International Basketball Blog – Page 45 – NBA Blog

Ricky Rubio OK with role on Team Spain

FIBA Europe reports:

Ricky Rubio is comfortable with his role in a Spain team that many wondered if he would make this summer.

The playmaker should make his much anticipated debut in the NBA this coming season with the Minnesota Timberwolves if the lockout ends and he’s hoping it will be a breath of fresh air because there were some tough times at Barcelona.

Rubio doesn’t possess a great jump shot but passes extremely well and plays as good a defense as any player at the EuroBasket.

He didn’t score in the 77-68 win over Germany on Wednesday and frankly, he doesn’t care.

“Little by little, I’m getting better as the tournament goes on,” he says.

“I feel more comfortable, although I still have to improve in shooting.

“I think I’ve done well in other facets of the game and that boosts my confidence.

“I know my limitations and my strengths and I have to take advantage of those.

“My strength is defending and hopefully I will see my shots go in but it does not worry me.”

Canadian basketball head coach Leo Rautins resigns after qualifying letdown

Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun reports:

For the first time, Canada has failed to qualify for three straight Olympic basketball tournaments and as a result, head coach Leo Rautins has resigned.

Canada’s senior men dropped a stunning 91-89 decision to struggling Panama on Thursday at the FIBA Americas tournament in Argentina.

Panama had been 1-6 at the tournament coming in, dropping its previous three games by an average of 30 points.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for a program trying to reach the Olympics for the first time since 2000 in Sydney, though Rautins said he did not feel pressure from his bosses to leave.

“A lot of good things have happened unless you’re close to this program you’re not going to see,” Rautins said on a conference call.

“To continue the things that need to be done, I’ve made a decision that this team needs a new voice in the locker room.”

Timberwolves Dancers to tour southern China

The Timberwolves Dancers will tour southern China over the next two weeks, bringing the Timberwolves brand to one of the fastest-growing NBA markets in the world. The trip is part of the Guangdong Mobile Tour, an eight-weekend event co-sponsored by the NBA and the China Mobile Communications Corporation that will feature interactive basketball activities and performances from NBA dance teams, local DJs and freestyle streetball performers.

“This is a tremendous honor for our team,” Timberwolves Dancers Director Natalie Alvarado said. “The girls are incredibly excited to represent the Timberwolves organization and the NBA in front of the great basketball fans in China.”

The Guangdong Mobile Tour will travel throughout the Guangdong province in southern China for eight weeks beginning this Friday, Sept 9, with the Timberwolves Dancers performing for four days in the capital city of Guangzhou. The team will then travel to Zhuhai for two more performances the following weekend.

This year’s tour marks the Timberwolves Dancers’ third international trip in recent years, and second visit to China. The team also performed as part of the NBA’s Jam Van Asian Tour in 2006, making stops in Shanghai and Nanjing. The dancers also accompanied the Wolves to France last fall as part of the league’s NBA Europe Live preseason schedule that saw the Wolves take on the New York Knicks in Paris.

Jazz center Mehmet Okur signs with basketball team in Turkey

There have been rumblings during the summer that Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur might head to his native Turkey to play basketball during the NBA lockout. This has now reportedly become a reality.

According to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News:

The Utah Jazz center signed a contract today to play for Turk Telekom Ankara and will begin participating with the team from his country immediately, Okur’s agent Marc Fleisher told the Deseret News.

Okur’s contract includes a provision that will allow him to leave the Turkish team to return to the Jazz when and if the NBA lockout ends this season.

Fleisher said Okur, who is under contract with Utah through the end of the 2011-12 season, has recovered from his back issue and the left Achilles tendon injury that limited his court time last year.

“He’s healthy enough to play now,” Fleisher said.

And Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (blog) reports:

“He didn’t feel that the option to go play in pick-up games are what he needed,” said Fleisher, who stated that Okur is close to 100-percent health and will be insured while playing overseas. “He choose this and it’s a good team. He knows the league very well and it’s a good opportunity for him to play at a high level. And when the lockout ends, he’ll come back and be rearing to go.”

