Greatest Ballers not to play in the NBA???

[Hoofa22]

Should have. Could have, Didn't!!!

Any High School or College ballers who were destined for greatness but did not quite make it to the NBA??

[MJ(Mean John)]

My dude RAYLEW!

Cali stand up.

And me. Mean john.

[Hoofa22]

Real names LOL

[jongib369]

Pee Wee Kirkland, Earl Manigult

LEN BIAS!! Could have stopped Jordan from getting 6 rings possibly

:bowdown:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSLLpiWoiz4

[Hoofa22]

Watched a doco on Len Bias, Such a shame...............

[jongib369]

Yeah it is, such much potential

This guy could of been a GOAT also

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJJeOqHbqE

[Fiba basketball]

Dejan Bodiroga

[Overdrive]

V-Span


oh wait :lol

I wonder how Oscar Schmidt would've done in the NBA.

[Miserio]

Dejan Bodiroga
This. What a beast he was!

[SyRyanYang]

me.

[shallehalle]

Pee Wee Kirkland, Earl Manigult

LEN BIAS!! Could have stopped Jordan from getting 6 rings possibly

:bowdown:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSLLpiWoiz4
i have one question. how did championship teams or contender teams in 70's and 80's get such high draft picks?

it's like lakers, miami, thunder or boston getting top 5 picks in the draft

[QuebecBaller]

The GOAT Earl Manigault

[Noof]

Barack Obama

[LBJFTW]

It sure as hell wouldn't be a Euroleaguer.

[pauk]

Dejan Bodiroga
Nikos Galis
Dimitris Diamantidis
Sasha Djordjevic

In that order, if you havent seen Dejan Bodiroga in his prime he was basically a 6'9 more skill dependant prime Grant Hill or even Lebron James (was a PG/SG/SF/PF) minus the vertical, he was all skills, iq, footwork.... his ballhandling was absolutely ridicilous, in his prime much better than any guy at that size and over i ever seen (even better than Magic Johnson, same ballsecurity but Bodiroga had more flashy dribbling.).

Here he is a bit past his prime schooling Carmelo with his dribbling and some other US players:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DQEzmPKdqt4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bb9bt978xG8

[CeltsGarlic]

Dejan Bodiroga
Nikos Galis
Dimitris Diamantidis
Sasha Djordjevic

In that order, if you havent seen Dejan Bodiroga in his prime he was basically a 6'9 more skill dependant prime Grant Hill or even Lebron James (was a PG/SG/SF/PF) minus the vertical, he was all skills, iq, footwork.... his ballhandling was absolutely ridicilous, in his prime much better than any guy at that size and over i ever seen (even better than Magic Johnson, same ballsecurity but Bodiroga had more flashy dribbling.).

Here he is a bit past his prime schooling Carmelo with his dribbling and some other US players:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DQEzmPKdqt4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bb9bt978xG8
Sick, sick ,sick crossovers.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Len Bias

Earl "The GOAT" Manigault

Ben "Benji" Wilson

Raymond Lewis

/thread

[#number6ix#]

Dejan Bodiroga
Nikos Galis
Dimitris Diamantidis
Sasha Djordjevic

In that order, if you havent seen Dejan Bodiroga in his prime he was basically a 6'9 more skill dependant prime Grant Hill or even Lebron James (was a PG/SG/SF/PF) minus the vertical, he was all skills, iq, footwork.... his ballhandling was absolutely ridicilous, in his prime much better than any guy at that size and over i ever seen (even better than Magic Johnson, same ballsecurity but Bodiroga had more flashy dribbling.).

Here he is a bit past his prime schooling Carmelo with his dribbling and some other US players:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DQEzmPKdqt4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bb9bt978xG8

Reminds me of Manu

[pauk]

Reminds me of Manu

Yea, very similar.

[pauk]

Len Bias

Earl "The GOAT" Manigault

Ben "Benji" Wilson

Raymond Lewis

/thread

Did you ever see them play?

I saw only some documentaries about them, was mostly excited about Ben Wilson, he was a 6'9 PG that many say was gona show Magic how it is done.

[funnystuff]

Kevin Hart

[IGOTGAME]

I would have loved to see Bodiroga in the NBA. I remember watching that Team USA game and thinking he really knew how to play. Some of the videos of his were sick. Guy had the whole package.

