Which Euro team wins out of these 3?

[CharityStripe34]

Can't go wrong with any team they're all excellent.

[Jadoogar]

Team 2 is probably my least favorite, I am surprised its leading the poll. backcourt is just very lacking.

but maybe the 2 best players in the league.

[elias808]

Team 2 easily. Jokic + Giannis + sharpshooters would be an unbeatable combo.

They have the most talent (they are the only team with with 2 MVP-level players on it), and their players fit together like a glove.

- Giannis is one of the most physically dominant bigmen of all time, and an all-time great defender.
- Jokic is the best passing big of all time and one of the most dynamic scoring bigs of all time.
- Peja is one of the best shooters of all time.
- Bojan is another elite shooter.

That would be a historically good team, not just among Euros, but among all basketball teams.

So which one of the Doncic - Sabonis (I assume in prime) is not an MVP candidate in your opinion?

Giannis and Jokic have 4 MVP awards between them. Luka and Sabonis have 0.

Luka will probably win one or two at some point, but even then, Sabonis was nowhere near as talented as Giannis or Jokic.

Saying Sabonis isn’t as talented as Giannis or Jokic is truly laughable. A prime pre-injured would have been one of the best NBA centers of all time. He was a bigger stronger faster Jokic.

[Raps in 4]

So which one of the Doncic - Sabonis (I assume in prime) is not an MVP candidate in your opinion?

Giannis and Jokic have 4 MVP awards between them. Luka and Sabonis have 0.

Luka will probably win one or two at some point, but even then, Sabonis was nowhere near as talented as Giannis or Jokic.

Saying Sabonis isn’t as talented as Giannis or Jokic is truly laughable. A prime pre-injured would have been one of the best NBA centers of all time. He was a bigger stronger faster Jokic.

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

[UcanUwill]

Giannis and Jokic have 4 MVP awards between them. Luka and Sabonis have 0.

Luka will probably win one or two at some point, but even then, Sabonis was nowhere near as talented as Giannis or Jokic.

Saying Sabonis isn’t as talented as Giannis or Jokic is truly laughable. A prime pre-injured would have been one of the best NBA centers of all time. He was a bigger stronger faster Jokic.

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

I agree that Arvydas' legend is overrated, and it is silly comparing 80s Euro god to NBA 2 time MVP at this point, but come on, do not compare him to Anthony Parker haha. Arvydas Sabonis is one of the best centers in basketball history, its not a hypothetical, I hate when people say - he would have been on of the best centers ever - what do you mean ''would have''? Hes just not one of the best centers in NBA history. Jokic proved more at the highest stage, but Arvydas was a freak, he was best CCCP player ever by age 18.

[Big J]

Giannis and Jokic have 4 MVP awards between them. Luka and Sabonis have 0.

Luka will probably win one or two at some point, but even then, Sabonis was nowhere near as talented as Giannis or Jokic.

Saying Sabonis isn’t as talented as Giannis or Jokic is truly laughable. A prime pre-injured would have been one of the best NBA centers of all time. He was a bigger stronger faster Jokic.

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

Arvydas actually could play defense in addition to his Jokic like skillset on offense. Pre back injury Sabas was a freaking legend.

[elias808]

Giannis and Jokic have 4 MVP awards between them. Luka and Sabonis have 0.

Luka will probably win one or two at some point, but even then, Sabonis was nowhere near as talented as Giannis or Jokic.

Saying Sabonis isn’t as talented as Giannis or Jokic is truly laughable. A prime pre-injured would have been one of the best NBA centers of all time. He was a bigger stronger faster Jokic.

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

Not as talented? As in what, passing? IQ? If your argument is that Jokic is light years ahead of Sabonis in those departments then it’s painfully clear you’ve never watched tape of Sabonis.

[begemot]

Team 1 would win. That line-up is incredible. Marc Gasol in D is a nightmare for any center, as well as a great passer. Kukoc is the original Pau Gasol, an amazing player underratd in the states, and Petrovic is going to score, even if he's not as talented as Doncic. Tony Parker is a 900 IQ PG who knows how to set the tempo and make the right plays. Team 1 wins.

[BarbaGrizz]

Giannis and Jokic have 4 MVP awards between them. Luka and Sabonis have 0.

Luka will probably win one or two at some point, but even then, Sabonis was nowhere near as talented as Giannis or Jokic.

Saying Sabonis isn’t as talented as Giannis or Jokic is truly laughable. A prime pre-injured would have been one of the best NBA centers of all time. He was a bigger stronger faster Jokic.

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

So banged up Sabonis was enough to be a difference maker in the NBA, but peak Sabonis wouldn´t translate?

[Raps in 4]

Saying Sabonis isn’t as talented as Giannis or Jokic is truly laughable. A prime pre-injured would have been one of the best NBA centers of all time. He was a bigger stronger faster Jokic.

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

So banged up Sabonis was enough to be a difference maker in the NBA, but peak Sabonis wouldn´t translate?

