Former D3 players playing professionally

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I don't know of specific studies, but I am pretty sure they have a coefficient ranking system for individual clubs and leagues like they do for European Football.  This helps to determine rankings and handicap Club Championships across leagues.

As far as general ratings, Spain has the best domestic league by far.  Russia and Italy are also quite good.

[hugenerd]

Anybody know of any studies/comparisons of the European leagues?

Here is a list I found on the web for the top 20, I dont know how accurate it is:

1) Spanish ACB
2) Italian Lega
3) Russian Suproleague
4) Greek AI
5) Turkish D1
6) Israeli Premier League
7) French Pro A
8) Adriatic League
9) Italian Lega Due
10) German Bundesliga
11) Belgian D1
12) Ukranian Superleague
13) Spanish LEB
14) Lithuanian LKL
15) Polish DBL
16) French Pro B
17) Dutch Eredivisie
18) Cyprus AI
19) Latvia LBL
20) Sweden Basketligan

I dont think there is any mathematical basis but just the opinion of the author of an article.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I would think the Irish and English leagues would be in there somewhere too, right?  I mean they have to be competitive at least with Cyprus and Latvia, don't they?

[Gregory Sager]

I would think the Irish and English leagues would be in there somewhere too, right?  I mean they have to be competitive at least with Cyprus and Latvia, don't they?

Not necessarily.

The Irish and English leagues are just plain bad, according to every account I've ever read (as well as the firsthand observations of a couple of guys I know who've played in those leagues). Cyprus, on the other hand, is populated by Greeks and Turks, so it's likely that the island shares the basketball affinities of those two cultures.

And in Latvia, of course, all basketball players have the kevorka.

[smedindy]

However, I think that many of these leagues would rank even higher if it weren't for the smoke filled arenas. Holy carcinogens, Batman!

[Gregory Sager]

However, I think that many of these leagues would rank even higher if it weren't for the smoke filled arenas. Holy carcinogens, Batman!

The worst part about it in at least one of those European leagues is that the players smoke, too. A friend of mine from NPU who played for Cork in the Irish league for a season told me that the first thing most of his teammates did when they entered the locker room before the game or during halftime was light up a cig. Maintaining a good lung capacity to help with all that running didn't exactly seem to be a high priority for the typical Irish basketball player.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

And in Latvia, of course, all basketball players have the kevorka.

I would expect that to be more of a distraction than anything.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

The worst part about it in at least one of those European leagues is that the players smoke, too. A friend of mine from NPU who played for Cork in the Irish league for a season told me that the first thing most of his teammates did when they entered the locker room before the game or during halftime was light up a cig. Maintaining a good lung capacity to help with all that running didn't exactly seem to be a high priority for the typical Irish basketball player.

Have you ever been to Ireland.  Now I'm a big fan of the cloudy day, but I'm pretty unusual.  Those people never see the sun.  I imagine the decreased lung capacity is worth the mellowing high the cigarettes provide.  Besides, all the cool kids smoke.

[smedindy]

However, I think that many of these leagues would rank even higher if it weren't for the smoke filled arenas. Holy carcinogens, Batman!

The worst part about it in at least one of those European leagues is that the players smoke, too. A friend of mine from NPU who played for Cork in the Irish league for a season told me that the first thing most of his teammates did when they entered the locker room before the game or during halftime was light up a cig. Maintaining a good lung capacity to help with all that running didn't exactly seem to be a high priority for the typical Irish basketball player.

I remember an interview with one NBA player that when the first wave of European players came over, Zarko Paspalj was a chain smoker and this NBA player was just floored by that.

Of course, the Indiana Pacers smoked as well when they won ABA titles, and spent their meal money at KFC, so go figure...

[abominable_snowman]

Anybody know of any studies/comparisons of the European leagues?

