Let's Settle This Once And For All: Was Luis Scola underrated?

Hatrick Ewing · Post #1 » by **Hatrick Ewing** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 6:34 am

So I had an argument with a friend a few days ago about Luis Scola, and was shocked to see that he averaged 18/8 one year. I feel like I do see his name mentioned here fairly often, albeit of course not as much as all star level players from that era. I also see that he came over to the states fairly late.

For those who watched him closely or who were Rockets fans, was this a situation where if he had come over when he was normal draft age, 1) would he have adapted quicker to the US game and 2) become a few time all star?

reborn123 · Post #2 » by **reborn123** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 6:37 am

Hatrick Ewing wrote:So I had an argument with a friend a few days ago about Luis Scola, and was shocked to see that he averaged 18/8 one year. I feel like I do see his name mentioned here fairly often, albeit of course not as much as all star level players from that era. I also see that he came over to the states fairly late.

For those who watched him closely or who were Rockets fans, was this a situation where if he had come over when he was normal draft age, 1) would he have adapted quicker to the US game and 2) become a few time all star?

Maybe he wasn’t talked about as much, but I think he was respected by most people as a crafty veteran. Don’t think he was underrated at all.

bubonicphoniks · Post #3 » by **bubonicphoniks** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 7:29 am

Hatrick Ewing wrote:So I had an argument with a friend a few days ago about Luis Scola, and was shocked to see that he averaged 18/8 one year. I feel like I do see his name mentioned here fairly often, albeit of course not as much as all star level players from that era. I also see that he came over to the states fairly late.

For those who watched him closely or who were Rockets fans, was this a situation where if he had come over when he was normal draft age, 1) would he have adapted quicker to the US game and 2) become a few time all star?

Think he was/is rated right where he should be.

Lefty20 · Post #4 » by **Lefty20** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 8:13 am

By the Spurs FO - Yes

By everyone else - No

Dr Aki · Post #5 » by **Dr Aki** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:59 am

That's Olympic Gold Medalist Luis Scola to you

Chronz · Post #6 » by **Chronz** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 1:22 pm

Spurs held him hostage, this was one of moreys first swindles iirc

Hungry · Post #7 » by **Hungry** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 2:50 pm

I'm still half expecting to tune into the 2024 Olympics to find a 44 year old Scola still playing for Argentina and putting up 10+ points a game

Post #8 » by **bwgood77** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:08 pm

Once and for all? I never heard or saw this discussed before.

Anticon · Post #9 » by **Anticon** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:13 pm

Luis was great. But he wasn't a star, so he was properly rated I think.

Bologna Smasher · Post #10 » by **Bologna Smasher** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:13 pm

Spurs screwed up by not bringing him over. Scola and Duncan would've been a lot more of a problem than those twin towers of Duncan & Nesterovic/Nazr/Oberto.

dhsilv2 · Post #11 » by **dhsilv2** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:21 pm

I recall him being seen as a legit allstar level guy who the spurs had stashed away. He ended up being a nice quality player. Not sure about where he ranks to judge. I'd venture to guess he's a big "what if" but mostly rated for what he did right.

chilluminati · Post #12 » by **chilluminati** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:42 pm

In the NBA, a bit at first for sure, but by the end not really. He was very good and got some decent contracts along the way.

He's an Argentine legend though.

UcanUwill · Post #13 » by **UcanUwill** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:45 pm

He was good but not really a star in the NBA, and he was seen as one. He was legit superstar in FIBA and big star in Euroleague, and was seen as one there. So I dont think anyone underrating him, if you are international basketball fan, you remember Scola as a legend, if you just NBA fan, you remember him as a good starter. Seems fair.

UcanUwill · Post #14 » by **UcanUwill** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:54 pm

dhsilv2 wrote:I recall him being seen as a legit allstar level guy who the spurs had stashed away. He ended up being a nice quality player. Not sure about where he ranks to judge. I'd venture to guess he's a big "what if" but mostly rated for what he did right.

I dont remember anyone thinking hes all star material while he was in Spain. He was one of those guys who had massive NBA fit questionmarks, absolute non athete even in his prime, no off hand. I would say Jasikevicius looked like a better fit, and he wasnt a good fit at all. Scola just didnt look like hes NBA player, but he put all the critics to shame, he was just that skilled, and when you are 6'9, that compensates for no athleticism, but when you are 6'3 and non atlete like Jasikevicius, well, that blows, see ya overseas.

dhsilv2 · Post #15 » by **dhsilv2** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 5:00 pm

UcanUwill wrote:
dhsilv2 wrote:I recall him being seen as a legit allstar level guy who the spurs had stashed away. He ended up being a nice quality player. Not sure about where he ranks to judge. I'd venture to guess he's a big "what if" but mostly rated for what he did right.

