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JGKoblenz · 04-27-2004, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Karl Malone was the first to predict it.
In the months after he had played his last game for the Jazz and before he signed with the Lakers, while chowing down a pound of lettuce during an interview, Malone simultaneously looked into his bowser-sized salad bowl and into the Jazz's future and saw . . .
Ach, du liebe Zeit!
Foreigners.
Lots of them.
"You wait," he said, garden greens rolling around in his mouth, "the Jazz roster will be full of foreign players."
Mailman absolutely nailed his Madame Zelda impersonation.
That future came quickly in the months thereafter, the Jazz 2003-04 roster including Andrei Kirilenko (Russia), Gordan Giricek (Croatia), Sasha Pavlovic (Serbia-Montenegro), Raul Lopez (Spain), as well as Raja Bell (Virgin Islands), Carlos Arroyo (Puerto Rico), and Greg Ostertag (Texas).
Just kidding about that last one. Everybody knows Ostertag hails from the States (Altered), and is a full-fledged American (even though he once claimed to have been abducted by aliens).
All told, during the past season, there were 67 players in the NBA from 33 countries and territories outside traditional U.S. borders. That's an average of just over two internationals per team. The Jazz already had six.
And the United Nations trend around here is bound to continue.
No one is sure whom the Jazz will select with their three first-round picks in the coming draft, but it would shock nobody if the club adds to its current far-flung collection. Guesses by many NBA Draft observers indicate more international players will be on their way to the Utah Foreign Legion.

Look for Jazz to continue importing foreign talent

Regarding the draft, the article throw this names: Kosta Perovic, a 7-foot-2, 240-pound center from Serbia-Montenegro, Sergei Monya, a 6-7 shooting guard from Russia, Ha Seung-Jin, a 7-3, 300-pound center out of South Korea, Peter Ramos, a 7-2, 260-pound center out of Puerto Rico, Predrag Samardziski, a 6-11 center from Serbia-Montenegro, Damir Omerhodzic, a 6-10 forward from Croatia, and 6-11, 285-pound center Rafael Araujo, from Brazil by way of BYU.

urso53 · 04-27-2004, 08:50 PM

I have two very differing opinions regarding the idea of bringing in foreign talent.

I am for it. Let the jazz be known as a team made up of euros and nba retreads. The fans will love seing a team whose players each need their own translater, Sloan becomes the new linguistic king, and players loving the game.
However, the jazz will never get to be a championship contender because there has not been one real go to euro guy to win a championship

**Marcus13** · 04-27-2004, 08:53 PM

There is a fine line to walk here. You cant blame any team for wanting to continue looking for foreign players. Many of them have become very good role players and even stars in this leage. However, many of them have been duds. You continue to bring in thse guys, you will continue to recieve duds, just dont be to trigger happy and it should be all good.

**JazzMan** · 04-28-2004, 02:57 AM

If americans don't want to play in Utah, we have to take the best we can get from elsewhere.

Scipio · 04-28-2004, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marcus13!
Many of them have become very good role players and even stars in this leage. However, many of them have been duds. You continue to bring in thse guys, you will continue to recieve duds, just dont be to trigger happy and it should be all good.

This is a wonderful sentenece. Although this describes draft overall..not just foreign players. You continue to draft 18 year old euros or HS players, this will be the result.

MongolianDeathCloud · 05-06-2004, 09:34 PM

I would try and trade a couple picks for Biedrins rights. He seems like he would be and excellent fit alongside AK. And right up Utah's alley..

urso53 · 05-06-2004, 10:13 PM

Larry Miller has talked about the prospect of trading a couple of picks to get up into the top ten. If a big guy is at such a priority than Biedrins would be good there. I am going to stand fast that if they are able to get into the top ten they should try and get Iguodala. With his speed and defense in the up top and AK underneath I like our chances to shut people down.

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