Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks forward, will not play for Germany at next month's world championship in Turkey. The German basketball federation said the nine-time All-Star would be back for the 2011 European Championship that will also serve as a qualifying tournament for the 2012 Olympics in London. "Next summer I'd like to try with the team to make our common goal of playing at the Olympics," Nowitzki said in a statement published by the federation.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Bobcats have signed versatile free agent point guard Shaun Livingston. Terms of the deal were not announced for Livingston, the 2.01-metre fourth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. Livingston sat out the 2007-2008 season after suffering a serious knee injury while with the Los Angeles Clippers, and has played sparingly since. The 24-year-old spent last season with Oklahoma.
* Agencies
