Should the NBA put greater stock in international prospects?

Should the NBA put greater stock in international prospects?: The common factor

Outside of Antetokounmpo, who is one of the freakishly gifted athletes in NBA history, the aforementioned players all share obvious similarities.

Ball is gifted athletically, but no one is picking Jokic, Doncic, Giddey, or Sengun in a league-wide race down the floor, nor a vertical jump contest. What they do have is the height and length to compensate, a factor that allows them to enhance their greatest skill – passing.

Combined with elite basketball IQ, their length allows them to see over opposition defenses and execute exquisite passes. In a team sport where ball and player movement provides the best shots possible, that unique skill will translate to any league in the world.

In contrast, some college prospects dominate that level simply by way of their sheer size, speed, and athleticism. There’s no wonder why some struggle during the infancy period of their professional careers, as they are transitioning from facing inferior athletes to going against grown men where they don’t necessarily have the physical advantage.

That’s why there’s no surprise the likes of Ball, Doncic, and Giddey have become good NBA players straight away. They don’t, or simply can’t, rely on athleticism, and have had experience facing grown men in other professional leagues.

It’s why, outside of some Australian bias, I was surprised with the number of skeptics in Giddey’s game. We’ve seen this prototype work at the NBA level, even if nothing stands out from a physical standpoint.

The league is trending towards ball-handlers with length – players who have the capacity to orchestrate NBA offenses whilst having defensive upside as well.

With uncanny playmaking skills and previous professional experience, the rise in elite international players is set to continue throughout the NBA.