Do NBA stars really want to play overseas if lockout continues?

[fitimi1]

Below is a link to an article posing the question contained in the title to the post.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-shannonowens-nba-players-overseas-20110711,0,6426165.column

Guess the best advice is, look before you leap. Would be interesting to see what some of the former Duke players who have played overseas would say.

If this belongs in another thread, please move.

[CDu]

Below is a link to an article posing the question contained in the title to the post.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-shannonowens-nba-players-overseas-20110711,0,6426165.column

Guess the best advice is, look before you leap. Would be interesting to see what some of the former Duke players who have played overseas would say.

If this belongs in another thread, please move.

I'm sure that few of the players really want to play overseas. I'm guessing that for many players it may be a matter of needing the paycheck. I'm not saying that they should need the paycheck (even the minimum salary should be well more than sufficient to subsist). But I remember reading numerous times that many of the players wind up living paycheck to paycheck, and that the lockout could break them.

[theAlaskanBear]

Below is a link to an article posing the question contained in the title to the post.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-shannonowens-nba-players-overseas-20110711,0,6426165.column

Guess the best advice is, look before you leap. Would be interesting to see what some of the former Duke players who have played overseas would say.

If this belongs in another thread, please move.

I really, really dislike the tone of that article, and the tone of some of the TV heads saying essentially, "oh, these pampered superstars couldn't possible enjoy life elsewhere."

"Someone needs to remind Deron that there isn't a Ruth's Chris in Istanbul."

Very demeaning.

[rthomas]

I love basketball, loved to play basketball, love it now at 56. I would want to play anywhere. anywhere.

I would play Afghanistan.

Same with golf.

[tux]

I really, really dislike the tone of that article, and the tone of some of the TV heads saying essentially, "oh, these pampered superstars couldn't possible enjoy life elsewhere."

"Someone needs to remind Deron that there isn't a Ruth's Chris in Istanbul."

Very demeaning.

I couldn't agree more.

Also, I'm a bit suspicious of some of these arguments. I think major US stars playing overseas is a big threat to the owners and their bargaining position for the new CBA. If an employer decides to lock you out and prevent you from earning a living, then you should be free to find employment elsewhere. The idea that someone would only do that if the other job was equally lucrative is suspect.

For a young guy in the NBA, playing overseas sounds like a nice little adventure to me; why wouldn't they do it...

[uh_no]

I couldn't agree more.

Also, I'm a bit suspicious of some of these arguments. I think major US stars playing overseas is a big threat to the owners and their bargaining position for the new CBA. If an employer decides to lock you out and prevent you from earning a living, then you should be free to find employment elsewhere. The idea that someone would only do that if the other job was equally lucrative is suspect.

For a young guy in the NBA, playing overseas sounds like a nice little adventure to me; why wouldn't they do it...

I'm with you here. As much as we see the rich and pampered star in sports, you gotta remember that these guys love the game, and if they have an opportunity to do what they love, then why not do it? For some guys, i'm sure there is also the thrill of bringing a top level product to places that haven't necessarily seen it before. You could probably find a good number of nba guys who would play pro ball for 1/10 of what they make (heck the women do....)

I also don't doubt that some of them aren't the most fiscally responsible....and actually need the money (the NFL's "lockout handbook" was evidence of this....) and we must remember that not everyone makes lebron money.....This type of situation is a good example of why having an education can be beneficial. Nolan, for example, is fully qualified to get a job elsewhere if he needed to (given why do that if you can play ball around the world) but that option isn't available to a lot of guys

[sporthenry]

I also remember when Childress went over there, a lot of questions were brought up about top players going overseas b/c some of the foreign owners could pay more than NBA teams could ever hope. That was when LeBron had ideas of becoming a billionaire and said he wasn't opposed to it.

I'm not sure what finances look like for these clubs now but I have to think that most players could get at least most if not all or more of what they are currently making when Childress made a lot more there than he would in the NBA. I've also read stories where they are treated like superstars and some teams pay for their housing and to have nice cars.

