Greek club Aris Thessaloniki signs Juan Dixon
Greek club Aris Thessaloniki has dipped into the former NBA players market with the one-year signing of ex-Portland and Washington (among others) guard Juan Dixon in the hopes that he can help turn around their fortunes.
Dixon has always been a decent scorer, his best in seven NBA seasons coming in 2005-6 in Portland when he averaged 12.3 points per game but he was never really able to get a hold on a starting role apart from that one season in the Pacific Northwest.
The 31-year-old had been in camp with the Atlanta Hawks this summer, but failed to earn a deal and decided after talking over his future with his family to relocate to Greece and join a roster that has quite an American influence.
Dixon already knows Aaron Miles well, having been in camp with him before and having come up against him in the 2002 NCAA Final Four, the college basketball championship.
The veteran did not arrive in Greece in time for the first two games of the A1 League season, and he arrives to a team in a touch of disarray after their humiliation at the hands of PAOK on Friday when they crashed to an embarrassing 83-48 defeat.
Things get no easier for Mario Boni’s team this week with league leaders Panathinaikos next on the schedule, but they will hope to get something from Dixon as they attempt to climb off the bottom of the table and regain the form that saw them run Olympiakos close in the first round.
It’s not as if the Aris roster is hopeless – there is talent in Great Britain’s Andrew Betts and Miles is one of the better passers in the league – but Dixon’s arrival should give them a little bit of star power if he can find the form that saw him drafted 17th in the NBA draft in 2002.
Sure, 2002 is a long time ago in professional sports terms, but Dixon was still used in 50 NBA games by the Wizards – his second spell with Washington – last year and if his scoring touch remains, NBA Picks suggest he should be a serviceable guard in Greece.
As Dixon said: ‘I talked to Aaron and told me many things about the team and the city. We have known each other for many years and I look forward to playing with him.”
“I think this is a great environment. I know that the supporters are very enthusiastic. I also know that this club has a long history. I hope I can play well enough to become part of the history of Aris Thessaloniki as well.”
my baby mr. juanderful as we say in b-more i wish u could have stayed home with us, but thats life u gotta leave the nest sometimes, juan i love u and good luck with ur fine self, b-more still luvs ya, and we dam sure got ur back, anytime ur ready to come home let us know. be sweet, ms. mack str8t outta b-more.
February 1st, 2010 at 4:33 pm
juan i am 25 and my mother hazel mack already had me and u married, when yall won the champ game she said u were coming 4 me i wanted 2 take u 2 my prom in 2003 from dunbar in b-more, but u were not available, we luv u so much i sprung my ankle when yall won that game i jumped 4 joy and landed the wrong way, my room was all covered with mr. juanderful pics. u can always make it as a model or moviestar with them looks, and beige skin dam u so fine, come home 2 me boo. luv kita
February 1st, 2010 at 4:47 pm
juan let auntie sheila come over seas with u 4 awhile and relax because we dont think she will be ok, i mean right now she is puttin up a good front, but she is only human, i know she has god on her side but i think at some point she will break and she will become depressed, son reach out to her even though she is strong but be the first to offer her comfort and a piece of mind. she is 2 smart 2 become unwillingly. just concern thats all luv yall ms. mack and fam
February 4th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
sorry juan i just cant seem 2 get enough of u, this is hazel mack by the way my kita is still available as of 2-4-10, she is so sweet, but she has grown up now and she might not admit it she has a crush on mr. juanderful, but at 1 time she said mom u sure sure u dont want juan? i said girl u know i like men 20 yrs older than me i am 46. u can c we r ur fans. when u visit home again hallow at us somewhere in eastb-more, we both live in the county but r still associated with and in east-b-more. ha ha i am just gettin home from work and was just thinkin of u auntie sheila and the fam. c ya sexy.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
juan forgive me and mom we totally 4got u r married we really apoligigize 4 the inconvenience i mean we forget i remembered but forgot tell ur wife we r sorry for that my mom didnt raised me 2 go after another womans husband its not that kinda party, we just got caught up on my moms computer its her first one and i taught her how to use it and boy is she computer crazy thats y our name appears so much, ha ha i luv her 4 being her though but i went along anyway, again we apoligize, and be happy but we will be checking in tell ur wife got dam shes lucky. juan be a good husband and father because i know ur a good man. sorry 4 trying 2 make u my son-in-law. ha ha ms. mack/fam
February 4th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
juan i know u must think my woman and daughter r crazy, but they r not they just luv ya, man i cant no yes i can believe they r here just havin a ball with this they got me on it 2, we r so proud of u here at home, well thats all i gotta say homeboy, we r just 1 big happy fam, sorry ur not part of our trio. ha ha man stay good, mr. ray the proud man of hazel mack/father of kita.
February 4th, 2010 at 5:32 pm