Has International Basketball Gotten Worse?

[cilom]

Being able to dunk at 6 ft tall does not mean you're athletic.
Luke Babbit has a 38 ft vertical , do you really think he is athletic? There are a lot of different aspects : lateral quickness,wingspan,strength...
The number of white american players in the NBA is very low and most of them have no impact role players at best. How many white us players in the ASG in the last 15 years ( Brad Miller and Kevin Love...)
Being athletic will do wonders for you in the NBA , having a high bball iq not so much. Look at Gobert why is he in the NBA? Because he is a freak of nature that's all. The guy has no hands, can't shoot has poor vision poor court awareness but who cares. The guy has huge arms is very mobile for a guy of his size and pretty explosive. It will be enough to earn 20/25 millions dollars a year in his next deal.

Better physical training practices will not make you have long arms that's stupid. Look if so why are there so few great white us players in the NBA? Genetics are much more important in basketball than in any other sports.

[MZT Skopje]

Yes international basketball getting worse big time.

Yes cilom, basketball is the only sport in the world when genetics is more importent than talent. Is much more importent to have the right size of your arm, not to tiny long legs, etc. This is the first thing scouts are looking at.

Serbs are the tallest peole in europe of course they will be good in basketball. Not many wants to talk open about it but this is the naked truth. Sweden has the same benefit in icehockey they have 3000 icehockeyrinks and others hardly have 10.

Point is, only in football everyone compete s with same conditions.

[Victorious]

Yes international basketball getting worse big time.

Yes cilom, basketball is the only sport in the world when genetics is more importent than talent. Is much more importent to have the right size of your arm, not to tiny long legs, etc. This is the first thing scouts are looking at.

Serbs are the tallest peole in europe of course they will be good in basketball. Not many wants to talk open about it but this is the naked truth. Sweden has the same benefit in icehockey they have 3000 icehockeyrinks and others hardly have 10.

Point is, only in football everyone compete s with same conditions.

The Dutch are the tallest people in the world. And they pretty much suck at basketball. Well, at least until shortly. There is some progress going on.

[SashKX]

1. Basketball as a sport has evolved over the years, even if talent pool maybe hasn't. NBA has started respecting international game, incorporating both the players and the play style more and more. On the other side European basketball seems to have understood how important physical conditioning is and have been producing more athletic players than ever. I think we are slowly approaching the perfect fusion of two different approaches and perhaps the best years of basketball are yet to come.

2. Blacks aren't genetically superior. Some researches have shown that they have slightly ligher and more elastic bones, which makes jumping a bit easier, while whites have naturally higher muscle mass. Both of these are completely irrelevant because they cannot be compared to performance increase that proper physical conditioning provides.
Basketball culture and player development programs are far more important than any population and genetic advantage countries might have. Dutch are supposed to be tallest in the world, China and India have ridiculous populations, and where are they in international basketball? Then look at Lithuania, small average European country in every aspect, except for their crazy basketball culture which keeps them among the best few in the world for decades.

3. About NBA and success. NBA rules obviously favor athleticism much more than FIBA does, but here we have San Antonio Spurs, who have been combining NBA and international talent with European basketball to completely dominate the league. How tall is Parker, what's his wing span, how athletic are Manu and Timmy?
What about physical freaks like Howard, Gobert and Jordan, are they better centers than Gasol brothers? Who was the most hyped player in the NBA for past 2 years? LeBron? No, its Steph Curry, with hard work and pure skill.

I honestly believe that white players have been discriminated for a long time, almost like how black ones were in the original white NBA. European clubs are the same, they'll bring any bum from NBA just because he's black, so he surely can ball better than local talent.

[Bruno Díaz es Batman]

Yes, and in 5 years will be worse.

[MZT Skopje]

The Dutch are the tallest people in the world. And they pretty much suck at basketball. Well, at least until shortly. There is some progress going on.

Can you back this up with a link cuz Swedish poeple (most of them coming from benelux region 1000 years ago valoner) are medium size in europe. Anyway no one realy cares about basktball in Holland no good youthe programs, etc..

Bruno Díaz es Batman @

I agree It looks horriable at the moment in 5 years time it will get worse. Huge economic problems in europe + interes for basketball in europe is generally small hardly 2% of the poeple in europe can mention 2 players in CSKA Moscow line up. To little media space in the big nations only in small like Greece, Serbia, Lithuania. In Russia, Germany, Italy, France no one give a shit just football.

Most of the kids select football.

USA have 1 bilion basketball schools interess for basketball is superbig on same level as football in europ and as long basketball in europe asint even close football we will never reach USA.

[Victorious]

Can you back this up with a link cuz Swedish poeple (most of them coming from benelux region 1000 years ago valoner) are medium size in europe. Anyway no one realy cares about basktball in Holland no good youthe programs, etc..

