Basket rumors

Olympiacos close to signing Mbaye Ndiaye from ASVEL

Olympiacos is closing in on the signing of Mbaye Ndiaye ahead of the 2026-27 season. According to BasketNews, negotiations with ASVEL Villeurbanne are at an advanced stage, and the deal could be finalized soon.

Although Ndiaye signed a contract extension with ASVEL earlier this summer, the French club’s financial issues have forced a change of plans, paving the way for his departure. ASVEL is expected to receive a buyout that could reach nearly €500,000.

The 27-year-old Senegalese forward is coming off the best EuroLeague season of his career, averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, establishing himself as one of the competition’s most versatile defensive players.

Jimmy Whitt signs with Perth Wildcats

The Perth Wildcats have confirmed the signing of Nominated Replacement Player Jimmy Whitt on a one-year contract.

The 6’3″ guard joins the Wildcats from the Gold Coast Rollers in the NBL1 North, averaging 22.79 points, 6.32 rebounds and 6.05 assists per game.

This showing helped the Rollers defeat Ipswich 2-0 in the North Grand Final over the weekend.

(via NBL)

Fujian Sturgeons Sign Daryl Macon and Javion Hamlet

The Fujian Sturgeons have announced the arrivals of Daryl Macon and Javion Hamlet for the upcoming CBA season.

Macon returns to China after spending last season between Maroussi and Dinamo Sassari, averaging 16.0 points and 3.4 assists per game in the italian LBA.

Hamlet, meanwhile, is coming off a three-year stint with Tianjin Ronggang. In the 2025-26 CBA season, he averaged 21.8 points and 5.8 assists per game.

Mike Tobey signs with Tezenis Verona

Tezenis Verona announced the arrival of Mike Tobey.

The American big man with a Slovenian passport is coming off two seasons with Dreamland Gran Canaria, where he averaged 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in 21 minutes per game last season.

Tobey signed a one-year deal.

Moses Brown Joins Guangzhou Loong Lions

Moses Brown has signed with the Guangzhou Loong Lions, the Chinese club announced.

The big man is coming off a season in the BSN with the Criollos de Caguas, where he averaged 17.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

The former UCLA standout will be playing in the Chinese league for the first time.

Russell Westbrook, Europe Not Currently on His Radar

According to Marc Stein, there is no substance to the rumors linking Russell Westbrook with a move to Europe, with Hapoel Tel Aviv reportedly the leading candidate.

Some league insiders believe the nine-time All-Star has an understanding with the Sacramento Kings to take on a mentoring role for promising rookie Darius Acuff.

Over 18 NBA seasons, Westbrook has averaged 20.9 points and 8.0 assists per game for his career, with a career-high 31.6 points per game in 2016-17.

That 2016-17 campaign was the first of four seasons in which the former UCLA star averaged a triple-double.

Ronaldinho Enters Race to Take Over Monaco Basket

Ronaldinho has officially entered the race to take over AS Monaco Basket. According to L’Équipe, the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner has joined forces with Andorran investment fund Clayton Sport, with a letter of intent regarding a potential investment sent to Monaco executive director Oleksiy Yefimov on Monday, August 10.

The proposal comes as Monaco is already working on a takeover project led by former NBA player Jamal Mashburn and his Helen Holdings consortium. The club urgently needs a solution to satisfy the DNCCG’s financial requirements and preserve its place in the Betclic ELITE.

Ronaldinho and Clayton Sport could reportedly cover the €2.5 million debt owed to EuroLeague and provide the €5 million bank guarantee requested by the DNCCG. Their project would also involve a three-to-five-year commitment, with an investment of around €10 million per season. Ronaldinho could personally invest and take a prominent role in the project.

Nikola Jokic to Panathinaikos? Agent confirms: “What Giannakopoulos said is true”

Misko Raznatovic, Nikola Jokic’s longtime agent, has confirmed that Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens genuinely tried to bring the Denver Nuggets superstar to Greece.

In recent days, club owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos revealed that he had made a serious attempt to convince Jokic to move to Athens, explaining that an offer had been presented both to the player and his NBA team.

The revelation immediately attracted attention across the basketball world, given Jokic’s status as one of the NBA’s biggest superstars. Now, however, confirmation has arrived directly from his agent.

Raznatovic confirmed that Giannakopoulos’ claims were true in an interview with Athletiko.

Glint Korfez Signs Alex Reese

Alex Reese will continue his career in Turkey after signing with Glint Korfez, the club announced.

The forward/center is coming off a season in the G League, where he averaged more than 13 points and 6 rebounds per game.