Here is a list I found on the web for the top 20, I dont know how accurate it is:

1) Spanish ACB
2) Italian Lega
3) Russian Suproleague
4) Greek AI
5) Turkish D1
6) Israeli Premier League
7) French Pro A
8) Adriatic League
9) Italian Lega Due
10) German Bundesliga
11) Belgian D1
12) Ukranian Superleague
13) Spanish LEB
14) Lithuanian LKL
15) Polish DBL
16) French Pro B
17) Dutch Eredivisie
18) Cyprus AI
19) Latvia LBL
20) Sweden Basketligan

I dont think there is any mathematical basis but just the opinion of the author of an article.

awesome, anything is better than nothing.  thanks

[Pat Coleman]

Bumping this to the top since someone asked about it.

[sludge]

Ben Strong signed a multi-year contract with professional team Haifa Heat, (also called Maccabi Haifa Heat)  located in northern Israel.  Here's a link to the  release.  (Ben played for D3 Guilford College the past four years.)
http://www.mhbasket.co.il/newsEng.asp?lang=en&id=362

The Haifa Heat plays in the Israel Premier league, reputedly one of the ten best leagues in the world.  The league participates in the European championship.  Haifa Heat just earned their way into the Premier league last year, so you could consider them up and coming.

Strong reportedly did a great job in a 50 player, two day tryout in Florida.  The players mainly had professional experience, some with ACC backgrounds.  Strong has some heavy traffic in front of him on the roster; he'll be working hard for playing time. It's a great development opportunity!

[John Gleich]

And in Latvia, of course, all basketball players have the kevorka.

Is that like a mercy rule in baseball?

Oh, wait, that would be Kevorkian.  Never mind.


(and yes, I realize this is like a year or so after the original post... )

[old_hooper]

The 5 seniors who graduated from Amherst this past year all have signed contracts to play professionally in Germany.  Don't know the details of each player but that would be Andrew Olson, Fletcher Walters, Brandon Jones, Kevin Hopkins and Matt Goldsmith.  Also saw Eurobasket.com that James Cooper from Wooster has signed with a team in Geramny.

[Hugenerd]

The 5 seniors who graduated from Amherst this past year all have signed contracts to play professionally in Germany.  Don't know the details of each player but that would be Andrew Olson, Fletcher Walters, Brandon Jones, Kevin Hopkins and Matt Goldsmith.  Also saw Eurobasket.com that James Cooper from Wooster has signed with a team in Geramny.

All info from the following: http://www.usbasket.com/ncaa3/ncaa3.asp

BBV Hagen (Germany, Regionalliga West) has signed Andrew Olson (5'10''-G, agency: Scorers 1st Sportmanagement, college: Amherst), one of the best players of NCAA Division 3-basketball in the past few years. The 22-year-old Playmaker from San Diego, California spent his university career at Amherst College and reached the NCAA D3 National Championship Final Four with the Lord Jeffs three times. In 2007 Olson led Amherst to the National Title, being named the Tournament MVP and NCAA D3 Player of the Year. In the past two years he was named a finalist for the prestigious Bob Cousy Award for the best point guard in all of college basketball in the United States. Olson left Amherst College as the all-time assist-leader. In 2007-08 he averaged 12.4 points, 7.2 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 31 games for the Lord Jeffs and guided his team to the second straight appearance in the national title-game and received NABC D3 Player of the Year honors. He is now going to start his professional career at the same place as another Amherst-alumni, Adam Harper (6'3''-G-82, college: Amherst), who enjoy a great season with BBV Hagen in 2004-05.


Also, Fletchar Walters will play at  Iserlohn (Germany).

Dan Russ from Wittenberg:
Former NCAA D3-All American Daniel Russ (6'10''-C/F-83, agency: Court Side, college: Wittenberg) will join the Deutsche Bank Skyliners Frankfurt of the 1. Bundesliga in Germany and sign a contract for one year (plus option for another season). Russ played college-basketball at Wittenberg University and advanced to the Division 3 Championship Game with the Tigers in 2006. He averaged 15.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 blocks as a senior (2005-06) and was named to the All-America 2nd Team by D3hoops.com. In his first year as a pro (06-07) Russ had 26 appearances for Woon!Aris Leeuwarden (Netherlands) and produced the following stats per contest: 7.9ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.0spg, FGP: 55.8%, FT: 63.3%. Russ didn't play basketball in this past season.