By: Erildas Budraitis
Charles Barkley described the D-League as “just a bunch of guys who don’t want to get a damn job”, while D-League president Dan Reed calls it a real opportunity to open the door to the NBA.
No matter how many new successful D-League’s stories are born every season, American players who have succeeded in Europe don’t even consider playing in the NBA’s minor league. Moreover, they are not interested in going through the 10-day to guaranteed contract process and comparing Europe with the D-League usually makes them smile.
Former NBA player J.R.Giddens, who has decided to leave the USA and come to play in overseas this season, had a chance to evaluate both the D-League and Euroleague levels. Giddens, who has also played in the D-League for the Utah Flash in 08-09 while on assignment by the Celtics, believes the Euroleague is a higher-level competition.
“In Europe, I feel like teams are more organized and more stable,” said Giddens. “You have older guys who have been over here for years, some of them have been in the NBA and then they came back to the Euroelague. I feel like Euroleague is a higher level than the D-League.”
Of course, Giddens is not the only American, who sees more advantages in Europe than in the D-League. Euroleague title contender Olympiakos Piraeus guard Jamon Lucas also sees more reasons for leaving the United States to play in Europe.
“D-League will never be a part of my dream. Never,” Lucas told RealGM. “Because you never know, one player is sitting down and you’re playing great and then you have to get on the bench. You have to know in D-League there’s lot of things outside of basketball that matters. In Europe, best players play most of the time. You come out and show what you can.”
Darrick Leonard, currently playing in the second Lithuanian league, also would not take a chance to play in the D-League versus Europe, but understands athletes who made a different decision.
“Europe to me is more of an all-around experience,” said Leonard. “You get a chance to travel around the world, meet different people and experience their culture. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity! I feel blessed to be in a situation that allows me to do so. Not everybody gets this opportunity, and maybe some players would not choose it, which is why they choose the D-League route.
“I've met some great guys abroad and if I had a chance to play in the D-League versus come to Europe... I'd choose Europe 99 out of 100 times!”
Nevertheless, money is probably the most important factor for American players, who moved overseas. Some of them have never thought about playing in the D-League just because of incredibly low salaries.
“I never consider about playing in D-League,” said Panathinaikos Athens guard Drew Nicholas, who has played in Europe for seven years. “To be honest, those guys don’t make any money and they are chasing very very slight dream to get a call-up from the NBA and hopefully stick with the NBA team but those chances are so slim.”
According to the several sources, D-League players’ salaries are around $12,000 to $24,000 per season. That is less than a foreign player could earn in an average European second league’s club, while Euroleague players’ salaries usually start from $100,000 per season.
“I don’t want to make it a “money thing” but they don’t pay a lot for players, who could make more money over here. I see a lot of people losing a lot of money because of chasing the NBA,” Lucas said. “Playing for Olympiakos is like playing for low team in the NBA.”
Players in Europe also don’t have to pay taxes, unlike NBA players, and a club is also paying for player’s living expenses. And it seems that players from the States enjoy that.
“If I can play here for the rest of my life, I will do that,” Lucas said.
“We as American basketball players can always go back home and continue our American lifestyle,” said Leonard. “I think that's pretty easy but to experience other peoples lifestyle, and eat what they eat, live how they live, is a life changing experience.
PART II
A few months ago RealGM published for the first article of “D-League Versus Europe” series, where basketball players told their stories of success overseas. However, things are not always black or white and there are also many advantages playing in the D-League.
Higher salaries, more organized teams, all-around experience - that is just one side of the whole picture. Some current and former D-League players were pleased to receive the opporturnity to be seen by NBA scouts on a consistent basis and play in their home country.
Dakota Wizards guard Maurice Baker, who has been playing in the D-League since 2006, thinks NBA really pays attention to their minor league basketball organization.
“The biggest advantages playing in the D-League is you are always in the eyes of the NBA people,” said Baker, who also played in the Euroleague in 2005-06 season. “Sometimes you could have more then five scouts at your games from different teams so that is a big plus for this league.”
Twenty-one different players were called-up to the NBA this season and it’s likely a higher number than players signed from overseas. Nevertheless, the 31-year-old point guard agrees that nowadays NBA scouts go to check players from overseas more often than few years ago.
“Playing in the D-League is not better than playing overseas anymore because the scouts are going overseas to watch players and nowadays I think it’s 50/50 ”, Baker told RealGM.
Sundiata Gaines, probably the best-known former D-League player, who played for Minessota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets this season, sees a big difference in the financial aspect between overseas and D-League but the desire to play in the NBA has took the lead.
“Overseas I could get more money,” said Gaines. “They play really physical there. There are some competetive leagues. But the advantage of playing in the D-League would be that I have been seen on every day basis. It is a sacrifice - you take more money or you take less money and be seen and hopefuly fulfil your dream.”
Former NBA player D.J. Strawberry thinks the D-League is also a good place for players who played for small schools.
“D-League helps to create your resume,” said Strawberry. “If you played for a small school, make your resume and then go overseas or even get called-up in the NBA if you had a good season. D-League is great. I had a good time there, I had good coaches.”
However, the biggest different between Europe and the D-League is the environment.
Mike Hall, who played in Italy and currently is playing in Turkey, shared his opinion about NBA players wishing to move overseas during the lockout and says that the situation is completely different from what players expect.
“Five to eight hour bus rides, roommates on the road, mandatory team meals. Has riot police ever escorted these NBA dudes to the court? When was the last time a NBA dude washed his own practice gear? Between your moms, managers and groupies I would guess never,” Hall wrote via Twitter.
“What these NBA dudes are going to do when a fan hits them in the head with a damn battery or spits on them? What are these NBA dudes are going to do when those first two checks are a few months late? A one-hour practice mid-season is considered a day off in Europe. NBA dudes would go on strike!”
Hall believes that not all NBA players would like to live in Europe.
“The majority of NBA dudes have been cared for and protected since grade school and would be in tears by Day 3 in Europe,” said the 26-year-old guard. “We had a police riot bus in front and back of our team bus in Serbia with AK-47 in their hands. I played on one of the best teams in Europe owned by Giorgio Armani. Imagine life on one of the other 50-100 teams.”
European teams like Panathinaikos Athens, Olympiakos Piraeus, Partizan Belgrade are known for their passionate fans who sometimes step over the line. Basketball clubs in Europe, especially in Greece or Serbia are accustomed to fines for fans’ behavior. Lighters, coins, bricks, chairs, bangers - that is just a part of things, which are thrown to players by teams’ supporters.
“Nothing in the States is like this. People don’t understand that,” said Olympiakos guard Jamon Lucas Gordon. “I showed them clips on YouTube when we played against Partizan with my Croatian team. But people don’t understand that in the States because you would go to jail for doing that. Some of my friends have come to see my games and they were so scared.”
As Hall said, sometimes the first two checks are a few months late, some of players didn’t get a single dollar from their club. There are hundred cases when clubs do not respect the contracts they make and players have to contact FIBA Arbitral Tribunal to get their salary.
D.J. Strawberry was one of those players who didn’t get paid. The former Phoenix Suns guard was owed more than $250,000 by the Italian team Fortitudo Bologna.
“All part of that situation was bad but other than that, the whole team and organization was good. Obviously, I was a little bit scared to come back overseas after not getting my salary,” Strawberry told RealGM.
However, after what happened in Italy Strawberry came again to Europe and now plays for Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius.
“Things happen for a reason. I just look at that as one of the things that had happened in my life. I cannot go back on or think bad about other teams because one team didn’t do something.”
Baker, who saw how the league has changed since 2006, thinks that improving working conditions and raising salaries would make the D-League a great place to play.
“In my opinion all the league need is to get better travel and pay the guys more money,” said Baker. “D-League will be just fine if they do that."
SOURCE: http://www.nbadraft.net
