HoopsHype.com Rumors

Gustavo Ayon doesn't want to stay in the NBA and he's very happy about reaching an agreement with FC Barcelona six months ago. Encestando

Milwaukee Bucks, FC Barcelona, Spain, Gustavo Ayon 

FC Barcelona wants to sign a multi-year contract with Kostas Papanikolau and they have already contacted him. Papanikolau has a great offer from CSKA Moscow too. Papanikolau would like to play in the NBA, let's say in a couple of years. SER

FC Barcelona, Spain, Russia, CSKA Moscow, Kostas Papanikolaou 

On August 4 2009, the day in which FC Bacelona made an offer to Joventut Badalona for Ricky Rubio, detectives from Metodo 3 agency spied on Rubio's family. During those weeks, Rubio was deciding whether to stay in Barcelona, go to another Spanish club like Real Madrid or Unicaja or jump to the NBA. El Periodico

Minnesota Timberwolves, Ricky Rubio, FC Barcelona, Spain 

"We checked Mr. Rubio was at his home and we checked both the front door and the parking and common areas," said the detective. El Periodico

Minnesota Timberwolves, Ricky Rubio, FC Barcelona, Spain 

"Gotta say that I think LeBron's job is probably a little harder," Nowitzki said. "Messi can hide sometimes and only needs one genius touch to look good. LeBron can never hide. Eyes are always on him. But he's just such a better athlete than anyone we've ever seen. He just makes the game look easy." ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, FC Barcelona, Spain, Lionel Messi 

There are natural goal-scoring strikers and Stockton-esque midfield setup men all over the world soccer map, but no one has ever combined those two talents like Messi. Not even Maradona. Which is why a certain Mr. Bryant, self-avowed Barcelona fanatic, chimed in to say that Messi actually has more in common with The Great One than basketball's Chosen One. "Messi," Kobe told ESPN.com this week, "is more (Wayne) Gretzky." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, FC Barcelona, Spain, NHL, Lionel Messi, Wayne Gretzky 

For Luol Deng, All-Star swingman from the Chicago Bulls and a lifelong Arsenal supporter who knows precisely how it feels to chase James around a 94-by-50 hunk of wood, it's Messi. Deng introduces an interesting fresh variable by bringing up Messi's ceiling, which is indeed higher than LeBron's because his whole legacy changes in a dramatic way if Argentina wins just one World Cup in his time. "As good as LeBron is," Deng says, "I have to go with Messi. Because what he's doing, he's about to, he's on pace to (become) the best ever." Whoever Barcelona's playing, you're just interested to watch because Messi's playing." ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Luol Deng, FC Barcelona, Spain, Lionel Messi 

Said Simone Sandri, NBA correspondent for Italy's famed La Gazzetta dello Sport and a former professional soccer player in his country's Serie B and Serie C divisions with, among others, his hometown club Novara: "If I have to cast my vote, I have to say LeBron. Leo is obviously having another fantastic season, but LeBron, in my opinion, is having a bigger impact. Barca is such a machine that I really believe, for the sake of argument, that they could afford a Messi injury and still reach some of their goals at the end of the season. "It's hard to imagine the same thing for the LeBron-less Heat. I would have to say that, right now, LeBron is bigger threat to his opponents. Not to put Messi down, but shutting Messi down does not mean shutting Barca down. That's a team that can hurt you in many ways. Shutting down LeBron doesn't guarantee you a win over the Heat, either, but it's a bigger step in that direction." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Media, FC Barcelona, Spain, Italy, Lionel Messi, Simone Sandri 

Ethan J. Skolnick: ... I asked LeBron pregame for 5 athletes in other sports he most likes to watch. His off-cuff answer: AP, Messi, Djokovic, Brady, Tiger.... Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Miami Heat, LeBron James, FC Barcelona, Spain, Tiger Woods, Lionel Messi, Novak Djokovic, Tom Brady 

Gustavo Ayon: FC Barcelona has not reached out to me. But If it was up to me, if it was my call, we would have talked already. Since it's basically not up to me, I don't want to cause them any harm by telling them I could go there. If the situation continues like this this season and the following one, I would love to go over there. SER

Milwaukee Bucks, FC Barcelona, Gustavo Ayon 

International basketball source says we should anticipate the stream of NBA-caliber talent coming from overseas to dip in coming years because the economy has shrunk the pool of talent foreign clubs are capable of supporting. The biggest clubs -- the Real Madrids and Barcelonas and CSKA Moscows -- will continue to find and work with the best of the best, but the price of training and developing young players and the dwindling number of companies with discretionary funds to serve as sponsors is thinning the herd. Sulia

Draft, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Spain, Russia, CSKA Moscow 

Gustavo Ayon thinks he will end the season with the Bucks. However, FC Barcelona has the chance to convince the Bucks to buy out Ayon's contract. El Contraataque

Milwaukee Bucks, FC Barcelona, Spain, Gustavo Ayon 

Everything's set up: a contract for the rest of the season and two more, earning 1.5 million euros ($2 million) per year. El Contraataque

Milwaukee Bucks, FC Barcelona, Spain, Gustavo Ayon 

While the minutes have been limited for him playing behind Euro basketball maintays like Juan Carlos Navarro and Pete Mickeal, Ingles says he's relished his experience with Barça. The NBA, a lifelong dream for Ingles, could very well come next. "My dream (growing up) was playing in the NBA," Ingles said during the Spanish Cup that takes place this week in Vitoria. "Also playing in the Olympics with Australia. That's huge for us. But obviously everybody that plays basketball wants to play in the NBA one day." HoopsHype

FC Barcelona, Joe Ingles 

Emiliano Carchia: Juan Carlos Navarro is the first player ever to score 3.000 or more points in Euroleague Twitter @SportandoBasket

Euroleague, FC Barcelona, Spain, Juan Carlos Navarro 

The Oklahoma City Thunder will pursue Pete Mickeal when his contract with FC Barcelona is over. TuBasket.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Free Agency, Pete Mickeal, FC Barcelona 

Chris Vernon: More News: If Grizzlies don't sign Walker/West - are considering Micah Downs, Eddie House, or Joe Ingles (currently in Barcelona) Twitter @ChrisVernonShow

Memphis Grizzlies, Free Agency, Eddie House, FC Barcelona, Spain, Joe Ingles, Micah Downs 

Guess who Kobe's talking about: "I don't think I've ever seen a player really at any level in any sport play ..." "I don't think I've ever seen a player really at any level in any sport play at such a high level of efficiency. He's just been phenomenal." Bryant was praising Barcelona's Lionel Messi. "The year that Messi is having is just off the charts." Sulia

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, FC Barcelona, Spain, Lionel Messi 

Emilio Duran, Gustavo Ayon's agent, confirmed FC Barcelona has bought the rights to his client should he leave the NBA. ESPN.com

Orlando Magic, FC Barcelona, Gustavo Ayon 

"The truth is he's in the NBA now. He's happy and hopes to stay in the NBA for many years," Duran said. ESPN.com

Orlando Magic, FC Barcelona, Gustavo Ayon