Luis Scola Rumors

The international squad Nowitzki would join — which also featured future N.B.A. players Luis Scola (Argentina), Darius Songaila (Lithuania) and Dan Gadzuric (Holland) — was already practicing in Dallas by the time he arrived. [….] What the two Germans didn’t realize going into their adventure is that the bulk of the international team’s practices were scheduled to take place in the Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center, where the Mavericks practiced in the days before they had their own practice facility. They also didn’t know that a key member of the Mavericks’ brain trust — Donnie Nelson — was scheduled to serve as an assistant coach with Nike’s international invitees that week. Such an arrangement, of course, wouldn’t even be allowed in the modern N.B.A. But the league’s rules on scouting matters weren’t as restrictive 20 years ago, enabling Nelson to have a hands-on role throughout the early years of the Hoop Summit, starting when he was still working for the Phoenix Suns. As a result, Dallas was able to start building a relationship with Geschwindner — and thus Nowitzki — before the wunderkind even took the floor in San Antonio.