International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Crawford, Micic, Dragic

August 5th, 2022 at 7:01pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Retired shooting guard Jamal Crawford reflected on his 20-year NBA run in a conversation with Bryan Kalbrosky of USA Today. Earlier this summer, the 6’5″ vet, a three-time Sixth Man of the Year, showed off his still-lethal handle at his yearly Seattle-based Pro-Am league the CrawsOver.

“I would always stretch and ice even if nothing was hurting,” Crawford, now 42, said of one of the keys to his longevity in the league. “I heard an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of recovery. I was always taking care of myself… I was always trying to think about the long game so I could play at a high level for a long time… I would’ve played even longer if I knew the stuff I know now.”

Across 1,327 career games played with the Bulls, Knicks, Warriors, Hawks, Trail Blazers, Clippers, Timberwolves, Suns and Nets, Crawford averaged 14.6 PPG, 3.4 APG and 2.2 RPG, while posting shooting splits of .410/.348/.862.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball globe:

After flirting with a move to the NBA this summer, star EuroLeague guard Vasilije Micic opted to remain with Anadolu Efes in Turkey. The Thunder continue to possess the draft rights to the two-time reigning EuroLeague Final Four MVP, who spoke to Rada Nikolić August of Sport Klub about his offseason decision . “I felt a slight mistrust from the direction of the strongest league in the world, which they have towards many, not only me,” Micic said, though he seemed open to keeping the door open to an eventual move stateside. “I really don’t think I’m going there to prove what and how much I can do. It’s nice like this for me, so if I go to America one day, it will happen…” Last year, the 28-year-old averaged 18.1 PPG, 4.7 APG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.1 SPG across 28 contests with Anadolu Efes in EuroLeague play.
New Bulls reserve point guard Goran Dragic is set to return to competition for his native Slovenia in EuroBasket 2022 this September, as he announced via Twitter. “I’M BACK,” the 36-year-old posted, along with a variety of descriptive emojis. Dragic had previously retired from playing for Slovenia in 2017, after helping the national club win its first-ever FIBA European championship in EuroBasket play. Dragic won the EuroBasket MVP award for his efforts, averaging 22.6 PPG in nine games. Dragic joined Chicago this summer following turns with the Raptors and Nets in 2021/22.

International Notes: Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Yurtseven, Pokusevski, Jovic

August 3rd, 2022 at 9:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is looking forward to representing Serbia on the basketball court for the first time in three years, writes Johnny Askounis of EuroHoops. The two-time MVP will join the national team for a pair of 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifying games, hosting Greece August 25 and traveling to Turkey August 28.

“I feel great, similar to every time I reunite with these guys. I just met some of them,” Jokic said in advance of the Serbian team’s training camp. “We are preparing, we just started and we will see how far we can go. Up first are the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and the goal of helping Serbia qualify to the World Cup.”

Jokic also plans to participate in EuroBasket next month, and he could return for both the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics if Serbia qualifies. Jokic cited a special pride in being able to play for his home nation.

“It means a lot, I talked with my family, it’s a totally different feeling when you play for the national team,” Jokic said. “I felt different when I came here than when I go to Denver.”

There’s more international news to pass along:

Another MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and his brother and Bucks teammate, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, are in Athens waiting to join the Greek team for training camp, per Aris Barkas of EuroHoops. An agreement limits NBA players to 28 days of preparation before major FIBA tournaments and 14 days before the Olympics. The other Antetokounmpo brothers, Alex and Kostas, are already training with Greece. New Mavericks signee Tyler Dorsey is under the same restrictions as Giannis and Thanasis and can’t start training until Thursday.
Heat center Omer Yurtseven elected not to join the Turkish national team’s training camp in Italy, but he didn’t inform team officials of his decision or seek permission in advance, according to a EuroHoops report. The decision was made by Yurtseven rather than the Heat, the story adds, as the rookie center chose to stay in Miami and focus on preparing for training camp. The report notes that Yurtseven was suspended for eight games in 2018 for skipping national team activities without providing notice.
Thunder forward Aleksej Pokusevski and Heat rookie Nikola Jovic were denied permission by their respective teams to join Serbia for EuroBasket and the World Cup qualifiers, Askounis states in a separate story. Hawks forward Bogdan Bogdanovic is also unavailable because he’s recovering from knee surgery.

