Hooped Up

Now that the flood gates of International talent has fully been opened.  Hooped Up has compiled a list of The 5 Best International NBA Players Ever!  

5. Dražen Petrović, Portland Trailblazers / New Jersey Nets

 
Born: Šibenik, Croatia
Position: Shooting Guard
NBA Experience: 4 Seasons
NBA Championships: 0
NBA Awards: 0

A tireless shooter and prolific scorer, Petrović is arguably the most celebrated basketball player ever to emerge from Europe. “Petro” is considered a crucial part of the vanguard to the present-day mass influx of European players into the NBA.  Tragically, Dražen Petrović was killed in an auto accedent in 1993, just as he began to flourish in the NBA at the age of 28.
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Hooped Up

Even Duncan knows he will have trouble outpolling Yao, given the Houston center’s domination of the Chinese vote. Last year, Yao garnered 2,451,718 votes to lead the conference, and he has been selected as a starter in each of his five seasons in the NBA.

San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio’s Tim Duncan has been fined $25,000 for verbal abuse of a game official, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred after Duncan’s second technical foul and ejection, with 1:04 remaining in the third period of the Mavericks’ 91-86 win over the Spurs on Sunday, April 15 at American Airlines Center.

NBA

NBA referee Joey Crawford has been indefinitely suspended for improper conduct toward Tim Duncan during the San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks game on April 15, it was announced today by NBA Commissioner David Stern. The conduct included Crawford’s assessment of a second technical foul and ejection of Duncan following laughter by the player while he was seated on the bench, and inappropriate comments made to Duncan during the game.

Crawford’s suspension will cover at least the remainder of the 2006-07 season, including the NBA Playoffs and Finals.

“Joey Crawford’s handling of this situation failed to meet the standards of professionalism and game management we expect of NBA referees,” said Stern. “Especially in light of similar prior acts by this official, a significant suspension is warranted. Although Joey is consistently rated as one of our top referees, he must be held accountable for his actions on the floor, and we will have further discussions with him following the season to be sure he understands his responsibilities.”

The incidents occurred with 1:04 remaining in the third period of the Mavericks 91-86 win over the Spurs on Sunday, April 8 at American Airlines Center.

AP

No creature on earth — teddy bears included — seems as docile and agreeable as Tim Duncan. He’s always seemed like a very calm, placid, friendly man. Which is why it’s so bizarre that Joey Crawford ejected him yesterday.

 AOL

NBA officials interviewed Tim Duncan about his ejection in Sunday’s loss to Dallas as the league’s investigation appeared to focus on the actions of referee Joey Crawford.

Duncan said he spoke with an NBA security representative Monday by phone and told him the same thing he told reporters the previous day when he was ejected by Crawford while sitting on the bench:

Crawford asked him if he wanted to fight before either technical foul was issued; he made only one verbal complaint to Crawford about a call; and he was laughing about a call against Fabricio Oberto when Crawford ejected him.

Duncan also admitted he cursed at Crawford but only after he had been ejected and had started to leave the court. Crawford said Duncan called him a “piece of (expletive).”

“I called him that,” Duncan said. “But I wanted to make sure (league officials) knew that wasn’t why I was ejected.”

San Antonio Express-News

Losing a tense, physical, emotional game to their top rival and being forced to settle for the third seed in the Western Conference was bad enough for Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs. Even worse: Duncan is convinced official Joey Crawford is out to get him, with a brawl possibly needed to settle things.

AP/Houston Chronicle