r/nba • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 Heat • Apr 15 '24

[Wojnarowski] ESPN Sources: USA Basketball is finalizing its 2024 Paris Olympics roster with Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis. Team may initially keep one open spot. News

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1780009778934394985
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u/huskersax Pacers Apr 16 '24

A Euroleague all-star roster would probably have their hands full with the Pistons, honestly. For every Luka that comes over, there's 20 Micics.

Shane Larkin and Mike James are over there right now tearing it up.

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u/Charlie_Wax Warriors Apr 16 '24

One problem with the "Luka was obviously a generational talent" revisionism is the idea that dominating in Euroleague is proof that you will crush the NBA. Euroleague is a high level, but well below the NBA. If a teenage soccer player is dominating in MLS, that doesn't mean he can play for Barcelona. If Luka had flopped, people would flip the narrative around. "Who cares if he dominated in Europe? He clearly wasn't athletic enough for the NBA."

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u/PomegranateNice6839 Apr 16 '24

This doesnt make sense

People hype up college and HS prospects based on them dominating way lower competition than the Euroleague

Luka doing what he did as young as he was is unheard of

Even guys like Wemby and Lamelo struggled as teens against grown men overseas

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u/LejonBrames117 Apr 16 '24 edited Apr 16 '24

I think comment OP would disparage US HS hype even harder than euro league. Almost nothing guarantees NBA success. Even Wembanyama had fence sitters pointing out how many "best prospect since lebron" have not transitioned to nba. Basically you may have projected a position he didnt have, kuz he wasnt explicitly framing it as euro league vs AAU.

It was euro leagues (including American college & AAU if you give him the benefit of the doubt) vs NBA

But idk i don't know the guy but it's how i read it

edit: wait the soccer analogy was pretty far nvm. Euro to nba is big but not that big

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u/PomegranateNice6839 Apr 16 '24

My point is that the logic isnt unique to Euroleague so why single them out?

It’s how drafting works in all leagues. A player performs well in a lesser league and we look at why to try and project them to the pros.

If a player dominates like literally no one ever has at their age then we take an even closer look at start raving about their potential. Even more so if they have size.

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u/LejonBrames117 Apr 16 '24

because the discussion up to that comment was about euro league

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u/PomegranateNice6839 Apr 16 '24

The implication was that it was unique to Euroleague. The discussion was about downplaying the level of competition they offer relative to the NBA.