I would suspect that some of this is just posturing so that the owners don't hold all of the chips and I'm not sure how these teams could accomodate a mass exodus of players into their leagues but I would suspect that a decent amount would go over to Europe and the ignorance that they need the NBA would be lost pretty quickly.

[brevity]

we must remember that not everyone makes lebron money.....

Under these labor circumstances, and in this economy, I'm not sure that LeBron makes LeBron money.

But what about Samsung money? The hot rumor is that LeBron James is taking his talents to South Korea...

[UrinalCake]

I think what Deron Williams doing is the exception rather than the rule. Yes there are some players who would relish the opportunity to play overseas, but most of them would not. Players with families would find it harder to relocate. And it's not like these foreign leagues will take an unlimited number of Americans, so while the owners may lose a handful of superstars at most, the NBA as a whole will not be threatened. Honestly I think there's a lost of posturing by the players right now who are claiming they'll go overseas but have no intention of doing so.

What I do wonder about is rookies playing overseas for more money. Since they're bound by their fixed contract scale (assuming this doesn't change in the new CBA), it might be beneficial for a late-first round pick sort of player to go overseas for a couple years, allow the clock to run on his rookie contract while making more money, then come back and sign that monster second contract. Kind of like what Rubio did, though in his case there were additional circumstances.

[CDu]

I think what Deron Williams doing is the exception rather than the rule. Yes there are some players who would relish the opportunity to play overseas, but most of them would not. Players with families would find it harder to relocate. And it's not like these foreign leagues will take an unlimited number of Americans, so while the owners may lose a handful of superstars at most, the NBA as a whole will not be threatened. Honestly I think there's a lost of posturing by the players right now who are claiming they'll go overseas but have no intention of doing so.

What I do wonder about is rookies playing overseas for more money. Since they're bound by their fixed contract scale (assuming this doesn't change in the new CBA), it might be beneficial for a late-first round pick sort of player to go overseas for a couple years, allow the clock to run on his rookie contract while making more money, then come back and sign that monster second contract. Kind of like what Rubio did, though in his case there were additional circumstances.

I don't think it would be limited to just rookies. I think those veterans with poor financial habits and who are accustomed to their lifestyle may find themselves in need of playing overseas for a paycheck. That would stop as soon as the lockout ended, but who knows how long the lockout will be?

[UrinalCake]

I was actually thinking even after the lockout ends, whether some rookie players will go overseas because they can make more money. For veterans I would think the money would be better in the NBA, although I guess Allen Iverson is an example of someone who did do this. It's kind of ironic how the NBA has been pushing so hard to globalize their brand, and now their overseas popularity could end up hurting the league.

[uh_no]

I was actually thinking even after the lockout ends, whether some rookie players will go overseas because they can make more money. For veterans I would think the money would be better in the NBA, although I guess Allen Iverson is an example of someone who did do this. It's kind of ironic how the NBA has been pushing so hard to globalize their brand, and now their overseas popularity could end up hurting the league.

I would hardly say it would hurt the NBA....as while it could take athletes, there are many benefits if the NBA plays their cards right. For example: I wouldn't say that national soccer federations are hurt by the fact that soccer is a HUGE international sport....if anything, it helps breed interest in the sport domestically for the players who are there....now if the NBA goes "woe is me" and pretends that international basketball doesn't exist....that could be a mistake....but if they pulled a soccer, tried to encourage the leagues abroad (loaning players perhaps?) then who knows? (I don't anyway)

just something to think about

[Acymetric]

I would hardly say it would hurt the NBA....as while it could take athletes, there are many benefits if the NBA plays their cards right. For example: I wouldn't say that national soccer federations are hurt by the fact that soccer is a HUGE international sport....if anything, it helps breed interest in the sport domestically for the players who are there....now if the NBA goes "woe is me" and pretends that international basketball doesn't exist....that could be a mistake....but if they pulled a soccer, tried to encourage the leagues abroad (loaning players perhaps?) then who knows? (I don't anyway)

just something to think about

Getting NBA teams involved in some inter-league tournaments could be pretty awesome.

