International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Projected First-Rounder Joan Beringer Entering Draft

April 25th, 2025 at 12:52pm CST by Rory Maher

French big man Joan Beringer is entering the 2025 NBA draft, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The 18-year-old is ranked No. 17 on ESPN’s latest big board, making him a projected first-round pick.

“It’s been my dream to play in the NBA,” Beringer said. “It’s a good moment to go. I want to say thank you to my teammates. They made everything a lot easier for me.”

Beringer has spent the 2024/25 campaign with Slovenian club Cedevita Olimpija, which competes in the Adriatic League and EuroCup. He has averaged 4.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 17 EuroCup appearances (17.5 minutes per game).

As Givony details, Beringer is an intriguing prospect for multiple reasons. He’s the third-youngest player in the draft class, as he won’t turn 19 until November. He also wasn’t on NBA radars entering the season, as Beringer says he had never touched a basketball until the summer of 2021.

“I first started playing basketball in the street with my friends,” Beringer said. “Just for fun. I played football before, and there was a basketball court nearby the field. My feet got too big, so I couldn’t find soccer cleats anymore. I was 6-8 then. I’m 6-11 without shoes now. I joined a small club, Saint-Joseph Strasbourg, two weeks later. My work and willingness to go after things are the reason I was able to be where I am now.”

With a 7’5″ wingspan, impressive timing, and exceptional mobility, Beringer is viewed as having considerable defensive upside, according to Givony, who notes that the teenage center led the ABA in block percentage.

French Guard Nolan Traore Declaring For Draft

April 24th, 2025 at 10:25am CST by Dana Gauruder

Nolan Traore, a potential lottery pick, is entering the draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reports.

Traore, an 18-year-old guard, is currently playing in his home country of France. He’s averaging 11.5 points and 4.9 assists in 23 minutes per game for Saint-Quentin, which competes in both the domestic Pro A league and the intercontinental Basketball Champions League.

Traore is currently ranked No. 18 by ESPN. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie had Traore coming off the board with the No. 16 pick in his most recent mock draft.

“I’m excited to take the next step in my career and declare for the NBA draft,” the 6’4” Traore told ESPN. “I still have many goals with my team, to finish the regular season strong, make the playoffs and then have a great draft process. I want to be drafted to the best situation with a pathway to earn playing time right away. I’m ready for that challenge.”

Traore was one of the standouts at last year’s Nike Hoop Summit but has taken some lumps in France’s pro league. Turnovers, shooting efficiency and the league’s physicality have been issues for a teenager with a 29 percent usage rate, second-highest in the league, according to Givony.

“It has been a challenging year in France that has made me a much better and tougher player,” Traore said. “The NBA is not going to be easy, and I think that this season will help me a lot I that regard.”

Knicks, Sixers To Play Preseason Games In Abu Dhabi

April 24th, 2025 at 7:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks and Sixers will participate in the NBA’s Abu Dhabi Games 2025 this fall, the league announced today in a press release.

New York and Philadelphia will play a pair of preseason contests at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, October 2 and Saturday, Oct. 4.

The NBA had never played in the United Arab Emirates prior to 2022, but this will be the fourth straight year that the league has held preseason games in Abu Dhabi.

It will be the first time that the Knicks have played a game outside of North America since they faced the Wizards in London, England for a regular season game in January 2019. The 76ers haven’t played overseas since they squared off against Dallas for a pair of preseason matchups in China (Shanghai and Shenzhen) in October 2018.

The Abu Dhabi Games are the third international preseason contests announced by the NBA ahead of the 2025/26 season. The Nets and Suns will be playing in Macao on Oct. 10 and 12, while the Pelicans will face teams from Australia’s National Basketball League in Melbourne on Oct. 3 and 5.

International Prospects Ruzic, Lewis Declare For Draft

April 22nd, 2025 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A pair of international prospects, Croatian power forward Michael Ruzic and South East Melbourne wing Malique Lewis, are entering the draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reports (Twitter links).

The 6’10” Ruzic is just 18 years old. He’s played for Joventut Badalona in Spain the past two seasons, posting modest numbers. He has averaged 5.0 points and 1.7 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game through seven EuroCup contests this season. In Liga ACB action, Ruzic played 14 games and averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per contest.

Ruzic is ranked No. 49 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

Lewis, 20, played for SE Melbourne in Australia’s National Basketball league this season. He averaged 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game while making 34 appearances.

In 2023/24, Lewis played in the NBA G League for the Mexico City Capitanes. He averaged 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 27.7 minutes per game while seeing action in 34 contests. He made 37.7% of his 3-point attempts that season, though that success rate dropped in 31.6% in Australia.

Lewis is currently ranked No. 69 by ESPN, making him a possible second-round pick.

