('Fort' Lauderdale)
(Point guard Mike Conley Jr. gave San Antonio major work in the 2011 Playoffs!)
98 (Playoffs - 1st Rd - Game 1)
One to Remember - The #2 performance of April happens to be one our favorite games of the entire season. Mike Conley Jr. and the Memphis Grizzlies capped a very good regular season with a rewarding entry into the 2011 NBA Playoffs. It was the fourth playoff apperance in franchise history and first since the year 2006. As the 8th seed, the Grizzlies were matched up with the heavily favored one seeded San Antonio Spurs.
In what was his first career playoff game, Conley simply did what he had been doing all season long..the former Buckeye calmly ran the show by getting everyone involved and judiciously picking his spots to contribute offensively. Mike hit Marc Gasol on a pick & roll to account for the first points of playoffs, and his last assist of the game was to Shane Battier for the crucial game winning three. By the end of the contest, Mike finished with a double-double of 15 points & 10 assists! But more importantly, the Grizzlies shocked the Spurs in the 101-98 road victory..a game that would in affect set the tone for the whole series.
(Former Buckeye Dallas Lauderdale getting hyped!)
The summer transfer season is definitely starting to heat up. This is currently one of the toughest basketball markets in sometime, so it is especially exciting to read about former Buckeyes landing in good situations. David Lighty signed on with a powerful Italian Team that will play in the Euroleague (Europe's highest level), Je'Kel Foster's new club has one of the biggest budgets in Germany, and they are slated to play in the Eurocup (Europe's 2nd highest level). The latest international reports are about another Ohio State rookie to be, Dallas Lauderdale.
Multiple media outlets out of Poland are reporting that former Buckeye Dallas Lauderdale will play for Polish League runner-up PGE Turow! Lauderdale steadily improved in each of his years at Ohio State. He would leave as one of the best shot blockers in the University's history. Dallas will now introduce is awesome defensive skills to a host of unwary slashers and post players in Europe
called Zgorzelec. Turow finished 2nd in last year's Regular Season standings and lost in the finals of the Polish League Playoffs by just one game to powerhouse Prokom. This is clearly a club on the rise.
(Screencap - Nikos Zisis & Kosta Koufos of the Greek National Team- 2009 Eurobasket Preparation)
FIBA Time - After a couple dry Summer months without Pro Basketball, international fans can finally get excited again with the onset of the worldwide FIBA zone national team tournaments in August/September 2011. These biennial competitions determine the very best national squads in the Americas, Africa, Asia & Europe. The top finishers of these tournaments not only attain prestige as the best teams of their respective continents, but they will also qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England as well.
Koufos rejoins Hellas - The 2011 European Championship aka Eurobasket will take place in the country of Lithuania (starting in late August/Early September). Former Buckeye & Greek-American (3 years pro) Kosta Koufos departed from the States en route to Greece in early July to prepare for the upcoming tournament. The final roster is not quite set yet, but Koufos looks like a lock to be one of Greece's big men for Eurobasket.
Greece can use Kosta - Koufos' first stint with Senior Greek National team was up & down. He was able to get a lot of run in the preparation stage & played relatively well. But the rotation shrunk under then NT coach Jonas Kazlauskas when the real games kicked in which didn't allow for many minutes. Koufos hopes to transition his year of improvement with Minnesota/Denver into some contribution at the 2011 tournament.
(Oden in Cali)"Wendell Maxey of Beyond The Beat interviews music producer Kevin Moyer, who explains what it was like working with Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden on a song for his new record, "Live From Nowhere Near You: Volume Two."
(He's still the man to us!)
The Portland Trailblazers made center Greg Oden a restricted free-agent with an $8.8 million qualifying offer in late June 2011."If the Blazers tender Oden, there are several ways they can retain him. They can sit back and gauge what the free agent market will be for the talented but injury-plagued 7-foot center and match any offer Oden receives. If interest is minimal, they can simply sign him to the one-year $8.8 million deal.- (Source - Link)
They can also offer and sign Oden to a multi-year contract, gambling that the player who has played in just 82 games and endured three knee surgeries during his four-year career is destined for a long and healthy return. Oden, it seems, is open to a long-term return to Portland."
The Future - There was much speculation throughout the season about Portland's plans concerning Oden. All reports and statements from the franchise indicate that they intend to remain in his corner. With the uncertainty around Greg's health, that $8.8 million tender will be a bit of a risk for a club to take on in the post collective bargaining agreement NBA. There's currently no timetable on when G.O. will be back on the court, or when the NBA Lockout will end as well.