Sure he would have translated, but would he have been the best player in the NBA, a la Jokic and Giannis? Both of those guys are historically good players. We don't need to guess at what their impact would be like. We've witnessed it. Sabonis' NBA impact will always be a huge "what if".

[turnmeup88]

Team 1 would win. That line-up is incredible. Marc Gasol in D is a nightmare for any center, as well as a great passer. Kukoc is the original Pau Gasol, an amazing player underratd in the states, and Petrovic is going to score, even if he's not as talented as Doncic. Tony Parker is a 900 IQ PG who knows how to set the tempo and make the right plays. Team 1 wins.

And you know just add playoff 2011 Dirk to that mix

[turnmeup88]

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

So banged up Sabonis was enough to be a difference maker in the NBA, but peak Sabonis wouldn´t translate?

Sure he would have translated, but would he have been the best player in the NBA, a la Jokic and Giannis? Both of those guys are historically good players. We don't need to guess at what their impact would be like. We've witnessed it. Sabonis' NBA impact will always be a huge "what if".

"After the 1994–95 European season Portland's then-general manager Bob Whitsitt asked the Blazers team physician to look at Sabonis' X-rays. Illustrating the impact of Sabonis' numerous injuries, He said that Arvydas could qualify for a handicapped parking spot based on the X-ray alone." - but you know he gave you 16/10 and elite passing. It's not wild to think prime Sabonis would have given you 25/15 in the 90's slow paced NBA.

David Robinson has also said he was the best player he ever played against.

[sisibilio]

Saying Sabonis isn’t as talented as Giannis or Jokic is truly laughable. A prime pre-injured would have been one of the best NBA centers of all time. He was a bigger stronger faster Jokic.

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

Not as talented? As in what, passing? IQ? If your argument is that Jokic is light years ahead of Sabonis in those departments then it’s painfully clear you’ve never watched tape of Sabonis.

Sabonis was a great passer but Jokic is in a diferent dimension, nothing against Sabas, Jokic is just THAT good.
Also his handles were much weaker.
On the other hand he was taller, stronger and more agile. Without injuries hed be in the discusión about GOAT.

[Jasen777]

Yougoslavia would have been a contender vs the US in the last 20 years.

Yes. But so have France and Spain and Argentina and Nigeria and

[Pachinko_]

Galis/Doncic/Bodiroga on the same team = 300% usage, poor Sabonis and Gasol would need to lodge an application in the EU head office in Brussels to touch the ball once a year on their birthday

[Nuntius]

It depends on whether they're competing under NBA or FIBA rules. I am assuming that they're competing under FIBA rules since Galis and Bodiroga never played under NBA rules. So, if we're talking about FIBA rules team 3 wins, imo. The offensive talent is overpowering and they also have a ton of size in the middle which is significantly more important under FIBA rules than it is under NBA rules.

[mcmurphy]

The peak of PF-SF-SG Dirk (2011)- Kukoc(1990)-Petrovic (1990) is the best imho.
Adding Marc and Tony Parker complete a perfectly balanced lineup.

Team2 the backcourt mix not convince me (against the others).
Team3 the C-PF mix not convince me (againsta the others).

[Salieri]

T. Pain
Petrovic
Tony
Dirk
Mark

No way this team losses to anyone. Worst player will be Mark who's a DPOY and complete package on offense.

Watch on YouTube

I disagree on Marc being the worst player in that roster, I would pick him ahead of Tony Parker and possibly Kukoc, because I think what Marc brings to the table is more difficult to replace than Parker and -debatably- Kukoc.

But damn if you're not right in hyping Petrovic. The guy was beyond amazing, and he was the protagonist of some of the most heroic, unbelievable feats on a basketball court that I've ever seen. I've argued before that Petrovic would have been a legit MVP candidate during his time, even with MJ at his peak and with Hakeem, Shaq, Barkley and all the other superstars of the 90s. We truly got robbed of a legend.

He's the reason I started disliking the Trailblazers and never got over it: they did him dirty

[elias808]

He may have been bigger and stronger, but he wasn't nearly as talented.

Arguing that his Euroleague accolades mean something is pure conjecture. Anthony Parker also looked like Michael Jordan in Europe. That didn't translate to the NBA game.

Not as talented? As in what, passing? IQ? If your argument is that Jokic is light years ahead of Sabonis in those departments then it’s painfully clear you’ve never watched tape of Sabonis.

Sabonis was a great passer but Jokic is in a diferent dimension, nothing against Sabas, Jokic is just THAT good.
Also his handles were much weaker.
On the other hand he was taller, stronger and more agile. Without injuries hed be in the discusión about GOAT.

I wonder what kind of assist numbers Sabonis would put up in todays space and pace NBA. Using an intangible metric like “talent” makes an argument kind of disingenuous. I have little doubt that if you replaced Jokic with prime Sabonis their counting stats would be much different.

[Mirotic12]

I would probably go with number 3. Doncic, Arvydas and Pau, I mean geezuz.

Team 3 is really bad at defense though.