HoopsHype.com Rumors

Q: What do you think about the changes FIBA is making to the international calendar? Think we'll ever get to the point where the NBA takes breaks during the season like they do in soccer, so players can join up with their national teams and play qualifying games during the (NBA's) regular season? A: To be honest, I don't know. Unfortunately I'm not going to make it (long enough) for when these changes get in. You want me to play until I'm 40 years old? I don't think so. ESPN.com

Minnesota Timberwolves, FIBA, Andrei Kirilenko, Russia, Olympics 

Langdon said playing in Europe allowed him to experience new cultures, especially during his six years in Moscow. Like most of us, all he knew were stereotypes of the city, but he learned to understand and enjoy Russian culture. “It’s 15 million people there, you can get anything you need there, the language is difficult, but in terms of getting what you want, it’s like New York,” he said. “The people there are harsh at the beginning. They are just not going to embrace you immediately, especially if you are new. “For me, with the players, it wasn’t about being a person of color at all, it was more about being an American than anything.” Boston Globe

Russia, Trajan Langdon, CSKA Moscow 

Langdon said his Russian teammates were slow to embrace him because they were unsure whether he would commit to the team or bolt for the NBA at the first call. “There was a level of mistrust at first because they don’t know if you are going to stick around,” he said. “Once I signed my contract extension with CSKA, they began to act differently towards me because I made a commitment to being there.” Boston Globe

Russia, Trajan Langdon, CSKA Moscow 

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 

For Prokhorov, who ran for the Russian presidency this spring, this is a chance to see a cultural exchange between two countries that sometimes don’t see eye-to-eye. “For me, it’s very sad to see the U.S. relationship [with Russia] is getting worse and worse all the time," Prokhorov said. "What is the reason? Because we have a lack of cultural, business and, before, sports. We have a lot in common … we’re countries with big territory, multi-national, and a very good level of culture. “We have a big Russian diaspora here in the United States, but we still have a lack of business. Maybe that’s the biggest problem. When you have a lack of business and culture, politics is very vulnerable. I hope this cultural event will be a small drop in fulfilling this task … it’s very important.” New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia, United States 

DETAILS: Do you think Putin should have been allowed to return to the Kremlin? He could be there another 12 years—that's a long time. Mikhail Prokhorov: I proposed limiting the presidency to two four-year terms without the possibility of running again. If you ask me, yes, it's a long time. DETAILS: If you are ever elected president, will there be a First Lady? Mikhail Prokhorov: Of course. Her name is Russia. details.com

Brooklyn Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, Russia 

Russian team leader Andrei Kirilenko plans to play not just in Rio, but also in the 2020 Olympics. BasketNews.lt

Minnesota Timberwolves, Andrei Kirilenko, Russia, Olympics 

A young, outgoing NBA player traveling to Russia with his agent will receive a guided tour of Moscow from one of the world’s most eligible and wealthiest bachelors. Sounds like a comedy movie script, but it is part of what awaits the Nets’ MarShon Brooks when he leaves Tuesday to participate in the NBA-sponsored Basketball Without Borders Europe, which goes to Russia for the first time this week. The NBA, FIBA and Russian Basketball Federation have lined up current and former NBA players plus Russian legends for the Sept. 13-16 event, which features a camp for 50 of the top European prospects, hailing from more than 25 countries. New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, Russia, Marshon Brooks 

And, of course, no basketball event in Russia could be complete without a connection to Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who intends to show off Moscow to Brooks and his agent, Seth Cohen. “I’m excited, looking forward to going to Moscow with Seth and representing Nets Nation in our owner’s home country,” said Brooks, who also will attend a formal dinner at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow on the trip. New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, Russia, Marshon Brooks 

Seth Cohen: In 48 hours, heading to Moscow for a week with @Marshon Brooks for NBA's Basketball Without Borders Program #OCRfam #BrooklynNets Twitter

Brooklyn Nets, Russia, Marshon Brooks 

Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic expressed interest in (CSKA Moscow big man) Andrey Vorontsevich this summer. Vorontsevich admitted that it was a hard decision, but still decided to stay home. BasketNews.lt

Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic, Russia, CSKA Moscow, Andrey Vorontsevich 

According to championnat.com, Patrick Beverley (185-PG-88, college: Arkansas) signed a three year contract with Spartak St. Petersburg. Last season, the US point guard was one of the stars of the team, where he led St. Petersburg to Eurocup Final Four. There were rumours throughout the summer that Beverley. In fact, Beverly himself signalled from twitter that we would probably leave. However, although he had NBA option, St. Petersburg managed to keep him. Eurobasket.com

Russia, Patrick Beverley 

Jerry Zgoda: Kirilenko after Russia beat Argentina for bronze today: "Feels like gold to us." Twitter

Andrei Kirilenko, Russia, Olympics 

Sekou Smith: Mozgov comes over and hugs Iguodala. Nice gesture for future teammates. Twitter

Denver Nuggets, Andre Iguodala, USA Basketball, Timofey Mozgov, Russia, Team USA, Olympics 

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 

John Hobbs: Kirilenko confirmed that he played with a sore quad. Twitter

Andrei Kirilenko, Injuries, Spain, Russia, Olympics 

Said Mike Bantom, Collins' teammate on the '72 team and now an NBA senior vice president of player development who's also traveling with Team USA at the 2012 Summer Games: "It doesn't impact my day-to-day life. I'm not sitting around brooding about it. As far as where we are today, I think most of us have moved on, and I think we all feel justified in not taking that silver medal. But I don't think you ever get over it." Not fully. And maybe never unless Gallagher's long-shot quest is successful. Members of the '72 squad are nonetheless unanimous in saying that the Munich Games should be remembered, above all, for the slayings of 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian kidnappers. "The first act of terrorism as we know today," Collins calls it. ESPN.com

USA Basketball, Russia, Doug Collins, Olympics, USSR 

Jones' close friend, Ferenc Hepp of Hungary, and judges from Cuba and Poland voted against the U.S. protest; panelists from Italy and Puerto Rico reportedly approved the protest. "I'm pretty sure it's the only game of that magnitude, in the history of sports, decided by an arbitrary committee," Collins said during a recent sitdown with ESPN.com in his Philadelphia office. As for an ending he can't bear to watch over again, Collins said: "If you would do that all over again about a hundred times, that pass would probably never be completed again." Said Bantom: "With some hindsight and some perspective, you realize that bad decisions happen quite frequently in the Olympics. You've seen it happen in gymnastics, track and field, boxing. It happens all over the place. It was pretty personal to us that it happened, but looking back it's not that unusual that something like that happened. In 1972, it just so happened that we were the people who got screwed." ESPN.com

USA Basketball, Russia, Doug Collins, Olympics, USSR 

"The most historically important team, in truth, is the 1988 team," Edelman says. "Because without the '88 team, we don't have the Dream Team and we don't have NBA players playing in the Olympics. And the rest, as they say, is basketball history." Where you'll get no debate, no gray area, is the feeling among the surviving Soviet players and officials from that era about their dismay with the Americans' stubborn refusal to accept their defeat. "I can assure you that they don't feel sheepish [about the ending] for one second," Edelman said. "They view it as a just victory. And I think when you actually look [at the final three seconds] in detail, although it wasn't square, it was fair. Mistakes were made along the way, but they were corrected before the game was over." ESPN.com

USA Basketball, Russia, Olympics, USSR 

Kirilenko tried to make the same claim when he was asked about the prospect of playing his NBA colleagues for a gold medal and the flood of 40-year-old memories such a showdown would trigger. "Right now it's a different time," Kirilenko said. "Then it was a communist time. Right now everybody is playing together. Some Americans play in Russia. Some Russians play in America. It doesn't really go into politics." Yet when pressed about 1972, Kirilenko couldn't stifle a huge grin as he kept talking. "What do you want me to say?" he asked. "I like the win. I like the win in '72." ESPN.com

USA Basketball, Andrei Kirilenko, Russia, Olympics, USSR