Italian club signs former KU guard Keith Langford

Former Kansas University guard Keith Langford has signed a two-year contract with EA7 Emporio Armani Milano, a professional basketball team based in Milan, Italy, the team announced Monday.

Terms were not disclosed. However, Sportando.net recently reported that the squad was offering well over $1 million a year, perhaps up to $1.5 million. Langford’s former team, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv of Israel, reportedly offered him $800,000 for the 2012-13 season.

Langford, 28, averaged 10.8 points and 2.0 assists in 20 Euroleague games last season for Maccabi. He averaged 14.2 ppg in 22 games in the Israeli Premier League, earning all-Israeli guard of the year honors by Eurobasket.com. He was named MVP of the Adriatic League Final Four after averaging 19 points off 61.9 percent shooting. He helped Maccabi win the Adriatic League, Israeli League and Israeli Cup.

Prior to joining Maccabi, the 6-foot-4 Langford played two seasons for B.C. Khimki in Russia. He averaged a league-leading 18.7 ppg in 2010-11 and 15.5 ppg in 2009-10.

Frankamp excelling: Future KU guard Conner Frankamp has averaged a U.S. team-leading 14.0 points a game through three games at the Men’s Under 17 world championships in Lithuania. Jabari Parker, a senior forward from Chicago’s Simeon High, is right behind at 13.7 ppg. Frankamp, a 6-1 senior from Wichita North, has made 65.5 percent of his shots, trailing only Justin Jackson of Canada (66.7 percent). He has made four of six threes for 66.7 percent, best mark of all players. He has eight steals in three games, ranking fourth overall, second on the U.S. team behind Joel Berry, who has nine thefts. He also leads the field in assist/turnover ratio with nine assists to two turnovers. The U.S., which had the day off Monday, meets France today.

Kaun scores 12: Former KU center Sasha Kaun scored 12 points as the Russian national team pounded South Korea, 91-56, Monday in the first-round of the Olympic qualifying tournament in Venezuela. So far, nine teams have qualified for the Olympics. In all, 12 teams are battling for the final three slots this week in Venezuela.

Kaun is a native of Tomsk.