35 actually. Plus he came back to the NBA next season and averaged 18.2 points with San Antonio. So yeah, of course he was far from his "Human Highlight Reel" form of the 80s but I think a player that averages 18 points at that age is far from useless. There was a lot of talent in the NBA back then though, so a player like Wilkins not finding work at 35 was something that could happen. These days, you see most teams begging players like Payton at 39 or Mutombo at 41 to keep playing for another season. Who are the modern equivalents of Wilkins? Vince Carter or T-Mac maybe? Can you imagine them not finding work in the NBA when they're 35?
I know he wasn't REALLY 57 at the time. Still, Wilkins would never have gone to play in Europe at the top of his game because he could still get top dollar in the NBA and get to play against the best players in the world. My point exactly. 'Nique is probably the ONLY former NBA player who ever jumped to a European team while he capable of being a starter in the NBA. If Kirilinko goes, he would be the second. And I suppose you could argue that Webber could still be a starter for an NBA team. And the fact remains that NO player has ever left the NBA while he was a star to play in Europe. Even Kirilinko at this point is a former star whose play has fallen off drastically. He's still young enough to recover, though.
A washed up Chris Webber would obviously be a dominant force in European Basketball - which is obviously not as tough as the NBA. If a washed-up Bob McAdoo can dominate, if Mike Batiste can go over and star, if Pete Mickeal can go to Spain and lead it in scoring - euro basketball is quite obviously rather sub par, vis a vis the NBA.
The problem is past history isn't really relevant anymore on this. The American economy has taken such a dive that money-wise plenty of players will begin to explore this. After all in Greece players don't even pay taxes. Even T-Mac could probably get more money in Greece. In years past it was always more money to stay in the NBA. We all know that money is a driving issue. The way the US economy is going you will have more and more players wanting to play in Europe. Hell they play like 35 games a year lots of times. No taxes? Everything provided by the team heading on a 1.5 exchange rate? American economy gets worse and worse year by year, EU's gets better and better year by year. Do the math.
You compare Greece's league now to when Mcadoo played? LMAO yeah that's great Sam Batiste is not a star in Euroleague, neither is Mickeal. Do you know ANYTHING at all about the things you post?
With all due respect it is pertinent to this discussion. If the dollar wasn't so freaking low as it is now none of this would be happening. Take no taxes for players in Greece and then add in the horrible value of the dollar and that's why every remaining free agent over the last month or so is linked to Olympiacos Athens or Panathinaikos Athens. Of course the reason Greece can pay more money now is because the dollar and US economy is jack right now. Of course this pertinent to this issue.
Money is a driving factor for NBA players, but the fact is American-born NBA *stars* are a LONG way from accepting more money to play Euroball. Most of them want to make the most money possible playing against the BEST competition. And the best competition is without question in the NBA -- anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional. So you may see these guys jumping from NBA team to NBA team for the biggest offer, but while they're at the top of their game they won't jump to an inferior league, even for more money. Non-American-born NBA stars would probably be more likely to leave to play in Europe while still in their prime, but even THAT is hypothetical because it has NEVER happened yet.
Batiste has been the best post player in Euroleague. How sad. Pete Mickeal, who couldn't even make at the 15th man on the Rockets a few year back - went on to lead ALL of spain in scoring. hilarious.
What you fail to seem to grasp is that EVERY year good NBA players fail to get market value. Are you really not paying attention here at all? Every year someone like Lewis gets way overpaid early in the free agent market. Then every year some other player can't even get a 2 year deal. It's because of how the cap is setup. Eventually more and more agents will catch on to this. First you can use the rich Euro teams for leverage. Charlie Bell gets an offer of $700,000 from the Bucks and gets $18 million from Olympiakos. His asking price then becomes $18 million, which Miami then offers, which Milwaukee then match. Olympiakos made this guy $17.3 million. Now if you really believe that EVERY agent of EVERY player is not seeing what is happening here a brand new phenomenon and that everything is like it was in the 80s and 90s because indeed people are using examples from times ancient in terms of contracts here...... You REALLY actually think this is "nothing" well you flunk capitalism 101 my friend.
Sam you never cease to amaze me. Batiste is a ROLE PLAYER in Panathinaikos. You actually like to brag about your ignorance. Mickeal??? He isn't even a top player at his position. You make clear over and over you don't even have the slightest clue of what the Euroleague even is or to know anything at all about it. I bet you are the type of guy that would draft players based soley on school name and stats. Mike Batiste had to work his butt off for years to even be a solid player for Panathinaikos and you make it sound like he's a Greek God or something. Best post player in Europe....... LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL He isn't even a top big man in the Greek League. Give me a freaking break. He probably was BETTER with Memphis than he was his first couple years in Greece. Sam you may the single most least knowledgeable b-ball fan on this forum.
