International Rumors | Hoops Rumors

International Notes: Napier, Markkanen, Williams, Birch

August 3rd, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Eli Cohen

After winning a championship and being named 2025 Finals MVP of the German Bundesliga for Bayern Munich, Shabazz Napier is hitting free agency, writes Dario Skerletic of Sportando.

The 34-year-old point guard averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 41.1% on three-pointers during EuroLeague play.

Napier was the 24th pick in the 2014 draft and averaged 7.1 points and 2.5 assists during his six-year NBA career. He split time between the G League and EuroLeague throughout the 2022/23 season, playing 10 games for the Mexico City Capitanes and averaging 22.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 47.1% from three before joining Olimpia Milano, where he averaged 15.0 points and 3.9 assists and knocked down 45.6% of his threes.

Since then, he has bounced between Olimpia Milano and Crvena Zvezda before heading to Bayern this past season.

We have more from the world of international hoops:

Lauri Markkanen will lead Team Finland in EuroBasket as the lone NBA player on the roster, as the team at Eurohoops.net notes. He’s not the only NBA personnel, though, as Jazz assistant Sean Sheldon will serve as an assistant coach. The Finnish team will play Sweden, Great Britain, Montenegro, Lithuania, and Germany in the group stage, which starts on August 27.
Johnathan Williams III has signed a one-year deal with the London Lions, reports Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Williams spent two seasons in the NBA, from 2018-2020, splitting time between the Lakers and Wizards. He spent the previous three years in the Japanese league, playing last year for the Chiba Jets, for whom he averaged 11.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 17 games.
In case you missed it, Khem Birch has finalized his contract extension with Fenerbahce. The new deal is for one year as the Turkish powerhouse looks to defend its title. The 32-year-old center was named Finals MVP of the Basketball Super League playoffs last season.

Jack McVeigh Hopes To Continue NBA Journey

August 3rd, 2025 at 8:04pm CST by Eli Cohen

Unrestricted free agent Jack McVeigh is actively pursuing options that will keep him in the NBA, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (via Twitter).

McVeigh, who spent last season on a two-way contract with the Rockets, played nine games at the NBA level, as well as 34 games with Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He averaged 16.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest in the NBAGL while making 37% of his three-point attempts.

Last year was the first NBA experience for the 29-year-old, 6’8″ forward from Australia, who had played the previous six years with the Adelaide 36ers and Tasmania JackJumpers before coming stateside.

He played four games with the Rockets’ Summer League team this offseason, averaging 14.0 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 45.5% from three in 22.8 minutes per game.

Uluc adds that McVeigh is seriously considering offers to play in Europe as well and that he has received offers from multiple high-level EuroLeague teams.

Uluc also notes (via Twitter) that McVeigh has a strong set of options back in the NBL. The JackJumpers recently relinquished their rights of first refusal, which would allow him to sign with another Australian team if he decides to return home. The Cairns Taipans and Illawara Hawks are expected to be the top two suitors should McVeigh head back to the NBL.

Richaun Holmes Weighing Panathinaikos Offer, Hoping To Stay In NBA?

August 3rd, 2025 at 8:44am CST by Rory Maher

Free agent center Richaun Holmes was waived by the Wizards on July 14. At the end of July, reports indicated that his representatives were talking to Turkish club Fenerbahce, the reigning EuroLeague champions.

Evidently the talks with Fenerbahce weren’t fruitful, but Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops.net hears that Holmes now has a two-year offer on the table from 2024 EuroLeague champion Panathinaikos.

As Barbarousis explains, Holmes is reportedly still holding out hope of landing a guaranteed NBA contract. If that doesn’t happen in the near future, he’s expected to sign with the Greek powerhouse, which made an unsuccessful run at Jonas Valanciunas earlier this offseason.

The 37th pick of the 2015 draft after starring in college at Bowling Green, Holmes has spent the past 10 years in the NBA, suiting up for Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sacramento, Dallas and Washington. His most productive season was 2020/21, when he averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 blocks in 29.2 minutes per game across 61 appearances for the Kings.