[Euroleague]

Oscar Schmidt

Nikos Galis

Sasha Djordevic

Sergey Belov

Dejan Bodiroga

etc....

[SHAQisGOAT]

Did you ever see them play?

I saw only some documentaries about them, was mostly excited about Ben Wilson, he was a 6'9 PG that many say was gona show Magic how it is done.

For Len, I've seen documentaries, games in college, read about... Dude was such a beast, incredible physique, such a great leaper, the man was just raw, plus he had a really soft touch with range, smooth jumper and he almost jumped out of the gym while shooting, such a high release point, and he could still develop in the NBA. He could've been an amazing 6th man for Boston, then actually learn and become a franchise player, plus give Bird and McHale some needed rest, keep their careers longer, Boston would've got more chips right now.

You cannot really find footage of The GOAT playing but if Kareem calls him the best he's ever seen, plus numerous other ballers said he was really something, the reports on what he could do, that's enough for me. Reportedly had a 52'' vert, plus could shoot lights out.

Benji was also great. He was like 6'9, not as big as Magic, not as great a passer and didn't have a postgame like Magic but he was really quick, fast and a great leaper, really good handles and great at shooting.

Also Raymond Lewis was a beast, he could score like crazy, reportedly dropped 56 against Michael Cooper in a 1983 summer pro league game. Such a shame, seemed like he was blackballed by the NBA. Street-legend though.

[Calabis]

Ronnie Fields, great HS baller, broke his neck, but still went to lead the CBA in scoring and steals..., his outside shot was suspect, but was a great slasher, I'm sure he could have helped someones bench.

In High School:

Fields averaged an absurd 32.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 4.5 blocks, 4 steals, and 4.5 dunks a game

CBA

24.9, 3.2 stls

At age 32
Fields averaged 21.4 points, 4.9 assists, and a league-leading 2.7 steals

[SHAQisGOAT]

Ronnie Fields, great HS baller, broke his neck, but still went to lead the CBA in scoring and steals..., his outside shot was suspect, but was a great slasher, I'm sure he could have helped someones bench.

In High School:

Fields averaged an absurd 32.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 4.5 blocks, 4 steals, and 4.5 dunks a game

CBA

24.9, 3.2 stls

At age 32
Fields averaged 21.4 points, 4.9 assists, and a league-leading 2.7 steals


Good call, dude was such a high flyer.

[Fiba basketball]

Oscar Schmidt

Nikos Galis

Sasha Djordevic

Sergey Belov

Dejan Bodiroga

etc....
I think Djordjevic played in Portland .

[swi7ch]

* Andrew Gaze
* Some other Brazilian (I think) that I can't remember the name that's king of the olympics

[CeltsGarlic]

* Andrew Gaze
* Some other Brazilian (I think) that I can't remember the name that's king of the olympics

Oscar Schmidt

[Euroleague]

I think Djordjevic played in Portland .

Yeah, you are right.

OK.

How about?



Oscar Schmidt

Nikos Galis

Dejan Bodiroga

Panagiotis Giannakis

Drazen Dalipagic

Sergey Belov

Dino Meneghin

Kresimir Cosic

Epi

Radivoj Korac

Theo Papaloukas

Dimitris Diamantidis

Milos Teodosic

Ramunas Siskauskas

Erazem Lorbek

Giorgos Sigalas

Bo McCalebb

Dragan Kicanovic

Wayne Brabender

Antonello Riva

Mirza Delibasic

Cliff Luyk

Bob Morse

Juan Corbalan

Zoran Slavnic

Emiliano Rodriguez

Ivo Daneu

Petar Skansi

Pier Marzorati

Gregor F u ck a

Fanis Christodoulou

Terrell McIntyre

Carlton Myers

About all I can think of right now...........

How does that list look to you? Which ones do you pick as the best?

[CavaliersFTW]

Yeah, you are right.

OK.

How about?