Okur must first handle a minor visa issue before joining Turk Telekom, and could meet up with ex-Jazz guard Deron Williams while in Turkey.

Okur played just 13 games last season for the Jazz and was barely a factor on the court, averaging 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game. But perhaps, as his agent says above, Okur has regained full health. In which case he might as well go play some basketball and enjoy his home country a bit longer.

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Knicks guard Andy Rautins suffers broken nose, concussion playing for Canada

At this point, the Canadian men’s basketball team can only cling to hope. They have to simply believe, and not give into the evidence that is mounting against them.

They have to believe that they are more the team that upset the Dominican Republic last week than the one that lost a winnable game against Venezuela. They have to believe they are more the club that blitzed Puerto Rico 20-5 to start the fourth quarter on Tuesday than the one that lost the rest of the game by 20 points.

And they have to believe they can win their final two games in order to give themselves an outside shot at qualifying for the last-chance tournament next summer to make the London Olympics.

…

Andy Rautins, who led Canada with 18 points, suffered a broken nose and a slight concussion, and his status is up in the air.

— Reported by Eric Koreen of the National Post.

Tiny Gallon signs in Turkey

Bandirma Kirmizi, a newcomer in Turkish TBL, finalized the first two signings for the upcoming season: Frank Tiny Gallon and Frank Hassell.

Tiny Gallon spent his rookie season as pro in NBDL with Maine Red Claws, averaging 13.7ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.7apg, 1.3bpg in 35 games and Bakersfiled Jam, scoring 7.8ppg with 5.1rpg in 12 games.

— Reported by Sportando.

Rockets rookie Chandler Parsons will play basketball in France

Houston Rockets rookie forward Chandler Parsons will reportedly play in France during the NBA lockout.

According to Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated (via Twitter), “Houston rookie forward Chandler Parsons will be signing with Cholet in France, according to his agent, Mark Bartelstein. The 38th pick out of Florida had reportedly turned down a chance to play in France just three weeks ago. Parsons’ deal is guaranteed for two months, with an opt-out that starts on October 3 in case the NBA lockout ends.”

Per Amick: “They’re a really good team (with) terrific history,” Parsons’ agent Mark Bartelstein said. “They’ve won the French League the last couple years and are trying to qualify for the Euroleague right now.”

Parsons is a 6-10, 220-pound forward who went to college at Florida.

DeJuan Blair will play basketball in Russia

San Antonio Spurs forward DeJuan Blair has signed to play with Russia’s Krasnye Krylya Samara for the 2011-12 season, his agent told Yahoo! Sports on Friday.

Because he’s under contract with the Spurs, Blair’s deal has an out clause that allows him to return to the NBA this season should the league-imposed lockout ends, said his agent, Happy Walters…

Krasnye Krylya’s roster for the 2011-12 season includes two former NBA players, Jarvis Hayes and Joe Alexander.

— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports

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Rasho Nesterovic is retiring from basketball

Rasho Nesterovic after 17 years of career as pro and 12 years in the NBA announced his retirement from played basketball. “I really think that my career is over. After 17 years as pro and a lot of injuries I decided to retire. It is my own decision, if I cannot be at 100% it is better for me to do something else” said Nesterovic who spent last season in Greece with Olympiacos. “I don’t think I will be a coach, it is better to work with children. They really listen you and are full of enthusiasm” added The Slovenian big man.

— Reported by Sportando.net

Siena team reportedly hopes to sign Andrea Bargnani

As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Montepaschi Siena is interested in Andrea Bargnani for the upcoming season, at least until NBA lockout ends. Il Mago has never talked about the possibility to return overseas during the lockout postponing any decision after Eurobasket where he is playing with Italian National Team. Toronto Raptors star is receiving a lot of proposals to play in Europe also by European top tems but Siena is ready to make a big offer for him when NBA will officially put off the beginning of the NBA season. In the meantime, Bargnani is thinking to extend his insurance even for the period after Eurobasket to get ready for a proposal to play overseas if he decides to play somewhere else during the lockout.

— Reported by Sportando