Sports

NBA Pipeline from Europe Getting Bigger, Deeper and Stronger

Published

10 years ago

June 23, 2015

In this Feb. 22, 2015, file photo, Indiana Pacers forwards Damjan Rudez (9) and Luis Scola talk during a break in play against the Golden State Warriors in the second half of an NBA basketball game. Rudez is impressed with the growth hes seeing in European basketball. Recently, the Croatian native who attended a Basketball Without Borders camp more than a decade ago returned to his home country to work with another batch of potential stars and couldnt believe the changes. (AP Photo/R Brent Smith, File)

MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When Pacers forward Damjan Rudez returned to the Basketball Without Borders camp earlier this month, there were some noticeable changes.

The long, gangly European kids he competed with and against in 2003 had been replaced by bigger, stronger, more polished teenagers.

Perhaps it’s just a natural progression for the program designed to turn international prospects such as Rudez into NBA contributors and then bring back those graduates as teachers to work with the next generation of international stars. Or perhaps, the players are maturing much quicker — much like American players seem to be.

Either way, one thing is clear: BWB is helping to turn Europe into a fertile training ground for NBA hopefuls.

An indication of the program’s success could come during Thursday night’s draft.

A record 101 foreign-born players began this season on NBA rosters, and three more — Emmanuel Mudiay of China, Kristaps Porzingis of Latvia and Mario Hezonja of Croatia — are potential top 10 picks.

“Honestly, the camp hasn’t changed a lot. The principles are the same,” said Rudez, who just completed his first NBA season with the Pacers. “The NBA has done a terrific job of organizing the whole thing — great gear, great conditions for working. But it seems like these days, the kids are growing like crazy. They’re huge. I don’t remember us being that tall or that powerful or that big when we were here.”

The initial goals of BWB were simple — find the best players in the world, teach them skills that would make them productive pro players and continue to expand the talent pool. Since the inaugural 2001 camp in Treviso, Italy, more than 2,300 players from more than 120 countries have participated and the success stories have steadily increased.

Thirty-three grads have been drafted including Andrea Bargnani, the No. 1 overall pick in 2006, and Joel Embiid, the No. 3 overall pick last year. Two more players, Rudez and Boston’s Luigi Datome, have made rosters as undrafted free agents.

The Europeans “are pretty good,” Charlotte center and former Indiana University star Cody Zeller said after working his second international camp in two years. “I can see where there’s a couple that have that (NBA) potential, and even the ones that don’t make the NBA, I think, will have productive careers overseas.”

This global trend isn’t subsiding.

The last two No. 1 overall draft picks, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, grew up in Canada. The NBA’s European contingent includes Luol Deng, Marc and Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker and Ricky Rubio. Manu Ginobili, Nene and Anderson Varejao all honed their basketball skills in South America, while Andrew Bogut and Kyrie Irving were born in Australia.

Their once-subtle impact on the NBA is also growing.

“There’s a lot of pride in Europe in teaching the fundamentals,” Pacers assistant coach Dan Burke said after working the camp. “From what I’ve seen, we don’t get as much opportunity to see the 17-year-olds (in the U.S.), but what we see coming in is a lack of fundamentals. There are a lot of different reasons for it. Some people say AAU just rolls the ball out and they play. They get by on athleticism and God-given talent. But the ones who really work, you do notice that, and the NBA game is getting to a point where you can’t just run over guys.

“I think the states are getting back to teaching fundamentals, but I don’t see those building blocks like you do here.”

In fact, the European style has even given American coaches new tools.

At a recent high school coaching clinic, Kentucky’s John Calipari demonstrated how he used the Euro step with his own team last season. He explained it improved his players’ efficiency ratings because they could either get to the basket cleanly, allowing them to play at a faster pace, or draw fouls, which allowed them to score with the clock stopped.

And now it’s time for the 20-something contingent of players like Wiggins and Rudez to reach out to the next wave of European prospects.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Charlotte Hornets to Host NBA All-Star Game in 2017

Don't Miss

St. Louis Cardinals Under Investigation by the FBI for Hacking the Houston Astros

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

2 months ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

Published

2 months ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.

First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.

The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor. I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.

But I did.

Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.

As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.

I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.

History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.

Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.

For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.

Football and Identity Politics

My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.

Not if they were White.

Still, he believed in America. He never gave up.

Sort of like Nikko Remigio.

My dad would have loved Nikko.

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?

Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.

Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.

That’s all I needed to see.

He’s our Filipino guy.

Detractors may call it “identity politics.”

People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.

I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.

For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.

But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.

I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.

I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.

Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.

But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.

The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1 Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Bay Area

Tina Thompson: Champion, Legend, and Pioneer of Women’s Basketball

Known for her signature red lipstick, Thompson displayed confidence and style on the court, becoming an icon both for her gameplay and her individuality. Her ability to score from anywhere on the floor, combined with her defensive prowess, made her one of the league’s most formidable players.

Published

3 months ago

January 5, 2025

Oakland Post

Tina Thompson at 2013 WNBA All-Star game at Mohegan Sun. 27 July 2013. Photo: Danny Karwaski/Wikimedia Commons.

By Tamara Shiloh

The establishment of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 1996 was a turning point for women’s sports, creating a professional platform for female basketball players to showcase their skills at the highest level. Among the trailblazers who helped launch the league, Tina Thompson stands out as the first African American woman drafted into the WNBA.

Tina Thompson was born on February 10, 1975, in Los Angeles, California. Raised in a basketball-loving household, she quickly developed a passion for the game. Thompson improved her skills on the playgrounds of South Central Los Angeles, often playing against boys, which toughened her game and fueled her competitive edge.

She attended the University of Southern California (USC), where she became a standout player for the Trojans. Known for her versatility, scoring ability, and relentless work ethic, she earned All-Pac-10 honors multiple times and cemented her reputation as one of the top collegiate players in the nation.

When the WNBA held its first-ever draft on April 28, 1997, Tina Thompson made history as the league’s first African American player to be drafted. Selected as the first overall pick by the Houston Comets, she joined a team that would go on to dominate the early years of the WNBA.

Tina’s selection was a historic moment, symbolizing the league’s commitment to showcasing diverse talent. As a Black woman in a pioneering role, Thompson carried the hopes of aspiring African American female athletes who dreamed of playing professional basketball.

Tina wasted no time making an impact in the WNBA. As a key member of the Houston Comets alongside legends Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes, she helped lead the team to an unprecedented four consecutive championships from 1997 to 2000. The Comets’ dynasty became the gold standard for excellence in the league’s early years.

Over a career spanning 17 seasons, Tina established herself as one of the WNBA’s all-time greats. She retired as the league’s leading scorer, a record she held until it was broken by Diana Taurasi. She was a nine-time WNBA All-Star and was named to multiple All-WNBA teams, cementing her status as one of the sport’s legends.

In 2018, Thompson’s contributions to basketball were recognized with her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The honor underscored her influence not just as a player, but as a trailblazer for African American women in sports.

After retiring from professional basketball, she transitioned into coaching, using her experience and knowledge to mentor young athletes. She has served as a head coach at the collegiate level, inspiring the next generation of players to pursue excellence both on and off the court.

As a role model and advocate, Thompson has consistently emphasized the importance of education, empowerment, and self-belief. Her story resonates with countless young women who see in her the embodiment of perseverance and success.

Tina Thompson is presently in her third season as an assistant coach at the University of Texas at Austin.