The All-International teams
They slowly emerged on the NBA scene in the 1980s. They became mainstays in the 1990s. In the last decade, for the first time in league history, one of them became a Most Valuable Player and another became a Rookie of the Year. Two would earn Most Improved Player Awards and two others would earn Sixth Man Awards.
For the foreign-born players, whose sole basketball experience prior to the NBA had been playing in Europe, Asia or South America, this past decade was one of remarkable growth in both numbers and talent. At the beginning of this season, the NBA counted 83 international players on rosters from 36 countries. Dirk Nowitzki, the only German in the NBA, won the 2006 Most Valuable Player award. Pau Gasol, one of five Spaniards in the league, won the rookie honors in 2002.
Those two continue to excel to this day and are the starting forwards on my All-Foreign first team of the decade. I decided to exclude foreign-born players who played college ball in the United States. Thus, no Steve Nash (a lock for first team otherwise) and no Andrew Bogut (who wouldn’t have made it anyway.)
It wasn’t hard selecting the first team. After that, it got a bit dicier. One of the revelations: a lack of high-caliber guards from across the pond (or below the Equator.)
And it was hard to eliminate people like Vladimir Radmanovic, who nonetheless is still responsible for my all-time favorite story involving a foreign player. During the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis, Radmanovic was kicked off his national team. He then proceeded to watch them play sitting in the stands, wearing his national team sweats.
At any rate, here is one writer’s take on the best foreign-born players of the last 10 years.
First Team
Center: Yao Ming, China
Forwards: Dirk Nowitzki, Germany; Pau Gasol, Spain
Guards: Tony Parker, France; Manu Ginobili, Argentina
Explanation: There really can’t be a whole lot of debate about this unit, unless you want to use the traditional small forward/power forward configuration. While out of action this season, Yao has developed into, arguably, the league’s best center. And he did so carrying the weight of, oh, a billion people on his shoulders.
Nowitzki right now may rank as the greatest foreigner ever to play in the league – and we can only wonder what would have happened to him had Rick Pitino got his wish and been able to draft him in 1998. (Paul Pierce wasn’t a bad consolation prize.)
Gasol has helped turn the Lakers into annual title contenders. Parker and Ginobili each have three championship rings from the Spurs with Parker getting MVP honors for the 2007 NBA Finals.
Second Team
Center: Vlade Divac, Serbia
Forwards: Peja Stojakovic, Serbia; Andrei Kirilenko, Russia
Guards: Hedo Turkoglu, Turkey; Jose Calderon, Spain
Explanation: Those who have only briefly become NBA fans may need a refresher on the remarkable Divac, whose career spanned parts of three decades. He was a critical member of the Kings from 2000-2004 and, back then, Sacramento was really good, just not good enough to overtake the Lakers. He was a gifted passer; only three others in NBA history have amassed 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots: Kevin Garnett, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. (Tim Duncan should join that group this season.)
Stojakovic was also a big-time player on those early 2000s Kings teams and has an All-NBA 2nd team selection on his resume from 2004. He remains one of the game’s most dead-eye shooters. Kirilenko has slumped lately, but his athleticism and quirkiness helped change the image of the tall, slow-footed, mechanical European big man. Kirkilenko remains the only player of this group to have made an All-Defensive Team. He actually made three of them, including the first team in 2005-06.
Turkoglu gets slotted as a guard here because, basically, he is one, despite his height. He cashed in on a big playoff performance in 2009, helped by a vintage Game 7 submission in Boston against the Celtics. Calderon is one of two players on my All-Foreign teams never to have been drafted. But he now is in his fifth season with the Raptors and is usually among the league leaders in free throws and assist-to-turnovers.
Third Team
C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Lithuania
F: Mehmet Okur, Turkey; Boris Diaw, France
G: Andres Nocioni, Argentina; Leandro Barbosa, Brazil
Explanation: As always, selecting the last members of the team proved to be a challenge. I can already hear the Luis Scola Fan Club (of which I am a dues-paying member) complaining. But Scola had only two years of NBA play this decade, so he loses out on that. But I love the guy. Ilgauskas is a great story, recovering from apparent career-ending foot woes to be a big part of the Cavaliers’ recent success. He’s been in two All-Star Games. Okur plays center on occasion, but, for purposes of this discussion, is designated as a forward. He has an All-Star Game appearance on his CV.
Diaw has stumbled a bit the bast couple of years, but he was a human Swiss Army Knife for the Mike D’Antoni Phoenix Suns in the middle of the decade, winning Most Improved Player honors in 2005-06. The never-drafted Nocioni gets in as a guard, even though he plays mostly forward. But he has guard size and he needs to be on this list, especially given the dearth of guards.
Barbosa, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year winner in 2007 (one year before Manu Ginobili won it) rounds out the team. He may not even be the best Brazilian playing right now (Nenê, Anderson Varejao) but, again, he gets the nod because of lack of competition for the position.
Toughest Omissions
Scola and Nene were the two hardest. Varejao and Mickael Pietrus come next. Radmanovic, Rasho Nesterovic, and even Andris Biedrins might find their way onto similar lists. Just not this one. And the third highest drafted foreign-born player (after Yao and Andrea Bargnani) played most of the decade and didn’t even get remote consideration. That would be the underwhelming Darko Milicic, the No. 2 overall pick in 2003. Bargnani will get consideration for the next decade, along with Yi Jianlian, Rudy Fernandez, and, possibly, some guy named Ricky Rubio.
David Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 8:59 pm
I don’t understand how You can pick Nowitzki right now as the greatest foreigner ever to play in the league over Hakeem Olajuwon,If you are a student of NBA history ,you will know that hakeem made the list of the 50 all time greatest NBA players,I don’t think Nowitzki is on that list
B Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 9:11 pm
David,
As stated in the article, Olajuwon is excluded because he played ball in U.S. Any foreign-born player who played b-ball in the U.S. shouldn’t really be considered a “foreign” player. All others gained their skills overseas before making it to the NBA.
HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Peter May » The All-International teams | TypicalGames.Com Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 9:17 pm
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Daniel Blue Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 9:23 pm
He said in his post he wasn’t counting players that played college ball in the US. So I am assuming when he said that about Dirk he was under the same stipulation. Hakeem played college ball in the US.
Kyle Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
David, he clearly stated that he doesn’t count foreign born players that played college in the US. Otherwise, Nash would have been on the first team and Olajuwan would almost undoubtedly be considered the best foreign NBA player, ever.
Alex Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 9:33 pm
Olajuwon played in Univ, moron, that is why
James Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 10:43 pm
How about Arvydas Sabonis?
J Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
Your third team can easily mop the floor with your second team. lol
Federico Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 11:42 pm
Houston University, Phi Slama Jamma, the biggest upset in College Basketball History….and If I’m not wrong, even if he’s Nigerian, Olajuwon also played for Team USA….
Anyway, I like the selection: these guys are the cream of the crop of International Basketball. Anyway, if we count on International players who didn’t play in the NBA, or who did it for a little time, you can count on guys like Jasikevicius and Navarro, and also Bodiroga, Papaloukas…all these guys, for some reason, didn’t play in the Big League, or went there and stayed a little. Even if NBA was early ready to take every big men available in the world, there was a lot of people who thinked that International PGs and SGs weren’t good enough to play in the League. If in the next decade we’ll cheer for Rubio, or Fernandez, we should thank these guys who, together with Ginobili and Parker, showed that in FIBA basketball also good guards were available (even if two of the very first pioneers, Marciulionis and Petrovic, were also guards).
Federico Said,
December 30, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
“who thought”…sorry, I’m not English nor American…:-)
Federico Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 12:00 am
Oh, I forgot another thing: Jasikevicius played at Maryland. If you can’t count guys who played in College Basketball, you can’t count him too…
Robert Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 12:17 am
Yeah, switch the 2nd team with the 3rd team and you’re all set. Calderon is lame.
Robert Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 12:23 am
“For the foreign-born players, whose sole basketball experience prior to the NBA had been playing in Europe, Asia or South America”
Why not Africa or Oceania? There are tons of talented players from those continents.
Piswgorilla Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 12:47 am
Ginobili is easily the most complete and spectacular player of them all (also should be in Top 50 of all time of the NBA, when healthy nobody in his era can guard him - period).
Scola easily better than Nocioni.
wesley Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 12:52 am
Dirk will have better career numbers than olajuwon
max Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 3:12 am
Dirk will definitely not have better career numbers then Hakeem!
Hakeem won 2 championships plus is the all-time leader in blocks…
Dirk is a great player but Hakeem was far better no debate needed!
Peio Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 4:01 am
What about Toni Kukoc. He is much better player than Kirilenko. And Scola is better than Diaw also. And Marcioulenis better than Barbosa. Of course Savonis was the best (better than Yao. Divac, Nowitzky) although he did not play at his prime in the NBA
Jon Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 4:55 am
It’s best international players of THIS PAST DECADE. thats why former greats like hakeem, kukoc, sabonis, and petrovic arent on the list. note that all the players mentioned are current NBA players.
Federico Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 5:09 am
I think that he didn’t take Kukoc, Sabonis and Marciulionis because they were stars in the ’90s. Scola did not play enough to be a NBA star: this one is only his second year. Anyway, a big regret is not knowing what kind of player could have been Drazen Petrovic. I know that the real shame is that a man died so young, but when we do the “what if” play, we cannot forget about Drazen, the first real European star in the NBA…
Anyway, my all-first NBA team is: Nash PG, Ginobili SG, Petrovic SF, Nowitzki PF, Olajuwon C. How many NBA rings would I win with this team???
:-)
Benjamin Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 5:54 am
Why is Dirk isn’t in the top 50 players and Hakeem is?
Lulz. Dumbest question ever.
Dirk was just a rookie when the award was given. If there’s a hypothetical list for a top 60, Dirk will be in it for sure.
januko Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 7:04 am
Robert Said,
“Why not Africa or Oceania? There are tons of talented players from those continents.”
Well Robert, Mutombo and Olajuwon and others may come from Africa but they played college ball before coming in the NBA.
Yes, Federico is right. Sabonis and Kukoc were great Euros playing in the NBA during the 90’s, not in 2000’s.
IMHO, I should include Scola in the list. Yes, he only played 2 years but during his two years in the NBA, he provided much for the Houston Rockets..
Jestik Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 8:47 am
This list is silly and obviously written by someone who “forgot”.
How can you not include Arvydas Sabonis?? He’s not even mentioned in your “Tough Omissions” section. I’m guessing this means it was a no-brainer for you to totally leave him off the list. <— reason why I can’t take this list seriously.
Kris Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 8:57 am
I think that the 15 players named are correct, but I would have flip-flopped Ilgauskas and Divac on the 3rd and 2nd teams, as well as Barbosa and Calderon. Divac had a better career than Ilgauskas did, but Divac was already in decline by 2001-2002. Ilgauskas had the better decade. Calderon is overrated and really only had one good half of one season. Barbosa was arguably the decade’s fourth best bench player behind Ginobili, Ben Gordon, and Jason Terry.
Armenian Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 9:15 am
Where are Predrag Savovic & Nikoloz Tskitishvili?
Ron Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 9:40 am
Im kinda suprised Sam Cassell and Popeye Jones didn’t make this list.
They aren’t even from the same planet.
raulgabriel9999 Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 10:14 am
Steve Nash is Canadian. Doesn’t that count?
Ben Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 11:00 am
“Bargnani will get consideration for the next decade, along with Yi Jianlian, Rudy Fernandez, and, possibly, some guy named Ricky Rubio”….YO Peter!… Marc Gasol
Beckham Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 11:03 am
yes how can you leave out Toni Kukoc? Him and Sabonis did play early in this decade.
And as for “just not good enough to overtake the Lakers.” UMMM if you havn’t heard, the series was rigged for the Lakers to win. People with N.B.A. knowledge know that Sacramento are the real champions of 2002.
Jedi Ones Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
“He was a gifted passer; only three others in NBA history have amassed 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots.”
This needs a 7 foot asterisk; it’s just not true as written.
Should be qualified with “since 1974″ (or whatever year it was they started recording blocks. I think there is zero doubt that Uncle Wilt and Bill “11 Times” Russell blocked more than 1,500 shots.
And while Divac had a fine career, once you look at those baseline numbers, you realize how tailored they are to what Vlade accomplished. In other words, he didn’t snatch 10k in boards or manage 15k in points, which would be more impressive levels.
Fred Towes Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
Peter,
Even granting your point regarding the difficulty in picking six accomplished foreign-born/bred NBA backcourt players, listing Nocioni as as a guard is a convenient stretch. Andres is really more a 3/4 betweener, dependent on the personnel/system around him. He has guard range, perhaps, and is a decent passer, but his ball-handling ability is less than stellar, and there is not a proper guard in the Development League whom he could defend without tackling.
Strong list, otherwise
MT
Andre Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 1:24 pm
WHAT ABOUT Arvydas Sabonis???
And Vlade was a WAY better player then Yao ming is.. And Vlade was a chain smoker… but talented
and Andres Nocioni? Your not serious about that pick.
Article was good but, i dont agree with you
Yep Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 1:41 pm
Apparently everyone misread the article. It is the All International Team of the Decade. So Arvydas Sabonis, Kukoc, Olajuwon, etc can’t be in the conversation. It is 2000-2009.
art Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 2:02 pm
One thing that is whispered among hoop fans is how much better any of these teams would be than American born white players who went to college. Except for Stockton, it is possible than not one of them would make the first,second, or third team. The most prevalent theory among my bball friends(most have played at least high school) is that the self selecting nature in USA(where sons of coaches and ex players(Love, Dunleavy, Ferry, Hawes, Szberciak, Karl, Walton, etc) go from camp to camp from a young age, with a sense of entitlement, and never really have to prove themselves like the Euro(who go pro and have to sink or swim from age 16). Certainly looking at the athletic ability of the above players calls into question the theory that whites have no athletic ability. I hate to be the skunk at the picnic but i have heard this whispered, but never discusses
rman757 Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 2:21 pm
Wow Peter, it is easy to see now why you’re no longer writing for ESPN. You REALLY suck!!
Larry Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 2:31 pm
Don’t forget Gallinari as someone to look out for next decade…
Aito Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 3:23 pm
Dont forget another guy named Claver…he’s very good…Maybe Portland have chosen well this draft?…Calderón healthy is better than Barbosa. Pherhaps Rodriguez get some confidence and…we have another Jason Williams but not an insane one…Who knows
Un saludo desde España
Boris Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
it it wasnt for the devastating injury, Nenad Krstic should have easily made the 3rd team. even with the injury he deserves more consideration than that scrub Radmanovic
andrew nguyen Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
wow, the public needs to learn to pay attention to detail. best international players of the last 10 years!!!
NBA vet Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
Peja should be on first team. he was second in mvp of the league in his best year. he would have been the best had it not been for the back injuries.
other wise good list….but maybe a better list would be best international players of past decade. regardless of whether they played in nba or not.
DG Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 5:35 pm
Nash (canada) Manu (Argentina) Dirk (Germany) Pau (Spain) Hakeen (NIgeria)
Forget Nash and Hakeen played college ball in the USA they’re both born outside of the USA and that makes them foreigners.
Thats the 1st foreign team right there… Hakeen MVP
james Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 5:47 pm
The third highest drafted player?
What about Andrew Bogut?
Ben Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
Gallinari is just a designated shooter… and can’t guard a light post.
Ken Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 9:06 pm
“and no Andrew Bogut (who wouldn’t have made it anyway.)”
What???? he may not be deserving of his #1 draft pick but the man is averaging 15points, 10 boards and 2 dimes a game for a team which is quite frankly, very ordinary…..he is a better player than Vlade Divac ever was and not even Ilgauskas averaged better rebounding stats than Bogut….
Stop hating on the Aussies, and while we’re on the topic of Aussies, what about Luc Longley? 3 time NBA champion with the Bulls….
jason Said,
December 31, 2009 @ 9:09 pm
WHere is Andrea bargnani? and Andrew Buget? Diaw over them? !!
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December 31, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
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Ken = IDIOT Said,
January 1, 2010 @ 2:23 am
Bogut will never even be close to being as good as Divac. Vlade was a great all around player who always played on elite teams. It’s not that hard for Bogut to average a double double on a garbage Bucks team. Ken you’re an idiot and aussie basketball blows.
tuncer Said,
January 1, 2010 @ 5:02 am
…And Ersan İlyasova will get consideration for the next decade.
Zach S-E Said,
January 1, 2010 @ 6:13 am
Divac is better than Yao because only Divac is one of four in NBA history to have amassed 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots, the others include Kevin Garnett, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Yao is not the best center is he get’s injured all the time because of his overbearing frame.
aldstar Said,
January 1, 2010 @ 8:42 am
i think you should have had pietrus instead of nocioni and nene instead of okur……
yao defintely isnt the best center in the game…..
ddddd Said,
January 1, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
I love how people can’t read!
Olajuwon sucked this decade, but he was the most dominant force of the 90’s. Kukoc won championships in the 90s not this decade! I think that excluding players who played college ball here is a copout, but oh well.
Nene does not make this list because of the fact that he spent most of the decade on the injured list due to his testicular cancer. Reminding you all of the fact that this list is the best of the decade, not the best of now. Yes Nene is better now, but not 2 years ago.
Using the criteria that Peter May outlined, this list is give or take pretty right on. Pietrus has been inconsistent. I love how Varajeo plays and he should make the list somewhere… probably ahead of Diaw. Radmanovic should not make it at all. For a guy who pretty much made a career of being a big guy who sat behind the 3pt line… I need more than that.
Scola is great too and definitely deserves to be ahead of Diaw. Its too bad that the spurs hibernated the guy overseas for so flippin long before finally setting the guy free with the trade to Houston. Varajeo is still ever so slightly ahead of Scola due to the fact that Varajeo has had more time in the league to do more. A trip to the finals with Lebron also helps Varajeo in my book. I do think though that if you are judging right now…. Scola is better than Varajeo.
My right now teams based on the Peter May criteria are: 1st team: same as Peter May (too bad Yao got injured)….. 2nd team: Nene, Scola, Fernandez, Barboza and Turkoglu…. 3rd team: Biedrins, Varajeo, Calderon, Pietrus and either Okur or Bargnani..
Who knows what the next decade will bring… when and if Peter May makes this list again in ten years it will most likely contain Nene, that Jerbeko kid from Detroit, That Dontanous M.. (I slaughtered the spelling severely I apologize) that is going to be in the next draft or the draft after… The younger Gasol and others… Time will tell… Theres still some good young talent in odd corners in europe.
Kenzo Said,
January 1, 2010 @ 2:04 pm
“Calderon is one of two players on my All-Foreign teams never to have been drafted”
Are u a complete idiot?? I mean does mr editor even check this s— anymore??
What the hell is wrong with hoopshype lately??
champ Said,
January 1, 2010 @ 5:35 pm
And Vlade put up his numbers with a lit cigarette while flopping. the man could multi task
Ken Said,
January 2, 2010 @ 1:17 am
long live Shane Heal
Ken Said,
January 2, 2010 @ 1:19 am
Ken = IDIOT Said,
January 1, 2010 @ 2:23 am
Bogut will never even be close to being as good as Divac. Vlade was a great all around player who always played on elite teams. It’s not that hard for Bogut to average a double double on a garbage Bucks team. Ken you’re an idiot and aussie basketball blows.
haha! Boguts career isnt even half finished and how well did Vlade play on shit teams??? yes, Aussie Basketball blows, but not half as much as your comments..
Tim Said,
January 2, 2010 @ 7:56 am
Bogut…not as good as Divac but I’d definitely take him over Ilgauskas.
Andrew Nocioni has one good playoffs series and hes in the third all decade team…interesting
Big Peja fan and id rather him over Gasol in first team but thats just me
dracula Said,
January 2, 2010 @ 7:59 am
What about Gheorghe Muresan ? Wasn’t he the greatest ever ? He was 7′ 7″ if I correctly recall
LOL
asjhdfajksg@gmail.com Said,
January 3, 2010 @ 12:47 am
Nowitzki couldn’t make the top 50 because he was in the L yet when that team was announced. Actually he was, but only for 1 or 2 seasons, so how are u gonna use that argument dumbass. Anyway, who cares about all-decade international teams, its about the 15 best players per position overall, not just foreigners.
Daniel Said,
January 3, 2010 @ 11:26 am
Bargnani considered for the next decade? He is by far the worst #1 pick in history, and may end up being the worst lottery pick (apologies to Adam Morrison and fellow Raptor Rafael Arujo) ever, most definitely when minutes played comes into the equation. Yet the Raptors continue to play him at center… There’s a very good reason they suck now– having a center who can’t play defense, is an inefficient volume scorer, and doesn’t rebound does not lead to wins.
Rick Said,
January 3, 2010 @ 11:29 am
Steve Nash? or Canadians dont count? :p
Luol Deng?
Emeka Okafor?
what a failure
mark Said,
January 3, 2010 @ 6:39 pm
This Article is a joke
No one mentioned this but Ben Gordan is another obvious omission
The rest of this has mostly been said:
Steve Nash is an unforgivable omission
Omeka Okafur and Bogut should be on there.
But to me omitting Arvydas Sabonis and Toni Kukoch under the same criteria that you selected Vlade Divace a guy who barely averaged 10 pts and 7 rebounds this decade. Shows you not only don’t know about the current state of the NBA but also have no respect for its history
Sabonis in his prime was one of the top 10 greatest basketball talents of all time by the time he got to the NBA he was over 30 and had no knees and still deserves to be here over Vlade.
Kukok deserves at least a couple extra points for being the amongst the first players to play internationaly and being a valuable contributor on one of the greatest teams of all time. He also was in the NBA until 2006 put up better numbers then Boris Diaw and was a more versatile player then him aswell ( which is saying a lot)
How you get paid to write about the NBA baffles my mind!!!!
Jared Ras Said,
January 3, 2010 @ 8:16 pm
Read the article, guys. It says it EXCLUDES people who played college basketball in the U.S.
Nash, Bogut, Gordon, Okafor, Deng, Duncan (if you count V.I. as foreign ground), etc. ALL of them played college ball in the U.S.
mok Said,
January 3, 2010 @ 11:28 pm
people what the hell do you even read before you start putting writers down go back and read the article and you will know why bogut and others arent on there many of the players you all have mentioned played college ball in the US and the excludes them from the list Also, stop naming foeigner from the 90’s last i checked this decade means 2000-09. you all are calling the writer stupid but fail to even see your own stupidity he is the writer so he makes the rules for his list. if you dont like his list make your own damn list and back off
falken Said,
January 4, 2010 @ 12:21 am
lol @ ^ 2 posts….LEARN TO READ!!! it’s a DECADE team and players who played at american colleges (gordon, okafor, bogut) are OMITTED
anyway, pretty spot on choices there (nocioni prob the only iffy pick)
frankie buckets Said,
January 4, 2010 @ 9:33 am
steve nash was born in south africa if im not mistaken as opposed to canada
frankie buckets Said,
January 4, 2010 @ 9:35 am
dino radja and vitaly potapenko all the way!
PhxSun11 Said,
January 4, 2010 @ 10:13 am
Zarko Cabarkapa FTW
Would have been a strud if not for that thug Danny Fortson
Edu Said,
January 4, 2010 @ 12:16 pm
No K-u-k-o-c? How old are you, Mr. May? By the way, I agree with mark that both Sabonis and Nash should be there (although the second is not because of a strange criteria).
Edu Said,
January 4, 2010 @ 12:21 pm
Hey, hey, hey, sorry Mr. May, only now I read that this a decade team. It is not in the tittle… Anyway, Scola is much better then Okur. And Divac played little good b-ball in the 00’s, maybe two good ones.
Gil Said,
January 5, 2010 @ 10:04 am
“mock said:
you all are calling the writer stupid but fail to even see your own stupidity he is the writer so he makes the rules for his list”
writer makes stupid rules, so why should anyone back off?
most of those guys trained with their home country coaches for a decade, from early ages till 18. They dominate international junior tournaments (a la Bogut). They get accepted to US colleges exactly because they gained great fundamentals from their national coaches. then they spend a year or two in US college, while in some cases still training with their national teams whole summers and gaining XP against pros. And now they are excluded from the list?
Gasol was dominant junior tournament star. Nowitzki gained his fundamentals from his junior coach. Ilgauskas was probably a better player at 17 when he was scoring 40 a game in Europe, than he is now, after all the injuries. So, had these guys enrolled in US college for a year, they’d be ‘made in US’? LOL
stupid rules lead to stupid articles
Jackass Said,
January 6, 2010 @ 5:51 am
Danny Fortson is a Fagot. All of you are A in the Holes because you don’t understand the article. Divac has a good career in movies because he’s the best flopper in the NBA. He can win Best Actor honors for that one. Olajuwon is a gay man. He loves Patrick Ewings balls.
Alex Italo Said,
January 6, 2010 @ 3:54 pm
Wow, people… I’m not an English native speaker. I’ve never visited an English speaking country… and I’m able to understand that the article is about foreign players who have never played in U.S. before playing in the NBA. And it is about the best players of the 2000’s. Olajuwon, Kukoc, Petrovic, Marciulionis, Radja, Sabonis… they were all players in the 90’s! Ok, maybe Olajuwon, Sabonis and Kukoc retired in the early 2000’s but they were mostly irrelevant back then. Sabonis was a beast when young (before the NBA), though… unfortunately he was damaged goods when he finally arrived.
Bobby Said,
January 7, 2010 @ 4:34 pm
I was reading this article and I came up with an idea for a tournament; best of 7 series or whatever scenario you could think of between three teams. An international team, US born players who went to college and US born players who came from high school. The prospective rosters would look something like this:
Internationals:
Steve Nash, Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker, Pau Gasol, Nene, Yao, Dirk, Hedo Turkoglu, Andrei Kirilenko and Peja Stojakovic.
US players from college:
Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Brandon Roy, Shaq
US players from High school:
Kobe, Lebron, Kevin Garnet, Dwight Howard, Amare, Monta Ellis, Andrew Bynum, Josh Smith, Al jefferson, Rashad Lewis.
My friend and I had a huge argument as to which team was better. Obviously it was between the two US teams; the international team just does not have great depth. Anyway am interested to hear what most people think. Which team is better, the team with players who went to college or the one with players who came from high school.
mark saniano Said,
January 7, 2010 @ 11:04 pm
i think nocioni should not be there…
Danny Said,
January 8, 2010 @ 8:35 am
It’s hilarious how some of you can’t read.
@Gil: So what if the rules are ’stupid’? You’re just being argumentative for argumentative’s sake.
7 Said,
January 8, 2010 @ 9:04 am
OH man How can you forget TONI KUKOC????
He should definitley be in the nr 1 squad insted of kirilenko!!!