Top-15 International Players in the NBA (2008-09)

[stuart]

So I want to do a frontpage piece on the Top-15 players in the NBA this season. What does your list look like? Use whatever criteria you believe defines top - whether skills, stats, winning, or what have you... only restriction is that limit your list to how they've done this season.

1. Pau Gasol - he and Kobe EQUALLY are the reason why the Lakers are winning and one of the top two teams all season.
2. Dirk Nowitzki - As Dirk goes, so the Mavs go.
3. Tony Parker - been on a tear lately and has carried the Spurs as injuries have kept Duncan and Manu out.
4. Yao Ming - stats are down, but Houston is still winning, and it's mostly because of the big fella.
5. Manu Ginobili - one of the most dangerous players in the league despite being a sixth man and injured this season. Clutch player on offense and defense.
6. Steve Nash - still the sparkplug for the Suns, just much much less so.
7. Hedo Turkoglu - He, Dwight Howard and Nelson are what really make Orlando go. With Nelson out, Hedo is even more important.
8. Luis Scola - key player for Houston with oft-injured McGrady out. been getting double-doubles with frequency
9. Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Cleveland did well with Z out, but with him providing midrange jumpers, offensive rebounds, and interior presence, the Cavs are really dangerous when Z is in.
10. Mehmet Okur - doesn't mind being the 4th option even with Boozer out, Memo just plains produces.
11. Nene - Has had a great season, led the league in FG% majority of season, despite his numbers dipping as of the last 1.5 months.
12. Leandro Barbosa - stats are down, but highly-effective and eficient coming off the bench.
13. Boris Diaw - Just like three seasons ago, Diaw is getting the minutes to show off his multi-faceted game with the cellar-dwelling Bobcats.
14. Jose Calderon - hampered by injuries but consistent for a terrible Toronto team, not to mention he is on a record-breaking pace for FT% (131-134)
15. Andrea Bargnani - playing great in the second half of the season, still needs to improve defense and rebounding.

Apologies to Andersen Varejao, Luol Deng, Andrei Kirilenko, Rudy Fernandez, Marc Gasol, and Andres Nocioni.

[Khalid80]

I agree with your list, however I wish Andris Biedrins would have been included. The guy has been averaging a double-double this season and is having career highs in terms of ppg (12.4) and rpg (11.5) even though he has played 57 games this season due to an injury he had a few weeks ago.

[stuart]

Yep, Biedrins has had an up and down season. Despite getting more minutes, his stats haven't reflected that, the Warriors are playing badly, and being out a lot of the season hasn't helped his case. He's one of my favorites so it was tough to leave him, Deng, Kirilenko, and Peja out of the 15.

Stuart

[mvblair]

My list:

1. Yao Ming - He's so hard to stop, his bad nights are when he's triple-teamed
2. Pau Gasol - The best PF?
3. Tony Parker - Cosntantly overlooked and probably the best PG in the NBA
4. Dirk Nowitzki - Still good after all these years
5. Manu Ginobili - fearless
6. Mehmut Okur - keeping the Jazz up top with Williams
7. Luis Scola - All-Star since January
8. Zydrunas Ilgauskas - he is Cleveland's #2 option
9. Jose Calderon - smart, smart, smart
10. Hedo Turkoglu - All-Star

[Lewis]

wher' HORFORD at

[Worrax]

*Nowitzki (Simply the best)
*Ginobili (With all my regards)
*Parker (Spermezoid)
*Ming (The wall)
*Gasol (Say hello to Hollywood)
*Nash (Like a deadly weapon)
*Turkoglu (Knows what to do)
*Ilgauskas (Cool)
*Okur (Half basketball player, half artist)
*Kirilenko (The meaning of defence)

[Neozyrus]

For me the list could be:

1. Pau Gasol
2. Dirk Nowitzki
3. Yao Ming
4. Tony Parker
5. Steve Nash
6. Mehmet Okur
7. Andris Biedrins
8. Jose Calderon
9. Manu Ginobili
10. Hedo Turkoglu
11. Luis Scola
12. Zydrunas Ilgauskas
13. Nene Hilario
14. Boris Diaw
15. Andrea Bargnani
16. Marc gasol
17. Andrei Kirilenko
18. Ben Gordon
19. Chris Kaman
20. Anderson Varejao

[vaslover]

1. Great Dirk
2. Pau Gasol
3. Yao
4. Tony Parker
5. Steve Nash
6. Andruha Kirilenko
7. Big Z
8. Manu
9. Jose Calderon
10. Andris Biedrins

