Basket rumors

Olimpia Milano signs Kevin Punter

Olimpia Milan has reached a deal with Kevin Punter, who was born in New York, on June 25, 1993, and is coming from Red Star Belgrade. He’s a 1.93 mt shooting guard. “I’m ecstatic, I can’t wait to come to Milan and start working to try to do something special in my return to Italy,” Punter said. “Kevin is a young player who is constantly improving, with the necessary experience to help Olimpia: we are happy to have him with us,” Olimpia’s general manager Christos Stavropoulos said.

HIS CAREER – Born and raised in the Bronx, in New York, he attended the Salesian High School in New Rochelle. In 2011 he moved to the Body of Christ Academy in Raleigh, North Carolina where he averaged 24.2 points per game. From 2012 to 2014 he played at the State Fair Community College in Missouri (20.3 points per game in his second year) and finally played from 2014 to 2016 at Tennessee. In his first season he averaged 10.3 points per game, in the second he exploded to 22.2 points per game, made 36.9% of his three-point attempts, 81.7% of his free throws and dished 3.5 assists per game. He was included in the second All-SEC team and was the conference second-best scorer. In 2016, he made his professional debut in Greece, playing for Lavrio and then ended the season in Antwerp in Belgium. In 2017, he played for Rosa Radom in Poland. In February of 2018 he moved to AEK Athens where he won the Greek Cup and the Fiba ​​BCL (15.3 points per game, while converting 41.9% of his threes). The following season he played at Virtus Bologna and again won the Fiba ​​BCL, winnin the Final Four MVP award  (he had 26 points and seven rebounds in the championship game against Tenerife). In 2019, he played for Olympiacos Piraeus until December, making his EuroLeague debut, and then finished the season at Red Star Belgrade. In 12 games with the team he averaged 15.9 points per game, made 48.1% of his threes and 89.4% of his free throws, with an open streak of nine consecutive double-digit games, including the 24 points that he scored against Alba Berlin and Panathinaikos Athens.

NOTES – He averaged 19.3 points per game in the Polish game, playing for Rosa Radom. He appeared in 29 Italian games in 2018/19, averaging 14.2 points per game.

Zeljko Obradovic, Fenerbahce continue negotiations

The negotiations between Zeljko Obradovic and Fenerbahce reached the fourth day. The atmosphere is more positive as reported by Ismail Senol.

Discussed on the continuation of the relationship between the two sides. Ongoing contracts are among the topics. Obradovic will return to Belgrade tomorrow.

Kevin Punter won’t return to Crvena Zvezda, has a serious offer from Milano

Kevin Punter will leave Crvena Zvezda .

Among the offers he got, Kevin Punter is leaning toward accepting the proposal made by Olimpia Milano.

Kevin Punter averaged 15.9 points with 48.1% 3FGP with Crvena Zvezda this season in EuroLeague.

Unics Kazan signs Pavel Antipov, parts ways with Valerii Likhodei

Unics Kazan announced the signing of Pavel Antipov for one season. Antipov comes from Nizhny Novgorod.
The Russian team has parted ways with Valerii Likhodei.

Pallacanestro Cantù agreed to terms with Donte Thomas

Donte Thomas will continue his career in Italy with Pallacanestro Cantù, a Dutch source told Sportando.
The American forward will replace Jason Burnell who moved to Banco di Sardegna Sassari.
Thomas spent the season in Holland with Donar Groningen averaging 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds in Eredivisie and 13.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in FIBA Europe Cup.

Briante Weber signs in Canada with Hamilton Money Badgers

Canadian team Hamilton Money Badgers announced the signing of Briante Weber.
The former NBA player spent the season in France with Metropolitans 92 averaging 12 points, 4.7 rebounds and. 2.8 assists per game.

Kendall Stephens re-signs with South East Melbourne Phoenix

South East Melbourne Phoenix have re-signed shooting guard Kendall Stephens following his first season in the NBL.

The Chicago native, considered a local in the NBL given his Australian citizenship, has locked himself into the Phoenix for NBL21 with a one-year contract and an optional second year.

Stephens excited Phoenix fans from beyond the three-point arc during the first half of the 2019/20 NBL season, hitting 19 3’s in his first eight games, before an ankle injury hampered the latter stages of his debut year.

Fonte: South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Lokomotiv Kuban negotiating with Stella Azzurra to acquire Italian top prospect Abramo Canka

Russian side Lokomotiv Kuban is negotiating with Stella Azzurra to acquire Italian top prospect Abramo Canka, a source told Sportando.

The native of Genoa in 2002 has spent the season in Serie A2 averaging 7.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists with Roseto Sharks.

The guard has a contract with Stella Azzurra for the years to come but Kuban is intentioned to buy him out from his deal and bring him in Russia.

If the deal is finalized, Kuban will sign the Italian NBA prospect to a multi-year deal.

One of the options for Kuban could be to loan him to Nevezis where another NBA prospect will be playing, Ariel Hukporti, a German big man born as well in 2002.

Richard Hendrix joins Niigata Albirex

Richard Hendrix signed with Niigata Albirex, the Japanese team announced.
The former Alabama big man spent last year with Osaka Evessa in the B.League, where he averaged over 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assist.

Chorale Roanne ink Boubacar Toure, Ronald March

Chorale Roanne announced the signing of Boubacar Toure and Ronald March.
Toure is a rookie big man out of Eastern Michigan, who ended his senior season with over 10 points and 9 rebounds per game.

March spent last year with Aix Maurienne in Pro B, where he averaged 16.5 points, 5 rebounds, 2.2 assist and 2.2 steals.

Ishmail Wainright joins SIG Strasbourg

Ishmail Wainright signed a one-year contract with SIG Strasbourg, the french team announced.
This year the former Baylor forward averaged 10.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assist and 1.8 steals over 40 games for Rasta Vechta.
Sports Director Nicola Alberani comments: “Ishmail is a player with a big mind who is dedicated to his team. He will bring a lot of intensity to our group this season”

Bahcesehir targets Jamar Smith

Bahcesehir offered Erick Green a contract but the former NBA guard turned the proposal down because he still wants to evaluate his EuroLeague options.

The BSL and EuroCup team has now turned its attention on Jamar Smith who is free agent after his experience in Kazan where averaged 15.2 points in EuroCup this season.