International Notes: Patton, Holman, Dekker, Krejci

August 3rd, 2022 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA center Justin Patton, who spent last season in Israel, is off to France for the 2022/23 campaign, having finalized a one-year deal with Cholet Basket, the team announced today in a press release.

The 16th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Patton only ended up playing in 22 NBA games for the Timberwolves, Sixers, Thunder, and Rockets between 2017-21 before heading overseas. A series of foot injuries derailed the early part of Patton’s professional career, but the 25-year-old was able to suit up for 21 games in 2021/22 for Hapoel Eilat, averaging 11.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 1.9 BPG in 27.5 minutes per contest.

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

Former Mississipi State big man Aric Holman has signed with Tezenis Verona, the Italian club announced today in a press release. While Holman is a G League veteran and inked a 10-day hardship contract with the Heat last December, he has yet to make his NBA regular season debut.
The London Lions of the British Basketball League are in talks with veteran NBA forward Sam Dekker, according to Dario Skerletic and Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. A former first-round pick, Dekker began last season with the Raptors, but appeared in just one regular season contest and was waived early in the season, before his full salary became guaranteed.
Although Vit Krejci of the Thunder is the only current NBA player on the Czech Republic’s initial 15-man roster for EuroBasket 2022, there are other notable names on the list, including Tomas Satoransky and Jan Vesely, as Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops details.

And-Ones: McCormack, Luxury Tax, OKC Blue, Harrison

August 2nd, 2022 at 10:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

David McCormack has signed with Besiktas in Turkey, according to a team press release. McCormack was reportedly signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Timberwolves but apparently chose to begin his pro career in Europe.

The undrafted big man out of Kansas was a prominent member of the Jayhawks’ national championship team. He spent all four of his college seasons at Kansas, starting 96 of 132 total games. In 2021/22, he averaged 10.6 PPG and 7.0 RPG in 40 contests (21.9 MPG).

We have more from around the basketball world:

A total of 10 teams are currently projected to collectively spend $650MM in luxury tax payments next season, according to Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. That would an NBA record for tax penalties. The Warriors, Nets, Clippers, Bucks, Lakers, Sixers, Celtics, Suns, Nuggets and Mavericks all project as taxpayer teams for the time being.
The G League’s Oklahoma City Blue will continue to play the Thunder’s Paycom Center next season, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman reports. The Blue also played there last season, having been the only G League team to host their games in an NBA arena. They often had to play late morning or early afternoon games with the Thunder playing there on the same night.
Former NBA swingman Andrew Harrison has signed with Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi in Turkey, as JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors relays (Twitter link). Harrison has suited up with the Grizzlies, Cavaliers and Pelicans during his NBA career. In his last NBA season, he played a combined 16 games with Cleveland and New Orleans in 2018/19.

And-Ones: T. Scott, 2023 Draft, ’23 Cap, Freedom

August 1st, 2022 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA and G League veteran Tre Scott is headed overseas for the 2022/23 season, having signed with Fos Provence Basket, the French team announced in a press release.

Scott, who went undrafted out of Cincinnati in 2020, has spent most of his first two professional seasons in the NBAGL, playing for the Salt Lake City Stars, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, and the Cleveland Charge.

