so-called “Big Three” free agents this summer, they have come to terms with their 2008 second-round draft pick, Team Turkey’s shot-swatting Omer Asik, signing him to an approximately $1 million per year deal. And the Bulls have also reportedly extended an offer sheet to J.J. Redick. […]
What’s missing from FIBA’s World Championship ad campaign?
So the Euroleague season is over and, though domestic league action is still with us for a couple months longer (BallinEurope’s “European Champions” feature is coming soon), something of that international competition spirit is missing for the nonce – at least until the FIBA World Championships in August and September! And so the high-profile FIBA […]
Okur: I will play FIBA Worlds, want to be 100%
Seeking to produce a sequel to the country’s Eurobasket title of 2001 in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, Turkish basketball federation officials believe they have gotten one step closer with a verbal commitment from an eager Mehmet Okur. Media outlets in Turkey and Utah are today reporting that Turkish Basketball Federation official Aaron Erdenay and […]
Draft profile: Donatas Motiejunas
Now that NBA mock drafting is in full swing (despite the total lack of clarity regarding playoff positioning, not to mention seeing how the damn lottery ping-pong balls fall this year), BallinEurope’s man in the U.K., Sam Chadwick, will be taking a look at some of Europe’s prospective high draft picks. Today, it’s all about […]
The offical BiE NBA 2009-10 European All-Star Team
As one of the popular highlights of the NBA season, everything about the annual All-Star Game is loaded with pomp, hype and (hopefully) fun. No exception was that moment many a basketball fan awaits with gusto and prepares to heartily attack in argument as the naming of the rosters for the teams that will be […]
Europe's top national teams of the 2000s
After taking a look at the European players of the decade and top professional teams of the decade, BallinEurope today turns attention to the national level. Which teams from the 2000s will we still recall fondly in years to come? Below are listed eight key national squads from the passing ten-year span, the unforgettable basketball […]
Best of the (basketball) net: Soccer, Serbia, Sergio and Sherri edition
What were we reading at the BallinEurope virtual offices this week? Glad you asked! Here’s a handful of stories on all matters Euroball for your perusal. Happy reading, everyone! One to watch, possibly: Serbian import Darko Cohadarevic of Texas Tech. Hey, did you know the Major League Soccer (America’s, ahem, top fútball league) championship goes […]
After Eurobasket, the future: Part Two
In part two of Ball in Europe’s look at Europe’s top teams following Eurobasket 2009, Francesco Cappelletti contributes his analysis of present and future for those nations who did not finish in Eurobasket’s top four. Part one, featuring looks at Spain, Serbia, Greece, and Slovenia, may be found by clicking here. FRANCE Absences: Mickael Pietrus, […]
Eurobasket 2009 preview capsules, part three
Ball in Europe wraps its capsule coverage of Eurobasket 2009 competitors today with a look at the last five teams in the bunch. You can read part one here and part two here. Russia Group: B In brief: Two years after winning gold, Team Moscow – i mean, Team Russia – brings the “new look” […]
NBA preseason in London – again
The NBA announced today that two preseason games will be played in Europe this fall: The Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz will meet in the O2 Arena in London on October 6th 2009. Additionally, a second game is scheduled but the exact date, teams and place have not been revealed so far.