Continental Drift Is Changing Everything

Here we are, on the road to find the next NBA star, in ... Slovenia?

Yes, Slovenia. It’s between Italy and Croatia and home to a probable No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft, with more coming behind him, so a general manager is now as likely to find himself in Ljubljana as Durham, N.C.

Something has changed. Europeans started arriving in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but it took years to get them up to speed, as in the case of Vlade Divac, if they ever did, as in the case of Toni Kukoc, now coming off the bench with his third team.

Now, Europeans adjust as fast, or faster than Americans, suggesting something even more surprising:

The European leagues are now as fast, or faster than the NCAA.

“Europeans are big, they’ve got great skills and they’re more athletic than we’d like to believe,” says Indiana Pacer President Donnie Walsh.

“But the biggest reason [they adjust so quickly] is, they’ve been playing pro ball. Peja Stojakovic was playing pro since he was 14. I worked out Stojakovic and he was a great player when he was 18.

“You have to understand, these kids are playing at the level that’s next to the NBA. It’s a lot better than college. I don’t mean just a little, it’s a lot better than college.”

The NCAA has been picked so clean, the lottery is now packed with children. Last spring’s top 13 picks included four high school players, two college freshmen, two sophomores, one junior, one junior college player, two Europeans and one lonely college senior, Shane Battier.

The NCAA tournament may still reign as the game’s marquee event but the NCAA game is something else.

Said CBS’ discerning, NBA-loathing Billy Packer, asked by the Kansas City Star to assess Kansas junior Drew Gooden, a likely lottery pick:

“Unfortunately, we elevate guys to a status that’s unrealistic, so they leave. There are 55 guys in the NBA that could still be in college.

“Do you think Drew Gooden would be up for the Wooden Award if Dirk Nowitzki were in school? Is Drew Gooden a finished college player? No. But is he better than any of the guys that are left? Sure he is.”

Europeans start in feeder systems, under coaches trained by the nation’s top coaches. Top players turn pro as teens and play against players 10-15 years older, including Americans.

In the U.S., top players spend summers in the jungles of Amateur Athletic Union ball, which has been infiltrated by street agents and hangers-on, all the way down to Myron Piggie, a Kansas City coach and convicted felon who gave “improper gifts” to an impressive roster (Corey Maggette, Mike Miller, Kareem and JaRon Rush). The system is heavy on pandering, weak on instruction.

Now more than 10% of the 430 players on NBA rosters are Europeans and some recent arrivals have made stunning strides:

Stojakovic, Sacramento: Drafted at 18, arrived at 20, All-Star at 24.

Nowitzki, Dallas: Lottery pick at 19, All-Star at 23. He’s compared to (gasp) Larry Bird and Rick Barry, which is dumb because they were great playmakers and he isn’t. Try a 7-foot, 230-pound Reggie Miller.

Pau Gasol, Memphis: A 7-foot small forward who’s the rookie-of-the-year front-runner. At 21, just averaged 21 points in January and shot 55%. Ranks in the top 20 in rebounds and blocks.

Tony Parker, San Antonio: Starting at 19 for a contender ahead of veterans Antonio Daniels and Terry Porter.

Andrei Kirilenko, Utah: At 20, he’s starting for Coach Jerry Sloan, who has little time for rookies. Does little things American stars disdain, like moving off the ball. Averages 10 points and 5.2 rebounds in 25 minutes.

Hedo Turkoglu, Sacramento: In rotation since arriving last season at 21. At 6-8, can play three positions. Averages 11 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes, makes 39% of his three-point shots and has star potential.

There are more who aren’t as far along but are impressive: Houston’s Hector Torres, a Venezuelan free agent who scored 20 points in four of his eight starts; Dallas’ 7-0 Wang Zhizhi; Indiana’s 6-11 Primo Brezec; Seattle’s 6-11 Vladimir Radmanovic, and the Lakers’ 6-11 Slava Medvedenko.

And they’re still coming.

This spring, China’s 7-5 Yao Ming will be a lottery pick if he’s allowed to come and two European guards, Spain’s Juan Navarro and Slovenia’s Sani Becirovic, are projected to go on the first round.

OK, how do you say “Marriott” in Serbo-Croatian?

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Faces and Figures

All-Star blues: Elton Brand was cheated again when West coaches inexplicably took Wally Szczerbiak instead. Szczerbiak’s having a nice season as Kevin Garnett’s helper. Brand is a No. 1 option.... Huh? The Nets, deciding they deserved two All-Stars, were actually disappointed Kenyon Martin didn’t make it. He’s averaging 15.7 points, which doesn’t put him in the top 40, and 5.1 rebounds, which puts him behind a lot of guards. Said Martin: “I don’t have a reputation.” Actually he does, but it’s for flagrant fouls on Karl Malone and Tracy McGrady that got him suspended twice.

Scary story: Last summer Minnesota, desperate to end its streak of first-round eliminations and pining for a low-post player, offered Szczerbiak, then on the outs with Garnett, for Marcus Fizer. While the Bulls looked for a better deal, Minnesota Coach Flip Saunders put Fizer on his Goodwill Games team--and lost interest after watching him play.... San Antonio’s Steve Smith, insisting that, despite appearances, former teammate Rasheed Wallace is human: “He’s one of the best guys you can be around.... People still give him a bad rap, which I think is undeserved. He’s a good guy.”

Seattle Coach Nate McMillan on former teammate Shawn Kemp: “I’ve always said that once Shawn lost his jumping, his legs, he would have a tough time, simply because everything was about power. I didn’t think he would lose his legs due to weight, but once that was gone.... Now he’s out on the perimeter trying to do up-and-under stuff but it’s sad because he’s still young. That’s the part that’s disappointing, to see him like this.” ... Flunks intelligence test: Kansas’ Gooden on the NBA: “I saw about two guys sweating. It seems like the NBA is just pickup ball until the playoffs start. They’re getting paid so they’re fat and happy.”

Heartwarming: Allen Iverson told Playboy he loves Larry Brown: “I can’t believe we used to bump heads like we did but if it got us to where we’re at right now, I’m glad we went through it.” To which Brown replied: “That’s as nice a thing as you could say about a coach.” The problem is, Iverson said it in November, before this season’s troubles began.... With the 76ers righting themselves, Brown, who had been noncommittal for weeks, announced, “If I’m back anywhere next season, it will be with the 76ers.” You’ll notice he left himself wiggle room.... 76er guard Aaron McKie, before the Eagles were eliminated from the NFL playoffs: “All I would say to them is to enjoy the ride because you never know when you are going to be able to go on it again.”

The NBA Experience (cont.): Commissioner David Stern, unhappy at trading Charlotte, the No. 27 TV market, for No. 43 New Orleans, tried to get a late deal in Carolina but just took a shot at the mayor, calling him “not overly constructive,” suggesting it’s a lost cause.... Boston assistant Dick Harter, the Hornets’ first coach: “It’s sickening, it really is. That’s a great basketball area. Those people poured out their hearts to us. They poured out their pocketbooks to us. I guess this must be [owner] George Shinn’s way of paying them back.”

Oink if you love this game, or carpetbaggers before swine: In Norfolk, Va., which pursued the Hornets, Smithfield Foods, the nation’s largest pork producer, considered buying naming rights to the proposed arena. Possible names, suggested the Newport News Daily Press, included Hog Heaven, Pork Palace and Pig Pen.... Nick Van Exel, trying to flee Denver, reminded of his troubles with the Lakers and then-Coach Del Harris: “I had problems there, too. But now they got a better coach than they did when I was there so maybe I wouldn’t have those problems there.” I’m guessing the Lakers won’t pick him up to find out.