RebelSun

21 y/o, 6'11 C is destroying the Euroleague through the first three games, leading the league in both ranking (efficiency) and ppg by decent margins. The guy is shooting over 79% from the field so far. The E-League isn't the NBA, but it's not exactly cake either; guys that young don't usually dominate there. He already has a very strong body, so he's ready to go right now.

If he can maintain even 75% of his current level of production, I think it's safe to say he wouldn't last to the 2nd round if he enters the draft.

http://www.euroleague.net/competitio...ayer?pcode=KNN

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stojakovic

I agree with you on the EL not being NBA. However, we have to keep in mind that it's way tougher than the NBA also.

As for pekovic, he's taken the whole continent by storm.

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ehmunro

Euroleague is not tougher than the NBA.

__________________
"The Spurs are the Jason Voorhees of the NBA. No matter how many times you think you've finally killed them, turn your back on them and they're right back on their feet, machete in one hand and chainsaw in the other."

"Tim Duncan is the biggest crybaby in the NBA. If the Spurs were gay, he'd be Liberace." MCD

"Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed

"I do not know what the Queensberry rules are, sir, but the Wilde rules are to shoot on sight!" Oscar Wilde to the Marquis of Queensbury after being threatened by the former pugilist.

Those who are in the know praise Dead Women Tell No Tales:

"The account of Kobe participating in orgies and the description of the surroundings is accurate. I attended few of those parties myself..." -- Jondell R. Montgomery, Long Beach, 2006

Men don't notice the price when in the presence of naked women. They needed a research study to tell them that.

stojakovic

In the EL you can almost beat the heck out of a big man, hack him as he goes for a layup or a dunk. This definitely not the case in the NBA.

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HB

Did you just say its way tougher than the NBA?

How many Euroleague stars have succeeded in the NBA? I mean on a superstar level

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stojakovic

Possessing higher quality doesn't necessarily mean being tougher. Being more of an NBA fan, I'd say I'd rather watch the NBA, read and write about it. The game is greater in pace and more fun to watch.

However, despite the fact that NBA players are superior stars, the team play and the "team player mentality" are the elements that NBA lacks. This is why teams which, comparatively, play more like a team dominates the league and breaks out as a dynasty. The same reason stands out even more for the Raptors for being succesful.

This was the absolute reason why the USA team failed in Japan and couldn't stop the 14-2 run of Greece. They couldn't stop the pick & rolls of an average, even below average, player Sofoklis Schortsianitis (spelling?)Does this make this man better than Bosh, Anthony or the other players whom he stood and ran against? Of course not. That was due to the brilliance of Papaloukas, the size of Sofo and Coach K's reluctance (maybe dullnes) to see and accept that things were slipping out of hand.

Nevertheless at EL, the teams are all based on team play. What makes the difference there is the superstars because that is what the teams exploit the opponents with and lack in quantity.

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ehmunro

True, in the NBA they call fouls. Humourously enough, however, most Euroleague bigs can't hack the physical play of the NBA despite coming from the "tougher" Euroleague.

No. I know this is the bugaboo of the day. But it's as untrue now as any other time. It's not "team play" that creates NBA dynasties, it's great players. Sub out Tim Duncan with someone like Dirk Nowitzki and the Spurs are probably still hunting for a title. In spite of the "team play". Take Shaq off the Lakers threepeat squad and they never win a title at all.

Talent and its optimal utilisation are what wins in the NBA. Greece got on a hot shooting streak in a game that's designed for jumpshooters. Just as Euroleague superstar Sarunas Jasikivicius did it for Lithuania a few years ago. Of course, the Euroleague superstar has never been able to get off an NBA bench, but that's a story for another day. FIBA ball is designed to neutralise the impact of athleticism and encourage jumpshooting. The rules are written to make jumpers tough to defend (moving picks are completely legal, for example, effectively making the pick & roll impossible to defend). The lane is designed to keep low post players off the blocks and the zones to keep players from getting to the rim. This is why guys not good enough to play in the NBA are Euroleague stars and Euroleague superstars have trouble making an impact in the NBA.

__________________
"The Spurs are the Jason Voorhees of the NBA. No matter how many times you think you've finally killed them, turn your back on them and they're right back on their feet, machete in one hand and chainsaw in the other."

"Tim Duncan is the biggest crybaby in the NBA. If the Spurs were gay, he'd be Liberace." MCD

"Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed

"I do not know what the Queensberry rules are, sir, but the Wilde rules are to shoot on sight!" Oscar Wilde to the Marquis of Queensbury after being threatened by the former pugilist.

Those who are in the know praise Dead Women Tell No Tales:

"The account of Kobe participating in orgies and the description of the surroundings is accurate. I attended few of those parties myself..." -- Jondell R. Montgomery, Long Beach, 2006

Men don't notice the price when in the presence of naked women. They needed a research study to tell them that.

stojakovic

What the European big men cannot keep up with is the personal strength and speed of the big men in the NBA. This is also because they are not used to employing one on one toughness on the opponent, since they get help from, mostly, zone defense and their guards.

It's really hypothetical and I realy disagree with you in taking out Duncan and Nowitzki out of their respective teams and their teams still shooting for the title. Why don't all the teams having a superstar shoot for the title, when they don't have complementary pieces around their bona fide? Why couldn't Jordan get a ring until they've learned to play the triangle and knit up. Like, for me, Wizards would never be able get a ring eventhough they have two all star calibre guys in addition to a super star?


The European superstars cannot easily star in the NBA because they rely heavily on teammates and team play rather than their own skills. Think of Turkoglu who was just, and an effective, a "helping-his-team" player in his first few years. However, he is now able to make his own moves and score out of his own talent.

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ehmunro

In the NBA they need to defend more physical players, and can't do it. Even you admit this, so I'm not sure why you're sticking to the "tougher" Euroleague thing.

Duncan is a gamechanging defender. He's the best defensive big of this generation, he makes the game easier on his teammates by erasing their mistakes. It's far easier for the other San Antonio defenders to take chances with Timmeh behind them. On top of that he's a great offensive player. Nowitzki's a great offensive player that lacks Duncan's complete offensive package. That before addressing the defensive downgrade. As for Jordan, he entered the NBA on a ****ty team, and the team didn't win until they upgraded the talent around him. Once they found a top 50 all-time player to run with him they were ready for take-off. It's hard for one man teams to succeed, even when that one man is Michael Jordan.

They have trouble starring in the NBA because they aren't very good and Euroleague defense isn't very good. In the US Sarunas has looked like a combo guard that struggles to dribble and can't defend a rally towel. In Europe he's a top 5 player. But then in Europe he doesn't face defenses like those in the NBA and isn't asked to play defense like they do in the NBA. This is also why American players that wash out of the NBA can step onto European teams and play well.

__________________
"The Spurs are the Jason Voorhees of the NBA. No matter how many times you think you've finally killed them, turn your back on them and they're right back on their feet, machete in one hand and chainsaw in the other."

"Tim Duncan is the biggest crybaby in the NBA. If the Spurs were gay, he'd be Liberace." MCD

"Opium is the religion of the masses." Fred Reed

"I do not know what the Queensberry rules are, sir, but the Wilde rules are to shoot on sight!" Oscar Wilde to the Marquis of Queensbury after being threatened by the former pugilist.

Those who are in the know praise Dead Women Tell No Tales:

"The account of Kobe participating in orgies and the description of the surroundings is accurate. I attended few of those parties myself..." -- Jondell R. Montgomery, Long Beach, 2006