Talen Horton-Tucker Nearing Deal With Fenerbahce, Hoping To Stay In NBA
Guard/forward Talen Horton-Tucker, who has spent the past six years in the NBA after being selected 46th overall in the 2019 draft, is finalizing a contract with Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.
According to Urbonas’ sources, Horton-Tucker is still hoping to sign another NBA contract, but if he is unable to find a deal he likes, he’s expected to sign with the reigning EuroLeague champion.
Bugra Uzar of Eurohoops.net confirms the news, stating that Horton-Tucker has a deal in place with Fenerbahce but it won’t be completed yet as the 24-year-old awaits another NBA opportunity. A final decision is expected to be made in the next few days, Uzar adds.
Horton-Tucker won a championship as a rookie with the Lakers in 2020 and spent three years in Los Angeles prior to being traded to Utah in the 2022 offseason. He spent the next two years with the Jazz, but was unable to find a guaranteed contract as an unrestricted free agent last summer.
The Chicago native signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal with the Bulls last September and wound up making the team’s regular season roster — he was the only player on an Exhibit 10 contract last fall to have that deal become a standard non-guaranteed deal.
Horton-Tucker, who said it was a “dream come true” to open the 2024/25 season with his hometown team, not only made the roster but eventually had his contract guaranteed when the Bulls decided to keep him around past the January deadline to waive non-guaranteed deals.
Overall, Horton-Tucker appeared in 58 games last season off the bench, averaging 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 12.5 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .457/.336/.735. He holds career averages of 9.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 2.8 APG on .427/.299/.771 shooting in 305 games (19.5 MPG).
As Urbonas notes, Fenerbahce’s roster features several former NBA players, including Brandon Boston Jr., who spent last season with New Orleans.
International Signings: Thomas, Mané, Graham, Robinson
Former NBA sharpshooter Matt Thomas has signed with Fundacion CB Granada for the 2025/26 season, the Spanish team announced in a press release (hat tip to Albert De Roa of HoopsHype).
Thomas, 31, appeared in 126 NBA games over three years from 2019-22, suiting up for Toronto, Utah and Chicago. He has spent the past two seasons in the EuroLeague with Germany’s ALBA Berlin.
In 21 EuroLeague contests in 2024/25, Thomas averaged 12.3 points while shooting 46.2% from long distance in 24.1 minutes per game. Granada went just 9-25 in Spain’s top domestic league (Liga ACB) last season.
Here are a few more international signings to pass along:
- Senegalese-Canadian guard Karim Mané has signed with the French team Rouen Metropole Basket for the upcoming season, according to a press release. Mané played 10 games with Orlando while on a two-way deal during the 2020/21 campaign. The 25-year-old recently helped Senegal claim its third consecutive third-place finish at AfroBasket. Mané played for teams in Greece and Canada last season. RMB competes in the LNB Pro B, France’s second division.
- Veteran wing Treveon Graham has re-signed with the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots of the Taiwanese P. League+, per De Roa of HoopsHype. The Maryland native spent four years in the NBA, spending time with Charlotte, Brooklyn, Minnesota and Atlanta. Graham has also played in the G League and in Canada since his last NBA stint in 2019/20.
- Forward Devin Robinson is heading back to Spain, having signed a one-year deal with Basket Zaragoza, the team announced. Robinson, who appeared in eight games with the Wizards over two NBA seasons (from 2017-19), has spent the past four years in Europe, playing in Germany, Spain and Slovenia. In 18 EuroCup games with Cedevita Olimpija in ’24/25, the 6’7″ wing averaged 14.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 1.2 SPG in 27.9 MPG. Zaragoza went 13-21 in the Liga ACB last season.
Greece, Poland Advance To EuroBasket Round Of 16
The men’s national teams of Greece and Poland have advanced to the round of 16 at EuroBasket 2025, according to FIBA, joining Finland, Germany, Serbia and Turkey as clubs that have qualified.
Greece (Group C) and Poland (Group D) have both gone undefeated through three of their five group phase games. Greece moved on today with a win and a Cyprus loss (0-3).
