Poll

Who's the best international player of all time? (players in alphabetical order)

Giannis Antetokounmpo
7 (11.7%)
Vlade Divac
0 (0%)
Luka Doncic
2 (3.3%)
Joel Embiid
1 (1.7%)
Pau Gasol
0 (0%)
Manu Ginobili
1 (1.7%)
Rudy Gobert
0 (0%)
Nikola Jokic
0 (0%)
Sarunas Marciulionis
0 (0%)
Yao Ming
2 (3.3%)
Dikembe Mutombo
0 (0%)
Steve Nash
5 (8.3%)
Dirk Nowitzki
8 (13.3%)
Hakeem Olajuwon
23 (38.3%)
Tony Parker
0 (0%)
Drazen Petrovic
1 (1.7%)
Kristaps Porzingis
0 (0%)
Arvydas Sabonis
9 (15%)
Oscar Schmidt
0 (0%)
Pascal Siakam
0 (0%)
Ben Simmons
0 (0%)
Peja Stojakovic
0 (0%)
Karl-Anthony Towns
0 (0%)
other (please name below)
1 (1.7%)

Total Members Voted: 60

Author Topic: Poll: Best international player of all time  (Read 34144 times)

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Poll: Best international player of all time
« on: March 13, 2020, 05:59:57 PM »

Offline Jvalin

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A few words on the Brazilian basketball legend Oscar Schmidt (the only player in the poll not to have played in the NBA).

He is widely considered the greatest player never to have played in the NBA. In fact, he had multiple offers to join the NBA, but he turned them all down cause he wouldn't have been eligible to play for the Brazilian national team (at the time NBA players couldn't play for their national team).

Schmidt was called “Mão Santa” (Holy Hand) because of his ability to shoot the ball. He scored 49,703 points throughout his 23-year career, which is about 11,000 more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Hats off to Drazen as well. The MJ of european basketball (although Luka will certainly enjoy more success in the NBA).

Anyway, I voted for Arvydas Sabonis. Prior to the injuries, Sabonis was a 7'3'' Larry legend!

- strong like a bull
- massive hands
- out of this world basketball IQ
- imo, the best passing big man of all time (certainly better than Walton/Jokic)
- terrific rim protector
- great rebounder
- endless repertoire of post moves, he could score pretty much at will in the paint
- he could shoot the 3 (he is 7'3'' and he was shooting 3s in the 80s-90s!)

In a nutshell, he could do it all! It's just unfortunate that he wasn't allowed to play for a team outside the Soviet Union till he was 25 years old. Here's a short video about him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18tnToDLHV4

And here's a short video of 22-year-old Arvydas Sabonis demolishing 21-year-old David Robinson (among others) in the 1986 FIBA World Championship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06usV6451ik

Call me crazy, but I truly believe that Sabonis in his prime (prior to the injuries) was a GOAT candidate.

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I didn't include guys like Ewing/Duncan/Kyrie etc. cause they have played for team USA. I included KAT cause he has represented the Dominican Republic.

Honorable mentions: Steven Adams, Nicolas Batum, Sergei Belov, Rolando Blackman, Dejan Bodiroga, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Bojan Bogdanovic, Andrew Bogut, Manute Bol, Clint Capela, Kresimir Cosic, Luol Deng, Boris Diaw, Goran Dragic, Evan Fournier, Nikos Galis, Danilo Gallinari, Marc Gasol, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Al Horford, Serge Ibaka, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Andrei Kirilenko, Radivoj Korac, Toni Kukoc, Dino Meneghin, Nikola Mirotic, Jamal Murray, Juan Carlos Navarro, Nene, Dino Radja, Ricky Rubio, Domantas Sabonis, Detlef Schrempf, Dennis Schroder, Luis Scola, Rik Smits, Milos Teodosic, Tristan Thompson, Hedo Turkoglu, Nikola Vucevic, Andrew Wiggins
« Last Edit: March 16, 2020, 11:27:50 AM by Jvalin »

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2020, 06:04:49 PM »

Offline GreenFaith1819

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I have read in some places and heard in others that Arvydas was SO GOOD in the 80s that if he was allowed to come to the NBA then the outcome of some mid-late 80s championships would'v been different...

I think ATL or POR would've drafted him?

Imagine Dominique with Sabonis back then....

