Le Basketbawl

Okay so does the Euro-League want to be taken seriously or not? Since July 1, some big name well known former NBA players led by former Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Childress have signed with Euro-League teams. During the last couple of weeks speculation has grown whether Kobe Bryant may finish his career in Europe, and of course LeBron James by some of my peers accounts is all ready to sign a contract in 2010 with Olympiakos for $50 million.

LBJ knowing how to play the media like a Stradivarius, when asked would he jump overseas for a year answered “you never can tell.” Which only increased the media speculation ten fold! The way some NBA observers have reacted to James’ non-response, reminds me of that old joke. Do you know how to keep a moron in suspense? I’ll tell you next week.

“ESPN.com” reported Sunday that Italian team Premiata Montegranaro made public Sunday that they have also signed a well known former NBA player. The team’s head coach Alessandro Finelli told reporters that the team has signed 38 year old former All-Star Shawn Kemp. Yes that Shawn Kemp the guy who has not played since the 2002-2003 campaign with the Orlando Magic. The same Shawn Kemp who went from being one of the most dominant players in the Association, to a man who allowed his inner demons to destroy his career. Who ended as a bloated shell of his former self when we last saw him. Kemp averaged 20.5 points per game for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1998-1999 strike shortened season. In his last campaign with the Magic he averaged 6.8 points per contest. Yes, that Shawn Kemp!

Finelli told reporters “I am happy that a player that has made basketball history would come to Montegranaro! He is very motivated. And he has been staying in shape to show up at our camp in good shape. We will discover with work in the gym if he will be a key player for our team. Now, it’s too soon to say that.”

Coach, no it’s not! If Kemp is a key player for your team, it will just reinforce the talent drop off between the Association and the Euro-League. I truly hope that I am mistaken, but unless Shawn Kemp has discovered the fountain of youth, there is no way he could play in the NBA in the upcoming season. If he can be a dominant player in the Euro-League that just shows the planet how far the League has to go to catch up with the NBA. And if this just trying to get fans in by a name that once had cache in the NBA, then it just shows that you have a minor league mentality. And it adds one more reason why LBJ will not play for Olympiakos in 2010.