Rightly so, American NBA stars have long been considered the best players in the world and have therefore been able to look down on their foreign counterparts. In his prime, Allen Iverson had a strong view on these.
If the contingent now exceeds a hundred members, it has not always appeared so full. It has indeed taken time for international players to find a place on the NBA circuit. Since the pioneer in the field, the Italian-Canadian Hank Biasatti, their number has certainly only increased, but more or less rapidly. In fact, we had to wait decades to see them enter the league en masse.
The famous Dream Team of 1992 played a big role in this opening. By becoming the first NBA stars to represent the United States on FIBA courts, Michael Jordan & Co. inspired countless foreign players to join them across the Atlantic. A phenomenon that a certain Allen Iversonwhose comments on the subject are worth a look today.
Allen Iverson’s seminal opinion on foreign players
Long focused on the American pool, the NBA has gradually turned towards those of other countries in recent years. This, at the same time as it tried to penetrate the markets by playing pre-season matches on foreign soil. In October 2006, after a match against CSKA Moscow, Allen Iverson predicted the resurgence of international players in the league:
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CSKA has excellent players. A lot of the guys on this team could play in the NBA right now. Besides, you are going to see a lot more international players playing in the NBA because the level abroad is so much better than in the past. These guys feed off the journeys of Steve Nash, Dirk (Nowitzki) and Peja (Stojakovic), guys who have made a name for themselves in this league.
Once some people show that the dream is achievable, others feel capable of doing the same. So it will continue. International players are going to continue to get better, and you’re going to see more and more of them playing in the NBA because they deserve the chance.
An omen which was obviously verified subsequently, including for a player who then filled the Muscovite ranks.
At the time 6th Man of CSKA, David Andersen finished this match against Iverson and the 76ers with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Drafted in 2002 by the Hawks, he ended up playing on the NBA floor. First in Houston during the 2009-10 season, before playing the next one under the colors of the Raptors and the Hornets. As it turns out, The Answer had a double whammy on this one.
While he was coming off a season averaging 33 points and representing one of the figures of the NBA, Allen Iverson had no problem throwing flowers at international players. Flattering words that have aged wonderfully well.
2023-09-16 19:40:00
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