The quarterfinals are set for this year’s Eurobasket, as eight teams will play for two automatic bids to next summer’s Olympic Games in Rio. Of the eight remaining teams, seven will be preparing next summer for a chance to play in the Olympic games, as the 3rd through 7th place teams earn bids for next summer’s Olympic Qualifying tournament, in which 18 teams will be fighting for the three remaining bids for Rio. Here is a look at the quarterfinal matchups that
This year’s European Championship, the Eurobasket, will be kicking off this weekend with group play taking place in France, Croatia, Germany and Latvia, with 24 teams fighting for two automatic bids for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Both the champion and the runner-up will automatically qualify for the prestigious competition next summer, with the 3rd-7th place teams earning the right to fight for one of the three final bids for the Olympics in next summer’s three pre-Olympic qualifying tournaments. Team USA is
In the past, a handful of players have come over from Europe and made a big impact in their rookie seasons in the NBA. Pau Gasol came from Spain to win NBA Rookie of the Year with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2002. Coming off two straight Italian League MVP awards, Manu Ginobili gave the San Antonio Spurs the extra push off the bench they needed to win the NBA title in 2003. Luis Scola and Juan Carlos Navarro were immediate contributors as
The Las Vegas Summer League not only gives fans their first impressions of this season’s top rookies but also provides a stage for young players on the cusp of NBA opportunity to showcase their development. Approaching it from the outside in as I did, as an assistant coach for an overseas team, the Summer League is a great place to get impressions on the top American talent, all in one setting. With the talent pool spread across the D-League, Europe, Asia,
LAS VEGAS — When the Golden State Warriors won the 2015 NBA title, it became official — the slow it down and throw the ball inside style of play is a thing of the past, and pushing the ball and spacing the floor is the way of the future. Here in the NBA’s de facto summer capital, Mike D’Antoni, Ettore Messina and Bob Donewald shared some of their secrets on how their international experience has helped them positively influence the NBA game. With
You may not have heard of these guys recently, but you might be hearing of them in the days ahead. Sixty players will hear their names called in New York this coming Thursday at the 2015 NBA Draft, but some of the greatest excitement on draft night comes from the high volume of trades. From the hours leading up to the draft until the start of free agency, teams start to shake up their rosters, giving eager fans a sense of which
Throughout March Madness, fans and NBA personnel have been gushing over the top NCAA prospects and how they project in the upcoming draft. Now that college basketball is long behind us and the Euroleague season over with Real Madrid the new champion, European basketball has thrust itself into domestic playoff mode, with NBA executives getting a chance to see some of the top overseas prospects compete at the highest level outside the NBA. While most teams’ draft boards in April and May are
On Friday, four of Europe’s top teams head to Madrid to compete in Europe’s premier basketball competition, the Euroleague Final Four. Several NBA scouts and GMs will get a live look at the action to see if they can find some new international talent. Which future NBA players will make their name known this weekend? Which former NBA players will shine with the pressure on? Here is a guide for the casual NBA fan on what to watch for in NBATV’s broadcast of the