Forward Guerschon Yabusele, who recently expressed a desire to return to the NBA, tops Mark Deeks of HoopsHype’s list of 10 players from the 2024 Olympics who deserve a look from NBA teams. Two of Yabusele’s teammates on the French national team — Mathias Lessort (No. 2) and Isaia Cordinier (No. 8) — also made the cut.
Here are a few more international notes:
- Bucks draft-and-stash prospect Hugo Besson, the No. 58 pick of the 2022 draft, will play for Turkey’s Manisa Buyuksehir Belediye Spor during the 2024/25 season, per Fersu Yahyabeyoglu of Eurobasket.com (hat tip to Keith Smith of Spotrac). The French guard played in Serbia and Italy last season.
- Former No. 4 overall pick Dragan Bender is rumored to be joining GeVi Napoli in Italy, writes Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Bender suffered major ACL injuries in May 2021 and December 2022 and evidently is still recovering. “Bender is part of the team philosophy we are building,” Napoli athletic director Alessandro Dalla Salda told La Repubblica. “But to get back on top he needs time, so we may sign a player while waiting for his return.” The 26-year-old last played in the NBA in 2019/20.
- Guard Devin Cannady, who played 13 games with the Magic over two different seasons, has signed with Panionios B.C., the Greek club announced in a press release. It’s the first international stop for the former Princeton star, who played for the NBA G League’s Birmingham Squadron (the Pelicans’ affiliate) in ’23/24.
Sign him Celtics
Warriors legend Dragan Bender!
Funny thing that actually happened:
Eric Paschall, Mychal Mulder, Dragan Bender, Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee, Jordan Poole, Marquise Chriss and Juan Toscano-Anderson
Defeated
Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Will Barton, Paul Milsap, Jerami Grant, Monte Morris, Mason Plumlee and Michael Porter Jr.
In a regular season NBA game.
Bender would be Phoenix legend not GS. I would say Eric Paschall is the legend here. He should get one more chance too
What could the Knicks realistically get in a trade for lessorts rights?
A mascot, drink bottle or cheerleader, FIBA a bit different. Going off FIBA play Steph would have competition in the NBA from Mills and Dennis the menace.