Holmes, who will turn 32 years old in October, holds career averages of 8.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 0.9 BPG in 19.1 MPG (489 games, including 178 starts). He averaged 7.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 0.7 BPG in 31 games for the Wizards in ’24/25 (17.2 MPG).

Khem Birch Signs One-Year Extension With Fenerbahce

August 3rd, 2025 at 8:35am CST by Eli Cohen

August 3: Birch’s one-year extension with Fenerbahce — which covers the 2025/26 season — is now official, according to a team press release.

August 1: Veteran center Khem Birch is nearing a contract extension with EuroLeague champions Fenerbahce Istanbul, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Urbonas indicates that the deal would at least lock up Birch for next season, though it’s unclear if it would extend beyond that.

Birch was named the Turkish League Finals MVP this season after averaging 11.2 points and 5,2 rebounds per game during the Finals. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per night throughout EuroLeague play. BasketNews named him one of the best defenders in the EuroLeague.

After starting his career with Olympiacos in the Greek league, Birch played six seasons in the NBA, splitting his time between the Magic and the Raptors. He then returned overseas and has been playing in Europe since the 2023/24 season.

The Fenerbahce roster is loaded with players who have spent time in the NBA, including Nicolo Melli, Onuralp Bitim, Bonzie Colson, Devon Hall, and Wade Baldwin IV. The Turkish team will look to defend its domestic and EuroLeague titles this coming season.

Isaiah Wong Signs With Gran Canaria

August 2nd, 2025 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA guard Isaiah Wong has left Zalgiris Kaunas in Lithuania and signed with Gran Canaria in Spain, the club formally announced in a press release.

The 55th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Wong spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with Indiana, then was on a two-way deal with Charlotte for over two months in 2024/25.

The 6’3″ guard only appeared in one game as a Pacer, but averaged 6.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 13.3 minutes per game across 20 appearances for the Hornets last season. He made 39.4% of his three-point attempts, though he shot just 38.9% on two-pointers.

Wong played well last season at the G League level, averaging 20.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 3.8 APG with a .454/.388/.804 shooting line in 14 total outings for the Salt Lake City Stars and Greensboro Swarm. However, after being waived by Charlotte in February, the former Miami Hurricanes standout finished the season with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague.

Wong will be joining a Gran Canaria squad that finished 19-15 in Liga ACB play last season. The team placed seventh in the standings and was eliminated in the first round of the postseason by Valencia Basket.

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Javon Freeman-Liberty Signs With Brisbane Bullets

August 1st, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Javon Freeman-Liberty has joined the Brisbane Bullets in Australia’s National Basketball League, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (via Twitter). He will head overseas on a one-year deal.

Freeman-Liberty played 22 games for the Raptors in the 2023/24 season, averaging 7.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per night. The 25-year-old spent last year with the Windy City Bulls G League team, for whom he averaged 19.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 35.6% on 7.9 three-point attempts per game.

A 6’4″ guard, Freeman-Liberty is coming off a strong Summer League with the Bulls that saw him average 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in five contests.

The Bullets came in eighth in the NBL last season out of 10 teams and are hoping that the addition of Freeman-Liberty can help boost them up the standings.

“To add a talent of Javon’s caliber to our roster at this stage is really exciting,” said head coach Stu Lash, according to the NBL website. “He’s a hungry player who’s ready to take the next step in his development as a professional. His toughness, ferocity, and willingness to compete make him a natural fit for what we value at the Brisbane Bullets.”

Skylar Mays Signs With KK Buducnost

August 1st, 2025 at 6:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

Skylar Mays has signed with the Montenegrin team KK Buducnost, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando. The team officially announced the deal in a press release.

Mays played four seasons in the NBA, with the majority of his time coming with the Hawks. He last played in the NBA in 2023/24, suiting up for 21 games with the Trail Blazers and 17 with the Lakers. Across 105 career appearances, he holds career averages of 4.3 points and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 34.5% from three and 85.9% from the free throw line.