[Visseira]

My top 20:

1 - Nowitzki
2 - Tony Parker
3 - Manu
4 - Nash
5 - Yao
6 - Pau
7 - Tim Duncan (I considered him from Virgin Islands)
8 - Leandrinho
9 - Turkoglu
10 - Bargnani
11 - Scola
12 - Nené
13 - Peja
14 - Kirilenko
15 - Okur
16 - Gallinari
17 - Bellinelli
18 - Nocioni
19 - Rudy
20 - Calderón

[mvblair]

My top 20:

1 - Nowitzki
2 - Tony Parker
3 - Manu
4 - Nash
5 - Yao
6 - Pau
7 - Tim Duncan (I considered him from Virgin Islands)
8 - Leandrinho
9 - Turkoglu
10 - Bargnani
11 - Scola
12 - Nené
13 - Peja
14 - Kirilenko
15 - Okur
16 - Gallinari
17 - Bellinelli
18 - Nocioni
19 - Rudy
20 - Calderón

Hey Costa, no way Calderon is that low on my list. He's one of the best point guards in the league right now. You've got to put him higher on your list. You too, Neozyrus. You guys must be prejudiced against Iberians or something.

[rikhardur]

Hey Costa, no way Calderon is that low on my list. He's one of the best point guards in the league right now. You've got to put him higher on your list. You too, Neozyrus. You guys must be prejudiced against Iberians or something.

True, Calderón is absolutely not below the others mentioned. This considering just the NBA of course, which is what the topic is about.

Welcome here visseira btw

[stuart]

http://www.interbasket.net/news/1676...layers-200809/

The final list. Feel free to discuss. So far, people are saying that Calderon should be higher up even on my list... but who should he be above?

15. Barbosa
14. Bargnani
13. Calderon
12. Nene
11. Boris Diaw
10. Ilgauskas
9. Memo Okur
8. Luis Scola
7. Turkoglu

Stuart

[Visseira]

Hey Costa, no way Calderon is that low on my list. He's one of the best point guards in the league right now. You've got to put him higher on your list. You too, Neozyrus. You guys must be prejudiced against Iberians or something.

I'm not a big fan of Calderón... I know he is doing his best season in the league, specially in assists, but he isn't in the top of my preferences...
I don't have anything against Iberians!!! Gasol is 4th in my list...

[mvblair]

So far, people are saying that Calderon should be higher up even on my list... but who should he be above?

Well, that's the problem with lists. You've always got to kick somebody off!

Personally, I would have put him above Nene and Diaw. ...and this might be blasphemus, but I would have put Calderon above Nash for what they have done this year.

I'm not a big fan of Calderón... I know he is doing his best season in the league, specially in assists, but he isn't in the top of my preferences...
I don't have anything against Iberians!!! Gasol is 4th in my list...

He's not the type of player you prefer? Visseira, my friend, my colleague, if you could chose a type of PG, what would you chose? Someone who can shoot, control, and distribute the ball, right? Isn't that Calderon? Or do you prefer the Marbury-type of PG?

[Visseira]

I recognize Calderón is a good PG, but he isn´t on my top... I prefer guys like D-Will, Chris Paul or Nash...

[Neozyrus]

Hey Costa, no way Calderon is that low on my list. He's one of the best point guards in the league right now. You've got to put him higher on your list. You too, Neozyrus. You guys must be prejudiced against Iberians or something.

First of all, i admit it, i hate iberians, all of them. Portuguese people are still quite fine (there are some exceptions like Rik ), but the spaniards.. i simply cant stand them. Im glad that i showed that on my list.
And i know you feel the same way, u should admit it too

And about my list, first of all, what r u talking about?? i ranked Calderon higher than you! So you are the one that is showing his complete distaste for Calderon's game

Still the players in the positions 5 to 9 on my list could easily change among them cause i think that their level were quite similar this season.

[mvblair]

First of all, i admit it, i hate iberians, all of them. Portuguese people are still quite fine (there are some exceptions like Rik ), but the spaniards.. i simply cant stand them. Im glad that i showed that on my list.

Wow, you're starting to sound like most of Latin America, Zyrus!!

And about my list, first of all, what r u talking about?? i ranked Calderon higher than you! So you are the one that is showing his complete distaste for Calderon's game

I know, I know, I know. I just couldn't move players like Yao, Dirk, and Parker. And Gasol.

This is why I love lists.