Where does Peja rank amongst fellow foreign NBA players?
- Thread starter Nikos
- Start date
VF21 said:
Arenas could be the child of a Dominican national who happened to be in the US at the time he was born. So, techincally he could be FROM another country - if that was where he was conceived.
Bricklayer said:
Well the additional issue with Steve (beyond being from our 51st state ) is that he came through the American college system, and for whatever reason when people talk about "international" players, they normally seem to be referring to those who were not only born overseas, but those who developed their games overseas too. Greatest "international" player of all time was likely Hakeem Olajuwon, but he played college ball in America, (and I think eventualy got dual citizenship), and so he's not really thought of in the same way as an Arvydas Sabonis or Drazen Petrovic who learned the game overseas.
) is that he came through the American college system, and for whatever reason when people talk about "international" players, they normally seem to be referring to those who were not only born overseas, but those who developed their games overseas too. Greatest "international" player of all time was likely Hakeem Olajuwon, but he played college ball in America, (and I think eventualy got dual citizenship), and so he's not really thought of in the same way as an Arvydas Sabonis or Drazen Petrovic who learned the game overseas.
Personally, I think Kirilenko is generally overrated. I know people are excited about what he can do and he plays solid defense and is capable of some spectacular defensive plays with his long arms, but I don't know that I'd put him above Peja.
Kirilenko had one solid, if not spectacular year (16.5, 8.1, 3.1), and then a serious off-year last year due in part to injuries (15.6, 6.2, 3.2). If you're going to discount Kirilenko's off-year last year then you should do the same for Peja's. And Peja's 2003-2004 season, scoring 24 points while being the focal point of every opposing team's defense, is a much superior accomplishment to anything that Kirilenko has done.
If you're talking potential, yeah, Kirilenko's got it. If you're talking who's "better," at this point I think you have to go with Peja.
P.S. For the record, here's my top 10:
1. Dirk
2. Nash
3. Ginobili
4. Peja
5. Yao
6. Kirilenko
7. Gasol
8. Ilgauskas
9. Hedo
10. Parker (reluctantly)
Kirilenko had one solid, if not spectacular year (16.5, 8.1, 3.1), and then a serious off-year last year due in part to injuries (15.6, 6.2, 3.2). If you're going to discount Kirilenko's off-year last year then you should do the same for Peja's. And Peja's 2003-2004 season, scoring 24 points while being the focal point of every opposing team's defense, is a much superior accomplishment to anything that Kirilenko has done.
If you're talking potential, yeah, Kirilenko's got it. If you're talking who's "better," at this point I think you have to go with Peja.
P.S. For the record, here's my top 10:
1. Dirk
2. Nash
3. Ginobili
4. Peja
5. Yao
6. Kirilenko
7. Gasol
8. Ilgauskas
9. Hedo
10. Parker (reluctantly)
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i dont think that ginobili is better than peja.... manu is like a full sized bobby jackson.... when he's on, its great, but when he isnt..... its almost impossible to watch, thank god pop takes players out when they f' up..... nash shouldnt count since he played college ball in the us... same goes for duncan.... they arent international, foreign born.... but not international.....
Or alternately, Peja, who was turning in another playoff turd until he came up with a great final game, could take his:
22.0pts (.470 FG% .367 3pt% .955 FT%) 5.2rebs 1.4ast 0.8stl 0.2blk 0.4TO in 40.6min
compare it to Manu's:
20.8pts (.507 FG% .438 3pt% .795 FT%) 5.8rebs 4.2ast 1.2stl 0.3blk 2.0TO in 33.6min
and realize that he just got outperformed again by a much smaller man who did just about everything better than he did, and in equal minutes would have outperformed him right across the board. Furthermore he might realize said much smaller player plays with heart, that said much smaller player is now a two time champion, and that maybe, just maybe, princess Peja could learn a thing or two about passion and fire from the Argentinian before he gets passed up by yet more international players who play with guts and leave it all on the floor.
Alternately he can keep on listening to his most rabid fans for whom he can do no wrong, and in a few years wrap up a nice but ultimately empty career with some nice scoring numbers, no titles, no remote shot at the HOF, no legacy, and ultimately a place as a minor footnote in NBA history ala a Glen Rice.
We'll see which lesson he learned while lying out on the beach this summer.
