The opportunity to earn guaranteed money was behind Markus Howard‘s decision to sign with Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in the EuroLeague, he explained on the Role Player Podcast. Howard spent the past two seasons with the Nuggets on a two-way contract, and although he had two-way offers from other NBA teams, he opted for more security in Europe.
“Two years, that’s what I was saying,” Howard explained of his commitment to the NBA. “Because honestly I could have taken a two-way with a lot of teams now and maybe had more chances to play. Maybe. But at the end of the day, I’m not going through what I went through in Denver. I ain’t doing that again. I have a family. It’s not just me. … I want to earn my keep. I want to feel like I earned what I get.”
Howard appeared in 31 games last season and 37 games as a rookie, but he only averaged 5.6 minutes per night. He became frustrated by the inconsistent playing time and the constant uncertainty about his NBA future.
“I don’t look the part,” said Howard, who’s only 5’10”. “So they have no problem throwing you to the side. … Being in college for four years, you don’t get comfortable, but you understand where you are in your position on a team. In the NBA, you never know and you’re walking on tippy toes. For me, just having that mindset every day, like I could be gone.”
There’s more international news to pass along:
- Former Warriors forward Nemanja Bjelica, who signed with Fenerbahce last week, may have to miss the EuroBasket tournament because of a calf injury, according to a Eurohoops report. He was hurt this week on a non-contact play in Serbia’s exhibition game with Montenegro.
- Ergin Ataman of Turkey’s Anadolu Efes, the reigning Coach of the Year in the EuroLeague, was rumored for NBA assistant jobs this summer but said the prospect doesn’t excite him, writes Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops. “My goal to go to the NBA has decreasing chances because I see that the NBA is a different world,” Ataman said. “Their perspective of basketball head coaches in Europe is very different. No European coach has ever gone from Europe to the NBA as a head coach. There is no NBA history, zero.”
- Guerschon Yabusele, who spent two seasons with the Celtics, talks to Eurohoops about the joy he gets from being a starter with Real Madrid and the French national team.
In further int’l basketball news, the Big3 playoffs begin today at 3:30 on CBS with the Aliens vs Trilogy. Aliens are made up mostly of Eastern European guys (led by Dusan Bulut) & they have a strong chance at a title. They’ll have to deal w/ the defending champs & their pair of former SEC legends Zay Briscoe & James White 1st tho
didn’t igor kokoskov coach the suns? is that dude not euro enough or am i missing something?
Kokoskov coached Fener after like 20 years as an NBA assistant. The example you’re thinking of is David Blatt, who infamously flamed out in Cleveland during the second LeBron run. (Or maybe Mike D, who I also think was head coach in Italy during the early aughts.) The example Ataman is thinking of is Ettore Messina.
Point is, he’s technically wrong. I think his point if you’re a legend in Euro coaching circles (like Zoc etc.), you should be considered one of the best basketball coaches in the world and the NBA should consider you for those positions.
was gonna write blatt too but he was born in the us and has israeli citizenship.