Tony Parker to play with France

I was stunned when I heard this breaking news! Titular point guard of the San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker was supposed not to play with his national team this summer. Even though the player was eager to play with France, his team and above all his coach Greg Poppovich were known to be reluctant to that idea, so much so they banned him from doing so. They were said to be adamant on it. The main raison was because their player needed some rest, after several grueling seasons.

That’s what everybody thought until last night, just before Parker unexpectedly announced he’ll eventually play with the French National team from today until the end of september. Talk about an about-face!

Given that he didn’t play since early june, the Spurs changed their mind, deeming Parker got enough rest. Plus, TP kind of coerced his team, asking them several times if he could join his National team. San Antonio finally agreed to release their player.

So far, Parker was training with Chip Engelland in L.A., and admitted that watching the Olympics on TV was a hardship he couldn’t take any more. France didn’t qualify for the Olympics last year, and now is faced with a difficult task : a qualifying tournament in September, and Parker will do his best to help his team qualify for the next European Championship which will be held in Poland next year. After missing the Olympics, France can’t miss this event, otherwise they’ll be doomed to an unknown future.

So I guess Parker felt the urge to help his team getting back in the limelight. He said : “I gotta be with my teammates right now.” Somehow, I think it’s a win-win situation for everybody. It’s an understatement to say that France is gonna need Parker’s skills to cope with the incoming tournament, and hopefully San Antonio will get a player in great shape when their training camp will kick off next fall.

Official : Kemp signs in Italy

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been following closely Shawn Kemp’s situation. He was rumored to play ball in Italy, but most people thought it was just a hoax. Well, obviously it wasn’t because Shawn Kemp has officialy reached an agreement with the Italian team Premiata Montegranaro.

Still, it’s a little bit surprising because Kemp didn’t play any official game since ‘03! But by all accounts, he’s been maintaining his physical shape, and would have lost weight.

That being said, I don’t see how he could keep up with Italian league. It plays hard over there, and I guess many of his opponents will try to dunk on his face! It’s really hard to size up what he could bring to the table for his new team. Apart from a lot of beers… Besides, his new coach basically says the same thing : “We will discover with work in the gym if he will be a key player for our team.”

Maybe they just decided to hire him in order to sell more tickets? Because if Kemp was a hell of a player back in the day, his career is behind him now.

Anyway, I’m just curious to see what Kemp will be able to do on the court… but also off the court! Everybody knows his behavior off the court throughout his NBA career left a lot to be desired…

Kemp confirms comeback rumors

Like I said in a previous post 2 weeks ago, Shawn Kemp is seriously contemplating a return on the court in Italy. It was all but a joke, besides Kemp himself confirmed it to Slam.

Here’s a video of “The Reignman” talkin’ about all those rumors surrounding his future, but also about all the other issues that have been disturbing his life so far.

Kemp, whose head is now totally shaved, looks reliable, and well… not stoned for once! (Just kiddin’ Shawn!)

Lakers sign Sun Yue

The Los Angeles Lakers (my favorite team!) have reached an agreement with Chinese Point Guard Sun Yue (6′9, 205 lb), who’s currently attending the Beijing Olympics Games with his national team, playing USA this sunday. The left handed point guard is expected to sign his first NBA contract in the upcoming days.

Sun, 22, got drafted last year by L.A. in the second round (40th pick), but didn’t join the Lakers on the spot. He remained in China last season, playing ball with his team Beijing Aoshen.

Over there, he’s portrayed like a shoot-first, pass-second type of point guard, with a great ability to find his open teammates, though. He’s a dead-eye 3 point shooter, and from what I’ve seen on this video he can easily dunk.

His skinny frame could be an issue in the tough NBA, but I think his quickness and his great court vision should help him to make it in the L.

To my knowledge, Sun Yue is the very first Chinese player to wear the gold and purple jersey!

SLAM

I guess you guys enjoy reading magazines dealing with basketball. What’s your favorite BB mag? For my part, it’s SLAM magazine… by far! I’ve been reading it for about 3 years now. I wish I could have bought it from the start! I enjoy reading it. I mean I really do, so much so I’m always hyped up when I got the latest issue in my hands.

The very first issue I bought was #93. At the time, it was Lebron James on the cover. He was clad with some sort of a King costume and was holding a huge sword in his left hand. It perfectly sums up Slam’s cover : always percussive and innovatory.

From that day, I’ve bought every ish that followed. I kind of “ate up” all those issues. Plus, SLAM’s journalists have a great sense of humor!

Shawn Kemp in Italy?

Astonishing rumor. According to an official Italian Basketball site, Shawn Kemp is rumored to play in Italy next season. My Italian sucks, but basically it says that “The Reignman” is in touch with a first division Italian team. Kemp is said to serioulsy consider the offer. 

If Kemp turns down the offer, Vin Baker or Christian Laettner  would be an alternative. Looks like this team is fond of former NBA players… especially when they’re done!

Anyway, Kemp playing overseas would be surprising, ’cause he threw in the towel in ‘03, after a stint with the Orlando Magic. It’s obvious he’s outta shape, and the guy is known to have several issues off the court (mainly bad stuff like drugs…). And last time I saw him, he was overweight! Over the years, maybe his life took a turn for the better but I highly doubt it.

Well, this Italian team should call up Gary Payton as well… I’m sure they would be sold out before the season kicks off!