The 6’8″ forward earned a call-up to the NBA last December during the league’s COVID-19 outbreak, signing a 10-day hardship deal with the Cavaliers. He appeared in two games for the Cavs during his brief NBA stint, scoring six points and grabbing a couple rebounds in 11 total minutes of action.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report shares his first 2023 mock draft, headed by French big man Victor Wembanyama and G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson. Overtime Elite wing Amen Thompson, Duke swingman Dariq Whitehead, and Villanova forward Cam Whitmore round out Wasserman’s initial top five.
Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype takes a look at the teams currently projected to have the most cap room in 2023, including the Spurs, Rockets, Pistons, and Magic.
In an interview with Israeli outlet Walla, free agent center Enes Freedom said he hasn’t received any offers from NBA teams this offseason (hat tip to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops). Freedom attributed that lack of NBA interest to the comments he has made denouncing China, though it’s worth noting that his minutes were already on the decline due to his subpar outside shooting and defense.

And-Ones: Russell, Sotto, Douglas

July 31st, 2022 at 5:45pm CST by JD Shaw

With legendary center Bill Russell passing away at the age of 88 today, figures across the sports world have paid their respects through statements and social media posts. Among those is Tamika Tremaglio, director of the National Basketball Players Association.

“Bill Russell embodies what it means to be a champion in every sense of the word. His on-court accomplishments, including the unfathomable 11 championships and five MVP awards — all achieved with distinct grace and swagger — are entrenched in our NBA culture as the standard to which all inspire,” Tremaglio said as part of a larger statement, as relayed on social media.

Russell’s passing has also drawn statements from other notable figures, including Magic Johnson (Twitter link) Celtics star Jayson Tatum (Twitter link) and Barack Obama (Twitter link).

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

In addition to players and figures around the sports world, many teams released statements about Russell’s passing. Those teams include the Celtics, Kings, Warriors and Suns. Russell impacted generations during his life — both on the court and off.
Kai Sotto will remain in the NBL with the Adelaide 36ers next season, as relayed by Sportando. The 20-year-old averaged 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season.
Former NBA guard Toney Douglas has agreed to a deal with Benfica in Portugal, according to Martim Figueiredo (hat tip to Sportando). Douglas last played in Greece. He’s played 394 NBA games during his career, making stops with New York, Houston, Sacramento, Golden State, Miami, New Orleans and Memphis.

International Notes: Goodwin, Black, Vonleh, Bey

July 31st, 2022 at 2:26pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Free agent shooting guard Archie Goodwin has opted to re-sign with Ukranian club Budivelnyk for the team’s 2022/23 season, writes Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net.

The 27-year-old wing initially left Budivelnyk following the Russian invasion of Ukraine this spring. The 6’5″ wing was selected with the No. 29 pick out of Kentucky in 2013. His draft rights were traded to the Suns, for whom he played during his first three NBA seasons. He then split the 2016/17 NBA season, his most recent year in the league, between the Pelicans and Nets.

Across 165 career NBA games, Goodwin holds averages of 6.3 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.2 APG, while shooting 42.9% from the floor and 70% from the free-throw line. From 2017-19, Goodwin spent most of his time with a variety of NBA G League teams, in the hopes of returning to the big show. Since then, beyond Budivelnyk, he has logged time with clubs in Turkey, Germany, France, and Israel.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Free agent veteran NBA center Tarik Black has inked a one-year contract with Greek club Olympiacos, writes Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando. After going undrafted out of Kansas in 2014, Black appeared in 220 NBA games from 2014-18, all with the Rockets and Lakers. Since then, the 30-year-old has bounced from Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv, with whom he was named an Israeli League All-Star and won a league title in 2019, to teams in Russia and Turkey. The 6’9″ big man spent the 2021/22 season with the Grand Rapids Gold, the Nuggets’ NBAGL team, averaging 11.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.1 APG and 1.3 BPG across 15 contests.
The Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association are targeting former 2014 NBA lottery pick Noah Vonleh, per Borghesan of Sportando. Vonleh last played with another CBA club, the Shanghai Sharks, during the 2021/22 season. The 26-year-old averaged 14.3 PPG and 9.1 RPG with Shanghai. The Hornets selected the 6’10” power forward with the ninth pick out of Indiana in 2014. In addition to Charlotte, Vonleh suited up for the Trail Blazers, Bulls, Knicks, Timberwolves, and Nets across 339 NBA contests. He holds career league averages of 4.9 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 16.8 MPG.
Free agent swingman Tyler Bey is signing with Israeli League team Ironi Ness Ziona, reports Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. After being selected with the No. 36 pick out of Colorado in 2020, Bey saw his draft rights dealt to the Mavericks. The 24-year-old spent just 18 games, averaging 3.9 MPG, with the Mavs in 2020/21. Across 12 games with the Rockets’ NBAGL affiliate during the 2021/22 season, the 6’7″ wing averaged 10.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.3 SPG and 0.9 BPG across 22.2 MPG.

