International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Bronny, Ataman, Teodosic, Instagram

August 13th, 2022 at 11:45am CST by Dana Gauruder

A lot of high-profile college programs are pursuing Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, according to ESPN national recruiting director Paul Biancardi (Insider link).

There’s a “strong feeling” that Bronny James will go the college route next year, according to Biancardi, with UCLA, USC, Michigan, Oregon and Ohio State among the teams recruiting him. LeBron has said his dream is to finish his NBA career playing with his son, who will be draft-eligible in 2024.

We have more from around the international basketball world:

The EuroLeague’s reigning coach of the year Ergin Ataman says it’s unlikely he’ll wind up as an NBA head coach, he indicated an interview with Turkish digital channel VOLE (hat tip to Eurohoops.net). “My goal to go to the NBA has decreasing chances because I see that the NBA is a different world,” he 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.”
Former NBA guard Milos Teodosic had an agreement in place with Serbia’s Crvena Zvevda but it was nixed by Virtus Bologna, according to Sportando. Crvena Zvezda president Nebojsa Covic made that assertion in a Pink TV interview. “I’ve spoken at length with Teodosic and we agreed on pretty much everything about him joining us,” he said. “It was Virtus who said no, because it would have made things difficult for the club and because their supporters are fond of Teodosic.”
In the Instagram world, the NBA is much more popular than any other U.S. professional league. The NBA officially surpassed 70 million followers on Instagram, making it a top-10 most-followed brand on the platform, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball News. The NBA has more followers than all the other major American sports leagues combined — the NFL (25 million), MLB (8.9 million) and NHL (5.5 million).

Bucks’ Hugo Besson To Play In France

August 13th, 2022 at 10:19am CST by Dana Gauruder

Second-round pick Hugo Besson, acquired by the Bucks in a draft-night deal, will play for France’s Metropolitans 92 next season, the French team tweets.

The club currently plays in the LNB Pro A, the highest-tier level in French basketball.

The pick was originally owned by Phoenix but the Pacers held it entering draft night. They received cash for the pick and the Bucks took the 21-year-old guard for draft-and-stash purposes.

Besson was the last pick of the draft at No. 58 and had remained unsigned. He played for the New Zealand Breakers last season, averaging 13.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.3 RPG in 25 games.

He joined the Bucks’ Summer League team and averaged 2.5 PPG and 11.4 MPG in four games.

International Notes: Terry, Derrickson, Warriors, Wizards, Perrantes

August 11th, 2022 at 8:47pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Former NBA power forwards Emanuel Terry and Marcus Derrickson have joined the Seoul Samsung Thunders of the Korean Basketball League, writes Dario Skerletic of Sportando.

Terry, who went undrafted out of Lincoln Memorial in 2018, logged time in the G League with the Canton Charge and Sioux Falls Skyforce during the 2018/19 season. He made his NBA debut that year on a 10-day deal with the Suns, which he followed up with a subsequent 10-day contract with the Heat.

Internationally, the 6’9″ big man has played for teams in Turkey, Israel, Serbia, and France. Most recently, he played for the Magic’s Summer League club this year in Las Vegas. During the 2021/22 season, Terry re-joined the Suns by signing a 10-day hardship exception. He didn’t score a point for Phoenix, but grabbed 10 rebounds in 18 minutes.

The 6’7″ Derrickson, meanwhile joined the Warriors on a two-way contract during the 2018/19 season after going undrafted out of Georgetown. He played sparingly with Golden State during his lone year of NBA action, averaging 4.2 PPG in 11 games. Derrickson has suited up for the Hawks’ G League club, the College Park Skyhawks, and the Celtics’ NBAGL affiliate, the Maine Celtics, in the intervening years. He also played for South Korean teams Busan KT Sonicboom and the Goyang Orions.

