Draft Talk: Why do teams choose European over NCAA?
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania.
I have a puzzling question. Every year, why are more International players getting the call from NBA teams over some of our proven collegiate players? This year 20% or 12 players out of the 60 players drafted, if you include Brandon Jennings and Patrick Beverley, were of the International flavor. Many of which have questional ability or potential. Six of these players were selected in the first round, essentially getting guaranteed money while many NCAA tested players such as Dionte Christmas of Temple and Jerel McNeal of Marquette went undrafted.
I’ll concede Ricky Rubio and Brandon Jennings as possible future stars, and even Victor Claver and Omri Casspi as servicable NBA role players, but Rodrigue Beaubois and Nando de Calo? Most casual hardwood fans would believe these were a hip hop artist’s newest clothing line rather than an NBA team’s hope for the future. While they may have a colorful and interesting name, their game is much more, dare I say … lame! Beaubois and de Calo have career scoring averages against average competition of 7.5ppg and 12.3ppg respectfully in the FRENCH PRO LEAGUE!
Here are two comparisons. Why draft Omri Casspi at #23, who averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds in Europe over DeJuan Blair of Pitt who averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds? With all the shaky knee rumors aside, Blair did this against better competition in the Big East Conference, is a year younger, and can play now. Why draft Christian Eyenga at #30, at 8 ppg in Europe over Dionte Christmas of Temple who led his conference in scoring, averaging around 20 ppg, three straight years in the A-10, and is widely regarded by scouts as one of the best perimeter shooters the past 4 seasons in the NCAA?
It seems that NBA teams point out collegiate players weaknesses in spite of their obvious talents while grasping at some International players’ future potential and overlooking their obvious weaker competition and weaknesses. Also, many of these International players will be stashed in Europe for a few years to “develop their skills” or for the terms of the buyout of their existing European contracts are worked out while our college players are ready now and must again prove themselves in the upcoming NBA Summer Leagues for a shot at making a NBA team.
NBA teams, this is an obvious question. It appears that only a handful of teams are trying to improve and challenge for an NBA title with players who can help now, while two thirds of the league seem to waste their picks on a future that may never come.
???
Are seriously thinking that all European League are weaker than NCAA ?
How many undrafted NCAA players had gone to even the French League you’re talking about, and put half of their NCAA stats with the same playing time ?
How many points and assists for jennings ? while he would have get twice that in NCAA ?
If you want a point on why they choose (or even gamble) on some players like that, it’s also because these guys are playing against older guy, who surely don’t have the NBA level, but play harder than in NCAA, and it counts.
@Bob
Are you seriously thinking they are NOT weaker? Sure you get a few diamonds in the rough in the Euro leagues, but you can’t really compare it to the athleticism and of the NCAA. The difference is the Euro leagues are older more refined players than the young College players we have here in the states. But as far as raw talent, it’s not even a comparison. Just look at the NBA, of course teams are going to seek out that diamond in the rough like Dirk Nowitzki, Manu Ginobili, etc. But the majority of the great players and stars in the league are ones that came from NCAA. And it is for that reason that the majority of the draftees will always be from NCAA.
It is because European player are more better that is why more drafted higher than American player.
Man, players in the NCAA get babied. I think that most of the european players are better than the NCAA players, because they have more experience as a pro (and internationally). If they get the minutes they deserve, than they would be playing in the NBA. stop complaining and watch some euroleauge. You’ll easily realize that euroleauge is much tougher than NBA and NCAA. I love NBA but it’s soft, they try to make the offensive player happy. Because everybody looks at how much a player scores. There are some guards in Europe who can rule the NBA, like Willie Solomon (he tried his chance in the NBA this season and put up very good stats although he got limited playing time).
Didn’t their disappointing play in the NCAA Tournament this year remind everybody what a farce the Big East conference is? DeJuan Blair is the next Robert “Tractor” Traylor, and good luck to the other NBA teams who invested in this conference of big-money busts.
I would bet that the teams that drafted most of the first round euro players want to keep them overseas for a few years, and I would also bet that means that those teams do not have to pay those players much at all while they are playing in europe
The dirty little secret of the NBA is that many NBA teams are not that profitable right now, and that many teams are looking to reduce expenses.
Wow, I think he hit the nail on the head that time!
RT
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It’s because the European players play defense… and generally they’re smarter basketball players than the “student” athletes that come out of many NCAA teams.
Because 80% of american players are idiots with a “F___you, pay me” attitude. I’ll take a player with inferior athleticism that is coachable over raw talent that does whatever he wants.
