Nets director talks up Russian exhibitions

MOSCOW (AP) Brooklyn Nets director Sergei Kushchenko is talking up the chances of the NBA club playing pre-season exhibitions against teams from the

MOSCOW (AP) Brooklyn Nets director Sergei Kushchenko is talking up the chances of the NBA club playing pre-season exhibitions against teams from the Russia-based VTB United League.

Kushchenko, who is also the VTB league president, suggests he could use his dual role to set up games.

NBA exhibitions against VTB teams are ''possible,'' especially if ''those Brooklyn Nets'' are involved, he told Russia's Itar-TASS news agency.

The last NBA team to play a Russian team was the San Antonio Spurs, which beat CSKA Moscow 95-93 last year.

The VTB league has 22 teams from seven countries, all but one of which were part of the former Soviet Union. CSKA is the reigning champion and one of 10 Russian teams in the competition.

The Nets are owned by Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.