Mike James and Ron Baker will provide CSKA the necessary boost
Mike James and Ron Baker will provide CSKA the necessary boost
At the beginning of the summer, it seemed the reigning champions of the Euroleague will slow the engine for the next season. The Russian club has lost in a couple of weeks the most important jewellery of his European crown: Corry Higgins, Nando de Colo and Sergio Rodriguez. Both centers Alec Peters and Othello Hunter has gone as well.
Of course, the core of the Russian players, the same for the last seasons remained with the Red Army (Antonov, Kurbanov, Vorontsevich) and also some foreigners like Will Clyburn, Daniel Hackett, Kyle Hines and Joel Bolomboy. But was not enough. Except for Clyburn, who can be a leading scorer the rest of these guys are there just to help, to defend, to rebound. They are important role players, but nothing more. And with a bunch of role players, you cannot win the main competition in Europe.
Even with the signings of Johannes Voigtmann, Darrun Hilliard and Janis Strelnieks, CSKA didn’t look like a serious title contender for the season to come. Everybody would understand, the club has just won the trophy so they could relax a bit, not spending again a fortune signing big names. The only big addition was the ex-NBA experienced center Kostas Koufos, but again this was not yet a scary team compared with let’s say F.C. Barcelona who made a savage acquisition campaign during summer.
But in the last days, the tables turn around for the Russian powerhouse who succeed not one, but two impressive signings. The NBA-er Ron Baker and the Euroleague scorer and the most efficient player of the last season: the one and only Mike James, fired by Olimpia Milano, in spite of his solid contract. The opportunity for CSKA to sign the speedy little guy was so big, they couldn’t afford to miss it. Thanks to these two ultimate additions, the reigning champions are now looking too good and I’m sure they will try to defend their title, reaching another Final 4.
Gratian Cormos
Mike James and Ron Baker will provide CSKA the necessary boost