22.0pts (.470 FG% .367 3pt% .955 FT%) 5.2rebs 1.4ast 0.8stl 0.2blk 0.4TO in 40.6min
compare it to Manu's:
20.8pts (.507 FG% .438 3pt% .795 FT%) 5.8rebs 4.2ast 1.2stl 0.3blk 2.0TO in 33.6min
and realize that he just got outperformed again by a much smaller man who did just about everything better than he did, and in equal minutes would have outperformed him right across the board. Furthermore he might realize said much smaller player plays with heart, that said much smaller player is now a two time champion, and that maybe, just maybe, princess Peja could learn a thing or two about passion and fire from the Argentinian before he gets passed up by yet more international players who play with guts and leave it all on the floor.
Alternately he can keep on listening to his most rabid fans for whom he can do no wrong, and in a few years wrap up a nice but ultimately empty career with some nice scoring numbers, no titles, no remote shot at the HOF, no legacy, and ultimately a place as a minor footnote in NBA history ala a Glen Rice.
We'll see which lesson he learned while lying out on the beach this summer.
One inconsistent, problematic, transitional season (the latter for everyone on the Kings). I'm not putting a lot into it because of that. Not out on him yet, or near it. If he has another season like last season, then I'll lose interest and such.
Manu's a different player (a guard, and has more talent/ability overall), and proved he was much better than Peja this past season. Also on a better team that didn't have many problems at all. Manu also went all the way to the final with that team.
lol at that last line based off a one or two-liner said in June (I took it for what, I think it was).
Manu's a different player (a guard, and has more talent/ability overall), and proved he was much better than Peja this past season. Also on a better team that didn't have many problems at all. Manu also went all the way to the final with that team.
lol at that last line based off a one or two-liner said in June (I took it for what, I think it was
).
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What's "insane" is some people ranking Stojakovic as high as 2nd... THAT'S insane... I think that fifth-best is more than fair, given how utterly one-dimensional Stojakovic has been to this point in career, and may even be a little high, but I'm exactly sold on the guys I ranked immediately below him, either. But definitely no higher than fifth. Everybody that I ranked ahead of Stojakovic has proven to be better. Stojakovic can do one thing well... and one thing only; I can not, in good conscience, and will not, rank a player that one-dimensional any higher. No way, no how.
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i would be more affraid of peja on the spurs than manu on the spurs..... with tim duncan running that team there is no way that peja couldnt average 30 a game without trying.... there would never be any pressure..... duncan will always be doubled and peja will always be open....
comparing players of different positions is sort of unfair, when gauging overall talent.... manu is a guard, peja had better ballhandling skills than manu, manu wouldnt be playing..... how many 6'10 players have better ballhandling skills than peja? most 6'10 players are actually power forwards and arent known for their ballhandling.... i can think of 2 players off the top of my head, odom and kg.....
how many rebounds can a 3pt shooter average? i dont care if he's 7'2, he's still jacking up 3's and is not in position to grab rebounds.....
what about their defense? on the spurs bowen guards kobe and tmac.... thats his job.... on the kings, defense is well... you know.... and peja did a damn good job against lewis in the playoffs.... no one is asking manu to hit the game winner.... thats what duncan and horry, especially horry... are there for...
in the end manu is like i said before.... a full sized bobby jackson.... nothing more, nothing less... but if he has a bad game..... you'd rather be watching ice skating.... hoping that someone falls....
comparing players of different positions is sort of unfair, when gauging overall talent.... manu is a guard, peja had better ballhandling skills than manu, manu wouldnt be playing..... how many 6'10 players have better ballhandling skills than peja? most 6'10 players are actually power forwards and arent known for their ballhandling.... i can think of 2 players off the top of my head, odom and kg.....
how many rebounds can a 3pt shooter average? i dont care if he's 7'2, he's still jacking up 3's and is not in position to grab rebounds.....
what about their defense? on the spurs bowen guards kobe and tmac.... thats his job.... on the kings, defense is well... you know.... and peja did a damn good job against lewis in the playoffs.... no one is asking manu to hit the game winner.... thats what duncan and horry, especially horry... are there for...
in the end manu is like i said before.... a full sized bobby jackson.... nothing more, nothing less... but if he has a bad game..... you'd rather be watching ice skating.... hoping that someone falls....