Kobe Bryant 115
Sabatini on Kobe-to-Bologna: “It’s now his choice.”
The individual wheeling-and-dealing epic of the NBA lockout may be close to done … but Kobe Bryant might be a European basketball for just one game. The current story from Virtus Bologna president Claudio Sabatini, via the club’s official website, is that two offers were extended to the Los Angeles Laker in yesterday’s efforts to […]
Revisiting the odds: Which NBA players will come to Europe for 2011-12?
After another couple weeks of speculation, hype and quotage, it’s time for BallinEurope to revisit the odds: specifically speaking, the odds on NBA players coming to play ball on The Continent in 2011-12. Once again, should note that these lines are offered at no bookmaker service and are completely arbitrary (which is to say mostly […]
Euroleague Qualifying Round bullets: First round
With Qualifying Round victories achieved by Cibona Zagreb, Lietuvos Rytas, Alba Berlin and Belgacom Spirou – and BallinEurope congratulates each potential Euroleague team for surpassing this first step – four other games go off tonight. For your amusement and edification, then, BallinEurope presents a collection of highlight clips, quotes, previews and notes for of games […]
Kobe Bryant to Virtus Bologna: The plot thickens
While Kobe Bryant reportedly has refused any offer from Italian club Virtus Bologna that does not entail him (theoretically) playing with the team for the entire 2011-12 season, Bologna management appears to be clearing a path to make such a signing possible. The big news in this direction early this week is twofold: Firstly, Virtus […]
Kobe Bryant coming to Italy: Bologna or baloney?
While all that Kobe Bryant-to-Beşiktaş Cola Turka talk may be long dead, the Los Angeles Lakers star could well be closer to playing in Europe than you think. After Bryant reportedly responded to offers from Virtus Bologna with “Let’s talk,” the club has organized a conference call for this evening with Bryant’s agent Rob Pelinka […]
Beşiktaş Cola Turka eschewing Kobe for Kevin Durant?
Turkey-based news outlets are this morning reporting that Beşiktaş Cola Turka, a.k.a. Deron Williams’ new and Allen Iverson’s former team, is setting its sights on Kevin Durant as Kobe Bryant has not yet responded to overtures from the big-thinking TBL club. Turkish news outlet Milliyet stated that Durant’s agent Aaron Goodwin met with Beşiktaş president […]
NBA stars playing in Europe: What are the odds…?
First, BallinEurope would like to a couple more American players to The Continent, as Milwaukee Bucks second-round draft pick Jon Leuer has signed with the Bundesliga’s Frankfurt Skyliners to play during the NBA lockout and undrafted Colorado State University forward Andy Ogide has joined the ranks of LEB club Breogán. But as the BiE schadenfreudometer […]
Amidst talks with Beşiktaş Cola Turka, Kobe Bryant nets one
While attending a friendly between the Champions League finalists in that other sport – FC Barcelona and Manchester United – in Washington, D.C., Kobe Bryant was reportedly wooed by Beşiktaş Cola Turka officials into perhaps playing for the TBL/Eurocup side during the 2011-12 season in case of a protracted NBA lockout. Bryant did not participate […]
Zaza Pachulia, Beşiktaş Cola Turka "couldn't agree on terms"
Hmmm, it appears that Beşiktaş Cola Turka’s 2011-12 squad won’t quite be so dream-teamy after all; Deron Williams’ new side will apparently not open the season with Zaza Pachulia on the floor. Pachulia wrote thusly on Twitter last night: “There was lot of talking me going to play for Beşiktaş during lockout. We couldn’t agree […]
“It is a fact”: Bits and bites on Deron Williams, Beşiktaş, NBA lockout
With BallinEurope temporarily stationed in the USA, the business-as-usual machinations of top European clubs and preparations of national teams for Eurobasket 2011 threaten to be lost in a squall of speculation about the NBA lockout – of which amazingly little progress is being seen, by the way. And so, BiE has a few bulleted thoughts, […]
Coming to Europe: The top five most influential American players of all-time
With seemingly no end in sight to the NBA lockout situation forthcoming, BallinEurope has to admit to enjoying the schadenfreude of the situation … just a bit. Even more exciting than the day-to-day speculation as more and more players from the big league consider their Continental options are the possibilities for the future: History has […]
Besiktas Cola Turka backs off Kobe Bryant offer … for now
If Besiktas Cola Turka ends up running with the only NBA players on their squad for 2010-11 as Deron Williams and Zaza Pachulia in the wake of the NBA lockout, their fans can blame soccer. Turkey-based NTV Spor, the sports news outlet which first broke the story of Besiktas’ contract offer to Williams, is today […]