FIBA 1295
Celebrating the best in Sweden, 2010-11
BallinEurope just received an email from Magnus Dahlborn, who is quite the heavy hitter in the world of Swedish basketball broadcasting; he says that “I have been following hoops since the mid-70’s and I am doing play-by-play TV commentary in Sweden on Euroleague and Swedish League (plus the FIBA World Championships and Eurobasket…): 90 games […]
Rumor: Pau Gasol considering playing for Team Spain in Eurobasket 2011
Could Pau Gasol play for Team Spain in Eurobasket 2011? At least one website is speculating as such, despite the fact that the Los Angeles Laker hasn’t played in international competition since the 2008 Olympics. In 2010, Gasol announced he wouldn’t compete with Spain in the FIBA World Championship after “a grueling NBA season in […]
On five prospects in the Nike International Junior Tournament
Running in parallel with the 2011 Euroleague Final Four is the Nike International Junior Tournament, featuring eight teams from around the world (okay, seven from Europe and one from China, technically) packed with youthful prospects moving up the professional ladder. Below, BallinEurope enumerates a few of the players who’ve piqued the interest. And no, this […]
Krka Novo Mesto wins Eurochallenge over Lokomotiv Kuban; Oostende third
Congratulations from BallinEurope go out this morning to Krka Novo Mesto, who topped Lokomotiv Kuban 83-77 to take the 2011 FIBA EuroChallenge title in Belgium; in the third-place game, hosts Oostende snuck past Spartak St. Petersburg, 94-92, in overtime.
Tony Parker confirms participation with Team France for Eurobasket 2011
Perhaps further contemplating a lockout, the San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker declared he will suit up for Team France in Eurobasket 2011. In an interview with French TV, Parker stated emphatically that he “will be at Eurobasket this summer” and that he is “eager to get started.” Though the Spur believes that Les Bleus “have […]
Donatas Motiejunas declares for draft; BallinEurope revisits prospect
One of last year’s projected top five selections in the NBA Draft has declared instead for the 2011 edition of the world’s biggest hoops talent lottery: Big man Donatas Motiejunas deferred in 2010 because “really felt like he needed another year of international ball before he was ready for the NBA” … so how has […]
Jeremy Pargo to play for Team Georgia? Nah.
Reports of Jeremy Pargo’s impending Georgian citizenship have been greatly exaggerated, it seems. Earlier this week, English-language Eurobasket.com reported that the Georgian Basketball Federation is willing to offer All-Euroleague nominee Jeremy Pargo a passport. To wit: “Reports says that the Georgian federation are considering naturalizing Pargo so [that] he will play for Georgia in Eurobasket […]
Spanish president congratulates champions Halcón Avenida
For posterity’s sake, BallinEurope.com passes on the message from Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero sent to the new Euroleague Women champions, Halcón Avenida, which defeated Sparta & K last weekend for its first-ever Continental title. The telegram (really?) read as follows.
Video clips: Championships, cheerleaders, Carroll crushes, Barcelona loses (again)
Happy Monday, everyone. To get that week started right, BallinEurope has compiled a healthy-sized video play list at which you may goggle over morning coffee. From all corners of Europe (and Portland, Oregon) came the action last week as the barrage of title-awarding begins on The Continent. • First up: BiE offers congratulations to Žalgiris […]
Nike Hoop Summit, Euroleague Women Final Four on FIBA TV
A quick reminder, just in case you’re an utter hoops fanatic (or up in the wee hours of Sunday morning for some reason): FIBA TV will be showing the Nike Hoop Summit live online for free from Portland at 10pm EST – that’s right, that means 4am CET. FIBA TV will also be broadcasting a […]
Arvydas Sabonis: A career retrospective, via YouTube
BallinEurope sends out huge, 7’3” congratulations this morning to all-time great Arvydas Sabonis, finally inducted into the Professional Basketball Hall of Fame alongside luminaries such as Chris Mullin, Dennis Rodman (whoa, that’s still weird), Artis Gilmore, Tex Winter, “Goose” Tatum, Tom “Satch” Sanders, Tara Van Derveer, Herb Magee, and Teresa Edwards. A tribute in the […]
Elitzur Ramla 61, Arras 53: Israel’s first-ever European women’s champion crowned
Slightly belated congratulations from BallinEurope go out to the women of Elitzur Ramla for their recent coronation as 2011 FIBA Eurocup Women champions by dint of a 61-53 victory over Arras Pays d’Artois in France. In the match, second leg in the two-game playoff format, Elitzur dug themselves an eight-point hole early but stormed back […]