With so many international players taken last night, a record setting number in the first round, plus players like Ben Simmons, Jamaal Murray and etc. that aren't originally from the USA...is the rest of the world finally starting to catch up?

Just read @gametime post this in the Draft thread, so maybe that's a big part of the answer:

 

As I have told you guys for years, this draft class is awful. When that happens, you see a bunch of Euro guys drafted that they don't have to pay...

I don't think so.

 

This year's draft class was exceptionally weak outside of about 5-7 guys. With that being the case, teams were drafting guys from overseas that they can "draft and stash". They keep the guys overseas to continue to develop, don't have to pay them, and still own their draft rights.

 

I think any time you see a large influx of foreign guys go in a draft, it's typically a sign of a weak class.

GT & UKMF. You guys are probably right.

 

However, what about a lot of the top players that are being drafted that are also foreign born (e.g Simmons & Murray)

 

2015 #1 - KAT could be argued that he's Dominican Republic, especially since he'll never play for Team USA

 

2014 #1 - Wiggins - Canada

2014 #3 - Embiid - Can't remember, but he's not American born

2014 #5 - Exum - Australia

 

I don't pay as much attention to the NBA as many of you, but it just seems like a lot more foreign born and/or total International players are being drafted, as well as being drafted early. Nothing wrong with it, but I think David Stern's dream (assumption) is starting to really come to fruition.

GT & UKMF. You guys are probably right.

 

However, what about a lot of the top players that are being drafted that are also foreign born (e.g Simmons & Murray)

 

2015 #1 - KAT could be argued that he's Dominican Republic, especially since he'll never play for Team USA

 

2014 #1 - Wiggins - Canada

2014 #3 - Embiid - Can't remember, but he's not American born

2014 #5 - Exum - Australia

 

I don't pay as much attention to the NBA as many of you, but it just seems like a lot more foreign born and/or total International players are being drafted, as well as being drafted early. Nothing wrong with it, but I think David Stern's dream (assumption) is starting to really come to fruition.

 

And where do most of those guys end up going to high school/college? They move here to do it because they won't get developed in their home countries the way they will here. There is talent everywhere and there always has been, but how it's developed or not developed is the question. It gets developed here much much better on average.

With the Olympics coming up we'll see. We're effectively bringing our B squad w/ the exception of Durant and Cousins. If we don't win the gold, we can have the argument. I don't see much ball movement coming from the players that are actually going to go, so I could see us losing a game or 2.

With the Olympics coming up we'll see. We're effectively bringing our B squad w/ the exception of Durant and Cousins. If we don't win the gold, we can have the argument. I don't see much ball movement coming from the players that are actually going to go, so I could see us losing a game or 2.

 

I was looking through a potential roster last night. It's crazy. We're in this era of great point guards and basically none of them are available to play for the USA this summer.

Karl-Anthony Towns is 100% Dominican. He plays for their national team

Karl-Anthony Towns is 100% Dominican. He plays for their national team

 

He was born in New Jersey, but is able to play for them because his mother was from the Dominican Republic

We're effectively bringing our B squad w/ the exception of Durant and Cousins. If we don't win the gold, we can have the argument.

 

This.

With the Olympics coming up we'll see. We're effectively bringing our B squad w/ the exception of Durant and Cousins. If we don't win the gold, we can have the argument. I don't see much ball movement coming from the players that are actually going to go, so I could see us losing a game or 2.

 

I was looking through a potential roster last night. It's crazy. We're in this era of great point guards and basically none of them are available to play for the USA this summer.

 

Is it too late to put Kobe on the coaching staff for motivational purposes?

Is it too late to put Kobe on the coaching staff for motivational purposes?

 

EXACTLY!!! Kobe made it cool again to rep your country. His time in Europe with watching the Euros and the World Cup exposed him to this crazy world of sports driven Nationalism. He cherished rep ping the Stars and Stripes. Durant seems to as well, but he isn't cool like Kobe. We need a transcendent star to take that mantle.

He was born in New Jersey, but is able to play for them because his mother was from the Dominican Republic

 

Right, but if FIBA is like FIFA he can't bc he rep ped them in a competitive game.

EXACTLY!!! Kobe made it cool again to rep your country. His time in Europe with watching the Euros and the World Cup exposed him to this crazy world of sports driven Nationalism. He cherished rep ping the Stars and Stripes. Durant seems to as well, but he isn't cool like Kobe. We need a transcendent star to take that mantle.

 

We all know that Durant is what he is, and that isn't a forceful personality, one who can will teammates to victory. Who's on the roster who fits that role? Is Charles Oakley still eligible?

As long as Melo is in, those guys have a shot. He seems to take pride in playing in the Olympics.