Why is the United States so much better at basketball than the rest of the world?

[jongib369]

I don't get it...its not like basketball is a new sport to them....Its been around for YEARS over there...are there top athletes just focused on 'football or something? How can Americans hold such an edge for so long? (at least thats the most popular opinion....I have none when it comes to euroleague cuz I dont give 2 sh*ts about it..no disrespect they love the same game I do) Is it race? if so, are there whites better then the whites America produces basketball wise now, or have in the past? If not better than the past WHY now but not compared to then?...Are there training methods hopscotch and coaches a bunch of Javale McGees?

I just don't get whats holding them back from having there own West, Bird, Barry, McHale, Stockton ETC...OR, for the Africans that reside on the otherside of the sea...Why no European African Shaq, Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, Malone ETC you get the point

I mean sure theres Dirk, Drazen, Sabonis etc...but they Dont deserve to be ranked aside those past great players at all (IMO, not hating euroleague)
And...the F*CK is with there music in highlights? :lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy-f3C7e_kU THAT STACHE :bowdown:

[SourPatchKids]

Our youth system is part of it.

[DuMa]

african slaves selective breeding + invention of the game

[Pushxx]

It just shows how important it is to start basketball at a young age to be successful at the highest level.

[TaLvsCuaL]

Basketball is an unpopular sport in most European countries. Even in those with the best basketball leagues.

Many European children dream with playing football, tennis, winter sports, motorsport, etc. Not with basketball. In proportion to the number of players USA is no that dominant.

In fact Europe provides most of the good white players, and some of the best players in the league are europeans.

[jongib369]

Basketball is an unpopular sport in most European countries. Even in those with the best basketball leagues.

Many European children dream with playing football, tennis, winter sports, motorsport, etc. Not with basketball. In proportion to the number of players USA is no that dominant.

In fact Europe provides most of the good white players, and some of the best players in the league are europeans.
How would you rate those white european players to the great white American players of the past?

[iamgine]

Other countries just didn't embrace basketball as much as americans do.

[kennethgriffin]

a) money

B) population

C) popularity

D) race

E) drugs




more money to invest in developement of players

more people than most countries

more popular in the US than in say ( canada - hockey, europe - soccar, japan - baseball etc.. )

more black people with education and equal opportunities to take advantage of both that and genetic advantages

more advanced HGH, steroids, supliments to ensure physical strength, conditioning



many factors.

[Haymaker]

Great black athletes making their bones in the competitive playgrounds around the country and great high school/college basketball programs.

[KG215]

Huh?? Euroleague told me Americans are inferior basketball players to essentially everyone else.

[PyrrhusX]

Huh?? Euroleague told me Americans are inferior basketball players to essentially everyone else.

CONSPIRACY :biggums:

[fsvr54]

Great black athletes making their bones in the competitive playgrounds around the country and great high school/college basketball programs.

This. I play at playgrounds. And seemingly normal kids through adults who will never make it are ****in beasts.

[bdreason]

Basketball is insanely popular at the street level in the US, and we have a lot of people. We also have the benefit of the African American Athlete, who have demonstrated that their abilities in running and jumping translate well to the sport.





Really though, it comes down to the raw amount of people that play the game here. You can't go a block in most urban/rural areas without seeing a hoop.

[TheBigVeto]

Because the US (read: the NBA) tweaked the rule to favor their style of play.

[KOBE143]

coz we da best..

[sirkeelma]

african slaves selective breeding + invention of the game
This

[Haymaker]

african slaves selective breeding That is definitely a factor.

[tomtucker]

african slaves selective breeding + invention of the game

Then how do you explain this : ?

.
http://images.sodahead.com/profiles/0/0/3/3/5/4/7/3/3/fat-black-woman-86335021708.jpeg



.
:oldlol:

[Nero Tulip]

First off "so much better" is absolutely wrong.

Why are they better? Same reason why China, the US and Russia do well in the Olympics. Just a bigger pool of players. It's the largest population of any basketball playing country.

If anything countries like Lithuania or Slovenia have more talent than the US per population.

[SpanishACB]

First off "so much better" is absolutely wrong.

Why are they better? Same reason why China, the US and Russia do well in the Olympics. Just a bigger pool of players. It's the largest population of any basketball playing country.

If anything countries like Lithuania or Slovenia have more talent than the US per population.

It's like playing Spain vs California.

It's the same pool size

[LBJHEAT]

It's about the money. I'm 15 years old and I live in Europe. My dream was to be a basketball player, but all those teams started asking abnormal prices. Like when I want to go to a competition abroad I have to pay 300-800 euros for it. It was last year, I was 14...

[greymatter]

Same reason why China is so much better than the rest of the world in ping-pong and badminton.

[greymatter]

african slaves selective breeding + invention of the game

Invention means nothing. The Brits invented cricket, tennis, and ping pong.

[DCL]

to many high school kids in the states, basketball is simply life.

[B-Easy8]

Spain which is so much smaller than the US in terms of both size and population came very close against the US so I wouldn't say so much better.

No one commits to basketball from such a young age like the US do, it's not nearly that popular anywhere else in the world. The Euro's love football, tennis and a bunch of other sports way more than basketball. Here in Australia, basketball isn't very popular, our football is what all the young athletes are groomed to play.

Most of our schools don't even have high school basketball teams and if they do, the coach will be an actual teacher who is willing to volunteer their time. When I was in high school, we didn't have an actual team. We played once in an interschool competition where the top 2 teams from the North, South, East and West conferences would go on and play for the state championship. We finished the top on the South conference but no one at our school was willing to be our coach so we were forced to withdraw from the comp.

You don't get opportunities to go far with basketball in Australia unless you are one of the best in the country for your age and im assuming that's similar for the rest of the world. It amazes me that you guys have high school basketball games on tv when we didnt even have a team to play on.

[pegasus]

Because Wilt had sex with 20,000 women.

[Pointguard]

One is the priority of sports in their communty and the access to a legit court before becoming a teen helps tremendously.

Brazil has a soccer ball in their flag... so they will likely play soccer growing up and its more of a traditional thing to do. If you are tall you might get later exposure to basketball but its usually around 16 years of age. To me Varejao and Noah would be mirror images if they grew up on the same block. Noah dribbles a little better and is better offensively because of early exposure to good competition and the coordination of the sport.

As far as athleticism goes, African Americans (Both Brazilians and North American Blacks) seem to dominate the fluid sports - soccer, basketball, fighting and track - much more so than Africans (or anybody else for that matter). So nutrition, exposure to the sports and general history would have to play a role. And nearly half the time, Brazilian Africans are from a different set of Africans than US Africans but share a common history, but they have different exposure to different sports.

While in Salvador Brazil a group of about 12 Norwegian men in their 20's were in the same hotel as me. I asked them if they were a sports team and they said they didn't play sports and that the trip was just a college outing. They were all over 6'3 svelte and muscular. So nutritionally, I don't know if America has an advantage on European nations.

[gabepizza]

Just imagine the US would be if football was the top sport in the country? Right now many of America's best athletes go into a sport in which there is no competition of the international level.

[Horde of Temujin]

Well if they're so much better than the rest of the world then why did Spain give them such a hard time in the Olympics?

[RaininTwos]

Just imagine if we gave inner city kids the incentive to pickup the books instead of the ball.:eek:

America might stop sliding in secondary education rankings every year.

[TaLvsCuaL]

Well if they're so much better than the rest of the world then why did Spain give them such a hard time in the Olympics?
Here several factors:

NBA rules favor the athletic players much more than FIBA rules.

NBA players are not used to playing under FIBA rules.

Spain has been playing a long time together.

Spain is enjoying a unique generation of players, especially Pau and Navarro are two of the best European players in history.

USA did not take some of their best players.

[flipogb]

basketball is a culture, a way of life and theres many reason why that could be an advantage

[jongib369]

Because Wilt had sex with 20,000 women.
LMAO! Father of the entire NBA

[Overdrive]

First of all only a few individuals can make enough money to never ever worry about money anymore in life. Most soccer scrubs make more money than good to great basketballplayers in europe.
Aside from that only a few regions are that poor that sports is a better choice in life than education.

[Stuckey]

Same reason why China is so much better than the rest of the world in ping-pong and badminton.

I remember Korea beat China in men's 1v1 ping pong in 2008

[tomtucker]

Same reason why China is so much better than the rest of the world in ping-pong and badminton.

no, this is the reason why china is good at sports
.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/31/article-0-144C3340000005DC-58_306x434.jpg


http://zazenlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/article-0-145294AB000005DC-827_634x800.jpg

[tmacattack33]

It's all about popularity of the sport.

Which is the reason we aren't good at soccer. High schoolers here don't try to get on the soccer team. I didn't even know my high school had a soccer team for the first year i was there. We try to get on the bball and football teams.

[mariodeathgrip]

Because Wilt had sex with 20,000 women.


:applause:

[CavaliersFTW]

african slaves selective breeding + invention of the game
:facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

[NASH = BEST]

This question has the same answer as if you would have asked...

"Why is the United States so much worse at soccer than the rest of the world?"

[greymatter]

no, this is the reason why china is good at sports
.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/31/article-0-144C3340000005DC-58_306x434.jpg


http://zazenlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/article-0-145294AB000005DC-827_634x800.jpg

I must have missed the part where I said "sports" instead of "badminton" and "ping pong".

:facepalm

[Overdrive]

I must have missed the part where I said "sports" instead of "badminton" and "ping pong".

:facepalm

Still they always excell at sports where training is more important than athleticism or "genetic" talent of any kind.

[Bigsmoke]

you gotta have athleticism "black" and an IQ to be good at bastetball.


Blacks are the most athletic race and U.S.A. has the smartest blacks :confusedshrug:

[greymatter]

Still they always excell at sports where training is more important than athleticism or "genetic" talent of any kind.

"Always"?

Last time I checked, their men can't win at anything outside of ping pong, badminton, and diving. Their women win at the same + weightlifting and swimming.

Not exactly a huge list.

[sodap]

This one is extremely easy:

1) number of players
2) money invested in High School and College basketball
3) tradition (better coaches even at low levels)

Why are Spain, Germany, Brazil, Italy, and many more (even Portugal) so much better at football than the USA?

1) number of players
2) money invested in youth systems
3) tradition (better coaches even at low levels)

It works like that with every single sport. You can overcome the poor tradition by investing money in bringing the best coaches in the world to your country and replicating their system.

[Overdrive]

"Always"?

Last time I checked, their men can't win at anything outside of ping pong, badminton, and diving. Their women win at the same + weightlifting and swimming.

Not exactly a huge list.

Maybe the wording was wrong, what I tried to express is that anytime some chinese sportsman/woman win's it's most likely something almost only dependant on training and time put into that very sport. Not that they excell in every sport.

[jalbert009]

Funding and incentives is the biggest issue for most countries.

In the US, you can be encouraged and motivated to play competitive basketball staring at high school because of these 2 reasons.

1. Its cool to be on the basketball team because its such a popular sport in the US.

2. If you play really well, you have a good shot at getting a scholarship for University.

Once your in University there are 2 incentives again.

1. Its cool to be on the basketball team because its such a popular sport in the US plus imagine all te girls you can get in college just for being on the team.

2. You can have a shot at an NBA career and earn millions of dollars or if your not that good just finish your degree for free that would have cost you thousands and thousands of dollars if not for your scholarship.

In most countries, people don't have these opportunites because of the lack of funding for scholarships because there is no college level competitions. However, there are some countries with the same incentives like the Philippines but the problem then becomes genetics and 99% of Asians that have the skills dont have the height and athleticism to compete at an NBA level.

[JD_TO]

you gotta have athleticism "black" and an IQ to be good at bastetball.


Blacks are the most athletic race and U.S.A. has the smartest blacks :confusedshrug:
That's debatable a lot of top black physicians in USA are Nigerians

[mjokc]

you gotta have athleticism "black" and an IQ to be good at bastetball.


Blacks are the most athletic race and U.S.A. has the smartest blacks :confusedshrug:

And just how do you know that USA has the smartest blacks?

[CavaliersFTW]

You people with your hair brained theories and uninformed opinions on genetics and intelligence :lol

It's because U.S.A. is the father-country and central hub of professional basketball, it has a league (the NBA) with the tenured and well-earned reputation as the "best" in the world as such - more systems and opportunities have been in place to develop our young talent. And it is an absolute magnet for the greatest U.S. and International talent. The best players in the world will always gravitate towards the NBA - not some scrub-league team. So more great players also want to live here.

Europe for example, isn't producing "inferior" competition (Dirk, Sabonis, the Gasols, Manu, Parker - etc) - the reason foreign leagues like EUROLEAGUE sucks in comparison is because the good Europeans play for the NBA. The American NBA is stacked with not just America's best talent - but also the greatest talent from everywhere on the planet. Therefore American and International scrubs alike who can't make it in the U.S.A. tend to get repelled towards International leagues.

Again to the people getting caught up in race :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

And the reason International teams don't look like U.S. teams is because the U.S.A. is f*cking massive in talent pool compared to the countries we face. We have 50 f*cking States to pull our talent from many of which have large cities which are extremely competitive with the kind of basketball talent they cultivate - some of which (like California) are as big or bigger than the countries we are facing. Europe as a whole, does not necessarily produce inferior talent. And even China is getting in the game now. Race isn't the problem. International basketball isn't really that bad considering their lesser population pools (Europe) and/or level of economic development or interest in the game (Asia, Africa, South America). I think what people get confused by things like EUROLEAGUE. And Euroleague does suck at basketball. Royally. Because nobody great wants to play for some second rate Euroleague. But that doesn't represent International basketball - the NBA's great European players do.

/thread

[sipitri]

Come to europe and yuo will see.
Very few people care about basketball.

[IGOTGAME]

USA has the best athletes in terms of basketball athleticism. It is as simple as that.

I don't think many other countries are producing guys like Shaq, Duncan(i know), KG, T-Mac, Kobe, Lebron, CWebb etc...there may one or two a generation per country but USA has several freak athletes every generation.

Just look at the last decade...

Lebron
Wade
John Wall
Melo
Rose
Rondo
CP3
Josh Smith
Dwight Howard
etc.

This could be just a function of having more people. But, I still think our freak athlete to population ratio may be higher than other countries.

[tomtucker]

"Always"?

Last time I checked, their men can't win at anything outside of ping pong, badminton, and diving. Their women win at the same + weightlifting and swimming.

Not exactly a huge list.

oh really ?.


http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/content/2012/0812/08_12olympicmedalcount/13441320-2-eng-US/08_12OlympicMedalCount_full_600.jpg


.
:biggums:

[MavsSuperFan]

:facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

Its a politically incorrect statement, but there is some truth to it.

[CavaliersFTW]

Its a politically incorrect statement, but there is some truth to it.
No, there is NO truth to it, slaves were not BRED. There were a lot of horrible things connected to what was happening when slavery was active in the United States - but there has never been any evidence of any American slavery SELECTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM. Honestly, research this sh*t people. Black Americans with slave ancestry are not products of selective "breeding", that's nothing but an ignorant assumption. In fact, via genetic research through programs like 23andme many black Americans are finding out they have surprising amounts of "European" ancestry mixed into their DNA - the polar opposite result of what one should expect from "selective breeding" pressure. Apparently these white slave owners couldn't resist some black poon - there by f*cking up any chance of successfully "breeding" slaves which doesn't matter anyways because such a movement has never been known to historically exist to begin with.

[ihoopallday]

I don't think we're that much better than other countries. It's just the majority of great players all play in the NBA. It's not like the NBA is made up completely of American born players. Also, basketball is all about recognition. We have so many colleges where players can showcase their talents. Many countries don't have that luxury.

[ZenMaster]

USA has a massive talent pool with superior athleticism.

A underrated aspect is the emergence of handball in Europe which is very unfortunate, a lot of potential good basketball players play that instead.

There are lots of places where they run very good development programs which is the reason for the influx of top European bread player in the NBA.
Lithuania for example has an insane amount of good players compared to only being 3.5 million people.
The Sabonis academy in Kaunas probably runs the best basketball program in the world.


The complex is located a bit outside of the city center of Kaunas. It features 4 basketball courts of which 2 are FIBA certified. These two courts are generally used for the games of the teams of the school but also for some games of Senior teams from Kaunas. The two other courts are only used for practices. Next to the courts, the center has a top-notch weight-lifting room, 9 dressing rooms, a cafeteria and a trophy lounge where you can sip a coffee while watching basketball games on the courts or on TV. The dimensions of the center would make lots of professional teams jealous as it features everything that you need for a quality practice.

Currently there are more than 700 kids practicing in the Sabonis school. Depending on their age, they have three to seven practice units per week. The youngest players are around 10 years old while they can stay up to their majority at the age of 18 in the school. The competition is rude among the different Basketball academies as there are 7 Basketball academies in the 350,000 people city of Kaunas alone. From the moment that you can detect a highly interesting talent, all schools try to chase the kid in order to get him in their system. Of course, the Sabonis School has the best options as it is the biggest and the most famous one but this does not mean that their teams are dominating everything as we could see in the games that were running while we were at the complex.

Talking about games, there are about 400 games per season in the center as all the teams compete in different local, regional or national championships. Next to a specific athletic and weight-lifting coach, there are 13 basketball coaches active in the school. They normally follow one generation over several years in order to better understand and see their progress over the years. The kids themselves do not stay overnight at the academy. As most of them come from the city of Kaunas, they stay with their parents but just come to the Sabonis center for the practices. But the school is also recruiting nation-wide and even internationally. For these players, they help to find places where they can live during the week or the season depending on their situation.

Next to the ordinary basketball school, the Sabonis center is also organizing summer and winter camps for any kind of youth basketball teams. You can find more information about these camps on the official website of the academy. The future looks good for Lithuanian basketball with academies like this. It will probably not last long until the next big name is coming out of the Sabonio Krepsinio Centras.

http://www.europeanprospects.com/sabonis-basketball-academy-the-pride-of-kaunas/

[get these NETS]

for dudes who follow a sport dominated by black athletes......lot of y'all are really clueless

it's almost as if you don't know ANY Black people in real life to be that clueless..or the ones you know are the ones who grew up as only black kid on the block or something ....like sean elliot or somebody

[Euroleague]

Well if they're so much better than the rest of the world then why did Spain give them such a hard time in the Olympics?

On ISH, a 5 point win over Lithuania and a 7 point win over Spain = "sooooo much better than the rest of the world".

Just grasp that the average IQ in this forum is about 60.

[Euroleague]

Here several factors:

NBA rules favor the athletic players much more than FIBA rules.

NBA players are not used to playing under FIBA rules.

Spain has been playing a long time together.

Spain is enjoying a unique generation of players, especially Pau and Navarro are two of the best European players in history.

USA did not take some of their best players.

FIBA rules are now almost identical to NBA rules, even the way refs interpret fouls is 100% copied from the NBA now.

What you claim was only true in the past.

[jongib369]

FIBA rules are now almost identical to NBA rules, even the way refs interpret fouls is 100% copied from the NBA now.

What you claim was only true in the past.
who is considered the best European player EVER?

[Euroleague]

You people with your hair brained theories and uninformed opinions on genetics and intelligence :lol

It's because U.S.A. is the father-country and central hub of professional basketball, it has a league (the NBA) with the tenured and well-earned reputation as the "best" in the world as such - more systems and opportunities have been in place to develop our young talent. And it is an absolute magnet for the greatest U.S. and International talent. The best players in the world will always gravitate towards the NBA - not some scrub-league team. So more great players also want to live here.

Europe for example, isn't producing "inferior" competition (Dirk, Sabonis, the Gasols, Manu, Parker - etc) - the reason foreign leagues like EUROLEAGUE sucks in comparison is because the good Europeans play for the NBA. The American NBA is stacked with not just America's best talent - but also the greatest talent from everywhere on the planet. Therefore American and International scrubs alike who can't make it in the U.S.A. tend to get repelled towards International leagues.

Again to the people getting caught up in race :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

And the reason International teams don't look like U.S. teams is because the U.S.A. is f*cking massive in talent pool compared to the countries we face. We have 50 f*cking States to pull our talent from many of which have large cities which are extremely competitive with the kind of basketball talent they cultivate - some of which (like California) are as big or bigger than the countries we are facing. Europe as a whole, does not necessarily produce inferior talent. And even China is getting in the game now. Race isn't the problem. International basketball isn't really that bad considering their lesser population pools (Europe) and/or level of economic development or interest in the game (Asia, Africa, South America). I think what people get confused by things like EUROLEAGUE. And Euroleague does suck at basketball. Royally. Because nobody great wants to play for some second rate Euroleague. But that doesn't represent International basketball - the NBA's great European players do.

/thread


Team USA can beat Spain, Lithuania, Russia, but it could NOT beat a unified European team, such as a Euroleague all star team.

You are an even bigger moron than the racist Afro supremacists are. Because they say the things they do out of racism. You are evidently saying them out of simply being a freaking dumb ass.

[Euroleague]

who is considered the best European player EVER?

In top European basketball circles (former hall of fame players, coaches, long time media that covered European basketball)....

The names you will hear the most as being discussed for it would be:

Dino Meneghin
Nikos Galis
Drazen Petrovic
Drazen Dalipagic
Kresimir Cosic
Radovaj Korac
Arvydas Sabonis
Dirk Nowitzki
Pau Gasol
Sergey Belov

If you only wanted to count the NBA, then objectively, you have to pick Dirk. If you wanted to count European club play, then it's probably Meneghin.

If you want to put world-wide international play at the top (things like Olympics and World Basketball Cup), then it's probably Belov.

If you simply want to go by who was the best player at their primes, then it should be either Galis or Petrovic.

[qrich]

Team USA can beat Spain, Lithuania, Russia, but it could NOT beat a unified European team, such as a Euroleague all star team.

You are a an even bigger moron than the racist Afro supremacists are. Because they say the things they do out of racism. You are evidently saying them out of simply being a freaking dumb ass.

What would make Team USA struggle against the EuroLeague All-Star Team?

[jongib369]

In top European basketball circles (former hall of fame players, coaches, long time media that covered European basketball)....

The names you will hear the most as being discussed for it would be:

Dino Meneghin
Nikos Galis
Drazen Petrovic
Drazen Dalipagic
Kresimir Cosic
Radovaj Korac
Arvydas Sabonis
Dirk Nowitzki
Pau Gasol
Sergey Belov

If you only wanted to count the NBA, then objectively, you have to pick Dirk. If you wanted to count European club play, then it's probably Meneghin.

If you want to put world-wide international play at the top (things like Olympics and World Basketball Cup), then it's probably Belov.

If you simply want to go by who was the best player at their primes, then it should be either Galis or Petrovic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy-f3C7e_kU

thats the only highlight I can find of him, do you know of any more? the music makes me LOL

And btw, I didn't create this thread to hate on overseas ball at all. If you want, message me sometime and possibly go into depth in your reasoning on some things. I'm interested in what you know

[G-train]

Yeah I'd say the college system, large population and to a small extent the African American race. They are the best but not by alot though. If anything the egos that many American players have had ingrained into them hold them back in team sports a bit.

[Zedja]

Team USA can beat Spain, Lithuania, Russia, but it could NOT beat a unified European team, such as a Euroleague all star team.

You are a an even bigger moron than the racist Afro supremacists are. Because they say the things they do out of racism. You are evidently saying them out of simply being a freaking dumb ass.
No.

[Sakkreth]

Barely better with over 300million population than a country with under 3millions ? Wouldn't be proud...

[Euroleague]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy-f3C7e_kU

thats the only highlight I can find of him, do you know of any more? the music makes me LOL

And btw, I didn't create this thread to hate on overseas ball at all. If you want, message me sometime and possibly go into depth in your reasoning on some things. I'm interested in what you know

Belov was about a 6-4 180 SG. He was known as the Jerry West of Europe. He's still considered to be the best Russian player ever to this day in Russia.

Of course, in the US everyone says it is Kirilenko because he played in the NBA.

Anyway, Belov was the best player on the 1972 Soviet Olympic team...so that's probably why he has never gotten any mention in the US. People still won't let it go, even 40 years later. Of course we can't really compare these players across eras. Same as with NBA players.

Personally, myself, I think Galis is the best European player ever.

If you have a question about European basketball, feel free to ask.

[Euroleague]

Barely better with over 300million population than a country with under 3millions ? Wouldn't be proud...

Exactly. USA 99 - Lithuania 94...........

I fail to see how this thread makes sense.

Yes, the US is better than every other country of the world individually in basketball.

However, they are not "oh so very much better" as is implied here. Hell, they were losing to Spain in the gold medal game deep into the second half of the game.

Also, again, the "better than the rest of the world" thing isn't realistic or true.

USA never plays against a unified European team, or a unified world team. It's only against single individual countries that USA plays.

The people that think USA can really beat a unified European or world team are morons. So they are not actually "better than the rest of the world". That's WRONG.

They are better than any other single individual country.

And no, I don't think the 2012 Team USA Olympic team would be favored to beat a Euroleague all star team.

[julizaver]

A team of NBA All-Stars could be chalenged only when all the other countries join forces.

15-20 years ago US could beat anybody, any team assembled, and the gap was very obvious. And keep in mind that the game was played under FIBA rules.
Nowadays there is some lack of great talents in NBA, esspeccially with center positions. And the foreign players in NBA (a lot more than 15-20 years ago) knows that they can play the game with the best or at least they do not fear them anymore. Half of the Spanish team was assembled from NBA players.

[tomtucker]

Team USA can beat Spain, Lithuania, Russia, but it could NOT beat a unified European team, such as a Euroleague all star team.

You are a an even bigger moron than the racist Afro supremacists are. Because they say the things they do out of racism. You are evidently saying them out of simply being a freaking dumb ass.

please give player names on that team !

[gabepizza]

Exactly. USA 99 - Lithuania 94...........

I fail to see how this thread makes sense.

Yes, the US is better than every other country of the world individually in basketball.

However, they are not "oh so very much better" as is implied here. Hell, they were losing to Spain in the gold medal game deep into the second half of the game.

Also, again, the "better than the rest of the world" thing isn't realistic or true.

USA never plays against a unified European team, or a unified world team. It's only against single individual countries that USA plays.

The people that think USA can really beat a unified European or world team are morons. So they are not actually "better than the rest of the world". That's WRONG.

They are better than any other single individual country.

And no, I don't think the 2012 Team USA Olympic team would be favored to beat a Euroleague all star team.


Euroleague all star team? You're joking right? A good match up would be a European all-star team vs Team USA but as we have seen a Euroleague all star team would have difficulty beating Nigeria! What "great" Euroleague players even made the Olympics? Only Juan Carlos Navarro and he was on a team with two NBA stars and a couple of other NBA players. I guess if you include AK-47 but he only played one year in Euroleague (winning league MVP and DPOY) before going back to being a role player in the NBA.

And yes the US is all lot better then the rest of the world. You mention their close games this summer. The point is they have gone through the past three global tournament without losing a game. Yes on a bad day they beat Lithuania by 5 and Spain by 7 but on a good day they beat France by 27, Argentina by 29 and Nigeria by 83! On a bad day Spain loses to Brazil and Greece loses to Nigeria...NIGERIA!!!!!

[swi7ch]

We have black people who are driven to play either basketball or football. End of story. It is scientifically proven (and common sense, really) that black people have the superior athletic genes.

Imagine if soccer in the US became as big as basketball and football... we'll be taking over that sport, too! :bowdown:

[Kevin Love]

Barely better with over 300million population than a country with under 3millions ? Wouldn't be proud...

lawl, gtfo

take a specific state like maryland which has less than 6 mil people and they would still dominate teams like lithuania even though lithuania per population density has one of the highest participation rates in the world


even take a team of players from a single city like chicago and they would beat countries with similar population size with ease

i'm aussie and our national team would be torn to pieces from a team from california

[Psileas]

OK, not a defender of Euroleague, since I'm mostly an NBA fan, but:


Euroleague all star team? You're joking right? A good match up would be a European all-star team vs Team USA but as we have seen a Euroleague all star team would have difficulty beating Nigeria!

Please, point out the "Euroleague all star team" that had any difficulty beating Nigeria.


What "great" Euroleague players even made the Olympics? Only Juan Carlos Navarro and he was on a team with two NBA stars and a couple of other NBA players. I guess if you include AK-47 but he only played one year in Euroleague (winning league MVP and DPOY) before going back to being a role player in the NBA.

If the only logic applying for a player's value was how well a player performs in the NBA, team USA would have no business beating any opponent by less than 30 points. I mean, come on, any other NT consisted of Euroleague/other Euro/Afro/Asian "mediocrities" and a few NBA scrubs/role players, with only a few exceptions, like the Gasols, Scola, Manu, etc.


And yes the US is all lot better then the rest of the world. You mention their close games this summer. The point is they have gone through the past three global tournament without losing a game. Yes on a bad day they beat Lithuania by 5 and Spain by 7 but on a good day they beat France by 27, Argentina by 29 and Nigeria by 83! On a bad day Spain loses to Brazil and Greece loses to Nigeria...NIGERIA!!!!!

No problem with calling the USA the best team in the world (hell, they should be, no other country respects basketball as much, with a few exceptions, like Lithuania, whose population is not bigger than the population of a small USA state or Serbia, also pretty small, or the Philippines, a country lacking big bodies). Now, using analogies like "USA beat Nigeria by 83, Nigeria beat Greece, so imagine how bad the USA would beat Greece" can only bring laughter to a reasonable person. Just as a reminder, the same Lithuania that the USA struggled to beat, ALSO lost to Nigeria in the same tournament with Greece, but later on easily beat the Nigerians to avenge the loss. According to the stupid logic that some people here use, such a thing should not happen. Another fun example: Greece in 2006 beats USA by 6, then loses to Spain by 24. This would mean that Spain would beat the USA by 30, right?

[Nash]

Its easy really. In Europe, we don't dream about becoming basketball players. There is no interest which basically means that you don't get to watch basketball which leaves you with no basketball idols. Kids idolize Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and the other soccer stars, not basketball players. We're daily reminded of soccer with news, games, sites and we grow up with knowing everything about it.

Kids don't even know who Lebron James or Kobe are and they get to know about their existence when they get older and can start looking for information themselves.

[gabepizza]

I'm reading posts here that say the US isn't better than the rest of the world because it only beats individual countries. Well I have news for you. The US is an individual country as well! Yes it is the 3rd most populous and that is one reason why it is so good. The only countries that have more people (India and China) aren't good at basketball. Well India sucks but China is not great.

And I think that brings to genetics too. India doesn't care about basketball but China, like for lots of the world, basketball is the 2nd biggest team sport after soccer. So why aren't they better considering the have 4X the population? One reason is that although many cities and parts of China are 1st world most of China is still third world. They do not have the resources to find and nurture young talent.

And I think the next is genetic. China is good at sports, I mean in the Olympics they are only 2nd to the US in medals but they do not excel in sports that require pure athleticism. Track and field, swimming, soccer basketball. No Asian countries excel in these sports (at least the men's teams) Unlike Africa which is the 3rd world, some Asian countries have the resources of 1st world countries. Because of this can we say Asians as a whole don't have the genetic make-up for those sports? Then can we say that Africans or African-Americans or African-Jamaicans have the genetic make-up to excel in these sports?

[gabepizza]

OK, not a defender of Euroleague, since I'm mostly an NBA fan, but:



Please, point out the "Euroleague all star team" that had any difficulty beating Nigeria.



If the only logic applying for a player's value was how well a player performs in the NBA, team USA would have no business beating any opponent by less than 30 points. I mean, come on, any other NT consisted of Euroleague/other Euro/Afro/Asian "mediocrities" and a few NBA scrubs/role players, with only a few exceptions, like the Gasols, Scola, Manu, etc.



No problem with calling the USA the best team in the world (hell, they should be, no other country respects basketball as much, with a few exceptions, like Lithuania, whose population is not bigger than the population of a small USA state or Serbia, also pretty small, or the Philippines, a country lacking big bodies). Now, using analogies like "USA beat Nigeria by 83, Nigeria beat Greece, so imagine how bad the USA would beat Greece" can only bring laughter to a reasonable person. Just as a reminder, the same Lithuania that the USA struggled to beat, ALSO lost to Nigeria in the same tournament with Greece, but later on easily beat the Nigerians to avenge the loss. According to the stupid logic that some people here use, such a thing should not happen. Another fun example: Greece in 2006 beats USA by 6, then loses to Spain by 24. This would mean that Spain would beat the USA by 30, right?

Well the Greek team that just lost to Nigeria had the Euroleague Final Four MVP (Spanoulis) and the player that the poster "Euroleague" claims is the best Euroleague center who was selected to all-Euroleague 1st team three years ago (Bourousis) plus 3 other members of the Euroleague champions. I know Euroleague champions are different from a Euroleague all-star team but still. So since a team with two all-star Euroleague players would lose to Nigeria it is not so far fetched to think a few more wouldn't make a difference. Krstic and Teodosic? They couldn't even reach the top 7 in Eurobasket together. McCalebb? Couldn't even lead his team past Dominican Republic. Who else? Lorbek? Batiste? Please. Diamantidis? Schortsanitis? Last time they played together with Spanoulis and Bourousis (hell that's almost a Euroleague all-star team there) they finished 11th in the World Championship behind Australia and Slovenia!

And I never made the comparisons saying since the US beat Nigeria by 83 and Greece lost to Nigeria by 1 the US would beat Greece by 84. I was simply replying to people who were pointing to the US only beating Lithuania by 5 and Spain by 7 by saying that was a bad day by them and they still won. Yet on a good say they beat the top teams by 25+ and can destroy lessor teams by 80+. While on a bad day by the other top national teams they could lose to teams as bad as Nigeria and even Spain, the 2nd best team in the world, lost to Russia and Brazil.

[Rooster]

Barely better with over 300million population than a country with under 3millions ? Wouldn't be proud...


Los Angeles metro area alone has produced better players than Lithuania. :no:

[Rooster]

Exactly. USA 99 - Lithuania 94...........

I fail to see how this thread makes sense.

Yes, the US is better than every other country of the world individually in basketball.

However, they are not "oh so very much better" as is implied here. Hell, they were losing to Spain in the gold medal game deep into the second half of the game.

Also, again, the "better than the rest of the world" thing isn't realistic or true.

USA never plays against a unified European team, or a unified world team. It's only against single individual countries that USA plays.

The people that think USA can really beat a unified European or world team are morons. So they are not actually "better than the rest of the world". That's WRONG.

They are better than any other single individual country.

And no, I don't think the 2012 Team USA Olympic team would be favored to beat a Euroleague all star team.

Euroleague all star team.:oldlol:

What kind of joke is that.:facepalm

Especially when a definite scrub is so called the best player.:facepalm

It only took NBA has beens like the twilight version of Kirilenko and Krstic. :oldlol:

To expose what a sh1tty league that is.:cheers:

Nate Huffman Euroleague MVP

Joseph Blair MVP

Anthony Parker 2 MVPs 3 Euroleague title

33 Americans has been named to All Euroleague team

Obscure players ranging from scrubs to NBA rejects.

Sh1tty league indeed

[stallionaire]

Our youth system is part of it.

Just this.

[tomtucker]

We have black people who are driven to play either basketball or football. End of story. It is scientifically proven (and common sense, really) that black people have the superior athletic genes.

Imagine if soccer in the US became as big as basketball and football... we'll be taking over that sport, too! :bowdown:
not sure about that......in soccer it is better to be small and fast, and dribbling the ball is easier with short legs....

[get these NETS]

the answer is really ncaa division 1 sports......

a full ride to college for being dominant in a sport is partially the United States dominates so many sports.

it's essentially a "farm" league that attracts the greatest american (and some international) athletes in many sports.... play against each other and develop their talent..and then the creme of the crop is selected to try out for pro teams


anybody paying attention during the olympics would have noted how many International world class athletes trained, developed and got free education at AMERICAN universities


half baked racist theories aside, ncaa scholarship system is the real answer

[baller562]

African Americans are genetically more athletic than ANY other race... there is simply no denying this fact! Basketball requires more athleticism than most sports, similar to football. We have the most athletic players in the world... the combination of speed, height, length, all these traits... this is why we consistently have the best basketball players. Add to the fact the we have the best basketball youth system all the way to college, and then the best pro league... it's a no brainer we have the best basketball played here in the states.

As to why African Americans in the US are athletically similar, after hearing several theories, I would have to agree that genetics played the most part. Its simply about the survival of the fittest... only the strongest people survived the brutal journey across the Atlantic. The weak starved and died off, while the strong made the journey. Even during the slave auctions, only the strong were selected and sold. With this cycle continuing, we have a group of genetically stronger people. Is it also true that Blacks have a higher testosterone level than other races? I'm not sure where I read that...

[get these NETS]

Those theories used to be skewed the other way...sportswriters used to write that whites were naturally superior to other races physically...then Jack Johnson was allowed to fight for the belt....and then it got flipped into Blacks being "naturally" better athletes.

[Psileas]

Well the Greek team that just lost to Nigeria had the Euroleague Final Four MVP (Spanoulis) and the player that the poster "Euroleague" claims is the best Euroleague center who was selected to all-Euroleague 1st team three years ago (Bourousis) plus 3 other members of the Euroleague champions. I know Euroleague champions are different from a Euroleague all-star team but still. So since a team with two all-star Euroleague players would lose to Nigeria it is not so far fetched to think a few more wouldn't make a difference. Krstic and Teodosic? They couldn't even reach the top 7 in Eurobasket together. McCalebb? Couldn't even lead his team past Dominican Republic. Who else? Lorbek? Batiste? Please. Diamantidis? Schortsanitis? Last time they played together with Spanoulis and Bourousis (hell that's almost a Euroleague all-star team there) they finished 11th in the World Championship behind Australia and Slovenia!

Knowing that a team with 2 Euroleague "All Stars" lost by a total of 1 point, while having epically choked in the last minutes (they led throughout most of the game), I'd say "few more" would make quite a bit of difference. Let's be real. Nigeria had a few surprising results and is a very improved team, but, since you want to nitpick, they still finished 10th, below freaking UK and Australia.



And I never made the comparisons saying since the US beat Nigeria by 83 and Greece lost to Nigeria by 1 the US would beat Greece by 84. I was simply replying to people who were pointing to the US only beating Lithuania by 5 and Spain by 7 by saying that was a bad day by them and they still won. Yet on a good say they beat the top teams by 25+ and can destroy lessor teams by 80+. While on a bad day by the other top national teams they could lose to teams as bad as Nigeria and even Spain, the 2nd best team in the world, lost to Russia and Brazil.

It wasn't a post directed specifically to you, but I do remember a few people making this "point", although they probably tried to troll.

[LBJ 23]

not sure about that......in soccer it is better to be small and fast, and dribbling the ball is easier with short legs....


Not necessarily true. Look at C. Ronaldo and Messi. One is 6'1 and one is 5'7 yet they are very close at the skills you point out.

It's the same thing as it is with Bolt, years ago people would tell you that you have to be small to be the fastest cuz taller people are clumsy. Look at Bolt now...

[greymatter]

oh really ?.


http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/content/2012/0812/08_12olympicmedalcount/13441320-2-eng-US/08_12OlympicMedalCount_full_600.jpg


.
:biggums:

Apparently you didn't bother to take a look at the breakdown of those medals. Of those 88 medals, 41 were in either badminton, pingpong, women's swimming, women's weightlifting, or diving.

[gabepizza]

Knowing that a team with 2 Euroleague "All Stars" lost by a total of 1 point, while having epically choked in the last minutes (they led throughout most of the game), I'd say "few more" would make quite a bit of difference. Let's be real. Nigeria had a few surprising results and is a very improved team, but, since you want to nitpick, they still finished 10th, below freaking UK and Australia.




It wasn't a post directed specifically to you, but I do remember a few people making this "point", although they probably tried to troll.

Okay but Greece actually lost to Nigeria. A team with a few more Euroleague all-stars would probably beat Nigeria but might still have trouble. They definitely would struggle against teams like Croatia and Angola and would not be even a top ten FIBA team. To think that they would actually pose a challenge to Team USA or even Team Spain is delusional beyond words.

But of course this would never happen because a Euroleague All-Star team would never play a national team. The closest to a Euroleague all-star team we got was team Greece with two Euroleague "all-stars" and 3 other Euroleague champions and they lost to Nigeria. I mean can you imagine a team with Lebron James, Dwight Howard and three other players who got significant playing time on the Miami Heat lose to Nigeria! lol

[Dictator]

Survival of the fittest is such a lie.

Americans just have a better work ethic towards becoming top ballers.

[tomtucker]

Not necessarily true. Look at C. Ronaldo and Messi. One is 6'1 and one is 5'7 yet they are very close at the skills you point out.

It's the same thing as it is with Bolt, years ago people would tell you that you have to be small to be the fastest cuz taller people are clumsy. Look at Bolt now...

i guess that

[Psileas]

Okay but Greece actually lost to Nigeria. A team with a few more Euroleague all-stars would probably beat Nigeria but might still have trouble. They definitely would struggle against teams like Croatia and Angola and would not be even a top ten FIBA team. To think that they would actually pose a challenge to Team USA or even Team Spain is delusional beyond words.

But of course this would never happen because a Euroleague All-Star team would never play a national team. The closest to a Euroleague all-star team we got was team Greece with two Euroleague "all-stars" and 3 other Euroleague champions and they lost to Nigeria. I mean can you imagine a team with Lebron James, Dwight Howard and three other players who got significant playing time on the Miami Heat lose to Nigeria! lol

Again, you're trying to make rules out of single games. As a reminder, in the Olympic Tournament, the "awesome" Nigeria, apart from getting destroyed by the US, collapsed and almost lost to the weak Tunisia, lost hands-down to Lithuania, a team definitely weaker than an All-Euroleague team (after all, most of their players are playing in the EL, and not all of them are EL "all-stars"), easily lost to Argentina and played their only good game against France (and still lost).
Look at their roster:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria_national_basketball_team

That's 1 NBA guy, a couple of EL guys and all the others playing in leagues inferior to EL, and you're telling me an All-EL team would supposedly struggle to beat them?
Angola? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angola_national_basketball_team
All their players except one play in the Angolan league, they have only 1 guy above 6'7 (the only one who doesn't play in Angola, LOL), I'd be surprised if they managed to even get 1-2 wins playing in the EL. Against All-EL, they'd get slaughtered.

[Euroleague]

Euroleague all star team? You're joking right? A good match up would be a European all-star team vs Team USA but as we have seen a Euroleague all star team would have difficulty beating Nigeria! What "great" Euroleague players even made the Olympics? Only Juan Carlos Navarro and he was on a team with two NBA stars and a couple of other NBA players. I guess if you include AK-47 but he only played one year in Euroleague (winning league MVP and DPOY) before going back to being a role player in the NBA.

And yes the US is all lot better then the rest of the world. You mention their close games this summer. The point is they have gone through the past three global tournament without losing a game. Yes on a bad day they beat Lithuania by 5 and Spain by 7 but on a good day they beat France by 27, Argentina by 29 and Nigeria by 83! On a bad day Spain loses to Brazil and Greece loses to Nigeria...NIGERIA!!!!!

You are just a stupid idiot.

[Euroleague]

Well the Greek team that just lost to Nigeria had the Euroleague Final Four MVP (Spanoulis) and the player that the poster "Euroleague" claims is the best Euroleague center who was selected to all-Euroleague 1st team three years ago (Bourousis) plus 3 other members of the Euroleague champions. I know Euroleague champions are different from a Euroleague all-star team but still. So since a team with two all-star Euroleague players would lose to Nigeria it is not so far fetched to think a few more wouldn't make a difference. Krstic and Teodosic? They couldn't even reach the top 7 in Eurobasket together. McCalebb? Couldn't even lead his team past Dominican Republic. Who else? Lorbek? Batiste? Please. Diamantidis? Schortsanitis? Last time they played together with Spanoulis and Bourousis (hell that's almost a Euroleague all-star team there) they finished 11th in the World Championship behind Australia and Slovenia!

And I never made the comparisons saying since the US beat Nigeria by 83 and Greece lost to Nigeria by 1 the US would beat Greece by 84. I was simply replying to people who were pointing to the US only beating Lithuania by 5 and Spain by 7 by saying that was a bad day by them and they still won. Yet on a good say they beat the top teams by 25+ and can destroy lessor teams by 80+. While on a bad day by the other top national teams they could lose to teams as bad as Nigeria and even Spain, the 2nd best team in the world, lost to Russia and Brazil.

This individual is probably a psychopath. He is clearly not trolling, as he posts in a manner that shows he BELIEVES what he says, and that he is "analyzing" this.......

He shows not a complete ignorance (like the trolls do), but actually instead a total inability to form a single rational thought, use basic reasoning skills, or to form anything even remotely resembling a rational deduction or a logical thinking ability.

Every single personality characteristic of a psychopath is on display here.

[Euroleague]

Euroleague all star team.:oldlol:

What kind of joke is that.:facepalm

Especially when a definite scrub is so called the best player.:facepalm

It only took NBA has beens like the twilight version of Kirilenko and Krstic. :oldlol:

To expose what a sh1tty league that is.:cheers:

Nate Huffman Euroleague MVP

Joseph Blair MVP

Anthony Parker 2 MVPs 3 Euroleague title

33 Americans has been named to All Euroleague team

Obscure players ranging from scrubs to NBA rejects.

Sh1tty league indeed

False myths created by liars like you on ISH forum. False myths that have been debunked here about 100 times already.

[Euroleague]

African Americans are genetically more athletic than ANY other race... there is simply no denying this fact! Basketball requires more athleticism than most sports, similar to football. We have the most athletic players in the world... the combination of speed, height, length, all these traits... this is why we consistently have the best basketball players. Add to the fact the we have the best basketball youth system all the way to college, and then the best pro league... it's a no brainer we have the best basketball played here in the states.

As to why African Americans in the US are athletically similar, after hearing several theories, I would have to agree that genetics played the most part. Its simply about the survival of the fittest... only the strongest people survived the brutal journey across the Atlantic. The weak starved and died off, while the strong made the journey. Even during the slave auctions, only the strong were selected and sold. With this cycle continuing, we have a group of genetically stronger people. Is it also true that Blacks have a higher testosterone level than other races? I'm not sure where I read that...

So if what you claim is true, then that explains why they also have lower IQs than other races. Because only the dumbest of the very dumbest were stupid enough to fight to survive to live as a slave for the rest of their lives.

Oh wait...you are talking about "natural selection" and "survival of the fittest".....but wait a minute, that implies that the "genetically best and most superior" survived............

But, the dumbest of the dumbest of the dumbest are actually at the lowest end of the genetic scale.

Oh, and of course, a DNA study done by Harvard actually found that 50% of black NBA players descend directly from a WHITE MAN in the USA.

You and everyone else here that claims this total bullshit are both racist and freaking retarded.

[Euroleague]

Okay but Greece actually lost to Nigeria. A team with a few more Euroleague all-stars would probably beat Nigeria but might still have trouble. They definitely would struggle against teams like Croatia and Angola and would not be even a top ten FIBA team. To think that they would actually pose a challenge to Team USA or even Team Spain is delusional beyond words.

But of course this would never happen because a Euroleague All-Star team would never play a national team. The closest to a Euroleague all-star team we got was team Greece with two Euroleague "all-stars" and 3 other Euroleague champions and they lost to Nigeria. I mean can you imagine a team with Lebron James, Dwight Howard and three other players who got significant playing time on the Miami Heat lose to Nigeria! lol

Your level of stupidity is disturbing.

[dannywpt]

To put it as simple as possible: When growing up as kids, all the way from kindergarden to college, Europeans play soccer. Americans play basketball.

In addition to this, the obvious genetic differences aren't exactly working in the Europeans favor either. Combined, this makes USA the vastly superior side.

[SHAQisGOAT]

First we're a big f**king country.

Secondly we def got, on average, more athletic players (especially against Europeans).

But also, even our best ball players throughout history with average athleticism or so, are better than the best foreigner players with comparable athleticism.


Call it devotion or playing many times a week since a really young age, call it what you want but it's just how it is.

[SHAQisGOAT]

To put it as simple as possible: When growing up as kids, all the way from kindergarden to college, Europeans play soccer. Americans play basketball.

In addition to this, the obvious genetic differences aren't exactly working in the Europeans favor either. Combined, this makes USA the vastly superior side.

Yeah

No european player comes close to a guy like Bird and that ain't certainly due to athleticism, so what you mention first also plays a huge part.

[lilgodfather1]

The simple answer is wealth I think. In a lot of poor countries you might not ever see a basketball net. You kind of can't play basketball without a net, so that could be a potential answer. I would think this is why you don't see too many South American players except from Brazil.

Another factor would be population. If for example 1/100 people has the body/athletecism/interest/skills to be an NBA player, and we say that 1/100 of those players actually make it through to the NBA then it would stand to reason that the US's 300 + million people would produce more NBA players than Canada's 30 million people.

The last big factor that I can think of is that in certain countrys there are more popular sports. In Canada there is hockey, in Europe there is soccer/rugby, and in some African countries they throw sticks at dead bodies.

[get these NETS]

ish is allergic to the truth, why even try to have real conversations here?

[KG215]

Team USA can beat Spain, Lithuania, Russia, but it could NOT beat a unified European team, such as a Euroleague all star team.

You are an even bigger moron than the racist Afro supremacists are. Because they say the things they do out of racism. You are evidently saying them out of simply being a freaking dumb ass.

What would the Euroleague All-Star team look like?

You can definitively say that team for sure beat team USA? What if team USA had a healthy Wade, Howard, and Rose in place of Davis, Harden, and Iguadola?

[TaLvsCuaL]

ish is allergic to the truth, why even try to have real conversations here?

What truth? I'm afraid to the people who think they own the truth. Say your "truth", and and I will give you my opinion. People who speak the "truth" do not respect other opinions normally.

[get these NETS]

What truth? I'm afraid to the people who think they own the truth. Say your "truth", and and I will give you my opinion. People who speak the "truth" do not respect other opinions normally.


I respect people's opinions about the TOPIC of the thread

and the ncaa and D1 scholarships have much more to do with the topic than any of the other babble being written here

tried to read and follow this thread but just half assed half baked generalizations and pseudo science

[baller562]

So if what you claim is true, then that explains why they also have lower IQs than other races. Because only the dumbest of the very dumbest were stupid enough to fight to survive to live as a slave for the rest of their lives.

Oh wait...you are talking about "natural selection" and "survival of the fittest".....but wait a minute, that implies that the "genetically best and most superior" survived............

But, the dumbest of the dumbest of the dumbest are actually at the lowest end of the genetic scale.

Oh, and of course, a DNA study done by Harvard actually found that 50% of black NBA players descend directly from a WHITE MAN in the USA.

You and everyone else here that claims this total bullshit are both racist and freaking retarded.

What does intelligence have to do with anything I just wrote? Believe me, people will do anything to survive, even eat other humans when it all comes down to it. Yes, the genetically superior did survive the extreme hardships the slaves had to encounter... but again this is probably only one of many factors. In reality, the US is the richest country in the world.... it is then that you see people can invest in training for sports, entertainment, and leisure. Tell me Euroleague... where do all the movies you watch come from? Why are you on an american site, do you use a smart phone running android or IOS? Do you use google? Your Euro-superiority complex is really based on nothing...

[bdreason]

Barely better with over 300million population than a country with under 3millions ? Wouldn't be proud...


I think you're underrating the depth of talent in the United States.




We sent our b-squad to win the FIBA Championships, and were missing key players in the last Olympics. Even a roster consisting of the 3rd or 4th best rosters we could compile (top 50ish U.S. players) would probably be the favorite in any international competition.


Spain has a great team right now, no doubt, but I question whether or not they will be able to fill the shoes of players like the Gasol Brothers when they retire... while I have little doubt the U.S. will continue to produce top level Basketball talent.


Again, no disrespect to Basketball countries like Lithuania, Argentina, and Spain... I just wanted to point out that while those teams can put together a competitive team, they certainly don't have the depth of the United States.

[wally_world]

same reason why america sucks at soccer

[Euroleague]

What would the Euroleague All-Star team look like?

You can definitively say that team for sure beat team USA? What if team USA had a healthy Wade, Howard, and Rose in place of Davis, Harden, and Iguadola?

Well, without really looking over the current Euroleague rosters or anything, and just going off the top of my head, it would look something like this:

PG Spanoulis/McCalebb/Huertas
SG Diamantidis/Teodosic
SF Printezis/Fernandez
PF Lorbek/Mirotic
C Schortsanitis/Krstic/Bourousis

You can change the positions around offensively for a lot of the players, but you could assemble a team like that by defensive assignments.

Juan Carlos Navarro would definitely be in the team over someone like Fernandez, quite easily, but he's had tons of injury problems in the last year and his career appears to be about done. But, if he can come back healthy (not known right now) then you could put him in there over Fernandez, and it would look something like this:

PG Spanoulis/McCalebb/Huertas
SG Navarro/Teodosic
SF Diamantidis/Printezis
PF Lorbek/Mirotic
C Schortsanitis/Krstic/Bourousis

Either way, a team like the Miami Heat would get beaten by such a team of top Euroleague players about 4-1 in a 7 game series - maybe even swept, and the Heat wouldn't do better than take it to 6 games, at best case scenario.

But really, they would honestly just be fighting not to get swept.

Team USA, whatever players it had, would have all it could handle against such a Euroleague selection. If you added a healthy Navarro into the mix, Team USA would definitely not be favored at all to win a 7 game series in that match up. I think it would be fairly even.

As for the 2012 version of Team USA, that team isn't as good as either of the Euroleague "all star teams" listed above.

[Euroleague]

What does intelligence have to do with anything I just wrote? Believe me, people will do anything to survive, even eat other humans when it all comes down to it. Yes, the genetically superior did survive the extreme hardships the slaves had to encounter... but again this is probably only one of many factors. In reality, the US is the richest country in the world.... it is then that you see people can invest in training for sports, entertainment, and leisure. Tell me Euroleague... where do all the movies you watch come from? Why are you on an american site, do you use a smart phone running android or IOS? Do you use google? Your Euro-superiority complex is really based on nothing...

1. Every race has been enslaved before, some of them for FAR LONGER than blacks.

2. Intelligent people would not have allowed themselves to be made slaves for hundreds of years. So, they were stupid people that "survived the hardship". You can't be stupid and also be "genetically superior".

3. Harvard showed through a DNA study that 50% of current American black NBA players are directly descended from white men.

4. The technology you talk about was all created by Germans, and it is now made by Chinese. Americans have nothing to do with any of it, except that a small number of them own the patents and means of production.

5. The US is not even remotely close to being the "richest country in the world".

[Euroleague]

I think you're underrating the depth of talent in the United States.




We sent our b-squad to win the FIBA Championships, and were missing key players in the last Olympics. Even a roster consisting of the 3rd or 4th best rosters we could compile (top 50ish U.S. players) would probably be the favorite in any international competition.


Spain has a great team right now, no doubt, but I question whether or not they will be able to fill the shoes of players like the Gasol Brothers when they retire... while I have little doubt the U.S. will continue to produce top level Basketball talent.


Again, no disrespect to Basketball countries like Lithuania, Argentina, and Spain... I just wanted to point out that while those teams can put together a competitive team, they certainly don't have the depth of the United States.