And Domantas makes an old man proud


Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2020, 06:15:40 PM »

Offline GreenFaith1819

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I'll say this, though...if you watch extended videos of Arvydas playing against Team USA back then you could see him getting exposed, some....but he DID hold his own well.

He would've been quite interesting in the NBA of the 80s.

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2020, 06:15:51 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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You really could just limit the voting to Sabonis, Schmidt, Dirk and Hakeem. I don't see that anyone else is really in the discussion at this point, though Luka and Giannis might eventually be added to that list.

Weirdly enough, Pau might be the most successful international player but not in the discussion as best overall.

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2020, 06:20:47 PM »

Offline liam

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It's Sabonis and it isn't even close in my opinion.  Does Tim Duncan not count as an international player?

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2020, 06:27:32 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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Sabonis would be my pick as well. He is the international GOAT.

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2020, 06:37:43 PM »

Offline Jvalin

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You really could just limit the voting to Sabonis, Schmidt, Dirk and Hakeem. I don't see that anyone else is really in the discussion at this point, though Luka and Giannis might eventually be added to that list.

Weirdly enough, Pau might be the most successful international player but not in the discussion as best overall.
I wanted to include plenty of options in the poll in hope of provoking conversation.

Personally speaking, I definitely think Drazen is in the discussion. Luka and Giannis will most definitely be in the discussion in a few years' time (if they aren't already). Possibly Jokic-Embiid-Simmons-KAT-Porzingis as well.

Steve Nash is a 2-time MVP. Tony Parker is a Finals MVP. Gobert is a 2-time DPOY. Imo, all these guys were/are great players. At the very least, they should be in the discussion.


Does Tim Duncan not count as an international player?
Didn't include him cause he has played for team USA. The same goes for Patrick Ewing and Kyrie.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2020, 06:43:00 PM by Jvalin »

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2020, 06:47:52 PM »

Online Who

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Dream

Sabonis might have surpassed Hakeem if not for injuries but Sabonis did have injuries and did not surpass Hakeem.

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2020, 06:50:50 PM »

Offline Jvalin

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I'll say this, though...if you watch extended videos of Arvydas playing against Team USA back then you could see him getting exposed, some....but he DID hold his own well.

He would've been quite interesting in the NBA of the 80s.
He was way past his prime at the time. Injuries had taken a toll on him. From what I've read, the Soviets were forcing him to play in international competitions, even when he was carrying injuries. This wouldn't have been the case in today's game.

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2020, 07:08:39 PM »

Offline liam

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Sabonis might have surpassed Hakeem if not for injuries but Sabonis did have injuries and did not surpass Hakeem.

I think prime Sabonis was better even than prime Hakeem.

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2020, 07:53:32 PM »

Offline Birdman

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Hakeem without a doubt..Drazen Could have been something special if he didn’t die very young
C/PF-Horford, Baynes, Noel, Theis, Morris,
SF/SG- Tatum, Brown, Hayward, Smart, Semi, Clark
PG- Irving, Rozier, Larkin

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2020, 08:44:32 PM »

Offline gouki88

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As of now it's Hakeem, considering Sabonis had injury troubles, but I think Luka and Giannis will be on the same level as Hakeem by the time it's all said and done. Maybe even better...
'23 Historical Draft: Orlando Magic.

PG: Terry Porter (90-91) / Steve Francis (00-01)
SG: Joe Dumars (92-93) / Jeff Hornacek (91-92) / Jerry Stackhouse (00-01)
SF: Brandon Roy (08-09) / Walter Davis (78-79)
PF: Terry Cummings (84-85) / Paul Millsap (15-16)
C: Chris Webber (00-01) / Ralph Sampson (83-84) / Andrew Bogut (09-10)

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2020, 08:57:07 PM »

Online Roy H.

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It very well could be Sabonis or Schmidt, and maybe someday it will be Luka.

But, with Hakeem there’s no need to speculate.  He was dominant, a top ten player ever.


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Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2020, 10:42:46 PM »

Offline GreenFaith1819

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Looking that list over, am I the only one that believes you can get a championship roster out of it?

C - Hakeem
PF - Dirk
SF -
SG - Drazen
PG - Luka

C - Arvydas
PF - Greek Freak
SF -
SG -
PG - Simmons

2 solid Championship-level rosters, maybe?

I haven't even included the Gasols....

Re: Poll: Best international player of all time
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2020, 11:02:36 PM »

Offline Somebody

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Without a doubt Hakeem.
Jaylen Brown for All-NBA