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Are the Raptors Too Eurocentric?

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  • Are the Raptors Too Eurocentric?

    This was from yesterday's National Post courtesy of Jeff Blair. Good read and seeing how we have 6.5 months to stew and analyze things are we still too Euro focused?

    Toronto’s long-term viability as an NBA franchise will depend on international players because international basketball players are a great deal like Latino baseball players: They’ve grown up with passports, so for them going through the Canadian border is not akin to an invitation to a night in Guantanamo Bay.

    The flip side is that people still wonder about communication and culture. Hell, old-time basketball guys still wonder whether a team with so many internationals gets less respect from NBA game officials.

    Colangelo wonders why Turkoglu doesn’t get more calls (“Hedo, for whatever reason, has just struggled getting calls but it has nothing to do with him being an international player”) and Bargnani’s limited trips to the charity-stripe are due to his hovering on the perimeter by design. But with Bosh out, Colangelo agreed that, “Andrea does need to get more post-oriented and get to the line.” Colangelo acknowledges his team has problems with defensive intensity but “that is not something limited to the international players.” “Regarding defence and intensity,” Colangelo wrote, “we seem to be challenged across the board.

    “I have to continue building this basketball team following the same philosophy, convictions and instinct that have helped me find success throughout my career,” Colangelo said. “No disrespect, but I can’t let the media (or bloggers for that matter) dictate the way we conduct our business. In the end, winning games is the single biggest key to keeping our fans content and engaged.”
    Source - Click here

  • #2
    EDIT: ignore lol too much jack

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    • #3
      Short answer yes, long answer involve chuck and how he thinks we should stop playing sub-burbs ball. But it's still yes.

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      • #4
        I got two words for ya: Hell Fuckin' Yea!! No problem with Euro/International players, we just have the wrong mix. We need the Scola, Ginobli, Najera type. Tougher players. Bargnani could easily be one of these but he chooses not to for now which is ridiculous. If he comes back next season as "The Man", he better find some toughness and heart through the summer.

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        • #5
          It better to break down indvidual players and see what's wrong with them instead of imputing an entire continent because of a few bad apples.

          The reason the Raptors are Eurocentric is the fact that we can''t yet convince bigger (American) stars to come here.

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          • #6
            i don't think we can have this conversation again and again and again.

            it only becomes a problem when BC (and I think he just might be doing this) gets Euro players that are not as good as other AVAILABLE North American players. Euro or not, BC just needs to get the best players he can.

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            • #7
              I'm thinking maybe it is a continental thing. North American players grow up playing a different style of hoops compared to European ones. If you watch the Euroleague it is apparent that it is a much more jumpshot and perimeter oriented league. There's a reason almost all Euro big men and shoot jumpers decently. The NBA style of ball just does not allow an easy transition for players who grew up with the Eurostyle.

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              • #8

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                • #9
                  It's not that all euro players can't play D it's just all euro players the raptors have can't play D

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