vonkaar wrote:Um... During the prelims, Kobe, Lebron, Melo, Wade, Paul, Bosh and Howard all said that they would play in Europe if the money was right. Outside of Wade and Kobe (and LBJ, but less), who of them have really experienced 'champion level play' in the NBA? Yet any of them would pack up and leave that behind - for the money.
Exactly! The fact that they need to pay LeTravel 50 mil a year to play over there is because the league is full of scrub players. Anyone of those players (except Kobe) won't be signing long term contracts. They will make their money over 2-3 years and come back to the NBA in their prime. They ain't going to the league to put their skills to the test, they are going because C.R.E.A.M.
I'm not downplaying how international the NBA has already become, the international players that play in the NBA are there because they are the only ones worth a shit (of course there may be a few exceptions). It's easy to throw around the few great players names like Nash and No-winski, but where are the rest of the GREAT players? And no, people like the machine and Yi are NOT great players. If the league is so full of great international players then why would the USA team losing be such an upset?
I really do see where you're coming from however, these teams have heart and great teamwork. They NEED it... because it's the only thing that makes them able to compete with USA.
People were calling the 2004 Lakers the greatest team ever? Rofl... I HIGHLY doubt that. Shaq/kobe/aging Malone and aging glove... you're using Brian Cook as a sell point for talent???? People are seriously comparing them to 96' bulls or Showtime? Not to mention the countless Boston teams.
Edit : The fact the the US economy is in the toilet is one of the only reasons people like Childress are going overseas to play... and the fact that... wait for it! HE'S A SCRUB! I mean, an Italian league just inked a 39 year old Shawn Kemp.
