O'Connor's view toward national teams

[idiot]

I think it's pretty clear the Jazz officially support their players who play for national teams during the summer, but unofficially are probably doing everything they can to prevent their players from doing it (except perhaps during Olympic years). I had always thought the issue was injury concerns, and it's pretty easy to see how that applies to AK. But players can get injured anywhere -- as easily in summer league or even in training as in national team play. So there seems to be more to it. Clearly (per Siler) KOC is really down on Fes for having chosen to play for the Ukraine, probably regardless of whether he would have been in summer league or not. And while explaining the Jefferson/Koufos trade, KOC spoke of how much playing for the Greek team set Kosta's progress back last year.

Any thoughts on why the Jazz are so down on playing for national teams? What is it about it that potentially is so much worse for players than working out on their own during the summer?

 

[Stifle Tower]

It's also the fatigue factor.
Also, national teams emphasize different things.

For example, Jazz want Jefferson in town as soon as possible so he can start studying the playbook. They want Deron to rest his injured wrist. If Fes were here, I'm sure they'd want him to lift weights, work on his FT's and try to learn the plays. Kosta really needed to work on an inside game. Few international players have one. It's more of a finesse game in Europe, less physical. All Euro bigs seem to know how to shoot, but most don't play much defense.

 

[Loki]

Well the International game is pretty different from the NBA game and I don't know that playing for the national team does anything to prepare players for the NBA season unless they're an outside shooter. There's no rough play in the paint really and players getting used to the offensive goaltending differences could cause problems at least in the beginning of the season.

But it has more to do with injury probably. It's not like soccer where the national team's what every player aspires to play on. The national team in basketball is a side job that could cause problems.

But KOC is right about Kosta. Playing for a national team should be done after you're good and established in your league and your development isn't going to be affected by playing for the summer. D-Will had no bad affects from playing in the Olympics but that's because he was already in stride. Kosta was just too new and didn't know the system or the league or what it took and summer would have been a perfect place for him to get his development started right.

 

[cowhide]

Well I would be upset if my milllion dollar investment got hurt playing for someone else. Besides I believe it wears out the players. The season is long enough if they play during the summer the players barely get any time off. I am glad DW is not playing. He needs to be rested and healthy this year.

 

[vj_74]

I will support the Jazz even if they openly asked their players not to play in any these championships.
Just look at the inverment made on a guy like AK and the fact that he misses 10-15 games every freaking season like clockwork, because of what he says the load and he almost expects to get it every season. With a history like that why would anyone encourage him to play for Russia?

More than Fesenko I am glad AK has opted out. Looks like someone drilled some sense into him.Deron decided on his own. He's smart.

This is the last chance AK gets to really earn his MAX salary. Hope he doesnt blow it.
If he is injured again in the playoffs, I don't want the Jazz to sign him again, like FOR EVER

 

[idiot]

Most of this makes sense, but I still wonder how different this these concerns are (injury concerns, fatigue) from what would happen with sending someone down to the D-League. Even the style of play can be different in the D-League compared to the major-league team (though the Jazz try to manage this with their links to the Flash). Or why do we seem content with Tomic (and perhaps someone like Evans this year) developing in Europe, but we're concerned about what the European style has done to Koufos and Fes? With someone like Koufos who we kept talking about needing experience (and for whom fatigue probably wasn't much of a factor), how is what they learn in Europe really that much more harmful than playing in a bunch of pick-up games (which would presumably happen for many players who stay in the US for the summer)?

 

[Harcher]

Most of this makes sense, but I still wonder how different this these concerns are (injury concerns, fatigue) from what would happen with sending someone down to the D-League. Even the style of play can be different in the D-League compared to the major-league team (though the Jazz try to manage this with their links to the Flash). Or why do we seem content with Tomic (and perhaps someone like Evans this year) developing in Europe, but we're concerned about what the European style has done to Koufos and Fes? With someone like Koufos who we kept talking about needing experience (and for whom fatigue probably wasn't much of a factor), how is what they learn in Europe really that much more harmful than playing in a bunch of pick-up games (which would presumably happen for many players who stay in the US for the summer)?

Great Question - especially since you are an idiot.

 

[bigb]

In the case of Koufos, I don't think ti was a fatigue factor at all. He just sucks.

 

[ncoloradojazz]

Why are we still making excuses for doufus. Nothing set him back other then being out of his league being in the nba. Didnt set dwill back but lets make an excuse for doufus. How bout jazz management just admit the whiffed when they selected doufus