International Basketball Blog – Page 20 – NBA Blog

Atlanta Hawks will sign Pero Antic

According to the agent for Pero Antic, the European power forward/center has agreed to a two-year contract with the Hawks. Misko Raznatovic stated the news Wednesday on Twitter.

The Hawks have not announced the signing as there likely are details that must be finalized. According to Raznatovic, the second year of the deal is an option.

Antic, 6-foot-11, 260 pounds, played in the Greek League the past two seasons. He helped Olympiacos to consecutive Euroleague championships.

Reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Get to know new Celtic Vitor Faverani

He played last year for Valencia Basket Club of the Spanish ACB League, averaging 9.3 points and 4.6 rebounds in 17 minutes in 23 games.

Also, Faverani was eligible for the 2009 NBA draft but was not selected.

“He was not drafted because he was very immature and did not take the game seriously,” said an Eastern Conference scout who said he spent considerable time scouting Faverani.

“He could not be trusted. He has done a lot of growing up, both on and off the floor, and has turned the corner, so to speak.”

In terms of how Faverani fits in with the Celtics, the scout said, “I can see him as a pick-and-pop big, offensively. Where he fits defensively and being a consistent rebounder will be the key.”

Reported by Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe (Blog)

New faces gather for Team USA Las Vegas mini-camp

Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski arrived in Las Vegas with a group of 28 players ready to participate in a four-day camp that will mark the beginning of preparations for next summer’s World Cup in Madrid.

LeBron James isn’t on the list. Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant aren’t here, either. Not one player with significant Olympic experience.

And that is exactly how they planned it.

This camp, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, is geared toward bringing some fresh faces into the mix. As Colangelo, the managing director of USA Basketball, likes to put it, it’s all about keeping the pipeline filled.

“There should be turnover each competition because then the young players can see that happening,” Colangelo said Sunday night. “They can say, ‘If I progress as a player and if I’m part of this program and culture, I’ll have a chance to compete.'”

Players like Indiana’s Paul George, Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving, Portland’s Damian Lillard and Washington’s John Wall will be among those taking part in the camp. New Orleans forward Anthony Davis, who played sparingly for Team USA last summer, is the only player with any Olympic experience on the roster.

Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

From Israel to the NBA and Mavericks for Gal Mekel

As far back as Gal Mekel can remember, he was always a basketball junkie.

“Basketball was my first love,” said Mekel, who was born and raised in Israel. “I started [playing] when I was 5 on the court right next to my house, and I started with a serious team when I was 6 of 7.

“When you grow up you have posters of Michael Jordan and everybody on your wall. It’s a dream of everybody.”

And it’s a dream for Mekel, a 25-year-old free-agent point guard who signed a three-year, $2.3 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks earlier this month.

When the regular season starts, Mekel will join Houston’s Omri Casspi as the only players from Israel to play in the NBA.

Reported by Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Brazilian center Vitor Faverani set to join Celtics

Signs seem to be pointing toward 7-foot Brazilian center Vitor Faverani finally becoming a Celtic. Faverani’s Spanish team in Valencia issued a press release on Friday that the 25-year-old has officially told them that he is leaving the team to pursue his basketball career elsewhere.

The Celtics and Faverani had essentially agreed on a three-year, $6 million framework of a deal, but the transaction had been delayed due to the Celts’ continuing attempts to get below the luxury tax line of $71.7 million. The C’s were $2 million over that line before this deal.

Reported by the Boston Herald

Gal Mekel has confidence after Vegas league

Shane Larkin’s ankle injury moved Gal Mekel into a more prominent role in the summer league and ended up giving Mekel the opportunity to be the most consistent player on the floor for the Mavs.

He finished the summer league by averaging 9.7 points and 5.0 assists while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from 3-point range. Not bad, considering the Mavs ended the summer league playing four games in four days.

“For me, I think it was a great week the first time getting to know the NBA game,” Mekel said. “I think I played pretty good for the first time.

Prior to the summer league team leaving for Las Vegas, Mekel, 25, was considered a unique prospect because no one really knew what kind of game he had. Fresh off a title and MVP award in Israel, the guard’s resume impressed his coach.

Reported by Bryan Gutierrez of ESPN Dallas

Raul Neto will not yet join Utah Jazz

It looks like it will be another year before Brazilian playmaker Raul Neto is officially a Utah Jazz point guard.

Neto, who began training with his national team Thursday, said he anticipates returning to his Spanish team, Lagun Aro GBC, for another year instead of beginning his NBA career in Utah this fall.

“Go to the NBA is a dream I want to accomplish. I think we took the first step, but it is something that cannot be in a hurry,” Neto said, according to a Portuguese-to-English Google translation from a Basketeria.com.br report. “I have to wait for the right moment.”

The Jazz acquired the 21-year-old Neto on a draft-night trade with Atlanta after the Hawks selected him 47th overall. The 6-foot-2 point guard had an impressive debut with Utah at the summer league even after not being able to practice with his new team for almost a week because of a delay in receiving his clearance from basketball’s international governing body.

Reported by Jody Genessy of the Deseret News

Detroit Pistons sign forward Luigi Datome

Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed free agent forward Luigi Datome to a multi-year contract.

Datome, 25, has played professionally in Italy since 2003 with Montepaschi Siena, Givova Scafati Basket, Basket Olbia and Acea Virtus Roma. The 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward was named Italian League Most Valuable Player with Roma in 2013, posting averages of 16.7 points (.478 FG%, .415 3FG%, .928 FT%), 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 33.1 minutes in 45 games. He’s played with Roma for the past five seasons (2008-2013).

The 25-year-old Italy native has been a member of the Italian National Team since 2007. His basketball achievements internationally include being a member of Italy’s U16 National Team (2003), U18 National Team (2003-05) and the U20 National Team (2004-07). He was a member of the Italian U20 National Championship team in 2004. In the qualifier for the European Championships in 2012-13, Datome averaged 11.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field and 48.4% from 3-point range in eight games. He was named Eurobasket.com All-Italian SerieA Player of the Year, All-Italian SerieA Domestic Player of the Year and All-Italian SerieA First Team last season.

Metta World Peace could join Knicks, Clippers, or play in China

Metta World Peace wants to play for the New York Knicks, according to a person close to the veteran small forward.

World Peace cleared waivers late Sunday afternoon, making him an unrestricted free agent. A source told ESPN.com’s Brian Windhorst that the Knicks, who can offer him part of their taxpayer mid-level exception [roughly $1.7 million], already have reached out to the former Los Angeles Laker.

While the Knicks are World Peace’s first choice, he is also holding onto the Los Angeles Clippers and China’s Shanghai Sharks as possible teams to join next season.

World Peace spoke Sunday with Yao Ming about playing in Shanghai, a source said.

Reported by Chris Broussard of ESPN the Magazine

Dallas Mavericks sign guard Gal Mekel

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed free agent guard Gal Mekel (pronounced GAL MEK-el).

Mekel (6-3, 191) spent two seasons at Wichita State University (2006-07, 2007-08) before leaving school early and beginning his professional career in Europe. In his first season overseas, he was named the 2009 All-Israeli League Newcomer of the Year.

Last season, the point guard led Maccabi Haifa to an Israeli League Championship en route to claiming his second Most Valuable Player award. Mekel averaged 13.3 points, 5.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 32.3 minutes in 30 games while shooting .525 from the field and .779 from the free throw line.

The Petah Tikva, Israel native is just the second Israeli-born player to sign with an NBA team. He follows in the footsteps of veteran forward Omri Casspi.