Euros "Softies" or "Mr.Fundamentals"...w

[parso15]

Its been a while since European players have made an impact in the NBA. There is probably no doubt that they came a long way from being regarded just as shooters which were too much of a defensive liability to make any meaningful impact.

Milestone players in my opinion are:

89-90: Schrempf
Develops into a solid backup. But can he be regarded as a Euro?

91-92: Petrovic
Develops into a borderline star for a mediocre team. Fundamentals over athletic ability?

93-94: Kukoc
6th man for a championhip quality team. Fundamentals over defensive stance?

95-96: Sabonis
Starting center for an elite team. What could have been if he had made the jump in his prime?

00-01: Nowitzki
A Euro can be the "Franchise".... later a Euro can be the MVP. What else?

01-02: Gasol
Picked as high as 3rd in the draft. Also makes an impact on defense. Does he deserve to go that high?

03-04: Krilenko
AK47 starts to deliver in non-Euro categories by terrorising opposing players on defense. Euro "softness" still an issue?



What was your take on Euro players and did it change? Are their fundamentals overrated or or defensive liability wrongly emphasized?

[ToffKobe]

There's not much room for discussion regarding the topic you've created and I have a feeling this is gonna go nowhere.

[parso15]

There's not much room for discussion regarding the topic you've created and I have a feeling this is gonna go nowhere.

What do you mean?
Are you fond by all the Euro players making the jump overseas lately? Or do you think the GM's do give too much trust in them?

[bigballa3jj]

i feel that some of them have been overrated in past nba drafts, but idk if that pertains to the question.

but am i "fond" of them coming to the NBA? well its a free country, and if your good enough to play then idc where you come from. there are many players that are "soft", not just select european players

[celticfan42487]

So basically you're trying to ask what are the common stereotypes of euros.

Only Sabonis could rid of the soft title, but he didn't come over soon enough. Predictions are he would have been Shaq-esque in the NBA if he came over early.

Krilenko is hardly doing much for the soft label this year. He bitch and wined all over the summer about how hard it is for him to make millions after not given anything the year prior. And has been known to be brought to tears by opposing NBA players. Has he been "forced" to cry by 3 NBA players and his inability to defend them?

Dirk isn't helping either with the choking.

[TheRaptor!]

Euro Team = Raptors

[ToffKobe]

-= original quote snipped =-



What do you mean?
Are you fond by all the Euro players making the jump overseas lately? Or do you think the GM's do give too much trust in them?

I'm neutral on European players coming over. It's not like more European players means there'll be less American players. Talent is talent, some European players bring an interesting mix of it when they come over from Europe.

[tsherkin]

I think there have been a lot of very good European players, just as there have been a lot of good American players and what-not. The origin doesn't matter as much as the mentality of the player.

It's almost never bad to have more skill, just some players are soft and some are not in terms of aggressively attacking the basket or posting, etc.

For example, Jose Calderon is a Euro import and he's an absolutely outstanding player. Gasol? Ilgauskas?

For every Primoz Brezec and Sarunas Jasikevicius, there are guys like Dirk and Juan Carlos Navarro, Nenad Krstic, etc.

[UrbanLegendMD]

After Garbajosa, you can't stereotype Euros as soft.

[tsherkin]

After Garbajosa, you can't stereotype Euros as soft.

Hell, I forgot about Garbo...

I like Garbajosa a lot as a player; when he was playing for us last year, his defense and savvy offense were hugely important...

[parso15]

After Garbajosa, you can't stereotype Euros as soft.

You got to love Garbajosa...special kind of player. He won't score the most points in a game but he can have an impact on the game beyond stats can tell.

If we extend the term to International you have to also admire the Argentine guys... love their intensity and way of play.

Me being Turkish I have to say this year Hedo played at a level which sets him apart from the average player... he didn't make the Allstar team but still he is having a nice season...

[ffz2000]

What happened to Garbajosa?

[kandiking]

i don't care. plenty of them are very skilled. but as mentioned before europeans have never really gotten the concept of rebounding (other than sabonis).

euro guards, meanwhile have blessed the league with their focus on team play. and cursed it by mainstreaming flopping.

[MoPeteRules]

What happened to Garbajosa?

hes rehabbing from the injury he suffered last year...might be back around april or so i think he said

[Bgil]

Vlade Divac

[_BBIB_]

THere are several all-star caliber Euro players in the league.

One of those guys may now be taking the Lakers over the hump

[maradro]

this type of thread really annoys me, and im 100% sure that if someone made the same thread about the integration of black players in the league it would be locked two posts in.


and for the billionth time, flopping has been around since at least the 70's, and has representatives from every race and continent on the planet. the notion that europeans invented it, or made it mainstream, is completely false.


anyhow, continue the stereotyping, its not like players are individuals or that they can learn the game in different ways while being from the same country or region.

[Speedlot]

this type of thread really annoys me, and im 100% sure that if someone made the same thread about the integration of black players in the league it would be locked two posts in.


and for the billionth time, flopping has been around since at least the 70's, and has representatives from every race and continent on the planet. the notion that europeans invented it, or made it mainstream, is completely false.


anyhow, continue the stereotyping, its not like players are individuals or that they can learn the game in different ways while being from the same country or region.

annoying thread..

White athletes in the nba also have very high basketball IQ.

[Basti]

lol

so many "european" players that do flopping are manu ginobili (argentinian), sideshow bob (brazilian), andres nocioni (argentianian), devin harris (american)... all of them are from the north/south american continent. last time I checked it was far away from europe. oh yes maybe they played for a while a while in europe but if flopping is really an issue why didn't change david stern that?? he invented the handchecking rule because the D was so tight and was destroying other swingmen. heck if they stick to the rules and maybe exploit them it's okay to me. they know how to beat the opponent. simple as that. as long as you stick to the rules noone should complain about it...

p.s.: I actually hate flopping too but it's not forbidden so I'm not complaining

[celticspierce34]

-= original quote snipped =-



I'm neutral on European players coming over. It's not like more European players means there'll be less American players. Talent is talent, some European players bring an interesting mix of it when they come over from Europe.

wtf?? barring expansion that is exactly what it means