RealGM

Somehow I don't believe many players will or could play overseas. They have to find teams willing to take them as short-term hired guns, and then there is injury risk, and unknowns of new situation. So I'd be surprised if more than a handful of star quality American NBA players would actually play overseas during a lockout. Maybe a few more role players with overseas experience will sign a year long contract to play in a foreign league.

The way I see it, the only players seeking experience overseas are the ones who suffer relatively high financial losses from a missing paycheck from the NBA. As you say, the superstars can afford to go months, if not years, without touching a basketball and there's simply too many risks for such a small reward.

From Sports Illustrated, March 23, 2009

PABLO S. TORRE, in How (and Why) Athletes Go Broke, wrote:• By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce.

• Within five years of retirement, an estimated 60% of former NBA players are broke.

I wonder if that's where the phrase 'dumb jocks' came about.

Competition is always in his blood, you can't get that from pick up games.