I kind of doubt it. Isn't the pay much higher in a good Euro League? I'd think I'd take $500K or $1mil to play in Greece or Spain over $50K in the G League
OT: NBA looking at English Soccer for ideas...
- Thread starter Fk_Pitt
- Start date
The NBA is smart to study other leagues, whether they implement something new or not.
And I’ve said this before here. There’s nothing like the environment the euros create at sports events. You see it at the Ryder Cup, you see it in the WWE when it’s a strong euro crowd (they even help make that dull product an entertaining watch), and you certainly see it at pro soccer matches. The MLS franchises in Portland and Seattle have done a good job replicating that environment. Our athletic dept and student sections should also study the euro game experience, especially for pitt football.
And I’ve said this before here. There’s nothing like the environment the euros create at sports events. You see it at the Ryder Cup, you see it in the WWE when it’s a strong euro crowd (they even help make that dull product an entertaining watch), and you certainly see it at pro soccer matches. The MLS franchises in Portland and Seattle have done a good job replicating that environment. Our athletic dept and student sections should also study the euro game experience, especially for pitt football.
An all season tournament the runs parallel to the regular season, like the FA Cup, would be lots of fun. I find pro basketball boring, not enough variety, NBA Network used to show EuroBasket, but they quit showing that. It would be nice to have something more than NBA regular season and NBA playoffs.
Other than the quote about owners wondering why they only play for one trophy per year, I don’t get how an added competition would work. My guess is the unions, for one, would be for less games, not more.
Yes, the pay is much more in Europe for the top players but the number of Americans per team are limited and the International players, generally are not as talented.
Shane Larkin and Chris Singleton are two of the highest paid players in Europe. You tell me, how much better are they than your typical G-league starter? There isn't much difference.
The other thing is that if you are someone who wants to play in the NBA sooner rather than later then G League guys sign contracts in season with NBA teams all the time. Guys who sign to play in Europe can't bail out on their contract in the middle of the season because the Pelicans have a ton of injuries and want to sign some replacements.
The idea is to take less money today for a chance to be making a lot more sooner rather than later. For some guys it works out, for others it doesn't.
It’s not the level of talent, it’s the quantity. You can’t have multiple levels of competitive basketball in the USA when so much talent leaves.
Obviously it’s the right choice for the players, and consumers have shown they don’t care about second or third tier operations.
The best players in MLB are also way, way better than AAA players, but there’s still plenty of AAA-level players on MLB clubs.
You’re exactly right. It’s not like the NHL where some rum dum team can take down the best team in the league with a hot goalie and bad officiating.
1 easy thing to do would be to have a "Cup Competition" similar to the FA Cup or the US Open Cup. Theoretically, we can all form a Pantherlair soccer team and go win the US Open Cup, get an auto bid to the CONCACAF Champions League, win that, get an auto bid to the FIFA Club World Cup and beat Barca and Messi to be world champs! A little far fetched I know but the idea that you are in the same competition as big clubs is pretty cool.
An easy thing to do would be to just incorporate in the G-league along with the many semi pro leagues and amateur teams to have an 8 or 9 round knockout tournament with the G league and NBA teams entering in the 4th or 5th round. I mean just do what the FA Cup and US Open Cup do. It would only be a couple extra games for NBA teams. Play the Final as some of 3 day 8 team college basketball-like conference tournament-like tournament in a non-NBA town like Pgh, Columbus, Louisville, etc on the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday after the NBA Finals. I mean even in Pittsburgh, that would be a massive event.
Can you imagine the revenue a 3 day, 8 team American Basketball Cup final tournament would bring in? There's not enough 0's.
An easy thing to do would be to just incorporate in the G-league along with the many semi pro leagues and amateur teams to have an 8 or 9 round knockout tournament with the G league and NBA teams entering in the 4th or 5th round. I mean just do what the FA Cup and US Open Cup do. It would only be a couple extra games for NBA teams. Play the Final as some of 3 day 8 team college basketball-like conference tournament-like tournament in a non-NBA town like Pgh, Columbus, Louisville, etc on the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday after the NBA Finals. I mean even in Pittsburgh, that would be a massive event.
Can you imagine the revenue a 3 day, 8 team American Basketball Cup final tournament would bring in? There's not enough 0's.
