Andrea Bargnani 51
Dreaming of a Euro-centric 2011 NBA Draft
Here at Ball in Europe we (sometimes) like to do things a little early, and I mainly have one thing on my mind about this year’s NBA draft: Namely, next year’s NBA draft. Since watching the Euroleague third-place game between Partizan Belgrade and CSKA Moscow, I can’t help but think that, because of his decision […]
Draft profile: Donatas Motiejunas
Now that NBA mock drafting is in full swing (despite the total lack of clarity regarding playoff positioning, not to mention seeing how the damn lottery ping-pong balls fall this year), BallinEurope’s man in the U.K., Sam Chadwick, will be taking a look at some of Europe’s prospective high draft picks. Today, it’s all about […]
The offical BiE NBA 2009-10 European All-Star Team
As one of the popular highlights of the NBA season, everything about the annual All-Star Game is loaded with pomp, hype and (hopefully) fun. No exception was that moment many a basketball fan awaits with gusto and prepares to heartily attack in argument as the naming of the rosters for the teams that will be […]
Meneghin, Peterson in New York to talk Team Italy
Italian Basketball Federation president Dino Meneghin, along with Dan “The Coach” Peterson, will reportedly be taking in the New York Knicks-Toronto Raptors game at Madison Square Garden tonight; tomorrow, they’ll be meeting with el guapo himself, NBA Commissioner David Stern. Unfortunately, reportage – even Italian-language – on this trip to America is scanty, but according […]
Morning Eurohoops News: December 3
Good morning, b-ball devotees. Ball in Europe’s daily dose of video clips and text blurbs from around the internet is here. In today’s edition, Papaloukas and Kleiza go off, Andrea Bargnani sounds off, an Israeli executive gets pissed off, and some stuff on Allen Iverson — true, not European ball, but come on! It’s A.I.! […]
Being Danilo Gallinari (in the NBA)
We all know the NBA needs specialists, and that this is a request asked particularly of non-American players who haven’t the status in the ‘States to claim balls and minutes while they’re newly arrived from Europe. Then, by fighting for minutes against and using smarts beyond the US players, young European players soon present more […]
Pops Mensah-Bonsu back with Toronto Euro-Raptors
Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Team Great Britain stud and former teammate of Ricky Rubio with DKV Joventut, is back with the Toronto Raptors after spending six days on waivers. Mensah-Bonsu was waived by the Houston Rockets on Friday after signing with the team as a free agent in the 2009 off-season. Pops played in 19 games with […]
Youth competitions and beyond: The state of European national basketball programs
On the eve of Eurobasket 2009, Ball in Europe’s man in Italy, Francesco Cappelletti, looks back at this summer’s youth competitions to assess where Europe’s national programs stand and where they’re headed. From where will the future be launched? Read on! One day until Eurobasket 2009: It has been a full summer which started with […]
Underdogs France, Bosnia & Herzegovina draw first blood (Hungary wins, too)
In last night’s EuroBasket 2009 additional qualifying round games, favorites Italy and Portugal fell victim to upsets to immediately throw a handy spanner in the AQR works. It was Bosnia & Herzegovina 62, Portugal 56 in the Group A game (told ya Portugal was ripe for an upset – call it The Curse of Cape […]
Betting on basketball: Sporting Bet handicaps Eurobasket additional qualifiers
On the eve of the EuroBasket 2009 additional qualifying round games, Euroleague/Ball in Europe partners SportingBet.com have posted their lines for wagering on the Italy-France and Portugal-Bosnia and Herzegovina games. Who are the favorites? Will the games be close? Ask an oddsmaker; his money’s riding on the outcome, after all. For Italy vs. France, Sporting […]
Noah with France for Eurobasket AQRs? Oui et non
Supporters of Team France are still holding their collective breath, as their national team yesterday officially announced that oui, Joakim Noah is still practicing with the team in preparation for EuroBasket, but non, no word had been given by Noah’s Bulls on whether the NBA team would allow Noah to play in the EuroBasket additional […]
Italy will have two NBAers for Eurobasket 2009
Italy still needs to qualify for Eurobasket 2009 in a tough elimination round with France and Finland this August before playing an eventual final game against the winner of the second qualification group which features Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belgium, and Portugal. FIBA Europe has announced that two Italian NBA players, Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli, will be […]