Childress, Greece, and the Timberwolves

[wolves_fan_82au]

Agree Soccer is not a popular sport in the US. However, Soccer is by far the most popular sport in Europe. I do not think that Josh Childress, who is a great player, will start a trend for a sport that is not a top 5 sport in Europe.

Over there:

1. Soccer
2. Cricket
3. Tennis
4. Indy racing (if you consider driving a sport)
5. Cyclying

is cricket that popular in europe ????

England yes but where else would it be considered big cause none of the other countries have very good teams

[jpatrick]

Interesting twist in the Childress saga. He signed a three year contract, but Hollinger reports that he has NBA opt outs after each season. Therefore, although he'll still be a RFA, either next offseason or in 2010 if Atlanta agrees to a S/T or if a team with cap space makes him a lucrative offer that he doesn't think Atlanta will match, he can come back to the NBA. Or maybe he just hates it in Greece and comes back next year and plays next season for Atlanta. Either way, he's not taking a big risk and what better way to force Atlanta's hand then take all the leverage away from them...basically if they don't agree to a S/T at some point they are left with nothing.

Btw, everyone is making Childress out to be a pioneer, but didn't Danny Ferry hate the Clippers enough to do the same thing to them and force his way to Cleveland?

[Winter Wonder]

There have been quite a few players to spend some time on non-US teams. I saw a list in the general discussion thread. Most though played after their prime (Dominique) or well before it (Ferry). This is one of the rare occasions where NBA talent (non-borderline player) has opted to do so instead of playing in the states. Most US-born players who have played over there are average to below average NBA talent.

Finding out about all the opt out clauses is interesting though. I could see him there for two years and coming when everyone has the major free-agency money/cap space.

[Basti]

Agree Soccer is not a popular sport in the US. However, Soccer is by far the most popular sport in Europe. I do not think that Josh Childress, who is a great player, will start a trend for a sport that is not a top 5 sport in Europe.

Over there:

1. Soccer
2. Cricket
3. Tennis
4. Indy racing (if you consider driving a sport)
5. Cyclying

um not trying to be offensive but your list is wrong aside from soccer though it varies a lot from the regions.

I try to do a complete list for europe

1. soccer



2. basketball/rugby (numberwise)
3. tennis
4. wintersports
5. motorsports in general

basketball might be suprising for some of you but considering there are a few countries where it is at least on the same level as soccer (baltic countries, south/south east europe) it sums up to a large number. too bad for basketball that countries like germany, france and england don't have such a huge fanbase and they have the highest population.

[shrink]

Is track and field on the list? It draws most of the American professional runners.

devilz, you clearly under-estimate the influence Count Chocula has on the younger population

We saw a number of American baseball players drift over to Japan when their economy was good, and the yen was strong, so I could see it happening more in Europe and maybe even China. The key will be marketing, and since the pro basketball players are already treated like gods in several countries, I don't think it ill be impossible to see a superstar in his early 30's end up in Europe. I can't think of anyone off hand .. maybe Kobe gets mad and spends a year in Italy.

[the_bruce]

I think we are all missing the big draw that european teams could be if they...

Get the top kids out of college/hs. I have no idea about the scales and how anything works over there, but can a young top prospect from the US sign a big contract over there straight outta hs/college? who's to say a young guy wouldn't opt for 5m yr+ for 3 years instead of being locked into rookie scale in the NBA. After a few years make 3x the money comeback to the US and sign a huge deal with an NBA team.

[Basti]

I think we are all missing the big draw that european teams could be if they...

Get the top kids out of college/hs. I have no idea about the scales and how anything works over there, but can a young top prospect from the US sign a big contract over there straight outta hs/college? who's to say a young guy wouldn't opt for 5m yr+ for 3 years instead of being locked into rookie scale in the NBA. After a few years make 3x the money comeback to the US and sign a huge deal with an NBA team.

there is nothing like a salary cap or a rookie scale over here. you could flat our sign a 10 million $ contract playing your first game ever (theoretically).

[shrink]

I think we are all missing the big draw that european teams could be if they...

Get the top kids out of college/hs. I have no idea about the scales and how anything works over there, but can a young top prospect from the US sign a big contract over there straight outta hs/college? who's to say a young guy wouldn't opt for 5m yr+ for 3 years instead of being locked into rookie scale in the NBA. After a few years make 3x the money comeback to the US and sign a huge deal with an NBA team.

Wow. You're exactly right. Say you're a national level high school prospect, and you haven't been paid at all during your life. If you want the NBA, you have to go to college for one year (or NBDL, right?), which may be some place you don't want to go, and you're guaranteed to have to wait on your millions. What if you get hurt? What if you can't hack it that first year? Your life (and the lives of your family and entourage) are financially crushed.

Or the alternative is to sign in Europe. Get the $2-$3 mil contract up front, tax-free, with the maid, the driver, and the free villa. Play your year, have your rights drafted by an NBA team. When the NBA can make a competitive offer, you consider coming back to America.

[jpatrick]

That's what makes the whole Brandon Jennings saga so interesting. If he does play well in Europe and becomes a top five pick next year, I think we'll see a few more players look into this. However, I think alot of people think that not even our top 18 year olds will be able to go over to Europe and dominate right way or even go over and play regular minutes in their top leagues. Therefore they will be hurting their draft stock by either playing poorly (against grown men) or sitting on the bench. You have to remember that Gallinari being the star of a team at the age of 19 in the Italian league was a huge exception, not the rule.

[shrink]

Can our kids join pro europe teams before they finish high school?

[Winter Wonder]

Very Interesting question Shrink!!!

Obviously European born players are playing professionally before the age of 18. I don't think anything in their leagues prevent it short of the number of US players that may or may not be allowed on a team. So it would fall on the US side. I don't think they can prevent it and their isn't a GED requirement for the NBA I belive. Additionally, it would be easy to get private tutors for a completion of education for the players/kids.

It would be possibly a bigger gamble to bring over a young H.S. aged kid to play for you proffesional Euroleague squad though, but I could see this happening. Oden or Mayo playing in Greece at the age of 16 or 17 when they had already been NBA hyped. Play until 19 there and come home. Very Interesting!

[Basti]

Can our kids join pro europe teams before they finish high school?

if there is no restriction from the american side yes. a lot of young kids in the age of 12-14 from south america join big european soccer clubs and their developpment program. they'll also attend some sort of high school over here with the focus on sports.

[andyhop]

It would most likely depend on the country they wanted to go to and what sort of work permit laws they have.That said most of the big basketball countries in europe have pretty flexible work permit situations so that is unlikely to be much of a problem.