NBA players cleared to join other teams

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 29 (UPI) -- The international federation overseeing basketball ruled Friday NBA players can play for other teams during the NBA lockout.

The NBA locked out its players effective July 1 as the team owners and players' union worked on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Several NBA players were reportedly in negotiations with overseas professional basketball teams in case the 2011-12 NBA season doesn't start as scheduled Nov. 1. Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets signed a contract with Turkish Basketball League member Besiktas.

FIBA, the international basketball federation, said players are free to play for their national team or other teams during the lockout.

"As the world governing body for basketball, we strongly hope that the labor dispute will be resolved as soon as possible and that the NBA season is able to begin as scheduled," said FIBA Secretary-General Patrick Baumann. "In view of our role to promote basketball worldwide, we support any player wishing to play the game, wherever and whenever."

The federation said it wouldn't object to a player joining a non-NBA but FIBA-affiliated team as long as the player was free to return to his NBA team when the lockout ends.