2010 USA "B team" would have not gotten past the quarterfinals in 2012. It would have lost to both Lithuania and Argentina in the group stage, and then would have lost to Brazil at the quarterfinals.

If you don't grasp that, then you have a severe lack of general basketball knowledge.

Yes, the USA has much more depth than any other country. But you are completely fooling yourself if you think that 2010 Team USA would have sniffed a medal in 2012.

[Rooster]

Well, without really looking over the current Euroleague rosters or anything, and just going off the top of my head, it would look something like this:

PG Spanoulis/McCalebb/Huertas
SG Diamantidis/Teodosic
SF Printezis/Fernandez
PF Lorbek/Mirotic
C Schortsanitis/Krstic/Bourousis

You can change the positions around offensively for a lot of the players, but you could assemble a team like that by defensive assignments.

Juan Carlos Navarro would definitely be in the team over someone like Fernandez, quite easily, but he's had tons of injury problems in the last year and
his career appears to be about done. But, if he can come back healthy (not
known right now) then you could put him in there over Fernandez, and it would
look something like this:

PG Spanoulis/McCalebb/Huertas
SG Navarro/Teodosic
SF Diamantidis/Printezis
PF Lorbek/Mirotic
C Schortsanitis/Krstic/Bourousis

Either way, a team like the Miami Heat would get beaten by such a team of top Euroleague players about 4-1 in a 7 game series - maybe even swept, and the Heat wouldn't do better than take it to 6 games, at best case scenario.

But really, they would honestly just be fighting not to get swept.

Team USA, whatever players it had, would have all it could handle against such a Euroleague selection. If you added a healthy Navarro into the mix, Team USA would definitely not be favored at all to win a 7 game series in that match up. I think it would be fairly even.

As for the 2012 version of Team USA, that team isn't good as either of the Euroleague "all star teams" listed above.

So you put the scrubs together and dream about beating USA.:facepalm

Nigeria would owned that Euroleague team of yours in 7 game series.:oldlol:

If there is any indication, the Eurobasket 2011 was a final between team loaded with NBA players.

I can pick a team from Europe that will sweep those scrubs you called Euroleague All Stars.:oldlol:

PG. Parker, Rubio
SG Batum, Deng
SF Kirilenko, Kleiza
PF Pau Gasol, Nowitzki Ibaka
C Marc Gasol, Pekovic, Noah

[Rooster]

2010 USA "B team" would have not gotten past the quarterfinals in 2012. It would have lost to both Lithuania and Argentina in the group stage, and then would have lost to Brazil at the quarterfinals.

If you don't grasp that, then you have a severe lack of general basketball knowledge.

Yes, the USA has much more depth than any other country. But you are completely fooling yourself if you think that 2010 Team USA would have sniffed a medal in 2012.

Team USA B team would have mopped the floor with any of those aforementioned teams even in a bad day and would annihilate those slow unathletic scrubs from Greece.:oldlol:

[Rooster]

I think you're underrating the depth of talent in the United States.




We sent our b-squad to win the FIBA Championships, and were missing key players in the last Olympics. Even a roster consisting of the 3rd or 4th best rosters we could compile (top 50ish U.S. players) would probably be the favorite in any international competition.


Spain has a great team right now, no doubt, but I question whether or not they will be able to fill the shoes of players like the Gasol Brothers when they retire... while I have little doubt the U.S. will continue to produce top level Basketball talent.


Again, no disrespect to Basketball countries like Lithuania, Argentina, and Spain... I just wanted to point out that while those teams can put together a competitive team, they certainly don't have the depth of the United States.

I would like to add if the game played under NBA rules, other team would have slim chance of upsetting us. We could sent our D squad and will probably obliterate anyone. Hell I can pick players from Los Angeles area and will still beat everybody.

[gabepizza]

Well, without really looking over the current Euroleague rosters or anything, and just going off the top of my head, it would look something like this:

PG Spanoulis/McCalebb/Huertas
SG Diamantidis/Teodosic
SF Printezis/Fernandez
PF Lorbek/Mirotic
C Schortsanitis/Krstic/Bourousis

You can change the positions around offensively for a lot of the players, but you could assemble a team like that by defensive assignments.

Juan Carlos Navarro would definitely be in the team over someone like Fernandez, quite easily, but he's had tons of injury problems in the last year and his career appears to be about done. But, if he can come back healthy (not known right now) then you could put him in there over Fernandez, and it would look something like this:

PG Spanoulis/McCalebb/Huertas
SG Navarro/Teodosic
SF Diamantidis/Printezis
PF Lorbek/Mirotic
C Schortsanitis/Krstic/Bourousis

Either way, a team like the Miami Heat would get beaten by such a team of top Euroleague players about 4-1 in a 7 game series - maybe even swept, and the Heat wouldn't do better than take it to 6 games, at best case scenario.

But really, they would honestly just be fighting not to get swept.

Team USA, whatever players it had, would have all it could handle against such a Euroleague selection. If you added a healthy Navarro into the mix, Team USA would definitely not be favored at all to win a 7 game series in that match up. I think it would be fairly even.

As for the 2012 version of Team USA, that team isn't good as either of the Euroleague "all star teams" listed above.

hahahah What a horrible team. In fact five of those players, including four of the five starters (Spanoulis, Diamantidis, Printezis, Schortsanitis) you put on the 1st list were on the Greek Team in 2010 and finished 11th. So five players from this Euroleague selection including the 4 players that you choose of starters couldn't even reach the quarter finals yet add Lorbek and a bench and suddenly they could beat Team USA.

See you have been exposed. How were you predicting Greece would do this summer. Probably challenge for gold and they sucked. Again five of those players on your Euroleague all-star team couldn't even reach top 10 in a global competition and 2010 was a weak field. There's a reason those players aren't in the NBA...they suck and 2010 showed it.

[9512]

same reason why america sucks at soccer

The rest of the US don't give a crap about soccer. Most soccer players I know are the ones who couldn't cut it in baseball, American football, and even basketball.

It's soccer or track and field for lesser American athletes.

[baller562]

1. Every race has been enslaved before, some of them for FAR LONGER than blacks.

2. Intelligent people would not have allowed themselves to be made slaves for hundreds of years. So, they were stupid people that "survived the hardship". You can't be stupid and also be "genetically superior".

3. Harvard showed through a DNA study that 50% of current American black NBA players are directly descended from white men.

4. The technology you talk about was all created by Germans, and it is now made by Chinese. Americans have nothing to do with any of it, except that a small number of them own the patents and means of production.

5. The US is not even remotely close to being the "richest country in the world".

Again what does intelligence have to do with my original claim that African Americans have superior ATHLETICISM. Basketball is somewhat cerebral, but not really... that's what the coach is for. Germans are the best engineers, I agree with that... but the greatness of America comes from the brain drain on the rest of the world as well as creating the best environment for creativity and mental stimulation. So your not giving the US any credit for the last century of advancements? Tell me, did the Germans or Chinese ever reach the moon? Who invented the internet you are using right now? Where was the a-bomb invented? Where was the light bulb invented? Who was the first to mass-produce cars? light bulbs? airplanes? computers?

[DatAsh]

5. The US is not even remotely close to being the "richest country in the world".

Unless you count the European Union as a country, then the United States is indeed the richest country in the world by a considerable margin.

[red1]

Well, without really looking over the current Euroleague rosters or anything, and just going off the top of my head, it would look something like this:

PG Spanoulis/McCalebb/Huertas
SG Diamantidis/Teodosic
SF Printezis/Fernandez
PF Lorbek/Mirotic
C Schortsanitis/Krstic/Bourousis

You can change the positions around offensively for a lot of the players, but you could assemble a team like that by defensive assignments.

Juan Carlos Navarro would definitely be in the team over someone like Fernandez, quite easily, but he's had tons of injury problems in the last year and his career appears to be about done. But, if he can come back healthy (not known right now) then you could put him in there over Fernandez, and it would look something like this:

PG Spanoulis/McCalebb/Huertas
SG Navarro/Teodosic
SF Diamantidis/Printezis
PF Lorbek/Mirotic
C Schortsanitis/Krstic/Bourousis

Either way, a team like the Miami Heat would get beaten by such a team of top Euroleague players about 4-1 in a 7 game series - maybe even swept, and the Heat wouldn't do better than take it to 6 games, at best case scenario.

But really, they would honestly just be fighting not to get swept.

Team USA, whatever players it had, would have all it could handle against such a Euroleague selection. If you added a healthy Navarro into the mix, Team USA would definitely not be favored at all to win a 7 game series in that match up. I think it would be fairly even.

As for the 2012 version of Team USA, that team isn't good as either of the Euroleague "all star teams" listed above.
:biggums:

[Euroleague]

hahahah What a horrible team. In fact five of those players, including four of the five starters (Spanoulis, Diamantidis, Printezis, Schortsanitis) you put on the 1st list were on the Greek Team in 2010 and finished 11th. So five players from this Euroleague selection including the 4 players that you choose of starters couldn't even reach the quarter finals yet add Lorbek and a bench and suddenly they could beat Team USA.

See you have been exposed. How were you predicting Greece would do this summer. Probably challenge for gold and they sucked. Again five of those players on your Euroleague all-star team couldn't even reach top 10 in a global competition and 2010 was a weak field. There's a reason those players aren't in the NBA...they suck and 2010 showed it.

You are a true moron.

[Euroleague]

I would like to add if the game played under NBA rules, other team would have slim chance of upsetting us. We could sent our D squad and will probably obliterate anyone. Hell I can pick players from Los Angeles area and will still beat everybody.

Team USA 2012 beat Spain by 7 points in the game that mattered the most

You are clearly a psychotic.

[Euroleague]

Again what does intelligence have to do with my original claim that African Americans have superior ATHLETICISM. Basketball is somewhat cerebral, but not really... that's what the coach is for. Germans are the best engineers, I agree with that... but the greatness of America comes from the brain drain on the rest of the world as well as creating the best environment for creativity and mental stimulation. So your not giving the US any credit for the last century of advancements? Tell me, did the Germans or Chinese ever reach the moon? Who invented the internet you are using right now? Where was the a-bomb invented? Where was the light bulb invented? Who was the first to mass-produce cars? light bulbs? airplanes? computers?

You are a moron.

[Euroleague]

Unless you count the European Union as a country, then the United States is indeed the richest country in the world by a considerable margin.

You are also a moron.

[SAKOTXA]

Team USA 2012 beat Spain by 7 points.

You are clearly a psychotic.
So an all Los Angeles team of...

CP3 Nash
Kobe Billups
Artest Butler
Griffin Gasol
Dwight Jordan

could be beat by a non-American team? You are delusional my friend.

[Euroleague]

So an all Los Angeles team of...

CP3 Nash
Kobe Billups
Artest Butler
Griffin Gasol
Dwight Jordan

could be beat by a non-American team? You are delusional my friend.

The level of idiocy that you displayed in that post is epic...even for ISH.

Congrats on officially becoming the dumbest person to ever post here.

[SAKOTXA]

The level of idiocy that you displayed in that post is epic...even for ISH.

Congrats on officially becoming the dumbest person to ever post here.
Calm your nuts buddy. :oldlol: Mr. Arkansas raging, what else is new?

[tomtucker]

Calm your nuts buddy. :oldlol: Mr. Arkansas raging, what else is new?


http://www.tremendousupsidepotential.com/img/arkansasfatman.jpg

[Overdrive]

Again what does intelligence have to do with my original claim that African Americans have superior ATHLETICISM. Basketball is somewhat cerebral, but not really... that's what the coach is for. Germans are the best engineers, I agree with that... but the greatness of America comes from the brain drain on the rest of the world as well as creating the best environment for creativity and mental stimulation. So your not giving the US any credit for the last century of advancements? Tell me, did the Germans or Chinese ever reach the moon? Who invented the internet you are using right now? Where was the a-bomb invented? Where was the light bulb invented? Who was the first to mass-produce cars? light bulbs? airplanes? computers?

CERN. Al Gore just had the philosophical idea of a world wide web as a link of thoughts(on a side note Pete Townshend of The Who had the same idea for an Album in '70, did he invent the internet?). CERN actually engineered and developed the technical aspect of the internet, they just took the name Al Gore came up with.

[Qwertyazerty]

CERN. Al Gore just had the philosophical idea of a world wide web as a link of thoughts(on a side note Pete Townshend of The Who had the same idea for an Album in '70, did he invent the internet?). CERN actually engineered and developed the technical aspect of the internet, they just took the name Al Gore came up with.


Let it be, he seems to ignore that without people like Antonio Meucci, Nikola Tesla, Nikolaus Otto, etc. (non of them americains) nothing of what he said would have happened.

[gabepizza]

You are a true moron.

No you are a moron. You actually said the most absurd thing I have heard in my life and I've heard a lot of crazy stuff. That an Euroleague all-star team could challenge team US! Then you actually showed what that roster would look like. I pointed out it seems like there has already been a team with (5) almost half of those players (Spanoulis, Diamantidis, Printezis, Schortsanitis and Bourousis) Team Greece in 2010 and they finished 11th place with a 3-3 record. I mean if five players from this team could even finish top 10 and do worse than Australia and Slovenia will adding 7 more of those scrubs make that much of a difference.

The you made the absurd claim that such a team could challenge the defending champions Miami Heat. You can make such absurd statement because you know such game would never happen. 3 players from the NBA runners up (Thunder) were on the same USA Team that won gold this year. And wait, 4 players, a 3rd of the Euroleague champions, were on Team Greece this year and how did they do? Yeah they couldn't even make the Olympics because they were eliminated by Nigeria. hahahah Nigeria. The same team that lost to the USA by 83 points eliminated the team with 4 players from the Euroleague Champions and 3 players from your list of an Euroleague all-star team.

Nigeria!! Beating Euroleague's best since 2012!!!!!

[baller562]

Let it be, he seems to ignore that without people like Antonio Meucci, Nikola Tesla, Nikolaus Otto, etc. (non of them americains) nothing of what he said would have happened.

Two out of the three did most of their work in the United States.... as I explained, the US gives the best environment to nurture these creative talents. This is what I mean by "brain drain".

[Psileas]

No you are a moron. You actually said the most absurd thing I have heard in my life and I've heard a lot of crazy stuff. That an Euroleague all-star team could challenge team US! Then you actually showed what that roster would look like. I pointed out it seems like there has already been a team with (5) almost half of those players (Spanoulis, Diamantidis, Printezis, Schortsanitis and Bourousis) Team Greece in 2010 and they finished 11th place with a 3-3 record. I mean if five players from this team could even finish top 10 and do worse than Australia and Slovenia will adding 7 more of those scrubs make that much of a difference.

The you made the absurd claim that such a team could challenge the defending champions Miami Heat. You can make such absurd statement because you know such game would never happen. 3 players from the NBA runners up (Thunder) were on the same USA Team that won gold this year. And wait, 4 players, a 3rd of the Euroleague champions, were on Team Greece this year and how did they do? Yeah they couldn't even make the Olympics because they were eliminated by Nigeria. hahahah Nigeria. The same team that lost to the USA by 83 points eliminated the team with 4 players from the Euroleague Champions and 3 players from your list of an Euroleague all-star team.

Nigeria!! Beating Euroleague's best since 2012!!!!!

Boston by 50 tonight over these Turkish Euro-scrubs. Book it!

[Euroleague]

Fenerbahce (Euroleague) 97 - Boston Celtics (NBA) 91

Box Score:

http://www.nba.com/games/20121005/BOSFBU/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0011200001#nbaGIboxscore

[KingBeasley08]

LMAO Boston was freestyling

[AlonzoGOAT]

Fenerbahce (Euroleague) 97 - Boston Celtics (NBA) 91

Box Score:

http://www.nba.com/games/20121005/BOSFBU/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0011200001#nbaGIboxscore
you actually took that game serious? Arkansas inbred :facepalm

[baller562]

you actually took that game serious? Arkansas inbred :facepalm

Of course he did, a pre-season scrimmage game means alot to some people.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Of course he did, a pre-season scrimmage game means alot to some people.

Doc took it so seriously he sat KG the ENTIRE 4th quarter lol

[eliteballer]

The U.S. has a population of 300 million, 40 million african americans. Europe 500 million. Africa 1 billion, a large portion of it being arabs north of the sahara and white people in different parts of the continent.

One day Euroleague might be on equal footing with the NBA, if the talent in Africa can be utilized since they probably will be indifferent to playing in Europe or the U.S. if the money is equal, but by that time both leagues will probably be part of the same global basketball network.

[Euroleague]

you actually took that game serious?

Fener took the game so serious, that they played at about 70 percent and still beat the Celtics.

That's about how serious the Euroleague team had to be to beat the NBA team.

[Euroleague]

LMAO Boston was freestyling


So was Fener. If you ever have an actual point to make, do so.

[KingBeasley08]

^ ok. why look at pre-season games over actual games like the olympics where the usa are greek gods among germanic kids

[DatAsh]

You are also a moron.

Great evidence.

[Euroleague]

^ ok. why look at pre-season games over actual games like the olympics where the usa are greek gods among germanic kids

Wow, you are a ****ing idiot.

The Olympics has NOTHING to do with NBA teams playing against Euroelague teams you ****ing dumb ass.

That just might be why.

[AlonzoGOAT]

Wow, you are a ****ing idiot.

The Olympics has NOTHING to do with NBA teams playing against Euroelague teams you ****ing dumb ass.

That just might be why.
Or greece just ****ing sucks did like you overrated them keeping it such a close game with nigeria while the US blew those scrubs out. Greece = Garbage


Arkansas BBall development > Greece

[KingBeasley08]

Wow, you are a ****ing idiot.

The Olympics has NOTHING to do with NBA teams playing against Euroelague teams you ****ing dumb ass.

That just might be why.
That's not what this threads about you inbred clown. It's about how much better the USA is at basketball than other countries. Go suck V-Span and Brady's (who's American fa ggot) ***** now.

Anthony Parker = Euroleague GOAT in terms of resume
Deron Williams = Euroleague GOAT in terms of peak

nikka please

[Mr. Jabbar]

cant believe no1 said the most simple answer:

NBA

[Euroleague]

Barca 99 - Dallas Mavericks 85

Should have been 101 - 85, but the refs wrongly took away a basket from Barca.

Box Score:

http://www.nba.com/games/20121009/DALFCB/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0011200018

[Euroleague]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/nba/wires/10/09/2030.ap.bko.barcelona.mavericks.1st.ld.writethru.0 451/

Rick Carlisle:

"Barca is a great team. I admire the way they pass, move the ball, cut and make screens. They had the advantage the whole game. Barca is an NBA team.''