International Basketball Blog – Page 47 – NBA Blog

Hawks draftee Keith Benson to play in Italy

Former Oakland men’s basketball standout Keith Benson will be heading to the island of Sardinia to play professional basketball with Italian team Sassari, Oakland coach Greg Kampe said on Thursday. A second-round pick by the Atlanta Hawks, the 6-foot-11 Benson was the first Oakland player selected in the NBA draft.

“We’re delighted for Keith,” said Kampe. “I know he has worked hard in the past couple of months with our strength coach Todd Wohlfeil and he has his weight up to 233, with a goal of 240.”

— Tom Markowski of the Detroit News

Raptors guard Leandro Barbosa signs in Brazil

Leandro Barbosa doesn’t feel like sitting around doing nothing if the NBA lockout extends into the basketball season.

The AP reports:

Toronto Raptors guard Leandro Barbosa has signed a deal to play in his native Brazil.

Barbosa signed with Rio de Janeiro-based club Flamengo. The deal includes a clause that would allow him to return to the NBA if the lockout ends.

A statement on Flamengo’s website says Barbosa signed Thursday. Details of the deal weren’t released.

Barbosa was the third leading scorer on the Raptors last season, averaging 13.3 points per game. The team had the third worst record in the league, finishing 22-60.

It’s likely that over the next couple weeks, plenty of other bench-level NBA players will take this route.

Dominican Republic, coached by John Calipari, beats Kentucky Pros in exhibition again

The Dominican Republic swept its two-day exhibition tour of Kentucky, beating a team of former Wildcats Pros 91-86 Tuesday night.

The intensity on the court sure didn’t feel like an August exhibition.

NBA star Rajon Rondo led fellow former Wildcats John Wall, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight in a final-minute full court press but couldn’t complete a comeback over the Dominican squad coached by John Calipari. Rondo and Knight both took fourth quarter charges…

Wall, the NBA’s No. 1 draft pick for the Washington Wizards in 2010, led the Pros with 26 points. Backup Eulis Baez had 17 points and nine rebounds for Dominican, which also won Monday night at Lexington’s Rupp Arena, 106-88.

Calipari rested NBA All-Star Al Horford and former University of Louisville stars Francisco Garcia and Edgar Sosa in the second half. Calipari said he needed to see more players as he tries to winnow his roster in preparation for the Americas tournament, set for Aug. 30-Sept. 11 in Argentina. The winner of that event will earn an automatic bid to London’s 2012 Olympics.

— The Associated Press

Nuggets guard Ty Lawson will play in Lithuania during NBA lockout

Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post reports:

The reality of the NBA lockout is hitting home as the Nuggets’ point guard Ty Lawson — one of the team’s top players — said today he has signed to play with a team in Lithuania called Zalgiris Kaunas.

Lawson said agreed Sunday to play for this team, which also features former Nugget teammate Sonny Weems.

“It’s the best situation for me to go out there,” Lawson said by phone. “Being at home, I’m not saying I’m a lazy person, but I want to be in the gym. And plus, it’s a new experience going out to Lithuania, so why not? It was a no-brainer.

“And as soon as the lockout ends, I can come right back and be with the Denver Nuggets.”

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No Marcin Gortat for Poland in EuroBasket 2011 due to insurance problem

FIBA reports:

Poland have just announced that their only NBA player, Marcin Gortat of the Phoenix Suns, will not feature this summer because of the failure to acquire an insurance policy he requires to take part.

Most of the burden of obtaining insurance for NBA players fell on the basketball federations when the NBA lockout began and league operations were shut down.

In a statement on the Polish Basketball Federation’s website, Polish Basketball Federation president Grzegorz Bachanski said: “Marcin really wanted to play but the situation that occurred this year, I of course mean the lockout, meant that this is not possible.

“Of course it is sad for us, but I am trying to think more broadly in the next few years.

“And Marcin Gortat in the future we will be needed.”

Gortat was the face of EuroBasket 2009 when the tournament was staged in Poland.

