04/26/24
May 31, 2002
The NBA's future - in the hands of international scouts: [nyt reg req] "In 1983, eight international players were listed on opening-night N.B.A. rosters. This season, 52 international players from 31 countries played in the N.B.A. ...The recent conference semifinal series between the Dallas Mavericks and the Kings featured eight foreign players.... Of the 10 players named to the N.B.A. all-rookie teams, five were foreign-born, including the Spaniard Pau Gasol, the rookie of the year." Much more interesting.
posted by Voyageman to basketball at 10:31 AM - 4 comments
I like the international brand of basketball better. In 10 years time maybe the NBA will be at least half international players.
posted by corpse at 11:17 AM on May 31, 2002
Maybe they'll be able to start calling traveling again.
posted by insomnyuk at 12:24 PM on May 31, 2002
Sadly, the international players are bringing the fundamental elements of basketball back to the NBA (i.e., clean jump shots, passing, blocking out, team play, etc.). I like the new breed as well, but if the international players are so "fundamental" and the American players are such "showboats", why can't any of the Euros play any goddamn defense (regardless of ESPN's benefit)? The Mavs are out of the playoffs mainly because if you asked Nowitzki to go to the end of your block and guard the street light, street light is going to score 25. No one would argue that defense is not fundamental and yet Hakeem and Dikembe are the only foreigners ever to make the NBA's All-Defense team, so please ease up on the romance. I'd say the main difference is that you have big guys who shoot really well, and I'm not sure that's much of a revolution, either. Are you sure that the U.S. players don't block out, pass or play team ball? The teams that win certainly do. I'm willing to say that the Euros like to score, the American players don't like to look like chumps on defense, and we should probably split the rest. Really, the international players are flourishing not because they've learned from Bob Knight, but because they're playing against top competition overseas at a young age and they get to play more (not necessarily meaning game time) than they would in college. Coincidentally, it's the same reason that most of the best American players in the league (McGrady, Garnett, Bryant) are the ones who didn't spend any time playing for State U. I'd also say that humility (and probably a better work ethic) comes with the steep learning curve the international players faced when playing pros in their home leagues as teenagers. That's something you don't necessarily find in a college player who has always been the best on his team, faces crappy competition, and is getting blown by everyone up to and including the neighborhood grocer. Not exactly an incentive to work harder. Out of 36 games this season, national champion Maryland played maybe seven games against teams certain to have more than two NBAers on their rosters, which should have been Chris Wilcox's cue to leave more than anything.
posted by jackhererra at 04:22 PM on May 31, 2002
Sadly, the international players are bringing the fundamental elements of basketball back to the NBA (i.e., clean jump shots, passing, blocking out, team play, etc.). It's sad because somewhere along the line American players started focusing on double-clutch, no-look, behind-the-back, alley-oop, windmill, Phi-Slamma-Jamma thunder dunks. Now, mind you, I enjoy seeing spectacular plays from spectacular players, but you wonder if hacks like Jason Williams of the Grizzlies know how to make a simple bounce pass. I do like the international mix. I think it will strengthen the competition and challenge American players to hone their basketball skills. Of course, as far as entertainment goes, the idea of seeing a Gasol-Divac matchup admittedly makes me feel a bit drowsy, which may be the very reason why there's more Phi-Slamma-Jamma and less old-school basketball. You rarely hear or see the following on ESPN's SportsCenter: "What a block out by Gasol. He's en fuego!"