Europeans thriving in NBA, thanks to the fundamentals
Glenn Dickey
Tuesday, July 1, 2003
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URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/07/01/SP14059.DTL


European players have been flooding into the NBA because they know how to play basketball. Too many American players don't.

I started following the NBA in an era when top players such as Elgin Baylor,

Jerry West and Oscar Robertson had fundamentally sound games. They were great athletes -- Baylor was the first I saw who had the "in the air" style that Julius Erving and, more recently, Michael Jordan, played -- but they concentrated on making plays.

Robertson could make spectacular plays, but he preferred to make the safe pass or the easy shot. In the 1961-62 season, he averaged a triple-double (meaning double figures in points, assists and rebounds).

There still are American players like that, most notably Jason Kidd and Tim Duncan, who faced each other in the NBA Finals. Those college players who stay at least three years learn the fundamentals.

However, too many of the younger players think basketball is simply running and jumping. Shooting to them means dunking the ball, because that's what they've seen in the TV highlights. The most common word used to describe an NBA prospect is "athleticism," which generally means, "He can really jump, but he can't shoot a lick."

The European leagues emphasize an all-around game. Players who come into the NBA from those leagues can shoot, defend, rebound, pass and run the floor. With their sound fundamental approach, their influence will grow in the near future.

FANTASY TIME: The Warriors passed on a point guard in the draft because general manager Garry St. Jean thinks he can re-sign Gilbert Arenas. If you have confidence in St. Jean's judgment, that might reassure you. I'm still holding my breath. . . . Jason Richardson's days with the Warriors probably are numbered, because he's the one shooting guard on their roster who has trade value. . . . Coach Eric Musselman had very little input on the Warriors' selection. Musselman liked Oregon point guard Luke Ridnour, but St. Jean did not.

just a effort to white water the league, and this is the latest propaganda used to promote it. as usuual idiots support the propaganda.

when we talk of fundamentals and euro players lets see beyond the propaganda and learn to think for ourself and see whats going on.

Ginolbli,parker,nash,,notwitski, all great talents, none of these players are fundamentally sound in any facet of the game. they all take crazy shots, make turnovers and only ginolbi can play any defense.

Fundamentals is the "catch word" of the year to promote the obvious. The NBA is Too Black. bottom line, and fundamentals is the savings grace to get some white players, even if they are from another continent.

definetly glad we got some of them, but lets not kid are self by copying and pasting silly articles from the media, for every stoyakavich there is a dino Radja

Just like for every gary payton there is a chris whitney

Talent is talent white black or other wise but there is about 10 euro players worth talking about. there is plenty of talent and fundamentals in the U.S

i hear you pike

name 20 tremendous talents from croatia n such in the nba right now.

name 10.

some people are guilty of buyinh into the hype. Not you of course.

Hedo Turkalou is not a tremendous talent, he is a average nba player. Doesn't matter what continent he is from. And i wouldn't call him fundamentally sound either.

Very funny thing here, on Three teams that represent the Euro invasion the most and the best,.....the spurs, the Mavs and the Kings.

guess who is the most fundamental player on each team. Tim Duncan, Chris Webber and Michael finley. Argubaly the best players on there respective teams as well.guess what all three have in common

None are from Europe.

Great talent over seas,,,and there is alot of talented fundamental players here.

like you said there are so many teams, and stern plans to go global, euro fundamentals propaganda, yeah americans don't have fundamentals thats why we loss the olympics.....please.

no doubt, there has been some good players from croatia, but when you really think about it, there has only been three real goo players from that region. vlade, stoyakabitch and petrovich.

3 good players, 3. just three. more than i ever expected but lets not act like great ball players are crawling in croatia and yugoslavia.

Some of what they are really saying is shooting the rock! That mid range jumper has left the NBA so most us players either want to dunk or hit the 3 ball.