Carsen Edwards Signs With Fenerbahce

July 31st, 2022 at 9:10am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Celtics and Pistons point guard Carsen Edwards will play for Fenerbahce next season, according to Eurohoops. The Turkish powerhouse announced this morning that Edwards has signed a one-year contract.

Edwards, 24, finished last season in Detroit, but became a free agent in June when the team declined his option for 2022/23. He spent most of the past season with the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League before signing with the Pistons in early April and averaging 5.8 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in four games.

Edwards was the 33rd selection in the 2019 draft and played his first two seasons with the Celtics, appearing in 68 total games. He was traded last September to the Grizzlies, who waived him eight days later.

International Notes: Irving, Adams, Bey, Dominican National Team

July 30th, 2022 at 6:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nets guard Kyrie Irving is already thinking about his career beyond the NBA. In response to a fan’s tweet about “gassing up” for the regular season, Irving speculated about his future several years down the road, saying he eventually expects to play overseas.

“I don’t ever have to Gas myself up,” Irving wrote (Twitter link). “I am going on my 12th year in the best league in the world and I am only getting better. When I am 38 years old and have time to reflect on my career truly, I will do so, but until then, I am enjoying every moment.”

“And no I won’t be done playing basketball at 38 years old lol,” he added (Twitter link). “I’ll be in leagues all over the world playing and teaching the youth all that was taught to me.”

Irving just turned 30 in March, so the future he’s talking about is several years away. He’s under contract to Brooklyn for one more season after picking up his $36.9MM option last month.

Here are some more notes related to international basketball:

Jaylen Adams, the Most Valuable Player in Australia’s NBL last season, has signed with KK Crvena Zvezda in Serbia, according to Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw (Twitter link). Adams, who appeared in seven games with the Bucks during the 2020/21 season, attended a mini-camp with the Lakers last month.
Former NBA small forward Tyler Bey is receiving interest from Ironi Ness Ziona in Israel, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Bey held a two-way contract with the Rockets in training camp last year, but he was waived before the start of the season and wound up playing for Houston’s G League affiliate. A former star at Colorado, Bey played 18 games with the Mavericks in 2020/21.
Al Horford, Karl-Anthony Towns and Chris Duarte are the most prominent names on the Dominican Republic’s preliminary 25-man World Cup roster, according to Cancha Latina. The team has qualifying games next month against Panama and Venezuela. Horford has been a member of the national team since 2008, and Towns has represented the country since 2012.

Wayne Selden Jr. Signs In Italy

July 30th, 2022 at 3:47pm CST by JD Shaw

Former NBA guard Wayne Selden Jr. has signed in Italy with Tezenis Verona, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). Selden will head back overseas after recently playing in Turkey and Israel.

Selden, 6’4″, joined the Knicks for training camp last fall and stuck around to start the regular season. New York waived him in January, creating roster space for a trade featuring Denzel Valentine to be finalized.

Selden has played 127 NBA games since going undrafted in 2016. In addition to the Knicks, he holds experience with the Pelicans, Grizzlies and Bulls, averaging 7.2 points in 18.8 minutes per game for his career.

Prior to declaring for the draft, Selden played three seasons at Kansas under head coach Bill Self. At 27 years old, he could still make a return to the NBA down the road, but it would likely depend on how well he performs overseas.