[uh_no]

Getting NBA teams involved in some inter-league tournaments could be pretty awesome.

Yeah, that's what i'm talking about. I mean, premier league teams come to scrimmage against the mls.....why can't we get a club team tournament going every few years?

[sporthenry]

Yeah, that's what i'm talking about. I mean, premier league teams come to scrimmage against the mls.....why can't we get a club team tournament going every few years?

Well you'd first have to decide on the rules. Then you'd also have to give it credibility which I don't think it would have especially since the gap in talent is so big. I guess the gap would diminish a bit if players left but I still think it would be a big gap. Most NBA teams wouldn't want to risk injury or even care who wins. They do have preseason games as Trajan played the Clippers and Corey a few years back.

But a better comparison would be everyone knows the Champions league which crowns the best team in Europe. But few know that there is actually a Fifa Club World Cup after that. The prestige of winning that tournament pales in comparison so I think you would have something similar here where everyone wants to win the NBA Champ. but nobody would care about this one. And in a game where injuries can define a career, I just don't think its a viable option.

[uh_no]

Well you'd first have to decide on the rules. Then you'd also have to give it credibility which I don't think it would have especially since the gap in talent is so big. I guess the gap would diminish a bit if players left but I still think it would be a big gap. Most NBA teams wouldn't want to risk injury or even care who wins. They do have preseason games as Trajan played the Clippers and Corey a few years back.

But a better comparison would be everyone knows the Champions league which crowns the best team in Europe. But few know that there is actually a Fifa Club World Cup after that. The prestige of winning that tournament pales in comparison so I think you would have something similar here where everyone wants to win the NBA Champ. but nobody would care about this one. And in a game where injuries can define a career, I just don't think its a viable option.

The difference in talent between the NBA and the rest of the world is no less substantial than that between the premiership and the MLS (imo). My point is not that this particular tournament has to happen, but that if handled correctly, the globalization of the NBA, and the possible defection of player abroad (if played correctly) should serve as a gain for the game at large (including the nba) and most certainly should not hurt the league, much the same way that the strength of the champions league and the other national federations likely strengthens the premiership.

[sporthenry]

The difference in talent between the NBA and the rest of the world is no less substantial than that between the premiership and the MLS (imo). My point is not that this particular tournament has to happen, but that if handled correctly, the globalization of the NBA, and the possible defection of player abroad (if played correctly) should serve as a gain for the game at large (including the nba) and most certainly should not hurt the league, much the same way that the strength of the champions league and the other national federations likely strengthens the premiership.

Actually, the strength of other leagues has seemed to substantially hurt the Premier league b/c they have had mass defections from the league. There is probably some who would argue the EPL isn't the best league in the world. And I guess it would be a gain for the game as a whole and perhaps I look at this in a bit of a selfish way but apart from bringing in more millions from jersey sales, etc, I'm not sure what the NBA would really gain from getting more viewership in Russia or Africa. So I guess there would be more money but I see no way how losing players like Deron Williams or Kevin Durant would ever be good for the NBA or even losing players like Josh Childress. I guess you can replace a few Josh Childress' but if enough go, the NBA suffers and it wasn't exactly like Childress put up amazing number in Europe either so I think it would take players like Deron and Durant to go over there to make any kind of difference.

[fitimi1]

Here is another article with comments from a fellow who played in Europe for almost 10 years.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/os-magic-schmitz-pat-burke-0718-20110717,0,1674972.column

[ThePublisher]

I surely would if I were an NBA player. It gives the players the power. It shows that they can still get paid big dollars to play overseas. They wont get the huge contracts they get with the NBA, but overseas has really come a long way and they can still make some major dollars.