thy_armageddon | Knicks

438 | 10 hours ago

I can also beat the Rockets if I take their players away and use them on my team.

ZandrickEllison

138 | 10 hours ago

This is such a silly idea. It’s basketball. Worse teams can win a game now and then. Team USA can lose in the Olympics now and then.

But that’s why they play 82 games and 7 game playoff series. The larger the sample, the more often the better team wins.

Fyretorsomonkey

25 | 10 hours ago

But also, yeah it might sway things if you all of a sudden have the other teams (arguably) best player instead of them. Like it’s a stupid thing to say because the reason you aren’t favored is because they have the better players. No one (I hope) is going around saying NBA schemes are the reason they’re considered better.

MrBuckBuck | Trail Blazers

20 | 9 hours ago

This guy is a great coach, but also known to be a bit crazy, being provocative (both in words and in actions).

Extremely confident person.

Just google about him.

So I’m not surprised he said a thing like that.

Knowledge_Haver_17

7 | 10 hours ago

If we played the Rockets 10 times, they might win 9. But not this game. Not tonight. Tonight, we run with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can! Tonight, WE are the greatest basketball team in the world.

Amrasminyatur

-8 | 10 hours ago

Thank you captain obvious!

Truthmqne

5 | 10 hours ago

You just thanked 99% of r/nba

theyoloGod | Tampa Bay Raptors

1 | 10 hours ago

I personally just thank magic

Neloreign

-7 | 9 hours ago

Olympics is not good metric though,you send your best players from a country that has over 300 million people,while europe senting team with 5-10 million population

skratsda | Thunder

13 | 9 hours ago

Oh damn, I didn’t realize China and India had the Olympics locked up

binger5 | Rockets

5 | 7 hours ago

Filipinos love the game, but can’t even touch the rim.

SixPointOhBilly

6 | 9 hours ago

This is a weak argument that constantly gets brought up

Acceptable_Moose1881 | Knicks

2 | 9 hours ago

So what? Isn’t that the core idea? People from different countries sending their best players to play the games?

cire1184 | Lakers

2 | 5 hours ago

You literally missed the point about bringing up the Olympics. They are saying that even a weaker team can win against a stronger team in one game. But over 7 games the stronger team will win the majority of games winning the series.

ZandrickEllison

-4 | 9 hours ago

Yeah I was going to do a post about that - comparing it more evenly country to similarly-sized state.

coldkoalaaa

55 | 10 hours ago

Currently playing in the EuroBasket and this guy is shouting from the top of the hill every chance he gets about beating NBA teams lol

sewsgup

5 | 9 hours ago

im ignorant on his media tendencies, but talking up your team/players in the media to boost confidence can work in the right situations

Rick Carlisle started campaigning for Dirk to be top 10 all time during the 2011 playoffs and they ended up beating the Heat to win the championship

BlunderDefect | Spurs

1 | an hour ago

I don’t think Rick Carlisle campaigning to the media was a ploy to get Dirk and his team motivated…

They had lost to the heat before in 2006. I think that was their motivation when they got back to the finals and faced the heat again.

coldkoalaaa

-9 | 9 hours ago

Ok

HeyItsChase | Pacers

50 | 10 hours ago

Coulda said like Charolette and Lamelo at one level or Giannis and the Bucks at another. Not the team with a great backup big, KD, Amen and like 6 or 7 other really good to solid role players.

deemerritt | Hornets

20 | 9 hours ago

Collin Sexton would comfortably be the best player in Euroleague

Zeiramsy | DET

17 | 8 hours ago

I wanted to call BS on this, but the current Euroleague MVP is Kevin Nunn, so now I don’t know anymore 😕

deemerritt | Hornets

13 | 8 hours ago

Any player good enough to be in the NBA is in the NBA. The money is too good not to be.

eZreazy | Lakers

15 | 8 hours ago

There’s definitely some exceptions. There’s been a few players that definitely belonged in the NBA who left to go to europe. Mirotic being the main one that comes to mind who had offers for a big contract in the NBA but wanted to go back

Zeiramsy | DET

7 | 8 hours ago

I don’t think that is a 100% true. In general players that join the NBA from the euroleague have been good enough at least some time before that so either players

who were too young who are about to be drafted, maybe they are stashed for another year (e.g. looking at Luka’s rookie year he already was better than at least some NBA players even in the season just before he was drafted, same for Wemby).
vets who needed longer to prove they were NBA ready or develop into that (e.g. Nicola Mirotic)

And then we know there are always players who are good enough but for some reason never make it to the NBA. I wouldn’t be shocked it every year there is at least one player who could be a fringe NBA all-star playing outside of the NBA and then several more who could be rotation players.

