To keep Dwight Howard, the Lakers will have to sell him on a vision for 2014 and beyond. As a result, if championships are his goal, the Rockets are the safer bet for a whole host of reasons. Read More. Written by Jonathan Tjarks on May 23, 2013
The event gives front offices the opportunity to evaluate D-League players with the possibility of offering Summer League or training camp invites. Read More.
Tyus Jones, the No. 2 overall recruit for 2014 and an excellent point guard, was selected by Paul Biancardi, Adam Finkelstein and John Stovall. Read More.
Ettore Messina has emerged as a serious candidate to become the next head coach of the Atlanta Hawks.
Messina was born in Italy and is the current coach of CSKA Moscow. Messina is a four-time Euroleague championship coach and two-time Euroleague coach of the year.
Messina was part of the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching staff during the 11-12 NBA season.
Messina left the NBA to take a $1 million-plus a year job with CSKA.
Danny Ferry recently scouted CSKA at last weekend's Euroleague Final Four.
Stan Van Gundy and Quin Snyder are also candidates.
Olympiacos has defeated Real Madrid by a final score of 100-88 to win the 2013 Euroleague championship.
Olympiacos also won the Euroleague last season, defeating CSKA in the title game in Istanbul.
Vassilis Spanoulis was named MVP of the Final Four, the third time he has won the honor.
Real Madrid started the first quarter strong, holding a 27-10 lead after the first 10 minutes of the game. Olympiacos cut the lead to four at halftime and outscored Real Madrid by 12 points in the fourth quarter after tying the game after three quarters.
Spanoulis had 22 points, four assists and two rebounds in the game, while Acie Law had 20 points and five turnovers.
Nikola Mirotic would like to one day play for the Spanish senior national team.
A native of Montenegro, Mirotic moved to Spain as a teenager and played for the country’s U20 team at the 2011 European Championship.
"I had a great time playing with the U20," Mirotic said. "I have very fond memories. I am very happy. In Spain, I have felt like at home. We will see what the future holds."
Mirotic hopes to be selected to play for Spain's senior team at the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
"One has to remember that I am a Spanish national and I want to play with them," Mirotic said. "Right now, I belong to them.”
The 2013 NBA Draft has 77 early entry candidates, with 46 players from United States' colleges and 31 internatinoal players.
Players have the right to withdraw no later than June 17 ahead of the June 27 draft in Brooklyn.
College Players Steven Adams, Pitt C.J. Aiken, St. Joseph's Anthony Bennett, UNLV Vander Blue, Marquette, Lorenzo Brown, N.C. State Reggie Bullock, North Carolina Trey Burke, Michigan Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse Adrien Coleman, Bethune-Cookman Allen Crabbe, Cal Deweyne Dedmon, USC Gorgui Dieng, Louisville Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State Archie Goodwin, Kentucky Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan Grant Jerrett, Arizona Christian Kabongo, New Mexico State Myck Kabongo, Texas Shane Larkin, Miami Ricky Ledo, Providence Alex Len, Maryland C.J. Leslie, N.C. State Nurideen Lindsey, Rider Amath M'Baye, Oklahoma Ray McCallum, Detroit Ben McLemore, Kansas Tony Mitchell, North Texas Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA Nerlens Noel, Kentucky Victor Oladipo, Indiana Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga Norvel Pelle, Los Angeles College Prep Otto Porter Jr., Georgetown Marshawn Powell, Arkansas Phil Pressey, Missouri Andre Robertson, Colorado Joshua Simmons, Spartanburg Methodist (JC) Trevis Simpson, UNC-Greensboro Tony Snell, New Mexico Tahj Tate, Delaware State John Taylor, Fresno Pacific Adonis Thompson, Memphis Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State B.J. Young, Arkansas Cody Zeller, Indiana
International Players Alejandro Abrines, Barcelona Giannis Adetokunbo, Filathlitikos Francois Affia Ambadiang, Geoplin Slovan Nemanja Besovic, Partizan Bogdan Bogdanovic, Partizan Matias Bortolin, Arkadia, Linos Chrysikopoulos, PAOK Laszlo Dobos, Zaragoza Dorde Drenovac, Biancoblu Viktor Gaddefors, Oknoplast Bologna Rudy Gobert, Cholet Mouhammadou Jaiteh, Boulogne Livio Jean-Charles, ASVEL Sergey Karasev, Triumph Louis Laveyrie, Paris-Levallois Raul Neto, Lagun Aro GBC Philipp Neumann, Brose Baskets Lucas Riva Nogueira, Estudiantes Alexandre Paranhos, Flamengo Artem Pustovyi, Khimik Bogdan Radosavljevic, Bayern Munich Marko Ramljak, Zadar Dario Saric, Cibona Dennis Schroder, New York Phantoms Strahinja Stojacic, Smederevo Walter Tavares, Gran Canaria Daniel Theis, Ratiopharm Janis Timma, Ventspils Marko Todorovic, Barcelona Axel Toupane, Strasbourg Adin Vrabac, Spars Sarajevo
USA basketball spokesman Craig Smith told Fox 29 Sports that president Jerry Colangelo will not allow potential misunderstandings to get in the way of picking the best candidate.
The Spurs have been at the forefront of acquiring top international talent over the years, but Gregg Popovich believes the rest of the NBA has caught on.