David Andersen...

[Diesel]

David Andersen. The 6-11 Andersen is a European free agent this summer whose NBA rights belong to the Hawks, who drafted him in the second round in 2002. He would be an excellent complement to Al Horford's post game because Andersen can stray out to the perimeter as a face-up jump shooter, and he has the playmaking skills associated with European big men.

Andersen is an Australian with a European passport (one side of his family comes from the Danish city of Aalborg). He lives with his younger brother Grant in a Moscow apartment provided by the club; the unit once belonged to an Army general, as evidenced by its unusually thick doors and video security system.

"It's solid, man,'' Andersen said. "CSKA looks after its players very well -- bomb-proof doors.''

Andersen joined Bologna in the Italian league as an 18-year-old, which means he's been playing major European basketball for a decade. He spurned scholarship offers from UCLA and other colleges to ultimately establish himself as one of the best big men in Europe. He makes $1.65 million net -- the "net'' meaning that the club pays his taxes, rent and even provides him with a car and driver. Therefore, a competitive offer from the NBA would have to be $2.4 million, but Andersen's price is likely to rise higher as the top clubs bid for him this summer.

"It's always been a dream of mine, ever since I was young,'' he said of playing in the NBA. "In Australia, European basketball is not really known; I'm pretty sure hardly anyone in Australia is aware that I play on one of the premier European teams. Playing in the NBA would put me more on the map with the people in Australia.''

Andersen seems like the type who could enjoy himself anywhere.

"Sometimes you're on the roads,'' he said of living in Moscow, "and you see the big black Mercedes followed by another big black four-wheel drive with the security detail, and they're hanging out the sides [of the car windows] with their machine guns. Don't know who they are, but they're weaving back and forth through traffic and the car is sticking right to the ass of the other car and you see the guys sitting in the back window with their guns. I'm like, Steer clear of that.''

I asked Andersen for his best story about basketball in Europe.

"When we won the championship [with Bologna] in Italy, the fans went crazy and rushed the floor, and guys are cutting down the nets literally two seconds after the game's done,'' he said. "Not even before the game's over they're rushing the court, and we were trying to get off the floor and literally people were trying to rip our shirts off our backs. We nearly had to fight people off us, it was a riot kind of thing. I remember Marko Jaric, who plays in the NBA [now with the Timberwolves], he was the unfortunate one to be caught in the middle of the court when everyone rushed it, and he came into the locker room with nothing but his little jock strap. No shoes on, nothing. We had fans yelling back [through] the window outside our locker room, 'Hey, give us something!' And we'd drop out a sock or something out the window, and they'd all cheer.''

[DrReality]

This was posted earlier. Rumor was they supplied the women too.

[hussamga]

Just about any foreigner who does business in Russia is heavily protected. My friend said he had a bodyguard 24/7 and they would try to lock him in his hotel room overnight for his safety (threat being kidnapping or violent muggings). Anyone that has lived in Asia (include russia) knows girls are mixed into the culture of business alot. Was in china the previous two years, i would say half the factory managers/bosses would invite me out for dinner then either karaoke club or massage parlors. Just the way they build relationships.

Dont really see how bomb proof doors are perks (unless you live in chicago with all the house invasions)...girls i mean dude is gonna be an NBA player, no one will have to pay for his girls now..

[jhay610]

Quote:

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karaoke club

been to quite a few of these myself. What could be better than a private room, some premium video/audio equipment complete with a playlist full of 80's ballads, and a bucket of beers.

Sounds like a good time to me! And they are so serious about it, too. Cracks me up every time!

[hussamga]

Except when your there for 6hrs and a boss is singing some patriotic song so its rude to leave while he butchers it and your ears! Hah they had one song i recognized...it was like a Will Smith song, then the video played and a white guy was driving around in a place like Hong Kong (tall buildings, packed)...threw me off...i was like what the *#&% ... it was like bizzaro world there sometime :P

[gsuteke]

one of my fave movie clips

Chris Tucker singing Michael Jackson in Rush Hour @ that Chinese Karaoke club

[jhay610]

Quote:

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it was like bizzaro world there sometime :P

Definitely. Never have been to Hong Kong but I've been nearly everywhere else in China. It is an alternate universe.

[DrReality]

I can't imagine living under those conditions for years. It's like he would be a prisoner in his own life.