# Euro fans...



## UD40 (May 12, 2005)

I need some info on Euro ball. I'm a serious baller, and in the future I want to head over to Europe to play. How hard would it be to make a team over there? Also, what would be the easiest language to learn? How much money and how long to people usualy get signed for? Where is the best ball played? O, I was thinking about going to England since I wouldnt have to worry about language barrier. So, Ill take any and all advice you guys have. Thanks a lot, very much appreciated.


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## Scipio (Feb 18, 2004)

Go DJ! said:


> I need some info on Euro ball. I'm a serious baller, and in the future I want to head over to Europe to play. How hard would it be to make a team over there? Also, what would be the easiest language to learn? How much money and how long to people usualy get signed for? Where is the best ball played? O, I was thinking about going to England since I wouldnt have to worry about language barrier. So, Ill take any and all advice you guys have. Thanks a lot, very much appreciated.


It depends how good you are and in what level you've been playing? I'll take it that you have not played professionally before / are not a college star you can pretty much forget the top divisions in bigger European countries. Since you are a non-EU player you'd be big investment for a team. Are you just looking for a team to play with or dreaming of playing as a pro?

Language is not that big of a problem. People can speek english everywhere.


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## Matiz (Jun 5, 2003)

> How hard would it be to make a team over there?


depends on the league... Austria-easy, Spain and Italy- no way... unless we're talking 2nd or their 3rd league...



> Also, what would be the easiest language to learn?


everybody understands english more or less...



> How much money and how long to people usualy get signed for?


depends on how good/tall you are and in which league!?



> Where is the best ball played?


Spain, Italy, Greece, ex-Yugoslavia...



> O, I was thinking about going to England since I wouldnt have to worry about language barrier.


don't ... if you really want to play basketball...

anyway al lot depends on you height and on your college team. I take it for granted that you played in college, since HSers don't stand a serious chance in even some lower positioned leagues which are semi-profesional anyway...


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## Scipio (Feb 18, 2004)

About the money. I guess Finland acts as an example of a lower level league in Europe. Here players usually receive around 2000-4000 Euros a month depending how good you are. That's after taxes and apartment and food will be added to that. And of cource as a foreigner (specially if your black) you will always find some company so you won't get bored 

You get more from countries where basketball is more popular and teams are richer and better.


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## UD40 (May 12, 2005)

Matiz-

I hate to sound like a little immature kid who doesnt know what he's talking about, but im still in hs. But i plan to head over when I'm 19ish. I'm going to a camp this summer and I hope aau is an option for me, plus the area where im from always produces good talent for juco level, for such a small school. But you guys would be surprised at my work ethic. I am so set on ball, I gave trying to get girls!!!(now thats serious) But ill give you a little background on my game so far....

height-5'7 1/2(still growing)
weight-173 give or take(an in shape, solid 173)

position-3, but I am learning the 1 and 2 so i can be ready for the next level w/e it may be(euro, juco, college, nba...lol, jk about the nba)

years of playing-6

Positives-Coachable and can learn a new play, or position within one practice, if that. Good solid half court d. No blazing speed, but I can get out and run the floor(w/ or w/o the rock) Give me a solid big man, and I can get him look-after-look-after-look. Newly found jumper(somewhat based after JJ Redick).

Negatives-Slow foot speed in the open court. 50/50 at getting around screens, but I can work on it. Lost toughness on the boards a year or so back. Lost a lot of post skills(mostly due to me trying to get a better guard game.) If i get aggrivated, I basically take myself out of the game(but I most def. working on that everyday I play) Ref hater!(but who isnt?)

Workout habits-Shoot around after school for 30-45min(if i get the chance to.) Run a mile after playing. I eat a salad almost everyday. 100push-ups, 300crunches, 100 calf-rasies w/20pounds in each hand, and work with free weights almost nightly.

Overall grades...(Ill try to be non-bias)
Dribbiling:B-
Shooting:B/B+
Passing:B-/B(if its to the wing) A/A+(with a big man)
Defense:B(half court) C(full court)
Ups:B-/B
Rebounding:C
Knowledge:A+
Coachable:A+
Work Ethic:A++


*Note-I do have a semi-bad knee, which sometimes holds me down(but very rarely during games) I have also feel that I havent gotten my full shot at showing my ability, so when I get that little bit of light, I'm going to bust it wide open.

So, sorry if I came off like I was in/out of college. But before you say anything, let me tell you this, I am willing to take ANY tips you guys can give me to improve. And I'm a kid with a goal, and that goal is the play pro ball, and I wont be denied. Thanks for the help!

PS-If you guys could also answer a few Q's that would be great....
I saw on a tv show they followed around baller that skipped College to go Pro, but didnt get drafted, and went to Europe(Italy i think) But he came back because something was wrong with his apartment and stuff(something like that) so does the team pay/help you with your apartment and all that? By help I mean find you one?

AND

Is it normal for kids around the age of 16, 17 to be pro's in Europe. I dont mean US players and all that, but 17 year old kids from there.

Again, thanks for the help, and sorry about this long post.


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## Zalgirinis (Feb 18, 2003)

Just few short notes, because I dont have much time. First of all as you are american you gonna be foreigner here. Usually there are only 2 places for americans allowed. Of course different country has different rules, but usually its 2. 
Now second thing, teams usually take americans to be leaders, to score 15 ppg or so (thats of course generalization). There are also plenty american players who have finished college and can come, so theres huge question if someone will pay attention to 19 year old player, who wasnt heard anythere around and doesnt have an agent to promote him.
Anyway you have a chance for a smaller league like Switzerland, Austria or something like that, but I doubt about top teams even in such leagues. You have to be dominant (the level isnt high but still) to play there. So either find a good agent or you'll have to come from the weakest level.


