[stealsgaloreParticipant]

Me and my friends were talking about ideas to create hypothetical basketball teams. This is the best idea we had:

Create an historic all time team. The catch is you can only have 1 player per country. So for instance one American, one Candian and so on. We restricted by saying that the person must have either played high school basketball in the country or played for the country’s national team. This means no picking Kobe saying he’s from Italy or Dominique from France. However Hakeem from Nigeria is ok (played prep ball there). Also we seperated all the former Soviet countries (so you can pick someone from Lithuania and Russia etc.)

This is my team that I picked:

PG: Steve Nash (Canada)

SG: Sarunas Marciulionis (Lithuania)

SF: Lebron James (America)

PF: Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)

C: Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria)

Bench:

Andrei Kirilenko (Russia)

Goran Dragic (Slovenia)

Pau Gasol (Spain)

Peja Stojakovic (Serbia)

Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey)

Dikembe Mutombo (Congo)

Luol Deng (Great Britain)

 

Gameplan: With my starting unit I would try to run with Nash and Lebron and Sarunas filling the wings. Then if that didn’t work I would run post ups or pick and rolls with Hakeem or pick and pops with Dirk. My favorite lineup would be a wing heavy small ball/big ball lineup kind of similar to what Brooklynn did last year. It would include Lebron running the point with Hedo, Peja, AK47, and either Hakeem, Dirk, or Pau. 

 

Post your own teams with how you would play them. I found the toughest thing is finding good guards internationally. 

 

 

[kazamParticipant]

 Starters:

PG: Tony Parker (France)

SG: Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)

SF: Lebron (USA) 

PF: Tim Duncan *(US Virgin Islands)

C: Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria)

Bench:

PG: Steve Nash (Canada) 

 

SG: Drazen Petrovic (Croatia)

SF: Dirk (Germany)

PF: Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania)

C: Yao Ming (China) 

SF: Peja Stojakoivc (Serbia) 

SG: Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

 

[kazamParticipant]

 Starters:

PG: Tony Parker (France)

SG: Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)

SF: Lebron (USA) 

PF: Tim Duncan *(US Virgin Islands)

C: Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria)

Bench:

PG: Steve Nash (Canada) 

 

SG: Drazen Petrovic (Croatia)

SF: Dirk (Germany)

PF: Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania)

C: Yao Ming (China) 

SF: Peja Stojakoivc (Serbia) 

SG: Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

 

[dmo21Participant]

My team.

These are based off of when they were playing at their peaks. And I counted Duncan as an American.

Starters:

PG: Nash (CAN)

SG: Jordan (USA)

SF: Deng (GB)

PF: Nowitzki (GER)

C: Hakeem (NIG)

Bench:

PG: Parker (FRA)

SG: Ginobili (ARG)

SF: Kirilenko (RUS)

PF: Sabonis (LIT)

C: Yao (CHN)

G: Barbosa (BRZ)

F/C: Mutombo (CON)

All 5 guards can handle the ball and push the pace. Speed is not an issue, defence could be. But thankfully both small forwards are great defenders and you have three huge centres. Team has a blend of shooters, slashers, and drivers. Lots of good passers as well.

Bring it on!

[dmo21Participant]

My team.

These are based off of when they were playing at their peaks. And I counted Duncan as an American.

Starters:

PG: Nash (CAN)

SG: Jordan (USA)

SF: Deng (GB)

PF: Nowitzki (GER)

C: Hakeem (NIG)

Bench:

PG: Parker (FRA)

SG: Ginobili (ARG)

SF: Kirilenko (RUS)

PF: Sabonis (LIT)

C: Yao (CHN)

G: Barbosa (BRZ)

F/C: Mutombo (CON)

All 5 guards can handle the ball and push the pace. Speed is not an issue, defence could be. But thankfully both small forwards are great defenders and you have three huge centres. Team has a blend of shooters, slashers, and drivers. Lots of good passers as well.

Bring it on!

[TenSecondTomParticipant]

1st Team

PG – Steve Nash (Canada)

SG – Drazen Petrovic (Croatia)

SF – LeBron James (USA)

PF – Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania)

C – Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria)

2nd Team

PG – Tony Parker (France)

SG – Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

SF – Dejan Bodiroga (Serbia)

PF – Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)

C – Yao Ming (China)

Last Two (Bench Warmers)

11. Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)

12. Dimitrios Diamantidis (Greece)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TenSecondTomParticipant]

1st Team

PG – Steve Nash (Canada)

SG – Drazen Petrovic (Croatia)

SF – LeBron James (USA)

PF – Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania)

C – Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria)

2nd Team

PG – Tony Parker (France)

SG – Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

SF – Dejan Bodiroga (Serbia)

PF – Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)

C – Yao Ming (China)

Last Two (Bench Warmers)

11. Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)

12. Dimitrios Diamantidis (Greece)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[joecheck88Participant]

PG – Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania) one of my fav Int’l players of all time. 
SG – Manu Ginobili (Argentina) not one of my favorite players but great player.
SF – Andrei Kirilenko (Russia) do it all defensive SF. Good shooters at the 1&2 and at the 4(as you will see)
PF – Carmelo Anthony (USA) he’s such a matchup problem internationally. 
C – Hakeem Olajuwon (Nig) it’s an easy pick and even easier on my team because of my lack of D at the 4. 
Toni Kukoc (Crotia) good sixth man that can play th 3 or 4 Internationally. 
Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) scorer at the 4 or 5 spot.
Yao Ming (China) rim protector and low post threat us can hit mid range.
Pau Gasol(Spain) versatile big man off bench.
Tony Parker (France) hard to find great guards outside of USA. This could be the best.
Carlos Arroyo (Puerto Rico) wild card. Electric scoring PG has been great Int’ly.
Steve Nash (Canada) Former NBA MVP. No brainer.