Bruno Díaz es Batman @

I agree It looks horriable at the moment in 5 years time it will get worse. Huge economic problems in europe + interes for basketball in europe is generally small hardly 2% of the poeple in europe can mention 2 players in CSKA Moscow line up. To little media space in the big nations only in small like Greece, Serbia, Lithuania. In Russia, Germany, Italy, France no one give a shit just football.

Most of the kids select football.

USA have 1 bilion basketball schools interess for basketball is superbig on same level as football in europ and as long basketball in europe asint even close football we will never reach USA.

The link

As for basketball popularity in Europe. How many people can mention water polo players or handball players playing anywhere in the world?

Basketball popularity in Germany, Russia, Italy, France depends mostly on the success of the national team (and to a lesser extent club teams). The more success, the more interest. It shows in the ratings of those countries once they approach the medal phase. France had a packed football arena for the Eurobasket. There was a sell out in every game because they have a good national team. Germany too had sell outs when the NT played, even though their NT is quite average. Italy too had sell outs during the Olympic qualification. The Italians have the basketball culture rooted inside. If they would develop a golden generation, the sport will sky rocket again.
Out of the big countries, I only leave out great Britain. But along side football, they have the commonwealth games (like cricket) which they are also crazy about. So there is little room for basketball.

I think that FIBA has found the right buttons though, spreading the groups of continental tournaments in different nations. It mobilized more people to see the game.

[thespywhozaggedme]

The link

As for basketball popularity in Europe. How many people can mention water polo players or handball players playing anywhere in the world?

Basketball popularity in Germany, Russia, Italy, France depends mostly on the success of the national team (and to a lesser extent club teams). The more success, the more interest. It shows in the ratings of those countries once they approach the medal phase. France had a packed football arena for the Eurobasket. There was a sell out in every game because they have a good national team. Germany too had sell outs when the NT played, even though their NT is quite average. Italy too had sell outs during the Olympic qualification. It is Great Britain which is actually immune to basketball.

I think that FIBA has found the right buttons though, spreading the groups of continental tournaments in different nations. It mobilized more people to see the game.

Yeah, but you've gotta convince the kids to start playing the game, not just watching some events. It's a great sport and cheap to play, plus the $$$ one can potentially make is amazing. I don't get why more countries don't push basketball more.

[Bruno Díaz es Batman]

While during most of tournament USA faced enough challenges, in the end got the gold medal, remained unbeaten and got a 30 points difference in the final.

This was the 15th gold medal in 18th Olympic basketball tournaments, having lost the top only in 1972 by Soviet Union in a historic game and also in 1980 when USA boycotted the Moscow Games and in 2004 in Athens. The 96-66 defeat over Serbia was the most lopsided since the 1992 Dream Team and in total the 5th biggest in an Olympic Games final.

And USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo once more urged the rest of the world to catch up with USA: “I’m all for raising the bar for global basketball. The more interest in basketball on all levels, I’m for. I’m a lifer of the game. Basketball is the No.2 sport in the world. We just need to see these other countries get their acts together and become more competitive. I’m not going to be making any excuses. One of the officials said to me, ‘You oughta play with four.’ I said, ‘No, maybe the other teams oughta get their act together and compete.’ We’ve been helping in basketball around the world for 50 years. We’ve taught the world the game. We’ve taught their coaches. Look at the number of players in the NBA. Look at the number of international players in college today in the states. We’re all for that. I want to see their level raised.”

Eurohoops.

Did he hit his head hard??

[MZT Skopje]

The link

As for basketball popularity in Europe. How many people can mention water polo players or handball players playing anywhere in the world?

Basketball popularity in Germany, Russia, Italy, France depends mostly on the success of the national team (and to a lesser extent club teams). The more success, the more interest. It shows in the ratings of those countries once they approach the medal phase. France had a packed football arena for the Eurobasket. There was a sell out in every game because they have a good national team. Germany too had sell outs when the NT played, even though their NT is quite average. Italy too had sell outs during the Olympic qualification. The Italians have the basketball culture rooted inside. If they would develop a golden generation, the sport will sky rocket again.
Out of the big countries, I only leave out great Britain. But along side football, they have the commonwealth games (like cricket) which they are also crazy about. So there is little room for basketball.

I think that FIBA has found the right buttons though, spreading the groups of continental tournaments in different nations. It mobilized more people to see the game.

