HoopsHype.com Rumors

Cavaliers assistant coach Joe Prunty is expected to coach the Great Britain senior men's national team in the EuroBasket competition this summer, The Plain Dealer has confirmed. The appointment was first reported by the website mvp247.com. Prunty declined to comment on his appointment before Friday's game against Philadelphia, but an NBA source confirmed it. Cleveland Plain Dealer

Cleveland Cavaliers, Coaching, Joe Prunty, Great Britain 

Great Britain’s men are set to find out their new coach next week, with Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Joe Prunty to be named in charge, according to sources in the NBA. MVP has learnt that final contractual arrangements are likely to be signed off following Easter Weekend to name a successor to Chris Finch, following an extensive recruitment process arranged, somewhat controversially, by an external agency. MVP 24/7

Cleveland Cavaliers, Coaching, Joe Prunty, Great Britain, Chris Finch 

News of Prunty’s impending appointment was met with shock by a number of current internationals who had expected someone with prior working knowledge of international basketball to take charge. “I cant believe we are considering an NBA guy with no European experience,” said one member of the 2012 Olympic team, speaking to MVP on condition of anonymity. “I was hoping for a Euro coach that would teach the guys not just compete. That really is disappointing. I thought for sure they would want a fresh start and create a more European-style team.” MVP 24/7

Cleveland Cavaliers, Coaching, Joe Prunty, Great Britain, Chris Finch 

The British Basketball Association has established an office in Manhattan and plans to start a high-level professional league in the United Kingdom with play beginning in November 2014. The league wants to have eight teams in major UK cities in its first season, and the BBA has "adapted a single entity business model similar to Major League Soccer … which will offer Investors and Franchise Partners a scalable platform to participate in the growth of the sport through equity ownership. This formula allows the BBA to implement stringent financial and operational controls necessary, while providing local ownership groups access to proven basketball, sports marketing and finance professionals," according a new release. USA Today Sports

Great Britain, New York, Manhattan 

Britain's basketball superstar Luol Deng has today delivered a hard-hitting letter to the Prime Minister over the slashed funding that is crippling the sport. The Chicago Bulls star has weighed in on the debate after UK Sport's funding was cut in the aftermath of the Olympics. In a letter sent to 10 Downing Street, Deng wrote: 'We all heard about the "legacy" that London 2012 was going to bring to sport in the UK and I refuse to sit back and let that legacy be completely demolished for basketball. 'I, along with other people involved in the game, have put too much in and care too greatly to let this happen. 'The sport of basketball is a pathway, a pathway that teaches so many valuable lessons on and off the court, how are we supposed to motivate these kids to carry along their journey when there’s now nothing at the end? No Team GB, no Olympic dream, no goal.' Daily Mail

Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng, Great Britain 

British Basketball’s performance chairman Roger Moreland added: 'Luol’s support for us is massively important. He recognises the value of funding, not just for the elite levels of sport but to carry on investing in grass roots and creating a route for young people to realise their dreams.' Daily Mail

Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng, Great Britain 

Euroleague Basketball and the NBA will enhance their ongoing collaboration by developing several marketing and promotional activities in Europe to increase the awareness of basketball. This was one of the main conclusions reached in a meeting on Wednesday in London between executives of both leagues, headed by NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, the designated successor to current NBA commissioner David Stern, and Jordi Bertomeu, the president and CEO of Euroleague basketball. Euroleague.net

Euroleague, David Stern, Great Britain, Adam Silver 

Former NBA player John Amaechi says that the NBA's growing fanbase in the UK will encourage more people to take up basketball. Sky Sports

Great Britain, John Amaechi 

The recent success of the national team in Great Britain, the Olympic basketball spectacle in August, the notion England will play host to the EuroLeague Final Four in May and the increased participation in the sport are signs there may one day be an NBA team wearing London on its chest. Former Knicks general manager Ed Tapscott is in the process of forming a second pro league here beginning in 2015, trying to make it more than a niche sport. “Why not?’’ Moreland said of a London NBA team. “How many years? I don’t know. But it’s still David Stern’s decision.’’ New York Post

David Stern, Great Britain, Ed Tapscott, Roger Moreland 

Moreland points to NBA games now appearing on TV network Sky Sport and the ESPN feed Londoners get on satellite. According to Moreland, a study shows basketball is the second- highest participation sport among 11- to 15-year-old boys after soccer. “There’s just an increasing amount of NBA product new in our media,’’ Moreland said. New York Post

Great Britain, Roger Moreland 

The NBA will finally return to British TV screens this week after the league signed a deal with ESPN until the end of the current season. The coverage begins on Thursday night with New York Knicks versus Miami Heat and will include three live games per week, NBA All Star Game, First and Second Round NBA Playoff coverage, Western Conference Finals, and NBA Finals. MVP 24/7

Media, Great Britain, Owners 

However, a bit of a controversy flared up surrounding Deng’s decision to not have wrist surgery, which allowed him to continue playing for the Bulls last season, represent Great Britain in the Olympics and start the upcoming season on time. Deng is clearly weary of all of the debate, but while he’s learned to take the questions about his health in stride, the longest-tenured member of the Bulls is also very firm in his rationale not to have the procedure. “It took two questions before [the media asked about] the wrist,” he said Monday, while seated at the podium for the team’s media day. “The wrist is the wrist. It is what it is. I’m expecting to be asked about it all year, but I’ve just got to go out and play, play as hard as I can, do what I can do. Whether it’s one arm or two arms or no arms, I’m going to be the best that I can be. That’s the goal, just go out there and play as hard as I can. It felt great in the Olympics. Since I’ve been back practicing, it’s been feeling great and so far, so good. CSN Chicago

Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng, Injuries, Great Britain, Olympics 

England and Scotland formally signed Sunday in London that will formalise their merger into a single British basketball organisation, despite the objections of the Welsh, ensuring that there will be a Great Britain team beyond these Olympic Games. TalkBasket

FIBA, Great Britain 

The Welsh, he said, will not be allowed to derail the move. And, in a stinging rebuke, he has ordered Basketball Wales to go back to the table and re-consider their intransigence. “By covering about 95% of the basketball family in this country, and while we have to respect the decision of the board of Basketball Wales, it’s unstoppable,” he said. “You have this almost unanimity to want to maintain a British programme and go and be successful. I think that we will be able to persuade Wales to join this party. “You want basketball in this country to be like Spain, France, Italy, and Greece. I think that if this is the case, it should be logical to move to a British system. Every stakeholder who is giving up something should put on the table what it wants. Keeping independent just for the sake of playing Division C in Europe? I’m sorry, that’s probably not the right argument. It’s not even supported by the Welsh Government. TalkBasket

FIBA, Great Britain 

Kieron Achara: Heading back to Scotland today! Still can't accept that I am an Olympian. Loved every moment of the games. Motivation is Rio now #goteamgb Twitter

Great Britain, Olympics, Kieron Achara 

Through the Olympics, Deng averaged 15.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists in five games, shooting 31.4 percent. "If the Olympics were next month, I'd play again," Deng said. "This is something no one will ever take away. I'm always going to remember this moment, walking out for the opening ceremonies and playing with guys I played with my whole life. Seeing my parents out there and (youth coach) Jimmy (Rogers), I can't explain it. It's one of those stories, if I missed the Olympics, I'd always think about that." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng, Great Britain, Olympics 

Indeed, Deng wore a broad smile as he linked arms with teammates as "God Save the Queen" played to a full stadium in full throat. And he deflected questions about his subpar play to broader issues. "I believe basketball is going to grow in this country," he said. "It would've been easy for me to say I don't want to play. But I feel I made the right decision. A lot of kids saw me play. "It's very similar to being at the All-Star Game and taking out my (Africa) T-shirt. A lot of people would disagree with it, but I know it's the right decision." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng, Injuries, Great Britain, Olympics 

In his strongest implication yet that he either will forego surgery on the torn ligament in his left wrist altogether or postpone it until after the 2012- 13 season, Deng said he planned to start camp on time. "Did I look like I needed (surgery)?" Deng said Monday evening. "I'm fine right now. I feel great. There are a lot of things I want to improve in my game that I want to focus on now. I want to be a better player than I was last year. "I have time to make decisions and be healthy by the time we start (training camp)." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng, Injuries, Great Britain, Olympics 

KC Johnson: Covered Deng's entire NBA career. He loves playing for Bulls. Rarely seen him happier, prouder than here. Big moment he handled w/ class. Twitter

Chicago Bulls, Luol Deng, Great Britain, Olympics 

Britain had to go through a lengthy process to prove to governing body Fiba that they were good enough to play at London 2012, but with just one win, questions may now be asked about their progress on the global stage. "We would love to have advanced," Deng continued. "There were a couple of sleepless nights but it's all worth it. In the future it will make all of us hungry for more, and better players. "There were a lot of mistakes. We had turnovers and I made a lot of careless plays. Individually we all have to get better, but collectively we've got to do a better job," the Chicago Bulls player added. BBC

Luol Deng, Great Britain, Olympics