USA! USA! Where are you?!?!?

With Dirk Nowitzki about to earn his first MVP, Steve Nash the runner-up-to-be this year (2 time reigning MVP), that is 3 straight years that American born players have been shut out of the MVP award. Combine that with the struggles of the American's at world competitions, It may be time to say USA is not the best basketball nation anymore. With more team oriented foreigners, USA basketball looks like a league full of prima donna walking billboards with nice shoes, full wallets, no heart, and zero grit. (I realize guys like Bosh, Wade, among a few others are exceptions). But A I, V C, Mello, (to name a few) have no team concept and are playing for contracts and fame. What are your guys' thoughts? And yes I am not an American, although I generally do like your country!!

USA! USA! Where are you?!?!?
ya foreign people are talented cuz we americans think were the best and dont work hard enough as foreign people
Reply:a joke right??





Well Dirk is the most overrated MVP sitting at home after getting beat by an 8 seed in a first round series in which he (once again) showed no heart. Im sure that will be his last MVP (still a great honor though, just dont think he deserved it)





And VC is playing for contracts and fame? First time I've heard that one.





Please remember that AI and Mello are being coached by George Karl.... there is no team concept. haha.





The reason why NBA players look like 'walking billboards' is because of the mass consumption based U.S. economy. This may seem like a far fetched idea, but take some time to let it sink in. You can only understand that with Satori. Do you feel it? Gone.
Reply:I'll agree with you on that. Alot of players and not just in basketball are just out for the almighty dollar. They talk about winning championships and all but when it comes down to it just look at their actions. If given the choice of taking a pay cut and going to a team that can win a championship or getting another big contract and a semi chance of winning a championship, 90% of the time they will take the contract.
Reply:If you want an international team, look at who the Utah Jazz has recruited over the last 4-5 years. Ever since the days of Stockton and Malone, the Jazz have gone international to find their players. Look at the Spurs, Parker and Manu. International players just play better TEAM ball than the "its all about me" USA players. Need more proof, watch the olympics!!
Reply:Dear tay353,





Even though there is no doubt that the world is getting better at basketball and there are definetly a multitude of great international players in the NBA; the NBA is still the premier league in basketball and its best players are still Americans.





In recent years the Americans have struggled on the world scene and the concept of a team as well as basketball fundamentals which a lot of the European players have are being emphasized. That being said- i don't think the teams that won the FIBA would be able to defeat the NBA champions (say the Spurs or the Pistons).





Remember that most players are trying to make it to the NBA to play against the elite. People go to Europe when they can't make the NBA. I also think that USA basketball does not send its very best the last couple of years. If you would have D. Wade, Kobe, T. Mac, Chris Bosh, Garnett, etc. no one in the world could touch the Americans. It would be quite interesting to see an All-star team of Non-Americans vs the Americans all-star team.





i think it's like on the playground how sometimes a group of guys who play together can beat a group of guys who are really much more talented than them. i think when USA basketball realizes that it needs to re-establish its place on the world basektball scene that they should be head and shoulders above everyone else. Most squads will have half a roster at most of NBA players. If team USA played a 82 games against the international teams- there is no doubt they would be the best team- as we all know from the NCAA(s) in a tournament where there is single elimination (once you get to the medal rounds) the best team doesn't always win out. USA is by far the most talented, and with a serious commitment and the right players should be the best in the world.





Kindly,





Nickster
Reply:Given that Nowitzki's team just got stomped by an 8 seed, and Duncan (who may or may not be American, depending on who you ask) is about to end Nash's season, I think the death nell is a bit premature.





Steve Nash has won the award largely undeservedly for the last two years. LeBron and Dwyane Wade substantially outperformed him during both years, and Wade's team won the championship last year. Nowitzki won the MVP this year. I'm sure he is elated.





If you are going to name AI, VC and Melo, why not name Billups, Hamilton, and Prince, who just ripped the very international Chicago Bulls a new one for the third consecutive game?





How did they do it? The Bulls couldn't hit the three-point shot, upon which international players rely almost exclusively.





In international play, foreign clubs succeed because U.S. players are unaccustomed to the rules and customs of international play. The trapezoidal paint area minimizes the impact of post scorers. The referees call hand checks with absurd regularity. Oh, and there is just a smidge of anti-U.S. bias.





So, while Tim Duncan and Rasheed Wallace are doing battle on the low post for the NBA championship, Nowitzki and Nash can get together for some Chardonnay and congratulate themselves on being such superb team players.





Maybe they can they can join Andes Nocioni and Leandro Barbosa in a game of HORSE. The prize? A sense of self-esteem. Europeans seem to have that in spades.
Reply:Saying USA is not the undisputed basketball championship nation is like saying that the Warriors will win the championship. Even a blind squirrel gets a nut sometimes.


Sure there are great players like Nash and Witzki, Manu and many others. However, until a nation can produce a team full of Nowitzkis and others there is really no argument. Just imagine someone taking on Duncan, K.G., King James, Kobey, and T-Mac. It's just not going to happen. Its great for the sport that other countries have produced some great teams and are starting to take interest in the sport. However, a pocket of interest in a country ie) Spain, Isreal, Brasil is a long way from a country eating and breathing basketball like the states.


If the US really wanted to, we could stop putting college coaches and college players on the court and bring home 1st. I think you said it right when you said that they are walking billboards. Talent wise - America is uncomparable in basketball...as far as winning everytime...well maybe Argentina and others have figured out something we havent.





da fish
Reply:i agree. the USA were better when they still had the dream team. man, that was the greatest team ever. imagine, MJ, magic and bird playing side-by-side.

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