Russia 90
Ettore Messina “curious and worried” about life with Los Angeles Lakers
From BallinEurope’s man in Italy, Enrico Cellini: In an interview to be published in major Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Ettore Messina summarizes his coaching experiences around Europe and talks about his forthcoming adventure as the Los Angeles Lakers’ assistant coach. Messina began his career in Italy but then started “to feel uneasy” with his […]
Would you believe “Nenad Krstic: The Movie”?
Well, okay, sort of. Insert a few more game clips and you’ve probably got CSKA Moscow’s approximation of what Phil Jackson’s game films used to look like. Via CSKA Basketball tweet, see the trailer for the cinematic epic of 2011 below the break.
Andrei Kirilenko injured in PBL match; will miss games
An interesting consequence of the NBA lockout: An injury suffered last night by Andrei Kirilenko should have fans on two sides of the Atlantic concerned – and has international interest in Russian domestic basketball ever been higher than it’s likely to become…? After bagging Euroleague player of the week honors – What did BallinEurope say? […]
Surprise (not)!: Andrei Kirilenko named EL MVP for October; yes, there will be highlights
As a sportswriter in 2011, it’s getting ever less bizarre to type the words “Andrei Kirilenko of CSKA Moscow” all the time; certainly this team’s fans want the NBA lockout never to end as AK-47 is leading an impressively outfitted Red Army through early Euroleague and PBL dominance. Kirilenko was rewarded for his individual brilliance […]
Image of the week: AK-47 with AK-47
Only in Russia, eh? New signee Andrei Kirilenko met with CSKA Moscow officials yesterday and took the time to pose for a few publicity shots. See below the break the pic that was clearly the highlight of the shoot, as Kirilenko poses with his deadly namesake and club president Andrei Vatutin. Just two questions: Whose […]
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 […]
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 […]
CSKA Moscow takes Russian championship; J.R. Holden announces retirement
The 2010-11 champion has been named in Russia and for the ninth consecutive season, it is CSKA Moscow. Along with the exultation of the Red Army’s 74-63 victory over BC Khimki, however, came the sad (if inevitable) news that longtime Muscovite J.R. Holden would be retiring from professional basketball. Playing nearly the entire game, Holden’s […]
Playing with money: Are some European NBA players worth it?
Finally blessed with a bit of time to peruse ESPN’s compelling financial stats as presented in its magazine’s “All About the Money” issue (check them out if you haven’t already; big numbers are fun!), BallinEurope just couldn’t help, well … noodling around with the numbers some more! Over at the big network’s Chicago Blackhawks blog, […]
Eurocup Championship: Unics Kazan master plan coming to fruition
Better late than never, as the old expression goes; and in the case of Unics Kazan’s 2010-11 season, continuing to achieve late could prove much better in the medium- and long-term future. Few teams so actively rebuilt and retooled with purpose last offseason as Unics Kazan, bringing aboard Slavko Vranes out of Partizan Belgrade, 2009-10 […]
The angst of Primoz Brezec (in 141 characters or less)
You heard it here first … unless you get Primoz Brezec’ tweets, that is. Brezec’ Krasnye Krylia (a.k.a. the Red Wings), have dropped to 2-7 in Russian Superleague play – “good” for ninth place in the 10-team association – after losing to top-of-the-table Spartak St. Petersburg this afternoon, 81-65. The Slovenian big man soon expressed […]
Eurocup 2010-11 teams announced: Greece, Italy, Turkey, Spain place three each
The list of teams that will make up the 2010-11 Eurocup regular seasons is all but complete – 93.75% complete, to be exact, with 30 of the 32 teams now set. The finish of the Eurocup Qualifying Round promoted eight more clubs into the regular season, leaving two more spots open, which will be determined […]