NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog
NBA Blog: The NBA basketball news blog section of Inside Hoops
International basketball blog
The AP reports:
New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov says general manager Kiki Vandeweghe will be let go when his contract expires this summer.
”I wish him well,” says Prokhorov.
NBA owners approved the sale of the Nets to the Russian billionaire last week.
Prokhorov says Wednesday he does plan to retain team president Rod Thorn.
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports:
 |
Roddy Beaubois’ education will move into the accelerated program this summer when he will play for the French national team in the FIBA world championships.
With the blessing of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and president Donnie Nelson – and with countryman Tony Parker withdrawing from the team – Beaubois has been offered a spot on the national team and has accepted, Nelson confirmed Friday.
The 6-1 guard is coming off a promising rookie season and figures prominently into the Mavericks’ future.
InsideHoops.com Says: This dude looks legit. I think he has a bright future in the NBA. His role, whether on the Mavs or elsewhere, will keep increasing.
When it comes to promoting itself, the NBA is all about global expansion. (And those constant “NBA Cares” ads.) And the next logical step is to have a few regular season games take place overseas.
I would assume that the team(s) losing home games would have to be compensated for their lost income. But other than that, it seems pretty easy to work out.
Reuters reports:
The NBA is actively considering staging a regular-season game in London next season, Commissioner David Stern said.
Stern, speaking to reporters before Monday’s playoff game in Salt Lake City between the Jazz and the visiting Lakers, reaffirmed a previous commitment to bring the NBA to London before the city hosts the 2012 Olympics.
I do not believe that hosting preseason games overseas helps promote the NBA. In preseason, the stars play limited minutes. Lots of players aren’t in peak physical condition. And preseason games don’t matter. That’s not the best way to win new fans.
The AP reports:
A very familiar graduate will walk across the stage at Gonzaga University’s commencement on Sunday. Ronny Turiaf will receive his degree in sports management, four years after leaving Gonzaga as one of the best players in its history.
Turiaf, who plays for the Golden State Warriors of the NBA, is one of 48 Gonzaga athletes who will receive diplomas.
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports:
 |
The Mavericks will have at least one player participating in the FIBA World Championship this summer.
J.J. Barea said before heading to his home country this weekend that he will join the Puerto Rican national team in Turkey for the event from Aug. 28 to Sept. 12, he said before heading to his home country this weekend.
It remains unknown whether Dirk Nowitzki will play for Germany in the tournament and if his contract status could play a role in that decision.
Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports:
 |
Spurs guard Manu Ginobili made it official on Friday: He will sit out this summer’s FIBA World Championships in Turkey.
The captain of Argentina’s 2004 Olympic championship team said the need to be healthy for Spurs training camp in October, combined with his pending fatherhood, outweighed his loyalty to the national team.
“Everybody knows I love playing for the national team,” he said. “But this year was kind of different. It’s been two years since I can do a good preseason — the one before because of the surgery; the last one because of the (stress) fracture.
“My body kind of needs it, and I want to play the (2012) Olympics, so I decided to pass on this one.
“Besides, there’s another little factor here: My wife is going to have twins in a month. Those are the times you don’t want to miss. Both, one next to the other, makes me take this tough decision.”
Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune reports:
 |
Kyle Korver confirmed he encouraged Kyrylo Fesenko to switch from listening to thumping European techno to something softer in the hopes it would help Fesenko better focus now that he’s starting at center in Mehmet Okur’s absence.
“I told him to chill out and find some new music,” Korver said. “Before the game, he’s like, ‘Kyle, I think I am too mellow right now. I need to get more excited.’ I was like, ‘Once the game starts, you’ll be fine, believe me.’ ”
Not only does Fesenko regularly play his techno at louder than loud volumes, he often sings along too, Korver said.
Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News reports:
|
The deal that will keep guard Manu Ginobili with the Spurs for three more seasons has been completed, and the team plans to announce the contract extension on Friday.
Negotiations on final details were hammered out late Thursday afternoon and Ginobili was expected to sign the new contract, the details of which were approved by the NBA office on Thursday.
The extension will pay Ginobili $38.9 million through the 2012-13 season.
NETS Basketball will host Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Super League, Israel’s top division, in a 2010 preseason game on Sunday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
The game will mark the first preseason game the NETS will play at the Prudential Center since the team announced it will play its home games in Newark for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons.
Maccabi Haifa, owned by New Jersey native Jeffrey Rosen, is currently tied for second place in the Super League and has been ranked as high as 21st in Europe. Maccabi Haifa’s charity program, “Haifa Hoops for Kids,” a joint initiative between Maccabi Haifa and United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey, demonstrates the team’s commitment to assisting underprivileged and special needs children in Israel.
Maccabi Haifa’s 30-minute magazine show, “Inside Israeli Basketball,” is aired monthly on the YES Network. The show captures the intricacies of Israel and the Super League seen through the eyes of Maccabi Haifa’s American players and their Israeli counterparts.
“We are honored to host Maccabi Haifa at the Prudential Center and to offer our fans the chance to see one of the best teams in Israel and a team rich in history,” said NETS CEO Brett Yormark.
“We are thrilled to bring Maccabi Haifa to America to play the NETS in a preseason game,” said Rosen. “It has been our goal to build Maccabi Haifa into an international brand and playing an NBA team such as the NETS is just another step in the right direction.”
Maccabi Haifa, an Israeli Basketball Super League team, has a long and storied legacy as it was one of the original eight teams to form the Super League during the 1954 season. This past season under the ownership of American businessman Jeffrey Rosen, the team earned an appearance in both the Super League Finals as well as the State Cup Finals in the team’s first season back in the Super League after a 10-year absence. The team was purchased by Jeffrey Rosen in July 2007.
Reuters reports:
 |
Former NBA All Star Stephon Marbury, the highest profile American import to China’s domestic league, said he would return to the country after a hugely popular stint with Shanxi.
The 33-year-old former Minnesota, New Jersey, Phoenix, New York Knicks and Boston point guard finished his two-month spell on a high with an MVP performance in China’s All Star Game last Sunday.
The New Yorker’s average of 22.9 points and 9.5 assists in his 15 regular season games failed to drag Shanxi into the playoffs, however, and he has yet to agree a new deal with the Taiyuan-based team.