Basket rumors

19 July 2023

19/07/2023 16:30

Justin Bean signs three-year contract with Alba Berlin

Justin Bean has signed a three-year contract, according to ALBA Berlin. In his first season as a pro, Bean (2.01 meters, 26 years old) averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game for the Memphis Hustle in the G League. For the first time in his career, the American striker is leaving the country as he sets off on a new adventure with ALBA in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

In his four years at Utah State University, Bean developed into somewhat of a double-double machine, tallying 46, the second-highest total in school history. In fact, Bean set a school record at Utah State for the number of games with at least 10 rebounds (57), is second all-time in rebounds (1,027), is fifth in steals (161), and is tied for eighth in games played (126).

19 July 2023

19 July 2023

19/07/2023 12:27

Virtus Bologna reportedly close to a deal with Bryant Dunston

Virtus Bologna appears to be close to reaching an agreement with Bryant Dunston.

The 1986-born center averaged 14.2 minutes per game in the EuroLeague last season, contributing 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds.

Dunston is coming off an eight-year stint with Efes, during which he won two EuroLeagues.

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 21:50

Balsa Koprivica signs 2-year extension with Partizan

Partizan announced the contract extension of Balsa Koprivica until 2025.

The 23-year-old center from Florida State last year played mostly in ABA Liga, where he put together averages of 4.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and one block in 11 minutes.

 

 

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 19:46

Carpegna Prosciutto Basket Pesaro lands Trevon Bluiett

Carpegna Prosciutto Basket Pesaro announced the signing of Trevon Bluiett for the upcoming season.

The Xavier product spent last year in Poland with MKS Dabrowa Gornicza, where he produced 16.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2 assists per game.

 

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 19:31

Maccabi Tel Aviv keeps Josh Nebo

Big man Josh Nebo will continue to battle under the boards for Maccabi Tel Aviv next season, as announced by the Israeli club.

Nebo last year put together averages of 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 20 minutes per game between Euroleague and Winner League.

 

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 17:10

Stefan Lazarevic signs new three-year deal with KK Crvena Zvezda

Stefan Lazarevic has signed a new three-year contract with the team, keeping him under contract through the conclusion of the 2025–26 season, according to Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade. Lazarevic, a Zvezda academy alumnus at 1.98 meters tall and 26 years old, has only played for the first team the past two seasons. Lazarevic played in 30 games for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in 2022–23, starting 18 of those games, and averaging 2.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.5 PIR in 17:54 minutes per game.

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 16:59

Buducnost lands Allerik Freeman

Allerik Freeman, a shooting guard, has been added to the backcourt of Buducnost VOLI Podgorica, the team announced on Tuesday. Freeman (1.91 meters, 28 years old), who formerly played for Besiktas Istanbul, averaged 18.9 points and 3.8 assists per game in the Turkish League. With Umana Reyer Venice, where he began the 2022–23 season, he scored 9.8 points in 12 EuroCup contests.

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 16:57

Trevion Williams joins ratiopharm Ulm

As of Tuesday, ratiopharm Ulm had strengthened its frontcourt by bringing in center Trevion Williams. Williams (2.06 meters, 22 years old), who will play for Ulm in the 2023–24 BKT EuroCup, will do so for the first time in his career outside of his home United States.

Williams comes from the G League’s Capital City, where in 27 games he averaged 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. He began his first professional basketball season, 2022–2023, with another G League team, Santa Cruz, and played in 22 games with an average of 9.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Williams had previously excelled at Purdue University. At the 2019 U19 World Cup, he also assisted the USA national team in winning the gold medal.

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 16:53

U-BT Cluj-Napoca, Andrija Stipanovic stay together

U-BT Cluj-Napoca and seasoned center Andrija Stipanovic have agreed to work together for another season, the club said on Tuesday. In 16 EuroCup games last season, Stipanovic (2.08 meters, 36 years old) averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. He had the eighth-best two-point shooting percentage (70.7% 2FG) and the most attempts per game (7.2) among all players.

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 16:41

Hassani Gravett joins Slask Wroclaw

Guard Hassani Gravett has been added to Slask Wroclaw’s backcourt for the 2023–24 season, the team announced Tuesday. In 19 German League games for EWE Baskets Oldenburg past season, Gravett (1.88 meters, 27 years old) averaged 8.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. In the 2022–23 season, Oldenburg was his third team after starting with Memphis in the G-League and Raptors 905.

In addition to playing for Orlando in the NBA and MZT Skopje Aerodrom of North Macedonia, Gravett began his professional career with Lakeland in the G League. In 2021, he assisted Skopje in capturing both the North Macedonian League and Cup. Prior to that, Gravett assisted the University of South Carolina in reaching the Final Four of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

18 July 2023

18/07/2023 08:22

Kevin Pangos may stay with Olimpia Milano: team reshuffle ahead with new line-up on the horizon

The future of Olimpia Milano’s direction could also have a familiar face. As reported yesterday on realolimpiamilano.com, Kevin Pangos might remain with the red-and-white team, despite the numerous departure rumors in recent weeks.

