THE James Nanali Found for the first time on European stadiums in 2012, playing basketball in the Greek league with her team Kavala. At 34th now and after seven seasons at EuroLeague, the American shooting guard does not have the best memories of his passage from Greece.
James Nanali spoke to “Mozzart Sport” and spoke of insolvency and delays in paying his salaries in Kavala, which pushed him to leave.
“My first acquaintance with European basketball was in Kavala, Greece. They wrote to me, they were sending me messages. I think it was on facebook then. I had just finished college. I was training in Sacramento, I did workout before the NBA draft.
When I realized that I wouldn’t go to the NBA that year, I was thinking that I had to make some money because I had nothing. And then the coach of Kavala sent me messages on Facebook.
They said, “We’ll give you specific money”, I thought, “Well, that’s great.” However, my agenda advised me not to go there, but I learned to hear him a lot after we accepted this job.
There was a problem. They gave 8,000 out of 12,000 as we agreed. Every day I went to the offices, knocking on the door and asking, “Where’s my money”?
They told me how young I am, how I don’t have a family, I was saying, “What does it matter? I just want my money.” They promised me that they would pay me everything. After three months, perhaps less, I asked for the money listed on the contract.
I remember in a workout, all the administration was there and watching. I was excellent in training and after a few nails I shouted: “I want my money”.
I think they owed me 16,000 at that time. They promised to pay me again, the next day I went to the office over and over again. That day I got a return ticket for America.
Immediately afterwards, the club phoned my agenda to go back, saying they wanted to play, but I was already gone. This was all … my first experience in Europe. After that I played in G-League. It all really started for me in G-League’s Bakersville. “