But that is across Europe and across all teams.

deemerritt | Hornets

1 | 8 hours ago

There has never been a player who came over without being drafted who became a fringe all star. There is no evidence for you to think this

velocirappa | Warriors

1 | 6 hours ago

There’s definitely a few top veteran players in the Euroleague (and by a few I mean like single digit across all teams) who probably have the talent to be solid rotation players in the NBA, but I don’t think any of them are good enough to where an NBA team would give them a multi-year deal off the bat or sign them with the expectation that they’ll be getting real minutes.

I think for most of those top guys it’s just not worth going to the NBA when there’s a good chance they’ll end up fighting for an NBA roster spot on a G-League affliliate.

CMYGQZ | Grizzlies

1 | 4 minutes ago

there’s definitely some exceptions, Mirotic I think is the biggest name in recent memory. Idk if he counts, but Valanciunas tried to as well.

GeorgeWBush2016

5 | 8 hours ago

Kendrick Nunn

ER-Sputter | Heat

9 | 10 hours ago

Nah he should’ve said something about the euro basket he should be coaching in. Regardless of the team, he’s making it look like they need the handicap of taking that teams best player to have a chance.

seddard | Lakers

1 | 19 minutes ago

Tbf Charlotte can keep Lamelo and Panathinaikos would still beat them.

ngerb_5 | Pacers

49 | 10 hours ago

Yes if you take away a teams starting center, it is easier to beat them

That being said I’d still take the Rockets. It could be a close game, but until proven otherwise I’m taking the NBA talent every time

dafdiego777 | Rockets

42 | 9 hours ago

FVV - Amen - KD - Jabari - Adams/Tari Eason vs Jerian Grant - Lorenzo Brown - Cedi Osman - Omer Yurtseven - Sengun.

No offense but rockets would kill this team

Boxcarracertr

8 | 9 hours ago

Lorenzo and Yurtseven barely plays put juancho and sloukas then thats pana line up. But yes rockets would still kill them

No_Swimming_9472 | Magic

1 | 7 hours ago

Jesus Christ they have Jerian Grant? This coach is on crack

Frablom

3 | 6 hours ago

According to Wikipedia he’s one of the best defenders in the Euroleague and we’re here discussing if getting Sengun would tip the balance against a team with KD and Amen Thompson.

PressureMiserable | Spurs

1 | 3 hours ago

Nah Cedi would kill em trust /s

CJ4ROCKET | Rockets

8 | 9 hours ago

I don’t think it would be a close game at all. FVV + Amen + Tari + KD + Adams is smoking Sengun + JAGs

FrankieBarbingo | Celtics

39 | 10 hours ago

Cedi Osman vs Kevin Durant. Heavyweight matchup right there.

mdqad

10 | 9 hours ago

Bro is trying to ragebait NBA media

TheReal_Slim-Shady | NBA

7 | 9 hours ago

this is what coach Ataman does in a good day especially when he’s sure his team can win games. puts pressure on himself to relieve players and his stupid takes. when it works it really works

International-Chef33 | Celtics

7 | 10 hours ago

This guys getting tiring

orionski | 76ers

8 | 9 hours ago

Tbf he was saying that while laughing so he might be joking.

Baby_Yod4 | San Diego Clippers

5 | 10 hours ago

The nba lives rent free in his mind lmfao

SignalBed9998 | Bulls

3 | 10 hours ago

“Please Mr Fantasy play us a tune”. This guy is a clown. Even with taking their second best player they’d still lose

AnselLovesNuts | Bulls

5 | 9 hours ago

Amen would score 35 on all layups and dunks.

Comfortable-Ad7069

1 | 9 hours ago

Under Fiba rules not a chance in hell

CJ4ROCKET | Rockets

3 | 9 hours ago

Just imagining Amen’s athleticism terrorizing these guys.

Alternative_Ice4191

4 | 9 hours ago

Nobody does more yapping about American sports than irrelevant Europeans.

MisterJalepeno | Knicks

3 | 10 hours ago

Olympic KD would beg to differ

CountOff | Pistons

3 | 10 hours ago

Bet I could beat the 2015 Cavs in the NBA finals if you gave me LeBron James to coach

MayBeAGayBee | Cavaliers

3 | 10 hours ago

Give me Jokic and I can beat the Nuggets

False_Pear1860

3 | 9 hours ago

People saying “no shit”, but it’s not even true lmao. They might win like 1 game out of 20. Sengun is great, but the Rockets would still have the best player as well as like the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th best players

ER-Sputter | Heat

2 | 10 hours ago

Ok but can you guys beat them when they have Sengun? If not all you’re doing is beating a weakened team

JigglyBush | Timberwolves

2 | 10 hours ago

Put Shai on the Wolves and we beat OKC last year.