The Greek squad, led by two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (27 points on 9-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists in 25 minutes), cruised to a 41-point victory over Georgia, notes Eurohoops. Georgia essentially threw in the towel before the game even began, resting center Goga Bitadze (DNP-CD) and forward Tornike Shengelia (under four minutes of action).
“We had two options, to go to what’s 100% for us, or to try to keep ourselves healthy for the last two games,” Georgian coach Aleksandar Džikić said postgame. “We decided to follow the second option. It was my decision, and we know what our goal is. We don’t like it, my players don’t like it, but today it was the smart thing to do.”
The Poles advanced to the knockout round by outlasting Iceland (0-3) in a close game on Sunday, per Sportando. Poland was once again led by ex-NBA guard Jordan Loyd (game-high 26 points) and veteran EuroLeague wing Mateusz Ponitka (18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists) — both players have had excellent showings to this point.
In case you missed it, Antetokounmpo will reportedly remain with Milwaukee to open the 2025/26 season after the team re-signed his older brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a guaranteed minimum-salary contract. Thanasis is also competing for Team Greece.
Luka Doncic Posts Triple-Double In EuroBasket
Lakers superstar Luka Doncic notched a rare triple-double in the EuroBasket tournament on Sunday. He scored 26 points, had 11 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds in Slovenia’s 86-69 victory over Belgium in Poland. According to The Associated Press, the triple-double was the fourth in EuroBasket history since 1995 and fifth overall.
Doncic also became the youngest player to reach 400 career EuroBasket points since Tony Parker in 2007.
“This is a normal day at the office for him,” Slovenia small forward Edo Muric said of Doncic. “I’m even more glad that today we showed we can play good defense. And that we won.”
The Slovenian team lost to Poland and France in their first two tournament games.
“For me, I’d prefer he score 50,” Belgium coach Dario Gjergja said, per Dan Woike of The Athletic. “To be honest, I’d prefer he score 50 but the others don’t execute … because he’s capable to make everybody better, never mind about quality around him. And this is why he’s a superstar.”
Doncic scored a combined 73 points in Slovenia’s first two games.
“It’s not about me being perfect. I think everybody, you know, we lose as a team, we win as a team,” he said.
Slovenia’s tournament schedule continues Tuesday against Iceland before the group stage concludes Thursday against Israel. The top four teams from each six-team group advance to the single-elimination portion of the tournament in Latvia.
USA Team Squanders Big Lead In AmeriCup Semifinals
Team USA squandered a 20-point second-half lead in the semifinals of the FIBA AmeriCup in Nicaragua, according to a FIBA press release.
The Brazilian team outscored the USA squad 34-9 in the last 10 minutes of a 92-77 win and avenged their prior loss in the Group Phase. With Saturday’s win, Brazil picked up its fourth victory in 11 AmeriCup matchups against the United States. The Brazilians will play in a second consecutive final.
Brazil will face Argentina for the championship on Sunday. Argentina defeated Canada in the other semifinal matchup, 83-73. The United States and Canada will square off for third-place honors.
Bruno Caboclo, who played 105 games during his NBA career, sparked the Brazilian comeback, finishing with 20 points (11 in the fourth quarter), nine rebounds, and two blocks. He was limited to 24 minutes due to foul trouble.
Crvena Zvezda guard Yago Santos finished with game highs of 25 points and 12 assists, while Lucas Dias played all 40 minutes and had a double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds).
Former NBA guards Langston Galloway (22 points) and Javonte Smart (13 points, five assists) led the way for Team USA in the loss.
Bogdan Bogdanovic Ruled Out Of EuroBasket With Hamstring Injury
Bogdan Bogdanovic has been ruled out of the EuroBasket due to a ruptured hamstring muscle, according to reports from Eurohoops.net and BasketNews.com.
The Serbian Federation released a statement regarding Bogdanovic’s injury, which also revealed that the Clippers wing will return to the United States to receive treatment.
“Bogdanovic has been diagnosed with a ruptured hamstring muscle, which will prevent him from playing in the remainder of the European Championship. In agreement with Bogdan’s club, the Los Angeles Clippers, the captain will undergo intensive therapy in the United States in the coming period to recover as quickly as possible,” the statement read.
