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Philadelphia 76ers: Transitioning From International Ball To The NBA

By George Kondoleon

Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (R) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (L) during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (R) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (L) during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia 76ers have some international talent making their way to the NBA, can they translate their game?

The Philadelphia 76ers have three international players making their way to the NBA. Sergio Rodriguez will return to the league after a six-year absence and rookies Dario Saric and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot will make their NBA debuts. All three spent last season in different international leagues.

Before each individual transition is delved into, it’s important to note some of the general differences in international ball and the NBA pertaining to these three. The first key difference often noted is the distance of the 3-point line. In the NBA, a corner three measures at 22 ft. while the top of the arc measures at 23ft. 9in. International ball has a 21 ft. 8 in. corner three and a 22 ft. 2 inch top of the arc.

That difference is often noted when trying to predict shooting translation from international ball to the NBA. What else must go into that calculation; perimeter defense, hand checks. Perimeter defense is actually tougher in terms of physicality in international ball. There are less touch fouls generally called in international ball than in the NBA along the perimeter.

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The problem is, international guards tend to reach for the ball rather than stay in front of the ball handler. Another problem is switching off screens and the defense rotating as a whole. Quick team passing usually leads to an open outside shot more times than not. The effort for perimeter defenders are high, but the skill and physical tools are inferior to NBA perimeter defenders.

Now this is a generality. International ball is infused with various examples of great defenders, but in general it is inferior to the NBA in that aspect. The NBA also has a faster game in general. With the new wave of pace and space infiltrating the game, including the Philadelphia 76ers, international players may have a problem catching up to the speed of the NBA.

The half-court and team style of play is still amongst many top international teams, but luckily for the Philadelphia 76ers they have three players coming over who excel in transition. The physicality on the inside is similar to the NBA across most of Europe. The key in assessing what type of translation each player will have comes in assessing the league they were in.

Sergio Rodriguez, PG, Real Madrid (Spain)

Sergio Rodriguez spent the last half decade in Liga ACB in Spain. Which is widely regarded as the closest competitor talent-wise to the NBA. What benefits both Rodriguez and the Philadelphia 76ers is the fact that he played for fast-paced Real Madrid offense.

There’s been endless talk of Rodriguez continuing the same role he had for Real Madrid in Philadelphia. The spark-plug tempo setter off the bench. Rodriguez has polished abilities to fluidly translate back over to the NBA, despite his past failed tenure. Rodriguez’s defensive abilities are his biggest question mark.

The question of whether Rodriguez can stay in front of NBA-level guards is what restricts him from being a surefire stud off the bench. The outside shooting for Rodriguez may not be as elite as it was in Spain, but his shooting stroke is good enough to ease any worries that he can’t be at the least a decent shooter.

The translation should come smooth for Rodriguez, as long as he stays within his role. Expect him to be an efficient offensive player off the bench.

Dario Saric, SF/PF, Anadolu Efes (Turkey)

Dario Saric comes into the Philadelphia 76ers a much more refined rookie than most. Saric has been able to develop his game to a point where he morphed from a questionable prospect to at the least a decent NBA player. Saric’s ball handling skills, passing, and transition game have been a key value since draft night.

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    • Saric’s outside shot saw rapid growth, but unlike Rodriguez it’s still in a state where it can be largely questioned coming into the NBA. Spreading the offense will be important for the Philadelphia 76ers and Saric is the X-factor. Saric shot 40.3% from the outside last season in the EuroLeague.

    The competition in EuroLeague is still very high, but not high enough to the point where we can assume a similar performance from the outside. Saric will have to continue to polish his shot to become a versatile offensive player. Saric will also have to shape up his defensive prowess to become a more viable lineup option next to star rookie Ben Simmons.

    Saric’s offensive translations should come fairly easy, with his outside shot seeing some hiccups. Defensively he will struggle immensely the first few months, but will slowly gain traction on how to guard NBA forwards.

    Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, SG/SF, Mega Leks (Serbia)

    Luwawu-Cabarrot will come in as the Philadelphia 76ers’ “swing for the fences” prospect. He was selected based off his pure potential rather than what he has shown. His length on the wing as well as his solid shooting stroke made him an attractive draft selection.

    Luwawu-Cabarrot dominated the Adriatic League. The problem is, it’s the Adriatic league. I aired my grievances about the Adriatic League and Luwawu-Cabarrot’s performance there before. Luwawu-Cabarrot must improve his off-ball activity, his ball security, and of course his outside shots.

    He has the foundations of becoming a surprise NBA player. What’s imperative for a rookie in Luwawu-Cabarrot’s situation is work ethic and mentality translating into the NBA. Although he’s a guarantee to make the roster, he’s still considered a fringe player. Meaning there is no certainty that he could become an everyday NBA player. But that’s only if his work ethic fails him.

    A good work ethic means dedication to elevating his basketball skills. If he fails to do so, the Philadelphia 76ers strikeout on what could become a home run prospect.

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    Rodriguez should have the easiest time of translating to the NBA. Dario Saric should have the next easiest. Luwawu-Cabarrot will have the toughest time. All three have different obstacles to face, but with the right culture around them they should flourish under the Philadelphia 76ers.