Chris Kaman is due to arrive in Germany in time for Wednesday's friendly against Canada but national team coach Dirk Baurmann is uncertain if the Los Angeles Clippers center will play in the game.

Kaman, whose great grandparents were German, received his passport last week and can now play for Bauermann's team at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens, Greece, where they will take on New Zealand and Cape Verde in Group B.

Now that he is a naturalised player, the Germans will fancy their chances of reaching the Olympics with Dirk Nowitzki also in the frontcourt, but even better for Bauermann and the country is that Kaman looks set to play at next year's EuroBasket in Poland.

"One of the best centers in the world would like to play for Germany, and not only this year, but also in the future," Bauermann said.

"It's a great thing and certainly does us good in many areas."

Germany lost to Puerto Rico but beat Slovenia in the Supercup staged in Bamberg over the weekend.

Greece, meanwhile, defeated the Slovenians and then Puerto Rico to win the Supercup.

After the warm-up event for Athens, Bauermann decided to cut Guido Grünheid - a member of last year's EuroBasket squad - and Rouven Roessler.

Garba Working Out With Spain

Jorge Garbajosa is training normally with Spain's national team after missing almost the entire NBA season with the Toronto Raptors following an operation on his leg and ankle.

Garbajosa agreed to a buyout with the Raptors earlier this summer.

"I feel very good," Garbajosa said.

"I still have a lot of work to do, but I feel I am on the right path.

"The most important thing is a good preparation and we have to register all the concepts now and if we do that well, the results will come."

Inspirational Moni Fanan Leaves Maccabi

Anyone who has watched Maccabi Tel Aviv over the years will have noticed Moni Fanan on the bench, exhorting on the players and also offering encouraging words in difficult times.

Fanan, the vice president and team manager, announced in a press conference at the weekend in Tel Aviv that he is leaving the club.

"The style of work at Maccabi in recent years didn't suit me and therefore, the differences between myself and the other board members have continually grown," an emotional Fanan said.

"I mulled over this decision before coming to the conclusion that our differences can't be bridged. I have, therefore, come to a heavy hearted decision to leave."

Fanan was a like a father to many of the players.

It was not surprising to seek Nikola Vujcic, Maccabi's long-time center who left the team this summer for Olympiacos, fly to Israel from his native Croatia just to attend the press conference.

"He's the soul of the team," Vujcic said. "You can always buy a better player, but you can't replace someone like Fanan. When you see someone work for you 24 hours a day you can't help but appreciate and respect it."

Former Maccabi and Israel national team star Gur Shelef has accepted an offer to replace Fanan.