NBA limbo gives foreigners reason to go home

With many NBA players attempting to outsource themselves to professional leagues in foreign nations, the watchdogs of American basketball are waiting to judge the potential impact from the prospective upheaval. But what seems to be missed during this hand-wringing is the relatively seamless transition the lockout may be providing for players who would be going home for temp work. Yeah, while many are wondering if Deron Williams is going to be derisively whistled into the fetal position if he fails to set Turkey on fire (not literally), there's not much apparent concern over defections from the NBA workforce that arrived here from abroad. So while Brandon Jennings warns of chilly receptions for Yankees who spend inordinate amounts of time dribbling the ball between their legs, and Josh Childress advises not holding your breath on payday, quite a few employees from David Stern's league can bolt with minimal worries. For the American player, the notion of playing abroad can be sabotaged by many issues. For example, several coaching and writing acquaintances with firsthand knowledge of the European pro scene insist the style of basketball can be quite crusty. You've probably heard andor read similar reports and also find it interesting that the knock on many European players imported by the NBA is their abundant finesse (read: softness). Anyway, players who've grown up in or around those leagues will know what to expect. It also is no secret that perimeter-oriented Americans (and quite a few clueless inside players) really enjoy bouncing the ball. That's not exactly the prevailing style in some foreign leagues, where passing and movement off the ball regularly find their way into pesky offensive concepts. Perhaps that's one reason why very few foreign guards show up in the NBA with the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive past someone ... a skill that really comes in handy over here. In addition to returning to a level of on-court comfort, foreign-born NBA players with lockout homecoming plans won't be burdened with the same off-court crises waiting for Americans playing abroad. There are five-star hotels and private jets in other countries; they just don't seem to have much in common with professional basketball teams. These cultural dilemmas also include the culinary arena, where U.S. players, for example, may have a difficult time locating menus that offer the caloric excess they rely on to provide energy back in the states. And even though the gastronomic salvation of American fast food has been infiltrating foreign countries for many years, language issues may prevent U.S. imports from ordering properly at familiar dining establishments. Players who grew up in Europe -- or any of the other continents that serve the NBA -- won't have that problem. Foreign-born NBA players also know the lay of the social-media land. If accessing that Twitter account in the middle of a face-to-face chat is considered rude in another country, American players may be tweeting into a minefield. So, considering the huge cultural divide, why in the heck did players leave their home countries to play professional basketball in the United States? Well, the NBA is by far the gold standard for pro hoop leagues. And the best in the world -- in any endeavor -- almost always want to prove they can compete and excel at the highest level. This means that even though the prevailing labor impasse could inspire several players to give the ol' palm wave (the international sign of "to heck with 'em") to both sides and go home, the desire to play in the NBA will keep most of the elite foreign players in the U.S. ... whenever the league returns. But for those who left home, played in the NBA, did well enough and made a pretty nice wage, going home for good really is an option to consider. There may be nothing left to prove (to yourself or anyone else), and the money available overseas may be close enough to your relatively pedestrian market value in the NBA -- especially if the owners are successful in gutting the current system. Although visiting Las Vegas in the last week of July proves that about 100 million teenage boys are playing AAU basketball in the United States, it still may not be easy to replace foreign-born, rotation-level NBA players who go home and stay there. With depth already an NBA sticking point and contraction a talking point, losing a large chunk of the foreign workforce would hurt a 30-team league. Beyond the simple numbers, a world-influenced NBA is better for everyone. In addition to the increased difficulty of American triumph in international competitions, NBA participation by foreign players has hiked our awareness regarding player development. This is not too much unlike what imported cars were supposed to do for the quality of the American-built automobile. Well, the U.S. remains a bit cockeyed in basketball skill development, but the European model did remind American hoop executives that kids need to spend time building their skills. Unfortunately, U.S. prospects still operate with a competition clock that almost never stops spinning. But well-meaning parents and future posse members are spending time and money on individual skill training (sometimes too much). Every time a U.S. team loses internationally or someone from Germany becomes MVP of the NBA Finals, we're reminded that top prospects in other countries are identified as soon as they experience their first haircut and snatched up by an academy. These academies use supposedly comprehensive drills to teach fundamentals, then attempt to incorporate these lessons into practical application through competition. What they don't seem to consider is the value of an American phenomenon known as the pickup game. That's where U.S. kids -- in formats that start at one-on-one and end at five-on-five -- learn to figure things out for themselves without the heavy-handed influence of a coach. According to soccer zealots, a useful parallel can be made with the creative young players from Brazil. Sure, instruction is great and necessary, but basketball -- especially at the highest levels -- is a reactionary game that requires feats of improvisation. Wall-to-wall structure -- whether its in a team concept or even skill-development coaching -- can turn the learning curve into a straight, boring line. While an emphasis on development (in addition to the tidal wave of competitive leagues and tournaments) has increased in the United States, we're losing more of our hoop identity when adults attempt to steer kids away from playing on their own. All things, including structured games, skill work and free play, should be applied in moderation. I wonder how stale the X-Games would be for that fan base if adults attempted to organize what happens every day at the skate park. So while we're preparing for the lockout worst and hoping for the best, let's also root for the majority of foreign-born players to return to the NBA when a new collective-bargaining agreement is achieved. Their powers of structure and precision can continue to influence U.S. hoop leaders to spend more time teaching skills. In turn, good ol' American crossover-dribble know-how can inspire the foreigners to take these space-creating maneuvers back home, where they can be practiced by a new generation of prospects. Basketball will be the worldwide beneficiary. And David Stern, if he's still around, can figure out how to stage a preseason game on Mars.