Bambale Osby Leaves Germany, Signs in Israel

Bambale Osby (2006-08) has been released by Phoenix Hagen (translation) of Germany. Osby had been hampered by knee injuries and was facing stress from a death in the family. Because of these factors he was not producing the way he or his coaches expected. Similar news stories (translation) also make it sound as though Osby and his agent requested the release, or at least the release was mutually agreed upon.

Bambale is now getting a fresh start with a new team in Israel, joining the roster of Ironi Ramat Gan (translation) of the Israeli Premier League. (The translation is mangling his name, but you can see him on the roster here.)

Chris Wilcox has a Shot at Starting for the Pistons

As the Detroit Pistons start training camp this week, there is no clear choice to be their starting center after an off-season roster shake-up. Chris Wilcox (2000-02), who signed a two-year deal with Detroit as a free agent back in July, hopes to have a shot at that starting spot. He's going up against Ben Wallace, who is returning to the Pistons after three years in Chicago and Cleveland, and incumbent starter Kwame Brown. Pistons.com says this about Wilcox:

Wilcox, signed as a free agent after splitting last season between Oklahoma City and New York, offers a different set of skills. At 6-foot-10 and about 240 pounds, Wilcox’s calling card is his athleticism and ability to finish in traffic. Though not a perimeter threat, he’s a threat, unlike Brown, facing the basket from 15 feet and can score over smaller defenders from the post. [Pistons vice president Scott] Perry knows Wilcox well from the season he spent away from the Pistons as assistant general manager with the then-Seattle Sonics.

“Chris is an excellent athlete, very explosive," Perry said. “Going back to my time with Seattle, he was a guy who could get you four to six points in transition with his ability to run the floor and you kick it up ahead to him. He can improve your ability to fast break because once you get the ball, either on a steal or a rebound transitioning to the offensive end, he’s very good at that because he’s got good speed and athleticism. If and when he plays that five position, you can use that to his advantage." [...]

The Pistons are also hoping that being dropped into the first winning environment he’s experienced in his seven-year career – Wilcox has not only never appeared in a playoff game, he’s never begun a season with a team expected to challenge for a playoff berth – will draw out the best in Wilcox.

Vote for the Mobbies

The Baltimore Sun is running a huge "Best Of" local blog voting competition called The Mobbies, and "Maryland Basketball: Where are They Now?" is a candidate for Best Terps Blog. You can vote once per day, but you will have to register on the Baltimore Sun website in order to vote (but then, the Sun has excellent Terps coverage, so many of you are probably registered there already anyway).

Remember, vote early, vote often!

Juan Dixon in Training Camp with Atlanta

Juan Dixon (1998-2002) has been a free agent all summer and still doesn't have a guaranteed contract locked up for the upcoming NBA season, but he is on the training camp roster for the Atlanta Hawks, according to the Atlanta Constitution-Journal:

The internal concerns about the Hawks’ point guard depth is reflected in the number of veteran guards on the camp roster, highlighted by this veteran guard. Dixon has never carved a niche for himself as a starting point guard but he’s been a factor on several teams as a situational combo guard. He’ll need a huge showing in camp to snag a roster spot.

There are eight players in training camp playing for one or two roster spots once the season starts.

Calvin McCall Coaching at His Old High School

Calvin McCall (1999-2003) was a starting quarterback and half-season basketball player for the Terps in 1999 and 2000, but he quit the football team and dedicated himself full time to basketball his junior and senior years (2001-03). Now, this two-sport star is back home in Orlando, Florida, coaching basketball at his alma mater, Dr. Philips High School (scroll 90% of the way down that link... McCall is the third coach profiled on the page). Calvin is the head JV coach as well as an assistant coach for the varsity team.

Terence Morris to Play for FC Barcelona

Terence Morris (1997-2001) isn't playing for Efes Pilsen of Turkey after all, which I posted back in July. A commenter on that post alerted me today that the deal with Efes fell through, and Terence is now signed to play for four years with Spain's Regal FC Barcelona, where he will be teammates with Ricky Rubio.

Excerpt from the press release:

Terence Morris is Regal Barça’s second signing for the 2009/10 season. The American power forward is especially motivated because he thinks the way Barça play will suit his game.

The former CSKA Moscow player signed for the next four seasons this afternoon and says that Barça is his big chance “to win a major title”. So far the American has been playing in minor leagues such as those in Russia and Israel though he combined that with Euroleague action. Now with Barça and in the ACB, he hopes to be able to show off his talent once more.

Jamar Smith Signs with a New Italian Team

Jamar Smith (2002-04), who played last season in Italy's Lega2 for Fastweb Casale Monferrato, is moving to a different team within the same league, Trenkwalder Pallacanestro Reggiana of Reggio Emilia, Italy. From the team's press release (translation):

Playing for Fastweb Casale Monferrato last season, Smith played a total of 37 games, including playoff and regular season, averaging 29.4 minutes a game, 12.5 rebounds and 7.5 points scored. [...]

In the words of coach Ramagli, "We have added to our roster a veteran player who has already had substantial experience in Lega and which may be of great help to our young players. He is a very technical player who has returned from a very positive experience in Casale Monferrato, where he helped lead his team to the league semifinals and earn a promotion to Serie A. He has good hands on offense and improved his defensive impact a lot last season. His integration will be an important addition to our team."

In his comments to the media upon his arrival with the new team (translation), Jamar said all the standard, generic things about his new city and teammates.

"I'm really excited to be here," Jamar said in her first interview with the media as a new forward for Trenkwalder. "My first impression of the people and the city has been very positive, I liked my new colleagues, it seems like a young and highly motivated team. I will do my best to contribute to the team."