I dont remember anyone thinking hes all star material while he was in Spain. He was one of those guys who had massive NBA fit questionmarks, absolute non athete even in his prime, no off hand. I would say Jasikevicius looked like a better fit, and he wasnt a good fit at all. Scola just didnt look like hes NBA player, but he put all the critics to shame, he was just that skilled, and when you are 6'9, that compensates for no athleticism, but when you are 6'3 and non atlete like Jasikevicius, well, that blows, see ya overseas.

Can't comment on the european view but spurs fans especially thought they had this lottery pick star coming over eventually.

SkyBill40 · Post #16 » by **SkyBill40** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 5:07 pm

I did like his time on the Suns and thought of him as a valuable contributor and a wily veteran presence. I was saddened to see him traded to IND, but that move led to a couple key acquisitions for us that led to a surprising upswing no one saw coming. He made the playoffs as a complementary player with both IND and TOR, so it's not like he just fizzled out. I was somewhat surprised to see his NBA career end so quickly but given he wasn't being utilized as much as before, I'm not shocked to find he chose to continue playing elsewhere for the remainder of his basketball career.

Dude was a straight gamer, no question about it. Had he come over when the Spurs drafted him in 2002, he would have been a prime piece to their squad without a doubt.

Post #17 » by **cupcakesnake** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 5:09 pm

In international competition, Luis Scola was one of the baddest of bad men. Routinely schooled/humiliated/destroyed guys with his hybrid face-up/post-up game, craftiness, strength, hustle, and very solid shooting touch from everywhere inside the 3-point line. It's for me to forget some of the best scoring displays I've ever seen, by Scola on team Argentina. Even when he turned 100 years old, he could still murder people in those competitions.

In the NBA he was a very solid secondary scoring option for a few years. He was a career 44% shooter on long 2s and very strong in the short midrange. Just as a scoring weapon on offense, I'd say he was very good. His complimentary skills were average. He wasn't a bad defender but lacked tools there. He was smart decision-maker, but not a high-volume passer. He was a good rebounder. I think he was best equipped to help lift bad offenses, an offensive basement raiser.

All-in-all, I'd say he was like Domantas Sabonis with less size.

Had he joined the Spurs in his mid-20s, he could have been pretty lethal next to Duncan.

theforumblue · Post #18 » by **theforumblue** » Tue Mar 15, 2022 8:23 pm

underrated? like was realgm ranking him #793 instead of #712 where he should be all time?

Mirotic12 · Post #19 » by **Mirotic12** » Wed Mar 16, 2022 10:35 pm

UcanUwill wrote:He was good but not really a star in the NBA, and he was seen as one. He was legit superstar in FIBA and big star in Euroleague, and was seen as one there. So I dont think anyone underrating him, if you are international basketball fan, you remember Scola as a legend, if you just NBA fan, you remember him as a good starter. Seems fair.

Scola was really good in the NBA and the EuroLeague. But he was amazing in FIBA national team competitions. He always played way, way better with his national team, than he did with his club teams. He's arguably a top 10 FIBA player of all time, and not remotely in that discussion for NBA or EuroLeague, although he was still very good at club level.

UcanUwill wrote:I dont remember anyone thinking hes all star material while he was in Spain. He was one of those guys who had massive NBA fit questionmarks, absolute non athete even in his prime, no off hand. I would say Jasikevicius looked like a better fit, and he wasnt a good fit at all. Scola just didnt look like hes NBA player, but he put all the critics to shame, he was just that skilled, and when you are 6'9, that compensates for no athleticism, but when you are 6'3 and non atlete like Jasikevicius, well, that blows, see ya overseas.

Jasikevicius is 6-5, not 6-3.

SinceGatlingWasARookie · Post #20 » by **SinceGatlingWasARookie** » Wed Mar 16, 2022 11:08 pm

Luis Scola Had moments in the playoffs when he was the best player on the floor. If people see him as an average 8th man for a championship caliber team then he is underated.

Scola had an impact and could help a team win a championship with the right bunch of guys. He could be the 4th best player on a championship team.