Just How Different Is FIBA Basketabll?

[George O'Brien]

The more I read about FIBA rules, it seems the game is a lot further from NBA basketball than is generally recognized. It isn't just the fact that the other national teams are used to playing together. The game itself is different. I've seen references to it, but if anything most commentators give only a few examples and focus on the "it's all about me" attitude of the Americans.

1. Zone defense - The Europeans play a real zone and not the odd zone the NBA has with "defensive three second violations". FIBA zone means a guy can simply stand under the basket and alway be between the basket and the ball.

2. There is no "inner circle" under the basket - Even a simple layup can turn into a charge because there is a guy under the basket. It is a lot harder to take charges in the NBA.

3. Hand checking is permitted - International basketball permits a lot more hand checking an contact on ther perimeter than the NBA does, so that relatively slow guys can still play defense.

4. The refs are much tighter about calling travelling when the player palms the ball when making his first step.

Each of these differences means that it is much harder to drive the basket under FIBA rules. It is notable that Barbosa, a drive the basket type player, has suddenly discovered a mid range when playing under FIBA rules. Sadly, their rules encourage him to continue making hand checks which get called as fouls in the NBA.

5. Short three point circle - The three point circle is almost five feet closer to the basket than the NBA circle. This means that almost anybody can be a serious threat shooting the three, which further discourages driving the basket.

6. Trapazoid lane - The FIBA lane is much wider at the baseline than foul line. This means that low post players are a lot further away. So while the FIBA rules encourage much more physical play on the outside, on the inside there is far less pushing and shoveing because getting to the low box isn't nearly as dangerous as it is in the NBA.

7. Smaller court - Players have to run much further in the NBA than in FIBA rules and have more area to defend side to side.

8. Different ball - The NBA is converting to a new type of basketball which is closer to the FIBA ball than the leather ball they are used to. It has taken USA players a while to get used to the new ball, which is another advantage that international players have.

I'm sure I'm missing stuff. It is a huge adjustment for the USA players. However, it is hard to imagine international teams beating NBA teams using NBA rules. We've seen evidence that the transition from FIBA basketball to the NBA is more of a challenge than the mock drafts seem to believe.

 

[Errntknght]

Another significant difference is the basket interference rules. As I understand FIBA rules, once the ball has hit the rim both offense and defensive players are free to reach into the cylinder to touch the ball. Who knows about minor things like touching the net while the ball is in the cylinder.

No doubt the rules will eventually converge and my guess is that the final result will be closer to the NBA rules - that ugly trapezoid zone has to go.

 

[Mainstreet]

Another significant difference is the basket interference rules. As I understand FIBA rules, once the ball has hit the rim both offense and defensive players are free to reach into the cylinder to touch the ball. Who knows about minor things like touching the net while the ball is in the cylinder...

If I had to pick one element of international basketball I dislike the most it is the allowance of goaltending both offensively and defensively once the ball has hit the rim.

This takes away some of the best finesse baskets where the offensive player makes a great play to get the ball up on the rim only to have it swatted away or tipped-in while the ball is still in the cylinder. IMO, this is just plain ugly and makes a mockery of the game. I don't think I could ever enjoy NBA basketball the way I do now if goaltending were allowed.

 

[George O'Brien]

If I had to pick one element of international basketball I dislike the most it is the allowance of goaltending both offensively and defensively once the ball has hit the rim.

This takes away some of the best finesse baskets where the offensive player makes a great play to get the ball up on the rim only to have it swatted away or tipped-in while the ball is still in the cylinder. IMO, this is just plain ugly and makes a mockery of the game. I don't think I could ever enjoy NBA basketball the way I do now if goaltending were allowed.

I'm not quite sure if the goal tending thing is a rule or just the way the games are called. But it adds to some of the things that seem to hinder the transition of international rules players into the NBA. We note how hard it is for the NBA guys to play FIBA rules, but I think it is harder for international bigs making the transition to the NBA.

Most of the successful international players have been small fowards and shooting guards. For example, Dirk was mostly a small forward in style if not position for most of his career. After Sabonis and Divac, few of the European centers have proven to be much more than average and most take a long time to develop. My read on it is that in Europe they get to do things that aren't permitted in the NBA and don't have to fight to keep guys from the low post sweet spot when playing defense.

A few players have made the transition, but it is pretty difficult. Here's my list of the top international centers, meaning someone who developed outside of the US rather than just someone born elsewhere but played college and professionallY here:

Yao Ming 22.3 ppg and 10.2 rpg in 34.2 minutes
Zydrunas Ilgauskas 15.6 ppg and 7.6 rpg in 29.3 minutes
Primoz Brezec 13.0 ppg and 7.4 rpg in 27.4 minutes
Zaza Pachulia 11.7 ppg and 7.9 rpg in 31.4 minutes
Nenad Krstic 13.5 ppg and 6.4 rpg in 30.9 minutes
Rasho Nesterovic 4.5 ppg and 3.9 rpg in 18.9 minutes

Darko may join this list, but hasn't played enough to be rated yet and Nene got his contract entirely based on potential. Most of the rest got minimal minutes.

For international power forwards, the list is even shorter:

Dirk Nowitzki 26.6 ppg 9.0 rpg in 38.1 minutes
Boris Diaw 13.3 ppg 6.9 rpg in 35.5 minutes
Darius Songaila 9.2 ppg 4.0 rpg in 21.4 minutes

If you analyze the game of these guys, the biggest rap on most of them is their defense. Pachulia is considered to be OK and Boris is good but far from great. Yao's defense is entirely based on being really tall. But overall, this is not a list of top defenders and would seem to confirm my theory that FIBA does not prepare guys to play interior defense in the NBA.

One other thought - if FIBA rules make it easier to take charges, it may also encourage flopping. I don't think it is an accident that the two most notorius floppers in the NBA in recent years have been Vlade Divac and Manu Ginobili.

 

[mathbzh]

At center, you forgot Johan Petro.
5.2 ppg 4.4 rbds in 19 minutes for his rookie year when he was not even a starter in Pau.
So far in the WC Petro does a good job has France backup center (4.2 ppg 2.2 rbds 0.7 ast in just 9 minutes).