What price freedom?
That's a question Bulls forward Luol Deng hopes he can answer now that he is a citizen of Great Britain. His family put down roots there after escaping the civil-war strife of his native Sudan, where Deng's father, the Minister of Transport, was jailed for three months.
Deng, who gained British citizenship last year, was granted political asylum there in 1993, when he was 8. Before that, Deng, his eight siblings and two aunts lived in Egypt while his parents were in London trying to gain asylum.
In return, Deng is trying to lead the British national team into the upper echelon of international basketball and to a berth in the 2012 Olympics in London.
''It's hard sometimes to repay a country back,'' Deng said. ''But the position we were put in, to just play basketball and try to develop the game there, that's something I know how to do. I just feel like going back and doing that for a country that did that for my family. It's not really a big commitment.''
So Deng spent the summer with the British team, traversing cities across Europe as it won six games to reach its first goal of advancing to the A Division of the European Championship.
The experience differed greatly from the pampered travels of an NBA team used to five-star hotels and dining.
''In Belarus, they had police officers [by the arena] with machine guns,'' Deng said.
''You had a roommate in small hotels in small cities. We tried to stay with pasta and chicken [for pregame meals], but a lot of times we got something else. I made a lot of trips to McDonald's.''
Deng's hunger to improve and his serious work ethic continue to impress the Bulls' front office.
And general manager John Paxson said he knows his ongoing contract negotiations with Deng's agent -- which could lead to a five-year contract worth more than $50 million before the season opens Oct. 31 -- will not change Deng.
click for more details
source : suntimes.com
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Deng Expands His Game Overseas
Spain’s Unicaja Tames Grizzlies
Memphis is scheduled to play Estudiantes on Thursday before returning to the United States. The Grizzlies open the regular season at home against the defending champion Spurs on Oct. 31.
SIXERS WAIVE SHAGARI ALLEYNE
Philadelphia 76ers President Billy King announced today that the team has waived center Shagari Alleyne. The roster currently stands at 16.
Alleyne (7-3, 271) was an early entry candidate for the 2007 NBA Draft. He played his first three collegiate seasons at the University of Kentucky before transferring to Manhattan University prior to the start of last season. Due to NCAA transfer regulations, Alleyne was forced to sit out all of 2006-07 with the Jaspers.
During his three seasons at Kentucky, Alleyne appeared in 69 games with two starts, averaging 2.0 points, 1.4 and 0.91 blocks. For his career, he shot 57.0% from the floor and 65.2% from the foul line. Alleyne scored a career-high 16 points his junior season against Georgia State. His sophomore season, he tallied 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks against LSU and 11 points, 8 boards and 6 blocks vs. Morehead State.
A standout player at Rice High School in New York, Alleyne averaged 21.0 points, 14.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks his senior season. As a junior, he helped lead Rice to city and state titles.
source : NBA.comGarbajosa, Calderon Excited To Play Host In Spain
MADRID–It was with a wry little smile that Jorge Garbajosa tried to explain what it will be like here for the Raptors.
"Obviously, it's going to be a little bit busy but it is a pleasure for us to come back to our city with the Raptors organization," the native of Madrid said of the final four days of the team's European working vacation. "We have some appearances and some different places to go but we will have a very good time."
Garbajosa knows there is basketball work that must be done, but he also knows there is much fun to be had and as the unofficial tour guide between now and Friday, he's right in the thick of planning it.
And as he walked away at the end of a brief conversation, after assuring even media representatives that he was the go-to guy if there were any questions to be answered or recommendations to be made, he threw in one last little promise.
click for more details
source : thestar.com
EDDY RX: 2 WEEKS ON SHELF
October 9, 2007 -- COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Knicks' season did not implode yesterday. Eddy Curry - who injured his shoulder Friday during a drill - is expected to be back for the opener in Cleveland on Nov. 2.
An MRI revealed Curry has a torn labrum in his right shoulder, and the team indicated he'll be out about two weeks.
That means he could miss five of their seven exhibition games, including last night's preseason-opening 101-92 victory over the Sixers at the University of South Carolina campus. But that's nothing compared to what might have been.
"I think it's definitely good news," Curry said at the morning shoot-around. "Going in, we were just hoping the rotator cuff was healthy. It was. It was unharmed, so it's definitely good news."
The Knicks won't set a timetable until today, after team orthopedist Dr. Answorth Allen studies the MRI. The Knicks want to confirm that local doctors didn't miss anything and that surgery is not required - their belief now.
"If this is going to be a long-term thing, yeah [it hurts]," coach Isiah Thomas said. "But if [he's] going to miss a couple of weeks and we're going to fall apart in a couple of weeks, then we shouldn't be doing this."
Curry claimed it was "very realistic" he could be ready next Wednesday in Boston, but that's a big stretch. It's not his decision. The Knicks' medical staff plan to be extra cautious, especially in the wake of rushing back David Lee and Quentin Richardson last season and allowing Jamal Crawford to play with a stress fracture.
Zach Randolph made a sharp debut last night with 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting. But he may not see much time with Curry.
"He's got to get right," Randolph said of Curry. "That's the most important thing. He's not going to be out for no month. We definitely want to get chemistry ... but it's preseason."
source : nypost.com
Pistons Beat Undermanned Heat
Detroit 103, Miami 86
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 8 (AP) -- Tayshaun Prince scored 13 points and Chauncey Billups added 12 to help the Detroit Pistons beat the undermanned Miami Heat 103-86 in the exhibition opener Monday night.
The Heat were missing Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning, who all stayed in Florida to deal with injuries. Udonis Haslem and Antoine Walker spent the night on the bench.
Detroit had its regular lineup, other than unsigned Chris Webber, and dominated from beginning to end.
Richard Hamilton scored 11 for Detroit, including a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, while Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess combined for 15 rebounds in 42 minutes.
source : NBA.com
Randolph Leads Knicks To Preseason Win Over 76ers
New York 101, Philadelphia 92
COLUMBIA, S.C., Oct. 8 (AP)-- New York coach Isiah Thomas knew what he had in standout forward Zach Randolph.
New York's biggest offseason acquisition scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the Knicks' 101-92 victory over Philadelphia on Monday night as both teams opened preseason play.
Thomas was clearly focused on improving his team's performance upon his arrival.
Randolph could help the Knicks a lot this season.
He averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds for Portland last year. The Knicks traded Steve Francis and Channing Frye to the Trail Blazers in a draft-night deal for the 6-foot-9 Randolph. New York also got Fred Jones and Dan Dickau, who has since been waived.
Randolph showed his worth quickly against the 76ers. He hit consecutive outside jumpers as New York led 11-5. Randolph made his next three shots and the Knicks took a 40-28 lead.
Thomas had hoped to see Randolph and last year's top scorer, Eddy Curry, paired on the front line. But Curry went back to New York after an MRI revealed a labral tear in his right shoulder. He will be evaluated by the team's orthopedist Tuesday.
David Lee led the Knicks with 18 points.
Andre Miller had 17 points to lead Philadelphia.
source : NBA.com
