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This is very interesting, but it would be nice to know more details regarding the extent of the collaboration.
USA - San Antonio joins forces with mens Sana
http://www.fiba.com/pages/en/news/la...r_cat=8&page=1
SIENA (Lega A) - The NBA has been plucking some of the finest talent from Europe for more than a decade with the San Antonio Spurs among the clubs to benefit.
Now the most cosmopolitan team in the league, which has Frenchman Tony Parker, Argentinian Emanuel Ginobili and Slovenians Rasho Nesterovic and Beno Udrih in the squad, has approached Italian champions Montepaschi Siena about moving forward together in partnership.
"The San Antonio Spurs have contacted the Biancoverde club to consider a collaboration in the future," said a statement on the Siena website,
menssanabasket.it.
"In the past few days, a letter signed by Sam Presti, director of player personnel at San Antonio Spurs, arrived at the club in which, apart from complimenting our team, says they have considered the idea that both clubs undertake a common path to reach different strategies, but all linked to basketball of the highest level.
"Mens Sana Basket has welcomed the proposal and has already opened the relevant channels to reach as soon as possible a collaboration with the
Spurs."
The talent-rich Spurs have the sensational Team USA star Tim Duncan, but the contributions of the foreigners - particularly Parker and Ginobili - are major factors in the success of the team.
They both shone two years ago when the Spurs captured the NBA crown, and not surprisingly, each was recently signed to long-term contracts.
Long before Ginobili was dazzling NBA audiences with his play, and before his MVP performance with gold medal winning Argentina at the Olympics, he was a star in Italy.
At Virtus Bologna, Ginobili hit the height of his fame when he led the team to glory at the Euroleague Final Four in Vitoria, Spain.
Montepaschi clearly see the Spurs' interest as recognition for their achievements.
Last year, coach Carlo Recalcati steered the team to their first-ever Italian le and into the Euroleague Final Four.
Siena general manager Ferdinando Minucci says he has already begun talks with the NBA giants.
"We are very proud," he said. "I've had a long chat with Presti and he has told me that he has heard a lot about us, about our projects and the great attention we put into our youth programmes.
"They have chosen us because they believe Siena has become a reality as a basketball force in Europe."
If the Spurs' interest adds to Mens Sana's prestige, the Italian club will give the Spurs a window to look at Europe, something that was confirmed by Minucci.
"Our main aim is to share the know-how of the two clubs and to use this collaboration to have a more in-depth knowledge of scouting in Europe," he said.
This is very interesting, but it would be nice to know more details regarding the extent of the collaboration.
Spurs one step ahead again. Maybe a place to stash draft picks for development to play the Spurs way?
That's exactly what crossed my mind. Is this going to be a "farm team" of sorts?
I am trying to find out details on what this collaboration means exactly. I'll post here if I find out anything.
Spurs will likely have two late first round draft picks this year. Wouldn't surprise me to see them use both on Euro-projects.
Thanks, Kori
Spurs should join forces with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia)! They "produced" players like:
-Beno Udrih
-Marko Milic (ex Suns)
-Vladimir Stepania (I think he played for Blazers but I'm not sure)
-Jiri Welsh (Celtics)
-Primoz Brezec (Bobcats)
-Sarunas Jasikevicius (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
-Boris Gorenc (ex Bulls)
-Rasho also played for Olimpija (but he was in conflict with coach)
-And a lot of players who plays in Euroleague.
Olimpija signed these players when they mean nothing in bball and all of them leave Olimpija in 2-3 years and gone in biger (richer) clubs!
Name me some players Siena Montepaschi produced, not buy for big money!
I understand that there's no truth to any collaboration between the teams and the article is completely inaccurate.
Just another case of bad reporting, I guess.
Maybe bad reporting will lead to a good idea of sorts! Who knows?
Probably just a ploy by Pop to score some vintage Italian wines.
whoa...
Of course, it could also be CIA Pop in action...
Win-Win scenario...
Spurs get a European Farm System established
Siena learn Pop's secret 4-Down Formula, and gains pre-release access to Pop's notes on his upcoming book "Three Emotional Levels for Motivation to Better Basketball: Serenity, Seething, and Serbian".
Actually, few years ago when Primoz Brezec went to Indiana, there was a lot of talk about the cooperation between the Pacers organisation and Olimpija Ljubljana. If i remember correct, they even signed some kind of contract. However, that summer was the last that I heard of it...
Well, lets see if the Spurs can make it more succesfull.
Like I said, the Spurs aren't doing anything. This article is completely false -- Bad reporting.
Strange. The FIBA article's based on a report that is actually posted on the Montepaschi Siena team website here:
http://www.menssanabasket.it/index.aspx.
I don't know Italian, but a crude Internet translation seems to confirm FIBA's interpretation. I wonder why the team would post such a thing if it's not true?
I know it's on a few Italian sites. But it's not true.
I believe you, Kori, I'm just curious what the motivation behind the story was.
It certainly could be a CIA operation, Lega A seems like a good triple A farm system to park draft picks since Tony and his agent's team already cons utes a de facto double A in France (remember the raised eyebrows when the "Sanikidze to Paris Basket Racing" rumors were floated?). This is light years ahead of anything the NBA might have in mind and would undermine the NBDL, so there's no way the Spurs can claim any knowledge.
or is it just CIA Pop at his best?
either way the publicity for the Spurs recruiting in Italy cannot be a bad thing. If the players aren't that good then it's a red herring for the Spurs. Let the other NBA teams pursue this team while Spurs mine the other European teams for real talent. Pop has shown (despite Kevin O'Keiff's efforts) that he and RC have a great network established in Europe.
It's kinda like Greenspan with the stock market, I am really gonna miss when Pop decides to retire.
Maybe its what the Italian club wants and was hoping to spark some interest by the Spurs.
Even if it is bad reporting and false info it sure as is interesting.
This could lead to some interesting developments in the way scouting is done by the Spurs and later other nba teams.
David Stern may even be able to put his own spoin on this...
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