Reese also played 15 NBA games during the 2024-25 season, splitting time between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers.

EuroLeague: Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv Join Forces to Return to Israel

With the new EuroLeague season rapidly approaching, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv remain uncertain about where they will play their home games due to the ongoing instability in the Middle East.

According to Sport5, the owners of the two clubs, Shimon Mizrahi and Ofer Yanai, have decided to work together to convince EuroLeague to allow games to return to Israel. The two executives separately contacted EuroLeague CEO Chus Bueno, presenting a detailed plan and security guarantees developed with Israeli authorities. Their goal is to bring the competition back in front of their home fans after playing outside the country last season. Bueno reportedly expressed some optimism, suggesting that a return to Israel by November could be possible if the situation remains stable.

The unusual cooperation between Mizrahi and Yanai highlights how important home-court advantage and the support of Tel Aviv fans are to both clubs.

Jordan McRae Signs with Karditsa

Jordan McRae is returning to Greece to play for Karditsa. The 35-year-old guard has signed a deal for the upcoming season.

McRae spent the 2025-26 season with Hapoel Holon, averaging 16 points and 2.2 assists per game across the Winner League and Basketball Champions League.

The former Tennessee standout previously played in Greece during the 2023-24 season, when he suited up for AEK Athens.

 

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Mouhamed Faye Expected to Stay with Paris Basketball

Mouhamed Faye is expected to remain with Paris Basketball for the upcoming season.

The former Reggio Emilia big man appeared set to make the move to the NCAA, but he will ultimately continue to protect the rim for the Parisian club.

The news was reported by BeBasket.

The 21-year-old Senegalese player averaged 5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1 block in 16 minutes per game last season across Betclic Élite and the EuroLeague.

Lachlan Olbrich Signs One-Year Deal with Tokyo Alvark

Australian forward Lachlan Olbrich has signed with Tokyo Alvark, the player told ESPN.

The one-year deal will make Olbrich one of the highest-paid imports in Japan’s B.League ahead of the 2026-27 season.

After being selected by the Chicago Bulls with the No. 55 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Olbrich signed a two-way contract with the team, splitting his time between the NBA and G League. In 18 games with the Windy City Bulls, he averaged 19.2 points (59% FG, 29% 3P, 73% FT), 8.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.

Olbrich played fewer than 10 minutes per game in the NBA, but still managed to record a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in a late-season matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.

Lokomotiv Kuban Add Aleksej Pokusevski and Marcos Knight

Lokomotiv Kuban strengthened their roster with the additions of Aleksej Pokusevski and Marcos Knight.

The 24-year-old Serbian forward leaves Partizan after two seasons, averaging 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 14 minutes per game in the 2025-26 season.

Knight, meanwhile, is coming off a season in the CBA with Shanxi Zhongyu, where he averaged 14.4 points and 4.6 assists in 20 minutes per game.

The 36-year-old guard previously spent three seasons with Unics Kazan.

Freddie Gillespie signs with Ironi Ness Ziona

Freddie Gillespie is a new player of Ironi Ness Ziona, as announced by the Israeli Club.

The former Baylor big man spent last season in Turkey with Galatasaray, where he produced 5.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks in 19 minutes per game between BSL and BCL.

Gillespie signed a two-year deal.

Yannis Morin To Join South East Melbourne Phoenix

According to Olgun Uluc, the South East Melbourne Phoenix have signed French forward Yannis Morin to a contract for the upcoming NBL season.

The 33-year-old has previously played for Joventut Badalona and boasts extensive international experience gained in several countries.

Last season, Morin also played in Japan for the Toyama Grouses, averaging 14.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in 24 minutes per game.

The French forward/center will join the Phoenix roster alongside fellow imports Skylar Mays and D’Shawn Schwartz.

 

Braian Angola-Rodas Signs with Toyama Grouses

Braian Angola-Rodas is a new player for the Toyama Grouses, as announced by the Japanese club.

The former Florida State standout arrives in Japan after splitting last season between Gran Canaria, where he averaged 13.2 points in 19 minutes per game in the Basketball Champions League, and ASVEL, where he posted 15.3 points and 3.9 assists in 24 minutes per game in his EuroLeague debut.

Olympiacos reject offers for Thomas Walkup

Thomas Walkup remains firmly in Olympiacos’ plans. The Greek club has rejected two offers, one worth €520,000 from Dubai and another reportedly reaching €870,000, showing no intention of parting ways with the veteran point guard.

Walkup is under contract with Olympiacos until 2027, with almost €1 million remaining on his deal and no buyout clause. According to Eurohoops there has been no new approach to purchase his contract, while the club expects the 33-year-old to join preseason preparations as planned. Walkup, who also holds a Greek passport and represents the national team, has been with Olympiacos since 2021.

