International Basketball Blog – Page 46 – NBA Blog

Tony Parker not signing in France, yet

Tony Parker, star of San Antonio Spurs, has denied straight away his signing with ASVEL Villeurbanne during the NBA lockout. “I did not sign any contract with ASVEL. I am not saying I would not like to play with ASVEL during the lockout but the problem with the insurance is very difficult to solve. And now everything is stopped because I am playing with French NT. I am asking to the media to stop talking about me playing in France during the lockout. I don’t know if we will be able to fix the issue with insurance and I don’t want people mad at me because I won’t play in ASVEL even if all the media reported something different one month earlier” said Parker.

— Reported by Sportando.

Over 61,000 fans bounce basketballs at the same time

As EuroBasket 2011 was officially launched with the Opening Ceremony in Lithuania’s capital city of Vilnius on Monday, thousands around the country helped make it a memorable day by helping set a new Guinness world record.

More than 61,000 fans bounced a basketball simultaneously for a period of five minutes in six cities that play host to the EuroBasket.

The record needs to be verified by the Guinness Record committee that oversees such attempts, something which was expected to happen on Tuesday.

— Reported by FIBA Europe

Wilson Chandler signs with basketball team in China, no NBA-out clause

Wilson Chandler said he has signed a contract with the Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association, a move that would essentially preclude him from participating in the 2011-12 NBA season if the lockout ends and the games begin.

The Chinese Basketball Association will not allow players with existing contracts to sign with its teams, so playing in China is only an option for free agents such as Chandler, a restricted free agent who finished the 2010-11 season with the Denver Nuggets.

In addition, the CBA will not allow escape clauses that would allow players to leave the Chinese league in the event the NBA resumes operations. So Chandler would not be a part of the NBA if the season begins on time or even with an abbreviated schedule starting in January or February.

“Maybe I’ll lose out,” Chandler said. “But I think it can be a great experience. I haven’t been in any [labor negotiation] meetings. I can’t call it. I’m just taking a risk, at the end of the day.”

— Reported by J.A. Adande of ESPN

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Patty Mills to sign in Australia

Melbourne Tigers will confirm one of the NBL’s greatest recruiting coups with the signing of Boomers guard Patty Mills.

Coming off two seasons with the Portland Trailblazers, free-agent Mills is available to the Tigers because of the NBA lockout that could cancel the season.

While Mills has an offer on the table from Portland and likely will return to the NBA if the lockout ends, the Tigers are keen meanwhile to cash in on the availability of the lightning fast guard.

No official comment was available from the Tigers, but they have scheduled a media conference for a significant announcement at 11am today.

— Reported by the Herald Sun

Omri Casspi out of EuroBasket 2011

Israel have suffered a major blow ahead of the EuroBasket with confirmation that Omri Casspi will be unable to play in Lithuania with a knee injury.

The Cleveland Cavaliers forward, the only Israeli ever to play in the NBA, was hurt in practice two weeks ago but had hoped to recover in time with the initial diagnosis suggesting he could be back on court within a fortnight of sustaining the injury.

However, that has not proved to be the case and he has now left the squad with only one week left until tip off.

— Reported by FIBA Europe

Alonzo Gee signs in Poland

Asseco Prokom added another weapon to its new-look backcourt with the signing of Alonzo Gee. The move comes on the heels of the additions of fellow newcomers Leroy Nobles and Jerrel Blassingame, all of whom can make their Euroleague debuts this season. Gee (1.98 meters, 24 years old) arrives from Cleveland of the NBA, where he averaged 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 40 games last season. He has also played for Washington and San Antonio in the NBA, as well as for Austin in the NBA D-League after finishing his college career at the University of Alabama (NCAA).

— Reported by Euroleague.net

Pistons draftee Kyle Singler signs in Spain

As the NBA lockout continues, bench-level players keep signing overseas deals.

Detroit Pistons draft pick Kyle Singler has agreed to a contract with Alicante of Spain’s top professional league, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

The report says that the deal includes an out clause allowing Singler to leaveand return to the NBA when the lockout ends.

Warriors free agent forward Reggie Williams agrees to play in Spain

Golden State Warriors free agent forward Reggie Williams has signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with Caja Laboral Vitoria of the Spanish ACB League, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

The report says that there is a $1 million buyout should Williams look to get out of his contract early.

In the opinion of InsideHoops.com, even though the buyout is sizable, this sounds like a smart deal for Williams. With the current financial troubles many NBA teams are undergoing, Williams probably will receive minimum-level offers when he returns to the league

Group of NBA players might tour Australia

NBA players – including Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol – are among an All-Star team that is willing to play a tour of Australia.

It’s understood the plan includes three All-Star matches at Rod Laver Arena later this year.

At least two sponsors have committed to back the tour and insurance issues – tipped to cost more than $1 million for the star-laden team.

— Reported by the Herald Sun

Andris Biedrins not signing overseas just yet

Andris Biedrins’ agent said Saturday that conflicting reports of the Warriors’ center signing with different European teams were erroneous, but Biedrins will explore overseas options next month.

“I think (Biedrins) would be open to playing overseas on a temporary or a long-term basis if the (NBA) lockout continues, but we’ve got to get him some insurance to protect his (NBA) contract,” agent Bill Duffy said. “He’s on a training regimen, and he usually takes it to another level at this time. In 20 to 30 days, he’ll be 100 percent conditioned.”

On Friday, TuBasket.com reported that Biedrins signed with VEF Riga, the Latvian League champions who will play next in the Euroleague. Blic, a Serbian tabloid newspaper, had him signing with Turkish team Anadolu Efes.

Duffy said Biedrins is friends with one of the Latvian team officials, who got excited about the chance of a signing and jumped the gun. Neither have has spoken with the Turkish team, which already has a glut of frontcourt players.

— Reported by Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle blog