Truth & Rumors > NBA

Grizzlies sign NBA's first Iranian

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Interior needs apparently called for international measures. Hoping to bolster their frontline with more rebounding and shot blocking, the Grizzlies signed Iranian center Hamed Haddadi on Thursday after clearing immigration hurdles. Haddadi is the second international player signed by the Grizzlies this offseason. They agreed to Spanish center Marc Gasol, brother of former Griz star Pau Gasol, earlier this summer. Both big men played in the Olympics. Haddadi, 23, led all Olympians in rebounding and blocks during pool play. The 7-2, 254-pound center was a free agent. Several NBA teams were interested in him, but recent media reports in his native country quoted Haddadi saying that he would sign with the Grizzlies. Haddadi will become the first Iranian to play in the NBA after spending the 2007-08 season playing for Saba Battery in the Iranian Super League. He was cleared to play for the NBA after U.S. government officials granted the league an Office of Foreign Assets Control license to employ Haddadi. NBA commissioner David Stern invited the Iranian national team to compete in the summer league at Utah. Iran's appearance allowed the team a pre-Olympics tune-up.

Memphis Commercial Appeal

Rudy Gay, Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Rudy Gay, Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

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August 29, 2008  07:55 AM ET
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Wasnt this a story on fictionnatiom.com a week age? why another piece?

August 29, 2008  08:05 AM ET
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Cool......he looked great in Bejing......another big man cant hurt

August 29, 2008  08:07 AM ET
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Cool. More new nationalities joining the NBA.
His name kind of sounds like the shoe company "Adidas" too.
If he's like most Iranians, then it's appropriate that he joins the Grizzlies. (You'll have to fill in the details, but I'm just joking. Hint - think of the cave man from Geikko. Okay, it's a racial joke. Haha.)
Funny if Gasol's brother follows in Pau's footsteps to join the Grizz too.
By the way, the folks who write these articles should not be allowed to publish them until the journal has an appropriate picture. They could not get a picture of Haddadi or Marc Gasol, so they had to use one of another random Grizzly player.

August 29, 2008  08:11 AM ET
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Well, not really a "random player" - Rudy Gay is a good player, but still... It's not as pertinent as a picture of Haddadi or Gasol.

August 29, 2008  08:29 AM ET
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I'm glad there are no ignorant comments thus far, but it's still early... You know these people on Fannation hiding behind thier computers like to spew hate and display just how ignorant they are...

August 29, 2008  08:37 AM ET
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Wow, the new Iranian NBA player looks like Rudy Gay (JJ). I just hope he does good and make a name for himself and his country. It will be very tough on him. So many hurdles not just basketballwise but also politicswise. If he plays really good then the fans will welcome w/ open arms. But there will always be people out there who will hate him w/ a passion because of his nationality.

August 29, 2008  08:37 AM ET
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Never seen the guy play.
- but I have reservations about ALL international big men (who don't come through our college system) -
he may come in and prove me wrong.....but not likely
The NBA game is such a different game than international ball

August 29, 2008  09:02 AM ET
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Who cares what country as long as he is a solid player and respects USA.

August 29, 2008  09:09 AM ET
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They could have at least showed the picture of the guy and not Rudy Gay. Anyway, I actually didn't think this would happen but here's hoping the guy has the talent to play in the NBA.

August 29, 2008  09:17 AM ET
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I think Haddadi will be a decent contributor for the Grizzles along with Gasol, Memphis needs the big bodies...

August 29, 2008  09:23 AM ET
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OK What Da Bloodclott!!, I'm happy to oblige!

Hopefully before this guy sets a foot down in the continental U.S. of A. the Feds run his butt down to Gitmo and slap him around awhile to see if he has any useful information......

August 29, 2008  09:30 AM ET
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Let's all have a group hug. Geez.

Well he can always become a POW if Iran starts any trouble.

August 29, 2008  09:43 AM ET
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BOOOOOOOO IRAN

August 29, 2008  09:46 AM ET
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Hopefully before this guy sets a foot down in the continental U.S. of A. the Feds run his butt down to Gitmo and slap him around awhile to see if he has any useful information......

ghostofthebabe | 08/29/08, 09:23 AM

Ignorant remark # 1.

Bravo. Here's your cookie!

August 29, 2008  10:08 AM ET
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I guess NBA got clearance from the Bushies to sign Iranian players, but NOT post their pic on fannation LOL

August 29, 2008  10:10 AM ET
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Yeah he looked great in that winless tournament in Beijing. The NBA is obsessed with international players. The last thing I want to see is another flopper in the league.

August 29, 2008  10:21 AM ET
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He looked great in the Olympics, but had no players surrounding him.

August 29, 2008  10:31 AM ET
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The last thing I want to see is another flopper in the league.

C-Smith | 08/29/08, 10:10 AM

They have the floppers and we have the selfish self centered ones.
They have the soft ones and we have the ones who go to the stands and beat fans up.
They have the French ones, and we have the drug addicts, bad parents, coach-chokers, ....

All that matters is that we are bringing talent into the NBA.

August 29, 2008  11:16 AM ET
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They have the soft ones and we have the ones who go to the stands and beat fans up.
They have the French ones, and we have the drug addicts, bad parents, coach-chokers, ....
All that matters is that we are bringing talent into the NBA.
Se7en - It's electric! | 08/29/08, 10:31 AM

Ther are also a lot of class gentleman, and the drug addicts, bad parents, and coach-chokers who make up a small minority i might add, don't want to see our country vaporized. The reason Haddadi is the 1st is because his predecessors were sent back where they came from. I'm not totally against the move, but we need to know more about this young man than his field goal percentages.

 
August 29, 2008  11:23 AM ET
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will customs perform a full cavity search on this guy?

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