The San Antonio Spurs, up 2 games to 1 against the Miami Heat in the NBA finals, are unusual in the NBA in that they have been hugely successful with a foreign core of players. Two of their 'Big Three', Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker, are from Argentina and France respectively and have played key roles in three NBA championship victories. Up and coming center Tiago Splitter is Brazilian with French guard Nando De Colo also on the roster.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich believes this isn't an accident, “(foreign players are) fundamentally harder working than most American kids...The international kids have less. They appreciate things more. And they’re very coachable.” His comments could easily apply to the Premier League where English players grow up surrounded by a drinking and celebrity culture and are often poorly coached.
Popovich refers to an seeing an international player wide open for a shot with a confused look on his face as his American point guard refused to pass to him and implied US basketball can be a far more selfish game. “It has to be a really different experience for him,” Pop says, laughing. "Where am I? Is this is a different game? Is it a different sport?