Bogdanovic, the captain of the Serbian national team, was injured on a drive to the basket late in the second quarter against Portugal on Friday. Bogdanovic was examined by the Serbian and Clippers medical teams, which determined the extent of his injury.
In two EuroBasket 2025 appearances, the 33-year-old averaged 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 20 minutes per contest. Serbia has a 3-0 record in Group A and will now try to win the tournament without him.
The overriding concern for Bogdanovic now is whether his injury will linger into the NBA season. The veteran guard dealt with hamstring injuries early in the 2024/25 season, but played 30 games during the second half of the season for the Clippers, averaging 11.4 points and 3.2 assists in 25.0 minutes per game. He began the season with the Hawks, who dealt him to the Pacific Division club at the trade deadline.
Bogdanovic is set to make just over $16MM during the upcoming season and the Clippers hold a $16MM club option for the final year of his contract in 2026/27.
Four Countries Advance To EuroBasket Round Of 16
There are still five days left of group phase play at EuroBasket 2025, but four countries — Finland, Germany, Serbia and Turkey — have already advanced to the round of 16, according to FIBA.
As the group phase standings show, both Finland and Germany have 3-0 records in Group B, while Serbia and Turkey are each 3-0 in Group A.
None of the other 20 national teams have been officially eliminated, though Czechia (Group A), Great Britain (Group B) and Montenegro (Group B) aren’t in a great position after starting 0-3 in their respective groups.
A handful of additional teams could advance to the knockout round on Sunday, with Greece (2-0 in Group C), France (2-0 in Group D) and Poland (2-0 in Group D) off to solid starts.
The top four teams from each six-team group qualify for the round of 16, which is the start of a single-elimination tournament.
Germany, which won the 2023 World Cup and finished fourth at the 2024 Olympics, defeated Lithuania on Saturday. The Germans had a balanced attack, spearheaded by Dennis Schröder (26 points, six assists, four steals), Franz Wagner (24 points, seven rebounds, four assists) and Daniel Theis (23 points, six rebounds), notes Eurohoops.
Unfortunately, German captain Schröder was subjected to racial abuse while walking to the locker room at halftime, per The Associated Press.
“Making monkey noises, that’s something I don’t respect,” Schröder told reporters in German after the game. “No matter what status, insults, that’s all fine. But racism simply doesn’t belong in this sport. That’s something that’s not OK.”
FIBA announced in a statement that one spectator has been banned from attending the rest of the tournament after being identified by video. The group also said it would meet with the Lithuanian delegation to discuss the incident and try to prevent it from occurring again in the future.
“FIBA unequivocally condemns hate speech, discriminatory conduct, and racist language in any form. Creating an inclusive, respectful, and safe environment for players, teams, and fans remains a fundamental priority of our sport. FIBA has provided the relevant footage and information to local law enforcement authorities, who are continuing to investigate the matter.”
Yongxi “Jacky” Cui Signs With Chinese Team
Yongxi Cui, also known as Jacky Cui, has signed with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to Zhang Duo (Twitter link).
Cui announced the news on his Weibo channel, notes NetsDaily (via Twitter). The 22-year-old’s deal with the Tigers will reportedly cover the 2025/26 season, per Albert De Roa of HoopsHype.
A 6’6″ guard/forward, Cui suffered a torn ACL last December while playing for the Nets‘ G League affiliate in Long Island. He had been on a two-way contract with Brooklyn but was released a couple days after the unfortunate injury.
Cui, who went undrafted in 2024, made five NBA appearances as rookie for the Nets in ’24/25, playing just 10 total minutes. He also played in five games for Long Island, averaging 6.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 1.2 APG in 16.9 MPG.
Cui graduated from the NBA Global Academy and spent a couple of seasons with the CBA’s Guangzhou Loong Lions before catching on with the Nets.
Brian Lewis of The New York Post provided an update on Cui’s recovery progress a few days ago, stating that the young wing had been working out at the Nets’ practice facility but was recently playing 5-on-5 in Los Angeles. Now the Chinese national team member will be heading back to his home country for the upcoming season.
