By Chris Sheridan VILNIUS, Lithuania — The second-leading scorer remaining at EuroBasket is an American with a Macedonian passport, a player whose home in New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, a point guard who never once got off the bench during the entire 2008 NBA summer league in Las Vegas when he was trying out for the Sacramento Kings. “He’s the best point guard in Europe right now,” said his agent, Eric Fleisher, “and the entire NBA ignored him, which was a huge
Lockout Update: Checks totaling $161 million being paid to players by NBA
By Chris Sheridan Any day now, Kobe Bryant will receive a check in the mail for $1,984,400, courtesy of the NBA. Rashard Lewis’ check is for $1,565,817. Even oversized and overpaid Eddy Curry, whose name has come up in lockout talks as the symbol of what is fundamentally wrong with the NBA’s salary structure, is getting another windfall: $927,746. The money represents the 8 percent of each player’s salary that was withheld from their paychecks last season under the NBA’s escrow tax system, which was
Sockless Sabonis sighting
By Chris Sheridan VILNIUS, Lithuania — I tweeted this, so I might as well post it, too. (If you are not following me on Twitter, please do @sheridanhoops). I ran into Arvydas Sabonis tonight, and congratulated him on nearly breaking Jim O’Connell’s record for the shortest Hall of Fame induction speech ever. He liked that. I also noticed that he was wearing a business suit, no socks, and low-cut blue Chuck Taylors. One of my tweeps, @stephensonmc, replied: He’s not my vydas or your vydas, he’s
Eurobasket: Rubio struggling offensively, not defensively
By Chris Sheridan VILNIUS, Lithuania – Ricky Rubio didn’t score a single point Wednesday in a 77-68 victory over Germany, going 0-for-2 from the field to leave him stuck on just nine points — total — through Spain’s first six games. He is shooting 4-for-18 for the tournament, he is 0-for-8 on 3s … and he is unapologetic. “The team has many scorers,” Rubio said. “Sometimes they need a guy who passes well to them, and I try to do my job, what I do
Eurobasket: Dancer of the Day
This is Egle, who is 19 and from Vilnius. She is performing with the Lietuva Rytas dance team here at Eurobasket, and her favorite basketball player is Marc Gasol.
Exclusive: NBA wants 3rd round in draft
By Chris Sheridan VILNIUS, Lithuania — After an overnight flight connecting through Helsinki, Finland, I bumped into a scout for the Denver Nuggets near the tourist information booth at the quaint little airport here where the second round of EuroBasket is taking place. Whether he knows it or not, he may be here scouting future third-round draft picks. That’s right: Third round. SheridanHoops.com has learned that NBA owners have proposed adding a third round to the annual draft, a proposal that the players’ union has countered
NBA Lockout Update: Sides are closer than they’re saying
By Chris Sheridan NEW YORK — Here’s the dirty little secret about the NBA lockout, despite what both sides — the owners and the players — would have you believe: They are a lot closer to a settlement than most people realize. I know this because I talk regularly with a bunch of important people who tell me important things, and I am going to explain why I believe a settlement will be reached that will not only save the season, but also enable