# How good is Anthony Parker?



## Nikos (Jun 5, 2002)

I know he is 29 years old, but it seems he has been an awesome all around player in the Euroleague and in International competetion for some time now.

Why did he not get picked up by an NBA team? Guys like Jaric, Ginobili, Nocioni, Giricek and a few others have gotten to come to the NBA at the beggining of their primes overseas. They were not terribly young when coming over, but still came and are making differences. 

Is Anthony Parker better than these guys? More talented? It seems he has better numbers all around than most of these guys when they played in the Italian/Supro/Euroleagues.

Is Anthony Parker an NBA calibur defender? Does he have NBA calibur athletecism and creativity? His assists seem to very high and also his rebounding and scoring potency.

What do you think? He would he play in the NBA if he were to come 2-3 years ago? (Ignore age for the moment).


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## Virtuoso (Jan 26, 2004)

I'll let people who have actually seen him play answer your questions, however:



> He would he play in the NBA if he were to come 2-3 years ago?


... he did "play" in the NBA but from what I can see rather unimpressively. It seems like he really improved himself over the last few years or was never given a real chance while he was over here.

NBA.com's Anthony Parker profile


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## MagnusPinus (Aug 27, 2003)

I believe he could be a very solid role player in a good team..or even a star in a bad one..He is the complete packadge he can play the in between game, can shoot off the dribble... can rebound, passing the ball, penetrate..
he loves staying in Europe, and he is already mature....next summer will probably be the last possibility for him... it depends on what he wants to do...if I'm a title contender, I'd love to take him..as the missing piece of the puzzle..


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## Nikos (Jun 5, 2002)

> He would he play in the NBA if he were to come 2-3 years ago? (Ignore age for the moment).


The phrase I meant was HOW would he play if he came to the NBA 2-3 years ago.

I am well aware he did not stick 4-5 years ago. I am talking about after he established himself in the international game. Why wasn't he picked up ala Ginobili?


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## AMR (Oct 5, 2003)

"I think the NBA is not a focus or goal of mine anymore. I'd be lying if I said I want to show or prove that I can play at the NBA level. For me, that's not a priority anymore. My priorities are thinking about my family, our financial situation and what's best for them. If something really big came from the NBA, I wouldn't be a fool and pass it up, but I don't see it happening."


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## AMR (Oct 5, 2003)

He REALLY could have helped the Bobcats... he's way better than House, Smith or Kapono.


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## Nikos (Jun 5, 2002)

I have read that already *AMR*.

But I think he only says this because he is 29 years old and it would be tough for him to acclimate himself in the NBA at this stage of his career. By the team he gets used to the game he would be 30-31. 

The question is why did he not go earlier? He was still an international all star 3-4 years ago. Why did he not get picked up ala Ginobili or a Marko Jaric? Or a Giricek?

Is he better than those guys?


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## MagnusPinus (Aug 27, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Nikos</b>!
> I have read that already *AMR*.
> 
> Why did he not get picked up ala Ginobili or a Marko Jaric? Or a Giricek?
> ...


To me is better than Giricek and Jaric... I love too much Manu


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## Nikos (Jun 5, 2002)

So basically your saying Anthony Parker is better than Ginobili.

He should be in the NBA then. Should have came 2-3 years ago, regardless of the fact he did not succeed the first time around.


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## Zalgirinis (Feb 18, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>MagnusPinus</b>!
> 
> 
> To me is better than Giricek and Jaric... I love too much Manu


Yea, IMHO Parker is definetly better than Giricek and Jaric. Dont know about Ginobili though.


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## Nikos (Jun 5, 2002)

Isn't the reason guys like Jaric and Giricek were drafted was because they were very good international players?

And yet Parker is more athletic and arguably better, and he could not average over 5ppg on a mediocre NBA team? Why is that? 

Did he improve each year or something? Is his game not suited to the NBA? 

It seems he is an all around athletic player. Why did an NBA team not snatch him up at age 24 or 25?


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## sKiP~2~mY~BLUTH (Aug 11, 2004)

as a maccabi fan i can tell u one thing.
anthony parker, 4 years ago was a good player but not as good as now. by far!
when he was 24-25 years old he just wasnt good enough, he improved his game in maccabi so much that now he's an nba material.
he improved every aspect of his game, from a good american player in europe, a little bit more than the usual, he became to the best player in europe and for sure an nba player!
and also another thing, nba teams want players from europe more than unknown (in usa) american players that play in europe.
its a new trend - in the past years the nba teams want more and more eurpean players, and when u add the fact that parker is 29 years old it doesnt make this sutuation better for him.
players like jaric, darko, delfino, giricek - i dont know if they're better than parker but the what i mentioned before helped them to get into the nba. (IMO i think that marko jaric is playin great this year, legit nba pg).
so remember that in the last years nba teams lookin for more and more young european prospects fot the future + david stern want more fans in the world...


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## Nikos (Jun 5, 2002)

Isn't his overall versatility and athletcism similiar to Ginobili. Is that not what makes them each NBA material?


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Nikos</b>!
> Isn't his overall versatility and athletcism similiar to Ginobili. Is that not what makes them each NBA material?




If Parker is as good as Manu, who several teams were lined up to pay 7+ mill per season, it seems like Anthony Parker would have a high demand to be in the NBA.


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## Nikos (Jun 5, 2002)

Well the thing is, Ginobili was not exactly dominant in the Euroleague and Italian League.

He was MVP one year or whatever, and probably was the best player at times -- but he wasn't really a dominant force.

He has improved his stock through International play, and as a Spur. He probably wasn't seen as being this good 2 years ago or so.

Maybe if Anthony Parker came into a similiar system he could produce solid results? Somewhat similiar to Manu?

Sometimes I wonder if several NBA role players (such as bench players) often can realize their potential by getting lucky and going into the right system and or were given a chance from the start.

Sometimes players who are near as good as regular NBA contributors do not get a chance. Bad luck etc...


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## Real McCoy (Oct 17, 2003)

Skip to my Bluth summed it up pretty succintly. Parker struggled badly his first few years in the NBA and had to go to Europe. Usually when that happens, you don't get a shot to come back. Now that he's playing really well, he could come back, but he is not guaranteed to get good minutes or even make as much money. He's past the time to worry about getting to the NBA, just to not get a chance. So he probably enjoys what he has now. 

Or at least that's what I think.


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## Zalgirinis (Feb 18, 2003)

Zalgiris won vs Maccabi in Tel Aviv, so thats a best Christmas gift Santa could give me (and Santa was green :yes. But in 3rd quarter something incredible was happening in Maccabi side. Parker made smth like 16 points in a row in few minutes stretch. All his shots went in, all opponents were fooled, he was just crazy, like he was from another planet. Now I really understand that he can be called the best player in Europe at this time.

Also note at Sarunas Jasikevicius... he might have 6 bad games in a row, but surely he will save his best for Zalgiris. Once again he was near killing us, but uffff... this time it wasnt like last year. I've seen him many times with NT, also with Maccabi, hes always doing miracle passes - the true beauty of basketball, but in this game he found the new ways to astonish me, who have seen so many great games of Saras. In few attacks you couldnt even understand how the attack went that way, because you just didnt see that such pass is at all possible. Well... hard to describe... I'll try to make a short video clips instead...


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