Kevin Love 38
Sam vs. the Future: Basketball predictions for 2012
It’s always a good time for some predictions, eh? Sam Chadwick, Ball in Europe’s man in the UK, today dusts off the Official BallinEurope Crystal Ball in looking forward to another year of top-quality basketball in the world’s top competitions. Who does Sammy like in the NBA, Euroleague, college ball and the Olympics? Read on […]
Ricky Rubio produces dazzling highlights in debut; Timberwolves lose to Thunder, 104-100
In a game BallinEurope’s been (half-)awaiting for years, Ricky Rubio debuted for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the team’s opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder last night. Though the Thunder won the game 104-100, Rubio impressed with six points, six assists, five rebounds (!), zero turnovers and his first NBA YouTube-worthy highlights. NBA dish no. 1 […]
The Eurocentric 2011-12 NBA Western Conference preview (plus Official Fearless Predictions™)
Okay, after that Xmas distraction, BallinEurope is ready to write up some more stuff about good tidings and cheer*, namely, the start of the NBA season. With hours to go, BiE’s got just enough time to get in the part two of the Euro-centric big-league preview in this brief look at the teams in the […]
Report: For Besiktas, it’s Brook Lopez (and not K. Love, Deng, Odom, Nene, Gortat…)
Could Beşiktaş finally have found the elusive big man the Eagles’ management has pretty much been seeking since signing Deron Williams? Turkey-based Kartal Basket reports this afternoon that a deal has been struck between the TBL team and locked-out New Jersey Net Brook Lopez and will be officially announced within the next two days. A […]
ESPN: Spurned by Kevin Love and Luol Deng, Besiktas courting Lamar Odom
Okay, here’s your rumor du jour to get things started on this Wednesday morning: According to sources quoted at ESPN.com, Deron Williams’ Beşiktaş Milangaz is actively pursuing the Los Angeles Lakers’ Lamar Odom to join the Eurochallenge side while the NBA player lockout continues.
Ricky Rubio to stay in Barcelona for 2011-12 after all?
For all those who figured Ricky Rubio to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 2011-12 season was a done deal, well, think again. ESPN.com is today reporting the Rubio and his agent are in fact willing to discuss staying on with new ACB champions FC Barcelona. On his NBA deal (or lack thereof), Rubio stated in […]
Ricky Rubio agrees in principle to join Minnesota Timberwolves (Is end of world nigh?)
The day BallinEurope never thought would arrive may be upon us; ESPN reported early this morning that FC Barcelona wunderkind Ricky Rubio will be joining the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 2011-12 NBA season – if, in fact, there is a 2011-12 NBA season. Previously stating that he was holding back on a decision to wait […]
BiE's Top 10 most popular stories of 2010
Yeah, we’re gonna do the “Top 10” retrospective thing, but trust BiE: It’ll be mostly painless. (After all, a little reviewing of crazy highlights never hurt anyone – even with a hangover.) These are the stories running on BallinEurope in calendar year 2010 that got the most “reads,” but how many do you remember? Relive […]
Festivus Invitational continues: Dream Team rolls, All-Time Toronto Raptors split
Three more games to report on from the first annual BallinEurope Festivus Invitational Tournament brought to you by sports simulation website What If Sports – all apologies for the late reportage, but even BiE can’t ignore the family for hoops 365 days a year has to merrily celebrate the holidays – as day two wraps […]
Introducing the 2010-11 BallinEurope Festivus Invitational Tournament
As a holiday present to the audience, each of you has received courtside tickets to the first annual BallinEurope Festivus Invitational Tournament. Thanks to the miracle of totally BiE-unaffiliated (and totally mind-blowingly awesome) website What If Sports, we can bring together great players of the past and present for true dream matchups – and without […]
Nikola Pekovic: Best tattoo in the NBA – no, the Universe
Media day in the NBA gave a lot of newbies, unknowns and ubiquitous presences (see coverage of Miami Thrice schmoozing at right) alike the chance to know and be known. Minnesota Timberwolves fans and players alike are well enthusiastic about their new addition Nikola Pekovic, who’s already generating hilarious quotes from his teammates with just […]
Official BallinEurope Power Rankings: Pre-knockouts edition
Now that noted astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has announced God’s non-existence in our universe through mathematics, maybe he can start working on explaining the FIBA tie-breaking procedure. No, no, don’t start on BiE; it’s as easy as dialing up Wikipedia to find the steps in determining seeding for tournament play: Placement is determined based on, in […]