I don't even know who they are? LOL. Euro players aren't that bad though, how many are beating out Americans for NBA spots? 65 Euros where in the NBA last year.
https://www.nba.com/article/2018/10...ational-players-start-season-official-release
Your average European player on a European team is much worse than your average G-league player. Why do you think they only allow 3 Americans were team? Because if they didn't, all those G-leaguers would be taking Euro spots that they want going to domestic players
Ever heard of Christos FC? It's an amateur soccer team sponsored by a liquor store in Baltimore, with a lot of former pro and college players, they won a few games against lesser leagues, then beat a USL team, Richmond Kickers, and eventually got to play DC United in the US Open Cup, scored the first goal before losing 3-1.
I would think it depends on the league, Spain or Greece or Turkey or Russia, they have pretty decent players.
Those Greek, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish players are much worse than G-league players, most of whom were college basketball stars.
Maybe, I'd like to see them play each other? Greece national team in 2006 with ZERO NBA players beat Coach K, Lebron and the boyz. I doubt the difference is that much.
Disagree. At least the top Euroleague teams are probably a little better than G-league teams. Most G-league teams don't have a "big", it's basically a young guards league with some wings. Euroleague teams are built to try to win games and have more experienced players; G-league teams are built to try to develop players for the NBA. Their coaches (like minor league baseball) are hired and fired based on developing individual players, not for win/loss record.
Obviously NBA teams stand quite above the shoulders of both.
But they had to be VERY GOOD players to upset that kind of team, you, me and 3 other guys couldn't do it.
I've watched some Delaware Blue Coats (87ers) games as a Sixers fan.
Here is their current roster:
15 Ryan Anderson F 6-9 235 26 Arizona 2016 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
23 Jared Brownridge G 6-3 200 24 Santa Clara 2017 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
33 Michael Bryson G 6-4 200 24 UC Santa Barbara 2016 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
10 A.J. Davis GF 6-9 215 23 UCF 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
2 Keenan Evans SG 6-3 190 22 Texas Tech 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
3 Matt Farrell PG 6-1 175 22 Notre Dame 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
24 Haywood Highsmith F 6-7 220 22 Wheeling Jesuit 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
7 D.J. Hogg SF 6-9 215 22 Texas A&M 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
18 Shake Milton SG 6-6 205 22 Southern Methodist 2018 Rnd 2 Pick 24 United States
1 Norvel Pelle FC 6-11 215 26 Delaware 87ers 2014 NBA Draft, Undrafted Lebanon
Antigua and Barbuda
12 Kyle Randall G 6-1 185 27 Central Michigan 2013 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
21 Rashad Vaughn SF 6-6 210 22 UNLV 2015 Rnd 1 Pick 17 United States
Real Madrid alone meanwhile has the following NBA players:
Gustavo Ayon
Rudy Fernandez
Ognjen Kuzmic
Sergio Llull
Anthony Randolph
Edy Tavares
Jeffrey Taylor
Trey Thompkins
Several of them played like 5 years in the NBA and could probably still be role players today.
Here is their current roster:
15 Ryan Anderson F 6-9 235 26 Arizona 2016 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
23 Jared Brownridge G 6-3 200 24 Santa Clara 2017 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
33 Michael Bryson G 6-4 200 24 UC Santa Barbara 2016 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
10 A.J. Davis GF 6-9 215 23 UCF 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
2 Keenan Evans SG 6-3 190 22 Texas Tech 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
3 Matt Farrell PG 6-1 175 22 Notre Dame 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
24 Haywood Highsmith F 6-7 220 22 Wheeling Jesuit 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
7 D.J. Hogg SF 6-9 215 22 Texas A&M 2018 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
18 Shake Milton SG 6-6 205 22 Southern Methodist 2018 Rnd 2 Pick 24 United States
1 Norvel Pelle FC 6-11 215 26 Delaware 87ers 2014 NBA Draft, Undrafted Lebanon
Antigua and Barbuda
12 Kyle Randall G 6-1 185 27 Central Michigan 2013 NBA Draft, Undrafted United States
21 Rashad Vaughn SF 6-6 210 22 UNLV 2015 Rnd 1 Pick 17 United States
Real Madrid alone meanwhile has the following NBA players:
Gustavo Ayon
Rudy Fernandez
Ognjen Kuzmic
Sergio Llull
Anthony Randolph
Edy Tavares
Jeffrey Taylor
Trey Thompkins
Several of them played like 5 years in the NBA and could probably still be role players today.
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