Joey and Jesse Buss in talks to buy ASVEL Villeurbanne

ASVEL is undergoing a major restructuring after its projected budget dropped from €59 million to €24 million. At the center of the club’s future could be Joey and Jesse Buss, the former Los Angeles Lakers owners, who are actively negotiating a potential takeover.

The deal was initially expected to be completed by September, but the complexity of the acquisition has pushed the timeline toward the end of 2026.

The main issue remains ASVEL’s valuation. Minority shareholders had initially targeted a €120 million payout, but negotiations with the Buss brothers have reportedly brought the figure down to between €60 million and €80 million.

Barcelona Still Working to Complete Their Summer Revolution

Barcelona’s summer revolution is not over yet, with the front office still working to replace the 11 players who have left the roster that finished last season, including young phenom Nikola Kusturica.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the duo of Pujol and coach Sekulic are determined to add both a center and a power forward.

In the paint, Barcelona are looking for a player with complementary characteristics to those of Nebo and Balcerowski, the two centers who joined the team this summer.

The biggest challenge, however, will be at power forward, where the Blaugrana need to replace the reliability and experience of Toko Shengelia.

Barcelona have already signed several players with no EuroLeague experience, such as Umoja Gibson and Olivier Nkamhoua, as well as others making their first appearance in Europe, including Tyrese Martin, Tosan Evbuomwan and Stanley Umude.

For that reason, it would probably be wiser to avoid taking another gamble in such a crucial position.

Patrick Beverley Reportedly Close to Deal with Boulazac

Patrick Beverley is close to reaching an agreement with Boulazac, according to Be-Basketball.

The 38-year-old point guard spent the 2025/26 season in Greece with PAOK BC, averaging 9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game across the Greek league and FIBA Europe Cup.

Beverley has previous European experience with Hapoel Tel Aviv and, immediately after college, Spartak St. Petersburg.

Nick Perkins joins Sabah BC

Sabah BC has announced the signing of Nick Perkins, with the American big man agreeing to a contract that will keep him in Azerbaijan through 2028.

Perkins arrives after a season split between the KBL, where he averaged 14.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game with Korea Gas Corporation, and the BSN, averaging 15.5 points and 5.9 rebounds with Atleticos de San German.

The 32-year-old will return to the Basketball Champions League, where he made his debut with Brindisi in the 2020/21 season.

 

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Barcelona reportedly collects over €3 million in buyout fees

FC Barcelona has reportedly generated more than €3 million in buyout fees during a particularly busy offseason that saw the club make several changes to its roster and coaching staff.

According to Marc Mundet, most of the departures from Barcelona this summer brought financial compensation to the club, helping soften the impact of a major squad overhaul.

One of the most unusual cases involved Moses Wright, who generated a buyout without ever officially playing for Barcelona. The big man had previously agreed to a contract with the Catalan club, but Olimpia Milano eventually paid compensation to release him from that agreement.

Tornike Shengelia also contributed to the total, paying his own buyout to Barcelona in order to complete his move to Dubai Basketball.

Shengelia will reunite in Dubai with Xavi Pascual, who also left Barcelona after a buyout was paid for his departure.

Barcelona also received compensation connected to Nikola Kusturica and Sayon Keita, who left for the NCAA. Additional payments came from players already competing in the American college system who still owed the club portions of the buyouts related to their original contracts.

Juani Marcos was reportedly the only player to leave Barcelona before the end of his agreement without generating any financial compensation.

Overall, the various operations allowed Barcelona to collect more than €3 million from buyouts alone during the offseason.

Garrison Mathews ready for Olimpia Milano: “I never thought I’d play overseas”

Garrison Mathews has yet to arrive in Italy due to bureaucratic issues and Olimpia Milano has not officially announced his signing, but the American wing is preparing for the first European experience of his career.

Speaking to local media in Franklin, Mathews discussed his decision to accept Milano’s offer, admitting that playing overseas was never something he had originally envisioned for his career. However, after receiving significant offers from Europe, the opportunity became too attractive to turn down.

The 1996-born wing heads to Italy after seven seasons in the NBA. Mathews most recently appeared in 15 games for the Indiana Pacers after spending the previous three seasons in Atlanta.

Overall, he has played 329 NBA games, including 65 starts, averaging 6.4 points while shooting 38.2% from three-point range.

Three-point shooting has been the defining strength of Mathews’ NBA career. He has made 484 three-pointers, with one of his best seasons coming with the Houston Rockets in 2021-22. That year, he averaged 10.0 points over 65 appearances while playing more than 26 minutes per game.