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Something you may not have considered, and that a lot of draft experts have correctly pointed out, is that by drafting a foreign player an NBA team can “stash” them overseas. This achieves two benefits:
1) The player does not count towards the luxury tax because he does not sign and join the team. This works well for teams with high salaries with decent talent already on their rosters and are not in “rebuilding mode” (see Cavaliers, Portland, Lakers)
2) If the player is a bust, you only lose the opportunity cost of another player lower in the draft (yes, sometimes you miss out on gems). But if you take a flyer on the foreign player and he develops over the next couple of years into a semi-stud, you still own his rights and can sign him over when he’s ready.
Usually drafting a NCAA guys means he’s on your books if you want to hold on to his rights.
I must agree with Pat that European players are more fundamentally sound players. There is one word I like to use when describing players from the Euro-Section of our globe ad that word is “COACHABLE”. I get the feeling that most Euro-Players have had to learn a variety of offense and defense, rather than relying on pure athletic ability.
In other words. They listen, They understand (even though they sometimes have to learn a new language), They practice Free-Throws (therefore they can actually shoot Free-Throws), They have respect. I also get the feeling that they have less emotional baggage.
Since the day I saw that “Hot Rod Anderson” got a contract worth 5 million dollars which was more than Michael Jordan at the time, it told me that basketball was not basketball anymore, it was becoming about holding out to get “Yours”. I think the NBA has learned that they can get more bang for their buck with a player that is not bitching or whining about not getting their respect because of a $$ amount that somebody else has told them that they are worth.
Europeans have historically been inferior basketball players. The Men’s Olympic games between USA and European teams usually have a pregame autograph sessions so all the Euro’s can get chance to meet their idols. Now, granted a few years ago US men didn’t get the gold medal because the team was thrown together at the last minute. Any thrown together team will loose to many teams who have practiced all year together.
The writer of the article hit many key points on head. When the media has had so much exposure on the NCAA players, their weaknesses obtain focus. People see a few highlights of the European players and suddenly they’re ready to dominate the NBA. I think a European with equal talent will get drafted over an NCAA player everytime because of the exotic idea and media attention.
I fully believe basketball is moving in the direction of becoming the world sport. So I guess I can’t complain since it is based here in America, where European players dream to play.
Players like DeJuan Blair have little star potential. He is what he is: a very good college player with size and power but relatively limited skills. He’s never going to be much more than a role-playing reserve in the NBA. There are plenty of guys like him you can sign as free agents.
What teams are looking for, and willing to gamble on, is the guy who can become stars. It’s tricky, and there are probably more failures than successes, but the potential payoff is worth it.
Comparing stats and the level of competition is largely irrelevant.
What?!
To sit here and proclaim that an amateur league like the NCAA is superior to the Euro-League is ridiculous. For every “athletically-superior” player in the NCAA there are 15 who wouldn’t be given a job getting coffee for a Euro-League team. The Euro-League is a PROFESSIONAL league filled with savvy, PROFESSIONAL players with years of experience. Most players who don a uniform in the NCAA will NEVER be heard from again.
Another question: look at the NBA drafts from the last twenty years, and tell me how many names that you actually recognize as legitimately “great” basketball players who made an impact to their franchise? How many of them fell by the wayside? The fact of the matter is, the number of people in the world who can compete and contribute in a grueling league like the NBA is VERY SMALL. And you know what? Some of those guys come from Europe. Get over it.
I agree that it is a money thing. The real secret about the NBA Draft is how ineffective most draftees are. If you can get 12-15 guys out of the draft that are even contributors, that’s pretty good. That’s maybe 25% of the picks and the number drops off fast after the lottery picks.
So if I’m picking after 20th or so, why not take a European. Maybe I hit the jackpot and at least I don’t have to dole out a guarnteed contract to a player unlikely to make my squad in a few years. Save a million dollars and wait. If the team chooses not to sign the guy in a few years, people probably won’t even notice.
[...] Draft Talk: Why do teams choose European over NCAA? [...]
I`m responding to those who are talking about euro teams vs ncaa teams, the article is … pointless.
First thing you have to to know is that there is a big difference between various leagues in terms of quality (the spanish ACB , the greek, russian and italian leagues being the toughest) so i advise you to check the Euroleague , where the top euro teams compete. I think you have to be delusional if you think that any ncaa team can beat a proper euroleague team. If the euroleague was so easy as you make it look , then Brandon Jennings would have been ripping a new one to every team out there … but .. well check it out http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/eurobasketball/euroleague/teams/09/lottomatica/stats/12 .
Oh and i forgot to link this http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/coaching/EUROS.htm , article by Brian McCormick , where he answers why they choose euro guys.
If you really are puzzled?
Have to question if you are really all that bright?
Sorry!
NBA GMs have to look everywhere for talent. The ones that are good at it succeed (Spurs), the ones that won’t struggle. A good GM can’t afford to care where a player is born or what league he develops his skills in?
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