Sharpshooter Jannero Pargo en Fuego in Russia, in Greece.

From his home town of Chicago, to an excellent college career as a Razorback in Fayetteville, AR, and then NBA stops at New Orleans, back in Chicago, Los Angeles and Toronto, 6-2 shooting guard Jannero Pargo had plied this trade across America going into the 08-09 season.

He wanted to see more, though.

Leveraging an outstanding 07-08 postseason with the New Orleans Hornets - in which he recorded a 30-point ourburst - last August Pargo signed with one of Russia's elite teams, Moscow Dynamo, for $3.5 million over one year.

Playing in the Russia-A Superleague, with former New Jersey Net Bostjan Nachbar and Lithuanian national team member Robertas Javtokas, Pargo averaged solid statistics in five Eurocup games:

13.2 pts, 1.2 stls, 3.4 asts, 3.2 rebs, 71 FT%, and a steller 56.3 3PT%.

In his 12 Russian League, games Pargo registered:

13.8 pts, .8 stls, 5.4 asts, 3.4 rebs, 88 FT%, and a "drop-off" 42% from trifecta terra.

It seems Pargo skittered to the hoop more times in one game in Russia than he did in his whole perimeter-oriented career in the states, as seen below in his debut abroad:



The team is currently 2nd in the Russia-A Superleague, with a 13-5 record.

The declining petro-dollar during the global recession, however, prompted Pargo to leave Moscow in January for balmier Mediterranean climes with Olympiacos Piraeus, to replace a fellow American - Josh Childress
who was out for nearly a month with a hernia.

While his statistics have dwindled - due to sharing a backcourt with two stars - Lynn Greer and Theodoros Papaloukas - Pargo's championship hopes seem sunnier while playing for the Athens-based Euroleague powerhouse.



In the 17 minutes he has averaged for "the Reds," Pargo has averaged 4.2 pts, .5 stls, 1.3 rebs, 67 FT% and 46 3PT%.

Euroleague competition is certainly an upgrade from Eurocup competition, which is without a doubt an upgrade from this comp:



Pargo's team has won 5 of 6 games since his arrival, earning a spot in the Euroleague playoff's Top 8.

Olympiacos, who will play Spain's Read Madrid in an upcoming Best-of-5 series, has has made its fourth consecutive playoff appearances and will be bolstered by Childress' return. Pargo's Russian League nemesis - CSKA Moscow (who went 20-0 in domestic play) - has reached a record six straight Euroleague Final Fours.