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## Sigma (Apr 26, 2003)

Go DJ! said:


> height-5'7 1/2(still growing)
> 
> [...]
> 
> ...


I quess that was typo, you meant 6'7?

(first, sorry my bad english if any mistakes..its 1am here and it was gruelling day) 
I'm sure team pays for apartment and other stuff. I think going from HS is a little bit too early. One thing to keep in mind is that foreign players must know how to play and play good in key moments. You don't go to Europe to learn the game or learn fundamentals. You must strengthen the team, thats why you are hired. Teams don't hire you to learn the game, they hire you to help win games. Experience is everything, i think after HS is too young. 

About sallaries - i think average foreign in European lower to lowermid level earns about 3000-5000 euro a month. How long? Usually 1 year. Language is not the problem. 

99.9% kids will turn to pro when their school ends (18y), obviously if they are good enough players to earn pro-money. 

Why don't you go to College?

If you are serious about going to Europe to play basketball, good luck finding good agent.


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## UD40 (May 12, 2005)

Sigma, it wasnt a typo(sadly  )i am 5'71/2, but thats why I said im learning more guard play now. Right now I'm too young to think college, but I think the only reason I'm saying I dont think Ill go is because school is almost out for the summer, and I'm sick of school as of now, but it will probably change. But with that said, if I do go to college and lucky to get offered a scholarship to play, do you think a Juco or non-d1 school would cut it?

And whats so bad about England ball lol? Ive herd some stuff about it before posting here. But now that I think I know what classifies as good and bad places to play, what are the average places to play? And how tough are the "weak" leagues? And where could I find some links about all this?(euro ball.) I know ive been asking a lot of questions, but you guys have came through amazingly. Big thanks to everyone, and if possible do any of you know how much an agent costs? Im starting to save my money up so I can afford the plane ticket and all that stuff. I know it sounds like I have no clue what I'm talking about, but I'm learning, and I want to try for this goal. Thanks again.


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## UD40 (May 12, 2005)

Guys, I just found a site, eurobasket.net. I'm giving it a quick once over and it seems in depth. Right now im checking out the lower level areas to play, just to get a feel. In the Austria page they have an Agents link, is it really THAT easy to find some info on player agents? O, to give you guys a heads up, I'm also trying to find some info on how to get college scouts to take notice of me. I figure I'd just drop that little info. I'm starting to find more and more info on this and since I still have a few years to plan this out, do you guys think it might be worth it to look into getting a trainer to be in good shape and improve my skills? And other than Europe, do you guys recommened places like Austalia to play?


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## Sigma (Apr 26, 2003)

Go DJ! said:


> I'm also trying to find some info on how to get college scouts to take notice of me.


Best way to do is play good and show you have talent.

You are HS junior? Do you play in good HS league - do you think you are good enough for D1 basketball by the time you graduate?

Not wanting to sound like broken record, but my advice is to forget this euro idea for a while, try to improve your basketball skills (ask you coach how to improve etc.), but do not forget school studies so you always have backup plan. If you are good enough, i quess you will get a scholarship from college, if not, then you are just not talented enough. Not everybody can be pro basketball players. 

Scholarship in non-D1 school? For me this would be no-brainer, you can get free education (if full scholarship), if juco school have good basketball team who plays good level basketball and good coach then why not.


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## starvydas (Jul 16, 2002)

Hi DJ




Sigma said:


> but do not forget school studies so you always have backup plan. If you are good enough, i quess you will get a scholarship from college, if not, then you are just not talented enough. Not everybody can be pro basketball players.


is the first thing that came to my mind after reading your first post, but I see you seem to be serious about it. Hope this will help :

- Best leagues in terms of play and salary are (can't bother to rank them) Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Turkey, Russia (lots of money there lately) maybe Israel. There are very few teens playing professionnally at the highest level in Europe, unless they are extremely gifted or monsters physically. 
Most of the good players between 18 and 22 play in "farm teams" that belong to professional clubs, i.e. in a parallel amateur leagues. Competition is supposed to be good (e.g. prospects like Victor Sanikidze or Tahirou Sani play in such leagues in France) but not all players (actually no more than 5% as far as I know) are guaranteed a pro contract in a top team. Most of them though find a spot in a second or third division team, still professionally, but obviously they are less paid, don't have the same facilities available etc.

- Considering what you wrote, this is what in my opinion you should aim at : small leagues, there are plenty of them in Europe : Denmark, Switzerland, Albania if you're more adventurous, etc.. or smaller divisions in "big" countries, i.e. France, Italy, Germany... To do so, you will probably have to participate to camps or hire an agent, or maybe send them tapes of you if you can, and be very aware of what is going on in the leagues and countries you want to enter: working conditions, social legislation but also team needs, trends in recruitment etc... In those smaller leagues you will still be paid very decently, I would say 5000€/month (= a bit more in $) in a fourth division team in France + an accomodation. Considering the standard of living and the fact that you don't have to spend 8 hours at the office every day, you will be much better off than the average Joe. And if you're good you can even become a local star... 

This is in an ideal world but

-Remember that your nationality is actually a handicap. As others have said, the number of spots for Americans per team is restricted, so there is a lot of competition there. 
This will sound strange to you but you might want to check if you don't have Irish or Scottish (or whatever European nationality) blood, because it can help you get a spot as an European instead of as a "foreigner", if you choose to file a procedure for a double nationality (don't know the exact laws but there have been some precedents so it might work) . If you plan on staying in Europe, you can also marry a nice French woman, that will enable you to play as an European too.


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## UD40 (May 12, 2005)

Its been a few days since I've posted here. But I have been doing my research. And as far as the college thing goes, my grades are doing great and I tryed to contact one coach in D1. But I still have a few years before college, I have time to think this threw. And thanks for the advice so far guys, its great! Keep it coming!


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