Clippers' Kaman becomes German citizen for Games

[Saskibaloia]

Sports Illustrated



Clippers' Kaman becomes German citizen for Games

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman has received German citizenship and will team up with Dirk Nowitzki for Germany at an Olympic qualifying tournament later this month.

Kaman, whose great-grandparents were German, averaged 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds last season with the Clippers.

The 7-foot Kaman will add size to a German team seeking to qualify for its first Olympics since the 1992 Barcelona Games.

"We'll be stronger under the baskets with Chris," Nowitzki said Thursday.

The German team is practicing at home for a warmup tournament before it travels to Greece for the July 14-20 qualifying event in Athens.

"Chris is a significant addition and we'll now have to integrate him in time for the Athens tournament," coach Dirk Bauermann said.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


How will Coach Bauermann utilize the big fella?

Do you think that the Germans will qualify for the Olympics?

How much of a positive impact will this NBA starter and future All Star provide for the Germans?

[alermac]

I think that, right now, he's useful mostly on defense and rebounding. And after the new rules take place, he can be an interesting scoring option.

[kerouac82]

This will be big for Germany. Dirk can slide down to power forward, where he is more effective, while Kaman can take care of things at the slot. Big things (literally) are coming up for this team.

[thadzonline]

This will be big for Germany. Dirk can slide down to power forward, where he is more effective, while Kaman can take care of things at the slot. Big things (literally) are coming up for this team.

yeah, he'd be a big help down low.Is Femerling still with the team though? If he is they can even slide Dirk to the 3-spot at times and have 3 7-footers together

[viridianus]

...Kaman-Novitsky at C and PF? Sounds scary....a loto of european teams were about to think that the strenght of Germany eas over, Dirk was getting old and tired of playing for a mediocre team but now it seems every bif force in Europe has to face a new threat, cause under the basket Germans are huge and successful!

[rikhardur]

Is Femerling still with the team though?
Yes, Femerling is still there.

[thadzonline]

Yes, Femerling is still there.

wow, that team is big and there is that other 6'10 guy too..what's his name?

[rikhardur]

wow, that team is big and there is that other 6'10 guy too..what's his name?
You mean Tim Ohlbrecht? He's got great potential.


Something curious about Kaman I didn't know about:


In January of 2008, Kaman revealed that he was misdiagnosed with Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.[3] Kaman spent much of his childhood on a farm[4][5] and as a child he used to tear shingles off of neighbors' rooftops and misbehave in school. His apparent ADHD affected his play in high school. He took Ritalin to treat the supposed condition, but the drug killed his appetite. Kaman became very skinny as a result. Kaman, diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder at 2½, found out the classification was wrong this summer. Instead, his brain was in overdrive, working too fast. Tim Royer, the neurosurgeon who discovered the misdiagnosis in July, worked on a daily training program with Kaman to slow down his thought process throughout the summer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Kaman#Spokesman_for_misdiagnoses_of_ADHD

[thadzonline]

You mean Tim Ohlbrecht? He's got great potential.


Something curious about Kaman I didn't know about:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Kaman#Spokesman_for_misdiagnoses_of_ADHD

Olbrecht is fair-skinned ey? how tall is Okulaja?

[Phantim3dx]

this is hilarious rik, we can always count on you for mroe in depth info on players! haha kaman was a hooligan when he was younger!?!


You mean Tim Ohlbrecht? He's got great potential.


Something curious about Kaman I didn't know about:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Kaman#Spokesman_for_misdiagnoses_of_ADHD

[rikhardur]

Olbrecht is fair-skinned ey? how tall is Okulaja?
Yes, he is. Okulaja is 2.06m (6'9).

[Juan Carlos Nadal]

So Kaman took a german passport on the basis that his (great-?)grandfather was german? Damn, I have too look into whether I can get a Mongolian passport myself on the same basis.

Jokes aside, I think that his addition will allow the German NT to cease being a single go-to guy team. He may not be Dirk, but he is great at the post and he could offer great help in close games.

[Phantim3dx]

wait i think ive asked this already but can kaman speak german?

[mvblair]

Kaman can be a heck of a player. He´s very talented, but he can´t score that well. He´ll obviously have an impact, but how much? Germany has had many big, tough defenders in the past, and still hasn´t had a whole lot of success.

[qiangdade]

So Kaman took a german passport on the basis that his (great-?)grandfather was german? Damn, I have too look into whether I can get a Mongolian passport myself on the same basis.

Jokes aside, I think that his addition will allow the German NT to cease being a single go-to guy team. He may not be Dirk, but he is great at the post and he could offer great help in close games.

According to wikipedia some 50 mil americans claim to be of german origin, while germans are the biggest ethnic group in america since it was first colonized, and even before independence (and still is within the states), so we can find and naturalize players in every sport whenever we want:D :D . It seems that the german federation is doing great scouting there:D :D :D

Ok, fun aside now, i am guessing that kaman with such numbers in the nba has a guaranteed contract so i am wondering why on earth he agreed to be a part of the german NT. I doubt he has any german patriotic feelings...

[Victorious]

They should have added David Hasselhof to their team.

[Booker-T]

wow, that team is big and there is that other 6'10 guy too..what's his name?

Jan Jagla (www.acb.com/jugador.php?id=BDV) (SF/PF, 1981, DKV Joventut Badalona) is 2,13 m. He's gonna be part of the NT in Athens.

[rikhardur]

http://www.fiba.com/images/web/News/players_head_shots/ger/Chris_Kaman/_original/kaman.jpg