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Carlos Boozer plans to play overseas if lockout continues

Like so many other players not looking to sit around and do nothing for months at a time, Chicago Bulls power forward Carlos Boozer wants to keep his basketball career and activity going if the NBA lockout extends into the distant future.

Ric Bucher of ESPN the Magazine reports:

“I think as players we have to look at this lockout as an unfortunate challenge, but one that can create other unique and positive opportunities,” Boozer said. “When I was part of Team USA that won Olympic Gold in Beijing, that experience changed my life in incredible ways.

“If the NBA season gets delayed or postponed, I plan on using those months to experience something similar to what I did in the summer of 2008. That’s why, if the lockout continues, I definitely plan on playing overseas.”

As with all good NBA players, it’s assumed that any deal that gets signed will include an out-clause to return to the NBA immediately when the lockout ends.

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Forward Sean Williams to sign in Israel

Marc Stein of ESPN reports:

After an All-Star season with the Texas Legends, Sean Williams is headed to Israel.

Sources with knowledge of the big man’s plans told ESPNDallas.com that Williams has agreed to a contract with Israeli club Maccabi Haifa, which has been trying feverishly to capitalize on the NBA lockout by signing players with NBA experience.

Williams’ deal, according to one source with knowledge of the terms, includes an out clause that would enabled the 24-year-old to return to the NBA when the lockout ends and if he gets an NBA offer.

Tasmin Mitchell signs in Israel

Sportando reports:

Hapoel Holon announced a triple signing for the coming season: Bryant Dunston, Tasmin Mitchell and Patrick Sullivan. Dunston started last season in Greece with Aris Thessaloniki and then moved to Israel where he averaged 7.7 ppg and 5 rpg with Bnei Hasharon. Patrick Sullivan had his first season as pro in NBDL with Rio Grande Valley Vipers scoring 9.6 ppg, grabbing 5.3 rpg and dishing 1.1 apg in 58 games.

Spurs draft pick Cory Joseph joins Canadian national team

The Canadian Press reports:

The Canadian men’s national basketball team got an infusion of talent Wednesday.

Cory Joseph, a first-round pick at this year’s NBA draft, has announced he will join the squad ahead of 2011 FIBA Americas men’s championship in Argentina.

“It’s an honour to play for your country and I’m excited to get on the floor and represent Canada as best as I can,” said Joseph, who was taken 29th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in June. “I know we have a young, great group, with Joel (Anthony), (Carl) English and (Andy) Rautins coming in.

“Hopefully we come back with the gold, but if not, qualify for the Olympics.”

Dwyane Wade will play somewhere next season, whether in NBA or elsewhere

Tim Reymonds of the AP reports:

Though he remains cautiously hopeful that a deal between owners and players can be struck to end the lockout and ultimately save the 2011-12 NBA season, Wade told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he will be playing somewhere this winter — whether that’s with the Miami Heat, as he’d obviously prefer, or an international club.

“I’m going to play basketball this year,” Wade said from New York, where he’s taking some business meetings. “I don’t know where, but I love the game so much that I will play it. And we will figure that out.”

Wade denied receiving any international offers yet, including a widely circulated report of a $2 million-per-month proposal from a Chinese team. He has said throughout the summer that he would review any offers that come his way, a stance he reiterated Tuesday, while noting that he was overwhelmed at times by the support he received from Chinese fans during a nine-day trip to their nation that ended last week.

On Monday, Wade’s Heat teammate LeBron James told The AP he’s “very optimistic” the season will take place, possibly even on time. Wade and James agree on plenty, but on that point, they differ a bit. Wade has started his offseason workout regimen, just in case, though hardly sounds convinced that the league will get its planned slate of 82 games in starting this fall.

InsideHoops.com editor says: As with Deron Williams, if D-Wade or any other really good player was to sign overseas, there’s a 99.9 percent chance it would be with an opt-out clause, allowing him to return to the NBA as soon as the lockout ends.

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