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Nyet to Nets? Top Russian Center Signs With Knicks

On the day Johan Petro, France's top young seven footer, signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Nets, Timofey Mozgov, Russia's top young seven-footer, signed a virtually identical deal with the Knicks, becoming the country's second NBA player.

Asked by Sovetskiy Sport, a Russian sports newspaper, why he signed with Knicks and not Mikhail Prokhorov's Nets, Mozgov (whose name translates to "Timmy Brains") replied, "You better ask my agent about it".  Mozgov's agent says he didn't contact Prokhorov because he thinks the Knicks are farther along in rebuilding.

Mozgov, 23, is 7'1", physically strong and athletic but raw offensively. Andrei Kirilenko had on a couple of occasions suggested that Prokhorov look into signing Mozgov, his teammate on the Russian National Team.