New Orleans Hornets news and notes

Basketball truly is a world sport these days.

According to the Prague Post, former University of Illinois center Shaun Pruitt, who worked out with the New Orleans Hornets during the NBA's Las Vegas summer league, signed to play the 2008-09 basketball season with Prostějov of the Mattoni league in the Czech Republic.

Pruitt is 6-feet-10 and 240 pounds, and he averaged 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in his senior year with the Illini.

The Mattoni league season tips off Oct. 14.

RETRO NIGHT

According to a report in the Indianpolis Star, the Indiana Pacers are going play a home preseason game against the Hornets at Pepsi Coliseum, the place they played from 1967-74 when they were in the ABA.

It will be the Pacers' preseason opener at 7 p.m. Oct. 8.

See more at http://blog.nola.com