News: Chris Herren says "arrivaderci"

["j.hironaka" <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

Chris Herren has reportedly signed to play next year in Bologna, home 
of  spaghetti bolognese, tortellini, mortadella (baloney).


7.12.2001 00:05
Italian league beckons Herren
BY BILL REYNOLDS
Journal Sports Writer

The next step in Chris Herren's basketball odyssey?

Learn Italian.

Herren, the former Fall River high school star who has spent the past two 
seasons with the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics, has reached 
agreement with Fortitudo Bologna, one of the top teams in the Italian pro 
league.

"I feel it's a great opportunity," Herren said. "It's a guaranteed contract 
for more money than I could make if I were in the NBA next year, and it 
gives me the chance to play every night and work on my game."

Herren became a free agent at the end of the Celtics' season, and has soent 
the past two months with his future in limbo. The Celtics have not said 
that they don't want him back, but they haven't said they do, either. He 
was scheduled to play next week with Indiana in the Celtics' pro summer 
league at UMass-Boston.

"If I were single it would be different," he said. "I would go to camp in 
the fall somewhere and try to fight for a job. And I think I could get one. 
But I have a 2-year-old son and another child on the way. So my choice, as 
I see it, is either take a lot of money that's guaranteed, or risk coming 
up with no money in the fall. I can't afford to do that."

Herren started seven games for the Celtics last November, had some good 
games and seemed on the verge of jump-starting his young NBA career. A few 
weeks later, though, he was on the injured list due to a sore right 
shoulder. He underwent shoulder surgery in December and missed 35 games. 
When he came back he was used sparingly, as if the season had gone on 
without him.

Frank Catapano, Herren's agent, said there certainly is interest in Herren 
around the NBA, but that no one has offered a guaranteed contract yet for 
next year. Catapano said that if Herren plays well in Europe it will only 
help his NBA marketability a year from now.

"If Chris plays in Italy like I know he can, there's no doubt in my mind 
he'll get offered a contract next summer, and for appreciably more money 
than he could get now," Catapano said.

"My goal is still to play again in the NBA," Herren said, "and I'm going to 
Europe to try to improve my chances of being in the NBA the way I want to 
be in it. Not just being on a team, but playing significant minutes."

***