The final stretch of his NBA career was more complicated. Mathews explained that things initially went well in Atlanta before he eventually fell out of the rotation over the final couple of months. After failing to secure another NBA contract, he even considered walking away from professional basketball.

Returning home to the Nashville area gave him the opportunity to spend time with family and friends and think about his future. Over the following months, however, Mathews began to miss the game and eventually rediscovered his desire to continue playing.

In Milan, he will also reunite with Darius Thompson, whom he remembers from their high school days. Mathews jokingly recalled Thompson getting the better of him back then and said he is looking forward to finally playing alongside him and the rest of his new teammates.

While his immediate focus will be on performing well with Olimpia, Mathews has made no secret of his desire to potentially return to the NBA in the future. For now, however, he intends to make the most of his first season in European basketball.

Mathews has signed a one-plus-one-year contract with Olimpia Milano.

Zalgiris brings back Keenan Evans, loans him to London Lions

Zalgiris Kaunas has announced the return of Keenan Evans, signing the 29-year-old guard to a one-plus-one-year contract. Evans will spend the 2026-27 season on loan with the London Lions, where he will continue his recovery and look to regain his best form.

Evans played just one EuroLeague game for Olympiacos last season. His long-awaited return came in Round 10 against Zalgiris after recovering from the serious knee injury he suffered in May 2024 during his previous stint with the Lithuanian club.

However, his comeback lasted only two minutes, as Evans suffered another major setback after rupturing his left Achilles tendon.

It proved to be his only EuroLeague appearance for Olympiacos after joining the Greek powerhouse from Zalgiris in the summer of 2024. Although unable to contribute on the court during the postseason, Evans was part of the Olympiacos team that captured the 2026 EuroLeague championship.

The last fully healthy season for the 1.91-meter guard came in 2023-24 with Zalgiris. Evans appeared in all 34 EuroLeague games and was one of the competition’s top scorers, averaging 17.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

That impressive campaign came after another lengthy recovery, this time from a torn right Achilles tendon suffered just 57 seconds into a EuroLeague game against Fenerbahce during the 2022-23 season. Before that injury, Evans had been averaging 16.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals through 16 games.

The move to London will give Evans an opportunity to rebuild his rhythm and fitness while making his BKT EuroCup debut. He is the second Zalgiris player to join the Lions this summer after Maxwell Lewis.

London has been coached since 2025 by former Zalgiris assistant Tautvydas Sabonis, providing another connection between the two clubs.

Evans has competed in the EuroLeague since 2021, playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Zalgiris and Olympiacos. Before making his EuroLeague debut, he played for Hapoel Haifa in Israel, Igokea in the ABA League and the Grand Rapids Drive and Delaware Blue Coats in the G League.

Pallacanestro Trieste signs Abramo Canka to a multi-year deal

Pallacanestro Trieste has announced the signing of Abramo Canka to a multi-year contract. The 2002-born guard/forward joins the club after spending last season between Virtus Bologna in Serie A and Pallacanestro Roseto in Serie A2.

Canka found increased playing time and consistency during his stint with Roseto, averaging 9.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

General manager Michael Arcieri highlighted the new signing’s potential, athleticism, versatility and competitive mentality. Trieste believes Canka can immediately raise the team’s level, particularly with his ability to play in transition and contribute in multiple areas of the game.

Head coach Francesco Taccetti was already familiar with Canka from his early years with Stella Azzurra and Roseto. Taccetti stressed the player’s development and motivation to prove that he can make a significant impact at the highest level of Italian basketball.

Born in Genoa on March 18, 2002, Canka began playing basketball as a child after initially developing a passion for soccer. At the age of 14, he left Liguria to join the renowned Stella Azzurra Roma academy, where he quickly emerged as an intriguing prospect on the international stage.

In 2020, Canka was selected to the All-Tournament Team at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Munich after averaging 16.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

His professional debut had already come at just 16 years old with the Roseto Sharks in Serie A2. Canka subsequently embarked on an international career that included a move to Lokomotiv Kuban followed by two seasons in Lithuania with Nevėžis.

The Italian wing later moved to the United States to continue his development in the NCAA. After experiences with high-profile programs UCLA and Wake Forest, he found a larger role at Stetson University. During the 2024-25 season, Canka averaged 8.7 points and 4.5 rebounds and recorded his NCAA career-high with 22 points against Oklahoma.

He returned to Europe in 2025, signing with Italian champion Virtus Bologna before moving to Roseto on loan in search of more playing time and rhythm.

