Trend of NBA players going abroad surprises former Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy
Even before the NBA lockout began, many players were already talking about heading abroad if the labour dispute dragged on and a season was lost. Jeff Van Gundy was among those who scoffed at the idea and viewed it mainly as an
empty threat made by players to get some leverage against the NBA.
Now however, he has admitted that the number of players heading overseas has taken him aback.
The former Houston Rockets and New York Knicks head coach spoke after attending a session, where several senior coaches had gathered to train young staff from around the country. He admitted that seeing NBA players actually signing
contracts with foreign teams was not something he had expected. Especially surprising for Van Gundy was the fact that players were signing deals in China, basically committing a year away from the NBA.
“Frankly, I thought it was a threat by all of those guys, but they wouldn’t do it. There’s two different things: there’s the guys going over to Europe who get out the moment the lockouts ended, and then there’s the guys who go
to China…I am a bit surprised that guys are doing it. I think it be very eye opening and good for them in the way that you see the world, but also, you see how good you have it in the NBA.” Van Gundy told News Room Jersey.
NBA players have constantly said in the media that if the lockout doesn’t end in time to save the NBA season, they would head abroad to play competitive basketball rather than stay idle for a year in the United States. Some of
the biggest names have made such noises, and super star players, like Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, have reportedly even negotiated with teams abroad.
Deron Williams has so far been the most high profile player to agree a deal with a foreign team. The New Jersey Nets point guard signed for Turkish side Besiktas, who hosted Allen Iverson last year and were hot on the trail of
Bryant this summer.
Even more surprising has been the inclination of players to go to China. The Chinese Basketball Association declared in light of the NBA lockout that players coming from USA would not be allowed to return in case the lockout ends,
as is the case in Europe. However, still some NBA players have opted to go that way.
Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith, both of the Denver Nuggets and free agents, signed last month for Chinese teams, committing for the whole of next season there. They will only be able to come back to the NBA next season.
If reports are to be believed, these stars constitute of just the tip of the iceberg and if the lockout drags on, we might see a mass NBA player exodus.
Tags: