International Exchange: Europe or Bust
Can Americans adjust?
By Adrienne Goodson
My good people, basketball as we knew it is over. Two post players banging down low, one man shows and low scoring games are being replaced by much taller, leaner, faster skill ridden players with a team concept on their mind. The international style of play has surpassed many peoples expectations. We have a more global market. You can’t just worry about your own backyard. Now you may have to compete against the best Chinese kid, a Brazillian kid, a kid in France or from Eastern Europe. It has gotten tougher nowadays.
David Stern, the NBA and WNBA concentrate their efforts a lot more in other countries such as China, Italy, Spain as well as France. At one time Cleveland and San Antonio had six out of ten foreigners on the court during the playoffs. The game of basketball is loved by many people, especially overseas. An ever-increasing number of international talents are securing spots on WNBA rosters. In addition to established Australian-born pros such as Lauren Jackson (Seattle), Penny Taylor (Phoenix) and Tully Bevilaqua (Indiana), promising newcomers like Iziana Castro Marques (Seattle) of Brazil and Marta Fernandez (Los Angeles) of Spain are establishing themselves in the league.
On the flip side, there are a total of 166 players in the WNBA on 13 different teams. Out of that 166, a total of 95 will be playing overseas. Yes, 57% of the players pack up and say bye-bye, ciao, hasta la vista or whatever means see you in 9 months. Teams like Dynamo Moscow and Spartak in Russia pay up to six figures to players for their services. Russia is leading the way along with Spain, Turkey, France, Italy and Israel close behind. Economic salvation for a female baller is usually 3,000 miles away from home, in another time zone, and probably speaking another language.
Basketball has become global just like the economy. As for Americans, we need to get back to the fundamentals. We’ve gotta develop and work on our skills. The high school coaches have to get back in the gym and work these kids out for two and three hours a day. It use to be that the high school coach taught the skills and the AAU coach played the games. We need to get back to making them better players. Internationally, they have taken our game and perfected it. By the ages nine, ten, and eleven our kids need to be working on skills so that by the time they get into high school the war is over. They know how to shoot, pass, v-cut, post up, etc.
The college level is not affected as much because there is no money involved. The overseas kid can begin to make money as soon as the age of 14 therefore, the institute of higher learning is not appealing. Most owners of these WNBA and NBA teams would love to have American players but, they’re in the business to win, not to have an American product.
Coaches need to be made better. The youth, college, and pro coaches need a forum to work together. That’s how you improve basketball. “We try to do too much at the top rather than down in the grassroots”, are the words in the street. It is also being said that international players are more receptive to coaching and that we lack the fundamental skills we were known for in the past. Looking at the game today I must conclude, “the And1 crew was taken way too seriously.”
28 Responses to “International Exchange: Europe or Bust”
Oct.16 at 3:05 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Oct.16 at 3:06 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
100,000
Oct.16 at 3:07 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
mine
Oct.16 at 3:12 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
goody, not goody on blaming and1
Oct.16 at 3:17 pm
Adrian says:
“Coaches need to be made better.” What exactly does that mean?
Oct.16 at 3:22 pm
nothin _personal says:
It’s the age of instnt fame, it’s alredy spreading in Europe, too, evryone wants to be the man…
Oct.16 at 5:28 pm
jj says:
I think the only thing american players should work on and improve from what they are doing now is working on their outsideshot.
To many nba players and prospect can play but are average shooters while in europe most off the prospect are above average shooters.
If you look at the usa team the only way for the opponents to win is by playing zone and to foul the americans.
They know they cant guard them if their life would depend on it, so that’s why they play zone.
Oct.16 at 8:04 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
I was gonna like, read this post. They i didnt. but i still commented, so dont worry.
Oct.16 at 9:25 pm
bootlace says:
Wow! An article that accepts the current shortcomings, sees the need for change, commends the international style of basketball, AND provides constructive solutions…The most sincere article to come out of SLAMonline in a long time! If more Americans had the guts to self-criticize like Adrienne, I think America would be in much better shape right now.
Oct.17 at 12:03 am
dre says:
this guy below me needs to stop BSing to get that 100,000th post.
Oct.17 at 1:23 am
h-town nick says:
everybody is on skips case…knocking out a parkng attendent and spitting on him, then for shanking a dude, then for ruining American fundamentals. I think we all need to get off skip’s case and respect his gangsta. I’ve spoken my piece. 100,000?
Oct.17 at 9:13 am
white hot eboy says:
Nice piece, Sam. Really good read. Tarzan, you better hope you get 100K before Monday, otherwise you will be a**-out.
Oct.17 at 9:30 am
G-Road Dude says:
Ady is right. The greatest player of all time didn’t truly reach greatness until he stopped relying so much on his physical talent and mastered the use of fundamentals. For those that don’t know who I’m talking about - #23. If you coach at the younger ages - Do better and teach the basic!
Oct.17 at 9:41 am
ic3 says:
fans response to highlight reel players equates to dollars for sponsors, teams tv networks alike so that type of player is always gonna generate be pushed rather than a fundamental type player. consider this, a starting 5 from the best of europe would certainly beat team usa right now.
Oct.17 at 11:23 am
jj says:
i doubt that, name your top 5 and we can see what you mean.
Oct.17 at 12:44 pm
ic3 says:
for example: Parker, Deng, Kirilenko,Gasol, Nowitzki. A US team may be better on paper but you win by playing as a team as is even true in the nba - spurs.
Oct.17 at 1:04 pm
jj says:
That’s a nice team but you cant be serious by saying better than team usa ?.
You mean to tell my better than a line up off jkidd kobe lebron melo and dwight howard ?.
And if you had watch them play in the fiba tournament they where playing as a team.
Come on, kobe alone can take a game over and win it by himself.
No the line up you made is a great line up but not better than team usa i think.
Oct.17 at 1:46 pm
Hoopla says:
Add Ginobli, Yao, NeNe, and Barbosa to the mix. We need just two more fantasy players to fill the roster. This could be good a game.
Oct.17 at 4:00 pm
lsc says:
Another great article without boundaries…Keep them coming..We are reading!!!
Oct.17 at 6:32 pm
jj says:
Well in that case i put duncan, ray allen, michael redd, and kg to the roster.Mine openion is that it would by a nice game but i say in the end 20/30 points for team usa.
+ he sad the best of europe and nene ginobili,ming and barbosa ain europe guys.
Oct.17 at 9:12 pm
Hoopla says:
International includes everybody. The US is the US but anyone is is all in one category babyboy. Sorry…
Oct.18 at 1:25 pm
jj says:
But where does it say anyone hoopla ?, i only saw europe so where does it says anyone ?
Oct.18 at 4:52 pm
Hoopla says:
Read the article and stop skimming. International players are mentioned throughout the article. China, Brazil, Turkey, Australia…
Oct.18 at 5:58 pm
jj says:
I know that global players are mentioned true out the whole article but they never sad anything about a top global team beating a team usa ic3 says:
fans response to highlight reel players equates to dollars for sponsors, teams tv networks alike so that type of player is always gonna generate be pushed rather than a fundamental type player. consider this, a starting 5 from the best of europe would certainly beat team usa right now. This dude was talking about a top 5 europe team, so next time get you reading facts together before you answer anything.
Oct.20 at 9:52 pm
Fundamental says:
Goody, what do you think of the Atlanta WNBA expansion team? personally i think it waters down the talent level…
Nov.9 at 4:54 pm
Butch says:
If I had my way only one international player
per team would be allowed. Lets protect our jobs. We lose enough jobs to outsiders when will it stop???
Nov.10 at 4:14 pm
Goody says:
Fundamentals there are a lot of great players who were shut out of the league due to the salary cap. It will be a way to create more jobs. Hopefully, Atlanta will pick the team wisely meaning players who got game like you…
Apr.24 at 10:19 pm
uknow11 says:
Great article