TalkBasket - Home of basketball - Coach's answers #2

Marios, Greece: Coach can you tell us your opinion about the difference between American and European basketball? Thank you.

Georgis Dikeoulakos: Thats a big issue Mario. If you need the real answer you must take a look at the first seat of the bench. See the difference on reactions and coaching between NBA's/NCAA's coaches and European coaches. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean anything bad with that, it's just the American coaches have more trust of their players' effectivity since the American players come from excellent programs from their High school/college plus they are very athletic something which leads them to scoring many baskets coming of transition and isolation. (Of course there is also difference between NBA and NCAA basketball).

European coaches don't have such players so they are trying to control the game, trying to score more from set plays than transition, insisiting on many things in defence as in offence, directing the game than letting it in player's hands. Don't forget the NBA rule on defense "a defender from the weak side cannot stay inside the paint more than 3 sec.", something that is totally diferent picture in defense, and makes offender' life more easier. So generally speaking, the difference between these two worlds is that at the States Basketball is "show", almost in all levels, while at Europe it is something like "need for the win".

Guy Anchelovich, Israel: Hi Mr. Dikeoulakos it seems like players are becoming less talented in the offensive end and using more and more efforts on the defensive end. Do you like it? Why do you think it's happening?

Georgis Dikeoulakos: Hi Guy, you are absolutelly right. It seems that something like that happened, but we are not so sure if it's really happening. All European coaches are making the same question to themselves. If Galis, Petrovic, Dzamsi, Oscar were playing today, would they have the same scoring ability? Probably not, I think most of the coaches agree on that. So a second question has just born: Why that? Is it really so tough to find players like them today, or what is really happening is that many players are like them today and that's why we can't recognize them? Well the truth is that basketball has changed a lot. Great scorers, great players put a lot of energy on defence and that's why they have to share their time and some of their attempts in offence with the whole team. Some years ago you could see 2 or 3 players in a line up that they weren't so good in offence, but in modern basketball all teams have players that you cannot ignore them. That automatically means that all the members of the line up have to play good defence. I have worked in a big team and I can assure you that the philosophy on these teams is that "we bring SUPER offensive players, and we force them to play defence" (because most of the great players, untill coming this moment of playing to a big team, avoid to play defence, as I avoid to answer to you if I like this situation or not).