Minnesota Timberwolves 142
Free Darko, already: Eyjafjallajokull conspires to keep Milicic in America
For perhaps the first time since he was drafted at no. 2 overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2003 NBA Draft, Darko Milicic’s picture is in newspapers across the world. Of course, the location is far from the safe confines of a basketball court and the Associated Press piece instead captures the beleaguered baller […]
Kahn reiterates: Rights to Rubio are untouchable
Minnesota Timberwolves general manager David Kahn reiterated his bold stand on the team’s overall no. 5 NBA draft pick, Spanish wunderkind Ricky Rubio, to the Minnesota Star-Tribune last night. To wit: Rubio is untouchable in this off-season. The move by the man they sometimes call KAAAAAAAAAAAAHN prompted Star-Tribune writer Jerry Zgoda to collect quotes on […]
Mark your calendars: Teams, dates for 2011 NBA Europe Live tour set
Who says it’s too far away to be thinking about the 2011 NBA Europe Live tour? Not BallinEurope, certainly, and apparently not EA Sports, Euroleague and the NBA: The organizations have released information on participating teams – and o boy, they’re good – for the October event. The NBA teams playing in the annual hypefest […]
Draft profile: Miroslav Raduljica
In tribute to that great international pastime known as “NBA mock drafting,” BallinEurope’s man in the U.K., Sam Chadwick, periodically takes a look at some of Europe’s prospective high draft picks. Today’s profile features Serbia’s Miroslav Raduljica, a 22-year-old center who figures to hear his name on draft day early on in the second round. […]
Beyond Vesely: Five European names North America must know for 2010-11
With BallinEurope’s profile piece on Jan Vesely in, today we’re adding a bit of a primer on some other names certain to get increasing mentions in NBA culture from your team’s elimination from the playoffs through to the draft and into the 2010 FIBA World Championships in August/September. NBA fans who want to get in […]
Note to Simmons: Dude, Rubio's a little better than 30%
It’s not that BallinEurope is obsessed with both Bill Simmons and Rubio-to-Minnesota, but … all right, i am obsessed with both Bill Simmons and Rubio-to-Minnesota. Still, when BiE finally got around to reading this week’s patented “Mailbag” column only to see no. 1 best-selling author The Sports Guy take an incorrect swipe at the poster […]
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 […]
Darko starts, ‘Wolves lose anyway
Darko Milicic started an NBA game for the first time since 2008 against the Dallas Mavericks last night, but to no avail. The suddenly much-played Darko was in foul trouble early in the 112-109 loss and therefore only played 14 minutes, going three-of-three on shooting and adding two rebounds.
On Kahn, Rubio, Milicic, Simmons and the illusion of regret
“Teams survive on TV money, season-ticket revenue and luxury suites. They don’t care about the upper decks. They care about getting fat checks in March and April for the following season, then banking that money for a few months and collecting interest on it. They care about getting us to pay for a spring’s worth […]
Best of the (basketball) net: Happy Birthday, Charles edition
Ball in Europe will be rounding up this weekend’s European cup action tomorrow, but for today here are a handful of stories from the interwebs this week about every other subject in a seven-day span spent mostly between deprogramming from NBA All-Star Weekend and preparing for the Copa del Rey. • The best post of […]
Rubio (officially) named FIBA Europe Young Men’s Player of the Year
One more announcement from the FIBA folks today and this one’s surely no surprise: For an unprecedented third straight year, the honor of FIBA Europe Young Men’s Player of the Year goes to Spanish wunderkind Ricky Rubio. Rubio’s win makes Spain two-for-two on FIBA Europe accolades this year and, with Pau Gasol expected to bookend […]
Betting on basketball: What will Ricky do?
Paddy Power, ever priding itself on its status as “the cheeky bookmaker,” is offering (through tomorrow only!) some neat little proposition bets for Eurobasket 2009 based on everyone’s favorite Minnesota un-Timberwolf. Cleverly titled the “Ricky Rubio Specials,” the Paddy asks you to punt on the young stud’s performance in the big tournament.