From the media…

Yoav Borowitz from Haaretz.com writes that the loss of Anthony Parker to the Toronto Raptors leaves a gaping hole in the Maccabi Tel-Aviv roster that could possibly be filled by several current and former Detroit Pistons including invitees to the 2006 Toshiba Vegas Summer League;

Other players Maccabi is looking at, such as Will Blalock, Alex Acker, Zoran Planinic, Franck Williams and Maurice Evans, just don’t come close to Europe’s MVP.

Travis Heath at Hoopsworld.com has an article on Rodney Bup-Bup-Billups with interesting quotes from Chauncey’s little brother on his chances of making it to the NBA, and what it was like being the leading All-Star vote getter in the Latvian League;

Perhaps Billups’ most impressive exploit while playing in Europe was making an All Star appearance in his first season. And it wasn’t just any All Star appearance. Billups was actually the leading vote getter for the contest. Not bad for a 5-foot-10 rookie point guard, huh?

So does the NBA hold a spot for Rodney Billups?

“At some point, I think so,” Billups replied. “Man, I’m just going to keep playing hard. One day I’ll get that chance.”

Tracy Graven at Hoopsworld also wraps up the TVSL who is who, who talked to who, who wore what, ah… you get the idea. Tracy had some tough words for Mateen Cleaves as well as an interesting observation on the Rasheed and Fatima Wallace family dynamic.

Call it quits — Mateen Cleaves had a hard time sticking with undrafted free agents and first- and second-year guys … forget the league and become a broadcaster … I hear NBA TV is hiring

Flip Saunders was on the phone a lot and never cracked a smile

Rodney Billups got to play a few minutes on Tuesday since big bro Chauncey was looking on from three rows behind the bench

Rasheed and Fatima Wallace watched a Pistons game together as Joe Dumars had ‘Sheed rolling with laughter throughout the game — or was it the Pistons themselves?

One look at Fatima Wallace and you know two things with certainty — (1) Around her Rasheed is a completely different person, the person no one ever gets to see and one many think doesn’t even exist, and/or, (2) she is the reason for his change in perception — hey, I’d toe the line, too … what a great lady!!!