There's no denying that the NBA features the best basketball players on Earth. But even though Team USA should have a huge edge over most of its rivals, NBA stars often struggle to adapt to FIBA basketball and its rules.
It's not a secret that the NBA favors scoring and putting on a show over... actual basketball. The fundamentals are long gone, players often travel, double-dribble, and commit offensive fouls, yet no one seems to care.
That's not a bad thing per sé; it's just the way it is. But that makes FIBA basketball much more difficult for NBA scorers, at least according to Serbia and Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic.
Nikola Jokic Explains Why International Basketball Is Tougher Than The NBA
"It's a different game. Of course, it's a little bit because of the rules," Jokic said, as quoted by Fadeaway World. "A little bit with the spaces on the floor, the 3-point line. There's no defensive three-second violation in the key."
"The floor is smaller. The big man can be in the paint. The 3-point line is shorter. It was a new, old experience," Jokic explained. "I didn't play for the national team for a long time. Is it harder? Yes, because I think you really need to have quick thinking. In the NBA, if you go by the guy, you can see the help is coming. In Europe, help is always there. So, you need to think and play ahead. It's interesting."
Team USA still dominates most international competitions, but some of the NBA's international stars often struggle when they're called up to play for their national team, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo a couple of years ago.
At the end of the day, it's all basketball, and we're entitled to like both. But it would be quite interesting to see how the NBA could actually benefit from some of the FIBA rules and vice-versa.