Oscar Schmidt

Nikos Galis

Dejan Bodiroga

Panagiotis Giannakis

Drazen Dalipagic

Sergey Belov

Dino Meneghin

Kresimir Cosic

Epi

Radivoj Korac

Theo Papaloukas

Dimitris Diamantidis

Milos Teodosic

Ramunas Siskauskas

Giorgos Sigalas

Bo McCalebb

Dragan Kicanovic

Wayne Brabender

Antonello Riva

Mirza Delibasic

Cliff Luyk

Bob Morse

Juan Corbalan

Zoran Slavnic

Emiliano Rodriguez

Ivo Daneu

Petar Skansi

Pier Marzorati

Gregor F u ck a

Fanis Christodoulou

Terrell McIntyre

Carlton Myers

About all I can think of right now...........

How does that list look to you? Which ones do pick as the best?
:facepalm My city league has more talent than that awful list

[LJJ]

Oscar Schmidt

Nikos Galis

Sasha Djordevic

Sergey Belov

Dejan Bodiroga

etc....

Galis - 68th NBA draft pick, cut from training camp

Djordjevic - 3ppg average in the NBA

Those guys tried the NBA, but were simply not NBA level talent.

[CavaliersFTW]

Galis - 68th NBA draft pick, cut from training camp

Djordjevic - 3ppg average in the NBA

Those guys tried the NBA, but were simply not NBA level talent.
The rest probably tried the NBA and wished they could play in it since childhood but got rejected due to lack of talent

[Euroleague]

Galis - 68th NBA draft pick, cut from training camp

Djordjevic - 3ppg average in the NBA

Those guys tried the NBA, but were simply not NBA level talent.

You are a ****ing disgrace.

[Euroleague]

:facepalm My city league has more talent than that awful list

The NBA does not have 1/5 of that talent right now.

[Euroleague]

The rest probably tried the NBA and wished they could play in it since childhood but got rejected due to lack of talent


You literally are retarded.

[LJJ]

The rest probably tried the NBA and wished they could play in it since childhood but got rejected due to lack of talent

Eh, some of them had great careers in Europe, but the game is different here.


Bodiroga is probably the best of the lot. Off the charts basketball IQ, but he wasn't fast and quick enough to be a star in the NBA. Anyone who watched him play and is realistic realizes this.

[Miller for 3]

Theo Papaloukas always impressed me.

[Euroleague]

Eh, some of them had great careers in Europe, but the game is different here.


Bodiroga is probably the best of the lot. Off the charts basketball IQ, but he wasn't fast and quick enough to be a star in the NBA. Anyone who watched him play and is realistic realizes this.

Bodrioga wasn't as good as Galis. Sorry.

[Euroleague]

Theo Papaloukas always impressed me.

He was fantastic as a passer and spectacular as an athlete when he was younger. After age 30 he lost his game though.

The bad thing was he never could shoot though. Still, he was far better than Rubio will ever be.

[Fiba basketball]

Yeah, you are right.

OK.

How about?



Oscar Schmidt

Nikos Galis

Dejan Bodiroga

Panagiotis Giannakis

Drazen Dalipagic

Sergey Belov

Dino Meneghin

Kresimir Cosic

Epi

Radivoj Korac

Theo Papaloukas

Dimitris Diamantidis

Milos Teodosic

Ramunas Siskauskas

Erazem Lorbek

Giorgos Sigalas

Bo McCalebb

Dragan Kicanovic

Wayne Brabender

Antonello Riva

Mirza Delibasic

Cliff Luyk

Bob Morse

Juan Corbalan

Zoran Slavnic

Emiliano Rodriguez

Ivo Daneu

Petar Skansi

Pier Marzorati

Gregor F u ck a

Fanis Christodoulou

Terrell McIntyre

Carlton Myers

About all I can think of right now...........

How does that list look to you? Which ones do you pick as the best?
I agree with you . I would choose Bodiroga , Galis , Schmidt as best . I would add Caroll as best 3 point shooter to never play in NBA but it's just me .

[2swift4u]

what about Ed "Booger" Smith ? In many movies and articles they say he would have been an awesome PG if he had made it to the league.

[Miserio]

Bodrioga wasn't as good as Galis. Sorry.
I'm a Galis fan but Bodiroga was better, I'm sorry. Except from scoring he did everything better than Galis.

[Euroleague]

I'm a Galis fan but Bodiroga was better, I'm sorry. Except from scoring he did everything better than Galis.

No. Sorry. Galis was definitely better than Bodiroga.

Galis is in the class of Petrovic, Sabonis, Dirk, Pau - of all time greatest European players ever.

Bodiroga is in the next tier. And if you think differently - then there is not a snowball's chance in hell that you ever saw Galis play. At his prime, no one, not Drazen, not Sabonis could touch Galis in Europe.

And you could put him easily in the same level with Bird, Jordan, and Magic then.

[kNicKz]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1xuvS9H2BEk/S_OVpG82ZZI/AAAAAAAAAC8/SNDUvMSK7i0/s1600/Joe_The_Destroyer_Hammond.jpg

If you don't know who this is, kill yourself

[CavaliersFTW]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1xuvS9H2BEk/S_OVpG82ZZI/AAAAAAAAAC8/SNDUvMSK7i0/s1600/Joe_The_Destroyer_Hammond.jpg

If you don't know who this is, kill yourself
THE DESTROYER :bowdown:

[midatlantic09]

-Ronnie Fields
-Schea Cotton

[tmacattack33]

How about that guy that Ron Artest was talking about when he was talking to Craig Sager about the hardest players he's ever had to guard. :oldlol:

[TheBigVeto]

Oscar Schmidt
He would've been top 5 SFs of all time.

Also, Sabonis. The 'Sabonis' who played in the NBA is just an impostor.

[9512]

earl the goat manigault.

[MetsPackers]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1xuvS9H2BEk/S_OVpG82ZZI/AAAAAAAAAC8/SNDUvMSK7i0/s1600/Joe_The_Destroyer_Hammond.jpg

If you don't know who this is, kill yourself

GOBB at age 45?

[morbius]

Galis - 68th NBA draft pick, cut from training camp

NBA was never fond of slow, selfish, undersized shooting guards who play no defense. The guy however could score in truckloads. He could have easily played in the NBA as a Steve Kerr kind of player.


Djordjevic - 3ppg average in the NBA

Make no mistake, this guy was an absolute beast! Arguably the best European PG of modern era. Think Jason Kidd who could shoot. And best of all, he had ice in his veins, he was as clutch as it gets. The reason he didn't make it in the NBA is that Portland simply didn't know what it had. Coach PJ Carlessimo probably just took one look at him and thought "Bah, European, already over 30, why bother?"

[nycelt84]

Meadowlark Lemon

[sick_brah07]

No. Sorry. Galis was definitely better than Bodiroga.

Galis is in the class of Petrovic, Sabonis, Dirk, Pau - of all time greatest European players ever.

Bodiroga is in the next tier. And if you think differently - then there is not a snowball's chance in hell that you ever saw Galis play. At his prime, no one, not Drazen, not Sabonis could touch Galis in Europe.

And you could put him easily in the same level with Bird, Jordan, and Magic then.


This is why posters hijack your threads and post stupid things to you.

A poster has acknowledged your great list and just shared their opinion which isnt ridiculous just a little different to yours, and you shoot him down like he has suggest Luke Walton is a HOF'er

RESPECT PEOPLES OPINIONS IF YOU WANT YOURS TO BE RESPECTED

[Euroleague]

NBA was never fond of slow, selfish, undersized shooting guards who play no defense. The guy however could score in truckloads. He could have easily played in the NBA as a Steve Kerr kind of player.



Make no mistake, this guy was an absolute beast! Arguably the best European PG of modern era. Think Jason Kidd who could shoot. And best of all, he had ice in his veins, he was as clutch as it gets. The reason he didn't make it in the NBA is that Portland simply didn't know what it had. Coach PJ Carlessimo probably just took one look at him and thought "Bah, European, already over 30, why bother?"

You compared Galis to Kerr? You are officially the biggest troll in this site's history.

[Euroleague]

This is why posters hijack your threads and post stupid things to you.

A poster has acknowledged your great list and just shared their opinion which isnt ridiculous just a little different to yours, and you shoot him down like he has suggest Luke Walton is a HOF'er

RESPECT PEOPLES OPINIONS IF YOU WANT YOURS TO BE RESPECTED

Every single top level coach and player from Europe during the 80s 90s era has gone on record as officially saying Galis was the best European player they ever saw.

He is held as Euroleague's Michael Jordan by virtually every single European basketball historian.