(Je'Kel Foster)
BuckeyeBallersTV - Video clips of former Buckeye Je'Kel Foster in his 5th season of professional basketball. Foster played for Vanoli Cremona of the Italian Serie A in the 2010/2011 season.
(Buckeye Star Je'Kel Foster played his fifth season of professional basketball in the Italian Serie A for Vanoli Cremona)
Big News ! Late July 2011 brought us more exciting international transfer news concerning one of our Buckeye Ballers. Rising German club FC Bayern Munich officially announced the addition of Buckeye Je'Kel Foster on July 21 (a day before Foster's 28th Birthday!).
The next German Power? Je'Kel Foster's new team FC Bayern Munich is currently on a meteoric rise in German Basketball. As we understand it, the Bavarian sports club has mainly been known for its football team, but a recent increase in financial support and sponsorship for basketball has catapulted Munich into many hardwood conversations in Germany and Europe.
(Oklahoma City Thunder center - #23 Byron Mullens)
Thunder Keeps Core - The Oklahoma City Thunder exercised contract options on five players in late June; James Harden, Eric Maynor, Serge Ibaka, Cole Aldrich, and former Buckeye Byron Mullens. J.A Sherman of Loud City perfectly explained the Mullens' contract situation."Harden, Ibaka, Maynor, and Mullens all had their 4th year options exercised, while Aldrich had his 3rd year option exercised. When a team exercises a player option, it means that they extend that players contract for one more season at a salary no less than the prior year's amount.J.A. Sherman - Loud City (Source - Link)
Harden, Maynor, and Mullens were all drafted in 2009, so they are entering their 3rd year of play, and their 4th year is the last year under their rookie contracts. Subsequently, the team will be able to negotiate with each of them (likely in two years) for extended contracts. All of those contract extension negotiations will likely occur under a new collective bargaining agreement."
Questions - Byron Mullens should be used to this NBA thing by now, the 2011/2012 season will be his 3rd year of professional basketball. Despite not earning many rotation minutes in his first two years, OKC still likes his work ethic and potential to contribute to their team. Yet, right now it is kind of hard to foresee him breaking into the rotation with fellow centers Kendrick Perkins, vet Nazr Muhammad, and Cole Adrich on the team. All three of those players are very physical. Can Byron Mullens match their level of physicality and intensity? Will Byron display a level of on court awareness and rebounding prowess that OKC's staff wants to see in his third season?
(Elite: Cleveland native David Lighty will play on the highest level of European Basketball next season..a feat which is almost unheard of for an American Rookie)
Lighty Joins Italian Power - The biggest news of the 2011 Summer transfer season hit at the end of the first week of July when former Ohio Star David Lighty reportedly signed with Italian Serie A Club Cantu for his first professional basketball season. David's 'lockout dilemma' was highly publicized some weeks ago where the Cleveland native had to decide between waiting out the NBA lockout in hopes of making a team in vet-camp or accepting a guaranteed contract overseas. The latter (overseas) ended up prevailing and his rookie destination is indeed a great situation.
Serie A - The Italian League aka the Serie A or Lega A (meaning top division) is one of the strongest domestic leagues in European Basketball. We closely followed Italian basketball last season due to the Serie A participation of Buckeyes Je'Kel Foster & Othello Hunter. Balance & parity is the name of the game in this league, every team is relatively strong with the ability to compete and defeat each other on any given night. The Serie A also features great organization (media coverage) and many raucous crowd environments.
Cantu - David Lighty's rookie club is called Pallacanestro Cantu aka Bennet Cantu (Bennet is the sponsor) or simply Cantu. Cantu, Italy is located in the Lombardia province near capital city Milan. Bennet Cantu has recently enjoyed a recent rise in the Serie A under Croatian-American head coach Andrea Trinchier. The club finished second in the regular season standings (22-8) and also second in the league playoffs (falling in the finals to perennial power Siena 3-1) Cantu is known for their balanced offensive attack & strong defense which is said to be a great fit for Mr. Lighty. David reportedly signed a two year deal with Cantu with a clause that he can leave for the NBA after one season. (a type of deal like this from a top club wouldn't have been there in the fall)
Euroleague ! Cantu earned a birth into the 2011/2012 Euroleague season due to finishing 2nd in the Italian League last season! As we have noted in the past, the Euroleague is an elite competition, separate from domestic league play, where a collection of the best teams in Europe compete against each other to determine the very best team in Europe.
schedules. When the Euroleague schedule hits, Cantu will play an Italian League game on the weekend and then play a Euroleague game during the week. That all means that David Lighty will play on the highest level of basketball outside the NBA, a rare feat for an American Rookie!