Born in 1993, he comes from a challenging season. His physical issues in November significantly affected his performance, as the team had secured Shabazz Napier, who then became crucial in the EuroLeague “restart” and in winning the thirtieth championship.

Kevin Pangos averaged 7.9 points in the LBA with 3.4 assists, a spectator in the finals after playing a game against Pesaro, and two against Sassari, in the playoffs. Meanwhile, he averaged 8.9 points in the EuroLeague with 3.4 assists. His peak was 21 against Real Madrid with 5/9 from 3.

This prompted rumors of a departure, which never materialized, despite a contract set to expire on June 30, 2024. However, the failure to renew Shabazz Napier’s contract may have reshuffled the pointguard spot. According to realolimpiamilano.com, the playmakers for the red-and-whites, as of today, would consist of Kevin Pangos, Maodo Lo, and Diego Flaccadori. The latter two will be announced shortly, but agreements have been fully reached.

17 July 2023

17 July 2023

17/07/2023 13:49

Donatas Motiejunas reportedly close to re-sign with AS Monaco

Donatas Motiejunas is very close to renewing with AS Monaco. This was specified by the player himself to BasketNews upon his arrival at the Lithuanian national team camp. Motiejunas, 32 years old, was on an expiring contract with Monaco, the team that brought him back to EuroLeague after a 10-year break in the summer of 2021. Last EuroLeague season, Motiejunas averaged 8.5 points (2FG: 63.5%; 3FG: 25.0%), 3.7 rebounds, and 9.9 PIR over 41 games (17 minutes).

Motiejunas expressed optimism, stating: “My contract negotiations haven’t concluded yet, but I believe everything will be finalized in the next few days”

When asked to confirm his stay in the EuroLeague next season, Motiejunas responded with the following line: “I can’t say it’s definite right now, as the signatures haven’t been set, but all indications point towards a ‘yes.'”

It should be noted that Panathinaikos was interested in the player.

16 July 2023

16/07/2023 15:27

Rayjon Tucker joins Reyer Venezia

Rayjon Tucker is a new player of Umana Reyer Venezia, as announced by the italian team.

The guard spent last year in NBL with the Melbourne United, where he produced 17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

16 July 2023

16/07/2023 14:37

Casademont Zaragoza reportedly close to Jahlil Okafor

Casademont Zaragoza is close to finalizing the arrival in Europe of Jahlil Okafor, the second overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft.

The news was reported by Olga Lorente.

The former Duke center has not played in the NBA since 2021, but last season he made his mark in the G League with  the Mexico City Capitanes -20.4 points, 8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game- .

16 July 2023

16 July 2023

16/07/2023 11:39

Panathinaikos reportedly in talks with Donatas Motiejunas

Panathinaikos is in negotiations with Donatas Motiejunas, as reported by Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.

The Lithuanian center has an exit clause from his contract with Monaco, and the Greeks are in search of a center following the departure of Papagiannis.

Born in 1990, Motiejunas averaged 8.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in the last EuroLeague season.

16 July 2023

16 July 2023

16/07/2023 09:53

Crvena Zvezda reportedly targets Toko Shengelia

Crvena Zvezda is targeting Toko Shengelia. According to the Corriere di Bologna, the Serbian club would make a move for the Georgian player if Nikola Mirotic transfers to Partizan.

As stated by the newspaper: “Segafredo has not put (Shengelia, ed) on the market, but it would not hold him back forcibly: his sale would result in a total savings of nearly 3 million”.

Shengelia is coming off a season with an average of 9.4 points (first time not in double digits since 2015-2016), 3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in the EuroLeague.

16 July 2023

16/07/2023 09:32

Olimpia Milano reportedly targets Alex Poythress

Olimpia Milano targets Alex Poythress to complete his front line.

Alexander Poythress has previously played in Europe for Galatasatay (averaging 13+7 in EuroCup), Zenit (with averages of 9+4 the first year, and 8+4 the second), before moving to Maccabi. There, last season, he posted 7.8 points and 3.6 rebounds but was halted by a serious injury in November and only returned to the court in mid-April.

An injury to his wrist undermined a significant season, though it ended on a high note in the national playoffs, with six out of eight performances in double figures.

Poythress can play both as a “4” and a “5”, bringing added physicality to Ettore Messina’s big man unit.

16 July 2023

15 July 2023

15 July 2023

15/07/2023 20:03

Gran Canaria keeps Nicolas Brussino

Nicolas Brussino signed a new deal with Gran Canaria, the spanish team announced.

The argentine guard last year produced 10.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game between ACB and BCL.

15 July 2023

15 July 2023

15/07/2023 19:40

Deshaun Thmas reportedly close to join Joventut Badalona

Deshaun Thomas is in advanced talks with Joventut Badalona, Encestando reports.

The Ohio State product spent last season with Olimpia Milano.