One question that BallinEurope receives in the virtual inbox from time to time was asked again this week by reader Richard:
[H]ave you made an article about a comparison between the NBA and Euroleague? If you haven’t, can you make one? But if you already made it, can you give me the link? Thanks.
Hey, well, ask and ye shall receive. I’m not exactly sure what specific comparisons Richard and his ilk would like to have made, but below are enumerated a few pieces from the BallinEurope.com archive that hopefully will do the job.
Before the Beijing Olympics of 2008 (and at the dawn of BallinEurope.com), then-editor Christophe Ney took the time to answer a number of questions from English-speaking news outlet China Daily about international basketball vs. the American game in terms of quality of play, audiences, attitudes and such. Not too much has changed in terms of the information imparted in “General questions about international and European basketball,” so feel free to have a look.
Back in 2007, blogger/super coach Ettore Messina (and concomitantly, BiE editorial) put in his two Eurocents on the question, proclaiming that “European basketball [is] something between NCAA and NBA” in terms of quality.
Writing on the occasion of Theodoros Papaloukas – he “who killed the US national team in the semifinals of the [2006 FIBA World Championship],” Messina helpfully reminds – being named FIBA Europe Player of Year, Messina’s “Now They Know about Theo” remains a useful read, citing as it does a number of specific individuals still playing NBA or Euroleague ball.
An important piece BallinEurope ran in 2009 is well relevant today, though the financial situation has changed a bit more for the worse for some of Europe’s top clubs. Christophe’s “Is being drafted still worth it?” examines a crucial financial consideration for any European taken up by an NBA club past, say, the mid-first round, and also details some differences between financial considerations franchises must make on either side of The Pond.
But perhaps the single best primer on certain divergences between the NBA and top European ball can be read over at Slam Online. Blogger/player Casey Jacobsen tells all (well, a lot) about styles, economics and mentalities in an August article from his “Deutsche Land Pöst” column entitled “The NBA vs. Europe.”
Here’s hoping this helps. Until next time, vive la différence!