Here’s more international news:

The Wizards and the 2022 title-winning Warriors are set to face off in Japan for two preseason games this fall, per an NBA press release. Golden State will play Washington at the Saitama Super Arena on September 30 and October 2. The press release notes that these will be the 15th and 16th NBA contests played in Japan. The first NBA game ever staged in Japan was a November 2, 1990 regular season matchup between the Suns and Jazz in Tokyo.
Former Cavaliers point guard London Perrantes has inked a two-year extension to remain with Israeli club Hapoel Galil Gilboa, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando. The 6’2″ guard went undrafted out of Virginia in 2017, but joined Cleveland on a two-way deal ahead of his rookie year. In 14 games with the Cavaliers, the 2017 All-ACC Second Teamer logged just 66 total minutes. He has since played for clubs in France and Turkey, in addition to suiting up for the Wizards’ G League club, the Capital City Go-Go, and the Spurs’ NBAGL affiliate, the Austin Spurs. Perrantes first signed on with Hapeol Gilboa Galil in 2021. In 21 games for the team during the 2021/22 season, he averaged 11.0 PPG, 6.5 APG and 3.0 RPG.
In case you missed it, former Hawks point guard Cat Barber recently signed on with Ukranian team BC Budivelynk.

Cat Barber Signs With BC Budivelnyk

August 11th, 2022 at 7:44am CST by Luke Adams

Former NC State standout Cat Barber will play in Ukraine for the 2022/23 season, having signed with BC Budivelnyk, the team announced this week (via Twitter).

Barber, who went undrafted in 2016, has bounced all over the place since beginning his professional career, spending several seasons in the G League and also playing for teams in Italy, Israel, Germany, and Canada. He finally made his NBA regular season debut during the 2021/22 season, appearing in three games for the Hawks after signing a 10-day hardship contract with the team on Christmas Day.

In 178 career G League games from 2016-22, Barber has averaged 17.1 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per contest. His career three-point rate is just 32.7%, though he made 42.9% of his attempts in 28 games for the College Park Skyhawks this past season en route to a spot on the All-NBAGL Second Team.

Barber’s new team competes in the Ukranian SuperLeague and is participating in qualifying contests to earn a spot in Europe’s Basketball Champions League. He’ll be joined in the backcourt by former NBA first-round pick Archie Goodwin, who is returning to Budivelnyk after leaving the team last season following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

And-Ones: Wood, O’Quinn, Extensions, Offseason Rankings

August 10th, 2022 at 8:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Christian Wood should thrive with Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, Stephen Noh of the Sporting News writes. Noh, who examines how Wood will blend his talents with the Dallas superstar, also takes a closer look at how Donte DiVincenzo (Warriors), Bruce Brown (Nuggets) and De’Anthony Melton (Sixers) could benefit after a change of scenery.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Former NBA big man Kyle O’Quinn has signed with the Japanese team, SeaHorses Mikawa, according to a team press release. O’Quinn played in France and Turkey after his last NBA appearance, a 29-game stint with Philadelphia during the 2019/20 season.
LeBron James, CJ McCollum, Jaylen Brown, Jerami Grant and Nikola Vucevic are among numerous notable players who are eligible to sign veteran extensions and are legitimate candidates to get them done. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report examines what those extensions, among others, might look like.
Which 10 teams have improved the least this offseason? The Athletic’s David Aldridge takes his annual look at whether teams have gotten better or worse since the end of last season. The Spurs sit at the lowest end of the spectrum, with the Pacers, Hornets, Jazz and Lakers also in the bottom five.

Western Notes: Clarkson, Pelicans, Dieng, Elleby

August 10th, 2022 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson will join the Philippines national team for the next two qualifying games for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, according to an announcement from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. The Philippines will be matched up against Lebanon on August 25 and will face Saudi Arabia on August 29.

