Andrea Bargnani spoke with Italian channel Sky Sport 24 a day or so ago. The interview was translated by caustic. Thanks, cheque’s in the mail.
“This year the National Team group outside the court was really extraordinary, believe it or not, it was very united and very well integrated”.
“On the court: everybody has seen the games, and those who know basketball have easily seen that there are very critical problems. When a team doesn’t have a line (strategy) to execute, it is really easy to become sloppy, as we say, and to lose cohesiveness in front of troubles. That’s what happened to us, we’ve never been on the same wavelength on the court.
“From a certain point of view, I have to get better, because I grew up with Ettore Messina, so I’ve always been used to do what the coach told me, to operate as a machine, it is not like I was afraid of something, to decide or anything, it was only that I did what he told me to do, like a soldier. I’m not the kind of player who goes to a team-mate and shouts at him ‘pass me the ball’, or ‘I have to take more shots’. Over there (in the NBA) I do that a little more, over here I don’t know why I don’t do it, so this is definitely a facet that I have to improve: if I don’t have someone behind me, such as a coach, who has a strong presence, then I’m certainly a little lost. Is the answer clear, or not?”
21 Raps
This confirms what I have been consistently stating about Bargs … he is a developing big-man player, but in his rookie season he was allowed to operate unfettered to see what he could do and he did amazingly well for a young Euro-rookie in the NBA.
In the second season he was asked to put the ball on the floor and dribble in from the arc .. to either pull up for a mid-range jumper or for a layup attempt. His mid-range jumpers didn’t look good .. too flat and his dribble drives were uncertain to say the least … but he followed coach Smitch’s instructions to the robotic letter. Everybody said he had a sophmore collapse … but I defended his attempts to learn on the job in the NBA ….!!!
His third season revealed a more seasoned Bargs who could pull up for a jumper and even drive the basket occasionally .. again following the urgings of the coaching staff who told him what to do but not how to do it … typical of the Raptors.
Now in his fourth season, he is still not our “Dirk” but a starter nonetheless …. and according to his interview, he is slowly converting his bball mindset … from rigid Euro to hiphop NBA … gonna be interesting this season because the Raps should be a chaotic team of newbies trying to figure out how to play with each other … and what to expect of each other.
These NBA millionaires had better put out and gel or else it’s going to be a brain-fart season … again.
what does hiphop have to do with it?
Oh come on, cut him some slack on this one. It was a pretty decent analysis of what Bargs said and what it might mean. There is a bit of a cultural divide between American-trained and international players. I think that’s all FAQ was saying.
Per John Salley on OTR … NBA: “Nothing But Africans” …!!!!
From an anthropological point of view, one of the defining aspects of hip-hop culture is a powerful attitude (one of great confidence and, where necessary, defiance toward any individual/force/institution who would try to belittle you).
I would definitely call the North American (i.e. NBA) playing style to be heavily influenced by hip-hop culture; these guys play with swagger, and there is a greater focus on going one-on-one and being a superstar than being a part of the “machine” (the team).
Now, if you can bring some of the athleticism, talent, and confidence from NBA players and put them into more of a team-work mentality (unless you are stuck an need a guy to go one-on-one), then you can achieve greatness. To me, that is what is Boston is all about, and that is why even their scrubs typically seem better than they are.
Is the NFL defined by hip hop culture? Is MLB? How much of this is just our own perceived bias and applying our mistake of aplying a social filter to two unrelated disciplines?
I promise you that no amount of hip hop listening is going to make you a better basketball player. You will actually have to pick up the basketball.
…. in the future we can also look at ethnic foods.
So having a rock’n'roll attitude might be a good thing too? I too shows defiance, confidence against those that try to be little you.
…but wait, Morrison ruined it for everyone right? There has never been a hip hop player that sucked?
Wonder what Bird and Magic listened too since they were before hip hop?
Have you ever listened to dope beats while playing basketball?
It works.
All I am saying is that basketball was here before any pop culture trend and will be here long after that trend has moved on. Not saying hip hop will be forgoten, but its just a trend, one of many that this game has seen and go.
It does not make you a better player.
trizzo, whether you agree or disagree, the present NBA is dominated by hip hop culture. There is nothing wrong with that! FAQ just stated the obvious.
Wow
Thanks for finding and translating this. Very insightful.
Someone had better fire a copy of this off to Jay Triano!
Hip Hop does have a direct correlation with “American Basketball”. It is by no means a semi-loaded-derogatory analysis of the transformation of a Euro player into an “Americanized-hip hop” style of play. Please consider the genre (Hip Hop), which is free-flowing in style. It fosters creativity and a sought of cocky/confident attitude. Take Dirk for example. In his first couple of seasons in the NBA, he was reserved with his play but when it clicked in his head that his skill level was being subdued by his conservative style of “Euro” play; he gradually progressed and transformed himself and his game into what FAQ described as hip hop NBA.
Great job on finding the translation for Bargs interview.
yeah, where the hell did you find an italian in toronto?!?!
Thank you: I thought it would be of no interest for RR (the bottom line of the interview is Andrea’s criticism towards the actual coach of Italy’s NT…), but Arse and you guys proved me wrong. :-)
What an interesting look at his mindset. Nice.
I want to see Bargs screaming at his teammates for the ball. BARGS SMASH!
In his second season AB was asking for the ball by weaving his arms like a wind mill . Was to nervous to carryout the next step properly (shooting or driving) the rare times he received it.
Is the NFL defined by hip hop culture? Is MLB? How much of this perceived bias and applying a social filter to too unrelated disciplines?
I promise you that no amount of hip hop listening is going to make you a better basketball player. You will actually have to pick up the basketball.
…. in the future we can also look at ethnic foods.
Lol…..by no means did anyone or I allude to that fact that hiphop will make a person better at basketball. The genre of hiphop in being used in this context relates to the creativity and the brash confidence that it can inject into a person. I am not saying that Dirk listened to hiphop in order to become a better player; rather, what I am insinuating is that he most likely noticed the style of most of the players in the league. Which of course we all know is predominantly entrenched in hiphop.
You can’t use the NFL as an example of your point simply because the game is played physically at all times. The NBA players like Tim Duncan that would not be classified under the hiphop-style of players. Allen Iverson on the other hand reflects what is being meant as a hiphop style of bball. Hiphop style of basketball has its roots in New York and various parts of the 5 boroughs. Rucker park is a famed streetball hotbed; and is one of the many infamous urban courts that has fostered this so called hiphop flare-ish brand of basketball. The urban cultural aspect of hiphop is what is being referred to as the influence to a lot of ball players. Not that listen to the music makes a player good or even better. If the were the case, then Isaiah Rider would still be in the league today.
Hey this article is linked on hoopshype.
shout out to my boy acid man!!!! n e ways. . . Bargs really dosn’t need to worry about being demanding on the offensive end . . . We need him on the rebounding end more then anything. . . If he can rebound then our problems are solved. . . I think he will play a key role this season. . . if he shows up this season and watch out the raps are more dangerous then the celts and magic . . .