Eddie Gill

It is not a surefire thing that any ex-NBA talent can just bowl up and play there. Some, like Chris Hunter, don't want to, declining the big Chinese monies in favour of a tiny D-League one on the presumption and/or gamble that a midseason NBA call-up might be forthcoming. And a good many more tried and failed - players to have tried out for a spot in China this summer include, but are not limited to, Eddie Gill, Patrick O'Bryant, Will Conroy, Ronald Murray, Rashad McCants and Rafer Alston. In recent years, the CBA has become an even more attractive place to play, and thus has been able to become pickier.

This marks the seventh time Gill has been acquired by the Nets. They first signed him to two ten day contracts at the end of the 2000-01 season, then re-acquired him on draft night 2004 as a part of the trade of Viktor Khryapa's drafts rights (waiving him two weeks later). They then brought him in for training camp in 2007, cut him before the season started, but brought him back two weeks later, and then also brought him in for training camp in 2008 as well. After a brief two year gap, absence made the heart grow fonder, and Gill is back for his seventh stint with the team he's somehow only played 301 minutes for. Gill played last season in Belgium, averaging 7.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals, ranking second in the league in both assists and steals. Unfortunately, he also shot only 28% for the year, from both two point range and three point range, going 2 for his last 37 over the last month of the season. He will battle Uzoh for the third point guard spot, a role which became necessary after Courtney Lee was traded to Houston. However, Uzoh - who was broken down here, along with Zoobs - should have the inside track on the spot, because of his skills, his upside, and his guaranteed compensation.

[...] Wright is American, which makes his presence in Belgium seem entirely normal; for a lengthier breakdown of the demographs of Belgian basketball, and specifically that of BC Oostende, click here. In the end, Belgians played only 251 out of a possible 7,200 minutes in Oostende games this season. Also, former NBA guard Eddie Gill, another member of the Oostende backcourt, ended the season in a 3-37 shooting slump (also known as an Iverson, or a fortnight of Dioner Navarro) and shot only 28% on the season. He was in the NBA in 2008-09. This was a bit of a wasted year for him.

- Eddie Gill

Eddie Gill was in the NBA last year, albeit briefly. He signed with the Nets for training camp and also later signed two ten day contracts with the Bucks, spending the rest of his year in the D-League. Gill is now in Belgium, which is quite the departure from that, and he's struggling a bit. His averages of 9.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game are all pretty good, but Gill is shooting only 32% from the floor in 11 games. He's getting to the foul line a lot (75 FGA to 49 FTA), and the 34% from three point range is OK, but shooting 30% from two point range isn't getting it done.