The elimination of the U.S. Dreamers' Team from the World
Basketball Championships in Athens on Aug. 8 came with a dollop
of deja vu. Against the Americans in the gold medal game of the
1972 Olympics, the Soviet Union threw a full-court pass for the
winning layup as time ran out; this time, in a 66-64 semifinal
victory, Russia struck over land, with forward Serguei Panov
dribbling the length of the floor for a layup with four seconds
to go. In Munich a referee made the final basket possible by
putting three seconds back on the clock; in Athens no referee
intervened when, after Panov's score, Vassilij Karassev pinned
the ball to the floor behind the baseline as the clock ticked
down. At least as much time as was given to the Soviets in '72
was taken from the Americans 26 years later, and a running
three-pointer by Wendell Alexis of the U.S. dropped in just
after the buzzer.
Rebraca (rebounding against Greece) says he needs one more
season to get ready for the NBA.
(Thomas Chrisohoidis)
|
Despite the bitter finish, several of the CBA lifers, European
league vagabonds and green collegians making up the American
team caught the eyes of NBA scouts during their three weeks
together—and not Alexis and Jimmy Oliver, the top U.S. scorers,
both of whom were deficient defensively. Bird dogs couched their
comments warily because of lockout-related restrictions, but
scouts took note of Michael Hawkins, the 6-foot point guard who
played last season with Olympiakos of Athens; of 6'9" power
forward Gerard King, a banger who has filled out during two
seasons with Fontanafredda of the Italian league; of 1998 CBA
MVP Jimmy King, a 6'5" guard whose in-transition slam on a
shovel pass from Hawkins on Aug. 8 gave the crowd a hint of a
Dream Team floor show; and of Brad Miller, the 6'11" center out
of Purdue who went undrafted in June. The first three are free
agents; Miller signed with Livorno in Italy's Serie A—but with
an out-clause if an NBA team shows interest after the lockout
ends.
Easily the finest player of the tournament was 6'11" center
Zeljko Rebraca of Yugoslavia, which beat Russia 64-62 on Sunday
for the title, with Rebraca blocking a shot, scoring off a
rebound and making two free throws in the closing minute. He has
a reported $1.5 million deal with Italy's Benetton Treviso for
the coming season, and Virtus Bologna is trying to lock him up
for three years after that.
Minnesota holds the NBA rights to this fluid 25-year-old shot
blocker and scorer (13.6 points a game in Athens) whom U.S.
coach Rudy Tomjanovich calls "poised, strong and streamlined,"
and Rebraca is interested in joining the T-Wolves for the
1999-2000 season. A year ago he told Minnesota vice president
Kevin McHale he didn't feel prepared for the NBA. "I think I'm
ready now," Rebraca says. "After this season I think I'll be
even more ready. I really want to play in the NBA. But I want to
play. I don't want to sit on the bench." He also says he would
expect to earn more than he's getting in Europe—all the more
reason for the Timberwolves to make sure they can afford to pay
players besides Kevin Garnett.
Issue date: August 17, 1998
|
|
|
