# Which nation has the best 5 in past 20 years?



## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Back in the days when I was into video games (we're talking not quite stone age, but mid-90s at the latest), I was into some of the first Sega and Nintendo basketball games where you could create players and keep stats. I'd always make this draft class against that one, or that country against this one. And with international basketball first coming to prominence in the U.S. then thanks to the internet, the '92 Olympics publicity and the first really relevant international NBA players, it was a blast.

All this leads to the point of the thread. *Using the past two decades only*, what non-U.S. nation could produce the best "fantasy" starting five? One player per position, although we'll allow a little flexibility, say, between 2 and 3, or 4 and 5. The players can be NBA, non-NBA, anything. If you're going with players from the former Yugoslavia, try to go with the current countries. (Petrovic as Croatian and Divac as Serbian, for example, not both as Yugoslavian.)

Here's one of my first choices: Serbia

PG: Aleksandar Djordjevic. I think he got a raw deal in Portland when he was there. By all accounts, a complete basketball player. Definitely an NBA-caliber guy who didn't get a great chance.
SG: Predrag Danilovic. "Shooting" is right. Probably _the_ stereotypical "European" in that he could shoot, but didn't do a lot else (while in America, anyway).
SF: Dejan Bodiroga. Perfect complement to Danilovic, in that he was the great do-it-all player.
PF: Darko Milicic. As much as he's been the butt of jokes for a few years, he's quietly become a pretty good player.
C: Vlade Divac. So skilled, so smart.

The fun thing is, Serbia could actually go quite a bit deeper. We could add in Nenad Krstic, Marko Jaric, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Vladimir Radmanovic, Igor Rakocevic, Milos Vujanic, Dejan Tomasevic and, if everyone was in his prime simultaneously, actually have a pretty decent NBA team, imo.


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

Great post but Milicic really?

I will throw out some idea's when I catch some time tomorow seen as though I am uber-tired right now and have lectures beginning at 9am :sad:

Oh and I think your right Serbia would be a force if they all came together. In fact I would go as far as saying a championship caliber force :biggrin:


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

Serbia has been churning out talent like crazy. To think Peja didnt even make that list, although I am shocked Darko is on there


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## Krstic All-Star (Mar 9, 2005)

That's a very persuasive argument in favor of Serbia...

The old Soviet-era teams could make a good case for Russia, but that depends on who's eligible for what country...

Hmm


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Stojakovic probably should be ahead of Danilovic. Going off the top of my head, I honestly just overlooked him.


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

And as promised here are my thoughts :biggrin:

I feel stupid stating the blindingly obvious but the team Spain have assembled over the past few years has been incredible, just take a look at some of the players on their roster;

4 Pau Gasol (214-F/C-80) of Memphis Grizzlies (USA)
5 Rudy Fernandez (197-G-85) of DKV Joventut Badalona
7 Juan Carlos Navarro (192-G-80) of Winterthur F.C. Barcelona
8 Jose Manuel Calderon (190-G-81) of Toronto Raptors (USA)
9 Felipe Reyes (203-F/C-80) of Real Madrid
11 Sergio Rodriguez (191-G-86) of Portland Trail Blazers (USA)
13 Marc Gasol (212-C-85) of Akasvayu Girona
14 Alex Mumbru (201-F-79) of Real Madrid
15 Jorge Garbajosa (205-C/F-77) of Toronto Raptors (USA)

They really do have an abundance of talent right now, and even coming up. Ok so the only real young spanish talent I am aware of is Ricky Rubio but by-golly what a talent. This kid is unbelievable and dominant on a scale I have never seen in Under 18's international basketball. Youtube him instantly if you haven't heard of him, worth every video clip.

As for historically I have been racking my mind but to get a complete roster that would be able to compete in the L has proved tough on my pea-sized excuse for a brain. Maybe I should start a thread that where we can compile the best players from each country?


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## Krstic All-Star (Mar 9, 2005)

^ That'd be a hell of a thread.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Porn_Player said:


> They really do have an abundance of talent right now, and even coming up. Ok so the only real young spanish talent I am aware of is Ricky Rubio but by-golly what a talent.


Victor Claver is another talented young Spaniard: 6-10 SF (1988). 1st round potential.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Porn_Player said:


> Maybe I should start a thread that where we can compile the best players from each country?


Great idea. Do you mean all-time, or best players right now? (Cool idea either way, just wondering what we're getting into.)


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

The thread has already got its hopefully gigantic arse underway :biggrin:

I did Oscar Schmidt from Brazil so basically it is anybody who deserves a mention past or present.

Looking forward to your input man.


(sorry about mucking up your post, I accidently wrote my reply in your post. Go Team Porn!)


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## Boris (Jun 30, 2005)

Croatia

D. Petrovic (Hall of fame)
A. Komazec
T. Kukoc
D. Radja
K. Cosic (Hall of fame)

Others: giergia, vrankovic, tabak, vujcic, giricek, perasovic, radulovic, skansi, A. Petrovic, Nakic, cutura, Mulamerovic...


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

That Croatian 5 needs a PG bad. In the spirit of the thread, I'd recommend Mulamerovic, Planinic or someone.


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## Boris (Jun 30, 2005)

luther said:


> That Croatian 5 needs a PG bad. In the spirit of the thread, I'd recommend Mulamerovic, Planinic or someone.


For most of the time in Croatian NT D. Petrovic played at PG, but you can with Geriga or A. Petrovic they made bether carers then Mulamerovic and Planinic. i did not wan't to put Planinic, Popovic, Zizic and others today players because they still didn't do anythig in their carer.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Boris said:


> For most of the time in Croatian NT D. Petrovic played at PG, but you can with Geriga or A. Petrovic they made bether carers then Mulamerovic and Planinic. i did not wan't to put Planinic, Popovic, Zizic and others today players because they still didn't do anythig in their carer.


Interesting. Did all those guys play within the past 20 years?

Out of curiosity, are you Croatian or were you able to see a lot of these guys? I've been limited to being an American fan trying to follow euro ball for years. For some of these guys, it was a matter of seeing one Olympic or WCs game every couple of years, then just reading their box scores and occasional little mentions in the U.S. press about whether they'd come over. 

By the way, I forgot one other thing: Kukoc could have played PG for your starting 5.


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