Bench not in order of playing time. This was off the top of my head. That would be a tough team to beat IMO. Most players are more recent though. Wish I knew more about players pre 2000.

[joecheck88Participant]

PG – Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania) one of my fav Int’l players of all time. 
SG – Manu Ginobili (Argentina) not one of my favorite players but great player.
SF – Andrei Kirilenko (Russia) do it all defensive SF. Good shooters at the 1&2 and at the 4(as you will see)
PF – Carmelo Anthony (USA) he’s such a matchup problem internationally. 
C – Hakeem Olajuwon (Nig) it’s an easy pick and even easier on my team because of my lack of D at the 4. 
Toni Kukoc (Crotia) good sixth man that can play th 3 or 4 Internationally. 
Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) scorer at the 4 or 5 spot.
Yao Ming (China) rim protector and low post threat us can hit mid range.
Pau Gasol(Spain) versatile big man off bench.
Tony Parker (France) hard to find great guards outside of USA. This could be the best.
Carlos Arroyo (Puerto Rico) wild card. Electric scoring PG has been great Int’ly.
Steve Nash (Canada) Former NBA MVP. No brainer.

Bench not in order of playing time. This was off the top of my head. That would be a tough team to beat IMO. Most players are more recent though. Wish I knew more about players pre 2000.

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

PG Steve Nash (CAN) – fantastic passer and shooter, albeit mediocre
SG Michael Jordan (USA) – The GOAT
SF Oscar Schmidt (Brazil) – in my opinion the greatest player to never play in the NBA
PF Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) – Terrific shooter
C Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria) – one of the best all around players in NBA history, so skilled on O and D

Bench

PG Tony Parker (France) – future HOFer still helping the Spurs rack up championships
SG Drazen Petrovic (Croatia) – A great shooter, Petrovic was also a solid defender
SG Manu Ginobli (Argentina) – Ginobli contributes in a variety of ways
SF Drazen Dalipagic (Bosnia/Serbia) – probably not too well known on this forum, the Yugoslav great was highly respected internationally in his prime, and had a fantastic moustache
PF Pau Gasol – Has been a consistent and highly skilled performer for more than a decade
C Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania) – could have been an All-Time NBA great if he had the chance to play during his prime
C Dikembe Mutombo (DRC) – I thought about Yao Ming here but this team could use more defensive help

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

PG Steve Nash (CAN) – fantastic passer and shooter, albeit mediocre
SG Michael Jordan (USA) – The GOAT
SF Oscar Schmidt (Brazil) – in my opinion the greatest player to never play in the NBA
PF Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) – Terrific shooter
C Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria) – one of the best all around players in NBA history, so skilled on O and D

Bench

PG Tony Parker (France) – future HOFer still helping the Spurs rack up championships
SG Drazen Petrovic (Croatia) – A great shooter, Petrovic was also a solid defender
SG Manu Ginobli (Argentina) – Ginobli contributes in a variety of ways
SF Drazen Dalipagic (Bosnia/Serbia) – probably not too well known on this forum, the Yugoslav great was highly respected internationally in his prime, and had a fantastic moustache
PF Pau Gasol – Has been a consistent and highly skilled performer for more than a decade
C Arvydas Sabonis (Lithuania) – could have been an All-Time NBA great if he had the chance to play during his prime
C Dikembe Mutombo (DRC) – I thought about Yao Ming here but this team could use more defensive help

[King CaluchaParticipant]

 Probably not the best team, but several of these players are among my favorite:

PG: Magic Johnson (USA) I can imagine him putting 15apg next to international shooting wings

SG: Drazen Petrovic (Croatia)

SF: Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)

PF: Dirk (Germany) No brainer here

C: Sabonis (Lithuania) Tough pick

Bench:

Dejan Bodiroga (Serbia)

Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

 

Steve Nash (Canada)

Yao (China)

Pau Gasol (Spain)

Kirilenko (Russia)

 

[King CaluchaParticipant]

 Probably not the best team, but several of these players are among my favorite:

PG: Magic Johnson (USA) I can imagine him putting 15apg next to international shooting wings

SG: Drazen Petrovic (Croatia)

SF: Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)

PF: Dirk (Germany) No brainer here

C: Sabonis (Lithuania) Tough pick

Bench:

Dejan Bodiroga (Serbia)

Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

 

Steve Nash (Canada)

Yao (China)

Pau Gasol (Spain)

Kirilenko (Russia)

 

[Author]

Posts