International Basketball Blog – Page 33 – NBA Blog

Lebron James to market Dunkin Donuts in Asia

Dunkin’ Brands Inc. says NBA superstar Lebron James has agreed to market Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins ice cream in Asia.

Dunkin’ said in a statement Monday that the agreement will last at least two years and is worth at least $1 million.

Dunkin’ said James will promote its brands in China, Taiwan, India and South Korea through advertisements, online media and in-store marketing. James will also make personal appearances in Asia after the season ends in June.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Nets owner Prokhorov won’t be president of Russia

The Nets can’t win in the NBA — or in Russia.

Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov was easily defeated in the Russian president election by Vladimir Putin on Sunday, according to multiple reports.

The Russian billionaire, who purchased a majority stake in the Nets in May of 2010, announced his intentions to run for president of his native country in December.

Despite campaigning, it was widely believed that Prokhorov had no chance of winning the election.

— Reported by Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York

Wilson Chandler will probably rejoin Nuggets

Wilson Chandler

Can now identify authentic Chinese food

Upon seeing Wilson Chandler in the Denver locker room, Nuggets coach George Karl greeted him with a handshake and a smile.

“I could’ve used you tonight,” Karl said.

That wish could soon be a reality.

Chandler, a restricted free agent, attended Denver’s 103-101 overtime victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night and said he hopes to sign a new contract with the Nuggets “in the next week or so.”

Chandler, 24, finished last season with the Nuggets but spent the past several months playing in China, where he averaged 26.6 points and 11.6 rebounds in 32 games with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions.

— Reported by Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com

With Jeremy Lin’s emergence, Knicks games added in Asia

Jeremy Lin

International Linsation, at least this week

Jeremy Lin is making the Knicks must-see TV in Asia.

The NBA says Thursday its Asian TV partners have added Knicks games to their broadcast schedules following the emergence of Lin, the first American-born NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent.

Sina in China will show Friday’s game against the Lakers, while stations in Taiwan will televise Knicks games this month against Toronto, Sacramento, New Orleans, New Jersey and Atlanta. ESPN Philippines also added the Feb. 17 Hornets game in New York.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Wilson Chandler intends to sign with Nuggets

Wilson Chandler

Probably craves some pizza

Restricted free-agent forward Wilson Chandler plans to re-sign with the Denver Nuggets once he finishes playing in China, his agent told Yahoo! Sports.

Chandler signed with Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association during the NBA lockout and is committed to stay with the team until China’s season is over. Chandler is drawing “significant interest” from other NBA teams, Chandler’s agent, Chris Luchey said, but he wants to re-sign with the Nuggets for either the rest or the season or a longer-term deal.

Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri acknowledged the team’s interest in re-signing Chandler. The Nuggets have the right to match any offer Chandler receives from another NBA team.

— Reported by Marc. J Spears of Yahoo! Sports

Read NBA fan opinion and share your views in this basketball forum topic.

Nenad Krstic wins Top 16, Week 3 Euroleague MVP

Nenad Krstic

Ballin’ overseas

One of the central figures in what is shaping up to be a season for the record books for CSKA Moscow is center Nenad Krstic. The big man added to his stellar campaign this week by picking up Top 16, Week 3 bwin MVP honors and thus joining teammate Andrei Kirilenko among only three players to claim that title twice this season. Krstic was worth maximum production in minimum time in Thursday’s 85-70 home win over GS Medical Park. He came off the bench for 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting and added 9 rebounds, an assist and a steal en route to a performance index rating of 31, which ironically was the same index rating he achieved when he was previously named bwin MVP after Week 9. Krstic was also named Euroleague Basketball’s MVP for November. The team with the second-most wins in the Euroleague this season, FC Barcelona Regal, produced the player with the second best index rating of the week in two-time All-Euroleague big man Erazem Lorbek.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

Yao Ming looking to enter movie business

The retired Chinese basketball superstar Yao Ming has been looking for business opportunities in the film industry, but has not entered it yet, Yao’s agent said Tuesday, responding to media’s reports claiming that Yao will set up a film finance fund.

Foreign media report that Jay Cohen, an American film producer, is setting up a film finance fund with Yao Ming, which has caught the attention of China’s media and public.

“Yao Ming and our team has not joined or set up any such organizations as the film finance fund,” Yao’s agent Zhang Mingji told Xinhua, adding that they are open to such kind of business, and are looking for good investment opportunities.

— Reported by Xinhua / CRI.cn

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar named global cultural ambassador

The NBA’s all-time scoring leader is now a global cultural ambassador.

The State Department announced Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s appointment Wednesday.

Ann Stock, assistant secretary of state for education and cultural affairs, says Abdul-Jabbar will travel the world to engage a generation of young people to help promote diplomacy.

Stock says the appointment is part of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “Smart Power” that combines diplomacy, defense and development to “bridge the gap in a tense world through young people.”

— Reported by John Carucci of the Associated Press

Yao Ming becomes political adviser in Shanghai

Retired NBA star Yao Ming has added another line to his post-basketball resume — politician — becoming a member of an advisory body to Shanghai’s legislature.

Since the 31-year-old Yao announced last July that injuries had ended his career with the Houston Rockets, he has become a university student and set up a wine business to go with owning a professional basketball team in China.

Photos in official media on Monday showed Yao at the weekend closing ceremony for the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shanghai Committee.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Adam Morrison signs in Turkey

Adam Morrison has signed a one-year deal with Turkish team Besiktas, his agent Brad Ames told SI.com.

The former Gonzaga star who came close to retiring last year before his hoops revival had been let out of his deal with Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade in late November. But sources close to him said his best shot at returning to the NBA fell through when Grizzlies forward Darrell Arthur tore his ACL and the team sought another big man instead of a perimeter threat. They ultimately traded for Philadelphia center Marreese Speights last week, and Morrison was forced to continue rediscovering his game overseas.

— Reported by Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated