Why are so many Euro Stars ready for the NBA? | Punctually

Yahoo Sports NBA Draft Analyst Krysten Peek is joined by Swish Cultures CEO Jordan Richard to discuss why there’s an influx of European NBA prospects arriving at the draft ready for Day 1 and whether the trend is likely to continue . Listen to the full conversation on “On The Clock” — part of the “Ball Don’t Lie” podcast — and subscribe at , or wherever you listen.

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Video transcript

What is it about the game and the way it’s played there and the development of these players and when they get to the league that separates them from the typical college path because we’ve seen this over and over again where international guys come in and they’re ready on day one. and don’t need major adjustments at the NBA level.

Number one, I will say they are no longer afraid of us.

Remember this is number one since Lebron and them leave all those idols that people used to look up to.

Those are gone.

I mean, a lot.

See what’s happening in France.

I mean, a lot of these players are going to grow up.

They’re already playing with Wim, so the fear level is gone.

I’ll start with that number one, because when you feel like you’re there with someone, it changes a lot.

Number two, I think in the Euro camp, I think it really showed, you know, I was in Treviso last week and number one ball movement like us in America, like we passed the ball once in transition.

We have a chance of maybe twice at most there, they pass, swing, swing, they will get the most beautiful opportunity.

And I think in the third and I asked Yok this, I asked a lot of players this, I asked Rudy Gobert this every player, you know, even Nolan Tre or who will be, you know, a lottery pick next year .

He, he said, I asked them, what’s the difference between basketball here and there?

They say, and I don’t think they mean it that way, but they’re trying to translate it.

So, but they say their mind and meaning is like their IQ compared to ours, they feel like we’re athletic, but they think the game is better than us, which is crazy because in basketball, to win a championship, you have to think about game number one.

But they say that because right now I think we’re in a space, especially as we start our development, where we’re not learning how to play, you know, the right way to play basketball.

Number one, let’s do 8 million dribbles.

I mean, to get to a point, it’s not realistic.

That doesn’t really translate, you know what it is.

I think a lot of players, like they’re training now, we’re training to be the next Lebron and the next, you know, Kobe and MJ, rather than learning to play a role, that’s why I like Jared McCain.

Very.

I keep bringing this up because I knew he would be smarter than all those kids who take 8 million dribbles to get to a spot, make an uncontrolled three until the corner scores 30.

And people are like, oh, I love it, but I, I want to see something that translates and I think that’s our biggest problem in the United States.

And compared to theirs, they’re going to train, they might not do a million dribbles, they’re going to get to a point, do a dribble, pull up, probably the most basic and boring training that we probably won’t find appealing here, but it gives account of the message.

And I think that’s big.

And you?

What do you think?

I mean, I love it.

You said they’re not afraid of us anymore.

I mean, this is spot on and just the confidence that these players are going to have now playing against, you know, turning pro at 14 or 15 years old, playing against competition that they know is going to help them translate to the NBA if they eventually want to come here.

And we saw with Nolan Reo, no, Nolan Reo is a French point guard.

He will be one of the best, he is projected to be a top five pick in next year’s draft.

He was at the Nike Hoops Summit and everyone in the gym had VJ Edgecombe saying he’s the best point guard I’ve ever played with because in that quick decision making, he’s not needing a million dribbles to set up the attack and then the VJ said he’s also really fast, so that helps too.

Um, but yeah, I, I, I’m calling it the Wim Wave and if there’s no shortage of talent coming from France and other European countries, and I think you’re right, like when we see this wave of Lebron and these, these older players leave the league, it will definitely become a more global game, more so than it already is.

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