Young center Kai Sotto, who committed to the G League Ignite in 2020 and then joined the NBL’s Adelaide 36ers for the 2021/22 season, will also suit up for the Philippines in those World Cup qualifying contests.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

After beginning last season with Devonte’ Graham and Nickeil Alexander-Walker as their starting guards, the Pelicans will enter 2022/23 with a more talented and deeper backcourt thanks to the acquisition of CJ McCollum and the emergence of Jose Alvarado and Trey Murphy as rotation players, writes Will Guillory of The Athletic. With Graham, Garrett Temple, Kira Lewis, and lottery pick Dyson Daniels joining McCollum, Alvarado, and Murphy in the backcourt mix, head coach Willie Green will have some difficult rotation decisions to make, as Guillory details.
Gorgui Dieng‘s new one-year contract with the Spurs is worth the veteran’s minimum and is fully guaranteed, Hoops Rumors has learned. Dieng will earn a $2,641,682 salary in 2022/23, while San Antonio takes on a cap hit of $1,836,090. The club remains more than $30MM under the salary cap, but there’s no indication that there are any immediate plans for that cap room.
CJ Elleby‘s non-guaranteed contract with the Timberwolves is now official, Hoops Rumors has learned. As expected, the deal includes Exhibit 10 language, meaning Elleby could become an affiliate player for the Iowa Wolves or could have his contract turned into a two-way pact.

Justin Robinson Signs With Illawarra Hawks

August 10th, 2022 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA point guard Justin Robinson is headed down under, having struck a deal to join the Illawara Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League, according to the team.

A former Virginia Tech star, Robinson has played for the Wizards, Thunder, Bucks, Kings, and Pistons since making his NBA debut in 2019, averaging 2.6 PPG and 1.1 APG in 43 career appearances (10.3 MPG). He began last season on a two-way deal with Milwaukee before being waived in November and signing 10-day contracts with Sacramento and Detroit in December.

Robinson is also a G League veteran, having played in a total of 46 regular season NBAGL games for the Capital City Go-Go and Delaware Blue Coats.

Illawara head coach Jacob Jackomas expressed excitement about the team’s addition of Robinson, referring to the 24-year-old as a “great ball defender” and “key facilitator” as well as a talented scorer. Robinson reciprocated that excitement.

“I feel the NBL is a great league and is now becoming more global,” Robinson said. “The league itself will allow me to continue to showcase who I am on and off the court. Illawarra has been right on the doorstep of winning an NBL Championship the last couple of years and my goal is to add to the winning culture. Coach Jackomas has something special brewing and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

The Hawks, who finished second in the NBL standings last season, also recently signed former NBA wing George King

NBA Teams Keeping Eye On Nico Mannion

August 9th, 2022 at 10:09pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA personnel are keeping an eye on guard Nico Mannion, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, who says there’s a good chance the former second-round pick will end up returning to the league at some point within the next year — if not this season, then perhaps next summer.

Mannion, 21, was a second-round pick in the 2020 draft and spent his rookie season with the Warriors in 2020/21, averaging 4.1 PPG and 2.3 APG in 30 games (12.1 MPG). Last summer, he returned to his home country of Italy, signing a two-year deal with Virtus Bologna that includes an NBA out.

A severe illness sidelined Mannion at the start of the 2021/22 season, but he eventually made his debut for Virtus Bologna and averaged 9.4 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game in 17 appearances (17.6 MPG) in Italy’s top league (Lega Serie A).

As Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays, a report from Italian outlet Il Resto del Carlino indicated that Virtus Bologna wants to extended Mannion’s contract, and Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com has heard that the two sides are making progress on a deal that would keep the 21-year-old under contract until 2025. However, a source with knowledge of the situation tells Deveney that an extension isn’t happening for the time being.

If Mannion does sign a new deal in Italy at some point, it would likely include another out clause that allows him to explore NBA opportunities, even though his ability to sign with a team stateside is somewhat limited. The Warriors issued qualifying offers to the former Arizona Wildcat last year and this year, meaning they retain the right of first refusal if another NBA team wants to sign him, and could match any offer sheet he receives.

While Golden State controls Mannion’s NBA free agency, it’s unclear whether he’s part of the team’s future plans.

