International Hoops Rumors: Former Spur Nico Laprovittola Garnering Interest From Bayern Munich


Former San Antonio Spurs guard Nicolas Laprovittola is among several former NBA players drawing interest from international teams.

International journalist David Pick is reporting that Bayern Munich coach Sasha Djordjevic has been trying to convince the 27-year-old point guard to join his German club.

Laprovittola was waived by the Spurs on Dec. 27 to maintain roster flexibility, per Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-New, but the truth is he had trouble adjusting to the NBA game. The six-foot-four Argentinean averaged 3.3 points and 1.6 assists in 18 games with the Spurs. This was his first season in the NBA.

Prior to joining the Spurs, Laprovittola spent several seasons playing internationally. He played for Lietuvos Rytas in Lithuania and the Spanish club Estudiantes in 2015-16. He averaged 13.8 points, 4.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 40.1 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc in 30 games combined last season.

Laprovittola also has played professionally in South America in his native Argentina, as well as Brazil. He was a two-time All-Star and the 2015 Finals MVP while in Brazil.

Bayern Munich is 16-3 on the season, including 2-0 in EuroCup play after defeating Russian powerhouse Khimki Moscow 90-74 on Wednesday. The Reds outscored Khimki Moscow 52-33 in the second half. University of Oregon product Bryce Taylor led the way for Bayern with 15 points while Vladimir Lucic and former Clemson Tiger Devin Booker added 14 points.

The former Houston Rockets 2014 second round draft pick Nick Johnson is also playing for the Reds. Johnson is averaging 10.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists this season.

Other international basketball news

Recently waived Anthony Bennett is pondering whether to pursue opportunities overseas or sign with a D-League franchise with hopes of signing a 10-day contract per Sam Amico of Pro Basketball Digest. The Brooklyn Nets cut ties with Bennett on Jan. 9, marking the third time that the 2013 No.1 overall pick has been released.

[Image by Sean M. Haffey Getty Images]

The 23-year-old averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game over 23 contests for the Nets. He shot 41.3 percent from the field and 27.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Bennett showed some promise in the early going for Brooklyn, scoring nine points while hitting 2-of-3 three-pointers and dishing out three assists in his season debut on Oct. 29. After recording a total of 30 minutes of playing time in the Nets first four games, the six-foot-eight forward appeared in just eight November contests registering 72 minutes of court time.

He got some quality time in December with his best game coming against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the 23rd, where he had 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting and two rebounds. However, he saw only three minutes of action in seven games following Christmas.

The Cavs took Bennett with the first overall pick in 2013, and he spent a season with the team. He then was shipped to Minnesota a part of the Andrew Wiggins -Kevin Love deal. He played in 57 games for the Timberwolves in 2014-15. Bennett also appeared in 19 games for the Toronto Raptors last season.

According to Pick, Maccabi Kiryat Gat of Israel has signed 2011 NBA second-round draft pick Josh Selby to replace former Nets guard Tyshawn Taylor, who they released on Tuesday, on the roster. Selby previously played in Israel for Bnei Herzliya.

Selby was selected with the 49th overall selection in the 2011 draft by the Memphis Grizzlies after spending just one season at Kansas. The six-foot-two guard appeared in 38 total games for the Griz between 2011-13 averaging 2.2 points a game. He has bounced around several European leagues and teams since.

Taylor was taken with the 41st overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Portland Trail Blazers before being shipped to Brooklyn on draft night. He appeared in 61 games for the Nets from 2012-2014. The Nets traded the Kansas product to New Orleans in January 2014, although the Pelicans waived him before he played a game for them.

Sportando reported that 2008 Memphis Grizzlies first round selection Donte Greene has joined Puerto Rican club, Capitanes de Arecibo. The 29-year-old, who is seeking another NBA opportunity, led Leones de Santo Domingo to the LNB Championship in the Dominican Republic.

Greene played four seasons for the Sacramento Kings (2008-12), compiling 6.1 points and 2.4 boards in 253 games. His best season was in 2009-10 when he produced 8.5 points and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 44.1 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Lastly, Emilio Carchia of Sportando recently wrote that Italian club Reggio Emilia is interested in former Atlanta Hawk Ryan Kelly. However, Carchia said that Kelly prefers to look at NBA opportunities.

[Image by Kevin C. Cox]

The six-foot-11 forward was released by the Hawks on January 10, after appearing in just nine games. Kelly was a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Lakers out of Duke in 2013. He has career averages of 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 159 games.

[Featured Image by Bruce Kluckhohn/ AP Images]

Share this article: International Hoops Rumors: Former Spur Nico Laprovittola Garnering Interest From Bayern Munich
More from Inquisitr