fifth column
Superstar
So you didn’t agree with OP’s choice then, so what’s the difference between your opinion and mine?
For the first time in NBA history, the top 3 players are arguably internationally born. How do you feel about this?
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Except I agree with the OP, or more to the point - I agree with the point he's trying to make.
What part of "there are about 5-6 players in the convo, all of whom I wouldn’t contest if they’re mentioned" do you not understand? Once again you completely missed the point of the thread, after it's been reiterated to you over and over. Jokic, Giannis and Luka are all players who have arguments for being in the top-3, so there was no need for you to come in here and split hairs over whether they're not, only detracting from the point of the thread.
You're in here arguing that Jokic and Luka are not in the conversation, which is wrong.
fifth column
Superstar
Was this a circle jerk thread in your opinion? And if so, my bad I wouldn’t have participated
I can't speak to the intentions of the OP, but it's an interesting discussion where there's a changing of the guard with international players being the face of the league now. Particularly when the three players [Bron, KD and Steph] that have ruled the last decade don't have long left at the top. When their time is up, who do you think is left that'll compete with the likes of Giannis, Luka and Jokic?
fifth column
Superstar
Embiid, Ja, Antman, some other unknown players might rise up. I don’t disagree that Giannis, Jokic and Luka are the future, I disagree with Jokic and Luka being top 3 right now. Just like with Giannis I need to see something.
When was the last time anyone argued KAT better than Jokic? I really don't see it.
That's not true. People rip on Jokic's defense because he's slow and isn't a rim protector, but he knows how to stay in position and tends to do reasonably well against other bigs one-on-one. At the very least he's an average defender and all the advanced stats and analytics say he's actually a legit positive on that end of the court.
Luka is a weaker defender certainly but he's not a huge liabilty on that end the way some other players are. Most of the time he gets exploited is late in games when he simply has been carrying too large a load as the primary scorer/playmaker all game and is running out of gas.
Jokic got gentlemen swept in the 1st round. If you’re going off playoff performance, then Jokic is severely lacking.
Jokic career in the playoffs: 26-12-6 and 1 block/game on 52% FG, 40% 3pt, 84% FT. Those are MONSTER numbers. How the fukk is that lacking?
Yes Jokic is 4-4 in playoff series, but the 4 losses were to the 2022 Champion Warriors, the 2021 runner-up Suns, the 2020 Champion Lakers, and the 2019 West runner-up Blazers. And the Blazers loss was a 7-game nailbiter in Jokic's first playoff appearance. Jokic has consistently played well, he wasn't the reason his teams were just outmanned. Last year he averaged 31-13-6 on 58/28/85 splits against the Warriors, and was an incredible 35-15-6 on 66% shooting over the last 3 games, but he couldn't help that his #2 was Monte Morris averaging 14ppg. And how the fukk was he supposed to stop the Warriors from hitting 42% of their 3pt while shooting 36 threes a game?
On the plus side, he came back from 3-1 down to upset the #3 seed Jazz then came back from 3-1 down to upset the #2 seed Clippers.
Jokic's playoff performances are a positive for his legacy, not a detraction. MJ at this same age was 5-6 career in playoff series and hadn't advanced further than the conference finals either.
Embiid is an international player (all the more proving the point of the OP). Ja and Ant ain't got it like that, I really don't foresee either of them being in the best player conversation. Nobody is saying you have to put Luka and Jokic in your top-3, but the point here is that they're in the discussion, which is something that isn't up for debate.
Do you get it now?
fifth column
Superstar
They in the discussion for 4-6 with Embiid imo. I never argued about where the players were from in the 1st place, I don’t care about shyt like that
Luka & Jokic
Giannis
KD
Embiid
Curry
Bron
Kawhi (when healthy)
AD (when healthy)
Then maybe Luka & Jokic. Hell I’d take KAT over Jokic
what dafuq kinda drugs are u on??? I’d say hook it up but I NEVER wanna be THAT fckin’ delusional
Embiid never played international ball - he is a foreign born player, but all his professional and amateur experience has been in the US. I'm not going to split hairs, if you're defining an international player as someone who wasn't born in the U.S. that's fine. He has 0 experience playing internationally.
there's literally several people in this thread stating that specifically cuz KAT shoots "better" and is probably a better two way player between them.
you're being dishonest - you just negged me for stating literally the same thing.
here is what I said:
now you're in here saying you agree with what OP said, which is exactly what I stated. You're a freaking weirdo
Actually, he first played competitive hoops in Cameroon, so yes he does have "amateur experience" outside of the US. He's also aiming to play for France in the Olympics in 2024, so yes, he's classified as an international player. It's a pretty damn pointless exercise to debate this.
what competitive hoops did he play in Cameroon?