HoopsHype.com Rumors

David 'Dubi' Pick: Misko Raznatovic, agent for David Blatt, denies rumors liking his client would opt out of Maccabi for NBA gig. Twitter @IAmDPick

Coaching, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv, David Blatt 

David 'Dubi' Pick: Asian reports linked Maccabi TLV coach David Blatt to Chinese national-team. Sources tell me Blatt was offered the position but declined. Twitter @IAmDPick

Coaching, FIBA, China, David Blatt 

Take a look at the transcript below from Colangelo’s recent interview on SheridanHoopsRadio. When the subject of who would replace Mike Krzyzewski was raised, Colangelo threw Rivers’ name out there without any prompting. (And while he was at it, he flat-out rejected the notion of Russia’s head coach, David Blatt, an Israeli-American who played collegiately at Princeton, coming under consideration for the job. The next Team USA coach will lead the team in the summer of 2014 at the World Cup (formerly known as the World Championship) in Spain. SheridanHoops

Coaching, USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski, David Blatt 

A brilliant run for David Blatt with Russia's national team has come to an end. The man who guided the Russians to a gold medal at EuroBasket 2007 and bronze at EuroBasket 2011 and this summer's Olympics, has decided it's time to step down. In a statement issued by the Russian Basketball Federation, Blatt said: "With mixed feelings, I announce my retirement from the national team of Russia, a team that was a significant part of my professional life. "My decision is based solely on my sense of what is now the right time. "I do it for personal reasons. "Our joint achievements are exceptional, and have historical significance. "The impact that we have had on the development of basketball in Russia was very positive and ambitious. "I am grateful for the invitation from the Russian Basketball Federation leadership for the opportunity to work with outstanding, talented Russian players. FIBA Europe

Coaching, Russia, David Blatt 

David Blatt confirms Malcolm Thomas will join Maccabi Tel Aviv. BasketActu.com

Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv, David Blatt, Malcolm Thomas 

Michael Cunningham: Source says Larry Drew is not seeking to add Blatt to staff. At Maccabi camp to observe, learn, share ideas. Twitter

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Larry Drew, David Blatt 

The coach of Atlanta Hawks, Larry Drew, landed in Tel Aviv and will meet him, according to this report in the practice of Maccabi. Blatt signed this summer a new three years contract with the team, but nobody knows what the future holds for him as he is rumored to have a turbulent relation with the club’s brass. However, he is expected to stay a resident of Tel Aviv for next season. EuroHoops.net

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Israel, Larry Drew, David Blatt 

The head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv and Russian National Basketball Team David Blatt may become the assistant coach of the Atlanta Hawks. Larry Drew has come to Israel today to watch and analyze Blatt’s work with Israel’s champions. Sport Express

Atlanta Hawks, Coaching, Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Larry Drew, David Blatt 

Sean Deveney: Rus coach David Blatt said #Timberwolves F Andrei Kirilenko (2-12 FG, 5-10 FT) played Fri's semifinal w a bad quad. "He had to have a shot" Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Andrei Kirilenko, Injuries, Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

On the eve of the quarterfinals game, French coach Vincent Collet stopped to visit with Russia's coach David Blatt at the Lee Valley Training Center to probe him on some defensive ideas for Spain. For a few moments, they talked about the Spain-Brazil game, and the French coach made clear his belief that Spain had gone down for the count. Yahoo! Sports

Coaching, Spain, Russia, France, Olympics, David Blatt, Vincent Collet 

"What's a little frightening and unjust about European tournaments is that you have all this tactical playing for points and for games," Russia coach David Blatt said. "In the NBA, you've got series, so there's no such thing. This is happening in a real-time, competitive environment, and you don't like to see it. I would say most don't do it, but there are those who play the system. I would never do it, under any circumstance. But some do." Yahoo! Sports

