'Guys like Parker and Nowitzki being there created a sense of a global game that was accessible for really good European, African and Asian kids, not just American kids'
Tuesday 31 March 2020 13:22, UK
Ovie Soko believes Tony Parker's key role in the San Antonio Spurs' championship dynasty changed the perception of European and international players in the NBA.
The biggest European players I watched growing up were Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki.
'TP' was one of the first European players to be a key component on a championship team - one that ultimately created a dynasty. It changed the game for European players. It was good to see a European guy who wasn't just a shooter or a role player have so much success. That San Antonio Spurs team had him involved every bit as much as Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.
When Parker was drafted by the Spurs in 2001, it was a huge deal for him to go a team with the stability of the Spurs. He was a young talented player who was dominant in Europe but we had previously seen European players go to teams that didn't really embrace the international culture of basketball. Guys in those situations would struggle a little bit or take time to adjust.
But the Spurs, as an organisation, have been just as influential in the growth of European players as individual players like Parker, Nowitzki or Drazen Petrovic. Culturally, the Spurs showed the ability to win big with European and international players. As well as Parker and Ginobili, they had role players like Rasho Nesterovic and Fabricio Oberto on those championship teams.
The Spurs always did a really good job of international scouting. They took their time, they took things seriously. And the results showed.
Seeing European players having success in the NBA made me feel like my own goals could become a reality. The message to me was. 'anyone can go to the NBA'. I wouldn't say I tried to mould my game after any of the big European guys - I feel I fit the American mould of basketball - but guys like Parker and Dirk being there created a sense of a global game that was accessible for really good European, African and Asian kids, not just American kids.
Parker winning those championships with the Spurs and Nowitzki taking the Dallas Mavericks to their title in 2011 put a whole new respect on young players coming over from Europe. It let the NBA know international players are there to do more than just take part.
The Spurs and Mavs' title wins were critical points for international basketball. It was a huge step forward for the sport. In a similar sense, the Toronto Raptors winning the championship last season was a big deal too. Any time the title leaves the States, it is huge.
Americans used to be very quick to label European players 'soft'. As a big man who was primarily a shooter playing outside-in, Nowitzki himself had to take some knocks, some bumps, some bruises early on his NBA journey. But because of what he and Parker achieved, players are now able to come to America and play very differently to the norm or come with a unique style of play knowing the fans will definitely, at least, hear them out.
At the college level, there is definitely a greater number of international players getting their chance. That has become such a big thing. Thanks to the internet, players are accessible wherever they are from and coaches are finding talent from around the world every day now.
Luka Doncic is one of the more recent European talents to reach the NBA and I've been really interested to watch his growth and how he is impacting the game. I really do think this is the first time we have seen a European player come to the NBA and thrive so quickly. Off the court too, he has adapted quickly to the American culture and the demands of the game.
I played against Doncic for Murcia (against Real Madrid in Spain's ACB) in 2017. When you have played the game for a couple of years, you start to pay attention to smaller details. I saw his poise and how advanced he was at that point. It blows you away.
When you watch on TV, it is impressive to see him make plays and think the game through. But in person, it is totally different because you can see him slow the game down at real speed. He makes all these terrific passes and seeing the speed of it live helps you appreciate how quickly he is thinking and how truly impressive these plays are.
That is not common at all and his talent became clear very, very quickly. He sees plays that players who have been in the NBA for 10 years do not see - highly, highly skilled plays that, 90 per cent of the time, could only be made by players with much more experience.
