The first bit of gossip is admittedly a tad dated (the story was released on Friday evening), but it has just been noticed by TB staff and it hasn’t grabbed much attention in Europe, so we start with a Kobe Bryant tale, with quotes from the new Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Byron Scott.
SCOTT: KOBE CAN PLAY THREE MORE YEARS
He will be 36 on August 23 and has had a season plagued with injuries but new Lakers head coach Byron Scott believes that the Black Mamba has a good three years left in him.
Via JimRome.com
“I watched him workout here at the facility and he looks really good. He’s in great shape right now,” said Scott. “He has two years left on his contract, he’s the one guy, that I think with all the injuries that he’s had over the last year or so, that can play three more years if he wants to and at a very high level. Kobe’s the type of guy that’s still going to average 20some points a game, he’s just that good. I think he still has a lot left in the tank. I still think that desire and motivation to win another championship is the thing that drives him.”
Three years???? Is that all?
VEREMEENKO MOVES TO ZARAGOZA
Belarussian Vladimir Veremeenko has joined Liga Endesa side Zaragoza from Unics Kazan, as confirmed on the club website.
Veremeenko averaged 6 points and 3 rebounds with Kazan last season as the Russians finished Eurocup runners-up but due to the change in player personnel for this season, the veteran forward’s playing time looked likely to be limited.
GREAT BRITAIN EUROBASKET SQUAD ANNOUNCED
Great Britain have named their final 12 players for the Eurobasket Qualifying Round that start on Sunday.
GB will be without NBA stars Luol Deng and Joel Freeland for the games against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Iceland.
“We have come a long way in a short amount of time,” GB coach Joe Prunty said. “We have dealt with some unique circumstances but we have always believed it is important to control what we can control. The qualifiers will be difficult but we are excited and ready for the challenge.”
Great Britain: Kieron Achara, Devan Bailey, Eric Boateng, Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Dan Clark, Ashley Hamilton, Myles Hesson, Kyle Johnson, Ben Mockford, Gareth Murray, Andrew Sullivan, Devon van Oostrum.
BOSNIA WITHOUT COOPER
One of Great Britain’s opponents in the Eurobasket Qualifiers, Bosnia & Herzegovina will be without naturalised DJ Cooper, who has failed to recover from a foot injury.
After receiving his Bosnian passport, Cooper’s medical examination showed that an old foot injury, while playing for Greek side PAOK last season did not heal well.
SUN YUE SIGNS A 5-YEAR DEAL WITH BEIJING DUCKS
Former China international Sun Yue has dismissed early retirement plans to sign a lucrative 5-year deal with CBA side Beijing Ducks that’s worth $5.7million.
Yue, 28, won two of the last three CBA titles with the Ducks. He formally played in Los Angeles for the Lakers.