Coaching, Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

Strange substitutions, wide-open Brazilian shots, the usual European brew for a tanking. Spain's coaches and players strongly denied it, but no one bought it. "What's a little frightening and unjust about European tournaments is that you have all this tactical playing for points and for games," Russia coach David Blatt said. "In the NBA, you've got series, so there's no such thing. This is happening in a real-time, competitive environment, and you don't like to see it. I would say most don't do it, but there are those who play the system. I would never do it, under any circumstance. But some do." Yahoo! Sports

Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

Jeff Zillgitt: RUS David Blatt on semi vs. ESP: "On paper they are stronger than we are. Fortunately, we are going to play on the court & not the notebook" Twitter

Spain, Russia, David Blatt 

Now the U.S. enters the medal round facing the possibility of a gold-medal final against Russia, and in many ways, the story of this Russian team is harder to believe than the outcome of 1972. For these Russians are coached by David Blatt, a Jewish-American whose religion and nationality would have made him an antagonist of the old Soviets. "Oh, people were looking at me like I had three heads," Blatt said of his 2006 hiring by the Russian federation. "It was not a popular decision. "You take an American growing up in the time of the Cold War, add to it the fact that I'm Jewish and with an Israeli passport, and then you time- warp me into the ex-Soviet Union as the head of the Russian men's basketball team. It's almost mind-boggling. And I lasted! I didn't get my head chopped off in the first year or two." SI.com

Coaching, USA Basketball, Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

"Now I'm part of the fabric of the basketball society,'' Blatt said of his standing in Russian basketball, which led to his recognition at a formal ceremony at the Kremlin after the European Championship. "Those good people gave me the highest order for coaching in Russia, and no foreigner has ever received that. That says it all right there." SI.com

Coaching, USA Basketball, Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

This Russian team is built around 31-year-old Andrei Kirilenko, who exploited the NBA lockout as a reason to return home and play for CSKA. He regained his health and his energy, and in these Olympics he has looked like the younger Kirilenko who was an All-Star for the 2003-04 Utah Jazz. His teammates are all younger with the wherewithal to provide Blatt with size at every position, enabling them to extend their defense and create easy baskets. "With him the Russian team got a face," Kirilenko said of Blatt. "We don't have a great scorer, but we're going to have a team game. We're going to have a great team defensively, we're going to have a press, and we glue it together." SI.com

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, USA Basketball, Andrei Kirilenko, Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

“I would hope that the countries would be in an uproar about this,” Russia coach David Blatt told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday “Who is one country to determine for everyone how international basketball should be played, and particularly how the Olympic Games should be managed? It’s not supposed to be like that. If it’s a global game, it’s a global game.” Yahoo! Sports

Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

On his way to the bus, on his way to perhaps a gold medal meeting with the United States, David Blatt had one final message for the Commissioner of the NBA: “You just don’t mess with the Olympic Games.” Yahoo! Sports

David Stern, Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

David Blatt has told the story many times, but his first few days as coach of a Russian basketball team were not joyous. He couldn't communicate with his players; his players couldn't communicate with him. He was a Jewish American who'd lived in Israel and raised his family, now trying to make a go of it in a country whose history with Jews is littered with horrors. One morning, not sure if he hadn't made a terrible mistake, Blatt went to get something to eat with his assistant coach, Kestutis Kemzura. While waiting for their food, a man plopped down on the stool next to them. In Russian, he asked for a shot of vodka, and downed it. Thirty seconds later, the man asked for another shot, and downed that one, too. Blatt asked Kemzura what was going on. "Russian breakfast," Kemzura replied. "I knew then that I was gonna like it there," Blatt said Sunday. NBA.com

Coaching, Russia, Olympics, David Blatt 

Blatt has earned a reputation around the world as one of basketball's best coaches. He has won everywhere over the last decade, culminating in Russia's upset victory to capture the 2007 EuroCup over dominant Spain, a tournament hosted by Madrid. "He's got respect from Russia, which is a really difficult country to get respect from," says Tony Ronzone, the longtime international scout now working with the Mavericks, and who has scouted opponents for USA Basketball for the past several years. NBA.com

Coaching, Russia, Olympics, Tony Ronzone, David Blatt