More major roster moves by Euroleague teams were reported late yesterday and today: Local hero Dejan Milojevic officially announced his return to Partizan Belgrade, the home of his glory years of 2004-2006, and his imminent retirement from professional basketball; recently well-traveled US player Terence Morris jumped from CSKA Moscow to Regal FC Barcelona; and former NBAer Bostjan Nachbar signed with Efes Pilsen.
Incidentally, that other sports site has reported that Josh Childress will be returning to Olympiakos, apparently choosing to stay with the Greece-based team rather than consider an offer from the Milwaukee Bucks. Gee, Athens over Milwaukee? What do you suppose tore it for Childress? Was it the weather? The women? The nightlife? The contract in Euros? The alpha-dog status? Have i forgotten anything?
(Euroleague.net) – Partizan Belgrade announced today that former star forward Dejan Milojevic signed with the club for what may be his last season. Milojevic arrives from Galatasaray Café Crown, where he averaged 12.4 points and 8.1 rebounds in the EuroChallenge and 7.8 points and 5.5 boards in the Turkish League last season. He was one of Partizan’s biggest stars between 2004 and 2006, leading the Euroleague 2005-06 regular season in index ranking; he finished that season with 16.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. This season will be Milojevic’s sixth in the Euroleague after also playing three seasons in Europe’s signature competition with Buducnost Podgorica. During his time at Partizan, the club won the Serbian League twice and the Adriatic League once. Milojevic began his career at Beovuk and continued on to FMP in 1998. After three seasons there, he moved to Buducnost, where he helped the team win both the Yugoslav and Serbia and Montenegro championships. After his two seasons on Partizan, Milojevic signed with Pamesa Valnecia before heading to Galatasaray. Milojevic was also a member of Yugoslavia’s 2001 European championship squad.
“This is going to be my last season,” Milojevic said after signing. “I shall retire next summer, but my wish is to help Partizan win one more Serbian title and play a certain role in the Euroleague. If that happens, I could finish my career in a spectacular way.”
Regal FC Barcelona bulked up its frontline by signing big man Terence Morris, a former All-Euroleague First Team selection. The deal is for two years with a team option to terminate the contract at the end of the 2009-10 season. Morris arrives from CSKA Moscow, whom he helped reach the Euroleague final last season – including a defeat of Barcelona along the way in the semis. This marks the second straight summer that Morris has joined a team he helped eliminate the previous season at the Final Four. In the summer of 2008, Morris joined CSKA from Maccabi Tel Aviv, whom he led to the title game before they lost to CSKA in his debut Euroleague campaign. Morris averaged 6.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1 block per game in 20 minutes over 21 Euroleague games last season, shooting 50% (22-for-44) from behind the arc; he is ranked second on the Euroleague career list in the category with a 49.5% success rate. Morris ranks fourth on the career shot-blocking list with an average of 1.4 swats per game. Before joining CSKA, Morris shined for Maccabi, with whom he was named to the All-Euroleague First Team, received Euroleague Basketball MVP honors for the month of January 2008, and finished as runner-up in voting for the Best Defender Trophy. He finished the 2007-08 Euroleague season as the league leader in blocks (1.7 rpg.) and the runner-up in rebounding (8.3 rpg.). Morris has also played in Israel for Hapoel Jerusalem, in Greece for Apollon Patras and in the NBA for Houston and Orlando. Among his career titles are the 2009 Russian League crown and the 2007 Israeli Cup.
Efes Pilsen upgraded its roster for the upcoming Euroleague season by inking versatile forward Bostjan Nachbar, the club announced Tuesday. The contract is a two-year deal, with a team option before the 2010-11 season. Nachbar arrives from Dynamo Moscow, where he averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 13 Eurocup games last season. Nachbar finished fourth in the competition in scoring and third in free-throw shooting at on 91.2%. Nachbar was also an All-Eurocup First Team selction after leading Dynamo to make it to the Final Eight. Nachbar joined Dynamo from the NBA’s New Jersey Nets, where he averaged 9.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 75 games in the 2007-08 season. He spent six seasons in the NBA, playing a combined 317 regular season and 18 playoff games with the Houston Rockets, New Orleans Hornets and New Jersey Nets. Nachbar began his career with Maribor Ovni, also playing for Pivovarna Lasko and Union Olimpija in his native Slovenia and later for Benetton Treviso in Italy. He took part in the Euroleague with Olimpija, Lasko and Benetton, reaching the 2002 Final Four in Bologna with Benetton.
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