Idek if that’s true and if it is it didn’t mean anything.

geupard12 | OKC

1 | 9 hours ago

If he’s replacing Conley, yeah you probably do

dead-serious | San Diego Clippers

2 | 9 hours ago

how do you say hutzpah in greek cuz this dude seems like he has a lot of it

BKNas

2 | 9 hours ago

I think this coach is just rage baiting to drum up more interest in the new euro league that they’re trying to build behind scenes. Get people talking about a bunch of what-ifs and unrealistic possibilities to gain interest.

_The_Flying_Elvis_ | Celtics

2 | 8 hours ago

Hes like give me your best player and ill beat yo ass

Green-Discussion74

1 | 10 hours ago

if they play in a nba sized court with nba equipment, rules and refs, no chance

Frequent-Mix-1432 | Pacers

1 | 10 hours ago

Then those dudes would likely be on NBA teams.

Rafmar210 | Heat

1 | 10 hours ago

Sengun IS THE ROCKETS!! 😂

200SCATREDDIT

1 | 10 hours ago

Okay, but the Rockets get Kendrick Nunn.

TheIronGnat | Lakers

1 | 9 hours ago

“Give me Michael Jordan and Panathinaikos will beat the ‘94 Bulls”

johnjohnjohn93

1 | 9 hours ago

People seriously acting like it wouldn’t be a huge upset if the Rockets lost to a euro team with Sengun lol if he could do that he should be an NBA coach.

I guarantee you if you gave Doc Rivers Sengun and a Euro team he’s not beating FVV-Amen-KD-Tari-Jabari

iatetoomuchcatnip | Rockets

1 | 9 hours ago

Can’t they do this in the preseason? Rockets should put them on the schedule.

heurtel | Turkey

1 | 9 hours ago

/r/NBA learning Ataman’s antics these past two days lmao.

Sneakyk88

1 | 9 hours ago

Doesn’t make any sense sengun plays in NBA coach lol losing his own argument.

indieGenies | Rockets

1 | 9 hours ago

He is trying to imply that Euroleague is really good, just missing the superstar power NBA has. But choosing very bad words to say that lmao. Also Ataman could be top tier coach in nba, if your players are not pussies, cuz he is really REALLY ANGRY.

Deimarrr

1 | 8 hours ago

dont mind him. he is a good coach but he talks alot.

QueAsc0 | Knicks

1 | 8 hours ago

Do the Rockets lose Sengun in this hypothetical? If thats the case, Houston could def lose lol

BadAtNameslmao | Warriors

1 | 7 hours ago

Why is this guy so obsessed with NBA and trying to downplay the talent level in the NBA/US?

redwashing | SAC

1 | 6 hours ago

Yeah man, when you get the best player away from a team and put him at their opponent, the power differential might change a little lol. I really don’t understand the point he’s trying to make. Czechia would probably have beaten Turkey if they could snatch Alperen too.

Nuclearsunburn | Heat

1 | 5 hours ago

Lmao this dude doubling down on his idiotic statement from the other day, nice

cire1184 | Lakers

1 | 5 hours ago

This is the college vs pros argument all over again. College team might have 3-4 players drafted into the NBA. The NBA team literally has all been drafted into the NBA. Similarly, the Eurobasket team might have 3-4 maybe 5 players with NBA talent. The NBA team is all NBA talent. Just doesn’t make sense that moving one person across teams would create a team that can beat an NBA.

Username3009 | MEM

1 | 4 hours ago

Fate of Europe on the line…

I want SENGUN

BabyGotVogelbach | Trail Blazers

1 | an hour ago

I for one appreciate this guy’s shit talking and I hope he doesn’t stop.

Nobody should be expecting coaches in other top leagues around the world to be like: “Yeah our team is garbage. The Charlotte Hornets with Lonzo recovering from mononucleosis would beat us by 30”.

Extension-Click-8271

0 | 10 hours ago

Ok old Greek yapper man, then put down the galaktoboureko and do it

NeoLone | Kings

11 | 10 hours ago

This guy when he realizes Ataman is Turk

demo4 | Bulls

2 | 10 hours ago

he’s turkish fyi

Kentang_BayBay | Lakers

0 | 7 hours ago

Ataman may be the dumbest person alive

LyonsKing12_ | Cavaliers

0 | 6 hours ago

Groundbreaking stuff, Panathinaikos head coach

NuggsBurgh

0 | 3 hours ago

The fact the entire country of Greece hates the Nuggets for making JV literally just honor his contract is still so funny to me

[BasketNews] Panathinaikos head coach: ‘Give me Sengun and we’ll beat Rockets’