<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>NEW YORK, April 20, 2006 ? When the NBA Playoffs tip off on April 22, team rosters will feature a record 44 international players from 25 countries and territories. Almost every team competing in the Playoffs will feature at least one international player. This year?s number of international players nearly doubles last year?s, when 24 players from 18 countries and territories participated in the Playoffs.The Playoffs feature 17 international players in the Eastern Conference and 27 in the Western Conference. The San Antonio Spurs have the most international players on a Playoff roster with a record seven. At the end of the 2005-06 regular season, the NBA featured 82 international players from 38 countries and territories on team rosters (both active and inactive).International players in the NBA Playoffs 2006:EASTERN CONFERENCE (17)Chicago Bulls (3): Luol Deng (Sudan), Andres Nocioni (Argentina) and Luke Schenscher (Australia)Cleveland Cavaliers (3): Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Lithuania), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Serbia and Montenegro) and Anderson Varejao (Brazil)Detroit Pistons (1): Carlos Delfino (Argentina)Indiana Pacers (2): Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania) and Peja Stojakovic (Serbia and Montenegro)Milwaukee Bucks (5): Andrew Bogut (Australia), Dan Gadzuric (Netherlands), Toni Kukoc (Croatia), Jamaal Magloire (Canada) and Jiri Welsch (Czech Republic)New Jersey Nets (3): Nenad Krstic (Serbia and Montenegro), Bostjan Nachbar (Slovenia) and Zoran Planinic (Croatia)WESTERN CONFERENCE (27) Dallas Mavericks (3): DeSagana Diop (Senegal), Didier Ilunga-Mbenga (Congo) and Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)Denver Nuggets (3): Francisco Elson (Netherlands), Linas Kleiza (Lithuania) and Eduardo Najera (Mexico)Los Angeles Clippers (2): Vladimir Radmanovic (Serbia and Montenegro) and Zeljko Rebraca (Serbia and Montenegro)Los Angeles Lakers (2): Ronny Turiaf (Martinique) and Sasha Vujacic (Slovenia)Memphis Grizzlies (2): Pau Gasol (Spain) and Jake Tsakalidis (Greece)Phoenix Suns (6): Leandro Barbosa (Brazil), Raja Bell (U.S. Virgin Islands), Pat Burke (Ireland), Boris Diaw (France), Steve Nash (Canada) and Nikoloz Tskitishvili (Georgia)Sacramento Kings (2): Francisco Garcia (Dominican Republic), and Vitaly Potapenko (Ukraine)San Antonio Spurs (7): Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Sean Marks (New Zealand), Rasho Nesterovic (Slovenia), Fabricio Oberto (Argentina), Tony Parker (France) and Beno Udrih (Slovenia)</div>I think this is a good thing for the NBA,there critized alot for having most of the league being black.Not to mention alot of the people on this list are good players.
The NBA has really expanded.This just proves how hard it is to make the NBA now. Not only do you have to be one of the best players in the US but you have to be one of the best players in the world.The NBA is very world wide. You have scouts in countries we never heard of.
That's great for the NBA. This is why Hicks would rather watch the MLB and NFL because theres "too many damn euros". I for one love the NBA's diversity. A freakin white Canadian won MVP.
I'm just glad that the NBA has moved on from rating foreign born players too high, saying all of them would be like Dirk, Gasol, and AK-47...when they weren't.Just like with the highschoolers.
Yeah^^ the NBA is whole another ball game.I think Redick will be a flop. How many time have we heard of a player who is "too good of a shooter" too flop. Wayy to one-dimensional.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (arya202 @ Apr 20 2006, 07:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think Redick will be a flop. How many time have we heard of a player who is "too good of a shooter" too flop. Wayy to one-dimensional.</div> :worthy: :worthy:
I dont think Redick will be a flop. On saying that, he wont be a star player like a Reggie Miller or something, but dont be suprised when he becomes a Jeff Horneck or a poor man's Michael Redd. I think really though, it depends on what kind of offense he is in. If he has a nice dominant post player on his team, he will be great, if not, he wont be as good.Another thing, i dont like how they add Tim Duncan and Raja Bell to that list. They were born on U.S. Territories. That makes them American citizens. If they were foreign, how come Duncan was able to play in the Olyimics on the U.S. squad? I dont consider Duncan and whoever else that was born on U.S. territories forgein players.
The guy can't play D, can't run, and can only catch and shoot (we're not even sure if he can do that since the NBA has a farther line)I can maybe see him being a Peja but only in the Princeton offense being run by a good team like the early 2000 kings or maybe the Triangle as like a Steve Kerr.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (arya202 @ Apr 21 2006, 12:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The guy can't play D, can't run, and can only catch and shoot (we're not even sure if he can do that since the NBA has a farther line)I can maybe see him being a Peja but only in the Princeton offense being run by a good team like the early 2000 kings or maybe the Triangle as like a Steve Kerr.</div>Are you telling me Michael Redd, Peja, Reggie Miller, Steve Kerr, etc played great defense?? And about the distance, did you watch any Duke games in the last four years?? He was able to shoot the ball from any where on the court and make it. As for his running, i'm not sure if your talking about his speed or his endurance. he isnt the fastest player on the court by any means, but he has great endurance. His senior season, he averaged like 37 minutes a game. Now in the NBA, he isnt going to be playing 37 minutes. I dont see endurance or distance a problem with this guy.
I have only watched some of the final four game I'll admit. But this guy just isn't athletic to NBA standards. He won't get up the court fast enough or get to his open spot fast enough and he definetly won't be able to do it for 37 minutes in the NBA.When people say guys like Peja don't play D that's relative. The play the worst you can possibly get in the NBA. I don't think JJ has the foot speed nor the wing span for NBA level defense.
damn, i wonder if the spurs will ever draft an american, the only americans we have are old and one that is signed from the d-league
well check this outistons only have 1 international player, the team is mostly american.the spurs have the most international players, coming in at 7.lets see how this matches up. THE AMERICANS AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMS..no i'm kidding but it's just a funny fact. (the defending champs having the most international players and all. and then the favored team to win it all in the detroit pistons w/ only 1 international player on their roster.)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (regularguy @ Apr 20 2006, 10:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>well check this outistons only have 1 international player, the team is mostly american.the spurs have the most international players, coming in at 7.lets see how this matches up. THE AMERICANS AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMS..no i'm kidding but it's just a funny fact. (the defending champs having the most international players and all. and then the favored team to win it all in the detroit pistons w/ only 1 international player on their roster.)</div>and i read that one international player might not even play, he said he'd rather play for his national team
That's interesting haha.So in the finals you might be rooting for more than your favorite team. Ironic, not really but seems like the right word, haha.