International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

NBA Mulling International Format For All-Star Game

April 28th, 2025 at 9:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA is mulling an “international competition” for the annual All-Star Game, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon reports.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver and president of league operations Byron Spruell said discussions were being held with new broadcast partner NBC regarding an original format for the All-Star Game. Next season’s game will be held at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome on Feb. 15, 2026. The Intuit Dome will also be the home base for the basketball events in the 2028 Summer Olympics.

The league has been inspired by the NHL, which held a wildly successful four-team international tournament in place of its All-Star Game. The NBA is considering a U.S. vs. the rest of the world matchup.

“Looking to do something new and different yet again, but excited about the possibility,” Spruell said.

The NBA has been groping for ways to regain interest in the All-Star Game, which in recent years has essentially turned into a defensively-absent dunk contest. If the NBA goes in this direction, it will be the third format in three years.

This February, the NBA experimented with a four-team tournament with three squads of All-Stars and a fourth of “rising stars.” However, the tournament was a flop, lacking suspense and drawing poor TV ratings.

Approximately 25 percent of current NBA players were born outside of the U.S., including many of its top stars.

And-Ones: Awards, Fredette, Silver, Early Entrants

April 28th, 2025 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

After announcing Stephen Curry as this season’s Teammate of the Year on Monday afternoon, the NBA will unveil three more award winners later this week, according to the league (Twitter link).

The 2024/25 Rookie of the Year is scheduled to be announced on Tuesday at 7:00 pm Eastern time, with Most Improved Player to follow on Wednesday, 24 hours later. The league’s Sportsmanship Award winner will be revealed on Thursday at 12:00 pm ET.

Spurs guard Stephon Castle, Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher, and Grizzlies wing Jaylen Wells are the finalists for Rookie of the Year honors, while Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, and Clippers center Ivica Zubac remain in the running for Most Improved.

The Sportsmanship Award isn’t one of the major ones voted on by media members — it’s voted on by players after league executives select six finalists, who were announced earlier this month. Those finalists are Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, and Magic forward Franz Wagner.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Less than a week after announcing his retirement as a player, former NBA lottery pick Jimmer Fredette has a new job. USA Basketball stated in a press release on Monday that Fredette has been named the first-ever managing director for Team USA’s 3×3 men’s national team. Fredette will be responsible for compiling USA Basketball’s coaching staff and roster for 3×3 international competitions, essentially taking on the same role that Grant Hill performs for the 5×5 men’s national team.
Appearing on ESPN’s Numbers on the Board podcast (YouTube link), NBA commissioner Adam Silver spoke about a number of topics, including whether shortening the regular season from 82 games is a viable possibility for player health reasons. While Silver said that “nothing is off the table,” his response suggested the idea of reducing the 82-game schedule is likely a long shot (YouTube clip).
We can probably expect a full, official list from the NBA in the coming days, but in the meantime, news of early entrants who declared for the 2025 draft ahead of Saturday’s deadline continues to trickle out. Here are a few more of the players who are testing the draft waters this spring:
- Mouhamed Faye, C, Reggio Emilia, Italy (born 2005) (Twitter link via Jonathan Givony of ESPN)
- Elijah Fisher, G/F, Pacific (junior) (Twitter link via Jon Chepkevich of Rookie Scale)
- Ousmane N’Diaye, F/C, Baskonia, Spain (born 2004) (Twitter link via Chepkevich)

Sterling Brown Signs Two-Year Deal With KK Partizan

April 26th, 2025 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA wing Sterling Brown has signed a two-year contract extension with KK Partizan, according to Eurohoops. The new deal was first revealed by team president Ostoja Mijailović and was later confirmed by the club via social media (Twitter link).

Brown, 30, was the 46th overall pick in the 2017 draft out of SMU and spent the next six years in the NBA, appearing in 268 regular season games for the Bucks, Rockets, Mavericks, and Lakers. The 6’5″ swingman averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per night, with a .419/.363/.796 shooting line.

Brown has been out of the NBA since playing on a 10-day contract with the Lakers in January 2023, having spent the past two seasons in the EuroLeague, first with Alba Berlin in Germany and then with Partizan in Serbia.

Brown is coming off a very productive season for the Belgrade-based team. He averaged 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 25.8 minutes per game with a .523/.469/.929 shooting line across 34 EuroLeague outings, and put up 11.0 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 2.2 APG on .527/.505/.886 shooting in 26 ABA (Adriatic League) contests (21.7 MPG).