Former NBA Guard Kendrick Nunn Named EuroLeague MVP

April 21st, 2025 at 7:14am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Kendrick Nunn, who played in the NBA from 2019-23, has been named the EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024/25 season, the league announced today in a press release.

Nunn, a member of Panathinaikos in Greece, beat out former EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov for the honor after averaging a league-leading 21.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game with a shooting line of .503/.426/.856 across 33 outings.

Nunn led Panathinaikos to a 22-12 record and a No. 3 finish in the 18-team league.

The EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player award is voted on by head coaches (35%), team captains (35%), media members (20%), and fans (10%). Vezenkov was the runner-up in the voting after returning to Europe last year to join Olympiacos following an NBA stint, while TJ Shorts of Paris Basketball finished third.

Nunn is the third American player to earn MVP honors in the history of the EuroLeague, joining Anthony Parker (2005 and 2006) and Mike James (2024).

Nunn, who appeared in 193 regular season games for the Heat, Lakers, and Wizards, recently signed a three-year contract extension with Panathinaikos that will make him the EuroLeague’s highest-paid player. That deal reportedly doesn’t include NBA out clauses, so the 29-year-old will remain overseas for the foreseeable future.

Panathinaikos will square off against Anadolu Efes in the first round of the EuroLeague playoffs, beginning on Tuesday, with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

Filip Petrusev Hoping For NBA Return

April 19th, 2025 at 6:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Filip Petrusev barely saw any game action during his first NBA stint, but he believes things will be different if he gets another opportunity. The 25-year-old center talked about coming back to the league in an interview with Serbian media outlet Sportski Zurnal, according to Eurohoops.

“I would like to return to the NBA as soon as possible,” Petrusev said. “It is always better, for everyone and for me in particular, to go there early than to try to do it in my last years of career. I was not lucky in Philadelphia. As soon as I started playing, I was traded, and everything fell apart. Now I have regained my self-confidence, and I believe that I deserve a second chance!”

The Sixers selected Petrusev with the 50th pick in the 2021 draft, but he remained in Europe until the summer of 2023. He appeared in just one game with Philadelphia, playing only three minutes, before being included in the early-season trade that sent James Harden to the Clippers.

L.A. moved him on to Sacramento on the same day, and he made brief appearances in two games with the Kings before being waived about three weeks later.

Petrusev returned to Europe on a three-year contract with Olympiacos that still has one season remaining. He’s currently on loan to Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade, where he’s averaging 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

It sounds like he’ll be exploring another NBA opportunity this summer, as he said in the interview, “It is my great desire to return to the NBA and for this reason all the contracts I sign include an NBA out clause.”

Spanish Prospect Hugo Gonzalez Entering NBA Draft

April 19th, 2025 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

Real Madrid wing Hugo Gonzalez has decided to enter the 2025 NBA draft, agents Carlos Sanchez and Saul Lopez tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Gonzalez, a 6’7″ forward from Spain, has played limited minutes in domestic (ACB) and EuroLeague competition, averaging 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game across 50 outings. However, he has compiled an impressive résumé in international tournaments, Givony writes, having competed in the U17 World Cup in 2022 and the U18 EuroBasket in 2023 and 2024.

Although Gonzalez doesn’t play much for a veteran-heavy Real Madrid team, the Spanish club has championship aspirations in both the ACB and EuroLeague and could still be playing deep into June, which would complicate the 19-year-old’s ability to work out for NBA teams prior to the draft, as Givony notes.

Despite his modest role in Madrid, Gonzalez has made an impression on NBA evaluators with his athleticism, defensive versatility, and intensity, according to Givony, who has him ranked at No. 22 on ESPN’s big board of 2025 draft prospects.

That makes Gonzalez a potential first-round pick, assuming he keeps his name in the draft pool. He has until June 15 to decide whether or not to withdraw.

Ben Saraf, Tyrese Proctor Among Draft’s Latest Early Entrants

April 18th, 2025 at 7:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Israeli guard Ben Saraf has decided to enter the 2025 NBA draft, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Saraf, who is the No. 23 player on ESPN’s big board of 2025 prospects, plays overseas for the German team Ratiopharm Ulm. In 16 EuroCup games this season, the 19-year-old has averaged 12.8 points, 4.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 24.4 minutes per contest.

“This is the right time for me,” Saraf said. “After playing against the highest levels of competition in European basketball, I am ready and excited for the draft, but first we need to finish the season strong in Ulm.”

As Givony writes, Saraf is well regarded by NBA evaluators for several reasons, including his size, scoring instincts, and feel for the game. He’s also a creative play-maker, though his outside shot remains a work in progress. He has made just 10-of-45 three-point attempts (22.2%) in EuroCup competition this season.