“He will get another chance in the league but it is not going to be with Golden State, or it’s unlikely that happens soon,” a rival GM told Deveney, noting that the Warriors drafted guard Ryan Rollins in June and have interest in developing training camp invitee Mac McClung.

Since Mannion was on a two-way contract in 2020/21, his qualifying offer would just be another two-way deal, so simply accepting it next year or further down the road may not be an appealing option.

International Notes: Gallinari, Dragic, Teodosic, Russia

August 9th, 2022 at 11:32am CST by Arthur Hill

Danilo Gallinari is looking forward to the next phase of his NBA career with the Celtics, but his immediate priority is the Italian national team. In an interview with Italy’s Sky Sport, Gallinari talks about the challenges that lie ahead in both the next round of EuroBasket and the 2023 World Cup qualifiers (translation by Johnny Askounis of EuroHoops).

“There are many very strong teams carrying multiple NBA players,” Gallinari said of Italy’s EuroBasket competitors. “We will have to be amazing and maybe exceed expectations. But a team like ours has been successful in the past and we can be again.”

Once his international commitment is done, Gallinari will return to the U.S. to start training camp with the Celtics. He signed a two-year, $13.3MM contract with Boston after reaching a buyout agreement with the Spurs last month, believing the Celtics offer his best chance to win an NBA title.

“The goal is the ring with Boston,” Gallinari said. “Despite being in the NBA for 14 years, I feel excited for the next chapter in my career. As long as I can feel the excitement, I don’t want to stop. At the Celtics, there are definitely many responsibilities and expectations. I have already talked with many of my new teammates and members of the coaching staff. They can’t wait to get back in action, there is great enthusiasm. Some are already there. Myself, I am focused on Italy, and after I will focus on the Celtics.”

There’s more international news to pass along:

Goran Dragic is ready for a different role with Slovenia than he had when his country won the EuroBasket gold medal five years ago, according to a Eurohoops report. Dragic was the team leader in 2017, but now that role belongs to Luka Doncic. “I was Batman, but now I’ll be Robin,” Dragic said. “The most important thing will be to make sure we have good chemistry and be a leader on the court and lift guys up when it’s most difficult.”
European star and former NBA player Milos Teodosic has been cut from the Serbian national team heading into EuroBasket, per Askounis, relaying a report from Mozzart Sport. The 35-year-old guard, who spent two seasons with the Clippers, is one of the top players in Serbian history and served as team captain during the 2016 Olympics.
In a separate story, Askounis reviews the players who have left their teams in Russia since the nation was disqualified from EuroLeague play in the wake of the Ukrainian invasion. The list includes some familiar NBA names such as Kevin Pangos, Will Clyburn, Joel Bolomboy, Alex Poythress, Lorenzo Brown, Jordan Mickey and Mario Hezonja.

Nemanja Bjelica Signs Two-Year Deal With Fenerbahce

August 9th, 2022 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

In a move that has been rumored for nearly six weeks, Nemanja Bjelica has signed with Fenerbahce in Turkey, the team announced (via Twitter). His contract will cover two seasons, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.

After winning a championship with the Warriors last season, the 34-year-old forward returns to Europe, joining the team he played for before deciding to join the NBA in 2015. He was named EuroLeague MVP that season and helped Fenerbahce reach the league’s Final Four for the first time in history.

Bjelica was a rotation player for Golden State during the regular season, averaging 6.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 71 games while playing 16.1 minutes per night. His role diminished somewhat in the playoffs, although he still appeared in 15 games during the Warriors’ title run.

Golden State reportedly wanted to bring him back on a minimum contract, but Bjelica opted to take the Fenerbahce offer, which gives him similar money and a larger role.

The Wizards selected Bjelica with the 35th pick in the 2010 draft and traded him to the Timberwolves on draft night. He played seven NBA seasons, also spending time with the Kings and Heat. He is currently in training camp with the Serbian national team in preparation for EuroBasket.