Superstar Luka Doncic may now be playing for the Dallas Mavericks, but he started his career in Europe before getting drafted. There is no doubt that there are differences in style between European basketball and the NBA, and Doncic recently explained how the two are different.
Doncic claimed that European basketball is played “more as a team”, also noting that there aren’t a lot of plays in the NBA.
“I think it’s a very different kind of basketball,” Doncic said per Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated. “In the end, you have a wider court, and the 3-point line is further away. But I think that in Europe you play more as a team, that is, in fewer minutes you play more as a team. The plays are very important. I think there are not many plays in the NBA, so team basketball is very important.”
It is true that European basketball is played on a smaller court, and there is more of an emphasis on ball movement and defense. In the NBA we see isolation basketball a lot more frequently due to the talent present.
Last season, Doncic averaged 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game for the Mavericks. It is clear that the switch from European basketball has not affected him at all, and he is bound to have another MVP-tier season with the Mavericks this year.
Nikola Jokic Believes That European Basketball Is More Difficult Than The NBA
There is no doubt that other international stars have claimed that European basketball is different from the NBA. In fact, Nikola Jokic once explained why European basketball is actually more difficult than the NBA.
“It’s a different game. Of course, it’s a little bit because of the rules. A little bit with the spaces on the floor, the 3-point line. There’s no defensive three-second violation in the key. The floor is smaller. The big man can be in the paint. The 3-point line is shorter. It was a new, old experience. I didn’t play for the national team for a long time. Is it harder? Yes, because I think you really need to have quick thinking. In the NBA, if you go by the guy, you can see the help is coming. In Europe, help is always there. So, you need to think and play ahead. It’s interesting.”
It is true that protecting the rim is easier in European basketball, and there is also a lot of emphasis on physicality and defense. Defense is played at a high level in Europe, so it is easy to see why Jokic thinks it is harder overseas than in the NBA.
The NBA Is Still More Talented Than Europe
Even though the style of play may be different in Europe, it is fair that most of the world’s elite basketball talent is concentrated in the NBA. Though a lot of top-tier superstars in the league are European as of right now, there are a lot of talented American stars who are also franchise players for their teams.
With that being said, the rest of the world is clearly growing in overall talent. Team USA didn’t medal in the 2023 FIBA World Cup despite having multiple All-Star players on the roster, and it is clear that they need to send their best squads to dominate.
Hopefully, we see international basketball continue to grow. It will be good to see even more talent enter the NBA in the future, and it is clear that basketball is on its way to being a truly global game.
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