Basketball season is in full swing around the globe, and a few international players with NBA ties are making headlines. Here's the latest from overseas.
- Sources tell HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy that Eddy Curry, let go by the Mavericks after he appeared in two early-season games, has signed to play in China with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. The story was first reported by Sina Sports (Chinese link). Another Chinese club went after Curry shortly after the Mavs let him go, but he turned them down amid interest from other NBA teams. According to Kennedy, Curry has his eyes on a return to the NBA in February, when the Chinese season ends.
- It seemed last week that Joe Alexander was also headed to China to play for the Liaoning Hunters, but the team has denied signing or having any interest in the former Bucks lottery pick, according to a Sports.QQ.com report (Chinese link, translation via Sportando).
- Semih Erden returned to his native Turkey to play this year after starting nine games for the Cavs last season, but the 7-footer is determined to make it back to the NBA, blaming injuries for his inability to stick the first time, as Orhun Özdemir of Trendbasket.net writes (hat tip to Sportando). "I’m back in Turkey because I failed to perform at my best in the NBA," the big man said. "I will recover from my injuries here and reach my top form again. I will be back in the NBA better than before."
- Derrick Caracter, a second-round pick of the Lakers in 2010, is headed to Israel, as we heard earlier.