Partizan finished the EuroLeague season with a 16-18 record and missed the playoffs, but remains alive in the domestic Serbian league (KLS) and the ABA.

Projected First-Rounder Joan Beringer Entering Draft

April 25th, 2025 at 12:52pm CST by Rory Maher

French big man Joan Beringer is entering the 2025 NBA draft, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. The 18-year-old is ranked No. 17 on ESPN’s latest big board, making him a projected first-round pick.

“It’s been my dream to play in the NBA,” Beringer said. “It’s a good moment to go. I want to say thank you to my teammates. They made everything a lot easier for me.”

Beringer has spent the 2024/25 campaign with Slovenian club Cedevita Olimpija, which competes in the Adriatic League and EuroCup. He has averaged 4.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 17 EuroCup appearances (17.5 minutes per game).

As Givony details, Beringer is an intriguing prospect for multiple reasons. He’s the third-youngest player in the draft class, as he won’t turn 19 until November. He also wasn’t on NBA radars entering the season, as Beringer says he had never touched a basketball until the summer of 2021.

“I first started playing basketball in the street with my friends,” Beringer said. “Just for fun. I played football before, and there was a basketball court nearby the field. My feet got too big, so I couldn’t find soccer cleats anymore. I was 6-8 then. I’m 6-11 without shoes now. I joined a small club, Saint-Joseph Strasbourg, two weeks later. My work and willingness to go after things are the reason I was able to be where I am now.”

With a 7’5″ wingspan, impressive timing, and exceptional mobility, Beringer is viewed as having considerable defensive upside, according to Givony, who notes that the teenage center led the ABA in block percentage.

French Guard Nolan Traore Declaring For Draft

April 24th, 2025 at 10:25am CST by Dana Gauruder

Nolan Traore, a potential lottery pick, is entering the draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reports.

Traore, an 18-year-old guard, is currently playing in his home country of France. He’s averaging 11.5 points and 4.9 assists in 23 minutes per game for Saint-Quentin, which competes in both the domestic Pro A league and the intercontinental Basketball Champions League.

Traore is currently ranked No. 18 by ESPN. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie had Traore coming off the board with the No. 16 pick in his most recent mock draft.

“I’m excited to take the next step in my career and declare for the NBA draft,” the 6’4” Traore told ESPN. “I still have many goals with my team, to finish the regular season strong, make the playoffs and then have a great draft process. I want to be drafted to the best situation with a pathway to earn playing time right away. I’m ready for that challenge.”

Traore was one of the standouts at last year’s Nike Hoop Summit but has taken some lumps in France’s pro league. Turnovers, shooting efficiency and the league’s physicality have been issues for a teenager with a 29 percent usage rate, second-highest in the league, according to Givony.

“It has been a challenging year in France that has made me a much better and tougher player,” Traore said. “The NBA is not going to be easy, and I think that this season will help me a lot I that regard.”

Knicks, Sixers To Play Preseason Games In Abu Dhabi

April 24th, 2025 at 7:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks and Sixers will participate in the NBA’s Abu Dhabi Games 2025 this fall, the league announced today in a press release.

New York and Philadelphia will play a pair of preseason contests at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, October 2 and Saturday, Oct. 4.

The NBA had never played in the United Arab Emirates prior to 2022, but this will be the fourth straight year that the league has held preseason games in Abu Dhabi.

It will be the first time that the Knicks have played a game outside of North America since they faced the Wizards in London, England for a regular season game in January 2019. The 76ers haven’t played overseas since they squared off against Dallas for a pair of preseason matchups in China (Shanghai and Shenzhen) in October 2018.

The Abu Dhabi Games are the third international preseason contests announced by the NBA ahead of the 2025/26 season. The Nets and Suns will be playing in Macao on Oct. 10 and 12, while the Pelicans will face teams from Australia’s National Basketball League in Melbourne on Oct. 3 and 5.

International Prospects Ruzic, Lewis Declare For Draft

April 22nd, 2025 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

A pair of international prospects, Croatian power forward Michael Ruzic and South East Melbourne wing Malique Lewis, are entering the draft, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reports (Twitter links).

The 6’10” Ruzic is just 18 years old. He’s played for Joventut Badalona in Spain the past two seasons, posting modest numbers. He has averaged 5.0 points and 1.7 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game through seven EuroCup contests this season. In Liga ACB action, Ruzic played 14 games and averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per contest.

Ruzic is ranked No. 49 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

Lewis, 20, played for SE Melbourne in Australia’s National Basketball league this season. He averaged 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game while making 34 appearances.

In 2023/24, Lewis played in the NBA G League for the Mexico City Capitanes. He averaged 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 27.7 minutes per game while seeing action in 34 contests. He made 37.7% of his 3-point attempts that season, though that success rate dropped in 31.6% in Australia.

Lewis is currently ranked No. 69 by ESPN, making him a possible second-round pick.

Former NBA Guard Kendrick Nunn Named EuroLeague MVP

April 21st, 2025 at 7:14am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Kendrick Nunn, who played in the NBA from 2019-23, has been named the EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024/25 season, the league announced today in a press release.

Nunn, a member of Panathinaikos in Greece, beat out former EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov for the honor after averaging a league-leading 21.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in 31.1 minutes per game with a shooting line of .503/.426/.856 across 33 outings.

Nunn led Panathinaikos to a 22-12 record and a No. 3 finish in the 18-team league.

The EuroLeague’s Most Valuable Player award is voted on by head coaches (35%), team captains (35%), media members (20%), and fans (10%). Vezenkov was the runner-up in the voting after returning to Europe last year to join Olympiacos following an NBA stint, while TJ Shorts of Paris Basketball finished third.

Nunn is the third American player to earn MVP honors in the history of the EuroLeague, joining Anthony Parker (2005 and 2006) and Mike James (2024).

Nunn, who appeared in 193 regular season games for the Heat, Lakers, and Wizards, recently signed a three-year contract extension with Panathinaikos that will make him the EuroLeague’s highest-paid player. That deal reportedly doesn’t include NBA out clauses, so the 29-year-old will remain overseas for the foreseeable future.

Panathinaikos will square off against Anadolu Efes in the first round of the EuroLeague playoffs, beginning on Tuesday, with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

Filip Petrusev Hoping For NBA Return

April 19th, 2025 at 6:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Filip Petrusev barely saw any game action during his first NBA stint, but he believes things will be different if he gets another opportunity. The 25-year-old center talked about coming back to the league in an interview with Serbian media outlet Sportski Zurnal, according to Eurohoops.

“I would like to return to the NBA as soon as possible,” Petrusev said. “It is always better, for everyone and for me in particular, to go there early than to try to do it in my last years of career. I was not lucky in Philadelphia. As soon as I started playing, I was traded, and everything fell apart. Now I have regained my self-confidence, and I believe that I deserve a second chance!”

The Sixers selected Petrusev with the 50th pick in the 2021 draft, but he remained in Europe until the summer of 2023. He appeared in just one game with Philadelphia, playing only three minutes, before being included in the early-season trade that sent James Harden to the Clippers.

L.A. moved him on to Sacramento on the same day, and he made brief appearances in two games with the Kings before being waived about three weeks later.

Petrusev returned to Europe on a three-year contract with Olympiacos that still has one season remaining. He’s currently on loan to Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade, where he’s averaging 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

It sounds like he’ll be exploring another NBA opportunity this summer, as he said in the interview, “It is my great desire to return to the NBA and for this reason all the contracts I sign include an NBA out clause.”

Spanish Prospect Hugo Gonzalez Entering NBA Draft

April 19th, 2025 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

Real Madrid wing Hugo Gonzalez has decided to enter the 2025 NBA draft, agents Carlos Sanchez and Saul Lopez tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Gonzalez, a 6’7″ forward from Spain, has played limited minutes in domestic (ACB) and EuroLeague competition, averaging 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.0 minutes per game across 50 outings. However, he has compiled an impressive résumé in international tournaments, Givony writes, having competed in the U17 World Cup in 2022 and the U18 EuroBasket in 2023 and 2024.

Although Gonzalez doesn’t play much for a veteran-heavy Real Madrid team, the Spanish club has championship aspirations in both the ACB and EuroLeague and could still be playing deep into June, which would complicate the 19-year-old’s ability to work out for NBA teams prior to the draft, as Givony notes.

Despite his modest role in Madrid, Gonzalez has made an impression on NBA evaluators with his athleticism, defensive versatility, and intensity, according to Givony, who has him ranked at No. 22 on ESPN’s big board of 2025 draft prospects.

That makes Gonzalez a potential first-round pick, assuming he keeps his name in the draft pool. He has until June 15 to decide whether or not to withdraw.