EuroLeague 174
Mancinelli unpacks bags, decides to stay in Italy
Lots of speculation – including that by fans in three NBA cities – ended on Monday with the signing of prize free agent Stefano Mancinelli by Armani Jeans Milano. Italian media had reported that Mancinelli’s agent was entertaining offers from the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers for the forward, but Mancinelli […]
Watson to grab boards for Zalgiris
Zalgiris officially added American big man Travis Watson to the roster over the weekend to a two-year deal with team option on the second. After finishing his college ball career at University of Virginia, Watson has dominated the paint in Europe since joining the Panionios Athens squad in 2003-04. Last season with Hapoel Jerusalem, Watson […]
Back in the CSKA: Kurbanov reunites with Moscow, Pashutin
Could 2009 be the breakout year for highly touted forward Nikita Kurbanov? The conditions all seem right for last season’s loaner to Spartak St. Petersburg: Kurbanov is rounding into maturity at 22 years old; he spent much of 2008-09 as a starter; and, perhaps most importantly, his old Spartak coach Evgeny Pashutin is now his […]
Freeland moves up to Unicaja
Joel Freeland of Team Great Britain and last year of Kalise Gran Canaria has signed with Unicaja, the team announced today. The 2008-09 season saw Freeland average 4.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per game coming off the bench for Gran Canaria; Freeland was actually selected by the Portland Trail Blazers at the age of 19 […]
Coming to America: Euroleague American Tour 2009 games set
Euroleague and NBA officials today announced the dates and teams for this year’s Euroleague American Tour and damn if these matchups aren’t fascinating enough to make you wish the games were for real… The four preseason games will see Olympiacos Piraeus facing off against the San Antonio Spurs (October 9) and Cleveland Cavaliers (October 12); […]
Dream Team Europe: The all-time European basketball team
Involved in yet another chat with yet another basketball enthusiast yet one more time about the all-time greatest basketball team, i quickly realized that any discussion of the topic never extends beyond the borders of the United States of America. And while the list of Greatest NBA Players of All-Time basically writes itself – Jordan, […]
Euroleague transactions: Maccabi gets Lasme, Anderson (officially); Mavrokefalides extends with Olympiacos
Though Maccabi Tel Aviv had announced the team’s signings of Stephane Lasme and Alan Anderson as early as Saturday morning, Euroleague representatives only made the official announcement late yesterday. Nevertheless, the punchline remains the same and both players will be suiting up in Maccabi yellow for 2009-10; both signed one-year deals with options on the […]
D-Hawk lands with Montepaschi Siena
David “D-Hawk” Hawkins, a man on a mission since going undrafted out of Temple University in 2004, is taking his high-scoring game to Montepaschi Siena. On Friday, the team announced Hawkins’ signing a two-year contract with an option in 2011. When no NBA team drafted him in 2004, Hawkins signed with Sebastiani Rieti. From Rieti […]
Georgios Bogris on signing with Panathinaikos: “Whoa.”
Ball in Europe readers know that sportswriter David Hein is currently on the FIBA U20 World Championship Men beat. Over at heinnews.com right now is posted a nice interview with Team Greece center Georgios Bogris; full interview available here. To whet your appetite a bit, here’s Bogris on his recent four-year contract signed with Panathinaikos […]
Le Mans signs Zach Wright, completes roster
Le Mans wins in the Euroleague qualifying rounds! Well, it’s a sort of victory, at least. The French club today signed Zach Wright, most recently of Chalon-Sur-Saone, thus becoming the first Euroleague qualifying team to complete their roster. Wright played college ball at University of Arkansas Little Rock, wherein, notes Euroleague PR with irony, he […]
Thursday Euroleague signings: Ribas to Tau Ceramica; Huertel, Kangur to Asvel Basket
Tau Ceramica and Asvel Basket both fortified rosters today in officially announcing new signings. Guard Pau Ribas jumps to Tau from DKV Joventut, while Kristjan Kangur moves from his native Estonia to Asvel. Perhaps the biggest score of the day (thus far), however, was Asvel’s inking of French homegrown talent Thomas Heurtel.
Panathinaikos veteran Hatzivrettas joins Aris
Hark: It’s a slight shift in the balance of power. Veteran shooting guard Nikos Hatzivrettas has left his long-time team Panathinaikos to join Euroleague qualifiers Aris BSA, the club announced today. Signing a two-year deal, Hatzivrettas says goodbye to the team with which he won six Greek League titles and two Euroleague titles; he says […]