honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 11:33 p.m., Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Olympics: Clippers' Kaman becomes German citizen for Games

Associated Press

FRANKFURT, Germany — Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman has received German citizenship and will team up with Dirk Nowitzki for Germany at an Olympic qualifying tournament later this month.

Kaman, whose great-grandparents were German, averaged 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds last season with the Clippers.

The 7-foot Kaman will add size to a German team seeking to qualify for its first Olympics since the 1992 Barcelona Games.

"We'll be stronger under the baskets with Chris," Nowitzki said today.

The German team is practicing at home for a warmup tournament before it travels to Greece for the July 14-20 qualifying event in Athens.

"Chris is a significant addition and we'll now have to integrate him in time for the Athens tournament," coach Dirk Bauermann said.