The Cross Over Movement Blog

Sefu Bernard forwarded me this article written by Terry Stotts for NBA.com. The former Bucks’ Head Coach is traveling to learn more about coaching, which should be applauded. Over the break, I spoke to a couple parents who told me that they tried to give Cross Over to their son or daughter’s coach, but the coach said he was uninterested and did not have time to read.

Stotts’ situation is different, as he is being paid not to coach this year, the benefit of the guaranteed NBA contract, while most youth and high school coaches have numerous other responsibilities. However, Stotts is not giving interviews complaining about the good old boys’ network like Scottie Pippen; instead he is trying to learn by visiting Ettore Messina (CSKA Moscow), Zelimir Obradovic (Panathinaikos, Athens), and David Blatt (Efes Pilsen, Istanbul).

Stotts finally gives an appropriate description of the European game, as opposed to the televised media who speaks about European basketball without having seen a quality European game. Stotts says:

Both players felt the biggest difference between the NBA and European basketball was the team concept played in Europe…there is more passing, more willingness to pass and more expectation of passing. The “extra pass” is the norm rather than the exception. Dribble penetration is a BIG part of the international game and the NBA game. Yet much of the penetration in the international game is to look to pass rather than score (unless it is a clear shot)…In general, there seems to be more movement in the European game…Pick and roll/pop situations are as much or more prominent as in the NBA … Coach Obradovic’s team probably runs more of these than anyone…The international game seems to be more physical in the paint; more contact is allowed on drives to the basket; and the shooter is not protected as much as he is in the NBA.

Somehow, there is this perception that Europeans do not dribble, do not use post players and do not play defense. In my experience, the pick and roll is the dominant entry into offense for many European teams. Look at the European guards in the NBA like Jose Calderon, Tony Parker and Juan Carlos Navarro: they are great pick and roll players. Did that just suddenly happen when they joined the NBA?

Stotts also makes an interesting point regarding the Spurs:

When talking to the coaches in Europe, they all very much appreciated the San Antonio Spurs. Perhaps this is because the Spurs have done such a good job of combining the best of both games. Certainly they have been the leader of the international player movement over the past few years.

The American media constantly points to the Warriors and Suns as European teams. However, I have never seen a European game between good teams that looks anything like a Warrior or Suns game. It is much harder to get transition points in Europe because teams commit “professional” fouls: In transition, they bump the dribbler to pick up a foul before he can pass ahead for a lay-up. The NBA does it when teams have clear 1v0 breaks, but European teams do it almost anytime there is a numbers advantage.

Watching a good team, like Panathinaikos is like watching the Spurs. They use pick-and-rolls or they get the ball to the block and use the post as a passer out to three-point shooters. The Spurs are the best team in the NBA in terms of making the extra pass, which is why I have thought their ball movement is better than the Suns (which I wrote in an issue of my newsletter last spring). The Spurs and the Jazz are the most “European” teams in the NBA.

Credit to Stotts for seeking out different learning experiences. I visited a local junior college practice this week. I have tried to visit a Division I practice, but apparently they do not allow observers. Personally, I invite people to watch my practice; there is a college student volunteering with my team this year just so he can take notes and watch our practices. I love when I meet guys like him who want to learn; it disappoints me when I meet coaches who are too closed-minded to share with others or seek other learning opportunities.