Four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker, now suiting up for Monaco in EuroLeague, recently shared insights on the disparities between the two elite basketball competitions during an episode of The Crossover podcast.
In a conversation with former EuroLeague champion Joe Arlauckas, Walker highlighted the rigorous NBA schedule, emphasizing the challenges of frequent games and extensive travel.
Arlauckas suggested that one cannot take nights of in EuroLeague, unlike the NBA.
“It’s not even about taking night off,” Walker said. “The NBA is a lot of nights. More games in the week, more travel. It’s just tougher, to be honest, on the body.
“Here you have one game a week, sometimes two. A little bit less travel at times. I think that’s some of the biggest difference for sure.
“One EuroLeague game a week, to me you should go out there play super hard, give it all you got. I think that’s really some of the biggest difference – the amount of games per week.”
Walker pointed out the distinctive playing style in EuroLeague, resembling college basketball where defenders can linger in the paint without violating the three-second rule.
“The spacing is a lot different. It’s similar to college where you can sit in the paint. It’s no defensive 3 seconds,” said Walker.
Although Walker has solely participated in EuroLeague and not the French League this season, limiting his game time compared to teammates, he recognizes the importance of giving maximum effort in the fewer EuroLeague games per week.
With statistics reflecting his adjusted role, averaging 3.2 points, 1 rebound, and 1.1 assists in just over 10 minutes per game over ten EuroLeague appearances, Walker is adapting to the nuances of European basketball.
