David Stern to Meet With Head of FIBA

Now that the NBA lockout in full swing, and plenty of players thinking of joining overseas teams, it seems like the perfect time for David Stern to meet with FIBA’s leadership to discuss matters. ESPN reports: “With the NBA lockout threatening to impact this summer’s qualifying tournaments for the 2012 Olympics, commissioner David Stern is scheduled to meet Tuesday with the president and the secretary general of FIBA, the sport’s international governing body. FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann and president Ivan Mainini traveled from their headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, for the meeting at NBA headquarters in Manhattan. A spokesman for FIBA would not disclose the exact topics on the agenda, but it’s expected to include two important issues: the prohibitive cost of securing insurance for foreign NBA players who wish to play for their national teams this summer, and the legal ramifications of FIBA issuing letters of clearance to players such as Deron Williams who have signed contracts with overseas teams. When the lockout took effect July 1, the NBA suspended a program it operated in accordance with FIBA that provided an infrastructure for national federations seeking to purchase insurance policies for the NBA contracts of their best players.”