ESPN Insider Preview: Rookie Watch: Who could beat out Durant for ROY? Scola!

Would like to see Scola up there, but Im sticking with my original pick, Al Horford.

 

A lot of Argentine professional soccer and basketball players in playing in Europe hold dual citizenship whether it's because of their ethnic heritage or professional reasons. For instance, since Ginobili's parents are from Italy, he automatically gets both an Italian and Argentine passport. Whereas in Scola's case, he has also has a Spanish passport because this won't count towards the quota of foreign players that Spanish leagues can recruit.

In a technical sense, I he is very much European as he is an Argentine.

 

You should really watch some of his old videos (YouTube) from World Games and Olympics....the man was beast. He was about the same height as Yao, Bradley, and etc. But, he was far more athletic. In the Olympic games against the US and David Robinson, he looked like he was few steps ahead of David who is considered by many to be an all-time great center.

he wasn't stereotypically tall center, he was really good. Like a number of international players he was really good shooter. And a great post player.

If he played in the last 20 years, he would be about the best passing big man in the league, I thought his passing skills were better than Divac's.

he was already an above average NBA center in the league, when he was close to his mid 30s...a time when most centers (or even players) are in decline.

If placed with the Trailblazers of the late 80s (in his mid 20s) with Glide, Porter, and Adelman's motion offense...the Trailblazers would've won at least one or titles. I believe that would've put a nail-coffin against the Lakers Western Conference dominance even earlier than it was.

That Starting 5 would've rivaled the Lakers.

Sabonis-C
Robinson-PF
Williams/Kersey-SF
Drexler-SG
Porter-PG

I think they wouldn't have lost so easily to Pistons, I think Sabonis would've been that much better than Duckworth.

 

no he's no MJ. he was better than MJ as a rookie.

 

who else will score points for the sonics?

 

They have the dual citizenship because of professional reasons. In fact, the European clubs are usually the ones who help their players to get it, in order to give space for another foreigner in the roster.

Almost all Argentine players who played in Europe have dual citizenship... of the players who play now in the NBA: Ginobili, Oberto, Delfino and Nocioni got the Italian and Scola and Herrmann the Spanish citizenship.

P.D. As far as I know, Ginobili's parents are not Italian.

 

Scola, Rookie of the Year!

 

"While playing for Zalgiris Kaunas in 1987, he ruptured his right Achilles tendon. Only three months later, when he fell while climbing a flight of stairs to answer the phone, he ruptured the tendon again before it had fully healed.
Tendinitis in his knees followed, and before long Sabonis was not only wearing a heavy ankle brace for the Achilles but also encasing his knees and feet in ice after games.
Despite his injuries Sabonis maintained his status as one of the best European players ever. "

http://sabonis.4t.com/site/Sabonis_Catch_This.html

Here is David Robinson suffering a young and healthy Sabonis in 1986 WC:

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Other video of young Sabonis:

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he'll get it..i gotta feelin Durant will flop

 

From what Scola did in the FIBA games, especially against the US...says that he will be good rookie (sorta, because he's technically not rookie). And he flat out embrassed the US opposing centers (all of whom are touted as the best centers in the league by national media).....and you add that power with Yao's. He have pretty good center/pf combo....we might even arguably have the best one in the league.

 

Scola=ROY man has heart and doesn't back down.... Go SCOLA!!!

 

Nobody will beat Durant but don't be surprised if Al Thornton finishes 2nd in ROY voting. He's NBA ready and will play immediately due to the Elton Brand injury.

 

Nice videos of Sabonis,but he is no Hakeem
Scola will do well.If he gets ROY it will be icing on the cake.

 

Sorry to derail the thread, the Sabonis I saw was with the Trail Blazers so I know next to nothing about his international career. But seriously folks - better then Hakeem? better then Moses Malone???

Hakeem Olajuwon, 12-time All-Star, MVP (1994), two-time Finals MVP (1994, 1995) 2 Titles, 21.8 11.1 3.1 .

Wilt Chamberlain, 13-time All-Star, 4-time MVP (1960, 1966, 1967, 1968); Finals MVP (1972), Rookie of the Year (1960), Hall of Fame, 2 Titles, 30.1 22.9.

Shaq O'Neal, 14-time All-Star, MVP (2000), 3-time Finals MVP (2000, 2001, 2002), Rookie of the Year (1993) 4 Titles, 26.3 11.8 .

Bill Russell, 12-time All-Star, 5-time MVP (1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965), Hall of Fame, 11 titles, 15.1 22.5

Moses Malone, 11-time NBA All-Star, ABA All-Star, 3-time MVP (1979, 1982, 1983), Finals MVP (1983). Hall of Fame, 20.3 12.3.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 19-time All-Star, 6-time MVP (1971-72, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980), 2-time Finals MVP (1971, 1985), Rookie of the Year (1970), Hall of Fame, 24.6 11.2.

David Robinson, 10-time NBA All-Star, MVP (1995), Rookie of the Year (1990), Defensive Player of the Year (1992) 2 Titles, 21.1 10.6

Patrick Ewing, 11-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year (1986) Titles 0 (Thanks Hakeem ) 21.0 9.8

Bill Walton, Two-time All-Star; Finals MVP (1977), MVP (1978), Sixth Man of the Year (1986), Hall of Fame, 2 Titles, 13.3 10.5

George Mikan, 4-time All-Star, Hall of Fame, 7 titles, 23.1 13.4

 

I don't think Scola has a shot to get ROY. Durant is going to score 20 ppg (even if he shoots 37% to get his buckets). Durant will also, undoubtedly, fill ESPN's highlight reels.

I think Sabonis would have ended his career as a top 10 all time NBA center had he arrived 10 years earlier.

It should also be noted that Sabonis holds the unofficial record for the largest head in the world. j/k

 

Thank you for re-stating everything I've just said in my comment. According to Ginobili's personal profile and also from an interview I've read in the past, Ginobili is third generation Italian-Argentine. Basically what I meant was, he's of Italian ancestry.

 

who said that? because if you're saying his prime was in europe, then not too many european players actually played against akeem

 

I don't think any of Sabonis' teammates played against Hakeem in his prime.

 

no one is saying he is better than Hakeem

HOWEVER

did he have the potential to be???

YES

he was everybit as atheletic as hakeem - his highlight dunks + him breaking the glass (shows his strength)

constantly ran the break - great dribbling skills for a center

shoots well

and the most important thing was he was a way superior passer, some of his passes makes Jason kidd blush

would he have realised all those skills in the NBA if he came early and developed on them? Who knows...too late now

but when he was young...his potential was through the roof, he had more potential than Ralph

PLUS the guy is Massive 7'3 (IIRC) thats Like Yao except atheletic

imagine an atheletic and fast YAO =O

just because he is a white guy doesnt mean he is ****

OH and Shaq have said(IIRC) that Sabonis gave him alot of trouble in the key

and this is a >30yr Sabonis with two broken feet we are taking about, this also shows how strong this white dawg is

 

ROY- Scola
Coack of Year- Adelman
MIP- Mike James
6th man- Bonzi Wells
MVP- Yao
Champs- HOUSTON ROCKETS!

...in my dream, this will happen