(Buckeye Jim Cleamons won a total of six NBA Championships as member of the Los Angeles Lakers, one as a player & 5 as an assistant coach!)
The Next Career Phase - According to early July 2011 reports, former Ohio State Buckeye, and long time NBA assistant coach Jim Cleamons will be a head coach in the Chinese Basketball Association next season.
(The Ohio State University officially announced Chris Jent as an Assistant Basketball Coach on June 29, 2011)
Jent to Coach at tOSU! The biggest Ohio State Basketball news of the summer of 2011 broke in late June when the University officially announced former Buckeye Chris Jent as the newest addition to the Buckeye Basketball coaching staff!"It was definitely two-headed," Jent said. "The pull to the university and also to work with coach Matta and his staff allows me to expand my experience in coaching. The fact that it's my alma mater and a place I have a strong tie to, a strong gut feeling towards, and a great amount of passion to, made it easy."The Lantern - Former Buckeye, NBA Coach Joins Ohio State's Coaching Staff
(Dayton's own Daequan Cook)"The Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday extended Daequan Cook a qualifying offer, which officially makes the sharpshooting guard a restricted free agent this summer.
The team had until June 30 to exercise the option. By doing so, the Thunder now has the right to match any contract offer Cook might receive from another team this summer.
Cook, entering his fifth season out of Ohio State, on numerous occasions has voiced his desire to return to the Thunder next season. The feeling is believed to be mutual on the part of the organization."
The perseverance of former Buckeye Daequan Cook has to be one of our favorite stories from the 2010/2011 season. Cook started the basketball year out with an honest shooter's slump. He didn't play many rotation minutes in the first half of the season, but Daequan stayed with it and ended up emerging as a key outside threat for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2011. And now there is a strong possibility that Cook will remain as a key piece for a Thunder team that should be making some big time noise in the NBA for a long time.
(Screencap - Mike Conley Jr. -April 27 - San Antonio, Texas - 2011 NBA Playoffs)
4.27.2011 - Memphis Grizzlies 103 at San Antonio Spurs 110 OT (Playoffs Round One - Game 5)
Conley Messed with Texas - Buckeye Star Mike Conley Jr. hurt the #1 seeded San Antonio Spurs with several solid games throughout their round one series in the 2011 NBA playoffs. Mike had one of his best games vs the Spurs in the game 5 road clash on April 27.
(Tony Stockman - Mexico Circa 2008)
Catching up with Tony - Former Ohio State Buckeye Tony Stockman conducted a radio interview with ESPN (850) Cleveland's Kenny Roda on July 3, 2011. In this informative conversation, Tony discusses a number of topics including a brief review of where he has played professionally, his feelings on playing in Latin America, and new the Cleveland Cavalier Omri Casspi, a former teammate of Stockman in Isreal.
(A stoic looking Jon Diebler at the Blazer's introductory press conference)"Being a second round pick, you obviously have some flexibility," Buchanan said. "Whether you bring him over immediately or if you want to have him play overseas for a season. We'll sit down with his agent and talk about some options for Jon. But he's obviously got an NBA skill. Finding the right time to have him on our roster is something that we have to discuss."BlazersEdge - Blazers Introduce Rookies Nolan Smith & Jon Diebler
David's Dilemma - Okay, so we were all super hot about Buckeye great David Lighty not being selected on draft night. But we quickly learned thereafter that Lighty was actually contacted by several teams in the second round about being drafted. But because of roster concerns/issues, that pick what have been based on the condition that David play a year overseas (Link). Lighty declined those offers, opting instead to have more options as an undrafted free agent.
What about Dallas? - We just haven't heard or read much about Dallas Lauderdale in pre and post draft discussions. When we think about Dallas, former Buckeye Ken Johnson comes to mind, a super shot blocker who was able to enjoy a long career overseas by primarily protecting the rim..(Dallas can do that if he wants to).
Lima, Ohio - The Lima Explosion (ABA) presents the Summer Shoot-Out against Jamar Butler as part of the 4th of July holiday weekend. Fans in Lima, Ohio can test their shooting skills versus former Ohio State Buckeye and pro basketball player Jamar Butler in a 3-point contest.(Image - Mersin, Turkey - April 2024 - Stephanie Mavunga ) Elite - Buckeye Pro Stephanie Mavunga (OSU 2016-2018) has consistently played o...