Canka has also gained considerable experience with Italy’s youth national teams. He stood out at the 2018 U16 European Championship and the 2022 U20 European Championship, where he finished as Italy’s second-leading scorer.

At 1.98 meters, Canka is an athletic and versatile perimeter player capable of covering multiple positions. His strengths include his ability to run the floor in transition, attack the offensive glass and use his length to defend point guards, shooting guards and small forwards.

Trieste believes those qualities will make him an ideal fit for a system built around defensive intensity, athleticism and an up-tempo style of play.

Valencia Basket signs Oumar Ballo to a three-year deal, will spend season at Galatasaray

Valencia Basket has reached an agreement with Oumar Ballo on a three-year contract running through the end of the 2028-29 season. The 2.13-meter, 24-year-old Malian center will spend the upcoming 2026-27 campaign on loan at Galatasaray MCT Technic.

Ballo previously developed at Canterbury Academy in Gran Canaria, meaning he qualifies as a locally trained player for Liga Endesa purposes.

The center is coming off an impressive first professional season with Acqua S.Bernardo Cantù in Italy. Ballo averaged 11.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 65.6% from two-point range and recording an average efficiency rating of 16.6.

He finished the season as the second-best rebounder in the Italian league and led the competition in offensive rebounds with 3.3 per game.

Ballo arrived in Spain at a young age to continue his development at Canterbury Academy and quickly established himself as one of the most promising prospects in his age group. He was named co-MVP of the Spanish U16 Championship in 2017 and MVP of the Spanish Junior Championship the following year.

He also emerged as a major prospect with Mali, earning All-Tournament Team honors at both the 2018 U17 World Cup, where he averaged 20.6 points and 16.9 rebounds, and the 2019 U19 World Cup. At the latter tournament, Ballo produced 17.6 points and 11.8 rebounds as Mali claimed a historic silver medal.

His performances earned him a move to Gonzaga before he transferred to Arizona in 2021. Ballo developed into a key player for the Wildcats and was selected to the All-Pac-12 First Team in each of his final two seasons at Arizona.

He completed his college career at Indiana, averaging 13.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in almost 29 minutes per game. After going undrafted in 2025 and playing Summer League with Miami, he returned to Europe to begin his professional career with Cantù.

Following the Italian season, Ballo also made four appearances for Rwanda’s RSSB Tigers, averaging 12.5 points and 9.8 rebounds while helping the team win the 2026 Basketball Africa League title.

Ballo has also become an important player for Mali’s senior national team. In his first major tournament at senior level, he helped Mali reach its first AfroBasket final and claim the silver medal, averaging 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds. His best performance came in the semifinal against Senegal, when he recorded 19 points and 7 rebounds.

ALBA Berlin signs Jack Kayil through 2031

ALBA Berlin has secured the long-term future of Jack Kayil, signing the highly rated German guard to a contract through the end of the 2030-31 season.

The Berlin-born talent enjoyed a breakout campaign last season, earning Best Young Player honors in both the BBL and Basketball Champions League before helping ALBA win the German championship.

In the BBL, Kayil averaged 12.4 points, 3.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds in just over 21 minutes per game. He also played an important role in the Finals against Bayern, producing 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game over the five-game series.

His performances earned him the BBL U22 Player of the Year award with more than 90% of the vote. Kayil was also named Basketball Champions League Best Young Player after averaging 11.9 points, 4.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds in slightly more than 20 minutes per game.

Following ALBA’s championship run, Kayil was selected with the 39th overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. His NBA rights were subsequently moved to the New York Knicks as part of a trade between the two franchises.

ALBA sporting director Himar Ojeda described Kayil’s decision to stay as an important success for the club’s development program. He stressed that ALBA intends to help the guard continue his progression while supporting his ambition of eventually reaching the NBA and following the path of fellow Berliners Franz and Moritz Wagner.

Kayil also made clear that the NBA remains his ultimate goal, while describing ALBA as the ideal environment to continue developing after a highly successful season.

Born in Berlin in 2006, Kayil began playing basketball in the youth system of TuS Neukölln before joining ALBA’s academy in 2021. He won the German U19 championship with ALBA in 2023 and was also named Rookie of the Year.

He later moved to RASTA Vechta, winning another NBBL championship in 2024 and earning Finals MVP honors, before joining Serbian club Mega Basket for the 2024-25 season.

Kayil has also established himself as one of Germany’s most promising prospects at international level. He helped Germany win the U16 European Championship Division B in 2022, claimed bronze at the U18 European Championship in 2023 and then won U18 European gold in 2024, scoring 15 points in the final in Tampere. In November 2024, he received his first call-up to the German senior national team.

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