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Is Soccer Revolutionizing the NBA?

by Christopher McIntosh
05/28/2006

David Stern is smiling.

The first couple rounds of the NBA playoffs have unfolded and the talking heads have proclaimed them among the best ever. Nike's "witness" campaign hit the advertising equivalent of the lottery with fourteen riveting episodes of the King James Version, with play from him that brought comparisons to every great player short of Moses Malone.

The Dallas Mavericks beat the San Antonio Spurs in a game seven overtime after Manu Ginobili (from Argentina) hit a three pointer to put the Spurs up 104-101 with seconds left. On the Mavericks next possession, Dirk Nowitzki (from Germany) took the ball strong to the hole, got three the hard way and it's off to OT. The Mavs finally got what Mark Cuban called "the monkey off our backs" by eliminating the Spurs from the playoffs.

The starting five for the Spurs includes a superstar black man from the Virgin Islands who gave up competitive swimming for basketball, an Argentinian hero, and a shortish Frenchman who is dating the "hottest" woman in the world, Eva Longoria.

The Mavericks best player is a seven foot tall jump shooting German named Dirk who looks like someone you'd encounter backpacking through Europe and listens to David Hasselhof before games to pump himself up.

Note: I'll admit I would have written that last part regardless of whether it was true or not. It just so happens that in this case, it is. Excuse me for a moment while I clean off my computer screen - my head just exploded.

Dirk is so good that Charles Barkley has actively touted him as the league's MVP. Hands down. Don't come at him with that weak Kobe nonsense, Charles thinks he's selfish. So much so that he invited Bryant on his show to tell him face to face and let Kobe (try to) defend himself. Kobe showed up wearing a sweater that even Mr. Rogers wouldn't touch. It was a baby blue cable knit sweater vest with matching pants. This was what he chose to wear to an event where he was to argue in favor of his "decisionmaking skills."

Even Charles didn't have the heart to rip him about it.

Ask Charles who the MVP is. It's not Kobe, not LeBron, not Artest, not Shaq, not Duncan, it's not even Steve Nash.

Steve Nash, despite Barkley's protestations, is, in point of fact, the league's Most Valuable Player. For the second year in a row. And it is his team that Dirk and the boys will be facing in the Western Conference finals.

Nash is from Canada. His father was a professional soccer player. His brother is a professional soccer player good enough to have played for the national team.

Other prominently featured members of the Suns? Barbarossa, a Brazilian man who is lightning quick, as well as Boris Diaw, a Frenchmen who played no collegiate ball in America.

One of the main reasons the Suns are playing the Mavericks instead of the defending champion Spurs is the presence of DeSagna Diop, whose responsibility was to keep Tim Duncan in check. Diop is from Senegal. No collegiate ball.

What's been one of David Stern's main goals since leading the league out of the doldrums and experiencing the highs of the Magic-Larry-MJ era?

Globalization.

I have a theory. It's really just a theory. I'm not underselling something I really believe to be a fact because I don't have the intestinal fortitude to say it and stick by it. I just don't have all the facts to put it out there as truth. My theory?

I think soccer is starting to have an (indirect) influence on the NBA.

There, I said it.

I can't prove it, but I think there's enough evidence that's it's worth looking into.

The teams that seem capable of putting up outrageous numbers of points seem to be populated with international players. These players typically aren't specialized like an American football player (linebacker, cornerback, quarterback) but are good at all facets of the game.

Except defense. Thank you, Toni Kukoc.

International teams have drilled us in the last few international competitions, to the point where we've brought in Mr. Fix-It, Jerry Colangelo, to restore us to our Dream Team days.

I don't think it'll happen.

With the World Cup days away, soccer's been on TV more than ever. I find myself switching between Suns/Mavs/Spurs games and soccer matches and hearing the same things.

"Their spacing is just so good."

"He makes such good decisions so quickly that it's almost impossible to defend."

"He excels in so many facets of the game that it's difficult to handle him."

"They play so well as a team that they don't need a guy who can do it one on one."

Unfortunately I didn't hear any of that during last night's US-Morocco soccer match, which the United States lost 1-0. Not a good sign for a team expected to advance out of a group with Italy, the Czech Republic, and Ghana - a group quaintly referred to as the "group of death." I fully expect Department of Homeland Security officials to show up on Bruce Arena's doorstep demanding a full explanation.

The point is this. The teams that are excelling at putting up points have an undeniable international influence. Internationally, basketball is a secondary sport to soccer. Everyone outside of the United States who is athletically inclined has played, has watched, or continues to do both. It's like America and baseball. It may no longer be the national pastime, but everyone athletically inclined knows why you pitch around Barry Bonds or the importance of a sacrifice fly. We know the basics.

The basics of soccer? Spacing. Move the ball around. Excel at all aspects of the game. It's one on eleven, so unless you're a once in a century talent you cannot do it by yourself. If you do beat your man, look for a teammate - someone must be open. If you do finish, finish strong.

Now, this is just a theory and there are some obvious holes. If I'm right, there has been a bit of a negative influence as well, the lack of defense, the flopping/diving (Vlade, I'm looking at you), and the stealing of our women. It's also the case that there are more players out there playing basketball in the streets now and modeling themselves after Americans, so the theory may not hold.

The And1 mix tapes do sell internationally and there are some guys outside the US who can do some things with a basketball that would make Allen Iverson nod his head in approval.

Of course, the streetball angle is also mirrored around the world with soccer. If you think the And1 stuff is impressive, google "street soccer" or go to Nike Football. Soccer is not the game of moms and oranges and green suburban pastures everywhere else. Most every great soccer player started out on the streets. And when you play your formative years on blacktop you pick up some things. Just watch some of these guys fooling around with the ball before a game. NBA players shoot half court shots, dribble around their back, and throw passes off the backboard. Soccer players? American sports fans don't have the common vocabulary yet to appreciate it. Just look it up. You'll be impressed.

Nike's advertising campaign for this year's World Cup?

Joga Bonito.

It's Portuguese for "play beautiful."

Whether it's professional, pickup, amateur or international, basketball or soccer, remember one thing.

Play beautiful.

David Stern would expect nothing less.

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