Deron Williams is acting like a turkey... Let him go to Turkey...

If Deron Williams wants act like a turkey and play in Turkey, does anyone care?  I sure don't. If I was an NBA owner I'd charter a bus to the airport for all the players who wish to go overseas.  I'd call the players' bluffs every day and twice on Sunday. 

Dear player: If you want to play internationally, that's your choice.  Go if you want to go.  Nothing is stopping you.

Personally, and I've written about this before on some forum (i.e. if not in this blog specifically), I think Williams is an idiot.  Unfortunately, he's not alone.  5 million guaranteed in Turkey.  Great.  I happen to think that these people are very short-sided in their thinking.

I don't believe that NBA players with viable NBA careers think international competition is the best competition.  I also don't think that playing overseas is smart from a marketing perspective since I feel it would make people lose interest in their brand.  This isn't the Yao Ming phenomenon.  Yao already had his audience.  International players who grow up in their native land have a built in audience their and then "matriculate" to the NBA.  The same metaphor can be used when amateurs matriculate to the professional level.  No offense to international competition, but FIBA and global basketball is much different compared to the NBA.  

As I've stated before, I predict that the NBA lockout will go til at least 2012.  I think the NBA All-Star festivities in Orlando won't happen.  I also think with a shortened season, that the teams that are already "stable" will sprint to the finish line.  Tough luck to the teams that are rebuilding or hoping that they could "gel" and build "chemistry".  Players will enjoy their summers and extend vacations.  Some players will work out with MLB baseball teams and/or join other summer leagues.

Of course, this is all my opinion, after experiencing the 1998 NBA lockout and having an inside perspective into how it affects players, coaches, agents, media, and fans.

In all honesty, I'm not really a fan of Deron Williams to begin with so I have to ask why anyone is really listening to him?  The guy is on the New Jersey Nets.  Who cares?!!?

Dear, Deron Williams:  Talk is cheap.  Let us know when you have a boarding pass.


THE WIRK

NBA International players to cross the pond if lockout ~ I say, "No"

I've been reading a couple of headlines related to international players in the NBA (e.g. Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko) and the plans they're "considering" if there's an lockout next season.  Having survived a NBA lockout in 1998 with an international player who also entertained offers from other teams in Europe (i.e. if I remember correctly, I remember a team in Spain was interested), I'm willing to call the player's bluffs.  If these guys start looking for their passports, my bet is that they're going for pleasure and NOT business.

I remember the NBA lockout "vacation" that was had.  To say that everyone was unhappy would be a lie.  Players who were committed to conditioning and rehab still worked out.  They just might've been found working out at MLB facilities, local community centers, and health clubs, etc.  From what I could see, for those players not living paycheck to paycheck and who were smart with their money, life was just fine.  It was good time off.  Recently I asked a writer what he did during the last NBA lockout, and he said he was more or less on vacation also.  After such a busy offseason with everyone chasing LeBron to get the scoop on his "decision", maybe it wouldn't hurt to have some NBA rest...  Just a thought, but I digress...

Is Okur going to hop a plane to Europe, if there's a lockout?

Is AK-47 taking his ammo across the pond, if there's a lockout?

I'm not about to read up on Okur and Kirilenko's contracts, but I do feel as though they're solid in the NBA and have viable careers.  I have no idea what their making in terms of $$$, but I do feel like the risk of injury overseas is too great.  We're not just talking about international competition like the Olympics and FIBA World Championships.  We'd be talking about a "season" or partial season.

If you think I'm buying the story that these guys (i.e. and not specifically Okur and Kirilenko) or anyone with a viable NBA career are going to pack up and head overseas, you're fooling yourself.  You'd have better luck selling me season tickets to one of the bottom dwelling NBA squads that are always mentioned in the same breath as the word "contraction".

****  Actually now that I think about it, both stories about an international player heading across the pond are about players with the Utah Jazz...  Random, but I think pure coincidence, since the Jazz are having success at 26-13.  FYI, I took the pictures for this post back in April 2009.


THE WIRK