Comments on: Austin Daye hasn’t made a 2-pointer in Russia

By: Jakob Eich

Jakob Eich — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:40:22 +0000

The problems with American born and raised players coming over to Europe are manifold. American basketball has been based on individualism, think about Michael Jordan, Magic, Bird! In the US people want to see that alpha male while in Europe the team counts. You have superstars, but think about soccer! Barcelona, Madrid, Inter, Munich, the individual doesn’t count as much as the team. If a player seems not to identify he’s pretty much gone.

I’ve played in both systems. I’ve played HS ball in the US and I used to play on a rather high level in Europe as well. I’m not talking pro-level, I’m talking a rather high level. The US still is so one-on-one based and granted, the USA has the talent to do so. In Europe you make up for this fact by simply playing really cohesive, you need to move off the ball all the time. You play zone a lot more over here and the players are altogether more fundamentally sound.

I believe it is hard to tell whether Daye will benefit from this experience basketball-wise, he will surely benefit by growing as a person. I love that he is going over there and is able to experience a new culture and a new way of basketball and maybe finally has a coach who is adept at coaching. I think he is eager to learn, although all I think he needs is more confidence and a little more athleticism. He is a bright young player and I saw great potential in him last season. He has become very adept at defending within the team, he’s just not a good one-on-one defender, anyway his longs enable him to close down passing angles and to bother his opponents shot etc.

All in all it should be a great experience for him!

By: gmehl1977

gmehl1977 — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:39:52 +0000

The same thing happens with Americans players over here in Australia. I put it all down to the way the game is officiated in different countries. Take the Olympics for example…team USA players always take a couple of games to get used to the officiating due to the big difference between FIBA and NBA rules.

I am 100% sure the experience Daye will get from playing in Russia will be the best thing he has ever done. The NBA is and always will be the best league in the world but the euro leagues are not far behind and will toughen him up very quickly. I know players and NBA staff are not meant to converse but i wouldn’t be surprised if Dumars had a say in Daye going overseas to play. CV should be over there too if he wanted to improve his inside game.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:03:15 +0000

Thanks for that perspective. I have noticed that American players seem to struggle at the beginning in Europe and other countries. I wonder if it’s just getting acclimated to new surroundings, style of play, etc.

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:05:30 +0000

Yep. That playoff run made a lot of people realize Conley is decent. Stuckey being on losing teams has hurt him when it comes to getting some recognition that he has actually improved.

And, as much as I hate the term, Stuckey still has more upside than Conley because of his size and the fact that if he worked at it, he could improve his outside shot.

By: Adrià

Adrià — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:02:32 +0000

I’m from Barcelona, Catalunya, in Spain. Here, in the country’s leagues, American players usually struggle in their firsts weeks at an european team. It’s really comon that their first matches are disapointing, but after the first month they play well. I would like not to see Daye playing a month overseas (that would mean there’s no NBA) but if you give him some time, he will play decently.

And Tarsier, I like your point: Conley is better (as a PG) than Stuckey, but not that much!

By: tarsier

tarsier — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:40:12 +0000

On an unrelated note (but with all the Pistons off the board, there won’t be a related post anymore), probably the best player to compare to Stuckey as a fairly equal player value-wise is Mike Conley. He put up nearly identical stats in slightly more minutes. He is a far superior 3 point shooter, he is much worse and getting to the line and at converting free throws, and he is somewhat better at picking opponents’ pockets.

And Conley just came in ESPN’s NBA rank at 65.

By: tarsier

tarsier — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:09:54 +0000

Oh and at least as big a barrier: Dumars would have to decide that he swung and missed on Daye–something that still looks about 50/50 to may fans so probably much lower odds in his mind.

By: tarsier

tarsier — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:08:18 +0000

For that trade with Prince to work, it would have to be a team that wants Prince, that Prince wants to go to, that can’t sign him outright (thus far looking like a contender), that has a salary matching asset they don’t really want but Detroit does (probably a bad expiring deal and a draft pick), AND that also has a place in their rotation for Daye (a rebuilding team in a place to take chances???). The odds of a team meeting all those conditions is insanely small.

Attaching him to Hamilton or Gordon has a little more potential. Possible trade matches off the top of my head would then be similarly overpaid players at a position of greater need (Boozer, Okafor, Haywood, Biedrins???).

By: DVS

DVS — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:44:43 +0000

Yeh.. Grrdon and CV should can Daye under their wings and teach him all there is to know about the art of defense…….

By: Patrick Hayes

Patrick Hayes — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:23:29 +0000

Hopefully Ben Gordon can teach him how to be an elite defender, amiright?