The big Euroleague-related news on Friday – and probably the biggest overall even in a busy week – was of course the wooing of Walter Hermann away from the Detroit Pistons and onto Tau Ceramica; Hermann thus returns to Euroleague, where he last saw action with the King’s Cup-winning Unicaja squad in 2005-06. Also coming to terms were Taquan “The Scoring Machine” Dean with Unicaja and Mindaugas Lukauskis to Asvel Basket.
(Euroleague.net) – Tau Ceramica agreed to terms of a contract with small forward Walter Herrmann, who inked a two-year deal with the Euroleague powerhouse on Friday. Herrmann (206, 30) arrives from the Detroit Pistons, where he averaged 3.9 points and 1.8 rebounds in 60 NBA games last season. He has previously played three Euroleague seasons with Unicaja, averaging 7.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 15 games in the 2005-06 season. Herrmann has also played for the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA, Fuenlabrada in Madrid, as well as for Atenas Cordoba and Olimpia Venado Tuerto in his native Argentina. He helped Unicaja to win a Spanish League title in 2006 and also lifted the Spanish King’s Cup trophy in 2005. Herrmann is a regular member of the Argentinian national team. He helped Argentina to win the gold medal at the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Greece, playing a crucial role in the semifinals against the United States. Herrmann also led Atenas to win the 2002 Argentinian League title, earning finals MVP honors.
Unicaja reached an agreement with shooting guard Taquan Dean, who inked a one-year deal with the Euroleague powerhouse. Unicaja keeps an option to extend his contract until the end of the 2010-11 season. Dean (193, 25) arrives from CB Murcia, where he averaged 16.7 points on 41.8% three-pointers and 86.8% free throws in 31 Spanish League games. He was the fourth best scorer in the competition and led the Spanish League in three-pointers made (107), scoring as many as 10 in a road game against Cajasol. Dean has also played for Angelico Biella and Casale Monferrato in Italy, as well as for Dynamo Moscow in Russia his finishing his four-year college career at the University of Louisville (NCAA). He helped Dynamo to make it to the 2007 Euroleague Quarterfinals and reached the NCAA Tournament final four with Louisville in 2005, earning Conference USA All-Tournament MVP honors that season. Dean helped Murcia to avoid relegation last season by hitting the game-winning free throw in a make-or-break 60-59 road win against CAI Zaragoza.
Asvel Basket keeps getting ready for its Euroleague return in the upcoming 2009-10 season by inking combo guard Mindaugas Lukauskis to a two-year deal. Lukauskis (198, 30) arrives from Lietuvos Rytas, where he played in each of the last six seasons. He averaged 9.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 15 Eurocup games last season, helping Lietuvos Rytas to win its second Eurocup title. Lukauskis also lifted the Baltic League, the Baltic Presidents’ Cup, the Lithuanian League and the Lithuanian League trophies in a one-of-a-kind season for L. Rytas. In six seasons with Lietuvos Rytas, Lukauskis also won a Lithunian League, two Baltic Leagues and a ULEB Cup title. Lukauskis is also a member of the Lithuanian national team, to which he helped to make it to the 2008 Olympic semifinals. He buried the game-winning triple in the Lithuanian Cup title game against Zalgiris, in which he earned MVP honors. Lukauskis has also played for Alita Alytus, Sakalai and Kanlapilis Panevezys in his native Lithuania.
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