EuroBasket Notes: Sengun, Markkanen, Jokic, Poland
All-Star Rockets big man Alperen Sengun nearly notched a triple-double during Turkey’s 92–78 win over Czechia on Friday, writes Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews. Sengun finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.
Turkey head coach Ergin Ataman, who previously expressed a belief that there’s not a significant difference in the levels of play in the NBA and EuroLeague, doubled down on that assertion after Sengun’s big game.
“I saw on social media, both in the United States and in Europe, people writing about my statement on the difference between the EuroLeague and the NBA,” Ataman said post-game, per Jablonskis. “Give me Alperen Sengun at Panathinaikos and we will beat the Houston Rockets.”
Sengun followed up that Herculean effort with a 20-point, seven-rebound, five-assist showing in a 95-54 blowout of Portugal Saturday, per Sportando’s Alessandro Maggi. Turkey will now square off against Serbia for their group’s top spot in the Round of 16.
There’s more out of EuroBasket:
- Jazz star forward Lauri Markkanen has been in the midst of a superlative tear throughout EuroBasket and in the tournament’s warm-up games so far. The seven-footer notched 43 points in just 23 minutes for his native Finland in a 109-79 blowout of Great Britain, per Eurohoops. He followed that up with a double-double in an 85-65 victory against Bulls center Nikola Vucevic‘s Montenegro on Saturday, reports Maggi.
- Three-time MVP Nuggets center Nikola Jokic helped propel Serbia to an 80-69 win against Portugal with a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double, writes Semih Tuna of Eurohoops. Heat forward Nikola Jovic chipped in 18 points of his own. Serbia followed that up by beating Kristaps Porzingis‘ Latvia on Saturday, 84-80, and clinching its place in the round of 16, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Jokic logged a 39-point, 10-board effort.
- Home team Poland vanquished Israel, led by Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, 66-64, maintaining its perfect record in EuroBasket competition on Saturday, writes Maggi.
Rivers, Ham, Spanoulis Discuss Antetokounmpo At EuroBasket
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Team Greece to a win in their EuroBasket opener against Italy on Thursday, scoring 31 points in a 75-66 victory. In attendance for that victory were Bucks general manager Jon Horst, head coach Doc Rivers, and assistant coaches Vin Baker and Darvin Ham, writes Michalis Gioulenoglou of EuroHoops.
After the game, Rivers spoke about the experience of watching his star compete for the Greek national team.
“I love watching the movement and how they play,” he said, as relayed by Giorgos Kyriakidis of BasketNews. “I always steal plays, I watch it, and I take some of these plays back home and I run them. Yeah, I love all the movement, all the elbow action.”
Rivers, who is planning on staying to watch at least one more of Antetokounmpo’s games, noted that the two-time MVP tends to operate out of the post more at EuroBasket than in the NBA. Ham elaborated on some of the other differences he’s seen.
“He’s trying to involve his teammates and allow his teammates to help him help them,” said Ham. “It’s more team-oriented, more sets, and all of that here is different. They don’t play as fast as we do in the NBA, but in the NBA, his usage rate is off the charts. He constantly has the ball in his hands, so a little bit different role for him over there.”
While Ham was clear that Antetokounmpo is an unselfish player regardless of the situation, he summed it up in a simple sentence: “With us, he has to be Superman.”
Antetokounmpo’s Greek team coach, Vassilis Spanoulis, also answered questions about the star player and whether he’d be load-managed during games that might not be as crucial for the Hellas, according to Gioulenoglou.
“Giannis can play as much as I want him to play, we are in the official games now and there’s no limitations anymore,” Spanoulis said.
When asked about the experience of coaching Antetokounmpo this year versus prior years, Spanoulis saw a clear difference in approach despite the same personality he’s used to.
“He is more vocal this year. He is very humble for his status and the kind of player he is, and that extends off the court,” he said. “He wants to win, he wants to get this team to another level. He listens, but he can also lead the team in his own way.”
Team Greece, which most recently won the EuroBasket tournament in 2005, will next face off against Cyrpus on Saturday, followed by a matchup with Georgia on Sunday.