First of all water polo is a very small sport aint even among top 3-4 sports in nations like croatia, serbia.... even greece.

handball is a top 2-3 sports in many nations in europe Germany top 2, France top 3 today beat basketball long ago, Romania, Hungary, whole scandinavia, balcan top 3, etc. I would say handball and basketball is about 50/50 in europe. Macedonia invest a lot in club handball RK Vardar have above 10 milion euro budget, RK Metalurg 3 milion. If we speak about female sport than handball is way way more developed in europe than female basketball. Also female vollyball is in front of female basketball.

Europe do not have any clear sport 2 after football this is the problem. Eurpe have only one singel superbig sport and that is football as a baskeball fan I am sad we could not get close to football.

To compete with USA we need more active basketball players end of the story no way we can get close like this. They have more basketball schools than europe active basketball players.

The big nations in europe need to get involved much much more. Russia won EL and still people talk only about football and hockey, CSKA arena is 50% Empty during EL matches and almost no one is watching WTB who collapsed.

We need more young poeple in basketball, only way to get that is to make the sport bigger in europe.

[Jazz]

Out of the big countries, I only leave out great Britain. But along side football, they have the commonwealth games (like cricket) which they are also crazy about. So there is little room for basketball.

The public aren't so crazy about them as much as the people who run the media and government who played those sports at their private schools. Basketball is actually pretty popular in terms of participation. But look at Australia, they play those Commonwealth sports plus Aussie Rules and despite a much smaller population than the UK, have a very competitive NT and a better pro league.

Totally agree about the importance of the national teams in those other countries.

[Raze Lupin]

While during most of tournament USA faced enough challenges, in the end got the gold medal, remained unbeaten and got a 30 points difference in the final.

This was the 15th gold medal in 18th Olympic basketball tournaments, having lost the top only in 1972 by Soviet Union in a historic game and also in 1980 when USA boycotted the Moscow Games and in 2004 in Athens. The 96-66 defeat over Serbia was the most lopsided since the 1992 Dream Team and in total the 5th biggest in an Olympic Games final.

And USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo once more urged the rest of the world to catch up with USA: “I’m all for raising the bar for global basketball. The more interest in basketball on all levels, I’m for. I’m a lifer of the game. Basketball is the No.2 sport in the world. We just need to see these other countries get their acts together and become more competitive. I’m not going to be making any excuses. One of the officials said to me, ‘You oughta play with four.’ I said, ‘No, maybe the other teams oughta get their act together and compete.’ We’ve been helping in basketball around the world for 50 years. We’ve taught the world the game. We’ve taught their coaches. Look at the number of players in the NBA. Look at the number of international players in college today in the states. We’re all for that. I want to see their level raised.”

Eurohoops.

Did he hit his head hard??

I feel the same as Jerry Colangelo! I want the other countries to be better!

[R1ou]

I feel the same as Jerry Colangelo! I want the other countries to be better!

We want that too but basically it's really tough every generation to have high caliber players consistently especially when you speak about countries with 5-10M population.

[Raze Lupin]

They aren't as good but they are more athletic. There might be less great prospects but the ones there are these days are much more physically able to stick in the US and be complete players.

THIS! I have noticed this everywhere, particularly from Europe. It seems the athletic gap has closed tremendously. I do think the skill level for some of these players have dropped from previous Euro standards.

I'm not as politically correct as you so I will say exactly what you mean to say; there are more black international players, i.e. Adentekoumpo, Simmons, Exum, Gobert etc.

I do not believe he meant that. He is probably talking about players like Jan Vessely, Vucevik, Jokic, Jonas V, Porzingas, etc.. Though I could be wrong.

Not really. It's an issue of training and preparation. Many of the best physical training practices have been transferred from USA to the rest of Europe and now the athletes are much more explosive and prepared for NBA game. So the athletic gap is smaller than before.

@ CoachZ The athletic gap is particarly by the Europeans has been narrowed. yet I believe the skill level of these athletic internationals has decreased some. Do you agree? If so why is that? For example Jan Vessely is/was one the most athletic players in the NBA yet his skills were poor by Euro standards. If he had a higher skill level he would be the MVP of any league.


Also not to offend anyone but Balkans including Turkey seem to have nice athletic bodies that are good for many types of sports. Basketball being only one of them. I'm always impressed with Turkish athleticism & Ex-yugo athleticism. If basketball was more popular in this region we would be seeing some freaks similar to what USA has. Am I wrong and just seeing things or is the Balkans full of tall naturally athletic people. No offense to anyone.

[Bruno Díaz es Batman]

I feel the same as Jerry Colangelo! I want the other countries to be better!

Everyone want the same, but you must understand that Serbia (7 millions), Croatia (4 millions), Australia (23 millions), Lithuania (3 millions), Argentina (40 millions), Spain (45 millions) and France (65 millions) together have less population than the US (318 millions).

How many elite players have Minnesota, Massachusetts and Virginia?

Colangelo just said a bullshit (sorry).