Right.........that's why he was named FIRST TEAM ALL EUROLEAGUE AND FORWARD OF THE YEAR A role player - sure. http://www.eurobasket.com/events/eluleb/06-07/eurol.asp
Dude, you should run for office. You have a spectacular facility for responding to something by explaining a related concept that's only a tangent of the original point -- then furiously patting yourself on the back for having done so. My point: No NBA players at the top of their game have EVER left to play for a Euroleague team. Your rebuttal: Second- and third-tier NBA players are offered big money by Euroleague teams, and their agents use that as leverage to get bigger contracts so they can stay in the NBA. I applaud you. That's freakin' brilliant! I tell you, you're a born politician. You know how to keep hammering home that special cause you believe in while completely ignoring all evidence to the contrary regarding its viability. I'll make it simple for you: Name me ONE star-level NBA players who left to play in Europe while still in his prime. And no tap-dancing this time, OK?
How many times do I have to explain this Sam? If the NBA all-team award was the same criteria then the whole first team would be all Suns or all Mavs players. It's based on how the team does. It's not even remotely the same thing as All-NBA. You look more and more like an Ugly American by continuing to over and over show a complete lack of knowledge about anything that does not happen in America. Batiste is the FOURTH OPTION on his own team. He's maybe the 4th or 5th best player on his team, but you could easily say 6th best player on his OWN TEAM too. He's not even the second best big man in Greek league and you claim he's the best in Europe. You have really reached an all-time ridiculousness now.
Sam do you even realize that if Batiste was the best PF and best post player in Europe that means he was "better" than Luis Scola? But hey according to Sam Spanoulis is the "suckage of all Rockets." But hey Spanoulis is better on his own team than Batiste is. But wait Batiste is better than Scola is. Afrter all no one ever called Scola the best PF in Europe, the best post player in Europe, NOPE that's Mike Freaking Batiste! Hey according to Sam Spanoulis washed out of the NBA and so did Batiste! And Spanoulis was better than Batiste on his own team. Now Sam claims Batiste was better PF and post player in Euroleague than Luis Scola was. Where are all the posts from Sam Fisher bashing the trade then? All his posts bashing Morey? All his posts defending Adelman's upcoming benching of Scola because obviously Chuck Hayes is better? Where are all of Sam's posts making fun of Scola's Spanish team Tau Ceramica? Making fun of Spanish league and Spanish barns? Where are all of Sam's posts making fun of Argentinians, and Spanish? I mean since Spanoulis is the "worst Rocket point guard ever" and since he is better on his own team than Batiste is and since both of them are NBA "wash outs" and since according to Sam right when Scola was in Euroleague he was not as good a PF or post player as Batiste who clearly was the best in all Europe.............. How freaking ridiculous can these people be? Does Sam Fisher have to post anything based in the world of reality ever?
RD, Didn't you post this exact post in the other thread? This is what BBall Scientist used to do. I am asking you to tone it down some, unless you are trying to get run. Thanks, DD
If I was offered more money to play in Europe, there'd be no question as to where I'd be heading. Competition be damned. Have you been to places like Greece, Italy or Spain? It's so beautiful there. The lifestyle is so perfect. I wouldn't think twice about it. Hell, I'd move there and get paid less money if I could make it happen. Anybody know a girl from Europe willing to marry an American?
DD do you see how incredibly absurd Sam Fisher is being? If what he says is true.......... Mike Bataiste has been the "best PF in Europe, best post player in Europe" Mike Batiste is an "NBA wash out" Vassilis Spanoulis is an "NBA wash out" and "worst Rocket by far". Then based on this simple logic is since Spanoulis was a better player and scorer on the SAM TEAM Batiste played on and since Luis Scola was also a power forward and post player in the SAME Euroleague that Sam Fisher claims Batiste is king of for all power forwards and post player and has been the king of.......... Then according to Sam Fisher Luis Scola is < Mike Batiste < Vassilis Spanoulis. Or according to Sam Fisher Vassilis Spanoulis > Mike Batiste > Luis Scola. Of course also according to Sam Fisher Spanouis and Batiste are NBA wash outs who can only play in barns with sheep and goats and also of course per Sam Fisher Spanoulis is "the worst Rocket by far." So in other words if anything Sam Fisher has said is to be taken for face value (I mean why would he lie and make things up has he EVER done that here??) then............ Then Luis Scola makes Ryan Bowen look like Larry Bird. And think Sam has already said Bowen is better than Spanoulis. So according to Sam Fisher then: Ryan Bowen > Vassilis Spanoulis > Mike Batiste > Luis Scola. And guess what? Best of all is rather than people calling him out for the absolute colossal BS he spews here people run to his rescue to defend him and to attack anyone who calls him on his complete BS.
Who cares? People know Sam is the Ugly American of this BBS it is obvious, all you are doing is making yourself look like the Ugly European. DD
