A couple of weeks ago he reconnected with his former agent, Todd Ramasar, and Saturday held a private workout for the Dallas Mavericks. They supposedly remain interested, but as with everyone else, they want to see him play first. While a source close to Davis says interest also has been expressed by teams in Finland, Israel and Australia, where former Knicks teammate Al Harrington is currently playing for the Sydney Kings, going overseas would probably push a return to the NBA to next season. It also might make it difficult for him to keep up his maintenance work with Hines and Dr. Khaziran. Forging his way back through the no-frills D-League actually holds a certain appeal. He doesn’t want to come back because of who he was. He wants to make it back because of who he is.
David ‘Dubi’ Pick: Lithuania, Espana, Poland, Turks & more NTs ramping up complaints to FIBA about poor hotel conditions in Lille. Poland & Lithuania stressed that delivered cuisine isn’t fit for Marcin Gortat, Jonas Valanciunas – NBA stars. Espana, Finland, Turks, others called for field trips for dinner. Opted against hotel menus.
30 Mar 15
Irrespective of the quality of the foe that got smoked 114-55 and forced into 31 turnovers while mustering just five assists. Finland looked every bit the lowest-ranked invite via wild card in the history of this event — 39th worldwide in FIBA’s latest rankings — but the way Team USA lasered right in and immediately embraced the challenge to defend with a greater ferocity than past Team USAs could only impress the bosses. “The ball pressure was great,” Thibodeau said. “Challenging shots, finishing our defense, guys being tied together … it was terrific.”
Point guard Petteri Koponen took the floor hoping for a showing that would convince the critics Finland deserved its FIBA wild card for something other than the raucous band of traveling fans it could bring to the World Cup or its ties to the big money of Rovio and their Angry Birds franchise. Koponen and his pals wound up running straight into a pack of Angry Yanks and their buzzsaw D. “Maybe they’re missing some great players, but for sure these players want to show how great they are, too,” Koponen told ESPN.com just before making the much longer walk to his team bus. “They want to show the whole world they are the next generation, and they’re going to be the next superstars.”
30 Aug 14