Former NBA point guard Lorenzo Brown is part of a controversy at the EuroBasket tournament, according to Eurohoops. Brown scored 28 points and handed out eight assists Saturday, leading Spain to an overtime win over Lithuania in an elimination game. At the post-game press conference, Lithuania’s Mindaugas Kuzminskas suggested the outcome would have been different if not for Brown, who was born in the United States but recently became a Spanish citizen.
“I am not sure how this team would look without Lorenzo Brown because you signed him only this summer,” Kuzminskas said to a Spanish reporter. “But it is how it is.”
Brown, 32, was a second-round pick in the 2013 draft and played for four teams in a five-year NBA career that ended after the 2018/19 season. He has been with several overseas teams since then and recently signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
“Even if I haven’t been here long, I feel like these guys … they have known each other so long and they brought me in as one of them,” Brown said in response to Kuzminskas’ comments. “So it’s just an amazing feeling to have that brotherhood, “la familia” as they call it. It’s really a family. I am coming in here and I am a regular American guy and those guys are talking in Spanish. And I am learning every single day, so it’s amazing what I have learned and how they treated me so far. The outside noise doesn’t bother me at all. I am just worried about what these guys feel about me. And it’s amazing. They love me and I love these guys.”
There’s more from EuroBasket:
- Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to take part in practice without any pain and is expected to play in today’s game against the Czech Republic, according to John Rammas of Eurohoops. Antetokounmpo suffered a mild ankle sprain in Thursday’s contest.
- Although more than 30 NBA players are involved in this year’s tournament, Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic clearly stand above the rest, Slovenian forward Edo Muric told Rammas in a separate story. “They are both great players, they are next level. So if they want, they can score 50. In (Doncic’s 47-point) game against France, we played without our starting center, so Luka had to step up. That proves he is a very big player, beating France almost by himself, and Giannis is right there, too.”
- Ukraine’s EuroBasket run ended today with a loss to Poland, but the team served as a source of pride for the war-torn nation, per The Associated Press. Players weren’t able to train in their own country in the wake of the Russian invasion, so they practiced wherever they could. “I hope it inspires and helps them a lot, just to get their thoughts off the war a little bit and just watch us play,” Svi Mykhailiuk said. “Obviously, today was not a great example of us playing, but this whole time, we did our best. I hope they enjoyed it. Obviously, it’s tough for everybody because all the guys’ families are still there and it’s tough having to be here. But I appreciate everyone being here. I appreciate everyone fighting.”
What does he mean? He literally became a citizen?? Severe butthurtness by Kuzminskas.
DeWell, he means that Brown didn’t have any prior connection to Spain. He didn’t play there, he didn’t have family there… He was given the citizenship just to play this tournament. Feels a bit unfair (especially on a night when he was the best Spanish player by a mile), even though indeed Spain is not the only team doing it.
It is not that easy to get Spanish citizenship, believe me. He definitely did NOT just get it because of the tournament. You have to be a resident for at least one year and then can apply, and must show you can support yourself. On the second, being a talented athlete certainly helps, but that alone will not get you citizenship.
I happen to be Spanish, and I can tell you he didn’t live in the country for a single day before getting the citizenship. It’s been a national controversy with even some of the Spanish players (e.g. Rudy Fernández) publicly talking against the move. They just picked a random guy in a position (point guard) of need, and that’s it.
Italy on the verge of pulling the upset of the tournament. They’re up 13 on Serbia with abt 2mins left. Jokic having a great game & getting plenty of help from the refs but Italy been playing/shooting extremely well in this 2nd half
Italy has a LOT of under the radar dudes who could play in the NBA if they gaf
I’m not so sure about that lol. Fontecchio is their best player & he’s gonna be the 12th man om Utah, which is prob gonna be 1 of the worst teams in the league. Sprissu was their best player today but he’s def not an NBA player. They got a few guys that played in the league without much success in GiGi Datome, Nico Mannion & Nico Melli. I like Mannion alot & think he could be back in the league at some point, but he wasn’t a factor at all today. These boys just played out of their mind after their coach got tossed tho. Serbia took their foot of the gas when they were up big early & could never regain control
That’s game. Serbia bites the dust. Marco Spissu who I never heard of before today, was brilliant at pg. He outplayed Vasilje Micic, the best player in Euroleague 2yrs running & his squad just did the unthinkable & eliminated the most talented team in the field well before the medal rds. This tournament is a trip I swear
Thank God, those Ukros are out!
Couple of ACC legends doin big #s in this tournament, Mike Tobey (UVA) for Slovenia & Lorenzo Brown (NC State) for Spain
Lauri Markkanen 43 points …… no way Utah is keeping him. Or are they ??
Always liked him. He needs a team to believe in him. Should be a starting stretch 4 somewhere.