Here are a few more updates on prospects who are entering the draft as early entrants:

Duke junior guard Tyrese Proctor is entering the NBA draft, as Colton Schwabe writes for the Duke Chronicle. Proctor had his best season as a Blue Devil in 2024/25, starting all 38 games he played in for the Final Four team and averaging 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest, with a .452/.405/.680 shooting line. The 6’6″ guard, who named to the All-ACC third team, is the No. 47 player on ESPN’s big board.
Hansen Yang, a 7’1″ center who plays for Qingdao in China, has declared for the draft, his representatives at Klutch Sports tell Givony (Twitter link). The 19-year-old has averaged a double-double in 45 outings this season, posting 16.6 PPG, 10.5 RPG, and 2.6 BPG in 32.8 MPG. He comes in at No. 79 on ESPN’s board and could be a second-round draft-and-stash candidate if he keeps his name in the draft.
Forward/center Izan Almansa is entering the draft, agent Guillermo Bermejo tells Givony (Twitter link). Almansa already has an impressive résumé, having spent time with Overtime Elite, the G League Ignite, and – most recently – the Perth Wildcats in Australia. The 19-year-old has also represented the Spanish national team in several competitions, including at the 2023 U19 World Cup, where the Spaniards won gold and Almansa earned MVP honors. He’s the No. 89 prospects on ESPN’s top-100 list.
As we detailed last week, international early entrants like Saraf, Yang, and Almansa have until June 15 to decide whether or not they want to keep their names in the draft. Most college prospects will make that decision by May 28, which is the deadline for a player to withdraw and preserve his NCAA eligibility.

And-Ones: Porzingis, Windler, Walker, Awards Ballot

April 17th, 2025 at 3:57pm CST by Rory Maher

Assuming he’s healthy, Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis intends to play for Latvia during the EuroBasket tournament this summer, as EuroHoops.net relays.

“Whether I want to play for the national team or not – that’s a silly question,” Porzingis said, according to FIBA. “The past few summers didn’t work out because I was injured. I’ve never refused the national team. When I haven’t played, it’s because of injuries. This summer, I’ll be there. Health is the main thing – then everything else will follow.”

Here are a few more items of interest from around the basketball world:

Former NBA wing Dylan Windler spent the 2024/25 season with the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League. The Australian team announced in a press release that it has re-signed the 28-year-old to a new two-year contract. “It just felt right to come back to Perth, I feel like we’ve got some unfinished business in the playoffs after going out in the semi-finals like we did,” Windler said. “We enjoyed it there and it’s a great situation for me basketball-wise and I look forward to continuing to build on the team that we had last year and see what new faces we can bring in and what we can build together.”
Veteran NBA guard Kemba Walker, who made four All-Star teams during his time in the league, announced his retirement as a player last July. However, evidently he will return to the hardwood this summer, according to Chris Haynes, who reports (via Twitter) that Walker has reached an agreement to play in the BIG3. Dwight Howard will also be competing in the 3-on-3 league. Walker spent this past season as a player enhancement coach with the Hornets.
Tim Bontemps of ESPN has an official NBA awards ballot. He recently revealed his choices for all the major 2024/25 awards as well as some of the reasoning behind the selections. Perhaps most interestingly, Bontemps voted for Clippers center Ivica Zubac as Defensive Player of the Year, with Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley finishing as his runner-up.

Central Notes: Giddey, Ball, Jones, Buzelis, Pistons, Sims

April 15th, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bulls guard Josh Giddey is dealing with a muscle issue on the side of his hand but he’s expected to suit up for the play-in game against Miami on Wednesday, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network reports.

“It’s just about managing the pain,” Giddey said, adding that the injury will be addressed in the offseason (Twitter links).

Giddey can’t imagine watching Wednesday’s game in street clothes.

“I’m good to go,” he said, per Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune. “Play-in game, must-win game, there’s not way I’m going to sit out.”

Lonzo Ball (wrist) and Tre Jones (foot) won’t play.

We have more from the Central Division:

Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis plans to play for the Lithuanian national team, but he’s unsure about representing his country this offseason. “I’m not sure that I will come this summer. We have problems with the coaches,” he told Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net, referring to controversial comments by an assistant coach of the senior national team, Tomas Pacesas. “I have to talk to Jonas [Valanciunas], Domantas [Sabonis] and see what they will do.” Lithuania will participate in the EuroBasket tournament this summer. Sabonis is expected to sit out for personal reasons, while Valanciunas is expected to play.
The Pistons apparently don’t want Little Caesars Arena to have a large continent of Knicks fans during the first round of the playoffs, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes. Potential ticket buyers for upcoming playoff games in Detroit must produce a credit card with a mailing address “located in Michigan and in certain parts of Ohio, Indiana and Ontario, Canada,” according to Ticketmaster. However, a Pistons spokesman told Bondy that the restrictions are intended to target ticket brokers and reduce fraud.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers is “pretty sure” reserve big man Jericho Sims will be available for their opening-round series against Indiana. Sims participated in a majority of Tuesday’s practice, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. He hasn’t played since March 16 due to a thumb injury.