If Stan Van Gundy were choosing between an American or a European at the top of an NBA draft, he made it known Tuesday he’d prefer to pick the latter.
During a sitdown interview with Michelle Beadle on “Run It Back,” Van Gundy explained the recent success of foreign-born prospects has made him believe they’re far safer bets than their Red, White and Blue counterparts.
“Honestly,” the former NBA head coach said on the show, “I think it’s why the top European guys are a lot of times a surer thing on picks because they’ve been tested.
“They play against grown men coming up. I mean, you’ve seen (Luka) Doncic and (Victor) Wembanyama and even the recent guys — (Zaccharie) Risacher, (Alex) Sarr — those guys. You’d seen those guys against grown men playing. And you’d seen how they compete in everything else.”
During a sitdown interview with Michelle Beadle on “Run It Back,” Van Gundy explained the recent success of foreign-born prospects has made him believe they’re far safer bets. X/@RunItBackFDTV
Van Gundy said it’s much more difficult to get a proper read on players currently hooping at universities across the US.
“In college,” Van Gundy said, “I just think it’s harder to get a handle on all of those intangible things.”
The conversation was all sparked when Beadle asked for Van Gundy’s confidence level in Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson, who’s drawn criticism recently over his night-in and night-out Jayhawks availability.
If Stan Van Gundy were choosing between an American or a European at the top of an NBA draft, he made it known Tuesday he’d prefer to pick the latter. NBAE via Getty Images
Van Gundy said he didn’t “know enough of the story” to give a proper read on Peterson, but he did add that the entire draft is one giant crapshoot no matter what anyone’s opinions of prospects are.
“Every draft is the same in this regard,” he said. “There’s going to be people who disappoint, and then you’re going to find guys way down in the draft that nobody thinks are that good who are going to become absolute stars in the league.
“It happens every year and to me, that’s the fun of it.”