Mays played 19 games with the Iowa Wolves G League team last season, averaging 12.5 points, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 39% from three. He also spent time with EuroLeague champion Fenerbahce last year, averaging 3.7 PPG in 10.1 MPG during league play.

Mays will join a Buducnost roster that boasts former NBA players Juwan Morgan and Yogi Ferrell.

Precious Achiuwa Reportedly Drawing Interest From Panathinaikos

August 1st, 2025 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Having failed to land Jonas Valanciunas last month, the Greek club Panathinaikos remains on the lookout for frontcourt help and reportedly has NBA free agent big man Precious Achiuwa on its radar.

Kevin Martorano of Sportando shares the details, citing a report from Vasilis Papatheodorou of SDNA, who says Achiuwa is on Panathinaikos’ short list of potential targets.

Achiuwa, who will turn 26 in September, has spent the past season-and-a-half with the Knicks after being traded from Toronto to New York along with OG Anunoby in December 2023. In 57 games in 2024/25, he averaged 6.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 20.5 minutes per contest, with a .502/.278/.594 shooting line.

Achiuwa is a bit undersized for a center and isn’t a threat as an outside shooter, but he’s an athletic, high-energy player who rebounds well and is a versatile, switchable defender. Still, he remains unsigned a month into free agency and a reunion with the Knicks appears off the table after New York signed Guerschon Yabusele to take his spot on the depth chart.

There’s no indication yet that there’s serious mutual interest between Achiuwa and Panathinaikos, but this is the first real rumor we’ve heard about him in several weeks, so it’s worth keeping an eye on.

JaVale McGee Signs With Illawarra Hawks

August 1st, 2025 at 12:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA center JaVale McGee has reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the Illawara Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League, sources tell Olgun Uluc of ESPN.com. The team has officially confirmed the deal (Twitter link).

McGee, 37, appeared in 909 NBA regular season games from 2008-24, spending time with nine different teams across 16 seasons in the league. He’s a three-time NBA champion, having won titles with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018 and the Lakers in 2020, and also won gold with Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

McGee last played in the NBA during the 2023/24 season, when he averaged 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per game across 46 appearances off the bench for the Kings. The big man didn’t catch on with another NBA team for ’24/25 and eventually signed joined Vaqueros de Bayamón. He averaged 17.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game for the Puerto Rican club, Uluc notes.

According to Uluc, longtime Illawara center Sam Froling is in the process of recovering from an Achilles injury, so the Hawks were in need of frontcourt depth for the coming season. Illawara is Australia’s reigning champion, having defeated Melbourne United in the 2025 NBL Finals.

Devonte’ Graham Signs With Crvena Zvezda

August 1st, 2025 at 10:18am CST by Arthur Hill

August 1: Graham has officially signed with Crvena Zvezda, the team announced today (via Twitter).

July 27: After playing last season in the G League, Devonte’ Graham is nearing an agreement with Crvena Zvezda, according to Eurohoops, which cites an original report from Sport Klub. The 30-year-old point guard has been in talks with the Belgrade team “for some time.”

Graham was in training camp last fall with Portland on an Exhibit 9 contract, but he was waived before the season began. The 6’1″ guard joined the South Bay Lakers in December, but only appeared in five games, averaging 10.8 points and 4.4 assists. He was traded to the Rip City Remix in February, but didn’t suit up for them.

Taken with the 34th pick in the 2018 draft, Graham looked like a future star in Charlotte when he averaged 18.2 points and 7.5 assists in his second NBA season. However, he was never able to duplicate those numbers and was traded to New Orleans in 2021 and San Antonio in 2023.

The Spurs sent him back to Charlotte last summer, along with a second-round pick that was used to take Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Hornets waived Graham the same day.

He appeared in 336 regular season NBA games, making 171 starts and posting career averages of 11.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

If Graham signs with Crvena Zvezda, it will mark his first time playing overseas.