Ron Artest signs with Houston

The Houston Rockets reached an agreement with the Sacremento Kings, sending Ron Artest to the Houston Rockets in exhange of a first round pick in ‘09, rookie Donte Green and veteran Bobby Jackson. Several teams, including the L.A. Lakers, were in the mix to land Artest, but it seems L.A. wasn’t ready to drop Lamar Odom. That’s finally the Rockets who get this awesome player.

Well, that’s what you might call a blockbuster trade! Not for the Kings who drop an All-Star caliber player, but Houston certainly did a hell of move by landing Artest. It looks like Rick Adelman’s presence in Houston was critical to get Artest. Actually, Artest kind of worships Adelman as a coach ever since the two of them worked together in Sacto. I guess Adelman must be the only coach able to handle a troubled guy like Ron…

I’m not a fan at all of Artest, who’s mostly portayed as an uncoachable guy. Somehow, I’ve been pigeonholing him as a hoodlum since the famous brawl in Detroit in ‘04. But I have to admit he’s a hell of a player. Besides, his stats proves how much he’s skilled : he averaged 20.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 57 games with the Kings last season. Plus, he can play some tough D. The whole package.

Can you imagine what a threesome like McGrady-Yao Ming-Artest could create on the court? Obviously, they’re gonna create a lot of havoc in the Western conference, so much so every top teams should be wary of the new Houston Rockets. It’s gonna rock in H-Town next season, you can take it for granted!

Lebron James and Team USA

Last week, Lebron James guaranteed Team USA will eventually win Gold Medal in Beijing. He uttered this sentence in “Time Magazine”. Well, for some reason I don’t think it was the best thing to do…

After their failure in Indianapolis ‘02, Athens ‘04 and in Tokyo 2 years ago, I thought American players were now more humble. Or at least, more cunning. Well, if you listen to Lebron and pay attention to what Carmelo Anthony said (“We’d have to beat ourselves for us to lose”), I’m afraid American players mentality didn’t change…

And it’s a bad habit. In life, you gotta learn from your mistakes. Saying such bold sentences can only overmotivate your opponents! In a tough competition like the Olympics Games, you gotta keep a low profile, stay humble and give everything you have on the court. Otherwise, you just rile your opponents. Once you won the trophy, you can speak. Not before. Never…ever.

Don’t get me wrong: confidence is mandatory to win. Professional athletes needs to be confident if they wanna reach their lofty goals. You need to believe in yourself, need to know you can beat anybody on the court. If you don’t, well you’ll get crushed. Period. But if you believe strongly nobody can beat you, then please don’t act foolishly like Team USA! I mean don’t say to everyone before the competition you’ll eventually win, that any team can face you. You gotta say it in privacy, in the locker-room.

And anyway how in the world can they say a such thing? I mean I’m sure James and Anthony don’t know half of their opponents! Okay they played in Athens four years ago, but  foreign teams have evolved since then… and ultimately America was beaten down the stretch. 

Plus, Team USA never scout their adversaries. Never! Team USA don’t know who they’ll face on the court, and they think they can beat them. Kind of weird, huh?

I hope for Lebron he’ll live up to his promise… otherwise he’ll get embarrassed.

Lakers Girls

Last week, about 500 gorgeous babes attended the 2008 Lakers Girls audition. Lakers girls are one of the most famous dancing squad in the world. Most people don’t have the slightest idea of how difficult this tryout is. The selection is awfully tough, and only a few of them will make it.

Click on the link above to get some pics, I guarantee ya it’s a sight for sore eyes!

Morris Almond

From now on I’m a blogger, and I enjoy doin’ it. But like everybody else, I also have a favorite blog. And guess what, the blog deals with… Basketball! Kind of surprising, huh?

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that my favorite blog is Morris Almond’s blog. His blog kicked off last October, and I’ve been reading it ever since. And I can guarantee ya it’s worth reading!

For those who don’t know this dude, just know he’s a young man who played his very first NBA season last year with the Utah Jazz. It wasn’t an easy year for him, given that his old school coach Jerry Sloan didn’t really trust him (like any other rookie…). Anyway if you wanna play for Sloan, you gotta have a great deal of experience, otherwise you’ll be sidelined! I kind of exaggerate, but in my view Mo could have been trusted a lil’ more.

Almond struggled throughout his rookie season. His stats are… let’s say skinny: he only played in 9 games (about 38 minutes overall), and only notched 1,4 ppg, along with 0,2 boards and 0,3 assists per game. Not the kind of stats that let you to be famous.

However, Mo Almond had his share of highlights last season. He was sent to play in the Utah Jazz’s development league affiliate, namely the Utah Flash. With the Flash, Mo performed well. Well, I should emphasise a little bit more, ’cause actually he poured some awesome stats. He turned out to be one of the best players of the NBADL, by far.

Besides, Mo henceforth holds the NBADL record for most points scored in a game! Indeed, he poured 53 pts in a game, and nobody ever did that before. And I bet his record is gonna last a long time, if it ever gets beaten one day!

His blog basically deals with all the hardships and the delightful moments a rookie can face during his first year in the L. Most often, I was enthralled by what I was reading! You know NBA guys always talk about all the upsides of being an NBA player, with rose-colored glasses. Actually, life in the NBA for a rookie ain’t that easy, and Mo doesn’t hesitate to share with you all what he went through last season. Very instructive.

Mo didn’t update his blog since the end of the season, but his blog is definitely worth-reading, mark my words!