Bodiroga is probably viewed as something like Euroleague's version of Larry Bird.

So saying Bodiroga was better than Galis is the equivalent of saying Bird was better than Jordan.

[CavaliersFTW]

Every single top level coach and player from Europe during the 80s 90s era has gone on record as officially saying Galis was the best European player they ever saw.

He is held as Euroleague's Michael Jordan by virtually every single European basketball historian.

Bodiroga is probably viewed as something like Euroleague's version of Larry Bird.

So saying Bodiroga was better than Galis is the equivalent of saying Bird was better than Jordan.
And Anthony Parker was the Euroleague Wilt Chamberlain, what's your point?

[Euroleague]

And Anthony Parker was the Euroleague Wilt Chamberlain, what's your point?

Anthony Parker MIGHT make a top 20 list of Americans to play in Europe. MAYBE.

[Fiba basketball]

Every single top level coach and player from Europe during the 80s 90s era has gone on record as officially saying Galis was the best European player they ever saw.

He is held as Euroleague's Michael Jordan by virtually every single European basketball historian.

Bodiroga is probably viewed as something like Euroleague's version of Larry Bird.

So saying Bodiroga was better than Galis is the equivalent of saying Bird was better than Jordan.
I heard a lot of people saying Petrovic , not Galis , was Jordan of Europe , I agree with you that Galis is better than Bodiroga but in my oppinion Petrovic is best European player not Galis .

[Round Mound]

I Remember Oscar Schmidt...One of the Best Pure Shooters I`ve Seen.
Also, a Pretty Good Player was Spain`s Jofresa (something like that)...Maybe Some Remember Him.

[sick_brah07]

Every single top level coach and player from Europe during the 80s 90s era has gone on record as officially saying Galis was the best European player they ever saw.

He is held as Euroleague's Michael Jordan by virtually every single European basketball historian.

Bodiroga is probably viewed as something like Euroleague's version of Larry Bird.

So saying Bodiroga was better than Galis is the equivalent of saying Bird was better than Jordan.


Your missing the point to what I am saying. I am not disagreeing with you on this topic in fact I really don't have enough knowledge to even comment on this topic I have only watched bodiroga enough to comment on his game and that's only because I'm Yugoslavian.

All I am saying is you clearly know a lot about European basketball and enjoy it a lot which is great man. I myself enjoy watching fiba basketball but don't follow it any where close to how much I follow the nba.... A lot more posters would take your posts more seriously if you didn't shoot them down on there opinion.... Any poster who enjoys basketball as much as you do will appreciate your explanation and reason to your opinion, and no doubt would want to know more about certain players you clearly have a lot of knowledge on.... But when you tell people they have no idea what there talking about all the time they will all turn on you and you will see a lot more a.parker 2 time MVP

That's just my 2 cents

[LBJFTW]

Your missing the point to what I am saying. I am not disagreeing with you on this topic in fact I really don't have enough knowledge to even comment on this topic I have only watched bodiroga enough to comment on his game and that's only because I'm Yugoslavian.

All I am saying is you clearly know a lot about European basketball and enjoy it a lot which is great man. I myself enjoy watching fiba basketball but don't follow it any where close to how much I follow the nba.... A lot more posters would take your posts more seriously if you didn't shoot them down on there opinion.... Any poster who enjoys basketball as much as you do will appreciate your explanation and reason to your opinion, and no doubt would want to know more about certain players you clearly have a lot of knowledge on.... But when you tell people they have no idea what there talking about all the time they will all turn on you and you will see a lot more a.parker 2 time MVP

That's just my 2 cents

We're still trying to figure Euroleague out. This guy lives in Arkansas, was blessed to be within driving distance of an NBA game as opposed to being overseas, and spends all his time following European players when he's not even European himself. :confusedshrug:

[Owl]

Bob Kurland
http://www.sportslegendsphotos.com/prodimages/Basketball-Legends/BobKurlandBW.jpg

Not someone who would have been dominant like Kurland could but still worth a mention
Hank Gathers
http://byonestinvazion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/hank-gathers.gif

[ihoopallday]

Me. Decided to focus on school instead.

[BuffaloBill]

Does Greg Oden count? He barely played in the nba