International Basketball Blog – Page 40 – NBA Blog

Manu Ginobili suffers minor ankle sprain

Manu Ginobili is hobbling around his Argentinian home after suffering a slightly sprained right ankle earlier this week.

The Argentinian paper La Nueva Provencia reports today that Ginobili sustained the injury while working out with several members of the Argentinian national team during a pickup game in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. (Hat tip: Project Spurs.com)

The injury, which is not considered serious, apparently occurred when Ginobili landed awkwardly on his ankle after attempting a 3-point shot.

— Reported by Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News Blog

Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha signs in Turkey

Turkish champion Fenerbahce Ulker strengthened itself on the wings with the signing of Thabo Sefolosha, who is among the game’s premier defensive players. Sefolosha (1.99 meters, 27 years old) arrives from Oklahoma City of the NBA, where he averaged 5.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals over 79 games as a starter last season. He has played a total of five seasons in the NBA between Chicago and Oklahoma City and appeared in 367 regular season games. Sefolosha began his professional career with Tege Riviera Basket in his native Switzerland before joining Elan Chalon in France. He spent two seasons there between 2003 and 2005 and took part in the Eurocup both seasons.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

InsideHoops.com editor says: I assume he has an out-clause to return to the NBA when the lockout ends.

Guard Patty Mills named NBL Australia player of the week

It didn’t take long for Portland Trail Blazers point guard Patty Mills to make his presence felt in Australia’s National Basketball League.

Mills, left idle by the NBA lockout, was named the NBL’s player of the week Tuesday after scoring 28 points to lead the Melbourne Tigers to an 82-76 comeback win over the Sydney Kings on the league’s opening weekend.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Yi Jianlian will play in China, with out-clause for NBA return

Until the NBA and its players’ union can come to a resolution on a new collective bargaining agreement, Yi Jianlian is returning to the place where his professional basketball career started.

Jarinn Akana, one of Yi’s representatives, confirmed that his client has signed a contract with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association which will have an NBA out for whenever the labor dispute is settled.

The CBA allowed its teams to sign only free agent NBA players, and Yi is an unrestricted free agent after the Wizards declined to extend his $5.4 million qualifying offer for next season. Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin have all signed to play in China since the league decided to lock out its players on July 1, but the CBA does not allow foreign players to leave until the conclusion of the season.

Akana explained in a telephone interview that since Yi is a local player, the CBA and the Southern Tigers have both afforded him the privilege of leaving whenever he signs another deal in the NBA.

— Reported by Michael Lee of the Washington Post blog

Man arrested in Romania over death of American player Chauncey Hardy

Romanian prosecutors say a man has been detained over the killing of American basketball player Chauncey Hardy.

Ionut Adrian Tanasoaia surrendered to police early Monday. He is accused of beating up Hardy in a bar in the southern Romanian city of Giurgiu on Saturday night.

Mediafax news agency reported that Tanasoaia attacked Hardy because he wanted to dance with his girlfriend.

— Reported by the Associated Press

NBA`s loss has become China`s gain

Carrie Xu is used to rooting against the Nuggets. She’s a Los Angeles Lakers fan, after all. And this season, she’ll continue to root against the Nuggets. She’s a Shanghai Sharks fan, after all.

And three Nuggets of this past season are on rival teams in the Chinese Basketball Association — Kenyon Martin now plays for Xinjiang Gyang Hui, while Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith play for Zhejiang Guangsha.

“I’m sad about the lockout and about the current status of the lockout,” said Xu, a former Nike employee who blogs for chinasportsbiz.com. “But I’m happy for the Chinese basketball fans, who can enjoy such great players.”

There should be some great ball in China this winter. The Nuggets players will likely put on a show, though the competition level is more Joel Anthony than Carmelo Anthony. To put it in perspective, the top scorer on the CBA’s top team last year was American Quincy Douby — and not many folks have even heard of Quincy Douby.

— Reported by Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post

Raptors guard Jose Calderon to train with Barcelona

Barcelona says Toronto Raptors point guard Jose Calderon has followed the Gasol brothers and decided to train with the Spanish club during the NBA lockout.

Calderon is the latest Spanish international to practice with Barcelona after Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol and his brother Marc of the Memphis Grizzlies linked up with the club earlier this week.

While the Gasol brothers are practicing with the first team, Calderon will train with the Barcelona B team from Sunday.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Hawks center Zaza Pachulia signs in Turkey

Days after qualifying for the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Regular Season, newcomer Galatasaray of Turkey announced on Friday the return of big man Zaza Pachulia to Europe’s top competition. Pachulia (2.10 meters, 27 years old) arrives from the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, where last season he averaged 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 79 appearances. Pachulia made his Euroleague debut during the 2001-02 season playing with Ulker Istanbul, where he stayed for two years.

— Reported by Euroleague.net

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Zaza Pachulia likely signing in Turkey

According to the Sportando blog, Zaza Pachulia reached an agreement with Turkish team Galatasaray Istanbul, where he will be playing until the end of the NBA lockout. Pachulia spent the last eight seasons in the NBA averaging 6.8 ppg and 5.1 rpg in 579 games. He’s played with the Atlanta Hawks since the 2005-06 season.

Spirou Charleroi tried to sign him as well, but Pachulia preferred to pen a deal in Istanbul, the city where he grew up.

The deal will be official soon.

— Reported by Sportando

Due to insurance issues, Andrew Bogut will not play in Australia

Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut will not play for the Sydney Kings or any other Australian team due to insurance issues, Bogut’s agent, David Bauman, confirmed Thursday.

Bogut had hoped to play for the Sydney team in the Australian national league (NBL). Two other teams – Adelaide and Gold Coast – also had expressed interest in signing Bogut.

Bauman said Bogut needed coverage for the $39.5 million and three years remaining on the 7-foot center’s contract with the Bucks.

“If Andrew goes back with a broken leg or a broken ankle, the Bucks might say, ‘Cancel the contract,’ ” Bauman said in a phone interview Thursday. “This is something players get, but the Bucks still might be in a position, given a new CBA (collective bargaining agreement), to terminate the deal.

“There was no way to resolve that type of issue. It was too much of a risk.”

— Reported by Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel