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Monday Morning Bullets

Well, the weekend was crazy for me, ending with me sick and blinking like mad because something is stuck in my left eye.  So, because I don't want to look at a computer screen for long, you're getting bullets today.  Act happy.

  • Our pals over at 48 Minutes Of Hell were in Chicago last week for the pre-draft "camp", if that's still what it's called.  Lots of good pieces on prospects over there, but the one that caught me eye examined the way players that were projected to go later in the second or undrafted.  Big ups to Timothy Varner on that one.
  • Mario Austin, who I have no recollection of but was a second round pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, will be playing for the Chicago Bulls in Vegas.  He also has a girlfriend who lives in Woodbury, Minnesota.  Interesting, no?  Jon L isn't as big on him though, as he went in the last spot of his 2003 re-draft.
  • A bit bigger name that could play in Vegas is Gilbert Arenas.  He told the Washington Times back in January: "I'm definitely playing summer league so I can get my rhythm back," Arenas said.  (H/T to Bullets Forever)
  • Semih Erden, the last pick in the draft last season for the Boston Celtics, isn't expected to get permission from his team in Turkey to play for Orlando this summer.
  • Former Toro Brock Gillespie did an interview recently, saying he will play in the Summer League with either Dallas or Orlando.  The interesting part I saw in the interview, though, was when he said this about the D-League back in 2006: The NBA Development League was so strong then (before expansion of new teams, there were fewer number of players then), the league was designed to improve and develop top NBA prospects from the USA and European players who had been drafted by NBA teams and needed to learn the different style of play.   I don't know if I would say that D-League talent has gotten weaker since expansion.
  • Nick Calathes went to play in Greece and his brother, Pat Calathes, is coming back from Greece to play in the Summer League, according to Hoopsworld.  Oh, the irony.
  • I don't know what this says, but I'm all for something comparing Blake Ahearn, Linas Kleiza and Kobe Bryant.
  • Yuta Tabuse, who is a bit like Sun Yue in that the D-League promoted him like crazy back when he played for Bakersfield because he's from Japan, is going to tryout for the Dallas Mavericks in June for a spot on their Summer League team.  His Wikipedia page says he's the Japanese Michael Jordan, so I'd be surprised if I don't see Yuta in Vegas.
  • After doing some research, I'm going to guess the three finalists in Sioux Falls are Bob MacKinnon (Colorado head coach), Randy Livingston (Idaho assistant coach) and Tony Fritz (assistant last season).  Not even these guys know, apparently, but I'm assuming I'm hitting at least 2-for-3 on this one.

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Comments

Display:

Tabuse is the man

Mr. Tabuse drew quite a crowd of his Japanese fans to the Mad Ants game when we played Anaheim in the the 2007-08 season. He was mobbed after the game by 60-70 fans and he was autographing shoes/shirts/ you name it. I believe the fans came from all over Northeast Indiana to see him play. If he does not stick with an NBA team, I hope he comes back to the D-League.

by MadAntsGarrett on Jun 1, 2025 11:07 AM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

The someone knocked off his Boston Red Sox cap....

and another fan screamed, “NOT DAVID ORTIZ” and then promptly the crowd dispersed.

by IcemanCometh on Jun 1, 2025 2:11 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You're so funny

Blogging at RidiculousUpside, where we converse with recently fired mascots.

by Scott Schroeder on Jun 1, 2025 2:17 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And continuing the "ouch" series: Recent NBA player Kirk Snyder not competent to stand trial, judge orders force-feeding

Link, via Shamsports

He was a #16 pick by Utah in 2004. At that time still on the board: Josh Smith, J.R. Smith, Jameer Nelson, Delonte West, Kevin Martin, Sasha Vujacic, Beno Udrih, Anderson Varejao, Chris Duhon, Trevor Ariza, …
(And the mighty Viktor Khryapa, Sergei Monia, Ha Seung-Jin that somehow all ended up on my Blazers team)

by Norsktroll on Jun 1, 2025 12:52 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I don't know that I'd say I didn't like Mario Austin

I did say he’d be a steal with that last pick. I thought about placing him earlier, but the places where it made sense were with the Bulls’ pick, and since he didn’t make that team the first time around I didn’t see the point in assigning him there again.

But also, Austin’s time in Europe has probably been among the longest an American player spent over there before coming back to the NBA, right? I don’t think Haslem was over there for that long.

Now writing for Ridiculous Upside, now with more draft coverage.

by Jon L on Jun 1, 2025 9:59 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I didn't say you didn't like him

I just said his girlfriend liked him more.
And yes, six years is a long time for an American to be overseas before coming back. Anthony Parker probably holds that record though.

Blogging at RidiculousUpside, where we converse with recently fired mascots.

by Scott Schroeder on Jun 1, 2025 10:14 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

True

His girlfriend had him going with pick # 41.

Zing?

Now writing for Ridiculous Upside, now with more draft coverage.

by Jon L on Jun 1, 2025 10:19 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Boom Roasted.

Blogging at RidiculousUpside, where we converse with recently fired mascots.

by Scott Schroeder on Jun 2, 2025 7:06 AM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs


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