Around the NBA: December to Remember 2018

Don't know if this is the right place to post this. Not sure if anyone's been following it or anything, but Mark Cuban said some things about AAU and Harrison Barnes had his own opinion on it.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...s-comments-about-american-basketball-culture/

My personal experiences with HS and AAU basketball were basically all negative. There were tournaments my HS teams played in where after games we'd have grown men meet us down on the court and start "pressuring us" (us as in there were 2 of us in my school that were decent) to transfer to bigger schools or go play for their programs, and even at my best in HS / College I was maybe d2, I just found the "business" that surrounded basketball felt dirty, from the very beginning, like 7-8th grade. I had two cousins who had pretty bad experiences as well, one was a 7 footer and one was a 6'6 wing, they were better than me in terms of actually being prospects (I stopped growing at 5'10) both had opportunities but they weren't passionate about basketball, the pressure they got at young ages just because they were tall I think pushed them away. So to some extent I "get" what Cuban was saying. However I think you look at the young players in today's game and while they're raw there are at least 15-20 guys 22ish and younger that look like they could be stars someday. In terms of talent the NBA is in great shape, even college has a lot of great athletes. The AAU and the basketball world around middle school and high school kids are doing their part in finding the stand out players for the most part. They're getting talent to the NBA. I think the NBA and the owners have this expectation that they should get great athletes that are already great basketball players. They expect 19-20 year old's to have a tremendous amount of knowledge about the game, and think it's because they don't want to put in the time and resources to develop those young guys. This is where I really disagree with Cuban, there are a lot of Europeans that come here not having a single clue what an NBA offense or defense is supposed to look like, they just don't. They teach shot mechanics well in Europe for young players, but that shouldn't get confused for them "educating" their players better. Usually the the real advantage of playing in Europe is that they're used to playing against grown men.

Anyways this is turning into a rant, I have actually changed my stance somewhat on AAU, I used to have a passionate dislike for it. Now I at least understand why they do what they do, and I think they're actually getting better at preparing the elite kids for elite competition, and sure most of them have mix tapes, but that's because they're good enough to have mix tapes.

Just thought this subject was interesting.

 

I briefly looked at that. I generally agree with Cuban here.

What I saw of Barnes response basically had to do with race issues.... not skillset. He completely missed understanding Cuban's comments.

When that happens, I question their intelligence

 

I thought Barnes comments kind of missed the mark (pun intended). I mean I dont know Barnes or Mark, Im not privy to any other conversations they have had. Just seemed to be a disconnect between Mark saying American ball players arent taught how to play basketball, and saying that what makes the nba great is all the cultures and stuff represented in the league. It almost seems like they’re not even speaking about the same subject.

 

Yep. Exactly my point

 

Wow only 4 teams in the West have a negative point differential, and other than the Suns, the worst one is -1.3. That's crazy!

 

Except Cuban mentions players getting an education. That could very well be taken as he thinks American ballers are uneducated...

 

that is interesting

 

I've often said that I don't see why we can't import the European model of scouting and coaching to the US.... The Academy System. The Bradenton, Florida Academy that Simons graduated from is similar to this.
Allow the most talented kids an alternative to college where they prepare for pro basketball while getting tutoring and playing competatively. And get the NBA and US Basketball Federation to run it a completely. So the shoe company handlers, low rent "World Wide Wes" cocksuckers, and creepy recruiting gurus.... can't find angles to generate money off these kids existence.
It isn't about removing mixtape culture. It's about removing "graft culture." These kids should have a clear apprenticship path to the profession of their choice. Not just be a link to some other person's ambitions. The NCAA system can still exist but there should be an alternative to that.

 

Give me three steps and a pivot and I'll score on anybody

 

I thought he meant more “education” in terms of knowing how to play basketball. Though I think the ultra talented prospects, “education” is usually not a priority. Its not in Europe either though.

 

Really? You question Barnes' intelligence?

What a stupid statement.

Cuban is the one who sounds like he's using race code language...

 

It seemed to me like he was talking about black players vs European ones. Education my ass.

 

Lots of european players are black.

 

C'mon bro.. He specifically mentioned Slovenia...

Stop.

 

Fair enough, but I didnt really get any vibes out of that, that were racially motivated. His comments came off as more about how he felt about the basketball systems in Europe vs America, at least to me.

 

For the record, Im not trying to say there is “no chance” there was racially motivated stuff in there. I just think one has to extrapolate some to get there, and there are other ways to take it. Whats kind of funny is its not like Slovenia is a hot bed for NBA players...
In terms of what system is better, I have my issues with the AAU and NCAA, but I have hard time believing the European leagues are so much better.

I have a serious question with this type of thing, how come news sites and journalists never ask or post follow up questions? Make Mark explain what he means instead of speculation.

To me if someone is really racist, if they talk enough you’ll know. Theres some good examples of that right now...

 

Except for probably Boogie. Could probably add Anthony Davis to that also.

 

I grew up with a black kid from South Central Slovania.......Tyrone Kovacic! Kid could ball!

 

There was nothing racist about what Cuban said.

 

Well I dont think Barnes is stupid. I sort of get the connections people are making. Woth stereotypes being what they are that Blacks are uneducated, that most of the best basketball players are black, etc. So I get why someone could see well him being critical of “mix tape” culture and education could be a subtle way of saying he believes American (mostly black) basketball players are uneducated.
I dont know him or his intentions, but thats not really how I took it. I felt like Cubans comments were mostly about the educational systems in europe vs the united states.

To me when I read Cubans comments and read Barnes comments there seems to be a disconnect.