This was an exciting week for European hoops, as several of the top young European prospects had outstanding performances. Top 2015 draft candidate Mario Herzonja managed to break the 20 minute mark for the first time and left his mark in a win against Milano in Euroleague. Nikola Jokic and Dario Saric continued their fantastic play, and are continuing to show that they will be quality contributors when they make their debuts stateside. As my team, Bnei Herzliya prepares to play against
Eurohoops Update: Saric Comes Alive, Anderson goes off for Zalgiris, Maccabi in trouble?
The 76ers may be piling up the losses stateside, but the seeds of their rebuilding plan are slowly growing thousands of miles away as a couple of their Eurostash prospects are beginning to sprout. Which American just left Europe and is a possible candidate to sign with the Lakers? What has former first rounder James Anderson been up to this season? David Blatt’s Cavaliers may be under the microscope by not starting off the season as strong as anticipated, but what is going
European Championship Qualifying Update – Part III
21. Dairis Bertans, Swingman, Latvia, (Spurs own NBA draft rights) This versatile wing has been a leader for Latvia offensively, as a scorer and distributor. Bertans is a strong shooter, and can contribute in many ways, but it is tough to find a niche right now that could make him contribute right away in the league, and his defense certainly isn’t up to Pop’s standards just yet. With his natural skill set and athleticism, Bertans has the chance to make the
Lamar Odom traded to Clippers; Mo Williams to Jazz
The Los Angeles Clippers today acquired forward Lamar Odom from the Dallas Mavericks as part of a four-team trade also involving the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets. The Clippers sent point guard Mo Williams to the Jazz and the draft rights to Furkan Aldemir, the Clippers’ second round selection (53rd overall) in the 2012 NBA Draft, to Houston, while the Jazz conveyed the draft rights of Tadija Dragicevic, Utah’s second round pick (53rd overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft to Dallas. To complete the
Mitnick: Five early-entry gems in 2012 NBA draft – Internationals
TEL AVIV — With the announcement of this year’s early entry candidates for the NBA draft, now is a good time to take a look at this season’s international crop. There are no clear cut stars coming from abroad in this year’s draft, but there are a few names that have a good chance to be solid contributors to teams down the line. (Click here to reach Tommy Dee’s column on 5 Hidden Gems among the Americans who ar entering the draft
Mitnick: Rubio’s emergence shows numbers don’t matter in Europe
Through the young NBA season, many have been surprised about the emergence of Minnesota Timberwolves rookie point guard, Ricky Rubio, as he has quickly shown an ability to play with the elite guards in the NBA. After two seasons putting up mediocre stats for Barcelona, one of the most stacked clubs in Europe, everyone is astonished that he is able to put up eye popping numbers in the NBA. For those that have had the chance to follow Rubio consistently during
Mitnick: Top 10 International Draft Prospects
The 2012 NBA Draft has the potential to be one of the strongest drafts of the last few years, mostly due to the number of talented American college players. Not so much with the internationals. While the 2011 draft had several top-level European players including Jonas Valanciunas, Nikola Mirotec and Jan Vesley, this year’s crop is significantly weaker. While there may be several NBA caliber players coming out this year, it is looking very likely that there