Euroleague.net reports: One of the most experienced power forwards in European basketball will make his Euroleague return this season after the news that Jorge Garbajosa has inked a two-year deal with Real Madrid. Garbajosa (205, 31) arrives from BC Khimki Moscow region, where he averaged 9.2 points and 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 13 Eurocup games last season. He helped Khimki reach the Eurocup and the Russian League finals. Garbajosa had joined Khimki from Toronto of the NBA, where he was limited to just seven games during the 2007-08 campaign before undergoing season-ending surgery.
Category: International Basketball Blog
International basketball blog
76ers sign Primoz Brezec
Philadelphia 76ers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski announced today that the team has signed free agent center Primoz Brezec.
“We feel that Primoz will provide us with additional size and depth in the front court, but just as beneficial is the wealth of experience he brings to the team not only on the NBA level, but internationally as well,” Stefanski said.
Brezec (7-1, 255) has appeared in 321 games with 214 starts across seven NBA seasons with Indiana, Charlotte, Detroit and Toronto. For his career, he has averaged 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 19.0 minutes per game while shooting 50.0% from the floor and 70.6% from the line.
Last season, Brezec played for Lottomatica Virtus Roma of the Italian League. He started the 2007-08 season with the Bobcats before being traded to the Pistons and then the Raptors.
Originally the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NBA Draft by Indiana, Brezec played three seasons with the Pacers before being selected by Charlotte in the 2004 expansion draft.
Brezec’s best season came during the Bobcats inaugural campaign in 2004-05. He averaged career highs of 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 and 0.76 blocks in 31.6 minutes per game while ranking 13th in the league with 3.1 offensive boards per game.
A member of the Slovenian National Team, Brezec has competed in the 2003 and 2005 FIBA European Championships and the 2006 FIBA World Championship.
InsideHoops.com editor says: The 76ers adding Primoz Brezec is like the Celtics adding Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, or Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. OK, but seriously, Brezec is a solid backup and he’s good enough to have stayed in the league this whole time, instead of going overseas like he did. He’s also a very good interview and is totally outspoken about just about anything.
Jeremy Tyler to play pro basketball in Israel
The AP reports: Jeremy Tyler completed his jump from high school underclassman to pro basketball player on Wednesday when he signed a one-year, $140,000 contract with Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Premier League. Tyler, 18, is the first American-born player to leave high school early to play basketball professionally overseas. The 6-foot-11, 260-pound Tyler announced in the spring that he was skipping his senior season at San Diego High because prep basketball had become boring.
The New York Times reports: The 6-foot-9 Tyler chose Haifa over offers from teams in Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Slovenia. Sonny Vaccaro, an adviser to Tyler, said that Tyler could have earned more money elsewhere but that Haifa offered English-speaking coaches and the best situation for playing time. “It feels good, but it doesn’t feel like mission accomplished,” Tyler, 18, said. “It feels good that I’m going to go over there and will become a better basketball player. I’m excited, anxious and ready. All of the above.” … He will be eligible for the N.B.A. draft in 2011, which means he will very likely play two years overseas.
InsideHoops.com editor says: So instead of being surrounded by little kids on a HS basketball court, Tyler will make 140k and play with adults he can actually learn from. And then instead of being a college freshman a year later, he’ll probably do the same, perhaps for a bit more money. So he’ll have earned a quarter million dollars or so in two years before most players earn a penny (aside from the under the table stuff that just about every good young player gets). The thing is, I don’t think an overseas team is going to go out of their way to train him more than they would any other player, considering he’s only committed to be there for one year. Still, he should at least get way more out of being there for a year than he would as a HS senior.
Pau Gasol has broken finger
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The Long Beach Press-Telegram (Elliot Teaford) reports: Pau Gasol broke his left middle finger while practicing with the Spanish national team in Seville and underwent surgery Monday, Lakers spokesman John Black said. It’s unknown how long Gasol might be sidelined. Black received the news of the power forward/center’s injury via a telephone call from Gasol’s Spain-based agent, Arturo Ortega. A Spanish Web site reported Gasol hurt his left index finger while trying to block teammate Felipe Reyes’ shot and was taken to a local hospital.
The Los Angeles Times (Mark Medina) reports (via blog): Lakers spokesman John Black said he received a call from Gasol’s agent, Arn Tellem, who told him that Gasol broke the middle finger of his left hand, had surgery today and is expected to make a full recovery
Von Wafer to sign in Greece
Eurobasket.com reports: Von Wafer (196-G-85, college: Florida St.) is about to join the Greek powerhouse Olympiakos. The 24-year-old guard spent the last season in the NBA playing for the Houston Rockets. He averaged 9.5 points, 1.7 boards and 1.1 assists per game. The Florida State University graduate Von Wafer was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005. He also played for the Colorado 14ers and the fort Worth Flyers in the D-League as well as the Nuggets, the Clipper and the Trail Blazers in the NBA. The contract is meant for two seasons.
Linas Kleiza to play in Greece
Denver Nuggets free agent forward Linas Kleiza is going to sign with Olympiakos, the famous team in Greece, according to Marc Spears of Yahoo.
The deal will reportedly be for two-years, but Kleiza will have the option to end the contract after one season.
Denver has had a quiet off-season, losing Dahntay Jones and now Kleiza. They did add point guard Ty Lawson, who could be a good backup to Chauncey Billups, in the 2009 NBA Draft.
Ira Newble to play in Greece
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NBA free agent guard/forward Ira Newble will reportedly head overseas for the 2009-10 season.
According to a video posted on YouTube by Los Angeles-based reporter Elie Seckbach, Newble is signing with Aris BC in Greece.
Newble’s last NBA action was in the 2007-08 season, when he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Seattle SuperSonics and Los Angeles Lakers.
Over the course of his NBA career, the 6-7, 220-pound player averaged 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
AUGUST 10 UPDATE: Eurobasket.com is also reporting this news.
Ron Artest donates diamond watch to Chinese student
Xinhua reports: Los Angeles Lakers star Ron Artest has donated his diamond watch to a high school student in Wuhan Wednesday to support his education. Zheng Fengyu, 15, is the captain of Wuhan NO.1 middle school’s basketball team. Ron played basketball with Zheng Wednesday afternoon, and gave the boy later his watch, which is worth 45,000 U.S. dollars (about 300,000 yuan), according to a report by local media.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Stories like this are awesome. The scene sounds like something from a movie. Wish we could have seen it happen.
Lynn Greer signs in Turkey
Euroleague.net reports: Fenerbahce Ulker (Turkey) signed guard Lynn Greer, giving the club one of the most lethal and exciting backcourts in Europe. Greer (188, 29) comes from Olympiacos, where he spent the past two seasons. Last year he averaged 12.2 points in 22 Euroleague games, helping the club reach the Euroleague Final Four for the first time in a decade.
Curtis Stinson signs in Greece
Euroleague.net reports: Aris BSA 2003 announced on Saturday the addition of point guard Curtis Stinson, who agreed terms on a one-year deal and returns to the Greek League after his experience with Kolossos Rhodes during the 2007-08 season. Stinson (190, 26) arrives from Iowa of the NBDL, where he averaged 16.1 points, 7 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 2.2 steals in 50 games last season.
InsideHoops.com editor says: I always found the name “Curtis Stinson” to sound cool. Go on, say it aloud. It works, right? Therefore, I wish him the best of luck with his new team.